FIFA president Gianni Infantino has received the “full support” of senior directors on Wednesday but world football’s governing body apologised for the controversy of the now-shelved plan to open the World Cup to private investment.

Facing a barrage of criticism following the aborted plan, FIFA’s leadership acknowledged “errors”, while nonetheless backing under-fire Infantino following a crisis meeting in Morocco.

Infantino has come under increasing pressure, even from within his organisation, over his handling of the proposal, and calls for him to step down had grown since he abandoned it last Saturday.

In a statement Wednesday, FIFA’s leadership acknowledged “that errors were also made after the proposal was leaked to media”.

FIFA floated the plan, saying it could raise up to $4.2 billion based on a valuation of $20 billion for a new commercial subsidiary, called the FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), which it proposed would run events such as the World Cup and Club World Cup.

It said that, if approved, the project could provide each of FIFA’s 211 member associations with a one-off payment of $20 million in early 2027, and increase their funding allocation for the 2027-2030 cycle from $8 million to $20 million.

Instead of acting as a sweetener it produced a furious backlash, with European football’s governing body UEFA resorting on Thursday to the nuclear option of boycotting the sport’s jewel in the crown, the World Cup.

By Saturday, Infantino held his hands up and withdrew the plan.

“Our purpose has always been — and will always be — to unite and improve,” said Infantino.

After Wednesday’s meeting in Rabat, the FIFA Secretary General and members of the FIFA Management Board in attendance said in a statement they “reaffirmed their full support for FIFA President Gianni Infantino, as the only official elected by the 211 FIFA Member Associations”.

“The meeting also addressed the FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) proposal, where mistakes made were acknowledged,” the statement said.

“It was agreed that it was not the intention for the FIFA Council and FIFA Member Associations to feel excluded from the process and that the process should have been handled differently.

“It was further acknowledged that errors were also made after the proposal was leaked to media.

“In a separate letter to the FIFA Council and FIFA Member Associations, an apology was made for these errors together with a commitment to ensure they do not happen again.”

‘Off the table’

One of those believed to be at the meeting was FIFA’s secretary-general Mattias Grafstrom, whose internal email to staff criticising the plan was leaked on Tuesday.

“A review will now be conducted, and a report will be presented to the FIFA Council at its next scheduled meeting,” the FIFA statement said.

“As previously communicated, the FFE proposal, which would have been subject to the approval of the FIFA Member Associations and the FIFA Council, is now off the table.”

Later Wednesday, Infantino — a 56-year-old Swiss lawyer who was in Morocco to celebrate last week’s Feast of the Enthronement — attended the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations match between Zambia and Malawi in Rabat.

The FIFA chief was spotted alongside the president of the Moroccan football federation at the entrance to Al Medina Stadium, an AFP photographer observed.

Morocco is to co-host the 2030 World Cup and Moroccan Football chief Fouzi Lekjaa is one of the few to have publicly supported Infantino since the humiliating climbdown.

Lekjaa last Saturday had praised his “wise” move to scrap the plan in the interests of “unity and cohesion”.

He reiterated his backing for Infantino for “all the initiatives aimed at the development of world football” during his 10 years in charge.

Infantino had been basking in the warm afterglow of a highly successful World Cup — the largest ever with 48 teams and co-hosted by three countries, Canada, Mexico and the US.

His wish to serve a fourth and final term looked likely to be rubber-stamped in Rabat next March — no other candidate had come forward to challenge him.

However, Tuesday last week all that faded.

UEFA termed the proposal to privatise the World Cup a “shabby, back room, opaque deal” hatched by Infantino.

“The current FIFA leadership has not only lost UEFA’s confidence but also that of many other members of the football family,” UEFA said in a statement.

North and Central American football’s governing body CONCACAF went further still and called for “a comprehensive reckoning with this presidency” while slamming Infantino’s “poor governance and leadership”.

On Wednesday, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, whose country co-hosted the 2026 World Cup, said he no longer had confidence in Infantino’s ability to lead FIFA. (France 24/ AFP)

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US President Donald Trump wants FIFA President Gianni Infantino to be the next secretary-general of the United Nations, The Post has learned.

Infantino, 56, grew close to Trump through organizing this year’s World Cup, with the Swiss-born soccer administrator bending over backward to charm and include Trump, even giving him FIFA’s inaugural Peace Prize in December.

Trump believes that Infantino “is respected by everyone around the world, and recognizes he has a special ability to bring people together,” a source close to the president told The Post.

The next secretary-general will be elected this year to replace the retiring António Guterres of Portugal, who will step down at the end of December. 

To secure the position, Infantino would need to win the endorsement of the 15-member Security Council — where the five permanent members hold vetoes — followed by confirmation by the General Assembly. 

It’s unclear if Infantino wants the job and to what extent Trump has discussed the topic with him.

But Trump senses a clear opening among a field that one insider described as seven “lame” candidates.

The best-known contenders include Chile’s socialist former president Michelle Bachelet, who could face US resistance, and Argentina’s Rafael Grossi, the current director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, who could face concerns from the UK over the disputed Falkland Islands.

Trump’s concept would upend the anticipated selection of a candidate from Latin America or the Caribbean — a region last repped by secretary-general Javier Pérez de Cuéllar of Peru between 1982 and 1991.

But multiple sources say that soft geographic rotation would not necessarily block Infantino and that it’s possible he could pick up multiple nominations in addition to Trump’s.

Paolo Zampolli, the Italian-American businessman and diplomat serving as Trump’s special envoy for global partnerships, told The Post that “only President Trump could have such a genius idea.”

Zampolli said Infantino “would do a great job” and is “liked by everybody” — describing him as potentially bringing fresh energy to the massive bureaucracy and using sports to build new bridges and inspire the world’s young and poor populations.

“There is some similarity” between the roles of FIFA president and UN secretary-general, said Zampolli, a personal friend of Infantino’s and a former ambassador to the UN for the small island nation of Dominica.

“At the United Nations, you have to deal with 193 member states. In FIFA, there are over 200 members [and] Gianni’s great record shows he knows how to manage.”

Zampolli spent time with Infantino at last weekend’s World Cup final in New Jersey but said they did not discuss the concept and was surprised to learn of it from The Post.

Trump has fumed about what he views as the UN’s inactivity in mediating major world conflicts and last year created a new US-led Board of Peace that drew speculation he was setting up a rival organization — as he brokered peace deals, including between Israel and Hamas — though Trump denied it and said he hopes the UN will take a more active role.

Since reentering the White House last year, Trump has slashed US contributions to the UN and withdrawn from many of its sub-organizations, including the World Health Organization, UNESCO and the UN Human Rights Council.

Installing Infantino could improve Trump’s relationship with the UN.

However, if the president is successful, it would come with a steep pay cut for Infantino, who earns about $6 million a year at FIFA.

The secretary-general’s recently reported compensation amounted to about $418,000. 

Infantino has declared his candidacy for re-election as FIFA president. That selection process occurs next March.

He did not immediately respond to The Post’s emailed request for comment about the UN opening.

