FIFA has earned an unprecedented $7.5bn in revenue through four years of commercial deals tied to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, the governing body of football says.
The earnings, which FIFA revealed on Sunday to officials from more than 200 of its member nations, are $1bn more than what the organisation pulled in from the previous World Cup cycle leading up to the 2018 event in Russia.
The extra income was buoyed by commercial deals with this year’s hosts. Qatar Energy joined as a top-tier sponsor, and new third-tier sponsors include Qatari bank QNB and telecommunications firm Ooredoo. FIFA also added second-tier sponsor deals this year from financial platform crypto.com and blockchain provider Algorand, its first new American sponsor in more than a decade.
Key broadcast deals for this year’s World Cup were signed during Sepp Blatter’s presidency in two-tournament deals for the Russia and Qatar events. They included deals with Fox in the United States and Qatari broadcaster BeIN Sports from 2011.
FIFA pays for host countries’ organising committees, prize money, travel and accommodation for teams and support staff. It also pays for a legacy fund to help develop the sport in the host country after the World Cup circus has left town.
The winners of the Qatar World Cup will receive $44m out of a total prize pot of $440m.
FIFA organises its accounts in four-year cycles around each World Cup. For the 2015-2018 cycle leading up to the Russian World Cup, the governing body brought in $6.4bn. It has used that cash to help member bodies through uncertainty in 2020 when national team football and World Cup qualifying games were almost entirely shut down.
The organisation’s revenues are likely to approach $10bn for the next four years, thanks to a new financial strategy for women’s football and the expanded 2026 World Cup in the US, Canada and Mexico, which will see 48 teams compete for the first time, up from the present 32.
FIFA has an almost blank slate for the 2026 edition with top-tier sponsors Coca-Cola, Adidas and Wanda the only deals currently extended. Separate sponsor deals for women’s football are being signed for the 2023 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.
FIFAhas earned an unprecedented $7.5bn in revenue through four years of commercial deals tied to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, the governing body of football says.
The earnings, which FIFA revealed on Sunday to officials from more than 200 of its member nations, are $1bn more than what the organisation pulled in from the previous World Cup cycle leading up to the 2018 event in Russia.
The extra income was buoyed by commercial deals with this year’s hosts. Qatar Energy joined as a top-tier sponsor, and new third-tier sponsors include Qatari bank QNB and telecommunications firm Ooredoo. FIFA also added second-tier sponsor deals this year from financial platform crypto.com and blockchain provider Algorand, its first new American sponsor in more than a decade.
Key broadcast deals for this year’s World Cup were signed during Sepp Blatter’s presidency in two-tournament deals for the Russia and Qatar events. They included deals with Fox in the United States and Qatari broadcaster BeIN Sports from 2011.
FIFA pays for host countries’ organising committees, prize money, travel and accommodation for teams and support staff. It also pays for a legacy fund to help develop the sport in the host country after the World Cup circus has left town.
The winners of the Qatar World Cup will receive $44m out of a total prize pot of $440m.
FIFA organises its accounts in four-year cycles around each World Cup. For the 2015-2018 cycle leading up to the Russian World Cup, the governing body brought in $6.4bn. It has used that cash to help member bodies through uncertainty in 2020 when national team football and World Cup qualifying games were almost entirely shut down.
The organisation’s revenues are likely to approach $10bn for the next four years, thanks to a new financial strategy for women’s football and the expanded 2026 World Cup in the US, Canada and Mexico, which will see 48 teams compete for the first time, up from the present 32.
FIFA has an almost blank slate for the 2026 edition with top-tier sponsors Coca-Cola, Adidas and Wanda the only deals currently extended. Separate sponsor deals for women’s football are being signed for the 2023 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.
Roberto Mancini has tipped Argentina to win their third World Cup as Lionel Messi and team-mates chase glory in Qatar.
Mancini’s Italy side will not be involved after a shock 1-0 play-off defeat to North Macedonia in March.
Italy’s absence from Qatar comes despite them being the reigning European champions, having beaten England on penalties in the Euro 2020 final.
That triumph subsequently saw them face off against Argentina in the UEFA/CONMEBOL Finalissima at Wembley in June, after Lionel Scaloni’s men won the Copa America.
Argentina comfortably beat Italy 3-0, and Mancini says that performance plays a part in him ranking them as favourites for the World Cup.
“There are many strong teams,” Mancini told reporters. “If I had to choose one, I’d go for Argentina.
“They really impressed when we played each other.”
Italy have won their last three matches as they look to get over World Cup disappointment, most recently seeing off Albania in a 3-1 friendly victory on Wednesday. They face another game against Austria on Sunday.
Mancini is still upset about the failure to reach Qatar, but he has been pleased with his team’s reaction, saying: “We immediately showed a desire to fight back, winning a Nations League group that was by no means easy ahead of Germany, Hungary and England.
“Unfortunately, we’ll have to keep this suffering until mid-December when the tournament is over. Next time, we need to be more precise.”
Karim Benzema insisted it was not in his nature to “give up” as he was forced to concede his World Cup dream with France was over.
A quadriceps problem in his left thigh has flared up and left the 34-year-old resigned to packing his bags rather than contributing for Les Bleus in Qatar.
He won the highly prized Ballon d’Or award last month, recognition of his spectacular form last season, but Benzema will be on the outside looking in on football’s biggest show after suffering a setback in France’s training session on Saturday.
It had been his first full on-pitch activity with the France squad during the pre-tournament camp, with Benzema having been determined to prove his fitness before the team’s opening game against Australia on Tuesday.
He had been bothered by muscular fatigue in the left quadriceps while with Real Madrid in recent weeks, missing several games, and this latest blow may be a recurrence of that problem.
France have the option to call in a replacement for Benzema, who faces around three weeks of recovery. That time span suggests Benzema could have been fit in time to contribute before the end of the World Cup, but it was agreed he should be withdrawn from the squad.
Reports said France would decide whether to summon an additional player on Sunday.
Benzema wrote on Twitter and Instagram: “In my life I never give up but tonight I have to think about the team like I always do, so reason tells me to leave my place to someone who can help our team to have a great World Cup. Thank you for all your messages of support.”
De ma vie je n’ai jamais abandonné mais ce soir il faut que je pense à l’équipe comme je l’ai toujours fait alors la raison me dit de laisser ma place à quelqu’un qui pourra aider notre groupe à faire une belle Coupe du Monde. Merci pour tous vos messages de soutien 🙌🏼❤️ pic.twitter.com/SBalX0juAH
International team-mate and fellow superstar striker Kylian Mbappe replied by writing “Force”, which translates to “Strength”.
France and Barcelona winger Ousmane Dembele was another to send a message of support, as was Presnel Kimpembe, the defender who withdrew from the squad at the start of the week due to his own injury.
Benzema’s Real Madrid team-mate Rodrygo, a member of Brazil’s squad, wrote: “The best must compete in the best. You will be missed in the World Cup… Good recovery KB9!”
Karim Benzema will miss the World Cup after the France striker suffered an injury blow on the eve of the tournament.
The Real Madrid captain, who missed Les Bleus’ triumph at Russia 2018 while out of favour amid an ongoing blackmail investigation, was set to play a big part this time for Didier Deschamps’ team.
Benzema won the Ballon d’Or last month after a spectacular 2021-22 season that saw him score 44 goals in 46 games for Madrid, helping the Spanish giants win LaLiga and the Champions League.
However, he has been troubled by physical setbacks this term and the most untimely and crushing of all blows for the 34-year-old came on the day before Qatar 2022 was set to get underway.
Benzema only resumed full training with France on Saturday, after recent muscle trouble, but he could not complete the squad session due to injury.
He underwent tests that produced results ruling him out of the tournament.
The French Football Federation said in a statement: “Karim Benzema has pulled out of the World Cup with a thigh injury. The whole team shares Karim’s disappointment and wishes him a speedy recovery.”
Karim @Benzema has pulled out of the World Cup with a thigh injury.
The former Lyon frontman was troubled by a knee blow earlier this season before missing further fixtures for Madrid after suffering from muscular fatigue in his left quadriceps, with Saturday’s blow seemingly a recurrence of that.
World Cup holders France begin their defence on Tuesday against Australia, before also tackling Denmark and Tunisia in Group D on November 26 and 30 respectively.
Benzema’s absence from the tournament is the latest in a line of major setbacks for France, even though coach Deschamps also has the likes of Kylian Mbappe, Antoine Griezmann and Olivier Giroud as forward options.
RB Leipzig’s prolific Christopher Nkunku was forced to pull out of the squad this week after suffering knee ligament damage in a training collision with Eduardo Camavinga.
They also lost star midfielders Paul Pogba and N’Golo Kante, who would have been central to Deschamps’ plans.
Gianni Infantino promised that “everyone is welcome” in Qatar, but was adamant the country must not be criticised despite its questionable human rights record.
A World Cup the FIFA president believes will go down as the best in history kicks off on Sunday, with host nation Qatar taking on Ecuador.
The awarding of the tournament to Qatar, which happened in 2010, has drawn much criticism, with the Gulf state’s record on human rights particularly contentious.
Homosexualityis still a crime in Qatar, while the nation’s government does not recognise same-sex marriage or civil partnerships, while campaigns for LGBTQ+ rights have been quashed.
Infantino, though, assured that people of any sexuality, race or religion are welcome in the country, as in an hour-long monologue at the Main Media Centre in Doha on Saturday, he called out what he sees as the “hypocrisy” of the western world and media, insisting that he must take any criticism, and not Qatar or the players or coaches.
“At the last World Cup I was always getting angry, because I had to deal with questions about doping, which I had nothing to do with,” Infantino said.
“Here I have to deal with other topics. If you want to criticise somebody, don’t criticise the players, the coaches, let them focus on football and making their fans happy.
“If you want to criticise someone, criticise me, I am here, crucify me. Don’t criticise Qatar. Criticise FIFA, criticise me. But let people enjoy this World Cup.
“Do we want to continue to divide, to spit on people because they feel different, or look different? We obtain results, it’s a process. Help us, don’t divide, don’t split.
“We have 32 teams, 33 with the referees, we have a beautiful city that wants to welcome the world. Let’s celebrate and hope we can give some joy around the world.”
Infantino promised he had assurances that people within the LGBTQ+ community will be welcome and secure in Qatar.
“I’ve been speaking about this topic with the highest leadership in the country, several times,” he said.
“I can confirm that everyone is welcome. If you’re a person here or there that says the opposite, well it’s not the opinion of the country, and it’s certainly not the opinion of FIFA.
“This is a clear requirement, everyone has to be welcome. Whatever religion, race, sexual orientation or belief that she or he has, everyone is welcome – this is our requirement and the Qatari state sticks to this.
“Yes, these legislations exist in many countries in the world. These legislations existed when Switzerland organised the World Cup, in 1954. What do you want to do about it?
“Do you want to stay home and criticise, say how bad they are – these Arabs or Muslims or whatever, because it’s not allowed to be publicly gay. Of course, I believe it should be allowed, but I went through a process.
“If I asked the same question to my father, who is not here anymore, he would probably have a different answer than me, and my children will have a different answer than me.
“If somebody thinks by hammering and criticising we achieve anything, it will be exactly the opposite, because it will be provocation and if you provoke me the reaction will be bad, then the doors will be more closed, even though now the door is starting to open.
“Tolerance starts with ourselves, we shouldn’t spread aggression, we have to spread understanding.”
Infantino hopes the tournament will help unite the world, claiming that is FIFA’s aim.
