The Norwegian Football Federation is fighting to grant citizenship to Nikita Haikin, who is set to become the starting goalkeeper for the national team at the upcoming World Cup. Meanwhile, the sports world reflects on a decade of Gianni Infantino's rule at FIFA, marked by controversies and accusations of authoritarianism. In Barcelona, Hansi Flick celebrates his birthday and the team's return to the top of the table, while the NFL announces expansion plans into European markets for the twenty-sixth season.

Battle for Haikin's Passport

The best goalkeeper in the Norwegian league has been waiting over a year for citizenship, which blocks his participation in the World Cup.

Decade of Infantino's Rule

The tenth anniversary of Gianni Infantino's presidency at FIFA is marked by heavy criticism from Sepp Blatter.

FC Barcelona as Leader

Hansi Flick celebrates his birthday and a return to the top of La Liga after breaking a losing streak and changing locker room rules.

NFL Expansion

It has been confirmed that in 2026, NFL games will be held at the Allianz Arena in Munich and at stadiums in London.

The situation of Nikita Haikin has become the central point of the sports debate in Norway. The goalkeeper for the club Bodø Glimt, who holds Russian, Israeli, and British citizenship, has been waiting for over a year for a decision from the immigration office regarding his naturalization. Despite meeting all formal requirements, including fluency in the language and marriage to a Norwegian woman, bureaucracy continues to block his appearances in the national colors. Manager Ståle Solbakken clearly points to the 30-year-old as the candidate to become the first-choice goalkeeper at the World Cup in North America, especially given the lack of regular play by the current leader, Ørjan Nyland. Well-known commentators have already intervened in this matter, sending open letters to the Prime Minister of Norway. Simultaneously, it has been exactly ten years since FIFA came under the rule of Gianni Infantino. This anniversary evokes extreme emotions. The former president of the federation, Sepp Blatter, harshly criticized his successor, calling the current organizational structure a "dictatorship." Blatter accuses Infantino of complete isolation from colleagues and managing the association in an absolutist manner. This criticism coincides with media reports of numerous scandals and controversial decisions that shaped the past decade at world football's headquarters. Gianni Infantino took the helm at FIFA in 2016, taking over an organization mired in the biggest corruption crisis in its history, which led to the downfall of Sepp Blatter's long-standing rule. In the Spanish league, FC Barcelona under Hansi Flick returned to the top of the table after a victory over Levante. The German coach, who just celebrated his 61st birthday, decided to relax discipline regarding lateness, which the media interprets as a gesture towards locker room integration. Upcoming matches against Villarreal and the Copa del Rey return leg against Atlético Madrid will be key tests for the form of Robert Lewandowski's team. Outside the European continent, the NFL confirmed that in 2026 it will visit Munich and London, marking another step in the globalization of this sport. „Die Fifa ist eine Diktatur! Der Fifa-Rat mit fast 40 Personen hat nichts zu sagen.” (FIFA is a dictatorship! The FIFA Council with almost 40 people has nothing to say.) — Sepp Blatter

Mentioned People

  • Nikita Haikin — Bodø/Glimt goalkeeper applying for Norwegian citizenship.
  • Gianni Infantino — FIFA President celebrating 10 years in office.
  • Hansi Flick — FC Barcelona coach who changed disciplinary rules at the club.
  • Sepp Blatter — Former FIFA president, criticizing his successor's rule.