World champions Germany know they must up their game when they kick off their world title defence against Mexico on Sunday if they are to confirm their status as tournament favourites.
Poland will make changes for their match against Colombia and start 'more aggressively' in what will be a key match against opponents who also lost their opening contest, striker Dawid Kownacki said on Thursday.
France believe the seeding system is unfair for the World Cup playoffs in November and plan to ask football's ruling body FIFA to review it ahead of next week's draw.
England Fast bowler Graham Onions believes that his fellow countrymen are ready to adopt the nation's cricketers as their source of pride following the fall-out from football's World Cup.
Argentina's elimination from the World Cup has left Carlos Tevez reeling and the striker says he could quit soccer if his passion for the game does not return.
Uruguay striker Luis Suarez has been unfairly victimised in his 'barbaric' expulsion from the World Cup for biting, his disconsolate grandmother said on Thursday.
With just a few days to go to the World Cup, Argentina are not considered favourites as they struggled through qualifying for the prestigious tournament.
'They defended very well and they were very organised'
For Sao Paulo's most popular football team, the World Cup has provided a new home after 100 years playing in rented stadiums. Thousands of neighbours, however, say it has left them homeless.
India suffered yet another defeat in the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
'The venue has a very strong football culture and it would be a matter of great shame if we don't manage to fulfil the requirements in time'
India have been drawn in Group A alongside USA, Colombia and Ghana. The hosts face USA on October 6, followed by Colombia and Ghana on October 9 and October 12 respectively at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi.
India's former and current players took to social media to wish ace off-spinner Harbhajan Singh on his 40th birthday, on Friday.
The AIFF dropped as many as 13 senior players who were part of the 23-member squad for the Asian Cup in Qatar early this year. Most of the youngsters, who were part of the 2012 AFC Challenge Cup qualifying tournament in Malaysia, were named in the probables' list.
Franz Beckenbauer, who headed Germany's 2006 World Cup organising committee, said on Monday a transfer of 6.7 million euros to world football's governing body FIFA in 2005 was a mistake but rejected claims it was a return of a loan to buy votes in favour of the country's World Cup bid.
Everton midfielder Marouane Fellaini has been sidelined for three weeks with a knee injury and will miss Belgium's World Cup qualifiers against Serbia and Scotland.
Argentina became the first ever side to come from three goals down to avoid defeat in a women's World Cup match.
India's Anglo-Cypriot coach football coach feels he will have to make compromises because of the long-drawn National league.
Ellen White scored her fifth goal of the tournament in between Jill Scott's opener and a Lucy Bronze screamer from the edge of the area as Phil Neville's side set up a mouthwatering clash with either holders the United States or hosts France.
The team spent some 16 hours on the flight and landed in Guam 27 hours after leaving Bengaluru on June 12. They had their first training session on Sunday afternoon at the Guam FA Stadium.
The team could not make the trip for the match against Guam because it couldn't afford it.
Objects were thrown and a tirade of abuse from dozens of local fans was chanted when Bulgaria arrived at YerevanAirport ahead of Friday's World Cup qualifier against Armenia.
A revived Japan go into Thursday's decisive Group H match against an already-eliminated Poland knowing a draw would be sufficient to advance to the knockout rounds after they beat Colombia and drew with Senegal in their opening fixtures.
Spain, who have several players from their country's top two football academies - the La Masia and Real Madrid academies -- were beaten 1-2 by South American champions and hot favourites Brazil in their first Group D match.
FIFA lifted Cameroon's indefinite suspension from international football on Monday, clearing the way for the team to finish their World Cup qualifiers.
Indian U-17 team's performance was more of hype than actual achievement on the field.
Nigeria took their chances against the run of play on Wednesday to beat South Korea 2-0 for rare success at the women's World Cup to set themselves up to advance to the next stage of the tournament in France.
Zenit St Petersburg's Brazilian striker Hulk has pulled out of Saturday's World Cup qualifying draw, only days after complaining of "gross and ugly" racism in Russian football.
France midfielder Dimitri Payet scored the winner after setting up the equaliser in a 2-1 victory over Sweden in a top-of-the-table clash as they opened up a three-point lead in World Cup qualifying Group A at the Stade de France on Friday.
FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke has reportedly told Sports Minister Ajay Maken that organising the event will bring about a "big change in Indian football."
Argentine players laughed off criticism of their supposed defensive weakness on Thursday and vowed there would be no repeat of their 2010 World Cup quarter-final thrashing by Germany.
Pakistan have been cleared to play next month's 2014 World Cup qualifier at home in Lahore and there have been no formal requests from opponents Bangladesh to switch the game, FIFA said on Thursday. The Asian zone preliminary round second-leg tie will be one of the first important international sporting events to be held in Pakistan since gunmen attacked the Sri Lankan cricket team bus in Lahore in 2009, killing seven people.
Italy's Cristiana Girelli bagged a hat-trick and substitute Aurora Galli struck twice as they thrashed Jamaica 5-0 to qualify for the last 16 of the women's World Cup on Friday.
France head into their World Cup opener against Australia in Kazan on Saturday sweating on the fitness of fullback Djibril Sidibe and under pressure to deliver an emphatic win to erase doubts about the cohesion of a team of brilliant individuals.
Russia and Chelsea coach Guus Hiddink has said he plans to retire from football after the 2010 World Cup.
India captain Sunil Chhetri has urged fans to be patient with the team and coach Stephen Constantine after the national team's yet another shambolic qualification campaign for the 2018 soccer World Cup.
Kolkata will host the summit clash of the U-17 World Cup football on October 28 while Navi Mumbai and Guwahati were chosen to stage the semi-finals.
Belgium's credentials as a genuine outside bet for World Cup success face a tougher examination against Tunisia on Saturday after a relatively sedate opening against Panama.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi met the India Under-17 football team in New Delhi on Friday as he encouraged the youngsters to stick together and represent the country at the highest level in the years to come.
