# When Fifa Draws Roars at Royal Birkdale—and It Has Nothing to Do with Soccer

**By Amelie Fontaine**  \nPublished August 1, 2026  \nUpdated September 9, 2026

> Roars for Fifa rang out across Royal Birkdale during the Open Championship, though they had nothing to do with the global soccer body. Meet Pongsapak 'Fifa' Laopakdee.

Southport, England — Roars of support echoed across the links of Royal Birkdale this week, though they carried no relation to the heavily scrutinized world governing body of football. Instead, the galleries were cheering for a 21-year-old college golfer from Thailand with a truly memorable moniker and an unforgettable introduction to a major championship week.

Pongsapak Laopakdee—known universally as Fifa—signed for an 80 on Friday to miss the cut, but he left an indelible imprint on the northwest coast of England. His name is the result of a playful choice made by his football-loving father, Peter, when Fifa was an infant, following a custom deeply rooted in Thai culture. According to the Arizona State University student, the decision came down to a household ballot between two options: Fifa, after the global soccer organization, or Uefa, after the European counterpart.

Fifa won out, and it is the name the young amateur intends to keep as he plots his transition to the professional ranks. If I use Fifa when I make pro, I think I will be more memorable, Laopakdee noted. It looks like people will remember my name more.

Carrying the identical name of the organization headed by Gianni Infantino—an institution frequently dominating headlines for controversies or global showpieces—brings its fair share of commentary, particularly as the 2026 Open coincided directly with high-stakes international football. When asked how he feels about sharing a moniker with the body accused of being dictators, rigged, fixed, corrupt, Laopakdee laughed it off entirely. I think it's funny, because I'm a huge soccer fan, said the loyal Chelsea supporter. I find it extremely funny.

### The Road to Royal Birkdale

Laopakdee punched his ticket to Royal Birkdale by capturing the previous year’s Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship, a triumph that also earned him a start at the Masters, where rounds of 80 and 75 kept him out of the weekend action. Reflecting on a three-month stretch that fundamentally altered his trajectory, the experience of managing major championship pressure on English soil was eye-opening.

It's a great opportunity for me, that's for sure, to feel this pressure, take this pressure and have a chance to play in this event representing Asian amateurs, Laopakdee said. It's a massive honor. I'm looking forward to coming back.

### The World Cup Collision

The timing of Laopakdee's appearance aligned with a broader national obsession at Royal Birkdale, where the R&up and R&A organizers monitored a dramatic collision between golf's final major and the latter stages of the FIFA World Cup. With England advancing through the tournament—facing a semifinal showdown against Argentina—championship chatter was perpetually split between the pursuit of the Claret Jug and the Three Lions' quest to end decades of hurt dating back to 1966.

R&A chief executive Mark Darbon acknowledged the unique scheduling puzzle as a great problem to have, keeping Sunday's finishing schedule under strict review in case tee times needed minor adjustments to accommodate the 8 p.m. World Cup final kickoff. Even players in the field admitted the dual gravity of the week. Top-ranked Englishman Matt Fitzpatrick confessed to having £20 on England's campaign, while Justin Rose conceded that ignoring the football action was practically impossible.

While local favorites like Tommy Fleetwood carried the heavy burden of home-country expectations on the course, it was the young Thai amateur bearing a football-inspired name who injected a distinct brand of levity into the practice rounds and early-week galleries. Whether walking the fairways of Royal Birkdale or handling media inquiries about his football executive namesake, Fifa Laopakdee proved that some names are destined to stand out.

## Sources

- [Por STEVE DOUGLAS](https://www.expressnews.com/sports/article/fifa-provoca-ovaciones-en-el-abierto-brit-nico-22350126.php) — original
- [Por STEVE DOUGLAS](https://www.houstonchronicle.com/sports/article/fifa-provoca-ovaciones-en-el-abierto-brit-nico-22350126.php) — original
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- [Ryan Herrington Wed, July 15, 2026 at 12:01 PM UTC · 2 min read](https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/british-open-2026-englands-world-120146003.html) — original
- [apnews.com](https://apnews.com/article/british-open-fifa-thai-551a8a73a9c0d578c574ed2d46458abb) — original