Football (Soccer) Thread

[Norgy]

Forest have been abysmal most of the season. They did hammer Spurs fairly comfortably 3-0. If, and this is a big if, Tottenham get relegated, that is surely the most expensive relegation in history.

I wish Nuno's West Ham could just lie down and take the relegation, but no, they're on a great escape.

Forest put a spoke in the Man City wheel with a draw at the Etihad (a solid English name for a stadium) and what was possibly the goal of the season as Igor Jesus lays the ball off with a header and Morgan Gibbs White blindly backheels it home past a very poor Donnarumma.

I don't know what has happened at Spurs. They got rid of Ange, who is just a vacuum, appointed a seemingly good manager in Thomas Frank. Frank did not work out well, but it is not like managers are given the time generally. Wrexham have given Parkinson plenty of time and discarded the poorer results, and now are harvesting. Thing is, Parkinson is not a Championship manager, let alone an EPL manager.

The relegation fight is too tight to call, but I have to hope that Forest manage to stay up. At the end of the season, I expect an exodus of players. Anderson's surely moving to greener pastures, Gibbs White is under a long-term contract but has the relegation clause. Murillo is probably one of the top five defenders in the EPL, and signed a new contract in 2024. All are very hot property.

[Zoupa]

Oh my

Having been there a few times in the last few years Spurs are in a lot of trouble.

They have been abysmal. It's really ruining my weekends, I can feel my blood pressure rise watching them play. I really need to not give a shit.

There's talk of sacking the interim manager. Are we fucking serious lads. The players really need to wise up.

God knows Levy was trash, but he did include in all player contracts that wages would be halved in case of demotion. I don't know how that doesn't motivate these fools.

[Norgy]

Wages, yes, transfer fees too. Sorry, man, we are both in football pain.   

[Duque de Bragança]

Oh noes, Finalissima (EURO winner vs Copa América winner) between Spain and Argentina cancelled. A glorified friendly game, some might say.

Was supposed to take place in the Middle East, around the Persian Gulf, Qatar to be precise, and both teams could not agree on an alternative venue or format as in two legs, one in each country, or a neutral enough venue (England? Portugal? Italy? etc.). Madrid was flatly rejected by Argentina.

[Norgy]

Well, I suppose the muslims were right. All EPL clubs with -ham in their name are going to hell, one way or another.

[Duque de Bragança]

Specially a "Jewish" club.  Yid Army is an aggravating factor for them, I guess. 

[Norgy]

I had a really bad experience with another student in university. He was shouting "fucking yids" during a televised Chelsea-Tottenham match. I asked him to stop, as I thought he did not really know what a "yid" was. Clocked me right on the chin. My injuries have otherwise mostly been from angry Turks in amateur football or from falling with a 60 kg bag of firewood on ice. Surprisingly, I somehow came out unscathed by football on icy pitches.

[Zoupa]

Well, we drew at Liverpool with 12 starters on the injury list... Could we stay up maybe?

Seems Burnley and Wolves are almost assured of going down. That leaves Leeds, Tottenham, Nottingham and West Ham, all within 3 points with 8 games to go.

[Duque de Bragança]

The real football news of yesterday evening!

https://www.france24.com/en/sport/20260317-senegal-stripped-of-africa-cup-of-nations-title-morocco-declared-champion-by-caf-appeal-board

Senegal to appeal being stripped of AFCON title, handing 2025 championship to Morocco
SPORT
The Senegalese national football team said they will appeal after they were stripped of their Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) victory on Tuesday, with Morocco declared the new 2025 champions over a protest walk-off during the final in January. African football authorities said Senegal was "declared to have forfeited the match" by leaving the pitch.
Issued on: 17/03/2026 - 22:49
Modified: 18/03/2026 - 14:26
3 min Reading time

Senegal say they will appeal after they were sensationally stripped of the Africa Cup of Nations title on Tuesday and the Confederation of African Football (CAF) instead declared Morocco champions, two months after their chaotic final.

Several Senegalese players controversially walked off the pitch in Rabat during the final on January 18 in protest when the hosts were awarded a penalty late in second-half stoppage time.

After Senegal's players eventually returned having been coaxed back onto the pitch by captain Sadio Mane, Morocco missed the penalty and Pape Gueye went on to score the goal in extra time that gave his team a 1-0 victory.

