Six Arab football federations, including 2030 World Cup co-host Morocco and Qatar, have publicly declared their "full support" and "confidence" in FIFA President Gianni Infantino. This backing comes as Infantino faces significant backlash and withdrawals of support from European and Oceania federations over his failed $20 billion private investment plan for the World Cup, highlighting a growing schism within global football governance.
Despite a population of 1.45 billion, India's football team is ranked a lowly 138th in the world and failed to qualify for next year's Asian Cup, highlighting deep-rooted systemic issues and a failure to implement reforms that keep the World Cup dream distant for fans.
Former Germany World Cup winner and manager Juergen Klinsmann was named United States coach on Friday, the U.S. soccer federation said.
Iran's World Cup football team has finally received visas to enter the United States, just days before their first match in Los Angeles.
Iran's soccer team arrived in the United States for the first time at this World Cup on Sunday, landing at Los Angeles International Airport and holding a press conference on the same day that a peace deal between the two nations was announced.
FIFA has vehemently denied a report claiming President Gianni Infantino sought assistance from the U.S. President Donald Trump's administration following the collapse of a multi-billion dollar plan to sell a stake in World Cup commercial rights, calling the allegations 'pure fiction'.
La Liga president Javier Tebas has called for FIFA president Gianni Infantino to resign, accusing the global governing body of 'destroying the football industry' through the expansion of international competitions at the expense of domestic leagues and clubs. Tebas also criticised the handling of a US player's ban and the proposed expansion of the men's World Cup.
At the Iran-Belgium FIFA World Cup match, least one attendee wearing a pre-revolutionary flag shirt was detained for trying to run onto the pitch and Iranian player Alireza Jahanbakhsh said after the match that he doesn't want to keep focusing on the challenging situations faced by his team.
Thierry Henry, including the UEFA, Belgium and several football figures questioned FIFA's late decision to suspend USA's Folarin Balogun's World Cup ban.
Denmark's football association (DBU) has declared it has lost confidence in FIFA President Gianni Infantino and will seek a credible alternative for the 2027 election, citing a 'fundamental crisis of confidence' over his aborted proposal to sell commercial stakes in FIFA tournaments.
This and more from the happenings in the world of football.
A factional feud has erupted within the Delhi Soccer Association (DSA), leading to the formation of a three-member ad hoc committee by a majority of its members. This committee aims to manage daily affairs and hold elections on August 30, bypassing current president Anuj Gupta, who has labelled the move "illegal" and plans legal action.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino has acknowledged the possibility of expanding the World Cup to 64 teams, a move that could significantly alter the sport's economics and logistics, despite opposition from major confederations like UEFA and AFC.
A Toronto cannabis store destroyed its World Cup trophy-inspired "FIFA Bong" after receiving a copyright infringement notice from FIFA, but the owners say the dispute generated more publicity than they ever expected.
Iran's national soccer team attended visa appointments in Ankara, Turkey, applying for Canadian visas and some players also submitting applications for US entry ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.
The Atlanta Police Department has significantly increased security measures for the World Cup semi-final between England and Argentina, two nations with a historically fierce football rivalry, deploying additional personnel and resources across the city and stadium.
The Trump administration said on Tuesday the United States had denied Somali soccer referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan entry for the World Cup because of his links to "suspected members of terror organizations".
Iran to attend World Cup draw after boycott threat over visa issues
Iran's national soccer team will sleep in Mexico and travel to the US on the days of its three FIFA World Cup matches after Washington declined to host the squad for the tournament.
UEFA and CONCACAF say they have lost confidence in FIFA President Gianni Infantino after the governing body withdrew its controversial World Cup rights plan.
Iran's national soccer team, currently training in Tijuana, Mexico, will be able to enter the US the day before each of their three World Cup matches, the Department of Homeland Security said on Tuesday.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Pan American Health Organization and the World Health Organization have all described the risk of Ebola to World Cup host countries as low, citing measles, COVID-19 and influenza -- which spread when large crowds gather -- as the most likely threats.
US Soccer said they expect to announce an interim coach within the next seven to 10 days, who will oversee two planned friendlies in November.
For Iran's team, the FIFA World Cup has been marred by fraught politics at home, the war with the US, and tensions over whether they would actually be able to set foot on US soil to play their games.
All 28 members of the US women's squad sued the governing body for soccer in the United States, alleging gender discrimination
Advocacy groups issued a travel advisory on Thursday, warning that visitors traveling to the US for the 2026 World Cup may face arbitrary detention or deportation, among other human rights abuses.
The first edition of FIFA's new 32-team Club World Cup will be held in the United States in 2025, world soccer's governing body said on Friday.
Amid an escalating regional war, questions deepen over whether Iran's soccer team will compete at this year's FIFA World Cup to be jointly hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino said on Wednesday that he met with United States President Donald Trump, who told him he welcomed Iran's participation in the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
High costs, visa hurdles, and logistics for the World Cup are deterring fans, leading to a disappointing boost for US hotels, airlines, and the travel industry.
Protests on multiple fronts disrupted the atmosphere outside the FIFA Congress in Vancouver on Thursday, as demonstrators raised sharply different concerns over global politics and local issues.
A US judge has dismissed much of a lawsuit by soccer players and parents seeking to force FIFA and other governing bodies to change the sport's rules to limit the risk of concussions and other head injuries, especially for children.
Iran's men's national soccer team wore black armbands and held schoolbags as their anthem played ahead of a match in Turkey on Friday, in what a team official said was a protest over the killing of schoolgirls on the first day of the Iran war.
Iran's participation in this year's World Cup has been called into question after co-hosts the United States launched joint air strikes at the country along with Israel at the weekend.
Iran cannot participate in the 2026 World Cup after co-host the US launched airstrikes alongside Israel, Sports Minister Ahmad Donyamali said on Wednesday.
Referees felt Harshaan Athwal's patka was a safety risk to players of the opposing team.
Authorities in Zurich, Switzerland on Wednesday launched an operation to arrest several high-ranking FIFA officials on corruption charges and extradite them to the United States, the New York Times reported.
The United States Soccer Federation temporarily displayed Iran's national flag on social media without the emblem of the Islamic Republic as a show of solidarity with protesters in Iran ahead of the two teams' World Cup clash on Tuesday.
The escalating conflict involving the U.S. and Israel with Iran has led to widespread disruption in the world of sports, with events postponed, travel plans thrown into chaos, and athletes seeking asylum.
