Page 2 - Fifa World Cup

Games against Kuwait, Qatar crucial for qualification to 3rd round: Stimac

The results against Kuwait and Qatar in June will be the real indicator of the Indian football team's prospects of making a maiden appearance in the third round of the FIFA World Cup Qualifiers, head coach Igor Stimac said on Wednesday. India will take on lower-ranked Afghanistan in their second round qualifying match here on Thursday, and a win in the hill town will only brighten their chances of progressing to the third round, something the Blue Tigers have never achieved. "Each game is important from the aspect of self-confidence and rankings. But our priority and the final goal is to qualify for Round 3. There are various options to get there and obviously, nothing will be decided in the next two games. The matches in June against Kuwait and Qatar will tell us everything," Stimac said. This will be the fourth time in five years that India will face Afghanistan in an official match. The two meetings in the World Cup Qualifiers in 2019 and 2021 ended 1-1 each, while India ran out

FIFA WC Qualifier: Indian football team eye crucial 3 points vs Afghanistan

Bolstered by the return of Jeakson Singh and Anwar Ali, the Indian football team will renew its quest for a maiden entry into the third round of FIFA World Cup Qualifiers when it faces a weakened Afghanistan here on Thursday. With mid-field general Jeakson and centre-back Anwar back in the line-up after long injury layoffs, because of which India suffered in recent past, the Blue Tigers will fancy their chances against the lower-ranked opponents in the second-round preliminary joint qualification match. With three points and one win from two matches, India currently occupy the second place in the Group A pecking order. Reigning Asian champions Qatar lead the standings with six points from two wins, while Kuwait are second with one win. Having lost both their games so far, Afghanistan are placed last. India's away win against Kuwait has put Igor Stimac's team in a strong position to progress further in the qualification cycle, something the 117-ranked side has never achieved. Victo

Argentina friendly in mainland China cancelled over Messi's absence in HK

An Argentina soccer friendly in China next month was cancelled on Friday in more fallout from Lionel Messi failing to play in a club exhibition match in Hong Kong. World Cup champion Argentina, captained by Messi, last month scheduled a tour of China during the international break from March 18-26. Games were lined up against Nigeria in Hangzhou and Ivory Coast in Beijing. Both opponents are coincidentally meeting in the Africa Cup of Nations final this weekend. But Messi, on tour with his Inter Miami club, outraged fans in Hong Kong when he didn't play against a local selection last Sunday and remained on the bench. Messi said he had a groin injury. But his excuse didn't wash in Hong Kong after he played for 30 minutes on Wednesday in Tokyo against Vissel Kobe. On Friday, the sports bureau in Hangzhou canceled the Argentina-Nigeria friendly. "Because of the reasons known to all, we've learned from supervising authorities that the conditions are immature for the match to go forwa

FIFA World Cup 2026 schedule, venues, groups, final and semifinal dates

The FIFA World Cup 2026 will begin on June 11, 2026 in Mexico and conclude on July 19 in US. A total of 104 matches will be played during the competition

New York to host FIFA World Cup 2026 in victory over Dallas, Los Angeles

The quarterfinals will be held in Boston, Los Angeles, Miami and Kansas City, Missouri

Messi's first contract with Barca was signed on napkin, now up for auction

Lionel Messi's record-breaking career with Barcelona started with a contract written on a napkin. It's up for auction with a starting price of 300,000 pounds (USD 379,000). British auction house Bonhams is selling the napkin in an online auction from March 18-27 on behalf of Horacio Gaggioli, an agent from Messi's home country of Argentina who was part of the deal. The napkin, bearing the date December 14, 2000, bears the signatures of Gaggioli, another agent, Josep Maria Minguella and Barcelona's then-sporting director, Carles Rexach, who met at a tennis club in Barcelona. It outlines an agreement in principle to sign Messi and was intended to reassure his father, Jorge Messi, that the deal would go through. A more formal and detailed contract with the club followed soon after. "This is one of the most thrilling items I have ever handled. Yes, it's a paper napkin, but it's the famous napkin that was at the inception of Lionel Messi's career," Ian Ehling, the head of fine books and

Germany's Franz Beckenbauer, who won FIFA WC as player, coach, died at 78

Franz Beckenbauer, who won the World Cup both as player and coach and became one of Germany's most beloved personalities with his easygoing charm, has died, news agency dpa reported on Monday. He was 78. It is with deep sadness that we announce that my husband and our father, Franz Beckenbauer, passed away peacefully in his sleep yesterday, Sunday, surrounded by his family, the family said in a statement to dpa, the German news agency. We ask that we be allowed to grieve in peace and be spared any questions. The statement did not provide a cause of death. The former Bayern Munich great had struggled with health problems in recent years. Beckenbauer was one of German soccer's central figures. As a player, he reimagined the defender's role in soccer and captained West Germany to the World Cup title in 1974 after it had lost to England in the 1966 final. He was the coach when West Germany won the tournament again in 1990, a symbolic moment for a country in the midst of reunification, .

