Tag Archives: World Cup

New Jersey Stadium To Host 2026 FIFA World Cup Final

The New Jersey Advance reports: The winners of the 2026 World Cup men’s soccer tournament will hoist the vaunted gold trophy at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, FIFA announced Sunday. Gov. Phil Murphy was among the first to spread the stunning announcement from the worldwide soccer body that the East Rutherford venue will host the tournament’s final game. FIFA previously …

Read More »

World Cup Champion Megan Rapinoe Retires

USA Today reports: There are some goodbyes that are heavy and sad, the weight of the emotions almost too much to bear. Then there are the goodbyes that are joyous, a celebration of what’s been rather than regret over what’s about to be lost. Megan Rapinoe’s final game with the U.S. women Sunday was very much the latter. Any tears …

Read More »

Sweden Eliminates US Women In World Cup Match

CNN Sports reports: Heartbreak for the US and the three-peat dream has come to an end. After dominating most of the match, the US is beaten by Sweden in a penalty shootout. US forward Sophia Smith had the chance to win it for the two-time reigning champion, but was made to rue her missed spot-kick. To make the defeat more …

Read More »

Argentina Defeats France In World Cup Final [VIDEO]

The Washington Post reports: Lionel Messi finally won the biggest prize in soccer as Argentina beat France 4-2 in a penalty shootout Sunday to claim a third World Cup title despite Kylian Mbappé scoring the first hat trick in a final in 56 years. Gonzalo Montiel scored the clinching penalty kick as Argentina won after a 3-3 draw. Both countries …

Read More »

Musk Attends World Cup Final With Kushner And Saudis

Fox Sports reports: Elon Musk, the Tesla and Twitter CEO, appeared in Qatar on Sunday just ahead of the World Cup final before Argentina and France. Qatari TV broadcaster beIN Sports caught Musk entering Lusail Stadium to see whether Lionel Messi will be able to wrap up his first World Cup title or Kylian Mbappe capture his second World Cup …

Read More »

FIFA Won’t Play “Peace” Message By Zelensky At Final

CNN reports: A request by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to share a message of world peace prior to kickoff at the World Cup final on Sunday has been rebuffed by FIFA, a source told CNN. The source said Zelensky’s office is offering to appear in a video link to fans in the stadium in Qatar, ahead of the game and …

Read More »

“Big Gay Donation” Campaign Seeks To Pressure FIFA To Hold Future World Cups In LGBTQ-Friendly Nations

The Mirror reports: LGBT+ football fans have launched a fund in an attempt to persuade FIFA where to hold the 2030 World Cup through ‘donations’. This year’s tournament is being held in Qatar, which is alleged to hunt, arrest and beat LGBT+ people. Considering a bid for the 2030 tournament is Saudi Arabia, another country which outlaws homosexuality and persecutes …

Read More »

France To Face Argentina In World Cup Final [VIDEO]

The Associated Press reports: France and Kylian Mbappé are headed back to the World Cup final for a much-anticipated matchup with Lionel Messi after ending Morocco’s historic run at soccer’s biggest tournament. France will head into Sunday’s title match against Argentina looking to become the first team to retain the World Cup title since Brazil in 1962. France will be …

Read More »

Autopsy: World Cup Reporter Died Of Aortic Aneurysm

CBS News reports: Grant Wahl’s wife, Dr. Celine Gounder, told CBS News on Wednesday the renowned soccer journalist died due to an aortic aneurysm that ruptured. “He had an autopsy done here in New York by the New York City medical examiner’s office, and it showed that he had an aortic aneurysm that ruptured,” said Gounder, an infectious disease specialist …

Read More »

Reporter Who Wore Rainbow Shirt Dies At World Cup

Yahoo Sports reports: Grant Wahl, a prominent U.S. soccer journalist with previous experience working for CBS Sports and Sports Illustrated, died in Qatar on Friday, according to his wife and U.S. Soccer. Wahl, who was 48, had been in Qatar working as an independent journalist through his Substack “Fútbol with Grant Wahl.” Yahoo Sports soccer reporter Henry Bushnell was present …

