European soccer’s governing body has retained its threat to boycott FIFA competitions despite FIFA apologising for its failed plan to sell stakes in the World Cup.

UEFA on Thursday reiterated that it had lost confidence in FIFA president Gianni Infantino and said conditions to withdraw its boycott threat had not been met.

Read moreEuropean football body declares no confidence in FIFA’s Infantino after World Cup sell-off plan

“UEFA’s associations were very clear about the conditions attached to the non participation in FIFA competitions,” it said in a statement.

“First, the proposals to sell off the major competitions had to be withdrawn and secondly, assurances have to be made that such attempts to disfigure the game in this way will never be made again.

“These conditions have not been met. In addition, UEFA made it abundantly clear in it’s statement on Saturday that it has lost confidence in Gianni Infantino’s presidency. That position holds.”

FIFA and Infantino tried to present a united front following a high-level summit in Morocco on Wednesday when it announced the president had the full support of top staff in attendance.

Read moreFIFA closes ranks round Infantino amid mounting leadership crisis

The world governing body also apologised for errors made over it’s controversial plan to sell profits in the World Cup through a commercial subsidiary and committed to “ensure they do not happen again.”

FIFA said it hoped its meeting would “help restore confidence” in the organisation after the turbulence created by Infantino’s now abandoned project, which provoked widespread condemnation.

Read moreFIFA backs Infantino but apologises over World Cup investment plan

UEFA voted to abandon FIFA competitions if it went ahead. And even after Infantino’s hasty climbdown, Europe’s governing body said it had lost confidence in FIFA’s leadership – paving the way for a challenge to his presidency. 

In its defiant statement, UEFA made it clear its position still held. 

“Yesterday’s announcement that some people employed by the FIFA president (and whose careers depend on his favour) agree with him changes nothing,” it said.

South American football’s governing body CONMEBOL, usually seen as a strong supporter of Infantino, welcomed the withdrawal of FIFA’s private investor plan, but expressed “its concern regarding the repeated unilateral actions taken”.

(FRANCE 24 with AP)

Marvel Stadium will play host to Thursday’s
Round 22 AFL game between Western Bulldogs and
North Melbourne Kangaroos. The game kicks off at 7:30 pm with Western Bulldogs heading into the game as favourites with the bookmakers. Continue reading for our in-depth preview of the Western Bulldogs vs.
North Melbourne Kangaroos
game and give you our free tips and bets.

When: Thursday August 6, 2026 at 7:30 pm

Where: Marvel Stadium

Bet 💰: Bet On This Match HERE

Western Bulldogs vs North Melbourne Kangaroos Odds

Western Bulldogs vs North Melbourne Kangaroos Preview

The Western Bulldogs will be determined to avoid a costly late-season slip when they face North Melbourne at Marvel Stadium on Thursday night. The eighth-placed Bulldogs challenged ladder leader Fremantle last week before conceding seven second-half goals in a 78-41 defeat. They remain one win behind sixth-placed Melbourne, but their percentage of 94.8 leaves little margin for error in the race to avoid the Wildcard Finals Round.

North Melbourne showed encouraging signs in a 99-83 loss to Hawthorn, with Harry Sheezel collecting 25 disposals and kicking two goals. However, the Kangaroos have now lost five consecutive matches and sit eight points outside the top 10 with only three rounds remaining. History strongly favours the Bulldogs, who have won their past nine meetings with North Melbourne.

It’s debatable whether the Canada or Chattanooga pipelines have been more valuable to Tennessee football recruiting lately because there’s so much overlap between them.

UT signed four Canadian players in its 2026 class. And it has three players from Baylor School in Chattanooga.

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Offensive tackle Gabriel Osenda and defensive back Jamyan Theodore fit into both categories. Osenda is from Airdrie, Alberta. Theodore is from Montreal, Quebec. They played together at Baylor School the past two seasons.

Most notably, they were Baylor teammates and close friends with David Gabriel Georges, the Canadian five-star running back that committed to the Vols in the 2027 class after a high-profile recruiting battle with Ohio State.

