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Wales Become First Nation to Officially Withdraw Support For FIFA President Infantino

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A UEFA nation has become the first country to officially withdraw their support for FIFA president Gianni Infantino following his controversial World Cup plans.

Infantino’s plans to sell off stakes in the governing body’s competitions to private investors sparked widespread outrage.

UEFA threatened to boycott the plans if they went ahead, while CONCACAF and the AFC also made their opposition clear.

With opposition mounting and very little backing, Infantino and FIFA made the decision to shelve their plans. However, despite his decision to not go ahead with the plans, the 56-year-old has now lost the support of many.

Nation Issue Statement Withdrawing Support For Gianni Infantino

FIFA President Gianni Infantino REUTERS/Asanka Brendon Ratnayake

It was revealed during the World Cup that ‘more than 200 FIFA nations’ sent letters of support for Infantino for re-election as the body’s president.

According to the Guardian, only a handful of FIFA’s 211 member associations did not declare their support for the 56-year-old. Former Premier League footballer Jan Aage Fjørtoft has claimed that Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and Germany are among the nations that did not sign the letter.

Wales did send a letter of support. However, following his failed World Cup plans, they have now made a U-turn.

The Football Association of Wales told Sky News it: “Hereby confirms its withdrawal of support for the candidature of Mr Gianni Infantino, for re-election as FIFA President for the 2027-2031 term.

“The recent failures in good governance, processes, leadership, values, stakeholder management, communications and sound judgement have led us to a position where Mr Infantino has lost the confidence of the FAW to remain at the helm of world football. Failing to put the best interests of football first is a failure we cannot accept.”

The Wales FA are believed to have written to FIFA about its position on its chief.

Their withdrawal of support comes a day after they posted a statement backing UEFA’s calls for a review of the Leadership and Governance of FIFA.

“FIFA and its members are custodians of the game, responsible for its long-term growth, development and sustainability. This requires leadership that puts our game first in all of our decisions,” they wrote.

Andy Burnham Calls on Gianni Infantino to Resign

The Mayor of Manchester, Andy Burnham after the match Action Images via Reuters/Carl Recine

The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Andy Burnham, has called on Infantino to resign. He told GiveMeSport: “Just because of the direction FIFA has gone under his leadership and the plan to sell off the World Cup to investors really just cements the feeling that he’s not leading the organisation in the right direction and therefore not taking the game on the right path.

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“So it’s a feeling I’ve had for a while and it’s clearly not a sustainable situation. When UEFA and CONCACAF can’t have confidence, that is a large chunk of world football saying that this is not acceptable.

“I had some concerns about the 2022 World Cup, on the pitch and all the rest of it. It didn’t feel right. It hasn’t felt right. And after everything that FIFA have been through before, I was prepared to give his [Infantino’s] era the benefit of the doubt, and I did give it the benefit of the doubt until this point.”

He added: “My perspective is that football needs to be protected from being completely overtaken by commercial interests.

“At the end of the day it is about the joy of the sport, using the power of football to redistribute as much as possible back to the grassroots of the sport. It feels as though people have forgotten that at the top of the game and they see it as yet another vehicle to make money. If football becomes that, and is only that, then it kills the thing that we’ve all grown up loving.”

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Roc Nation Sports International announce signing of Karim Coulibaly

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Roc Nation Sports International has announced that they have signed a deal to represent German youngster Karim Coulibaly.

The young defender enjoyed a fantastic breakout campaign in the Bundesliga in the 2025/26 season, making 27 appearances for Werder Bremen, and he has now developed a reputation as one of the best young defenders in Europe, and one of the most exciting talents in world football.

The talented teenager’s commanding performances earned him a place in the prestigious Golden Boy Top 50 list, highlighting his status as one of the elite young prospects globally, and he has now been added to the star-studded roster of Roc Nation Sports International talent.

Roc Nation Sign Coulibaly

Karim Coulibaly (1) Credit: Roc Nation Sports International

Coulibaly established himself as one of the top prospects around in March 2026, when despite being aged 18, he made his debut for the Germany Under 21 international team.

Now he has joined the Roc Nation roster alongside the likes of Real Madrid superstar Vinicius Jr, Crystal Palace defender Chris Richards, and RB Leipzig sensation Yan Diomande, and revealed that he felt it was the perfect time to make that move.

“Joining Roc Nation Sports International is a massive milestone in my journey,” he said.

“I want to make an impact on the pitch, but I also want to build something meaningful off it, pursue my passions, and establish a legacy.

“With the global reach and influence of Roc Nation Sports International, I know I have the perfect partner to help me achieve my dreams, protect my interests, and build my brand on a global stage.”

Nathan Campbell, Head of Global Football Recruitment at RNSI, said Karim’s character perfectly aligns with the DNA of Roc Nation Sports International.

“Karim represents the pinnacle of the next generation of modern defenders,” he said.

“A left-sided centre-back with his raw physical attributes, composure under pressure, and elite tactical intelligence is incredibly rare. There is a reason he is a Golden Boy nominee and already a key part of the German age-group setup.

