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FIFA Faces Protests in Toronto Over Israel Ties Ahead of Canada World Cup Match

]Protesters hold a banner reading "Kick Israel Out of FIFA", ahead of Canada's World Cup match against Bosnia and Herzegovina in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, June 12, 2026. (Reuters)
]Protesters hold a banner reading "Kick Israel Out of FIFA", ahead of Canada's World Cup match against Bosnia and Herzegovina in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, June 12, 2026. (Reuters)
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FIFA Faces Protests in Toronto Over Israel Ties Ahead of Canada World Cup Match

]Protesters hold a banner reading "Kick Israel Out of FIFA", ahead of Canada's World Cup match against Bosnia and Herzegovina in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, June 12, 2026. (Reuters)
]Protesters hold a banner reading "Kick Israel Out of FIFA", ahead of Canada's World Cup match against Bosnia and Herzegovina in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, June 12, 2026. (Reuters)

Protesters unfurled a massive red banner on top of the World Cup logo near a busy highway in Toronto on Friday, denouncing FIFA's association with Israel, hours before Canada's first game.

Demonstrators donning shirts that read "Jews for a free Palestine" mounted a nearby embankment ‌and dropped the ‌banner with the message "Kick Israel out of ‌FIFA". ⁠

The banner was ⁠visible to commuters on the Gardiner Expressway - one of Canada's busiest - on their way to the home team's opener against Bosnia and Herzegovina at the Toronto stadium.

Other actions organized by a group of activists included demands for the release of prominent Palestinian doctor Hussam Abu Safiya, who was captured ⁠by the Israeli military in Gaza in ‌late 2024.

Faisal Ibrahim, a spokesperson ‌for the activists, accused FIFA of being complicit with Israel's actions against ‌Palestinians.

"FIFA not only turns a blind eye to the ‌Israel Football Association's playing of games on illegally occupied West Bank and Syrian territory, it actually actively broadcasts those games, thereby normalizing occupation and erasure, which makes FIFA an active and complicit participant," ‌he told Reuters.

In March, global football's ruling body said it would take no action ⁠against Israeli clubs ⁠accused by the Palestine Football Association of competing while allegedly based in Palestinian territory, citing the unresolved legal status of the West Bank under public international law.

Israel's war in Gaza has killed tens of thousands, caused a hunger crisis, and led to assessments of genocide from scholars and a United Nations inquiry.

Israel strongly denies genocide accusations and calls its actions self-defense after Hamas-led fighters killed 1,200 people and took more than 250 hostages in an October 2023 attack.

UN experts have also appealed to FIFA and the Union of European Football Associations to suspend Israel from international football.

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Egyptian Teenager Abdelkarim to Extend Barca Deal to 2030

Hamza Abdelkarim of FC Barcelona salutes fans during presentation the Joan Gamper Trophy, football match played between FC Barcelona and Al-Ahly FC at Spotify Camp Nou stadium on August 19, 2026, in Barcelona, Spain. (Europa Press via Getty Images)
Hamza Abdelkarim of FC Barcelona salutes fans during presentation the Joan Gamper Trophy, football match played between FC Barcelona and Al-Ahly FC at Spotify Camp Nou stadium on August 19, 2026, in Barcelona, Spain. (Europa Press via Getty Images)
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Egyptian Teenager Abdelkarim to Extend Barca Deal to 2030

Hamza Abdelkarim of FC Barcelona salutes fans during presentation the Joan Gamper Trophy, football match played between FC Barcelona and Al-Ahly FC at Spotify Camp Nou stadium on August 19, 2026, in Barcelona, Spain. (Europa Press via Getty Images)
Hamza Abdelkarim of FC Barcelona salutes fans during presentation the Joan Gamper Trophy, football match played between FC Barcelona and Al-Ahly FC at Spotify Camp Nou stadium on August 19, 2026, in Barcelona, Spain. (Europa Press via Getty Images)

Egyptian teenager Hamza Abdelkarim will sign a new contract with Barcelona next week that runs until 2030, the club said on Friday.

The 18-year-old joined Barcelona on loan from Cairo giants Al Ahly in February before making a permanent switch in the summer, having featured at the World Cup.

He became the youngest player to represent Egypt at the World Cup, where he appeared in four of the team's five games.

Abdelkarim impressed in pre-season for Barca with four goals in five matches and made his competitive debut for the Spanish champions as a late substitute in last month's 5-2 win over Rayo Vallecano in La Liga.

He is due to sign his contract extension on Tuesday, the club said.

Sports

FIFA Bans for Life 2 Officials for Financial Wrongdoing when Presidents of Soccer Federations

(FILES) The logo of FIFA (Federation Internationale de Football Association) is seen through a net on October 13, 2016 at the world football's governing body headquarters in Zurich. (Photo by FABRICE COFFRINI / AFP)
(FILES) The logo of FIFA (Federation Internationale de Football Association) is seen through a net on October 13, 2016 at the world football's governing body headquarters in Zurich. (Photo by FABRICE COFFRINI / AFP)
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FIFA Bans for Life 2 Officials for Financial Wrongdoing when Presidents of Soccer Federations

(FILES) The logo of FIFA (Federation Internationale de Football Association) is seen through a net on October 13, 2016 at the world football's governing body headquarters in Zurich. (Photo by FABRICE COFFRINI / AFP)
(FILES) The logo of FIFA (Federation Internationale de Football Association) is seen through a net on October 13, 2016 at the world football's governing body headquarters in Zurich. (Photo by FABRICE COFFRINI / AFP)

FIFA judges imposed life bans on two former soccer federation presidents for financial misconduct, including one who stayed in office since being sanctioned in 2011 as part of a notorious election bribery scandal in the Caribbean.

