FIFA on Tuesday (August 4, 2026) dismissed as “pure ‌fiction” a report that its President Gianni Infantino had ​sought support from U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration after ⁠the collapse of a plan to sell a stake in World Cup commercial rights.

The denial came after the New York Post reported on Monday (August 3) ‌that Infantino had repeatedly tried and failed to reach Mr. Trump by phone since his proposal was abandoned on ‌Friday (July 31) and that he felt isolated amid mounting criticism.

“The ‌FIFA ⁠President has not made any call to the U.S. ⁠President, or any members of his administration, in recent days. It is pure fiction,” FIFA said in a statement to Reuters.

The backlash has intensified over Infantino’s ​failed plan to spin off ‌the world football governing body’s commercial assets into a new entity backed by private investors.

FIFA’s proposal to unlock up to $4.2 billion from private investors by selling a roughly 20% stake in ‌an entity overseeing competitions including the World Cup collapsed ​after strong resistance from stakeholders.

With the plan shelved, attention has turned to the potential repercussions for Infantino, whose ⁠prospects of securing another term as FIFA president from 2027 to 2031 have come under increased scrutiny.

Mr. Trump and Infantino have forged a ‌close relationship, appearing together at major soccer events including this year’s World Cup co-hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada.

Infantino presented Trump with the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize in December 2025, making him the first recipient of the award.

The relationship attracted further attention because Thrive Capital — founded by Joshua Kushner, the brother ‌of Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner — had been expected to play a leading ​role in the proposed commercial rights venture.

The New York Post also reported that Infantino had scheduled private talks ⁠with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio. However, U.S. Assistant Secretary of ⁠State for Global Public Affairs Dylan Johnson said in a post on X on Monday (August 3) that there were ‌no plans for Rubio to speak with the 56-year-old FIFA president.

Infantino has taken to Instagram to amplify messages of support ​from member federations including Sri Lanka, Kuwait, Qatar, and Morocco.

FIFA refereeing chief Pierluigi Collina defended the officiating in Argentina’s 3-2 victory over Egypt in the World Cup ​round of 16, dismissing allegations of bias and saying match officials operated with ‌complete independence.

In an interview published on inside.fifa.com on Thursday (July 9, 2026), ​Collina said criticism of referees was part of football ⁠, but he condemned the questioning of the officials’ integrity after Egypt complained about the officiating following the defeat.

“Constructive discussion about decisions will always be part of ‌football, but unfounded allegations have no place in our sport,” Collina said.

“Nobody can question the integrity of the FIFA World ‌Cup match officials … Nobody can claim that FIFA refereeing can ‌be ⁠influenced by anyone, not even by the FIFA president (Gianni Infantino).”

Collina ⁠said that such allegations could provoke threats against referees and their families.

Egypt exited the tournament but claimed they had been treated unfairly after Argentina overturned a 2-0 deficit ​to snatch victory with a ‌stoppage-time winner from Enzo Fernandez.

Coach Hossam Hassan alleged after the match there may have been pressure on the referee to keep Argentina in the tournament. And the Egyptian Football Association said “several key incidents ‌raised serious concerns and left profound questions about the consistency ​and fairness of decisions that directly influenced the course of the game.”

Egypt argued that Mostafa Zico’s second-half strike was ⁠incorrectly ruled out for what it described as a non-existent foul in the build-up. Egypt were also incensed that a challenge on Mohamed Salah ‌was not penalised moments before Argentina launched the move that produced the winning goal.

FIFA’s Collina said VAR had correctly recommended overturning Zico’s goal after identifying a foul by Marwan Attia on Argentina defender Lisandro Martinez during the attacking possession phase.

“We believe that a foul is a foul,” Collina said. “Regardless of whether the foul appears ‘obvious’, if the referee ‌did not see it on the field of play, the VAR can intervene.”

Collina also ​defended the decision not to award Egypt a penalty before Argentina’s winner, saying both the referee and VAR judged ⁠the contact between Salah and Julian Alvarez to be “normal football contact”.

