Tag: Infantino

Ukraine’s sports minister has said FIFA president Gianni Infantino’s bid to lift a ban on Russia competing at youth level are “irresponsible” and “infantile.”

Infantino said the ban on Russia competing, which was imposed by FIFA and UEFA after Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine in 2022, should “definitely” be lifted, “at least at youth level.”

Infantino added on Sky News that the ban had “not achieved anything” and “created more frustration, and hatred.”

“Having girls and boys from Russia being able to play football games in other parts of Europe would help,” the Swiss said.

Matvii Bidnyi, Ukraine’s sports minister, said : “Gianni Infantino’s words sound irresponsible — not to say infantile. They detach football from the reality in which children are being killed.

“Let me remind you that since the start of Russia’s full-scale aggression, more than 650 Ukrainian athletes and coaches have been killed by Russians.

“Among them were more than 100 footballers. One example is Illia Perezhogin, a 10th-grade student at a Mariupol school, who was simply playing football at his school stadium when a Russian missile struck.

“Former futsal player Viktoriia Kotliarova was killed together with her mother during the shelling of Kyiv on Dec. 29, 2023. She was a Kyiv Student Futsal Cup champion and a winner of the Dynamo Student League tournament.

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“War is a crime, not politics. It is Russia that politicises sport and uses it to justify aggression. I share the position of the Ukrainian Association of Football, which also warns against Russia’s return to international competitions.

“As long as Russians continue killing Ukrainians and politicising sport, their flag and national symbols have no place among people who respect values such as justice, integrity, and fair play.”

On Dec. 17 the FIFA Council announced plans for a new U15 festival, with a boys’ event to be staged next year and a girls’ event in 2027. That followed a recommendation from the Olympic Summit for international sports federations to allow Russian teams and athletes to compete under their national flag at youth level.

A media release confirming the FIFA Council’s decisions said the events would “be open to all 211 FIFA member associations.”

Speaking on Boxing Day last year, the Russian Football Union president Alexander Dyukov said: “We expect that next year, following the IOC [recommendation], international football regulators will make decisions that will allow our teams to participate in official international competitions.

“We hope that, taking into account the IOC recommendations, a way will be found to include our teams in the appropriate groups at the next draw. We also expect similar decisions from FIFA.

“The contacts and communications that have taken place indicate that FIFA and UEFA view the IOC’s decision positively, although it is not binding on them.”

Dyukov said he intended to attend next week’s UEFA Congress in Brussels, which would be “an opportunity to discuss our return.”

Senior figures within the administration of European football spoken to by the Press Association remain sceptical around the lifting of the ban in practical terms even at youth level, amid fears other teams would simply refuse to line up against Russia until a lasting political settlement is reached to end the conflict.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino has said 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. “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.”

FIFA has faced repeated calls to act over the war in Gaza, with Palestinian officials pressing for Israel to be suspended from international football.

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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.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino has hinted at Atlanta’s potential as a host for the 2031 Women’s World Cup as he brought the Club World Cup trophy to the city’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Monday night.

Standing alongside Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens, Infantino praised the city’s sporting credentials ahead of this summer’s expanded Club World Cup tournament. “Atlanta has really become a soccer city,” Infantino said.

“The fact that the stadium was built where you can play football and soccer at the same time shows how much the city and everyone involved in sport in the city cares about the sport in general.”

The Mercedes-Benz Stadium will host six matches during the tournament, including three knockout games, when the competition runs from June 15 to July 13.

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Infantino suggested strong performances as hosts could strengthen Atlanta’s bid for future tournaments. “It can be positive for the Women’s World Cup potentially coming up in 2031 in this part of the world,” he said. “We are, of course, looking for the best host cities for that World Cup as well. And, you know, Atlanta can score definitely some points on this.”

The expanded 32-team Club World Cup will offer $1 billion in prize money to participating teams.

The 2031 FIFA Women’s World Cup is set to be hosted by the United States, marking the third time the country will stage the tournament after previously hosting in 1999 and 2003.

