Football

FIFA's Saudi Aramco Sponsorship Draws Ire of Over 100 Female FootballersOver 100 professional female footballers from 24 countries have vehemently condemned FIFA's sponsorship deal with Saudi Aramco, the world's largest state-owned oil and gas company. The partnership, signed in April 2023, will run until 2027 and encompass major events like the FIFA World Cup 2026 and FIFA Women's World Cup 2027.In a strongly worded letter, the players expressed their dismay and disappointment over FIFA's decision. They highlighted Saudi Arabia's abysmal human rights record, particularly regarding gender equality and freedom of expression. The letter emphasized that Saudi Aramco, as the primary financial lifeline of the Saudi regime, is complicit in these violations.The players urged FIFA to reconsider the partnership and seek alternative sponsors whose values align with gender equality, human rights, and environmental sustainability. They also proposed the establishment of a review committee with player representation to evaluate the ethical implications of future sponsorship deals.The letter pointed out that FIFA's Council, which made the decision to partner with Saudi Aramco, is predominantly male (8 out of 37 members are women). The players argued that these decisions are made by individuals who are not directly affected by the Saudi regime's oppressive policies.The players also raised concerns about Saudi Arabia's alleged use of sports sponsorship to whitewash its human rights abuses. They cited the examples of Russia 2018 and Qatar 2022, where FIFA's partnerships with authoritarian regimes raised ethical questions.Becky Sauerbrunn, former captain of the US National Women's Team, stated, "The safety of women, the rights of women, LGBTQ rights, and the health of the planet need to take a much bigger priority over FIFA making more money."Sofie Junge Pedersen, a Danish international and one of the architects of the letter, emphasized, "Values are not just words to write on a page - you need to live them and stand by them. FIFA needs to stand by its set of values on human rights and sustainability, which they are not doing with this sponsorship."The players' letter has garnered widespread support from human rights organizations and activists. It remains to be seen whether FIFA will respond to the players' demands and reconsider its partnership with Saudi Aramco.

FIFA has imposed a 10-match suspension on Italian footballer Marco Curto for making a discriminatory remark towards South Korean forward Hee Chan Hwang during a preseason friendly between Como and Wolverhampton. The incident occurred in July, with Hwang reporting the remark to the referee during the second half.Como initially defended Curto, claiming his comment that Hwang "thinks he's Jackie Chan" was not intended to be derogatory. However, the South Korea Football Association filed a formal complaint with FIFA, which subsequently notified Curto of his disciplinary ban on October 7, 2024.FIFA's statement confirmed that Curto was found responsible for discriminatory behavior and sanctioned with a 10-match suspension. The 25-year-old has since been loaned by Como to Serie B club Cesena and is set to miss five league games through November 10.FIFA has also deferred five games of the ban for a probationary period of two years. This means that Curto could face an additional five-match suspension if he commits any further discriminatory offenses during that time.The incident has highlighted FIFA's commitment to combating racism and discrimination in football. Earlier this year, the governing body urged all 211 of its member federations to take a coordinated approach to prosecuting incidents of alleged racism and discrimination.Curto's suspension serves as a reminder that discriminatory behavior will not be tolerated in the sport. It also sends a strong message that FIFA is determined to create a more inclusive and respectful environment for all players and fans.

The FIFA Club World Cup, an expanded tournament featuring 32 of the world's top club teams, will culminate in a grand finale at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on July 13, 2023. The stadium, home to the NFL's New York Giants and New York Jets, will also host the 2026 FIFA World Cup.The inaugural edition of the expanded Club World Cup will kick off on June 15, with matches taking place at 12 venues across the United States. The tournament will run concurrently with the CONCACAF Gold Cup, which will be primarily held on the West Coast.The other venues selected for the Club World Cup include Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta), Bank of America Stadium (Charlotte), TQL Stadium (Cincinnati), Hard Rock Stadium (Miami), GEODIS Park (Nashville), Camping World Stadium (Orlando), Inter&Co Stadium (Orlando), Lincoln Financial Field (Philadelphia), and Audi Field (Washington, D.C.).The draw for the tournament will be held in December, with 30 of the 32 participating teams already determined through qualification. The Club World Cup will feature title-winning teams from each of FIFA's continental confederations, including Real Madrid, Manchester City, and Bayern Munich from Europe, and River Plate, Boca Juniors, and Flamengo from South America.FIFA President Gianni Infantino hailed the tournament as a testament to inclusivity and solidarity in global club football. He emphasized its potential to foster the growth of the sport and nurture talent worldwide.The Club World Cup will serve as a crucial test event ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with a focus on security measures following crowd issues at recent Copa America matches in Charlotte and Miami.Despite facing some opposition from player unions and European leagues, FIFA remains committed to the expanded tournament, which it plans to hold every four years. The 2029 edition is yet to have a designated host.

