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🚨Latest release of Epstein files detail meetings with Qatar delegation (1/3) and meetings at the 2018 FIFA World Cup final in Russia (2/3). “The Qatarians, in some mild diplomatic discomfort, seemed most worried that their bid for the World Cup might be compromised by bribery allegations.” 1/3🪡⤵️

2/3 Epstein files - Links to World Cups “Weekend going to Russia to World Cup Final.

🎥 Gaza’s Vanishing Stadiums The football story that is being ignored. Hundred’s of footballers killed, stadiums destroyed, illegal matches in occupied territories and almost complete silence from FIFA. Please watch and share our latest film here 👇 youtu.be/cfjDXFif8Yw?...

You'll hear a lot this week about English football not needing cost controls, and a decrying of regulation Some figures you won't be given: • PL club losses since 2018-19: £3.3bn • Number of profitable EFL clubs in 2023-24: 7 (out of 71) • Combined EFL loss in 2023-24: £501m

🚨Latest release of Epstein files detail meetings with Qatar delegation (1/3) and meetings at the 2018 FIFA World Cup final in Russia (2/3). “The Qatarians, in some mild diplomatic discomfort, seemed most worried that their bid for the World Cup might be compromised by bribery allegations.” 1/3🪡⤵️

Can't help but think that someone ought to have written a book about the baleful impact of crypto on football and published it way back in early 2024, so the game could have informed itself on the subject and clubs have avoided these dubious partnerships.

Over 11,000 people, mostly women and children, are missing in Gaza. The vast majority of them are likely dead. That puts the total number of Palestinians killed directly in Gaza at over 80,000. www.972mag.com/search-gaza-...

Morocco is killing dogs ahead of the World Cup. It’s cruel. This is what FIFA gets hosts to do—kill animals, move unhoused people, erect barriers around neighborhoods they deem in poor taste—FIFA compels countries to commit the inhumane and inexcusable in the name of the beautiful game.

ICYMI from last week ⤵️

This is the “record business” Trump keeps referring to….

$7,000 for a cat. A ticket for the WC final. Over seven times what it cost for a similar ticket at the Euro 2024 final, almost five times what was charged at Qatar 2022. Too much is never enough for Gianni Infantino.

New column, in French, for Eurosport. As FIFPro is a rare counter-power to Fifa, Fifa decides to create its own' "yellow" version of a players' union, calling it a "forum" instead. An old trick: autocracies get rid of opposition to them by creating their own. www.eurosport.fr/football/fif...

Inplay bets offered on amateur US college soccer by offshore sites but who is making it happen? With @jackkerr.bsky.social, @samindrakunti.bsky.social & @philippeauclair.bsky.social for @socceramerica.bsky.social & @josimarfootball.bsky.social Thanks to the FIJ www.socceramerica.com/illegal-offs...

New @footballweekly.bsky.social podcast is out. Also on the menu: Yeri Mina's champion shithousery, Fifa's alternative player's union and a HUGE betting/match-fixing scandal in Türkiye, with over 1,000 players and 170 officials facing investigation (and worse). www.theguardian.com/football/aud...

AC Milan fans also protesting this weekend about the proposed game in Perth. Their banner read: “Koalas, kangaroos, poisonous snakes. No to Serie A in Australia. Football belongs to the fans.” 2/2

Within the Fifpro report on Players Health and Workload it reported that 4 games at the FIFA Club World Cup posed a threat to players health due to extreme heat. The proposed Serie A game in Perth will be played in February, when the average temperature is 32 degC and can hit upto 40 degC. 1/2

Scenes at the Canadian Premier League final between Atlético Ottawa and Cavalry FC, which is underway in Ottawa. Goalkeeper Nathan Ingham is helping clear snow off the pitch.

Hitting the nail on the head ⤵️

DON'T DICTATE! Newcastle United fans who are against the Saudi ownership of our club. We want to reclaim our club, and reclaim the game. Our beliefs and purpose can be summarised in four goals. youtu.be/FvEcIYOol2g?...

A fantastic essay on the FIFA scandal that few know about, and the man best placed to expose it.

FIFA is a parastate that acts like a parasite, treating World Cup hosts like its own private Vegas buffet. Zohran Mamdani’s has a chance to challenge FIFA, grounding the fightback in his politically effective crisis-of- affordability approach targeting the 1% www.theguardian.com/football/202...

"Tax exemptions allow Fifa to suck vast amounts of money out of its hosts. The majority of the cost of preparing the tournament falls on hosts, while Fifa pockets all the revenue [from] broadcasting & marketing rights"said @ncgeehan.bsky.social @fairsq.bsky.social www.theguardian.com/football/202...

