Charlie Alford

More Blair-Starmer continuity — Burnham & Milburn team up against young people

Post author:Skwawkbox
Post published:14 July 2026
Post last modified:14 July 2026

Presumptive new PM Andy Burnham has given yet another signal of his intention to continue where Keir Starmer and his Blair tribute act leave off. Burnham is now working “hand-in-glove” with Starmer adviser and Blairite privatiser Alan Milburn on forcing people into work. Milburn blames young people The plan is, of course, dressed up as “opportunity and life chances” for young people. However, Milburn’s May 2026 interim report for Starmer makes clear that the aim is to force them into work for economic growth rather than their benefit. 60% of those targeted are not currently looking for work — and Milburn,…

Donald Trump’s cheating team lost and now he is being angry at NATO conference

Post author:Joe Glenton
Post published:8 July 2026
Post last modified:8 July 2026

US president Donald Trump has turned up to the NATO conference very angry. And we’re going to assume it is because his cheating national football team got rinsed 4–1 by a very average Belgium side. In fact, the president took the opportunity to basically slag off every country he could think of. So, like, four… Iran was high among them. Commenting on the current shaky truce with a country that just kicked his arse in a sit-down chat with NATO’s buffoonish chief Mark Rutte, Trump said: I think it’s over. I don’t want to deal with them any more. They’re scum.…

“Overturn this” — Belgian football team mocks Trump and US

Post author:Skwawkbox
Post published:7 July 2026
Post last modified:7 July 2026

The Belgian football team has ‘cooked’ Donald Trump and the US on social media. Trump and craven FIFA president Gianni Infantino had scandalised the sporting world by arbitrarily overturning US striker Folarin Balogun’s suspension for his red card against Bosnia. But with most of the world cheering it on, a clearly fired-up Belgium hammered the US 4-1. “Overturn this” Belgium’s fourth goal was scored by veteran forward Romelu Lukaku. Then the official Belgian team account on X used Lukaku’s celebration in the ‘cooking’ recipe to mock the orange one and his FIFA lackey: The Belgium National Team’s official Twitter account just…

Moroccan National Team — Now a global football power

Post author:Alaa Shamali
Post published:5 July 2026
Post last modified:5 July 2026

The Moroccan national team no longer needs to be described as a “dark horse.” Its World Cup achievements are no longer fleeting surprises. Reaching the quarterfinals twice shows the “Atlas Lions” have arrived. Qatar 2022 was not their ceiling. It was the start of an integrated football project. They are now imposing themselves among the world’s elite. Fans once celebrated teams that surprised everyone and then left. Morocco broke this rule. They shifted from seeking recognition to being a respected contender. Opponents now prepare for them before every match. Title contenders? Morocco entered the Qatar World Cup outside the favorites circle.…

Cape Verde national team — A football legacy

Post author:Alaa Shamali
Post published:4 July 2026
Post last modified:4 July 2026

Tournaments are not always measured by who lifts the trophy, nor are great stories confined to the identity of the winner. In every World Cup, a team emerges that leaves the competition early but leaves a deeper impact than many who continue on the path. At the 2026 World Cup, Cape Verde was that story. The journey ended with a 3-2 loss to Argentina after a match that extended into extra time, but the final whistle did not signal the collapse of a small team before the world champion, so much as it announced the birth of a new contender that…

World Cup team captains unveil unified message against hate

Post author:Alaa Shamali
Post published:20 June 2026
Post last modified:20 June 2026

The captains of the teams participating in the 2026 World Cup exchanged special pennants denouncing hate and discrimination before the start of some matches, as part of an initiative launched by the FIFA to coincide with the International Day for Countering Hate Speech. In the matches between the Czech Republic and South Africa, Mexico and South Korea, Switzerland and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Canada and Qatar, the captains exchanged pennants bearing the slogan “We Play Together.. We Stand Against Hate,” in a symbolic message aimed at promoting the values of respect and inclusion both inside and outside the game. FIFA explained…

Algerian national team introduces Kansas to football – and they love it.

Post author:Joe Glenton
Post published:16 June 2026
Post last modified:16 June 2026

In news nobody saw coming, it would appear that the Algeria men’s football team are receiving a warm welcome at their World Cup base camp in Kansas. Americans don’t really get sport. They are famously terrible at most sports of note, after all. Presumably that’s why the make up their own rubbish games – American ‘football’ anyone? – and pretend that these sports have their own credible world championships. But times are a-changing in down in rootin-tootin Kansas… or something. A state is known for virtually nothing – except that old film about Dorothy and her dog and some wizard. Yet…

Iran fans can’t watch team compete in 2026 World Cup

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

Iran has suffered a fresh blow just days before the start of the 2026 World Cup, after the Iranian Football Federation announced the withdrawal of its allocated share of fan tickets for its three World Cup matches. The move has sparked widespread controversy and led Tehran to question whether political considerations are influencing the organisation of the tournament. Iran fans left disappointed Reuters cited the Iranian Football Federation, which said it had already begun distributing and selling tickets for the national team’s group stage matches, before it learnt about the tickets being withdrawn. This means Iranian fans will be denied access…

World cup chaos as US denies visas to Iranian team officials

Post author:HG
Post published:7 June 2026
Post last modified:9 June 2026

Iran’s Football Federation (IFF) has accused the US of “vindictive behavior” after it denied visas to 14 officials and backroom staff from Iran’s World Cup team. Hedayat Mombeini, Iran Football Federation’s secretary-general, and Mehdi Mohammad Nabi, its vice president, are among the staff who do not have visas. The country’s first game is in Los Angeles on June 16. The US, Mexico and Canada are jointly hosting the tournament, which starts on June 11. Iran had already moved its training camp from Tucson, Arizona, to Tijuana, Mexico, just across the US border. This was because of problems processing visas. The IFF…

Israel arrests two players from Palestinian women’s national team

Post author:Alaa Shamali
Post published:4 June 2026
Post last modified:9 June 2026

Palestinian footballer Natalie Abu Dayeh wasn’t preparing for a match or a training camp this time. She was sitting at her university homework in the town of Birzeit, north of Ramallah, before Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) stormed her home and took her into custody, leaving behind the lecture notes and pen she had been writing with just minutes before the raid. A scene documented by the Palestinian Football Association in an official statement, but it was not the only incident in recent hours. Shortly afterwards, the occupation authorities arrested Palestinian women’s national team player Rand Halawani (20), after summoning her to…