Pressure built on FIFA president Gianni Infantino on Thursday over his cancelled plan to bring private finance into football's World Cup, with European governing body UEFA reiterating a threat to boycott tournaments. The 56-year-old Swiss official has also been criticised by South American body CONMEBOL. But he did get backing from the Confederation of African Football (CAF). Infantino received the "full support" of senior FIFA directors at an emergency meeting in Morocco on Wednesday but UEFA released a blunt statement in response.UEFA's initial threat issued last Thursday to boycott FIFA competitions is said to have been pivotal in forcing Infantino to shelve the private investment deal.Calls for him to step down had grown since he abandoned it last Saturday.FIFA said it could raise up to $4.2 billion based on a valuation of $20 billion for a new commercial subsidiary, called the FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), which it proposed would run events such as the World Cup and Club World Cup.Although the abandonment of the proposal was one of UEFA's conditions for it to withdraw its threat, it said that not all of its demands had been met."UEFA's associations were very clear about the conditions attached to their non participation in FIFA competitions," read its statement"First, the proposals to sell off the major competitions had to be withdrawn and secondly, assurances have to be made that such attempts to disfigure the game in this way will never be made again."These conditions have not been met."Whilst UEFA welcomed the withdrawal of the plan last Saturday, it had slammed Infantino and his "shabby, backroom, opaque deal".Its tone had not changed in Thursday's statement."UEFA made it abundantly clear in its statement on Saturday that it has lost confidence in Gianni Infantino's presidency. That position holds," it said.Several UEFA member associations have withdrawn support for Infantino's bid to be re-elected to a fourth and final term in Rabat next March.A prominent critic, Norwegian football chief Lise Klaveness, is likely to pour more fuel on the fire when she holds a press conference on Friday.<h2>‘Abuse of power’</h2>Infantino was also criticised by usually supportive South American governing body CONMEBOL."The Council also unanimously expresses its concern regarding the repeated unilateral actions taken without resorting to dialogue or to the institutional mechanisms established to address situations of this nature," read its statement.CONMEBOL, though, said regarding Infantino's future it would not countenance anything other than a straight contest -- if a challenger comes forward by November 18 when nominations close -- in Rabat.There is a mechanism whereby an extraordinary FIFA congress can be called and a vote of no confidence in Infantino held.North and Central American football's governing body CONCACAF and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) have both been critical of Infantino, but were yet to react to the latest developments.CONCACAF -- whose president Victor Montagliani is seen as a potential challenger -- had called for "a comprehensive reckoning with this presidency".FIFPRO, the players union, piled into Infantino over the plan calling it "a profound abuse of presidential power"."FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) is gone," it said in a statement."The abuse of power that produced it is not."Support did come Infantino's way on Thursday, however, as CAF "unanimously reconfirmed its support" for the FIFA president in a statement released following a meeting of its members.Several CAF members had already expressed their support for the Swiss official, who has been in power for 10 years. South Africa's sports minister Gayton McKenzie had urged African football to resist what he called the "public lynching" of Infantino.CONMEBOL said it was a shame the hugely successful staging of the World Cup -- the first with 48 teams and spread over three countries -- had had its thunder stolen by the events over the past week."The CONMEBOL Council calls for preserving the unity of the football family," it said.

The 56-year-old Swiss official has also been criticised by South American body CONMEBOL. But he did get backing from the Confederation of African Football (CAF). Infantino received the "full support" of senior FIFA directors at an emergency meeting in Morocco on Wednesday.