“Stepping on ⁠an opponent’s foot is a foul, whereas a defender who touches the ball first and then makes normal football contact has ‌not committed a foul,” he said.

While acknowledging that some decisions would always involve an element of subjectivity, Collina said FIFA was ​satisfied with how VAR principles had been applied throughout the tournament.

FIFA’s president, Gianni Infantino, is being referred to Olympic ethics investigators for a possible breach of political neutrality, a human rights group, after U.S. President Donald Trump helped block a World Cup player’s ban.

Mr. Trump took credit Monday (July 6) for FIFA’s decision — unprecedented in modern World Cup history — to let United States forward Folarin Balogun play Monday against Belgium despite getting a red card in the team’s previous game. A Belgium team clearly fired up by the furor won 4-1 in Seattle.

The IOC cites neutrality among “fundamental principles of Olympism” for sports bodies like FIFA, and has jurisdiction over Infantino since he joined its exclusive group of 100-plus invited members in 2020.

“FairSquare will file a complaint to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) regarding FIFA President Gianni Infantino’s repeated breach of political neutrality rules,” the London-based sports and human rights NGO said in a statement Wednesday.

The pledge to file a formal complaint to the IOC Ethics Commission came one day after the Olympic body’s president Kirsty Coventry told reporters none had yet been received.

“Obviously if they do they would look into it,” Ms. Coventry said Tuesday in an online news conference when asked about the Balogun controversy fueled by the Trump administration lobbying FIFA and Infantino.

“Yes, we have been obviously watching everything play out,” the IOC president had said earlier when asked about interference in field-of-play issues by the World Cup co-host nation, which also will stage the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

FIFA was asked for comment about the complaint to the IOC about its president.

Infantino-Trump ties

Mr. Infantino has built close ties to Trump since 2018, when the U.S., Canada and Mexico won a vote to host soccer’s World Cup this year.

The FIFA leader has been a regular White House visitor since attending the second Mr. Trump inauguration in January 2025 and said in November “we should all support” the president’s work as it was “pretty good.”

Mr. Infantino famously created the FIFA Peace Prize given to Mr. Trump at the World Cup tournament draw in Washington D.C. last December. Senior soccer officials said privately creating the peace award was an executive decision by Infantino.

Ethics case at FIFA

FairSquare also formally filed a complaint to FIFA’s ethics committee in December about Infantino and political neutrality. That is being supported by the Norway soccer federation and about 50 members of the European Parliament.

FIFA has provided no update in the seven months since on that case.

As Philadelphia prepares to mark 250 years since the adoption of the Declaration of Independence, France arrives at the Lincoln Financial Field — called Philadelphia stadium for the tournament — looking every bit the World Cup’s dominant force, but well aware that Paraguay has already shown how quickly an empire can be unsettled.

Les Bleus have spent much of this World Cup making opponents look alarmingly unprepared. One moment Kylian Mbappe is sprinting into the space behind a backline, the next Ousmane Dembele has twisted free in a crowd, and before defenders can recover Michael Olise has already found the pass or the finish. It is football played at a pace and precision that can make resistance feel futile.

That has been the story of Didier Deschamps’ side through four matches in the United States. France has scored 13 goals, conceded only twice and moved through the tournament with the air of a team that has found its rhythm early. Sweden was the latest to be swept aside, a 3-0 win that again showcased the frightening blend of France’s attacking riches.

But Saturday’s last-16 tie against Paraguay carries its own warning. Gustavo Alfaro’s side has already authored the shock of the tournament, dragging Germany into a grim, fractious contest, holding it to a 1-1 draw and then sending it home on penalties.

That result was built on discipline. Junior Alonso and Gustavo Gomez held the centre of defence together, attacking crosses and refusing to let Germany play through the middle, while Andres Cubas and Damian Bobadilla snapped into tackles in front of them. Miguel Almiron’s running gave Paraguay an outlet to escape pressure, while Julio Enciso, its sharpest attacking threat, has carried much of the danger in the final third.

