Tag: FIFA World Cup

History-making 2022 FIFA World Cup semi-finalists Morocco must win a group including Zambia to ensure qualification for the next edition in Canada, Mexico and the United States. 

Congo Brazzaville, Tanzania, Niger and Eritrea complete Group E after a draw made on Thursday in Abidjan, the Ivory Coast’s commercial capital, by former African stars.

Morocco became the first African or Arab country to reach the FIFA World Cup semi-finals last December in Qatar before losing to France and finishing fourth.

With Europe-based stars like Yassine Bounou, Achraf Hakimi, Sofyan Amrabat and Youssef en-Nesyri available, they look likely winners of the section with Zambia posing the greatest threat.

Morocco are the highest-placed African team in the latest FIFA rankings, ahead of Cup of Nations title-holders Senegal with Tunisia third.

Senegal are in Group B and the biggest danger to them is likely to come from the rapidly improving Democratic Republic of Congo, who played in the 1974 World Cup when known as Zaire.

Like Morocco, Sadio Mane-inspired Senegal are seeking a third consecutive appearance at the four-yearly global showpiece, with the next edition set for mid-2026.

Tunisia are in Group H with Equatorial Guinea, a rising force in Africa who beat the north Africans in a Cup of Nations qualifier last month.

Long-time rivals Nigeria and South Africa will clash in Group C, which includes Zimbabwe, whose FIFA ban for government interference in football was lifted two days ago.

Ghana, who made an early exit in Qatar, will fancy their chances of finishing first in Group I above Mali, the only first seeds who have not qualified for the World Cup.

Cameroon, who hold the African record for World Cup qualification with eight appearances, have been poor in recent Cup of Nations matches, offering hope to Cape Verde and Angola in Group D.

Algeria, who lost out to Cameroon for a place in Qatar, appear likely winners of Group G with unpredictable Guinea probably the main challengers.

Ivory Coast, hosts of the next Cup of Nations in January and February 2024, are another country who will be satisfied with the draw.

The biggest threat to the three-time World Cup qualifiers could come not from second seeds Gabon, but from shock 2021 Cup of Nations quarter-finalists Gambia.

Egypt have won the Cup of Nations a record seven times, but often struggle to qualify for the World Cup, reaching the final only three times.

They are in Group A, where Burkina Faso and Guinea-Bissau could trouble the Mohamed Salah-captained Pharaohs.

With the number of finalists expanding from 32 in Qatar to 48 in North and Central America, Africa are guaranteed a record nine places, and possibly 10.

Each group winner will qualify automatically and the best four runners-up enter play-offs with the winner going to inter-confederation play-offs, with two places up for grabs.

Apart from an African team, the confederation play-offs will include two teams from North/Central America and one each from Asia, South America and Oceania.

Matchdays one and two in Africa will be played this November, with a further two rounds next year and six in 2025.

The draw was scheduled for Wednesday this week, only to be delayed 24 hours at the last minute without an official explanation.

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Lionel Messi on Tuesday confirmed he “doesn’t think” he will play at another World Cup in an interview with Chinese media, after the 35-year-old led Argentina to victory at last year’s tournament in Qatar.

“I have said several times before that I don’t think so, that that (2022) was my last World Cup,” he said when asked by China’s Titan Sports in a video interview if he might feature at the 2026 tournament in North America.

“I will see how things go but in theory, I don’t think I will be around for the next World Cup,” he added in Spanish in the video published on the app Kuaishou.

The seven-time Ballon d’Or winner is currently in Beijing where Argentina will play a friendly against Australia on Thursday.

His comments come after he said earlier this year to the Argentinian newspaper Ole that it would be “very difficult” to play at another World Cup.

He will turn 39 during the next tournament.

Argentina will play Thursday’s friendly against Australia at the 68,000-capacity Workers’ Stadium in Beijing.

The match is a repeat of the last-16 tie between the teams at the World Cup in Doha, which Argentina won 2-1.

