By Andrew Warshaw
May 2 – The row over alleged dirty tricks from within the FIFA administration to have Morocco thrown out of the 2026 World Cup bid process has prompted former Senegalese international El Hadji Diouf to further denounce claims that he has a family link with FIFA’s number two Fatma Samoura.
By Andrew Warshaw
May 1 – Donald Trump has again entered the World Cup lobbying arena, perhaps not quite with the same threatening tone or language but nevertheless potentially in danger of again violating FIFA’s ethics code and by association undermining his country’s joint bid for the 2026 World Cup.
By Andrew Warshaw
April 30 – In what can only be construed as a rap over the knuckles, FIFA has been quick to clarify its rules of conduct over government interference following last week’s remarkable politically-charged tweet by US President Donald Trump that appeared to violate the 2026 World Cup bid process.
By Andrew Warshaw
April 27 – The increasingly bitter race to stage the 2026 World Cup has been plunged into unchartered and unprecedented territory after tweets by US president Donald Trump appeared to violate strict FIFA rules over the bid process.
By Andrew Warshaw
April 26 – One of Europe’s most influential voting FIFA nations has warned against Morocco’s 2026 World Cup bid being sabotaged amid suspicions that Gianni Infantino may be behind an alleged plot to prevent the north Africans making it on to the ballot paper in June.
April 26 – The tripartite North American bid to stage the 2026 World Cup has received a significant boost with a strong endorsement in Washington from the House of Representatives, the clearest indication yet of political backing for the bid.
By Andrew Warshaw
April 25 – Fresh suspicions that FIFA president Gianni Infantino may be behind an alleged plot to exclude Morocco from the 2026 World Cup vote have provoked a furious response from the North African underdogs as tensions escalate ahead of the ballot in June.
By Andrew Warshaw
April 24 – With precision timing given the growing geo-political tension between FIFA and UEFA, the head of African football has urged Europe to back Morocco’s bid to stage the 2026 World Cup.
By Andrew Warshaw
April 23 – Just days after FIFA’s 2026 World Cup evaluation panel completed its inspection visits to the two candidates, fresh claims have emerged of unfair treatment towards Morocco that threaten to undermine the all-important vote in June.
By Andrew Warshaw
April 17 – Morocco’s bid to stage the 2026 World Cup has reached its most crucial phase to date with the arrival of FIFA’s evaluation panel for a three-day visit that could make or break the north African country’s chances.
April 17 – They can protest all they like about being unfairly singled out, but FIFA has charged World Cup hosts Russia with fan racism less than two months before the tournament begins.
April 17 – South Africa has announced it is supporting Morocco’s 2026 World Cup bid, a potentially crucial move that could affect what many experts have predicted will be a split in how the Continent votes in June.
By Paul Nicholson
April 14 – South American confederation CONMEBOL has pledged the votes of its 10 member associations to the United 2026 bid (Canada, Mexico and the US). Their announcement gives the North Americans a timely boost with FIFA’s 2026 bid evaluation committee having just completed their four-city tour of North America, and now heading to bid rival Morocco.
By Andrew Warshaw
April 12 – Former FIFA president Sepp Blatter has added his voice to growing discontent over the criteria for selecting the 2026 World Cup hosts.
April 10 – Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay have agreed on the 12 cities they want for the centenary World Cup in 2030 should they win the right to host, but are not naming them yet.