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.<h2>Where can India fans watch Football World Cup live on tv?</h2>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 - <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>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.<h2>What next for FIFA?</h2>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.

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.

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.

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

Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum on Friday appeared to roll back an announcement by her education minister that school holidays will start more than a month sooner than scheduled this summer ​due to the heat and the World Cup, saying the proposal was not yet final ‌amid outrage from parents' associations.


Mexican President Sheinbaum Wavers on Plan To Cut School Year By 40 Days For World Cup

International football’s governing body, FIFA, is set to extend Gianluca Prestianni's suspension worldwide after the player was banned for discriminatory conduct while playing for Benfica. Prestianni, who has been slapped with a six-match ban for discriminatory conduct against Real Madrid winger Vinicius, will now miss the opening two matches of the FIFA World Cup 2026, which starts next month. Madrid forward Vinicius Junior accused the 20-year-old Prestianni of racism after they clashed on the field, a claim Prestianni denies.<h2>FIFA extend Prestianni’s suspension</h2>Argentina's Prestianni was handed a six-game ban, with three of them suspended, for discriminatory conduct in the first leg of the Champions League play-off tie against Real Madrid on February 17. As the two argued, Prestianni spoke to Vinicius while covering his mouth, prompting the Brazilian to complain to the referee, which led to the match being suspended for 10 minutes.&nbsp;"The FIFA Disciplinary Committee has decided to extend the six-match ban imposed by UEFA on SL Benfica player Gianluca Prestianni to have worldwide effect," FIFA told AFP."The sanction has been extended in accordance with Article 70 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code."&nbsp;ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-cameron-green-to-liam-livingstone-5-most-expensive-players-in-ipl-2026-auctions-matheesha-pathirana-kartik-sharma-prashant-veer-1774031148132">From Cameron Green to Liam Livingstone, 5 most expensive players in IPL 2026 auctions</a>&nbsp;Prestianni, who made his only international appearance last November, has already served one match of his suspension, missing the Champions League play-off second leg. Following FIFA's decision, the former Velez Sarsfield player would miss holders Argentina's two opening games of the World Cup, which takes place in the United States, Canada and Mexico between June 11 and July 19.&nbsp;ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-rohit-sharma-to-sanju-samson-5-highest-individual-score-in-a-lost-chase-in-ipl-yusuf-pathan-kl-rahul-shaun-marsh-ipl-2026-1774084136030">From Rohit Sharma to Sanju Samson, 5 highest individual scores in a lost chase in IPL</a>&nbsp;The winger was first included in the Argentina squad in the November friendlies and was called again for the same in March. He is considered a bright talent but is already embroiled in a series of controversies while playing for Benfica.

Argentina's Gianluca Prestianni was handed a six-game ban, with three of them suspended, for discriminatory conduct in the first leg of the Champions League play-off tie against Real Madrid on February 17. 

International football’s governing body, FIFA, is set to extend Gianluca Prestianni's suspension worldwide after the player was banned for discriminatory conduct while playing for Benfica. Prestianni, who has been slapped with a six-match ban for discriminatory conduct against Real Madrid winger Vinicius, will now miss the opening two matches of the FIFA World Cup 2026, which starts next month. Madrid forward Vinicius Junior accused the 20-year-old Prestianni of racism after they clashed on the field, a claim Prestianni denies. FIFA extend Prestianni’s suspension Argentina's Prestianni was handed a six-game ban, with three of them suspended, for discriminatory conduct in the first leg of the Champions League play-off tie against Real Madrid on February 17. As the two argued, Prestianni spoke to Vinicius while covering his mouth, prompting the Brazilian to complain to the referee, which led to the match being suspended for 10 minutes. "The FIFA Disciplinary Committee has decided to extend the six-match ban imposed by UEFA on SL Benfica player Gianluca Prestianni to have worldwide effect," FIFA told AFP. "The sanction has been extended in accordance with Article 70 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code." ALSO READ | From Cameron Green to Liam Livingstone, 5 most expensive players in IPL 2026 auctions Prestianni, who made his only international appearance last November, has already served one match of his suspension, missing the Champions League play-off second leg. Following FIFA's decision, the former Velez Sarsfield player would miss holders Argentina's two opening games of the World Cup, which takes place in the United States, Canada and Mexico between June 11 and July 19. ALSO READ | From Rohit Sharma to Sanju Samson, 5 highest individual scores in a lost chase in IPL The winger was first included in the Argentina squad in the November friendlies and was called again for the same in March. He is considered a bright talent but is already embroiled in a series of controversies while playing for Benfica.

Argentina's Gianluca Prestianni was handed a six-game ban, with three of them suspended, for discriminatory conduct in the first leg of the Champions League play-off tie against Real Madrid on February 17.&nbsp;

FIFA extends Gianluca Prestianni's suspension worldwide, to miss opening matches for Argentina in World Cup

With the 2026 FIFA World Cup just over a month away, the streets of Brazil's Rio de Janeiro has turned into an open-air mural museum. Locals have kept alive the tradition of decorating the city for the World Cup.


FIFA World Cup: Rio de Janeiro Decks Up; Rocinha Favela Unveils Street Mural

A fresh controversy has erupted ahead of a major FIFA event after members of Iran’s football delegation returned home from Canada following entry issues at Toronto airport. Iranian Football Federation chief Mehdi Taj was reportedly denied entry due to alleged links with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which Canada considers inadmissible. The incident has added a geopolitical twist to football diplomacy just weeks before the 2026 World Cup.


Iran Football Chief Denied Entry to Canada Ahead of FIFA Event

FIFA and the International Football Association Board (IFAB) have approved major new rule changes ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, including two new red-card offences. One of the most talked-about changes will see players sent off for covering their mouths during heated confrontations, a move aimed at improving transparency and reducing abusive behaviour on the pitch. The decision has already sparked debate across the football world, with supporters praising stricter discipline while critics fear excessive policing of player behaviour.


FIFA Brings Tough New Red Card Rules Ahead Of 2026 World Cup

The FIFA World Cup 2026, scheduled to begin on June 11, has made the players leaving the pitch in protest and covering their mouths susceptible to a potential red card. The policy change was confirmed by the International Football Association Board (IFAB) on Tuesday (Apr 28) ahead of FIFA meeting in Vancouver, Canada on Thursday (Apr 30). The red card will be at referee's discretion, confirmed IFAB in a statement. The changes come on the back of two incidents - Senegal players walking off the pitch vs Morocco in protest during AFCON final and Benfica's Gianluca <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/champions-league-prestianni-speaks-on-racism-claims-against-vinicius-jr-as-benfica-releases-video-in-support-1771391849074">Prestianni racially abusing Real Madrid' Vinicus Jr.</a> with a covered mouth in a Champions League game in February earlier this year.<h2>Why players may get red card for leaving pitch or covering mouth in FIFA World Cup 2026?</h2>After the Presstiani incident in the ongoing Champions League where he racially abused Vini Jr. for which he was handed a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/uefa-bans-benfica-s-gianluca-prestianni-for-six-games-for-discriminatory-conduct-during-real-madrid-clash-1777041674108">six-match ban by the UEFA</a>, FIFA president Gianni Infantino led the charge for stricter rules, including a read card.Presstiani initially had denined racially abusing Vini Jr. during the Champions League play-off match, but agreed to it in subsequent hearing heald the European body. Vini jr. immediately complained to the referee about the incident and had left the pitch in protest, resulting in a dealy in the game.Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/football/fifa-chief-calls-for-automatic-forfeit-of-games-for-teams-whose-fans-get-involved-in-racism-during-games-682122">FIFA chief calls for automatic forfeit of games for teams whose fans get involved in racism during games</a>The second reason for which players may now get a red card in FIFA WC is walking off the pitch in protest. The incident which prompted it was Senegal players walking off against Morocco in AFCON final against a penalty decision. Senegal evenntually won the match but as Morocco missed the penalty post a lengthy delay. Later on, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/-senegral-forfeited-final-morocco-new-winner-of-africa-cup-of-nations-decalred-confederation-of-african-football-1773805121074">took the title away from Senegal and gave it to Morocco</a>, prompting an appeal from Senegal against the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).<h2>What happens if a player leaves in protest because of racial abuse?</h2>The two points for which a player can be given a red card by referee in FIFA World Cup 2026 are: 1) leaving pitch in protest, and 2) covering mouths during altercation - the two points are intertwined as a player may walk off in protest after suffering racial abuse - something with the European football body has raised as an objection against applying the rule in own league.Speaking on the rules, IFAB said in statement: "The referee may sanction with a red card any player who leaves the field of play in protest at a referee’s decision. This new rule will also apply to any team official who incites players to leave the field of play. A team that causes a match to be abandoned will, in principle, forfeit the match."

The changes come on the back of two incidents - Senegal players walking off the pitch vs Morocco in protest during AFCON final and Benfica's Gianluca Prestianni racially abusing Real Madrid' Vinicus Jr. with a covered mouth in a Champions League game in February earlier this year.

The FIFA World Cup 2026, scheduled to begin on June 11, has made the players leaving the pitch in protest and covering their mouths susceptible to a potential red card. The policy change was confirmed by the International Football Association Board (IFAB) on Tuesday (Apr 28) ahead of FIFA meeting in Vancouver, Canada on Thursday (Apr 30). The red card will be at referee's discretion, confirmed IFAB in a statement. The changes come on the back of two incidents - Senegal players walking off the pitch vs Morocco in protest during AFCON final and Benfica's Gianluca Prestianni racially abusing Real Madrid' Vinicus Jr. with a covered mouth in a Champions League game in February earlier this year. Why players may get red card for leaving pitch or covering mouth in FIFA World Cup 2026? After the Presstiani incident in the ongoing Champions League where he racially abused Vini Jr. for which he was handed a six-match ban by the UEFA, FIFA president Gianni Infantino led the charge for stricter rules, including a read card. Presstiani initially had denined racially abusing Vini Jr. during the Champions League play-off match, but agreed to it in subsequent hearing heald the European body. Vini jr. immediately complained to the referee about the incident and had left the pitch in protest, resulting in a dealy in the game. Also Read - FIFA chief calls for automatic forfeit of games for teams whose fans get involved in racism during games The second reason for which players may now get a red card in FIFA WC is walking off the pitch in protest. The incident which prompted it was Senegal players walking off against Morocco in AFCON final against a penalty decision. Senegal evenntually won the match but as Morocco missed the penalty post a lengthy delay. Later on, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) took the title away from Senegal and gave it to Morocco, prompting an appeal from Senegal against the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). What happens if a player leaves in protest because of racial abuse? The two points for which a player can be given a red card by referee in FIFA World Cup 2026 are: 1) leaving pitch in protest, and 2) covering mouths during altercation - the two points are intertwined as a player may walk off in protest after suffering racial abuse - something with the European football body has raised as an objection against applying the rule in own league. Speaking on the rules, IFAB said in statement: "The referee may sanction with a red card any player who leaves the field of play in protest at a referee’s decision. This new rule will also apply to any team official who incites players to leave the field of play. A team that causes a match to be abandoned will, in principle, forfeit the match."

The changes come on the back of two incidents - Senegal players walking off the pitch vs Morocco in protest during AFCON final and Benfica's Gianluca Prestianni racially abusing Real Madrid' Vinicus Jr. with a covered mouth in a Champions League game in February earlier this year.

