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<p>Lionel Messi has sparked fresh concern among football fans, especially Argentina after limping off during Inter Miami’s latest MLS clash against Philadelphia Union in a high-scoring thriller on Sunday (May 24), just weeks before the FIFA World Cup 2026. The Argentine legend limped off straight down the tunnel in the 73rd minute during Inter Miami’s chaotic win in a 10-goal thriller. While he did not leave the field on a stretcher, Messi was seen clutching his left hamstring and his slow walk and visible discomfort immediately triggered anxiety among fans and coaching staff. Inter Miami officials have suggested it could be precautionary fatigue rather than a serious injury, but with Argentina’s title defence on the horizon, every Messi fitness update is now under the microscope just weeks before their title defense begins.</p><h2>Race against time: Can Messi recover for a historic sixth World Cup?</h2><p>An injury of this nature severely hampers Lionel Messi’s chances of arriving in peak condition for what would be a historic sixth World Cup tournament. The legendary forward has previously made his stance on longevity incredibly clear, stating that he would only feature in the 2026 showpiece if he felt completely healthy and capable of contributing at the highest level, rather than just being there for the sake of a milestone. &nbsp;</p><p><strong>Also Read</strong> - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/french-open-2026-djokovic-survives-r1-scare-but-7th-seed-fritz-and-raducanu-crash-out-1779678725165">French Open 2026 | Djokovic survives R1 scare but Fritz and Raducanu crash out</a></p><p>This latest physical setback puts immense pressure on the medical staff of La Albiceleste. Trying to calm the escalating panic, Inter Miami's interim coach Guillermo Hoyos suggested the change was largely precautionary due to a heavy, rain-soaked pitch. &nbsp;"He was genuinely suffering from fatigue in that regard—it is indeed fatigue. He was tired; the pitch was heavy, and when in doubt, the standard approach is always to ensure you don't take any risks."</p><p>Argentina team manager Lionel Scaloni, who will submit the final roster of players on June 1, will be monitoring the situation with extreme caution. The timing is absolutely critical, as Argentina's official World Cup preparatory camp is scheduled to begin ahead of their June 16 opener, leaving Messi with a thin recovery window to shake off the latest injury.</p><h2>Argentina’s FIFA World Cup 2026 schedule</h2><p>The defending world champions have been placed in Group J, playing their high-stakes fixtures across three venues in the United States. Below are the complete match details of their group stage campaign:</p><p>Argentina vs Algeria - June 16 at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City<br>Argentina vs Austria - June 22 AT&amp;T Stadium, Arlington (Dallas)<br>Argentina vs Jordan - June 28 AT&amp;T Stadium, Arlington (Dallas)</p>

Lionel Messi sparked World Cup 2026 concern after limping off in Inter Miami’s latest game. With Argentina’s title defence looming, fans fear a potential setback, while coach Lionel Scaloni downplayed the injury, calling it precautionary.

Lionel Messi has sparked fresh concern among football fans, especially Argentina after limping off during Inter Miami’s latest MLS clash against Philadelphia Union in a high-scoring thriller on Sunday (May 24), just weeks before the FIFA World Cup 2026. The Argentine legend limped off straight down the tunnel in the 73rd minute during Inter Miami’s chaotic win in a 10-goal thriller. While he did not leave the field on a stretcher, Messi was seen clutching his left hamstring and his slow walk and visible discomfort immediately triggered anxiety among fans and coaching staff. Inter Miami officials have suggested it could be precautionary fatigue rather than a serious injury, but with Argentina’s title defence on the horizon, every Messi fitness update is now under the microscope just weeks before their title defense begins. Race against time: Can Messi recover for a historic sixth World Cup? An injury of this nature severely hampers Lionel Messi’s chances of arriving in peak condition for what would be a historic sixth World Cup tournament. The legendary forward has previously made his stance on longevity incredibly clear, stating that he would only feature in the 2026 showpiece if he felt completely healthy and capable of contributing at the highest level, rather than just being there for the sake of a milestone. Also Read - French Open 2026 | Djokovic survives R1 scare but Fritz and Raducanu crash out This latest physical setback puts immense pressure on the medical staff of La Albiceleste. Trying to calm the escalating panic, Inter Miami's interim coach Guillermo Hoyos suggested the change was largely precautionary due to a heavy, rain-soaked pitch. "He was genuinely suffering from fatigue in that regard—it is indeed fatigue. He was tired; the pitch was heavy, and when in doubt, the standard approach is always to ensure you don't take any risks." Argentina team manager Lionel Scaloni, who will submit the final roster of players on June 1, will be monitoring the situation with extreme caution. The timing is absolutely critical, as Argentina's official World Cup preparatory camp is scheduled to begin ahead of their June 16 opener, leaving Messi with a thin recovery window to shake off the latest injury. Argentina’s FIFA World Cup 2026 schedule The defending world champions have been placed in Group J, playing their high-stakes fixtures across three venues in the United States. Below are the complete match details of their group stage campaign: Argentina vs Algeria - June 16 at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City Argentina vs Austria - June 22 AT&T Stadium, Arlington (Dallas) Argentina vs Jordan - June 28 AT&T Stadium, Arlington (Dallas)

<p>Lionel Messi sparked World Cup 2026 concern after limping off in Inter Miami’s latest game. With Argentina’s title defence looming, fans fear a potential setback, while coach Lionel Scaloni downplayed the injury, calling it precautionary.</p>

Lionel Messi limps off in MLS game in setback for Argentina as FIFA World Cup 2026 nears

<p>New York mayor Zohran Mamdani has a gift for the residents of NYC. Mamdani is making 1,000 tickets available at a reduced cost of $50 for five group-stage games and two knockout games to be staged at MetLife stadium during the upcoming FIFA World Cup 2026. The tournament starts Jun 11 and is being co-hosted by the USA, Mexico, and Canada. The tickets will be awarded via a lottery system for which the residents would have to sign up online. The decision by Mamdani comes amid increased price of the FIFA tournament which has been using dynamic pricing to decide the ticket price. The winners will also be offered free bus rides from to and from the stadium as well.</p><p><strong>Also Read</strong> - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/dr-congo-cancels-fifa-world-cup-2026-preparation-camp-because-of-ebola-will-it-affect-there-plans-to-enter-us-1779342639728">DR Congo cancels FIFA World Cup preparation camp because of Ebola</a></p><h2>Mamdani announces reduced price tickets for NY residents</h2><p>"As we prepare to host the World Cup right outside of New York City, we know that ticket prices for this tournament have soared into the thousands of dollars. There are countless New Yorkers desperate to attend a World Cup match, but who simply cannot afford to go," Mamdani announced at a press conference on Thursday (May 21).</p>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">1,000 World Cup tickets. $50 each. All for New Yorkers.<br><br>We fought hard to make the people’s game available to the people — and won.<br><br>Let the summer of soccer begin. <a href="https://t.co/CakNsxtF6b">pic.twitter.com/CakNsxtF6b</a></p>&mdash; Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani (@NYCMayor) <a href="https://twitter.com/NYCMayor/status/2057471898426945975?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 21, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<p>"We know that there are so many New Yorkers who thought that there was no way they could afford to go to this tournament and now there is that glimpse of an opportunity."</p><h2>How does the lottery system works?</h2><p>The residents will have to sign up online to be eligible for the tickets and then a lottery system will decide the winners. The sign up has been capped to 50,000 people per day for the campaign which runs from May 25 to May 30. A ticket winner will also be eligible to buy an extra ticket as well.</p><p>"This is just a question of if you sign up, and then it’s just a question of crossing your fingers," Mamdani added.</p><p>The MetLife Stadium will also host the World Cup 2026 final, but the tickets will not be available for it during the lottery system.</p>

The decision by Mamdani comes amid increased price of the FIFA tournament which has been using dynamic pricing to decide the ticket price. The winners will also be offered free bus rides from to and from the stadium as well.

New York mayor Zohran Mamdani has a gift for the residents of NYC. Mamdani is making 1,000 tickets available at a reduced cost of $50 for five group-stage games and two knockout games to be staged at MetLife stadium during the upcoming FIFA World Cup 2026. The tournament starts Jun 11 and is being co-hosted by the USA, Mexico, and Canada. The tickets will be awarded via a lottery system for which the residents would have to sign up online. The decision by Mamdani comes amid increased price of the FIFA tournament which has been using dynamic pricing to decide the ticket price. The winners will also be offered free bus rides from to and from the stadium as well. Also Read - DR Congo cancels FIFA World Cup preparation camp because of Ebola Mamdani announces reduced price tickets for NY residents "As we prepare to host the World Cup right outside of New York City, we know that ticket prices for this tournament have soared into the thousands of dollars. There are countless New Yorkers desperate to attend a World Cup match, but who simply cannot afford to go," Mamdani announced at a press conference on Thursday (May 21).

<p>The decision by Mamdani comes amid increased price of the FIFA tournament which has been using dynamic pricing to decide the ticket price. The winners will also be offered free bus rides from to and from the stadium as well.</p>

'For who cannot afford to go,' mayor Mamdani announces 1000 FIFA World Cup tickets at $50 for New Yorkers

<p>Former Germany captain and veteran goalkeeper Manuel Neuer has earned a surprise call-up to Germany’s 26-man FIFA World Cup squad announced on Thursday (May 21). Neuer, who retired from international duties in 2024, has come out of retirement to feature in his fifth World Cup. Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann confirmed that the Bayern Munich captain will start ahead of Oliver Baumann at the World Cup held in North America.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>"Everyone knows the aura and quality Manu has, what he brings to a team," Nagelsmann said at a squad announcement in Frankfurt, Germany. "We're planning with him as our number one.<br>&nbsp;</p><p>"He has an impact on his own team, on the opposition, and can create special moments,” he added.</p>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">🚨🇩🇪 OFFICIAL: Germany release full World Cup squad by Julian Nagelsmann. <a href="https://t.co/qAXJ8RpL93">pic.twitter.com/qAXJ8RpL93</a></p>&mdash; Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) <a href="https://twitter.com/FabrizioRomano/status/2057421131393413417?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 21, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<p><strong>Also read | </strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/iran-fifa-world-cup-squad-arrives-at-us-embassy-in-ankara-turkey-for-visa-process-canada-mexico-israel-war-1779366225487"><strong>Iran World Cup squad arrives at US Embassy in Ankara for visa process</strong></a><br>&nbsp;</p><p>Meanwhile, Joshua Kimmich will continue in his role as the team captain despite Neuer’s return. He, alongside the centre-back Matthias Ginter, is one of the only two players from Germany’s 2014 World Cup-winning squad featuring in the 2026 edition. On the other hand, Galatasaray winger Leroy Sane has also retained his place. Although Nagelsmann admitted that Sane’s numbers this season aren’t up to the mark, he highlighted his contribution in the last four games for Germany.<br>&nbsp;</p><p>Munich's Jamal Musiala returns to the squad after missing Germany's March friendlies as he recovered from a broken ankle. Nagelsmann named a Premier League-heavy attacking contingent, which includes freshly minted English Premier League champion Kai Havertz of Arsenal, Liverpool's Florian Wirtz and Newcastle's Nick Woltemade. Bayern youngster Lennart Karl, 18, was also called up to a major tournament for the first time.<br>&nbsp;</p><p>The Germans will have one final match on home soil, against Finland on May 31, before facing World Cup co-hosts the United States in Chicago on June 6.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Germany will be based in North Carolina during the tournament. They are in Group E alongside debutants Curacao, the Ivory Coast and Ecuador.</p><h3>Germany FIFA World Cup 2026 squad:</h3><p><strong>Goalkeepers:</strong> Oliver Baumann, Manuel Neuer, Alexander Nuebel<br>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Defenders:</strong> Waldemar Anton, Nathaniel Brown, Joshua Kimmich, David Raum, Antonio Rüdiger, Nico Schlotterbeck, Jonathan Tah, Malick Thiaw<br>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Midfielders:</strong> Nadiem Amiri, Leon Goretzka, Pascal Gross, Jamie Leweling, Jamal Musiala, Felix Nmecha, Aleksandar Pavlovic, Angelo Stiller, Florian Wirtz<br>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Forwards:</strong> Maximilian Beier, Kai Havertz, Lennart Karl, Leroy Sane, Deniz Undav, Nick Woltemade</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><i>(With inputs from AFP)</i></p>

Manuel Neuer makes a shock international comeback as Julian Nagelsmann names Germany's official 26-man FIFA World Cup squad. See the full Group E roster, warm-up schedules, and key inclusions.

Former Germany captain and veteran goalkeeper Manuel Neuer has earned a surprise call-up to Germany’s 26-man FIFA World Cup squad announced on Thursday (May 21). Neuer, who retired from international duties in 2024, has come out of retirement to feature in his fifth World Cup. Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann confirmed that the Bayern Munich captain will start ahead of Oliver Baumann at the World Cup held in North America. "Everyone knows the aura and quality Manu has, what he brings to a team," Nagelsmann said at a squad announcement in Frankfurt, Germany. "We're planning with him as our number one. "He has an impact on his own team, on the opposition, and can create special moments,” he added.

<p>Manuel Neuer makes a shock international comeback as Julian Nagelsmann names Germany's official 26-man FIFA World Cup squad. See the full Group E roster, warm-up schedules, and key inclusions.</p>

Manuel Neuer earns surprise call up to Germany’s 26-man FIFA World Cup squad

<p>Iranian footballers and members of their travelling entourage went to the US embassy in Ankara, Turkey, on Thursday (May 21) to submit their visa applications for the forthcoming FIFA World Cup. Per the latest report, the Iran FIFA World Cup squad arrived in Turkey’s southern Antalya resort early this week for a training camp. North American countries, including the US, Canada and Mexico, will host the 2026 edition, starting on June 11.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Four Iranian World Cup-bound players, wearing navy blue tracksuits, alongside a team staff member, wearing black, were snapped entering the US embassy in the morning, an AFP report confirms. Latest reports suggest that all players are following procedures in batches, and are expected to follow similar plans at the Canadian and Mexican embassies, the two countries co-hosting the World Cup.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>In Pics | </strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/will-ronaldo-be-oldest-player-ever-to-play-in-a-football-world-cup-check-full-list-1779346078444"><strong>Will Ronaldo be the oldest player ever to play in a Football World Cup?</strong></a><br>&nbsp;</p><p>Iran and the United States cut diplomatic ties in 1980, but the Iranian football federation vice-president on Tuesday said he was "very confident" in FIFA's protocols as the team prepares to play at the World Cup.&nbsp;<br>&nbsp;</p><p>"Team Melli", as the Iran squad is known, will play two friendlies ahead of the World Cup in Antalya against Gambia on May 29 and Mali on June 4. Iran, the Asian giants, have been drawn in Group G and open their campaign against New Zealand in Los Angeles on June 15. They will then face Belgium in the same city, and round off their group matches against Egypt in Seattle.<br>&nbsp;</p><p>Iran is seeking to reach the knockout stages for the first time, having fallen short in their previous six appearances in the World Cup finals.</p><h3>Iran’s preliminary FIFA World Cup Squad –</h3><p><strong>Goalkeepers</strong><br>&nbsp;</p><p>Alireza Beiranvand, Seyed Hossein Hosseini, Mohammad Khalifeh, Payam Niazmand<br>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Defenders</strong><br>&nbsp;</p><p>Danial Eiri, Ehsan Hajsafi, Saleh Hardani, Hossein Kanaani, Shoja Khalilzadeh, Milad Mohammadi, Ali Nemati, Omid Noorafkan, Ramin Rezaeian<br>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Midfielders&nbsp;</strong></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Rouzbeh Cheshmi, Saeid Ezatolahi, Mehdi Ghaedi, Saman Ghoddos, Mohammad Ghorbani, Alireza Jahanbakhsh, Mohammad Mohebi, Amir Mohammad Razzaghinia, Mehdi Torabi, Aria Yousefi<br>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Forwards&nbsp;</strong></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Ali Alipour, Dennis Dargahi, Hadi Habibinejad, Amirhossein Hosseinzadeh, Amirhossein Mahmoudi, Kasra Taheri, Mehdi Taremi</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><i>(With inputs from AFP)</i></p>

Iran’s World Cup squad has arrived in Turkey for a training camp and begun processing U.S. visas in batches ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Get the latest on their friendly matches, Group G schedule, and preliminary roster.

