BigAnge2024

[Craig Burley @craigburley]

Shameless the pair of them.

[Rob Harris @RobHarris]

Just now - this show of unity with Gianni Infantino a day after his No 2, Mattias Grafstrom, told FIFA staff the World Cup sell-off plans were a “sad and reproachable series of events” which are “difficult to comprehend and accept”.

Sign of Infantino's defiance against critics

[Roger Bonet "Ruxi" @Ruxiiii4]

Something quite unique about Uruguayan football.

In the morning, watching Albion FC vs Danubio FC with around 1,000 people in the stadium.

In the evening, watching Peñarol vs Cerro Largo in front of more than 30,000 fans at the Campeón del Siglo.

The contrast is incredible, but both experiences represent the same football culture.

12 out of 16 teams in the Uruguayan top flight are based in the capital. Around 75% of the clubs are from Montevideo, making it one of the most football cities in the world.

Football is very accessible for fans. Tickets for some stadiums cost just 3-4 USD.

A country of just over 3 million people, but with a football culture that feels much bigger.

[The Athletic | Football @TheAthleticFC]

The grand announcement was supposed to come on the eve of the World Cup final at the Waldorf Astoria in New York City.

Gianni Infantino had come up with a plan to sell a stake in FIFA’s competitions to private investors, including Joshua Kushner, the brother of Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared.

Infantino decided to delay the announcement, which was expected to be rolled out during the past week.

Instead, the news was revealed elsewhere. It threw a grenade into the rollout, which culminated in boycott threats.

FIFA and Infantino have now rowed back on the plan.

This is the inside story of how and why the idea came together, the failed rollout and where this leaves Infantino, with possible challengers seriously considering battling him for his throne.

✍️ @AdamCrafton_, @JamesHorncastle and @megan_feringa

🔗 https://t.co/841767o8JQ

[Derek Rae @RaeComm]

Magnificent read for those who have access to it.
Would add the Club World Cup in the USA felt like an entry point to the crass Infantino excess with never ending individual player intros culminating in let’s get ready to rumble at the final. All to appeal to whom, we wondered.

[Martyn Ziegler @martynziegler]

The Cristiano decision days after their White House dinner, hydration breaks, the Trump peace prize, crazy ticket prices, the half-time show and then Balogun...

How Infantino engineered the World Cup to sell his doomed plan. https://t.co/JphsOm9kSz

[International Football Guru ⚽🇩🇪🗺️🌏 @sk_football1907]

⚽🌎 CONMEBOL didn't have a satisfactory ⚽🌐 World Cup

Especially if you consider that it was held in very proximity to their region

If the rumours of a 48 team ⚽🌐 World Cup for 2030 (which ⚽🌎 oddly CONMEBOL itself pushes for the most)
would become reality it would render a home and away round robin qualifying format with 10 teams pointless

In general ⚽🌐 CONMEBOL faces incressingly more challenges to maintain its position as the second strongest confederation

The small size of the confederation is becoming a major problem.
Club football for some time now has been extremely dominated by 🇧🇷 Brazilian clubs

Several NTs have hit a rough patch in terms of talent.
While ⚽🌎 CONMEBOL teams have been always gritty and tough they rely these days excessively on these traits neglecting individual quality and finesse.

WCQ which used to be ⚽🌎 CONMEBOL's flagship product is no longer exciting
With six direct spots now adversity has been greatly decreased and several teams enter qualifying basically ensured of qualifying (🇦🇷🇧🇷).

This WCQ format is no longer viable.
It no longer serves adequately the purpose of preparing teams well for high stake matches against teams from other confederations

A potential merge with 🌐🌎 CONCACAF would mean to have more interesting competitions, to have matchups that haven't occured yet and increase the overall value of the competitions

In a nutshell a much better chance to market the competitions and generate more revenue which could help every single FA

If there's no fondamental changes I predict ⚽🌎 CONMEBOL will keep dwindling losing eventually its historical status as one of the two most dominant confederations at the ⚽🌐 World Cup

[Derek Rae @RaeComm]

Not sure how to achieve it but as I heard former UEFA general secretary Lars Christer Olsson say, FIFA would be better served devolving the role of president.
Make it a rotating presidency amongst all 6 confederations. Otherwise danger from the next monster looms.

