Infantino’s world: best WC ever, FIFA reformed, MAs cashed up and he is only getting started
By Andrew Warshaw
December 16 – He did not feel gay, he did not feel like a migrant worker, he did not feel disabled.
FIFA
Infantino sets 32-team Club World Cup debut for 2025; hosts to be announced
By Samindra Kunti in Doha
December 16 – FIFA president Gianni Infantino has outlined his ambitions to stage a 32-team Club World Cup from 2025, and confirmed that Qatar 2022 surprise package Morocco will host the 2022 edition of the competition.
FIFA promises $9.7bn investment in world game through to 2026
December 16 – FIFA has announced that the budget for the 2023-2026 cycle will see £9.7 billion invested in football as the world cover expands its competitions and ambition.
Agents fees bounceback to $622.8m. UEFA’s big six markets account for 80%+
December 16 – Player agents and intermediaries earned a combined $622.8 million in 2022, according to FIFA’s latest figures from its Transfer Match System (TMS) database.
Nepalese call on Infantino to ‘stop looking the other way’ over migrant worker compensation
December 15 – More than three dozen Nepali civil society groups have called on FIFA President Gianni Infantino to “stop looking the other way” while migrant workers in Qatar are denied compensation.
Wenger goes cold on biennial World Cup but warms to winter editions
December 9 – Having championed staging the World Cup every two years, FIFA’s director of development Arsene Wenger now appears to be backtracking over the idea.
Future World Cup city hosts gather in Doha for show-and-tell powwow
December 9 – FIFA has completed its World Cup Observer Programme in Qatar, designed to give future hosts insight into how FIFA expects its World Cups to be run.
US top women’s world rankings but European nations closing the gap
December 9 – Despite losing three of their past four matches, the US women’s team still top the FIFA world rankings, though the gap between them and second placed Germany is narrowing.
FIFA cracks down on Uruguayans behaving badly and Serbia’s anti-Kosovan politics
December 6 – FIFA has opened disciplinary proceedings against both Uruguay and Serbia for a range of misdemeanours during their respective final group games at the World Cup which saw both countries eliminated.
FIFA in informal talks over sticking to 4-team groups for 2026
December 2 – FIFA are reported to be considering scrapping three-team groups at the World Cup 2026 tournament – the first with 48 teams – and sticking with the status quo of four-team groups.
Collina defends decision to increase added time minutes
December 1 – Almost every game at this World Cup has exceeded 100 minutes in length, but FIFA’s head of referees has defended his referees for the vast amounts of injury time being added.
Serbia face FIFA disciplinary over ‘no surrender’ Kosovo banner in dressing room
November 27 – FIFA has opened disciplinary proceedings against Serbia for hanging a political banner in their dressing room at the World Cup about neighbouring independent state Kosovo.
Denmark sticking with FIFA but not Infantino
November 25 – The Danish FA (DBU) are playing down reports they are leading a possible withdrawal from FIFA over the ‘OneLove’ armband storm.
FIFA’s moral confusion: No rainbow flags, hats or armbands, and no homophobic chanting naughty Ecuador
November 24 – FIFA has opened disciplinary proceedings against Ecuador over homophobic chanting by their fans in their World Cup opener against hosts Qatar.
Budweiser demand $47m compensation for Qatar 2022 sponsorship humiliation, reports
November 24 – FIFA’s last-minute decision to ban alcoholic beer sales at World Cup stadiums could cost them $47 million, with tournament sponsors Budweiser reportedly seeking a massive deduction in its $75 million sponsorship deal after the humiliation of having had their beer concession rights withdrawn by Qatari World Cup organisers.