With Chinese fans desperate to see the former Barcelona star in action, tickets have been rapidly snapped up despite being sold at prices rising to 4,800 Yuan ($671).

Earlier this month, Lionel Messi said he will sign for Major League Soccer side Inter Miami, choosing the United States as his next destination over a Barcelona reunion or blockbuster deal to play in Saudi Arabia.

The Argentine forward, 35, has spent the last two seasons at Paris Saint-Germain, playing his final game for the club against Clermont Foot, after moving from Barcelona in 2021, where he spent the majority of his career.

MLS and Inter Miami confirmed the news on social media, although the American league noted “work remains to finalise a formal agreement”.

“I’ve taken the decision that I am going to Miami, I don’t have (the deal) 100 percent sealed or maybe there’s something left to do, but we decided to continue our path there,” Messi told Spanish newspapers Diario Sport and Mundo Deportivo.

“After winning the World Cup and not being able to go to Barca, it’s time to go to MLS to live football in a different way and enjoy my day to day life more.”

Lionel Messi is a seven-time Ballon d’Or winner and is expected to earn the individual accolade once more after leading Argentina to World Cup glory in Qatar in December.

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Organisers of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup – scheduled later this year in Australia and New Zealand – said they were close to selling one million tickets, reported BBC. 

According to the report, around 850,000 tickets have already been sold for the event that takes place between July 20 and August 20, 2023.

“2023 is going to be a landmark moment for women’s football,” said Fifa secretary general Fatma Samoura.

A FIFA spokesperson also informed the British broadcaster that over the next weeks, the one million ticket sale milestone will be crossed.

It is pertinent to mention here that the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup will be the ninth edition of the tournament, featuring 32 teams.

As women’s sports are gathering more and more viewership across the globe, FIFA expects the football megaevent to surpass a record 1.5 million ticket sales and around 2 billion viewers on television.

The United States women’s football team will defend their title at the event which begins with a grand opening ceremony at Eden Park, Auckland before the first match between co-hosts New Zealand and former World champions Norway.

A total of 64 matches will be played across ten venues in nine different cities of the Australian continent.

The final will take place on 20 August at Stadium Australia in Sydney.

Eight teams will feature in their first FIFA Women’s World Cup which includes Haiti, Republic of Ireland, Morocco, Panama, Philippines, Portugal, Vietnam and Zambia.

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BEIRUT: Asian Football Confederation (AFC) president, Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al-Khalifa, said the body wanted to host another World Cup, in 2030 or 2034, and that “Saudi Arabia is coming in force”.

Asia has staged the World Cup twice: in South Korea and Japan in 2002 and in 2022 in Qatar.

“I think Saudi Arabia is a country capable of organising a similar tournament,” Sheikh Salman, who is from Bahrain, told journalists in Beirut on Monday during a visit to Syria and Lebanon.

“But we have to choose the right time: 2030 or 2034? If our chance of hosting the tournament is better in 2034, we are looking into that, and if our conditions in 2030 are better, why not?”

In 2026, when the World Cup increases to 48 teams, it will split three ways for the first time with United States, Canada and Mexico as hosts.

There are two proposed multi-nation bids for 2030, one from Spain, Portugal and Morocco, and one by Argentina, Chile, Uruguay and Paraguay, which would return the centenary World Cup to the site of the first final, in Montevideo.

Last September, a spokesman for the Egyptian Ministry of Youth and Sports, Muhammad Fawzi, said his country was studying a joint bid with Saudi Arabia and Greece.

The Saudi Minister of Sports, Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal, told AFP in February that his country had not submitted a candidacy file, but added that “anything is possible.”

Sheikh Salman said he wanted to make sure the AFC was united behind any bid and had support from elsewhere.

“We are coordinating with the continental federations and FIFA on the basis that we will host the 2030 or 2034 World Cup in agreement with everyone, so that when the file is presented, we must ensure that it succeeds by at least 90 percent,” he said.