“But more than his extraordinary talent, Karim’s character perfectly aligns with what we look for. We are not a transactional agency. We are fully committed to elevating Karim’s global profile, maximising his career potential, and supporting his growth in every area of his life and career.”

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What Kevin Owens Said About CM Punk Looks Interesting Now

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Some of the best rivalries in WWE have some real-life beef behind them. Shawn Michaels and Bret Hart, Edge and Matt Hardy, CM Punk and Seth Rollins, just to name a few.

It gives the rivalry a bit of something behind it and can be the difference maker between a mediocre build to a match and an intense clash that the fans can get behind and invest in.

An upcoming rivalry is no different as last night’s WWE Championship number one contenders clash has steered two former rivals up against each other for the first time in decades.

Kevin Owens & CM Punk’s Rivalry Explained

CM Punk & Kevin Owens Screenshot via YouTube

Kevin Owens returned to the WWE last night after 18 months on the sidelines with a career-threatening neck injury. To the shock of fans, he was added alongside Gunther to the number one contender match between Sami Zayn and Finn Balor.

After an intense, quick-fire Fatal 4-Way match, Owens came out on top to book his spot against CM Punk, who retained his title against Cody Rhodes the previous night.

Fans were quick to remember the real life issues these two had with each other over two decades ago.

In April 2005, Kevin Owens (then known as Kevin Steen), wrestled in a T-shirt during a match with Vordell Walker in Ring of Honor because he felt uncomfortable wrestling without one. CM Punk, being a locker room leader in Ring of Honor at the time, felt it was disrespectful to the industry and shouted at him following Owens’ match backstage.

Kevin Owens spoke about the confrontation on the Kevin Steen Show: “I thought about shoving him as hard as I could. But at that point, I wanted to be [in Ring of Honor] so bad.”

From then on, the two hardly crossed paths, with CM Punk leaving WWE in early 2014, while Owens debuted on the main roster months later.

When CM Punk returned in late 2023, a potential match-up with Owens was speculated amongst fans as an option for the returning star following the revelation of their real life issues.

CM Punk & Kevin Owens Screenshot via YouTube

In 2024, Owens was asked by the Daily Mail whether there had been any resolution between the pair and Owens claimed there has not been.

“We have no relationship. We’re not each other’s type of people, I don’t think. There’s like a 10-foot vicinity that if we enter in, we have to kind of, ‘Hey,’ ‘Hey.’ Otherwise, we just don’t, and that’s fine. It’s perfectly fine the way it is.”

With no date set in stone for the WWE Championship match between CM Punk and Kevin Owens, we could see a lengthy build to the match. It would not be a surprise if the two used elements of their real life issues to strengthen the draw of the match and build it into a real contender for feud of the year.

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Donald Trump Slammed For ‘Vile’ Post After Winning Golf Tournament at His Own Course

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Donald Trump has caused a major stir with his post on social media after winning a golf tournament at his own course.

Trump, a huge golf fan, competed at the Senior and Super Senior Men’s Club Championship at his Bedminster golf course in New Jersey this weekend.

The 80-year-old carded a two-under 70 to win the championship in both categories. It was his 43rd club championship title across his collection of golf courses.

As per Sky Sports, the US President won both titles previously in 2023, and recorded a sole Senior Championship victory in 2024.

Footage on social media emerged of Trump being given his trophy.

Donald Trump Taunts Opponents After Victory

Donald Trump REUTERS/Hannah Mckay

Taking to social media after his victory, Trump taunted his opponents and bragged about his ‘talent’. He wrote on Truth Social: “The Winning Shot in the Bedminster Club Championship! Thank you very much to all of those who participated.

“I won with a score of 70, and am so honored in that, unlike the rest of the field, I’m given very little time to practice, because I’m focused on many other things. It’s called TALENT, and I have it, and they don’t!”

Alongside the caption, Trump included a video of his ‘winning shot’; an impressive chip onto the green which landed a few feet away from the cup.

Donald Trump Blasted For Post

Donald Trump REUTERS/Mandel Ngan

Trump’s post has not gone down well on social media. One said: “The world’s biggest cheater, poor loser, & narcissist, is literally followed around by a film crew. Imagine worshipping a liar like this,” while another commented: “It appears that the US is run by a spoilt eight year old child.”

A third commented: “There’s no way in hell he shot 70, no way in hell… unless he cheated. Of course he cheated, it’s what he does, it’s all he f******’ does…”

Former Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture James Moore said: “In every way, he is the model of what I am teaching my son not to be: vile, small, cruel, ignorant, petty, corrupt. And he models it daily.”

While Mehdi Hasan, a British-American journalist with 2.2 million followers on X, wrote: “No previous president in history has ever spoken like this. If someone in your social circle spoke like this, you would distance yourself from them. Over 70 million people voted for this guy. I will never ever get over that.”

Trump has long been accused of cheating on the golf course. American sports writer Rick Reilly wrote in his book, titled Commander in Cheat:

“At Winged Foot, where Trump is a member, the caddies got so used to seeing him kick his ball back onto the fairway they came up with a nickname for him: Pele.”

Earlier this year, it was claimed that Trump had racked up a cost of $138,600,000 for US taxpayers from playing golf since returning to office.

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