Mario Zagallo, World Cup winning player, coach for Brazil, dies at age 92

Mario Zagallo, who won two World Cups as a player, one as a coach and another as an assistant coach for Brazil, has died. He was 92. The first person to win the World Cup both as a player and a manager, Zagallo is for many Brazilian soccer fans synonymous with patriotism, grit and glory. Brazilian soccer confederation president Ednaldo Rodrigues said in a statement in the early hours of Saturday confirming Zagallo's death that Zagallo is one of the biggest legends of the sport. No cause of death was released by the federation or his family. We offer solidarity to his family members and fans in this moment of grief for the departure of this great hero of our soccer, Rodrigues said. Several Brazilian clubs where Zagallo played and coached also expressed their sorrow for his death. Zagallo's social media channels called him a dedicated father, a loving grandfather, a caring father-in-law, a loyal friend, a victorious professional and a great human being. A gigantic hero. A patriot t

FIFA's 32-team World Cup for clubs could change the face of football

A 32-team World Cup for clubs is FIFA's big play to change the face of soccer. If successful, it could follow the English Premier League and Champions League as one of the most popular and lucrative sports competitions in the world, generating billions of euros (dollars). Conversely, it could spark a backlash from players and coaches, who already complain about the congested match calendar. "I am not against new competitions, I am against the lack of time to recover year by year. This should change, Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola said on Monday, in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, where they aim to win the last Club World Cup before it is radically rebooted. World players' union FIFPRO went further after FIFA announced the dates of the first edition of the expanded tournament, which will be hosted by the United States from June 15 to July 13, 2025. The extreme mental and physical pressures at the pinnacle of the game is the principal concern of players with multiple club and national

1 in 5 players at FIFA Women's World Cup faced online abuse claims report

Players at the Women's World Cup were 29% more likely to receive online abuse than those at the men's tournament in 2022, said a report published on Monday. One in five players (152) at the Women's World Cup received targeted discriminatory, abusive or threatening messaging, according to FIFA and global players' association FIFPRO. They released data from FIFA's Social Media Protection Service (SMPS), which tries to help shield players, teams and officials from online abuse and hate speech. Almost 50% of detected and verified abusive messages were homophobic, sexual and sexist, SMPS added. The abuse that persists online impacts football players all over the world and it cannot be ignored. This toxic online environment is a risky place to be in for players and it affects their mental health and wellbeing, FIFPRO president David Aganzo said. Football has a responsibility to protect the players around their workspace. The SMPS was launched last year and has been used in eight FIFA ..

World Cup 2026 Qualifier India vs Qatar highlights: India lose 0-3 to Qatar

India vs Qatar football match highlights: Qatar would have won by a bigger margin had they not missed several chances while dominating throughout the 90 minutes at the Kalinga Stadium.

IND vs QAT football: Nothing to lose but a hell of a lot to gain - Stimac

Head coach Igor Stimac on Monday said that India have nothing to lose but a hell of a lot to gain in their 2026 FIFA World Cup round 2 qualifiers match against Asian champions Qatar here on Tuesday. India's 1-0 away win against Kuwait on November 16 will certainly boost their confidence but Stimac made it clear that "Qatar is out of our league", though the home side will seek to take inspiration from their famous goal-less draw against the Asian champions four years ago. "The Kuwait game was the most important game in our qualifiers in this group. We had an away win against our direct opponent for the second spot," Stimac said at the pre-match press conference. "We are very realistic, we know that Qatar is out of our league. But we also know that this is football, the most beautiful game in the world which provides opportunities and this is our opportunity." Stimac urged his players to consider Tuesday's match at the Kalinga Stadium as any other game and give their best. "We all k

FIFA World Cup Qualifiers: Manvir helps India beat Kuwait 1-0 in away match

Manvir Singh struck a late goal as India beat Kuwait 1-0 in their 2026 FIFA World Cup second round qualifiers match here on Thursday. Manvir scored with a left-footed shot in the 75th minute as he connected a Lallianzuala Chhangte cross to help India win the match at the Jaber Al-Ahmad International Stadium here. Kuwait ended the match with 10 men as their player Faisal Alharbi was sent off after picking his second yellow card in the third minute of the added time for a high boot challenge on Chhangte. India play Asian champions Qatar next on November 21 in Bhubaneswar. India are placed in Group A alongside Qatar, Kuwait and Afghanistan with the top two from the group progressing to the third round of the FIFA World Cup qualifiers. The top two teams from each group will also secure qualification for the 2027 AFC Asian Cup. The Blue Tigers have never advanced to the third round of AFC's FIFA World Cup qualifiers. Ranked 106th in the world, India had beaten Kuwait (149th) on penal

Fifa World Cup: Australia won't bid for 2034, Saudi Arabia likely to host

Football Australia on Tuesday said it won't bid for the 2034 FIFA World Cup, clearing the way for Saudi Arabia to host the men's marquee tournament. The chances of Australia hosting the 2034 event appeared unlikely after the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) backed the Saudi bid on October 5. Indonesia's football association initially showed interest in a joint bid with Australia, potentially alongside Malaysia and Singapore, but that faded when Indonesia instead backed Saudi Arabia. We have explored the opportunity to bid to host the FIFA World Cup and having taken all factors into consideration we have reached the conclusion not to do so for the 2034 competition, Football Australia said in a statement. Australia will instead attempt to secure hosting rights for the 2029 Club World Cup and the 2026 Women's Asian Cup. We believe we are in a strong position to host the oldest women's international competition in the world, the AFC Women's Asian Cup 2026, and then welcome the ...

