IJR News

FIFA Legal Chief García Silvero Leaves After Eight Years in PostSports — 4dFIFA chief legal officer Emilio García Silvero is leaving after eight years to return to Spain, with his regulatory and transparency work credited by the governing body. His departure comes as President Gianni Infantino faces scrutiny over a failed plan to sell World Cup stakes and questions about his leadership ahead of FIFA’s 2027 presidential election.

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Jared Kim Eight years is long enough in that role, but the timing raises doubts about who will handle upcoming election issues.

Japan FA Chief Tashima Plans FIFA Presidency Challenge — 5dKozo Tashima, 68, will challenge Gianni Infantino for the FIFA presidency on March 18 in Rabat after unanimous Japan FA board backing.

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Nicole Hardy JFA backing Tashima could finally give Asian federations more influence inside FIFA's leadership.

Ex-FIFA official says Infantino ineligible for 2027 bidPolitics — Nov 3, 2026Former FIFA governance chief Miguel Maduro says Gianni Infantino is barred by FIFA’s three-term limit from seeking another term in 2027, while FairSquare is urging member associations to challenge his eligibility. FIFA previously ruled that Infantino’s 2016–2019 stint, which completed an interrupted mandate, did not count toward the limit; Maduro says critics should appeal the issue through FIFA’s review process and, if needed, the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

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Caribbean Football Union backs Infantino for 2027 reelectionSports — 4dThe Caribbean Football Union has unanimously endorsed Gianni Infantino for another term as FIFA president, with its 25 voting member associations citing FIFA funding and development programs that support football in the region. The union also called for greater transparency, good governance and reform, while Infantino faces at least one declared challenger.

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Dana Whitfield With at least one challenger running, it will be interesting to see if the CFU's support actually locks things in early.

FIFA plans limited access to World Cup sell-off documentsSports — Nov 2, 2026FIFA invited Council members to inspect $20 billion World Cup sell-off documents in person at Zurich HQ under confidentiality rules after UEFA's November 2 deadline.

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Rachel Meyers UEFA deserves credit for pressing on this, but limited access won't build much trust in how decisions get made.

Most Influential Women in World HistoryYourlist — RankingFrom ancient queens who ruled empires to modern activists who changed laws, these women left indelible marks on politics, science, and culture. Vote for who you think shaped history most profoundly.

FIFA Opens U.S. Bids for 2030, 2034 World Cup RightsSports — Oct 22, 2026FIFA opened U.S. and Puerto Rico bidding for 2030 and 2034 World Cup rights, bids due Nov. 19; analysts float $1.5-2 billion.

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Elena Vasquez After the big 2026 numbers, these rights should fetch top dollar and help grow the game here.

Do We Have More FIFA Corruption? — Oct 13, 2026

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Jared Kim These repeated scandals make it hard to trust any major decisions coming out of the organization.

US to Host Inaugural Women’s Club World CupSports — Oct 22, 2026The United States will host the inaugural 19-team FIFA Women’s Club World Cup from Jan. 5–30, 2028. Seven clubs have already qualified, with the remaining places to be determined through continental results and qualifying; FIFA says the U.S. was selected for its infrastructure and strong interest in women’s football.

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Elena Vasquez With 19 teams the qualifying process will be tough but it spreads the competition beyond just Europe.

Swanwick Takes Two-Shot Lead in Asia-Pacific Amateur — Oct 31, 2026New Zealand’s Zack Swanwick shot a 4-under 67 to take a two-stroke lead into the final round of the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship, with defending champion Fifa Laopakdee and Cooper Moore tied for second. The winner earns invitations to the 2027 Masters and the Open Championship.

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Sam Okafor Moore tying for second shows real promise with those Masters and Open invitations waiting for the winner.

Infantino plans Japan trip seeking FIFA reelection backing — Oct 20, 2026FIFA President Gianni Infantino is visiting Japan to court Asian federation support ahead of his March re-election bid, after apologizing for mistakes in a now-scrapped $4.2 billion World Cup commercial plan. Support among Asian members appears divided, as Infantino seeks the votes needed for a fourth term.

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Chris Dalton Infantino should prove he can run FIFA without these costly flops before asking Asian groups for more terms.

Spain Widens Lead Atop FIFA Women’s Rankings — Oct 20, 2026Spain widened its lead over the United States atop the FIFA Women’s World Rankings after beating the Americans 2-0 and drawing 2-2 in their recent friendlies. Denmark returned to the top 10, while Malawi made the biggest jump, rising 49 places to 104th after reaching the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations final and qualifying for the 2027 World Cup.

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Toy Story vs ShrekYourlist — VS BattleThe toy box vs the swamp: two animation revolutions, one inevitable playground argument.

Spain proposes football stadiums for 2035 Rugby World Cup bid — Oct 15, 2026Spain’s bid to host the 2035 Rugby World Cup features major football stadiums including the Bernabéu and Camp Nou, with the revamped Camp Nou proposed as the final venue. The federation says it would build on infrastructure for the 2030 FIFA World Cup, while Spain competes with Japan and an Argentina-led South American bid.

