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Iran, protests, human rights – all to know about the 76th FIFA Congress

Iran, protests, human rights – all to know about the 76th FIFA Congress

Politics and human rights will take centre stage when leading figures of the football world meet for FIFA’s 76th Congress in Canada, weeks before the North American nation cohosts the World Cup with the United States and Mexico. The Iran war, logistical issues surrounding the World Cup and the unresolved question of Russia’s international ban are set to feature in discussions among roughly 1,600 delegates from more than 200 member associations. The meeting will be overshadowed by the US-Israeli war on Iran and its team’s participation in the World Cup. The congress, which is set to bring together representatives of all 211 FIFA member associations, will be held without the Iranian delegation after members of its football federation departed from Canada earlier this week, citing mistreatment by immigration officials. Here’s what we know about the FIFA Congress so far: What’s on the FIFA Congress agenda this time? The annual FIFA Congress brings together representatives of all 211 member associations to make key decisions regarding world football governance, finances and regulations. Thursday’s congress will focus on operational and financial issues related to the 48-team World Cup – the largest ever tournament. Why did the Iranian delegation return from Canada? Iranian football officials turned back ⁠⁠upon arrival at Toronto’s Pearson airport despite holding valid visas, citing what was described as the “unacceptable behaviour of immigration officials”. The delegation was en route to Vancouver and had travelled to Toronto ⁠⁠with official visas when they returned to Turkiye on the first available flight “due to the unacceptable behaviour of immigration officials at the airport and the insult to one of the most honourable organs of the Iranian nation’s armed forces,” the Iranian football federation said in a statement. Advertisement In 2024, Canada listed Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organisation, and statements from the Canadian government indicated that federation President Mehdi Taj was denied entry due to his alleged ties with the IRGC. “While we cannot comment on individual cases due to privacy laws, the government has been clear and consistent: IRGC officials are inadmissible to Canada and have no place in our country,” the Canadian government said in a statement. Amnesty urges protection of human rights at World Cup Human rights group Amnesty International has called on FIFA President Gianni Infantino to use the congress as an opportunity to declare how human rights will be safeguarded at the World Cup. Amnesty urged Infantino to detail “how he will ensure that the world’s biggest sporting tournament does not become a stage for repression and a platform for authoritarian practices”. “With just six weeks until the 2026 World Cup kicks off, FIFA President Gianni Infantino has yet to publicly outline how fans, journalists and local communities will be safe from arbitrary detention, mass deportations and crackdowns on free expression. This FIFA Congress should be the moment he does so, and the global football community must receive more than empty platitudes,” Steve Cockburn, head of economic and social justice at Amnesty International, said. Last week, Amnesty and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), along with more than 120 civil society groups, issued a “travel advisory” for foreigners attending the World Cup in the US due to the “deteriorating human rights situation in the US and the absence of meaningful action and concrete guarantees from FIFA, host cities, or the US government”. Fans are using the congress in Vancouver to bring attention to the #SaveTheCaps campaign against the potential relocation of the Major League Soccer team Vancouver Whitecaps to Las Vegas after the team was put up for sale in 2024. Vancouver Southsiders, the self-proclaimed “largest support group” of the Whitecaps, has called for an early morning public demonstration ahead of Thursday’s congress to bring attention to the cause since “the world’s media will be there”. The Whitecaps’ home stadium, BC Place, will host seven World Cup matches. In a statement on Monday, the club said it had “serious conversations with more than 100 parties, and to date, no viable offer has emerged that would keep the club here”. Advertisement “The club has faced well-documented structural challenges around stadium economics, venue access, and revenue limitations that have made it difficult to attract buyers committed to keeping the team in Vancouver.” A franchise fee that cost tens of millions of dollars to enter MLS 15 years ago is now worth hundreds of millions. In May 2023, a $500m expansion fee was paid to secure the league’s 30th team in San Diego. A team that features German great Thomas Muller reached the MLS Cup final last year, losing against Lionel Messi and Inter Miami 3-1. Adblock test (Why?)

