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#FIFA #President #Infantinos #request #police #escort #denied #Canadian #police">FIFA President Infantino’s request for police escort denied by Canadian police A request for FIFA President Gianni Infantino to give be given a police escort while in Vancouver, British Columbia, for FIFA meetings has been denied, the Vancouver Police Department confirmed on Wednesday.
“Formal motorcades where traffic is stopped are reserved for heads of state,” Deputy Chief Don Chapman said in a statement.
“As the FIFA executive do not meet Internationally Protected Person (IPP) standards that would warrant such an escort (closing roads, intersections, not adhering to traffic devices, etc.), the request was declined,” Chapman said.
FIFA did not immediately return a message seeking comment.
Football’s governing body is holding meetings this week in Vancouver, one of the 16 sites of World Cup matches in a tournament co-hosted by Canada, the United States and Mexico from June 11 to July 19.
FIFA’s Congress, a meeting of representatives from all its members, is scheduled for Thursday.
Published on Apr 30, 2026
A request for FIFA President Gianni Infantino to give be given a police escort while…
Sports news
#FIFA #proposes #yellowcard #rule #change #reduce #World #Cup #suspensions">FIFA proposes yellow-card rule change to reduce World Cup suspensions
FIFA is preparing to tweak World Cup rules on yellow cards to ensure fewer players are suspended for key knockout matches in North America.
An extra amnesty for yellow cards, wiping player disciplinary records twice during the expanded tournament, will be proposed at a meeting of FIFA’s ruling council on Tuesday, people familiar with the plan told The Associated Press. They spoke on condition of anonymity as the decision is not yet official.
At the World Cup, players must serve a one-match ban if they are shown yellow cards in two different matches. In previous editions, yellow cards were cancelled after the quarterfinal stage.
That ensured no player would miss the final through suspension only because of receiving a yellow card in the semifinal.
ALSO READ: World Cup 2026 prize money could rise further as FIFA holds talks with associations
The expanded 48-team World Cup format, which includes an extra round-of-32 knockout stage, led to a FIFA review aimed at helping keep players on the field.
FIFA proposes to clear the disciplinary records of players who have one yellow card after the three-match group stage, allowing them to start the knockout phase afresh.
A second amnesty after the quarterfinals will apply to players who receive one yellow card during the three previous knockout rounds and whose teams advance to the semifinals.
Published on Apr 28, 2026
FIFA is preparing to tweak World Cup rules on yellow cards to ensure fewer players are suspended for key knockout matches in North America.
An extra amnesty for yellow cards, wiping player disciplinary records twice during the expanded tournament, will be proposed at a meeting of FIFA’s ruling council on Tuesday, people familiar with the plan told The Associated Press. They spoke on condition of anonymity as the decision is not yet official.
At the World Cup, players must serve a one-match ban if they are shown yellow cards in two different matches. In previous editions, yellow cards were cancelled after the quarterfinal stage.
That ensured no player would miss the final through suspension only because of receiving a yellow card in the semifinal.
ALSO READ: World Cup 2026 prize money could rise further as FIFA holds talks with associations
The expanded 48-team World Cup format, which includes an extra round-of-32 knockout stage, led to a FIFA review aimed at helping keep players on the field.
FIFA proposes to clear the disciplinary records of players who have one yellow card after the three-match group stage, allowing them to start the knockout phase afresh.
A second amnesty after the quarterfinals will apply to players who receive one yellow card during the three previous knockout rounds and whose teams advance to the semifinals.
Published on Apr 28, 2026
FIFA is preparing to tweak World Cup rules on yellow cards to ensure fewer players…
Sports news
#Human #Rights #Watch #urges #FIFA #push #ICE #Truce #World #Cup">Human Rights Watch urges FIFA to push for ‘ICE Truce’ at World Cup 2026
FIFA should press the U.S. government to establish an “ICE Truce” for this year’s World Cup, including a public guarantee from federal authorities to refrain from immigration enforcement operations at games and venues, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said in a report published on Monday.
FIFA World Cup 2026 – the first edition of the global showpiece tournament to feature 48 teams – will be co-hosted by the U.S., Canada and Mexico from June 11 to July 19. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has been the face of a hardline immigration crackdown and deportation drive pursued by the administration of President Donald Trump.
Rights groups have condemned the crackdown, saying it has led to violations of free speech and due process rights and created an unsafe environment, particularly for minorities. Trump casts his actions as necessary to improve domestic security and curb illegal immigration.
“FIFA needs to act urgently to address the risks of human rights abuses for athletes, fans, and workers. One concrete thing it should do is work to persuade the Trump administration to establish an ‘ICE Truce,’” HRW said.
“Gianni Infantino (FIFA president) and his FIFA colleagues should use their leverage to demand that the Trump administration do what’s right for the games. Roll back discriminatory travel bans, refrain from abusive immigration enforcement operations in and around World Cup venues, protect children’s rights and commit to uphold freedom of assembly and speech,” it added.