Although he’s lined up endorsements for reelection from nearly all of FIFA’s 211 member associations, he faces blowback over Trump’s intervention on behalf of the US team in the World Cup to overturn a one-game suspension of Folarin Balogun ahead of the match with Belgium.

Balogun’s reinstatement outraged European nations, but the American loss to Belgium blunted the fallout. Still, disgraced ex-FIFA President Sepp Blatter, whose tenure was marred by a bribery scandal in awarding the 2022 World Cup to Qatar, is among those clamoring for Infantino’s ouster. (New York Post)

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FIFA has confirmed that Argentina will face an investigation into the “disgusting” scenes at the end of the World Cup final. 

The team has gone viral for all the wrong reasons at this year’s tournament; and now, a petition to kick them out of the World Cup has amassed more than 23 million signatures.

What a fun World Cup this has been… If only FIFA and Argentina hadn’t ruined the whole thing.

It’s a sentiment shared by many online, who believe that this year’s tournament has brought the culture of football further into disrepute – whether it’s the exorbitant ticket prices, the controversial “hydration breaks”, the Trump-Infantino relationship leading to the infamous red card scandal, some dubious refereeing and allegations of favouritism… The list goes on, and goes on up until the final, in which Spain defeated Argentina 1-0 in extra time.

Indeed, FIFA has confirmed that Argentina will face an investigation regarding altercations with Spain players, with players like Nahuel Molina, Leandro Paredes and Thiago Almada appearing to be involved, as well as assistant coach Roberto Ayala.

Molina appeared to throw a punch at Spain’s captain Rodri as he ran past him, while Paredes clashed with Spain’s Eric Garcia.

Faced with these pathetic scenes, FIFA’s disciplinary committee has appointed an ethics prosecutor to assess what happened.

The actions of the Argentinian team could be judged as “violating the basic rules of decent conduct” and “behaving in a way that brings the sport of football and/or Fifa into disrepute”.

This has been a long time coming, as supporting Argentina during the World Cup became increasingly problematic as the competition progressed. The team and their fans went viral for all the wrong reasons – be it racist chants, some questionable calls during the quarter-final game against Egypt which seemed to suggest favouritism, a banner that read “Las Malvinas son Argentinas” (“The Falklands are Argentine”) during their post-semifinal celebration against England – to name but a few.

The conspiracy theory that the World Cup was rigged in Argentina’s favour gained much traction online, with many expressing their “disgust” and anger through AI-generated videos and photos.

The aforementioned disciplinary and ethics prosecutor has the power to enforce a ban globally, and a petition titled “Argentina Out” has called for the country to be kicked out of the tournament permanently. 

The petition description accuses FIFA and the referees of being “biased toward Lionel Messi and Argentina”, adding: “Why should the rest of the world compete when the winner has already been decided? Kick Argentina out of the World Cup and give everyone else a fair chance.”

Now closed, the appeal has more than 23 million signatures – 23,316,108 to be precise.

Most impressive of all is how this has nearly broken a world record, as the Guinness World Record for the most signatories stands at 24,319,181.

That record still belongs to the 1997 Jubilee 2000 movement, which called for the cancellation of unpayable debts owed by the world’s poorest countries by the end of the year 2000.

“Over 23 million people from 170 countries signed this petition in under a week,” states the viral Argentina Out petition. “FIFA ignored us but Spain delivered. Thank you Spain.” (Euronews)

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“FIFA favours Argentina”, “World Cup is rigged”, “FIFA wants Lionel Messi to go far” have been common phrases heard from the mouths of different people since the 2026 World Cup started. 

It all began with Lionel Messi’s studs-up challenge against an Algerian player, while the VAR decisions in games involving Egypt and Switzerland further fuelled the ‘fixing’ accusations on FIFA, with many suggesting that Argentina are overwhelmingly being protected by the sport’s governing body.

Breaking his silence on the accusations, Messi has hit back at critics, asserting that reaching a second consecutive World Cup final proves his side is among the best in the world and that their success is “not by chance.” 

Argentina looked on the cusp of elimination from the World Cup as they came up against England in the semi-final on Wednesday. But, as has been the case in multiple Argentina matches this World Cup, the defending champions produced another heroic comeback. Enzo Fernandez and Lautaro Martinez, with the help of two Messi assists, struck the late goals in a dramatic turnaround in Atlanta after Anthony Gordon’s 55th-minute goal to take Argentina closer to retaining their world crown.

Argentina’s journey to defend their title has been filled with controversies as referees made several debatable calls that seemed to favour them. But Messi completely dismissed the claims that the tournament was biased in their favour.

“It hurts whoever it hurts… We’ve been the best for the last four years, whether people like it or not, no matter what they say. Once again, we’re among the two best in the world, and that shows that everything we’ve done isn’t by chance and nobody gave us anything. Reaching two consecutive World Cup finals is something few achieve, and this group did it,” the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner stated, taking a clear jab at the critics.

“If we had lost to England, people would have come out and said some nonsense, and we didn’t give them the chance. We knew that we were better than them in terms of football , but a lot is at stake in a match of this magnitude, where historic events happen in these games,” he added.

Messi also dedicated the win to the legendary Diego Maradona, who had famously headlined the clash between Argentina and the Three Lions in the World Cup quarter-final 40 years ago.

“Without a doubt, Diego is enjoying this immensely from up there because today was a very special day for him; to be able to give him this joy and for him to experience it however he wants from up there. Let him enjoy it because it’s a gift for him too,” he concluded. (NDTV Sports / IANS)

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After Argentina overhauled a 1-0 deficit against England into a statement 2-1 victory in the FIFA World Cup semi-finals, some of their players made a statement of another kind. Giovani Lo Celso and Nicolas Otamendi brought a banner onto the pitch of the Mercedes Benz Arena that said ‘Las Malvinas son Argentinas’ (The Falkland Islands are Argentine). 

The banner was a reference to the Falkland Islands (as known in England while in Argentina the island is called Islas Malvinas) which had led to a 74-day conflict between the two countries 44 years ago. The conflict had led to over 900 people — 649 Argentinians and 255 Britons — losing their lives. 

England reasserted control of the Falklands after that 1982 war with Argentina’s military government. Argentina still considers the British protectorate essential to their national identity.

The banner could land the Argentine football team in trouble with FIFA’s rules on political messaging. Argentina will take on Spain in the FIFA World Cup final on Sunday hoping to retain their title won in Qatar 2022.

 Lionel Messi and Co had fallen behind to England in the 55th minute thanks to a goal from Anthony Gordon. However, Enzo Fernandez scored a long-range strike to level the scores in the 85th minute before Lautaro Martinez headed the ball into the net in the second minute of extra time to give Argentina the victory. 

A report in the Guardian noted that after Argentina beat Switzerland in the quarter-final to set up a meeting with England, some players had been heard chanting: “For the Malvinas, for Diego [Maradona] and for Leo [Messi]’s last one.”

While it was uncertain where the banner had come from, according to a report from The Associated Press, Argentina fans had been banned from carrying Falklands flags into the World Cup semi-final. 

Argentine Security Minister Alejandra Monteoliva had said that fans would not be allowed to carry some of their flags and banners that incorporate images of the Falkland Islands into the game.