FIFA World Cup 2026 | 'Referee’s decision': Players may get red card for leaving pitch in protest or covering mouths

Norwegian Football Federation has called on FIFA to abolish its controversial Peace Prize, reigniting debate over politics in global sport. The demand comes months after Donald Trump received the award, a move that drew mixed international reactions. Critics argue football bodies should avoid politically sensitive recognitions, while supporters say the prize highlights efforts toward global dialogue and peace.


Norway FA Urges FIFA To Scrap Controversial Peace Prize After Trump Award

FIFA has introduced a resale policy that grants the governing body a 30% cut from both buyers and sellers on the secondary ticket market. The move is aimed at regulating ticket scalping and controlling prices, but it has also sparked debate among fans over affordability and transparency. Critics argue it could increase costs for supporters, while FIFA says it will help ensure fair distribution and better oversight of high-demand match tickets.


FIFA Gets a 30% Cut from Buyers and Sellers On the Resale Market 

India is facing uncertainty over the broadcast rights for the FIFA World Cup 2026, as no official television or digital broadcaster has been confirmed yet. With the tournament approaching, concerns are growing among football fans who may miss live coverage of one of the world’s biggest sporting events.


The 2026 FIFA WC Does Not Have An Official Broadcaster In India

FIFA has introduced a new premium “Front Category” ticket just weeks before kickoff, with prices for the USA vs Paraguay match soaring to $4,105. The late addition has sparked debate among fans over affordability and access, highlighting the growing commercialisation of global football. The move reflects rising demand for exclusive matchday experiences—but also raises questions about how far ticket pricing can go.


FIFA Introduces $4,000 ‘Front Category’ Tickets Ahead Of USA vs Paraguay Clash 

In a new set of tickets release after all 48 teams were finalized for the Football World Cup 2026, FIFA has increased the top ticket price of World Cup final to $10,990. For context, the price of top ticket in 2022 World Cup final was $1,600. The surge comes as FIFA is using the dynamic ticket price system which increases or decreases the ticket price as per the demand. The system has been criticised world wide by fans who are accusing FIFA of making the game out of bounds for the spectators. FIFA, on the other hand, has said that the income from ticket will help grow the grassroot football across the globe.<h2>What is the price of other FIFA World Cup final tickets?</h2>The organization had released the tickets for 17 group stage matches and the final on Wednesday (Apr 1). The ticket prices for the final in the cheaper category were also higher that the previous phase of ticket sale. In the last wave, the priciest ticket for World Cup 2026 final was $8,860 which now stands at $10,990. As for the cheaper tickets, Category 2 tickets now cost $7,380, up from $5,575 in December, while Category 3 tickets cost $5,785, increased from $4,185.FIFA chief Gianni Infantino, meanwhile, has hailed the entire process of dynamic pricing while saying in January that the FIFA had gotten the amount to "for 1,000 years of World Cups at once”.<h2>US Congress members not happy about it</h2>In a letter written to Infantino last month about the dynamic pricing, 69 Democratic members of US Congress said: "The employment of dynamic ticket pricing for the 2026 FWC starkly contrasts with Fifa’s core mission to promote the accessible and inclusive promotion and development of soccer globally. Despite host cities’ cooperation in bringing the vision of the largest, most global World Cup in history to fruition, the consequences of dynamic pricing will make the 2026 FWC the most financially exclusionary and inaccessible to date.

The surge comes as FIFA is using the dynamic ticket price system which increases or decreases the ticket price as per the demand.  As for the cheaper tickets, Category 2 tickets now cost $7,380, up from $5,575 in December, while Category 3 tickets cost $5,785, increased from $4,185.

In a new set of tickets release after all 48 teams were finalized for the Football World Cup 2026, FIFA has increased the top ticket price of World Cup final to $10,990. For context, the price of top ticket in 2022 World Cup final was $1,600. The surge comes as FIFA is using the dynamic ticket price system which increases or decreases the ticket price as per the demand. The system has been criticised world wide by fans who are accusing FIFA of making the game out of bounds for the spectators. FIFA, on the other hand, has said that the income from ticket will help grow the grassroot football across the globe. What is the price of other FIFA World Cup final tickets? The organization had released the tickets for 17 group stage matches and the final on Wednesday (Apr 1). The ticket prices for the final in the cheaper category were also higher that the previous phase of ticket sale. In the last wave, the priciest ticket for World Cup 2026 final was $8,860 which now stands at $10,990. As for the cheaper tickets, Category 2 tickets now cost $7,380, up from $5,575 in December, while Category 3 tickets cost $5,785, increased from $4,185. FIFA chief Gianni Infantino, meanwhile, has hailed the entire process of dynamic pricing while saying in January that the FIFA had gotten the amount to "for 1,000 years of World Cups at once”. US Congress members not happy about it In a letter written to Infantino last month about the dynamic pricing, 69 Democratic members of US Congress said: "The employment of dynamic ticket pricing for the 2026 FWC starkly contrasts with Fifa’s core mission to promote the accessible and inclusive promotion and development of soccer globally. Despite host cities’ cooperation in bringing the vision of the largest, most global World Cup in history to fruition, the consequences of dynamic pricing will make the 2026 FWC the most financially exclusionary and inaccessible to date.

The surge comes as FIFA is using the dynamic ticket price system which increases or decreases the ticket price as per the demand. &nbsp;As for the cheaper tickets, Category 2 tickets now cost $7,380, up from $5,575 in December, while Category 3 tickets cost $5,785, increased from $4,185.

Football World Cup 2026 | 'Most inaccessible to date': FIFA raises top final ticket prices to $10,990 from $1,600 in 2022

The friendly between Spain and Egypt on Tuesday (Mar 30) at RCDE Stadium in Barcelona ended in a draw but not without unwanted drama. The home fans were warned several times over using xenophobic chants against the visiting Muslim players. The two teams ended the match on 0-0 score in what is dubbed as practice before upcoming FIFA World Cup 2026, which starts Jun 11 in the USA, Mexico, and Canada. Apart from the anti-Muslim chants, there was also loud whistling before Egypt's national anthem, something Spanish federation condemned in harsh words. The stadium screen also showed messages asking home fans to stop with their racist chants.What were the chants during Spain vs. Egypt?The home fans shouted "Musulmán el que no bote" - which roughly means "If you're not jumping, you're a Muslim" coupled with loud whistling before Egypt's national anthem. The whistling continued as the Egyptian players kneeled and kissed the ground at the half-time. Notably, Spain superstar Lamine Yamal is a Muslim with his father being from Morocco and the player recently celebrated his faith with Ramadan.Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/fifa-world-cup-2026-four-time-winners-italy-fail-to-qualify-third-consecutive-time-bosnia-czechs-turkey-and-sweden-through-1775004807303">FIFA WC 2026 | Four-time winners Italy fail to qualify third consecutive time</a>How did Spanish Football Federation react?The Royal Spanish Football Federation not only displayed message on stadium screen asking fans to desist from the xenophobic chants, they condemned the behaviour of fans on social media as well and stood "against racism in football and condemns any act of violence inside stadiums."Spain coach Luis de la Fuent was more severe in his response as he asked for "such people" to be removed from society."I am repulsed by and absolutely reject any form of xenophobia or racism -- it's completely intolerable," De la Fuente said in a news conference. I don't know exactly what the protocol is, but I think it was the right decision to display the message on the scoreboard and make the announcement. Those [chanting] are a disgrace -- and the majority [inside the stadium] whistled them. There's nothing else to say. They are not representative of football. They take advantage of football, as they do in other areas of life. They need to be removed from society -- the further away, the better."Spain and Egypt's in FIFA World Cup 2026Spain are in Group H along with Cape Verde, Saudi Arabia, and Uruguay while Egypt are in Group G along with Belgium, New Zealand, and Iran.

The home fans shouted "Musulmán el que no bote" - which roughly means "If you're not jumping, you're a Muslim" coupled with loud whistling before Egypt's national anthem. Spain coach Luis de la Fuent was more severe in his response as he asked for "such people" to be removed from society.

The friendly between Spain and Egypt on Tuesday (Mar 30) at RCDE Stadium in Barcelona ended in a draw but not without unwanted drama. The home fans were warned several times over using xenophobic chants against the visiting Muslim players. The two teams ended the match on 0-0 score in what is dubbed as practice before upcoming FIFA World Cup 2026, which starts Jun 11 in the USA, Mexico, and Canada. Apart from the anti-Muslim chants, there was also loud whistling before Egypt's national anthem, something Spanish federation condemned in harsh words. The stadium screen also showed messages asking home fans to stop with their racist chants. What were the chants during Spain vs. Egypt? The home fans shouted "Musulmán el que no bote" - which roughly means "If you're not jumping, you're a Muslim" coupled with loud whistling before Egypt's national anthem. The whistling continued as the Egyptian players kneeled and kissed the ground at the half-time. Notably, Spain superstar Lamine Yamal is a Muslim with his father being from Morocco and the player recently celebrated his faith with Ramadan. Also Read - FIFA WC 2026 | Four-time winners Italy fail to qualify third consecutive time How did Spanish Football Federation react? The Royal Spanish Football Federation not only displayed message on stadium screen asking fans to desist from the xenophobic chants, they condemned the behaviour of fans on social media as well and stood "against racism in football and condemns any act of violence inside stadiums." Spain coach Luis de la Fuent was more severe in his response as he asked for "such people" to be removed from society. "I am repulsed by and absolutely reject any form of xenophobia or racism -- it's completely intolerable," De la Fuente said in a news conference. I don't know exactly what the protocol is, but I think it was the right decision to display the message on the scoreboard and make the announcement. Those [chanting] are a disgrace -- and the majority [inside the stadium] whistled them. There's nothing else to say. They are not representative of football. They take advantage of football, as they do in other areas of life. They need to be removed from society -- the further away, the better." Spain and Egypt's in FIFA World Cup 2026 Spain are in Group H along with Cape Verde, Saudi Arabia, and Uruguay while Egypt are in Group G along with Belgium, New Zealand, and Iran.

The home fans shouted "Musulmán el que no bote" - which roughly means "If you're not jumping, you're a Muslim" coupled with loud whistling before Egypt's national anthem. Spain coach Luis de la Fuent was more severe in his response as he asked for "such people" to be removed from society.

