Qatari club lines up French friendlies as Infantino jet row brews

Qatari club set for France pre-season tour

A Qatari club is heading to France this summer. SM Caen announced pre-season friendlies against Rennes and a Qatari side, though the club name has not been confirmed yet (2). The matches are part of Caen's build-up to the new Ligue 2 campaign. Details on dates and the Qatari opponent are still to come, worth watching if this is one of the big Stars League sides making the trip.

Infantino's private jet draws fire at World Cup

FIFA president Gianni Infantino is using a Qatar Airways private jet to hop between World Cup matches, sometimes two games a day, and it is causing a stir (1). The optics of a Gulf state airline providing a jet to the FIFA boss while Qatar remains under scrutiny for its tournament role are not subtle. German outlet n-tv reported the arrangement has sparked anger, with Infantino's dizzying schedule putting the privilege on full display (1).

Fan reactions

Qatar fans on Reddit are pointing to the opening draw as part of a broader Asian statement at this World Cup. The AFC remains unbeaten through the first round, with Qatar's result sitting alongside wins for South Korea and Australia. One thread tallied the full list, it reads like a receipt for anyone who doubted the region's depth. See the full discussion. Meanwhile, the Infantino jet story has supporters rolling their eyes. The image of police escorts and two games a day on a Qatar-owned plane is exactly the kind of headline fans expected. Join the conversation.