Paraguay will not try to trade punches with France. It will look to smother spaces, break rhythm and turn the evening into a long, airless struggle in which favourites begin to doubt themselves.

Mbappe, one of the early contenders for the Golden Boot with six goals, was careful to acknowledge the danger Paraguay possess. “I am focused on the climate and the locker room. They showed that they are a team to be taken seriously after Germany. We will go there to win,” he said.

The temperature in Philadelphia is expected to hit higher than 38 degrees, with scientists urging FIFA to push back the 5PM start.

Deschamps, back in the dugout after a family bereavement, has also warned against reading Paraguay’s run as a novelty. “I’ve watched Paraguay. What they have achieved is no accident,” he said. “It is a typical South American team, strong in the duels and very tenacious, and they also have players of great quality.”

There is history here too. The last time France faced Paraguay in a World Cup knockout game, in 1998, it needed Laurent Blanc’s golden goal in the 114th minute to escape. Deschamps was the captain that day. Nearly three decades on, he returns to the same fixture with a side far more explosive than the one he had led then.

Paraguay, though, will travel to Philadelphia believing explosions can be muffled. Its task is simple. To make France wait, make France work, and see if impatience can unsettle Les Blues as well.

The World Cup has always belonged to the dreamers. Every four years, nations arrive believing history can be rewritten. The knockout rounds of the tournament, however, have little time for romance as those dreams collide with the oldest powers of football.

For Japan, that moment arrives in Houston on Monday. The Samurai Blue have become one of world football’s most consistent overachievers. Since 2002, on four occasions, it has emerged from difficult groups, but Japan is yet to win a men’s World Cup knockout match.

Standing in its way, this time, is Brazil — a nation that has lifted the trophy more times than any other.

For Brazil and Japan, football has long been a conversation across continents. Brazil is home to the world’s largest Japanese diaspora, while Japanese football owes much of its modern rise to Brazilian influence.

From Zico helping shape the fledgling J League to generations of Brazilian-born players representing the Samurai Blue, the relationship has been there for long. But on Monday, sentiment will give way to competition.

Carlo Ancelotti’s side appears to be finding its rhythm since falling behind early on Matchday 1, before drawing with Morocco. Brazil responded with six unanswered goals in wins over Haiti and Scotland to finish top of its group and Neymar’s return after 981 days in the famous yellow shirt has added another boost to its attack.

Recent history, though, offers a note of caution, as Brazil lost 3-2 to Japan in a friendly in October 2025. Japan coach Hajime Moriyasu is trying to draw inspiration from that result.

“Last time we proved to Brazil that we aren’t a pushover,” Moriyasu said. “That is great progress for us. The Brazilian team is a top team in the world and we greatly respect them. In the match, we don’t know what will happen. We will have a chance to win as well.”

Japan, meanwhile, is on an unbeaten 10-match run. It reached the round of 32 after defeating Tunisia 4-0 and drawing with the Netherlands and Sweden, with Daichi Kamada (3) and Ayase Ueda (2) leading the goal-scoring charts.

Brazil, however, possesses a different level of firepower. Vinicius Junior has four goals, Matheus Cunha has scored three and teenager Rayan has emerged as another exciting option in Ancelotti’s evolving attack.

Japan has spent decades proving it belongs among football’s elite. On Monday, it must prove it can finally beat one of them when it matters.

Lionel Scaloni has changed little so far at this World Cup. Between Argentina’s first two matches, the coach made only one alteration to his starting lineup, preferring continuity as the defending champion moved into the knockout rounds.

But after wins over Algeria and Austria, Scaloni’s challenge now is about protecting legs and giving minutes to the rest of his squad while still carrying the momentum into the knockouts as his team takes on Jordan in its final Group J game on Sunday (June 28, 2026) morning India time.

“The idea is to give most players a chance to play. I think they deserve it and, whenever the match allows it, we will do so,” Scaloni said.

The main question, inevitably, concerns Lionel Messi. The Argentina captain, who turned 39 on Wednesday, has scored all five of his team’s goals in the tournament so far.