“It’s a great relationship. Both him and I have the origins that we’re Haitians (who grew up in Montreal), so we have a close bond,” Theodore said. “His uncle and my father know each other and have a close bond, so we naturally built a close bond together.

“Because we are both from Canada and speak French, we were able to speak to each other and help each other out in tough moments.”

Members of that Baylor trio aren’t the only Canadians packing UT’s current and future rosters.

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Freshman defensive lineman Carter Gooden is originally from Hamilton, Ontario. Freshman offensive lineman Jeremy George-El, a former Knox Catholic standout, is from Montreal.

They gave coach Josh Heupel the opening for a well-timed joke on signing day in December.

“South Dakota was annexed by Canada a few years back, so it was part of our curriculum in school,” said Heupel, a native of Aberdeen, South Dakota.

How COVID pandemic pushed Canadian players to Tennessee

But in all seriousness, that Canadian pipeline has proved profitable for the Vols, especially via Baylor School.

It goes back to the COVID-19 pandemic. High school sports in Canada were shut down for almost two years. But the United States opened up much earlier, especially in the South and Midwest.

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Elite Canadian athletes traveled south of the border to play high school football. Osenda played one season in Florida and then moved to Chattanooga. Theodore spent two years in Ohio and then to Chattanooga. They found a home in Baylor’s boarding school and an opportunity to impress college football recruiters.

George-El played at Webb School in Bell Buckle, Tennessee, and then at Knox Catholic. Gooden played two seasons in Massachusetts.

They’ve converged at Tennessee thanks to high school recruiting connections that extended to Canada’s best football exports.

“You’ve seen more and more guys come down from Canada, typically to private schools, chasing their dreams of playing American football at this level,” Heupel said. “You think about the journey that they have to be on to ultimately get to this point. There’s so much sacrifice from the families and the kid moving away from home. They’re hungry to accomplish their goals and dreams.”

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How speaking French on football field is an asset

Getting one Canadian player on the roster obviously helps UT land others. They share a bond and culture.

“It’s definitely very comforting, especially for me and (Theodore), coming from Canada and having another brother (on the team) to know that we’re here for a reason,” said Osenda, a 6-foot-8, 330-pounder who was one of the top offensive tackles in the 2026 class.

“We’re here to show out for our country and do everything we can to get better every day.”

For Theodore and Gabriel Georges, that bond is often demonstrated in their shared language.

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“I remember in games (at Baylor) when I needed to calm him down in games, I would speak to him in French and people would be like, ‘Woah, what’s going on?’ ” Theodore said. “And when he needed to calm me down, he would speak French.”

Canadians are eager for Gabriel Georges arrival with Vols

Canadian players on UT’s 2026 roster are trying to adjust to the college game like their fellow freshmen. But they said they’ll keep an eye on Gabriel Georges’ much-anticipated senior season.

“It’s definitely exciting to see what he’s going to do in high school this year,” said Osenda, who blocked for Gabriel Georges during his 1,756-yard season en route to Baylor’s 2025 state title.

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Gabriel Georges can sign with Tennessee during the early signing period in December, and he can enroll in January. If all the current Canadian players return, his arrival will give the Vols five players from north of the border.

“We were always able to stay on the same path and obviously seeing (Gabriel Georges) come here is going to be great,” Theodore said. “We’ve all seen his talent. He’s a great player, and I’m excited to keep bonding with him and see him develop here.”

Adam Sparks is the Tennessee football beat reporter. Email adam.sparks@knoxnews.com. X, formerly known as Twitter@AdamSparks. Support strong local journalism by subscribing at knoxnews.com/subscribe.

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This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Inside Tennessee football’s Canadian pipeline to David Gabriel Georges

UEFA’s FIFA boycott is still in place, the European confederation said Thursday.

The 55 European federations voted unanimously to suspend their participation in FIFA competitions—including World Cups—at an emergency meeting on July 30. One week later, the European governing body remains dissatisfied, despite FIFA president Gianni Infantino calling off his widely panned plans to sell shares of the World Cup.

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“UEFA’s associations were very clear about the conditions attached to the non-participation in FIFA competitions,” the governing body said in a statement. “First, the proposals to sell off the major competitions had to be withdrawn, and secondly, assurances have to be made that such attempts to disfigure the game in this way will never be made again. These conditions have not been met.”

