Charlie Alford

FIFA scraps World Cup privatisation plan following international pressure

Post author:Alaa Shamali
Post published:1 August 2026
Post last modified:1 August 2026

Gianni Infantino has officially announced he is scrapping the controversial FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) following widespread objections to the commercial project. In an official statement attributed to Infantino, he confirmed that FIFA would not proceed with the project, noting that consultations with member associations and stakeholders had revealed a lack of sufficient consensus to support selling shares to private investors. However, it emphasised that the dialogue would continue regarding any future initiatives aimed at boosting revenue and developing international football. Statement attributable to the FIFA President The FIFA Forward Enterprise project was intended to provide a basis for further strengthening our…

MEPs call for an investigation into Infantino over allegations of bowing to pressure from Trump

Post author:Alaa Shamali
Post published:9 July 2026
Post last modified:9 July 2026

The crisis surrounding the lifting of the suspension of American striker Folarin Balogun has taken a new turn, after dozens of Members of the European Parliament called for an investigation into the president of FIFA, Gianni Infantino, following allegations that he succumbed to political pressure from US president Donald Trump, in one of the most controversial issues surrounding the 2026 World Cup. According to the Associated Press, 35 MEPs signed a letter calling on FIFA’s Ethics Committee to investigate Infantino’s role, after the Disciplinary Committee decided to lift Balogun’s suspension, allowing him to play against Belgium in the round of 16,…

Pro-Israel pressure group UKLFI demands UCU bins pro-Israel pressure motion

Post author:Skwawkbox
Post published:26 May 2026
Post last modified:8 June 2026

Zionist bully-group UKLFI is at it again, despite the referral of its senior lawyers to their regulator for its bullying. The pro-Israel pressure group is upset that the University and College Union (UCU) conference will debate a motion on… pro-Israel pressure. You couldn’t make it up, and you don’t need to. Motion 52 will call for academic freedom against “Zionist repression” and the “dangers posed by Zionist groups”. No one sensible who has been paying attention could possibly object, which of course means UK Lawyers for Israel (UKLFI) is very offended indeed. So much so that it has resorted to its…

Ireland’s communications minister hid attempts to pressure media regulator

Post author:Robert Freeman
Post published:24 May 2026
Post last modified:8 June 2026

As part of dodgy attempts to affect media coverage he was unhappy with, Fine Gael minister for communications Patrick O’Donovan held a call with Ireland’s media regulator “outside normal communication channels“. He then failed to disclose that the conversation took place. The Ditch reports that on Saturday April 11 O’Donovan spoke to Coimisiún na Meán’s (The Media Commission or CnaM) Rónán Ó Domhnaill to: …express concern regarding media coverage of the fuel protests and to ask whether there was a mechanism for the minister within the legislation to ask for an examination of the broadcast coverage of the protests. The protests…