Monteoliva had cited FIFA’s code of conduct, which bans politically divisive content. Her comments had led to a social media backlash in Buenos Aires.

FIFA’s code of conduct also says fans cannot “curse or chant in a political, offensive and/or discriminatory manner.”

But Britain’s top representative in Atlanta had said she expects Argentines to continue with their chants that reference the Malvinas along with football greats Diego Maradona and Lionel Messi. Consul General Rachel Galloway told Atlanta First News that although fans might sing about those issues, “we find a way to work together.” (Indian Express/ AP)

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France head coach Didier Deschamps was far from pleased with some of the refereeing decisions during his team’s loss to Spain in the FIFA World Cup semi-final in Dallas on Tuesday.

France suffered a 2-0 loss to Spain to qualify for Sunday’s final in New Jersey, where they will face either England or Argentina.

Although Deschamps didn’t name the referee, Ivan Barton, he questioned whether the referee was qualified enough to officiate in a big match like the FIFA World Cup semi-final.

“If I say anything, I’ll look like a sore loser because we lost,” Deschamps told reporters after the match. “But I ask you: is the referee up to the task of officiating a semi-final? There’s the penalty, but that’s not all; it adds to everything else. I have nothing against the referee tonight, but ask yourselves the question,” he added.

Didier Deschamps on penalty awarded to Spain

Deschamps was referring to the penalty that was awarded to Spain in the 22nd minute. Forward Mikel Oyarzabal converted from the spot to give Spain a 1-0 lead, before Pedro Porro doubled the lead in the 58th minute.

Spain were awarded a penalty after France defender Lucas Digne fouled Lamine Yamal inside the box. Digne attempted to clear the ball as Yamal sprinted in from behind to challenge inside the penalty area.

The ball brushed the teenager’s elbow before Digne’s follow-through caught him.

“It isn’t because we lost that I’m saying this. There were several situations that went against us,” Deschamps, who will step down as France head coach after the FIFA World Cup, said. “But the first reason is because we were a bit below our level,” he added.

The 1998 FIFA World Cup winner said that the players were devastated after the loss to Spain.

The Les Bleus will next play the third-place playoff match in Miami on Saturday, where they will face the loser of the second semi-final.

“The players are devastated because we had a lot of ambition. We have to recognise that today we were a level below. Technically, we came up against a team that mastered the game. We were less dangerous offensively than we could have been,” the 57-year-old explained.

Deschamps took over as France head coach in July 2012. Under his guidance, France went on to win the 2018 FIFA World Cup and the 2020-21 UEFA Nations League titles.

France also finished as runners-up at the 2016 European Championships and the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Zinedine Zidane, another French legend, will reportedly take over as the head coach of France after the FIFA World Cup. (Live Mint Sports)

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Argentina are back in the FIFA World Cup semi-finals. Lionel Messi’s side is two games away from another title. But as their run gathers momentum, so do the familiar accusations. 

Every major Argentina victory seems to trigger another round of debate over refereeing decisions. Social media has once again been flooded with claims that officials have favoured the South Americans. Whether those allegations have any substance is a separate discussion. But if Argentina reach the World Cup final, there will not be an English referee in charge. Here is why. 

Micheal Oliver holds the rare distinction of being the English referee to officiate the most World Cup games in a single edition. On merit alone, Oliver has strengthened his credentials for the final at MetLife Stadium on July 19. But merit is just one part of FIFA’s selection process.

Should Argentina make the final, Oliver and fellow English referee Anthony Taylor would automatically be ruled out.

Now if England reaches the final, it is quite straightforward that they won’t be eligible.

But even in the case of Argentina beating England in the semi-final and making the final, the English referees will be barred from officiating, because of the political sensitivities surrounding the Falklands dispute.

The legacy of the 1982 Falklands War continues to shape FIFA’s referee appointments more than four decades later.

The Falklands War lasted 74 days in 1982 before ending with Argentina’s surrender and Britain retaining control of the islands. The conflict left 649 Argentine soldiers, 255 British servicemen and three Falkland Islanders dead. More than four decades later, the issue remains politically sensitive. Argentina continues to claim sovereignty over the islands, a position reiterated by President Javier Milei.

That is why FIFA takes no chances. The question isn’t whether a referee would favour one side. It’s whether the appointment could invite questions over neutrality.

The principle extends beyond the final. With England and Argentina on the same side of the draw, English and Norwegian referees were not in contention for Argentina’s quarter-final against Switzerland either. The winner of that tie was destined to face England or Norway in the semi-finals, so FIFA removed any possibility of a perceived conflict before the last four had even begun.

For FIFA, the concern is not whether a referee would actually be biased. It is whether appointing one could create that perception.

Because England and Argentina sit on the same side of the draw, referees from England and Norway were not considered for Argentina’s quarter-final against Switzerland. The outcome of that match directly influenced England’s potential semi-final opponent, making neutrality a factor even before the last four.

The same principle applies across the competition.

American referees are generally not considered for Iran matches, and Iranian officials would likewise not oversee games involving the United States. FIFA routinely factors geopolitical tensions into its appointments alongside nationality.

Referees are also kept away from matches that could directly affect their own country’s route through the competition. That is why Oliver and Taylor were not assigned to other matches involving England’s group rivals earlier in the tournament.

The philosophy mirrors domestic football.

The same thinking applies in domestic football. Premier League referees are kept away from clubs they support or have strong regional ties to. That’s why Michael Oliver, who comes from England’s North East, is never appointed to Newcastle United or Sunderland matches.

The World Cup simply applies those principles on a global scale.

Appointments are made on a match-by-match basis by FIFA’s refereeing department under the leadership of chief refereeing officer Pierluigi Collina. Performances remain the biggest factor. But politics, geography and competitive neutrality all form part of the equation.

Anthony Taylor found himself in exactly this position four years ago. He had enjoyed an outstanding tournament in Qatar and was firmly in the conversation to referee the final. But the moment Argentina booked their place against France, his chances disappeared.

The same could happen again. If Argentina reach this year’s final, neither Taylor nor Michael Oliver will be eligible for the biggest game of the tournament. (NDTV Sports)

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Gianni Infantino confirmed that FIFA will discuss expanding the men’s World Cup to 64 teams after the 2026 tournament, saying every nation should have the chance to dream of playing at football’s biggest event.

The 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico is the first to feature 48 teams, having expanded from 32, and a further increase could be in the cards.

“This is certainly an issue that will be looked at and discussed in the relevant committees after this World Cup,” FIFA’s president told Swiss broadcaster Blue Sport when asked about the possibility of a 64-team tournament. “When you organize a World Cup, it’s important that you organize it for the whole world. It’s not just Europe and South America, but the entire world, effectively. Every nation should be able to dream of taking part in the World Cup.

“We can see that the quality of the teams is extremely high, and it’s getting higher and higher everywhere in the world. If you don’t give smaller countries the chance to participate in the World Cup, they also lose the incentive to keep improving.”

The prospect of a 64-team World Cup first emerged in March 2025, when South American confederation CONMEBOL proposed expanding the 2030 tournament, which will mark the competition’s centenary.