Iranian footballers and members of their travelling entourage went to the US embassy in Ankara, Turkey, on Thursday (May 21) to submit their visa applications for the forthcoming FIFA World Cup. Per the latest report, the Iran FIFA World Cup squad arrived in Turkey’s southern Antalya resort early this week for a training camp. North American countries, including the US, Canada and Mexico, will host the 2026 edition, starting on June 11. Four Iranian World Cup-bound players, wearing navy blue tracksuits, alongside a team staff member, wearing black, were snapped entering the US embassy in the morning, an AFP report confirms. Latest reports suggest that all players are following procedures in batches, and are expected to follow similar plans at the Canadian and Mexican embassies, the two countries co-hosting the World Cup. In Pics | Will Ronaldo be the oldest player ever to play in a Football World Cup? Iran and the United States cut diplomatic ties in 1980, but the Iranian football federation vice-president on Tuesday said he was "very confident" in FIFA's protocols as the team prepares to play at the World Cup. "Team Melli", as the Iran squad is known, will play two friendlies ahead of the World Cup in Antalya against Gambia on May 29 and Mali on June 4. Iran, the Asian giants, have been drawn in Group G and open their campaign against New Zealand in Los Angeles on June 15. They will then face Belgium in the same city, and round off their group matches against Egypt in Seattle. Iran is seeking to reach the knockout stages for the first time, having fallen short in their previous six appearances in the World Cup finals. Iran’s preliminary FIFA World Cup Squad – Goalkeepers Alireza Beiranvand, Seyed Hossein Hosseini, Mohammad Khalifeh, Payam Niazmand Defenders Danial Eiri, Ehsan Hajsafi, Saleh Hardani, Hossein Kanaani, Shoja Khalilzadeh, Milad Mohammadi, Ali Nemati, Omid Noorafkan, Ramin Rezaeian Midfielders Rouzbeh Cheshmi, Saeid Ezatolahi, Mehdi Ghaedi, Saman Ghoddos, Mohammad Ghorbani, Alireza Jahanbakhsh, Mohammad Mohebi, Amir Mohammad Razzaghinia, Mehdi Torabi, Aria Yousefi Forwards Ali Alipour, Dennis Dargahi, Hadi Habibinejad, Amirhossein Hosseinzadeh, Amirhossein Mahmoudi, Kasra Taheri, Mehdi Taremi (With inputs from AFP)

<p>Iran’s World Cup squad has arrived in Turkey for a training camp and begun processing U.S. visas in batches ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Get the latest on their friendly matches, Group G schedule, and preliminary roster.</p>

Iran World Cup squad arrives at US Embassy in Ankara for visa process

Ronaldo, aged 41, as soon as he appears in the first match of the upcoming FIFA World Cup 2026 for Portugal, will become the fourth oldest player ever to take part in a football world cup.

<p>Ronaldo, aged 41, as soon as he appears in the first match of the upcoming FIFA World Cup 2026 for Portugal, will become the fourth oldest player ever to take part in a football world cup.</p>

Will Ronaldo be oldest player ever to play in a Football World Cup?

<p>The Ebola outbreak in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has forced the country's football federation to cancel their preparatory camp and a farewell to fans ahead of the upcoming FIFA World Cup 2026. The three-day camp and the farewell was planned in capital city of Kinshasa, which has now been shifted to elsewhere. The development comes after outbreak of Ebola's Bundibugyo, which, according to the media report, has killed over 100 people and affected nearly 600 people in the east of the country. The FIFA World Cup 2026 starts June 11 and runs until Jul 19 in the USA, Canada, and Mexico.</p><p><strong>Also Read</strong> - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/last-dance-at-41-cristiano-ronaldo-leads-portugal-fifa-world-cup-2026-squad-see-full-team-list-1779195346677">Cristiano Ronaldo leads Portugal’s World Cup 2026 squad; see full team list</a></p><h2>Ebola outbreak in DRC</h2><p>According to the DRC team spokesman Jerry Kalemo, the football team had three stages of preparation which also involved two practice matches - against Denmark in &nbsp;Liège, Belgium on Jun 3 and against Chile in southern Spain on Jun 9. The practice matches, ahead of DRC's opening Football World Cup 2026 match against Portugal on Jun 17 in Houstan, Texas (US), are on as planned.</p><p>"There were three stages of preparation: in Kinshasa to say goodbye to the public, Belgium and Spain with two friendly matches … and the third stage from 11 June in Houston. Only one stage was cancelled – the one in Kinshasa,” Kalemo said</p><h2>DRC in Football World Cup 2026</h2><p>DRC are playing in their first World Cup finals since 1974 after beating Jamaica in playoff. They are in Group K with Portugal, Colombia, Uzbekistan. DRC's football World Cup schedule involves playing Portugal on Jun 17 in Houstan (US), Colombia on Jun 23 in Guadalajara (Mexico), and Uzbekistan on Jun 27 in Atlanta (US).</p><h2>Does Ebola outbreak affects their travel plans?</h2><p>The US has issued an advisory against travellers from DRC. As per the USA's Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), all people who have been in DRC, Uganda or South Sudan in the last three weeks of their travel to US, are banned from entering the country. The ban lasts 30 days as a precaution.</p><p>All of the DRC's players and coach Sébastien Desabre are based out of the country and hence the ban doesn't affect them. The players who are in DRC "are leaving in the next hours", Kalemo said as reported by the Associated Press.</p><p>FIFA has also issued a statement and said it "is aware of and monitoring the situation regarding an Ebola outbreak and is in close communication with the DRC football association [Fecofa] to ensure that the team are made aware of all medical and security guidance."</p>

The Ebola outbreak has forced DR Congo to cancel their three-day preparatory camp leading to FIFA World Cup 2026 in capital Kinshasa. The team, however, has been expemted from US' ban on travel because of it.

The Ebola outbreak in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has forced the country's football federation to cancel their preparatory camp and a farewell to fans ahead of the upcoming FIFA World Cup 2026. The three-day camp and the farewell was planned in capital city of Kinshasa, which has now been shifted to elsewhere. The development comes after outbreak of Ebola's Bundibugyo, which, according to the media report, has killed over 100 people and affected nearly 600 people in the east of the country. The FIFA World Cup 2026 starts June 11 and runs until Jul 19 in the USA, Canada, and Mexico. Also Read - Cristiano Ronaldo leads Portugal’s World Cup 2026 squad; see full team list Ebola outbreak in DRC According to the DRC team spokesman Jerry Kalemo, the football team had three stages of preparation which also involved two practice matches - against Denmark in Liège, Belgium on Jun 3 and against Chile in southern Spain on Jun 9. The practice matches, ahead of DRC's opening Football World Cup 2026 match against Portugal on Jun 17 in Houstan, Texas (US), are on as planned. "There were three stages of preparation: in Kinshasa to say goodbye to the public, Belgium and Spain with two friendly matches … and the third stage from 11 June in Houston. Only one stage was cancelled – the one in Kinshasa,” Kalemo said DRC in Football World Cup 2026 DRC are playing in their first World Cup finals since 1974 after beating Jamaica in playoff. They are in Group K with Portugal, Colombia, Uzbekistan. DRC's football World Cup schedule involves playing Portugal on Jun 17 in Houstan (US), Colombia on Jun 23 in Guadalajara (Mexico), and Uzbekistan on Jun 27 in Atlanta (US). Does Ebola outbreak affects their travel plans? The US has issued an advisory against travellers from DRC. As per the USA's Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), all people who have been in DRC, Uganda or South Sudan in the last three weeks of their travel to US, are banned from entering the country. The ban lasts 30 days as a precaution. All of the DRC's players and coach Sébastien Desabre are based out of the country and hence the ban doesn't affect them. The players who are in DRC "are leaving in the next hours", Kalemo said as reported by the Associated Press. FIFA has also issued a statement and said it "is aware of and monitoring the situation regarding an Ebola outbreak and is in close communication with the DRC football association [Fecofa] to ensure that the team are made aware of all medical and security guidance."

<p>The Ebola outbreak has forced DR Congo to cancel their three-day preparatory camp leading to FIFA World Cup 2026 in capital Kinshasa. The team, however, has been expemted from US' ban on travel because of it.</p>

DR Congo cancels FIFA World Cup 2026 preparation camp because of Ebola. Will it affect their plans to enter US?

<p>Southampton lost an appeal on Wednesday against their expulsion from the Championship play-off final after they were thrown out for spying on a Middlesbrough training session. An English Football League independent disciplinary commission on Tuesday kicked the Saints out and reinstated Middlesbrough, who lost 2-1 on aggregate to Southampton in the semi-finals. Boro will now face Hull at Wembley on Saturday for a place in the Premier League.</p><p><strong>Also Read</strong> - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/manchester-city-legend-bernardo-silva-on-club-legacy-time-for-new-generation-to-shine-pep-guardiola-premier-league-2026-title-arsenal-1779300317832">Man City legend Silva on club’s legacy: ‘Time for new generation to shine’</a></p><p>"A league arbitration panel has tonight dismissed Southampton Football Club's appeal against the independent disciplinary commission's sanction following the admittance of multiple breaches of EFL regulations," the English Football League said on Wednesday.</p><p>"The determination means that the original sanction of expulsion from the Championship play-offs remains in place, as does the four-point deduction to be applied to the 2026-27 Championship table."</p><p>Southampton issued a statement calling the decision "an extremely disappointing outcome".</p><p>It added: "While we fully acknowledge the seriousness of this matter and the scrutiny that has followed, the club has consistently believed the original sporting sanction was disproportionate, a view that has been widely shared by many in the football community over the last 24 hours.</p><p>"While tonight is a painful moment, this football club will respond with humility, accountability and determination to put things right."</p><p>Saints chief executive Phil Parsons earlier on Wednesday said the club "cannot accept a sanction which bears no proportion to the offence".</p><p>Parsons said Southampton had been "denied the opportunity to compete in a game worth more than £200 million ($269 million) and one which means so much to our staff, players and supporters".</p><h2>Hull frustrated by uncertainty</h2><p>Southampton highlighted a £200,000 fine imposed on Leeds in 2019 for spying on Derby as evidence of a precedent the EFL should follow in their case.</p><p>However, when Leeds were punished, the EFL's regulation 127 -- which specifically forbids clubs from observing an opponent within 72 hours of a match -- did not exist.</p><p>It was introduced after Leeds were sanctioned to help clarify what had been an uncertain situation.</p><p>Southampton have also admitted to spying on a training session at Oxford in December and one at Ipswich in April, in addition to the Middlesbrough session.</p><p>All three incidents occurred after the appointment of German coach Tonda Eckert as Southampton manager in December.</p><p>Middlesbrough, who called for Southampton to be expelled from the play-offs before Tuesday's hearing, welcomed their removal from the final, saying the ruling "sends out a clear message for the future of our game regarding sporting integrity and conduct".</p><p>Meanwhile, Hull owner Acun Ilicali voiced his frustration at the delay in confirming his side's opponents and warned postponing the final would cause a "big, big problem" given international call-ups.</p><p>"We miss nine days of training (to prepare for Middlesbrough instead of Southampton) so in this case we are very disappointed," he told Sky Sports.</p><p>"I believe in my boys and our coach 100 percent, but when you look at the picture it doesn't seem too fair that we don't know who we play."</p>

Southampton issued a statement calling the decision "an extremely disappointing outcome". Boro will now face Hull at Wembley on Saturday for a place in the Premier League.

Southampton lost an appeal on Wednesday against their expulsion from the Championship play-off final after they were thrown out for spying on a Middlesbrough training session. An English Football League independent disciplinary commission on Tuesday kicked the Saints out and reinstated Middlesbrough, who lost 2-1 on aggregate to Southampton in the semi-finals. Boro will now face Hull at Wembley on Saturday for a place in the Premier League. Also Read - Man City legend Silva on club’s legacy: ‘Time for new generation to shine’ "A league arbitration panel has tonight dismissed Southampton Football Club's appeal against the independent disciplinary commission's sanction following the admittance of multiple breaches of EFL regulations," the English Football League said on Wednesday. "The determination means that the original sanction of expulsion from the Championship play-offs remains in place, as does the four-point deduction to be applied to the 2026-27 Championship table." Southampton issued a statement calling the decision "an extremely disappointing outcome". It added: "While we fully acknowledge the seriousness of this matter and the scrutiny that has followed, the club has consistently believed the original sporting sanction was disproportionate, a view that has been widely shared by many in the football community over the last 24 hours. "While tonight is a painful moment, this football club will respond with humility, accountability and determination to put things right." Saints chief executive Phil Parsons earlier on Wednesday said the club "cannot accept a sanction which bears no proportion to the offence". Parsons said Southampton had been "denied the opportunity to compete in a game worth more than £200 million ($269 million) and one which means so much to our staff, players and supporters". Hull frustrated by uncertainty Southampton highlighted a £200,000 fine imposed on Leeds in 2019 for spying on Derby as evidence of a precedent the EFL should follow in their case. However, when Leeds were punished, the EFL's regulation 127 -- which specifically forbids clubs from observing an opponent within 72 hours of a match -- did not exist. It was introduced after Leeds were sanctioned to help clarify what had been an uncertain situation. Southampton have also admitted to spying on a training session at Oxford in December and one at Ipswich in April, in addition to the Middlesbrough session. All three incidents occurred after the appointment of German coach Tonda Eckert as Southampton manager in December. Middlesbrough, who called for Southampton to be expelled from the play-offs before Tuesday's hearing, welcomed their removal from the final, saying the ruling "sends out a clear message for the future of our game regarding sporting integrity and conduct". Meanwhile, Hull owner Acun Ilicali voiced his frustration at the delay in confirming his side's opponents and warned postponing the final would cause a "big, big problem" given international call-ups. "We miss nine days of training (to prepare for Middlesbrough instead of Southampton) so in this case we are very disappointed," he told Sky Sports. "I believe in my boys and our coach 100 percent, but when you look at the picture it doesn't seem too fair that we don't know who we play."

<p>Southampton issued a statement calling the decision "an extremely disappointing outcome". Boro will now face Hull at Wembley on Saturday for a place in the Premier League.</p>

Southampton lose appeal against explusion from EFL Championship play-off final

<p>Manchester City legend and club captain Bernardo Silva believes that the time has come for the new generation of players to carry the champion side’s legacy forward. The 31-year-old midfielder will leave the club at the end of the season, having tasted tremendous success at the Etihad during his nine-year spell with Manchester City. Tuesday’s draw (1-1) at Bournemouth ended City’s chance of becoming the first-ever Premier League club to win five successive seasons, with Arsenal clinching the crown for the first time in 22 years.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>During a farewell interview with the club’s website, Silva, who will next feature in the FIFA World Cup in North America, thanked his outgoing club manager Pep Guardiola, adding that with the squad he had, City should have won more Champions League titles.<br>&nbsp;</p><p>"It's never enough, but I feel that we won a lot, our generation," said Silva. "I feel that also it's time for these young guys to have their moment.<br>&nbsp;</p><p>"And for me personally, it's an opportunity to go a bit closer to my family... Even though I love the football club and I loved the nine years here, I feel it's the right moment for me to have a new challenge in my life -- it's going to be good."</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Also read | </strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/watch-declan-rice-bukayo-saka-celebrate-arsenal-historic-premier-league-title-win-with-fans-outside-emirates-stadium-at-5-am-head-coach-mikel-arteta-1779279932207"><strong>WATCH: Rice, Saka celebrate Arsenal’s historic PL title win with fans outside Emirates at 5 AM</strong></a><br>&nbsp;</p><p>The Portugal midfielder has made 459 appearances for City in total, scoring 76 goals, since joining from Monaco in 2017. He has won 15 major trophies with the club, including four successive Premier League titles from 2021-2024, the treble featuring the Champions League in 2023 and all four domestic trophies in the 2018/19 season.<br>&nbsp;</p><p>"Even though the Champions League adds something special to it, to win a domestic quadruple was really tough, especially against that Liverpool team," said Silva. "But, if I have to choose one, I think the treble because the Champions League for this club -- the only one that we won, it edges it a little bit."</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>WATCH -</strong></p>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">&quot;I leave as a Man City supporter.&quot; 🩵<br> <br>Full interview 🔗 <a href="https://t.co/SI4XY0L54L">https://t.co/SI4XY0L54L</a> <a href="https://t.co/QaKm7UXxZi">pic.twitter.com/QaKm7UXxZi</a></p>&mdash; Manchester City (@ManCity) <a href="https://twitter.com/ManCity/status/2057116103252275555?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 20, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<p>Widespread reports have said that Guardiola will stand down after City's final game at home to Aston Villa on Sunday. Silva said Guardiola had been his "idol" long before he arrived in Manchester.<br>&nbsp;</p><p>"Way before I joined Man City, Pep for me was always an inspiration because when he was training Barcelona, that team with the small guys, with Xavi, (Andres) Iniesta, (Lionel) Messi, Pedro," said Silva. "I was at the time in Benfica in my academy years, where I didn't play because they thought that I wasn't big enough, that I wasn't strong enough.<br>&nbsp;</p><p>"And me looking at that team and thinking, 'these guys, they're also not big, they're also not strong. If they can do it, maybe one day I can do it'.<br>&nbsp;</p><p>"So, Pep's team was always an inspiration for me and then to join the club and to be able to be with him for nine years and to be a part of this success, it's fantastic."</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><i>(With inputs from AFP)</i></p>

Bernardo Silva reflects on his legendary nine-year Man City career, Pep Guardiola's massive impact, and why it's time for the new generation to lead.

