Next year's 48-team World Cup will be held in the United States, Canada and Mexico from June 11 to July 19, 2026.
Ecuador mints commemorative coin to mark World Cup participation.
Just a few days back it seemed like Qatar, which has strict controls on alcohol, would relax their laws for the football extravaganza as consuming alcohol in public places is illegal in the Gulf country.
Argentina start their bid for back-to-back World Cups on Tuesday with a side full of familiar faces from Qatar 2022, facing an Algerian team buoyed by warm-up wins and featuring a 20-year-old rising star nicknamed after Diego Maradona.
Four-time World champions Italy now have to battle through the playoffs in March if they are to avoid missing the tournament for a third straight occasion.
Japan ended Qatar's faint hopes of a place at the 2010 World Cup with a 1-1 home draw in an Asian 2010 qualifier on Wednesday. The Japanese had already booked a spot in the South Africa tournament by beating Uzbekistan 1-0 in Tashkent last weekend.
Football Supporters Europe accused FIFA of imposing "extortionate" ticket prices that risk shutting ordinary fans out of the World Cup.
FIFA launched proceedings against the players who angrily harangued the referee after crashing out of the tournament in Qatar, despite beating Ghana 2-0 in their final group match on December 2.
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.
FIFA announced on Friday that the 2022 World Cup, to be held in Qatar, will start on November 21 with the final to be played on December 18 - cutting four days off the length of the competition.
The 'Finalissima' match between Spain and Argentina that was scheduled to be held in Qatar has been cancelled due to the conflict in the Middle East while the South American side rejected multiple alternatives, UEFA said on Sunday.
Should FIFA approve the 64-team format, it would be a one-off birthday bash, with the tournament expected to shrink back to 48 in 2034.
Soccer fans at the almost alcohol-free World Cup are ready to pay high prices for a beer, a few have tried to smuggle booze into stadiums but most simply accept that drinking is off limits at the first tournament in a Muslim country.
India's Under-17 AFC Asian Cup campaign began with a 0-4 defeat to Australia, highlighting defensive vulnerabilities and missed opportunities.
Players of Germany, Norway and the Netherlands wore shirts before their World Cup qualifiers voicing concern over human rights in Qatar following the report.
Images and a round-up of all the World Cup qualifiers played across continents on Tuesday.
Japan, South Korea, Australia, Iran, Uzbekistan and Jordan have already taken six of Asia's eight guaranteed spots at next year's 48-team World Cup.
Eight Indian shooters, including double Olympic medalist Manu Bhaker, have secured their places in the season-ending ISSF World Cup Final scheduled to be held in Doha, Qatar, from December 4 to 9.
In a recent interview with El Pais, Suarez was asked whether he and Messi had talked about retirement.
Nepal and Oman secured their berths for next year's ICC Men's T20 World Cup after guaranteeing top-three finishes in the Asia/East Asia-Pacific Qualifier ahead of their Super Six clash.
Lamine Yamal exploded into view at 16 and became an integral part of Spain's record fourth European Championship triumph in 2024.
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.
Dutch fans right to boycott World Cup-Van Gaal
Ex-UEFA chief Michel Platini was arrested, on Tuesday, in connection with a probe into the awarding of the 2022 World Cup to Qatar, a source close to the investigation said.
'My only problem is banning alcohol'
In 2015, FIFA recommended that Qatar host a shorter World Cup over the cooler months of November and December in a move that was sure to put soccer's world governing body on a collision course with the major European leagues.
United Arab Emirates became the 20th and last team to qualify for the ICC Men's T20 World Cup after beating Japan by eight wickets in the last Asia/EAP Qualifying game here on Thursday.
India's U17 football team is set to compete in the AFC U17 Asian Cup, starting with a challenging match against Australia. Coach Bibiano Fernandes emphasises the importance of staying organised and focused throughout the tournament.
The 2022 World Cup in Qatar, the only major scheduled football event left unchanged after this year's calendar was wrecked by the coronavirus, has become the focus of fresh FIFA corruption allegations after the release of a new US Department of Justice indictment. According to the prosecutors, representatives working for Russia and Qatar bribed FIFA executive committee officials to swing votes in the crucial decision of world football's governing body.
The 48-team World Cup will adopt a 12-group format, increasing the total number of matches from 64 to 104 - the same as the expanded men's World Cup in 2026 - and extending the tournament by one week.
Star Indian javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra is set to miss the Doha Diamond League, to be held on June 19, as he is still recuperating from a back injury in Switzerland.
FIFA is set to confirm the hosts of the 2030 and 2034 men's World Cups on Wednesday, with a three-continent, six-nation bid led by Morocco, Spain and Portugal to be awarded the former and the latter going to Saudi Arabia.
India U17 team will look to bounce back from their defeat against Australia as they face Uzbekistan in their final Group D match of the AFC U17 Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2026 campaign.
India's Abhay Singh lost a thrilling quarterfinal match to Egypt's Karim Gawad at the Grasshopper Cup squash tournament in Zurich.
Uzbekistan earn first World Cup qualification, Australia, Jordan close in
Indian javelin throw superstar Neeraj Chopra would hope that his lengthy injury-forced absence from competition does not affect his rhythm when he returns to action against an in-form line-up of heavyweight rivals in the familiar environs of the Doha Diamond League on Friday.
Substitute Kaoru Mitoma scored twice to give Japan a 2-0 win over Australia and send his country through to seventh successive edition of the World Cup finals
Saudi Arabia will host the men's soccer World Cup in 2034 while the 2030 edition will be held in Spain, Portugal and Morocco, with one-off matches in three South American countries, world soccer's governing body FIFA confirmed on Wednesday.
Qatar has tried to make itself more attractive to tourists and launched a "Summer in Qatar" initiative this year to try to attract visitors during the brutally hot months of June, July and August.
