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Tag: FIFA president Gianni Infantino

  • World Cup: Trump says Iran is welcome to US – FIFA boss

    World Cup: Trump says Iran is welcome to US – FIFA boss

    Iran can freely participate in the upcoming June 2026 World Cup despite escalating tensions with the USA, according to FIFA president, clearing doubts about the Islamic state’s participation in the tournament.

    It will be recalled that, barely a week ago, President Donald Trump was asked about his stance on Iran’s participation in the World Cup, and he said he “does not care” while speaking during an interview with Politico on Tuesday, March 3.

    “I really don’t care”. I think Iran is a very badly defeated country. They’re running on fumes,” he said.

    However, his ‘friend’ and president of the World football governing body, Gianni Infantino, has revealed that, after his outfit met with Trump, he confirmed he has no problem with Iran being there.

    “This evening, I met with the President of the United States, Donald J. Trump, to discuss the status of preparations for the upcoming FIFA World Cup, and the growing excitement as we are set to kick off in just 93 days,” Infantino wrote on Instagram.

    “We also spoke about the current situation in Iran, and the fact that the Iranian team has qualified to participate in the FIFA World Cup 2026. During the discussions, President Trump reiterated that the Iranian team is, of course, welcome to compete in the tournament in the United States.”

    According to Gianni, “We all need an event like the FIFA World Cup to bring people together now more than ever, and I sincerely thank the President of the United States for his support, as it shows once again that Football Unites the World.”

    Gianni’s clarification comes at a time where the team’s participation has been cast in doubt due to the Istarli-USA corporate attack on Iran on Feb. 28.

    The conflict has now drawn in other Middle East nations, with Iran retaliating by striking U.S. military bases in the region. Iran have been drawn in a group with New Zealand, Belgium and Egypt. 

    Iran are due to play all three of their group games in the U.S. and could even face the co-hosts in the round of 32 if both teams finish second in their respective groups.

    This is the fourth consecutive time Iran have qualified for a World Cup, and they are scheduled to open their campaign against New Zealand and Belgium in Los Angeles before their final group game against Egypt in Seattle.

    The last time they qualified, they didn’t pull out of the competition despite their grappling with the effects of bomb attacks on three nuclear facilities at the time.

    However, given the seriousness of their current situation, the head of Iran’s football federation, Mehdi Taj, has reportedly cast doubt on their participation.

    Taj told Iranian television that it was “far from our expectations that we can look at the World Cup with hope”. He added the country’s sports officials would decide if any action was necessary.

    FIFA’s general secretary, Mattias Grafstrom, said on Saturday: “Our focus is to have a safe World Cup with everybody participating.”

    Meanwhile, the White House on Tuesday, January 21, announced that World Cup ticket holders can now access the priority visa appointments to travel to the United States.

    This forms part of the US government’s efforts to help ticket holders secure priority visa appointment dates, as citizens of some qualified countries may otherwise be unable to obtain visas in time for the 2026 World Cup.

    The FIFA Prioritised Appointment Scheduling System (FIFA PASS) is a special visa‑interview scheduling program created by the U.S. government and FIFA for the 2026 World Cup. It gives ticket holders priority access to U.S. visa appointments, ensuring fans can travel to matches in North America despite existing visa backlogs.

    Speaking during a joint press briefing with FIFA President Gianni Infantino at the White House in Washington, D.C., on 17 November,last year President Donald Trump mentioned that “I’ve directed my administration to do everything within their power to make the 2026 World Cup an unprecedented success.”

    The WhiteHouse however, warned that, a ticket isn’t a visa. Detailing how the ‘World’ will gain access into the US, the Secretary of State Marco Rubio noted that, ticket-holders for the tournament, set for next June and July in the US, Canada and Mexico, will not be automatically granted a tourist visa.

    But foreign nationals with tickets to World Cup football matches could get an interview at an embassy or consulate within six to eight weeks of applying, Rubio said.

