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Also known as UEFA, 欧足联, 欧洲足球协会联盟, 欧洲足联
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UEFA's developments this period split into two tracks. On the sporting side, the 2026/27 Champions League league phase draw was held in Monaco, setting the opponents for all 36 teams. On the governance side, the conflict with Infantino escalated sharply, with UEFA filing an evidence request and a lawsuit in U.S. courts to support a potential criminal complaint in Switzerland.
UEFA submitted a 60-page evidence request to a U.S. federal court in Florida and filed a lawsuit in New York, seeking documents on Infantino's abandoned $4.2 billion sale of a 20% stake in FIFA's commercial operations.
UEFA alleges the deal was undervalued and promoted for personal benefit, aiming to use the evidence for a criminal mismanagement and fraud complaint in Switzerland.
The 2026/27 Champions League league phase draw was completed in Monaco, setting eight opponents for each of the 36 teams under the Swiss-style format, with a new rule preventing identical fixtures for three consecutive seasons.
Earlier recaps
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UEFA intensified its pressure on FIFA President Gianni Infantino this period, coordinating with the AFC and CONCACAF to push for his removal. This move follows the governance crisis triggered by Infantino's secret World Cup commercial rights sale plan, with the confederations proposing a rotating, ceremonial presidency. A meeting between CAF's Motsepe and UEFA's Čeferin signals a potential shift in support.
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FIFA's internal turmoil deepened this period as Chief Operating Officer Kevin Lamour left the organization after publicly criticizing President Gianni Infantino's $20 billion plan to sell World Cup profit stakes. Lamour accused Infantino of deceiving and intimidating staff, and the plan had already been withdrawn following backlash from UEFA and other confederations. This high-level departure extends the FIFA divisions exposed in the previous period by European associations withdrawing support for Infantino's re-election, though UEFA itself again saw no direct developments in its own operations or competitions.
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Only one development indirectly related to UEFA occurred this period: multiple European football associations publicly withdrew support for FIFA President Gianni Infantino's re-election, exposing a deep split within FIFA ahead of the 2027 election. While UEFA itself was not directly involved in the revolt, the stance of member associations such as England, Wales, and Ireland extends the previously noted tensions between UEFA and FIFA. No direct developments regarding UEFA's own operations or competitions emerged.
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Only one development occurred this period: Paris Saint-Germain defeated Aston Villa 2-1 in Salzburg to retain the UEFA Super Cup. The match proceeded routinely, but the appointment of Somali referee Omar Artan—barred by FIFA from the 2026 World Cup—added a footnote to the ongoing tensions between UEFA and FIFA. No new developments emerged regarding the previously disclosed leadership investigation.
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Only one new development emerged this period, but it is significant: FIFA President Infantino is accused of an improper relationship during his time at UEFA, along with UEFA payments for severance and education. Infantino denies the allegations, and UEFA has announced an internal investigation. This further deepens the pre-existing leadership crisis.
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UEFA has escalated its conflict with FIFA President Gianni Infantino by submitting a 60-page evidence request to a U.S. federal court in Florida and filing a lawsuit in New York. The legal actions seek documents related to Infantino’s abandoned plan to sell a 20% stake in FIFA’s commercial operations to Thrive Eternal for $4.2 billion, which UEFA alleges was undervalued and promoted for personal benefit. UEFA aims to use the evidence for a potential criminal complaint in Switzerland, accusing Infantino of criminal mismanagement and fraud.
On August 27-28, 2026, the UEFA Champions League draw ceremony in Monaco determined the eight league-phase opponents for top European clubs including Real Madrid, Inter Milan, Arsenal, Bayern Munich, and Borussia Dortmund. The new format pits teams from four pots against each other in home-and-away matches. Reactions from fans and media ranged from relief to concern over challenging fixtures, highlighting the competitive landscape of the upcoming season.
Kevin Lamour, FIFA's Chief Operating Officer, left the organization on August 17, 2026, after publicly criticizing President Gianni Infantino's $20 billion plan to sell World Cup profit stakes to private investors. Lamour accused Infantino of deceiving and intimidating staff. The plan was withdrawn after backlash from UEFA and other confederations. Lamour's departure deepens internal turmoil as Infantino faces growing opposition ahead of his reelection bid.
