“This comes after FIFA, world football’s governing body, released a statement on Saturday that hit out at what it described as a “concerted and ongoing effort by some to undermine” Infantino and the organisation. The failed FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) plan, which has heaped immense pressure on Infantino, would have seen FIFA make stakes in its commercial and event operations, including the World Cups and Club World Cups, available for private investment. Following a crisis meeting of select members of FIFA’s management in Morocco on Wednesday, Infantino, who apologised with Mattias Grafstrom, FIFA’s secretary general, for the FFE proposal, received the “full support” from his senior leadership team. The open letter from UEFA, Concacaf and AFC read: ‘This recent meeting, where a select number of members of the FIFA Management Committee — not the full Committee — were summoned abroad, rather than leadership going to Zurich to address the heart of FIFA, its staff, only reinforces these concerns and represents a continuation of the very pattern of conduct that brought us to this moment. ‘It is not the conduct of a custodian of the game, but of one who believes the game is answerable to him. There is silence where there should be accountability, distance where there should be openness. These are not the qualities football deserves in its leadership. That is why we have taken this stance: not lightly and not alone, but together, and out of duty to the game we serve.’ Last week, UEFA doubled down on its threat of European member associations boycotting future men’s and women’s World Cups. … Sources with knowledge of the confederations’ thinking, speaking on the condition of anonymity to protect relationships, admit there is an acknowledgement that at some point talks may have to be had on developing possible new competitions but the hope is they will not be necessary and Infantino will instead step down. Following the meeting in Morocco, FIFA added that ‘a review will now be conducted, and a report will be presented to the FIFA council at its next scheduled meeting’. However, UEFA, Concacaf and the AFC have made clear that they do trust FIFA to oversee this review, and have instead called for it to be carried out by an independent party. …”
NYT/ATH
UEFA, Concacaf and AFC maintain pressure on FIFA president Gianni Infantino to resign
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“Gianni Infantino held talks about rebranding the ill-fated European breakaway competition the ‘Fifa Super League’, with negotiations going as far as the term sheet for an agreement that would have changed the face of European football. The term sheet, whose full contents can be revealed for the first time, is dated October 2020 and proposes renaming any new competition under Fifa’s branding. It outlines the extent to which Infantino’s administration were implicated in a scheme that caused widespread revulsion among fans and excluded clubs in April 2021. It also reveals that 
Lise Klaveness (left) and Laura McAllister were instrumental in stopping Gianni Infantino’s plan to sell off stakes in FIFA competitions 
“There is no time to dance around the subject. 
“FIFA has insisted ‘nobody is selling football’ after criticism of its decision to launch a consultation on selling stakes in a World Cup commercial entity to private investors. The world governing body of football stopped short of saying it would be withdrawing the plan and instead reaffirmed its commitment to press ahead with the consultation period. It comes as the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) joined the European confederation UEFA and Concacaf, the confederation of North, Central America and the Caribbean, in rejecting FIFA’s notion of selling stakes in the World Cup. 
“Fifa’s justification for its proposed plans to sell stakes in the World Cup to private investors is about giving the 211 member associations more money to develop football. It’s safe to say that in the past, funds have done more developing in some places than in others, with millions either going missing or not being used for their original purpose and 
“He is very online but does not like the media. He flies all over the world in a fancy private plane provided by Qatar. He presides over a large organisation, with committees and a big rulebook, but makes all the key decisions and only tells a few people what he is doing. He loves shiny things and fireworks. He wants to do more business with the Kushner family and believes he is underpaid. His preferred strategy is to double down, flood the zone and ask for more — it is an approach that has worked well for him so far. Some people think he is amazing, some do not. Can you tell who it is yet? No, not him, the other one. Yes! It’s FIFA president Gianni Infantino, who is back in the news again after a break of… 24 hours? 
