JONATHAN PEARCE'S DIGS: BBC COMMENTATOR SLAMS GIANNI INFANTINO'S SHOWMANSHIP
The delayed 2026 World Cup draw was mocked by commentator Jonathan Pearce for Gianni Infantino's showmanship. England drew Croatia and is set for a tough knockout route.
During the 2026 World Cup draw, BBC commentator Jonathan Pearce didn't hold back when talking about FIFA president Gianni Infantino, saying, The man knows no shame. The event was quite the show, filled with music and celebrity appearances, making the actual draw seem almost secondary.
The draw, planned for 5 pm GMT, started late. In the first hour, only the host countries—USA, Mexico, and Canada—were drawn. Infantino was on stage a lot, greeting everyone and setting the stage for the 48-team draw.
The night started with music acts, and several former players were interviewed. Plus, the first FIFA Peace Prize went to American President Donald Trump.
Some people enjoyed the show, but many fans just wanted the draw to start.
Pearce was one of those who wasn't impressed, and he made a few digs at Infantino during the broadcast. At one point, as the FIFA president was hosting and taking a selfie with the leaders of the USA, Mexico, and Canada, Pearce joked, The man knows no shame.
The show was a bit much for fans, especially when Infantino tried to get the crowd to chant for the USA, Mexico, or Canada. The long draw also got criticism, with Pearce saying, Hopefully the draw will be finished in time for the first match in June.
After an hour and 20 minutes, the draw finally began, with Kevin Hart presenting stars like Tom Brady, Wayne Gretzky, Shaquille O'Neal, and Aaron Judge. Pearce seemed entertained by this part, laughing as O'Neal towered over Hart.
Eventually, the draw finished, placing England in group L, with their first game in Dallas or Toronto. This puts them on Brazil's side of the knockout stage, and if they win their group, they'll face a third-placed team in the round of 32.
England drew Croatia, marking another match between the two teams. They last met in the 2018 World Cup, where England lost in the semi-final under Gareth Southgate.
Thomas Tuchel wants to keep the team's form from the qualifiers, where they won all eight games without conceding a goal. I'm not sure if I know the starting XI, but I know players I'm certain I want to have with us in the US, the England manager told BBC Sport before the draw.
I also know some players are very likely to start, but let's take it step by step. It's my job to get to know the players, have an opinion, and then pick them and stick with them because they did so well to earn my trust. I have a clear idea.
As England hopes for their first World Cup win since 1966, Tuchel said, We've got closer, we've got better. I needed the camps in September, October, and November and the way the camps, the results, and the group went together.
Since then, our belief has grown, and we will arrive to make a special thing happen. We cannot guarantee it, but we will arrive with the biggest goal.
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.
