Fifa scraps plan to sell World Cup stakes after boycott threat and widespread backlash Fifa president Gianni Infantino is facing considerable pressure after his controversial plan collapsed The Independent UK · Jul 31
USMNT Star Adds to Growing List Swapping MLS for EFL Championship The Columbus Crew standout played only one minute for the USMNT at the 2026 World Cup. Sports Illustrated · Jul 31
European nations have won more than half of all World Cups. Now they're threatening to boycott the next one UEFA nations have won 13 of 23 World Cups, but they're threatening a walkout after the sport's most profitable tournament yet. Fortune · Jul 31
Gianni Infantino, Fifa and the week that rocked the football world Ultimately doomed plan for sale of commercial rights to World Cup caused chaos with Uefa, AFC and Concacaf leading the opposition The Guardian - UK · Jul 31
Infantino under huge pressure after plan for World Cup sell-off sparks resignation and rebuke The walls started closing in on Gianni Infantino after another dramatic day that saw one of his senior advisoers resign and brought a scathing rebuke from Fifa’s own chief operating officer The Guardian - UK · Jul 31
Exclusive: 'We...ask the impossible of these guys, and they figure it out': I saw inside Beats' labs to see how 12 years with Apple changed the company — and why 'the testing, the tuning, the science behind the fit and the sound' is the hidden secret Twelve years after Apple acquired Beats, TechRadar was granted exclusive access to the company's Culver City headquarters and engineering labs to discover how the iconic audio brand has preserved its cultural identity while becoming one of Apple's most impressive hardware organizations. TechRadar · Jul 31
Fifa official launches scathing attack on Infantino as World Cup proposal left in tatters IN FULL The Independent UK · Jul 31
Andy Burnham weighs in with strong message against Gianni Infantino row amid FIFA chaos The UK Prime Minister has vented his ire at the 'outrageous' plans of 'the wrong man to lead the organisation' FourFourTwo · Jul 31
Fifa executive puts job on line in scathing attack of Gianni Infantino over World Cup plan Fifa’s chief operating officer Kevin Lamour has not followed senior advisor Carlos Cordeiro out the door but accepts he could lose his job by speaking out The Independent UK · Jul 31
Will the Women's World Cup 2027 go ahead after FIFA civil war? Plans to bring private investors into the World Cup have prompted fury and boycott threats - but how far-reaching could that be? FourFourTwo · Jul 31
Will Infantino survive Fifa’s latest scandal? Trump’s involvement changes everything WHAT COMES NEXT FOR FIFA? : Many Fifa insiders would still see a path to survival for the embattled Fifa president, despite the outcry over his World Cup sell-off plans, if it wasn’t for the close association with the Trump empire. By Miguel Delaney The Independent UK · Jul 31
FIFA’s ‘Accelerated’ Plan for 64-Team World Cup Expansion Ignores One Key Thing Plenty thought 48 teams at the 2026 World Cup was too many. Sports Illustrated · Jul 31
The Latest: Trump announces deal for Hamas to disarm in Gaza, but hurdles and uncertainty remain Hamas said Friday that it reached an agreement to disarm, a significant move that could help end the war in Gaza — but one that will face many hurdles and could take a long time if ever to achieve The Independent UK · Jul 31
Who could replace Gianni Infantino as FIFA president? Gianni Infantino was already under pressure before the announcement of plans to part-privatise the World Cup, which has led to even more scorn FourFourTwo · Jul 31
The Guardian - UK · Jul 31 Will Gianni Infantino survive as Fifa president? In today’s Football Daily: A tipping point for Fifa’s president?
The Economic Times · Jul 31 Gianni Infantino's adviser quits as FIFA's World Cup stake plan triggers confederation backlash A senior FIFA advisor resigned protesting plans to sell a World Cup stake. European football threatened a boycott, and regional confederations united in opposition. FIFA proposed creating a subsidiary and offering external investors a stake. Despite opposition, FIFA stated it would proceed with its consultation process. Member associations will vote…
Sports Illustrated · Jul 31 SI:AM | The Numbers Behind the WNBA’s Skyrocketing Offense Teams are scoring more points than they ever have. What could be driving the historic surge?
The Economic Times · Jul 31 FIFA studying impact of expanding World Cup to 64 teams for 2030 edition FIFA is studying a potential expansion of the World Cup to 64 teams. This analysis will determine the impact of increasing the number of participating national teams. The 2026 edition already saw an increase from 32 to 48 teams. This accelerated study follows FIFA's plan for a new subsidiary. A…
Sports Illustrated · Jul 31 Gianni Infantino’s FIFA Presidency in Doubt, Senior Adviser Quits Over World Cup Storm 72 hours of complete and utter chaos could cost Infantino a job he’d looked certain to remain in.
The Independent UK · Jul 31 Football has spoken: Gianni Infantino must go FIFA IN CRISIS: Comment: Fifa’s president operates with arrogance and autonomy – the worldwide rejection of his proposals to sell off stakes in the World Cup must now stand as a final rejection of Infantino himself, writes Jamie Braidwood
The Guardian - UK · Jul 31 Andy Burnham calls on Infantino to resign over ‘outrageous’ World Cup plans UK prime minister is the first head of a major nation to call on the under-pressure Fifa president to step down
Euronews · Jul 31 A history of own goals: Gianni Infantino's timeline of FIFA controversies Europe's national teams have threatened to boycott the FIFA World Cup if Gianni Infantino pushes ahead with his controversial plan to privatise the tournament. Euronews Culture looks back at what brought the world of football under FIFA to breaking point.
The Guardian - UK · Jul 31 A World Cup with no participants – it could be Gianni Infantino’s boldest move yet You’ve got to admire the Fifa president’s chutzpah in trying to flog off football’s greatest prize. If only Uefa wasn’t being so pesky about it all, says Marina Hyde
The Independent UK · Jul 31 Burnham demands Infantino resignation after ‘outrageous’ World Cup proposal IN FULL
The Independent UK · Jul 31 Fifa progressing plans to expand World Cup to 64 teams – what we know IN FULL