Denver Summit FC and the NWSL
Thursday

Denver Summit FC’s permanent stadium will not be ready for the start of the 2028 NWSL season as originally planned. The club now hopes to play some 2028 home games at the Santa Fe Yards venue.

Delays in acquiring the land pushed back the construction schedule for the planned 14,500-seat stadium near downtown Denver. The expansion team will meanwhile begin life at Centennial Stadium in Colorado while the new venue is completed.

France, Germany and French sports minister Marina Ferrari
Thursday

French sports minister Marina Ferrari welcomed the idea of a joint France-Germany bid to host the 2038 World Cup. She said the concept is not yet official, but fits France’s wider future major-event hosting strategy.

Any bid would need to come from the football federations, not the government alone. Ferrari’s comments are the first senior political support for a possible co-hosting push between two of Europe’s biggest football nations since the idea surfaced.

FIFA, Group of Copenhagen and Folarin Balogun
Thursday

FIFA and the Group of Copenhagen have clashed over potential betting irregularities at the World Cup. The advisory body flagged seven yellow notices and highlighted unusual prediction-market activity around Folarin Balogun’s suspended ban decision against Belgium.

FIFA’s integrity task force reported no suspicious betting activity or match manipulation across the tournament. The Group of Copenhagen has requested a written explanation from FIFA, creating another integrity flashpoint around the Balogun decision and wider tournament governance.

French Football Federation, Didier Deschamps and Zinedine Zidane
Thursday

The French Football Federation will present France’s new head coach on Tuesday, 28 July. The announcement follows Didier Deschamps stepping aside, with several reports naming Zinedine Zidane as the expected successor to the national-team role.

The unveiling will follow an extraordinary executive committee meeting at the federation’s headquarters. If Zidane is confirmed, France will move into the next cycle with a national icon after five years away from frontline coaching.

Sir Ed Davey, FIFA, UEFA and the English FA
Wednesday

UK Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey called for the English FA and UEFA to withdraw from FIFA, accusing the governing body of damaging football’s integrity after recent World Cup controversies.

His criticism followed disputes over Folarin Balogun’s ban being lifted, ticket pricing, half-time shows and possible expansion to 64 teams. The comments add political pressure to the growing FIFA-UEFA governance row.

Inter Miami, MLS, LA Galaxy and Casemiro
Wednesday

Major League Soccer is investigating a tampering allegation against Inter Miami after the club signed Brazil midfielder Casemiro. LA Galaxy held discovery priority for the former Manchester United and Real Madrid player.

Inter Miami and LA Galaxy have reached a settlement over the discovery rights, but MLS will continue its review. The case adds scrutiny to Miami’s recruitment after a previous rules breach over Blaise Matuidi.

Rangers, Derek McInnes and the Scottish FA
Wednesday

Rangers will contest Derek McInnes’ four-match touchline ban for calling a late Celtic penalty decision disgusting. The comments were made last season when McInnes was still managing Hearts.

Rangers argue the remarks targeted the decision, not officials personally, and say similar language has drawn lighter punishment before. McInnes is due to miss Rangers’ opening league matches if the sanction stands.

U.S. sportsbooks, FIFA and World Cup bettors
After the 2026 World Cup

U.S. sportsbooks reported record betting activity for the 2026 World Cup, with one executive describing it as the equivalent of ten Super Bowls. DraftKings and BetMGM reported huge growth from 2022.

North American time zones, more matches and host-nation interest helped drive betting volume. Caesars said World Cup bet count topped combined men’s and women’s March Madness by 30%, showing soccer’s growing U.S. gambling pull.