[UEFA @UEFA]

UEFA welcomes FIFA’s withdrawal of plans to sell a stake in the World CuUEFA welcomes FIFA’s withdrawal of plans to sell a stake in the World CuUEFA welcomes FIFA’s withdrawal of plans to sell a stake in the World CuUEFA welcomes FIFA’s withdrawal of plans to sell a stake in the World Cup

[Nathán Goldberg Crenier @natgoldc]

My thoughts in @nytimes: Infantino’s disdain for good governance has pushed FIFA to a breaking point. To defeat his egotistic and transactional vision of soccer, Federations around the world need to oppose not only his current scheme but Infantino himself.
https://t.co/IX71ewJRhY

[Rob Harris @RobHarris]

There is more
@SkyNews has obtained a FIFA document from just yesterday showing plans to accelerate decision on expanding the World Cup to 64 teams. A brief issued to form a consultation process references a form of decision as soon as 14 August by FIFA

[Concacaf Media @ConcacafMedia]

Statement on behalf of Concacaf and its 41 Member Associations https://t.co/4ea96cuFCu 🔗

[U.S. Soccer @ussoccer]

U.S. Soccer stands with Concacaf and its members.

[Rob Harris @RobHarris]

Gianni Infantino rapidly losing support to remain FIFA president, @skynews learns
https://t.co/4yoB2I9MHY

[JD  @JDGoldboys]

😭😭😭

[UEFA @UEFA]

Statement on behalf of UEFA and its 55 National AssociationStatement on behalf of UEFA and its 55 National AssociationStatement on behalf of UEFA and its 55 National AssociationStatement on behalf of UEFA and its 55 National Associations

[Lucas @LL1900BMG]

Deutschland und Frankreich wollen sich aller Wahrscheinlichkeit nach für eine gemeinsame Austragung der FIFA WM 2038 bewerben.

Ich habe mir mal ein paar Gedanken gemacht, wie das Ganze aussehen könnte und wo gespielt werden könnte (Stadien zum aktuellen Stand ohne Um-/Neubau.)👇

[Martyn Ziegler @martynziegler]

BREAKING: UEFA countries unanimously in support of boycotting World Cup in protest at FIFA's plan to sell stakes in tournament to private investors, say sources.
Decision taken at emergency virtual meeting

https://t.co/hEgGA62JwQ

[Polymarket Sports @PolymarketSport]

🚨Paraguayan center back José Canale on beating Germany in the World Cup:

"The Germans didn't like physical play, and neither did the French. If you made even a little extra contact, you'd take them out of the game. Argentine and South American football is much more complex, much more difficult than European football."

[Actu Foot @ActuFoot_]

🚨 RESPECT AU COMMENTATEUR SUISSE DAVID LEMOS 🇨🇭, QUI AU MOMENT DE RENDRE L'ANTENNE A PARFAITEMENT RÉSUMÉ LES ÉCHECS DE CE MONDIAL ! 👏

🗣️ « C'était sans aucun doute LA COUPE DU MONDE LA PLUS MERCANTILE DE L'HISTOIRE, l'une des plus POLITISÉES aussi.

Nous n'oublierons pas les prix qu'ont dû payer les personnes qui n'ont pas des moyens considérables pour leur passion... 🤑

Parfois sans pouvoir ne serait-ce qu'ENTRER DANS LE PAYS SI LEUR NATIONALITÉ N'ÉTAIT PAS LA BONNE. Qu'ils soient fans, journalistes, arbitres parfois, comme le Somalien Omar Artan 🇸🇴.

On pense aussi au traitement INACCEPTABLE de l'équipe d'Iran 🇮🇷, qui n'a pas pu défendre ses chances correctement dans ce tournoi.

On pense également au cas Balogun 🇺🇸 : on aura vu un président se vanter d'avoir appelé le président de la FIFA pour faire annuler une suspension d'un joueur.

La politique s'est immiscée au cœur du jeu, alors que la FIFA dit vouloir le mettre au-dessus de tout : visiblement, C'EST JUSQU'À UN CERTAIN POINT.

Une Coupe du monde qui aura aussi vu tous ses matches se disputer en quatre quart-temps et sa finale connaître une mi-temps de près de 30 minutes...

LA CRISE A DEUX NOMS : L'ARGENT ET LE POUVOIR. Il y a aujourd'hui UNE CRISE DE CONFIANCE entre de nombreux acteurs de ce sport et la FIFA.

Ces prochaines semaines, l'argent va pleuvoir sur beaucoup de Fédérations, beaucoup d'acteurs de ce sport, QUI SERONT GENTIMENT INVITÉS À SE TAIRE. 🤐

On a l'espoir que certaines choses seront relevées ET QU'ON NE LES REVERRA PLUS. » ❌

🎙️ @RadioTeleSuisse / @davidlemos