Manchester City legend and club captain Bernardo Silva believes that the time has come for the new generation of players to carry the champion side’s legacy forward. The 31-year-old midfielder will leave the club at the end of the season, having tasted tremendous success at the Etihad during his nine-year spell with Manchester City. Tuesday’s draw (1-1) at Bournemouth ended City’s chance of becoming the first-ever Premier League club to win five successive seasons, with Arsenal clinching the crown for the first time in 22 years. During a farewell interview with the club’s website, Silva, who will next feature in the FIFA World Cup in North America, thanked his outgoing club manager Pep Guardiola, adding that with the squad he had, City should have won more Champions League titles. "It's never enough, but I feel that we won a lot, our generation," said Silva. "I feel that also it's time for these young guys to have their moment. "And for me personally, it's an opportunity to go a bit closer to my family... Even though I love the football club and I loved the nine years here, I feel it's the right moment for me to have a new challenge in my life -- it's going to be good." Also read | WATCH: Rice, Saka celebrate Arsenal’s historic PL title win with fans outside Emirates at 5 AM The Portugal midfielder has made 459 appearances for City in total, scoring 76 goals, since joining from Monaco in 2017. He has won 15 major trophies with the club, including four successive Premier League titles from 2021-2024, the treble featuring the Champions League in 2023 and all four domestic trophies in the 2018/19 season. "Even though the Champions League adds something special to it, to win a domestic quadruple was really tough, especially against that Liverpool team," said Silva. "But, if I have to choose one, I think the treble because the Champions League for this club -- the only one that we won, it edges it a little bit." WATCH -

<p>Bernardo Silva reflects on his legendary nine-year Man City career, Pep Guardiola's massive impact, and why it's time for the new generation to lead.</p>

Manchester City legend Bernardo Silva on club’s legacy: ‘Time for new generation to shine’

<p>Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka were among several Arsenal players pictured celebrating with team fans at dawn (5 AM on Wednesday) outside of the Emirates Stadium after they clinched the Premier League for the first time since 2004. Manchester City’s draw against AFC Bournemouth resulted in Arsenal finishing at the top of the Premier League points table and clinching the league title. The two marquee players alongside Jurrien Timber were pictured in a social media post by teammate and attacking midfielder Eberechi Eze. Thousands of Arsenal fans surrounded their stadium in this historic moment for the London-based club.</p>

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<p>After the win, the crowd flocked to the area and marked the celebration by lighting fireworks and flares.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Also read | </strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/premier-league-arsenal-crowned-champions-after-22-years-as-manchester-city-draw-against-afc-bournemouth-1779222359172"><strong>Premier League: Arsenal crowned champions after 22 years as Manchester City draw against AFC Bournemouth</strong></a><br>&nbsp;</p><p>The 2026 Premier League winning squad first held a party at their training ground in London Colney with head coach Mikel Arteta, and later celebrated it with the fans outside the Emirates. Several players cherished this monumental moment, having finished as runners-up for the past three seasons.</p><h3>Here’s what the Arsenal players said after their PL title win -</h3><p>Saka said Arsenal's critics were "not laughing at us anymore".<br>&nbsp;</p><p>"Let me tell you something. Twenty-two years, 22 years, there was laughing, there was joking, they're not laughing anymore," the England international added.<br>&nbsp;</p><p>In another video posted by Saka, 19-year-old defender Myles Lewis-Skelly is brandishing a champagne bottle.<br>&nbsp;</p><p>"They called us bottlers," said Lewis-Skelly, who has come through the club's academy. “And now we're holding the bottle.”</p>

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border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div></div></div><div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display:block; height:50px; margin:0 auto 12px; width:50px;"><svg width="50px" height="50px" viewBox="0 0 60 60" version="1.1" xmlns="https://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"><g stroke="none" stroke-width="1" fill="none" fill-rule="evenodd"><g transform="translate(-511.000000, -20.000000)" fill="#000000"><g><path d="M556.869,30.41 C554.814,30.41 553.148,32.076 553.148,34.131 C553.148,36.186 554.814,37.852 556.869,37.852 C558.924,37.852 560.59,36.186 560.59,34.131 C560.59,32.076 558.924,30.41 556.869,30.41 M541,60.657 C535.114,60.657 530.342,55.887 530.342,50 C530.342,44.114 535.114,39.342 541,39.342 C546.887,39.342 551.658,44.114 551.658,50 C551.658,55.887 546.887,60.657 541,60.657 M541,33.886 C532.1,33.886 524.886,41.1 524.886,50 C524.886,58.899 532.1,66.113 541,66.113 C549.9,66.113 557.115,58.899 557.115,50 C557.115,41.1 549.9,33.886 541,33.886 M565.378,62.101 C565.244,65.022 564.756,66.606 564.346,67.663 C563.803,69.06 563.154,70.057 562.106,71.106 C561.058,72.155 560.06,72.803 558.662,73.347 C557.607,73.757 556.021,74.244 553.102,74.378 C549.944,74.521 548.997,74.552 541,74.552 C533.003,74.552 532.056,74.521 528.898,74.378 C525.979,74.244 524.393,73.757 523.338,73.347 C521.94,72.803 520.942,72.155 519.894,71.106 C518.846,70.057 518.197,69.06 517.654,67.663 C517.244,66.606 516.755,65.022 516.623,62.101 C516.479,58.943 516.448,57.996 516.448,50 C516.448,42.003 516.479,41.056 516.623,37.899 C516.755,34.978 517.244,33.391 517.654,32.338 C518.197,30.938 518.846,29.942 519.894,28.894 C520.942,27.846 521.94,27.196 523.338,26.654 C524.393,26.244 525.979,25.756 528.898,25.623 C532.057,25.479 533.004,25.448 541,25.448 C548.997,25.448 549.943,25.479 553.102,25.623 C556.021,25.756 557.607,26.244 558.662,26.654 C560.06,27.196 561.058,27.846 562.106,28.894 C563.154,29.942 563.803,30.938 564.346,32.338 C564.756,33.391 565.244,34.978 565.378,37.899 C565.522,41.056 565.552,42.003 565.552,50 C565.552,57.996 565.522,58.943 565.378,62.101 M570.82,37.631 C570.674,34.438 570.167,32.258 569.425,30.349 C568.659,28.377 567.633,26.702 565.965,25.035 C564.297,23.368 562.623,22.342 560.652,21.575 C558.743,20.834 556.562,20.326 553.369,20.18 C550.169,20.033 549.148,20 541,20 C532.853,20 531.831,20.033 528.631,20.18 C525.438,20.326 523.257,20.834 521.349,21.575 C519.376,22.342 517.703,23.368 516.035,25.035 C514.368,26.702 513.342,28.377 512.574,30.349 C511.834,32.258 511.326,34.438 511.181,37.631 C511.035,40.831 511,41.851 511,50 C511,58.147 511.035,59.17 511.181,62.369 C511.326,65.562 511.834,67.743 512.574,69.651 C513.342,71.625 514.368,73.296 516.035,74.965 C517.703,76.634 519.376,77.658 521.349,78.425 C523.257,79.167 525.438,79.673 528.631,79.82 C531.831,79.965 532.853,80.001 541,80.001 C549.148,80.001 550.169,79.965 553.369,79.82 C556.562,79.673 558.743,79.167 560.652,78.425 C562.623,77.658 564.297,76.634 565.965,74.965 C567.633,73.296 568.659,71.625 569.425,69.651 C570.167,67.743 570.674,65.562 570.82,62.369 C570.966,59.17 571,58.147 571,50 C571,41.851 570.966,40.831 570.82,37.631"></path></g></g></g></svg></div><div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style=" color:#3897f0; 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overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DYiQan8Mn3w/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;" target="_blank">A post shared by Myles Lewis-Skelly (@myleslewisskelly)</a></p></div></blockquote>
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<p>Arsene Wenger, the French coach who was in charge when Arsenal won their last title in 2004, addressed the players in a video on the club's social media channels.<br>&nbsp;</p><p>"You did it! Champions go on when others stop. This is your time. Now, go on and enjoy every moment," Wenger said.<br>&nbsp;</p><p>Another club legend, Ian Wright, the striker who scored 185 times for Arsenal and was a member of the side that clinched the domestic double in 1998, was mobbed by fans as he celebrated outside the Emirates. He even took to his social media handles to post pictures of the celebration.</p>

<blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DYjRZEKM-0t/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);"><div style="padding:16px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DYjRZEKM-0t/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;" target="_blank"> <div style=" display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div></div></div><div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display:block; height:50px; margin:0 auto 12px; width:50px;"><svg width="50px" height="50px" viewBox="0 0 60 60" version="1.1" xmlns="https://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"><g stroke="none" stroke-width="1" fill="none" fill-rule="evenodd"><g transform="translate(-511.000000, -20.000000)" fill="#000000"><g><path d="M556.869,30.41 C554.814,30.41 553.148,32.076 553.148,34.131 C553.148,36.186 554.814,37.852 556.869,37.852 C558.924,37.852 560.59,36.186 560.59,34.131 C560.59,32.076 558.924,30.41 556.869,30.41 M541,60.657 C535.114,60.657 530.342,55.887 530.342,50 C530.342,44.114 535.114,39.342 541,39.342 C546.887,39.342 551.658,44.114 551.658,50 C551.658,55.887 546.887,60.657 541,60.657 M541,33.886 C532.1,33.886 524.886,41.1 524.886,50 C524.886,58.899 532.1,66.113 541,66.113 C549.9,66.113 557.115,58.899 557.115,50 C557.115,41.1 549.9,33.886 541,33.886 M565.378,62.101 C565.244,65.022 564.756,66.606 564.346,67.663 C563.803,69.06 563.154,70.057 562.106,71.106 C561.058,72.155 560.06,72.803 558.662,73.347 C557.607,73.757 556.021,74.244 553.102,74.378 C549.944,74.521 548.997,74.552 541,74.552 C533.003,74.552 532.056,74.521 528.898,74.378 C525.979,74.244 524.393,73.757 523.338,73.347 C521.94,72.803 520.942,72.155 519.894,71.106 C518.846,70.057 518.197,69.06 517.654,67.663 C517.244,66.606 516.755,65.022 516.623,62.101 C516.479,58.943 516.448,57.996 516.448,50 C516.448,42.003 516.479,41.056 516.623,37.899 C516.755,34.978 517.244,33.391 517.654,32.338 C518.197,30.938 518.846,29.942 519.894,28.894 C520.942,27.846 521.94,27.196 523.338,26.654 C524.393,26.244 525.979,25.756 528.898,25.623 C532.057,25.479 533.004,25.448 541,25.448 C548.997,25.448 549.943,25.479 553.102,25.623 C556.021,25.756 557.607,26.244 558.662,26.654 C560.06,27.196 561.058,27.846 562.106,28.894 C563.154,29.942 563.803,30.938 564.346,32.338 C564.756,33.391 565.244,34.978 565.378,37.899 C565.522,41.056 565.552,42.003 565.552,50 C565.552,57.996 565.522,58.943 565.378,62.101 M570.82,37.631 C570.674,34.438 570.167,32.258 569.425,30.349 C568.659,28.377 567.633,26.702 565.965,25.035 C564.297,23.368 562.623,22.342 560.652,21.575 C558.743,20.834 556.562,20.326 553.369,20.18 C550.169,20.033 549.148,20 541,20 C532.853,20 531.831,20.033 528.631,20.18 C525.438,20.326 523.257,20.834 521.349,21.575 C519.376,22.342 517.703,23.368 516.035,25.035 C514.368,26.702 513.342,28.377 512.574,30.349 C511.834,32.258 511.326,34.438 511.181,37.631 C511.035,40.831 511,41.851 511,50 C511,58.147 511.035,59.17 511.181,62.369 C511.326,65.562 511.834,67.743 512.574,69.651 C513.342,71.625 514.368,73.296 516.035,74.965 C517.703,76.634 519.376,77.658 521.349,78.425 C523.257,79.167 525.438,79.673 528.631,79.82 C531.831,79.965 532.853,80.001 541,80.001 C549.148,80.001 550.169,79.965 553.369,79.82 C556.562,79.673 558.743,79.167 560.652,78.425 C562.623,77.658 564.297,76.634 565.965,74.965 C567.633,73.296 568.659,71.625 569.425,69.651 C570.167,67.743 570.674,65.562 570.82,62.369 C570.966,59.17 571,58.147 571,50 C571,41.851 570.966,40.831 570.82,37.631"></path></g></g></g></svg></div><div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style=" color:#3897f0; 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transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)"></div></div><div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style=" width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"></div> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"></div> <div style=" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"></div></div></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"></div> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"></div></div></a><p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; 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<p>Meanwhile, Arteta's side will formally be presented with the Premier League trophy on Sunday after their final match of the season at Crystal Palace. Then they will turn their attention to winning a Champions League title for the first time when they face Paris Saint-Germain in the final in Budapest on May 30.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><i>(With inputs from AFP)</i></p>

Thousands of Arsenal fans swarm the Emirates Stadium as Bukayo Saka, Declan Rice, and the squad celebrate their historic 2026 Premier League title win at dawn. Get the full story on the wild celebrations, player reactions, and the upcoming Champions League final!

Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka were among several Arsenal players pictured celebrating with team fans at dawn (5 AM on Wednesday) outside of the Emirates Stadium after they clinched the Premier League for the first time since 2004. Manchester City’s draw against AFC Bournemouth resulted in Arsenal finishing at the top of the Premier League points table and clinching the league title. The two marquee players alongside Jurrien Timber were pictured in a social media post by teammate and attacking midfielder Eberechi Eze. Thousands of Arsenal fans surrounded their stadium in this historic moment for the London-based club.

<p>Thousands of Arsenal fans swarm the Emirates Stadium as Bukayo Saka, Declan Rice, and the squad celebrate their historic 2026 Premier League title win at dawn. Get the full story on the wild celebrations, player reactions, and the upcoming Champions League final!</p>

WATCH: Rice, Saka celebrate Arsenal’s historic PL title win with fans outside Emirates at 5 AM

<p>In a major decision, Southampton has been expelled from English Football League (EFL) Championship final - the second tier of English football behind top-flight Premier League. The decision comes in wake of Southampton's acknowledgement of spying on three of its rivals including Middlesbrough, whom they defeated in the semis. The final, meanwhile, stays on course for Saturday (May 23) between Hull City and Middlesbrough at Wembley Stadium in London. The winner will get a place in the Premier League next season while Southampton have been handed a four-point deduction for the next Championship season.</p><h2>Has Southampton been expelled from the EFL Championship play-off final?</h2><p>Yes, Southampton has officially been expelled from EFL Championship play-off final against Hull City for spying on three of its rivals - Oxford United and Ipswich Town along with semi-final opponents Middlesbrough.</p><h2>Why was Southampton expelled from the EFL Championship final?</h2><p>Southampton was expelled from the Championship final by EFL after admitting to spy on training sessions of Oxford United, Ipswich Town as well as filming the Middlesbrough training session ahead of the play-off semi-final on May 7.</p><p><strong>Also Read</strong> - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/premier-league-arsenal-crowned-champions-after-22-years-as-manchester-city-draw-against-afc-bournemouth-1779222359172">Arsenal crowned PL champions after 22 years as Man City draw against Bournemouth</a></p><p>Southampton admitted to "multiple breaches of EFL regulations related to the unauthorised filming of other clubs' training", the EFL said. The club was found guilty of breaching Regulation 127 which prohibits "observation of opponents' training within 72 hours of a match."</p><h2>Who will replace Southampton in EFL Championship final?</h2><p>Middlesbrough, whom Southampton defeated in the semis, will replace the in the EFL Championship final against Hull City, scheduled for Saturday (May 23).</p><h2>How was Southampton spy caught?</h2><p>According to reports, a Southampton staff member was discovered at Middlesbrough training session at Rockliffe Park with high-tech surveillance gear including a microphone. Upon being identified and confronted by the Middlesbrough media staff, the analyst escaped to a nearby clubhouse and tried to blend in with golfers on the adjacent course after a change of clothes.</p><h2>What did Southampton say about the analyst?</h2><p>Initially, Southampton denied ordering the surveillance and called the analyst as 'lone wolf' who acted out of his own will. The EFL, however, said in a statement that "Southampton admitted breaches of regulations requiring clubs to act with the utmost good faith and prohibiting the observation of another club's training session within 72 hours of a scheduled match.</p><p>"The admitted breaches concern fixtures against Oxford United in December 2025, Ipswich Town in April 2026 and Middlesbrough in May 2026."</p>

Southampton admitted to spy on Oxford, Ipswich and Middlesbrough and were expelled from EFL Championship final on May 23.

