Has the World Cup trophy got as many body doubles as Putin? One in FIFA's Trump Tower office yesterday.

Maybe it's time for defenders to get their own Ballon d'Or vote and some respect.

FIFA fines are rising to punish racist abuse by fans at World Cup qualifying games. $100+K imposed on Albania, Argentina, Chile from the qualifiers in June. apnews.com/article/fifa...

BREAKING: Four journalists, including a freelancer who worked with AP, are among eight killed by an Israeli strike on southern Gaza's Nasser Hospital.

Trump says that “if I didn’t send in the troops” to Los Angeles than Gianni could never have World Cup games there next year. Infantino, standing at his shoulder, watches on silently.

Trump to Infantino in the Oval Office just now “probably the most respected man in sports."

MAGA: Washington DC is a gang-ravaged crime hellscape where it’s not safe to walk the streets or go to dinner without federal occupation. FIFA: Let’s do the 2026 World Cup draw ceremony there.

Just 10 months until the FIFA World Cup starts in Mexico City.

The last 3 major FIFA trophy ceremonies have seen the Emir’s bisht, Salt Bae on the field, Rubiales the sex-pest, Trump not leaving. Post-game is always interesting.

A superb game of football just finished - France 5, Netherlands 2. A stunning and decisive second half display by Delphine Cascarino. apnews.com/article/euro...

The presented conclusions of this borderline rogue FIFA-hosted meeting in New York just don’t seem credible.

Teams with female coaches have won the past 7 Women’s Euros titles. Yet still there are more men than women coaching at this tournament. Maybe for the last time. apnews.com/article/euro...

A press release lands from LIV Golf about its upcoming event in England where a Jeff Bezos wedding DJ will perform. It's one way of reading the room.

The Onion is on fire these days.

Today at Euro 2025 in Geneva, one of sport's best friendly rivalries - Magda Eriksson's Sweden vs Pernille Harder's Denmark. apnews.com/article/wome...

All the tentacles of public life today are in this must-read story.

It's got the 2030 World Cup and Euro 2032 co-hosts territory well covered.

If there has to be a global individual award, why shouldn't a full-back win? Either of them at PSG. What more does Nuno Mendes have to do?

Back in the day, the most senior American at FIFA said sniffily of Qatar “you can’t air condition a whole country”. No, you can’t. So Qatar’s World Cup moved out of the stifling summer heat. apnews.com/article/club...

We have a winner for craziest game this season. 3 goals in stoppage time, 5 in extra time, direct from a corner, a mad own goal to force extra time, a penalty saved. www.uefa.tv/video/817771...

Small win for West Ham in 3-year transfer payment dispute with CSKA Moscow. CAS sides more with West Ham than FIFA did that payments in the Nikola Vlasic deal can't be made while UK government financial sanctions apply during Russia's war on Ukraine. apnews.com/article/cas-...

3 years out from the Los Angeles Olympics, this is closing in on being as bad it gets for the IOC which consistently praises Gov. Newsom and Mayor Bass for their essential support. Olympic diplomacy also prevents almost any public pushback.

Football fans in US being caught up in immigration raids around FIFA’s Club World Cup take evasive action, some decide to stay away. A far cry from: “Everyone’s welcome” ⚽️ 👮 Soccer Fans Fear Being Targets of U.S. Immigration Raids www.nytimes.com/2025/06/08/w...

Five teams due in Los Angeles area to set up base for the FIFA Club World Cup that starts on Saturday.

PSG and Atletico Madrid due in town to play their Club World Cup opener in Pasadena next Sunday. Enjoy the show, FIFA.

Both Southampton coaches this season will start next season in the Champions League.

A growing number of disaffected national associations are disaffected with how Uefa is run, and particularly the power of the ECA, led by Al-Khelaifi They would ideally like a football legend to front a run Asuncion also had surprising fall-out www.independent.co.uk/sport/footba...

Donald Trump and Elon Musk’s alliance took off like one of SpaceX’s rockets. It was supercharged and soared high. And then it blew up. My latest: apnews.com/article/trum...

A strange one for LA Galaxy (the actual MLS champion) to have to watch Inter Miami (invited) and LAFC (not a CONCACAF champion) go to the Club World Cup and get the $10M+.

Yet another one for the “Would never have happened with Blatter” file.

The satirist who wrote this deserves a Pulitzer.

The former Man Utd players gloriously leading Napoli to the Italian title is quite the week.

Rumours today of Wydad wanting to sign Cristiano Ronaldo before CWC but the FIFA ban currently prevents him playing even if they do get him.

Man City’s first Club World Cup opponent looking a bit chaotic. Moroccan club Wydad parts with coach and is under a FIFA ban on registering new signings. Man City-Wydad is on June 18 in Philadelphia. apnews.com/article/fifa...

As the FIFA president juggles his competing obligations to Trump and football, what happens on June 14? The birthday military parade in Washington and/or Club World Cup opening game in Miami at 8pm.

“Like a piece of a past life.” In a packed house at Ukraine’s cup final it felt, for the first time in more than three years, as if domestic football really was alive again. www.theguardian.com/football/202...

FIFA entering its monarchy phase.

A writer on peak form.

A good day to recall how, in 2012, Basel sold Shaqiri to Bayern and used about 1/5 of the transfer fee to bring Salah from Egypt as the replacement.

He looks more of a Club World Cup salesman than a leader at this point. apnews.com/article/fifa...

Of the 20 elected members on UEFA’s executive committee, both women are former players but it seems only one of the 18 men is. (Another was a pro tennis player, though)

Another UEFA congress of no debates, no questions and no speakers from the floor, but a humbling in executive committee elections for Ukraine FA president Shevchenko (who would have been the only Ballon d’Or winner on it) apnews.com/article/uefa...

UEFA confirms 2023-24 prize money table. Champions League winner Real Madrid top by a long way. Man City got more than 4x from the CL that Liverpool got from Europa (both out in QFs). Liverpool earn barely more than 25M euros UEFA paid to the European Club Association. apnews.com/article/uefa...

Long way to go for a fight after a 1-0 loss.

In the African Champions League today, just a 7,000km, 4,500 miles trip for away fans from Tunisia to South Africa. About the same as to Philadelphia for Espérance games in the Club World Cup in June.

Just over 14 months until the World Cup when “football unites the world”. 10 weeks until the Club World Cup.

Mbappé, Vinícius Júnior, Rüdiger under investigation by UEFA for possible “indecent conduct” after Atlético game in Champions League. All should be free to face Arsenal judging by Bellingham verdict at Euro 2024 when a one-game ban was put on probation for one year. apnews.com/article/real...

In FIFA's operational home city for the 2026 World Cup, some doubts about public spending plans. "Taxpayers still have PTSD over the price tag to build the Marlins stadium in Little Havana, which promised an economic development boom that hasn’t materialized."

Spanish prosecutors were the ones to watch all along, not the Swiss, for action on FIFA and UEFA officials. apnews.com/article/vill...

The expected second acquittal of Sepp Blatter and Michel Platini in a Swiss criminal court over the 2M Swiss francs payment in 2011. apnews.com/article/fifa...