Montserrat’s long-time soccer leader Vincent Cassell was charged with “abuse of position, systemic conflicts of interest” and misuse of FIFA and federation funds, FIFA said in a statement on Friday.

The former president of the Maldives soccer federation, Bassam Adeel Jaleel, was expelled from the sport for “misusing FIFA Covid-19 Relief Plan funds for his personal benefit,” FIFA said.

Maldives media reported this year that Jaleel was sentenced to 23 years in prison for embezzling $1.2 million from FIFA. The money was intended for local soccer clubs and was reportedly used to buy apartments.

Cassell and his federation’s long-time general secretary, Tandica Hughes, pleaded guilty in a Montserrat court in April to tax evasion charges, The AP news reported.

Cassell and Hughes continued to run the Montserrat soccer body, which is currently entitled to get at least $2 million each year from FIFA’s World Cup profits. FIFA installed an emergency management team last February this year after they left.

The decision to oversee Montserrat's day-to-day management was due to “exceptional crisis and institutional paralysis,” FIFA cited in February.

Hughes was banned by FIFA judges for 15 years for “benefiting from and facilitating improper transactions,” abuse of position and misuse of funds.

Cassell also faced FIFA charges of “conduct affecting the physical and mental integrity of (federation) staff members,” and was fined 1 million Swiss francs ($1.23 million). It is unclear what authority FIFA has to get the money.

Hughes was ordered to pay 150,000 Swiss francs ($184,000), FIFA said.

Jaleel from the Maldives also was ordered by FIFA to pay 1 million Swiss francs.

The Maldives federation’s former finance director, Mohamed Ageel, was banned from soccer for 10 years and fined 100,000 Swiss francs ($184,000).

FIFA said Ageel’s charges related to “facilitating and concealing misuse of FIFA funds, using falsified documentation and failing to cooperate” with the ethics investigation.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino visited the Maldives last year and acknowledged in a news release “the challenges that football in the Maldives has faced in recent years.”

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UEFA Urges US Court to Deny FIFA Subsidiaries' Bid to Join Infantino Discovery Fight

FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - FIFA President Gianni Infantino arrives at the stadium before a FIFA Under-20 Women's World Cup match on September 5, 2026. REUTERS/Kacper Pempel/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - FIFA President Gianni Infantino arrives at the stadium before a FIFA Under-20 Women's World Cup match on September 5, 2026. REUTERS/Kacper Pempel/File Photo
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UEFA Urges US Court to Deny FIFA Subsidiaries' Bid to Join Infantino Discovery Fight

FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - FIFA President Gianni Infantino arrives at the stadium before a FIFA Under-20 Women's World Cup match on September 5, 2026. REUTERS/Kacper Pempel/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - FIFA President Gianni Infantino arrives at the stadium before a FIFA Under-20 Women's World Cup match on September 5, 2026. REUTERS/Kacper Pempel/File Photo

UEFA urged a US court on Thursday to reject an attempt by FIFA's American subsidiaries to intervene in its bid to obtain evidence for a potential Swiss criminal case against FIFA President Gianni Infantino over his abandoned World Cup commercial-rights plan.

In a filing in Manhattan federal court, European soccer's governing body said FIFA (Americas) Inc and FWC2026 US Inc were improperly trying to act as stand-ins for FIFA and Infantino, neither of whom has sought to join the case.

UEFA said its request under a US discovery law seeks documents and testimony from Thrive Capital Management and its founder Joshua Kushner, who it says may hold information about the proposed FIFA Forward Enterprise transaction.

The plan, which Infantino withdrew on August 1 after a backlash from soccer bodies and other critics, envisaged selling a permanent stake in commercial and operational rights connected to the World Cup and other FIFA events to private investors.

UEFA CONSIDERING CRIMINAL COMPLAINT AGAINST INFANTINO

UEFA has said it is considering filing a criminal complaint in Switzerland alleging criminal mismanagement by Infantino and potentially other FIFA officials. Infantino and FIFA have not been charged with wrongdoing.

FIFA accused UEFA last week of running a "smear campaign" and characterized the discovery applications as a fishing expedition intended to damage FIFA and its leadership.

FIFA did not immediately respond to a request for comment, and Infantino has denied doing anything wrong.

In Thursday's response, UEFA said the subsidiaries had no direct legal interest in the New York proceeding because they were not targets of the contemplated Swiss case and were not recipients of the proposed subpoenas.

It said the confidentiality concerns cited by the US subsidiaries belonged, if to anyone, to their Swiss parent, FIFA. UEFA also argued that Thrive and Kushner already have lawyers who can challenge any subpoenas after they are served.

Thrive did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Thrive founder Kushner is the brother of Jared Kushner, son-in-law of US President Donald Trump.

UEFA said granting the subsidiaries a role before the court rules would depart from the usual process for requests under Section 1782, which are commonly granted initially without opposition and then tested through motions to quash.

The European body argued that the subsidiaries' intervention would create unnecessary delay by adding another round of merits briefing before UEFA could seek the records.

The court has not yet ruled on either UEFA's discovery application or the intervention motion.