FIFA World Cup 2026 | Spain fans target Egypt with anti-Muslim chants in friendly at Barcelona

Italy failed to qualify for a third consecutive World Cup as a play-off defeat on penalties to Bosnia and Hercegovina on Tuesday meant the Azzurri will not go to this year's tournament in North America, while Turkey, the Czech Republic and Sweden all secured their places at the finals. Italy have won the World Cup four times, but they failed to qualify for the 2018 and 2022 tournaments and will once again have to watch from afar as the field is expanded to 48 teams in the United States, Canada and Mexico.Bosnia won 4-1 in the shoot-out in Zenica after their play-off final finished 1-1 at the end of extra time, with Sandro Tonali the only Italy player to score from the spot as Francesco Pio Esposito blazed their first penalty over and Bryan Cristante smashed his kick against the crossbar.Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/iran-will-be-at-football-world-cup-2026-fifa-boss-gianni-infantino-confirms-amid-west-asia-conflict-donald-trump-iran-israel-war-1774969939393">‘Iran will be at the World Cup,’ FIFA boss confirms amid West Asia conflict</a>Moise Kean had given Gennaro Gattuso's Italy the lead on 15 minutes, but they were reduced to 10 men when Alessandro Bastoni was shown a straight red card late in the first half.Bosnia equalised on 79 minutes through Haris Tabakovic, and with no further goals in extra time the tie was decided on penalties."I don't think the boys deserved to suffer such a blow," said Gattuso. "It's difficult to digest."Ranked 66th in the world, Bosnia finished second in qualifying Group H behind Austria before beating Wales on penalties in their play-off semi-final.Their only previous World Cup appearance came in 2014. Now they go into Group B at this year's tournament along with Canada, Qatar and Switzerland.The 2014 edition is the last time Italy qualified. They went out in the group stage, like in 2010. They have not won a World Cup knockout game since they last lifted the trophy in 2006.In 2018 they failed to qualify after losing a two-legged play-off final to Sweden, and they also missed out in 2022 after losing a play-off to North Macedonia.<h2>Kosovo dream over</h2>Turkey qualified as Kerem Akturkoglu's 53rd-minute goal secured a 1-0 win in Kosovo, shattering their hosts' dream of appearing at the tournament for the first time.It will be Turkey's first appearance at a World Cup since reaching the semi-finals in 2002. Vincenzo Montella's team will go into Group D along with co-hosts the United States, Paraguay and Australia.Montella's side are ranked 22nd in the world but this will only be Turkey's third ever appearance at the World Cup -- they went to the 1954 tournament before coming third 24 years ago in South Korea and Japan."We achieved our dreams. The World Cup is the pinnacle in this profession," Montella told UEFA.com.Kosovo, ranked 78th, were targeting a first ever World Cup appearance, having only been accepted as FIFA members a decade ago.<h2>Gyokeres heroics, Danes denied</h2>Sweden recovered from a desperate performance in the group stage of qualifying to secure their place at the finals in dramatic fashion.Having beaten Ukraine 3-1 in last week's semi-final, they edged Poland 3-2 in Stockholm, with Arsenal's Viktor Gyokeres scoring an 88th-minute winner.Earlier, Sweden had twice taken the lead only to be pegged back, with Anthony Elanga's opener on 20 minutes cancelled out by Nicola Zalewski, only for Gustaf Lagerbielke to put the hosts back in front before half-time.Karol Swiderski got Poland's second early in the second half, but Gyokeres forced the ball over the line after a frantic goalmouth scramble late on.They finished bottom of qualifying Group B without a win, but secured a play-off spot thanks to their performances in the UEFA Nations League.Now coached by Englishman Graham Potter, they will go into Group F at the World Cup along with the Netherlands, Japan and Tunisia.The Czech Republic matched Bosnia's achievement by qualifying thanks to back-to-back shoot-out victories, as they followed their success against Ireland last week by defeating Denmark 3-1 on penalties in Prague.The match finished 2-2 after extra time, with Pavel Sulc firing the hosts ahead only for Joachim Andersen to head the Danes level.Ladislav Krejci then put the Czechs back in front in extra time, but Kasper Hogh made it 2-2.However, Denmark converted just one of their four penalties, with Rasmus Hojlund, Anders Dreyer and Mathias Jensen all failing from the spot as the Czechs qualify for a first World Cup since 2006.They go into Group A with South Africa, South Korea and Mexico.

Italy have won the World Cup four times, but they failed to qualify for the 2018 and 2022 tournaments and will once again have to watch from afar as the field is expanded to 48 teams in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Italy failed to qualify for a third consecutive World Cup as a play-off defeat on penalties to Bosnia and Hercegovina on Tuesday meant the Azzurri will not go to this year's tournament in North America, while Turkey, the Czech Republic and Sweden all secured their places at the finals. Italy have won the World Cup four times, but they failed to qualify for the 2018 and 2022 tournaments and will once again have to watch from afar as the field is expanded to 48 teams in the United States, Canada and Mexico. Bosnia won 4-1 in the shoot-out in Zenica after their play-off final finished 1-1 at the end of extra time, with Sandro Tonali the only Italy player to score from the spot as Francesco Pio Esposito blazed their first penalty over and Bryan Cristante smashed his kick against the crossbar. Also Read - ‘Iran will be at the World Cup,’ FIFA boss confirms amid West Asia conflict Moise Kean had given Gennaro Gattuso's Italy the lead on 15 minutes, but they were reduced to 10 men when Alessandro Bastoni was shown a straight red card late in the first half. Bosnia equalised on 79 minutes through Haris Tabakovic, and with no further goals in extra time the tie was decided on penalties. "I don't think the boys deserved to suffer such a blow," said Gattuso. "It's difficult to digest." Ranked 66th in the world, Bosnia finished second in qualifying Group H behind Austria before beating Wales on penalties in their play-off semi-final. Their only previous World Cup appearance came in 2014. Now they go into Group B at this year's tournament along with Canada, Qatar and Switzerland. The 2014 edition is the last time Italy qualified. They went out in the group stage, like in 2010. They have not won a World Cup knockout game since they last lifted the trophy in 2006. In 2018 they failed to qualify after losing a two-legged play-off final to Sweden, and they also missed out in 2022 after losing a play-off to North Macedonia. Kosovo dream over Turkey qualified as Kerem Akturkoglu's 53rd-minute goal secured a 1-0 win in Kosovo, shattering their hosts' dream of appearing at the tournament for the first time. It will be Turkey's first appearance at a World Cup since reaching the semi-finals in 2002. Vincenzo Montella's team will go into Group D along with co-hosts the United States, Paraguay and Australia. Montella's side are ranked 22nd in the world but this will only be Turkey's third ever appearance at the World Cup -- they went to the 1954 tournament before coming third 24 years ago in South Korea and Japan. "We achieved our dreams. The World Cup is the pinnacle in this profession," Montella told UEFA.com. Kosovo, ranked 78th, were targeting a first ever World Cup appearance, having only been accepted as FIFA members a decade ago. Gyokeres heroics, Danes denied Sweden recovered from a desperate performance in the group stage of qualifying to secure their place at the finals in dramatic fashion. Having beaten Ukraine 3-1 in last week's semi-final, they edged Poland 3-2 in Stockholm, with Arsenal's Viktor Gyokeres scoring an 88th-minute winner. Earlier, Sweden had twice taken the lead only to be pegged back, with Anthony Elanga's opener on 20 minutes cancelled out by Nicola Zalewski, only for Gustaf Lagerbielke to put the hosts back in front before half-time. Karol Swiderski got Poland's second early in the second half, but Gyokeres forced the ball over the line after a frantic goalmouth scramble late on. They finished bottom of qualifying Group B without a win, but secured a play-off spot thanks to their performances in the UEFA Nations League. Now coached by Englishman Graham Potter, they will go into Group F at the World Cup along with the Netherlands, Japan and Tunisia. The Czech Republic matched Bosnia's achievement by qualifying thanks to back-to-back shoot-out victories, as they followed their success against Ireland last week by defeating Denmark 3-1 on penalties in Prague. The match finished 2-2 after extra time, with Pavel Sulc firing the hosts ahead only for Joachim Andersen to head the Danes level. Ladislav Krejci then put the Czechs back in front in extra time, but Kasper Hogh made it 2-2. However, Denmark converted just one of their four penalties, with Rasmus Hojlund, Anders Dreyer and Mathias Jensen all failing from the spot as the Czechs qualify for a first World Cup since 2006. They go into Group A with South Africa, South Korea and Mexico.

Italy have won the World Cup four times, but they failed to qualify for the 2018 and 2022 tournaments and will once again have to watch from afar as the field is expanded to 48 teams in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

FIFA World Cup 2026 | Four-time winners Italy fail to qualify third consecutive time

The football world cup is less than 100 days away and the USA, which is co-hosting the tournament with Canada and Mexico, has made it a bit difficult for fans as well as athletes to attend the matches. The tournament begins June 11 and goes on till July 19 with the US hosting majority of matches in the 48-team event. In its latest order, the Trump administration had expanded the pilot policy of asking travelers to front up a bond ($5000-$15000) before entering the country. The policy, which started back in 2025 to curb illegal immigration, has now been extended to 50 more countries and five of them have qualified for the FIFA World Cup 2026.<h2>Fans and athletes of which country need to pay bond to enter US for FIFA World Cup 2026?</h2>In its new order, the US State department has expanded the 2025 policy of asking a visa bond from travelers of 50 countries to exit the US under visa terms. Five of those countries are Algeria, Cape Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal and Tunisia - all from Africa and qualified to play in the World Cup 2026. The bond is worth $15,000 and will be refunded when the traveler exists the country. Not only fans but the athletes and officials will also have to pay the bond money to secure their entry in the USA.Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/football-world-cup-2026-fifa-cancels-thousands-of-hotel-rooms-in-us-host-city-of-philadelphia-1774423117503">Football World Cup 2026 | FIFA cancels 2,000 hotel rooms in US's Philadelphia</a><h2>How does it affect the participation of countries?</h2>The five African countries which fall under the new rule from US State department are in low-income bracket. While the athletes and match officials may manage to secure the entry, thanks to funds by their football federation, it could be difficult for the fans to secure entry in the USA to watch their home country play.Tunisia have one group-stage match scheduled in the USA and rest two will be played in Mexico. Senegal and Côte d’Ivoire have two matches, in the group-stage, scheduled in the USA and one in Canada. Algeria and Cape Verde, meanwhile, play all their three group-stage matches in Mexico but might have to pay the visa bond if they advance to next stage.

In its new order, the US State department has expanded the 2025 policy of asking a visa bond from travelers of 50 countries to exit the US under visa terms. Five of those countries are Algeria, Cape Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal & Tunisia - all from Africa & qualified to play in the World Cup 2026.

The football world cup is less than 100 days away and the USA, which is co-hosting the tournament with Canada and Mexico, has made it a bit difficult for fans as well as athletes to attend the matches. The tournament begins June 11 and goes on till July 19 with the US hosting majority of matches in the 48-team event. In its latest order, the Trump administration had expanded the pilot policy of asking travelers to front up a bond ($5000-$15000) before entering the country. The policy, which started back in 2025 to curb illegal immigration, has now been extended to 50 more countries and five of them have qualified for the FIFA World Cup 2026. Fans and athletes of which country need to pay bond to enter US for FIFA World Cup 2026? In its new order, the US State department has expanded the 2025 policy of asking a visa bond from travelers of 50 countries to exit the US under visa terms. Five of those countries are Algeria, Cape Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal and Tunisia - all from Africa and qualified to play in the World Cup 2026. The bond is worth $15,000 and will be refunded when the traveler exists the country. Not only fans but the athletes and officials will also have to pay the bond money to secure their entry in the USA. Also Read - Football World Cup 2026 | FIFA cancels 2,000 hotel rooms in US's Philadelphia How does it affect the participation of countries? The five African countries which fall under the new rule from US State department are in low-income bracket. While the athletes and match officials may manage to secure the entry, thanks to funds by their football federation, it could be difficult for the fans to secure entry in the USA to watch their home country play. Tunisia have one group-stage match scheduled in the USA and rest two will be played in Mexico. Senegal and Côte d’Ivoire have two matches, in the group-stage, scheduled in the USA and one in Canada. Algeria and Cape Verde, meanwhile, play all their three group-stage matches in Mexico but might have to pay the visa bond if they advance to next stage.

