Tag: FIFA

Morocco and Spain divided over who should host 2030 World Cup final

wide angle view of football stadium Estadio Centenario
Soccer Football – World Cup – Estadio Centenario, Montevideo, Uruguay – October 4, 2023 General view inside Estadio Centenario after it was announced that it will host the opening matches of the Morocco, Portugal and Spain World Cup in 2030 to mark the tournament’s centenary hosted for the first time in the stadium in 1930…. Acquire Licensing Rights

A day after Morocco and Spain were nominated as joint hosts of the 2030 World Cup – along with Portugal – there were signs of friction, with both countries laying claim to being the venue for the final.

Spain’s Sports Minister Miquel Iceta on Thursday on Onda Cero radio said that although “you can’t count your chickens before they hatch”, he expected the final to be held in Spain.

But Fouzi Lekjaa, head of Morocco’s football federation, said that the goal was for the final to be in Casablanca.

He hoped to see the country’s efforts “crowned – god willing – with celebrations in Casablanca stadium at a historic final,” he said on Radio Mars.

In a surprise announcement a year earlier than planned, FIFA allocated the 2030 World Cup to Morocco, Spain and Portugal on Wednesday and said Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay will host three matches to mark the tournament’s centenary.

Argentina also weighed in, with government officials and the local football federation on Thursday saying the country would “go for more” games than the single opening match it has been allocated.

Relations between Spain and Morocco have for decades been marked by disputes over migration and territory.

There have been regular diplomatic crises over Spain’s enclaves in Africa and the arrival of thousands of illegal migrants in Spain each year through Morocco.

Ties improved last year after Madrid moved closer to Morocco’s policy on Western Sahara, a disputed territory that Rabat claims as its own but where the Algeria-backed Polisario Front is seeking independence.

Source: https://www.reuters.com/sports/soccer/spain-will-likely-host-2030-world-cup-final-minister-says-2023-10-05/

FIFA suspends Spain soccer federation president Luis Rubiales for 90 days after World Cup win kiss

FIFA suspended Spanish soccer federation president Luis Rubiales on Saturday while its disciplinary committee investigates his conduct at the Women’s World Cup final, which included kissing player Jenni Hermoso on the lips after Spain’s victory.

The provisional suspension comes less than a week after Spain’s 1-0 victory over England in Sydney, Australia, and a day after Rubiales refused to resign, despite intense pressure from the Spanish government, women players, soccer clubs and officials. Rubiales’ conduct, which also included grabbing his crotch, has overshadowed the enormous accomplishment of Spain’s first Women’s World Cup title.

Hermoso has said she did not consent to the kiss, and the team’s players have said they will not play any more games as long as Rubiales is in charge. It was not immediately clear how FIFA’s latest intervention might affect that.

FIFA said it removed Rubiales from soccer duties for 90 days “pending the disciplinary proceedings opened” against him Thursday.

The president of Spain’s women’s league, Beatriz Álvarez, told The Associated Press that she believed this was the end of Rubiales’ soccer career. The league filed one of several official complaints against Rubiales that Spain’s government has received.

“Luis Rubiales is finished. He has dug his own grave with his acts and his words,” Álvarez said. “Whether it is because of the action of FIFA or the Spanish government, I am sure that Luis Rubiales won’t spend another minute as president of the Spanish federation.”

The federation appointed vice-president Pedro Rocha as acting president. It added in a statement that Rubiales “has complete trust in the FIFA’s procedures and will use this opportunity to start his defense so that the truth is known and he is proven innocent.”

FIFA Opens Disciplinary Proceedings Against Spanish Football Chief Over ‘Kiss’ Controversy

Real Madrid head coach Carlo Ancelotti had also criticised Luis Rubiales for his conduct.

Luis Rubiales kissed Spain star Jennifer Hermoso on the lips after the final.

FIFA opened disciplinary proceedings against Luis Rubiales on Thursday after the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) president kissed Spain star Jenni Hermoso on the lips following the Women’s World Cup final last weekend. “The FIFA disciplinary committee informed Luis Rubiales, president of the Spanish Football Association, today that it is opening disciplinary proceedings against him based on the events that occurred during the final,” world football’s governing body said in a statement.

FIFA said the incident “may constitute violations of article 13 paragraphs 1 and 2 of the FIFA disciplinary code”.

Spain star Hermoso released a joint statement with union Futpro on Wednesday, which called for action to be taken against the RFEF president.

“We are working to ensure that acts such as those we have seen never go unpunished, that they are sanctioned and that the exemplary measures are adopted to protect women footballers from actions that we believe are unacceptable,” the statement said.

Human rights organisation Amnesty International offered their backing to Hermoso on Thursday.

“Amnesty International wants to show their support for the demands of the player, who has asked the (RFEF) to set underway ‘exemplary measures’ regarding the non-consensual kiss,” said the organisation in a statement.

“(We) underline that this behaviour is a form of sexual violence like any other, and cannot be justified in any way.”

Spain’s women’s football league, Liga F, has also called for Rubiales to be sacked.