UEFA also reiterated its lack of confidence in Infantino and his future as FIFA president in the statement.

Infantino convened FIFA’s top officials at a crisis meeting Wednesday in Morocco as he sought to preserve support for his presidency. In an unsigned statement afterwards, FIFA’s leadership acknowledged “errors” in how the proposal was handled, apologized to its 211 member associations for excluding them from “the process,” and promised that an internal review “will now be conducted.” The statement added that the “successful delivery of the FIFA World Cup” would not have been possible without Infantino.

“FIFA’s top management is fully confident that the outcomes of today’s meeting will strengthen FIFA’s governance, help restore confidence in the organisation and enable us to prepare for the major events and challenges ahead,” the statement read.

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The statement also said that Infantino has the “full support” of FIFA’s management board and secretary general Mattias Grafström.

But in an internal email obtained by the Associated Press, Grafström sought to reassure FIFA staff that they would be protected from the fallout of the FFE.

“You do not need to worry,” Grafström wrote Tuesday. “I assure you that you as members of the administration, you will be defended and safeguarded from the political context we currently experience.”

“We have all been thrown into the middle of a turmoil, which is difficult to comprehend and accept,” Grafström added.

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FIFA COO Kevin Lamour was not invited to the meeting in Morocco after previously saying that senior staff was “deceived” by Infantino. While Lamour remains with the governing body, Carlos Cordeiro, a former senior adviser to Infantino, resigned from his position, saying he had no involvement with the proposal and that he strongly opposed it.

Calls for Infantino’s departure have grown in recent days. Former Portugal star Luis Figo—who ran for FIFA president himself in 2015—said “Infantino must go,” while Jordanian federation president Prince Ali bin Hussein ruled out endorsing him in a social media post.

Finland, Wales, and Serbia have withdrawn their endorsements of the FIFA president, and England followed on Thursday. Infantino has retained support from several federations in Africa and Asia, including Qatar, Egypt, Morocco, and the UAE.

Infantino is seeking a fourth term in FIFA’s March 2027 presidential election, though several European federations have already withdrawn their endorsements of him following the collapse of the FFE. Victor Montagliani, the president of CONCACAF, has been widely viewed as the challenger best-positioned to run against Infantino. No candidate has yet said they plan to step forward and run against Infantino, who was widely viewed as on a glide path to re-election until the FFE debacle.

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FIFPRO also condemned the proposal Wednesday, saying it would permanently alter the ownership and governance of the World Cup. The global players’ union called the plan “a profound abuse of power” before delivering a set of demands for “structural safeguards to ensure these events can never be repeated.”

“The players did not create this crisis,” FIFPRO said in the statement. “They will insist that football emerges from it with stronger institutions, stronger safeguards and leadership worthy of the trust the game demands.”

The next FIFA event begins Sept. 5 with the U-20 Women’s World Cup in Poland, where six European nations are set to compete.

The general secretary of the Polish Football Association previously said the association believed the boycott would end quickly, with the tournament expected to proceed as scheduled. With UEFA continuing its boycott threat, the participation of European teams remains up in the air.

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The U-20 Women’s World Cup could be the first of several events impacted by any prospective European boycott lasts an extended period of time. The biggest of those is the FIFA Women’s World Cup, which will be held in Brazil and will kick off in July 2027.

Asked whether the UEFA boycott will affect the U-20 Women’s World Cup in September, a representative from the governing body had “no further comment.”

A representative for FIFA did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The post Europe Still Plans to Boycott World Cups, UEFA Says appeared first on Front Office Sports.