    “Your ticket is not a visa; it doesn’t guarantee admission to the US. We’re going to do the same vetting as anybody else would get. The only difference here is we’re moving them up in the queue,” the Secretary noted the first time the FIFA pass was announced in last year.

  • Over 500 million fans request tickets for 2026 World Cup – FIFA

    Over 500 million fans request tickets for 2026 World Cup – FIFA

    A global statement shared by FIFA suggests that half a million requests for tickets have been made from across the world for tickets for the upcoming World Cup in June.

    The statement shared on the football governing body on Wednesday, January 14, mentioned that, “more than half a billion ticket requests submitted during the Random Selection Draw ticket sales phase, which ran from Thursday, 11 December 2025 to Tuesday, 13 January 2026.

    FIFA said it received approximately 15 million ticket requests daily over the about a month application window, marking a new record in the history of football.

    “With each application validated by unique credit card data, fans placed an average of 15 million ticket requests per day over the 33-day application window, setting a new benchmark for demand in the history of world sport”, parts of the statement said.

    Out of the over 500 million ticket requests, the majority came from Germany, England, Brazil, Spain, Portugal, Argentina and Colombia, aside from the host countries; USA, Mexico and Canada.

    It added that, “The most coveted match in this sales phase was Colombia v. Portugal on Saturday, 27 June in Miami. The top 5 was completed by Mexico v. Korea Republic in Guadalajara on Thursday, 18 June; the final in New York New Jersey on Sunday, 19 July; the tournament’s opening match between Mexico and South Africa in Mexico City on Thursday, 11 June; and the round-of-32 match in Toronto on Thursday, 2 July – highlighting the exceptional appeal of both marquee fixtures and knockout-stage encounters across all three host nations”.

    Given the outstanding requests, FIFA President Gianni Infantino expressed his excitement and gratitude to fans all over the world for the massive response.

    “Half a billion ticket requests in just over a month is more than demand – it’s a global statement. On behalf of FIFA, I would like to thank and congratulate football fans everywhere for this extraordinary response,” said FIFA President Gianni Infantino.

    He continued, “Knowing how much this tournament means to people around the world, our only regret is that we cannot welcome every fan inside the stadiums. That is why we are committed to creating multiple ways for fans to be part of the FIFA World Cup 2026, through a wide range of fan experiences beyond the stadiums, both in person and online, so that as many people as possible can share in what will be the biggest sporting event ever staged.”

    How FIFA will handle ticketing for the 2026 World Cup
    Following the closure of the application period, FIFA says it will check if all requests meet requirements and if they do and the requests exceeds the tickets available, it will randomly issue the tickets to ensure fairness.

    “Following the closure of the Random Selection Draw application period, FIFA Ticketing will verify that ticket requests meet the application requirements and household limits before allocating tickets. Once this process is concluded, and where demand exceeds available inventory, tickets will be allocated via a random selection process to ensure fairness and equal opportunity for all applicants,” the statement noted.

    For fans who qualify for the tickets, they will be emailed by February 5 noting that “fans will be notified of the outcome of their ticket applications by email no earlier than 5 February. All successful and partially successful ticket applicants will receive communications via email and subsequently will be automatically charged for their tickets. A partially successful application indicates that a fan will receive the number of tickets requested for a match, but not all matches requested.”

    For those who are unable to make it in the first phase of the ticketing, FIFA said, they will “have another opportunity to purchase remaining inventory closer to the tournament, when the Last-Minute Sales phase opens. During this window, which runs until the end of the tournament, tickets will be sold on a first-come, first-served basis. Fans are reminded that FIFA.com/tickets is the official and preferred source for purchasing tickets for the FIFA World Cup 2026.”

    Given the history of fans refusing to leave their home countries after gaining entry into countries hosting tournaments over the years, FIFA issued a stern warning that, “A match ticket does not guarantee admission to a host country, and fans should visit each host country’s government website today for entry requirements for Canada, Mexico and the United States.

