Lionel Messi has learned whether he will face a suspension along with an Argentine teammate following the 2026 World Cup.

The 39-year-old was unable to guide his country to back-to-back World Cup titles as La Albiceleste were beaten 1-0 by Spain in the final. That game was marred by controversy, as several Argentina players and staff members got physically and verbally involved with opponents.

FIFA opened an investigation into the chaos that followed the full-time whistle, which Messi stayed well clear of. The greatest footballer of all-time has instead learned whether he’ll be handed a suspension for Inter Miami once he returns from his post-World Cup holiday.

Lionel Messi to Skip MLS All-Star Game

REUTERS/Amanda Perobelli

A rule agreed between FIFA and FIFPRO allows players at least 21 days of rest at the end of any season, including after the World Cup. It means Messi and his clubmate Rodrigo De Paul wouldn’t be able to make an appearance for Inter Miami until August.

The MLS All-Star game, where an XI made of the league’s best players takes on LIGA MX All-Stars, will be played on July 29th at Bank of America Stadium. This will be the third successive All-Star match without Messi.

He missed the 2024 match due to an injury picked up in the Copa America final, before he and Jordi Alba pulled out of the 2025 clash on the day of the fixture. The MLS responded by handing both one-game bans.

However, Messi and De Paul will avoid punishment this year due to their participation in the World Cup final. FIFPro, the global players’ union, established specific player welfare protections. A statement made by the MLS explained:

Messi and De Paul Replacements Decided

REUTERS/Sebastian Castaneda

The MLS had to put forward four replacements as Chicago Fire’s Mbekezeli Mbokazi has been replaced by Philip Zinckernagel of Chicago Fire.

Guilherme, a Houston Dynamo forward, has been drafted in. So have Yannick Bright (Inter Miami) and Andres Cubas (Vancouver Whitecaps). Sebastian Berhalter, who played for the USMNT at the World Cup, is unlikely to participate as he’s moving to Middlesbrough.

EA Sports FC 27 launches worldwide on Friday, September 25, 2026, and pre-orders are already live across all three editions.

Whether early access is the most enticing option, a stack of FC Points or just the base game, here’s exactly what each tier costs and what you get for pre-ordering.

For everything else on the game — release date, cover star and gameplay changes — you can see the latest news here.

EA Sports FC 27 Price

EA Sports

FC 27 comes in three editions: Standard, Ultimate and the limited-time Ultimate Plus, which is only available to pre-order until August 31, 2026.

In terms of pricing, it holds level with FC 26 in most regions, with the Standard Edition sitting at the now-familiar £69.99 / $69.99 mark.

Notably, the Standard and Ultimate covers both feature cover star Kylian Mbappé — and the Standard art is packed with hidden references, which we’ve broken down in our EA Sports FC 27 cover easter eggs guide.

EA Play subscribers and returning FC 26 players can save at least 10 per cent on the Ultimate and Ultimate Plus tiers.

EA Sports FC 27 Pre-Order Bonuses

EA Sports

Every edition includes the full game and all core modes — Career Mode, Clubs, Ultimate Team and the new open-world social hub, The Grounds. The difference is entirely in the bonus content, which scales up sharply the higher you go.

Crucially, the Ultimate Edition’s best pre-order reward is time-gated: pre-order before August 31 for the full package, and the 85+ OVR International ICON drops off after that date. Below is what each tier delivers:

Standard Edition (£69.99/$69.99/$89.99)

The entry point still carries a respectable pre-order haul, weighted towards Career Mode and The Grounds:

• 92+ OVR ICON Player Item for FC 26
• Three ICONs/Heroes in Manager Career
• 5-Star Coach in Manager Career
• 5-Star Youth Scout in Manager Career
• The Grounds Signature Sweatsuit
• Additional The Grounds content

Ultimate Edition (£99.99/$99.99/$129.99)

The Ultimate tier layers early access and FC Points on top of everything above — the sweet spot for Ultimate Team regulars who want a head start:

• 85+ OVR International ICON Player Item (pre-order by August 31)
• 93+ OVR ICON Player Pick for FC 26 Up to seven days early access (from September 18)
• Additional FC 27 Player Evo slot
• Season One Premium Pass
• 6,000 FC Points over three months
• Career and The Grounds content

Ultimate Plus Edition (£139.99/$149.99/$199.99)

The most expensive tier — and a limited-time buy that vanishes after August 31 — bundles the biggest FC Points reward and the exclusive Hall of FUT pick:

• Everything in the Ultimate Edition
• Hall of FUT Player Pick
• Seasons One to Five Premium Passes
• 10,000 FC Points over five months (up from 6,000)
• FC 26 Physical Evo (boosts a player’s physical attributes to 99)

The gap between Standard and Ultimate Plus is significant, so it’s worth weighing how much you’ll lean on Ultimate Team before committing to the top tier.

Tottenham Hotspur have received a potential blow in their bid to sign one of their top transfer targets, after Fabrizio Romano confirmed that Barcelona have opened talks for him.

After two demoralising Premier League campaigns that ended in successive 17th-placed finishes, expectations and excitement are building ahead of the 2026-27 season for Tottenham.

New manager Roberto De Zerbi steered the club to safety last term, and he is now working with club chiefs to ensure they have a squad that will be nowhere near the bottom three again in the upcoming campaign.

Spurs have already added half-a-dozen new faces to their squad before pre-season started, although the Italian has confirmed that he still wants to add more attacking players to his squad ahead of the summer window closing on September 1.

Romano: Barcelona Open Talks to Sign Junior Kroupi

via Reuters

In a brand-new update posted on his official YouTube channel on Monday afternoon, Romano issued an update on Bournemouth striker Eli Junior Kroupi, who is attracting interest from some of the biggest clubs in Europe.

Tottenham are said to be targeting a move for the young French forward even if they land top winger target Savinho from Manchester City, but now they have been joined in the race by Barcelona.

According to the Italian journalist, the Catalan giants have held discussions with both the player’s camp and the Cherries over a move.

He said: “One name to watch in the next weeks of transfer window is Junior Kroupi, the striker from Bournemouth.

“According to my information, Barcelona opened talks with people close to Kroupi and spoke also to Bournemouth about Kroupi as a possibility upfront. So Barcelona took some information and made some calls to understand the situation.

“He’s a player they appreciate. So for sure, the name of Kroupi is a name to keep under consideration for Barcelona. The problem is that this deal is also very complicated because Bournemouth don’t want to sell the player this summer. Bournemouth insist on keeping Kroupi at the club this summer, and so it’s not easy for Barcelona.”

Tottenham Move Into Pole Position to Sign £70m Star

Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Couldridge

Reports on Sunday claimed that Tottenham have now moved to the front of the queue to sign Savinho from City, with negotiations over a deal ‘well advanced’.

Serie A giants AC Milan are also in the race for the Brazil international after failing with an ambitious approach to sign his City teammate Phil Foden, who has since signed a new long-term contract to stay at the Etihad.

City are said to be open to letting Savinho leave the club this summer after rejecting Spurs’ advances 12 months ago, but they want to land their own targets first.

One recent report suggested that the north Londoners have made a £70m offer for the 22-year-old, as they look to land De Zerbi’s number one left-winger target.