“We have 47 votes, while you need more than 110 votes to host the World Cup. We must have support from other continents. We are coordinating the appropriate time to host this championship.”

Emulating neighbours Qatar and United Emirates, Saudi Arabia has been investing heavily in sport as part of the “Vision 2030” strategy to diversify an oil-dependent economy.

The kingdom will host the AFC’s Women’s Cup in 2026, its Asian Cup for the first time in 2027, the multisport Asian Games in 2034, and is scheduled to stage the 2029 Asian Winter Games on artificial snow in the planned giant futuristic city of Neom.

It already hosts a Formula One race in Jeddah, the annual Spanish Super Cup, golf tournaments and boxing title bouts.

Cristiano Ronaldo joined Saudi club Al Nassr in January and the country’s sovereign wealth fund finances the breakaway LIV golf tour and owns Newcastle United in the English Premier League, although these investments draw accusations that it is “sportswashing” its human rights record.

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LAUSANNE: FIFA announced on Wednesday it had removed Indonesia as hosts of this year’s under-20 World Cup amid political turmoil over Israel’s participation.

“A new host will be announced as soon as possible, with the dates of the tournament currently remaining unchanged,” FIFA said in a statement.

Friday’s draw for the May 20-June 11 competition was scrapped by FIFA following protests over Israel’s involvement in the 24-team event.

In its statement, FIFA said Indonesia would no longer host the tournament “due to the current circumstances” without specifying details.

Indonesia and Israel do not have formal diplomatic relations, and support for the Palestinian cause in the world’s most populous Muslim-majority nation runs high, fuelling local opposition to hosting the Israeli team.

Indonesian officials said Bali’s governor calling for Israel to be thrown out of the cup because of its policies towards the Palestinians was likely behind the draw’s cancellation.

Around a hundred conservative Muslim demonstrators also marched in the capital Jakarta this month to protest Israel’s involvement.

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PARIS: Kylian Mbappe said he will never get over the disappointment of losing the World Cup final after the France star scored the winner on his return to action for Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday.

“I think I’m never going to get over it,” Mbappe said, speaking 10 days after he scored a hat-trick in the final against Argentina which the South Americans won in a penalty shootout.

Mbappe said he had been through some “difficult times” since the defeat but he showed few signs of the setback in Qatar as he won and converted a 96th minute penalty to give PSG a last-gasp 2-1 win against Strasbourg on Ligue 1’s resumption following the World Cup break.

“As I said to my teammates, there is no reason why the club should pay the price for the failure of the national team, they are two very different situations,” 24-year-old Mbappe said.

“It does me good to come back with a win and to have a link with the club, the supporters and my teammates.”

Neymar, who was left in tears after Brazil were knocked out by Croatia in the quarter-finals of the World Cup, was sent off for two yellow cards in PSG’s victory.

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BUENOS AIRES: Argentina’s World Cup winners led by captain Lionel Messi returned home from Qatar in the early hours of Tuesday morning ahead of a welcome home party in the nation’s capital.

Having beaten France in Sunday’s thrilling final, the players will now spend the night at the Argentine Football Association (AFA) training complex near the Ezeiza airport where they arrived in Buenos Aires and where thousands of supporters were waiting to greet them.

They will then head to the iconic Obelisk monument for a tour of the Buenos Aires city center from midday on Tuesday with millions expected out in the streets on what is a public holiday.

“We will be here all night and tomorrow as well,” student Ayrton Kerdocas, 25, told AFP outside the airport.

“Tomorrow we are not working, we won’t do anything and we’ll go directly to the Obelisk with Argentina.”

Argentina won the final in Qatar 4-2 on penalties after a rollercoaster 3-3 draw over 120 minutes of unparalleled drama for their first world title in 36 years.

Messi, who scored twice in the final, was the first player to emerge from the plane, holding the World Cup aloft, with coach Lionel Scaloni right behind him.

