JAN 2026 PREVIEW: KIERAN TIERNEY NAMED ROLE MODEL FOR CELTIC'S UPCOMING WINTER TRANSFER WINDOW
Wilfried Nancy hails Kieran Tierney as the perfect role model for Celtic. Discover why personality is key for January transfers.
Celtic's manager, Wilfried Nancy, is sticking up for Kieran Tierney and says he’s a role model for any new players joining in January.
Tierney's been under the microscope lately because of his playing time and how fit he is since coming back from Arsenal.
The Scottish defender hasn't been able to play a full 90 minutes consistently, but he's scored some important goals.
Like his late goal against Aberdeen last week, which gave Celtic their first win under Nancy after four losses.
Nancy really liked what he saw from Tierney. He thinks the new system, with three defenders at the back, could be perfect for Tierney, since he's played that way for Scotland before.
Nancy mentioned that Tierney and Callum McGregor are important leaders, both on and off the field. He says that personality will be a big thing he looks for in any January signings.
Kieran Tierney is celebrating his big goal against Aberdeen with his teammate, James Forrest.
The Celtic defender showed up at the far post to score against the 10-man Dons.
Wilfried Nancy is trying to get his point across to Tierney during a tough start.
Nancy said, Personality matters. We have skill in how we play.
When you sign someone, they need to have the right personality. This club is huge, and it's not always easy to play here. So, it's super important to have players who can handle it.
Everyone knows Kieran. I knew him a bit before I got here. He’s important.
There are different kinds of leaders. Kieran leads by example on the field, not so much with words. Callum does both. We have other players like that, too.
When I talk about personality, it's not just about being loud. It's about having the right attitude when things get tough.
Can we keep showing up for each other when we're attacking? Can we still press hard? Can we defend like crazy when we need to? It's about the attitude. That's what I'm after.
Kieran has played this system before with the national team. Of course, I talked to him about it and knew he could do it.
People have been saying that Tierney hasn't been able to play a full game since his return from Arsenal.
He's played 90 minutes in a few games now. Before, it was 60 minutes to help him get back to playing full-time.
We’ve been working on that. I think you'll see more from him. I'm not shocked by what he's doing. I know he can do even better, fitness-wise, too.
The plan isn't just to have him play 90 minutes every time, but to make sure he's at his best when it counts.
Celtic had a rocky start under Nancy, but they finally won 3-1 against Aberdeen last weekend, after losing four in a row.
They're now six points behind Hearts, who are leading the league, but they have one game in hand.
Nancy and his players are playing Livingston today—the team at the bottom. Then they have two important games against Motherwell and Rangers next week.
The coach mentioned that he'll keep pushing his players to get better so they can start winning more games.
Tierney's big moment this season was scoring a key goal for Scotland against Denmark.
He said, I think some players can do better in certain spots, but I'm happy with what I have right now.
I want to push them because they can do more than they think. That's how they'll get better.
We won against Aberdeen, but I’m going to push harder this week, because I know we can do better.
It's all about talking to the players and pointing them in the right direction. They're up for it. I won’t push anyone too hard if they can't handle it.
When you challenge someone, and they enjoy it, that’s the sweet spot.
This is my first time coaching at this time of year. It's new to me. Usually, at Christmas, I’d have time off.
But I’m loving it. When I was in Europe or America, I enjoyed waking up and watching games. Now I’m part of it. It’s different, but I like it a lot.
This is Nancy’s first time facing Livingston—a team that’s known for being tough and good at set pieces and for their tricky artificial pitch.
He added, I’ve played a few games on a plastic pitch before. My staff has prepped me on Livingston—the stadium, pitch, and play style.
Nancy is getting ready for his first game on Livingston's turf at their stadium.
I’m going to watch some videos. We know it’ll be hard. We respect them, but we want to focus on our game and play well.
Set pieces are important in modern football, especially here with the physicality. The goal is to compete. We know they're going to be bigger than us.
First, we need to try and avoid giving away set pieces. Second, we need to focus, compete with the big guys, attack the ball, and be great on the follow-up.
We’re ready for that, even though it will be tough. We’ve had a good week, and we’re up for it.
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.
