FIFA news: Socceroos star calls out FIFA over Peace Prize "mockery"

World Cup 2026 Weekly news. We will bring you the latest from around the world as we countdown to the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Aussie star calls out FIFA over Peace Prize "mockery"

Australian star midfielder Jackson Irvine has shunned FIFA's decision to award US President Donald Trump with the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize, labelling the decision a "mockery" of its own human rights policy.

FIFA awarded Trump with the first award of its kind, crediting his work in “promoting peace and unity around the world”. The US remains at war with Iran, with Trump issuing a warning against the nation from participating within the upcoming FIFA World Cup for their own safety.

“As an organisation, you would have to say decisions like the one that we saw awarding this peace prize makes a mockery of what they’re trying to do with the human rights charter and trying to use football as a global driving force for good and positive change in the world,” Irvine told Reuters.

“Decisions like that feel like they just set us back in the perceived market of what football currently is, especially at the top level where it’s becoming so disconnected from society and the grassroots of what the game actually is and means in our communities and in the world.”

Irvine, currently leading German Bundesliga side St. Pauli, also took aim at the US' treatment of the LGBTQIA+ community.

Raising concerns over the same matter ahead of the Qatar World Cup in 2022, Irvine has once again garnered attention to the matter, hoping to see more from the host nations within that space.

“It’s not an issue just in the Middle East, in America we’re seeing more and more of the rights of these communities... being taken away all over the country,” he said.

“We have to sincerely hope that we see a lot of open support in that space as well.”

Yellow Card accumulation to be altered for World Cup

FIFA are expected to introduce a change to rules behind accumulative yellow cards ahead of the 2026 World Cup.

As it stands, players who receive two accumulative yellow cards across the group stages, round of 16 and the semi finals would be suspended for one match. At the quarter finals, all previous yellow cards would be wiped.

However this year, with the tournament extending from 32 to 48 teams, teams would be forced to play in six matches before reaching the quarter finals and subsequently having their warnings cleared.

Given the extra game, FIFA is expected to alter the rules, with all yellow cards set to be wiped twice - once after the group stages, and again at the quarter final mark.

The change removes the likelihood of increasing suspensions across the tournament, with pockets shortened to just three games on either side of the reset.

Yet to be confirmed, the change will receive attention at an upcoming FIFA council meeting.

Prizemoney to be increased:

Amid a wealth of political turmoil, fan frustration at rising costs and the possibility of nations boycotting, FIFA’s PR department has been in damage control mode for quite sometime.

Now, they governing body has been forced to agree (in principle) to increase the World Cup prizemoney pool which already stands at a staggering $1 billion (AUD).

According to reports in the Guardian, FIFA has acknowledged concerns raised by a number of nations set to compete at this year’s tournament given the rising costs of travel, accommodation and operations.

In December, FIFA announced a billion-dollar prize pool which meant each of the 48 nations competing would pocket around $14.5m (AUD) and the winners in excess of $69m AUD.

“Ahead of a FIFA Council meeting in Vancouver, Canada, on 28 April 2026, FIFA can confirm it is in discussions with associations around the world to increase available revenues,” a FIFA spokesperson said in a statement.

“This includes a proposed increase of financial contributions to all qualified teams for the FIFA World Cup 2026 and of development funding available to all 211 member associations.

“The FIFA World Cup 2026 will be groundbreaking in terms of its financial contribution to the global football community, and FIFA is proud to be in its strongest ever financial position to benefit the global game through its FIFA Forward programme. Subject to discussions, further details will be provided in due course.”

SALAH IN DOUBT?

Injury during Liverpool’s home clash against Crystal palace over the weekend may have brought a premature end of Mo Salah’s time with the Reds but Egypt fans can breathe a sigh of relief.

The forward, who will depart Anfield at the end of the season after a tumultuous period, injured his hamstring an hour into the 3-1 victory.

With only four matches left this season, it could mark the final time he plays for Liverpool “He ‌‌has suffered a hamstring tear and will require four weeks of treatment,” Egypt’s national team director Ibrahim Hassan said.

Egypt are drawn in Group G for the World Cup alongside Belgium, Iran and New Zealand.

DUTCH CHAMPION OUT OF WORLD CUP

Xavi Simons has ruptured his ACL and is out of the World Cup.

The Dutch international sustained the injury in Tottenham’s ugly relegation fight clash with Wigan at the weekend.

“They say life can be cruel and today it feels that way,” he said on social media. “My season has come to an abrupt end and I’m just trying to process it.

“Honestly, I’m heartbroken. None of it makes sense. All I’ve wanted to do is fight for my team and now the ability to do that has been snatched away from me, along with the World Cup.”