UEFA, CONCACAF and the AFC have come together to release an extraordinary joint statement, just days after FIFA held a crisis meeting in Morocco.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino has come under fire in recent weeks after attempting to sell stakes in their major cup competitions, including the World Cup, to private investors. He did a U-turn on those plans after serious backlash.

Senior executives at FIFA held a meeting in Rabat, Morocco, recently to discuss the fallout of the failed plans and how to proceed.

In the meeting, FIFA’s senior executives reaffirmed their support for Infantino. Infantino also reiterated his full support for the FIFA Secretary General and the FIFA Administration. They also said they would no longer tolerate any attacks on its integrity and stressed that everything done was in compliance with FIFA rules.

UEFA, CONCACAF and AFC Hit Out at FIFA

REUTERS/Annegret Hilse

UEFA, CONCACAF and AFC all condemned FIFA for their proposal and have now penned an open letter to ‘the football family’ criticising the organisation’s leadership. It started:

“The growth over the past decade has been real. But that progress was never the work of one individual. It was the product of FIFA, the Confederations, the Member Associations, and the thousands of people who dedicate their lives to the game.

“The expanded tournaments, the awarding of the 2030 and 2034 FIFA World Cups, the distribution of resources to associations. These were shared achievements, agreed together, delivered together.

“This is not about money. The Confederations have already called for the responsible distribution of FIFA’s vast existing reserves to further strengthen investment in the development of Member Associations.

“Nor is it about any Member Association losing the support it has earned, despite the fearmongering directed at our membership to suggest otherwise. Nor is it about revisiting the expansion of competitions, World Cup allocations, or any other decisions reached collectively. Those decisions were made together, and they must stand.

“This is about something more fundamental: the integrity of the game, and the integrity of those elected to lead it.

While FIFA said they made mistakes in their plans to sell off stakes in their competitions, UEFA, CONCACAF and AFC have criticised them for not admitting that ‘the proposal itself was inherently wrong.’

FIFA’s Crisis Meeting Comes Into Question

REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein

UEFA, CONCACAF and AFC have also hit out at FIFA for not allowing FIFA council members of Member Associations to participate in the crisis meeting. They added:

“FIFA’s own letter also confirms that only one elected official was present at the leadership meeting in Morocco. No FIFA Council members or Member Associations were invited to participate. Only the management committee, composed of FIFA-employed senior staff, was present.

“There is silence where there should be accountability, distance where there should be openness.

“These are not the qualities football deserves in its leadership. That is why we have taken this stance: not lightly and not alone, but together, and out of duty to the game we serve.

“Football’s strength has always been its unity. We call for that unity to be honoured now, for leadership that serves football, not seeks to command it.”

Per GiveMeSport’s Senior Football Correspondent Ben Jacobs, the three federations want Gianni Infantino to resign, while a boycott of FIFA competitions is still possible. He added that the three confederations have begun preliminary discussions about the possibility of organising competitions among themselves to ensure players have opportunities to compete while a resolution is found.

The 2026-27 Premier League season is close to getting underway and the race for the Golden Boot award promises to be as competitive as ever.

Manchester City’s Erling Haaland secured his third Premier League Golden Boot last season after netting 27 goals. The prolific Norwegian striker fended off competition from Brentford’s Igor Thiago (22 goals) to win the coveted individual accolade for the third time.

Now Pep Guardiola has left Man City, can Haaland win the Golden Boot for the fourth time, or will someone else finish top the charts instead?

Liverpool legend Mohamed Salah, a four-time Golden Boot winner, has now departed the Premier League, meaning Haaland’s run could even more straightforward this term.

ChatGPT has crunched the numbers and revealed how the Premier League top scorer charts may look at the end of the upcoming season. Let’s take a closer look…

20. Callum Wilson (Brentford). Predicted Goals: 10

REUTERS/Hannah Mckay

Callum Wilson has signed a one-year deal with Brentford after leaving relegated West Ham and will provide competition for Igor Thiago upfront. The former England international turns 35 in February and 10 goals would be a very solid return.

19. Florian Wirtz (Liverpool). Predicted Goals: 10

REUTERS/Phil Noble

Far more was expected of Florian Wirtz during his debut campaign at Liverpool, but the German playmaker will be determined to justify his enormous £116 million transfer fee during his second season at Anfield.

18. Jeremy Doku (Manchester City). Predicted Goals: 10

One of the world’s best wingers on his day, Jeremy Doku scored five Premier League goals for Manchester City last term. ChatGPT has backed the Belgian to double his tally this season.

17. Danny Welbeck (Chelsea). Predicted Goals: 10

Chelsea’s Danny Welbeck via REUTERS/Tyrone Siu

Danny Welbeck secured an unexpected move to Chelsea this summer and has been tipped to deliver 10 Premier League goals in his first season at Stamford Bridge. The 35-year-old netted 13 league goals for Brighton last term.