In September, Infantino met with CONMEBOL president Alejandro Domínguez, the presidents of the Argentine and Uruguayan football associations, and the presidents of Paraguay and Uruguay in New York to discuss the proposal.

At the time, Domínguez said, “We believe in a historic 2030 World Cup. We want to call for unity, creativity and believing big. Because when football is shared by everyone, the celebration is truly global.”

In April 2025, Concacaf president Victor Montagliani told ESPN: “I don’t believe expanding the men’s World Cup to 64 teams is the right move for the tournament itself and the broader football ecosystem, from national teams to club competitions, leagues and players.”

If approved, a 64-team World Cup would feature 128 matches, double the number played under the 32-team format used from 1998 to 2022. This year’s tournament will feature 104 matches.

UEFA president Aleksander Čeferin has previously described the proposal as “a bad idea.” (ESPN)

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FIFA has launched an investigation into allegations of racism against popular YouTuber IShowSpeed during a World Cup fixture last week. 

IShowSpeed, who boasts 57 million subscribers on YouTube and 53 million followers on TikTok, has livestreamed games throughout the tournament across the United States, Canada and Mexico this summer.

The YouTuber attended the Round of 32 thriller between Argentina and Cape Verde on July 3, which saw the reigning champions emerge victorious with a 3-2 win. 

IShowSpeed, whose real name is Darren Jason Watkins Jr, was seen on his stream watching the game at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami wearing a Cape Verde jersey, following the team’s fairytale run at the World Cup. 

During the footage, the 21-year-old could be heard getting into an altercation with an Argentina fan.

He could be heard asking a fan in an Argentina jersey what was being said toward him. The fan speaking in Spanish appeared to be telling IShowSpeed, who is Black, to ‘go cry to the zoo.’

‘FIFA strongly condemns racism, hate and discrimination in all forms,’ the soccer body said in a statement. 

‘These actions have no place in football, at the FIFA World Cup, or anywhere in society. … The FIFA World Cup is a celebration of unity, diversity and respect. It brings together people, cultures and communities from around the world, and anyone who acts in a manner that undermines these values is not welcome in our game.’ 

He appeared to face further abuse during Argentina’s comeback win over Egypt in the Round of 16 on Tuesday. 

During his stream, Argentina fans were caught shouting at the streamer with one appearing to make monkey gestures. 

It came at the end of the game after IShowSpeed had taunted Lionel Messi as the Argentine legend prepared to take a penalty against Egypt. 

A clip that went viral on social media showed IShowSpeed wearing an Egypt shirt behind the goal where Messi was taking his penalty. 

He was seen screaming for Messi to look at him, while waving his arms around and even barking. The Inter Miami star went on to miss the penalty. 

IShowSpeed is one of the sport’s biggest content creators with FIFA President Gianni Infantino, Portugal legend Cristiano Ronaldo and former Barcelona star Zlatan Ibrahimovic appearing on his channel. 

The alleged abuse against IShowSpeed comes after a Paraguayan senator made a series of racist remarks about France star Kylian Mbappe. (Daily Mail)

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Portuguese soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo has announced that this World Cup will be his last, with Portugal preparing for their round of 16 match against Spain that will take place on Monday in Dallas. 

The 41-year-old has played in the last six editions of the tournament, becoming the first ever player to score in six. Ronaldo says he won’t be playing at the 2030 edition that will also be co-hosted by Portugal, alongside Spain and Morocco. 

Speaking ahead of the match against Spain, Ronaldo said, “This will be my last World Cup, but let’s hope tomorrow isn’t my last game.”

The soccer star has scored three goals so far at the World Cup. Two against Uzbekistan and then his first ever goal in the knockout stages against Croatia, when he scored a penalty. Ronaldo didn’t mention anything about a potential retirement, just that simply he won’t play another World Cup.

“The day will come, but I’ll be honest — whatever happens tomorrow, Cristiano will leave with a clear conscience, not 100%, but 1000%. Because I’ve given everything in soccer. I don’t need it, I have a good life, but it’s about passion. I play football because I love it … You have to enjoy every day. And I’ve scored three goals so far. I’m not doing too badly, right?”

He was also asked about his thoughts on his rival on Monday, Lamine Yamal.

“He’s a player with a big future. But for me, I always see Spain as a whole, they’re all good … The more prepared you are, the better you’ll survive a long football career, if that’s what you want. If you listen to criticism, you’re lost. 

There’s constructive criticism, and there’s criticism meant to kill you, too. You have to adapt if you want a long career, and focus on the love, the passion of the fans. Over time, I learned to be connected to the people who love you, and have passion for what you’re doing.” (CBS)

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Norway fans took over Times Square in New York City on Sunday with their “Viking Row” chant ahead of their match against Senegal at the World Cup on Monday at New York New Jersey Stadium.

Norway took on Senegal in their second 2026 FIFA World Cup match of the tournament on Monday night at New York New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

Several hours before the whistle blew on the pitch, Norwegian fans flocked to Times Square in the heart of New York City to give their squad a proper sendoff.

Hundreds of Norway fans performed the “Viking Row” to offer proper support of their nation’s best soccer players. (Fox News)

An overwhelming sea of red flooded the Times Square steps.

Thousands of Norwegian fans packed the heart of Manhattan, breaking into their iconic rowing chant as Norway prepares for its latest World Cup showdown. pic.twitter.com/4OvaoDC0xr

— Fox News (@FoxNews) June 22, 2026

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Argentina captain Lionel Messi has added four more Guinness World Records to his name following his latest appearance at the FIFA World Cup.

In a post on social media, Guinness World Records said Messi broke four records in a single day, further cementing his place among football’s greatest players.

According to Guinness World Records, Messi now holds the record for the most FIFA World Cup goals scored by a football player with 18 goals.

He has also set new records for the most FIFA World Cup matches played by an individual (28), the most World Cup matches won by a player (18), and the most minutes played in FIFA World Cup history (2,489).

“We are witnessing history,” Guinness World Records said while highlighting the latest milestones achieved by the Argentine star.

The records add to an already remarkable career for Messi, who has won multiple Ballon d’Or awards, lifted the FIFA World Cup with Argentina, and continues to rewrite football’s record books at the age of 39.

His latest achievements come as Argentina continue their campaign at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with Messi once again playing a central role for the defending world champions. (Newswire)

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Neymar has been ⁠ruled out of Brazil’s upcoming friendlies and is set to miss their World Cup opener after scans revealed a grade-two calf injury, the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) has confirmed.

CBF doctor Rodrigo Lasmar delivered the blow on Thursday ahead of a players’ media conference, confirming the 34-year-old forward faces two to three more weeks on the sidelines.

“Neymar reported for duty yesterday here ⁠at Granja Comary, underwent all the medical tests, which concluded with an MRI scan revealing a grade-two calf injury, not just swelling. He is expected to be cleared in two to three weeks,” Lasmar said.

He did not say whether Neymar could be dropped from the squad.

He had joined the team on ‌Tuesday but missed Wednesday’s first training session and was sent to a private clinic in Teresopolis for imaging tests after complaints of swelling in his right calf.