World Cup Qualifiers: Messi doubtful starter; Vinicius back with Brazil

Lionel Messi is again a doubtful starter for Argentina in the next World Cup qualifying match against Paraguay. The Argentina captain scored in the opening 1-0 win over Ecuador but skipped the 3-0 win at Bolivia last month because of muscular pains that have also sidelined him from several matches for Inter Miami in the MLS. The World Cup champions are due to host Paraguay on Thursday at Buenos Aires. Vinicius Jr missed Brazil's first two games in South American qualifying but is back in the starting lineup after recovering from an injury. The Selecao will take on Venezuela in Cuiaba. Argentina and Brazil are 2-0 in qualifying for the 2026 World Cup after victories last month. The continental archrivals are due to meet in November. Colombia is in third spot in the 10-team standings with four points. Uruguay and Venezuela each have three points, followed by Paraguay, Peru and Chile with one point each. Ecuador hasn't registered a competition point despite its 2-1 win over Uruguay

Saudi Arabia steps up sports drive, bids for FIFA World Cup in 2034

The kingdom "intends to deliver a world-class tournament and will draw inspiration from Saudi Arabia's ongoing social and economic transformation," according to state media

Messi-less Argentina beat Bolivia 3-0 in FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifier

Argentina expected a struggle in the altitude of La Paz. The World Cup champion's climb appeared even steeper with Lionel Messi out of the lineup. Argentina still beat Bolivia 3-0 on Tuesday in its second match of the qualifying campaign for the 2026 World Cup. It's now two for two in qualifiers for coach Lionel Scaloni's team, which was led by veteran ngel Di Mara and a strong midfield. Uruguay had the chance to join Argentina atop the standings table, but lost 2-1 at Ecuador. The Ecuadorians now have moved back to zero; they started the tournament at -3 after having three points deducted by FIFA for the falsification of birth information of defender Byron Castillo, who is of Colombian origin. Brazil, which also won its opening game, was playing Peru later Tuesday. The 2026 World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada is expanding to a 48-team format. The top six teams in South America will secure a direct spot. The seventh-place team will contest an intercontinental playoff

Rubiales resigns as Spain's soccer president 3 weeks after the Kiss scandal

Luis Rubiales, the suspended head of the Spanish soccer federation, finally folded under immense pressure Sunday and resigned three weeks after his kiss of a player on the lips overshadowed Spain's first-ever Women's World Cup title. Rubiales had been at the center of a controversy that had gone far beyond Spain's borders and the world of sport after he kissed Jenni Hermoso during the globally televised awards ceremony after Spain beat England to win the title on Aug. 20 in Sydney, Australia. The player said the kiss was without her consent. After my swift suspension by FIFA, and the rest of the cases building against me, it is clear that I cannot return to the post, Rubiales said on Sunday in a message posted on X, formerly known as Twitter. He had already been temporarily suspended from his job by FIFA for his conduct at the final and, after soccer's world body opened a disciplinary case, remained defiant and hostile toward those who criticized him. Then came the most serious thr

Vinicius out of Brazil''s World Cup qualifying matches, Raphinha drafted in

Vinicius Jnior will miss Brazil's first two World Cup qualifying matches next month because of a right hamstring injury. Brazil's soccer federation confirmed the absence Tuesday after media reported that Real Madrid had estimated that the 23-year-old Vinicius, injured in the team's 1-0 victory at Celta Vigo in the Spanish league, could be sidelined for about a month. Raphinha was drafted into the Brazil squad for games against Bolivia on Sept. 8 and Peru four days later. He last played for Brazil's national team during the World Cup in Qatar. The 26-year-old winger has five goals in 16 appearances for the national team. The matches will be Fernando Diniz's first as head coach of Brazil.

Luis Rubiales: From sullying Women's World Cup to a Spanish soccer outcast

One week after the president of the Spanish soccer federation kissed a player during the Women's World Cup awards ceremony, his reputation is in tatters and he's out of his job. Luis Rubiales, whose leadership of Spanish soccer had already been marked by successes tinged with scandal, wrecked his career by offending millions worldwide with his conduct at the final in Sydney, Australia, when he also grabbed his crotch in a victory gesture. A day after he was provisionally suspended by FIFA for 90 days, Spain awoke on Sunday to headlines like the one in El Pais: Spain no longer tolerates men like Rubiales. FIFA moved against Rubiales after he refused to step down and defiantly told an emergency assembly of his federation on Friday that he was the victim of a witch hunt by false feminists. On a day that will go down as one of the ugliest in Spanish soccer, Rubiales said that forward Jenni Hermoso had consented to the mutual kiss. Hermoso replied in two statements to say that was false