FIFA is expanding its AI-powered social media protection service to reduce abusive messages for teams and players at the 2026 World Cup, with several Premier League clubs already utilizing similar technology to filter out racist, homophobic, and misogynist content.
Average cost of one ticket claimed to be $3,000 (£2,200)Fifa insists terms and conditions of sale were made clearNumerous Football Associations have been hit by increased prices when buying World Cup tickets for their players’ family and friends, with teams competing at the tournament affected by Fifa’s dynamic pricing model. While Fifa offered all national associations that have qualified for the World Cup a six-week window to buy tickets at a fixed price after the draw in December, any requests for tickets from the end of January have been subject to what Fifa describes as “adaptive pricing”, with the cost rising for most matches.An executive at one national association said they had requested hundreds of additional tickets in recent weeks and have been surprised at the size of the bill. An executive at another association claimed the average cost of securing attendance at matches for their players’ family and their guests has risen to about $3,000 (£2,200) a ticket after extra purchases, a significant additional cost that will eat into their tournament funding. Fifa sources insisted the average cost of tickets bought by national associations is far lower than $3,000. Continue reading...
UEFA is considering an adapted Nations League format to revamp men's European Championship qualifiers after Euro 2028. Plans were presented to UEFA's national team competitions committee, with a final decision expected in Istanbul before next month's Europa League final. The proposed format, similar to women's World Cup qualifying, would group similarly-ranked teams to ensure top nations face each other. However, lower-ranked countries risk feeling sidelined, and consensus across European federations may be difficult to achieve.
