Promoted Sunderland, who have defied expectations to stay in the top half of the Premier League table, could be the worst affected with six players going to the tournament, while the likes of Fulham, Manchester United, Burnley and Crystal Palace will also have to make do without some key personnel.
The world welcomed 2026 with spectacular celebrations across continents. From dazzling fireworks illuminating iconic landmarks like the London Eye, Marina Bay, and Copacabana beach to intimate gatherings at historic sites, the New Year brought together diverse cultures in joyous unity.
Next year's 48-team World Cup will be held in the United States, Canada and Mexico from June 11 to July 19, 2026.
Spain cannot meet Argentina and France will not face England before the World Cup final - provided they win their groups - after FIFA on Tuesday announced the draw procedure.
The 2026 World Cup will kick off-on June 11 with joint-hosts Mexico playing South Africa at the Azteca Stadium - iconic venue of the 1970 and 1986 finals - followed by South Korea against a play-off winner after the complex draw was made on Friday.
The teams that have qualified for the 2026 World Cup, to be hosted by the US, Mexico and Canada from June 11 to July 19.
The embassy of India in Bamako said it was "aware of the unfortunate incident" involving the kidnapping of five Indian nationals in Mali on November 6 and is working closely with local authorities and the concerned company to ensure their "safe release as quickly as possible."
The result was only their second two-goal defeat in a qualifier, the last being the infamous 5-1 home thrashing by England in 2001.
Salomon Kalou scored a double as Ivory Coast cruised into the semi-finals of the African Nations Cup with a 5-0 demolition of Guinea.
A spirited Ivory Coast ran the Portugal defence ragged before settling for a goalless draw against the 2006 semi-finalists in their Group G match of the FIFA World Cup in Port Elizabeth on Tuesday.
'Even though I'm just 31, I feel like I've seen a lot in my life, some voluntarily, some involuntarily.'
Favourites Ivory Coast step back into the African Nations Cup spotlight on Sunday, spoilt for choice as they meet Nigeria in the quarter-finals in Rustenburg.
Seven United Nations peacekeepers from the west African country of Niger were killed in an ambush while they were on a patrol in a southwest region of Ivory Coast, an attack which drew strong condemnation from UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and the Security Council.
Diamond Harbour FC continued their winning run in the 134th Durand Cup with a commanding 8-1 victory over BSF Football Club in a Group B clash in Imphal on Friday.
Portugal got their World Cup finals off to a stuttering start with a goalless draw against a spirited Ivory Coast on Tuesday, a match that saw the return of Didier Drogba only 11 days after breaking his arm. Semi-finalists at the 2006 finals, Portugal struggled to make a serious impact and made their job of advancing from a fierce Group G -- which includes Brazil and North Korea -- no easier in a fluid match that yielded only a handful of goalscoring chances.
Colombia beat Ivory Coast 2-1 in yet another action-packed World Cup clash in Brasilia on Thursday to top Group C on six points and move within touching distance of making the knockout phase for the first time since 1990.
Beanpole Ivory Coast striker Lacina Traore has agreed to join high-flying Everton on loan from Monaco for the remainder of the season.
Germany announced their arrival at the FIFA Women's World Cup on Sunday by handing out a near-record 10-0 thrashing to Ivory Coast.
Ivory Coast striker Gervinho will play no further part in the group stage of the African Nations Cup after he was banned for two matches for striking an opponent, the Confederation of African Football said on Wednesday.
Former England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson has been appointed Ivory Coast coach for this year's World Cup finals, the Ivory Coast Federation (FIF) said in a statement on its website (www.fif-ci.com) on Sunday.
Pre-tournament favourites Ivory Coast were held to a goalless draw by neighbours Burkina Faso in Monday's only African Nations Cup Group B game.
Ivory Coast midfielder Cheik Tiote is close to signing a contract with English Premier League side Newcastle United, his Dutch club Twente Enschede said on their official website (www.fctwente.nl) on Saturday.
Ivory Coast convincingly beat North Korea 3-0 on Friday, but the comprehensive win was not enough to prevent the Africans from going out of the World Cup.
Ivory Coast became the first team to reach the African Nations Cup quarter-finals after beating Ghana 3-1 with 10 men in Group B on Friday.
Ivory Coast and Zambia ruthlessly crushed African Nations Cup underdogs Equatorial Guinea and Sudan 3-0 respectively on Saturday to end the dreams of opponents who had upset the odds to reach the last eight.
Tata Steel, the world's sixth largest steelmaker, has entered into a joint venture agreement with Sodemi for the development of Mount Nimba iron ore deposits in Ivory Coast (West Africa). This is Tata Steel's first joint venture for iron ore. The Mt Nimba deposit, spread over 3 countries Liberia, Guinea and Ivory Coast, is one of the biggest in West Africa.
Images from the FIFA World Cup match between Ivory Coast and Japan.
Two quickfire headed goals from Wilfried Bony and Gervinho helped Ivory Coast recover to beat Japan 2-1 on Saturday as their bid for a first appearance in the World Cup knockout stages got off to a fine start.
The body of former Ivory Coast defender Steve Gohouri has been recovered from the River Rhine after he went missing in mid- December, German regional league club TSV Steinbach said on Saturday.
A group of 44 Indians have been evacuated from Abidjan, the capital of civil war-torn Ivory Coast, to neighbouring Ghana, taking the total number of Indians who have been shifted in last one week to 110.
Didier Drogba scored twice to maintain the Ivory Coast's perfect start to the 2012 African Nations Cup qualifiers on Sunday while other top contenders Ghana, Nigeria and Zambia also won.
Ivory Coast qualified for a third straight World Cup after weathering Senegal's late onslaught in a 1-1 draw in the second leg of their playoff on Saturday to progress 4-2 on aggregate.
Top-ranked Ivory Coast lived up to their billing by reaching the African Nations Cup final as the tournament delivered yet another surprise on Wednesday when Zambia also reached Sunday's deciding match.
Ivory Coast have named Francois Zahoui as Sven-Goran Eriksson's successor as coach two weeks before they begin their African Nations Cup qualifying campaign.
Six terrorists were killed by authorities after they targetted the popular seaside town of Grand-Bassam, a weekend retreat for residents of Abidjan, about 25 miles (40km) away.
Ivory Coast need to score a hatful of goals against North Korea to have any chance of reaching the World Cup second round although coach Sven-Goran Eriksson warned they could not attack with abandon.
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