“As everyone knows, the best way to let everyone know that you’re absolutely fine and that the haters and the losers definitely haven’t got under your skin is to post an 887-word statement, 
Lautaro Martinez nods Lionel Messi’s cross into the net to send holders Argentina into the World Cup final
“… But Spain’s World Cup-winning side of 2026 should be considered among the most convincing winners in the history of this competition. In eight games, they only conceded one goal, never trailed at any stage, and controlled matches in midfield without being negative or unambitious. By the end — 
“Perhaps it’s too early, with the shreds of gold tape still fluttering through the New Jersey sky, to make a proper assessment. That will only come when everything has sunk in properly, when memories have had the chance to settle and shape themselves, when the consequences of certain events have become clear. But let’s try anyway to make some sort of assessment of where the World Cup that ended with 
“… 
“… Standing off to one side, his arms tightly folded across his chest, Kylian Mbappe wears a face like thunder. As he paces across the room to join his team-mates’ huddle, they abruptly fall quiet. The clatter of his studs across the floor ruptures the silence. Reaching Dembele, Mbappe puts his hand on his team-mate’s shoulder and says: ‘Good job.’ Then, leaning in and lowering his voice to a menacing whisper, he adds: ‘Never do that again.’ A look of horror flashes across Dembele’s face. The scene — it should be said — is a work of pure fiction. …”
“Football’s greatest prize is up for grabs at MetLife Stadium on Sunday. It is Spain vs Argentina in the World Cup final. Europe’s champions take on their South American counterparts. Lionel Messi, 39, faces 19-year-old Lamine Yamal — perhaps the 
“By late Wednesday afternoon, the roads in Barcelona had begun to empty. I was still an hour from the place where I planned to watch the Argentina-England semifinal, checking the dashboard clock, afraid I would miss the beginning and more afraid that this beginning might be Lionel Messi’s last. On the indoor, air-conditioned field in Atlanta, under a roof closed against the Georgia heat, Messi wasn’t hurrying. The semifinal began as a rock fight: churning legs, desperate tugs, lunging tackles, the ball repeatedly disappearing beneath the urgency of reaching it. England’s younger players pressed and collided and chased. Inside all that motion, Messi walked. …”
“As Cristian Romero readied to receive a pass 10 yards from his goalline, Jude Bellingham and Anthony Gordon sensed a mistake in the making. The center-back’s posture was not ideal after he took a scoot backwards to collect, facing the left sideline as his opponents lustily converged. He would only have half a second to settle a bouncing ball, shift his momentum, and find a passing lane in the rapidly closing seam between the England duo. Easier said than done on most days, but this particular Wednesday was not most days. First touch: ball settled. Second touch: right foot shunting the ball to his left. Third touch: left foot, ball coolly slotted to an awaiting Nahuel Molina. …”
“Four teams remain at this summer’s World Cup, and that means our rankings odyssey is almost over. But not quite yet! With the quarter-finals in the books, it’s time to update our rankings of the top 50 players at the tournament. These are informed by The Athletic’s player ratings model, which provides an objective assessment of each player’s contribution in a match. The list will stay at 50 names and players will not simply vanish as their teams are eliminated in the knockout rounds, though they may well be leapfrogged by others who get more time to show what they can do on the World Cup stage. …”
“Spain defeated France, 2-0, in the World Cup semifinal on Tuesday, first scoring off a penalty kick. The second goal came following a breakdown in France’s defense in the 58th minute. Here’s a 3-D view of Spain’s second goal. …”
“World Cup games mean more. England have only ever played 80 games in the finals, which is to say, not much more than two Premier League seasons in the 76 years since they first entered. Those games draw huge audiences: more than 17 million in the UK watched Saturday’s win over Norway, even though it was after midnight by the time it finished. In most countries, 
“A fresh row over racism towards the 
Ghana’s Inaki Williams celebrates after a scoreless draw against England in the World Cup in Foxborough last month.
“Fifa match officials’ novel use of the term ‘mistaken identity’ reared its head again in sensational circumstances during 
“Lionel Messi and Argentina are in the World Cup semi-finals — but, once again, not without controversy. A breathtaking goal from Julian Alvarez in the 112th minute, curled into the top corner from just outside the penalty area, and a late third from Lautaro Martinez ended Switzerland’s resistance to seal a 3-1 win and set up a mouthwatering semi-final against old enemy England on Wednesday. But a bizarre sending-off for Switzerland’s Breel Embolo, moments after Dan Ndoye had cancelled out Alexis Mac Allister’s opener, was the main talking point. Embolo was dismissed after a VAR review for ‘mistaken identity’, with footage proving he dived after a challenge from Leandro Paredes. …”
A HYDRATION BREAK DURING NETHERLANDS VERSUS TUNISIA AT THE 2026 WORLD CUP. 
Bellingham scored twice, though Norway were furious about his first
Uzbek referee Ilgiz Tantashev holds France star Kylian Mbappe during a match against Paraguay at Philadelphia Stadium on July 4
At Habana Outpost in Brooklyn, Wednesday was, finally, just another day.
Brooklyn Public House provided a quiet setting for lunch for the first time in weeks.
“It has been a busy few days for World Cup conspiracy theorists. First came the decision to suspend Folarin Balogun’s red-card ban for USMNT’s round-of-16 match against Belgium. That unprecedented act would inevitably have attracted raised eyebrows, but the fact that U.S. President Donald Trump telephoned FIFA president Gianni Infantino to raise objections to the red card immediately sparked speculation about nefarious motives. … This is, however, typical for football’s biggest tournament, where the high stakes, global audience and potential for political interference all offer the perfect environment for conspiracy theories to flourish. We’ve put on our tin foil hats and discovered some declassified documents to bring you the best of the World Cup conspiracy theory, past and present. …”
“>We assess the teams who played in the tournament’s last 16 before the next round of games begins. 1) France (no change 
“Sections of Egyptian and Cape Verdean fans have accused their Argentinian counterparts of violent behaviour during the past two matches played by the reigning champions at the World Cup. The accusations, coupled with at least 
Ruben Vargas scores Switzerland’s winning penalty
“Lionel Messi inspired Argentina to one of the great World Cup comebacks as they came back from two goals down to beat Egypt 3-2 and seal their place in the quarter-finals. Argentina had found themselves behind at half-time in the tournament for the first time in 16 years after Yasser Ibrahim’s 15th-minute header and a Messi penalty saved by Mostafa Shobeir. The reigning champions appeared on the brink of elimination when Mostafa Ziko put Egypt 2-0 up in the 67th minute, after already having seen a goal ruled out for a VAR intervention on a challenge in the build-up. Lionel Scaloni’s side had other ideas, though. …”
“Chris Richards keeled over, and Tyler Adams sobbed. Weston McKennie slumped in a chair, mind spinning, stare blank, while Matt Freese wandered and Tim Ream pondered the end. They, the U.S. men’s national soccer team, had just been banished from their home World Cup, 
Mbappe described Celeste Amarilla as “despicable” after her multiple social media posts following France’s World Cup win over Paraguay on Saturday.
