GENEVA (AP) — Female referees will make World Cup history this year by working games at a major men’s tournament for the first time in Qatar.
NEW YORK (AP) — Clint Demspey says he thinks American goalkeepers Zack Steffen and Matt Turner should consider going on loans for the start of next season to get sharp ahead of the World Cup if they are not going to be playing regularly for their Premier League clubs.
ZURICH (AP) — A World Cup legal dispute flared Thursday with Chile challenging Ecuador’s place at the finals tournament over an alleged ineligible player.
The Chilean soccer federation asked FIFA to investigate its claim that Ecuador player Byron Castillo is actually Colombian and not entitled to have played in qualifying games.
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — While Japan and South Korea will start fine-tuning for the World Cup with high-profile warm-ups against Brazil next month, there are concerns in Iran that Asia’s top-ranked team has been slow off the mark with its preparations.
It's been more than three years since Dimitri Payet last played in a France shirt. At 35, his best years are behind him and his legs get tired quicker than they used to.
But with one last chance to play at a World Cup, Payet is doing everything to earn a seat on the plane that will carry the defending champions to Qatar in November.
GENEVA (AP) — FIFA on Wednesday announced the hiring of its fourth different chief marketing executive in less than four years.
Former Juventus and United Arab Emirates league executive Romy Gai will take over as Chief Business Officer, soccer’s governing body said.
DOHA, Qatar (AP) — The appearance by video of the head of Ukrainian soccer, wearing an armored vest from the streets of Kyiv, brought the impact of Russia’s war into the FIFA Congress on Thursday.
“We have regularly received sad news of the deaths of members of the Ukrainian football community,” Andriy Pavelko said in a recorded message to the gathering in Qatar including delegates from Russia.
DOHA, Qatar (AP) — World Cup host Qatar and FIFA received scathing criticism from within soccer on Thursday, a day before the tournament’s draw.
On their own territory. In their own house. By a member of soccer's extended family.
SAN JOSE, Costa Rica (AP) — Christian Pulisic walked across the field with a towel draped around his head, angry after another U.S.
It was never really in doubt that Mexico would make its eighth straight World Cup.
Mexico had all but booked its spot in Qatar heading into its final qualifying match against El Salvador on Wednesday night.
DOHA, Qatar (AP) — A chance to change perceptions of a country. A tournament to foster unity.
Heard it before?
Qatar is the next stop on the global tour of major sports events to nations led by autocratic governments who are often decried by human rights activists, but whose financial clout can prove irresistible to competition organizers.
Mohamed Salah has been one of the world's best players this season. Erling Haaland is possibly the most highly rated youngster in the game.
Gianluigi Donnarumma was voted the best player at last summer's European Championship.
SAN JOSE, Costa Rica (AP) — American soccer's harrowing memory of the loss in Trinidad 4 1/2 years ago remains omnipresent, if no longer raw.
Denied a berth in the 2018 World Cup by a 2-1 defeat to an already-eliminated opponent, U.S.
Cristiano Ronaldo will get another shot at lifting the World Cup.
Portugal beat North Macedonia 2-0 in a European playoff on Tuesday, securing a fifth World Cup appearance for the leading men's international scorer.
Sadio Mané secured Senegal’s place at the World Cup with a win over Egypt on penalties after Mohamed Salah was targeted by laser pointers Tuesday as he stepped up to take his team’s first kick in the shootout.
SAO PAULO (AP) — Peru beat Paraguay 2-0 on Tuesday in the last round of South American World Cup qualifiers to secure fifth place in the standings and entry to an intercontinental playoff for a spot in Qatar.
DOHA, Qatar (AP) — Through the enduring howls of outrage over Qatar, Gianni Infantino is not completely isolated from the divisiveness of the looming World Cup.
“I was one of those as well criticizing when I was elected president,” the FIFA leader recalled.
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — American players unfurled a red-and-blue banner with “QUALIFIED” in bold, white letters, when Christian Pulisic realized what was going on.
MEXICO CITY (AP) — All at once, Gio Reyna showed the promise of the U.S. national team’s future and the frustration of its present.
Just back from a hamstring injury that sidelined him for more than half a season, the young American midfielder entered Thursday night's World Cup qualifier in the 60th minute.
MEXICO CITY (AP) — Christian Pulisic pounded the ground three times just past Mexico's goal line after his point-blank shot was blocked in the 35th minute.
PALERMO, Sicily (AP) — European champion Italy will miss the World Cup. Again.
The unthinkable happened in Palermo on Thursday as the Azzurri were beaten 1-0 by North Macedonia following a last-gasp goal by Aleksandar Trajkovski in their playoff semifinal.
GENEVA (AP) — As a player at Manchester United, Dimitar Berbatov’s curiosity about leadership was sparked by seeing the books in manager Alex Ferguson’s office.
A biography of Napoleon Bonaparte made an impression on one of Bulgaria’s greatest forwards, who is now leading a campaign to lead his national soccer federation — one that has a chaotic recent history.
LONDON (AP) — UEFA is exploring fresh sanctions to thwart Russia's attempt to host soccer’s European Championship after the country launched a surprising bid on Wednesday, one month after invading its neighbor and seeing its teams suspended from international competitions over the war in Ukraine.
MEXICO CITY (AP) — A day before his only match at Estadio Azteca, Claudio Reyna assessed the rise of U.S. soccer and the competition the Americans had created in their intense rivalry with Mexico.
