Page 2 - Fifa World Cup

FIFA ropes in Ivanka Trump for education project funded by ticket revenues

FIFA added another personal link to U.S. President Donald Trump by appointing his daughter Ivanka to the board of a $100 million education project part-funded by 2026 World Cup ticket sales. Ivanka Trump, tennis great Serena Williams, singers Shakira and The Weeknd, actor Hugh Jackman and soccer star Kaka are on the advisory board of the charity fund created by FIFA and the Global Citizen anti-poverty nonprofit. The board will provide strategic guidance to maximize the fund's reach and impact, FIFA said in a statement on Monday. The project is split between grants awarded to grassroots education in more than 200 countries and the soccer body's worldwide schools program. FIFA said $30 million is already raised toward the fund's $100 million target and will get $1 from each World Cup ticket sold. More than seven million spectators are expected to attend the 104 games in 16 host cities across the United States, Canada and Mexico from June 11-July 19. FIFA president Gianni Infantino ha

FIFA World Rankings: Top 20 Teams after October international break

Croatia, runners-up in 2018 and a semifinalist in the 2022 edition, slipped to 11th after settling for a draw against the Czech Republic last week.

FIFA WC 2026 Qualifiers: Hungary stall Portugal's bid; England qualifies

Portugal appeared to be in control for most of the match, but was left frustrated by Hungary's persistence

Trump warns of moving World Cup games from Boston though FIFA chooses sites

President Donald Trump on Tuesday threatened to relocate World Cup matches set to be played next year in Boston, parts of which he had suggested had been "taken over" by recent unrest. The city is set to host seven matches as the US co-hosts the 2026 World Cup with Mexico and Canada. Trump was asked about the city's mayor, Michelle Wu, a Democrat whom he called "intelligent" but "radical left". "We could take them away," Trump said of the games. "I love the people of Boston and I know the games are sold out. But your mayor is not good." He suggested "they are taking over parts of Boston" without offering details, but added "we could get them back in about two seconds". Wu's office did not respond to a message seeking comment. Trump's comments came during his meeting with Argentina's president and it was not immediately clear what he was referring to. Earlier this month, however, there were multiple arrests in connection with a pro-Palestinian protest that turned violent on the Bos

What was FIFA President doing at Gaza peace summit in Egypt? All we know

Gianni Infantino could be seen standing alongside US President Donald Trump, engaging in casual conversation, smiling, and posing for photographs

Historic! Cape Verde qualify for first World Cup after Eswatini win

Cape Verde will play in the World Cup for the first time after beating Eswatini 3-0 to win its group in African qualifying for the 2026 World Cup. The archipelago of volcanic islands off the western coast of Africa secured one of the nine automatic spots for the continent. It will be the second smallest country by population to feature in the tournament after Iceland in 2018. Dailon Livramento scored in the 48th minute, Willy Semedo in the 54th and Stopira in stoppage time to secure the home victory and first place in Group D on Monday. At the final whistle, fans chanted in the stands while players celebrated on the field. What a historic moment, FIFA president Gianni Infantino said in a video message. Congratulations to everyone in Cape Verde for making the FIFA World Cup for the first time. Your flag will fly and your anthem will be heard at the greatest FIFA World Cup ever. Your work on football development in recent years has been incredible and this is a moment where your sta

FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifiers: France miss early qualification chance

France held 2-2 by Iceland in Reykjavik as Mbappe's absence felt; Belgium, Germany register wins in 2026 World Cup qualifiers

FIFA WC 2026 Qualifiers: Faroe Islands stun Czech, Depay stars for Dutch

Faroe Islands beat Czech Republic 2-1 in a historic World Cup 2026 qualifier; Depay scores record 54th for Netherlands, Denmark and Scotland stay level.

FIFA WC Qualifier round-up: Haaland scores hat-trick; Ronaldo misfires

Erling Haaland scored a hat-trick as Norway beat Israel 5-0, while Cristiano Ronaldo missed a penalty in Portugal's 1-0 win over Ireland in World Cup qualifying.

France vs Azerbaijan FIFA World Cup qualifier live match time and streaming

France and Azerbaijan have met only twice before, both during Euro 1996 qualifiers, with France winning 2-0 and 10-0.

Algeria football team returns to FIFA World Cup 2026 after a decade

Led by former Switzerland coach Vladimir Petkovic and captained by Riyad Mahrez, Algeria's qualification underscores a regional resurgence that has come to define African football's modern narrative.

