Inside World Football

ICE agents to operate at Club World Cup, SoFi’s Gold Cup opener could be the litmus test for football’s big summer in the US

Paul Nicholson — Fri, 13 Jun 2025 12:19:47 +0000

By Paul Nicholson in Los Angeles

June 13 – U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents will be active at the Club World Cup that kicks off on Saturday at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami and throughout the month-long tournament.

They can also be expected to show a presence at the Concacaf Gold Cup that also kicks off at the weekend with more than 50,000 tickets sold for the defending champions Mexico’s clash with Dominican Republic at the SoFi Stadium in LA.

Poor ticket sales, ICE agents and stakeholder anger marks kick-off a US tournament FIFA can’t buy love for

Paul Nicholson — Fri, 13 Jun 2025 11:51:34 +0000

June 13 – On Saturday, host club Inter Miami kick off the controversial 32-team Club World Cup against Al Ahly of Egypt. The build-up to the tournament has been marred by controversy, ranging from sporting integrity and low ticket sales to a lack of broadcast deals and disinterest from the major clubs.

At least Europe’s elite sides are on board now after FIFA announced a prize pot of $1 billion with the winner taking home as much as $125 million.

Fifpro’s workload bombshell exposes danger of burnout as PSG and Atleti line up for 90˚CWC KO

Paul Nicholson — Fri, 13 Jun 2025 11:42:42 +0000

June 13 – Professional footballers are being pushed beyond breaking point, with player union Fifpro’s latest findings a damning indictment of modern football’s relentless schedule.

The global players’ union has joined forces with Football Benchmark’s Player Workload Monitoring tool to again highlight the troubling trend across Europe’s big five leagues. Just 13% of players who featured in either Euro 2024 or Copa America received the recommended 28-day off-season break – a statistic that should alarm the games governing bodies.

FIFA gets into bed with Airbnb for CWC 2025, and 2026 and 2027 World Cups

Paul Nicholson — Fri, 13 Jun 2025 09:27:49 +0000

June 12 – Following your team across continents has never been cheap or simple, but FIFA’s latest partnership with Airbnb comes with a promise to ease the logistical burden for travelling supporters.

The American homestay giant becomes the Official Alternative Accommodation and Experiences Booking Platform across three major tournaments: the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup as a Partner, plus the 2026 World Cup and 2027 Women’s World Cup as a Supporter.

“The World Cup brings the world together – and so do we,”

Burnley owner ALK Capital closes in on Espanyol acquisition

Paul Nicholson — Fri, 13 Jun 2025 09:10:43 +0000

June 13 – Burnley’s American owner Alan Pace is in advanced negotiations to acquire a stake in Spanish club Espanyol. The deal, if finalised, would see Espanyol become the second club in the portfolio of ALK Capital, the US-based investment firm that acquired an 84% controlling stake in Burnley for £170 million in December 2020.

ALK’s long-stated aim is to build a “multi-club sports platform”, and Espanyol would mark a significant foothold in mainland Europe.

Conmebol nations hand Domínguez another 4 years as confederation president

Paul Nicholson — Fri, 13 Jun 2025 09:00:13 +0000

June 13 – Alejandro Domínguez has been re-elected as the president of Conmebol for a four-year term.

At the confederation’s ordinary congress in Luque, Paraguay, Dominguez was unanimously re-elected and, in his fourth term, he will serve until 2030 when Paraguay, Argentina and Uruguay will stage a match of the 2030 World Cup.

In his victory speech, Dominguez said: “I renew my commitment to you. I feel encouraged and motivated to continue this work we began some time ago,

Real Madrid and Barca to social media league globally

Paul Nicholson — Fri, 13 Jun 2025 08:25:13 +0000

June 13 – Real Madrid and Barcelona remain unmatched in football’s global digital reach, topping the latest social media rankings published by the CIES Football Observatory this week, tracking the 100 most-followed clubs across X, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube.

Real Madrid leads all clubs with more than 470 million followers across platforms, followed closely by fierce rivals Barcelona at 424 million. The next tier is some distance behind: Manchester United ranks third at 234 million,

Singapore lands Soccer7sSeries hosting for end of July

Paul Nicholson — Fri, 13 Jun 2025 08:01:41 +0000

June 13 – Singapore has secured hosting rights for the latest leg of the Soccer7sSeries, a commercially driven seven-a-side tournament aimed at blending legacy football names with emerging talent, as the city-state ramps up its sporting portfolio for its 60th independence anniversary celebrations.