He said: “We are a global organisation, and we want to unite the world. I am still convinced, though not sure how optimistic I still am, that this World Cup will help to open the eyes of people in the western world to the Arab world.
“We have to live together, but we have to understand we have different beliefs, different history and backgrounds, but we are in the same world. It’s why you have to come here and say what you see – when you see something that is wrong, say how it can be rectified, please.
“Maybe we can help everyone to understand how we can help each other a little bit better.”
FIFA president Gianni Infantino launched an impassioned defence of the Qatar 2022 World Cup, insisting he feels solidarity with many of the groups seemingly marginalised by taking the event to the Middle East.
The decision to host world football’s showpiece event in Qatar – a country with a chequered past on human rights issues, its treatment of migrant workers and the illegality of homosexuality – has drawn widespread criticism, but in an extraordinary riposte, Infantino was unrepentant.
He said: “Today I have very strong feelings. Today, I feel Qatari. Today, I feel Arab. Today, I feel African. Today, I feel gay. Today, I feel disabled. Today, I feel a migrant worker.
“I feel all this because what I have been seeing and what I have been told, since I don’t read, otherwise I will be depressed.
“What I see brings me back to my personal story. I am a son of migrant workers, my parents were working hard in very difficult conditions, not in Qatar but in Switzerland, I remember it very well. I know the rights migrants in Switzerland had.
“I remember as a child how migrant workers were treated when they wanted to enter a country and look for work.
“I remember what happened with their passports, their medical checks, with their accommodation and when I came to Doha for the first time after I was elected FIFA president I went to see some of the accommodation and I was brought back to my childhood.
“I said to the people in Qatar, this is not right, and the same way that Switzerland has become an example of tolerance, inclusion and rights, Qatar has made progress as well.
“Of course, I am not Qatari, I am not Arab, I am not African, I am not gay, I am not disabled, I am not a migrant worker but I feel like them because I know what it feels to be discriminated against by a bully.
“As a foreigner in a foreign county, as a child at school, I was bullied at school because I had red hair and freckles. I was Italian, and didn’t speak good German.
“What do you do? You lock yourself down, go to your room and cry. And then you try to make some friends, to engage, make friends. And then you try to make these friends engage with others. You don’t start fighting, you start engaging and this is what we should be doing.
“I am proud to have this FIFA sign on my jacket. It’s not easy to read all the criticism from a decision taken 12 years ago. Now we have to make the best out of it.
“Qatar is ready and it will be the best World Cup ever. As soon as the ball rolls, people will focus on that.”
Infantino’s “I feel gay” comment immediately prompted accusations of hypocrisy on social media given he heads an organisation that is staging the World Cup in a country with such an oppressive outlook on homosexuality.
He added: “If we were to exclude all these countries, you are playing football with just you and me.
“I think football has to bring people together and I think we have to welcome everybody. Gay people are welcome in Qatar – we need to engage, don’t provoke.
“How many gay people were prosecuted in Europe? It was a process, we went through a process. We seem to forget.
“We shouldn’t take for granted that a country that has not had the same chance for development as we had in Europe.
“We have to have our beliefs, engage and explain. I think provocation is the wrong way. I may be right, may be wrong. I try to engage.”
The sale of beer around stadiums during the World Cup has been banned after talks between FIFA and Qatari tournament chiefs.
It was revealed on Friday by FIFA that alcohol would not be available as expected in the perimeter area of stadiums.
Budweiser is a major FIFA sponsor and sales of its product had been expected to be allowed close to the stadiums. However, only its alcohol-free variant will now be available.
The news was swiftly criticised, with England’s Football Supporters’ Association questioning whether such an apparent U-turn could be followed by more promises not being kept.
Ronan Evain, executive director of Football Supporters Europe (FSE), expressed similar concern, describing the news as an “extremely worrying” development.
FIFA said: “Following discussions between host country authorities and FIFA, a decision has been made to focus the sale of alcoholic beverages on the FIFA Fan Festival, other fan destinations and licensed venues, removing sales points of beer from Qatar’s FIFA World Cup 2022 stadium perimeters.
“Host country authorities and FIFA will continue to ensure that the stadiums and surrounding areas provide an enjoyable, respectful and pleasant experience for all fans.”
Referencing Budweiser’s parent company, FIFA added: “The tournament organisers appreciate AB InBev’s understanding and continuous support to our joint commitment to cater for everyone during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.”
Reports said Budweiser posted on Twitter “Well, this is awkward”, before deleting the post.
The Football Supporters’ Association (FSA) said its concern was less about the beer decision but about the prospect of fans being affected by possible further unexpected decisions at the controversial mid-season World Cup.
The FSA said in a statement: “Some fans like a beer at the match, and some don’t, but the real issue is the last-minute U-turn which speaks to a wider problem – the total lack of communication and clarity from the organising committee towards supporters.”
It condemned the lack of explanation and said fans would have “understandable concerns about whether they will fulfil other promises relating to accommodation, transport or cultural issues”.
Sports scientists and mathematicians have spent years studying the best and fairest ways to organise tournaments.
With five billion people expected to tune in to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, the pressure to get it right is on.
The most frequent criticism of FIFA’s draws for World Cup groups is that they tend to produce groups of unequal strength.
Some may get a comparatively easy ride through the group stage while others could find themselves in a “group of death”.
Organisers need to make sure strong teams aren’t penalised for their strength, while avoiding the emergence of any weak groups, to maintain fairness and keep TV audiences riveted.
How does it work?
FIFA’s seeding system assigns the host nation and the seven strongest teams to each of the eight groups. To guarantee a geographical spread, it defines six qualifying zones: Africa, Asia, Europe, North and Central America, with the Caribbean, Oceania and South America in the final pot.
No two teams from the same zone – except Europe – can be in the same group, while no more than two European teams can be in the same group.
At first glance, this year’s draw seems pretty even-handed. Group E, with Spain and Germany, looks sewn up from the start, as does Group F, with Belgium and Croatia. But anything could happen in the other groups.
Ordering the groups at Qatar 2022 according to their average FIFA world rankings reveals each one’s overall strength.
We can also determine the spread of rankings within a group to judge which is the most competitive.
8. Group A: Netherlands, Senegal, Ecuador, Qatar
With an average world ranking of 30, and a spread of 48 ranking places between strongest and weakest, Group A seems the weakest. The Netherlands (8th), should sail through. Senegal (18th) should see off Ecuador (44th). Qatar (50th) have a home advantage – and when players have experience playing in the Middle East’s conditions, this could count for a lot.
7: Group H: Portugal, Uruguay, South Korea, Ghana
Weighing in with an average world ranking of 28 and a spread of 52 rankings, Group H is the second weakest. Portugal (9th), Uruguay (14th) and South Korea (28th) will be pushing hard for the knockout spots. Ghana (61) will be lucky to progress.
6. Group C: Argentina, Mexico, Poland, Saudi Arabia
The group has an average world ranking of 23.25 and a spread of 48 places. Argentina (9th) will be among the tournament favourites but to get there, they’ll need to see off Mexico (13th), as well as Poland (26th) and Saudi Arabia (51st).
5. Group D: France, Denmark, Tunisia, Australia
The next toughest pool has an average world ranking of 20.5 and a spread of 34 positions. France (4th) and Denmark (10th) will likely see off Tunisia (30th) and Australia (38th) but the European teams will need to ensure their consistency through the early stages of the tournament.
4. Group G: Brazil, Switzerland, Serbia, Cameroon
This group has an average world ranking of 20 and a spread of 42 ranking positions. Brazil (1st) are legends of the game and the most successful national team in the history of the World Cup with five titles. Switzerland (15th), Serbia (21st) and Cameroon (43rd) do not ensure this group’s destiny is written yet, with the Serbians’ dogged tenacity and the flair of Cameroon being crucial to their chances.
3. Group F: Belgium, Croatia, Morocco, Canada
The Belgians may not spring to mind as one of the world’s top footballing nations, but they are currently ranked second in the world. And in a group with an average world ranking of 19.25 and a spread of 39 places, the Red Devils should face no problem getting through. Croatia (12th) will be in hot pursuit, while Morocco (22nd) and Canada (41st) may struggle to get to the later stages of the competition.
2. Group E: Spain, Germany, Japan, Costa Rica
This group has an average world ranking of 18.25 and a spread of 24 ranking places. Spain (7th) and Germany (11th) will likely be favourites to top Group E, but Japan (24th), semi-finalists in 2002, can’t be written off. With Costa Rica (31st), expect a strong challenge from all in this group.
1. Group A: England, USA, Iran, Wales
The toughest group of all due to the average world ranking of 15 and a spread of just 15 places. It is also the tightest and most competitive.
England (5th) must be considered a serious challenger for the trophy. But there could be fireworks, as England take on their neighbours, Wales (19th), and USA (16th) face off against geopolitical rival Iran (20th).
Yet, mere statistics don’t equal results on the pitch.
Which teams can find it within themselves to become more than the sum of their parts? Who can defy the odds within 90 minutes? This is, after all, why we all watch the beautiful game.
A host of international icons have joined forces to launch Football Unites the World, the campaign illustrating football’s unrivalled ability to bring people together that will run throughout the FIFA Infantino.
Hassan Al-Haydos, Alisson Becker, Karim Benzema, Lucy Bronze, Didier Drogba, Giulia Gwinn, Kaká, Robert Lewandowski, Carli Lloyd, Édouard Mendy, Lionel Messi, Neymar, Emmanuel Petit and Cristiano Ronaldo have all contributed to the launch videos which highlight the hope, joy and passion that are hallmarks of the most global sport ahead of a tournament that will be followed by more than five billion people worldwide.
FIFA President Gianni Infantinosaid: “Football brings people together like nothing else and the FIFA World Cup will be a celebration of that unity and passion for the game we love so much.”
A host of international icons have joined forces to launch Football Unites the World, the campaign illustrating football’s unrivalled ability to bring people together that will run throughout the #FIFAWorldCup 🤝 🌍
Under the umbrella Football Unites the World, FIFA will team up with a range of international partners and organisations to promote and highlight causes such as anti-discrimination, sustainability, and education during the FIFA World Cup.
Mr Infantino continued: “Although football is and should be our main focus, the FIFA World Cup is also about values and causes that extend far beyond the pitch and we are delighted that football stars past and present have joined us to promote and highlight these topics, which also unite the whole world.”
“The campaign is there to celebrate football and the players have provided us with the ideal kick-off, but our sport is also about the fans. In this way, we want them to be part of the global celebration, and that is why we are inviting fans from all over the world to show their passion for football on social media, and by that give the example of how football unites the world,” the FIFA President added.
FIFA will select some of the best images and will display them during the FIFA World Cup which begins on Sunday, 20 November when Qatar take on Ecuador at Al Bayt Stadium, and concludes with the final at the Lusail Stadium on Sunday, 18 December 2022.
FIFAhas rejected the Danish Football Association (DBU) request to train with shirts emblazoned with the phrase “human rights for all” at the World Cup.
Denmark revealed in September toned down Hummel kits for their World Cup jerseys, including a third black kit, as a protest to Qatar’s human rights record.
According to DBU, FIFA’s decision is “regrettable”.
The DBU have been proactive in their criticism of Qatar’s treatment of foreign workers and restrictive social laws, minimizing commercial activities in the nation while stating last year that training kit sponsors would make way for messages.
DBU chief executive Jakob Jensen revealed on Thursday that FIFA had turned down their training shirts submission.
“We have today got a message from FIFA that the training shirts our players were to train in, where it would say ‘human rights for all’ at the stomach [of the shirt], have been rejected due to technical reasons, which is regrettable,” Jensen told Ritzau news agency.