In a major decision, Southampton has been expelled from English Football League (EFL) Championship final - the second tier of English football behind top-flight Premier League. The decision comes in wake of Southampton's acknowledgement of spying on three of its rivals including Middlesbrough, whom they defeated in the semis. The final, meanwhile, stays on course for Saturday (May 23) between Hull City and Middlesbrough at Wembley Stadium in London. The winner will get a place in the Premier League next season while Southampton have been handed a four-point deduction for the next Championship season. Has Southampton been expelled from the EFL Championship play-off final? Yes, Southampton has officially been expelled from EFL Championship play-off final against Hull City for spying on three of its rivals - Oxford United and Ipswich Town along with semi-final opponents Middlesbrough. Why was Southampton expelled from the EFL Championship final? Southampton was expelled from the Championship final by EFL after admitting to spy on training sessions of Oxford United, Ipswich Town as well as filming the Middlesbrough training session ahead of the play-off semi-final on May 7. Also Read - Arsenal crowned PL champions after 22 years as Man City draw against Bournemouth Southampton admitted to "multiple breaches of EFL regulations related to the unauthorised filming of other clubs' training", the EFL said. The club was found guilty of breaching Regulation 127 which prohibits "observation of opponents' training within 72 hours of a match." Who will replace Southampton in EFL Championship final? Middlesbrough, whom Southampton defeated in the semis, will replace the in the EFL Championship final against Hull City, scheduled for Saturday (May 23). How was Southampton spy caught? According to reports, a Southampton staff member was discovered at Middlesbrough training session at Rockliffe Park with high-tech surveillance gear including a microphone. Upon being identified and confronted by the Middlesbrough media staff, the analyst escaped to a nearby clubhouse and tried to blend in with golfers on the adjacent course after a change of clothes. What did Southampton say about the analyst? Initially, Southampton denied ordering the surveillance and called the analyst as 'lone wolf' who acted out of his own will. The EFL, however, said in a statement that "Southampton admitted breaches of regulations requiring clubs to act with the utmost good faith and prohibiting the observation of another club's training session within 72 hours of a scheduled match. "The admitted breaches concern fixtures against Oxford United in December 2025, Ipswich Town in April 2026 and Middlesbrough in May 2026."

<p>Southampton admitted to spy on Oxford, Ipswich and Middlesbrough and were expelled from EFL Championship final on May 23.</p>

Southampton replaced with Middlesbrough in EFL Championship final after admitting to 'spying'

<p>Neymar is going to the FIFA World Cup. The Brazilian superstar, who was earlier unlikely to make it to North America for the year’s greatest spectacle due to his fitness struggles, dramatically made Brazil’s final 26-man squad. The 34-year-old will feature in his fourth football World Cup staged across the US, Canada and Mexico.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>However, putting all speculations to rest, Brazil head coach Carlo Ancelotti kept faith in Brazil’s wonder boy and picked him in a public announcement late on Monday (May 18). Brazil's talisman broke down in tears upon getting a shock World Cup call-up.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Also read | </strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/last-dance-at-41-cristiano-ronaldo-leads-portugal-fifa-world-cup-2026-squad-see-full-team-list-1779195346677"><strong>Last Dance: Cristiano Ronaldo leads Portugal’s World Cup 2026 squad; see full team list</strong></a><br>&nbsp;</p><p>“He has improved his fitness,” Ancelotti said to reporters in Rio de Janeiro.&nbsp;<br>&nbsp;</p><p>"He will be an important player in this World Cup. We chose Neymar not because we think he'll be a good substitute. We chose Neymar because we believe he can help the team, whether it's for one minute, five minutes, 90 minutes, or even taking a penalty," the head coach added.</p><h2>An Emotional Reaction!</h2><p>In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Neymar, who now features for Santos in the Brazilian Serie A, was surrounded by his loved ones during the live squad announcement. Soon after Ancelotti announced his name as part of the final squad, he broke down into tears, with his friends and family members getting emotional and jumping into ecstasy at the same time.<br>&nbsp;</p><p>Super happy, Neymar called up his father and said, ‘We did it, Dad, we did it. We made it, Dad, we made it.’ Not only that, but Neymar also video-called his Brazilian teammate and fellow winger, Raphinha, saying, ‘We are together, Rapha…we are gonna win this.’</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>WATCH VIDEO -</strong></p>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">🥺🇧🇷 The moment when Neymar Jr got called up by Carlo Ancelotti…<a href="https://twitter.com/neymarjr?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@neymarjr</a> 🎥 <a href="https://t.co/xFIxeMh4nw">pic.twitter.com/xFIxeMh4nw</a></p>&mdash; Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) <a href="https://twitter.com/FabrizioRomano/status/2056727759980741099?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 19, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<p><strong>Neymar calling up Raphinha -</strong></p>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">🥺🇧🇷 Raphinha videocalled Neymar Jr who was in tears after being called up for the World Cup.<br><br>“We’re together, Rapha… we are gonna 𝐖𝐈𝐍 this!” 🏆<br><br>🎥 Neymar Jr channel on YouTube <a href="https://t.co/zzoa0wkA1A">pic.twitter.com/zzoa0wkA1A</a></p>&mdash; Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) <a href="https://twitter.com/FabrizioRomano/status/2056735866630918324?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 19, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<p>Meanwhile, this is the first time that Ancelotti called up Neymar to the national side since taking over the job in May 2025. Neymar has scored 79 goals for Brazil.</p><h3>Here is Brazil's FIFA World Cup 2026 squad –</h3><p><strong>Goalkeepers:</strong> Alisson, Ederson, Weverton<br> </p><p><strong>Defenders:</strong> Alex Sandro, Danilo, Léo Pereira, Bremer, Ibáñez, Wesley, Marquinhos, Gabriel Magalhães, Douglas Santos<br> </p><p><strong>Midfielders:</strong> Bruno Guimarães, Casemiro, Danilo, Fabinho, Lucas Paquetá<br> </p><p><strong>Forwards:</strong> Endrick, Gabriel Martinelli, Igor Thiago, Matheus Cunha, Raphinha, Vinícius Júnior, Luiz Henrique, Neymar, Rayan</p>

"We did it, Dad!" Watch the emotional moment Santos star Neymar breaks down in tears after Carlo Ancelotti names him in Brazil's 2026 FIFA World Cup squad.

Neymar is going to the FIFA World Cup. The Brazilian superstar, who was earlier unlikely to make it to North America for the year’s greatest spectacle due to his fitness struggles, dramatically made Brazil’s final 26-man squad. The 34-year-old will feature in his fourth football World Cup staged across the US, Canada and Mexico. However, putting all speculations to rest, Brazil head coach Carlo Ancelotti kept faith in Brazil’s wonder boy and picked him in a public announcement late on Monday (May 18). Brazil's talisman broke down in tears upon getting a shock World Cup call-up. Also read | Last Dance: Cristiano Ronaldo leads Portugal’s World Cup 2026 squad; see full team list “He has improved his fitness,” Ancelotti said to reporters in Rio de Janeiro. "He will be an important player in this World Cup. We chose Neymar not because we think he'll be a good substitute. We chose Neymar because we believe he can help the team, whether it's for one minute, five minutes, 90 minutes, or even taking a penalty," the head coach added. An Emotional Reaction! In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Neymar, who now features for Santos in the Brazilian Serie A, was surrounded by his loved ones during the live squad announcement. Soon after Ancelotti announced his name as part of the final squad, he broke down into tears, with his friends and family members getting emotional and jumping into ecstasy at the same time. Super happy, Neymar called up his father and said, ‘We did it, Dad, we did it. We made it, Dad, we made it.’ Not only that, but Neymar also video-called his Brazilian teammate and fellow winger, Raphinha, saying, ‘We are together, Rapha…we are gonna win this.’ WATCH VIDEO -

<p>"We did it, Dad!" Watch the emotional moment Santos star Neymar breaks down in tears after Carlo Ancelotti names him in Brazil's 2026 FIFA World Cup squad.</p>

‘We did it, dad’: How FIFA World Cup call-up left Neymar emotional and ecstatic – WATCH

<p>World-class forward and Portuguese legend Cristiano Ronaldo will lead his country in his sixth FIFA World Cup in North America after head coach Roberto Martinez named the 41-year-old in his final squad announced on Tuesday (May 19). The European winner with Portugal in 2016, Ronaldo, who is yet to put his hands on perhaps the most coveted sporting crown worldwide, is the all-time leading goal scorer in international football with 143 goals and counting for his country.</p>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">🚨🇵🇹 OFFICIAL: Portugal final World Cup squad has been released by Roberto Martínez. <a href="https://t.co/IpHYs5m2zr">pic.twitter.com/IpHYs5m2zr</a></p>&mdash; Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) <a href="https://twitter.com/FabrizioRomano/status/2056709556428845157?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 19, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<p>The former Manchester United and Real Madrid superstar could also come face-to-face with his old rival and defending world champion, Lionel Messi, during the 48-team tournament held across the US, Canada and Mexico. Meanwhile, the five-time Ballon d’Or winner avoided a three-match ban despite being sent off for elbowing during Portugal’s last qualifying match against the Republic of Ireland.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Also read | </strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/end-of-an-era-is-pep-guardiola-leaving-man-city-after-ongoing-premier-league-season-1779179516600"><strong>Pep Guardiola is leaving Man City after ongoing Premier League season - Report</strong></a><br>&nbsp;</p><p>Spanish coach Martinez selected a 27-man squad with no major surprises, including Ronaldo's Al-Nassr team-mate Joao Felix. Paris Saint-Germain stars Vitinha, Joao Neves, Nuno Mendes and Goncalo Ramos are also included, along with Manchester United playmaker Bruno Fernandes and a contingent from Manchester City, including Bernardo Silva.<br>&nbsp;</p><p>In the run-up to the tournament, Portugal will face Chile and Nigeria in friendlies before their World Cup campaign begins against DR Congo on June 17.<br>&nbsp;</p><p>Portugal will also face Uzbekistan and Colombia in Group K on June 23 and 27, respectively.</p><h3>Portugal 27-man FIFA World Cup squad list -</h3><p><strong>Goalkeepers:</strong> Diogo Costa, Jose Sa, Rui Silva, Ricardo Velho<br>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Defenders:</strong> Diogo Dalot, Matheus Nunes, Ruben Dias, Nelson Semedo, Joao Cancelo, Nuno Mendes, Goncalo Inacio, Renato Veiga, Tomas Araujo<br>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Midfielders:</strong> Ruben Neves, Samu Costa, Joao Neves, Vitinha, Bruno Fernandes, Bernardo Silva<br>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Attackers: </strong>Cristiano Ronaldo, João Félix, Francisco Trincão, Francisco Conceição, Pedro Neto, Rafael Leão, Gonçalo Guedes, Gonçalo Ramos</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><i>(With inputs from AFP)</i></p>

Cristiano Ronaldo makes history! At 41, the legend is named in Roberto Martínez's 27-man Portugal squad for a record 6th FIFA World Cup. Read the full list.

World-class forward and Portuguese legend Cristiano Ronaldo will lead his country in his sixth FIFA World Cup in North America after head coach Roberto Martinez named the 41-year-old in his final squad announced on Tuesday (May 19). The European winner with Portugal in 2016, Ronaldo, who is yet to put his hands on perhaps the most coveted sporting crown worldwide, is the all-time leading goal scorer in international football with 143 goals and counting for his country.

<p>Cristiano Ronaldo makes history! At 41, the legend is named in Roberto Martínez's 27-man Portugal squad for a record 6th FIFA World Cup. Read the full list.</p>

Last Dance: Cristiano Ronaldo leads Portugal’s World Cup 2026 squad; see full team list

<p>Manchester City have two more matches left in the ongoing Premier League season and are still in hunt of the title against table toppers Arsenal, but this isn't the biggest news of all. Everything, including Man City's chances to win the Premier League seventh time in last 10 years, has been overshadowed by the news of possible departure of Pep Guardiola from the Premier League team. Man City play Bournemouth in their second last game of the season and a loss or a draw will end their hopes for a seventh title in 10 years under Guardiola. Under him, Man City won four back-to-back PL titles from 2021 to 2024 - the first and only instance it the league.</p><h2>Is Guardiola really leaving Man City after ongoing Premier League season?</h2><p>If the reports are to be believed, Pep Guardiola is certain to leave Man City at the end of the ongoing Premier League season. ESPN has reported citing sources that Guardiola leaving is a done deal but Man City bosses are not saying anything to avoid distractions in the last two matches. Guardiola's contract is until 2027 but a break clause allows him to leave at the end of the season.</p><p><strong>Also Read </strong>- <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/where-to-watch-fifa-world-cup-2026-in-india-live-football-fans-in-limbo-amid-broadcast-uncertainty-1779172973810">Where to watch FIFA World Cup 2026 in India live? Football fans in limbo amid broadcast uncertainty</a></p><p>Guardiola's former assistant at City and ex-Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca is the favorite to replace the 55-year-old at the Etihad stadium. Guardiola recently won his 20th trophy on Saturday (May 16), beating Chelsea in the FA Cup final.</p><h2>How many trophies did Guardiola win with Man City?</h2><p>Guardiola joined Man City in ahead of 2016-17 season and has won six Premier League trophies with the club during his stay. Under him, Man City won the Premier League consecutively in 2017/18 and 2018/19 season before winning a record four titles on the trot from 2020/21 to 2023/25 seasons.</p><p>Apart from his six PL titles, Man City also won Champions League in 2022/23 season, along with 3 FA Cups, 5 Carabao Cups, 3, FA Community Shields, and one each of UEFA Super Cup as well as FIFA World Cup.</p>

Under Guardiola, Man City won six Premier League titles including a record four back-to-back trophies from 2021 to 2024. His last game would be Man City vs Aston Villa Sunday (May 24) at home - Etihad Stadium.

Manchester City have two more matches left in the ongoing Premier League season and are still in hunt of the title against table toppers Arsenal, but this isn't the biggest news of all. Everything, including Man City's chances to win the Premier League seventh time in last 10 years, has been overshadowed by the news of possible departure of Pep Guardiola from the Premier League team. Man City play Bournemouth in their second last game of the season and a loss or a draw will end their hopes for a seventh title in 10 years under Guardiola. Under him, Man City won four back-to-back PL titles from 2021 to 2024 - the first and only instance it the league. Is Guardiola really leaving Man City after ongoing Premier League season? If the reports are to be believed, Pep Guardiola is certain to leave Man City at the end of the ongoing Premier League season. ESPN has reported citing sources that Guardiola leaving is a done deal but Man City bosses are not saying anything to avoid distractions in the last two matches. Guardiola's contract is until 2027 but a break clause allows him to leave at the end of the season. Also Read - Where to watch FIFA World Cup 2026 in India live? Football fans in limbo amid broadcast uncertainty Guardiola's former assistant at City and ex-Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca is the favorite to replace the 55-year-old at the Etihad stadium. Guardiola recently won his 20th trophy on Saturday (May 16), beating Chelsea in the FA Cup final. How many trophies did Guardiola win with Man City? Guardiola joined Man City in ahead of 2016-17 season and has won six Premier League trophies with the club during his stay. Under him, Man City won the Premier League consecutively in 2017/18 and 2018/19 season before winning a record four titles on the trot from 2020/21 to 2023/25 seasons. Apart from his six PL titles, Man City also won Champions League in 2022/23 season, along with 3 FA Cups, 5 Carabao Cups, 3, FA Community Shields, and one each of UEFA Super Cup as well as FIFA World Cup.

<p>Under Guardiola, Man City won six Premier League titles including a record four back-to-back trophies from 2021 to 2024. His last game would be Man City vs Aston Villa Sunday (May 24) at home - Etihad Stadium.</p>

Pep Guardiola is leaving Man City after ongoing Premier League season - Report

<p>FIFA World Cup 2026 is less than a month away and no broadcast deal has been struck by the world soccer body to telecast the 48-team event in India. The uncertainty has left fans in India wondering if they'll be able to watch the Football World Cup live on TV or mobile which starts June 11 in USA, Mexico, and Canada. FIFA was in talks with a couple of broadcasters, namely Reliance-Disney joint venture JioStar and Sony, but the deal could not be materialised because of money asked by FIFA.</p><h2>Where can India fans watch Football World Cup live on tv?</h2><p>As of now, there's no deal struck between FIFA and a broadcaster to broadcast Football World Cup 2026 matches in India. FIFA were earlier in talks with JioStar but the deal didn't go through. As per a Reuters report, JioStar offered $20 million for broadcasting rights to FIFA against the world soccer's body's demand of $100 million. FIFA had expected a minimum of $60 million for broadcasting rights in India which, JioStar did not agree to reportedly. Another broadcaster Sony also was in contention but backed out after FIFA, as per reports, rejected offer of $10 million for the broadcast rights India.</p><p><strong>Also Read</strong> - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/iran-fifa-world-cup-squad-lands-in-turkey-for-training-crucial-us-visa-process-donald-trump-israel-ceasefire-1779113108788">Iran’s World Cup squad lands in Turkey for training, crucial US visa process</a></p><p>The reason that broadcasters are not offering as much as FIFA is demanding is timing of the matches. With the World Cup being hosted in the USA, Canada, and Mexico, most of the matches will be played around mid-night or early morning India time, leaving broadcaster skeptical of the return on their investment.</p><h2>What next for FIFA?</h2><p>According to the latest report in Sporting News, Amazon Prime and YouTube Premium, which have a strong user base in India, have emerged as viable broadcasting options for Football World Cup 2026. As per a 2024 report from Google and Deloitte, India is home of 85 million football fans and missing out on them will definitely hurt FIFA's earning potential as well as sport's growth as well.</p>

Being in held in USA, Canada, and Mexico, FIFA World Cup 2026 matches will be at mid-night or early morning India time, leaving broadcasters skeptical of heavy investment as demanded by FIFA.