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FIFA accuses UEFA of election misinformation — Sep 29, 2026FIFA told a Florida court UEFA filed a 1782 discovery bid and three others spreading misinformation on Infantino just before the FIFA election, where he is sole candidate.

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Sam Okafor UEFA has no business filing court papers to smear Infantino right before the vote.

European Federations Criticize Four-Game FIFA Break — Oct 9, 2026European federations called FIFA's 16-day four-game international break a disaster; only Azerbaijan of 55 UEFA members defended it. Format locked through 2030.

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UEFA Eases FIFA Boycott Threat Ahead of U-20 — Aug 26, 2026UEFA has dropped the threat to boycott FIFA competitions after assurances that the controversial FIFA Forward Enterprises plan will not proceed, clearing the way for the U-20 Women's World Cup in Poland. The move underscores ongoing tensions with FIFA president Gianni Infantino and UEFA’s demand for guarantees that such privatization attempts will not recur, with broader leadership concerns persisting.

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How charismatic are you, really?Quizie — QuizNot a score out of ten — the AI identifies your specific brand of charm and where it's most dangerous.

Saudi Arabia backs Infantino after FIFA abandons planSports — Aug 27, 2026Saudi Arabia’s SAFF has publicly backed FIFA President Gianni Infantino and urged direct dialogue among football stakeholders after the collapse of the FIFA Forward Enterprise plan, welcoming FIFA’s acknowledgment of mistakes and the decision to scrap the proposal. The statements emphasize unity within the sport and support for Infantino as he leads efforts to grow the game globally despite ongoing backlash.

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Trump Possible First FIFA Peace Prize Winner — Nov 6, 2025President Donald Trump may get a peace prize — the new FIFA Peace Prize. FIFA President Gianni Infantino has teased Trump as the possible winner when he announced the award would be presented at the World Cup draw in…

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Lamour Leaves FIFA Amid Stake Sale Abandonment — Aug 17, 2026FIFA confirmed that Chief Operating Officer Kevin Lamour has left the organization on 17 August 2026 after publicly criticizing Gianni Infantino and the aborted FIFA Forward Enterprise plan to sell stakes to private investors. Reports across outlets indicate uncertainty over dismissal, but Lamour publicly defended his record and noted tensions within FIFA as Infantino maintained support among some executives.

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FIFA accuses UEFA of 'smear campaign' as legal battle over Infantino plan escalates — Sep 3, 2026FIFA accuses UEFA of waging a smear campaign as the dispute over Infantino’s aborted plan to sell a stake in FIFA’s commercial rights intensifies, with UEFA seeking documents for potential criminal proceedings in Switzerland. FIFA has responded by asking courts to block discovery, arguing no valid proceedings exist and alleging UEFA aims to derail the World Cup plan and weaken smaller nations.

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Sam Okafor Infantino's plans always seem to spark controversy. Would be nice if FIFA and UEFA could just sit down and sort this out for once.

Belgian FA withholds Infantino re-election support over unresolved FIFA issues — Sep 7, 2026The Royal Belgian Football Association said it will not support Gianni Infantino’s reelection as FIFA president, citing two transparency and governance concerns: the shelved FIFA Forward Enterprise project and the Balogun World Cup red-card episode, which included Trump’s involvement. The RBFA, aligning with UEFA, seeks clear explanations and considers CAS as a possible recourse while continuing to press FIFA for accountability.

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Rachel Meyers Good on Belgium for actually asking questions instead of just rubber-stamping everything like usual.

Infantino Plans 2027 FIFA Re-Election Bid Amid Backlash — Sep 6, 2026FIFA President Gianni Infantino confirmed he will seek a fourth term in the March 2027 presidential election in Rabat, despite ongoing backlash over his plan to privatize FIFA’s commercial rights. European and regional bodies such as UEFA, CONCACAF and the Asian Confederation have pressured for accountability and even threatened actions like no-confidence votes or boycotts, though FIFA supporters frame the bid as a reform-driven continuation of his leadership.

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Chris Dalton Reform-driven continuation is a funny way to describe clinging to power while your own regional bodies talk about no-confidence votes. Read the room, Gianni.

UEFA, CONCACAF Seek FIFA Review, $2.1B Payout — Sep 18, 2026UEFA and CONCACAF presidents propose $2.1 billion from FIFA's $6 billion reserves for all 211 members after a private stake-sale plan collapsed.

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Rachel Meyers This push shows the member groups are tired of waiting for FIFA to share what it already has.

Four European leagues call for FIFA governance reform — Sep 24, 2026Four European leagues plan a Friday FIFA reform statement after the abandoned 20% World Cup rights sale; Infantino offered an external review and will seek re-election.

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Jared Kim The European leagues are right to push for independent oversight at FIFA to fix its conflicts over the calendar and money.

Trump Warns Iran About FIFA World Cup Participation — Mar 12, 2026President Donald Trump believes it is not “appropriate” for Iran to compete in the 2026 FIFA World Cup — for its own safety. The president took to Truth Social Thursday and warned the team their “life and safety” would…

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