“We believe the message “human rights for all” is universal and not a political call, but something everyone can support.”
FIFA’s rules stipulate that any team equipment cannot have political, religious or personal slogans, statements or images, while the organization wrote to teams recently to urge them to focus on football in Qatar rather than ideological or political issues.
Players from Australia, who are in Denmark’s group along with France and Tunisia, recently released a video criticizing the human rights record of Qatar, specifically migrant workers and LGBTQ+ people.
A new manager and the return of an exiled player are ingredients for an intriguing World Cup finals for Morocco.
It’s a baptism of fire for Walid Regragui, who took the top job in September – three months before the Qatar showpiece event.
The former Morocco international replaced Vahid Halilhodzic, who was fired due to disagreements with the country’s football federation over preparations for the World Cup.
Regragui will be looking to lead the Atlas Lions into the knockout round after failing in their last three attempts.
The North African nation came agonizingly close in 2018 Russia, conceding a last-gasp own goal to lose 1-0 to Iran and allowing Spain to steal a 2-2 draw with a late goal.
Can Hakim Ziyech turn the tide for Morocco?
Redemption is on the cards for the Chelsea winger, who returned from exile following Halilhodzic’s exit. The 29-year-old was so unhappy under the disciplinarian Halilhodzic that he even announced his international retirement.
Ziyech is clearly part of Regragui’s plans after he was deployed alongside Angers winger Sofiane Boufal to support Sevilla striker Youssef En-Nesyri in a 2-0 friendly win over Chile last month.
The new-look attacking trident should get plenty of scoring chances if Achraf Hakimi is in form. The Paris Saint-Germain right back is one of the best attacking fullbacks in world soccer and has pace, skill, good passing and an eye for shooting with eights goals in 53 games for Morocco.
Morocco, which is playing in its sixth World Cup after making its first appearance in 1970, became the first African team to reach the knockout round in 1986.
The Atlas Lions will need to be at their best as they face 2018 World Cup finalists Croatia in the tournament opener (23 November), before meeting European heavyweights Belgium four days later. Their final Group F clash will be against Canada (1 December).
Jamie Carragher has accused FIFA of putting players in a “disgusting” position by planting the Qatar World Cup slap bang in the middle of the club season.
For most players involved, the tournament will be taking place while their domestic leagues are put on hold, after it was decided Qatar would not be able to host in the usual June-July time slot, due to its climate.
It means the leading lights of the game are playing important club games just days before the opening matches of the World Cup, knowing an injury, even at a minor level, could scupper hopes of being involved.
Former Liverpool and England defender Carragher said a World Cup in November and December is “absurd” and “has succeeded in compromising every major football competition this season, including their own showpiece event”.
He said there would “almost be a perverse sense of justice” if stars of the game suffer minor injury blows in the coming weeks that rule them out of the World Cup, due to the tournament’s “indecent timing”.
But Carragher suspects those that pushed for Qatar to host would not feel responsible, saying: “To them, elite footballers are like cattle. They get well paid and should get on with it, regardless of the psychological and physical consequences.”
Carragher pointed to the example of Raphael Varane coming off in tears for Manchester United against Chelsea last month, putting his France prospects in doubt.
He wrote in the Telegraph: “It is disgusting that players are being put in such a position, and they are at their most vulnerable right now as they are expected to go full throttle in the final weeks before joining their national team.
“In normal circumstances, the squads would already be at the pre-tournament training camp, the fine-tuning under way before the opening ceremony.”
Carragher added: “The decisions at the top have materially enhanced the risk of injuries. That was inevitable when the World Cup was arranged in mid-season. Everyone with even the slightest understanding of the demands upon a top-level footballer knew that.”
The 44-year-old Carragher spent a decade in and around the England squad, at a time when John Terry and Rio Ferdinand were usually ahead of him in the pecking order.
He still won 38 caps and went to the 2006 and 2010 World Cups, and believes the upcoming tournament taking place in Qatar casts shame on the game.
Carragher argues football’s authorities made a major error by voting to give the World Cup to a country with a widely criticised human rights record. Critics have pointed to Qatar’s treatment of LGBTQ+ people, and the death of many migrant workers on construction sites ahead of the tournament.
“Qatar must be the tipping point,” Carragher added. “This can never happen again and there are already signs of professional players mobilising to ensure it never will. FIFA and other national bodies must be forced to act as well as listen.
“The 2022 World Cup symbolises FIFA’s ultimate power. They pushed ahead, ripping up the football calendar knowing nothing could stop them.”
Fifa has written to all 32 teams competing at the World Cup telling them to “now focus on the football” following a controversial build-up.
Host Qatar has been criticised for its stance on same-sex relationships, its human rights record and its treatment of migrant workers.
The tournament starts on 20 November.
The letter urges that football should not be “dragged” into ideological or political “battles” and it should not be “handing out moral lessons”.
Peaceful protests have been planned by some players.
England’s Harry Kane and nine other captains of European teams will be wearing ‘One Love’ armbands.
‘Whatever we do, it won’t be enough’ – Jordan Henderson speaks to 5 Live Breakfast about Qatar World Cup concerns
Denmark will wear “toned-down” shirts to protest against Qatar, with kit provider Hummel saying it “does not wish to be visible” in a tournament it claims “has cost thousands of lives”.
Australia’s squad have released a video urging Qatar to abolish its laws on same-sex relationships.
Paris, and other French cities, are refusing to screen matches in public areas, despite France being the defending champions.
The letter, signed by Fifa president Gianni Infantino and secretary general Fatma Samoura and seen by the BBC, reads: “We know football does not live in a vacuum and we are equally aware that there are many challenges and difficulties of a political nature all around the world.
“But please do not allow football to be dragged into every ideological or political battle that exists.
It adds: “At Fifa, we try to respect all opinions and beliefs, without handing out moral lessons to the rest of the world. No one people or culture or nation is “better” than any other. This principle is the very foundation stone of mutual respect and non-discrimination.
“And this is also one of the core values of football. So, please let’s all remember that and let football take centre stage.
“We have the unique occasion and opportunity to welcome and embrace everyone, regardless of origin, background, religion, gender, sexual orientation or nationality.”
MPs call on Southgate and Kane to act over Iran
The England team has been asked to consider making a “display or gesture of solidarity with Iranian women fighting for their civil liberties” when the two countries meet in their opening match at the World Cup on 21 November.
Layla Moran, the Liberal Democrats’ foreign affairs spokesperson, has written to coach Gareth Southgate and captain Harry Kane telling them such a move would be “hugely meaningful in raising awareness about the Iranian government’s condemnable actions”.
In a letter also signed by Lib Dems sport spokesman Jamie Stone and seen by the BBC, it states that such an action would also “likely be seen by those who are putting their lives on the line in protest, which could be invaluable”.
Protests and unrest in Iran have been sparked by the death on 16 September of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old woman who fell into a coma after being arrested by morality police in Tehran for allegedly violating Iran’s strict rules requiring women to cover their hair with a hijab, or headscarf.
There were reports that officers beat her head with a baton. The police said she suffered a heart attack.
Iranian football and sports personalities and human rights group Open Stadiums have previously requested that Fifa ban the Iranian national team.
The BBC has contacted the Football Association for comment.
We try to help as much as we can – Henderson
Speaking this week, Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp said it was “not fair” to expect players to make political statements or protests at the tournament.
England midfielder Jordan Henderson said on BBC Radio 5 Live Breakfast: “A lot gets put on players on ‘should the World Cup be played there?’ and everything that goes with that, but the players don’t decide where the World Cup is played.
“Fifa decides that and that is a question for them to answer. For us as players we just play football and try to have a voice in certain ways to help as much as we can.”
He added: “We do little things like that to try and show people we are all one, we are all inclusive and that is why that campaign [Kane’s armband] was brought to light.
“If you do the right things, that is most important. Unless everyone is just notgoing to turn up, then no matter what people say it is never going to be enough.”
England’s Beth Mead said on Thursday it is “disappointing” the tournament is being held in Qatar. Mead, who is openly gay, does not think the Gulf state is the “right place” for the tournament to be staged.
A controversial build-up
Other off-the-field issues include Russia being banned by Fifa after the country’s invasion of Ukraine. In addition, the Ukrainian FA has called for Iran to be banned from the World Cup for “systematic human rights violations”. It believes a crackdown on protests in the country “may violate the principles and norms” of Fifa.
The World Cup has been moved to the northern hemisphere winter for the first time in its 92-year history. Qatar initially proposed to host the finals during the summer in air-conditioned enclosed stadiums, but the plan was rejected.
Qatar’s World Cup organisers state “everyone is welcome” to visit the country to watch the football, and that no-one will be discriminated against.
ll as an airport, roads and about 100 hotels. Qatar’s government says 30,000 foreign labourers have been hired just to build the stadiums, with most coming from Bangladesh, India, Nepal and the Philippines.
Human rights groups have complained about the treatment of foreign labourers in Qatar, and the number who have died there.
In February 2021, the Guardian said 6,500 migrant workers from India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka had died in Qatar since it won its World Cup bid in 2010.
The number is based on figures provided by the countries’ embassies in Qatar.
However, the Qatar government said the total was misleading, because not all the deaths recorded were of people working on World Cup-related projects.
The government said its accident records showed that between 2014 and 2020, there were 37 deaths among labourers at World Cup stadium construction sites, only three of which were “work-related”.
BBC Arabic has gathered evidence which suggests Qatar’s government has under-reported deaths among foreign labourers.
England’s Football Association has backed calls for compensation to be awarded for “any injury or death related to any construction project” for the World Cup.
Yasmine Ahmed, UK director of Human Rights Watch, called the Fifa letter “nothing short of appalling”, while Amnesty International’s Felix Jakens told BBC Radio 5 Live: “There’s never been a right time to talk about human rights issues in Qatar as far as they [Fifa] are concerned.
“Now is the time to apply pressure on these issues. Once the World Cup rollsout of town, are we still going to be having conversations about Qatar? I don’t think we are.”
World’s governing football body, FIFA has written to the Ghana Football Association (GFA) boss Kurt Okraku telling Black Stars to focus on World Cup and not to meddle in ‘ideological or political battles’.
FIFA has sent a message to all 32 teams competing at the global showpiece including Ghana to tell them the time has come to focus on the football.
The tournament, which starts in Qatar on 20 November, has been surrounded by controversy.
FIFA writes to GFA Prez Kurt Okraku telling #BlackStars to focus on the #WorldCup2022 and not to meddle in ‘ideological or political battles’ as well as lectures about morality.
Same sex marriage is illegal in 🇶🇦 Qatar which Western countries are keen on raising at the tourney. pic.twitter.com/hrMEgnYOTt
Qatar has been criticised for its stance on same-sex relationships, its human rights record and its treatment of migrant workers.
Peaceful protests have been planned by some players. England skipper Harry Kane and nine other captains of European teams will be wearing ‘One Love’ armbands.
Denmark will also wear “toned-down” shirts to protest against Qatar.
Black Stars make a return to the tournament after missing out on the 2018 edition in Russia and have been drawn in Group H alongside Portugal, South Korea and Uruguay.
Ghana will take on Portugal in their first game on November 24 before playing South Korea and Uruguay on November 28 and December 2 respectively.
Black Stars will play Switzerland in an International friendly on November 17, before travelling to Qatar for the World Cup.
The Ukrainian Football Association will appeal to FIFA in a bid to get Iran thrown out of the Qatar World Cup.