    Given the processing times involved, FIFA recommends submitting the visa application as early as possible. FIFA World Cup 2026 ticket holders travelling to the United States are eligible for the recently announced FIFA Priority Appointment Scheduling System (FIFA PASS) when it becomes available in the coming weeks.”

    FIFA is asking for up to $8,680 per ticket. After criticism, FIFA said last month it would offer $60 tickets for every game to the 48 national federations in the tournament, and the federations will decide how to distribute them to their fans who attended their previous games.

    US to prioritise visa appointments for 2026 FIFA World Cup ticket holders

    In November last year, the White House announced that fans set to travel for the tournament to the USA will be given the FIFA Prioritised Appointment Scheduling System (Pass), given that most of the matches will be played there.

    The FIFA Prioritised Appointment Scheduling System (FIFA PASS) is a special visa‑interview scheduling program created by the U.S. government and FIFA for the 2026 World Cup. It gives ticket holders priority access to U.S. visa appointments, ensuring fans can travel to matches in North America despite existing visa backlogs.

    Speaking during a joint press briefing with FIFA President Gianni Infantino at the White House in Washington, D.C., on 17 November, President Donald Trump mentioned that “I’ve directed my administration to do everything within their power to make the 2026 World Cup an unprecedented success.” 

    Detailing how the ‘World’ will gain access into the US, the Secretary of State Marco Rubio noted that, ticket-holders for the tournament, set for next June and July in the US, Canada and Mexico, will not be automatically granted a tourist visa.

    But foreign nationals with tickets to World Cup football matches could get an interview at an embassy or consulate within six to eight weeks of applying, Rubio said.

    “Your ticket is not a visa; it doesn’t guarantee admission to the US. We’re going to do the same vetting as anybody else would get. The only difference here is we’re moving them up in the queue,” the Secretary noted.

    At the same press briefing, FIFA President Gianni Infantino revealed that about 10 million people could come to the US to watch World Cup matches.

    “With this FIFA Pass, we can make sure that those who buy a ticket, who are legitimate football fans or soccer fans, can come and attend the World Cup in the best conditions, starting from getting their visa,” he said.

  • FIFA expecting about 5-10 million in attendance – Gianni Infantino

    FIFA expecting about 5-10 million in attendance – Gianni Infantino

    The FIFA World Cup scheduled for June-July 2026 is set to see approximately five to ten million people in attendance, as announced by the president of the football governing body, Gianni Infantino.

    Speaking at a joint press briefing with U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House in Washington, D.C., on 17 November, he noted that the tournament is expected to attract millions of people across the three countries set to host the games next year.

    “Millions of fans will be coming. One of the things I’ve observed in America is that the stadiums here are really built for people to have fun, to enjoy, to spend time. They don’t just watch the game and leave — they stay for hours, and I think that’s exactly what we need. We need occasions that bring people together from all over the world.”

    The USA is giving priority access to fans, the Whitehouse has announced.

    People from all over the World will travel to support their countries. Consequently, the Whitehouse has announced that fans set to travel for the tournament to the USA will be given the FIFA Prioritised Appointment Scheduling System (Pass), given that most of the matches will be played there.

    The FIFA Prioritised Appointment Scheduling System (FIFA PASS) is a special visa‑interview scheduling program created by the U.S. government and FIFA for the 2026 World Cup. It gives ticket holders priority access to U.S. visa appointments, ensuring fans can travel to matches in North America despite existing visa backlogs.

    Speaking during a joint press briefing with FIFA President Gianni Infantino at the White House in Washington, D.C., on 17 November, President Donald Trump mentioned that “I’ve directed my administration to do everything within their power to make the 2026 World Cup an unprecedented success.”

    Detailing how the ‘World’ will gain access into the US, the Secretary of State Marco Rubio noted that,
    ticket-holders for the tournament, set for next June and July in the US, Canada and Mexico, will not be automatically granted a tourist visa.

    But foreign nationals with tickets to World Cup football matches could get an interview at an embassy or consulate within six to eight weeks of applying, Rubio said.