Read More »

Netherlands Team Eliminates USA From World Cup

Yahoo Sports reports: Memphis Depay and Daley Blind scored in the first half and Denzel Dumfries added a late goal as the Netherlands eliminated the United States from the World Cup with a 3-1 victory Saturday that advanced the Dutch to the quarterfinals. Second-half substitute Haji Wright cut the U.S. deficit to 2-1 in the 76th minute when Christian Pulisic’s …

Read More »

Man With Rainbow Flag Runs Onto World Cup Pitch

Mediaite reports: A World Cup match between Portugal and Uruguay was brought to a halt on Monday when a spectator took to the field, running and waving a rainbow flag. The interruption came after the second half kickoff. Images captured of the protester showed he was also wearing a blue shirt with the Superman emblem and the message “SAVE UKRAINE.” …

Read More »

Iran Demands That US Be Expelled From World Cup

CNN reports: Iran state media has called for the US to be kicked out of the 2022 World Cup after the United States Soccer Federation changed Iran’s flag on its social media platforms to show support for protesters in Iran. The federation had temporarily displayed Iran’s national flag on its official Twitter, Instagram and Facebook accounts without the emblem of …

Read More »

Qatar Eliminated In Earliest Exit For World Cup Host

The Associated Press reports: World Cup host Qatar was eliminated on Friday, just six days and two matches into the tournament. Qatar can’t advance to the knockout round after losing to Ecuador in the opener and to Senegal on Friday. It was the earliest exit by a host nation in the World Cup’s 92-year history. Qatar’s fate was sealed after …

Read More »

FIFA Bans Crusades Cosplayers From World Cup Games

The Daily Beast reports: English soccer fans have been banned from dressing up as knights in shining armor ahead of Friday’s World Cup match against the U.S. in Qatar because the outfits are considered offensive to Muslims. British supporters have dressed up as St. George—the patron saint of England—at international sports tournaments for at least two decades. But international soccer …

Read More »

Teams Consider Suing FIFA Over Rainbow Armband Ban

The Hill reports: Both English and German soccer associations are considering legal action against FIFA after the sporting body banned players from wearing OneLove armbands promoting diversity and inclusion at the World Cup in Qatar. The German Football Association (DFB) may file a claim at the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Switzerland to challenge the legality of FIFA’s threat …

Read More »

German Team Defies FIFA In Pro-LGBTQ Protest

The Guardian reports: Germany’s players placed hands over their mouths and wore rainbow stripes on their warm-up tops and boots in a powerful statement of defiance against FIFA before their Group E match against Japan. Their message was reinforced by the German interior minister, Nancy Faeser, who also wore a OneLove armband, which promotes tolerance, diversity and LGBTQ+ rights, as …

Read More »

FIFA May Fine Ecuador For Anti-Gay Chants By Fans

The Associated Press reports: Discriminatory chants allegedly by Ecuador fans at the World Cup opening game led FIFA to open the first disciplinary case of the tournament on Tuesday. FIFA said the charge was brought “due to chants” at the game against Qatar on Sunday and cited the section of its disciplinary code dealing with discrimination. The chants were reportedly …

Read More »

Blinken Rips FIFA Over Ban On Rainbow Armbands

The Associated Press reports: America’s top diplomat on Tuesday criticized a decision by FIFA to threaten players at the World Cup with yellow cards if they wear armbands supporting inclusion and diversity. Speaking alongside his Qatari counterpart at a news conference, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said it was “always concerning … when we see any restrictions on freedom …

Read More »

FIFA Forces Team Captains To Drop Rainbow Armbands

ESPN reports: The captains of England, Wales, Belgium, Denmark, Germany and the Netherlands will not wear the ‘OneLove’ anti-discrimination armband in their World Cup opening games after confirmation that their captains would be given yellow cards if they took part in the initiative. The announcement came just before their World Cup campaigns were scheduled to start. The national federations said …

Read More »