A statement from Ukraine’s FA on Monday confirmed they want Iran to be excluded from the tournament for “possible involvement of Iran in the military aggression of Russia against Ukraine”.
Ukraine was invaded by Russia in February. The country’s football team reached the final stage of UEFA’s qualification play-offs but were beaten by Wales in June.
FIFA and UEFA subsequently banned Russia from playing international football.
The chief executive of Ukrainian Premier League side Shakhtar Donetsk, Sergei Palkin, last week urged FIFA to prevent Iran from competing in Qatar, suggesting Ukraine replace them.
A statement on the Ukrainian FA’s website referenced the fact the executive committee had decided to appeal to the world governing body, but did not mention the possibility of replacing them at the tournament.
The statement outlined that the executive had made the decision: “Taking into account media information about systematic human rights violations in Iran, which may violate the principles and norms of the FIFA Statutes, taking into account the UN Security Council Resolution 2231 regarding the imposition of sanctions on Iran and the possible involvement of Iran in the military aggression of Russia against Ukraine, to make a request to the FIFA to consider excluding the Iranian national team from the 2022 FIFA World Cup.”
Iran’s opening game of the World Cup is scheduled to take place on November 21 against England.
Meanwhile, the Bosnia and Herzegovina FA confirmed the proposed friendly with Russia on November 19 has been postponed, though the intention remains for it to be played “at a future date”.
A statement read: “The friendly match between the national team of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Russia, which was supposed to be played on November 19 in Saint Petersburg, will not be played at that time.
“At today’s session of the Executive Board of the Football Association of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the match planned for November 19 was postponed. President of NS/FS BiH, Mr Vico Zeljkovic, stated that the playing of this friendly match will be extended for some future date.”
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.
The Indonesian Football Association (PSSI) and FIFA will form a joint task force in a bid to improve crowd control and safety measures after a deadly football stampede earlier this month, officials said on Thursday.
Indonesian authorities are under pressure to take swift steps to overhaul football safety standards after more than 130 people died during a crowd crush at a match at the Kanjuruhan stadium in East Java on Oct. 1 in one of the worst stadium disasters in history.
Security experts have said the firing of tear gas by police inside the stadium, a measure prohibited by FIFA, triggered the fatal stampede.
“We agreed to form a task force, or soccer transformation task force, consisting of the government, FIFA, and experts in soccer, security, and stadiums,” PSSI head Mochamad Iriawan told reporters after a meeting with FIFA officials.
Under the plans, Indonesian police would ensure their standard operating procedures were synchronised with FIFA regulations, he said.
The joint task force will also include members of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) as well as the police and the ministries of sport, home affairs, health and public works.
Indonesian President Joko Widodo, popularly known as Jokowi, has said FIFA did not plan to sanction his country over the incident, but the rare intervention by the sport’s governing body comes as Indonesia is due to host the FIFA under-20 World Cup next year.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino is expected to visit Jakarta on Tuesday to meet with Jokowi, after which a joint commitment is due to be announced.
Infantino will also make a statement during a summit of leaders of the Group of 20 major economies in Bali in November about Indonesia’s readiness to host an international event, said Iriawan.
Six people including police and match organisers are facing criminal charges after the stampede, with the government highlighting lax safety measures, such as locked exit doors and an overcapacity stadium, as contributing factors.
Separately, the Indonesian minister of public works said that the Kanjuruhan stadium would be completely renovated after an audit of the site.
At least 125 people have died in a crush at an Indonesian football match that has become one of the world’s worst stadium disasters.
Hundreds were also hurt in aftermath of home team Arema FC’s loss to bitter rivals at the overcrowded stadium late on Saturday in Malang, East Java.
The crush took place after police tear-gassed fans who invaded the pitch.
As panic spread, thousands surged towards Kanjuruhan stadium’s exits, where many suffocated.
Fifa, the world’s governing football body, states that no “crowd control gas” should be carried or used by stewards or police at matches.
The organisation’s president Gianni Infantino said it was “a dark day for all involved in football and a tragedy beyond comprehension”.
One eyewitness told the BBC that police had fired numerous tear gas rounds “continuously and fast” after the situation with fans became “tense”.
Next to one exit gate a hole smashed through the wall testifies to the desperation to escape the crush that developed.
Image caption, A hole next to the exit gates that were closed testifies to the desperation of those inside
There are candles next to the gate, put there by supporters to remember the victims.
The doors themselves are slanted outwards, a sign of the sheer level of force from the inside.
‘It had gotten anarchic’ – Police
Indonesian officials at one stage put the death toll in the disaster as high at 174 people, but this was later revised downwards.
President Joko Widodo has ordered that all matches in Indonesia’s top league must be stopped until an investigation has been carried out.
IMAGE SOURCE,AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES
Image caption, Police fired tear gas, leading to a crowd crush and cases of suffocation
Videos from the stadium show fans running on to the pitch after the final whistle marked the home team’s 2-3 defeat, and police firing tear gas in response.
“It had gotten anarchic. They started attacking officers, they damaged cars,” said Nico Afinta, police chief in East Java, adding that two police officers were among the dead.
“We would like to convey that… not all of them were anarchic. Only about 3,000 who entered the pitch,” he said.
Fleeing fans “went out to one point at the exit. Then there was a build-up, in the process of accumulation there was shortness of breath, lack of oxygen”, the officer added.
Videos on social media show fans clambering over fences to escape. Separate videos appear to show lifeless bodies on the floor.
IMAGE SOURCE,EPA
Image caption, Damaged police vehicles lay on the pitch inside Kanjuruhan stadium
The Indonesian football association (PSSI) said it had launched an investigation, adding that the incident had “tarnished the face of Indonesian football”.
Violence at football matches is not new in Indonesia, and Arema FC and Persebaya Surabaya are long-time rivals.
However Persebaya Surabaya fans were banned from buying tickets for the game because of fears of clashes.
Chief Security Minister Mahfud MD posted on Instagram that 42,000 tickets had been sold for the match at Kanjuruhan stadium, which has a stated capacity of 38,000.
President Widodo called for this to be the “last soccer tragedy in the nation” after ordering that all Liga 1 games should be paused pending an investigation.
‘It was bang, bang, bang’ – Eyewitness
Muhamad Dipo Maulana, 21, who was at the match, told BBC Indonesian that after the game had ended a few Arema fans went on the pitch to remonstrate with the home team players but were immediately intercepted by police and “beaten”.
More spectators then took to the pitch in protest, the supporter said, adding that the situation became “tense”.
“Police with dogs, shields, and soldiers came forward,” Mr Dipo told the BBC.
He said he had heard more than 20 tear gas shots towards spectators at the stadium.
IMAGE SOURCE,BBC INDONESIAN
Image caption, Muhamad Dipo Maulana said he saw people suffocating while trying to get out of the stadium
“There was a lot, like bang, bang, bang! The sound was continuous and fast. The sound was really loud and directed to all the stands,” he added.
Mr Dipo said he saw people in disarray, panicking and suffocating while trying to get out of the stadium. There were many children and old people who were affected by the tear gas, the eyewitness added.
One of worst football disasters
The stampede is one of the worst of a tragically long line of stadium disasters.
In 1964, a total of 320 people were killed and more than 1,000 injured during a stampede at a Peru-Argentina Olympic qualifier in Lima.
In 1985, 39 people died and 600 were hurt at the Heysel stadium in Brussels, Belgium, when fans were crushed against a wall that then collapsed during the European Cup final between Liverpool (England) and Juventus (Italy).
In the UK, a crush developed at the Hillsborough stadium in Sheffield in 1989, resulting in the deaths of 97 Liverpool fans attending the club’s FA Cup semi-final against Nottingham Forest.
A surgeon at the main hospital in the capital of Ethiopia’s Tigray region says that the 23-month civil war has led to patients dying needlessly because of a lack of medicines and treatments.
“We don’t have medicines for our patients, we don’t have surgical materials… we don’t have vaccines… we don’t have insulin,” Dr Fasika Amdeslasie told the BBC’s Newsday programme.
Tigray has been cut off for most of the conflict which has seen forces from Tigray clashing with Ethiopian federal troops and their allies since November 2020.
Some medicine has got through, thanks to the International Committee of the Red Cross and the World Health Organization, but the supply has been sporadic, Dr Fasika said.
He added that diabetic patients are dying because of a lack of insulin and kidney patients may also die because dialysis treatment cannot continue.
On top of this, Dr Fasika says that the staff at the hospital have not been paid for 17 months.
“We are trying to save those who we can… but it’s difficult now to save those who can be saved,” he concluded.
Some of the 42,000 Arema fans flung bottles and other missiles at players and officials and at least five police vehicles were toppled and set alight outside the stadium.
Riot police trying to stop the violence fired tear gas in the stadium, triggering panic in the crowd and sparking the crush as they stampeded for the exits.
Most of the 125 people who died were trampled or suffocated.
Image:Arema FC players and officials pray for the victims
Police chief Listyo Sigit Prabowo said in a news conference: “I ensure that investigation on this case will be conducted thoroughly and seriously.”
President Widodo has ordered a suspension of the Indonesian premier league until safety is re-evaluated and security is tightened.
The nation’s football association has also banned Arema from hosting any matches for the rest of the season.
Human rights group Amnesty International has urged the Indonesian governmentto investigate the use of tear gas at the stadium and ensure that those found in violation are tried in open court.
Police are still questioning witnesses and analysing footage from 32 security cameras inside and outside the stadium and nine mobile phones owned by the victims, as part of the investigation to identify suspects.
The 18 officers responsible for firing tear gas as well as security managers are also under investigation.
‘A tragedy beyond comprehension’
FIFA, which has no control over domestic games, has previously advised against using tear gas at stadiums.
Hooliganism is rife in Indonesian football, with fanaticismoften spilling over into violence.
Prior to the stampede on Saturday, 78 people have died in game-related incidents over the past 28 years, according to data from Indonesian watchdog Save Our Soccer.
The former president of El Salvador’s soccer federation has been sentenced to prison for his involvement in the yearslong FIFA corruption scandal.
Reynaldo Vasquez, 66, the former president of the Federacion Salvadorena de Futbol (FESFUT), or the Salvadoran Football Federation was sentenced in federal court in Brooklyn on Thursday to 16 months in prison. Vasquez, who was arrested and indicted in November 2015, before being extradited to the United States from El Salvador in 2021, pleaded guilty to racketeering conspiracy in August 2021.
Vasquez admitted to receiving a $350,000 bribe in 2012 from Miami-based Media World, which paid the FIFA official for the media and marketing rights to El Salvador’s qualifying matches to be played in advance of the 2018 World Cup.
“The defendant and his co-conspirators, motivated by greed, disgraced themselves by lining their pockets with hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes, at the expense of a beautiful sport, El Salvador’s soccer federation, and the community it served,” United States Attorney Breon Peace said in a statement. “Vasquez has now been held to account, like the many other corrupt soccer officials who have been exposed by the government’s investigation.”
As part of a plea agreement, Vasquez, who served as head of the Federación Salvadoreña de Fútbol from 2009 to 2011, has agreed to forfeit $360,000 and multiple bank accounts to the government.
One of the deadlieststadium disasters in history occurred at an Indonesian football game, where at least 174 people perished.
In the aftermath of the host team Arema FC’s defeat to ferocious opponents at the packed stadium late on Saturday in Malang, East Java, some 180 people also sustained injuries.
The crash took place after police tear-gassed fans who invaded the pitch.
As panic spread, thousands surged towards Kanjuruhan stadium’s exits, where many suffocated.