In its new order, the US State department has expanded the 2025 policy of asking a visa bond from travelers of 50 countries to exit the US under visa terms. Five of those countries are Algeria, Cape Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal and Tunisia - all from Africa and qualified to play in the World Cup 2026.

Football World Cup 2026 | US entry to cost $15,000 for players and fans of five African nations

With less than 100 days left before the football World Cup 2026 begins on Jun 11, the game's apex governing body FIFA has cancelled couple of thousands of room in one of the host cities - Philadelphia, USA. The 48-team tournament is being co-hosted by the USA, Mexico, and Canada. The move to cancel the room reservations, if FIFA is to be believed, is standard practice i order to streamline things near the start the of the event. The move, nonetheless, is a setback for hotels in Philadelphia which would now hope for fans to fill up the vacant accomodations.<h2>Why did FIFA cancel hotel rooms in Philadelphia?</h2>FIFA cancelling the reserved room in Philadelphia is nothing more than a standard pratices. The governing body of football had booked nearly 10,000 rooms but has cancelled only 2,000 after getting clarity about requirement as the tournament nears. The rooms were booked for various match officials and other members of crew including technicians to ensure a smooth conduct of the event. The cancellations are standard practice after overbooking intially to avoid the scarcity later on.Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/fifa-world-cup-2026-us-host-cities-struggling-with-security-planning-over-funding-freeze-1772117431421">FIFA World Cup 2026 | US host cities struggling with planning over funding freeze</a>According to Ed Grose, president and CEO of the Greater Philadelphia Hotel Association, four Centre City hotels were most affected by FIFA's cancellations. Gorse, however, confirmed that everything was done under terms contract by FIFA and no penalties will be levied on the football organization.While we were not excited about that, it's not the end of the world either," Grose said as reported by ABC's Action News. "These are rooms that are going to be put back out on the marketplace and sold to fans who want to come to Philadelphia."<h2>Which cities in the USA are hosting FIFA World Cup 2026 matches?</h2>The FIFA World Cup 2026 starts June 11 with the US hosting the first match on June 12 in Los Angeles and 15 other cities as the host for 77 other matches. The cities in the US which will be hosting the FIFA World Cup, apart from LA, are Atlanta, Dallas, Boston, Houston, Kansas City, Miami, New York/New Jersey, Philadelphia, Seattle, and San Francisco Bay Area.

FIFA cancelling the reserved room in Philadelphia is nothing more than a standard pratices. The governing body of football had booked nearly 10,000 rooms but has cancelled only 2,000 after getting clarity about requirement as the tournament nears.

With less than 100 days left before the football World Cup 2026 begins on Jun 11, the game's apex governing body FIFA has cancelled couple of thousands of room in one of the host cities - Philadelphia, USA. The 48-team tournament is being co-hosted by the USA, Mexico, and Canada. The move to cancel the room reservations, if FIFA is to be believed, is standard practice i order to streamline things near the start the of the event. The move, nonetheless, is a setback for hotels in Philadelphia which would now hope for fans to fill up the vacant accomodations. Why did FIFA cancel hotel rooms in Philadelphia? FIFA cancelling the reserved room in Philadelphia is nothing more than a standard pratices. The governing body of football had booked nearly 10,000 rooms but has cancelled only 2,000 after getting clarity about requirement as the tournament nears. The rooms were booked for various match officials and other members of crew including technicians to ensure a smooth conduct of the event. The cancellations are standard practice after overbooking intially to avoid the scarcity later on. Also Read - FIFA World Cup 2026 | US host cities struggling with planning over funding freeze According to Ed Grose, president and CEO of the Greater Philadelphia Hotel Association, four Centre City hotels were most affected by FIFA's cancellations. Gorse, however, confirmed that everything was done under terms contract by FIFA and no penalties will be levied on the football organization. While we were not excited about that, it's not the end of the world either," Grose said as reported by ABC's Action News. "These are rooms that are going to be put back out on the marketplace and sold to fans who want to come to Philadelphia." Which cities in the USA are hosting FIFA World Cup 2026 matches? The FIFA World Cup 2026 starts June 11 with the US hosting the first match on June 12 in Los Angeles and 15 other cities as the host for 77 other matches. The cities in the US which will be hosting the FIFA World Cup, apart from LA, are Atlanta, Dallas, Boston, Houston, Kansas City, Miami, New York/New Jersey, Philadelphia, Seattle, and San Francisco Bay Area.

FIFA cancelling the reserved room in Philadelphia is nothing more than a standard pratices. The governing body of football had booked nearly 10,000 rooms but has cancelled only 2,000 after getting clarity about requirement as the tournament nears.

Football World Cup 2026 | FIFA cancels thousands of hotel rooms in US host city of Philadelphia

FIFA President Gianni Infantino has stated that the 2026 FIFA World Cup will go ahead as scheduled, despite uncertainty over Iran’s participation due to regional conflicts with Israel and the United States. The tournament, co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, will feature 104 matches, beginning on June 11 in Mexico City and concluding with the final on July 19 in New Jersey. Iran has already qualified for the 48‑team tournament and been placed in Group G, with scheduled group matches against Belgium, New Zealand and Egypt in Los Angeles and Seattle. However, the ongoing regional conflict has raised questions about whether they will be able to compete in the United States.&nbsp;Despite this, Infantino said that FIFA expects all 48 teams to participate and compete with respect and fairness. He said FIFA is preparing for the tournament as scheduled and hopes to confirm all teams soon.&nbsp;"FIFA is looking forward to all teams participating at the World Cup to compete in a spirit of fair play and mutual respect," Infantino said during an online FIFA Council meeting from Zurich, as quoted by France24. "We have a schedule. We will soon have the 48 competing teams confirmed, and we want the World Cup to go ahead as scheduled," the FIFA President added.&nbsp;Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/-teams-will-come-hard-at-us-virat-kohli-warns-rcb-teammates-ahead-of-ipl-2026-1774066117859">‘Teams will come hard at us’: Virat Kohli warns RCB teammates ahead of IPL 2026</a>&nbsp;FIFA President's comments came just a few days after Mehdi Taj, who is President of the Football Federation of the Islamic Republic of Iran (FFIRI), said that Iran is in talks with FIFA to relocate its World Cup 2026 group matches to Mexico instead in USA, citing serious concerns about the team's security and political tensions surrounding the tournament. In a post on X, Taj stated that US President Donald Trump has explicitly indicated that he cannot ensure the safety of the Iranian national team, a remark that has deepened Tehran's apprehensions about travelling to the US for World Cup fixtures.&nbsp;Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/india-set-to-return-to-belfast-after-19-years-as-ireland-t20i-series-schedule-released-1774068077917">India set to return to Belfast after 19 years as Ireland T20I series schedule released</a> "When Trump has explicitly stated that he cannot ensure the security of the Iranian national team, we will certainly not travel to America/We are currently negotiating with FIFA to hold Iran's matches in the World Cup in Mexico," he said in a post on X. Iranian Sports Minister Ahmad Donyamali also said that the country cannot participate in the 2026 FIFA World Cup as the United States killed the country's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, reported Al Jazeera, citing Reuters. "Considering that this corrupt regime the US has assassinated our leader, under no circumstances can we participate in the World Cup," Ahmad Donyamali told state television, according to the report.&nbsp;With inputs from agencies

Iran has already qualified for the 48‑team tournament and been placed in Group G, with scheduled group matches against Belgium, New Zealand and Egypt in Los Angeles and Seattle.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino has stated that the 2026 FIFA World Cup will go ahead as scheduled, despite uncertainty over Iran’s participation due to regional conflicts with Israel and the United States. The tournament, co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, will feature 104 matches, beginning on June 11 in Mexico City and concluding with the final on July 19 in New Jersey. Iran has already qualified for the 48‑team tournament and been placed in Group G, with scheduled group matches against Belgium, New Zealand and Egypt in Los Angeles and Seattle. However, the ongoing regional conflict has raised questions about whether they will be able to compete in the United States. Despite this, Infantino said that FIFA expects all 48 teams to participate and compete with respect and fairness. He said FIFA is preparing for the tournament as scheduled and hopes to confirm all teams soon. "FIFA is looking forward to all teams participating at the World Cup to compete in a spirit of fair play and mutual respect," Infantino said during an online FIFA Council meeting from Zurich, as quoted by France24. "We have a schedule. We will soon have the 48 competing teams confirmed, and we want the World Cup to go ahead as scheduled," the FIFA President added. Also Read - ‘Teams will come hard at us’: Virat Kohli warns RCB teammates ahead of IPL 2026 FIFA President's comments came just a few days after Mehdi Taj, who is President of the Football Federation of the Islamic Republic of Iran (FFIRI), said that Iran is in talks with FIFA to relocate its World Cup 2026 group matches to Mexico instead in USA, citing serious concerns about the team's security and political tensions surrounding the tournament. In a post on X, Taj stated that US President Donald Trump has explicitly indicated that he cannot ensure the safety of the Iranian national team, a remark that has deepened Tehran's apprehensions about travelling to the US for World Cup fixtures. Also Read - India set to return to Belfast after 19 years as Ireland T20I series schedule released "When Trump has explicitly stated that he cannot ensure the security of the Iranian national team, we will certainly not travel to America/We are currently negotiating with FIFA to hold Iran's matches in the World Cup in Mexico," he said in a post on X. Iranian Sports Minister Ahmad Donyamali also said that the country cannot participate in the 2026 FIFA World Cup as the United States killed the country's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, reported Al Jazeera, citing Reuters. "Considering that this corrupt regime the US has assassinated our leader, under no circumstances can we participate in the World Cup," Ahmad Donyamali told state television, according to the report. With inputs from agencies

Iran has already qualified for the 48‑team tournament and been placed in Group G, with scheduled group matches against Belgium, New Zealand and Egypt in Los Angeles and Seattle.

