GIANNI INFANTINO HINTS AT CHANGES TO WORLD CUP PLANS
FIFA President Gianni Infantino says football must have an "open mind" about future World Cup dates, including moving from the traditional summer slot, to adapt to climate change globally.
According to FIFA President Gianni Infantino, all football players should maintain "an open mind" about the dates of all upcoming World Cups, not just the Saudi Arabian competition in 2034.
Discussions are continuing regarding how international football will be governed after 2030, when the present calendar is set. Except for the 2022 finals in Qatar, which were held in November and December to escape the unbearable desert heat, World Cups have historically taken place in June and July.
The Saudi finals in nine years are anticipated to have a similar solution, but Infantino maintains that scheduling considerations for all upcoming major competitions must take climate change into account.
"If you want to play at the same time everywhere, then you can play in March or in October – most likely because in December you are not playing in one part of the world, and in July we are not playing in another part of the world," Infantino said to representatives at the European Football Clubs General Assembly in Rome.
FIFA was talking about the "nitty gritty" of scheduling for the Saudi finals, he later told reporters outside the venue, but he also said, "We are discussing all the time." It is a broader reflection than just one World Cup; it is quite hot to play in several European nations in July, so perhaps we need to consider other options.
June, which is actually the ideal month to play football, is not used very often in Europe. We are talking about it and will see when we reach some decisions, but perhaps there are methods we can use to optimise the calendar.
We just have to have an open mind.”
During his speech, Infantino also hinted strongly at the Club World Cup's expansion to 48 teams, stating that he wants to talk about methods to make it "even better, even greater".
For the first time this summer in the United States, the competition included 32 teams, and Infantino called it a "great success" in terms of attendance, participation, and revenue.
Domestic leagues and player unions have filed legal complaints against FIFA over the competition's scheduling, claiming that the organisation failed to adequately consult them on the international fixture schedule.
Although Chelsea is said to have made about £85 million from their successful run in the US, clubs are eager to see the competition expanded, and Infantino stated that he would be open to allowing more clubs to participate in the upcoming edition, which is scheduled for 2029.
In Rome, he addressed the General Assembly of European Football Clubs, formerly the European Club Association, saying, "It was a success, and now we work together to see how we can make it even better, even bigger, even more effective."
Collaboration with "all the clubs, with all the stakeholders that want to debate and speak and develop it with us" would be necessary, he said.
"It will help everyone in this room and outside of this place," he continued. There will undoubtedly be many obstacles in the future, but we are all prepared to handle them.
THOMAS TUCHEL NAMES EXPANDED ENGLAND SQUAD FEATURING FOUR SURPRISE NEW INCLUSIONS
Thomas Tuchel hands maiden England call-ups to James Garner and Jason Steele while omitting Trent Alexander-Arnold.
James Garner from Everton and Brighton’s goalkeeper Jason Steele have earned their first call-ups to the England squad. Alongside them, AC Milan’s defender Fikayo Tomori and Tottenham’s forward Dominic Solanke have also been included. However, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Luke Shaw did not make the cut this time.
Jude Bellingham, despite being sidelined since early February due to a hamstring injury, is still part of the squad. Experienced centre-back Harry Maguire, now 33, has the chance to add to his 64 caps, while 20-year-old Kobbie Mainoo, who started in the Euro 2024 final, is also selected. Both last represented England in September 2024 but have been rewarded for Manchester United’s recent good form, which has lifted them to third place in the Premier League.
Luke Shaw, pushing for inclusion, has been overlooked once again. Instead, Tuchel has called up Newcastle’s Lewis Hall, marking his first call-up since Tuchel took over.
This squad is larger than usual, with players arriving in two phases during the international window. Tuchel explained on the Football Association’s website that the first group includes players who haven’t played much recently, aiming to broaden competition for spots in the upcoming US tour. Then, from Friday to Saturday, another group will join, including some who’ve had a short rest, to mix things up for the match against Japan.
England will face Uruguay at Wembley on March 27, followed by a home game against Japan on March 31. Looking ahead, the World Cup kicks off on June 11 in Canada, Mexico, and the United States, with England considered among the contenders.
Here’s the full squad breakdown:
Goalkeepers: Dean Henderson (Crystal Palace), Jordan Pickford (Everton), James Trafford (Manchester City), Aaron Ramsdale (Newcastle), Jason Steele (Brighton)
Defenders: Dan Burn (Newcastle), Marc Guehi (Crystal Palace), Lewis Hall (Newcastle), Ezri Konsa (Aston Villa), Tino Livramento (Newcastle), Harry Maguire (Manchester United), Nico O’Reilly (Manchester City), Jarell Quansah (Bayer Leverkusen), Djed Spence (Tottenham), John Stones (Manchester City), Fikayo Tomori (AC Milan)
Midfielders: Elliot Anderson (Nottingham Forest), Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid), James Garner (Everton), Jordan Henderson (Brentford), Kobbie Mainoo (Manchester United), Declan Rice (Arsenal), Morgan Rogers (Aston Villa), Adam Wharton (Crystal Palace)
Forwards: Jarrod Bowen (West Ham), Dominic Calvert-Lewin (Leeds), Eberechi Eze (Arsenal), Phil Foden (Manchester City), Anthony Gordon (Newcastle), Harry Kane (Bayern Munich), Noni Madueke (Arsenal), Cole Palmer (Chelsea), Marcus Rashford (Barcelona), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal), Dominic Solanke (Tottenham)
WHY CAF STRIPPED SENEGAL OF THEIR AFRICA CUP OF NATIONS TITLE
Following a final walk-off, Senegal has lost its AFCON trophy in the boardroom, prompting an appeal to CAS by the FSF.
Moussa Niakhate finally spoke out after the Confederation of African Football’s shocking decision to take Senegal’s Africa Cup of Nations trophy away. After that wild walk-off in the final against Morocco, CAF backed an appeal and handed the host nation a 3-0 win by default. Senegalese players were furious; who wouldn’t be?
The boardroom decision completely flipped African football on its head. Two months after the final, the CAF Appeal Board tossed out Senegal’s victory and gave Morocco the win. It all started deep into stoppage time when VAR gave Morocco a penalty. Pape Thiaw, Senegal’s manager, lost it and told his players to leave the field. Eventually, they came back and finished the match. Still, officials said the walk-off broke tournament rules, so they took the title away. Brutal.
Niakhate, the 30-year-old defender who was key in Senegal’s backline, got asked about it before Lyon’s Europa League match with Celta. He’d already posted a photo with his medal and the trophy right after the ruling. He made it clear: nothing a boardroom says can erase what happened on the pitch. He said, “Out of respect for the club and with the crucial match in mind, I don’t want to go into too much detail. You saw my reaction on social media; it’s the same today. What I can say is that nothing has changed for me compared to what we went through in January. I’ll have time to talk about it again in due course; for now, I’m going to stay focused on Lyon.”
That final in Rabat was pure chaos, even before Senegal won 1-0 on the field. Most players followed Thiaw down the tunnel, but Sadio Mane stayed, urging his teammates to come back. Brahim Diaz took the penalty but tried a Panenka, and Edouard Mendy caught it easily. The game went to extra time, Papa Gueye scored, and Senegal thought they were champions again. It didn't matter; the walk-off cost them everything. The committee called it a 3-0 forfeit.
It’s harsh for a team that believed they’d gone back-to-back. Niakhate, who started six out of seven games, is now focusing on Lyon’s European campaign. Still, that boardroom drama isn’t going away, not with the international break coming up. Senegal’s already planning to appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
