UNDER PRESSURE: EMERSE FAE EXPLAINS SHOCK AFCON SNUBS AMIDST TITLE DEFENCE GOALS
Emerse Fae defended his shock AFCON squad selections, stating Nicolas Pepe's omission was due to "many factors, both on and off the field," despite his strong La Liga form.
Coach Emerse Fae has been defending some of his squad choices as Ivory Coast tries to do what Egypt did 15 years ago: win back-to-back Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) titles.
Since Egypt's win over Ghana in 2010, there have been eight AFCON tournaments with seven different champs.
The one exception? Ivory Coast, who won in 2015 after a penalty shootout against Ghana. They also won last year, beating Nigeria at home.
The Elephants, who first won AFCON in 1992, kick off their title defense against Mozambique on December 24 in Group F. Then, they'll go up against five-time champions Cameroon and Gabon.
All group winners and runners-up will move on to the round of 16 in Morocco, plus the four best third-place teams.
It's hard to believe Ivory Coast won't make it to the knockout stage, and Fae seems positive, even with some criticism about his selections.
The biggest complaints from the media? Leaving out Villarreal forward Nicolas Pepe and Sunderland winger Simon Adingra.
Fae, a former Ivory Coast midfielder, said that if it was just about sports, Pepe would be with them.
He said that making the list means looking at a lot of things, both on and off the field, and that's why Nico didn't make the cut.
Fae didn't say what those reasons were for leaving out Pepe, even though he's been doing well in La Liga and even won a player of the month award.
As for Adingra, Fae said that Simon is having a hard time getting a starting spot at Sunderland, so they had to make the selection without him.
Former Crystal Palace winger Wilfried Zaha is back after three years, thanks to his performance for Charlotte in Major League Soccer.
Fae said his ability to beat defenders and his current form helped him get back on the team. He's scored 10 goals and created six more this season.
Fae added that Ivory Coast can use his experience and ability to create chances for his teammates.
Fae became a hero in Ivory Coast after the team bounced back from a bad start in 2024 to beat Senegal, Mali, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Nigeria to win the AFCON trophy.
He started as an assistant to Jean-Louis Gasset but took over when the coach was fired after losses to Nigeria and Equatorial Guinea.
They barely made it to the knockout stage and became the first team to lose twice and still win AFCON.
Despite the drama, Cameroon is probably Ivory Coast's biggest threat in Group F. Gabon's defense isn't great, and Mozambique has never won an AFCON match.
Samuel Eto'o, the re-elected president of Cameroon's football federation, sacked Belgian coach Marc Brys after the team didn't qualify for the 2026 World Cup.
They had been fighting since the government picked Brys, a decision usually made by football officials.
David Pagou, who has coached local clubs, took over, and his squad announcement had some surprises: Manchester United goalkeeper Andre Onana (currently on loan at Trabzonspor) and veteran forward Vincent Aboubakar were left out.
Pagou said they wanted to do things differently. They're good players, but they chose others to create a different vibe.
Gabon striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is calling the group the group of death, saying that if you make it through, you can win AFCON.
If 42-year-old Mozambique midfielder Elias 'Domingues' Pelembe plays, he'll be the second-oldest player to compete at AFCON, after Egypt goalkeeper Essam El Hadary.
El Hadary was 44 when he played in the 2017 final, which Cameroon won.
THE HIDDEN MATH BEHIND FIFA’S $33,000 WORLD CUP FINAL TICKET PRICE SURGE
Gianni Infantino defends $32,970 ticket prices at the Milken Institute, citing the US market as the world's most developed.
FIFA just tripled the price of its top tickets for the World Cup final, now charging $32,970 for the best seats at the July 19 match at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. On Thursday, those front-row “category 1” seats popped up for sale, right as members of Congress started pushing FIFA for answers about high prices and demanding more transparency on how tickets are being priced.
Before, the highest category 1 ticket for the final topped out at $10,990. Now, the only way to snag that price is if you need a wheelchair or special-access seat; otherwise, you’re looking at the new, much steeper cost.
Prices don’t stop there. For the July 14 semifinal at AT&T Stadium in Texas, seats are $11,130, $4,330, $3,710, and $2,705. The next day’s semifinal in Atlanta? $10,635, $3,545, and $2,725. U.S. group stage matches aren’t cheap either; opening night in California runs $2,735, $1,940, or $1,120 a seat. The June 19 clash against Australia in Seattle sits at $2,715. And for the finale against Türkiye back in LA, tickets range from $2,970 down to $840.
Representatives Nellie Pou and Frank Pallone Jr, both Democrats from New Jersey, fired off a letter to FIFA’s president Gianni Infantino, calling FIFA’s use of “dynamic pricing” too secretive and criticising practices that make it tough for regular fans to get seats. Their letter didn’t mince words: “We’re deeply concerned about FIFA’s opaque pricing and shifting rules. Fans are getting frustrated and feel misled. We want to know how FIFA ensures everyone can actually afford to attend and what’s being done to address these concerns.”