CAF said that having studied Morocco's appeal, "the Senegal national team is declared to have forfeited the match" and the result was "officially recorded as 3-0" in favour of Morocco.

The CAF Appeals Committee justified its decision by applying Articles 82 and 84 of the AFCON Regulations, which state that if a team "refuses to play or leaves the ground before the regular end of the match without the authorisation of the referee, it shall be considered (loser) and shall be eliminated for good from the current competition".

The articles add that the team contravening the regulations "will lose its match by 3-0".

The Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) said in a statement its appeal "was never intended to contest the sporting performance of the teams participating in this competition, but solely to request the application of the competition regulations".

"The Federation reaffirms its commitment to respecting the rules, to the clarity of the competitive framework, and to the stability of African competitions," the statement added.

Senegal's football authorities said they will appeal "as soon as possible" to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

"The Senegalese Football Federation condemns this unjust, unprecedented and unacceptable decision, which brings African football into disrepute," it said in a statement.

Chaotic scenes

Minutes before the end of the match, some Senegalese supporters attempted a pitch invasion, while Senegal's players halted the game for nearly 20 minutes to protest the late penalty awarded to Morocco.

The controversial spot-kick was awarded by Congolese referee Jean-Jacques Ndala right at the end of the allotted eight added minutes in normal time following a VAR check for a challenge on Brahim Diaz by El Hadji Malick Diouf.

The game was goalless at the time and Diaz could have won the trophy for Morocco with the spot-kick in the 24th minute of added time at the end of normal time.

But Senegal goalkeeper Edouard Mendy easily saved the weak attempted 'Panenka' chip by the Real Madrid winger, who was clearly distracted by the long delay that followed the penalty award.

The game at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium then went to extra time, and Gueye's brilliant 94th-minute strike won it for Senegal.

Several of the team's players posted on social media after the announcement that they had been stripped of the title.

Defender Moussa Niakhate, who plays for French club Lyon, posted a picture of himself lifting the Africa Cup of Nations trophy with a message that said "they're mad", in an apparent reference to CAF.

In the immediate aftermath of the final, FIFA president Gianni Infantino had condemned "some Senegal players" for the "unacceptable scenes".

"It is unacceptable to leave the field of play in this manner, and equally, violence cannot be tolerated in our sport, it is simply not right," Infantino, who attended the match, said.

In late January, CAF imposed a series of disciplinary sanctions, including fines amounting to several hundred thousand euros, on the federations of both countries for unsportsmanlike conduct and violations of fair play principles.

The appeal trial of 18 Senegalese supporters, imprisoned since the final and sentenced to prison terms ranging from three months to one year for "hooliganism", which was scheduled to take place on Monday, has been postponed until March 30.

(FRANCE 24 with AFP)

Beyond the precedent, that could give ideas to the next summer's tournament in North America, assuming it still takes place, given the venality of Gianni Infantino and Trump's behavior in general.

There was actually an earlier case in Africa involving clubs, in the local Champions' League final, in 2019 with a Tunisian squad being stripped of its title, title given to a Moroccan club.

Solomonic judgement needed to restore the peace? As in no winner for that edition.

[Valmy]

I disagree with the concept of giving the championship to the runner up if the champion forfeits their title somehow. It should just be vacant. You only win a championship on the field...er...pitch.

[Jacob]

The Moroccan ball-boy behaviour was awful. They in no way deserve to be the champions if they lost at home and exhibited that degree of unsporting behaviour.

[Syt]

https://apnews.com/article/fifa-world-cup-iran-israel-infantino-9a2680ab021828644fa3286b048af887

FIFA fines Israel, denies key Palestinian complaint and urges Iran to fulfill World Cup schedule

GENEVA (AP) — FIFA fined the Israeli soccer federation for breaching anti-discrimination regulations but took no action Thursday on a Palestinian request to suspend Israel from global soccer for allowing clubs based in West Bank settlements.

Also, FIFA President Gianni Infantino further dampened Iran's attempts to move its World Cup matches from the United States to Mexico, saying global soccer's governing body wants the tournament "to go ahead as scheduled."