FIFA World Cup 2026 is less than a month away and no broadcast deal has been struck by the world soccer body to telecast the 48-team event in India. The uncertainty has left fans in India wondering if they'll be able to watch the Football World Cup live on TV or mobile which starts June 11 in USA, Mexico, and Canada. FIFA was in talks with a couple of broadcasters, namely Reliance-Disney joint venture JioStar and Sony, but the deal could not be materialised because of money asked by FIFA. Where can India fans watch Football World Cup live on tv? As of now, there's no deal struck between FIFA and a broadcaster to broadcast Football World Cup 2026 matches in India. FIFA were earlier in talks with JioStar but the deal didn't go through. As per a Reuters report, JioStar offered $20 million for broadcasting rights to FIFA against the world soccer's body's demand of $100 million. FIFA had expected a minimum of $60 million for broadcasting rights in India which, JioStar did not agree to reportedly. Another broadcaster Sony also was in contention but backed out after FIFA, as per reports, rejected offer of $10 million for the broadcast rights India. Also Read - Iran’s World Cup squad lands in Turkey for training, crucial US visa process The reason that broadcasters are not offering as much as FIFA is demanding is timing of the matches. With the World Cup being hosted in the USA, Canada, and Mexico, most of the matches will be played around mid-night or early morning India time, leaving broadcaster skeptical of the return on their investment. What next for FIFA? According to the latest report in Sporting News, Amazon Prime and YouTube Premium, which have a strong user base in India, have emerged as viable broadcasting options for Football World Cup 2026. As per a 2024 report from Google and Deloitte, India is home of 85 million football fans and missing out on them will definitely hurt FIFA's earning potential as well as sport's growth as well.

<p>Being in held in USA, Canada, and Mexico, FIFA World Cup 2026 matches will be at mid-night or early morning India time, leaving broadcasters skeptical of heavy investment as demanded by FIFA.</p>

Where to watch FIFA World Cup 2026 in India live? Football fans in limbo amid broadcast uncertainty

<p>Arsenal are on the brink of ending a 22-year wait to win the Premier League after beating Burnley 1-0 on Monday to open up a five-point lead at the top. Kai Havertz headed in the only goal but was also lucky to avoid a second-half red card that could have swung the title race back in Manchester City's favour. The Gunners could be crowned champions as early as Tuesday should City fail to win at Bournemouth. Even if City do end the Cherries' 16-game unbeaten run and beat Aston Villa, Arsenal will secure the title with victory at Crystal Palace on Sunday.</p><p>"One more to go," said Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta.</p><p><strong>Also Read</strong> - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/iran-fifa-world-cup-squad-lands-in-turkey-for-training-crucial-us-visa-process-donald-trump-israel-ceasefire-1779113108788">Iran’s World Cup squad lands in Turkey for training, crucial US visa process</a></p><p>"We have done our job, what is in our hands. We have to wait and see what is going to happen tomorrow and then it's time to prepare for the Palace game."</p><p>However, the narrow margin of victory against a Burnley side that have long since been relegated does offer City hope.</p><p>An Arsenal draw at Selhurst Park would allow City to snatch the title on goal difference if Pep Guardiola's team win their final two matches.</p><p>To add extra intrigue to the final days of the season, reports on Monday suggest Guardiola will leave City after a decorated decade in charge after Villa visit the Etihad on Sunday.</p><p>Roared on by an expectant capacity crowd in their final home game of the season, Arsenal were tipped to put the Clarets to the sword with ease.</p><p>Burnley have taken just two points from their last 10 matches but made Arteta's men work for the three points on another nervy night at the Emirates.</p><p>Leandro Trossard struck the post from the edge of the area before Bukayo Saka saw a penalty appeal waived away as he attempted to turn in Havertz's low cross.</p><p>Arsenal were forced to rely on their set piece threat once more to prise Burnley open.</p><p>Havertz rose highest to power in Saka's delivery on 37 minutes as they scored from a corner for the 18th time in the league this season.</p><p>Yet the floodgates did not open and Arsenal were very fortunate not to have to defend their lead with 10 men for the final quarter.</p><p>Havertz raked his studs down the calf of Lesley Ugochukwu in a mistimed challenge.</p><p>Despite a VAR review, the original decision of a yellow card was not upgraded to red.</p><p>Havertz was quickly replaced by Viktor Gyokeres. The Swede's arrival failed to kickstart Arsenal as an attacking force.</p><p>But their rock solid defensive record again edged them closer to the title.</p><p>Since losing to City last month, Arsenal have not conceded in their last four league games.</p><p>"The margin should have been bigger but we haven't achieved that," added Arteta.</p><p>"We have shown what we have shown all season that when we need to defend and get through the game, we can do it in an efficient way."</p>

An Arsenal draw at Selhurst Park would allow City to snatch the title on goal difference if Pep Guardiola's team win their final two matches.

Arsenal are on the brink of ending a 22-year wait to win the Premier League after beating Burnley 1-0 on Monday to open up a five-point lead at the top. Kai Havertz headed in the only goal but was also lucky to avoid a second-half red card that could have swung the title race back in Manchester City's favour. The Gunners could be crowned champions as early as Tuesday should City fail to win at Bournemouth. Even if City do end the Cherries' 16-game unbeaten run and beat Aston Villa, Arsenal will secure the title with victory at Crystal Palace on Sunday. "One more to go," said Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta. Also Read - Iran’s World Cup squad lands in Turkey for training, crucial US visa process "We have done our job, what is in our hands. We have to wait and see what is going to happen tomorrow and then it's time to prepare for the Palace game." However, the narrow margin of victory against a Burnley side that have long since been relegated does offer City hope. An Arsenal draw at Selhurst Park would allow City to snatch the title on goal difference if Pep Guardiola's team win their final two matches. To add extra intrigue to the final days of the season, reports on Monday suggest Guardiola will leave City after a decorated decade in charge after Villa visit the Etihad on Sunday. Roared on by an expectant capacity crowd in their final home game of the season, Arsenal were tipped to put the Clarets to the sword with ease. Burnley have taken just two points from their last 10 matches but made Arteta's men work for the three points on another nervy night at the Emirates. Leandro Trossard struck the post from the edge of the area before Bukayo Saka saw a penalty appeal waived away as he attempted to turn in Havertz's low cross. Arsenal were forced to rely on their set piece threat once more to prise Burnley open. Havertz rose highest to power in Saka's delivery on 37 minutes as they scored from a corner for the 18th time in the league this season. Yet the floodgates did not open and Arsenal were very fortunate not to have to defend their lead with 10 men for the final quarter. Havertz raked his studs down the calf of Lesley Ugochukwu in a mistimed challenge. Despite a VAR review, the original decision of a yellow card was not upgraded to red. Havertz was quickly replaced by Viktor Gyokeres. The Swede's arrival failed to kickstart Arsenal as an attacking force. But their rock solid defensive record again edged them closer to the title. Since losing to City last month, Arsenal have not conceded in their last four league games. "The margin should have been bigger but we haven't achieved that," added Arteta. "We have shown what we have shown all season that when we need to defend and get through the game, we can do it in an efficient way."

<p>An Arsenal draw at Selhurst Park would allow City to snatch the title on goal difference if Pep Guardiola's team win their final two matches.</p>

Premier League - Arsenal on brink of ending 22-year title drought with win over Burnley

<p>Iran's football team arrived in Turkey on Monday (May 18) for a training camp and to complete visa applications ahead of the 2026 World Cup, AFP correspondents said. The 22 players and coaching staff in the "Team Melli" delegation flew into the Turkish resort of Antalya, where they could be seen leaving the airport dressed in navy blue tracksuits. The players were to stay several weeks before heading to the global tournament that is being co-hosted by the United States, which began bombing Iran on February 28 alongside Israel, sparking war.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The team will be based in Arizona in the US and play all three of their group matches there in spite of the war, which has been temporarily halted by a ceasefire since April 8. But with negotiations in the doldrums, new weekend drone attacks on Gulf countries, and fresh threats from US President Donald Trump, have heightened fears that fighting could resume.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Also read | </strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/football-world-cup-2026-fans-slam-americanified-halftime-show-featuring-bts-shakira-and-madonna-1778822321474"><strong>Football World Cup 2026: Fans slam 'Americanified' halftime show featuring BTS, Shakira and Madonna</strong></a></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The team is hoping to play two friendlies in Antalya, including one against The Gambia on May 29, according to Sam Mehdizadeh, an Iranian-Canadian who heads a company that sets up friendlies for the team and is working to set up a second match.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Iran and the US cut diplomatic ties in 1980, and the players will use their time in Turkey to complete visa applications, head coach Amir Ghalenoei said on Saturday.</p><h2>'Let 'em play'</h2><p>Iran secured their spot at the World Cup in March 2025, but since then, the United States has twice launched attacks on the country. US officials have insisted Iran is welcome at the tournament, while the FIFA organisers have rejected Iranian suggestions that their games be moved to co-hosts Mexico or Canada.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>"Let 'em play," Trump said in late April.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said any problem would not be with Iranian players but "some of the other people (they) would want to bring with them", suggesting some may have ties to the Revolutionary Guards, which Washington has branded a terrorist organisation.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Last month, officials from Iran's football federation abandoned a trip to the FIFA congress in Canada, saying they had been "insulted" by Canadian immigration officers.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>One of their delegation, Mehdi Taj, is a former member of the Revolutionary Guards, which Canada has also designated a terror group.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>"No visas have been issued yet," Taj, who heads Iran's football federation, told Iranian media on Thursday.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>On Saturday, FIFA secretary general Mattias Grafstrom held a meeting in Turkey with the federation, describing it as constructive, as did Taj.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The squad's US base camp will be in Tucson, Arizona.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The team, who are in Group G, kick off their campaign against New Zealand in Los Angeles on June 15, before facing Belgium in the same city and then Egypt in Seattle.</p>

Iran's World Cup squad has landed in Antalya, Turkey, for a crucial training camp and US visa processing. Amid a fragile ceasefire and diplomatic friction, Team Melli races against time to secure entry for their Arizona-based campaign.

Iran's football team arrived in Turkey on Monday (May 18) for a training camp and to complete visa applications ahead of the 2026 World Cup, AFP correspondents said. The 22 players and coaching staff in the "Team Melli" delegation flew into the Turkish resort of Antalya, where they could be seen leaving the airport dressed in navy blue tracksuits. The players were to stay several weeks before heading to the global tournament that is being co-hosted by the United States, which began bombing Iran on February 28 alongside Israel, sparking war. The team will be based in Arizona in the US and play all three of their group matches there in spite of the war, which has been temporarily halted by a ceasefire since April 8. But with negotiations in the doldrums, new weekend drone attacks on Gulf countries, and fresh threats from US President Donald Trump, have heightened fears that fighting could resume. Also read | Football World Cup 2026: Fans slam 'Americanified' halftime show featuring BTS, Shakira and Madonna The team is hoping to play two friendlies in Antalya, including one against The Gambia on May 29, according to Sam Mehdizadeh, an Iranian-Canadian who heads a company that sets up friendlies for the team and is working to set up a second match. Iran and the US cut diplomatic ties in 1980, and the players will use their time in Turkey to complete visa applications, head coach Amir Ghalenoei said on Saturday. 'Let 'em play' Iran secured their spot at the World Cup in March 2025, but since then, the United States has twice launched attacks on the country. US officials have insisted Iran is welcome at the tournament, while the FIFA organisers have rejected Iranian suggestions that their games be moved to co-hosts Mexico or Canada. "Let 'em play," Trump said in late April. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said any problem would not be with Iranian players but "some of the other people (they) would want to bring with them", suggesting some may have ties to the Revolutionary Guards, which Washington has branded a terrorist organisation. Last month, officials from Iran's football federation abandoned a trip to the FIFA congress in Canada, saying they had been "insulted" by Canadian immigration officers. One of their delegation, Mehdi Taj, is a former member of the Revolutionary Guards, which Canada has also designated a terror group. "No visas have been issued yet," Taj, who heads Iran's football federation, told Iranian media on Thursday. On Saturday, FIFA secretary general Mattias Grafstrom held a meeting in Turkey with the federation, describing it as constructive, as did Taj. The squad's US base camp will be in Tucson, Arizona. The team, who are in Group G, kick off their campaign against New Zealand in Los Angeles on June 15, before facing Belgium in the same city and then Egypt in Seattle.

<p>Iran's World Cup squad has landed in Antalya, Turkey, for a crucial training camp and US visa processing. Amid a fragile ceasefire and diplomatic friction, Team Melli races against time to secure entry for their Arizona-based campaign.</p>

Iran’s FIFA World Cup squad lands in Turkey for training, crucial US visa process

<p>London club Chelsea has appointed Xabi Alonso as the new manager on Sunday (May 17) on a four-year deal, with the Spaniard becoming the latest tactician tasked to overturn The Blues’ fortune. Chelsea lost the FA Cup Final to Manchester City on Saturday (May 16), and currently sit ninth in the Premier League standings with two games to go. Although they are out of Europe for the next season, Alonso’s appointment could help them chase the lost pride, with all domestic titles on the line next season.</p>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">🚨 OFFICIAL: Xabi Alonso, unveiled and confirmed as new a Chelsea manager. 🔵👋🏼 <a href="https://t.co/hQwFYvoO03">pic.twitter.com/hQwFYvoO03</a></p>&mdash; Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) <a href="https://twitter.com/FabrizioRomano/status/2055923868628292023?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 17, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<p>Former Liverpool and Real Madrid midfielder Alonso rose to prominence as one of Europe’s brightest managers following guiding Bayer Leverkusen to an unbeaten German league and cup double in the 2023/24 season. However, his run as Madrid’s manager lasted only seven months before departing the La Liga giants last January.&nbsp;<br>&nbsp;</p><p>"Chelsea Football Club is delighted to announce the appointment of Xabi Alonso as manager of the men’s team," Chelsea said in a statement. "The Spaniard will begin his role on July 1, 2026, having agreed a four-year contract at Stamford Bridge."<br>&nbsp;</p><p>Alonso faces a huge task to get Chelsea back in the running for major honours.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Also read | </strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cristiano-ronaldo-awaits-first-saudi-silverware-as-gamba-stun-al-nassr-in-afc-final-1778988668259"><strong>Cristiano Ronaldo awaits first Saudi silverware as Gamba stun Al Nassr in AFC Final</strong></a><br>&nbsp;</p><p>Chelsea did win the FIFA Club World Cup and the UEFA Conference League last year, but has little else to show for well over one billion pounds ($1.35 billion) of spending on players since a US consortium BlueCo took over in 2022 following Roman Abramovich's trophy-laden ownership of the club.<br>&nbsp;</p><p>Defeat at Wembley on Saturday means they have now gone eight seasons without a domestic trophy.<br>&nbsp;</p><p>Fans have continuously protested against BlueCo, which has embarked on a scattergun approach to hoovering up young talent from across the globe.<br>&nbsp;</p><p>That policy has secured some notable successes, such as England international Cole Palmer. But a lack of experience in both the playing squad and, often, in the coaching staff, has been blamed for a lack of consistency.<br>&nbsp;</p><p>Alonso becomes the sixth permanent manager to take charge at Stamford Bridge in the past four years after Thomas Tuchel, Graham Potter, Mauricio Pochettino, Enzo Maresca and Liam Rosenior. The 44-year-old has a point to prove after a turbulent short spell in Madrid.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><i>(With inputs from AFP)</i></p>

Official: Chelsea have confirmed the blockbuster appointment of Xabi Alonso as their new manager on a four-year contract starting July 1, 2026. 

