Governing Bodies
Fifa waves aside, European nations’ World Cup boycott threat
The threat of a boycott by European countries should the World Cup be held every two years was not discussed at a Fifa meeting on Wednesday, the body’s president Gianni Infantino says.
More than a dozen European nations are reportedly considering quitting Fifa if the tournament is played biennially.
“Discussions were heated but they were positive,” said Infantino.
The Swiss hopes “common consensus” will be found when the issue is discussed again at a global summit in December.
On Tuesday, Infantino spoke to European football leaders in a private conference call and the plans were roundly criticised by the 55 Uefa member associations.
The Fifa Council – the main decision-making body consisting of 37 elected representatives – then met on Wednesday and the plans for a new international match calendar were discussed.
“The debate has been and will probably continue to be heated,” said Infantino. “I understand being passionate myself about football that you can have different opinions.
“We have received some legitimate criticism and some enthusiastic comments as well.
“It is so important for everyone to make their voice heard. Boycotts were not discussed today.
“I am confident on 20 December we will be able to present a common solution.”
Infantino said he did not know what any agreement would look like and did not confirm if a vote would be held at the summit.
It seems unlikely any decision will be made there, with Infantino suggesting the proposals face a drawn-out debate before being agreed, revised or thrown out.
“For me, everything is open. It is not my proposal or decision,” he said. “I have to facilitate the dialogue and bring everyone together.”
The plan to hold both the men’s and women’s World Cups every two years, instead of four, is being considered for “sporting motivations, not financial ones”, said Infantino, who added that football must “rethink the way it is structured globally” in order to ensure younger audiences are not turned away.
“It is about our children and making sure they continue to fall in love with the game,” he said.
Former Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger, who is chief of global football development at Fifa, is a key supporter of the proposals and has been speaking to numerous stakeholders in an effort to win support.
A feasibility study and economic assessment of the financial impact of the move are expected to be delivered before December’s summit.
“I believe in working together we will come with something positive. Maybe it is a staged process, one step forward and one step back, or half a step or two steps,” said Infantino in a news conference after Wednesday’s Fifa Council meeting.
“I understand it is difficult for people to change things. We are here in good faith to work very hard to try and do something that is good for football.”
Infantino said under the plan the men’s and women’s World Cups would be held alternately, meaning a tournament would be played every year.
Tournaments hosted by a single country are also likely to be “a thing of the past”, he added.
“One country to take up the burden of organising a World Cup on its own is over.
“We know we can bring joy and unity, bring jobs to more than one country and we’re not asking one country to bankrupt itself.”
Meanwhile, Infantino confirmed the 2021 Club World Cup – which will feature European champions Chelsea – will be played in early 2022 and take place in the United Arab Emirates.
Last month, Japan pulled out of hosting the tournament in December because of Covid-19 restrictions in the country.
–BBC
World football governing body, FIFA, today clocks its 122nd anniversary, celebrating more than a century of overseeing and expanding the global game.
Founded on May 21, 1904, in Paris, France, FIFA began with just seven member associations — France, Belgium, Denmark, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.
From that modest beginning, the organisation has grown into the most influential sports governing body in the world, with 211 member associations spread across all continents.
Over the decades, FIFA has transformed football into a truly global phenomenon through competitions such as the FIFA World Cup, Women’s World Cup, Club World Cup, youth tournaments, and developmental programmes aimed at growing the game worldwide.
The organisation has also witnessed remarkable milestones, including the expansion of the men’s World Cup from 13 teams in 1930 to 48 teams beginning from the 2026 edition to be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
FIFA’s journey has equally reflected football’s growing influence beyond sport, with the game becoming a major tool for diplomacy, social inclusion, youth empowerment, and economic development across the world.
As FIFA celebrates 122 years of existence, attention is now focused on the future of the game, technological innovations, expanded competitions, women’s football growth, and the continued globalisation of football.
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UEFA has issued a lifetime ban to Petr Vlachovsky, a Czech women’s soccer coach who secretly filmed his players, the governing body announced on Tuesday.
Czech media reported that the coach was convicted in May 2025 and initially received a suspended one-year prison sentence and a five-year domestic coaching ban for filming FC Slovacko’s players in changing rooms, the youngest of whom was 17.
In a statement, UEFA’s Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body (CEDB) said it had decided to ban Vlachovsky “from exercising any football-related activity for life” following the appointment of an Ethics and Disciplinary Inspector to investigate allegations of potential misconduct.
“The CEDB further decided to request FIFA to extend the abovementioned ban on a worldwide level and to order the Football Association of the Czech Republic to revoke Mr Petr Vlachovsky’s coaching licence,” the statement added.
FC Slovacko did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment.
Football players’ union FIFPRO welcomed the ban as well as UEFA’s request for world soccer governing body FIFA to impose an international ban on Vlachovsky.
“This outcome sends a strong and necessary message that abusive and inappropriate behaviour has no place in football and that safeguarding the well-being of players must remain a priority at every level of the game,” FIFPRO added in a statement.
Vlachovsky had also previously served as coach of the Czech women’s Under-19s team.
RELATED STORY: https://sportsvillagesquare.com/2026/04/08/outrage-as-male-coach-who-secretly-filmed-women-players-still-free-to-work-in-football/
-Reuters
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Southampton have been kicked out of the Championship playoff final after being found guilty of spying on semi-final opponents Middlesbrough, the English Football League said on Tuesday.
Middlesbrough, who lost 2-1 to Southampton on aggregate in the semi, have been reinstated and will face Hull City on Saturday in what is dubbed the world’s richest soccer match.
Promotion to the Premier League, even with an immediate relegation, is estimated to be worth in the region of 200 million pounds ($268.10 million) over three seasons.
Southampton, who admitted the charges, were also found guilty of filming training sessions involving Oxford United in December and Ipswich Town in April during the regular season.
They have also been deducted four points from the start of next season in England’s second tier.
“An Independent Disciplinary Commission has today expelled Southampton from the Championship play-offs after the club admitted multiple breaches of EFL regulations related to the unauthorised filming of other clubs’ training,” the EFL said.
“Southampton admitted breaches of Regulations requiring Clubs to act with the utmost good faith and prohibiting the observation of another Club’s training session within 72 hours of a scheduled match.
“The effect of today’s order is that Middlesbrough are reinstated into the 2026 play-offs and will proceed to the play-off final against Hull City. The final remains scheduled for Saturday 23 May, with the kick-off time to be confirmed.”
The EFL confirmed that Southampton could appeal against the decision and that “parties are working to try and resolve any appeal on Wednesday 20 May.
“Subject to the outcome, it could result in a further change to Saturday’s fixture,” the statement said.
‘BORO CALLED FOR SOUTHAMPTON EXPULSION
Middlesbrough had called for Southampton’s expulsion after having a training session at their Rockliffe Park site filmed 48 hours ahead of the first leg of their playoff semi-final with Southampton which ended 0-0.
The north-east club said they welcomed the decision.
“We believe this sends out a clear message for the future of our game regarding sporting integrity and conduct,” the north Middlesbrough said in a statement.
“As a club, we are now focused on our game against Hull City at Wembley on Saturday.”
Southampton were relegated from the Premier League last season and were struggling in the early part of this campaign until a storming finish in which they went unbeaten in 19 league games to finish fourth and enter the playoffs.
The south-coast club are the first to fall foul of the Football League’s regulation 127 — brought in after Leeds United were found guilty of spying on Derby County seven years ago, an offence for which they were fined 200,000 pounds.
-Reuters
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