Pressure built on FIFA president Gianni Infantino on Thursday over his cancelled plan to bring private finance into football's World Cup, with European governing body UEFA reiterating a threat to boycott tournaments. The 56-year-old Swiss official has also been criticised by South American body CONMEBOL. But he did get backing from the Confederation of African Football (CAF). Infantino received the "full support" of senior FIFA directors at an emergency meeting in Morocco on Wednesday but UEFA released a blunt statement in response. UEFA's initial threat issued last Thursday to boycott FIFA competitions is said to have been pivotal in forcing Infantino to shelve the private investment deal. Calls for him to step down had grown since he abandoned it last Saturday. FIFA said it could raise up to $4.2 billion based on a valuation of $20 billion for a new commercial subsidiary, called the FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), which it proposed would run events such as the World Cup and Club World Cup. Although the abandonment of the proposal was one of UEFA's conditions for it to withdraw its threat, it said that not all of its demands had been met. "UEFA's associations were very clear about the conditions attached to their non participation in FIFA competitions," read its statement "First, the proposals to sell off the major competitions had to be withdrawn and secondly, assurances have to be made that such attempts to disfigure the game in this way will never be made again. "These conditions have not been met." Whilst UEFA welcomed the withdrawal of the plan last Saturday, it had slammed Infantino and his "shabby, backroom, opaque deal". Its tone had not changed in Thursday's statement. "UEFA made it abundantly clear in its statement on Saturday that it has lost confidence in Gianni Infantino's presidency. That position holds," it said. Several UEFA member associations have withdrawn support for Infantino's bid to be re-elected to a fourth and final term in Rabat next March. A prominent critic, Norwegian football chief Lise Klaveness, is likely to pour more fuel on the fire when she holds a press conference on Friday. ‘Abuse of power’ Infantino was also criticised by usually supportive South American governing body CONMEBOL. "The Council also unanimously expresses its concern regarding the repeated unilateral actions taken without resorting to dialogue or to the institutional mechanisms established to address situations of this nature," read its statement. CONMEBOL, though, said regarding Infantino's future it would not countenance anything other than a straight contest -- if a challenger comes forward by November 18 when nominations close -- in Rabat. There is a mechanism whereby an extraordinary FIFA congress can be called and a vote of no confidence in Infantino held. North and Central American football's governing body CONCACAF and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) have both been critical of Infantino, but were yet to react to the latest developments. CONCACAF -- whose president Victor Montagliani is seen as a potential challenger -- had called for "a comprehensive reckoning with this presidency". FIFPRO, the players union, piled into Infantino over the plan calling it "a profound abuse of presidential power". "FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) is gone," it said in a statement. "The abuse of power that produced it is not." Support did come Infantino's way on Thursday, however, as CAF "unanimously reconfirmed its support" for the FIFA president in a statement released following a meeting of its members. Several CAF members had already expressed their support for the Swiss official, who has been in power for 10 years. South Africa's sports minister Gayton McKenzie had urged African football to resist what he called the "public lynching" of Infantino. CONMEBOL said it was a shame the hugely successful staging of the World Cup -- the first with 48 teams and spread over three countries -- had had its thunder stolen by the events over the past week. "The CONMEBOL Council calls for preserving the unity of the football family," it said.

The 56-year-old Swiss official has also been criticised by South American body CONMEBOL. But he did get backing from the Confederation of African Football (CAF). Infantino received the "full support" of senior FIFA directors at an emergency meeting in Morocco on Wednesday.

Pressure continues to mount on FIFA chief Infantino as UEFA maintains boycott threat, CONMEBOL criticises

FIFA is reportedly evaluating a major expansion of the Men's FIFA World Cup, increasing the tournament from 48 teams to 64 teams for the 2030 edition. The proposal has already sparked widespread debate across the global football community.

According to reports, FIFA has launched a fast-track consultation and commissioned an impact assessment covering tournament revenue, sponsorship, broadcasting rights, ticket sales, player welfare, scheduling, and the international football calendar.

The 2030 FIFA World Cup will be primarily hosted by Morocco, Portugal, and Spain, with centenary opening matches scheduled in Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay. Expanding to 64 teams could allow South American host nations to stage full group-stage matches instead of only ceremonial opening fixtures.

FIFA Plans 64-Team World Cup By 2030? |Expansion Proposal Sparks Global Backlash & Governance Debate