Saudi Arabia edge closer to 2026 World Cup qualification with key win

Saudi Arabia beat Indonesia 3-2 to move within 90 minutes of qualification for the 2026 World Cup. A victory against Iraq on next Tuesday, also in Jeddah, would guarantee Saudi Arabia first place in Group B and a seventh World Cup appearance. In the fourth round of Asian qualifying, only the winners of the two groups of three earn automatic berths to the tournament. The runners-up advance to a fifth round. Indonesia, coached by former Netherlands and Barcelona striker Patrick Kluivert, struck first on Wednesday when Kevin Diks converted a penalty in the 11th minute. Six minutes later, Saleh Abu Al-Shamat equalised, and Firas Al-Buraikan's penalty in the 37th minute put Saudi Arabia ahead. Al-Buraikan scored again just after the hour mark, but Diks converted a second penalty in the 89th minute. Saudi Arabia's Mohamed Kanno was sent off in stoppage time, but the hosts held on for the win. Indonesia's chance of returning to the World Cup for the first time since 1938 will be over if

FIFA World Cup 2026 ticket prices soar, raising concerns over fan access

Now, as the World Cup returns to North America after more than three decades, ticket pricing strategies indicate a much more aggressive revenue focus from FIFA.

What is Adidas' Trionda match ball for upcoming FIFA World Cup 2026?

The name "Trionda" blends "tri" (meaning three) and "onda" (waves), symbolizing the unity of the three host countries.

Meet the three mascots revealed ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026

Since the debut of "World Cup Willie" the lion at the 1966 World Cup in England, mascots have become a beloved tradition, capturing the unique identity of each tournament:

Cristiano Ronaldo equals Ruiz's record for most goals in FIFA WC qualifiers

Ronaldo's strike also helped his side overturn an early deficit before João Cancelo's late winner sealed a dramatic 3-2 victory

2026 World Cup draw will be held at Washington's Kennedy Center: Trump

President Donald Trump said that the draw for the 2026 World Cup will take place on December 5 at the Kennedy Centre in Washington, and didn't rule out that he himself might oversee the event. "It's the biggest, probably the biggest event in sports, I guess," said Trump, who made the announcement in an Oval Office event where he was joined by FIFA President Gianni Infantino and Vice President JD Vance on Friday. The US is co-hosting next year's tournament which for the first time will feature 48 national teams up from 32 with Canada and Mexico. The draw event will determine the World Cup's groups, and the games each team plays in the opening round. Infantino said the 48 teams will play "104 matches in one month" and likened it to "104 Super Bowls." Trump picked up on that theme, saying, "It's like having many Super Bowls in a short period of time, because each one of these games, essentially, is a Super Bowl. Some of them are bigger than Super Bowls, actually." The World Cup kic

Manisha Kalyan dreams of playing in FIFA World Cup and Olympics someday

Trailblazing Indian woman footballer Manisha Kalyan on Friday said she harbours the dream of playing in the FIFA World Cup and the Olympics, a belief that has been bolstered by the national team's qualification for the AFC Women's Asian Cup in Australia next year. Manisha, the only Indian footballer to have played in the UEFA Champions League for women, was the cynosure of all eyes at the ASMITA under-13 league for girls at Nehru Stadium here on Friday. She said ASMITA is a "rare platform for young girls to realise their football dreams." "I am still dreaming of playing in the FIFA World Cup and the Olympics and after we qualified for the AFC Women's Asian Cup in Australia next year, our belief has been bolstered," the 23-year-old Manisha told the eight teams taking part in the Guwahati leg of ASMITA aimed at scouting talent at the grassroots level across India. "You now have a platform like ASMITA and the more quality matches you play, the better you will get," she added. Manisha

Will Brazil's Neymar Jr. get one final go at the FIFA World Cup in 2026?

Brazil's director of football said that if Neymar is fit, there's no question about his place in the squad.

Saudi Arabia, Qatar secure home edge for 2026 World Cup qualifiers

Saudi Arabia and Qatar drew home advantage in the fourth round of Asia qualifying for the 2026 World Cup on Thursday. In October, Qatar will host Group A that also contains the United Arab Emirates and Oman. Saudi Arabia welcomes Iraq and Indonesia into Group B. The winner of each round-robin group will take Asia's last two remaining automatic spots at next summer's tournament, to be hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico. The teams that finish second will then meet, with the winner progressing to inter-confederation playoffs, which are scheduled for March 2026. Six teams from Asia secured qualification last month: Japan, Iran, South Korea and Australia have all participated numerous times, while Jordan and Uzbekistan will make their first appearance.