According to Lasmar, the MRI showed not swelling, as previously reported, but a grade-two calf strain — a moderate injury involving a partial tear of the muscle fibres that requires rest and rehabilitation.

The diagnosis differs from that presented by Santos prior to the squad announcement. The club’s doctor, Rodrigo ⁠Zogaib, stated that the problem was merely swelling, and that Neymar would ⁠arrive fit to begin training on Tuesday.

Instead, Brazil’s all-time leading scorer will miss Sunday’s friendly against Panama at the Maracana, and the subsequent match against Egypt in Cleveland. He is also all but ruled out of Brazil’s World Cup ⁠opener against African champions Morocco on June 13 in New Jersey.

Brazil are in Group C alongside Haiti and Scotland.

Manager Carlo Ancelotti is already ⁠without defenders Gabriel Magalhaes and Marquinhos, as well as forward Gabriel ⁠Martinelli for Sunday’s fixture due to their involvement in this weekend’s Champions League final between Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain.

Neymar’s recall last week had generated widespread excitement after not featuring in Ancelotti’s plans during the Italian’s year in charge. ‌

The forward, who has scored 79 goals in 128 international appearances, has endured years of injury troubles and an underwhelming return to Santos.

In an interview with Reuters earlier this month, Ancelotti ‌said ‌that Neymar would receive no special treatment, and that his place in the squad would be strictly based on fitness and form, not sentiment.

For now, Brazil must plan without him. (Al Jazeera)

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FIFA faces a subpoena from the states of New York and New Jersey as part of an investigation into details of pricing for 2026 World Cup tickets and the accuracy of stated seat locations promised to football fans.

The tournament, the most expensive World Cup in history by a wide margin, begins in mid-June and will include games in the United States, Canada and Mexico. The event has already triggered widespread criticism over a range of political and economic issues, including what the prosecutors decried as “sky-high prices for seats” on Wednesday.

What did prosecutors say about the investigation?

New York Attorney General Letitia James and her New Jersey counterpart Jennifer Davenport said in a joint statement that prices for the 2026 World Cup matches “far exceeded the prices for any previous World Cup competition.”

“New Yorkers have been waiting years for the World Cup to come to their backyard, and they deserve a fair shot at affordable tickets,” James said. “No one should be manipulated into paying sky-high prices for seats, and fans should be able to trust that the tickets they purchase will be the ones they receive.”

The World Cup final is scheduled for for July 19 at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, home to the New York Giants and Jets.

“Being honest about ticket sales is not complicated. But FIFA has turned buying a ticket to the World Cup into a gauntlet of confusion, fake scarcity, and impossibly high prices,” Jennifer Davenport said.

How expensive is this World Cup?

FIFA’s President Gianni Infantino has defended its “dynamic pricing” as necessary because of the high standard prices in the US at sports events and the large global demand. He also partly blamed US laws, which make it impossible to ban ticket resale after purchase.

However, all except the lowest-cost tickets — which are comparatively few in number and only available during the low-stakes group stages — are markedly more expensive than typical sports admission fees in the US.

Entry to the final in July is set to cost ordinary fans several thousand dollars — and up to five times more than the cost of attending the thrilling final in oil-rich Qatar in 2022.

Entry to the last final in the US in 1994 was roughly 20 times cheaper.

“It’s an honor to host the World Cup, but the event is not an invitation to exploit our residents and visitors,” Davenport said.

FIFA World Cup mired in controversy

The prosecutors’ probe is by no means the first scrutiny or scandal surrounding these costs.

Supporters groups have filed a formal complaint about pricing with the EU.

Supplementary costs like parking and train tickets to stadiums have also grabbed the headlines.

FIFA has made several gestures likethe very limited release of lower-price tickets, seeking to calm the waters, with little to no success. (DW)

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Three major performers from pop, past and present, will perform during halftime of the World Cup final this year. The Superbowl-style pageant will eat into the time to analyze the biggest football game in four years.

The July 19 World Cup final in New Jersey will be the first to include a Superbowl-inspired “Halftime Show,” with performances from American veteran Madonna, the Colombian voice of the 2010 and now 2026 World Cup Shakira, and South Korean boyband BTS.

The curator is Coldplay frontman Chris Martin, who announced the lineup in a promotional video featuring characters from Sesame Street and the Muppets on Thursday.

What did FIFA say about the event?

FIFA says the event aims to raise money for its FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund. A promotional poster visible on the video carried the motto: “The world’s biggest stage, an even bigger purpose.”

FIFA President Gianni Infantino also shared news of the lineup for the event, which he first announced would take place this March, online.

“The FIFA World Cup 2026 Final Halftime Show will be a truly special moment, bringing together music, football and a shared commitment to improving the lives of children around the world,” Infantino wrote.

Asked at one point during the promotional video whether the show would also feature “surprises” beyond the three headline acts, the Coldplay singer Chris Martin answered in the affirmative.

The video featured various characters from Sesame Street and The Muppets, including Elmo, the Cookie Monster, Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, and Animal on the drums.

Does football have halftime shows?

The length of the show is not confirmed but some reports suggest it could last around 11 minutes. This could lead either to a longer interval, or little or no chance for broadcasters to revisit the action or air commercials.

Typically, the halftime break at a football match is only around 15 minutes long. The time is used for a combination of commercial breaks if required or desired, and analysis of the action.

The Champions League final, for instance, has a pre-match concert, rather than eating into the brief break between the two halves when there is sporting business to discuss.

Halftime shows or songs are a rarity. Famously, German pop star Helene Fischer performed at half time at the 2017 German Cup (DFB Pokal) final, to audible whistles and boos from supporters in real time in Berlin, and weeks of criticism afterwards. The practice was subsequently abandoned.

FIFA is striking an optimistic note, though, describing the event ahead of time as “a singular moment at the intersection of sport, culture and purpose, broadcast live around the world.” (DW)

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The 23rd edition of the FIFA World Cup — the biggest ever — will see 48 nations compete for the prize in a 39-day tournament in Canada, Mexico, and the United States.

Sixteen venues across the three nations will host 104 matches as the tournament returns to North America after 32 years.

Argentina will look to defend the trophy they lifted under their iconic captain, Lionel Messi, at Qatar 2022, while Cape Verde, Curacao, Jordan, and Uzbekistan will make their debut at the finals.

The tournament will begin in Mexico and conclude in the US.

Here’s everything you need to know about its teams, groups, format and schedule.

What are the groups and teams for the FIFA World Cup 2026?

Group A: Mexico, South Africa, Korea Republic, Czechia
Group B: Canada, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Qatar, Switzerland
Group C: Brazil, Morocco, Haiti, Scotland
Group D: United States, Paraguay, Australia, Turkiye
Group E: Germany, Curacao, Ivory Coast, Ecuador
Group F: Netherlands, Japan, Sweden, Tunisia
Group G: Belgium, Egypt, Iran, New Zealand
Group H: Spain, Cape Verde, Saudi Arabia, Uruguay
Group I: France, Senegal, Iraq, Norway
Group J: Argentina, Algeria, Austria, Jordan
Group K: Portugal, DR Congo, Uzbekistan, Colombia
Group L: England, Croatia, Ghana, Panama

When and where is the opening match of the FIFA World Cup 2026?

