Gianni Infantino, FIFA, Asian Football Confederation and Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa
20 October 2026

FIFA president Gianni Infantino is preparing to meet Asian football leaders in Tokyo as he seeks support for another term in office. The meeting comes amid controversy surrounding his abandoned World Cup private-investment proposal and growing questions about FIFA’s governance.

Infantino is scheduled to meet Asian Football Confederation representatives on Wednesday. AFC president Sheikh Salman previously opposed the proposed World Cup investment arrangement, although reporting suggests his position may have softened. Qatar has expressed support for Infantino while Jordan has opposed his leadership. Candidates have until 18 November to enter the FIFA presidential race, with the election scheduled for March 2027. No final AFC endorsement was confirmed in the supplied report.

Erik ten Hag, Cristiano Ronaldo and Manchester United
20 October 2026

Former Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has publicly accused Cristiano Ronaldo of letting down both the team and coaching staff during their difficult relationship in 2022. In a new interview with The Athletic, the Dutchman said Ronaldo’s preparation and willingness to contribute to the team’s playing system fell short of expectations.

Ten Hag said he travelled to Portugal before taking charge of United to discuss his plans with Ronaldo but later became frustrated with the forward’s training approach. He argued that elite players must also work for the team and disputed the suggestion that Ronaldo was simply unable to press because of his age. Their relationship deteriorated after Ronaldo refused to enter a match against Tottenham as a substitute, followed by a public interview criticising United and Ten Hag. Ronaldo left the club by mutual agreement in November 2022.

La Liga, Barcelona, Real Madrid, Lamine Yamal and Kylian Mbappé
20 October 2026

La Liga is preparing an expanded television production involving up to 40 cameras for Sunday’s El Clásico at Camp Nou. Dedicated tracking cameras are expected to follow Lamine Yamal and Kylian Mbappé throughout the match, placing additional attention on the two Ballon d’Or contenders.

According to reporting attributed to Mundo Deportivo, the match will receive the league’s highest broadcast classification, which uses between 35 and 40 cameras. The production will include 4K coverage, super slow-motion equipment and specialist lenses. The camera arrangements will also support referee and VAR coverage. The expanded setup follows controversy over limited television angles during Real Madrid’s recent match against Sevilla.

UEFA, FIFA, Gianni Infantino and Theodore Theodoridis
19 October 2026

UEFA has demanded that FIFA release key governance documents and answer 42 questions by 2 November. The request follows Gianni Infantino’s apology over FIFA’s abandoned World Cup private-investment proposal, with European football officials arguing that significant questions about accountability remain unanswered.

UEFA sent FIFA an eight-page document seeking explanations about the FIFA Forward Enterprise proposal, its dealings with Thrive Capital, the FIFA Peace Prize, Folarin Balogun’s overturned World Cup suspension and several financial arrangements. UEFA also questioned how decisions were made without appropriate FIFA Council involvement. The governing body has not specified what action it would take if FIFA misses the deadline. FIFA had not responded to the new request in the supplied report.

Cristiano Ronaldo, Portuguese Football Federation and Jorge Jesus
19 October 2026

Cristiano Ronaldo has received a 30-day suspension and a €255 fine from the Portuguese Football Federation after leaving the national-team camp following a disagreement with coach Jorge Jesus. The suspension is backdated to 1 October, meaning the Portugal captain is expected to remain eligible for the country’s November Nations League fixtures.

Ronaldo left the squad after being an unused substitute against Norway and learning he would not start against Denmark. He accused Jesus of breaking assurances about his playing time, while the coach denied making those agreements. The federation considered Ronaldo’s apology, remorse and disciplinary history when determining the punishment. Portugal are scheduled to face Denmark on 14 November and Wales three days later.

Sarina Wiegman, England Women and the Football Association
19 October 2026

England women’s national-team manager Sarina Wiegman has signed a contract extension keeping her in charge until after the 2029 European Championship. The agreement follows a successful tenure that has delivered two European titles and a Women’s World Cup final appearance.

Wiegman has led England since September 2021 and will now oversee a significant transition as several established players approach the later stages of their international careers. The Lionesses must also navigate World Cup qualification playoffs after a heavy defeat against Spain. Wiegman has introduced younger players including Lexi Potter, Freya Godfrey and Erica Meg Parkinson as England prepares for future tournaments.

Egypt national team, Hossam Hassan, Ibrahim Hassan and Mostafa Zico
19 October 2026

FIFA has suspended Egypt head coach Hossam Hassan and team director Ibrahim Hassan for three matches each, while forward Mostafa Zico has received a five-match ban. The punishments follow incidents and comments after Egypt’s 3-2 defeat to Argentina in the last 16 of the 2026 World Cup.

Egypt’s football federation confirmed that it received the disciplinary rulings and has requested FIFA’s detailed reasoning before deciding whether to appeal. The Hassan brothers are expected to miss both November Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Malawi and the March fixture against Angola. Zico’s longer suspension is expected to affect additional qualifying matches. No successful appeal or reduction of the sanctions has been announced.