The tournament, scheduled from July 25-27 at Jalan Besar Stadium, will feature Men’s Open, Women’s, and Masters categories. It joins a growing calendar of high-profile sporting events in Singapore as the country continues to position itself as a hub for sports tourism and regional fan engagement.

Serie A set to take AC Milan-Como regular season fixture to Perth, Australia

Paul Nicholson — Fri, 13 Jun 2025 08:00:22 +0000

June 13 – European competitive football has never crossed continental borders – until now. AC Milan versus Como 1907 could make history by relocating to Perth’s Optus Stadium during the 2025/26 season, with Serie A poised to become the first major league to stage a genuine league fixture outside Europe.

The catalyst isn’t all about ambition but necessity. Milan’s iconic San Siro will host the 2026 Winter Olympics opening ceremony, forcing the Rossoneri to seek alternative venues.

US women top world rankings but Euros could force change

Paul Nicholson — Fri, 13 Jun 2025 07:46:43 +0000

June 13 – The latest FIFA Women’s World Ranking update offers a sharp reminder that the United States’ long-standing dominance in the women’s game is no longer unchallenged.

Although the four-time world champions retain their No.1 status in Thursday’s update, their grip at the summit is beginning to loosen – with Spain and Germany in close pursuit and Brazil closing fast behind.With the Women’s Euros and Copa America set to kick off in early July,

Kevin de Bruyne stays in Europe and in Champions League with Napoli

Paul Nicholson — Fri, 13 Jun 2025 07:34:02 +0000

June 13 – Belgian midfielder Kevin de Bruyne has completed his move to Napoli following his departure from Manchester City at the end of the Premier League season.

On Thursday, the Belgian arrived in Napoli on a free transfer after he had been linked with a move to Major League Soccer. The Italian club announced the signing of the 33-year-old with a computer-generated image, of De Bruyne sitting on a throne wearing a crown,

Mexico open Gold Cup defence against aspiring Dominican Republic

Paul Nicholson — Fri, 13 Jun 2025 05:45:16 +0000

June 13 – Mexico approach the 2025 Gold Cup with typical confidence, having secured early silverware through March’s Concacaf Nations League triumph – a psychological boost that sets them up beautifully for the right to be called Kings of the Region.

Fulham’s Raul Jimenez delivered when it mattered against Panama in the Nations League Final, netting twice in the final. It’s the kind of result that feeds Mexico’s perpetual belief they’re destined for greatness,

Mexican supporters groups fearful of ICE agents

Paul Nicholson — Fri, 13 Jun 2025 05:14:27 +0000

June 13 – With the fear of ICE agents roaming around Los Angeles and spiriting illegal and legal immigrants away, supporter groups of the Mexican national team are rightly concerned ahead of the opening game of the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup between El Tri and the Dominican Republic.

Fan groups like Pancho Villa’s Army and Cielito Lindo fear for their safety amid the chaos.

Through their social media channels, Pancho Villa’s Army,

Caliente.mx bets on GC being a winner

Paul Nicholson — Fri, 13 Jun 2025 04:51:40 +0000

June 13 – The 2025 Gold Cup has entered uncharted commercial territory after Concacaf struck a landmark deal with Mexican sports betting giant Caliente.mx – the first time a gambling platform has officially sponsored the region’s premier national team competition.

The Caliente.mx deal represents a significant shift in Concacaf’s commercial strategy as North American sports continue embracing betting partnerships that remain taboo in many global markets.

“The Gold Cup is the tournament that unites our region through football,

The post Caliente.mx bets on GC being a winner appeared first on Inside World Football.

‘This is Ours’: Concacaf kicks off Gold Cup campaign

Paul Nicholson — Fri, 13 Jun 2025 04:20:20 +0000

June 13 – Concacaf’s ‘This is Ours’ campaign will hit the ground running with a promotional blitz spanning television, digital platforms and stadium display, built around themes of unity and regional pride. It’s slick packaging for a competition that continues to capture the imagination of the region.

“This is an important and fulfilling moment for Concacaf, to launch a Gold Cup campaign so uniquely embedded in the harmony and buzz that the sport and this amazing tournament creates across the region,”

Botev Plovdiv on brink of bankruptcy unless €2.7m can be raised

Paul Nicholson — Fri, 13 Jun 2025 03:10:38 +0000

June 13 – Botev Plovdiv has said it may be forced to declare bankruptcy in the near future as a result of the complicated financial situation it has been left in with the club’s owner Anton Zingarevich’s ten-year ban on residence in Bulgaria.

For nearly a year, the club has had difficulty paying the salaries of its players and coaches and has been accumulating new debts. At the end of the season many players,