18 hours ago
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BEHOLD: THE COPA GIANNI
After years of existing only as a fever dream inside the shiny, spacious cranium of Fifa’s greatest showman, Gianni Infantino, the first edition of an expanded, summertime Club World Cup that nobody asked for is finally here. Infantino’s most ambitious vanity project to date is about to collide with reality, and as students of the Swiss school of football farce, we’re excited. It’s not so much a question of what will go wrong over the next 30 sun-baked days in an increasingly dystopian USA USA USA, but what might actually go right. Saturday’s opener pitches Egyptian giants Al-Ahly (who qualified by winning the 2021 African Big Cup) against MLS middleweights Inter Miami (who qualified by having Lionel Messi in their team) at the 65,000-capacity Hard Rock Stadium. Fifa has denied reports that fewer than 20,000 tickets have been sold for the game in Miami, but the tournament’s dynamic pricing model is trending in one direction: from $349 in December, some tickets are now cheaper than $60.
In an effort to fill seats, local college students have reportedly been offered a multi-buy deal at $4 a seat. Other early highlights include Bayern Munich v Auckland City, an amateur side who claimed Oceania’s only qualifying spot and may be hoping to avoid a baseball scoreline in Cincinnati. PSG v Atlético Madrid on Sunday might sound a more bearable prospect – but the game will be played in 30-degree heat at the Rose Bowl, a roofless arena on the outskirts of a city in turmoil. Donald Trump’s response to protests against deportations in Los Angeles has been to send in the military; hosting glorified pre-season friendlies is the last thing on anyone’s minds right now. It may come to pass that Gianni’s great white elephant is obscured by the elephant in the room.
LAFC, who face Chelsea in Atlanta on Monday, are a club with deep roots in their city’s migrant communities. Earlier this week, their fans held a silent protest against ICE raids in the city during an MLS game. Suddenly, Liam Delap’s potential debut is far from the biggest story in town. The main thing Infantino should be asking himself – save for where that bloody key has gone – is whether Trump’s increasingly visible and emboldened hostile environment is a suitable backdrop to a global football jamboree featuring 32 teams from 20 nations. Long derided as a half-baked joke, the rebooted Copa Gianni has landed in a furnace of political tension – and suddenly doesn’t seem so funny any more.
On the eve of the tournament, US Customs and Border Protection have confirmed they will be “suited and booted, ready to provide security for the first round of games,” in a social media post that could scarcely have sounded more ominous. Fifa’s best chance of any kind of atmosphere at this month’s matches will come when Latin American sides meet, attracting expat fans – like River Plate v Monterrey at the Rose Bowl, for instance. Now, the only people in America who actually want to go and watch these games might fear what awaits them at the venue. “It’s perfectly reasonable to be scared,” the American Immigration Council told Reuters. “We haven’t seen large-scale immigration enforcement actions at sporting events like this historically, but this is also a moment that is not like any other in US history.” Good job there’s not a 48-nation World Cup taking place there in exactly 12 months’ time, then. Wait, what’s that? Oh, Gianni!
QUOTE OF THE DAY
The time has come for me to move on. But, even as I leave, I know I have left a big piece of my heart at Brentford, not just at the football club but with the community and, of course, the incredible and loyal supporters. For my family and I, it has been a privilege to be allowed to be part of such a special community – it’s an experience and adventure that we will cherish for life” – Thomas Frank pens a love letter to Brentford fans after racing round the North Circular for a different kind of adventure at the Cirque du Spurs.
On the dawn of the ‘it doesn’t matter what you call it, it’s a disgraceful monstrosity that shouldn’t exist’, can I make a plea that we just ignore it? I mean, I know any reputable sports writer, or someone who has to knock out The Daily, can’t, because of journalism etc, but surely, the 1,057 can keep the letters section free of any mention of the wretched thing. C’mon folks, pedantry, nostalgic whimsy, godawful puns and lengthy diatribes about the state of it all suffused a sense of powerlessness and angst. We’ve got this. Maybe still go easy on the puns” – Jon Millard.
Good luck to Crystal Palace fans, if Woody Johnson does buy John Textor’s shares (yesterday’s News, Bits and Bobs, full email edition). The Jets are an absolute clown show and have been so forever. Johnson is generally regarded as the stupidest owner in the league, and there’s admittedly tough competition. So, yeah, could be fun in south London” – Joe Pearson.
Re: Trent Alexander-Arnold’s fluent unveiling (yesterday’s Football Daily). I assume Florian Wirtz will be busy reading and learning his scouse in time for the new season” – Kevin Quinn.
When the new manager of Spurs inevitably reproduces his appalling starts suffered at his previous clubs, will the headline be ‘Frank’s side bottom’, accompanied by an image of Thomas’s spherical fibreglass head?” – Peter McHugh.
If you do have any, please send letters to [email protected]. Today’s winner of our prizeless letter o’ the day is … Kevin Quinn, la. Terms and conditions for our competitions, when we run them, can be viewed here.
RECOMMENDED ASKING
Is there anything you have always wanted to ask the USWNT and former Chelsea coach Emma Hayes? Then now is your chance.
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