Emiliano Martinez, Argentina's World Cup-winning goalkeeper, has been suspended for two matches by FIFA for "offensive behavior" and "violating principles of fairplay." The Argentine Football Association (AFA) announced the ban on Saturday.Martinez, 32, was found to have violated FIFA's code of conduct when he held a replica of the Copa America trophy to his groin after Argentina's World Cup qualifier win over Chile on September 5. He had previously performed a similar action with the Golden Glove trophy for best goalkeeper after Argentina's victory over France in the 2022 World Cup final.FIFA also sanctioned Martinez for hitting a TV cameraman's camera with his gloves after Argentina's 2-1 defeat by Colombia on September 10.The AFA expressed its dissatisfaction with the FIFA ruling, stating in a statement that it "expresses its absolute disagreement with the decision taken by the FIFA disciplinary committee."As a result of the suspension, Martinez will miss Argentina's World Cup qualifiers against Venezuela on October 10 and Bolivia on October 15. Argentina currently leads the South American qualifying table with 18 points after eight matches, with Colombia trailing by just two points.Martinez's suspension highlights the ongoing debate over the appropriate boundaries of celebration in sports. While some argue that his actions were harmless and in the spirit of the game, others believe that they were disrespectful and unsportsmanlike.The incident also raises questions about the role of FIFA in regulating player behavior. Some critics argue that the organization is too quick to punish players for minor offenses, while others believe that it is necessary to maintain a level of decorum in the sport.

Igor Stimac, the former head coach of the Indian national football team, has filed a complaint with FIFA seeking compensation from the All India Football Federation (AIFF) for breach of contract. Stimac's contract was terminated in June 2023, and he claims that he is entitled to compensation until June 2026, as per the terms of his contract.Stimac's lawyer, Davor Radic, stated that the termination of his client's contract was without just cause and that the compensation offered by the AIFF was unacceptable. The case is likely to be referred to FIFA's Players' Status Chamber, which handles employment-related disputes between associations and coaches of international dimension.Stimac was appointed as India's head coach in May 2019 and was responsible for some notable achievements, including a 0-0 draw against Asian champions Qatar and three tournament wins at home in 2023. However, India's poor performance in the Asian Cup and World Cup qualifiers led to his dismissal.Under Stimac's contract, he was entitled to a monthly salary of $30,000 until January 2025 and $40,000 thereafter until June 2026. If AIFF is ordered to pay, the total amount could exceed ₹7.5 crore.The AIFF has not yet received any official communication from FIFA or Stimac regarding the complaint. However, acting secretary-general Satyanarayan Muthyalu stated that the federation will present its version of events to FIFA.Stimac's Croatian assistants, Luka Radman and Frano Srdarev, who had contracts until 2025, are reportedly willing to accept six months' salary from AIFF as compensation.

Canada's Olympic women's football team has overcome adversity to keep their gold medal hopes alive after a 1-0 victory against Colombia. Despite a six-point penalty imposed by FIFA for spying on opponents, the team has rallied together and secured a crucial win.The penalty, which stemmed from allegations of using a drone to spy on New Zealand's training session, had left Canada with zero points after wins against New Zealand and France. However, defender Vanessa Giles' goal in the 62nd minute, assisted by skipper Jessie Fleming, proved to be the game-winner against Colombia.The team's resilience has been a testament to their strong bond, which has helped them navigate the challenges they have faced. "We haven't eaten, we've been crying," Giles said after the win against France. "But we've held each other through this and we have nothing to lose."The spying scandal has cast a shadow over Canada's Olympic campaign, with former goalkeeper Stephanie Labbe accusing the team of being let down by their own people. Coach Bev Priestman and two assistants were banned for a year by FIFA, and interim head coach Andy Spence was put in charge.Despite the setbacks, Canada Soccer appealed the penalty to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), arguing that it was disproportionate and penalized players who had no involvement in the incident. However, CAS rejected the appeal eight hours before the Colombia match."Going into the match we wanted to win regardless of what that ruling was," said Fleming. "It did not change our game plan or what we wanted to do."Canada's victory against Colombia has put them in second place in their group behind France. The top two teams from each of the three groups and the two best third-placed teams will qualify for the quarter-finals. Canada's next challenge will be against Germany, the 2016 gold medallists.