Forward Julian Alvarez, a revelation in Qatar with his four goals, was one of the next players out of the Aerolinas Argentinas Airbus A330.

A picture of Messi was emblazoned on the plane’s tail with the words: “one team, one country, one dream” on its side.

The players made their way from the plane along a red carpet straight to a white open-top bus with the words “world champions” and three stars on its side as their World Cup theme song “Muchachos” by ska band La Mosca blared out.

‘Better than 86’

Excitement had been brewing since the party that began after Sunday’s final ahead of the players’ arrival.

A private reception at a VIP suite in the airport had been arranged to greet the returning players.

“I came because of my passion for Argentina. I love Messi, I love the entire team,” Alejandra Diaz, 55, a kindergarten teacher told AFP outside the airport.

Welder Javier Merina, 41, a Messi “fanatic” said he had come to the airport to try to get the star to sign a picture.

“If he doesn’t I will go to Rosario, to Funes (Messi’s home town) to see if I can get Messi’s autograph,” said Merina.

Messi, 35, finally crowned his record-breaking career with football’s biggest prize as he produced one of the greatest World Cup final performances, scoring a first-half penalty and netting again in extra time.

In doing so he emulated his predecessor as Argentina’s idol, Diego Maradona who inspired the country to their second world title with a series of match-winning displays at Mexico 1986.

“I remember ’86 but this victory yesterday was much more emotional and much more stressful,” architect Ricardo Grunfeld, 65, told AFP.

“I don’t know if there’s any difference with ’86 but this comes at a good time,” added Zulema Guereri, 80.

Argentina had led 2-0 with 10 minutes of normal time left and 3-2 with only two minutes of extra-time to go but Kylian Mbappe completed only the second World Cup final hat-trick in history to take the gripping final to penalties, before Gonzalo Montiel swept home the decisive spot kick.

Despite the huge numbers of revelers during Sunday’s festivities “people acted in a very positive way,” a spokesperson for the municipality said.

Fewer than 20 people were arrested for isolated incidents of violence or theft.

‘It warms the heart’ 

France’s beaten players were given a rousing reception by fans in central Paris on Monday after their return from Qatar.

They appeared on the balcony of the Crillon Hotel overlooking the Place de la Concorde.

“Frankly, it’s magnificent, it warms the heart, it’s a great pleasure to see that we were able to make so many French people proud and happy,” forward Marcus Thuram told TF1 TV.

They landed at Paris’s Charles de Gaulle airport just before 8:00 pm (1900 GMT) where a caravan of coaches took them straight to the center of Paris.

Goalkeeper and captain Hugo Lloris told TF1 that it was a chance to “greet them (the fans), to thank them for their support and, after yesterday’s pain, to seek their consolation.”

The captivating final rounded off one of the most controversial World Cups in history.

Qatari organisers faced persistent questions about the country’s treatment of migrant workers and its laws on homosexuality.

Football’s world governing body FIFA said the cumulative stadium attendance was 3.4 million spectators and that more than one million visitors travelled to Qatar to watch the matches.

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DOHA: Argentina star Lionel Messi on Sunday vowed to continue playing for his country despite finally realising his lifetime ambition of winning the World Cup.

“I want to keep experiencing a few more matches as world champion,” Messi, 35, told Argentine television following the country’s epic penalty shoot-out victory over France in the World Cup final in Doha.

But Messi admitted his career was almost finished after the Argentina captain landed the one major international trophy missing from his collection.

The Paris Saint-Germain forward scored two goals in the stunning and chaotic final that ended 3-3 after 120 absorbing minutes, before the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner netted his spot-kick in the shoot-out that Argentina won 4-2.

“Obviously I would like to end my career with this, I cannot ask for more,” said Messi.

“My career is nearly over because these are my last years.”