Lionel Messi's dream of winning Inter Miami's first CONCACAF Champions Cup title ended on Wednesday with the Vancouver Whitecaps reaching the final with a 3-1 win in south Florida earning them a 5-1 aggregate victory.
The Whitecaps will meet the winners of Thursday's other semi-final between Mexican clubs Cruz Azul and Tigres UANL which stands at 1-1 ahead of the second leg.
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Whoever their Liga MX opponent will be in the single game final, the Whitecaps will go into the game full of confident after outclassing the most hyped-up and expensive Major League Soccer team in history.
In contrast to Miami's slow and ponderous play, Vancouver delivered crisp, positive attacking football allied with evident grit and determination with three second half goals earning them their first appearance in the regional final.
"I'm just so happy for everybody in the club," said the Whitecaps Danish coach Jesper Sorensen. "I am relatively new here but I know a lot of people have worked for many years and not seen (a) moment (like this)," he added.
Trailing 2-0 from the first leg, Miami made the perfect start to their comeback attempt when former Spain international Jordi Alba put them ahead on the night in just the ninth minute.
Messi, from midfield, threaded the ball through to Luis Suarez who found Alba on the left and his low drive got through Japanese keeper Yohei Takaoka at his near post.
Rather than retreat into a defence of their one-goal advantage, Vancouver went on the attack, knowing that an away goal could prove decisive.
After good work from American striker Brian White, Emmanuel Sabbi struck the outside of the post with a low drive.
White and Pedro Vite both tested Miami keeper Oscar Ustari as Vancouver opened up the home defence with remarkable ease.
The Whitecaps were just too quick and too smart for Miami's slow back-line and labouring midfield.
<h2>'They outplayed us'</h2>
A half-chance for Messi, which he fired high and wide, was the most the Argentine produced in the opening 45 minutes while his compatriot Tadeo Allende was unable to make the most of his openings.
Vancouver retained their positive approach after the break and they were rewarded just six minutes after the restart when, after a well-worked attack, Sebastian Berhalter pulled the ball back from the byline to White who placed into the bottom corner.
Two minutes later, the Whitecaps delivered the killer blow when, after a break down the left, the impressive Berhalter set up the arriving Vite whose shot took a slight deflection off Albi and flew into the top corner to make it 2-1 on the night and 4-1 on aggregate.
It got even worse for Miami when Berhalter, the son of former USA national team coach Gregg, pounced on a loose ball after a blocked White shot and his deflected effort flew past Ustari into the net.
Messi had a couple of late efforts but by then it was all over - his ageing team exposed by a side that will now look to be the first Canadian team to win the competition.
The only negative on a memorable night for the Whitecaps was a yellow card for Berhalter which added to his previous cautions in the competition means he will miss the final.
For Miami, the focus will turn to their bid for a first MLS Cup and their FIFA Club World Cup campaign.
"Although it was the first time the club had advanced to the semi-finals, the defeat hurts us a lot because we imagined reaching the final; of seeing this team, which has a short history, for the first time in a final of the most important competition in CONCACAF," said Mascherano.
"But we have to accept that our opponents... outplayed us. Now we have to focus on MLS. I'm not thinking about the Club World Cup. There's a month and a half to go and it would be a mistake to focus on that," added the Argentine.
Disclaimer:&nbsp;This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Vancouver Whitecaps reached the CONCACAF final with a 3-1 win Lionel Messi's Inter Miami in south Florida earning them a 5-1 aggregate victory. World Football Sports

