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
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
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?)
Pro-government rally in Tehran demands end to US threats
NewsFeed Hundreds of Iranians have rallied in Tehran to demand an end to US threats and the ongoing blockade of Iranian ports. The blockade is causing Iran’s already devalued currency to sink further. Published On 30 Apr 202630 Apr 2026 Click here to share on social media share-nodes Share googleAdd Al Jazeera on Googleinfo Adblock test (Why?)
US charges Sinaloa state governor, 9 others over Mexican drug cartel links
United States prosecutors have brought charges against Mexico’s Sinaloa state Governor Ruben Rocha Moya and nine current and former officials, accusing them of links to the Sinaloa drug cartel in a move that could strain relations between the two countries. An indictment unsealed on Wednesday in New York alleges that Rocha Moya, 76, and nine others worked with cartel leaders to move large quantities of narcotics into the US in exchange for political support and bribes. Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of list Prosecutors say that support extended to Rocha Moya’s 2021 election campaign, when members of the cartel’s “Chapitos” faction allegedly helped secure his victory. According to the indictment, cartel operatives kidnapped and threatened opposition candidates and stole ballot papers cast for his rivals to help secure his victory. Authorities said the scheme was aided by another defendant, Enrique Diaz Vega, who later became Rocha Moya’s secretary of administration and finance, who allegedly provided the cartel with a list of opponents’ names and addresses so they could be pressured into dropping out of the race. The US Justice Department said most of the suspects were aligned with the sons of the Sinaloa cartel cofounder Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman, who is serving a life sentence in the US. “The Sinaloa Cartel is not just trafficking deadly drugs, it is a designated terrorist organization that relies on corruption and bribery to drive violence and profit,” said Terrance Cole, administrator of the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Advertisement “This indictment exposes a deliberate effort to undermine public institutions and put American lives at risk,” Cole said in a statement. “The defendants allegedly used positions of trust to protect cartel operations.” Rocha Moya has rejected the charges, calling them baseless and without evidence. In a statement, he said the accusations were part of a broader political attack, not just against him, but against the governing Morena movement and its leadership. The state governor also told residents of Sinaloa that he would confront the claims “with dignity” and demonstrate that they lack any foundation. Translation: I categorically and absolutely reject the accusations made against me by the Southern District of New York Federal Prosecutor’s Office, as they lack any truth or foundation whatsoever. And this will be demonstrated, with full force, at the appropriate time. The Mexican government said in a statement that the US documents requesting the arrests and potential extraditions lacked sufficient evidence. Rare move signals shift in US strategy Indictments against sitting senior Mexican politicians are rare, and the case could point to a shift in Washington’s approach to tackling drug cartels, with increased attention on alleged links between organised crime and political figures. “It certainly is a change in US strategy to go after a sitting government official,” said Vanda Felbab-Brown, an expert on non-state armed groups at the Brookings Institution think tank in Washington, DC. “It’s long been considered a very big step, almost a ‘nuclear option’,” she said. “I wouldn’t be surprised if we see more indictments to follow,” Felbab-Brown told Al Jazeera. “Although Rocha is the eye of the storm, the storm is much wider than him,” she said, describing the case as part of a broad sweep against the alleged crime-politics nexus in Sinaloa. Among those indicted, at least three officials, including Rocha and a Mexican senator, were affiliated with President Claudia Sheinbaum’s Morena party, while others held roles outside formal party structures, she added. Translation: “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has received requests for provisional arrest for the purposes of extradition, which will be forwarded to the Attorney General’s Office. No evidence is attached to the documents.” ‘A political headache for Sheinbaum’ The case adds pressure on Sheinbaum, given Rocha Moya’s ties to the governing Morena party and his close relationship with former President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador. Advertisement Rocha Moya, a longtime Morena figure and former senator, won the Sinaloa governorship in 2021 and has remained politically aligned with Lopez Obrador. “It’s a real political headache for Sheinbaum,” Felbab-Brown said, adding that how she responds in the coming days, including whether to act against the governor, could have significant diplomatic and domestic consequences. “If she does not act against him, including potentially arresting or extraditing him to the US, the US will feel very alienated at a time of USMCA negotiations,” she said, referring to the United States-Mexico-Canada trade agreement. “If she does act against him, it could undermine her ability to control the Morena party and perhaps even jeopardise her political position,” she added. The case comes as Mexico’s government has stepped up efforts to confront powerful drug cartels, with a series of high-profile operations targeting organised crime figures in recent months, including the killing by security forces of Nemesio “El Mencho” Oseguera, who led the powerful Jalisco New Generation Cartel. Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum addresses the media in her daily news conference [File: Quetzalli Nicte-Ha/Reuters] Adblock test (Why?)