And after so many disappointments on the biggest stage in football, including losing the 2014 World Cup final to Germany in Brazil, Messi said he always felt his time would come.

“It’s crazy that it happened at the time it happened, but it’s amazing,” he said.

“It’s amazing that it could end this way. I said previously that God was going to grant me this and I don’t know why but I felt it was going to be this time.”

Turning his attentions to the match itself, Messi said it was hard to explain after Argentina let slip a two-goal lead late in the game for the second time, following their quarter-final victory over the Netherlands a week earlier.

Argentina led 2-0 at half-time and went 3-2 up during extra-time but a Kylian Mbappe hat-trick, with two late goals in normal time and another in the extra period, pinned Argentina back, taking the game to penalties.

“It was a very strange match, the same as the other one against the Netherlands, and then when we went ahead in extra-time it happened again,” said Messi.

But, he added, the World Cup trophy “is beautiful.”

Messi hugged his family and team-mates after the match while coach Lionel Scaloni, winger Angel Di Maria, who scored Argentina’s second goal, and goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez could not contain their tears after the final whistle.

Messi has played 172 times for Argentina, scoring 98 goals since making his debut in 2005.

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LUSAIL: Lionel Messi’s dream of winning the FIFA World Cup has been fulfilled with a dramatic victory over the defending champions France after the penalty shoot-out here at Lusail Stadium on Sunday.

The nail-biting final of the world cup had a dream ending for Argentina’s star Messi, who stood up at the most crucial moment of his career with two timely strikes before opening the scoring for his team in the penalty shoot-out.

Messi had given Argentina the lead from the penalty spot in the first half before Angel Di Maria made it 2-0.

It appeared to be a straightforward win for Argentina until Kylian Mbappe struck twice in just 97 seconds to force the match into extra time.

Messi then appeared to have done it once and for all when he converted a rebound in the 109th minute, only for Mbappe to score from another spot-kick to tie the game at 3-3 and force a shoot-out.

With his third goal of the night, Mbappe became the first player since England’s Geoff Hurst in 1966 to net a World Cup final hat-trick.

Messi and Mbappe both kept fighting for their teams in the penalty shoot-out as they opened the scoring with precisely placed strikes.

The defending champions, however, lost the plot as Kingsley Coman’s next kick for France was saved and Aurelien Tchouameni then crucially missed the target and the final diverted into Argentina’s favour.

Paulo Dybala and Leandro Paredes successfully netted the ball from the spot before Gonzalo Montiel fired the world cup winning penalty for Messi’s Argentina.

It is pertinent to mention that Argentina were crowned world champions for the first time after 1986 and this is their third world title overall.

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AL RAYYAN: Luka Modric’s Croatia edged brave Morocco 2-1 to end their FIFA World Cup 2022 campaign on a winning note that propelled them to finish third in the mega event.

The third-place play-off of the ongoing world cup started with a bang as the first nine minutes of the match witnessed Croatia opening the scoring and Morocco neutralizing.

Josko Gvardiol was the man for Croatia to put them in an early lead in just the seventh minute with a sensational header.

Last edition’s runners-up Croatia surged after Ivan Perisic glanced Lovro Majer’s cross into the box back towards a diving Gvardiol, who buried his header into the corner.

Croatia’s early lead, however short-lived as spirited Morocco came up with an astonishing equalizer just two minutes later when Hakim Ziyech’s free-kick looped up off the head of Croatian midfielder Lovro Majer, and fell kindly for Achraf Dari; allowing him to head past Dominik Livakovic.

Mislav Orsic’s then curled the ball magnificently via the post from the corner of the box and put Croatia back on top before half-time after Moroccan debutant Bilal El Khannouss lost the possession deep in his half.

Orsic’s sensational header late in the first half turned out to be enough for Croatia to sink Morocco 2-1 and finish their campaign with a bronze medal.

Croatia’s triumph over Morocco marked the 11th instance in a row when a European team finished in the world cup.

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