Gianni Infantino hasn’t backed down. On Tuesday at the Milken Institute Global Conference in Beverly Hills, he defended his price tags. “We have to look at the market,” Infantino said. “This is the most developed entertainment market anywhere, so we charge market rates. Tickets here can legally be resold, so if you price them low, people just flip them for more. In fact, even with what some call high prices, tickets end up reselling for twice as much or more.”
He also pointed out, “You can’t go to a college game in the U.S., never mind a pro one, without spending at least $300 for a decent ticket.”
Sure, tickets for huge events like the Super Bowl or the College Football Championship can hit these levels, but scores of seats at U.S. college and pro sporting events, even the NBA playoffs, still go for under $300.
When it comes to resale, FIFA doesn’t set those prices. On its official ticket exchange, final match seats were listed Thursday from $8,970 all the way up to a wild $11,499,998.85, the latter for a spot four rows from the top in the upper deck. FIFA takes 15% of each sale from both buyer and seller. Last month, somebody listed a final ticket for $2,299,998.85.
Infantino joked about those prices: “If people list final tickets for $2 million, number one, that’s not the actual price. Number two, who’s paying that? If someone does, I’ll personally deliver them a hot dog and a Coke.”
Ticket prices aren’t the only pain point for fans. Getting to the game, especially at MetLife Stadium, has its own sticker shock. NJ Transit originally set a $150 round-trip fare from anywhere to the stadium, way up from the normal $13-ish round trip from Manhattan’s Penn Station. After plenty of backlash, they cut it down to $105, but that’s still steep.
Governor Mikie Sherrill, via her spokesperson Steve Sigmund, said she’s pushing for more corporate contributions to lower fares for fans. “The governor is grateful for the companies helping reduce costs and will keep working to make the World Cup a win for both fans and New Jersey.”
FIFA, for its part, warned that these high transit prices could dampen turnout in New Jersey, while other host cities, LA, Dallas, and Houston, aren’t hiking fares for the games.
MetLife Stadium, usually home to the Giants and Jets, will host eight World Cup matches, including the final. Group stage games for powerhouse teams like Brazil, France, Germany, and England all kick off starting June 13.
FIFA EXTENDS PRESTIANNI BAN WORLDWIDE; WINGER SET TO MISS WORLD CUP OPENERS
Gianluca Prestianni will miss games against Algeria and Austria if selected by Scaloni. Get the full disciplinary breakdown.
FIFA has extended Gianluca Prestianni’s suspension for homophobic conduct to apply globally, which could sideline him for Argentina’s first two matches at the 2026 World Cup. The winger from Benfica, initially punished after a well-publicised incident with Real Madrid’s Vinícius Júnior, will now have his ban affect not just club matches but international competitive games as well.
The disciplinary move by FIFA follows a request from UEFA, and the FIFA Disciplinary Committee has confirmed the six-match ban will take effect worldwide. According to a FIFA spokesperson, the committee agreed to broaden the suspension’s scope, impacting all levels of competitive play.
This decision carries serious implications for both Benfica and Argentina. What was once a suspension limited to UEFA competitions now bars the 20-year-old from participating in any FIFA competitive events, including the upcoming World Cup in North America.
If Prestianni makes Lionel Scaloni’s final Argentina roster for 2026, he will be forced to sit out the opening group stage games against Algeria and Austria. Despite this setback, he remains eligible for friendlies; he was actually called up earlier this year for matches against Mauritania and Zambia following his November 2025 senior debut.
While the ban totals six matches, half of those come with a two-year probationary clause. After missing a Champions League match against Real Madrid under a provisional suspension, Prestianni still has two active games left to serve. Notably, domestic games with Benfica this season are unaffected, since the worldwide ban targets only competitive international fixtures.
The incident that triggered this whole saga happened on February 17 during a Champions League knockout match at Estadio da Luz. Vinicius Junior accused Prestianni of racial abuse, prompting referee Francois Letexier to pause the game for eight minutes and activate FIFA’s anti-discrimination protocol.
Prestianni has denied these accusations and issued a statement saying he never directed racist insults at Vinicius Junior, suggesting the player misunderstood what was said. He also condemned the threats he received from Real Madrid players in the aftermath.
Despite his denials, UEFA’s investigation concluded that Prestianni engaged in discriminatory, specifically homophobic, conduct, leading to his suspension.
Questions remain about the length of the ban, as UEFA’s rules generally mandate a minimum 10-match suspension for offences against human dignity based on factors like race or sexual orientation. UEFA has not explained why the disciplinary body settled on a shorter six-match penalty.
Looking ahead, Prestianni faces a challenging path to regain standing under scrutiny. Should he violate conduct rules again within the probationary period, the remaining three matches of his ban could be enforced immediately, potentially harming his prospects with both Benfica and the Argentina national team.