The tournament will open on June 11 at 3pm (21:00 GMT) at the Mexico City Stadium in Mexico.

When and where is the final of the FIFA World Cup 2026?

The MetLife Stadium, which will be called the New York New Jersey Stadium during the tournament, will host the final on July 19 at 3pm (20:00 GMT).

Why has FIFA changed the names of the stadiums hosting World Cup matches?

In a move to restrict ambush marketing for brands not associated with FIFA, the governing body has changed stadium names for all venues to match the host city.

Therefore, the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey has been rebranded as the New York New Jersey Stadium, and the SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles has been renamed the Los Angeles Stadium for the tournament.

What’s the format of the FIFA World Cup 2026?

The tournament will consist of one group-stage round and four knockout rounds before the final.

Unlike previous editions, the knockouts will begin with the round of 32, followed by the round of 16, the four quarterfinals and two semifinals.

The stage-wise breakdown of the tournament’s schedule is:

• Group stage: June 11 June 27
• Round of 32: June 28 to July 3
• Round of 16: July 4-7
• Quarterfinals: July 9-11
• Semifinals: July 14-15
• Bronze medal match: July 18
• Final: July 19

What’s the full match schedule of the World Cup?

Group stage

• Thursday, June 11

Mexico vs South Africa at 3pm (21:00 GMT) – Mexico City Stadium, Mexico City, Mexico

South Korea vs Czechia at 10pm (04:00 GMT on Friday) – Estadio Guadalajara, Zapopan, Mexico

• Friday, June 12

Canada vs Bosnia at 3pm (20:00 GMT) – Toronto Stadium, Toronto, Canada

USA vs Paraguay at 9pm (05:00 GMT on Saturday) – Los Angeles Stadium, Los Angeles, US

• Saturday, June 13

Qatar vs Switzerland at 3pm (23:00 GMT) – San Francisco Bay Area Stadium, San Francisco, US

Brazil vs Morocco at 6pm (23:00 GMT) – New York New Jersey Stadium, New Jersey, US

Haiti vs Scotland at 9pm (02:00 GMT on Sunday) – Boston Stadium, Boston, US

Australia vs Turkiye at midnight (08:00 GMT on Sunday) – BC Place, Vancouver, Canada

• Sunday, June 14

Germany vs Curacao at 1pm (19:00 GMT) – Houston Stadium, Houston, US

Netherlands vs Japan at 4pm (22:00 GMT) – Dallas Stadium, Dallas, US

Ivory Coast vs Ecuador at 7pm (00:00 GMT on Monday) – Philadelphia Stadium, Philadelphia, US

Sweden vs Tunisia at 10pm (04:00 GMT on Monday) – Estadio Monterrey, Guadalupe, Mexico

• Monday, June 15

Spain vs Cape Verde at 12pm (17:00 GMT) – Atlanta Stadium, Atlanta, US

Belgium vs Egypt at 3pm (23:00 GMT) – BC Place, Vancouver, Canada

Saudi Arabia vs Uruguay at 6pm (23:00 GMT) – Miami Stadium, Miami, US

Iran vs New Zealand at 9pm (05:00 GMT on Tuesday) – Los Angeles Stadium, Los Angeles, US

• Tuesday, June 16

France vs Senegal at 3pm (20:00 GMT) – New York New Jersey Stadium, New Jersey, US

Iraq vs Norway at 6pm (23:00 GMT) – Boston Stadium, Boston, US

Argentina vs Algeria at 9pm (03:00 GMT on Wednesday) – Kansas City Stadium, Kansas City, US

Austria vs Jordan at midnight (08:00 GMT on Wednesday) – San Francisco Bay Area Stadium, San Francisco, US

• Wednesday, June 17

Portugal vs DRC at 1pm (19:00 GMT) – Houston Stadium, Houston, US

England vs Croatia at 4pm (22:00 GMT) – Dallas Stadium, Dallas, US

Ghana vs Panama at 7pm (00:00 GMT on Thursday) – Toronto Stadium, Toronto, Canada

Uzbekistan vs Colombia at 10pm (04:00 GMT on Thursday) – Mexico City Stadium, Mexico City, Mexico

• Thursday, June 18

Czechia vs South Africa at 12pm (17:00 GMT) – Atlanta Stadium, Atlanta, US

Switzerland vs Bosnia at 3pm (23:00 GMT) – Los Angeles Stadium, Los Angeles, US

Canada vs Qatar at 6pm (02:00 GMT on Friday) – BC Place, Vancouver, Canada

Mexico vs South Korea at 9pm (03:00 GMT on Friday) – Estadio Guadalajara, Zapopan, Mexico

• Friday, June 19

Scotland vs Morocco at 6pm (23:00 GMT) – Boston Stadium, Boston, US

USA vs Australia at 3pm (23:00 GMT) – Seattle Stadium, Seattle, US

Brazil vs Haiti at 9pm (02:00 GMT on Saturday) – Philadelphia Stadium, Philadelphia, US

Turkiye vs Paraguay at midnight (08:00 GMT on Saturday) – San Francisco Bay Area Stadium, San Francisco, US

• Saturday, June 20

Netherlands vs Sweden at 1pm (19:00 GMT) – Houston Stadium, Houston, US

Germany vs Ivory Coast at 4pm (21:00 GMT) – Toronto Stadium, Toronto, Canada

Ecuador vs Curacao at 8pm (04:00 GMT on Sunday) – Kansas City Stadium, Kansas City, US

Tunisia vs Japan at midnight (06:00 GMT on Sunday) – Estadio Monterrey, Guadalupe, Mexico

• Sunday, June 21

Spain vs Saudi Arabia at 12pm (17:00 GMT) – Atlanta Stadium, Atlanta, US

Belgium vs Iran at 3pm (23:00 GMT) – Los Angeles Stadium, Los Angeles, US

Uruguay vs Cape Verde at 6pm (23:00 GMT) – Miami Stadium, Miami, US

New Zealand vs Egypt at 9pm (05:00 GMT on Monday) – BC Place, Vancouver, Canada

• Monday, June 22

Argentina vs Austria at 1pm (19:00 GMT) – Dallas Stadium, Dallas, US

France vs Iraq at 5pm (22:00 GMT) – Philadelphia Stadium, Philadelphia, US

Norway vs Senegal at 8pm (01:00 GMT on Tuesday) – New York New Jersey Stadium, New Jersey, US

Jordan vs Algeria at 11pm (07:00 GMT on Tuesday) – San Francisco Bay Area Stadium, San Francisco, US

• Tuesday, June 23

Portugal vs Uzbekistan at 1pm (19:00 GMT) – Houston Stadium, Houston, US

England vs Ghana at 4pm (21:00 GMT) – Boston Stadium, Boston, US

Panama vs Croatia at 7pm (00:00 GMT on Wednesday) – Toronto Stadium, Toronto, Canada

Colombia vs DRC at 10pm (04:00 GMT on Wednesday) – Estadio Guadalajara, Zapopan, Mexico