“England held on with 10 men to withstand a late bombardment by Mexico in the Estadio Azteca and triumph 3-2 to reach the quarter-finals of the World Cup. The game exploded in six mad first-half minutes. First Jude Bellingham headed in the opener after a brilliant run by Bukayo Saka down the right on 36 minutes, then he exchanged passes with Harry Kane to add his second on 38 minutes. 
“It takes a lot to stop Erling Haaland — and now Brazil know it only too well. The five-time world champions will not be adding a sixth title this summer after Haaland’s late header and a blistering low shot in stoppage time earned Norway a place in the World Cup quarter-finals for the first time with a 2-1 win. A cagey game always looked like it would take one monumental performer to settle it and it was no great surprise that Haaland stepped up, his brace taking his tally to seven at this tournament, joint top with Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi in the Golden Boot standings. …”
“Folarin Balogun will be available to play the USMNT’s World Cup round-of-16 match against Belgium after his one-game red-card ban was suspended, FIFA has confirmed. 
“Mexico City is hosting only five games in this year’s World Cup, but you wouldn’t know it from walking the streets, which are awash in soccer paraphernalia. Everyone seems to be wearing a green Mexico jersey, thanks to corner vendors hawking unlicensed merch for as little as $15, much to the chagrin of FIFA, whose official shirts often cost upward of $100. On game days, fans swarm the city’s main avenues, turning paved roads into dance floors, spraying bucketloads of foam and hurling one another into the air. El Tri, as Mexico’s team is known, has had a generational run this year, winning four games in a row without conceding a single goal — a streak that will be tested on Sunday night against England, where I’m originally from, in the last game at Mexico City’s Estadio Azteca. The team’s triumphant performance has united millions of fans in jubilation at a tense political moment for Mexico, amid rising violence, political polarization and an anticartel pressure campaign on the part of the United States, one of the other World Cup hosts. Even cartel-related bloodshed has seen a lull during the tournament. I’m enjoying the moment. I cover the draining issue of crime and violence here and, like everyone else, have welcomed the chance to obsessively follow the beautiful game for a few weeks. In my quarter-century living in Mexico City, I had never witnessed the level of euphoria that this tournament has unleashed. The games themselves are packed, sky-high ticket prices notwithstanding, and free official fan fests are filled to the breaking point. In barrios across the city, people have crowded around televisions in street stalls to watch the action together and create their own sprawling fiestas, leaving FIFA again struggling to cash in on public viewings. The noise of loud watch parties echoes around apartment blocks. Drink deals by enterprising street vendors have beer and tequila shots going for just a couple of dollars, ignoring government efforts to limit alcohol consumption ahead of potentially riotous celebrations. … Mexico’s problems are not forgotten. The country is deeply scarred by years of staggering homicide rates and disappearances, many of them wrought by cartel gunmen. President Claudia Sheinbaum remains popular, but her governing party has faced a rash of corruption allegations in recent months implicating several high-profile public servants in cartel crime. …”
“Darcy Norman, a former performance director for U.S. Soccer and the German Football Association, is talking about the mindset required when a team steps into the Azteca. ‘It is a bit like the Shackleton experiment,’ says Norman. Ernest Shackleton, an Irish explorer, is remembered mainly for the 1914 Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition. It aimed to be the first to cross Antarctica, but his vessel, Endurance, was trapped and lost in sea ice. This turned a great explorer into a great survivor, as the voyage went down in legend for the extraordinary escape by those on board and a heroically safe return. …”
The closing ceremony of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in January 2026 at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat, Morocco.
“Egypt beat Australia in a penalty shootout at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The North African nation progresses to the round-of-16 game in Atlanta on July 7, where they will face the winner of Argentina’s game with Cape Verde, which kicks off at 6pm EDT (11pm BST) tonight in Miami. Australia started the game well with Cristian Volpato hitting the bar with a long-range shot inside the first five minutes. Egypt, though, were soon in control and opened the scoring on 13 minutes as midfielder Emam Ashour headed in a Karim Hafez cross at the far post. …”
Scissors Kick 