‘Want World Cup to go ahead as scheduled’: FIFA President Gianni Infantino amid concerns over Iran’s participation

FIFA fined the Israeli Football Association (IFA) 150,000 Swiss francs ($190,700) on Thursday for "multiple breaches" of its anti-discrimination obligations. A report by the disciplinary committee of world football's governing body found the IFA "failed to take meaningful action against Beitar Jerusalem" for "persistent and well-documented racist behaviour". In October 2024, the Palestine Football Association reported allegations of discrimination by the IFA to FIFA, which initiated an investigation. FIFA did not opt for the sanction requested by the Palestinian FA, which argued for a suspension of the IFA.Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/-we-ll-boycott-america-but-iran-clears-stance-on-fifa-world-cup-2026-participation-1773909607242">'We'll boycott America, but...': Iran on FIFA World Cup 2026 participation</a>But the IFA was found to have failed to "abide by FIFA's statutory objectives", in a lengthy decision published by its disciplinary committee, which listed several racist incidents in Israeli football.The disciplinary committee highlighted "deficient and substantively inadequate" sanctions against Israeli club Beitar for racist and discriminatory behaviour."Supporters have engaged in persistent and well-documented racist behaviour," the report said of Beitar fans."The club's use of slogans such as 'forever pure', and the repeated chanting of ethnic slurs such as 'terrorist' directed at Arab players are not isolated incidents but rather form part of a systemic pattern of conduct that offends the basic rules of decent behaviour and brings the sport into disrepute."The committee underlined that said club is only a small example of a general failure by the IFA."The IFA was issued with a warning and was ordered to display a "significant and highly visible banner" at its next three FIFA competition home matches, stating "Football Unites the World - No to Discrimination".The IFA will also have to invest one-third of the fine towards implementing a plan to "ensure action against discrimination and to prevent repeated incidents".The report also said that the IFA's failure to respond to "political and militaristic messaging" by the CEO of the Israeli professional league and by Maccabi Netanya "further compounds its breach"."The IFA has made no public statements condemning racism, has not launched any Anti Discrimination campaigns, and has not taken steps to foster inclusion of Arab or Palestinian players," the report continued.“It has not used its platform to promote peace or to counteract the politicisation of football by affiliated clubs and officials.”<h2>'No action' over Israeli teams in West Bank</h2>After a separate investigation, FIFA announced no action would be taken against the IFA over allegations that Israeli clubs based in the occupied West Bank were taking part in Israel's leagues."FIFA should take no action given that, in the context of the interpretation of the relevant provisions of the FIFA statutes, the final legal status of the West Bank remains an unresolved and highly complex matter under public international law," FIFA's governance, audit and compliance committee said in a statement.In 2024, United Nations experts -- mandated by the Human Rights Council but not speaking on behalf of the UN -- said at least eight football clubs had been identified as playing in "Israeli colonial settlements" and called on FIFA to "fulfil its responsibility to respect human rights"."The autonomy and self-regulation in sport must not be detrimental to fundamental human rights," the experts said.In addition to roughly three million Palestinians, more than 500,000 Israelis live in settlements and outposts in the West Bank, which are illegal under international law.

IFA was found to have failed to "abide by FIFA's statutory objectives", in a lengthy decision published by its disciplinary committee, which listed several racist incidents in Israeli football.

FIFA fined the Israeli Football Association (IFA) 150,000 Swiss francs ($190,700) on Thursday for "multiple breaches" of its anti-discrimination obligations. A report by the disciplinary committee of world football's governing body found the IFA "failed to take meaningful action against Beitar Jerusalem" for "persistent and well-documented racist behaviour". In October 2024, the Palestine Football Association reported allegations of discrimination by the IFA to FIFA, which initiated an investigation. FIFA did not opt for the sanction requested by the Palestinian FA, which argued for a suspension of the IFA. Also Read - 'We'll boycott America, but...': Iran on FIFA World Cup 2026 participation But the IFA was found to have failed to "abide by FIFA's statutory objectives", in a lengthy decision published by its disciplinary committee, which listed several racist incidents in Israeli football. The disciplinary committee highlighted "deficient and substantively inadequate" sanctions against Israeli club Beitar for racist and discriminatory behaviour. "Supporters have engaged in persistent and well-documented racist behaviour," the report said of Beitar fans. "The club's use of slogans such as 'forever pure', and the repeated chanting of ethnic slurs such as 'terrorist' directed at Arab players are not isolated incidents but rather form part of a systemic pattern of conduct that offends the basic rules of decent behaviour and brings the sport into disrepute. "The committee underlined that said club is only a small example of a general failure by the IFA." The IFA was issued with a warning and was ordered to display a "significant and highly visible banner" at its next three FIFA competition home matches, stating "Football Unites the World - No to Discrimination". The IFA will also have to invest one-third of the fine towards implementing a plan to "ensure action against discrimination and to prevent repeated incidents". The report also said that the IFA's failure to respond to "political and militaristic messaging" by the CEO of the Israeli professional league and by Maccabi Netanya "further compounds its breach". "The IFA has made no public statements condemning racism, has not launched any Anti Discrimination campaigns, and has not taken steps to foster inclusion of Arab or Palestinian players," the report continued. “It has not used its platform to promote peace or to counteract the politicisation of football by affiliated clubs and officials.” 'No action' over Israeli teams in West Bank After a separate investigation, FIFA announced no action would be taken against the IFA over allegations that Israeli clubs based in the occupied West Bank were taking part in Israel's leagues. "FIFA should take no action given that, in the context of the interpretation of the relevant provisions of the FIFA statutes, the final legal status of the West Bank remains an unresolved and highly complex matter under public international law," FIFA's governance, audit and compliance committee said in a statement. In 2024, United Nations experts -- mandated by the Human Rights Council but not speaking on behalf of the UN -- said at least eight football clubs had been identified as playing in "Israeli colonial settlements" and called on FIFA to "fulfil its responsibility to respect human rights". "The autonomy and self-regulation in sport must not be detrimental to fundamental human rights," the experts said. In addition to roughly three million Palestinians, more than 500,000 Israelis live in settlements and outposts in the West Bank, which are illegal under international law.

IFA was found to have failed to "abide by FIFA's statutory objectives", in a lengthy decision published by its disciplinary committee, which listed several racist incidents in Israeli football.

FIFA reprimands Israeli Football Association for breaching anti-discrimination objectives

FIFA, the apex body of football in the world, has appeared to have shot down Iran's request of moving Football World Cup 2026 matches outside the USA. This development comes as Iran said it is 'negotiating' with the world football body to <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/iran-trying-to-pull-a-pakistan-in-fifa-world-cup-2026-middle-eastern-country-negotiating-to-move-matches-outside-usa-1773727139996">move matches outside the USA</a> amid ongoing conflict with US and Israel. The FIFA World Cup 2026 is being hosted jointly by USA, Canada, and Mexico from Jun 11 to Jul 19. Iran is in Group G and has three group-stage matches scheduled in th USA - two in Los Angeles and one in Seattle.<h2>FIFA says no to Iran's request of moving matches outside USA?</h2>Iran's football federation head Mehadi Taj had said via the social media handle of country's embassy in Mexico that 'it is negotiating' with FIFA to moves group stage matches outside USA. Iran's statement came after Trump had said that the Middle Eastern country is 'welcome to play' but should 'avoid coming to the USA for their own safety.'Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/football-world-cup-2026-to-be-sent-off-fifa-boss-infantino-on-players-covering-mouth-during-argument-in-tournament-1772513674075">Football World Cup 2026 | 'To be sent off': FIFA boss Infantino on players covering mouth during argument in tournament</a>Mehadi had cited Trump's comment in his post on X while informing about the negoatiations with FIFA which the apex sports body appears to have shot down,."FIFA is in regular contact with all participating member associations, including Iran, to discuss planning for the World Cup," said the world body as reported by BBC Sport. "FIFA is looking forward to all participating teams competing as per the match schedule announced on 6 December 2025."<h2>What next for Iran?</h2>Earlier, Iran was hinting at not attending the FIFA World Cup, citing the conflict which started with US and Israel launched joint strikes on Iran on Feb 28, killing the country's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenie. Trump, meanwhile, replied back by saying he 'doesn't care' if Iran plays in the World Cup.FIFA chief Gianni Infantino, meanwhile, said that he had spoken to the US president and Trump had assured him of 'welcoming' Iran. The US, notably, had banned the Iran nationals from coming in to the country with an exception for FIFA World Cup 2026 and LA 28 athletes.

The FIFA World Cup 2026 is being hosted jointly by USA, Canada, and Mexico from Jun 11 to Jul 19. Iran is in Group G and has three group-stage matches scheduled in th USA - two in Los Angeles and one in Seattle.

FIFA, the apex body of football in the world, has appeared to have shot down Iran's request of moving Football World Cup 2026 matches outside the USA. This development comes as Iran said it is 'negotiating' with the world football body to move matches outside the USA amid ongoing conflict with US and Israel. The FIFA World Cup 2026 is being hosted jointly by USA, Canada, and Mexico from Jun 11 to Jul 19. Iran is in Group G and has three group-stage matches scheduled in th USA - two in Los Angeles and one in Seattle. FIFA says no to Iran's request of moving matches outside USA? Iran's football federation head Mehadi Taj had said via the social media handle of country's embassy in Mexico that 'it is negotiating' with FIFA to moves group stage matches outside USA. Iran's statement came after Trump had said that the Middle Eastern country is 'welcome to play' but should 'avoid coming to the USA for their own safety.' Also Read - Football World Cup 2026 | 'To be sent off': FIFA boss Infantino on players covering mouth during argument in tournament Mehadi had cited Trump's comment in his post on X while informing about the negoatiations with FIFA which the apex sports body appears to have shot down,. "FIFA is in regular contact with all participating member associations, including Iran, to discuss planning for the World Cup," said the world body as reported by BBC Sport. "FIFA is looking forward to all participating teams competing as per the match schedule announced on 6 December 2025." What next for Iran? Earlier, Iran was hinting at not attending the FIFA World Cup, citing the conflict which started with US and Israel launched joint strikes on Iran on Feb 28, killing the country's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenie. Trump, meanwhile, replied back by saying he 'doesn't care' if Iran plays in the World Cup. FIFA chief Gianni Infantino, meanwhile, said that he had spoken to the US president and Trump had assured him of 'welcoming' Iran. The US, notably, had banned the Iran nationals from coming in to the country with an exception for FIFA World Cup 2026 and LA 28 athletes.

The FIFA World Cup 2026 is being hosted jointly by USA, Canada, and Mexico from Jun 11 to Jul 19. Iran is in Group G and has three group-stage matches scheduled in th USA - two in Los Angeles and one in Seattle.

Football World Cup 2026 | FIFA not moving Iran's matches outside USA and expect teams to as announced schedule

The upcoming Football World Cup 2026 will show the TV advertisments during the water breakes in matches after being permitted from the sport's governing body FIFA. The tournament is scheduled to be played from Jun 11 to Jul 19 and is being co-hosted by the USA, Mexico, and Canada. The water breaks have been introduced as a player welfare measure to ensure the hydration during the summer in the region. The FIFA has introduced the water breaks in all matches this World Cup after the previous tournaments in the United States, Club World Cup being the most recent, saw heat exceeding the thresholds and triggering breaks among players. To ensure the uniformity, all 104 matches in the upcoming event will have the water breaks.<h2>All FIFA World Cup 2026 matches to have water breaks</h2>As per FIFA, all the matches have three-minute break midway in the each half of the 90-minute match. The broadcasters can either show ads in split screen, showing ads for FIFA partners only or a full cut-away from the match where broadcasters are allowed to show any ads.Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/us-president-donald-trump-hosts-messi-inter-miami-players-at-white-house-for-winning-2025-mls-cup-championship-1772756747150">Trump hosts Messi, Inter Miami players at White House for winning 2025 MLS Cup</a>While showing the full cut-away ads though, the baoradcasters must not start the ad inside 20 seconds of the refree announcing the hydration break and must return to action with more than 30 seconds left in the break - giving the broadcaster a little over two minutes to show the adverts.<h2>Players to be sent off for covering mouth in FIFA World Cup 2026</h2>FIFA boss Gianni Infantino has called for red card for players who cover their mouth during the altercation with oppostion players in the upcoming Football World Cup 2026. The statement comes amid Gianluca Prestianni of Portugese club Benfica being investigated for alleged racial abuse towards Real Madrid's Vinicious Jr. The incident happend in Real Madrid vs Benfica Champions League knockout playoff first leg match.