My latest @theguardian.com: As a genuine soccer fan & generational political talent, freshly elected NYC mayor Zohran Mamdani might be able to achieve the unthinkable: force the FIFA behemoth to share its lucre by targeting its tax exemptions & extreme privilege www.theguardian.com/football/202...

FIFA Code of Conduct: “In dealings with government institutions, national and international organisations, associations and groupings, persons bound by this Code shall, in addition to observing the basic rules of art.14, remain politically neutral” 🚨POLITICALLY NEUTRAL🚨 Yet Infantino said this ⤵️

Not a great month for Lisa Nandy.

Not a great month for Lisa Nandy.

BREAKING: Lisa Nandy apologises after breaching code - 'deeply regret this error' www.mirror.co.uk/news/politic...

All this follows just a week after Edi Rama - Prime Minister of Albania called Infantino “the Emperor of Football” and joked about Infantinos trips to the Whitehouse. ⤵️ Thread of posts below.

All this follows just a week after Edi Rama - Prime Minister of Albania called Infantino “the Emperor of Football” and joked about Infantinos trips to the Whitehouse. ⤵️ Thread of posts below.

There is "a desire to perpetuate myths and falsehoods" around Maccabi Tel Aviv and its fans" Maccabi CEO tells @danroan.bsky.social Leaving aside the evidence from Amsterdam, what about about this fact from an Israeli anti-racism group 👇https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/articles/c781xdjn0qwo

And we thought that Gianni’s “I feel like a woman, gay, Muslim, disabled” speech was bananas. Wait until his FIFA peace prize intro: “I feel like an ICE agent, an Epstein supporter, a mangler of the Palestinian peace process…” #FuckFIFA

FIFA Code of Conduct: “In dealings with government institutions, national and international organisations, associations and groupings, persons bound by this Code shall, in addition to observing the basic rules of art.14, remain politically neutral” 🚨POLITICALLY NEUTRAL🚨 Yet Infantino said this ⤵️

“You didn’t see what we saw" Chicago Sports Commissioner tells @adamcrafton.bsky.social when explaining why FIFA's exorbitant financial demands led Chicago to decide not to host matches for 2026 men's World Cup. www.nytimes.com/athletic/677...

FIFA needs to be subject to a thorough external investigation. An overhaul is required on: ⚽️ World Cup selection processes ⚽️ FIFA presidential election processes ⚽️ World Cup ticket pricing ⚽️ FIFA’s ties to Governments / Kingdoms Surely now is time for change at the top of FIFA.

Starting to think Football needs its own No Kings protest aimed at the head of FIFA. Enough is enough. www.theguardian.com/football/202...

FIFA statutes.

Infantino on Trump: He says what he thinks, he says what many people think as well but maybe don’t dare to say and maybe that’s why he’s so successful” More: “I think we should all support what he’s doing because I think he’s doing pretty good.”

FIFA needs to be subject to a thorough external investigation. An overhaul is required on: ⚽️ World Cup selection processes ⚽️ FIFA presidential election processes ⚽️ World Cup ticket pricing ⚽️ FIFA’s ties to Governments / Kingdoms Surely now is time for change at the top of FIFA.

The FIFA Council, its governing board, were not given a say over this peace award. It is purely a Gianni Infantino innovation and he will decide who gets it. Amazing how a decade after a major corruption scandal nearly ended FIFA, this is how FIFA runs now. Such a concentration of power.

This is extraordinary.

Replace “extraordinary” with “a disgrace”

Starting to think Football needs its own No Kings protest aimed at the head of FIFA. Enough is enough. www.theguardian.com/football/202...

FIFA awarding a "peace prize" to Trump would be so absolutely on-brand, a truly genius innovation.

Trump suddenly starts yelling about "FIFA! FIFA!"

Another Trump x Infantino collaboration incoming. 😖 www.americabusiness.com/en/america-b...

⚽ Football Weekly ⚽ 👏 Are Liverpool back on track? 🏃 Micky Van de Ven scored a goal of the season contender. 🚫 Arsenal kept an eighth clean sheet in a row against Slavia Prague. @maxrushden.bsky.social @barryglendenning.bsky.social @jonathanliew.bsky.social @nickybandini.bsky.social

Gianni Infantino will no longer be able to hide from @zohrankmamdani.bsky.social The only leader challenging FIFA’s diabolical behaviour.

If you watch anything today, make this it. ⤵️ youtu.be/nKcooz1HEWc?...

Watching Zielinski's astonishing goal for Inter v. Verona (a jaw-dropper and then some), I couldn't help noticing the virtual advertisement for UK-banned, illegal online bookie 1XBet on the *British* feed of the game. Absolute scandal. TNT should be fined, but won't be.