“I think it’s a bit insulting to them because soccer is the one and only sport in this country,” the U.S.
A look at the semifinal matches in the World Cup playoffs in Europe on Thursday:
ITALY vs. NORTH MACEDONIA
Italy will have a makeshift defense as it attempts to banish the ghosts of its playoff defeat to Sweden in 2017.
MILAN (AP) — With Italy’s worst soccer moment on many people’s minds, coach Roberto Mancini is not thinking about the unthinkable but about winning the World Cup in Qatar.
LONDON (AP) — Even when the World Cup draw takes place next week, three slots will unusually still be vacant.
But the next week or so will see another 14 teams qualify for the tournament and enter the April 1 draw in Qatar.
MILAN (AP) — Roberto Mancini called up Juventus defender Mattia De Sciglio on Sunday to replace the injured Giovanni Di Lorenzo in the Italy squad for the World Cup playoffs.
Di Lorenzo, who has been a regular under Mancini and was part of the European Championship-winning team last year, was forced to withdraw from the squad after the Napoli full back sprained his right knee during Saturday’s 2-1 victory over Udinese in Serie A.
CHICAGO (AP) — Sergiño Dest will miss the United States' last three World Cup qualifiers after straining his left thigh and was replaced on the roster Friday by left back George Bello.
Dest, the top American choice at right back, was hurt Thursday during Barcelona's Europa League win at Turkey's Galatasary.
ROME (AP) — Mario Balotelli was left off Italy’s squad for the World Cup playoffs, and the European champion was also without midfielder Manuel Locatelli, who tested positive for COVID-19.
Italy faces North Macedonia in Palermo, Sicily, on Thursday.
Norwich says forward Josh Sargent will not be on the U.S. roster for the Americans' final three World Cup qualifiers.
The team made the unusual annoucement Wednesday, a day before U.S. coach Gregg Berhalter is scheduled to issue his roster.
GENEVA (AP) — Russia’s expulsion from international soccer ahead of the World Cup playoffs is heading toward yet another urgent case at the Court of Arbitration for Sport. And Russian sports have had some success in the court.
LONDON (AP) — FIFA President Gianni Infantino remains the proud holder of the Russian Order of Friendship medal from Vladimir Putin. Not even the invasion of Ukraine by Russia has proved enough for Infantino to publicly distance himself from the autocratic leader.
SAO PAULO (AP) — Brazil coach Tite will step down after the World Cup in Qatar in December.
“I am very aware of my presence. It goes until the end of the World Cup,” Tite said on Friday in an interview with SporTV channel.
With the World Cup looming at the end of the year, Major League Soccer had to make some adjustments as it embarks on its 27th season.
The league's 28 teams kick off this weekend, the earliest start ever with a quicker finish scheduled as MLS will make way for the World Cup in late November.
American midfielder Weston McKennie has two broken bones in his left foot and will miss the United States' final three World Cup qualifiers next month.
McKennie got hurt while playing for Juventus in a Champions League second-round, first-leg match at Spain's Villarreal on Tuesday night.
NEW YORK (AP) — While the U.S. men’s national team is fighting to get back to the World Cup, a behind-the-scenes scuffle is taking place for American soccer's leadership.
Carlos Cordeiro is trying to oust Cindy Parlow Cone, who took over as U.S.
Opportune timing brought DeAndre Yedlin back to Major League Soccer.
The birth of his first child, the prospect of playing in an exciting city closer to home and the right offer prompted Yedlin to sign with Inter Miami after some seven years in Europe.
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Since World Cup qualifying entered this special winter session, the U.S. has embraced the cold and its accompanying advantage over an opponent from a tropical country.
The bring-it-on attitude will be put to a stiff test Wednesday night in Minnesota, where the U.S.
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Goalkeeper Matt Turner will be transferring from Major League Soccer's New England to Arsenal, according to U.S. coach Gregg Berhalter.
The 27-year-old got the shutout for the United States on Thursday night in a 1-0 win over El Salvador in a World Cup qualifier.
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Christian Pulisic has been on a roller coaster.
America's top player won the Champions League, then was sidelined for nearly two months. He battled for inclusion in Chelsea's lineup and been shifted from his usual wide midfield role to center forward and even wingback.
GENEVA (AP) — FIFA President Gianni Infantino linked his plan for biennial World Cups on Wednesday to giving more hope to Africans who risk their lives crossing the sea to Europe.
In a speech to European lawmakers, Infantino said soccer was being dominated by the few who “have everything” and it needed to be more global and inclusive.
The eight stadiums are ready in Qatar and World Cup tickets have been on sale for a week. Now the mission to snap up remaining tournament slots resumes.
With qualifying disrupted by the pandemic, fixtures have been squeezed in over the next week or so for teams in the Americas and Asia.
Qatar wants to attract 1.2 million people to the World Cup but will struggle to accommodate many of them.
With ticket sales beginning in January, supporters are in for a shock when they look for somewhere to stay: Qatar already looks sold out.
ZURICH (AP) — New Zealand’s path to the World Cup in Qatar will also start there when the Oceania qualifying tournament that was drawn on Monday is played in the host nation in March.
The Oceania games will be closely watched by the United States and Mexico which could yet land in a World Cup playoff next June against the best team from the Pacific region.