Fifa has hit out at what it described as attempts to "undermine" its embattled president, Gianni Infantino.
Infantino has faced calls to resign from his role in the aftermath of a saga that saw him abandon a proposed plan to sell off stakes in the World Cup and other Fifa competitions.
That proposal brought the threat of a boycott from Uefa, European football's governing body, with England's Football **** ociation (FA) among those to officially withdraw their support for the Fifa president.
Infantino is due to seek re-election in March of next year. He has received backing from South American body Conmebol and the Confederation of African Football (Caf).
Fifa president Gianni Infantino is under pressure (AP)

#president

Jorge Horacio Messi, father of football superstar Lionel Messi, died at the age of 68 on Friday night after a long illness, South American Football Confederation CONMEBOL said.
"CONMEBOL deeply regrets the passing of Jorge Messi, father of Argentinian footballer Lionel Messi," CONMEBOL said on X on Saturday.
Lionel Messi's first club, Newell's Old Boys, and Argentinian newspapers Ole and Clarin also reported on the passing. Details about the cause of death were not disclosed.
"With deep sorrow and grief, Newell's Old Boys bids farewell to Jorge Messi, who passed away at the age of 68 in the city of Rosario," Newell's wrote.
Jorge Messi's health was a concern during the recent World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada.

#lionel #conmebol #boys

Gianni Infantino is thinking bigger once again.
Shortly before the end of the first World Cup with 48 teams and 104 matches, the president of football's world governing body FIFA has opened the door to a possible next expansion to 64 teams and 128 matches, which would be double the amount of teams and matches compared to 2022.
Critics of the proposal originally submitted by the South American confederation CONMEBOL in 2025 were quick to speak out. But there are also some positive aspects.
The Pros
More inclusion: The core argument is identical to that of the 48-team World Cup. Another expansion would enable truly global participation. Oceania could receive two places instead of one, Africa 13 instead of 9 and Asia 12 instead of 8. It may also help Italy back onto the world stage after missing out three times in a row.

Corriere dello Sport confirms that Napoli have an agreement in place with Boca Juniors talent Exequiel Zeballos, whose agent met Giovanni Manna in Naples earlier this week.
Boca Juniors winger Zeballos, 24, is ready to join Napoli and has already agreed to personal terms with the Serie A giants.
The news was first reported by Alfredo Pedullà earlier this week, and Corriere dello Sport adds more details about the agreement between Napoli and the Argentine.
According to the report, Zeballos has agreed to sign a four-year deal worth €1.3m per season. Zeballos' agent reportedly met Napoli director Manna in Naples on Wednesday, confirming his client's desire to move to the Stadio Maradona.
BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA – APRIL 14: Exequiel Zeballos of Boca Juniors runs with the ball during a Copa CONMEBOL Libertadores 2026 group D match between Boca Juniors and Barcelona SC at Estadio Alberto J. Armando on April 14, 2026 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. (Photo by Marcelo Endelli/Getty Images)

It's been two days since the United States men's national team fell to Belgium in the Round of 16, after a disappointing 4-1 loss. But the World Cup keeps on trucking, with the quarterfinals beginning on Thursday, and U.S. fans will try to move on as well.
For USMNT fans who have gotten over their grief — or those who hope to overcome it by watching even more soccer — it's a perfect time to pick a new, arbitrary team to root for in the next round. Eight teams remain, six of them UEFA, one CAF and one CONMEBOL.
When it comes to picking a second-chance team, no reason is too small: Maybe one country holds your family's history, or you like the color of their jerseys, or maybe you're just really tired of the teams that always win.
All eight are worthy of your honorary support, but if you need them, here are a few reasons to cheer on each of the remaining teams.
In 2022, it was France's chance to go back-to-back. Les Bleus nearly pulled off a miracle in the final behind a hat trick from captain and star striker Kylian Mbappé: First, Mbappé scored two goals in a two-minute span to send the game to extra time, then he scored in extra time to send the game to penalties. But in the penalty shootout, Argentina got the win. Mbappé won the Golden Boot, and on the way to collect his trophy, he was forced to walk past the World Cup trophy, his true desire.

The twenty-third edition of the World Cup has turned into a true nightmare for CONMEBOL. Following Colombia’s recent elimination, the continent has suffered an unprecedented competitive purge, losing five of its six representatives. Now, the entire region is placing its hopes on Argentina, the only bastion still standing.
The road for the South American national teams was marked by institutional crises and a lack of efficiency:
Uruguay: Marcelo Bielsa’s cycle ended in despair. They were eliminated in the group stage with just two points, prompting the coach’s immediate resignation.
Ecuador: Despite ending a historic unbeaten run, they suffered from severe “goal-scoring anemia,” which triggered Sebastián Beccacece’s departure in the round of 16.
Paraguay: Managed by Gustavo Alfaro, they put in a respectable showing by eliminating Germany, but bowed out against France in the round of 16.