While showing the full cut-away ads though, the baoradcasters must not start the ad inside 20 seconds of the refree announcing the hydration break and must return to action with more than 30 seconds left in the break.

The upcoming Football World Cup 2026 will show the TV advertisments during the water breakes in matches after being permitted from the sport's governing body FIFA. The tournament is scheduled to be played from Jun 11 to Jul 19 and is being co-hosted by the USA, Mexico, and Canada. The water breaks have been introduced as a player welfare measure to ensure the hydration during the summer in the region. The FIFA has introduced the water breaks in all matches this World Cup after the previous tournaments in the United States, Club World Cup being the most recent, saw heat exceeding the thresholds and triggering breaks among players. To ensure the uniformity, all 104 matches in the upcoming event will have the water breaks. All FIFA World Cup 2026 matches to have water breaks As per FIFA, all the matches have three-minute break midway in the each half of the 90-minute match. The broadcasters can either show ads in split screen, showing ads for FIFA partners only or a full cut-away from the match where broadcasters are allowed to show any ads. Also Read - Trump hosts Messi, Inter Miami players at White House for winning 2025 MLS Cup While showing the full cut-away ads though, the baoradcasters must not start the ad inside 20 seconds of the refree announcing the hydration break and must return to action with more than 30 seconds left in the break - giving the broadcaster a little over two minutes to show the adverts. Players to be sent off for covering mouth in FIFA World Cup 2026 FIFA boss Gianni Infantino has called for red card for players who cover their mouth during the altercation with oppostion players in the upcoming Football World Cup 2026. The statement comes amid Gianluca Prestianni of Portugese club Benfica being investigated for alleged racial abuse towards Real Madrid's Vinicious Jr. The incident happend in Real Madrid vs Benfica Champions League knockout playoff first leg match.

While showing the full cut-away ads though, the baoradcasters must not start the ad inside 20 seconds of the refree announcing the hydration break and must return to action with more than 30 seconds left in the break.

Football World Cup 2026 | FIFA allows TV ads during water breaks in all 104 matches

The FIFA World Cup 2026 host cities in the USA (co-host with Mexico and Canada) have warned the Congress on Tuesday (Feb 24) that funding freeze on the earmarked money could spell disaster for the country in the upcoming tournament. The issues were raised during the House Homeland Security Committee hearing. The major issue was not getting the money from Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) which falls under the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The department is facing freeze on the funding following death of two US citizens in Minneapolis by ICE agents with Tuesday (Feb 24) being the 11th day of funding freeze.&nbsp;<h2>FIFA World Cup 2026 host cities in US dealing with money crunch</h2>Nearly $900 million has been earmarked for the host cities by FEMA for the 11 host cities. According to FEMA website,$625 million was marked for "to enhance security and preparedness" in the host cities of the tournament while $250 million was "to strengthen their ability to detect, identify, track, or mitigate" drone threats.The officials who testifies at the ceremony, meanwhile, said that the agencies responsible for smooth functioning of the event in respective cities have not been up to the mark in coordinating with the federal government and among themselves on the issues.The committee also heard other issues which could potentially disrupt the event including drone threats, human trafficking, ICE being part of security and the recent violence in Mexico because of the killing of drug cartel leader El Mencho.Ray Martinez, the COO of Miami World Cup host committee, which has applied for $70 million in federal funds, said: "We're 107 days out from the tournament but, more importantly, we're about 70-something days out from starting to build the Fan Fest. These decisions have to be made. ...Without receiving this money, it could be catastrophic for our planning and coordination."<h2>FIFA World Cup dates and venues in US</h2>The FIFA World Cup 2026 starts June 11 with the US hosting the first match on June 12 in Los Angeles and 15 other cities as the host for 77 other matches. The cities in the US which will be hosting the FIFA World Cup, apart from LA, are Atlanta, Dallas, Boston, Houston, Kansas City, Miami, New York/New Jersey, Philadelphia, Seattle, and San Francisco Bay Area.

The major is was not getting the money from FEMA which falls under the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The department is facing freeze on the funding following death of two US citizens in Minneapolis by ICE agents with Tuesday (Feb 24) being the 11th day of funding freeze.

The FIFA World Cup 2026 host cities in the USA (co-host with Mexico and Canada) have warned the Congress on Tuesday (Feb 24) that funding freeze on the earmarked money could spell disaster for the country in the upcoming tournament. The issues were raised during the House Homeland Security Committee hearing. The major issue was not getting the money from Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) which falls under the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The department is facing freeze on the funding following death of two US citizens in Minneapolis by ICE agents with Tuesday (Feb 24) being the 11th day of funding freeze. FIFA World Cup 2026 host cities in US dealing with money crunch Nearly $900 million has been earmarked for the host cities by FEMA for the 11 host cities. According to FEMA website,$625 million was marked for "to enhance security and preparedness" in the host cities of the tournament while $250 million was "to strengthen their ability to detect, identify, track, or mitigate" drone threats. The officials who testifies at the ceremony, meanwhile, said that the agencies responsible for smooth functioning of the event in respective cities have not been up to the mark in coordinating with the federal government and among themselves on the issues. The committee also heard other issues which could potentially disrupt the event including drone threats, human trafficking, ICE being part of security and the recent violence in Mexico because of the killing of drug cartel leader El Mencho. Ray Martinez, the COO of Miami World Cup host committee, which has applied for $70 million in federal funds, said: "We're 107 days out from the tournament but, more importantly, we're about 70-something days out from starting to build the Fan Fest. These decisions have to be made. ...Without receiving this money, it could be catastrophic for our planning and coordination." FIFA World Cup dates and venues in US The FIFA World Cup 2026 starts June 11 with the US hosting the first match on June 12 in Los Angeles and 15 other cities as the host for 77 other matches. The cities in the US which will be hosting the FIFA World Cup, apart from LA, are Atlanta, Dallas, Boston, Houston, Kansas City, Miami, New York/New Jersey, Philadelphia, Seattle, and San Francisco Bay Area.

The major is was not getting the money from FEMA which falls under the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The department is facing freeze on the funding following death of two US citizens in Minneapolis by ICE agents with Tuesday (Feb 24) being the 11th day of funding freeze.

FIFA World Cup 2026 | US host cities struggling with planning over funding freeze

FIFA president Gianni Infantino has brushed aside any security concern about Mexico hosting the upcoming World Cup 2026 matches. The statement, made by Infantino in Colombia on Tuesday (Feb 224), came on the back of recent violence in the World Cup co-host following the death of drug cartel leader Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes aka El Mencho on Feb 22. Guadalajara, one of the FIFA World Cup host cities in the country, was in focus as it was the one of the most affected areas and was the capital city of El Mencho's drug operation's base state Jalisco. The World Cup is scheduled from June 11 to July 19 in the USA, Canada, and Mexico.<h2>FIFA boss speaks on Mexico's future as World Cup co-host</h2>"Very reassured, everything's good. It's going to be spectacular," Infantino said in Columbia's Barranquilla as reported by news agency AFP. The statement came two days after the Mexican Army killed El Mencho in an operation near Guadalajara in which 70-plus cartel members were left dead.After the news of El Mencho's killing, the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (JNGC) members went on a rampage in the country, torching vehicles and blocking roads. 20 of Mexico's 32 states were affected by the violence.Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/champions-league-barcelona-asks-to-move-r16-second-leg-home-match-because-of-presidential-election-on-march-15-1771985355112">Champions League: Barcelona asks to move R16 second-leg home fixture - Here's why</a>Apart from Guadajalara, Mexico City and Monterrey will also host the World Cup matches and were not affected by the violence. Mexican president Claudia Sheinbaum, meanwhile, had assured that fans are at 'no risk' and the situation is 'gradually returning to normal.'<h2>FIFA World Cup match schedule in Mexico</h2>Guadalajara will host the matches on June 12 (Korea vs qualifier), June 19 (Mexico vs Korea), June 24 (Colombia vs qualifier), and June 27 (Uruguay vs Spain). &nbsp;Apart from the four matches, the venue will also co-host the playoff tournament along with Monterrey to detemine the final two teams of the quadrennial event.As for Mexico City, it will host Mexico vs South Africa (June 12), Uzbekistan vs Colombia (June 18), Qualifier 1 vs Mexico (June 25), Round of 32 match (Jul 1), and one Round of 16 match (Jul 6).The third venue Monterrey will host Qualifier team vs Tunisia (June 15), Japan vs Tunisia (June 21), South Africs vs Korea (June 25), and a Round of 32 match (June 30).

Guadalajara, one of the FIFA World Cup host cities in the country, was in focus as it was the one of the most affected areas and was the capital city of El Mencho's drug operation's base state Jalisco. The World Cup is scheduled from June 11 to July 19 in the USA, Canada, and Mexico.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino has brushed aside any security concern about Mexico hosting the upcoming World Cup 2026 matches. The statement, made by Infantino in Colombia on Tuesday (Feb 224), came on the back of recent violence in the World Cup co-host following the death of drug cartel leader Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes aka El Mencho on Feb 22. Guadalajara, one of the FIFA World Cup host cities in the country, was in focus as it was the one of the most affected areas and was the capital city of El Mencho's drug operation's base state Jalisco. The World Cup is scheduled from June 11 to July 19 in the USA, Canada, and Mexico. FIFA boss speaks on Mexico's future as World Cup co-host "Very reassured, everything's good. It's going to be spectacular," Infantino said in Columbia's Barranquilla as reported by news agency AFP. The statement came two days after the Mexican Army killed El Mencho in an operation near Guadalajara in which 70-plus cartel members were left dead. After the news of El Mencho's killing, the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (JNGC) members went on a rampage in the country, torching vehicles and blocking roads. 20 of Mexico's 32 states were affected by the violence. Also Read - Champions League: Barcelona asks to move R16 second-leg home fixture - Here's why Apart from Guadajalara, Mexico City and Monterrey will also host the World Cup matches and were not affected by the violence. Mexican president Claudia Sheinbaum, meanwhile, had assured that fans are at 'no risk' and the situation is 'gradually returning to normal.' FIFA World Cup match schedule in Mexico Guadalajara will host the matches on June 12 (Korea vs qualifier), June 19 (Mexico vs Korea), June 24 (Colombia vs qualifier), and June 27 (Uruguay vs Spain). Apart from the four matches, the venue will also co-host the playoff tournament along with Monterrey to detemine the final two teams of the quadrennial event. As for Mexico City, it will host Mexico vs South Africa (June 12), Uzbekistan vs Colombia (June 18), Qualifier 1 vs Mexico (June 25), Round of 32 match (Jul 1), and one Round of 16 match (Jul 6). The third venue Monterrey will host Qualifier team vs Tunisia (June 15), Japan vs Tunisia (June 21), South Africs vs Korea (June 25), and a Round of 32 match (June 30).

Guadalajara, one of the FIFA World Cup host cities in the country, was in focus as it was the one of the most affected areas and was the capital city of El Mencho's drug operation's base state Jalisco. The World Cup is scheduled from June 11 to July 19 in the USA, Canada, and Mexico.

