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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.
WILFRIED NANCY: CELTIC BOSS BLOCKS OUT ALL "NOISE" AND CRITICISM AFTER HEARTS LOSS
After the heat following the Hearts' loss, Celtic manager Wilfried Nancy stated he has "blocked everything out," including social media criticism, to focus solely on the team's performance.
Celtic's head coach, Wilfried Nancy, said he tunes out all the noise when making decisions as a manager.
This comes after the Frenchman faced some heat after a 2-1 loss to Heart of Midlothian in his first game with the Glasgow team.
Before the Europa League match against AS Roma, Nancy said he doesn't pay attention to what others think.
When asked if those opinions bother him, he told a press conference, "That's a good question."
I'll be honest.
Every team I've coached—when I decided to become a coach—well, when I had the chance to become a coach, I'd been an assistant for seven years, working with many coaches.
I always told myself that when I became a coach, I'd block everything out. And that's exactly what I did.
He said he's built a wall between himself and any outside opinions, even online criticism.
I've blocked anything on Twitter that mentions my name, the club, or what people are saying.
People can say what they want. It's part of the job, and that's what we prepare for. I'm not here to comment on everything.
The manager explained that ignoring public opinion helps him focus on what he can control to improve how the team plays.
He used an analogy about how everyone has different tastes, like when people have different experiences with the same food.
We could visit a restaurant together, and you might love the food, while I don't.
Get what I mean? You like it, and I don't.
Nancy made his goals clear: he's focused on his players and the club and wants to do his best to give good performances.
He wrapped up by saying, At the end of the day, it's part of the job. I control what I can to be good with my players, my club, and the people I work with and to make sure we have the best chance of winning by playing well.
His team will play AS Roma in the Europa League tomorrow.
PEACE PRIZE SCRUTINY: FIFA FACES FORMAL COMPLAINT ABOUT UNILATERAL DONALD TRUMP AWARD
FIFA President Gianni Infantino is accused of four breaches of the ethics code by FairSquare, including awarding the first FIFA Peace Prize to Donald Trump at the World Cup draw.
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After the World Cup draw last week, FIFA is facing a formal complaint about political neutrality. FairSquare, a nonprofit, sent FIFA’s Ethics Committee a detailed letter pointing out four possible violations by FIFA President Gianni Infantino during the event, one of which was giving out the FIFA Peace Prize.
Calls for FIFA to Look Into It
FairSquare's complaint follows the World Cup draw. At the event, the awarding of the first-ever FIFA Peace Prize was part of several mentions of President Donald Trump. FIFA said the award recognised Trump’s work in promoting peace and unity around the world.
FairSquare believes that giving the prize, along with other things that happened during the event, might have gone against FIFA’s policy of being politically neutral. They've requested the ethics committee to look into the decision to create and give out the FIFA Peace Prize and whether it followed FIFA’s rules.
Infantino and Trump
Infantino and Trump have met a few times over the years, which isn't unusual, as FIFA presidents often meet with leaders from different countries. During the draw, Infantino made some comments about Trump.
He said he was surprised by negative comments about Trump. He stated that, regardless of not being American, Trump was elected in the United States, and one should respect the results of a democratic election.
FairSquare's complaint argues that these statements show a political stance, breaking FIFA’s neutrality rules.
FIFA's Ethics Code
FIFA's ethics code says that the organisation should stay neutral when it comes to politics. It specifically says FIFA remains neutral in matters of politics and religion, also requiring everyone bound by the code to remain politically neutral when dealing with government groups.
Infantino has met with Trump a few times, including an invitation to the presidential inauguration and visits to the Oval Office.
Acting Alone
The Peace Prize given to Trump has been questioned, as it seems it was decided on and awarded without talking to senior FIFA officials. High-ranking FIFA officials were unaware of the award before its announcement. The award was revealed on the same day Infantino spoke at an event in the United States.
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