Having recently recovered from a muscle strain, Messi could be rested, with Como’s Nico Paz among those in line to step up. Julian Alvarez could also be given a start alongside Lautaro Martinez in attack.

Giuliano Simeone is another who may come into the side on the right, while Thiago Almada could retain his place on the left. In midfield, Leandro Paredes and Exequiel Palacios are options to give Enzo Fernandez and Alexis Mac Allister a breather.

There could be changes in defence as well. Cristian Romero suffered a knee injury against Austria and, although he has played down concerns, Argentina is unlikely to take unnecessary risks.

Nicolas Otamendi could replace him, while Marcos Senesi may come in to give Lisandro Martinez a rest. The full backs may remain unchanged to offer stability, with Emiliano Martinez expected to continue in goal.

Jordan, meanwhile, has little choice but to suffer without the ball. Jamal Sellami’s side is expected to sit deep in a back three, stay compact and try to frustrate Argentina for as long as it can. Its best route forward will be through quick counters, with Mousa Al-Tamari the obvious outlet.

Trading blows with Argentina, even a rotated Argentina, is not an option.

The world champion will dominate possession regardless of Scaloni’s starting XI. But it remains to be seen how quickly its reshuffled attack can find a way through Jordan’s low block.

Thousands of supporters from the Jordanian diaspora are expected in Dallas, turning an otherwise routine group-stage fixture into another vibrant evening of colour and noise. Sharing a pitch with the reigning world champion and arguably football’s greatest player will be a landmark moment for a nation making its first appearance in a World Cup.

For Argentina, however, sentiments can wait. The knockout rounds begin soon, where every mistake becomes irreversible. Saturday offers one final opportunity to sharpen combinations, protect players and perhaps allow Messi to add another record before the tournament truly starts.

Ten-man Belgium were left frustrated after being held to a 0-0 draw by a ​determined Iran in their World Cup Group G clash in Los Angeles on ‌Sunday (June 21, 2026), failing to find a way past the stubborn ​Iranian defence.

Belgium’s hopes were dealt a blow in the ⁠66th minute when defender Nathan Ngoy was shown a straight red card for bringing down Mehdi Taremi after the Iranian forward had intercepted the defender’s ‌mishit attempted pass and was through on goal.

Yet despite their numerical advantage, Iran struggled to capitalise, creating little as ‌the Belgians launched a series of attacks and cranked up ‌the ⁠pressure in the final minutes.

Iran goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand repeatedly ⁠saved his side with crucial interventions, including an extraordinary stop from a point-blank-range effort from Maxim De Cuyper in the second half.

Iran have two points and will ​next face Egypt in Seattle ‌on Friday while Belgium, also on two points, play New Zealand in Vancouver.

Belgium dominated the first half but created few clear opportunities, their attacks failing in front of goal.

The opening exchanges set ‌a physical tone when Belgium striker Romelu Lukaku was yellow-carded ​three minutes in for a lunging attempt at a ball in front of goal that put Beiranvand on ⁠the grass for minutes.

Iran found the net just before the first-half hydration break when a free kick allowed Ehsan Hajisafi to make a ‌clever pass through the wall to Taremi, who scored but was ruled offside following a VAR check.

Belgium coach Rudi Garcia had said on Saturday that Lukaku needed his playing time managed, but started with the striker against Iran and kept him on the pitch until the 74th minute.

Iran’s team have been forced to stay outside ‌the U.S. between matches due to extraordinary measures by the American government, which has ​also banned a number of Iran team staff and officials.

The atmosphere was charged, with Iran’s team receiving loud ⁠cheers before the match and chants of “I-ran, I-ran” throughout from vocal supporters ⁠who outnumbered Belgium fans in the more than 70,000-seat stadium.

While there were small protests outside the stadium and pre-revolutionary flags ‌being flown and worn both outside and inside, the pre-match political intensity was muted compared to their opener, which coincided with ​the announcement of a U.S.-Iran peace agreement.