Colombia next World Cup match: Fixture schedule, start time, draw bracket as Los Cafeteros face Switzerland originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Colombia will hope to embrace the tag of World Cup 2026 dark horses when they continue their knockout phase after topping Group K.
Copa America runners-up two years ago, Nestor Lorenzo's team finished third in the highly competitive CONMEBOL World Cup qualifying section and were unbeaten for a year until their March friendly defeats to Croatia and France.
Los Cafeteros reached the quarterfinals for the first time in 2014 in Brazil and will be targeting another run to the latter stages this time.
Here is everything you need to know about Colombia's appearance at the World Cup, including the latest results from the tournament.

Money talks. It usually does in modern football, and Flamengo have seemingly listened. After dug-in resistance from the Rio de Janeiro board earlier in the week, Aston Villa have forced a breakthrough. A tweaked bid did the trick. Villa raised their offer to €10m (£8.6m) for Emerson Royal after a cheaper €9m opening gambit was swiftly knocked back.
Journalist Venê Casagrande broke the news of the sudden shift in stance, with Rio outlet O Dia, via Sport Witness, reporting that club chiefs now expect a quick exit. Financial reality has simply overridden footballing doubt.
It hasn’t been a happy homecoming for the defender. Royal joined Flamengo from AC Milan last season but never truly settled under the bright lights of the Maracanã. 40 appearances yielded just one goal and five **** ists. He looked a yard off the pace. Consistency was hard to come by, and the fans noticed.
LIMA, PERU – NOVEMBER 29: Emerson Royal of Flamengo celebrates with winner’s medal after the 2025 Copa CONMEBOL Libertadores Final match between Palmeiras and Flamengo at Estadio Monumental on November 29, 2025 in Lima, Peru. (Photo by Rodrigo Valle/Getty Images)
Unai Emery knows exactly what he wants from his back line. Pragmatism is the word here. The Spaniard loves a right-back who can tuck inside, morphing into a makeshift back three when the left-back flies forward. Royal has the raw physical tools for this. He relishes a scrap on the ground and puts his body about. Yet, there are glaring issues.

Brazil’s U-17 Futsal National Team won the Nations League **** le, played in Córdoba, Spain. The tournament, held between June 25 and 28, was part of the team’s preparation for the CONMEBOL U-17 South American Championship, scheduled for August in Paraguay.
In their opener, the Seleção beat Spain 4-2, with goals from Pablo, Isaac, Cauã Farias, and Victor Kauê. In the second round, Brazil thrashed Indonesia 9-0, with Pietro scoring three times, while Arthur Furtado, Victor Kauê, João Fronza, Isaac, Jhon, and Kauã Paiva also found the net. In the semifinal, the team defeated France 3-2, with two goals from Kauã Paiva and one from Luka, securing a place in the final.
In the grand final, once again against Spain, the team coached by Diogo Barros capped off an excellent campaign with a 5-2 victory. Cauã Farias (2), Murilo Jr. (2), and Cauã Gamba scored the **** le-winning goals.
Coach Diogo Barros highlighted the team-building process and the importance of preparation throughout the cycle.
“This is a generation that has been built through medium-term work and is now beginning to reap the rewards. We are very happy with the **** le and with another important preparation cycle for the South American Championship. We faced high-level national teams, which showed the quality of the work being done. Now the focus is on preparation and on going after the South American **** le, which is our main objective.”

Colombia next World Cup match: Fixture schedule, start time, draw bracket as Los Cafeteros face DR Congo originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Colombia will hope to embrace the tag of World Cup 2026 dark horses when they continue their Group K campaign.
Copa America runners-up two years ago, Nestor Lorenzo's team finished third in the highly competitive CONMEBOL World Cup qualifying section and were unbeaten for a year until their March friendly defeats to Croatia and France.
Los Cafeteros reached the quarterfinals for the first time in 2014 in Brazil and will be targeting another run to the latter stages this time. Their opening two games against Uzbekistan and DR Congo should set them up to progress to the knockouts before they face Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal in Miami Gardens.
Here is everything you need to know about Colombia's appearance at the World Cup, including the latest results from the tournament.