Lionel Messi's dream of winning Inter Miami's first CONCACAF Champions Cup title ended on Wednesday with the Vancouver Whitecaps reaching the final with a 3-1 win in south Florida earning them a 5-1 aggregate victory. The Whitecaps will meet the winners of Thursday's other semi-final between Mexican clubs Cruz Azul and Tigres UANL which stands at 1-1 ahead of the second leg. Also Read - Pahalgam terror attack: Pakistan javelin thrower Arshad Nadeem's Instagram account blocked in India Whoever their Liga MX opponent will be in the single game final, the Whitecaps will go into the game full of confident after outclassing the most hyped-up and expensive Major League Soccer team in history. In contrast to Miami's slow and ponderous play, Vancouver delivered crisp, positive attacking football allied with evident grit and determination with three second half goals earning them their first appearance in the regional final. "I'm just so happy for everybody in the club," said the Whitecaps Danish coach Jesper Sorensen. "I am relatively new here but I know a lot of people have worked for many years and not seen (a) moment (like this)," he added. Trailing 2-0 from the first leg, Miami made the perfect start to their comeback attempt when former Spain international Jordi Alba put them ahead on the night in just the ninth minute. Messi, from midfield, threaded the ball through to Luis Suarez who found Alba on the left and his low drive got through Japanese keeper Yohei Takaoka at his near post. Rather than retreat into a defence of their one-goal advantage, Vancouver went on the attack, knowing that an away goal could prove decisive. After good work from American striker Brian White, Emmanuel Sabbi struck the outside of the post with a low drive. White and Pedro Vite both tested Miami keeper Oscar Ustari as Vancouver opened up the home defence with remarkable ease. The Whitecaps were just too quick and too smart for Miami's slow back-line and labouring midfield. 'They outplayed us' A half-chance for Messi, which he fired high and wide, was the most the Argentine produced in the opening 45 minutes while his compatriot Tadeo Allende was unable to make the most of his openings. Vancouver retained their positive approach after the break and they were rewarded just six minutes after the restart when, after a well-worked attack, Sebastian Berhalter pulled the ball back from the byline to White who placed into the bottom corner. Two minutes later, the Whitecaps delivered the killer blow when, after a break down the left, the impressive Berhalter set up the arriving Vite whose shot took a slight deflection off Albi and flew into the top corner to make it 2-1 on the night and 4-1 on aggregate. It got even worse for Miami when Berhalter, the son of former USA national team coach Gregg, pounced on a loose ball after a blocked White shot and his deflected effort flew past Ustari into the net. Messi had a couple of late efforts but by then it was all over - his ageing team exposed by a side that will now look to be the first Canadian team to win the competition. The only negative on a memorable night for the Whitecaps was a yellow card for Berhalter which added to his previous cautions in the competition means he will miss the final. For Miami, the focus will turn to their bid for a first MLS Cup and their FIFA Club World Cup campaign. "Although it was the first time the club had advanced to the semi-finals, the defeat hurts us a lot because we imagined reaching the final; of seeing this team, which has a short history, for the first time in a final of the most important competition in CONCACAF," said Mascherano. "But we have to accept that our opponents... outplayed us. Now we have to focus on MLS. I'm not thinking about the Club World Cup. There's a month and a half to go and it would be a mistake to focus on that," added the Argentine. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Messi, Inter Miami out of COCACAF as Vancouver Whitecaps reach final

CONCACAF said Friday it will investigate online racist abuse directed at Canadian player Moise Bombito following his team's tournament-opening Copa America defeat to Argentina.

Bombito was subjected to online abuse in the wake of Canada's 2-0 loss following an incident late in Thursday's game in Atlanta where he tackled Argentina star Lionel Messi.

Replays showed the 24-year-old Colorado Rapids player sliding in on Messi and making heavy contact with the Inter Miami player's ankle.

CONCACAF, the regional governing body for football in North America, Central America and the Caribbean, issued a statement in support of Bombito and Canada following the abuse.

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"We stand with Canada Soccer in condemning the disgraceful social media posts aimed at Moise Bombito," CONCACAF said. "Racism has no place in our sport or in society."

CONCACAF said it was working with South American football's governing body CONMEBOL to pinpoint the accounts responsible for the abuse.

"We are now working with the federation and with our colleagues at CONMEBOL and FIFA to seek ways to investigate the accounts which posted racist material," CONCACAF said. &nbsp;"We will continue to use our reach to promote unity and respect."

CONCACAF said Friday it will investigate online racist abuse directed at Canadian player Moise Bombito following his team's tournament-opening Copa America defeat to Argentina.

CONCACAF said Friday it will investigate online racist abuse directed at Canadian player Moise Bombito following his team's tournament-opening Copa America defeat to Argentina. Bombito was subjected to online abuse in the wake of Canada's 2-0 loss following an incident late in Thursday's game in Atlanta where he tackled Argentina star Lionel Messi. Replays showed the 24-year-old Colorado Rapids player sliding in on Messi and making heavy contact with the Inter Miami player's ankle. CONCACAF, the regional governing body for football in North America, Central America and the Caribbean, issued a statement in support of Bombito and Canada following the abuse. ALSO READ: Kante shines but France share points with Dutch in goalless draw at Euros 2024 "We stand with Canada Soccer in condemning the disgraceful social media posts aimed at Moise Bombito," CONCACAF said. "Racism has no place in our sport or in society." CONCACAF said it was working with South American football's governing body CONMEBOL to pinpoint the accounts responsible for the abuse. "We are now working with the federation and with our colleagues at CONMEBOL and FIFA to seek ways to investigate the accounts which posted racist material," CONCACAF said. "We will continue to use our reach to promote unity and respect."

CONCACAF launches probe in online abuse aimed at Canadian player following Copa opener

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