Fifa, the world’s governing football body, states that no “crowd control gas” should be carried or used by stewards or police at matches.
One eyewitness told the BBC that police had fired numerous tear gas rounds “continuously and fast” after the situation with fans became “tense”.
Fifa President Gianni Infantino said it was “a dark day for all involved in football and a tragedy beyond comprehension”.
‘It had gotten anarchic’ – Police
Early reports put the death toll at about 130, but officials later announced a significant rise to 174, with 11 more people seriously injured.
President Joko Widodo has ordered that all matches in Indonesia’s top league must be stopped until an investigation has been carried out.
“It had gotten anarchic. They started attacking officers, they damaged cars,” said Nico Afinta, police chief in East Java, adding that two police officers were among the dead.
“We would like to convey that… not all of them were anarchic. Only about 3,000 entered the pitch,” he said.
Fleeing fans “went out to one point at the exit. Then there was a build-up, in the process of accumulation there was shortness of breath, lack of oxygen”, the officer added.
Videos on social media show fans clambering over fences to escape. Separate videos appear to show lifeless bodies on the floor.
IMAGE SOURCE,EPA Image caption, Damaged police vehicles lay on the pitch inside Kanjuruhan stadium
The Indonesian football association (PSSI) said it had launched an investigation, adding that the incident had “tarnished the face of Indonesian football”.
Violence at football matches is not new in Indonesia, and Arema FC and Persebaya Surabaya are long-time rivals.
However, Persebaya Surabaya fans were banned from buying tickets for the game because of fears of clashes.
Chief Security Minister Mahfud MD posted on Instagram that 42,000 tickets had been sold for the match at Kanjuruhan stadium, which has a stated capacity of 38,000.
President Widodo called for this to be the “last soccer tragedy in the nation” after ordering that all Liga 1 games should be paused pending an investigation.
‘It was bang, bang, bang’ – Eyewitness
Muhamad Dipo Maulana, 21, who was at the match, told BBC Indonesian that after the game had ended a few Arema fans went on the pitch to remonstrate with the home team players but were immediately intercepted by police and “beaten”.
IMAGE SOURCE,BBC INDONESIAN Image caption, Muhamad Dipo Maulana said he saw people suffocating while trying to get out of the stadium
More spectators then took to the pitch in protest, the supporter said, adding that the situation became “tense”.
“Police with dogs, shields, and soldiers came forward,” Mr Dipo told the BBC.
He said he had heard more than 20 tear gas shots toward spectators at the stadium.
“There was a lot, like bang, bang, bang! The sound was continuous and fast. The sound was really loud and directed to all the stands,” he added.
Mr Dipo said he saw people in disarray, panicking and suffocating while trying to get out of the stadium. There were many children and old people who were affected by the tear gas, the eyewitness added.
One of the worst football disasters
The stampede is one of the worst of a tragically long line of stadium disasters.
In 1964, a total of 320 people were killed and more than 1,000 injured during a stampede at a Peru-Argentina Olympic qualifier in Lima.
In 1985, 39 people died and 600 were hurt at the Heysel stadium in Brussels, Belgium, when fans were crushed against a wall that then collapsed during the European Cup final between Liverpool (England) and Juventus (Italy).
In the UK, a crush developed at the Hillsborough stadium in Sheffield, resulting in the deaths of 97 Liverpool fans attending the club’s FA Cup semi-final against Nottingham Forest.
FIFA President signs MoU with WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala; Signature ceremony takes place on the opening day of the annual WTO Public Forum; Both organisations commit at ways for football to promote more economic inclusion.
FIFA has joined forces with the World Trade Organization (WTO) to look at ways of using football to promote economic inclusion, particularly in the developing world. The partnership is spelled out in a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by FIFA President Gianni Infantino and WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala where the two sides agreed to collaborate by exchanging views on their respective activities and by preparing and implementing common strategies and projects.
This important partnership can help us find ways of ensuring that football can further promote sustainable development for everyone to benefit from the global football economy
“I’m really excited at the prospect of collaborating with FIFA to try to leverage the cotton sector in a positive way for poor developing countries such as the Cotton 4,” said WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala in reference to the WTO’s cotton programme in Benin, Burkina Faso, Chad and Mali which will is included in the partnership. “I’m really excited that collaboration with FIFA could help us pull these countries more into the global cotton value chain.”
?“I’m also thrilled at the prospect of working on gender empowerment. We have a big sports economy, and to the extent that we can pull this through trade to support women, this is a positive signal,” the WHO Director-General added.
“FIFA redistributes its revenue among our 211 member associations to help them develop football in their countries by notably investing in infrastructure, facilities, competitions, refereeing and coaching,” said FIFA President Gianni Infantino. “Yet, we believe that there is still more than football can do, especially for the youth in the developing world. This important partnership can help us find ways of ensuring that football can further promote sustainable development for everyone to benefit from the global football economy.”
Under the terms of the MoU, the two organisations will also work together to analyse the economic impact of football and its role in unlocking global economic growth potential and will explore options for the development of capacity-building activities that support the use of football as a tool for women economic empowerment.
FIFA 23’s release date is just around the corner and information is dropping about the highly-anticipated game.
The Premier League boasts arguably the deepest talent pool in world football and there are a number of elite options for Ultimate Team.
LiveScore have put together a star-studded XI in an adventurous 3-4-3 formation to give you a glimpse of the English top flight’s potential ahead of the release on September 30.
Check out our team below and make sure to let us know what you think on social media.
Alisson — Goalkeeper, Liverpool (89)
Alisson and Ederson are two of the best keepers on FIFA 23, with only Thibaut Courtois and Manuel Neuer (both 90) rated higher than the Premier League duo.
We have given the nod to the Liverpool man who is more well-rounded than his Brazil team-mate, although either would be a world-class option.
Kalidou Koulibaly — Centre-back, Chelsea (87)
Kalidou Koulibaly arrived at Chelsea this summer and provides yet another elite option at centre-back for those who want to build a Premier League XI.
With 88 sprint speed, 94 strength and plenty of defensive ability, the Senegal star can hold his own on the right of a back three.
Ruben Dias — Centre-back, Manchester City (88)
Ruben Dias brings plenty of quality to Manchester City as well as defensive steel
Ruben Dias has been a rock at the heart of Manchester City’s defence since arriving in England.
He is not the quickest option but has the technical ability to spray the ball around from the back and his defensive stats are elite.
Virgil van Dijk — Centre-back, Liverpool (90)
Virgil van Dijk is the best centre-back in the world, according to EA Sports statistics that is.
The Liverpool superstar is quick, strong and always in the right position to snuff out attacks.
Mohamed Salah — Right wing, Liverpool (90)
Mohamed Salah has been tormenting defences since his move to Anfield and is once again an exceptional option on FIFA.
His 91 sprint speed, 93 finishing and 90 dribbling are a lethal combination that make the Egyptian a must-own in the latest edition.
Kevin De Bruyne — Central midfield, Manchester City (91)
Kevin De Bruyne is the creative genius that makes Pep Guardiola’s Citizens tick and EA Sports have taken notice to make him the best midfielder on FIFA.
With superb stats in passing, shooting and dribbling, as well as high attacking and defensive work-rates, there is not much the Belgian cannot do in the engine room.
Casemiro — Central midfield, Manchester United (89)
Casemiro was brought in to anchor Manchester United’s struggling midfield
Casemiro brings a superb reputation to Manchester United and the Brazilian is one of the elite midfield enforcers on FIFA.
His 60 acceleration and 66 sprint speed are not ideal but with 97 defensive awareness and bags of ability in terms of winning the ball, he is a perfect foil to De Bruyne.
Heung-Min Son — Left wing, Tottenham (89)
Heung-Min Son shared the Golden Boot with Salah last season and lines up on the opposite flank to the Reds ace.
The Tottenham speedster combines pace and technical ability to make him one of the most reliable attackers on the latest edition.
Cristiano Ronaldo — Striker, Manchester United (90)
Manchester United superstar Cristiano Ronaldo is still going strong at 37 after converting himself into a dominant centre forward.
He does not possess the game-breaking pace of yesteryear but with 95 positioning, 93 finishing and 93 shot power, he will still bang in goals for fun
Harry Kane — Striker, Tottenham (89)
Tottenham’s deadly duo Heung-Min Son and Harry Kane both make the cut
Harry Kane is one of the world’s best forwards in terms of scoring and creating chances and this is reflected in his ratings.
The Spurs sensation boats incredible shooting stats and 87 vision which will allow him to link together the exceptional talent that surrounds him.
Erling Haaland — Striker, Manchester City (88)
Erling Haaland has taken the Premier League by storm since signing from Borussia Dortmund.
His sprint speed, shot power and finishing all hit 94 and with 93 strength, he has several ways to beat a man.
Subs: Ederson — Goalkeeper, Manchester City (89), Bernardo Silva — Attacking midfield, Manchester City (88), Fabinho — Defensive midfield, Liverpool (87), N’Golo Kante — Defensive midfield, Chelsea (89), Joao Cancelo — Left-back, Manchester City (88), Rodri — Defensive midfield, Manchester City (87), Trent Alexander-Arnold — Right-back, Liverpool (87)
Organisers of the 2022 World Cup have revealed that alcohol will be served “in select areas” within stadiums in Qatar.
The vantage points is necessary as the Fifa event will be taking place in a Muslim country in the Middle East for the first time.
The consumption of alcohol is prohibited in Islam.
A 40,000-capacity fan zone in the capital Doha will provide drinks to be purchased.
CEO Nasser Al Khater told BBC Sport that “We want people to come and have experiences they will never forget.”
Al Khater said they are still “finalising our alcohol strategy” but this is the first time the Supreme Committee for Legacy and Delivery have publicly announced plans to allow fans to drink within the stadium perimeter.
Fifa have said ticket holders will have access to drink options within the stadium perimeter prior to kick-off and after the final whistle.
Inside the stadium bowl ticket holders will only be able to purchase non-alcoholic beer and soft drinks.
It marks a significant relaxation of the rules for the tournament as Qatar – like other countries in the Middle East – has strict controls on alcohol and it is illegal to consume it in public.
Licensed hotel bars and restaurants are the only places that usually sell alcohol, but visitors during the tournament will also be able to purchase a beverage at the Fifa fan festival in Doha’s Al Bidda Park after 18:30 local time.
During the 2019 Fifa Club World Cup, which took place in Doha and was won by Liverpool, supporters were able to consume alcohol in a site just outside the city.
Al Khater said additional locations “will be communicated in due course”, adding: “While alcohol will be available to those who want a drink in designated areas, it will not be openly available on the streets.
“What we ask is that people, when they visit, stick to these designated areas.
“We are incredibly excited to be welcoming the world to Qatar and the Middle East and Arab world. For many people it will be their first opportunity to see and explore the region.
“It is a once in a lifetime opportunity and we are determined to use it to its fullest.”
Qatar has a population of just under three million and it is expected about 1.2 million visitors will be in attendance during the World Cup.
Al Khater said there were “no concerns over a shortfall of accommodation” with up to 130,000 rooms available across hotels, cabins in two cruise ships, apartments and desert camps.
There have been 40 million ticket requests for the tournament, with 2.45 million already being sold, and Al Khater said he was “confident” all tickets available to the general public will be sold.
The tournament has been moved to start a day earlier on Sunday, 20 November, with hosts Qatar facing Ecuador.
On Thursday, FIFA noted that more than half a million of the tickets were sold from July 5-16, the last sales period.
“Fans living in Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United States, Mexico, the United Arab Emirates, England, Argentina, Brazil, Wales and Australia led the way and the digital queues by securing the biggest number of tickets,” Fifa said.