    “Your ticket is not a visa; it doesn’t guarantee admission to the US. We’re going to do the same vetting as anybody else would get. The only difference here is we’re moving them up in the queue,” the Secretary noted.

    The FIFA president also noted that “With this FIFA Pass, we can make sure that those who buy a ticket, who are legitimate football fans or soccer fans, can come and attend the World Cup in the best conditions, starting from getting their visa”.

    The announcement of priority visa appointments has been welcomed by many, including the US Travel Association, a tourism industry trade group. “The expedited process for FIFA ticket-holders adds needed efficiency without sacrificing security. This is the kind of practical action that strengthens security, increases capacity and cuts wait times, putting the U.S. on a stronger footing to welcome millions of visitors next year,” the group’s CEO, Geoff Freeman, said in a statement.

    The announcement comes after citizens of countries that have already booked their place at the tournament have long wait times for visa appointments.

    In Colombia, travellers applying for US visas are currently waiting around 11 months for an interview appointment, according to data published by the US State Department, the agency which processes visa applications.

    The average wait time in Mexico City is nine and a half months, while non-Canadian citizen residents of Toronto can expect a wait of 14 months for appointments.

    If those wait times hold, the World Cup will have already been played and the golden trophy already awarded by the time fans from some countries have their visas approved or denied.

    However, it’s currently unclear whether the new appointment rules will cover ticket-holders from countries whose citizens are mostly or entirely banned from travelling to the US. In June, Trump signed an executive order banning nationals from 12 countries from entering the US, citing an effort to manage security threats

    Iran, whose football team has qualified for the World Cup, is among the countries affected by the ban. The June executive order exempts athletes and coaching staff travelling for the World Cup and the 2028 Olympics, although their fans could still face a ban.

    The BBC has contacted the US State Department for comment.

    Not all travellers coming to the US next year will need a visa. Most citizens of countries under the US waiver programme can ordinarily travel visa-free for up to 90 days. That scheme covers much of Europe, including the UK, along with Japan, Australia and others.

    At the two most recent World Cups, in Russia and Qatar, a ticket to a game generated a fan ID that could be used like a visa to enter the host country.

    Meanwhile, German manufacturer Adidas, which has been designing World Cup balls since the 1970 tournament, has once again produced the official match ball for the upcoming FIFA 2026 World Cup.

    Named Trionda, the ball was officially unveiled on Thursday, October 2, during a global launch event at Brooklyn Bridge Park in New York City. The presentation, hosted jointly by FIFA and Adidas, showcased the ball’s design, technology, and symbolic meaning.

    FIFA president Gianni Infantino, during the unveiling of the ball, said, “The Official Match Ball for the FIFA World Cup 26 is here, and it’s a beauty! “I am delighted and proud to present the Trionda.”

    Trionda, originating from Spanish, is interpreted as “tri” (three) and “onda” (wave), which signifies the three host countries of the global tournament. Trionda stuns with an aesthetic design which has representations from all three host countries, Canada, Mexico, and the USA, with features including Red panels with maple leaves for Canada, green panels with eagle motifs for Mexico and blue panels with stars for the USA. It also has a central triangle formed by the panel seams, symbolising unity.

  • FIFA condemns racial abuse against Ghana international Semenyo

    FIFA condemns racial abuse against Ghana international Semenyo

    FIFA president Gianni Infantino has condemned the racial abuse against Ghana international and AFC Bournemouth forward, Antione Semenyo, during the Premier League opener against Liverpool at Anfield on Friday, August 15.

    This comes after the 25-year-old player was subjected to some racist comments during a throw-in around the 27th minute in the first half.

    According to an eyewitness’s report, before Semenyo could make the throw, a 47-year-old man in a wheelchair made an offensive comment at the player. Semenyo asked him to repeat it, and the man did so, then threw chewing gum at him.

    The eyewitness described the man as someone who had a history of inappropriate behaviour at matches, including throwing objects at officials, among others.

    After the incident, the man appeared to realise the gravity of his actions and sat in silence before being removed by police around 21:01 local time.