World Cup 2026 | 'Everything good,' says FIFA chief Infantino on violence-hit Mexico hosting matches

FIFA plans to suggest a new rule that would require injured players to stay off the field for one minute after receiving medical treatment. The goal is to stop time-wasting, reduce interruptions and improve the flow of matches. According to the reports, the idea will be discussed at the Annual General Meeting of International Football Association Board (IFAB) on Saturday. If IFAB agrees, the rule will become part of football’s official Laws of the Game worldwide.&nbsp;At the moment, the Laws of the Game do not say how long a player must stay off the field after the medical treatment. This means different leagues can create their own rules. For example, the Premier League has used a 30-second rule since the 2023-24 season.&nbsp;“Leagues have the right to set their own guidelines, with the Premier League adopting a 30-second rule since the 2023-24 season,” the BBC reported.&nbsp;Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/-obviously-discriminating-ex-england-csk-player-on-pak-players-facing-shadow-ban-by-ipl-linked-team-at-hundred-1771918268434">'Obviously discriminating': Ex-England &amp; CSK player Moeen Ali on Pak players facing shadow ban by IPL-linked teams in Hundred</a>&nbsp;FIFA also conducted trials during the Arab Cup in December, where injured players had to stay off the field for two minutes. FIFA’s head of referees, Pierluigi Collina, said the trial was meant to cut down on time-wasting and to speed up the game.&nbsp;In January, IFAB members agreed that a fixed time should be added to the rules, but they debated how long it should be. The original two-minute idea faced strong criticism, so officials suggested a shorter, one-minute period instead.&nbsp;Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/winter-olympics-2026-gold-medallist-usa-women-s-hockey-team-declines-president-trump-s-invitation-to-white-house-1771902004647">Winter Olympics | USA Women's hockey team says no to Trump's invitation to WH</a>&nbsp;The proposed one-minute rule is similar to the system used in Major League Soccer (MLS) in the United States. In MLS, players who stay on the ground for more than 15 seconds and need medical help must leave the field.&nbsp;

FIFA also conducted trials during the Arab Cup in December, where injured players had to stay off the field for two minutes.

FIFA plans to suggest a new rule that would require injured players to stay off the field for one minute after receiving medical treatment. The goal is to stop time-wasting, reduce interruptions and improve the flow of matches. According to the reports, the idea will be discussed at the Annual General Meeting of International Football Association Board (IFAB) on Saturday. If IFAB agrees, the rule will become part of football’s official Laws of the Game worldwide. At the moment, the Laws of the Game do not say how long a player must stay off the field after the medical treatment. This means different leagues can create their own rules. For example, the Premier League has used a 30-second rule since the 2023-24 season. “Leagues have the right to set their own guidelines, with the Premier League adopting a 30-second rule since the 2023-24 season,” the BBC reported. Also Read - 'Obviously discriminating': Ex-England & CSK player Moeen Ali on Pak players facing shadow ban by IPL-linked teams in Hundred FIFA also conducted trials during the Arab Cup in December, where injured players had to stay off the field for two minutes. FIFA’s head of referees, Pierluigi Collina, said the trial was meant to cut down on time-wasting and to speed up the game. In January, IFAB members agreed that a fixed time should be added to the rules, but they debated how long it should be. The original two-minute idea faced strong criticism, so officials suggested a shorter, one-minute period instead. Also Read - Winter Olympics | USA Women's hockey team says no to Trump's invitation to WH The proposed one-minute rule is similar to the system used in Major League Soccer (MLS) in the United States. In MLS, players who stay on the ground for more than 15 seconds and need medical help must leave the field.

FIFA also conducted trials during the Arab Cup in December, where injured players had to stay off the field for two minutes.

FIFA proposes rule change for injured players, details inside

Todd Lyons, the acting chief of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has said that his department will be part of security set-up during the upcoming FIFA World Cup 2026. The football world cup is being co-hosted by the United States of America (USA) along with Mexico and Canada. The US will be hosting 78 matches while Mexico and Canada will host 13 matches each during the world cup which runs from Jun 11 to Jul 19. The ICE has been quite busy in the country ever since Donald Trump took oath as the president and started his second term in January 2025.<h2>ICE to be part of FIFA World Cup security in USA</h2>Respoding to a question by Representative Nellie Pou - of New Jersey's ninth district on the House committee on homeland security, Lyons said his team is "dedicated to securing that operation, and we are dedicated to the security of all of our participants as well as visitors." Pou's constituency houses MetLife Stadium - the venue of the FIFA World Cup 2026 Final.Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/t20-world-cup-2026-we-are-helpless-bangladesh-players-on-being-blamed-for-boycott-1770882564664">T20 WC 2026 | 'We are helpless:' Bangladesh players on being blamed for boycott</a>The ICE chief was answering the questions following shooting of two US citizens Alex Pretti and Renee Good which has sparked protests across the country, especially against the department.Pou asked: "You realise that if [fans] feel they are going to be wrongfully incarcerated, wrongfully pulled out, that is going to hurt this entire process?""Yes ma'am, and ICE is dedicated to ensuring that everyone that visits the facilities will have a safe and secure event," said Lyons in response.<h2><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/us-announces-new-visa-system-for-fifa-world-cup-2026-ticket-holders-insists-no-guarantees-1763456604006">Ticket doesn't guarantee US visa for FIFA World Cup</a></h2>Under the new FIFA prioritized appointment scheduling system announced on Nov 17, the fans with tickets to the US-hosted game will get priority appointment for the visas at the embassies world wide. US Secretary of State Rubio, however, made it clear that the new fast-tracker system is only to expedite the appointment process and does not guarantee a visa despite having the ticket.The FIFA World Cup 2026 will be played from June 11 to July 19 in 16 cities across the US, Canada and Mexico with 11 of those 16 venues being in the United States.

The ICE chief was answering the questions following shooting of two US citizens Alex Pretti and Renee Good which has sparked protests across the country, especially against the department. The FIFA World Cup 2026 will be played from June 11 to July 19 in 16 cities across the US.

Todd Lyons, the acting chief of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has said that his department will be part of security set-up during the upcoming FIFA World Cup 2026. The football world cup is being co-hosted by the United States of America (USA) along with Mexico and Canada. The US will be hosting 78 matches while Mexico and Canada will host 13 matches each during the world cup which runs from Jun 11 to Jul 19. The ICE has been quite busy in the country ever since Donald Trump took oath as the president and started his second term in January 2025. ICE to be part of FIFA World Cup security in USA Respoding to a question by Representative Nellie Pou - of New Jersey's ninth district on the House committee on homeland security, Lyons said his team is "dedicated to securing that operation, and we are dedicated to the security of all of our participants as well as visitors." Pou's constituency houses MetLife Stadium - the venue of the FIFA World Cup 2026 Final. Also Read - T20 WC 2026 | 'We are helpless:' Bangladesh players on being blamed for boycott The ICE chief was answering the questions following shooting of two US citizens Alex Pretti and Renee Good which has sparked protests across the country, especially against the department. Pou asked: "You realise that if [fans] feel they are going to be wrongfully incarcerated, wrongfully pulled out, that is going to hurt this entire process?" "Yes ma'am, and ICE is dedicated to ensuring that everyone that visits the facilities will have a safe and secure event," said Lyons in response. Ticket doesn't guarantee US visa for FIFA World Cup Under the new FIFA prioritized appointment scheduling system announced on Nov 17, the fans with tickets to the US-hosted game will get priority appointment for the visas at the embassies world wide. US Secretary of State Rubio, however, made it clear that the new fast-tracker system is only to expedite the appointment process and does not guarantee a visa despite having the ticket. The FIFA World Cup 2026 will be played from June 11 to July 19 in 16 cities across the US, Canada and Mexico with 11 of those 16 venues being in the United States.

The ICE chief was answering the questions following shooting of two US citizens Alex Pretti and Renee Good which has sparked protests across the country, especially against the department. The FIFA World Cup 2026 will be played from June 11 to July 19 in 16 cities across the US.

FIFA World Cup 2026 | 'Dedicated to the security': US ICE chief shares agency's role at upcoming event

FIFA President Gianni Infantino has come under criticism for making a widely condemned joke during his address at the World Economic Forum 2026 in Davos.


FIFA Chief Criticised For Cheap Joke While Speaking At WEF 2026 In Davos | WION

FIFA President Gianni Infantino praised football’s magic at the World Economic Forum (WEF) summit in Davos, Switzerland, highlighting the game’s power. Speaking on the penultimate day of the WEF, Infantino reckons football has transformed people’s lives around the globe as it brings the community together. During the summit, 2006 FIFA World Cup winner Alessandro Del Piero and former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger also reflected on football’s role.<h2>Infantino praises football's magic globally</h2>"This is a magic instrument (while holding a football) that transforms people into happy people. This is what this strange instrument does. And children, the children's faces become happy and adults become children and they start playing, passing the ball. This is fantastic, this is beautiful and this is something that we are forgetting,” FIFA President Infantino said at the World Economic Forum summit in Davos on Thursday.&nbsp;“Dear friends, ladies and gentlemen, in these particular times we forget to be happy, to be joyful. Everyone has their own problems, issues in life and with football, we want to give to communities all over the world. FIFA has 211 countries that are members of FIFA. We want to give them a moment of joy and happiness. When a child kicks a ball, when an adult kicks a ball, they don't think about their issues and their problems in life and we have to always remember that," Infantino added.&nbsp;The FIFA president reckons that the upcoming FIFA World Cup is a huge economic booster, with an estimated $80 billion turnaround. He also underlined that the FIFA World Cup will create thousands of job opportunities for the community.&nbsp;Del Piero spoke about the role football played in his life growing up and how winning the FIFA World Cup with his country in 2006 made him feel complete not only as a footballer but also as a human being.&nbsp;ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/meet-indians-to-score-most-runs-in-each-of-last-5-t20-world-cups-ft-virat-kohli-kl-rahul-rohit-sharma-2026-t20-world-cup-1768479871185">Meet Indians to score most runs in each of last 5 T20 World Cups ft Virat Kohli</a>&nbsp;"It's not very difficult, but we probably need more time to explain how big lifting the trophy and winning the World Cup means to me, to every football player, I guess. I mean, first of all, you feel complete. You feel complete as a footballer, of course, and also as a human being,” Del Piero said during his address.&nbsp;“I say both because, you know, I started playing because I had a passion for football. My only focus was playing football, even though I have to say that I needed to go to school and be a good student, and blah, blah, blah--but yeah, it's part of the journey. Football was always in my mind: trying to become a football player, but also just enjoying it. And then, as soon as you grow up, you understand, of course, different things," the former Juventus attacker said.&nbsp;Wenger explained that football has grown enormously since the first World Cup, expanding from a small, Europe-South America-focused competition into a truly global sport.&nbsp;ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-chris-gayle-to-brendon-mccullum-5-batters-to-score-fastest-t20-world-cup-hundreds-rilee-rossouw-ahmed-shehzad-1768553361691">From Chris Gayle to Brendon McCullum, 5 batters to score fastest T20 World Cup hundreds</a>&nbsp;“100 years ago, you had 13 teams playing in the first World Cup and it shows football's development. I'm now in football development and I realize how big football has become in the world. When you speak about the number of tickets people want, you cannot imagine,” Wenger said during his address.&nbsp;“I travel all over the world and football has become the most important thing people talk about. And to me, for a long time, it was a confidential competition between Europe and South America. We had to open it to the world and I think the minimum we could do is to open it to more African countries, more Asian countries. Because you want football to be strong everywhere," Wenger stated.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino reckons that the upcoming FIFA World Cup is a huge economic booster, with an estimated $80 billion turnaround. He also underlined that the FIFA World Cup will create thousands of job opportunities for the community.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino praised football’s magic at the World Economic Forum (WEF) summit in Davos, Switzerland, highlighting the game’s power. Speaking on the penultimate day of the WEF, Infantino reckons football has transformed people’s lives around the globe as it brings the community together. During the summit, 2006 FIFA World Cup winner Alessandro Del Piero and former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger also reflected on football’s role. Infantino praises football's magic globally "This is a magic instrument (while holding a football) that transforms people into happy people. This is what this strange instrument does. And children, the children's faces become happy and adults become children and they start playing, passing the ball. This is fantastic, this is beautiful and this is something that we are forgetting,” FIFA President Infantino said at the World Economic Forum summit in Davos on Thursday. “Dear friends, ladies and gentlemen, in these particular times we forget to be happy, to be joyful. Everyone has their own problems, issues in life and with football, we want to give to communities all over the world. FIFA has 211 countries that are members of FIFA. We want to give them a moment of joy and happiness. When a child kicks a ball, when an adult kicks a ball, they don't think about their issues and their problems in life and we have to always remember that," Infantino added. The FIFA president reckons that the upcoming FIFA World Cup is a huge economic booster, with an estimated $80 billion turnaround. He also underlined that the FIFA World Cup will create thousands of job opportunities for the community. Del Piero spoke about the role football played in his life growing up and how winning the FIFA World Cup with his country in 2006 made him feel complete not only as a footballer but also as a human being. ALSO READ | Meet Indians to score most runs in each of last 5 T20 World Cups ft Virat Kohli "It's not very difficult, but we probably need more time to explain how big lifting the trophy and winning the World Cup means to me, to every football player, I guess. I mean, first of all, you feel complete. You feel complete as a footballer, of course, and also as a human being,” Del Piero said during his address. “I say both because, you know, I started playing because I had a passion for football. My only focus was playing football, even though I have to say that I needed to go to school and be a good student, and blah, blah, blah--but yeah, it's part of the journey. Football was always in my mind: trying to become a football player, but also just enjoying it. And then, as soon as you grow up, you understand, of course, different things," the former Juventus attacker said. Wenger explained that football has grown enormously since the first World Cup, expanding from a small, Europe-South America-focused competition into a truly global sport. ALSO READ | From Chris Gayle to Brendon McCullum, 5 batters to score fastest T20 World Cup hundreds “100 years ago, you had 13 teams playing in the first World Cup and it shows football's development. I'm now in football development and I realize how big football has become in the world. When you speak about the number of tickets people want, you cannot imagine,” Wenger said during his address. “I travel all over the world and football has become the most important thing people talk about. And to me, for a long time, it was a confidential competition between Europe and South America. We had to open it to the world and I think the minimum we could do is to open it to more African countries, more Asian countries. Because you want football to be strong everywhere," Wenger stated.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino reckons that the upcoming FIFA World Cup is a huge economic booster, with an estimated $80 billion turnaround. He also underlined that the FIFA World Cup will create thousands of job opportunities for the community.