According to the Association, largest number of allocated tickets were for group stage matches like Cameroon v Brazil, Brazil v Serbia, Portugal v Uruguay, Costa Rica v Germany and Australia v Denmark.
In late September, the launch date for the next sales phase will be announced.
Over-the-counter sales will also start in Doha after the launch of the last-minute sales phase, FIFA added.
The 2022 World Cup tournament is expected to commence on Sunday, November 20, instead of November 21, 2022.
Host Qatar and Ecuador will also be opening the tournament with their game in place of the Senegal and Netherlands game.
Initially, the Qatar vs Ecuador game was fixed as the third match in the Group A opener.
The changes follow a request from South American confederation Conmebol to Qatar and Ecuador indicating that it fits in with the tradition of either the hosts or the holders being involved in the opening match.
Written press and photographers that have submitted an accreditation form for the 2022 World Cup can now access the media ticketing system and place requests via the FIFA Media Hub.
This is because media ticketing for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 is now open.
An approved media ticket will be mandatory to access the stadiums on matchday.
For the group matches, media can request up to two matches per day while for the knockout phase, media can request one match per day.
According to FIFA, applications for each match close 48 hours before kick-off.
Tickets can be printed from 09:00 on the day prior to the match using the media ticketing kiosks located at the Main Media Centre (MMC) or on matchday directly at the Stadium Media Centre (SMC) when it is open, FIFA said.
Any ticket that is not printed within two hours before kick-off, the Association said, will be released and assigned to another media representative.
Requests for mixed zone and press conference are mutually exclusive and also photographers can request to place remote cameras behind the goals.
Meanwhile, the media is advised to feel free to contact the FIFA team at MediaTicketing@fifa.org if there are any questions on FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 media ticketing.
FIFA said on Thursday that the 2023 Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand will be going ahead as scheduled after a European report floated the possibility of postponement.
French publication L’Equipe wrote on Thursday that FIFA had been in contact with several leading European footballing bodies to discuss the merits of postponing the 2023 Women’s World Cup for a number of months.
Similar to the 2022 Men’s World Cup set to be staged in Qatar from November to December, this would result in the WWC taking place in the European winter and Australian summer.
However, though a FIFA spokesperson wouldn’t comment on the L’Equipe story when contacted, they told ESPN that the dates for the 2023 WWC remained unchanged.
“After a successful ‘One Year to Go’ event, the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 is scheduled to kick off on 20 July 2023,” a FIFA spokesperson told ESPN. “No changes to the dates of the competition are foreseen.”
The 2023 tournament is scheduled to commence on July 20 at Auckland’s Eden Park and the final is set to be played on Aug. 20 at Sydney’s Stadium Australia, with tickets set to go on sale this October. The draw for the tournament will also take place this October in Auckland.
Any change in dates, according to L’Equipe, would allow more favourable conditions such as extra daylight during the staging of the tournament.
Such a move would also help create more favourable conditions for broadcasters, with the report claiming that FIFA had received bids significantly below the €20 million it had collected for the 2019 tournament when taking the rights to market in France.
Last week, tournament organisers staged a series of events marking one year to go until the tournament’s commencement, including a cultural lighting ceremony in the New Zealand city of Hamilton and the unveiling of a “Unity Pitch” gifted to Sydney in Australia.
“Today is a great day in the build-up to the ninth edition of the FIFA Women’s World Cup,” FIFA secretary general Fatma Samoura said at the events.
A Football Australia spokesperson, meanwhile, told ESPN that they had no knowledge of any talks surrounding the possible postponement of next year’s tournament.
It said: “Following recent ‘One Year To Go’ celebrations across Australia and New Zealand, Football Australia continues to plan towards the FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023 kicking off in July next year as scheduled.”
FIFA President Gianni Infantino has congratulated all 32 nations on their qualification for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.
President Infantino was on hand in Doha this week for the two intercontinental playoffs and the completion of qualifiers for Qatar 2022.
The 32-strong field was finalized on Tuesday with Costa Rica defeating New Zealand at the Al Rayyan stadium.
Twenty-four hours earlier Australia outlasted Peru with a penalty shoot-out victory at the same venue.
“So now we know the 32 countries who qualified for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022,†said the FIFA President.
“Congratulations to all of you and of course welcome to the fans of the 32 countries, but fans from all over the world to Doha in November and December of this year in a few months to celebrate football, to live together with the greatest show on earth and the best World Cup ever.â€
FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 will kick off on 21 November, with four matches. Senegal and The Netherlands have the honor of playing in the opening game. Later the same day, England will take on IR Iran, hosts Qatar will face Ecuador, and USA’s match against Wales will conclude Day 1.
The 64th and final match will be played at Lusail Stadium, on 18 December.
Fifa has been urged to set up a compensation fund of at least $440m (£350m) for migrant workers who have suffered “human rights abuses” during preparations for the Qatar World Cup.
Amnesty International made the request in a letter to Fifa president Gianni Infantino.
The letter states: “Until all workers are compensated, the tournament cannot be truly celebrated.”
The sum suggested is equal to the 2022 World Cup prize money fund.
It is estimated up to 30,000 migrant labourers have been used on projects to build seven stadiums for the finals in Qatar, as well as a new airport, new metro and new roads.
Amnesty, along with other human rights organisations and fans’ groups, have called on Fifa not only to support workers who have died or been injured, but who have had pay withheld by employers or been forced to pay recruitment fees in order to secure work.
Amnesty International’s UK chief executive Sacha Deshmukh said there was a role to play for the England team, manager Gareth Southgate and the Football Association to put pressure on Fifa to act.
“Thousands of migrant workers have been exploited and many have tragically died to make this World Cup possible, so we hope the FA and Gareth Southgate and the players will back this innovative scheme to secure much-needed compensation for long-suffering workers’ families,” he said.
“Nothing can bring dead workers back to life or restore the dignity of those who were trapped in conditions amounting to modern-day slavery during Qatar’s World Cup building boom, but a Fifa workers’ fund would still be an important move.”
Fifa said it was assessing the programme proposed by Amnesty and was already looking at ways to compensate workers in association with the organising committee.
“Through the recruitment fee reimbursement scheme, for example, both Fifa World Cup and non-Fifa World Cup workers have received payments of a total $22.6m (£18m) as of December 2021, with an additional $5.7m (£4.5m) committed by contractors,” it said.
Qatar’s World Cup organisers added they had “worked tirelessly” with international groups for the rights of workers on stadiums and other tournament projects.
A spokesperson for the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy said: “Significant improvements have been made across accommodation standards, health and safety regulations, grievance mechanisms, healthcare provision, and reimbursements of illegal recruitment fees to workers.”
Russian football clubs and national teams have been suspended from all competitions by FIFA and UEFA after the country’s invasion of Ukraine.
The world and European football governing bodies said they would be banned “until further notice”.
It means the Russian men’s team will not play their World Cup play-off matches next month and the women’s team have been banned from this summer’s Euro 2022 competition.
Spartak Moscow have also been kicked out of the Europa League and their last-16 opponents RB Leipzig will advance to the quarter-finals.
“Football is fully united here and in full solidarity with all the people affected in Ukraine,” Fifa and Uefa said in a joint statement.
“Both presidents hope that the situation in Ukraine will improve significantly and rapidly so that football can again be a vector for unity and peace amongst people.”
Fifa and Uefa intervened after Russia, supported by Belarus, launched a military invasion of neighbouring Ukraine last Thursday.
The Russian men’s team had been scheduled to face Poland in a World Cup play-off semi-final on 24 March.
Russian football’s governing body, the RFU, said it “categorically disagreed” with the decision and would challenge it “in accordance with international sports law”. Spartak Moscow called the decision “upsetting”, tweeting: “We believe that sport, even in the most difficult times, should aim to build bridges, and not burn them.”
Fifa had previously ruled that Russia must complete their upcoming games in neutral territory, under the title Football Union of Russia, and without their flag and anthem.
However, that announcement had drawn criticism – and Scotland and the Republic of Ireland joined several other nations, including England, Northern Ireland and Wales, as well as Poland, the Czech Republic and Sweden, in refusing to play against Russia.
On Monday, Scottish FA president Rod Petrie wrote to his Ukrainian counterpart “to send a message of support, friendship and unity”, with those two nations due to meet in their World Cup play-off semi-final on 24 March.
The 2022 Champions League final, originally due to be played in St Petersburg on 28 May, has been moved to Paris while numerous clubs have taken their own steps to disassociate themselves from Russia.
Manchester United has terminated its sponsorship deal with Russia’s national airline Aeroflot while Bundesliga club Schalke has cancelled its partnership with main sponsor Gazprom, having last week removed the Russian energy company’s logo from its shirts.
Russia are in Northern Ireland’s European Under-21 Championship qualifying group and their meeting in March will be cancelled.
Speaking on Monday, Tottenham manager Antonio Conte said: “The whole world has to be compact and show [it is] solid against the stupidity of the people.”
He added: “I think it’s right to express our disappointment about the stupidity about some decisions. Football and Uefa has to be compact and to show to be strong.”
‘Other sports will follow football’s lead’ – analysis
Dan Roan, BBC Sport editor
This is the strongest move yet taken by the international football community.
Russia is rapidly being reduced to the status of international sporting pariah. Of course this comes after Fifa was accused of not going far enough on Sunday instead allowing Russia to continue playing as ‘RFU’ with a ban on its flag and anthem.
The IOC heaped pressure on football by recommending that all sports enforce a total ban on Russia and Belarus.
This will undeniably prompt other sports to follow football’s lead.
There will also be those who say that the IOC could have gone further and say that ‘this is a decision, we are commanding all sports to ban Russian athletes’.
Whether they thought they had grounds to do so, legally, is another matter.
Some will also point to the Sochi 2014 Games and World Cup 2018 that Putin’s Russia was able to host and ask if this is all too late.
Bans needed to protect integrity of global sport – IOC
The IOC says it is urging sport governing bodies to ban Russian and Belarusian athletes “in order to protect the integrity of global sports competitions and for the safety of all the participants”, adding that “the current war in Ukraine puts the Olympic Movement in a dilemma”.
It said there had been a “breach of the Olympic Truce” by those countries’ governments.
“While athletes from Russia and Belarus would be able to continue to participate in sports events, many athletes from Ukraine are prevented from doing so because of the attack on their country,” an IOC statement read.
The International Paralympic Committee is to meet on Wednesday to discuss Russia, with the Winter Paralympics set to start two days later, running from 4-13 March.
The British Paralympic committee has called on Russians and Belarussians to be kicked out of the Games.
The British Olympic Association, along with the National Olympic Committee (NOC) of Germany, has demanded the immediate exclusion of Russia and Belarus from international sport.
The IOC said in their recommendations that wherever it was not possible to ban them from competing for organisational or legal reasons, such athletes should not compete under the name Russia or Belarus and should be classed as neutrals.
The Russian Olympic Committee has disagreed with the IOC, saying the decision “contradicts both the regulatory documents of the IOC and the [Olympic] Charter”.
What else is happening in sport?
The Russian Grand Prix is closely associated with President Vladimir Putin
The Russian Formula 1 Grand Prix, due to take place on 25 September in Sochi, was cancelled last week.
The sport’s governing body, the FIA, will meet on Tuesday to “discuss matters relating to the ongoing crisis in Ukraine”.
World Rugby has suspended Russia and Belarus from international and cross-border competition “until further notice”.
“We stand in solidarity with the people of Ukraine,” said chairman Bill Beaumont.