• Wednesday, June 24

Switzerland vs Canada at 3pm (23:00 GMT) – BC Place, Vancouver, Canada

Bosnia vs Qatar at 3pm (23:00 GMT) – Seattle Stadium, Seattle, US

Scotland vs Brazil at 6pm (23:00 GMT) – Miami Stadium, Miami, US

Morocco vs Haiti at 6pm (23:00 GMT) – Atlanta Stadium, Atlanta, US

Czechia vs Mexico at 9pm (03:00 GMT on Thursday) – Mexico City Stadium, Mexico City, Mexico

South Africa vs South Korea at 9pm (03:00 GMT on Thursday) – Estadio Monterrey, Guadalupe, Mexico

• Thursday, June 25

Ecuador vs Germany at 4pm (21:00 GMT) – New York New Jersey Stadium, New Jersey, US

Curacao vs Ivory Coast at 4pm (21:00 GMT) – Philadelphia Stadium, Philadelphia, US

Japan vs Sweden at 7pm (01:00 GMT on Friday) – Dallas Stadium, Dallas, US

Tunisia vs Netherlands at 7pm (01:00 GMT on Friday) – Kansas City Stadium, Kansas City, US,

Turkiye vs USA at 10pm (06:00 GMT on Friday) – Los Angeles Stadium, Los Angeles, US

Paraguay vs Australia at 10pm (06:00 GMT on Friday) – San Francisco Bay Area Stadium, San Francisco, US

• Friday, June 26

Norway vs France at 3pm (20:00 GMT) – Boston Stadium, Boston, US

Senegal vs Iraq at 3pm (20:00 GMT) – Toronto Stadium, Toronto, Canada

Cape Verde vs Saudi Arabia at 8pm (02:00 GMT on Saturday) – Houston Stadium, Houston, US

Uruguay vs Spain at 8pm (02:00 GMT on Saturday) – Estadio Guadalajara, Zapopan, Mexico

Egypt vs Iran at 11pm (07:00 GMT on Saturday) – Seattle Stadium, Seattle, US

New Zealand vs Belgium at 11pm (07:00 GMT on Saturday) – BC Place, Vancouver, Canada

• Saturday, June 27

Panama vs England at 5pm (22:00 GMT) – New York New Jersey Stadium, New Jersey, US

Croatia vs Ghana at 5pm (22:00 GMT) – Philadelphia Stadium, Philadelphia, US

Colombia vs Portugal at 7:30pm (02:30 GMT on Sunday) – Miami Stadium, Miami, US

DRC vs Uzbekistan at 7:30pm (02:30 GMT on Sunday) – Atlanta Stadium, Atlanta, US

Algeria vs Austria at 10pm (04:00 GMT on Sunday) – Kansas City Stadium, Kansas City, US

Jordan vs Argentina at 10pm (04:00 GMT on Sunday) – Dallas Stadium, Dallas, US

Knockout stage

Sunday, June 28

Round of 32 match at 3pm (23:00 GMT) – Los Angeles Stadium, Los Angeles, US

• Monday, June 29

Round of 32 match at 1pm (19:00 GMT) – Houston Stadium, Houston, US

Round of 32 match at 4:30pm (22:30 GMT) – Boston Stadium, Boston, US

Round of 32 match at 9pm (03:00 GMT on Tuesday) – Estadio Monterrey, Guadalupe, Mexico

• Tuesday, June 30

Round of 32 match at 1pm (19:00 GMT) – Dallas Stadium, Dallas, US

Round of 32 match at 5pm (22:00 GMT) – New York New Jersey Stadium, New Jersey, US

Round of 32 match at 9pm (03:00 GMT on Wednesday) – Mexico City Stadium, Mexico City, Mexico

• Wednesday, July 1

Round of 32 match at 12pm (17:00 GMT) – Atlanta Stadium, Atlanta, US

Round of 32 match at 4pm (00:00 GMT on Thursday) – Seattle Stadium, Seattle, US

Round of 32 match at 8pm (04:00 GMT on Thursday) – San Francisco Bay Area Stadium, San Francisco, US

• Thursday, July 2

Round of 32 match at 3pm (23:00 GMT) – Los Angeles Stadium, Los Angeles, US

Round of 32 match at 7pm (00:00 GMT on Friday) – Toronto Stadium, Toronto, Canada

Round of 32 match at 11pm (07:00 GMT on Friday) – BC Place, Vancouver, Canada

• Friday, July 3

Round of 32 match at 2pm (21:00 GMT) – Dallas Stadium, Dallas, US

Round of 32 match at 6pm (23:00 GMT) – Miami Stadium, Miami, US

Round of 32 match at 9:30pm (03:30 GMT on Saturday) – Kansas City Stadium, Kansas City, US

• Saturday, July 4

Round of 16 match at 1pm (19:00 GMT) – Houston Stadium, Houston, US

Round of 16 match at 5pm (22:00 GMT) – Philadelphia Stadium, Philadelphia, US

• Sunday, July 5

Round of 16 match at 4pm (21:00 GMT) – New York New Jersey Stadium, New Jersey, US

Round of 16 match at 8pm (02:00 GMT on Monday) – Mexico City Stadium, Mexico City, Mexico

• Monday, July 6

Round of 16 match at 3pm (21:00 GMT) – Dallas Stadium, Dallas, US

Round of 16 match at 8pm (04:00 GMT on Tuesday) – Seattle Stadium, Seattle, US

• Tuesday, July 7

Round of 16 match at 12pm (17:00 GMT) – Atlanta Stadium, Atlanta, US

Round of 16 match at 4pm (00:00 GMT on Wednesday) – BC Place, Vancouver, Canada

• Thursday, 9 July

First quarterfinal at 4pm (21:00 GMT) – Boston Stadium, Boston, US

• Friday, 10 July

Second quarterfinal at 3pm (23:00 GMT) – Los Angeles Stadium, Los Angeles, US

• Saturday, July 11

Third quarterfinal at 5pm (22:00 GMT) –  Miami Stadium, Miami, US

Fourth quarterfinal at 9pm (03:00 GMT on Sunday) – Kansas City Stadium, Kansas City, US

• Tuesday, July 14

First semifinal at 3pm (21:00 GMT) – Dallas Stadium, Dallas, US

• Wednesday, July 15

Second semifinal at 3pm (20:00 GMT) – Atlanta Stadium, Atlanta, US

• Saturday, July 18

Bronze medal match at 5pm (22:00 GMT) – Miami Stadium, Miami, US

• Sunday, July 19

Final at 3pm (20:00 GMT) – New York New Jersey Stadium, New Jersey, US. (Al Jazeera)

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The president of the Norwegian Football Association has called for the abolition of the FIFA Peace Prize, which was awarded to U.S. President Donald Trump, and says she supports an ethics complaint against Gianni Infantino, the president of world football’s governing body.

Lise Klaveness, who will represent her federation at the FIFA Congress on Thursday and is on the UEFA executive committee, said the organisation should maintain “an arm’s length distance” from world leaders.

Trump was given the Peace Prize by Infantino at the draw for this summer’s World Cup in Washington D.C. on December 6.

