Possible successors for embattled FIFA President Infantino
FIFA president Gianni Infantino speaks during the event. Photo: REUTERS NEW YORK: FIFA President Gianni Infantino faces an uphill battle in his re-election bid as the national soccer federations of Serbia, Sweden and Wales withdrew their support after a failed proposal to sell a stake in the World Cup to private investors. The following figures […]
Wales withdraws support for Infantino re-election
FIFA president Gianni Infantino speaks during the event. Photo: REUTERS LONDON: Wales said it will withdraw support for FIFA President Gianni Infantino’s re-election bid for a new term from 2027-2031 after his failed plan to sell a stake in the World Cup’s commercial rights. FIFA’s ambitious plan to unlock up to $4.2 billion from private investors by […]
De Zerbi ‘happy’ with pre-season progress
Tottenham continued their unbeaten pre-season run with a 2-1 win over Chelsea as De Zerbi praised his squad’s progress ahead of the new campaign. Photo: AFP/FILE SYNDEY: Tottenham manager Roberto De Zerbi said he was “happy for a lot of things” as they return to London unbeaten in three pre-season games after a 2-1 win […]
CONCACAF ‘deeply concerned’ by FIFA plans
PARIS: CONCACAF said Wednesday it was “deeply concerned by the lack of due process” in FIFA’s plans to sell a stake in the business operations of the World Cup and other competitions. World football’s governing body said Tuesday it would retain a majority share in FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) but hoped to raise $4.2 billion […]
Pirlo confirms he will not be taking Italy job
LONDON: Former Italy playmaker Andrea Pirlo, who was favoured for the national coaching post, expressed his bitterness on Monday over the debate which has led to him no longer being a candidate. The 47-year-old had, to many Italian fans’ surprise, become the favourite to be tasked with reviving the national side’s fortunes after they failed for the third successive […]
Ceferin skipped World Cup final
LONDON: Aleksander Ceferin, the head of UEFA, boycotted the World Cup final to show unhappiness with FIFA, British media reported Monday. The relationship between European football’s governing body and the game’s global federation is under strain. One cause was FIFA’s unexplained decision to suspend a red card for United States striker Folarin Balogun before a […]
World Cup moments: Viking row, minnows sparkle
Erling Haaland leads the “Viking Row”. Photo: AFP/File WASHINGTON: The first 48-team World Cup has provided a thrilling spectacle and a string of compelling storylines. AFP Sport picks out some of the key talking points after more than five weeks of action in Canada, Mexico and the United States. Hotshots The race for the Golden […]
France’s Mbappe becomes World Cup’s all-time top scorer
Soccer Football – FIFA World Cup 2026 – Bronze Final – France v England – Miami Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida, US – July 18, 2026 France’s Kylian Mbappe in action with England’s Ezri Konsa. Photo: Reuters France striker Kylian Mbappe became the World Cup’s all-time leading scorer with 22 goals when he netted twice in […]
France, England prepare for gloomy send-off
France forward Kylian Mbappe is the joint-leading scorer at the 2026 World Cup. Photo: AFP MIAMI: France and England will bid a gloomy farewell to the World Cup on Saturday when they face each other in the dreaded third-place play-off in Miami. Both teams head to Florida still raw from semi-final defeats that have left […]
Zidane era beckons for France
France suffered a shocking 2-0 defeat against Spain in the FIFA World Cup semifinal. Photo: Reuters LONDON: France’s World Cup semi-final exit left one of the country’s most gifted generations grappling with yet another heartbreak, but a new era beckons, with Zinedine Zidane expected to harness the squad’s extraordinary individual talent in a bid to deliver a […]