Hong Kong coach Kim Pan-gon has told local players to "quit moaning and work harder following rumbles of discontent about the number of foreigners in the squad" for the start of the World Cup qualifying campaign. Kim: "If they were good enough, we would not have to look outside. If naturalized players can help, the coach has to count on their performance and passion in football and not their color, or where they come from" (REUTERS, 5/20). ... League Championship side Blackpool has been charged by the FA after its match against Huddersfield on May 2 was "abandoned due to an on-pitch fan protest." The game on the final day of the season was "called off in the 48th minute after Blackpool fans staged a protest against owner Karl Oyston in the centre circle" (PA, 5/20). ... Liga MX's Disciplinary Committee sanctioned Atlas with a fine of 490,700 Mexican pesos ($32,340) -- equivalent to 7,000 days of the current minimum wage in Mexico City -- for incidents on Sunday, when the club's fans invaded the field during a game against Guadalajara (LA AFICIÓN, 5/19). ... European Commissioner for Competition Margrethe Vestager announced on Wednesday that the investigation into seven Spanish football clubs for possible state aid violations "will conclude after the summer." The clubs being investigated are La Liga sides Real Madrid, Barcelona, Athletic Bilbao, Valencia, Elche, second division side Osasuna and third division side Hércules. She said that it "still has not been decided whether the clubs will have to return payments" (EP, 5/20). ... A 2026 World Cup hosting contest that could include the
U.S. and exclude Europe "will take shape next week when FIFA
agrees on campaign rules." The FIFA exec committee "will approve bidding regulations at a two-day meeting starting Monday" (AP, 5/19). ... The FA "warned England fans to not sing anti-IRA songs during next month's friendly in Dublin against the Republic of Ireland." England will play in Dublin on June 7, its first match in the Irish capital since '95 when an int'l "was abandoned following crowd trouble" (BBC, 5/20).