The prize was announced by FIFA in November — without prior approval from its board, the FIFA Council — in order “to reward individuals who have taken exceptional and extraordinary actions for peace and by doing so have united people across the world”.

The timing of the announcement and Infantino’s strong relationship with Trump led many to assume that the award was created essentially as a consolation prize for Trump after the U.S. president was overlooked for the Nobel Peace Prize, the world’s most prestigious award of its kind.

Klaveness believes that FIFA, which is supposed to remain politically neutral, does not have the “mandate” nor resources to give out a Peace Prize.

“We want to see (the FIFA Peace Prize) abolished,” Klaveness said in a roundtable with international media, including The Athletic, on Monday.

“We don’t think it’s part of FIFA’s mandate to give such a prize. We think we have a Nobel institute that does that job independently already.

“We think it’s important for football federations, confederations and FIFA to try and avoid situations where this arm’s length distance to state leaders are challenged. These prizes will typically be very political if you don’t have really good instruments and experience to make this independent.

“To have a jury and criteria is full-time work. It’s so sensitive. From a resource angle and from a mandate angle but, most importantly, from a governance angle, I think it should be avoided also in the future.”

FIFA did not announce nominees for the Peace Prize, and spokespeople for the governing body would not say how or by whom the winner would be chosen, when asked.

FIFA’s ethics committee has since been asked to investigate Infantino for “repeated breaches” of the governing body’s rules on political neutrality over his relationship with Trump.

Human rights campaign group FairSquare wrote a letter of complaint to FIFA, alleging that Infantino has “committed four clear breaches” of his organisation’s neutrality rules. 

Klaveness supports FairSquare’s efforts, and added: “We have been outspokenly critical of the process because it wasn’t anchored in the FIFA Council and it’s also, in our opinion, outside of the FIFA mandate to make such a prize.

“It should also be assessed if it’s a breach of political neutrality. That will be up to the ethical committee to assess.

“We think it’s important not to just say things in (the) media but we have checks and balances within the organisation. First and foremost we support that FairSquare has made the complaint and that it should be addressed, it should be assessed and it should be a transparent process.”

The winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado, has since given her medal to Trump, citing his commitment to her country’s freedom.

Faced with criticism for awarding Trump FIFA’s prize, Infantino has doubled down, insisting the U.S. president “objectively…deserves it”.

“It’s not just Gianni Infantino who said it… (there’s) a Nobel Peace Prize winner who said this,” Infantino told Sky News in February.

“He was instrumental in resolving conflicts and saving lives and saving thousands of lives.”

Klaveness has been an outspoken critic of FIFA and in 2022 she gave a speech in Doha ahead of the draw for the winter World Cup in Qatar, in which she said the governing body had “a long way to go” in addressing concerns over “human rights, equality and democracy”. Klaveness, though, is not planning a similar intervention at Thursday’s Congress in Vancouver, Canada. (The Athletic)

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An envoy to Donald Trump has asked FIFA to replace Iran with Italy in the upcoming World Cup, the Financial Times reported on Wednesday.

The plan is an effort to repair ties between Trump and Italy’s prime minister Giorgia Meloni after the two fell out amid the American president’s attacks against Pope Leo XIV over the Iran war, the FT reported, citing people familiar with the matter.

“I confirm I have suggested to Trump and [FIFA president Gianni] Infantino that Italy replace Iran at the World Cup. I’m an Italian native, and it would be a dream to see the Azzurri at a US-hosted tournament. With four titles, they have the pedigree to justify inclusion,” the US special envoy Paolo Zampolli told the FT.

The White House, FIFA, the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) and Iran’s football federation (FFIRI) did not immediately respond to Reuters’ requests for comment.

Italy suffered a shock in March after the national team missed out on the World Cup for the third time in succession following a 4-1 penalty shootout defeat to Bosnia and Herzegovina in their qualifying playoff final.

The FT reported that Iran issued a statement on Wednesday saying it was prepared for the tournament and planned to participate. Reuters could not immediately verify the report.

Iran had said earlier in April it would only decide on the national team’s participation in the World Cup once it received a response from FIFA over the relocation of their matches from the US to Mexico. (The Guardian)

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The International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) is putting more World Cup tickets on sale after angering some fans by adding new, more expensive categories.

FIFA announced on Tuesday that it would make more tickets available at 11am EDT (15:00 GMT) on Wednesday for all 104 games in Categories 1, 2 and 3, in addition to the new “front category” pricing it added this month.

The new category led to online complaints from fans, who said they had thought that the better seats in the categories they had bought tickets for were withheld, and they had been assigned less favourable locations.

FIFA in December put tickets on sale at prices ranging from $140 for Category 3 in the first round to $8,680 for the final, then raised prices to as much as $10,990 when sales reopened on April 1.

FIFA did not respond to an April 9 request for comment about the new ticket categories it added.

Also on Tuesday, The Athletic reported that ticket sales are lagging for the US opener against Paraguay on June 12 at Inglewood, California. It said a document distributed to local organisers, dated April 10, said that 40,934 tickets had been bought for the US-Paraguay game, and 50,661 were bought for the Iran-New Zealand contest on April 15.

FIFA projects the capacity at the Los Angeles SoFi Stadium, where the US-Paraguay and Iran-New Zealand games will be held, to be about 69,650, noting that it may change.

FIFA’s December sale priced US-Paraguay tickets at $1,120, $1,940 and $2,735, and Iran-New Zealand seats at $140, $380 and $450. (AP)

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FIFA fined the Israeli Football Association (IFA) 150,000 Swiss francs ($190,700) for “multiple breaches” of its anti-discrimination obligations.

A report on Thursday by the disciplinary committee of world football’s governing body found the IFA “failed to take meaningful action against Beitar Jerusalem” for “persistent and well-documented racist behaviour”.

In October 2024, the Palestine Football Association reported allegations of discrimination by the IFA to FIFA, which initiated an investigation.

FIFA did not opt for the sanction requested by the Palestinian FA, which argued for a suspension of the IFA.

But the IFA was found to have failed to “abide by FIFA’s statutory objectives”, in a lengthy decision published by its disciplinary committee, which listed several racism incidents in Israeli football.

The disciplinary committee highlighted “deficient and substantively inadequate” sanctions against Israeli club Beitar for racist and discriminatory behaviour.

“Supporters have engaged in persistent and well-documented racist behaviour,” the report said of Beitar fans.

“The club’s use of slogans such as ‘forever pure’, and the repeated chanting of ethnic slurs such as ‘terrorist’ directed at Arab players, are not isolated incidents but rather form part of a systemic pattern of conduct that offends the basic rules of decent behaviour and brings the sport into disrepute.

“The committee underlined that said club is only a small example of a general failure by the IFA.”

FIFA also said the IFA was issued with a warning and was ordered to display a “significant and highly visible banner” at its next three FIFA competition home matches, stating “Football Unites the World – No to Discrimination”.

The IFA will have to invest one-third of the fine towards implementing a plan to “ensure action against discrimination and to prevent repeated incidents”.

After a separate investigation, FIFA announced no action would be taken against the IFA over allegations that Israeli clubs based in the occupied West Bank were taking part in Israel’s leagues. (Al Jazeera)

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