Governing Bodies
MAN CITY QUIT BREAKAWAY LEAGUE, CHELSEA SET TO FOLLOW
Manchester City started the process of withdrawing from the breakaway European Super League on Tuesday (April 20) less than 72 hours after agreeing to join, with Chelsea also reported to be quitting in a major blow for the proposed new competition.
City confirmed they wanted to pull out while fellow English club Chelsea were reported by local media to be preparing the paperwork to leave a project backed by US investment bank JP Morgan and headed by Real Madrid president Florentino Perez.
Twelve of Europe’s top football clubs had announced on Sunday they were launching a breakaway Super League in the face of widespread opposition from within the game and beyond.
However, the sport’s governing bodies, other teams and fan organisations said it would increase the power and wealth of the elite clubs and the partially closed structure of the league goes against European football’s long-standing model.
“Manchester City Football Club can confirm that it has formally enacted the procedures to withdraw from the group developing plans for a European Super League,” the Premier League club said in a statement.
The BBC reported that London club Chelsea were also set to pull out of the Super League following protests outside their stadium by fans on Tuesday before a Premier League match.
Adding to the sense of disarray, Manchester United executive vice chairman Ed Woodward, one of the key players in the breakaway move, tendered his resignation to the club.
The president of European soccer’s governing body Uefa, Aleksander Ceferin, was quick to welcome City’s decision.
“I am delighted to welcome City back to the European football family,” he said.
“They have shown great intelligence in listening to the many voices – most notably their fans – that have spelled out the vital benefits that the current system has for the whole of European football.
“It takes courage to admit a mistake but I have never doubted that they had the ability and common sense to make that decision,” he added.
The Super League organisation did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Widespread opposition
The breakaway move has prompted a wave of protest from within the game, political world and public opinion, particularly in England.
The opposition has focused on the fact that the founder members of the league will be given automatic places in the competition – in contrast to Uefa’s elite Champions League where qualification must be earned.
Real Madrid’s Perez has argued that the new competition will generate increased revenue and benefit the entire game.
The news that Chelsea, owned by Russian Roman Abramovich, were taking steps to pull out, was celebrated wildly by Chelsea supporters who had held banners saying “Fans not customers.”
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson was quick to encourage the rest of England’s teams to follow suit.
“The decision by Chelsea and Manchester City is – if confirmed – absolutely the right one and I commend them for it,” he wrote on twitter.
“I hope the other clubs involved in the European Super League will follow their lead.”
The 12 also include Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal, Liverpool, Italians Juventus, AC Milan and Inter Milan along with Spain’s Barcelona and Atletico Madrid.
Woodward’s announcement that he will leave at the end of the year raises questions over United’s continued involvement while Liverpool have been under pressure from their fans.
Their German manager Juergen Klopp said: “I don’t like this either, but I don’t talk about the other clubs”.
Liverpool’s players have been open in their opposition to the breakaway.
Manchester City’s decision came a few hours after their Spanish manager Pep Guardiola criticised the idea of a league without qualification.
“Sport is not a sport when the relation between the effort and the success, the effort and the reward, doesn’t exist… It’s not sport when the success is already guaranteed. It’s not sport when it doesn’t matter if you lose,” he said.
Court ruling
City acted just hours after the Super League won a preliminary ruling from a Madrid court to stop Uefa and the sport’s global governing body Fifa from imposing sanctions designed to stop the new formation.
The company set up to run the new league is headquartered in Madrid.
The court said in a ruling seen by Reuters that Fifa, Uefa and all its associated federations must not adopt “any measure that prohibits, restricts, limits or conditions in any way” the Super League’s creation.
The Super League has been hoping that a mixture of defensive court actions and momentum would lead soccer’s authorities to accept their new competition within the game.
But Fifa president Gianni Infantino said that the clubs cannot be “half in, half out” of the established framework.
Uefa has threatened to ban the Super League’s 12 founding clubs from domestic and international competition, with Infantino adding his voice to the backlash.
“We strongly disapprove … if some go their own way then they must live with the consequences of their choice, either you are in, or you are out. You cannot be half in and half out,” Infantino told Uefa’s congress in Montreux, Switzerland.
The magnitude of the upheaval has led political leaders across Europe to speak out, and, in some cases, to threaten intervention.
British Prime Minister Johnson said his government would consider passing legislation to stop the breakaway, likening the plans to creating a cartel.
But amid continued condemnation and threats, Uefa’s Ceferin offered an olive branch to the breakaway dozen, asking them to “think again”.
The Premier League said it “unanimously and vigorously” rejected the plans. After a meeting with the 14 clubs not involved, it said it was considering “all actions available” to stop the new competition.
Ceferin accused the breakaway dozen of contempt for smaller clubs, but insisted there was still time for reconciliation.
“What matters is that there is still time to change your mind, everyone makes mistakes, English fans deserve to have you correct your mistake, they deserve respect,” he said.
-Reuters
The FIFA Museum in Zurich has launched a new special exhibition titled Innovation in Action: Football Technologies on and off the Pitch, offering visitors an unprecedented glimpse into how innovation is transforming the world’s most popular sport.
