Page 9 - Fifa World Cup

India squad for FIFA WC Qualifier vs Kuwait: Gogoi, Hammad miss out

Indian men's football team head coach Igor Stimac has named a 27-member squad for next month's FIFA World Cup Qualifier against Kuwait with forward Parthib Gogoi and defender Muhammad Hammad missing out due to injuries. A total of 32 players had been camping in Bhubaneswar, out of which five -- Phurba Lachenpa, Parthib, Imran Khan, Hammad and Jithin MS -- have been released from the camp. "All of them were very professional and hard-working. The competition is really strong amongst them, especially in the positions of Jithin and Parthib," Stimac said in a media release. "Parthib and Hammad suffered minor injuries a few days back and will need 7-14 days of rest," he added. The remaining players will continue to train in Bhubaneswar until May 29 when they will travel to Kolkata. The Blue Tigers will face Kuwait at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan on June 6, which will be talismanic Sunil Chhetri's swansong. Following the match against Kuwait, India will travel to take on Qata

Fifa moves towards letting league games to be staged in other countries

FIFA moved Wednesday toward ending decades of soccer tradition by reviewing the rules that currently block domestic league games being played in other countries. Fans are likely to object to their teams' home matches potentially being moved thousands of miles (kilometers) away. The United States and Saudi Arabia are expected to be willing hosts to lure competitive games from top European countries, and FIFA recently agreed to withdraw from an ongoing court case in New York filed by promoter Relevent to challenge the policy. The new FIFA policy will likely be attractive to the growing number of international owners of European clubs, including the wave of U.S. investors in the English Premier League, Italy's Serie A and France's Ligue 1, and state-backed teams like Abu Dhabi-owned Manchester City, Qatar-owned Paris Saint-Germain and Saudi-owned Newcastle. FIFA is now creating a panel of 10-15 people representing soccer stakeholders to advise within months on amending the rules on ..

Stimac announces 2nd list for Fifa qualifiers, injured Jhingan misses out

Injured central defender Sandesh Jhingan missed out as Indian senior men's team head coach Igor Stimac on Tuesday announced his second list of 15 probables for the Bhubaneswar camp ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026 preliminary joint qualification round 2 matches against Kuwait and Qatar. The first list of probables was announced on Saturday. Key defender Jhingan, who sustained a right knee injury during India's Asian Cup group match against Syria in January, missed out of the list. The 26 players from the first list will begin training in the Odisha capital on May 10. The 15 players from the second list, comprising players from Mumbai City FC and Mohun Bagan SG, who contested the ISL Cup final, will join the camp on May 15. A total of 41 players will take part in the national camp. The Blue Tigers will face Kuwait in Kolkata on June 6 before travelling away to take on Qatar on June 11 in their last two matches of Group A. India are currently placed second in the group, with four po

India, Afghanistan play out goalless draw in FIFA World Cup Qualifiers

India played out a goalless draw against Afghanistan after both sides failed to turn their opportunities into goals in a Group A fixture of the 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers here. It was end-to-end contest in the first half on Thursday night with India coming close to scoring through Manvir Singh on two occasions and the hosts too had their share of chances. With this result, India climbed to the second spot in Group A with four points from three matches, followed by Kuwait, who are on three points from as many games. The equation was quite clear for both teams. A win would do either side a world of good. India have provisionally taken the second spot in Group A, three points ahead of Kuwait, who lost to Qatar 0-3 earlier in the night. Afghanistan, following a draw and to losses are fourth in the group. A feisty midfield battle ensued in the opening exchanges as lunging tackles were frequently on display at the Damac Stadium. While Afghanistan looked to use their pace and physica

FIFA World Cup Qualifiers: India, Afghanistan play out goalless draw

India and Afghanistan settled for a 0-0 draw after failing to turn their opportunities into goals in a Group A fixture of the 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers here on Thursday. It was end-to-end stuff in the first half with India coming very close to scoring through Manvir Singh on two occasions and the hosts too having their share of chances. However, most of them were half chances and goalkeepers of both teams were not tested enough. With India and Afghanistan resorting to open football, the first half (45+3) saw a wave of attacking moves but the strikers were not able to come alive in the final third, leaving both gaffers Igor Stimac and Ashley Westwood a bit frustrated as they shouted instructions from the touchline. India were on the offensive from the word go and caused some anxious moments in the Afghanistan defence and had Manvir not spurned a great chance on the 17th minute, the visitors would have taken an early lead in their away leg of the second round of 2026 World Cup a

FIFA World Cup Qualifier:IND vs AFG live match starts at 12:30 AM IST today

India will take on Afghanistan at Khamis Mushait Stadium in Saudi Arabia at 12:30 AM IST on Friday, March 22, 2024. The match will be telecast live on DD Sports and can be live-streamed on Fancode

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 ...