The 2026/27 UEFA Champions League league phase draw took place on August 27-28, 2026, in Monaco, confirming opponents for all 36 teams under the Swiss-style format. Each team will play eight matches (four home, four away) against two opponents from each of four seeding pots, with country protection and a new restriction preventing identical fixtures for three consecutive seasons. Defending champion PSG leads Pot 1 alongside Bayern, Real Madrid, Liverpool, and others. The competition runs from September 2026 to the final on June 5, 2027, at Madrid’s Metropolitano Stadium.
Multiple football confederations—UEFA, AFC, and CONCACAF—are coordinating to remove FIFA President Gianni Infantino after his secret plan to sell 20% of World Cup commercial rights for $4.1 billion sparked a governance crisis. They propose a rotating, ceremonial presidency and threaten boycotts or a no-confidence vote. CAF’s Motsepe met with UEFA’s Čeferin, signaling shifting support. Infantino retains backing from some African and Arab associations, but faces unprecedented opposition ahead of the March 2027 election.
Multiple national football associations, including Wales, England, and Ireland, have withdrawn support for FIFA President Gianni Infantino’s re-election, citing failures in governance, transparency, and leadership. The revolt follows a failed plan to sell World Cup stakes to private investors. Meanwhile, six Arab federations and some African/South American blocs back Infantino, revealing a deep split within FIFA’s membership ahead of the 2027 election.
Paris Saint-Germain defeated Aston Villa 2-1 in the UEFA Super Cup on August 12-13, 2026, at Red Bull Arena in Salzburg, Austria. Goals from Kvaratskhelia and Doué secured PSG’s second consecutive title. The match was notable for Somali referee Omar Artan, appointed amid UEFA-FIFA tensions after being barred from the 2026 World Cup. Aston Villa missed key players due to World Cup recovery and transfers.
UEFA has publicly lost confidence in FIFA President Gianni Infantino after a controversial plan to sell a 20% stake in FIFA’s commercial rights to private investors, including ties to Donald Trump’s family, was abandoned. UEFA threatened a World Cup boycott and called for governance reforms. Nasser Al-Khelaifi, PSG president and UEFA executive, was touted as a challenger for the March 2027 FIFA election but denied any interest. At least 20 FIFA member associations are reconsidering support for Infantino, deepening the leadership crisis.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino faces allegations of an extramarital relationship with a female subordinate during his tenure as UEFA General Secretary. UEFA reportedly paid her a six-figure severance and funded her MBA after she left in 2011, following an ultimatum from then-UEFA President Michel Platini. Infantino denies misconduct, calling claims defamatory. UEFA will launch an internal investigation into the payments, which occurred before current President Aleksander Čeferin’s term.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino proposes creating FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), a $20 billion subsidiary to manage World Cup and Club World Cup commercial rights, selling minority stakes to private investors like Joshua Kushner's Thrive Eternal, with JPMorgan advising. The plan, reportedly worth over $4 billion, could expand the World Cup beyond 48 teams and increase tournament frequency. UEFA issued a fiery statement condemning the move, arguing football governance is not a commodity and warning of lost transparency and integrity. The rift highlights a major clash over football's future commercialization.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino is reportedly planning to sell a 20-30% minority stake in a new commercial entity valued at $20 billion, which would control the World Cup and Club World Cup. Private investors, including Joshua Kushner and JPMorgan, are involved, with figures close to the Trump administration consulted. The plan could earn Infantino tens of millions and a potential $64 million annual salary as commissioner after his term ends in 2031. UEFA has strongly condemned the move, warning it threatens football governance.
FIFA President Gianfilippo Infantino’s secret plan to sell minority stakes in World Cup commercial rights to private investors, including Jared Kushner’s brother, has triggered a major crisis. UEFA and other football bodies condemn the move as a “money-grab” and “existential threat,” with UEFA considering a boycott of FIFA competitions. The plan, backed by a 19 September deadline for member associations, risks reshaping football governance and player welfare.
Eleven U.S. cities that hosted 2026 FIFA World Cup matches are demanding $1 million each in promised but unpaid legacy contributions from FIFA. FIFA President Gianni Infantino verbally assured host city executives the payments would be made for building mini-pitches and social projects, but no funds have been delivered. Host committees are winding down operations, complicating recovery. FIFA declined to comment. The dispute adds pressure on Infantino amid backlash from UEFA over a collapsed plan to sell FIFA competition stakes. U.S. taxpayers contributed billions to tournament costs while FIFA retained most revenue.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino proposes selling up to 21% of a new commercial entity, FIFA Forward Enterprises (FFE), valued at $20 billion, to private investors led by Joshua Kushner. The plan would commercialize rights to the men's and women's World Cups and Club World Cup. UEFA and its 55 member associations, along with the Premier League and European Leagues, strongly oppose the move, calling it a "reckless" commodification of football. UEFA has convened an emergency meeting, and European nations have agreed to boycott future World Cups, citing governance concerns and potential EU competition law violations.
