Following Bob Ley’s retirement from ESPN, look back at his 2015 comments when FIFA failed to follow their meetings agenda.
Former UEFA president Michel Platini has been arrested on suspicion of corruption.
Michel Platini, the former head of European football association UEFA, was detained and questioned by French police on Tuesday over the awarding of the 2022 World Cup to Qatar.
FIFA SCANDAL
What you need to know
Since 2015 FIFA has been embroiled in scandal and controversy, but who is involved, and what have they been accused of doing?
Infantino talks to ESPN FC
FIFA president Gianni Infantino tells ESPN how he is hoping to clean up football after so much scandal at world football’s governing body.
– ESPN The Magazine: The FBI vs, FIFA
– No smoking gun, but clean-up begins
– Bribes, paintings and gifts galore
– All the latest FIFA news
The detention and questioning of the former French football star was first reported by French investigative website Mediapart.
Prosecutors in the investigation suspected corruption and bribery in the process of awarding the 2022 World Cup to the Gulf emirate of Qatar.
Platini fought to reduce an eight-year ban from…
Former UEFA president Michel Platini has been arrested on suspicion of corruption.
Michel Platini, the former UEFA president, was detained in Paris early on Tuesday morning as part of an investigation into alleged corruption in the Qatar 2022 World Cup bidding process.
FIFA SCANDAL
What you need to know
Since 2015 FIFA has been embroiled in scandal and controversy, but who is involved, and what have they been accused of doing?
Infantino talks to ESPN FC
FIFA president Gianni Infantino tells ESPN how he is hoping to clean up football after so much scandal at world football’s governing body.
– ESPN The Magazine: The FBI vs, FIFA
– No smoking gun, but clean-up begins
– Bribes, paintings and gifts galore
– All the latest FIFA news
The detention and questioning of the former French football star was first reported by French investigative website Mediapart and has since been confirmed to ESPN FC by judicial sources.
Platini, UEFA president from 2007-15, was taken to a cell at the Anti-Corruption Office of the Judicial Police…
Spain and Portugal will undertake ‘an in-depth analysis’ of a possible joint bid.
Spain and Portugal will start an analysis of whether to bid for the 2030 World Cup, the countries’ football federations said on Saturday.
They did not make any mention of Morocco, who were previously also said to have been involved.
“After holding several meetings, the football federations of Spain and Portugal can confirm that they are set to begin an in-depth analysis of the possibility of presenting a joint bid to host the 2030 World Cup,” a joint statement said.
“Both federations would like…
Infantino will continue as FIFA president after running unopposed in 2019 but he’s got a long list of things to address over the next four years.
PARIS, France — Gianni Infantino will serve another term as president after being re-elected by acclamation at the FIFA Congress in Paris on Wednesday. He addressed a number of topics, from women’s football to FIFA finances to the revamped Club World Cup in 2021, both in front of the 211 nations present and in a press conference afterwards.
Here’s a Q&A to make sense of it all.
Q: Wait… he was elected “by acclamation?” What does that mean? Folks just clapped and he got re-elected?
A: Pretty…
Valencia denied Lionel Messi and Barcelona a fifth straight Copa del Rey victory with a thrilling 2-1 win in Seville.
Barcelona’s Lionel Messi was awarded the Creu du Sant Jordi, an award given to an individual who has served Catalonia in defense of its identity, either civically or culturally.
Dani Alves recalls what it’s like to play for Pep Guardiola and reminisces on his time playing alongside Lionel Messi and Neymar. Argentina captain Lionel Messi has said he is unsure if he will represent his country at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
Messi has played at four World Cups with Argentina, and was named the tournament’s best player in 2014, but the 31-year-old admitted he does not know if he will be fit enough for the rigours of a fifth tournament in three years’ time.
– Watch Copa America live on ESPN+
– When is the Copa America? All you need to know
– Obama’s motivational message for Messi
“I don’t know if I’ll be…
Bruce Arena says the USMNT’s World Cup qualifying failure in 2017 did not factor into his decision to take the head coaching job with New England.
ESPN FC’s Jeff Carlisle reports from the FIFA council meeting in Miami, which opened the door for a 48-team World Cup in Qatar in 2022.
FIFA has given up on its efforts to expand the 2022 World Cup to 48 teams, according to a person with knowledge of the situation.
The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the decision publicly.
Women’s World Cup 2019
When, where and who: All you need to know about the finals
– WWC daily fixtures schedule
FIFA had been exploring if logistical and political complexities could be overcome to expand the tournament from 32 to 48 teams, which would have required at least one more country being used in the Persian Gulf to accommodate an additional…
As Roger Milla and Francois Omam-Biyik — two of the architects of Cameroon’s finest footballing hour — each celebrate their birthday this week, ESPN’s Ed Dove remembers the Indomitable Lions of 1990 and their unforgettable World Cup exploits.
To date, no side has matched the Central Africans’ performance in Italy, where they reached the quarterfinals and stood within seven minutes of the final four.
Their adventure ended in Naples, at the hands of England, who battled back from two goals down…
ESPN FC’s Jeff Carlisle reports from the FIFA council meeting in Miami, which opened the door for a 48-team World Cup in Qatar in 2022.
Qatar inaugurated the first of seven new 2022 World Cup stadiums on Thursday, just weeks before a crucial FIFA summit will decide whether to expand the tournament and potentially push it beyond the tiny Gulf state’s borders to accommodate a larger format.
Fans packed into the Al Janoub stadium, a 40,000 seat venue made to resemble the sail of a dhow, or traditional wooden sailboat, to cheer on Qatari teams playing in the final of the Emir Cup, a local tournament for the country’s club sides.
Editor’s Picks
ESPN FC 100: The top players and managers in men’s soccer
Captain Marvel: Soccer’s greatest captains from Messi to Marta
– Viewers’ guide: Watch ESPN+ in U.S.
– Follow Transfer Talk LIVE
– Fantasy: Set lineups, check scores!
The…
FIFA president Gianni Infantino wants Qatar to have a co-host and will present an expansion proposal at June’s congress in Paris.
ESPN FC’s Jeff Carlisle reports from the FIFA council meeting in Miami, which opened the door for a 48-team World Cup in Qatar in 2022.
The draw for the first phase of Asia’s qualifying round for the 2022 World Cup finals featuring the continent’s lowest ranked nations was made on Wednesday, even though FIFA has yet to decide how many teams will participate in the tournament.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino continues to promote his plan to expand the tournament from 32 to 48 teams and potentially share the hosting duties originally awarded to Qatar with other nations in the Middle East.
Oman and Kuwait have been approached as potential…