India’s captain Shubman Gill, (left), and head coach Gautam Gambhir during a training session. (PTI)

India will begin their preparations for the upcoming two-match Test series against Sri Lanka with a three-day warm-up match against Sri Lanka XI, starting on Friday at the Nondescripts Cricket Club. The fixture comes just days before the opening Test in Galle on August 15 and will give Gautam Gambhir’s side a valuable opportunity to adapt to local conditions.The practice game carries added significance for India’s batters, who have struggled against quality spin in recent home Test series against New Zealand and South Africa. Sri Lanka’s spin-friendly conditions are expected to present another stern examination, making the warm-up match an important part of the team’s build-up.Several senior batters, including captain Shubman Gill, KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal, had already begun individual training sessions against spin before departing for Sri Lanka. However, batting on Sri Lankan pitches against local bowlers is expected to provide a far more realistic test ahead of the series.Many members of India’s current squad are also playing red-ball cricket in Sri Lanka for the first time. In fact, only KL Rahul, Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav have previous Test experience in the country.India’s bowling attack, led by Mohammed Siraj in the absence of the injured Jasprit Bumrah, will also use the fixture to assess conditions. Prasidh Krishna, Gurnoor Brar, Manav Suthar and Saransh Jain are among those expected to gain valuable match practice, while Brar and Jain arrive after impressive performances for India A against Sri Lanka A in Galle last month.Head coach Gautam Gambhir has urged the players to make the most of every session before the Test series.“We know what is in front of us. We can do volume, we can push our limits, we can tick all the boxes and come 15th morning whether we are batting first or bowling first we will be absolutely ready with every answer to every question thrown at us.“So make sure to tick all the boxes from now on,” Gambhir said in a video shared by the BCCI.Sri Lanka XI have also named a strong squad for the practice game, led by Sonal Dinusha and featuring experienced pacers Vishwa Fernando and Lahiru Kumara, along with spinners Isitha Wijesundara and Ramesh Mendis.India vs Sri Lanka XI warm-up match: Live streaming and broadcast detailsMatch: India vs Sri Lanka XI, three-day warm-up matchVenue: Nondescripts Cricket ClubStart date: FridayMatch timing: 10:00 AM ISTTV broadcast in India: Sony Sports Ten 1 SD & HDLive streaming: Sony LIV app and websiteRain has been forecast in the region during the match, which could affect the amount of play available before India begin the Test series on August 15 in Galle.

Uefa and other key stakeholders in European football are intent on doubling down on their plan to unseat Gianni Infantino as Fifa president, with boycotts and non co-operation set to continue, to the point of potentially making the global game “ungovernable”.

The Swiss official is himself determined to stay in his position, as illustrated by Wednesday’s defiant Fifa statement. Infantino is aware he still has the numbers to win March’s election.

Uefa nevertheless signalled its own intent by stating that Fifa’s response so far does not meet the threshold for their boycott of Fifa competitions to be lifted, specifically pointing to how there have not been “assurances” that attempts like the privatisation of the World Cup “to disfigure the game in this way will never be made again”.

Numerous sources insist that Uefa and their alliance with European Football Clubs and Concacaf – which is backed by various governments – are willing to go much further with all of this.

While no one would outright say they will ultimately threaten a boycott until Infantino resigns, the possibility weighs over everything, among a number of other complications for Fifa.


High-level sources did insist that “boycotts will continue”, as will the letters of no confidence from various individual federations.

Perhaps most significantly, though, Uefa and other stakeholders will refuse to engage with Fifa on any of the key discussions required to actually stage competitions and run the game.

This could end up proving the most effective weapon of all, as Infantino would be unable to actually govern despite sitting in power.

As an illustration, while there have been a lot of claims about how countries and clubs would boycott the 2029 Club World Cup, the very staging of the competition has not even been agreed.

Fifa is meanwhile aiming to expand the World Cup to 64 teams over the next four weeks, but even the confirmation of that would still require more agreements from currently obstructive stakeholders to actually work.

FifPro, the global union for players, is just the latest to scathingly criticise Fifa’s current outlook, saying that all trust has been “shattered”.

There is even the possibility that Uefa figures do not participate in Fifa’s various committees.

A first major test for Uefa’s stance is whether its national teams participate in September’s Under-20 Women’s World Cup in Poland.

Various sources are nevertheless adamant that they realise this is going to be a long war of attrition, where they try and unseat Infantino now or know it’s another four years.