Two separate Palestinian soccer federation petitions were addressed in Thursday's announcement.

FIFA fined the Israel Football Association 150,000 Swiss francs ($190,000) on disciplinary charges relating to "discrimination and racist abuse," plus "offensive behavior and violations of the principles of fair play."

The Israeli federation was held responsible by three FIFA judges for "tolerance of politicized and militaristic messaging within football contexts," notably by fans of Beitar Jerusalem, and the "systemic exclusion of Palestinians from football infrastructure in Israeli settlements."

The disciplinary verdict against Israeli soccer, judged last August, was finally announced after a meeting of FIFA's ruling council chaired by Infantino, who restated his organization had peaceful goals in a month of turmoil for World Cup planning amid war in the Middle East.

Palestinian soccer denied on settler clubs issue

The Palestinian soccer federation has urged FIFA to act against Israel for supporting clubs in its national league from settlement communities in the West Bank.

FIFA's council decided Thursday on advice from the governing body's governance panel not to act on formal Palestinian complaints in 2024 against its Israeli counterpart, including a request to suspend membership.

Palestinian soccer officials have long argued — including at FIFA annual congresses across the past 15 years, before Infantino was president — that Israel violates statutes by letting teams from settlements in the West Bank play in the national league.

"FIFA should take no action given that, in the context of the interpretation of the relevant provisions of the FIFA Statutes, the final legal status of the West Bank remains an unresolved and highly complex matter under public international law," the soccer body said.

FIFA wants Iran in the US at World Cup

Infantino reiterated FIFA is not moving toward granting Iranian requests to move the team's three World Cup group games in June from the United States to Mexico.

Iranian government and soccer officials have said they do not want to boycott the World Cup but that it is not possible for the national team to come to the U.S. because of military attacks on the country by Israel and U.S. since Feb. 28.

The team is due to play two games at the Los Angeles Rams' stadium in Inglewood and one in Seattle.

"We have a schedule," Infantino said in a statement Thursday about the World Cup fixtures announced in December, adding "we want the FIFA World Cup to go ahead as scheduled."

No team has refused a World Cup entry since the 1950 edition, a 13-team event in Brazil held in lingering global chaos after World War II. It would be unprecedented in modern World Cup history for a team's schedule to be changed after the draw for political reasons.

FIFA's political limits

"FIFA can't solve geopolitical conflicts," said Infantino, who presented his close ally U.S. President Donald Trump with a specially created peace prize at the World Cup draw in December.

"(B)ut we are committed to using the power of football and the FIFA World Cup to build bridges and promote peace as our thoughts are with those who are suffering as a consequence of the ongoing wars," he said.

The disciplinary investigation of Israeli soccer also was opened 18 months ago in response to the second objection by the Palestinian federation.

The verdict was a fine for the IFA that amounts to 50,000 Swiss francs ($63,000) less than financial penalties imposed on Bosnia-Herzegovina's soccer federation for misconduct by fans at World Cup qualifying games in November.

FIFA judges criticize Israel soccer federation

FIFA disciplinary judges did uphold charges against Israeli soccer for institutional discrimination and also cited offensive social media comments by senior officials.

"The conduct of the IFA, in failing to take meaningful action against Beitar Jerusalem FC — a club whose supporters have engaged in persistent and well-documented racist behavior — constitutes a clear violation," the FIFA disciplinary panel said.

One third of the fine must be spent by Israeli officials, FIFA ruled, on "implementation of a comprehensive plan to ensure action against discrimination and to prevent repeated incidents."

"The plan shall be approved by FIFA and shall focus on the following areas: reforms, protocols, monitoring, and educational campaigns in stadiums and on official channels for an entire season," FIFA judges decided.

The judges said they "cannot remain indifferent to the broader human context in which football operates" and the sport "must remain a platform for peace, dialogue, and mutual respect."

[Norgy]

Beitar and Maccabi Tel-Aviv are probably the most racist clubs in the world.

I do not understand how UEFA is having Israel in their competitions and qualifiers. Israel should be in a group with Iran, Russia and some of the -stans. Turkey too. Then again, the UEFA is barely less corrupt than FIFA.

I do approve of how the Palestinians made this into a case.

FIFA is still going to make a new peace price for JD Vance or something.