FIFA’s reported difficulties in selling tickets for the United States Men’s National Team’s (USMNT) 2026 World Cup opener against Paraguay at SoFi Stadium highlight challenges in one of the tournament’s marquee fixtures. As a sports journalist with a decade covering international football, including three World Cups and numerous host nation campaigns, this situation underscores tensions […]
FIFA, the international governing body for football, has encountered significant scrutiny in the lead-up to the 2026 World Cup, hosted across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, over its decision to award a newly established “FIFA Peace Prize” to U.S. President Donald Trump. The controversy erupted publicly during the World Cup draw ceremony in December […]
The governing body of world football, FIFA, is once again at the centre of controversy following reports that the 2026 World Cup will introduce structured in-game “hydration breaks” that will double as commercial advertising windows for broadcasters. While FIFA defends the move as a necessary step for player welfare in potentially extreme weather conditions, critics […]
Football has always been a game defined as much by what it resists as by what it embraces. Its beauty lies in continuity: the uninterrupted sweep of play, the rhythm that can change in a second, the emotional tension that builds without being repeatedly broken. That is precisely why FIFA’s apparent drift toward NFL-style interruptions […]
Gianni Infantino’s recent expression of “full confidence” in Mexico’s readiness to host matches during the 2026 FIFA World Cup arrives at a moment of unease rather than reassurance. Reports of violence in parts of Mexico—including incidents affecting public spaces and raising concerns about civilian safety—have sharpened international scrutiny ahead of one of the world’s largest […]
A recent report in The Kathmandu Post details the case of hundreds of Nepali migrant workers stranded in Saudi Arabia after their employer company collapsed, leaving them unpaid for months and marooned due to expired visas and slow exit‑permit procedures. The episode highlights acute labour‑rights and repatriation failures, including prolonged wage delays, employer accountability gaps, and weak […]
A startling proposal has emerged from U.S. special envoy Paolo Zampolli, linked to President Donald Trump, suggesting that FIFA replace Iran with Italy in the 2026 World Cup. Though unofficial and unlikely to succeed, its mere existence signals deeper issues in FIFA’s governance. Proposal Context Zampolli openly confirmed pitching the idea to both Trump and […]
For decades, the FIFA World Cup has been the ultimate pilgrimage for ordinary football fans—a once-in-a-lifetime journey fueled by loyalty, sacrifice, and hope. In 2026, however, that dream is increasingly colliding with a different reality: soaring ticket prices that place attendance far beyond the reach of many of those who built the sport’s global following. […]
A UN committee’s finding that Saudi Arabia is “non-compliant” in cases involving detained clerics has intensified scrutiny over its human rights record ahead of the 2034 FIFA World Cup.The development highlights growing tension between FIFA’s human rights framework and the realities of awarding mega-events to states facing persistent accountability concerns. UN Findings and Allegations of […]
Saudi Arabia’s decision to raise Saudisation rates to 60 per cent in marketing and sales roles has intensified scrutiny of how labour nationalisation policies intersect with FIFA’s human rights and labour standards for World Cup‑hosting nations. The move signals a further tightening of a controlled labour environment ahead of the 2034 tournament, raising questions about […]