London club Chelsea has appointed Xabi Alonso as the new manager on Sunday (May 17) on a four-year deal, with the Spaniard becoming the latest tactician tasked to overturn The Blues’ fortune. Chelsea lost the FA Cup Final to Manchester City on Saturday (May 16), and currently sit ninth in the Premier League standings with two games to go. Although they are out of Europe for the next season, Alonso’s appointment could help them chase the lost pride, with all domestic titles on the line next season.

<p>Official: Chelsea have confirmed the blockbuster appointment of Xabi Alonso as their new manager on a four-year contract starting July 1, 2026.&nbsp;</p>

HERE WE GO! Chelsea appoint Xabi Alonso as new manager on a four-year deal

<p>Cristiano Ronaldo’s wait for his first Saudi silverware continues after his side and AFC title contenders, Al Nassr, suffered a shocking 0-1 defeat at the hands of Japan’s Gamba Osaka in the AFC Champions League Two final on Saturday (May 16). Ronaldo suffered heartbreak for the second time in a week after the Japanese club withstood a second-half barrage from the Saudi side on their home turf.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The 26,000 home fans (at the King Saud University Stadium) were left disheartened after Al Nassr failed to become the first Saudi Arabian team to win this competition, the second-tier Asian continental crown equivalent to UEFA’s Europa League. However, it was Gamba who netted the only goal of the game when Deniz Hummet struck gold in the 29th minute.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Also read | </strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/football-world-cup-2026-fans-slam-americanified-halftime-show-featuring-bts-shakira-and-madonna-1778822321474"><strong>Football World Cup 2026: Fans slam 'Americanified' halftime show featuring BTS, Shakira and Madonna</strong></a><br>&nbsp;</p><p>Meanwhile, Ronaldo came agonisingly close to winning the Saudi Pro League title just four days ago, only for his team’s goalkeeper to concede a bizarre injury-time own goal, giving second-placed Al Hilal a 1-1 draw. A win would have handed Ronaldo his first piece of silverware since moving to Saudi Arabia following his Manchester United exit in a record deal in early 2023.<br>&nbsp;</p><p>"The dream is close," the 41-year-old wrote on X to his 107.5 million followers on Wednesday, after his side had been seconds from the league title glory against Al Hilal. "Heads up, we have one more step to take! Thank you all for the amazing support tonight!"</p>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">The dream is close. Heads up, we have one more step to take! Thank you all for the amazing support tonight! <a href="https://t.co/zQphO0lN1b">pic.twitter.com/zQphO0lN1b</a></p>&mdash; Cristiano Ronaldo (@Cristiano) <a href="https://twitter.com/Cristiano/status/2054306161474556407?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 12, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<p>Al Nassr are two points ahead of Al Hilal with one game to play and can seal the title at home to Damac on Thursday.<br>&nbsp;</p><p>Al Hilal play their final match away to Al Fayha on the same night.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><i>(With inputs from AFP)</i></p>

Cristiano Ronaldo’s wait for Saudi silverware continues after Gamba Osaka stuns Al Nassr 1-0 in the AFC Champions League Two final. Read the full match recap.

Cristiano Ronaldo’s wait for his first Saudi silverware continues after his side and AFC title contenders, Al Nassr, suffered a shocking 0-1 defeat at the hands of Japan’s Gamba Osaka in the AFC Champions League Two final on Saturday (May 16). Ronaldo suffered heartbreak for the second time in a week after the Japanese club withstood a second-half barrage from the Saudi side on their home turf. The 26,000 home fans (at the King Saud University Stadium) were left disheartened after Al Nassr failed to become the first Saudi Arabian team to win this competition, the second-tier Asian continental crown equivalent to UEFA’s Europa League. However, it was Gamba who netted the only goal of the game when Deniz Hummet struck gold in the 29th minute. Also read | Football World Cup 2026: Fans slam 'Americanified' halftime show featuring BTS, Shakira and Madonna Meanwhile, Ronaldo came agonisingly close to winning the Saudi Pro League title just four days ago, only for his team’s goalkeeper to concede a bizarre injury-time own goal, giving second-placed Al Hilal a 1-1 draw. A win would have handed Ronaldo his first piece of silverware since moving to Saudi Arabia following his Manchester United exit in a record deal in early 2023. "The dream is close," the 41-year-old wrote on X to his 107.5 million followers on Wednesday, after his side had been seconds from the league title glory against Al Hilal. "Heads up, we have one more step to take! Thank you all for the amazing support tonight!"

<p>Cristiano Ronaldo’s wait for Saudi silverware continues after Gamba Osaka stuns Al Nassr 1-0 in the AFC Champions League Two final. Read the full match recap.</p>

Cristiano Ronaldo awaits first Saudi silverware as Gamba stun Al Nassr in AFC Final

<p>India is surely a cricket-crazy country but the game of football has its fans and in huge numbers which makes tournaments like English Premier League very popular in the country. There are fans bases for famous teams including Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal and others with young children wanting to play the game as professionals in future like their stars do for these teams. To develop players at grassroot levels, Premier League India recently organized a camp to coaches which would enable young children to take up the sport realize their dream.</p><p><strong>Also Read</strong> - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/football-world-cup-2026-us-drops-5k-15k-visa-bond-money-requirement-for-fans-from-five-african-nations-1778737181178">FIFA WC 2026 | US drops visa bond money requirement for 5 African nations' fans</a></p><p>Premier League NextGen coaching campaign, which was held in Goa, invited various experienced professionals from the English league to help Indian coaches understand the nuances to developing children's interest, skill, and game awareness and communication.</p><p>Speaking on the campaign's aim, Premier League India Managing Director Hrishikesh Shende said: "The thought process behind this camp is to create long-term impact by investing in grassroots coaches, because they are key to shaping the future of football in India. Through programmes like NEXTGEN Coach and partnerships such as Dream Sports Foundation, we want to share Premier League expertise, build safer and more inclusive football environments, and strengthen coaching infrastructure at scale. Going forward, the focus is on expanding our footprint, deepening local partnerships, and empowering more Indian coaches and young players across the country.”</p><p>One of the mentors of the program, Carl Plunkett, who has over 18 years of experience collaborating with senior leadership teams at Premier League Category 1 football academies, spoke to WION in a detailed conversation about the program, what it entails and how it will help promote and develop the game in India.</p><p><br><strong>Q) What inspired you to join this program and what are your ideas that you want to implement or you want to share with the Indian coaches specifically?</strong></p><p>The program has been designed to try and build confidence around the coaches here in India, particularly those that are going to impact in grassroots and working with different children across India. Part of the course is to help them understand with a little bit more knowledge, but a lot of it is about to give them the confidence to create safe and fun environments so that it will be the young people that will benefit from having better coaches. And if you have better coaches, you should have more impactful and fun engaging coaching sessions.<br><strong>Q) What is your coaching philosophy and what would you like to advise the Indian coaches in the program attending with you? How do they go about their coaching philosophy while trying to step up and develop the football as a game in India at grassroots level and beyond?</strong></p><p>The philosophy is really embedded with inside the course. So, there's lots of key features around the course, which are about how you have, like, generate a better connection with young people. So, what is it that you go about and how you go about doing that? Having simple things like listening skills, being able to effectively question and support people's learning. One of the big things on the course is how you utilize the people around you to help you with the coaching.</p><p>So, rather than just doing it on your own, are there other support coaches or are there parents who could maybe help you when you're coaching just to be a bit more impactful and fun when you're doing it. The philosophical pieces in here are also about how you make people feel in terms of my coaching manner, in terms of the words I use, in terms of my interaction skills, they're really key to how you want to present yourself as a coach.</p><p><strong>Q) One of the topics you shared is effective communication is the key. So, how would you advise the coaches here attending this session with you to deal with the conflicting situations, like sometimes a parent might not be happy with a child's progress or there might be a difference of opinion between the players and the coaches regarding drills or strategy. So, how do you suggest the coaches deal with it?</strong></p><p>The course doesn't refer to maybe challenging conversations, but is really dealing with how you create good conversations. So, it would include things such as your body language, how you might be listening to the words the individual is using, and then maybe even playing that back to them in a way that they know that they're being heard.</p><p>Ultimately, it doesn't matter where you are in the world, people's skills and interaction skills are all very similar from person to person. And so, when we talk about good conversations with each other, it's really around, if I'm listening to you, do I show interest in my body language? Do I show interest in my eye contact? Do I find ways to ask you to go a little bit deeper with what you're saying, so I can further understand what you're asking? And then that way, you're just showing real interest, which will ultimately develop a better connection between you and the other person.</p><p><strong>Q) There's always some sort of divide between talent and skill, like the passion for the game and the skills you have, and some children might not be at the level of other children in terms of passion or skill. So what do you suggest the coaches to back more - passion or skill?</strong></p><p>Definitely, yeah, it's a good question. Here on the course, what we're really asking them to do is to make the kids feel more confident and more comfortable with what they're doing. And then as a result of that, you start to build a passion. And if you can build a passion and people more comfortable with what you're doing, you'll end up getting children who probably currently aren't really interested in sport or football or physical activity into a place where they're running around, they're feeling more healthy. And they're in a position where they are enjoying what's happening.</p><p><strong>Q) About the coaches that are attending the camp with you, what do you think that their biggest strength as Indian coaches are like, where they can really make an impact in terms of skills or any other attribute of their personality?</strong></p><p>My feeling is that there's a real willingness to learn. They really want to listen. They really want to work hard at getting better. And the more we provide them opportunities to speak, connect and interact with each other, we're really developing their confidence and willingness to want to grow. And that's been really important this week because in order to get better at anything in life, you need to be able to reflect, you need to be able to understand where you currently are and then also where you need to head to to get better.<br><strong>Q) How do you suggest the coaches keep the focus of young children while they're in the drill or while they're in practice because it could be boring for the young children sometime.</strong></p><p>Yeah, it's a really good question. So all of the principles that we embed in this program, we offer them eight different games that they can take away with them. We demonstrate them, they get an opportunity to practice. And then within each game, there's a number of progressions which allows them to keep evolving the practice. But you talked about boredom in that example, because these guys are now starting to work out not just what the whole group needs, but maybe where the individuals are at. We talk a lot about differentiation. There's pieces in here that talk about how do you teach to the bottom of the group, but also the top. So if the coach is actively getting around, and they're applying the core principles of this course, you'll probably find that the kids won't get bored.<br><strong>Q) Have you in your coaching program also talked about the mental aspect of the game, like keeping the players' mental space very, very clean, firm, and focused? And what are the drills or methods that coaches can apply to achieve that?</strong></p><p>There are some subtle moments where they've been designed that players won't be just learning about the technical parts of the game. So passing, shooting, or running. There's also ways that they have to work as a team, which generates opportunities to speak with each other, organize each other, and build strategies. So included with inside the practice games, there are ways to develop young people's psychological and the way they think about things. And that's one of the core principles that we have as part of the Premier League program.</p>

To develop players at grassroot levels, Premier League India recently organized a camp to coaches which would enable young children to take up the sport realize their dream.

India is surely a cricket-crazy country but the game of football has its fans and in huge numbers which makes tournaments like English Premier League very popular in the country. There are fans bases for famous teams including Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal and others with young children wanting to play the game as professionals in future like their stars do for these teams. To develop players at grassroot levels, Premier League India recently organized a camp to coaches which would enable young children to take up the sport realize their dream. Also Read - FIFA WC 2026 | US drops visa bond money requirement for 5 African nations' fans Premier League NextGen coaching campaign, which was held in Goa, invited various experienced professionals from the English league to help Indian coaches understand the nuances to developing children's interest, skill, and game awareness and communication. Speaking on the campaign's aim, Premier League India Managing Director Hrishikesh Shende said: "The thought process behind this camp is to create long-term impact by investing in grassroots coaches, because they are key to shaping the future of football in India. Through programmes like NEXTGEN Coach and partnerships such as Dream Sports Foundation, we want to share Premier League expertise, build safer and more inclusive football environments, and strengthen coaching infrastructure at scale. Going forward, the focus is on expanding our footprint, deepening local partnerships, and empowering more Indian coaches and young players across the country.” One of the mentors of the program, Carl Plunkett, who has over 18 years of experience collaborating with senior leadership teams at Premier League Category 1 football academies, spoke to WION in a detailed conversation about the program, what it entails and how it will help promote and develop the game in India. Q) What inspired you to join this program and what are your ideas that you want to implement or you want to share with the Indian coaches specifically? The program has been designed to try and build confidence around the coaches here in India, particularly those that are going to impact in grassroots and working with different children across India. Part of the course is to help them understand with a little bit more knowledge, but a lot of it is about to give them the confidence to create safe and fun environments so that it will be the young people that will benefit from having better coaches. And if you have better coaches, you should have more impactful and fun engaging coaching sessions. Q) What is your coaching philosophy and what would you like to advise the Indian coaches in the program attending with you? How do they go about their coaching philosophy while trying to step up and develop the football as a game in India at grassroots level and beyond? The philosophy is really embedded with inside the course. So, there's lots of key features around the course, which are about how you have, like, generate a better connection with young people. So, what is it that you go about and how you go about doing that? Having simple things like listening skills, being able to effectively question and support people's learning. One of the big things on the course is how you utilize the people around you to help you with the coaching. So, rather than just doing it on your own, are there other support coaches or are there parents who could maybe help you when you're coaching just to be a bit more impactful and fun when you're doing it. The philosophical pieces in here are also about how you make people feel in terms of my coaching manner, in terms of the words I use, in terms of my interaction skills, they're really key to how you want to present yourself as a coach. Q) One of the topics you shared is effective communication is the key. So, how would you advise the coaches here attending this session with you to deal with the conflicting situations, like sometimes a parent might not be happy with a child's progress or there might be a difference of opinion between the players and the coaches regarding drills or strategy. So, how do you suggest the coaches deal with it? The course doesn't refer to maybe challenging conversations, but is really dealing with how you create good conversations. So, it would include things such as your body language, how you might be listening to the words the individual is using, and then maybe even playing that back to them in a way that they know that they're being heard. Ultimately, it doesn't matter where you are in the world, people's skills and interaction skills are all very similar from person to person. And so, when we talk about good conversations with each other, it's really around, if I'm listening to you, do I show interest in my body language? Do I show interest in my eye contact? Do I find ways to ask you to go a little bit deeper with what you're saying, so I can further understand what you're asking? And then that way, you're just showing real interest, which will ultimately develop a better connection between you and the other person. Q) There's always some sort of divide between talent and skill, like the passion for the game and the skills you have, and some children might not be at the level of other children in terms of passion or skill. So what do you suggest the coaches to back more - passion or skill? Definitely, yeah, it's a good question. Here on the course, what we're really asking them to do is to make the kids feel more confident and more comfortable with what they're doing. And then as a result of that, you start to build a passion. And if you can build a passion and people more comfortable with what you're doing, you'll end up getting children who probably currently aren't really interested in sport or football or physical activity into a place where they're running around, they're feeling more healthy. And they're in a position where they are enjoying what's happening. Q) About the coaches that are attending the camp with you, what do you think that their biggest strength as Indian coaches are like, where they can really make an impact in terms of skills or any other attribute of their personality? My feeling is that there's a real willingness to learn. They really want to listen. They really want to work hard at getting better. And the more we provide them opportunities to speak, connect and interact with each other, we're really developing their confidence and willingness to want to grow. And that's been really important this week because in order to get better at anything in life, you need to be able to reflect, you need to be able to understand where you currently are and then also where you need to head to to get better. Q) How do you suggest the coaches keep the focus of young children while they're in the drill or while they're in practice because it could be boring for the young children sometime. Yeah, it's a really good question. So all of the principles that we embed in this program, we offer them eight different games that they can take away with them. We demonstrate them, they get an opportunity to practice. And then within each game, there's a number of progressions which allows them to keep evolving the practice. But you talked about boredom in that example, because these guys are now starting to work out not just what the whole group needs, but maybe where the individuals are at. We talk a lot about differentiation. There's pieces in here that talk about how do you teach to the bottom of the group, but also the top. So if the coach is actively getting around, and they're applying the core principles of this course, you'll probably find that the kids won't get bored. Q) Have you in your coaching program also talked about the mental aspect of the game, like keeping the players' mental space very, very clean, firm, and focused? And what are the drills or methods that coaches can apply to achieve that? There are some subtle moments where they've been designed that players won't be just learning about the technical parts of the game. So passing, shooting, or running. There's also ways that they have to work as a team, which generates opportunities to speak with each other, organize each other, and build strategies. So included with inside the practice games, there are ways to develop young people's psychological and the way they think about things. And that's one of the core principles that we have as part of the Premier League program.

