David Harding

As a lifelong football fan, I can’t remember a single time when police have banned fans from attending a match - then politicians, let alone the PM, challenge the ban rather than back the police. Astonishing.

Lopetegui’s Qatar just qualified for next year’s World Cup.

Why Was the President of FIFA at the Gaza Summit?

Why was he there? 🤷‍♂️

Story about another strange Gianni moment, bromance and power.

www.nytimes.com/2025/10/14/w...

Snipers on roof as Udine braces for high-risk Italy-Israel World Cup soccer qualifier Most shops and restaurants to close in northern Italy city as pro-Palestinian, anti-Israel demonstrators plan march despite Gaza ceasefire going into effect

Snipers on roof as Udine braces for high-risk Italy-Israel World Cup soccer qualifier https://www.timesofisrael.com/snipers-on-roof-as-udine-braces-for-high-risk-italy-israel-world-cup-soccer-qualifier/

FIFA President Gianni Infantino is also at Trump's summit in Sharm El-Sheikh for peace in the #Gaza Strip (in the photo, he is with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi).

Waiting for Donald…. Starmer, Macron, Erdogan, Meloni and Emir Al Thani awkwardly pass the time as Trump runs very late.

Israel highlighting how many 100s of aid trucks they will now allow into Gaza is a tacit admission that they were using aid as a weapon of war, by the way. seems weird not to talk about this

Whistleblower reveals Qatar’s surveillance of journalists during 2022 World Cup preparations In a session at Play the Game 2025, the former media manager of Qatar's World Cup Supreme Committee exposed all the tricks in Qatar's media strategy.

From earlier this week, this was fascinating.

www.playthegame.org/news/abdulla...

“Hamas agreed to the same terms in September 2024, but… the Israeli Prime Minister did not agree to end the war.”

The bravest people on earth, the journalist of Gaza, celebrate the news of the ceasefire outside of Al-Shifa.

Infantino writes on his Instagram: "President Donald J. Trump definitely deserves the Nobel Peace Prize for his decisive actions.👏"

The state of things.

Pat Cummins expected to miss first Ashes Test as doubts grow over fitness for entire series Australia captain set to be ruled out of opener against England in Perth with the star quick yet to return to bowling as he recovers from back injury

Scott Boland winter of misery incoming

www.theguardian.com/sport/2025/o...

Young lives cut short on an unimaginable scale: the 18,457 children on Gaza’s list of war dead The children’s names below appear on a list of victims of Israel’s offensive in Gaza, maintained by health authorities in the territory. As of the end of July it ran to 60,199 names, of whom 18,457 were under 18s. Far from comprehensive, the list does not include the thousands still buried under the rubble of destroyed buildings, as well as the war’s many indirect victims As of the end of July there were 18,457 children named on the long official list of Palestinian victims of Israel’s war in Gaza. Over almost two years, that is equivalent to bombs, bullets and shells killing a boy or girl every hour of every day. In reality the deaths are not spaced out so evenly. Siblings, cousins and playmates are often killed together, by an airstrike or artillery shell. Even children shot by snipers or quadcopters are sometimes brought into hospitals in groups, doctors say. Continue reading...

Young lives cut short on an unimaginable scale: the 18,457 children on Gaza’s list of war dead

‘Ignore them’: Quotes from 1st cabinet meet after Oct. 7 show hostages were not priority Reported minutes indicate that both the IDF chief and Smotrich pushed to exclude having the return of the hostages become an official goal of the war, warning it would cloud policy

‘Ignore them’: Quotes from 1st cabinet meet after Oct. 7 show hostages were not priority https://www.timesofisrael.com/ignore-them-quotes-from-1st-cabinet-meet-after-oct-7-show-hostages-were-not-priority/

How did Qatar and Saudi Arabia get home advantage and more rest than rivals in World Cup qualifiers? The Oman coach, Carlos Queiroz, is among those who are questioning the AFC’s decision for the upcoming games

“If they can’t see something’s wrong with this…” AFC World Cup shenanigans, Episode 104

www.theguardian.com/football/202...

Reform UK set to raise Kent council tax — despite promising savings Reform UK set to raise Kent council tax — despite promising savings

Reform UK set to raise Kent council tax — despite promising savings ⬇️

More political theatre while Gaza burns - josimarfootball.com Uefa and Fifa’s failure to sanction the Israel Football Association is a moral and political failure.

Uefa and Fifa’s failure to sanction the Israel Football Association is a moral and political failure.

By @ncgeehan.bsky.social and @antoineduval.bsky.social

josimarfootball.com/2025/10/06/m...

For all the noise about Qatar 2022, 2026 is shaping up to be an awful tournament

Morocco protests turn deadly as youth rage against World Cup Violence has broken out in several cities during rallies for healthcare and jobs while money goes into stadiums for the 2030 tournament

Jobs not football. Moroccans riot against World Cup costs

www.thetimes.com/article/fc11...

Donald Trump will not move World Cup matches, says Fifa vice-president Fifa, not Donald Trump, will decide whether to move matches from cities in next year’s World Cup, the vice-president of the organisation said

FIFA v Donald Trump. Hope they both lose

www.theguardian.com/football/202...

It didn’t even last 24 hours.

Jaw-dropping. Great work @samindrakunti.bsky.social @bobbyperu.bsky.social

The migrant soldiers - josimarfootball.com For months, the Russian army has secretly recruited hundreds, if not thousands, of jobless migrant workers in Qatar to fight on the frontline against Ukraine.

New.

For months, the Russian army has secretly recruited hundreds, if not thousands, of jobless migrant workers in Qatar to fight on the frontline against Ukraine.

By @samindrakunti.bsky.social and @bobbyperu.bsky.social

josimarfootball.com/2025/09/25/t...

Sadism

Binyamin Netanyahu’s long haul to New York to ‘avoid arrest’ The Israeli prime minister’s aircraft took a strange detour which some speculated was to avoid entering the airspace of countries where he is wanted

Binyamin Netanyahu’s long haul to New York to ‘avoid arrest’

The Israeli prime minister’s aircraft took a strange detour which some speculated was to avoid entering the airspace of countries where he is wanted

Non-journalism in action. Appalling from the presenter.

Uefa members in favour of banning Israel from European football next week

🔺 EXCLUSIVE: Uefa is set to make a decision next week on whether to suspend Israel, with most members of its executive committee understood to be in favour of a ban ⬇️

Despite sports being banned under London’s sharia law, Sadiq Khan’s Caliphate still allows cricket at Lord’s.

This is everywhere in north London today

“The responsibility for these atrocity crimes lies with Israeli authorities at the highest echelons who have orchestrated a genocidal campaign for almost two years now with the specific intent to destroy the Palestinian group in Gaza.”