    In reaction to this, Gianni Infantino, in an official statement issued on Sunday, August 17, explained that the sport has zero tolerance for discrimination and any other abuse in any form, eulogising Antoine’s resilience and stunning display in the game despite the potential emotional distress.

    “It is absolutely unacceptable to see the racist abuse aimed at AFC Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo, which led to a stoppage of their Premier League match against Liverpool FC at Anfield last night.
    Football has no place for racism or any form of discrimination – Antoine’s courage and performance on the pitch, despite such adversity, is a powerful example of strength and dignity for players worldwide”, parts of the statement read.

    The FIFA president also assured Semenyo of the governing body’s full support, citing the role of the Players’ Voice Panel, established in 2024 as part of FIFA’s five-pillar strategy against racism.

    “The Players’ Voice Panel, established as part of the five pillars against racism adopted by FIFA Congress in 2024, will be in touch with Antoine and is monitoring these situations closely.

    “We are committed to ensuring that players are respected and protected, and that competition organisers and law enforcement authorities take appropriate action.
    Everyone at FIFA, The Players’ Voice Panel and the whole football community stands firmly with Antoine…” Infantino added.

    Infantino however pledged his and that of his outfit’s support to implement all the necessary measures to ensure that, such demeaning acts are eradicated in the football ecosystem.

    “…we will continue to offer our unequivocal support to him, Bournemouth, the Premier League and The FA to ensure strong deterrents are in place and actions taken to eradicate racism and discrimination from our game,” he added.

    Despite the incident, Semenyo produced a standout performance, scoring twice to pull Bournemouth level at 2-2, before late strikes from Federico Chiesa and Mohamed Salah secured a 4-2 victory for Liverpool.

    His impressive display has earned him praise from Liverpool legend Steve McManaman.

    Liverpool notched two goals in the first half, with Hugo Ekitike opening the scoring in the 37th minute, followed by another from Cody Gakpo doubling the lead in the 49th minute, just a few minutes after halftime.

    AFC Bournemouth made an impressive comeback with equalisers at the 64th and 76th minutes, all goals from Antoine Semenyo displaying his pace, strength, and clinical finishing to level the match.

    Liverpool responded quickly, with Federico Chiesa and Mohamed Salah finding the net to secure a 4-2 victory for the hosts in the 88th and 90+4th minute (stoppage time).

    Reflecting on Semenyo’s performance, McManaman expressed admiration and noted that Liverpool missed out on signing him.

    “Antoine Semenyo ran 50 yards to score that goal after signing a long-term contract,” he said on Premier League Production.

    “He is strong and built for the Premier League, and anytime he has the ball, he looks dangerous going forward. For me, he should be playing for clubs like Liverpool. Throughout this summer, he was linked to Liverpool until Mohamed Salah extended his contract,” McManaman added.

    Semenyo later expressed his gratitude to the football fraternity for their support following the racist attack.

    He posted, “Last night at Anfield will stay with me forever – not because of one person’s words, but because of how the entire football family stood together… Football showed its best side when it mattered most.

    Meanwhile, in May last year, FIFA announced that it had put forward a five-pillar plan aimed at addressing racist abuse in football.

    The global governing body stated that it had engaged in an extensive consultation process with current and former players who are committed to instigating change.

    One of the plan’s key suggestions involves implementing a standard crossed-hands gesture for players to signal racist incidents during matches.

    The first pillar of the proposal intends to make racism a specific offence which is included in all member associations’ disciplinary codes and has its own “specific and severe sanctions, including match forfeits”.

    Fifa said it will “pause, suspend and abandon games in cases of racism”.

    The crossed-hands gesture will be used by referees to signal an in-game procedure in which matches are paused twice and warnings are given, with the game to then be abandoned in the event of further racism.

    In pillar three – ‘criminal charges’ – Fifa called for racism to be recognised as a criminal offence in every country, and said it would push for severe sanctions in the countries where it is already an offence.