Saudi Arabia to end LIV Golf funding, while league appoints new chairman

Saudi Arabia to end LIV Golf funding, while league appoints new chairman

By The Associated Press Published On 30 Apr 202630 Apr 2026 Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) has confirmed funding to the breakaway LIV Golf league would be cut after the 2026 season. LIV Golf announced on Thursday a new board and a new business strategy as it tries to forge ahead without Saudi funding, which allowed the league to launch nearly four years ago with oversized contracts and prize funds. Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of list Yasir Al-Rumayyan, the governor of Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund, who was behind the creation of LIV Golf, is no longer listed as its chair. LIV announced that Gene Davis of the Pirinate Consulting Group and Jon Zinman of the strategic advisory firm JZ Advisors are leading a newly created board with Davis as chair. The focus is on securing long-term financial partners when Saudi funding ends after this season. The Saudi investment fund said in a statement: “PIF has made the decision to fund LIV Golf only for the remainder of the 2026 season. “The substantial investment required by LIV Golf over a longer term is no longer consistent with the current phase of PIF’s investment strategy. This decision has been made in light of PIF’s investment priorities and current macro dynamics. “The LIV Golf Board has created a committee of independent directors to evaluate strategic alternatives for its future beyond PIF’s funding horizon. LIV Golf has substantially grown the game globally through its transformational and positive impact. It has forever changed the game of golf for the better. “PIF remains committed to deploying capital internationally in line with its investment strategy, including its substantial current and future investments in various sports as a priority sector.” Advertisement LIV, meanwhile, said it is seeking to move towards an investment model involving multiple partners and team franchises. The league has said it expects 10 of its 13 teams to be profitable this year. “The executive leadership team, along with Jon and I, see a clear opportunity to help the league formalize its structure, attract and secure long-term capital, and position the business for growth while continuing to promote the game across the world,” Davis said in a statement. “We look forward to positioning LIV Golf for future success.” Scott O’Neil, the CEO at LIV Golf, had told Britain-based TNT two weeks ago during a tournament in Mexico: “The reality is that you’re funded through the season, and then you work like crazy as a business to create a business and a business plan to keep us going.” That raised questions about whether LIV Golf will be able to keep some of its top players once their lucrative contracts expire. With financial muscle from Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund, LIV was able to spend $1bn to land the likes of Bryson DeChambeau, Brooks Koepka, Phil Mickelson, Cameron Smith and eventually Jon Rahm, the last big signing at the end of 2023. The newsletter Money in Sport reported earlier this year that LIV Golf had already spent $5.3bn since the league launched in 2022, a figure that would be $6bn by the end of this year. LIV staff and players have been aware that Saudi funding was only through the 2026 season. Thursday’s announcement was to outline plans to seek other sources of funding for a league that currently offers $30m prize funds at each tournament. Al-Rumayyan is passionate about golf and long wanted a seat at the table with the sport’s leaders. He signed a framework agreement in 2023 with the PGA Tour and European Tour and was set to join the PGA Tour Enterprises board if it was approved. The deal never materialised, except for ending antitrust lawsuits. PGA Tour Enterprises instead got a minority investment from a consortium of North American sports owners. Al-Rumayyan was at the White House in February 2025 to meet with United States President Donald Trump, along with a PGA Tour team that included Tiger Woods, Adam Scott and Commissioner Jay Monahan. But it was clear LIV and the PGA Tour could not find common ground, mainly because the Saudi league wanted to stick with a team component. DeChambeau and Rahm, both multiple major champions, are considered LIV’s top two players. DeChambeau said in an interview with the Flushing It social media site, “As long as LIV is here, I would figure out a way for it to make sense.” Advertisement “There’s a lot of moving parts like in any business,” DeChambeau said. “It’s a start-up, right? And so there’s going to be times where we’re squeezed and punched. This is one of those moments. But I’m going to do everything in my power to make it work, and I really see the value in franchise golf.” LIV Golf earlier this week said it was postponing its June 25-28 tournament in Louisiana to the autumn. The next event is scheduled for May 7-10 in northern Virginia, and O’Neil had said in a memo to staff two weeks ago that the season would be uninterrupted and “full throttle”. Al-Rumayyan was all about team golf when he and former CEO Greg Norman launched the league, even though the team concept was one reason it took more than three years for LIV to get recognised by the Official World Golf Ranking. Koepka left LIV after last season, and the PGA Tour granted him a path back with stipulations that included no access to equity grants for five years, a $5m charity donation and no bonus money this year. The tour offered it to three other LIV players who had won majors since 2022 – Rahm, DeChambeau and Smith – and gave them until February 4 to accept. None did. In an interview earlier this week with The Wall Street Journal, PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp said: “We’re interested in having the best players who can help our tour. Not every player can do that.” Adblock test (Why?)

Africa backing Infantino for unique fourth term as FIFA president

Africa backing Infantino for unique fourth term as FIFA president

African football has given its backing to Gianni Infantino to run again in 2027 as head of the global governing body. Published On 30 Apr 202630 Apr 2026 The Confederation of African Football (CAF) says it is backing FIFA President Gianni Infantino’s bid for a fourth term as head of football’s global governing body. In a statement after a meeting before the FIFA Congress in Vancouver, CAF said it had “unanimously agreed” to support Infantino when the FIFA chief stands for re-election in 2027. Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of list Infantino took over as head of FIFA in 2016 in the wake of the corruption scandal that led to the downfall of his predecessor Sepp Blatter. He was re-elected to the post in 2019 and 2023. Although FIFA statutes limit FIFA presidents to three terms in office, Infantino is allowed to run for re-election next year after the body ruled that his first, partial term from 2016 to 2019 after Blatter’s ouster did not count towards the total. CAF’s decision to support Infantino comes after South American football’s governing body, CONMEBOL, also pledged to support the Swiss-Italian official earlier in April. Adblock test (Why?)