The Afternoon Brief: FIFA in crisis as confederations formally withdraw support

Gianni Infantino's grip on FIFA leadership fractured over 48 hours as institutional opposition hardened across Europe and North America. The English Football Association is set to write FIFA withdrawing its support, following Wales's earlier public defection and joining UEFA's statement of lost confidence. The cascade accelerated after Infantino scrapped his plan to sell a 20% stake in FIFA Forward Enterprise, a commercial subsidiary designed to run World Cup operations, to private investors including the Kushner family. That reversal came after UEFA, Concacaf, and the AFC coordinated opposition to block the proposal. UEFA has now escalated beyond public criticism: the confederation sent Infantino a formal document preservation letter and signaled potential legal action against him and the private parties involved in the deal. The threat marks a shift from institutional protest to formal legal preparation.

Infantino requires 106 votes from FIFA's 211 member nations to secure a fourth and final term in March 2027. The public defections from England and Wales, combined with UEFA's institutional weight representing 55 member nations, have altered the political terrain materially. The reporting does not yet establish whether other confederations plan to follow England's lead or whether the African and Asian blocs will shift positions in response to European pressure. What remains unconfirmed is whether 43 member associations will formally sponsor a no-confidence vote, which would force an Extraordinary Congress before the March election.

Outside FIFA's governance crisis, the WNBA and MLB trade deadlines produced roster resets. The Los Angeles Sparks traded five-time All-Star Kelsey Plum to the Phoenix Mercury, sending her away still recovering from a lower left leg injury sustained in June and with no long-term commitment to stay beyond this season. Plum averaged 23.9 points and 6.4 assists in 12 games, both career highs. The Sparks received Monique Akoa Makani, a 2027 first-round pick, and a 2028 second-rounder in return. The deal marks the fourth All-Star midseason trade in WNBA history and signals the Sparks' formal retreat from their failed contention experiment; the team sits at 10-17 on a six-game losing streak. The Mercury are betting that Plum's scoring prowess can salvage a playoff run from 13 games out of position.

In baseball, the Tampa Bay Rays acquired right-hander Freddy Peralta from the New York Mets, sending three prospects to New York. Peralta is a two-time All-Star but arrives after a disappointing 2026 season: he is 5-9 with a 4.99 ERA in 22 starts for the Mets, having pitched into the sixth inning in only 11 of those starts. The Chicago Cubs acquired Kevin Gausman from the Toronto Blue Jays, trading Triple-A outfielder Brett Bateman and Class-A infielder Ty Southisene. Gausman, 35, carries postseason pedigree but has struggled recently with a 6.47 ERA over his last eight starts. The Cleveland Guardians acquired outfielder Jo Adell from the Los Angeles Angels for catching prospect Jacob Cozart. Adell, 27, was not eligible for free agency until after 2027, giving the Guardians team control through October and beyond.

In football, the New Orleans Saints announced that defensive tackle Bryan Bresee will undergo season-ending ACL surgery after tearing his knee during the first practice of training camp in a noncontact pass rush move. Bresee, a 2023 first-round pick with 26 career starts, leaves the Saints to rely on veteran Nathan Shepherd and second-year tackle Vernon Broughton at the interior line. In college football, Notre Dame and USC agreed to resume their rivalry in 2030 with Week 1 matchups, resolving a scheduling stalemate created by USC's Big Ten entry. The first game will be in Los Angeles in 2030, the second in South Bend in 2031, both in the opening week, with two additional early-season meetings to follow.

Elsewhere, Victory+ removed CEO Neil Gruninger and replaced him with Jon Spencer of TriWest Capital Partners after the streaming platform lost the Texas Rangers, NWSL, and Anaheim Ducks rights in two weeks. The company's remaining partners include the Dallas Stars, Minnesota Lynx, Atlanta Dream, League One Volleyball, and Texas prep football, which the reporting indicates are secure for now. In golf, Shiho Kuwaki won the Women's Open at Royal Lytham & St Annes at five under par, defeating Esther Henseleit in a playoff. Henseleit's drive on the second playoff hole struck a course marshal and was redirected into gorse, ending her bid to become only the second German female to win a major.