    Fifa also said it would promote education initiatives with schools and governments to “provide a future free of racism”, while an anti-racism panel made up of former players will be set up to review the progress of the proposal.

    Earlier that year, Brazil and Real Madrid winger Vinicius Jr said he felt “less and less” like playing football because he had suffered repeated racist abuse.

    In 2023, a FIFA report found almost 20,000 abusive social media posts were aimed at players, coaches and officials during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

    And in 2021, England manager Gareth Southgate called the racist abuse aimed at Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho and Bukayo Saka after the Euro 2020 final “unforgivable”.

  • ACFA calls for resignation of Cameroon FA president Samuel Eto’o

    ACFA calls for resignation of Cameroon FA president Samuel Eto’o

    Samuel Eto’o has been called upon to step down as president of the Cameroonian football federation due to “grave irregularities” in the institution, according to a coalition of amateur clubs in the country.

    The Amateur Clubs’ Association of Cameroon (ACFAC) voted 11-1 last week to request the four-time African Footballer of the Year to resign.

    It is reported that the 42-year-old, who has played for a number of top clubs in Europe, should step down “if he still loves Cameroonian football, as he has always claimed.”

    ACFAC requested the Cameroon sports minister to step in and raised the prospect of approaching Fifa president Gianni Infantino for similar assistance.

    Among its list of concerns, ACFAC said the decision to change the Fecafoot president’s mandate from four to seven years was both anti-statutory and illegal. It also highlighted the lack of publication of new statutes adopted last August.

    There were also questions to answer, it said, about Eto’o’s decision to take an ambassadorial role with a sports betting company, which could be in violation of both Fifa and Fecafoot rules.

    Fifa says people bound by its code “shall be forbidden from participating in, either directly or indirectly, betting, gambling, lotteries or similar events or transactions related to football matches or competitions and/or any related football activities”.

    Football’s world governing body mentions a sanction of either a fine or ban from football for any violation of its ethics code regarding connections to betting and gambling, with any “direct or indirect financial interest” outlawed. It is unclear if Eto’o is personally profiting from his involvement with the company.

    In late June, top-flight Cameroonian club UMS de Loum asked Fecafoot to investigate the matter, and also raised it with both Fifa and the Confederation of African Football (Caf).

    Fecafoot has signed a deal with the same betting company to sponsor both the men’s and women’s international teams, as well as the top two divisions of the country’s football league.

    In a statement issued at the time, the federation said the deal had been agreed in compliance with all ethical codes and was further proof of Eto’o’s drive to “modernise” Cameroonian football.

    ACFAC also claimed in its statement that unnamed individuals in Fecafoot are manipulating matches in order to successfully bet on their outcomes.

    The BBC invited Fecafoot to comment on the nature of ACFAC’s claims about the organisation and its president, but has received no response.

  • Clubs to earn more for the release of players

    Clubs to earn more for the release of players

    For each of the upcoming two men’s World Cups, the world football governing body Fifa will now pay clubs £298.74 million ($355 million) for the release of players.

    Clubs earned £170.58 million ($209 million) for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

    The move is the central component of a new Memorandum of Understanding between Fifa and the European Clubs’ Association, which will run to 2030.

    The next men’s World Cup, hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, takes place in June and July 2026.

    Fifa president Gianni Infantino and Uefa counterpart Aleksander Ceferin were present at the ECA general assembly in Budapest for the announcement.

    It brings to end months of bickering between the two bodies, who had initially been at loggerheads over Infantino’s desire to host a biennial World Cup, an idea that was met with huge opposition.

    An expanded 32-team Club World Cup, featuring 12 European teams, has been agreed in its place, with Uefa and ECA support guaranteeing this will be put into the international calendar from 2025 despite opposition from leagues and unease among player unions.

    Agreement has also been reached over the concept of a Women’s Club World Cup, although the format of this is still to be decided.

    In addition, the ECA has backed Fifa’s plan for a player welfare taskforce, which players’ union Fifpro believes is essential.

