Zidane Takes France Job as Football's Governance Crisis Deepens

The day belonged as much to football's corridors of power as to anything on a pitch. Zinedine Zidane finally ended years of patient waiting by confirming his appointment as France head coach, revealing he had turned down multiple jobs to hold out for the role he always wanted. It is the fulfilment of an open ambition, and one of the more eagerly anticipated managerial appointments in years. Roberto Mancini, meanwhile, returned for a second spell as Italy head coach, giving the Azzurri a familiar face at the helm.

But the wider backdrop was one of significant turbulence at the top of the game. European nations escalated their dispute with FIFA over plans to bring private investment into the World Cup, with a potential boycott now openly discussed — a fracture that would have enormous consequences for the tournament's future. Separately, FIFA president Gianni Infantino was called to testify before the United States Congress over his ties to Donald Trump, whose country is co-hosting the 2026 World Cup. The two stories together paint a picture of a governing body under serious pressure from multiple directions.

On a domestic front, Kick It Out published its most troubling report yet, recording 1,744 discrimination cases across English football in 2025/26 — a 25 per cent rise and a record high that will demand a meaningful response from the game's authorities.