Israel seizes Global Sumud Flotilla boats 1,000km away from Gaza
NewsFeed Israeli forces have intercepted around a dozen Gaza-bound aid boats from the Global Sumud Flotilla in international waters near the Greek island of Crete, more than 1,000km from Israel. Organisers call it an illegal attack on civilians in international waters. Published On 30 Apr 202630 Apr 2026 Click here to share on social media share-nodes Share googleAdd Al Jazeera on Googleinfo Adblock test (Why?)
US, Latin America countries criticise China’s retaliation over Panama Canal
China has detained nearly 70 Panamanian-flagged ships after a Supreme Court ruling on the Panama Canal, US officials say. Published On 29 Apr 202629 Apr 2026 Bolivia, Costa Rica, Guyana, Paraguay, Trinidad and Tobago, and the United States have released a joint statement in support of Panama, while criticising Chinese economic retaliation, after a Hong Kong-based conglomerate lost a legal dispute over the management of ports on the Panama Canal. Panama’s Supreme Court in late January annulled contracts that had allowed a subsidiary of Hong Kong’s CK Hutchison to administer the Balboa and Cristobal port terminals on the Panama Canal after deeming the decades-old agreements unconstitutional. Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of list In their joint statement on Tuesday, the six countries claimed that following the court ruling, China has retaliated against Panama with “targeted economic pressure” on Panamanian-flagged ships. China detained nearly 70 Panamanian-flagged ships in March, according to the US Federal Maritime Commission, a number “far exceeding historical norms”. “These actions – following the decision of Panama’s independent Supreme Court regarding the Balboa and Cristobal terminals – are a blatant attempt to politicise maritime trade and infringe on the sovereignty of the nations of our hemisphere,” the signatories said. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said separately on X that Washington was “deeply concerned” by China’s economic pressure on Panama. “We stand in solidarity with Panama. Any attempts to undermine Panama’s sovereignty are a threat to us all,” he said. China has previously accused the US of “bullying” and trying to smear its reputation in Latin America, while it described the Panamanian Supreme Court ruling as “absurd” and “shameful”. US Federal Maritime Commission head Laura DiBella said last month that Beijing’s detention of Panamanian ships had repercussions for both Panama and the US. Advertisement “These intensified inspections were carried out under informal directives and appear intended to punish Panama after the transfer of Hutchison’s port assets,” DiBella said. “Given that Panama‑flagged ships carry a meaningful share of US containerised trade, these actions could result in significant commercial and strategic consequences to US shipping,” she said. ‘States know how vulnerable shipping is’ Panama’s decision to invalidate the contracts held by CK Hutchison’s subsidiary Panama Ports Company was made at a time of heightened media attention around the Panama Canal amid threats by US President Donald Trump to seize the strategic waterway. Trump had made the approximately 80km (49-mile) waterway a focus of his second administration, alleging in his inaugural address in January 2025 that China was “operating” the canal and pledging that the US would “take back” control. US officials allege that, in addition to targeting Panama and its interests, China has also retaliated against shipping giants Maersk and the Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), whose subsidiaries were granted 18-month contracts to administer the Balboa and Cristobal terminals after CK Hutchison was removed. Representatives of Maersk and MSC were both summoned by China’s Ministry of Transport for “high-level discussions”, the Federal Maritime Commission said in March, while Chinese shipping giant COSCO has suspended operations at the Balboa terminal. CK Hutchison, through its Panama Ports Company subsidiary, is separately pursuing international arbitration against the government of Panama and seeking more than $2bn in damages. David Smith, an associate professor at the University of Sydney’s US Studies Centre, said that the Panama Canal dispute and China’s retaliation were the latest example of how shipping has become a political target, from Latin America to the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea in the Middle East. “We have taken for granted that the world runs on container ships just freely sailing around the world,” he told Al Jazeera. “What we’re seeing now is that states know how vulnerable shipping is. They know they can cut shipping lanes off if necessary. It should not surprise us from now on if ships and shipping in general become pawns in international politics.” Adblock test (Why?)
