Football (Soccer) Thread

[Syt]

Should be interesting if Israel qualifies for the Saudi-Arabia World Cup in 2034.

[Maladict]

Apparently all tickets for Iranian supporters have been withdrawn. What a dick move

[Duque de Bragança]

Pricing them out was not enough, I guess.

[Sheilbh]

Apparently all tickets for Iranian supporters have been withdrawn. What a dick move

Also treatment of Uzbek and Senegalese teams an absolute disgrace.

In the Uzbek case particularly mad to see Fabio Cannavaro a World Cup and Ballon d'Or winner being searched on the tarmac.

Edit: Obviously bad for all.

[Duque de Bragança]

Did the trumpistani clique took a page from the Moroccan book re: Senegal?

[Syt]

Iraq striker was questioned for 7 hours in O'Hare, Iraq team photographer denied entry:

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/06/iraq-aymen-hussein-questioned-us-entry-world-cup

[Syt]

A lot of sites quoting Infantino from 2017:

"It's obvious when it comes to FIFA competitions as well [that] any team, including the supporters and the officials of that team, who would qualify for a World Cup need to have access to the country, otherwise there is no World Cup," Infantino said nine years ago. "That is obvious."

[crazy canuck]

And what is also obvious is that this is the United States of 2026.  Societal norms do not apply in that country. 

They really should be posting enter at your own risk signs.

[Jacob]

Never mind how impractical it is, what would be the process for removing Infantino from his leadership position at FIFA?

[Valmy]

This is so humiliating. Even Nazi Germany could act like a normal country for a few weeks for a sporting event. But not MAGA USA.

[Josquius]

 No idea how true. But read today fifa has been renting an empty office in trump tower for a bit   

Certainly that they're renting it is real

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2025/jul/08/fifa-trump-tower-office-new-york-city-world-cup

[Norgy]

Never mind how impractical it is, what would be the process for removing Infantino from his leadership position at FIFA?

Infantino, like others, are limited to three terms. His final term will end in 2031, as his taking over from Blatter in 2016 is not considered a term on its own. 

ESPN reports a few days back:

FIFA president Gianni Infantino was targeted with a revived criminal complaint in France on Monday by his former boss Michel Platini, who seemed destined to lead FIFA until being implicated in a financial wrongdoing case in 2015.

French soccer great Platini, who was acquitted again last year after a second Swiss court trial, has asked lawyers in Paris to file a criminal complaint against Infantino and five other Swiss soccer and prosecution officials.

Platini alleges a conspiracy of false accusation and influence peddling to prevent him from becoming FIFA president a decade ago.

I suppose Infantino can be removed when his second term ends next year if there is a viable candidate, as in having more support than him, but that would have to be one with more elbow grease and ability to shower cash over corrupt electors than Elon Musk.

This, of course, leaves us with the November in Dallas option.

[Duque de Bragança]

Panini was offering sample albums for the Trump WC in shopping centres around here.
Guess who's got his picture for free in the album.

Gianni Infantino. Thankfully, you won't have to buy or trade for the sticker, it's printed.

Album retail price:  € 3.5, if you did not get one of the free ones as mentioned above.

[Duque de Bragança]

Also, Sepp Blatter criticises Gianni Infantino for the Omar Artan case, the Somali referee denied entry by the US, in an interview to L'Équipe. 

[Syt]

Comment in an interview in an Austrian paper I saw today: "At least Blatter sometimes pretended to be ashamed of his corruption."