World Cup 2026
FIFA Men's World Cup — USA, Canada, Mexico.
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Bouaddi chooses Morocco after Deschamps snub, French fans furious
Ignored by Didier Deschamps for the 2026 World Cup, 19-year-old midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi has opted for Morocco. A decision that has sparked bitterness among many France supporters, especially as Zinedine Zidane would likely have given the Manchester City player a place in his squad.
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Saliba worsened back fracture playing 2026 World Cup: career threatened like Umtiti
William Saliba aggravated a serious back fracture while playing the 2026 World Cup with France despite being injured, playing the entire tournament under injections and painkillers. The 25-year-old Arsenal defender is undergoing rehabilitation, but journalist Florent Gautreau fears he may never regain his best form, drawing a worrying parallel with Samuel Umtiti's career trajectory.
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Toone earns late England recall for World Cup play-off after Bronze injury forces Wiegman's hand
Ella Toone has been added to England's squad for their Women's World Cup play-off against Greece after Lucy Bronze sustained a minor injury playing for Chelsea. Toone had been dropped from Sarina Wiegman's original 23-player group last week.
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Two red cards in 2026: Emmanuel Petit slams Upamecano's lack of discipline
Sent off against Italy during March's international break, Dayot Upamecano received his second red card of the year with France. World Cup winner Emmanuel Petit harshly criticized him for his repeated indiscipline.
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Saudi Arabia scraps sky-high NEOM Stadium as World Cup 2034 infrastructure plans unravel
Saudi Arabia has shelved plans for the NEOM Stadium, a 46,000-seat venue designed to sit 350 metres above ground inside the futuristic city of The Line. The cancellation raises fresh doubts about the country's ability to deliver on its 2034 World Cup hosting commitments.
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Messi Dismisses Favoritism Claims After Argentina Farewell
During his final match in an Argentina shirt against Benin (3-0), Lionel Messi rejected conspiracy theories surrounding the Albiceleste's World Cup campaign, citing physical and mental exhaustion of his squad.
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Ugarte reveals psychological support helping him through serious knee injury at Man United
Manchester United midfielder Manuel Ugarte has opened up on working with a psychologist during his rehabilitation from a knee injury sustained at the World Cup, while questions grow over his future at Old Trafford following the club's summer midfield signings.
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FIFA allegedly covered up fraud to keep DR Congo in 2026 World Cup
Joint investigations by Le Monde and the New York Times claim that FIFA, up to president Gianni Infantino, intervened to ignore the ineligibility of goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi and preserve the Democratic Republic of Congo's World Cup qualification.
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Infantino faces fresh eligibility scandal after FIFA lawyers 'knew Mpasi was ineligible' before World Cup
FIFA president Gianni Infantino is under renewed pressure after reports that FIFA lawyers identified DR Congo goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi as allegedly ineligible in March — yet took no action before he played against England at the World Cup.
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FIFA cleared DR Congo despite finding goalkeeper Mpasi ineligible during World Cup qualifying
Internal FIFA reviews confirmed that DR Congo fielded an ineligible goalkeeper during 2026 World Cup qualifying, yet the governing body dismissed Nigeria's appeal on a technicality and allowed the Leopards — including Newcastle striker Yoane Wissa — to compete at the tournament.
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Bouaddi chooses Morocco after Deschamps ruled him out of France's World Cup squad
Ayyoub Bouaddi, a 19-year-old midfielder described as a "unique talent" by technical director Hubert Fournier, will represent Morocco at the 2026 World Cup after Didier Deschamps decided he was not yet ready for the France team.
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Benin goalkeeper warns Messi: no gifts for his final Argentina match
Lionel Messi will play his last match for Argentina on Tuesday evening at the Monumental in Buenos Aires against Benin in a friendly with strong symbolic weight. Benin goalkeeper Marcel Dandjinou has warned: he will attempt to stop every shot from the Pulga, including penalties.
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Chalobah says England's Premier League exodus is sharpening Tuchel's squad
Trevoh Chalobah believes the growing number of England players competing abroad — including himself at Como, John Stones at Inter Milan, and Jarell Quansah at Bayer Leverkusen — is bringing valuable experience into Thomas Tuchel's setup ahead of the World Cup.
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Saudi Arabia quietly shelves futuristic NEOM Stadium, casting doubt over 2034 World Cup plans
Saudi Arabia has placed the 46,000-seat NEOM Stadium — a centrepiece of its 2034 World Cup bid — on hold, according to construction intelligence platform MEED Projects. The venue was designed to sit 350 metres above ground inside the troubled 170km mega city, The Line.
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Cherki denies reports of tensions in France squad dressing room
Targeted by an L'Équipe article reporting friction with his teammates, including Michael Olise, Rayan Cherki publicly denied the information on X, calling it an "invention".
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Bellingham's hat-trick of assists drives England to Croatia's worst ever defeat
Jude Bellingham scored once and set up three more as England thrashed Croatia 7-0 in Rijeka on Saturday, their heaviest ever defeat. Spanish media, including Marca and Goal, hailed the Real Madrid midfielder as arguably the best player in the world.
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Rebuilt Camp Nou's 105,000-seat scale puts it ahead of Bernabéu in 2030 World Cup final race
Barcelona's redeveloped Spotify Camp Nou is the frontrunner to host the 2030 World Cup final, according to Mundo Deportivo, with its 105,000-seat capacity giving it a significant edge over the 83,186-capacity Santiago Bernabéu. FIFA is not expected to confirm any venue allocations until 2028.
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De Jong edges closer to Barcelona return after knee injury kept him out all season
Frenkie de Jong is targeting a return to full training with Barcelona after the international break following the knee injury he sustained at the 2026 World Cup. A comeback in November remains a possibility, with a La Liga fixture against Alaves cited as a potential target.
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Leaker who predicted three Ballon d'Or winners announces Lamine Yamal as 2026 laureate
An anonymous X user credited with revealing the last three Ballon d'Or winners in advance claims Lamine Yamal will win the trophy on October 26 in London, which would make him the youngest laureate in history.
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Keane tips Bellingham for all-time greatness after England's 7-0 rout of Croatia
Jude Bellingham scored and set up three goals as England demolished Croatia 7-0 in their heaviest-ever defeat, prompting Roy Keane to predict the Real Madrid midfielder could become one of the greatest players of all time.
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Kenya U17 W
