Real Madrid boycotted the Ballon d'Or gala when the Spanish giant club got wind of that their star Vinicius Júnior would not be awarded. Now, the Brazilian has been named the best player of the year by Fifa. On the women's side, Barcelona's Aitana Bonmatí, as expected, took home the prize.
FootballDespite the criticism, the International Football Federation (Fifa) voted as expected in favour of the World Championship in Spain, Portugal and Morocco 2030 and the World Championship 2034 in Saudi Arabia.
FootballThe Swedish Football Association is to vote in favour of the 2034 World Championship in Saudi Arabia. A decision that the Players' Association criticises. "A slap in the face to all who have fought for human rights and freedoms", writes Secretary-General Magnus Erlingmark.
FootballCrown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has created a police state where over 300 people have been executed just this year. Can the 2034 World Championship get Saudi Arabia to reform? If one applauds the oppressor, there is no possibility of change, says the Saudi activist Lina al-Hathloul.
SportsTens of thousands of migrant workers are said to have lost their lives in Saudi Arabia's vision for the future. Now eleven arenas are to be built for the World Championship 2034. Fifa knows that workers will die if they award Saudi Arabia the football World Championship, says Building Union President Kim Söderström.
FootballSaudi Arabia's road to the World Championship 2034 goes via, for example, the US Virgin Islands – a blacklisted tax haven with one of the world's worst national teams. The Saudis have 44 cooperation agreements with mainly poor football associations that have voting rights within Fifa.
FootballSaudi Arabia's billion-dollar investment in sports has increased significantly during the year. Over 900 sponsorship agreements are linked to the authoritarian state - just in 2024. Above all, it's raining money over football, boxing, and golf.
FootballSweden is likely to vote in favor of Saudi Arabia hosting the men's football World Championship 2034. Kosovare Asllani is critical. It is still possible to cast a blank vote, she says.
FootballThe Swedish Football Association will vote in favour of awarding the 2034 Men's World Championship to Saudi Arabia. A decision that the trade union Byggnads considers "below all criticism".
FootballThe Swedish Football Association gives a thumbs up for a men's World Championship 2034 in Saudi Arabia. If nothing unexpected emerges in Fifa's evaluation report before the congress in December. I have received the answers I requested from Saudi Arabia, says chairman Fredrik Reinfeldt.
FootballElena Sadiku is the only Swedish nominee for an individual prize at the Fifa gala in December. She is one of eight who are competing for the title of coach of the year.
FootballIt will be no formal voting on the World Championship 2034 in Saudi Arabia or the World Championship 2030 in Spain, Portugal, and Morocco. The host countries will be elected through a show of hands or applause at the Fifa congress in December. Saudi Arabia is already reported to have secured support from 150 of 211 Fifa members.
FootballSince Denmark likes to trade with the Saudis, football should not be a battleground, believes Denmark's former Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt.
FootballAfter last week's violence in Amsterdam, Paris is on high alert as the French national team takes on Israel. The Gaza war is spilling over into a politically charged football world where power has a hard time setting its foot down. All the ingredients for a high-risk match are there, says author Ekim Çaglar.
FootballCanada's national team captain Bev Priestman approved the drone espionage during the Olympic Games and is now being fired. At the same time, an investigation shows that the former national team captain John Herdman may also have violated the ethical rules of Canada's football association.
FootballAll-Swedish football far into November from 2026 onwards – and a playoff is introduced in Superettan. These proposals are presented by Swedish Elite Football.
FootballThe planning of the Ballon d'Or gala is "outdated" and the flattery with Saudi Arabia is new evidence that no one is listening. Kosovare Asllani is so tired of Uefa and Fifa that she launches an unexpected idea: a new association just for women's football. We have stretched out our hand for 100 years and not seen any greater change.
FootballOver 100 female professional football players have signed an open letter to Fifa with the demand to break the sponsorship agreement with the Saudi oil company Aramco. Otherwise, the players are threatening that "something will happen" ahead of the World Championship 2027.
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