The RFEF have opened an investigation into Rubiales’ conduct and are holding an emergency meeting on Friday.

Rubiales, 46, initially attacked his critics before eventually apologising but the criticism of his behaviour has not abated.

 

Source: https://sports.ndtv.com/fifa-women-s-world-cup-2023/fifa-opens-disciplinary-proceedings-against-spanish-football-chief-over-kiss-controversy-4326312

UN urges FIFA to make good on equal prize money promise by next Women’s World Cup

The prize fund for the 32 Women’s World Cup teams is £86m – compared to £344m given to the men’s teams who took part in the tournament in Qatar last year.

Mary Earps saves a goal against Denmark

FIFA should ensure there is equal prize money by the next Women’s World Cup, the United Nations agency for women’s rights has told Sky News.

The governing body’s president, Gianni Infantino, has said it is “our ambition” to ensure there is pay parity for the 2026 men’s World Cup and the 2027 women’s event.

But he called it “the most difficult step” closing a gap that sees the men’s tournament enjoy a prize fund that is four times larger.

“We’ve heard that by the next Women’s World Cup in 2027 that at least the prize money will be equalised with the men’s World Cup,” UN Women sports lead Jennifer Cooper told Sky News.

“So let’s see – we’ll be holding them to account to make sure that happens along with the players’ union, FIFPRO. They’re really holding their feet to the fire.”

The prize fund for the 32 Women’s World Cup teams is £86m ($110m) compared to £344m ($440m) given to the men’s teams in Qatar last year.

UN Women has partnered with FIFA at this ongoing Women’s World Cup to promote gender equality, with that message featuring on some captains’ armbands.

Ms Cooper said: “As far as the equalisation of pay and salaries etc going down to the national level of all 211 of the national federations FIFA governs, that I think will take a while.

“And it will require, I think, additional transparency and reporting on the use of funding that FIFA at the global level, as how those funds are distributed and used.”

FIFA does have cash reserves of more than £3bn – giving it the financial cushion to raise funding for the Women’s World Cup.

But Mr Infantino has put the onus on sponsors and broadcasters to put more money into women’s football – highlighting their greater investment in the men’s game.

“Without this kind of investment, it’s actually a missed opportunity,” Ms Cooper added.

FIFA has also sought to ensure players receive a minimum income for the first time from playing at the World Cup – from $30,000 each for those exiting early to $270,000 each for the champions.

England forward Bethany England said at the team’s base today: “The more the game grows and becomes a bigger, wider spread for the female game, we deserve to be paid at least a reasonable amount for that.

“I don’t think it’s unacceptable to be asking for such a thing.”

Ms Cooper praised FIFA’s “accelerated pace of trying to equalise prize money” and funding projects that are not just aimed at the elite nations to grow women’s football widely.

“I think it’s really wise and I’m impressed by this speed,” Ms Cooper said. “We’re not there yet.”

National federations will be given the responsibility of distributing FIFA’s cash to players – raising concerns about whether it will reach them.

Source: https://news.sky.com/story/un-urges-fifa-to-make-good-on-equal-prize-money-promise-by-next-womens-world-cup-12937513

FIFA, US Soccer must face antitrust lawsuit -US appeals court

FIFA’s logo is seen in front of its headquarters during a foggy autumn day in Zurich, Switzerland November 18, 2020. REUTERS/Arnd Wiegmann

A U.S. appeals court on Tuesday revived an antitrust lawsuit accusing FIFA and the U.S. Soccer Federation of illegally banning foreign clubs and leagues from staging official matches in the United States.

The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan said Relevent Sports LLC, a sports promoter controlled by billionaire Miami Dolphins American football team owner Stephen Ross, plausibly alleged that the October 2018 ban unlawfully restricted competition.

“Adoption of the policy, combined with the member leagues’ prior agreement, by joining FIFA, to adhere to its policies, constitutes an agreement on the part of all–whether they voted in favor of the policy or not–to adhere to the announced restriction on competition,” Circuit Judge Raymond Lohier wrote.

The 3-0 decision raises the prospect that U.S. stadiums could eventually host regular season matches between foreign teams, which could compete for fans and sponsors now supporting FIFA-affiliated Major League Soccer.

Some European and South American teams play “friendly” matches in the United States, but not regular season matches.

FIFA, soccer’s world governing body with 211 member associations, announced its foreign match policy after Relevent arranged with Spain’s La Liga to host a regular season match between FC Barcelona and Girona FC in Miami.

Barcelona eventually withdrew, and Relevent sued after U.S. Soccer refused to sanction a May 2019 match in Miami between two Ecuadorean teams.

Relevent, based in New York, also operates the International Champions Cup.

In July 2021, U.S. District Judge Valerie Caproni found no proof of an illegal conspiracy to ban foreign matches.

She also said U.S. Soccer had good reasons to honor the ban, including the risk FIFA might exclude U.S. men from the World Cup.

Source : https://www.reuters.com/legal/fifa-us-soccer-must-face-antitrust-lawsuit-us-appeals-court-2023-03-07/

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