@pranav_m28 Yeah I agree that the organization is to be blamed for that but zee putting an ad in there 🤷🏻♂️. Tbh my main source of frustration is no Peter Drury on comms 😂, thought it’ll be a Déjà vu from 2010 but alas not.
The commentary isn’t even bad tbf
@akimalhotra92@ZEE5India Shocking, painful trying to watch football in India. The broadcasters aren’t held accountable by anyone but the fans so they just ignore us and keep carrying on.
When Russia hosted the World Cup in 2018, it had to suspend normal visa rules for the tournament. Foreigners with tickets could enter visa-free, using a scheme called ‘Fan ID.’
Russia also had to do weird stuff to keep FIFA’s sponsors happy. For example, small shops near Fan Zones and stadiums could only sell Budweiser beer on match days.
So yes, FIFA absolutely does dictate conditions to host governments when it suits FIFA. Infantino pretending otherwise is nonsense.
@greggmunikwa@srsisa10_10 I think maybe he means more like the big city bright lights etc, New York comparable to London and shit. I think there are similarities in the teams though like there are with OKC and Arsenal, one plays for free throws and one for set pieces.
@HendrickD82@JamesLambo10 Yeah good shout, if it’s 50 then I’d just take it and run but only caveat is it makes signing Wharton a must and that signing more and more unlikely as the days go by. Multiple factors like change of HC and Parish being Parish and the market rn just doesn’t give me confidence.
@HendrickD82@JamesLambo10 I’d do Kayode and Banjaqui both and loan the latter to a English club to protect HG status.
How much do you think Brentford ask for Kayode? Feels like it’ll be north of 50 and we’re in boat of wanting a RB but not willing to pay for one.
Kevin Maguire: "After the attack on the Liverpool football parade & it was a white guy, middle class, former royal marine, no-one went after other white, middle class former marines & set this person represents that entire group"
If Steve Smith, who oversaw team-wide coordinated cheating, can come back, play, and eventually even captain his country again, then I’m sure Ben Stokes, who broke curfew, can do the same.
@SimonBrundish Definitely should, NBA have made their bed by protecting their starboy so only right that the rules get tested by the opposition. The fact that he did it and laughed about it shows that he knows he’s bulletproof after avoiding suspension for the Naz Reid incident.
Gianni Infantino knocked down all the reporting over visa concerns for this World Cup in August 2025: “I think it’s important to clarify this. There is a lot of misconception out there. Everyone will be welcome in Canada, Mexico and the United States for the FIFA World Cup next year.
“There is a process to go through to get visas and so on. This process will be smooth…
“We want to unite the world and we will unite the world next year. The world needs occasions of unity, of bringing teams together, of bringing people together, of bringing fans together... So again everyone will be welcome, be positive and you will see it will be a great, great celebration of the greatest FIFA World Cup ever.”
No, again we are just meant to look the other way and allow this thing we love so much, that we want to enjoy, that we can map our whole lives around, to be used and abused.
Again we are told about unity and inclusion when division, disparity and denial is the reality.
It is a great, great celebration of getting more money whatever it takes, no matter who has to pay the price. The greatest showpiece of allowing - unopposed! - the man who is meant to protect and grow the people’s game into playing celebrity, massaging his own ego and that of heads of state.
The biggest, most expensive, least accessible World Cup ever. The thing we love and all the beautiful pieces of it we’ve lost.
@HendrickD82 I think it’ll probably be less than the fee quoted here, 65 plus add-ons I’d say. They have to sell and will have to accept something a little bit lower, same vibe as Southampton asking for Dibling although different level talent. Think Mendes will make sure the fee goes down.