FIFA has appointed Slovenian referee Slavko Vincic to officiate the 2026 World Cup final between Spain and Argentina at MetLife Stadium on July 19. The 46-year-old, assisted by fellow Slovenians, has officiated high-profile matches including the 2024 Champions League final. Controversy surrounds his selection due to a 2020 arrest in Bosnia during a raid on an adult party involving drugs and prostitution, though he was not charged. Spanish media have also criticized his recent performance.
FC Thun, a Swiss football club from the Bernese Oberland region, has learned its next opponent in the 2024-25 UEFA Europa League qualifying campaign. The team will face Icelandic champions Vikingur Reykjavik in the third qualifying round. The match is a crucial step for both clubs as they vie for a spot in the group stage of Europe's second-tier club competition. Vikingur Reykjavik, the reigning champions of Iceland, present a challenging opponent for Thun, who will need to overcome the Icelandic side to advance further in the tournament.
Olympique Lyonnais, fourth in Ligue 1, will learn their UEFA Champions League third preliminary round opponents on July 20, 2026. As a seeded team, they could face Union Saint-Gilloise (Belgium), Sparta Prague (Czech Republic), NEC Nijmegen (Netherlands), or the winner of Sturm Graz vs. Heart of Midlothian. First legs are August 4-5, return legs August 11. Lyon is in preseason training in Bavaria and recently lost 0-2 to Slavia Prague.
The second qualifying round of the UEFA Champions League concluded on July 30, setting the stage for the third qualifying round to begin next week. Ten matchups have already been determined through a previous draw, including notable ties such as Dinamo Zagreb vs FK Žalgiris, Slovan Bratislava vs Mjällby, and Hapoel Be'er Sheva vs Red Star Belgrade in the Champions Path. In the League Path, Olympiacos faces NEC Nijmegen, Union Saint-Gilloise takes on Bodø/Glimt, Fenerbahçe meets Sturm Graz, and Sparta Prague hosts Lyon. All remaining European fixtures for the third qualifying round and the final playoff round will be decided in a draw scheduled for August 3. The article provides a comprehensive list of matchups sourced from UEFA's official website.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino's reform project, FIFA Forward Enterprise, which aims to centralize commercial rights of major competitions, has gained its first European supporter. David Trunda, President of the Czech Football Federation since last year, publicly endorsed the initiative in an interview with Sky News, citing pragmatic benefits for Czech football development. He emphasized cooperation with FIFA has been positive for European football. This comes as UEFA continues to criticize the project and consider its response. Trunda noted UEFA remains a very important partner but highlighted the potential opportunities. The Czech Federation's executive committee will officially review the proposal on August 11.
Rapid Vienna (the Green-Whites) secured a commanding 6-2 victory over Andorran side FC Santa Coloma in a European qualifying round, thanks to a hat-trick from forward Kara. The win propels the Hütteldorf-based team into the next qualifying round, where they will face the winner of the tie between Estonian club Paide Linnameeskond and Azerbaijani side PFC Zira. The match was a goal fest, with Rapid Vienna dominating from start to finish.
Olympique Lyonnais (OL) concludes its friendly match campaign on July 29, 2026, against Real Betis Seville in Cadiz, Spain, ahead of their Champions League third preliminary round against Sparta Prague. The match kicks off at 8:00 PM and is covered live by RMC Sport. Separately, the article discusses how a potential transfer of former OL player Bradley Barcola from PSG could benefit OL's finances, despite OL not having a sell-on clause, as they would receive 5% of the transfer fee. Additionally, Belgian striker Loïs Openda has joined OL on a season-long loan from Juventus Turin for the 2026-2027 season for a fee of 3.5 million euros. The page also highlights top stories including Zinedine Zidane's first press conference as France national team coach and a UEFA emergency meeting over FIFA's proposed sale of shares.
The article reports that Benfica's last home victory against Swiss club Zurich occurred 44 years ago, on December 12, 1982, when Benfica thrashed Zurich 4-0. The piece highlights this historical fact, noting the long gap since that win, and includes a photo from the 1982 match. The article is published by Record Portugal on July 28, 2026, and is written by editor Nuno Martins.