Opened on Monday, October 1, 2025, the immersive showcase was developed in collaboration with the FIFA Innovation Team and other departments within world football’s governing body. It explores how cutting-edge technology supports players, referees, and fans—enhancing performance, ensuring fairness, and enriching the overall football experience—while preserving the game’s passion and human spirit.
“What makes this exhibition truly special is that we can give visitors a never-before-seen behind-the-scenes look that allows them to step inside football innovation, experiencing it hands-on rather than just reading about it,” said Marco Fazzone, Managing Director of the FIFA Museum. “We offer a glimpse at technologies and tools that fans don’t normally get to experience up close, while also showing how innovation has evolved over almost 100 years of FIFA World Cup history.”
Organised around five themed sections — Broadcasting & Media, Intelligent Data, Refereeing & Fair Play, Staging the Game, and the Innovation Lab — the exhibition blends rare artefacts with interactive displays. Visitors can relive football’s broadcast evolution, from the black-and-white footage of the 1954 World Cup to today’s ultra-slow motion 4K replays, and even step into a virtual referee booth to experience the pressures of officiating in real time.
Among the standout features is the FIFA Player App, which allows fans to explore Chelsea star Cole Palmer’s performance statistics from the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 Final, illustrating how data helps players refine their craft.
Another exhibit showcases Canada goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan’s water bottle from the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 — marked with opponents’ penalty data — revealing how analytics influence critical moments.
Visitors can also view a referee body camera used at the FIFA Club World Cup 2025, giving a fresh perspective on decision-making from the official’s point of view.
The exhibition invites visitors to engage directly with football technology. They can test their reflexes and judgment as referees, operate goal-line technology systems, or assume the role of a broadcast director managing live match feeds. Data enthusiasts can analyse player movements, while aspiring innovators can design their own football tech concepts inside the Innovation Lab.
Innovation in Action runs until 31 March 2026 at the FIFA Museum in Zurich. Entry is included with a standard museum ticket.
With its rich mix of storytelling, interactivity, and history, the exhibition promises to be a must-see experience for anyone passionate about the future of the beautiful game.
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FIFA President Gianni Infantino said on Thursday that football could not solve conflicts, but it must carry a message of peace and unity as Israel’s military operation in Gaza and other global tensions fuel calls for the sport to take a stand.
“At FIFA, we are committed to using the power of football to bring people together in a divided world,” Infantino told a FIFA Council meeting in Zurich where he met Palestinian federation president Jibril Rajoub.
“Our thoughts are with those who are suffering in the many conflicts that exist around the world today, and the most important message that football can convey right now is one of peace and unity.”
Infantino said world football’s governing body could not solve geopolitical crises, but “it can and must promote football around the world by harnessing its unifying, educational, cultural and humanitarian values.”
“I met Palestinian Football Association (PFA) President Jibril Rajoub today at the Home of FIFA in Zurich to discuss the ongoing situation in the Middle East region,” Infantino later wrote on Instagram.
“I commend President Rajoub and the PFA for their resilience at this time and I reiterated to him FIFA’s commitment to using the power of football to bring people together in a divided world.”
FIFA has faced repeated calls to act over the war in Gaza, with Palestinian officials pressing for Israel to be suspended from international football.
The issue has been under review by FIFA for months, but no decision has been taken. Infantino has consistently said such matters require consensus with the confederations and must be handled with caution.
The comments came a day after FIFA Vice President Victor Montagliani noted that any decision over Israel’s participation in European competitions, including World Cup qualifiers, was a matter for UEFA to decide, effectively putting the onus on the European body.
“First and foremost, it (Israel) is a member of UEFA, no different than I have to deal with a member of my region for whatever reason… They have to deal with that,” Montagliani told reporters at the Leaders sports business conference on Wednesday.
Israel are third in Europe’s Group I of the qualifying stage for next year’s World Cup in the U.S., Canada and Mexico. Amnesty International on Wednesday sent a letter to FIFA and UEFA calling on them to suspend the Israel Football Association.
-Reuters
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The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has dismissed reports suggesting that its Statutes will be amended at this year’s Annual General Assembly (AGA), insisting that no such plans are on the table for the September 27 meeting.
In a statement, the Federation stressed that the ongoing conversation around its Statutes remains at a preliminary stage and that suggestions of imminent changes are unfounded.
Ahead of the AGA, the NFF will host a workshop on September 26, bringing together representatives of its members, as well as officials from FIFA and CAF. According to the Federation, the forum is strictly consultative, designed to deliberate on proposals for new Statutes in line with the principles of good governance and international best practices.
The NFF explained that only after consensus is reached with its members will a separate General Assembly be convened to formally consider and adopt any proposed Statute changes.
“The NFF remains committed to due process, transparency, and working hand-in-hand with its General Assembly Members, FIFA, and CAF,” the statement read.
“The ultimate goal is to establish enduring Statutes that will strengthen governance, broaden representation, and promote inclusivity within Nigerian football.”
The Federation added that the long-term reform framework is aimed at ensuring stability and progress across its structures and enhancing the participation of all stakeholders in the country’s football administration.
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