    The new agreed international match calendar will also include an annual match between the Champions League winner and the winner of an intercontinental playoff.

    Infantino said: “This is a significant day for the future of football and its long-term stability. We are very happy to renew and strengthen our cooperation agreement with ECA, an important stakeholder representing clubs from all over Europe.

    “To have the new international match calendar endorsed by ECA provides the necessary balance between club and national team football. We have exciting projects ahead, including the new Fifa Club World Cup in 2025 and the new Fifa Women’s Club World Cup.

    “A close collaboration with clubs in Europe, and the rest of the world, will be essential for the success of those events.”

    The precise format for the Club World Cup is to be determined but as the four winners prior to the tournament up to 2024 will be included, Chelsea are already guaranteed entry after winning the 2021 Champions League.

    In addition, ECA chairman Nasser Al-Khelaifi, who is also president of Paris St-Germain, touched on the close relationship between his organisation and European governing body Uefa in his opening address.

    This included another rebuke at Juventus, Real Madrid and Barcelona, who are awaiting a ruling from the European Courts of Justice over Uefa’s monopoly position, which they believe has put barriers in the way of their cherished European Super League concept.

    “In this next era of the ECA, I am determined that we will be recognized for driving financial prosperity and distribution for the entire football pyramid, not just the elite,” Al-Khelaifi said.

    “Thinking back to the sorry events in April 2021 – which we should not forget – the ECA’s relationship with Uefa has changed completely in the past two years.

    “Today, it is founded on trust, respect and common interest. As a result, we are both much stronger. Thank you President Ceferin.”

  • Fifa to increase World Cup teams to 32 in 2025 – Gianni Infantino hints

    The Club World Cup will begin in 2025 with 32 teams competing, according to FIFA President Gianni Infantino.

    “There will be a club World Cup with 32 teams held every four years. And the first edition would be held in the summer of 2025.

    “It will be in the slot of the Confederations Cup,” Infantino said on Friday ahead of the World Cup final on Sunday between Argentina and France in Doha.

    The current format of the tournament involves seven teams competing for the title, with Chelsea the current holders after victory over Palmeiras in the United Arab Emirates in the a delayed 2021 edition held in February.

    This event has been pushed back several times, first due to COVID and then again in 2021 to accommodate the Copa and Euro. Infantino added.

    FIFA must still discuss, agree on, and decide on the details. Infantino also mentioned that a women’s Club World Cup is in the works. FIFA’s governing body also established the FIFA Women’s Futsal World Cup.

    In addition to FIFA’s club competition, the Under-17 World Cups will be moved to an annual format.

  • World Cup 2022: American sports journalist Grant Wahl passes away in Qatar

    While covering the World Cup in Qatar, a well-known football journalist from the United States passed away.

    As extra time in the Friday night match between Argentina and the Netherlands began, Grant Wahl, 48, passed out.

    Although it hasn’t been officially confirmed, initial reports indicate he may have suffered a heart attack.

    When Mr. Wahl attempted to enter a stadium last month while wearing a rainbow-colored shirt in support of LGBT rights, Qatari authorities temporarily held him.

    In a statement, the US Soccer Federation said it was “heartbroken” by the news.

    “Fans of soccer and journalism of the highest quality knew we could always count on Grant to deliver insightful and entertaining stories about our game, and its major protagonists,” it said.

    In a tweet, Mr Wahl’s wife, Céline Gounder, said she was in “complete shock”, adding that she was “so thankful” for the support she had received from friends.

    Mr Wahl celebrated his 48th birthday on Thursday with friends in Qatar, a day before he collapsed. He wrote on his website on Monday that he had been unwell in the last 10 days and was on a course of antibiotics for suspected bronchitis.

    “My body finally broke down on me,” he wrote. “What had been a cold over the last 10 days turned into something more severe on the night of the USA-Netherlands game, and I could feel my upper chest take on a new level of pressure and discomfort.

    “I didn’t have Covid (I test regularly here), but I went into the medical clinic and the main media center today, and they said I probably have bronchitis.”