On Friday, it was announced by Rugby Europe that all fixtures on Russian soil would be suspended, a move endorsed by the world governing body.
However the Russian women’s team played away in Spain on Saturday in the Rugby Europe Championship (REC), without their flag or national anthem
Russia men’s home fixture with the Netherlands next month in the REC had already been postponed and they were also due to play away fixture in Portugal on 19 March.
Badminton’s world governing body (BWF) responded to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine by announcing the cancellation of all tournaments in Russia and Belarus in addition to banning the national flags and anthems of the two nations.
“BWF will continue to monitor the situation closely and will proactively consult our international sport movement partners to discuss other options to potentially strengthen measures against the governments of Russia and Belarus,” it said.
The Ukrainian Tennis Federation has called on the sport’s governing body, the International Tennis Federation (ITF), to expel Russia and Belarus from the organisation and ban Russia from individual and team tournaments.
Ukrainian Elina Svitolina has said she will refuse to play Russian or Belarusian players until they are classed as ‘neutral athletes’.
The world number 15 is due to play Anastasia Potopova of Russia at this week’s Monterrey Open but has threatened to withdraw unless the Women’s Tennis Association takes action.
Russian Daniil Medvedev, who became the ATP’s world number one on Monday, said he wanted to promote “peace all over the world” in a news conference on Friday during the Mexican Open.
The ITF said: “This is a fast-evolving situation; we are in active discussion with the ITF tennis family and the ITF board to decide and align around our next course of action.”
The International Equestrian Federation has announced it will remove international events from Russia and Belarus and stop athletes and officials from both countries from participating in all competitions.
Ice hockey‘s governing body, the IIHF, has suspended all Russian and Belarusian national teams and clubs from all of its competitions and events.
It has also taken the 2023 World Junior Championship away from Russia.
At the Fencing World Cup in Cairo on Sunday, Ukraine’s men’s foil team refused to fence against Russia.
Ukraine’s Klod Younes told BBC Radio 5 Live that he and his team-mates now intend to return home and defend their country.
“I knew before the competition [that I would not fence against them]. I told my team-mates and they supported me and said they would do the same,” Younes said.
On whether he and his team-mates will fight if necessary, he added: “Of course. This is our country. This is my country. I have to fight for it. I am defending my territory.”
On Monday, the UK government’s Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries and Sports Minister Nigel Huddleston met with several British sport governing bodies – including the Premier League, Football Association, UK Sport and British Olympic Association – to discuss the Ukraine situation.
The government has urged sports to continue with “visible signs of solidarity” with Ukraine and says it plans to talk with international counterparts later this week to mobilise further support to ostracise Russia from international sport.
The Blacks Stars of Ghana will play the Super Eagles of Nigeria in the last round of qualifiers for the 2022 FIFA World Cup to be played in Qatar.
The fixture between the two West African giants was determined at a draw held by CAF in Cameroon on Saturday, January 22, 2022.
After two initial stages of qualifiers, the possible contingents for Africa were pruned to 10 teams made up of Egypt, Cameroon, Senegal, DR Congo, Morocco, Nigeria, Tunisia, Algeria, Mali, and Ghana
A team emerging as a winner of the five fixtures drawn on Saturday will automatically gain a ticket to the 2022 Qatar World Cup as a representative of Africa.
Having put up a 100% win rate in the group stages of the ongoing AFCON being held in Cameroon, Nigeria are in the right position to be seen as favorites in their upcoming fixture against Ghana.
The Black Stars of Ghana on the other hand will have to ensure they have their team reorganized and prepared for the qualifier after putting up an abysmal performance at the ongoing AFCON leading to their exit in the group stages.
Ahead of the draw, the Ghana Football Association was reported in the early hours of Saturday to have sacked the head coach of the Black Stars, Milovan Rajevac.
The Serbian gaffer leading Ghana to the tournament in Cameroon oversaw what has now become the worst performance of the national team in the history of the continental showpiece.
The play-off games to be staged on a home and away basis will be played between March 24 and 29, with the Black Starsplaying home first.
The Federation of International Football Association (FIFA) has celebrated Black Stars and African legend Asamoah Gyan as he turns 36 today, November 22, 2021.
Black Stars striker, Asamoah Gyan, nicknamed Baby Jet, was born on November 22, 1985, in Ghana’s capital city, Accra, to madam Cecelia Amoako and Mr. Baffour Gyan.
The Ghanaian striker currently holds the record as Africa’s top scorer with six goals after playing at the Mundial three times (Germany 2006, South Africa 2010, Brazil 2014).
FIFA shared Asamoah Gyan‘s first World Cup goal against the Czech Republic in the 2006 tournament in Germany to celebrate the Ghanaian football icon as he celebrates his 36th birthday.
“Scorer at three #WorldCups and still @Team_GhanaMen’s greatest goal scorer. It’s time to wish @ASAMOAH_GYAN3 a very happy birthday,” FIFA shared on their Twitter page.
The Federation of International Football Association (FIFA) has celebrated Black Stars and African legend Asamoah Gyan as he turns 36 today, November 22, 2021.
Black Stars striker, Asamoah Gyan, nicknamed Baby Jet, was born on November 22, 1985, in Ghana’s capital city, Accra, to madam Cecelia Amoako and Mr. Baffour Gyan.
The Ghanaian striker currently holds the record as Africa’s top scorer with six goals after playing at the Mundial three times (Germany 2006, South Africa 2010, Brazil 2014).
FIFA shared Asamoah Gyan‘s first World Cup goal against the Czech Republic in the 2006 tournament in Germany to celebrate the Ghanaian football icon as he celebrates his 36th birthday.
“Scorer at three #WorldCups and still @Team_GhanaMen’s greatest goal scorer. It’s time to wish @ASAMOAH_GYAN3 a very happy birthday,” FIFA shared on their Twitter page.
World governing football body, FIFA has confirmed receiving a protest from South Africa FA regarding its World Cup Qualifying game with Ghana which ended in 1-0.
It has directed Ghana to respond with its own documents by November 20, 2021.
FIFA, in a statement, said the Disciplinary Committee will open proceedings on the case on November 23, 2021.
World governing football, FIFA has ordered Algerian side USM Alger to pay Asante Kotoko an amount of €300,000 for the transfer of Kwame Poku, according to a report by Hot FM.
The center forward joined the Algerian giants in April this year on a four and half year contract.
USM Alger have failed to pay the transfer fee to Asante Kotoko after the Ghana International completed the move to join the club.
The Porcupine Warriors reported the Algerian club to FIFA in June over the unpaid transfer fee of their former player.
According to the report, FIFA has ordered USM Algers to pay the transfer with interest.
Background
Asante Kotoko SC have reported Algerian club USM Alger to FIFA over unpaid transfer fee of striker Kwame Opoku.
Opoku joined the Algiers based side in April 2021 from the Ghanaian in a deal reported to be around US$300,000 in a four-and-a-half year contract.
The Algerian side are yet to pay amount to Kotoko since completing the signing of the highly-rated forward.
The 22-year-old scored nine goals in 20 appearances for Kotoko during his short spell at the club before leaving for Algeria.
Opoku has scored two goals and provided two assists in his six games for the Mouloudia club since he joined.
The world’s football governing body, FIFA, has written to the Ghana Football Association to mourn the death of the country’s former Head of State Ft. Lt. Jerry John Rawlings.
H.E Rawlings died on Thursday, 12 November 2020, at the Korle Bu Teaching hospital in Accra at age 73.
Unconfirmed reports in the Ghanaian capital claims he died of the deadly Covid-19 pandemic.
A letter signed by FIFA President Gianni Infantino and Secretary-General Fatma Samoura read: ”It was with emotion and sadness that we learned of the passing of His Excellency Jerry Rawlings, former President of the Republic of Ghana.
”Tributes are flowing from the African continent and elsewhere to salute his memory, and we would like herewith to join them.
”As President over the destiny of Ghana from 1993 to 2001, statesman recognized for his passion, discipline and values, charismatic leader having liberalised Ghana’s economy, encouraging investment in key economic sectors, H.E Jerry Rawlings will not be forgotten.
”On behalf of the members of the international football community, we wish to extend our deepest condolences to the Ghana Football Association, to your government, and to the Ghanaian people in these difficult times.”
President of football’s world governing body, FIFA, Gianni Infantino has tested positive for COVID-19.
The President and people that have been in close contact with him in the past few days are currently self-isolating.
A statement from FIFA read, “FIFA President Gianni Infantino has received confirmation today that he has tested positive for coronavirus. The FIFA President, who has reported mild symptoms, has immediately placed himself in self-isolation and will remain in quarantine at least for 10 days.
“All people who came into contact with the FIFA President during the last few days have been informed accordingly and they are being requested to take the necessary steps.
“FIFA sincerely wishes President Infantino a speedy recovery.”
Infantino had mild symptoms and after undergoing tests for the coronavirus, it came out positive. He is expected to be in quarantine for at least ten days before another test is carried on.
He is one of the high profile personalities in the world to contract the virus after US President Donald Trump tested positive some few weeks ago.
The virus, which broke out late last year has claimed several lives since March with experts yet to produce a vaccine for the global pandemic.
Ghana has dropped to the 48th position in the latest FIFA/ Coca-Cola ranking for the month of October.
The Black Stars dropped two places from 46th on the World Ranking for the month of September to the 48th position this month.
The Black Stars accrued 1439 points in the latest ranking released by the world football governing body.
Ghana engaged West African side Mali and Asian champions Qatar in a friendly this month.
The Stars lost 3-0 to Mali in the first game and recovered from the defeat to record a 5-1 win over Qatar in the second friendly game played in Turkey.
The 3-0 defeat to Mali saw the Black Stars lose some points on the ranking and accrued just one point in the win against Qatar leading to the drop.
On the African continent, the Black stars placed 6th on the log.
Check out the position of the various CAF teams on the latest ranking released by FIFA for the month of October.
Fifa president Gianni Infantino on Wednesday praised Qatar for pushing ahead with 2022 World Cup preparations despite the coronavirus pandemic, while the rest of the world “stood still”.
On a visit to Doha, during which he got into football kit to play a seven-a-side-match at the striking tent-style Al Bayt stadium, Infantino said he was “very pleased” with Qatar’s progress ahead of the tournament.
“We have seen the plans, but when you see the reality, it is even more impressive,” he said in a statement that added that all eight venues will be completed “well in advance” of the event.
“Qatar has been able to continue to advance during the last six months while the world stood still from infrastructure preparations to important developments such as the recent labour reforms announced by the government,” he said.
Qatar has made a series of reforms to its employment regulations since being selected to host the 2022 World Cup, which has required a vast programme of construction dependent on foreign workers.
However, rights campaigners say that widespread abuses persist. The Gulf state will kick off the World Cup at the Al Bayt Stadium, which takes its shape from the traditional tents used by nomadic peoples in the Gulf region.
The timings of the competition, due to be held in November and December of 2022, remain unchanged by the coronavirus pandemic which has already forced the postponement of the European football championships and the Tokyo Olympics.
Qatar has had one of the highest per capita coronavirus infection rates in the world although infection rates have now fallen sharply.
Work continued at 2022 sites this year even as Doha imposed wide-ranging closures including on shops, restaurants, and mosques but was slowed to allow virus containment measures including screening and social distancing to be observed.
As part of the ongoing transition and evolution of Ghana Beach Soccer, the Ghana FA hosted over twenty clubs in an online training program at the FA headquarters in Accra on Tuesday 6th October 2020.