16. Dominic Calvert-Lewin (Leeds United). Predicted Goals: 11

Dominic Calvert-Lewin enjoyed an impressive first season with Leeds United, scoring 14 goals in 35 appearances. The England international has been backed to hit double figures again in 2026-27.

15. Rayan Cherki (Manchester City). Predicted Goals: 12

AI believes Rayan Cherki could finish the season with 18 Premier League goals this term if the French forward starts every week for Manchester City. However, the final figure stands at 12 predicted goals, due to the fact he’ll continue to face stiff competition for a starting berth.

14. Dominik Szoboszlai (Liverpool). Predicted Goals: 12

Dominik Szoboszlai hasn’t come close to registering double figures for Premier League goals in a single season to date. The Hungarian scored three in his first season, six in his second, and six in his third. The free-kick maestro is backed to double that tally this year.

13. Morgan Rogers (Chelsea). Predicted Goals: 13

REUTERS/Mike Segar

Morgan Rogers will be under pressure to hit the ground running at Chelsea following his £117 million transfer from Aston Villa, which made him the most expensive British player ever. The England international bagged 10 Premier League goals last time out.

12. Benjamin Sesko (Manchester United). Predicted Goals: 14

Action Images via Reuters/Jason Cairnduff

Manchester United fans saw glimpses of Benjamin Sesko at his best last season but more will be expected from the 23-year-old striker during the 2026-27 campaign. The Slovenian, who registered 11 league goals in 2025-26, has all the attributes required to become an elite Premier League centre-forward.

11. Hugo Ekitike (Liverpool). Predicted Goals: 14

Considering Hugo Ekitike won’t be back in action until November at the earliest, a 14-goal return feels very optimistic. The France international impressed during his debut campaign in England, scoring 11 goals in 28 games.

10. Cole Palmer (Chelsea). Predicted Goals: 14

Cole Palmer’s performance levels dipped last season but new Chelsea boss Xabi Alonso will be desperate to get the most out of the gifted England international. Palmer netted 22 Premier League goals in 2023-24 but has been tipped to register 14 this season.

9. Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United). Predicted Goals: 15

Bruno Fernandes has only ever scored 15 or more goals in one of his seven seasons at Manchester United. That was during the 2020-21 campaign, when he hit the net 18 times. The 31-year-old was more focused on setting up his teammates last term, breaking the record for most assists in a single Premier League season (21).

8. Bukayo Saka (Arsenal). Predicted Goals: 16

The Premier League goals have dried up a little for Bukayo Saka in the past two seasons, but ChatGPT believes the Arsenal winger can net 16 this year – which would equal his best return, set during the 2023-24 campaign.

7. Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa). Predicted Goals: 16

Ollie Watkins has scored 16 Premier League goals in his last two season with Aston Villa and is backed to make it three years on the bounce with the same tally.

6. Joao Pedro (Chelsea). Predicted Goals: 17

Joao Pedro was unfortunate to miss out on a place in Brazil’s 2026 World Cup squad after scoring 15 Premier League goals for Chelsea. The South American is on course to end his second season with the Blues on 17 goals, according to ChatGPT.

5. Viktor Gyokeres (Arsenal). Predicted Goals: 18

Viktor Gyokeres scored 14 goals in 36 Premier League appearances during his first season at Arsenal – a solid enough return, but many fans thought he’d be cracking the 20-mark. ChatGPT reckons the Sweden international will get closer to that tally this season.

4. Igor Thiago (Brentford). Predicted Goals: 19

Scoring 22 goals for Brentford last season was a stunning achievement. Nineteen goals would still be an excellent return for Brazil international Igor Thiago.

3. Antoine Semenyo (Manchester City). Predicted Goals: 20

REUTERS/Kim Soo-Hyeon

Antoine Semenyo scored a combined 17 Premier League goals for Bournemouth and Manchester City last season. He’s looked impressive in pre-season and is tipped to hit 20 goals in his first full campaign at the Etihad Stadium.

2. Alexander Isak (Liverpool). Predicted Goals: 24

Reuters/Jason Cairnduff

A combination of injuries and poor form meant Alexander Isak only managed to score three goals in 14 Premier League appearances last term following his £125 million move from Newcastle United. The Sweden international will be determined to prove he *was* worth the money as he begins his second term at Anfield.

1. Erling Haaland (Manchester City). Predicted Goals: 28

It’s that man again. It would be a huge shock if Haaland isn’t in serious contention for the 2026-27 Premier League Golden Boot award come the final months of the season. He’s arguably the best in the business right now and is clearly the safe bet for anyone tempted to have a flutter.