This edition will also be the first to feature an expanded field of 48 teams, up from 32, reflecting the growing global interest in women’s football.

President of world football-governing body, FIFA, Gianni Infantino has personally congratulated the President of Nigeria Football Federation, Alhaji Ibrahim Gusau on the latter’s 60th  (Diamond Jubilee) birthday anniversary, on Sunday, July 7th .

Infantino wrote: “I would like to extend my best wishes to you on this very special day. As we celebrate your birthday, it is the occasion to reflect on our collaboration and to thank you for all your work and for your contribution to the development of the sport that unites us all, football.

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“May this year bring you good health, joy, success and fulfilment on both a personal and professional level.”

Gusau, born on 7th  July 1964, served as Chairman of Zamfara State Football Association and also as Chairman of the Zamfara State Sports Commission. He was a special adviser to the Governor of Zamfara State, before serving two terms as Member of the NFF Executive Committee and Chairman of Chairmen of Nigeria Football.

A FIFA and CAF Security Officer and Member of the Organizing Committee for the African Nations Championship, Gusau mounted the saddle as President of NFF on the last day of September 2022.

FIFA’s decision to expand the 2026 World Cup to 48 teams was made to give Scotland a chance to return to the finals after nearly 30 years, FIFA President Gianni Infantino joked as he hailed their qualification for the Euro 2024 in Germany.

Scotland last appeared at the World Cup in France in 1998 where they finished bottom of Group A behind Brazil, Norway and Morocco. They have failed to qualify for the last six editions of the global tournament, which featured 32 teams.

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After reaching a second successive Euros this year, the Scots are hopeful of making it to the 2026 World Cup, which will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico – the first finals to be played with the expanded format.

“Scotland qualified quite brilliantly for the European Championship,” the FIFA president told BBC Scotland, opens new tab on Saturday after attending St Mirren’s 2-1 home win over Aberdeen in the Scottish Premiership following an IFAB meeting in Loch Lomond.

“Letting you in on the secret, we decided to increase from 32 to 48 to allow Scotland to participate.

“Scotland will have a great chance and if they do qualify I’m sure Scotland fans will have great fun.”

Scotland missed out on the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, losing to Ukraine in the semi-finals of the European playoffs.

In the eight editions of the World Cup they have played, Scotland, who have the second oldest national FA in the world after England, have never got past the group stages

FIFA president Gianni Infantino has called for the implementation of an automatic forfeit of games for teams whose fans commit racist abuse.

It follows incidents which he described as “totally abhorrent” at Udinese and Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday.

AC Milan’s win at Udinese was briefly suspended after alleged racist abuse from home fans towards Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan.

“As well as the three-step process (match stopped, match re-stopped, match abandoned), we have to implement an automatic forfeit for the team whose fans have committed racism and caused the match to be abandoned, as well as worldwide stadium bans and criminal charges for racists,” he said.

” FIFA and football shows full solidarity to victims of racism and any form of discrimination. Once and for all: No to racism! No to any form of discrimination!

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“The events that took place in Udine and Sheffield on Saturday are totally abhorrent and completely unacceptable. The players affected by Saturday’s events have my undivided support.

“We need all the relevant stakeholders to take action, starting with education in schools so that future generations understand that this is not part of football or society.”

AC Milan’s players walked off the pitch after France international goalkeeper Maignan reported hearing “monkey noises” coming from a section of the crowd at the Stadio Friuli. The players eventually returned and Milan went on to win 3-2.

“This shouldn’t exist in the world of football, but unfortunately for many years this is a recurrence,” the 28-year-old told Milan TV. “With all the cameras present and sanctions for these things, something must be done to change things.

“We all have to react, we must do something because you can’t play like this.”

Milan and city rivals Inter have both publicly supported Maignan, Serie A said it “condemns all forms of racism”, while France striker Kylian Mbappe said “enough is enough”.