<p>To develop players at grassroot levels, Premier League India recently organized a camp to coaches which would enable young children to take up the sport realize their dream.</p>

WION ExpertSpeak - Better Coaches, Better Future: Premier League NextGen mentor Carl Plunkett on nurturing football at India’s grassroots

<p>The Football World Cup 2026 final will feature the first-ever halftime show featuring Shakira, BTS and Madonna. But fans across the world are not happy with this bizarre decision, and are slamming FIFA for the Americanisation of football. Super Bowl, the annual American championship game of the National Football League, has an artist performance at halftime. Since the World Cup this year is being jointly hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada, the same concept has been introduced in the final to be held on July 19. But fans are puzzled by this strange development. “Btw i dont think football fans will like halftime show lmao they are not like american football fans. Also i hate that us is trying to make everything americanified," a user wrote on X. Another user mentioned, "Halftime show at the World Cup final feels like FIFA trying to be the Super Bowl. Players just want to focus and recover. Shakira returning for what’s basically her Waka Waka swan song will be a moment though. Madonna and BTS feel forced."</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>People are also questioning the logistical issues since the regular football half-time is only 15 minutes, while the Super Bowl halftime show runs for nearly 30 minutes. FIFA and the organisers are trying to pack in performances by three artists in such a short time span, which seems unrealistic. Meanwhile, FIFA is harping on the charity element, as the show will support the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund. President Gianni Infantino wrote on Instagram that it would be “bringing together music and football on the biggest stage in sport for a very special cause.”</p><p>Also Read:<strong> </strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/world-cup-final-half-time-show-madonna-bts-and-shakira-to-perform-during-a-15-min-break-1778739407211"><strong>FIFA World Cup Final Half-Time Show: Madonna, BTS and Shakira to perform during a 15-min break</strong></a></p><h2><strong>BTS fans excited to see K-pop group at Football World Cup</strong></h2><p><br>However, a large group of people are just excited to have BTS perform at the Football World Cup. The Korean boy band returned this year with their new album "Arirang" after serving time in the military. They are currently on tour and held shows in the US before moving to Mexico. A user commented, "ITS JUSY CRAZY THAT MY FAVE SPORT IS SOCCER AND BAND IS BTS… the problem is, how am I going to secure the tickets?! HOW!?" Another said, "This will be a legendary moment for the world I am so excited for the bts," with one adding, "BTS on the first-ever FIFA World Cup Halftime Show in 2026?! This is going to be legendary. Can't wait to see them perform on the biggest stage!"</p>

BTS, Shakira and Madonna will be at the Football World Cup final, but not everyone is happy. Fans are questioning the logic behind having a music show in a 15-minute window, with others slamming the decision as Americanizing the game.

The Football World Cup 2026 final will feature the first-ever halftime show featuring Shakira, BTS and Madonna. But fans across the world are not happy with this bizarre decision, and are slamming FIFA for the Americanisation of football. Super Bowl, the annual American championship game of the National Football League, has an artist performance at halftime. Since the World Cup this year is being jointly hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada, the same concept has been introduced in the final to be held on July 19. But fans are puzzled by this strange development. “Btw i dont think football fans will like halftime show lmao they are not like american football fans. Also i hate that us is trying to make everything americanified," a user wrote on X. Another user mentioned, "Halftime show at the World Cup final feels like FIFA trying to be the Super Bowl. Players just want to focus and recover. Shakira returning for what’s basically her Waka Waka swan song will be a moment though. Madonna and BTS feel forced." People are also questioning the logistical issues since the regular football half-time is only 15 minutes, while the Super Bowl halftime show runs for nearly 30 minutes. FIFA and the organisers are trying to pack in performances by three artists in such a short time span, which seems unrealistic. Meanwhile, FIFA is harping on the charity element, as the show will support the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund. President Gianni Infantino wrote on Instagram that it would be “bringing together music and football on the biggest stage in sport for a very special cause.” Also Read: FIFA World Cup Final Half-Time Show: Madonna, BTS and Shakira to perform during a 15-min break BTS fans excited to see K-pop group at Football World Cup However, a large group of people are just excited to have BTS perform at the Football World Cup. The Korean boy band returned this year with their new album "Arirang" after serving time in the military. They are currently on tour and held shows in the US before moving to Mexico. A user commented, "ITS JUSY CRAZY THAT MY FAVE SPORT IS SOCCER AND BAND IS BTS… the problem is, how am I going to secure the tickets?! HOW!?" Another said, "This will be a legendary moment for the world I am so excited for the bts," with one adding, "BTS on the first-ever FIFA World Cup Halftime Show in 2026?! This is going to be legendary. Can't wait to see them perform on the biggest stage!"

<p>BTS, Shakira and Madonna will be at the Football World Cup final, but not everyone is happy. Fans are questioning the logic behind having a music show in a 15-minute window, with others slamming the decision as Americanizing the game.</p>

Football World Cup 2026: Fans slam 'Americanified' halftime show featuring BTS, Shakira and Madonna

<p>New Jersey Transit, one of the local transport organizations which the fans would be using to reach the match venues during the FIFA World Cup 2026 in the USA, has reduced its fare to below $100 after backlash from fans and commercial partnerships. Notably, the MetLife Stadium in New Jesery, which is adjecent to New York and home NFL teams of Giants as well as Jets, will host the World Cup 2026 Final on July 19. The NJ Transit had raised the prices of journey from Manhatten, New York to the MetLife Stadium by roughly 12 times. The 18-mile, 30-minute to and fro journey costs $12.90 normally but the price of increased to $150 which has now been reduced to $98, till eight times the normal price.</p><h2>World Cup transport price drama in New Jersey</h2><p>New Jersey governor Mikie Sherril had previously <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/football-world-cup-2026-us-host-city-new-jersey-governor-hits-out-at-fifa-for-lack-of-financial-support-for-train-tickets-new-york-to-metlife-stadium-1776406203401">called out FIFA for not providing any financial assistance</a> to the host cities to cover the cost of transport of fans. Sherril, on Tuesday (May 12), announced the slashed prices and posted: "Good news: Ahead of NJ Transit World Cup train tickets going on sale, NJ Transit is lowering ticket prices to $98 without New Jersey taxpayer money. Thank you to our partners for helping make this possible."</p><p><strong>Also Read</strong> - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/football-world-cup-2026-us-drops-5k-15k-visa-bond-money-requirement-for-fans-from-five-african-nations-1778737181178">Football World Cup 2026 | US drops $5k-15k visa bond money requirement for fans from five African nations</a></p><p>New York governor Kathy Hochul also announced 75% reduction in bus fares for round-trips to ensure "getting to the World Cup should be as accessible as possible."</p><h2>What other host cities are charging fans for transport to venues?</h2><p>In a stark difference New Jersey and New York, Kansas City is offering return bus tickets at $15 and Philadelphia has also confimed the price to remain at normal rate of $2.90. Boston, howeve, is charging $80 for a $20 journey from South Station in central Boston to the Stadium in Foxborough.</p><p>In the previous two FIFA World Cups, Russia in 2018 and Qatar in 2022, the travel to stadium was free for fans and the US had agreed to it as well in 2018 before adding a tweak in 2023 which allowed the host cities to charge the fans for transport.</p>

NJ Transit has reduced the return journey price of Manhatten to MetLife Stadium, which usually costs $12.90, to $98 from $150 - leaving fans paying eight times the normal price.

New Jersey Transit, one of the local transport organizations which the fans would be using to reach the match venues during the FIFA World Cup 2026 in the USA, has reduced its fare to below $100 after backlash from fans and commercial partnerships. Notably, the MetLife Stadium in New Jesery, which is adjecent to New York and home NFL teams of Giants as well as Jets, will host the World Cup 2026 Final on July 19. The NJ Transit had raised the prices of journey from Manhatten, New York to the MetLife Stadium by roughly 12 times. The 18-mile, 30-minute to and fro journey costs $12.90 normally but the price of increased to $150 which has now been reduced to $98, till eight times the normal price. World Cup transport price drama in New Jersey New Jersey governor Mikie Sherril had previously called out FIFA for not providing any financial assistance to the host cities to cover the cost of transport of fans. Sherril, on Tuesday (May 12), announced the slashed prices and posted: "Good news: Ahead of NJ Transit World Cup train tickets going on sale, NJ Transit is lowering ticket prices to $98 without New Jersey taxpayer money. Thank you to our partners for helping make this possible." Also Read - Football World Cup 2026 | US drops $5k-15k visa bond money requirement for fans from five African nations New York governor Kathy Hochul also announced 75% reduction in bus fares for round-trips to ensure "getting to the World Cup should be as accessible as possible." What other host cities are charging fans for transport to venues? In a stark difference New Jersey and New York, Kansas City is offering return bus tickets at $15 and Philadelphia has also confimed the price to remain at normal rate of $2.90. Boston, howeve, is charging $80 for a $20 journey from South Station in central Boston to the Stadium in Foxborough. In the previous two FIFA World Cups, Russia in 2018 and Qatar in 2022, the travel to stadium was free for fans and the US had agreed to it as well in 2018 before adding a tweak in 2023 which allowed the host cities to charge the fans for transport.

<p>NJ Transit has reduced the return journey price of Manhatten to MetLife Stadium, which usually costs $12.90, to $98 from $150 - leaving fans paying eight times the normal price.</p>

'Good news': Football World Cup 2026 transport 'discount' means fans will pay 8x of regular fare

<p>The USA, which is co-hosting the upcoming FIFA World Cup 2026 along with Mexico and Canada, has dropped the visa bond requirement for fans of the five African countries which have qualified for the 48-team event. The development came Wednesday (May 12) with less than a month to go for the tournament which is scheduled begin on June 11. Algeria, Cabo Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal and Tunisia are the five countries fans from which have been exempted from paying the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/football-world-cup-2026-us-entry-to-cost-15-000-for-players-and-fans-of-five-african-nations-1774491019483">bond money to enter the US </a>which ranges between $5,000-$15,000. The money, paid with visa application, is refundable whenever the traveler leaves the US or the visa is denied.</p><h2>USA makes exceptions for fans for World Cup 2026 duration</h2><p>Under the Trump administration, the US had implemented rule of vida bond money for the travelers from the countries which tend of overstay the visa among other security concerns. There are about 50 contries under the blanket of visa bond rule but now the five African countries of Algeria, Cabo Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal and Tunisia have been exempted from the rule in order to help them attend the matches. The requirement from exemption, however, includes holding a valid World Cup ticket for a match in the USA. The players, coaches and other staff have already been exempted from the rule but the relief for fans came on Wednesday (May 13).</p><p><strong>Also Check</strong> - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/football-world-cup-2026-watch-team-of-wartime-iran-holds-send-off-for-players-ahead-of-depature-1778729931002">FIFA World Cup 2026 | WATCH - Iran holds send-off for players ahead of depature</a></p><p>"The United States is excited to organize the biggest and best Fifa World Cup in history," Mora Namdar, the assistant secretary of state for consular affairs, told the Associated Press (AP) on Wednesday. "We are waiving visa bonds for qualified fans who bought World Cup tickets" and have opted the FIFA Pass system for expedited visa appointments.</p><h2>US matches FIFA World Cup 2026</h2><p>The World Cup will see 104 matches being played including the final on July 19. 78 of those 104 matches are scheduled to be played in the USA while Mexico and Canada will host 13 matches each. A total 11 cities in the USA will host the World Cup 2026 matches: Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, Philadelphia, the San Francisco Bay Area, Seattle and East Rutherford, New Jersey.</p>

Trump admin has dropped visa bond money requirement for fans from Algeria, Cabo Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal and Tunisia with valid match tickets to enter the US during World Cup 2026.

The USA, which is co-hosting the upcoming FIFA World Cup 2026 along with Mexico and Canada, has dropped the visa bond requirement for fans of the five African countries which have qualified for the 48-team event. The development came Wednesday (May 12) with less than a month to go for the tournament which is scheduled begin on June 11. Algeria, Cabo Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal and Tunisia are the five countries fans from which have been exempted from paying the bond money to enter the US which ranges between $5,000-$15,000. The money, paid with visa application, is refundable whenever the traveler leaves the US or the visa is denied. USA makes exceptions for fans for World Cup 2026 duration Under the Trump administration, the US had implemented rule of vida bond money for the travelers from the countries which tend of overstay the visa among other security concerns. There are about 50 contries under the blanket of visa bond rule but now the five African countries of Algeria, Cabo Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal and Tunisia have been exempted from the rule in order to help them attend the matches. The requirement from exemption, however, includes holding a valid World Cup ticket for a match in the USA. The players, coaches and other staff have already been exempted from the rule but the relief for fans came on Wednesday (May 13). Also Check - FIFA World Cup 2026 | WATCH - Iran holds send-off for players ahead of depature "The United States is excited to organize the biggest and best Fifa World Cup in history," Mora Namdar, the assistant secretary of state for consular affairs, told the Associated Press (AP) on Wednesday. "We are waiving visa bonds for qualified fans who bought World Cup tickets" and have opted the FIFA Pass system for expedited visa appointments. US matches FIFA World Cup 2026 The World Cup will see 104 matches being played including the final on July 19. 78 of those 104 matches are scheduled to be played in the USA while Mexico and Canada will host 13 matches each. A total 11 cities in the USA will host the World Cup 2026 matches: Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, Philadelphia, the San Francisco Bay Area, Seattle and East Rutherford, New Jersey.

<p>Trump admin has dropped visa bond money requirement for fans from Algeria, Cabo Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal and Tunisia with valid match tickets to enter the US during World Cup 2026.</p>

Football World Cup 2026 | US drops $5k-15k visa bond money requirement for fans from five African nations

<p>Amid all the uncertainty regarding Iran's participation in the upcoming FIFA World Cup 2026, the fans and the national football federation held a send-off for the players on Wednesday (May 13) before their scheduled departure. The war between Iran and US, one of the hosts of the football world cup 2026 along with neighbours Mexico and Canada, had put Middle Eastern country's participation at risk and US president Donald Trump remarks didn't help the cause either. Iran had requested FIFA to change their group-stage match locations from the US to Mexico but the governing body of world football denied it. FIFA chief Gianni Infantino then confirmed Iran's participation in the 48-team tournament a few days back.</p><p><strong>Also Read</strong> - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ligue-1-paris-saint-germain-win-fifth-straight-title-with-win-over-closest-rivals-lens-1778724580610">Ligue 1: PSG win fifth straight title with win over closest rivals Lens</a></p><h2>Iran holds send-off for football team</h2><p>The event was held in the capital city of Tehran near Enghelab Square in the central area of the city. It was attended by the fans, president of Iran's football federation, Mehdi Taj, Iran football coach Amir Ghalenoei and the players as well. The fans were ecstatic to see the players, dresses in black and red tracksuit, as they chanted and showed placards in support as well. Have a look at the video below:</p>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Iran sends off national football team to 2026 World Cup<br><br>Tehran&#39;s Enghelab Square hosted a send‑off ceremony Wednesday as the team prepared to depart for the tournament in the US and Mexico. <a href="https://t.co/c6cAtAr7Db">pic.twitter.com/c6cAtAr7Db</a></p>&mdash; Truth Seeker (@mib_63) <a href="https://twitter.com/mib_63/status/2054750850971467997?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 14, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<p>Speaking at the event, football chief Taj said: "The national team players in the World Cup will represent the people, the country's fighters, the leader (supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei) and the country. Our national team is the national football team of wartime," he said, and called upon the team to be a "pillar of authority and resistance."</p><h2>Iran's schedule in Football World Cup</h2><p>Iran, also known as Team Melli, is expected to stay in Tucson, Arizona in the US during the World Cup 2026 next month. The West Asian nation is placed in Group G along with New Zealand, Belgium, and Egypt. All their group-stage matches are scheduled to be played in United States as following:</p><p><strong>June 15, 2026:</strong> Iran vs. New Zealand at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, California.<br><strong>June 21, 2026:</strong> Iran vs. Belgium at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, California.<br><strong>June 26, 2026: </strong>Iran vs. Egypt at Lumen Field in Seattle, Washington.</p>

Iran, placed in Group G for the 48-team tournament, will play New Zealand on June 15 in LA, Belgium on June 21 in LA, and Egypt on June 26 in Seattle during the group-stage of FIFA World Cup 2026.