OLYMPIC TRUCE
The idea is drawn from the “Olympic Truce,” a tradition dating back to ancient Greece, when warring city-states paused hostilities so athletes and spectators could travel safely to the Games.
ALSO READ | Norwegian FA chief calls on FIFA to abolish peace prize
“The FIFA 2026 World Cup will no doubt be one of the greatest and most spectacular events in the history of mankind, attracting millions of fans from around the world to 11 host cities across America,” White House spokesman Davis Ingle told Reuters.
“This will be a monumental event that requires close coordination between the Trump Administration, FIFA, and all of our great federal, state, and local partners. President Trump is focused on ensuring that this is not only an incredible experience for all fans and visitors, but also the safest and most secure in history – and no amount of ridiculous scare tactics driven by liberal activist groups and the left-wing media will change that,” he added.
Concerns intensified on Thursday when advocacy groups issued a travel advisory warning that visitors travelling to the U.S. for the World Cup may face arbitrary detention or deportation, among other human rights abuses.
Fans, players, journalists and other visitors may face racial profiling, searches of electronic devices, or risk of cruel or inhuman treatment if they end up in immigration detention facilities, according to the advisory.
Thursday’s warnings followed a March statement from Amnesty International that the tournament is drifting far from the “safe, free and inclusive” event promised by FIFA. HRW also said it had written to Infantino requesting details about the nominees, judges, terms of reference and selection process for FIFA’s inaugural peace prize.
Trump was awarded the prize in December for what the world football’s global governing body said were his efforts to promote dialogue and de-escalation in troubled hotspots around the world.
“By concocting this award, Infantino risks turning the 2026 FIFA World Cup… into yet another sportswashing event in a world that already has far too many,” HRW added.
Published on Apr 27, 2026
FIFA should press the U.S. government to establish an “ICE Truce” for this year’s World Cup, including a public guarantee from federal authorities to refrain from immigration enforcement operations at games and venues, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said in a report published on Monday.
FIFA World Cup 2026 – the first edition of the global showpiece tournament to feature 48 teams – will be co-hosted by the U.S., Canada and Mexico from June 11 to July 19. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has been the face of a hardline immigration crackdown and deportation drive pursued by the administration of President Donald Trump.
Rights groups have condemned the crackdown, saying it has led to violations of free speech and due process rights and created an unsafe environment, particularly for minorities. Trump casts his actions as necessary to improve domestic security and curb illegal immigration.
“FIFA needs to act urgently to address the risks of human rights abuses for athletes, fans, and workers. One concrete thing it should do is work to persuade the Trump administration to establish an ‘ICE Truce,’” HRW said.
“Gianni Infantino (FIFA president) and his FIFA colleagues should use their leverage to demand that the Trump administration do what’s right for the games. Roll back discriminatory travel bans, refrain from abusive immigration enforcement operations in and around World Cup venues, protect children’s rights and commit to uphold freedom of assembly and speech,” it added.
OLYMPIC TRUCE
The idea is drawn from the “Olympic Truce,” a tradition dating back to ancient Greece, when warring city-states paused hostilities so athletes and spectators could travel safely to the Games.
ALSO READ | Norwegian FA chief calls on FIFA to abolish peace prize
“The FIFA 2026 World Cup will no doubt be one of the greatest and most spectacular events in the history of mankind, attracting millions of fans from around the world to 11 host cities across America,” White House spokesman Davis Ingle told Reuters.
“This will be a monumental event that requires close coordination between the Trump Administration, FIFA, and all of our great federal, state, and local partners. President Trump is focused on ensuring that this is not only an incredible experience for all fans and visitors, but also the safest and most secure in history – and no amount of ridiculous scare tactics driven by liberal activist groups and the left-wing media will change that,” he added.
Concerns intensified on Thursday when advocacy groups issued a travel advisory warning that visitors travelling to the U.S. for the World Cup may face arbitrary detention or deportation, among other human rights abuses.
Fans, players, journalists and other visitors may face racial profiling, searches of electronic devices, or risk of cruel or inhuman treatment if they end up in immigration detention facilities, according to the advisory.
Thursday’s warnings followed a March statement from Amnesty International that the tournament is drifting far from the “safe, free and inclusive” event promised by FIFA. HRW also said it had written to Infantino requesting details about the nominees, judges, terms of reference and selection process for FIFA’s inaugural peace prize.
Trump was awarded the prize in December for what the world football’s global governing body said were his efforts to promote dialogue and de-escalation in troubled hotspots around the world.
“By concocting this award, Infantino risks turning the 2026 FIFA World Cup… into yet another sportswashing event in a world that already has far too many,” HRW added.
Published on Apr 27, 2026
FIFA should press the U.S. government to establish an “ICE Truce” for this year’s World…
