Rob Francis
5.7K posts
@robccfc
Season ticket holder @UnionStGilloise and @BelRedDevils. @CoventryCity till I die etc
Brussels is home to Belgium’s most successful club side, and the site of tragedy at Heysel 35 years ago, but there is much more for football enthusiasts to discover. @robccfc takes us on a journey through the football culture of the Belgian capital. ➡️ bit.ly/FootballinBrus…
This has been weighing heavily on me, and I can’t stay quiet about it any longer. I am 71 years old. I’ve been fortunate enough to attend five World Cups, starting in 1986. Those tournaments weren’t just events to me, they were life chapters. They were about connection, about culture, about standing shoulder to shoulder with people from every corner of the world, united by the game we love. But what I’m seeing now breaks my heart. The current dynamic pricing strategy for the upcoming World Cup feels completely detached from the very soul of football. Yes, this tournament is being played mostly in the United States, and yes, it’s a premium market. But football was never meant to be a luxury product reserved for the highest bidder. It belongs to the people. Always has. I looked back fondly at USA 94 and everything we did then to fill stadiums and bring the game to life for Americans who were just dipping their toes into the water of the beautiful game. Right now, it feels like the average, passionate supporter, the ones who save for years, who travel across continents, who bring the color, the noise, the spirit, are being pushed out. Replaced by a model that prioritizes revenue over reality. That’s a dangerous road because once you lose the authentic fan, you lose the essence of what makes the World Cup special. I say this not just as a fan, but as someone who has spent a lifetime in and around the game. During my time at EA SPORTS, we stood shoulder to shoulder with FIFA when they needed it most. Our game kept millions of fans connected to football and to the World Cup when trust in the organization was at its lowest. We helped carry the flame. Which is why this moment feels even more disappointing. This may well be one of the last World Cups I have the chance to attend and I find myself wondering if the game I’ve loved all my life is slowly drifting away from people like me, and far more importantly, from the next generation who deserve to feel what I felt in 1986. The World Cup should unite the world. Not divide it by price. Football deserves better. And so do the fans. Come on @FIFAcom , sort this out… It’s not too late.
Stade Francais selling tickets for Paris v Newport this weekend on their website. Always find it interesting that the French still often refer to the Welsh pro clubs as Newport, Cardiff and Llanelli. As it should be.
NEW @TheAthleticFC Neither USMNT nor Belgium had alternative kit at venue to change kits re: color clash. Post kick-off they tried to source from team hotels but not possible. Belgium's Onana said "it was awful" on-field & Lammens raised at HT with kitman nytimes.com/athletic/71543…
Do you agree with Jamie's list? 🤔