The FIFA Connect training workshop is seen as an essential platform to equip Beach Soccer club officials with basic and requisite IT skills/ knowledge to allow them navigate the FIFA digital registration system via the GFA platform.
The Chairman of Ghana Beach Soccer Yaw Ampofo Ankrah and Committee members were amongst those present along with other executives at the event navigated by GFA Information Technology manager Mr Francis Adu.
The GFA Referees Manager Mr Alex Kotey also addressed the trainees and indicated the need for a beach soccer referees instructor in Ghana.
“As it stands, Ghana is yet to have a FIFA beach soccer referee instructor and the GFA is working around that. Indeed the FA is set to put out a public notice to invite new referees on board”.
Also present was GFA General Secretary Mr. Prosper Harrison Addo and FA Competitions Coordinator Mr Sena Akoto-Ampaw.
It is expected that upon the successful completion of clubs registration, a road-map would be drawn in line with the GFA timetable for the Ghana Beach Soccer League to kick start.
On August 31, 1991, which is exactly 29 years today, the Black Starlets made Ghana proud as they defeated Spain to win their first-ever FIFA U-17 World Cup in Italy. The scorer of the all-important goal was Emmanuel Duah in the 77th minute.
Ghana enroute to reaching the final placed second in group D after finishing with 5 points, just as the group leaders Spain, but with inferior goal difference.
Otto Pfister charges progressed by beating Brazil 2-1 in the quarters, before edging out Qater on penalties after a goalless draw in the semis to set a date with Spain in the final.
It was expected to generate a lot of thrills because their group stage tie failed to produce a winner.
Ghana who had studied the Europeans played a great game and piped them to win their first FIFA U-17 World Cup. It was richly deserved triumph.
Able to call on just the right blend of individual talent and team spirit, the Ghanaians were never afraid to take the initiative and were ultimately rewarded for their enterprising approach. Expertly coached by master German tactician Otto Pfister, their made-to-measure 1-3-4-2 formation invariably had opponents on the back foot from the first whistle. If the team had a weak spot it was in attack, where they sometimes had trouble converting all their chances, but this could be explained by the fact that they had the youngest squad of all the sides in the competition, with an average age of just 16 years and 1 month. Top of the class for Ghana’s youngsters were Kofi Mbeah, Mohammed Gargo, sweeper Isaac Asare, and ace marksman Nii Odartey Lamptey, who scored four goals.
The adidas Golden Ball could only go to one of the members of the victorious Ghanaian side, and so it was, with Nii Odartey Lamptey taking home a very special souvenir from his Italian sojourn. Lamptey was the beating heart of a very good side. His fast feet, speed of thought, and clever interplay with captain Nana Alexander Opoku and fellow midfielders Mohammed Gargo and Emmanuel Duah were on display for all to see. His willingness to get into the box was critical too, and his four goals made him joint top -goalscorer.
Reward and honours
The players were honoured by the state. A street around the Accra Sports Stadium was named after them Starlets 91 Street.
Treasury bill was bought for each of the players.
The Sports Writers Association (SWAG), which is the premier sports awards in the country for the first time named a group as the Sports Personality of the Year and it went to the Black Starlets team of 1991.
Didier Drogba’s hopes of becoming the next president of Ivory Coast’s football federation (FIF) could be restored.
Fifa has requested the suspension of all activity relating to the elections until it has received various documentation.
Concerned that the electoral process may not be free and fair, football’s world governing body has requested FIF’s electoral commission to send the five files by Friday “28 August 2020 at the very latest”.
“Pending your documents and information, we invite you to suspend all actions relating to the electoral process until further notice,” Fifa Secretary General Fatma Samoura wrote to the electoral commission.
Samoura’s letter was sent on Thursday, the same day as former Ivory Coast captain and Chelsea star Drogba was rejected as a candidate.
On Thursday, the electoral commission selected just two candidates to be the next FIF president – Sory Diabate, who is the current first vice-president of the federation while Yacine Idriss Diallo is a former third vice-president.
The Federation of International Football Association (FIFA) has announced that this year’s Annual Congress will take place Online from Zurich, Switzerland, on Friday, 18 September 2020.
The 70th FIFA Congress was initially scheduled to be held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on June 5, but FIFA decided to reschedule the event for September due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Concerns over the health and well-being of participants, as well as travel restrictions in many countries, have resulted in the cancellation or postponement of many such events in various parts of the worldâ€, FIFA said after it rescheduled the Congress.
The following are among the items on the agenda: – the approval of the FIFA Annual Report 2019; – the revised budget for 2019-2022; and – the detailed budget for 2021.
The Congress will be streamed live on FIFA.com and will be followed by a press conference.
FIFA president, Gianni Infantino has been cleared of violating the world governing body’s regulations after a preliminary investigation by its ethics committee.
Infantino is the subject of a criminal investigation over an alleged secret meeting with Swiss attorney general Michael Lauber. Both deny wrongdoing.
FIFA said documents shared by the Swiss courts were scrutinised.
“No aspect of the conduct analysed constitutes a violation,” it said.
“Some aspects do not even fall within the provisions of the Fifa code of ethics, or justify the adoption of any kind of measure, including that of a provisional suspension.”
Earlier in August, in a letter to member associations, Infantino said any meetings were “in no way secret and most certainly not illegal”.
However, the Swiss admitted the criminal investigation had already “caused considerable damage to Fifa as an organisation and to myself as its president”.
Infantino said the meetings with Lauber were broadly to discuss the fact the attorney general’s office was investigating a series of criminal allegations in which Fifa was a damaged party.
Neither Lauber nor Infantino has been able to recollect the specific details of their final meeting in 2017.
FIFA President, Gianni Infantino has claimed there are no “factual grounds” for the ongoing criminal proceedings against him in a letter to member federations.
Infantino wrote to the 211 members following the opening of proceedings against him last month, as reported by AFP.
He said his meetings with the Swiss Attorney General Michael Lauber “were in no way secret and most certainly not illegal” and the investigation against him had no “factual grounds”.
“I went to these meetings with the most senior law officer in the country in order to offer our full support and assistance in connection with the ongoing investigations because FIFA has an interest and is a damaged party in these investigations,” he said.
A special prosecutor was appointed in July to investigate the dealings between Lauber and the head of football’s world governing body.
Lauber denied any wrongdoing but offered to resign after a Swiss Court concluded that he covered up meetings with Infantino and lied to supervisors while his office probed corruption surrounding FIFA.
Earlier this month, FIFA revealed that Infantino would not step down from his role as President and said: “nothing remotely criminal has happened”.
“At the time of the meetings between the FIFA President and the Swiss Federal Prosecutor, the Office of the Swiss Attorney General (OAG) was conducting investigations in over 20 cases in FIFA related matters and FIFA is a damaged party to those proceedings,” the FIFA spokesperson said in a statement.
“It was therefore entirely logical for the FIFA President to be meeting the Swiss Federal Prosecutor.”
“Meetings or contacts between parties and prosecutors are routine during an investigation.”
In their comments, the spokesperson stressed that the reason the meetings were taking place was to build trust with the Swiss Attorney General after years of corruption, with the first meeting taking place only 24 days into the FIFA chief’s tenure.
They also denied that the meetings took place in secret, arguing transparency on FIFA’s behalf.
“The meeting venues were organised by the OAG in public places, like hotels and restaurants,” they added.
“The FIFA President did not choose the venues for the meetings.”
“All the meetings were officially scheduled well ahead of time by the OAG and were mentioned in their calendars.”
“There is no obligation for the FIFA President under any FIFA regulation or any law to keep minutes of any such meetings.”
FIFA president Gianni Infantino will continue in his post, world football’s governing body insisted Sunday, as they blasted the launch of Swiss criminal proceedings against him.
“There was and is absolutely no reason to open any investigation because nothing remotely criminal has happened and there is nothing at all to suggest any form of criminal wrongdoing,” FIFA said in a media release.
“The FIFA president will continue to fully assume his functions within FIFA and fulfil his duties and will continue to cooperate with the authorities in Switzerland and around the world.”
Special prosecutor Stefan Keller started proceedings on Thursday as part of an investigation into suspected collusion between Infantino and Switzerland’s attorney general Michael Lauber, the country’s top prosecutor.
Lauber, who offered his resignation on July 24, was in charge of Switzerland’s probe into the towering corruption scandal that exploded at the heart of Zurich-based FIFA in 2015.
But he was forced to recuse himself from the investigation in June 2019, following media revelations that he had held several undeclared meetings with Infantino during the probe.
Swiss authorities said Keller “reached the conclusion that… there are indications of criminal conduct” in relation to meetings between Infantino, Lauber and another official, Rinaldo Arnold, in 2016 and 2017.
“This concerns abuse of public office, breach of official secrecy, assisting offenders and incitement to these acts,” the authorities said.
Categorical denial
FIFA hit back on Sunday, accusing Keller of having brought forward no legal grounds for his probe.
“Keller has presented no serious elements or legal basis for the opening of any investigation and lacks any detail as to the substance of the case.
“FIFA and the FIFA president categorically deny any implication or suggestion that the FIFA president would ever have attempted to exert any form of improper influence” on Lauber.
FIFA said it was “not illegal anywhere in the world” to meet a prosecutor.
It said the meeting between Infantino and Lauber was “entirely logical” given that the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) was conducting investigations in more than 20 cases in FIFA-related matters.
The organisation said such meetings or contacts were “routine” during an investigation.
It said the point of the meeting was to offer FIFA’s “full support” for the investigations, and Infantino attended in “good faith”.
“FIFA was trying to restore trust in the institution at that time,” it said, finding itself “in a disastrous situation and at risk of being designated a criminal organisation by the US authorities”.
FIFA said that “in no way whatsoever” were the meetings secret, and they had been arranged by the OAG.
No obligation’ to keep minutes
FIFA claimed that meeting a prosecutor was “the best guarantee that any such meeting is legitimate”.
It also insisted there was “no obligation” on the FIFA president to keep minutes of such meetings.
Switzerland has pursued a number of cases since a raid on a luxury hotel in Zurich in May 2015 led to the arrests of a several FIFA executives and exposed an allegedly corrupt underbelly in world football.
In total, more than 20 FIFA proceedings have been opened in Switzerland over the past five years into allegations of corruption and vote-buying, and allegations over the awarding of television rights contracts.
Yesterday we had Italian giant, Juventus sweat it out with Lazio, in the ongoing Serie A league title. The match ended in favour of Juventus with the goal margin of two to one. The three goals were scored in the second half of the game.
Ronaldo being a key player in Juventus, performed excellently well, as he was the one who scored the two goals for his club to defeat their opponent. He scored a penalty and an assist from Dybala to make it two goals. While Lazio Scored a penalty by Ciro Immobile.
However, with Ronaldo’s goals/ performance in the game, FIFA has taken to their official Twitter account to acknowledge the 35 year old and equally state the history he (Ronaldo) has recorded for himself again.
According to FIFA, Ronaldo is “1st @juventusfcen player since 1952 to score goals in a @serieA_EN season. Fastest player to reach 50 Serie A goals since 1985 birth (61 games) …”
Below is a screenshot of the tweet from FIFA.
See also people’s comments/ reactions to what FIFA shared.
From me to Ronaldo, congratulations on your newest Records.
Let me know what you think of this.
Do not forget to follow me, leave a comment and share with your friends.
At first glance, this year’s draw seems pretty even-handed. Group E, with Spain and Germany, looks sewn up from the start, as does Group F, with Belgium and Croatia. But anything could happen in the other groups.
4. Group G: Brazil, Switzerland, Serbia, Cameroon
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