Davos 2026: FIFA President Gianni Infantino praises football's magic globally, says 'it transforms people's life'

World Cup 2026: FIFA has announced a 50% increase in prize money for the 2026 World Cup, with the winner set to receive a record $50 million. The total prize pool for the tournament, hosted across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, will reach $655 million, distributed among the 48 participating teams.

World Cup 2026: FIFA Announces 50% Prize Money Hike for 2026 World Cup

FIFA says it will include three-minute hydration breaks in each half of every game at next year's World Cup.


FIFA approves mandatory hydration breaks at 2026 FIFA WC 

U.S. President Donald Trump has been awarded FIFA's inaugural Peace Prize at the 2026 World Cup draw, in recognition of his "extraordinary actions for peace" according to FIFA President Gianni Infantino. 

U.S. President Trump Awarded FIFA's Inaugural Peace Prize

The tiny Caribbean nation of Curacao became the smallest country ever to qualify for the World Cup on Tuesday as Haiti booked their return to the tournament for the first time in 52 years along with Panama. A nerve-shredding finale to the CONCACAF qualifying campaign saw Curacao -- with a population of just 156,000 -- squeeze into next year's finals in the United States, Canada and Mexico with a 0-0 draw against Jamaica in Kingston. Haiti, meanwhile, who last appeared in the World Cup in 1974, also completed an improbable qualification campaign with a 2-0 win over Nicaragua.Ironically, Haiti secured their decisive qualification victory in Curacao, where the team have been forced to play their home qualifiers due to unrest in their homeland.Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/germany-netherland-book-fifa-world-cup-2026-spots-with-cruising-wins-1763438257176">Germany, Netherland book FIFA World Cup 2026 spots with cruising wins</a>Panama, meanwhile, grabbed the other automatic qualification spot on offer on Tuesday with a 3-0 win over El Salvador at home.That victory ended Suriname's hopes of grabbing automatic qualification. Suriname, beaten 3-1 away by Guatemala, nevertheless squeezed into the playoff places.Curacao, whose veteran Dutch coach Dick Advocaat was forced to miss the game due to a family issue in the Netherlands, were left celebrating a historic result.The team known as the 'Blue Wave' finished top of Group B with 12 points from six games, one point clear of Jamaica.Curacao are by far the smallest nation ever to qualify for the World Cup, which is being expanded to 48 teams next year for the first time.The previous smallest country to qualify for the tournament were Iceland in 2018, with a population of around 350,000.

A nerve-shredding finale to the CONCACAF qualifying campaign saw Curacao -- with a population of just 156,000 -- squeeze into next year's finals in the United States, Canada and Mexico with a 0-0 draw against Jamaica in Kingston.

The tiny Caribbean nation of Curacao became the smallest country ever to qualify for the World Cup on Tuesday as Haiti booked their return to the tournament for the first time in 52 years along with Panama. A nerve-shredding finale to the CONCACAF qualifying campaign saw Curacao -- with a population of just 156,000 -- squeeze into next year's finals in the United States, Canada and Mexico with a 0-0 draw against Jamaica in Kingston. Haiti, meanwhile, who last appeared in the World Cup in 1974, also completed an improbable qualification campaign with a 2-0 win over Nicaragua. Ironically, Haiti secured their decisive qualification victory in Curacao, where the team have been forced to play their home qualifiers due to unrest in their homeland. Also Read - Germany, Netherland book FIFA World Cup 2026 spots with cruising wins Panama, meanwhile, grabbed the other automatic qualification spot on offer on Tuesday with a 3-0 win over El Salvador at home. That victory ended Suriname's hopes of grabbing automatic qualification. Suriname, beaten 3-1 away by Guatemala, nevertheless squeezed into the playoff places. Curacao, whose veteran Dutch coach Dick Advocaat was forced to miss the game due to a family issue in the Netherlands, were left celebrating a historic result. The team known as the 'Blue Wave' finished top of Group B with 12 points from six games, one point clear of Jamaica. Curacao are by far the smallest nation ever to qualify for the World Cup, which is being expanded to 48 teams next year for the first time. The previous smallest country to qualify for the tournament were Iceland in 2018, with a population of around 350,000.

A nerve-shredding finale to the CONCACAF qualifying campaign saw Curacao -- with a population of just 156,000 -- squeeze into next year's finals in the United States, Canada and Mexico with a 0-0 draw against Jamaica in Kingston.

Caribbean Curacao scripts history with FIFA World Cup 2026 spot, Haiti and Panama also through

In anticipation of the large numbers of fans coming to the USA for the FIFA World Cup 2026, the Trump administrations has announced a new visa system to expedite the requests of ticket holders. The new system, however, does not guarantee a visa, clarified the admin. The USA is hosting the football world cup for the first time since 1994. Along with the US, Canada and Mexico are also the co-host of the quadrennial tournament. There would be more fans in the upcoming edition as it has been expanded to 48 teams instead of the traditional 32 teams.<h2>US introduces new visa system for World Cup ticket holders</h2>Under the new FIFA prioritized appointment scheduling system announced on Monday (Nov 17), the fans with tickets to the US-hosted game will get priority appointment for the visas at the embassies world wide. The US has deployed more than 400 additional consular staff worldwide which has brought the appointment time from an year to 60 days in some countries.Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/bangladesh-women-skipper-sultana-unnecessarily-drags-harmanpreet-to-defend-allegations-of-beating-up-juniors-1763440366415">Bangladesh skipper Sultana drags Harman in defence of allegations against her</a>“In places, for example, like Brazil and Argentina, you would have [had] over a year to get an appointment. Now you can get [one] in less than two months,” US Secretary of State Rubio said.<h2>Ticket doesn't guarantee a visa</h2>Rubio, however, made it clear that the new fast-tracker system is only to expedite the appointment process and does not guarantee a visa despite having the ticket.“Your ticket is not a visa. It doesn’t guarantee admission to the US,” Rubio said. “It guarantees you an expedited appointment. You’re still going to go through the same vetting. We’re going to do the same vetting as anybody else would get. The only difference here is we’re moving them up in the queue.”The FIFA World Cup 2026 will be played from June 11 to July 19 in 16 cities across the US, Canada and Mexico with 11 of those 16 venues being in the United States.

Under the new FIFA prioritized appointment scheduling system announced on Monday (Nov 17), the fans with tickets to the US-hosted game will get priority appointment for the visas at the embassies world wide.

In anticipation of the large numbers of fans coming to the USA for the FIFA World Cup 2026, the Trump administrations has announced a new visa system to expedite the requests of ticket holders. The new system, however, does not guarantee a visa, clarified the admin. The USA is hosting the football world cup for the first time since 1994. Along with the US, Canada and Mexico are also the co-host of the quadrennial tournament. There would be more fans in the upcoming edition as it has been expanded to 48 teams instead of the traditional 32 teams. US introduces new visa system for World Cup ticket holders Under the new FIFA prioritized appointment scheduling system announced on Monday (Nov 17), the fans with tickets to the US-hosted game will get priority appointment for the visas at the embassies world wide. The US has deployed more than 400 additional consular staff worldwide which has brought the appointment time from an year to 60 days in some countries. Also Read - Bangladesh skipper Sultana drags Harman in defence of allegations against her “In places, for example, like Brazil and Argentina, you would have [had] over a year to get an appointment. Now you can get [one] in less than two months,” US Secretary of State Rubio said. Ticket doesn't guarantee a visa Rubio, however, made it clear that the new fast-tracker system is only to expedite the appointment process and does not guarantee a visa despite having the ticket. “Your ticket is not a visa. It doesn’t guarantee admission to the US,” Rubio said. “It guarantees you an expedited appointment. You’re still going to go through the same vetting. We’re going to do the same vetting as anybody else would get. The only difference here is we’re moving them up in the queue.” The FIFA World Cup 2026 will be played from June 11 to July 19 in 16 cities across the US, Canada and Mexico with 11 of those 16 venues being in the United States.

Under the new FIFA prioritized appointment scheduling system announced on Monday (Nov 17), the fans with tickets to the US-hosted game will get priority appointment for the visas at the embassies world wide.

US announces new visa system for FIFA World Cup 2026 ticket holders, insists 'no guarantees'

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Davos 2026: FIFA President Gianni Infantino praises football's magic globally