The World Cup is as big as it gets in football. That was obvious by the passion on display this summer as Spain went all the way, beating Argentina 1-0 in the 2026 final.

Even before the tournament begins, there is great debate over which players will be called up, and who will be left behind. England manager Thomas Tuchel made plenty of headlines with his selection, leaving behind some huge stars.

The absence of players like Harry Maguire, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Phil Foden, Cole Palmer and others certainly sparked a strong response. Maguire’s mother even went on social media to say she was ‘absolutely disgusted’ by the omission.

Chelsea star Palmer has now spoken about how he has dealt with the rejection, explaining his experience of watching England from afar this summer.

Palmer Reflects on World Cup Experience After Tuchel Left Him at Home

One issue fans had to deal with when watching games from the United Kingdom was the time difference. Indeed, some matches were played at the dead of night. This was a big issue for England supporters when their Last 16 match against Mexico started at 2am (GMT), having been pushed back an hour due to storms.

It turned out to be a thrilling encounter, with the Three Lions winning 3-2 thanks to a brace from Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane’s penalty, with Jarell Quansah’s second-half red card adding to the drama. Despite all the excitement, Palmer has revealed to the press that he fell asleep during the game:

When asked if he watched the Mexico game, he admitted:

Palmer Motivated After World Cup Snubs Leads to ‘Strange’ Summer

All in all, it sounds like Palmer had a bit of a sleepy summer, with Premier League action with Chelsea finishing back on 24 May, almost 10 weeks ago. With no World Cup call-up, he’s been able to take a lengthy break but has admitted to getting tired of his time off.

Having competed at the Club World Cup, the European Championship and the European Under-21 Championship in each of the three summers since turning professional, this was the first time he got a proper end-of-season break. The midfielder said he went to Marbella with his family but found the experience “strange” at first, admitting he “got bored after six weeks” and was eager to return.

“I never thought I’d think that. I was checking when I was back in [for pre-season at Chelsea],” he noted.

He also was asked if missing the World Cup would provide extra motivation this season. Palmer replied: “Yes, naturally it’s going to. It’s like anything. If someone tells you you’re essentially not good enough to get in the squad, then you’re going to think, ‘All right then, I’m going to try to go that extra bit harder’.”

The 24-year-old scored 11 goals and claimed three assists for the Blues in 34 games across all competitions.

CONCACAF, the governing body for football in North, Central America and the Caribbean, has issued a statement following Gianni Infantino’s bombshell plan to sell stakes in the World Cup.

The FIFA president has faced swift and widespread backlash, with UEFA among those most passionate in raising concerns over the governance and monopolisation of the game. On Saturday morning, European football’s governing body declared it had lost confidence in Infantino following a series of public criticisms.

Several countries have also agreed to boycott future FIFA competitions, while Infantino has since made a sudden U-turn on his money-grabbing plans. After a wave of statements from across the football world, CONCACAF has now addressed the situation.

CONCACAF Issues Statement Amid Gianni Infantino’s Demise

REUTERS/ Lee smith

The American football body has, as expected, added to the pressure Infantino now faces as the sport’s leading figure. “Concacaf and its 41 Member Associations welcome the withdrawal of the proposed FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE),” a statement read on Saturday evening.

It added: “A proposal of this magnitude does not reach that stage by accident. It is a symptom of leadership that has stopped putting football first. This recent unilateral and egregious act of poor governance and leadership follows a pattern of missteps and similar behaviour. A full review of this leadership must now take place.

“This concern is not Concacaf’s alone. It is shared across many confederations, Member Associations and those who serve and love the game. When people entrusted with protecting the game conclude they can no longer do so from within, the football family is entitled to ask how such a proposal was allowed to proceed, and who bears responsibility for it. FIFA is not a private enterprise. It is a body held in trust for the game and its members.

“Those appointed to serve it carry a fiduciary duty, a duty of service over power. Where that duty is not upheld, accountability cannot be optional. As mandated by our Member Associations, Concacaf’s FIFA Council members will engage directly, and through the FIFA Council, to ensure that questions of governance, accountability and leadership are addressed properly through the institutions and procedures established under the FIFA Statutes.

“They will also work within that same framework to determine how existing vast reserves can be dispersed to our membership via the FIFA Forward funding for football development across our region, without compromising our shared future. We are all simple custodians, serving a game that belongs to us all. The unity demonstrated by our Member Associations this week has reaffirmed that when guided by courage, integrity, and sound governance the game will remain where it belongs: in the hands of football – not a single individual.”

Infantino’s Time As FIFA Chief Is Evaporating

REUTERS/Asanka Brendon Ratnayake

While Infantino looked set to win March’s FIFA election by a landslide – partly because of the financial success of the World Cup, and largely due to the fact he has had no serious rival candidate – the 56-year-old now appears to be on increasingly shaky ground when it comes to his future in football.

That’s because countries are beginning to realise the damage he is doing and the unethical vision he has for football’s short- and long-term future. Now, UEFA top dog Aleksander Ceferin is encouraging nations to withdraw their vote of confidence in Infantino, while exploring potential challengers, so support can instead be thrown behind an alternative candidate.

As high as he climbed this summer, he could come crashing down even quicker. His close relationship with Donald Trump drew widespread mockery and criticism, but his vision for the working-class game could prove to be the final nail in the coffin. The tide appears to be turning, and the walls are beginning to close in on the FIFA president – someone Gary Lineker predicted would be no better than his disgraced predecessor, Sepp Blatter, in 2016.

Everton have agreed a deal with Arsenal to sign midfielder Christian Norgaard, according to David Ornstein.

The Toffees have already bolstered their midfield this summer with the arrival of Hayden Hackney, and making Merlin Rohl’s loan move permanent too. But the club have lost the experience of influential star Idrissa Gana Gueye, who departed at the end of his contract.

David Moyes has been keen to make additions to the squad this summer in order to climb up the Premier League table, and the club have now moved swiftly to agree a deal for the Danish star.

Everton Agree Norgaard Deal With Arsenal

Norgaard, who won the Premier League title with Arsenal last season, joined the club from Brentford last summer but struggled to make a major impact, making just seven appearances in the top-flight and 20 in all competitions, including just seven starts.

Arsenal have now made a big-money move to bring in Newcastle captain Bruno Guimaraes, with a verbal agreement worth £77m reached, and Everton have swooped to bring in the 32-year-old from the Emirates Stadium now.

The two clubs have agreed a deal worth around £7m, and the player has agreed to make the move to Merseyside after just one year in north London.

The player is now set to undergo a medical next week ahead of the proposed move to the Hill Dickinson Stadium, and the deal is in the final stages of being formalised.

Norgaard has got huge experience in the Premier League, having been a regular for Brentford prior to his move to Arsenal, and will be seen as the natural replacement for Gueye both positionally and as a leader within the squad.