The All India Football Federation (AIFF) is facing scrutiny from FIFA over the delay in adopting its new constitution. In a letter dated June 22, FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) expressed concern that they had not received an update from AIFF since July 31, 2023, and requested a response by July 5.AIFF responded, stating that the matter is currently sub-judice, meaning it is being considered by the Supreme Court of India. However, FIFA-AFC emphasized that the AIFF Congress, as the supreme legislative body of the federation, should have the authority to amend statutes without judicial intervention.The FIFA-AFC letter refers to a meeting held on May 16, 2023, where AIFF was asked to provide an update on the new constitution. This followed a Supreme Court order appointing former Justice Nageswara Rao to oversee the drafting process. Rao submitted the draft statutes to the court on July 31, 2023, but the matter has since been delayed due to objections from stakeholders.AIFF has stated that the Supreme Court granted stakeholders the opportunity to file objections to the draft constitution. However, the federation's objections were initially excluded from the compilation by the court-appointed Amicus Curiae. AIFF was subsequently allowed to file its objections on March 19, 2024.The delay in adopting the new constitution has raised concerns about AIFF's compliance with FIFA and AFC statutes. AIFF was suspended by FIFA in August 2022 for third-party influence, but the ban was lifted after the federation held elections in September 2022.FIFA and AFC have reiterated that AIFF's constitution must be in line with their statutes and approved by the AIFF general body without any interference from third parties. The ongoing legal proceedings and objections from stakeholders have prevented AIFF from finalizing and adopting the new constitution.

FIFA Faces Legal Challenge from European Leagues and Player Unions over Match CalendarThe European Leagues and FIFPRO Europe have joined forces to file a formal complaint with the European Commission against FIFA over the international match calendar. The complaint alleges that FIFA's actions violate EU competition law and constitute an abuse of dominance.The joint statement released by the organizations highlights the unsustainable nature of the current match calendar, which has become saturated with fixtures. The new UEFA Champions League format and the expanded FIFA Club World Cup will further increase the burden on players, who are already facing a high risk of injuries.The complaint argues that FIFA's dual role as both a global regulator and a competition organizer creates a conflict of interest. The organizations contend that FIFA has neglected its responsibilities as a governing body and prioritized its own commercial interests.The statement emphasizes that legal action is necessary to protect the football ecosystem and the welfare of players. The complaint will seek to demonstrate that FIFA's conduct infringes EU competition law by abusing its dominant position.The European Leagues and FIFPRO Europe believe that FIFA's actions have harmed the economic interests of national leagues and the health of players. They call for a transparent, objective, and proportionate approach to the regulation of the international match calendar.

Igor Stimac, the former head coach of the Indian football team, has threatened legal action against the All India Football Federation (AIFF) if his dues are not cleared within the next 10 days. Stimac was sacked on Monday, a year before his contract was set to expire, following India's failure to progress beyond the second round of the 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers.Stimac has accused AIFF president Kalyan Chaubey of breaching his contract multiple times, including changing his public statements, altering the players' list for the Asian Games, and canceling a press conference after the AFC Asian Cup. He also holds Chaubey responsible for the team's poor performance in the World Cup Qualifiers.Stimac claims that the AIFF's actions have caused him serious health problems, including two stents prior to the AFC Asian Cup. He has stated that he no longer wishes to have any contact with the AIFF.In a notice to the AIFF, Stimac has demanded payment for the remaining value of his contract, which could amount to a whopping Rs six crore. He has threatened to file a lawsuit with the FIFA Football Tribunal if his dues are not cleared within the stipulated time frame.The AIFF has not yet responded to Stimac's allegations or demands. The federation is currently facing a number of challenges, including a lack of funds and a dispute with the Supreme Court over its governance structure.Stimac's sacking has sparked controversy within the Indian football community. Some have criticized the AIFF for its handling of the situation, while others have questioned Stimac's performance as head coach. The incident has highlighted the ongoing problems within Indian football, which has been plagued by mismanagement and a lack of transparency for many years.