
“In the Paraguayan capital of Asuncion, representatives from 211 nations and territories assembled this week for the 75th FIFA Congress. This was not an obvious contender to be a dramatic affair because the agenda was relatively light. Yet in the space of a few days, civil war broke out within the FIFA Council, which is the decision-making body that sits at the top of the organisation. The drama began when The Athletic revealed last week that FIFA president Gianni Infantino would not be attending a scheduled in-person meeting of the FIFA Council in Paraguay on Tuesday, making it a virtual call and instead joining President Donald Trump on a visit to Saudi Arabia and Qatar. This rankled several members of the Council, but matters really blew up on Thursday morning when flight tracking data of a Qatari private jet travelling from Doha — via Lagos in Nigeria — showed that Infantino appeared to still be in the air to Paraguay, delaying the Congress by three hours. …”
NY Times/The Athletic

Daily Archives: May 18, 2025
The origin story of an iconic Anfield banner – and why Arne Slot will soon adorn it
“It is one of Anfield’s most iconic banners. Six metres wide and three metres high, it features the faces of six cherished managers from Liverpool’s illustrious history — Bill Shankly, Bob Paisley, Joe Fagan, Kenny Dalglish, Rafa Benitez and Jurgen Klopp — and takes pride of place near the front of the Kop before each home game. This summer, it will undergo a makeover, with Arne Slot set to be added alongside Klopp for the start of next season. It is recognition for the Dutch head coach guiding Liverpool to the Premier League title during a remarkable first campaign. …”
NY Times/The Athletic
Archibald Leitch: The forgotten godfather of Goodison Park and Britain’s football stadiums

John Moores, the Everton chairman, right, and manager Harry Catterick inspect the new roof on Goodison’s Bullens Road Stand in 1963
“For 99 years, the criss-cross balcony motif that runs along the Bullens Road Stand has been the symbol of Goodison Park’s enduring charm. On Sunday, those season-ticket holders in the front row of the stand’s top tier will have one last opportunity to drape their flags and bang on the steel before Everton (the men’s team anyway) say goodbye. The balcony was not always in the club’s blue and white colour scheme, as it is today. Originally, it was painted matt green because this was a functional aspect of the design by its Glaswegian architect, Archibald Leitch, in 1926, rather than a deliberate aesthetic extra, even though it has become fashionable to use the reversed saltire as piping on the collar of Everton’s home kits. …”
NY Times/The Athletic