André Narciso has been named the referee for the Portuguese Super Cup final between FC Porto and Torreense, scheduled to take place in Coimbra. The announcement was made by Record Portugal. The article also includes brief updates on other refereeing stories: leaked audios involving Liga Portugal president Pedro Proença, UEFA federations agreeing on refereeing changes to speed up match restarts and reduce delays, and Portuguese referee João Pinheiro downplaying a tense moment with Lionel Messi during the 2026 World Cup, with IFAB clarifying the rule used.
In a tense World Cup quarterfinal on July 12, Argentina defeated Switzerland. Swiss forward Breel Embolo was sent off in the 71st minute after receiving a second yellow card for diving, following earlier incidents including a yellow card for a foul on Paredes. Argentine goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez made crucial saves, including denying Embolo and Xhaka. Paredes also suffered an injury from consecutive blocks, temporarily halting the match.
Chief refereeing officers from all 55 European national football associations, along with Uefa and IFAB representatives, met to address the use of Video Assistant Referees (VAR). They agreed that VAR should only be used to correct 'blatantly incorrect' decisions or clear missed incidents, returning to the original philosophy of 'minimum interference, maximum benefit' established in 2018. The officials criticized 'lengthy, microscoping reviews' as a sign that the on-field decision was not clearly wrong. The meeting also clarified the 'mistaken identity' rule for cautions and red cards, and expressed unanimous support for recent rule changes to reduce delays, including time limits on goal-kicks, throw-ins, and substitutions.
Chief refereeing officers from all 55 European national football associations, along with Uefa and IFAB representatives, have agreed that VAR should only be used to correct 'blatantly incorrect' decisions or clear missed incidents, returning to its original 'minimum interference - maximum benefit' philosophy. The meeting criticized 'lengthy, microscoping reviews' as a sign that the on-field decision was not clearly wrong. Officials also clarified the 'mistaken identity' rule, limiting VAR's role in reviewing cautions to identifying the correct player, not altering the offence. Additionally, there was unanimous support for new rules to reduce delays, including time limits on goal-kicks, throw-ins, and substitutions. BBC analyst Simon Stone notes that while the intent is positive, the subjective nature of 'clear and obvious' will likely continue to fuel debate.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz (70, CDU) is reportedly bringing former German women's national team player Nadine Keßler (38) into his government as State Minister for Sports and Voluntary Work, according to Handelsblatt. Keßler, a former FIFA World Player of the Year (2014) and European champion (2013), would succeed Christiane Schenderlein, who is moving to the Federal Ministry of Health. Keßler has worked as UEFA Director for Women's Football since 2017 after ending her playing career early due to knee injuries. The appointment has not yet been officially confirmed by Merz, UEFA, or the federal government, which stated the new appointment will be announced 'promptly and quickly'. Keßler previously declined speculation about succeeding Oliver Bierhoff at the German Football Association in 2023.
This article from Record Portugal covers multiple stories from the UEFA Champions League qualifying rounds as of July 28, 2026. The main headline reports that Manuel Tulipa's Ararat-Armenia is close to advancing to the next phase after the 2nd leg of the 2nd qualifying round. A separate story highlights Sturm Graz thrashing Hearts, leaving the tie practically resolved, with the loser dropping to the Europa League where they could face Benfica if Benfica overcomes St. Gallen. Additionally, Lithuanian club FK Kauno Zalgiris is forced to play their Champions League match at a borrowed stadium due to a Pitbull concert. Finally, Portuguese coach Filipe Coelho has qualified Universitatea Craiova for the Champions League after a 1-0 win over Vitebsk in the 1st qualifying round.
USMNT forward Folarin Balogun received a controversial red card in a World Cup Round of 32 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina, initially triggering a one-match suspension that would sideline him for the Round of 16 against Belgium. After former President Donald Trump publicly thanked FIFA for overturning the ban, FIFA deferred Balogun's suspension for one year, allowing him to play. The decision sparked backlash from Belgium’s coach and football associations, raising questions about political interference in sports governance.
UEFA has officially announced that the draw for the league phase of the 2026-2027 Champions League will take place on Thursday, August 27. The draw will determine the matchups for the 36 qualified teams in the most prestigious European club competition. Currently, the final tickets for the league phase are being contested through the Champions League playoffs, with return legs scheduled for August 25 and 26. Once these qualifiers are complete, all participants for the 2026-2027 season will be confirmed and the draw will proceed. The article, published by Foot Mercato on July 26, 2026, provides this key scheduling information ahead of the new continental campaign.