    FIFA President Gianni Infantino said Mr Wahl’s love for football was “immense”, adding that his reporting would be “missed by all who follow the global game”.

    Tributes have poured in from several UK journalists. Piers Morgan described Mr Wahl as a “brilliant journalist”, while the Times’ Henry Winter said he was a “fine man” and “giant of the press box”.

    BBC Sport’s Dan Roan tweeted: “Grant Wahl was a renowned and hugely respected journalist and the flood of tributes is a testament to the esteem in which he was held.”

    Major League Soccer commissioner Don Garber tweeted: “We are shocked, saddened, and heartbroken over the tragic passing of Grant Wahl. He was a kind and caring person whose passion for soccer and dedication to journalism were immeasurable.”

    US tennis icon Billie Jean King also paid tribute to Mr Wahl, describing him as an “advocate for the LGBTQ community and a prominent voice for women’s soccer”.

    A spokesperson for the Qatari body responsible for planning the World Cup, the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy, said: “We are deeply saddened by the death of the US journalist Grant Wahl.

    “Grant was known for his enormous love of football and was in Qatar to cover his eighth Fifa World Cup.

    “He fell ill in the Lusail Stadium media tribune, during last night’s quarter-final match between Argentina v Netherlands. He received immediate emergency medical treatment on site, which continued as he was transferred by ambulance to Hamad General Hospital.

    “We are in touch with the US Embassy and relevant local authorities to ensure the process of repatriating the body is in accordance with the family’s wishes.”

    Earlier this week, Mr Wahl was presented with an award by Brazilian football legend Ronaldo for reporting on eight consecutive World Cups – his first was in the US in 1994.

     

  • ‘We are not going to accept this’ – FIFA president slams low TV deal offers for Women’s World Cup

    Broadcasters were criticized by FIFA president Gianni Infantino on Saturday for what he called unacceptably low offers for rights to screen the Women’s World Cup next year.

    Offers of just one per cent of the value of men’s World Cup rights deals have been rejected, Infantino said, for the tournament that starts in July in Australia and New Zealand.

    The men’s World Cup has driven FIFA’s expected overall income toward $7 billion US for the four-year commercial cycle that ends in December after that tournament in Qatar.

    “100 times less, even more than 100 times in some occasions, then this is not acceptable,” the FIFA leader said at a news conference ahead of the tournament draw. “I don’t want to mention them, but those who are there, they know it.”

    The time zones in Australia and New Zealand mean many games, especially in the group stage, will be played in the nighttime hours in lucrative markets in Europe and the Americas.

    “We are not going to accept this,” Infantino said of the broadcast offers, “because we know that the viewing figures for these broadcasters in some big footballing countries for the men’s World Cup or for the Women’s World Cup are actually very similar, meaning their commercial income is very similar for men and for women.”

    Infantino took a further jibe at broadcasters who he said pushed FIFA to treat women’s soccer more equally on issues such as World Cup prize money.

    The 32 teams at the men’s World Cup in Qatar will share $440 million in prize money, while a prize fund of $60 million was proposed for the first 32-team women’s edition in 2023.

    “In some countries, they are quite good at telling us that we should give more emphasis on equal opportunities, on equality, on non-discrimination, on treating men and women in the same way which is, of course, what we have to do, and we try to do that to the best of our ability,” Infantino said.

    “It’s important that everyone puts actions, as well, behind words and we all start to treat women’s football the same way.”

    FIFA has changed the commercial model for the Women’s World Cup to earn its own income instead of simply being packaged as an add-on for broadcasters and sponsors doing deals for the men’s tournament.

    Infantino suggested a further push for equality for women’s soccer, noting that Olympic tournaments have 16 men’s teams and only 12 for women.

    “Women should have 16 teams as well at the Olympic Games,” he said. “These are some discussions we are going to have.”

    Adding four women’s teams would need more than 70 athlete quota places when the International Olympic Committee is asking some governing bodies to make cuts to help find space for new sports and control organizers’ costs.