ROME: FIFA President Gianni Infantino issued an appeal for protesters to keep calm ahead of Israel’s upcoming soccer World Cup qualifying matches in Norway and Italy after an agreement was reached with Hamas to a pause in their devastating two-year war.
Pro-Palestinian protesters approached the gates of the Italy squad’s training center in Florence last week to demand that next Tuesday’s Italy-Israel match in Udine isn’t played — part of a national strike that saw millions of activists take to the streets.
“Now everyone should be happy about (the peace plan) and everyone should support the process,” Infantino, who is Swiss Italian, told reporters on the sidelines of a European Football Clubs (EFC) assembly in the Italian capital on Thursday. “Of course this goes beyond football — but includes football as well.”
Israel visit Norway on Saturday before traveling to Italy, where an estimated 10,000 people were planning to protest the match in Udine before the peace talks began.
On Wednesday, though, US President Donald Trump said Israel and Hamas agreed to the “first phase” of his plan to pause fighting and release at least some hostages and prisoners.
UEFA had been considering suspending Israel over the war and Udine Mayor Alberto Felice De Toni had called for the game to be postponed. But with Italy desperately attempting to avoid failing to qualify for a third consecutive World Cup, the four-time champion do not plan to risk not playing.
World Cup visas
The US State Department announced last week that it will increase staffing at certain embassies and consulates to accommodate an expected major jump in visa applications from fans wanting to attend World Cup matches in the United States next year.
The move came amid concerns over the Trump administration’s crackdown on migration and temporary visas that offer permission to enter the US
With Egypt having just joined Iran and Morocco among the teams qualified, and Saudi Arabia one win away, the visa issue could take on greater significance as soon as the World Cup draw in Washington on Dec. 5.
Ticket sales are underway for the tournament, in which Canada and Mexico will also host matches.
“We have excellent discussions with the US government. There is a White House task force chaired by President Trump and all these topics are discussed there,” said Infantino, who has close relations with Trump.
“With all the relevant secretaries of state there will be no issues with regard to visas, obviously for the participating teams and delegations and so on, and we are working on something as well for fans, hopefully some good news will come out very soon,” Infantino added.
Domestic games abroad a ‘big risk’
UEFA this week announced that it would reluctantly not oppose the tradition-busting plans for Barcelona to play a league game in Miami and for AC Milan to play in Australia.
Infantino suggested FIFA should be the only body organizing games across continents.
“We have a structure whereby we have games at national level, at continental level, and then at global level. And this is a structure that made football the No. 1 sport in the world,” Infantino said. “If we want to break this structure, we take a big risk.”
Shifting World Cup calendar
Infantino also addressed the possibility of revising soccer’s world calendar to move big events like the World Cup and European Championship out of the June-July period due to heat concerns.
Heat was already an issue at the Club World Cup in the US this year and FIFA held the 2022 World Cup in Qatar in November-December to avoid the summer heat there. Something similar is expected when neighboring Saudi Arabia hosts the tournament in 2034.
“Obviously we have to look at the calendar, optimize it, see how we can also find formats of competition that perhaps protect a little more the new needs of the calendar,” Infantino said. “The world is spinning and we must always try to improve.”
The 2030 World Cup in Spain, Portugal and Morocco would likely be contested in extreme conditions if kept in June-July.
But any changes would also likely affect domestic and European competitions like the Champions League.
“This should be all the stakeholders involved. We need to analyze and understand. Then we should look at it, definitely,” said EFC president Nassser Al-Khelaifi, who is also the president of Paris Saint-Germain. “Does something need to change? Yes.”
FIFA president Infantino calls on protesters to keep calm at Israel’s soccer games amid peace talks
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FIFA president Infantino calls on protesters to keep calm at Israel’s soccer games amid peace talks
- Pro-Palestinian protesters approached the gates of the Italy squad’s training center in Florence last week to demand that next Tuesday’s Italy-Israel match in Udine isn’t played
- “Now everyone should be happy about (the peace plan) and everyone should support the process,” Infantino told reporters
Timber header earns Arsenal crucial win over Chelsea
- Arsenal moved to 64 points from 29 games with sole chasers Manchester City, who have played a game fewer, on 59
LONDON: Arsenal maintained control of the Premier League title race as they chiselled out a nervy 2-1 win over London rivals Chelsea to open up a five-point lead at the top of the table on Sunday.
Jurrien Timber’s 66th-minute header from a Declan Rice corner ensured Arsenal took three precious points but it was an afternoon of nerves in north London.
It was far from pretty but Mikel Arteta’s side, and the fans who squirmed through the closing minutes, will not care about that as a first title since 2004 edged a little closer.
Arsenal moved to 64 points from 29 games with sole chasers Manchester City, who have played a game fewer, on 59.
Defender William Saliba had given Arsenal the lead in the 21st minute from a trademark corner routine.
But it had looked as though an own goal by Piero Hincapie just before halftime would prove costly for the hosts until Timber came to their rescue.
Chelsea, whose six-match unbeaten league sequence under new manager Liam Rosenior was halted, ended the match with 10 men after Pedro Neto was sent off for a second yellow card.
Arsenal fans will hope that the remaining nine games of the Premier League run-in are less fraught than this one.
CORNER KINGS
It was not a fluent showing as they extended their unbeaten league run against Chelsea to nine games and they had to resort to the tactic that has served them so well this season.
With both their goals coming from corners, Arsenal have now scored 16 times from that route this season in the Premier League, the joint-most by any side in a single campaign.
They were given a taste of their own medicine though with Hincapie’s own goal also coming from a corner.
There were puffed cheeks aplenty too as the referee blew the final whistle after a period of stoppage time that Arsenal spent hanging on against Chelsea’s 10 men.
Last weekend’s drubbing of north London rivals Tottenham Hotspur had eased the mounting pressure after Arsenal’s form had begun to waver in recent weeks.
Sixth-placed Chelsea proved a far sterner test though as they sought to boost their hopes of a top-five finish.
Arsenal got ahead when captain Bukayo Saka’s deep corner was headed back across goal by Gabriel and fellow defender Saliba nodded goalwards with the ball going in off Chelsea’s Mamadou Sarr, although Saliba was credited with the goal.
They looked in control for much of the first half but wobbled before halftime as they fell foul of Chelsea’s own set-piece acumen.
Arsenal keeper David Raya had just made a reflex save to keep out a header by Jorrel Hato but from an almost identical corner swung in by Reece James he was helpless as the ball skimmed off the head of Hincapie and into the net.
The nerves really began to fray in the second half as Chelsea looked the more threatening side with Enzo Fernandez forcing Raya to turn his low shot around the post and then Joao Pedro heading the resulting corner straight at him.
When Rice’s corner left Chelsea keeper Robert Sanchez floundering, Timber was there to restore Arsenal’s lead.
Neto was booked for dissent in the aftermath and three minutes later got himself sent off for a foul on Gabriel Martinelli. Yet Chelsea ended strongly and substitute Alejandro Garnacho almost snatched a point with his cross being clawed out by Raya before Liam Delap poked in from close range but Arsenal were saved by an offside flag.