Gabba will play host to Friday’s
Round 22 AFL game between Brisbane Lions and
Hawthorn Hawks. The game kicks off at 7:40 pm with Brisbane Lions heading into the game as favourites with the bookmakers. Continue reading for our in-depth preview of the Brisbane Lions vs.
Hawthorn Hawks
game and give you our free tips and bets.

When: Friday August 7, 2026 at 7:40 pm

Where: Gabba

Bet 💰: Bet On This Match HERE

Brisbane Lions vs Hawthorn Hawks Odds

Brisbane Lions vs Hawthorn Hawks Preview

Brisbane’s top-four ambitions will be tested when it hosts third-placed Hawthorn in a Friday night blockbuster at the Gabba. The Lions dropped to fifth after suffering a heavy 154-78 defeat to Carlton, with Ryan Lester, Hugh McCluggage, Keidean Coleman and Logan Morris all failing to finish the match. A victory would return Brisbane to the double-chance conversation, while another loss could leave it vulnerable to the chasing pack.

Hawthorn maintained its place inside the top four with a 99-83 win over North Melbourne in Tasmania. Small forward Nick Watson kicked five goals to lift his season tally to 52, placing him third in the Coleman Medal race, while Jack Gunston sits close behind with 49. Brisbane won last season’s meeting by 10 points, but its mounting injury concerns make this encounter significantly more difficult.

Richa Ghosh bats during the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup, Group 1 cricket match between India and Pakistan in Birmingham, England. (PTI)

India and Pakistan will meet in the marquee clash of the 2026 Women’s Asia Cup at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on September 5, after the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) announced the tournament schedule on Thursday.The tournament will begin on August 28 with Thailand taking on Hong Kong. This will be the sixth edition of the Women’s Asia Cup to be played in the T20 format.Eight teams have been divided into two groups. Group A features India, Pakistan, Thailand, Hong Kong China and China, while defending champions Sri Lanka are in Group B alongside Bangladesh, UAE and Indonesia.The top two teams from each group will qualify for the semifinals, with the final scheduled for September 13.All matches will be played under lights at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, with a local start time of 6.30 pm.Sri Lanka enter the tournament as defending champions after winning the previous edition. Bangladesh won the title in 2018, while India remain the most successful team in the competition with three titles, having lifted the trophy in 2012, 2016 and 2022.Women’s Asia Cup 2026 full schedule28 August: Thailand vs Hong Kong, China29 August: Sri Lanka vs UAE30 August: India vs Thailand31 August: Bangladesh vs Indonesia1 September: Pakistan vs Thailand2 September: Sri Lanka vs Indonesia3 September: India vs Hong Kong, China4 September: UAE vs Indonesia5 September: India vs Pakistan6 September: Sri Lanka vs Bangladesh7 September: Pakistan vs Hong Kong, China8 September: Bangladesh vs UAE10 September: Semi-final 111 September: Semi-final 213 September: Final

MCG will play host to Saturday’s
Round 22 AFL game between Melbourne Demons and
Fremantle Dockers. The game kicks off at 1:15 pm with Fremantle Dockers heading into the game as favourites with the bookmakers. Continue reading for our in-depth preview of the Melbourne Demons vs.
Fremantle Dockers
game and give you our free tips and bets.

When: Saturday August 8, 2026 at 1:15 pm

Where: MCG

Bet 💰: Bet On This Match HERE

Melbourne Demons vs Fremantle Dockers Odds

Melbourne Demons vs Fremantle Dockers Preview

Melbourne faces a major test of its finals credentials when it hosts ladder-leading Fremantle at the MCG on Saturday afternoon. The Demons held off Gold Coast 114-105 last week despite surrendering a third-quarter lead, keeping themselves four points clear of the Wildcard Finals Round. Captain Max Gawn produced another commanding display, recording 25 disposals, 33 hitouts, 10 marks and nine clearances.

Fremantle secured a home qualifying final with its 78-41 victory over the Western Bulldogs, overcoming a defensive Bulldogs setup by kicking five goals to one in the final term. The Dockers can now guarantee the minor premiership with another victory. They comfortably defeated Melbourne 118-70 in Round 2, but the Demons’ improved form and the influence of Gawn should provide a much tougher challenge on familiar territory.