Amid all the uncertainty regarding Iran's participation in the upcoming FIFA World Cup 2026, the fans and the national football federation held a send-off for the players on Wednesday (May 13) before their scheduled departure. The war between Iran and US, one of the hosts of the football world cup 2026 along with neighbours Mexico and Canada, had put Middle Eastern country's participation at risk and US president Donald Trump remarks didn't help the cause either. Iran had requested FIFA to change their group-stage match locations from the US to Mexico but the governing body of world football denied it. FIFA chief Gianni Infantino then confirmed Iran's participation in the 48-team tournament a few days back. Also Read - Ligue 1: PSG win fifth straight title with win over closest rivals Lens Iran holds send-off for football team The event was held in the capital city of Tehran near Enghelab Square in the central area of the city. It was attended by the fans, president of Iran's football federation, Mehdi Taj, Iran football coach Amir Ghalenoei and the players as well. The fans were ecstatic to see the players, dresses in black and red tracksuit, as they chanted and showed placards in support as well. Have a look at the video below:

<p>Iran, placed in Group G for the 48-team tournament, will play New Zealand on June 15 in LA, Belgium on June 21 in LA, and Egypt on June 26 in Seattle during the group-stage of FIFA World Cup 2026.</p>

FIFA World Cup 2026 | Iran holds send-off for players ahead of departure - WATCH

<p>Paris Saint-Germain secured their fifth straight French Ligue 1 title on Wednesday as Khvicha Kvaratskhelia's strike set up a decisive 2-0 win away to nearest rivals Lens. The Georgian netted his 19th goal of the season just before the half-hour mark and substitute Ibrahim Mbaye added a late second as PSG took an unassailable nine-point lead at the top with one match of the season remaining. Luis Enrique's team had all but clinched another league triumph last weekend when they beat Brest 1-0 to go six points clear of Lens with two games left while also boasting a far superior goal difference.</p><p><strong>Also Read</strong> - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/who-was-jason-collins-nba-s-first-openly-gay-player-dies-at-47-after-battling-brain-cancer-1778651269375">Jason Collins, 47, NBA's first openly gay player dies after brain cancer battle</a></p><p>That meant even a Lens victory here could not realistically have prevented the Parisians from extending their domestic dominance.</p><p>PSG have now won a record 14 French titles overall with 12 of them coming in the last 14 years, a period in which they have been transformed under Qatari ownership.</p><p>Five in a row is the longest streak of successive Ligue 1 titles since Lyon claimed seven on the bounce between 2002 and 2008.</p><p>This latest league title adds to their trophy haul for the season, in which they had already won the UEFA Super Cup, FIFA Intercontinental Cup and French Champions Trophy.</p><p>There might yet be more to come, as the defending European champions face Arsenal in the Champions League final in Budapest on May 30 -- they will become just the second team in the modern era to win back-to-back European Cups if they defeat the Gunners.</p><h2>‘Prepare Champions League final’</h2><p>"We wanted to come here and win, but we especially want to prepare for the final on May 30," last year's Ballon d'Or winner Ousmane Dembele told broadcaster beIN Sports.</p><p>"We have one more game to come on Sunday (against Paris FC). We will celebrate this because it's official now, we are champions."</p><p>Lens, meanwhile, are now guaranteed to finish second, securing a spot in the league phase of next season's Champions League as they prepare to return to that competition for the first time since 2023/24.</p><p>The northern side will also face Nice in the French Cup final on Friday, May 22.</p><p>This game could have taken on far greater significance had it been played on its scheduled date in April. But it was postponed to allow PSG to rest in between the two legs of their Champions League quarter-final against Liverpool.</p><p>That ultimately took the sting out of the occasion, and the visitors came into the contest without key players including Achraf Hakimi, Nuno Mendes, captain Marquinhos, Willian Pacho, Vitinha, Fabian Ruiz and Warren Zaire-Emery in their starting line-up.</p><p>Despite the changes, PSG went ahead at the Stade Bollaert-Delelis when Dembele intercepted a Malang Sarr clearance and this week's winner of the Ligue 1 player of the year prize released Kvaratskhelia to control and score.</p><p>Abdallah Sima hit the post for Lens on 74 minutes and Florian Thauvin had a goal disallowed for offside late on, before Senegal international Mbaye made it 2-0 in stoppage time after being set up by Desire Doue.</p><p>Wednesday's other game saw Strasbourg win 2-1 at Brest with goals from Valentin Barco and Sebastian Nanasi.</p><p>However they cannot finish higher than eighth and will not therefore qualify for Europe next season.</p>

PSG have now won a record 14 French titles overall with 12 of them coming in the last 14 years, a period in which they have been transformed under Qatari ownership.

Paris Saint-Germain secured their fifth straight French Ligue 1 title on Wednesday as Khvicha Kvaratskhelia's strike set up a decisive 2-0 win away to nearest rivals Lens. The Georgian netted his 19th goal of the season just before the half-hour mark and substitute Ibrahim Mbaye added a late second as PSG took an unassailable nine-point lead at the top with one match of the season remaining. Luis Enrique's team had all but clinched another league triumph last weekend when they beat Brest 1-0 to go six points clear of Lens with two games left while also boasting a far superior goal difference. Also Read - Jason Collins, 47, NBA's first openly gay player dies after brain cancer battle That meant even a Lens victory here could not realistically have prevented the Parisians from extending their domestic dominance. PSG have now won a record 14 French titles overall with 12 of them coming in the last 14 years, a period in which they have been transformed under Qatari ownership. Five in a row is the longest streak of successive Ligue 1 titles since Lyon claimed seven on the bounce between 2002 and 2008. This latest league title adds to their trophy haul for the season, in which they had already won the UEFA Super Cup, FIFA Intercontinental Cup and French Champions Trophy. There might yet be more to come, as the defending European champions face Arsenal in the Champions League final in Budapest on May 30 -- they will become just the second team in the modern era to win back-to-back European Cups if they defeat the Gunners. ‘Prepare Champions League final’ "We wanted to come here and win, but we especially want to prepare for the final on May 30," last year's Ballon d'Or winner Ousmane Dembele told broadcaster beIN Sports. "We have one more game to come on Sunday (against Paris FC). We will celebrate this because it's official now, we are champions." Lens, meanwhile, are now guaranteed to finish second, securing a spot in the league phase of next season's Champions League as they prepare to return to that competition for the first time since 2023/24. The northern side will also face Nice in the French Cup final on Friday, May 22. This game could have taken on far greater significance had it been played on its scheduled date in April. But it was postponed to allow PSG to rest in between the two legs of their Champions League quarter-final against Liverpool. That ultimately took the sting out of the occasion, and the visitors came into the contest without key players including Achraf Hakimi, Nuno Mendes, captain Marquinhos, Willian Pacho, Vitinha, Fabian Ruiz and Warren Zaire-Emery in their starting line-up. Despite the changes, PSG went ahead at the Stade Bollaert-Delelis when Dembele intercepted a Malang Sarr clearance and this week's winner of the Ligue 1 player of the year prize released Kvaratskhelia to control and score. Abdallah Sima hit the post for Lens on 74 minutes and Florian Thauvin had a goal disallowed for offside late on, before Senegal international Mbaye made it 2-0 in stoppage time after being set up by Desire Doue. Wednesday's other game saw Strasbourg win 2-1 at Brest with goals from Valentin Barco and Sebastian Nanasi. However they cannot finish higher than eighth and will not therefore qualify for Europe next season.

<p>PSG have now won a record 14 French titles overall with 12 of them coming in the last 14 years, a period in which they have been transformed under Qatari ownership.</p>

Ligue 1: Paris Saint-Germain win fifth straight title with win over closest rivals Lens

<p>Pep Guardiola said Manchester City do not feel extra pressure even though they realistically need to beat Crystal Palace on Wednesday to keep their Premier League title hopes alive. City, with three games left, is five points behind leaders Arsenal with a game in hand. Failure to win at the Etihad would mean Mikel Arteta's side could clinch their first Premier League title for 22 years against Burnley on Monday. Guardiola was asked at his pre-match press conference on Tuesday how much pressure City were under after recent results, including last week's damaging 3-3 draw at Everton.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>"Same one, two days, three days, four days ago, one week, two weeks, same one," he said.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The City boss, chasing a seventh Premier League title in nine seasons, said he had not seen his players to gauge their mood since the dramatic end to Arsenal's match at West Ham on Sunday.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Also read | </strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/-real-possibility-something-bad-will-happen-fifa-world-cup-2026-matches-in-us-under-cloud-of-terrorism-1778559610438"><strong>'Real possibility something bad will happen': FIFA World Cup 2026 matches in US under cloud of terrorism</strong></a></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The Gunners won 1-0 after relegation-threatened West Ham's last-gasp equaliser was ruled out following a lengthy VAR check.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>"I learned from my career as a manager, what you cannot control, forget about it," said Guardiola. "(Focus) and do better what we have not done better this season to fight for the Premier League. We are still fighting and (next it is) Crystal Palace."</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Palace hosts Arsenal on the final day of the Premier League season, just days before they face Spanish side Rayo Vallecano in the Conference League final, but Guardiola said he was not concerned at the prospect they could field a weakened team.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>"They are so professional, the teams," he said. "Crystal Palace will play top. We saw Leeds yesterday against Spurs (a 1-1 draw), how even being out of the relegation battle... how they compete."</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Guardiola said Rodri and Abdukodir Khusanov were both "better" and that he would decide after training on Tuesday whether either were ready to return to action.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>City face Chelsea in the FA Cup final on Saturday, still in the running for a domestic treble after winning the League Cup earlier this season.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Disclaimer:</strong> <i>This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits for grammar and punctuation. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for the WION audience.</i></p>

Pep Guardiola insists Manchester City feel no extra pressure ahead of their "must-win" clash with Crystal Palace. With Arsenal leading by five points, read Pep's update on Rodri, the title race, and his response to the Gunners' late win.

Pep Guardiola said Manchester City do not feel extra pressure even though they realistically need to beat Crystal Palace on Wednesday to keep their Premier League title hopes alive. City, with three games left, is five points behind leaders Arsenal with a game in hand. Failure to win at the Etihad would mean Mikel Arteta's side could clinch their first Premier League title for 22 years against Burnley on Monday. Guardiola was asked at his pre-match press conference on Tuesday how much pressure City were under after recent results, including last week's damaging 3-3 draw at Everton. "Same one, two days, three days, four days ago, one week, two weeks, same one," he said. The City boss, chasing a seventh Premier League title in nine seasons, said he had not seen his players to gauge their mood since the dramatic end to Arsenal's match at West Ham on Sunday. Also read | 'Real possibility something bad will happen': FIFA World Cup 2026 matches in US under cloud of terrorism The Gunners won 1-0 after relegation-threatened West Ham's last-gasp equaliser was ruled out following a lengthy VAR check. "I learned from my career as a manager, what you cannot control, forget about it," said Guardiola. "(Focus) and do better what we have not done better this season to fight for the Premier League. We are still fighting and (next it is) Crystal Palace." Palace hosts Arsenal on the final day of the Premier League season, just days before they face Spanish side Rayo Vallecano in the Conference League final, but Guardiola said he was not concerned at the prospect they could field a weakened team. "They are so professional, the teams," he said. "Crystal Palace will play top. We saw Leeds yesterday against Spurs (a 1-1 draw), how even being out of the relegation battle... how they compete." Guardiola said Rodri and Abdukodir Khusanov were both "better" and that he would decide after training on Tuesday whether either were ready to return to action. City face Chelsea in the FA Cup final on Saturday, still in the running for a domestic treble after winning the League Cup earlier this season. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits for grammar and punctuation. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for the WION audience.

<p>Pep Guardiola insists Manchester City feel no extra pressure ahead of their "must-win" clash with Crystal Palace. With Arsenal leading by five points, read Pep's update on Rodri, the title race, and his response to the Gunners' late win.</p>

Race for Premier League crown not over yet, insists Manchester City boss Guardiola

<p>The FIFA World Cup 2026, which is set to begin in a month on June 11, is facing increased risk of terror attack at the matches in the USA which is co-hosting the tournament along with Mexico and Canada. A total fo 104 matches will be played in the Football World Cup and 78 of them are in the US across 13 cities including the final at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. The ongoing conflict between the US and Iran is also not helping the case as the security officials in the USA are trying to make it a successful event.</p><h2>FIFA World Cup 2026 under terror cloud?</h2><p>THe US law enforcement agency FBI, in March, held an exercise to train agents for situations including domestic terrorism during the World Cup. The agents were called from throughout the country for this exercise, and one of them told UK-based news outlet Guardian: "It will be hard to control, given the environment and the number of locations of matches and watch parties across the United States. There is a very real possibility that something bad will happen."</p><p><strong>Also Read</strong> - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/football-world-cup-will-personally-bring-hot-dog-coke-fifa-chief-infantino-on-2-3-million-reselling-price-of-final-s-tickets-1778136235002">FIFA chief Infantino defends high prices of football World Cup tickets</a></p><p>The agent, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, also said that they were 'alarmed at the scale of exercise' and conceded that "there’s a lot that needs to be dealt with" in terms of threats during the upcoming FIFA World Cup.</p><p>Speaking on the matter, Javed Ali, a former employee of FBI, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) as well as a senior director for counter-terrorism in national security council, also said: "We need to protect not only each venue, but all the other links in the chain that get to the point of the game. There are just so many games. There’s only so many resources to deploy to try to buy down risk against a number of different threats."</p><h2>Which US cities are hosting the FIFA World Cup matches?</h2><p>The US will host 78 matches of the FIFA World Cup 2026 including the final across 11 cities which are: Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, Philadelphia, the San Francisco Bay Area, Seattle and East Rutherford, New Jersey.</p>

The US will host 78 of 104 matches of the FIFA World Cup 2026 including the final across 13 cities which are: Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, Philadelphia, the San Francisco Bay Area, Seattle and East Rutherford, New Jersey.

The FIFA World Cup 2026, which is set to begin in a month on June 11, is facing increased risk of terror attack at the matches in the USA which is co-hosting the tournament along with Mexico and Canada. A total fo 104 matches will be played in the Football World Cup and 78 of them are in the US across 13 cities including the final at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. The ongoing conflict between the US and Iran is also not helping the case as the security officials in the USA are trying to make it a successful event. FIFA World Cup 2026 under terror cloud? THe US law enforcement agency FBI, in March, held an exercise to train agents for situations including domestic terrorism during the World Cup. The agents were called from throughout the country for this exercise, and one of them told UK-based news outlet Guardian: "It will be hard to control, given the environment and the number of locations of matches and watch parties across the United States. There is a very real possibility that something bad will happen." Also Read - FIFA chief Infantino defends high prices of football World Cup tickets The agent, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, also said that they were 'alarmed at the scale of exercise' and conceded that "there’s a lot that needs to be dealt with" in terms of threats during the upcoming FIFA World Cup. Speaking on the matter, Javed Ali, a former employee of FBI, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) as well as a senior director for counter-terrorism in national security council, also said: "We need to protect not only each venue, but all the other links in the chain that get to the point of the game. There are just so many games. There’s only so many resources to deploy to try to buy down risk against a number of different threats." Which US cities are hosting the FIFA World Cup matches? The US will host 78 matches of the FIFA World Cup 2026 including the final across 11 cities which are: Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, Philadelphia, the San Francisco Bay Area, Seattle and East Rutherford, New Jersey.

<p>The US will host 78 of 104 matches of the FIFA World Cup 2026 including the final across 13 cities which are: Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, Philadelphia, the San Francisco Bay Area, Seattle and East Rutherford, New Jersey.</p>

'Real possibility something bad will happen': FIFA World Cup 2026 matches in US under cloud of terrorism

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Lionel Messi limps off in MLS game in setback for Argentina as FIFA World Cup 2026 nears

NY mayor Mamdani announces 1000 FIFA World Cup tickets at $50 for residents

Manuel Neuer earns surprise call up to Germany’s 26-man FIFA World Cup squad

Iran World Cup squad arrives at US Embassy in Ankara for visa process

Will Ronaldo be oldest player ever to play in a Football World Cup?

DR Congo cancels FIFA World Cup preparation camp because of Ebola

Southampton lose appeal against explusion from EFL Championship play-off final

Man City legend Silva on club’s legacy: ‘Time for new generation to shine’

WATCH: Rice, Saka celebrate Arsenal’s PL win with fans outside Emirates at 5 AM

Southampton expelled from EFL Championship final in wake of 'spying'

‘We did it, dad’: How FIFA World Cup call-up made Neymar emotional – WATCH

Cristiano Ronaldo leads Portugal’s World Cup 2026 squad; see full team list

Pep Guardiola is leaving Man City after ongoing Premier League season - Report

Where to watch FIFA World Cup 2026 in India live? Football fans in limbo amid broadcast uncertainty

PL - Arsenal on brink of ending 22-year title drought with win over Burnley

Iran’s World Cup squad lands in Turkey for training, crucial US visa process

HERE WE GO! Chelsea appoint Xabi Alonso as new manager on a four-year deal

Ronaldo awaits first Saudi silverware as Gamba stun Al Nassr in AFC Final

WION ExpertSpeak - PL NextGen mentor on nurturing football at India’s grassroots

Football World Cup 2026: Fans slam 'Americanified' halftime show

'Good news': FIFA WC transport 'discount' means fans will pay 8x of regular fare

FIFA WC 2026 | US drops visa bond money requirement for 5 African nations' fans

FIFA World Cup 2026 | WATCH - Iran holds send-off for players ahead of departure

Ligue 1: PSG win fifth straight title with win over closest rivals Lens

Race for Premier League crown not over yet, insists Man City boss Pep Guardiola

FIFA World Cup 2026 US games under cloud of terrorism amid Iran conflict