Trump to feature on limited-edition US passports for 250th anniversary
The passports are part of broader plans to celebrate the milestone anniversary of the United States Declaration of Independence. United States President Donald Trump will feature on a new, limited-edition US passport being issued to mark the country’s 250th anniversary in July, officials said, the latest area of public life to receive Trump’s personal branding. The commemorative passports are part of broader plans to celebrate the milestone anniversary of the US Declaration of Independence, with events planned across the country next July. Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of list Images released by the White House and the Department of State on Tuesday show Trump’s portrait incorporated into the design, set against elements of the Declaration of Independence and the US flag. The rendering also includes the president’s signature in gold. Another page will feature an illustration of the Founding Fathers signing the Declaration of Independence. “As the United States marks its 250th anniversary in July, the State Department is preparing to release a limited number of specially designed US passports to commemorate this historic occasion,” said Tommy Piggott, a spokesperson for the US State Department. The commemorative passports will be available to US citizens applying through the Washington Passport Agency, with distribution set to begin this summer and continue while supplies last. Current US passports feature images tied to the country’s history and identity. The inside front cover shows a painting of Francis Scott Key after the Battle of Fort McHenry, when he saw the US flag still standing after an attack. This moment inspired him to write a poem that later became the US national anthem, with lines from it printed alongside the image. Advertisement Other pages include moments from American history, such as the Apollo 11 Moon landing, and symbols like the Statue of Liberty. Trump links branding push to 250th anniversary plans The passport redesign is the latest example of efforts by Trump and his administration to place his name, image or signature on institutions and initiatives across Washington and the country. Some of those efforts have already been implemented. This year’s national park passes, for example, display Trump’s image alongside George Washington, a departure from the programme’s traditional focus on natural landscapes. The United States Mint has also released draft designs for a $1 coin featuring Trump’s profile as part of the 250th anniversary commemorations. Proposed imagery for the coin redesign includes his portrait alongside inscriptions such as “Liberty” and “In God We Trust”. The reverse depicts him raising a clenched fist in front of an American flag with the phrase “FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT”, referencing a chant he used after a 2024 assassination attempt at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. Trump has pushed Democratic Senator Chuck Schumer to rename New York’s Penn Station after him, linking the idea to the release of federal infrastructure funding, but the effort has failed to gain traction. Trump has also placed his face on government buildings around Washington, DC, in the form of long banners. Even the architecture of the US capital city is changing to reflect his tastes: Last October, he tore down the White House’s East Wing to build a massive ballroom, and he has plans to build a triumphal arch in the capital, similar to the one in Paris, France. In December, Trump’s name was added to the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC, just one day after his hand-picked board members controversially voted to rename the art venue, the first time a national institution has been named after a sitting US president. Within days, workers had added metal lettering to the building’s exterior, renamed as “The Donald J Trump and the John F Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts”. Adblock test (Why?)
UN aid chief says situation in Somalia worsened by US war on Iran
NewsFeed UN relief coordinator Tom Fletcher has slammed the war on Iran during a visit to Somalia where he says people in Mogadishu are suffering more as a result of the US-Israeli conflict 3,000km away. He says resources being diverted away from aid have exacerbated food shortages and worsened health conditions. Published On 29 Apr 202629 Apr 2026 Click here to share on social media share-nodes Share googleAdd Al Jazeera on Googleinfo Adblock test (Why?)
LIVE: PSG vs Bayern Munich – Champions League semifinal first leg
blinking-dotLive MatchLive Match, Follow the build-up, analysis and live text commentary of the semifinal first-leg from Parc des Princes in Paris. Published On 28 Apr 202628 Apr 2026 Click here to share on social media share-nodes Share googleAdd Al Jazeera on Googleinfo Adblock test (Why?)