CARDIFF, Wales (AP) — Gareth Bale said Wales' qualification for the World Cup in Qatar will influence the next stage in his career as he weighs up which team to join after leaving Real Madrid.
CARDIFF, Wales (AP) — Weeks of back spasms were not going to stop Gareth Bale's mission to lead Wales back to the World Cup.
Try stopping the captain taking to the field when there is a 64-year drought to end.
CARDIFF, Wales (AP) — Ukraine's players wept in the rain while applauding their dejected supporters after missing out on qualifying for the World Cup by losing 1-0 to Wales in Europe's last playoff for the FIFA soccer showpiece on Sunday.
CARDIFF, Wales (AP) — Ukraine plans to resume competitive football in the country in August despite being under attack by Russia after President Volodymyr Zelenskyy gave approval.
A look at what’s happening in European soccer on Sunday:
WORLD CUP PLAYOFF
The final European spot at the World Cup will be determined in Cardiff where Wales hosts a Ukraine side trying to deliver an uplifting sporting success amid the ongoing Russian invasion.
CARDIFF, Wales (AP) — Far from battlefields and Russian invaders, the Ukrainian footballers exempted from military service are trying to complete the mission to lead their country to the World Cup.
PARIS (AP) — French soccer club Nantes has expressed its shock at Nice fans who made derogatory chants about Emiliano Sala during a league game on Wednesday.
Sala died after the single-engine Piper Malibu aircraft in which he was traveling
ZURICH (AP) — Ukraine's bid to qualify for the Word Cup will resume on June 1 against Scotland after its playoff semifinal in Glasgow was postponed in March due to the country being invaded by Russia.
CARDIFF, Wales (AP) — Gareth Bale demonstrated his enduring value for Wales by scoring two goals — including a sensational free kick — in a 2-1 win over Austria on Thursday, leaving his country one more victory away from a first World Cup in 64 years.
CARDIFF, Wales (AP) — Gareth Bale declared himself in “very good shape” and ready to play “whatever is necessary” for Wales in its World Cup playoff against Austria, days after pulling out of Real Madrid’s humiliating loss to Barcelona in the Spanish league.
CARDIFF, Wales (AP) — Paolo Garbisi booted the match-clinching conversion before throwing himself to the ground and bursting into tears.
After seven humiliating years, Italy finally won a Six Nations match.
CARDIFF, Wales (AP) — Wales got the party started early.
Coach Wayne Pivac named his side on Tuesday, two days before every other team, and set up a couple of individual milestones to close their Six Nations campaign at home on Saturday.
Wales coach Wayne Pivac has no misgivings about giving Alun Wyn Jones a first rugby match in 20 weeks in the Six Nations test against Italy this weekend.
Jones hasn't played since dislocating his left shoulder in October against New Zealand.
CARDIFF, Wales (AP) — Alun Wyn Jones was summoned by Wales on Saturday and will be available to face Italy next weekend in the final round of the Six Nations.
Jones has been in camp for two weeks, recovering from the left shoulder he injured in October against New Zealand in Cardiff.
CARDIFF, Wales (AP) — France hurdled the considerable obstacle that was Wales in boisterous Cardiff by just 13-9 and stayed on track for the Six Nations Grand Slam on Friday.
The French took their only try-scoring chance early on and absorbed intense pressure for long periods to remain unbeaten four games into the championship and on their longest winning streak — seven — in 18 years.
CARDIFF, Wales (AP) — As they celebrated a six-try thumping of Scotland, France captain Antoine Dupont noted something else to be happy about.
"One more away game,” he said two Saturdays ago at Murrayfield.
CARDIFF, Wales (AP) — Taulupe Faletau is set to play for Wales for the first time in nearly a year after being called up to the squad for Saturday's match against England in the Six Nations.
CARDIFF, Wales (AP) — Dan Biggar battled through injury to mark his 100th test appearance with the game-clinching dropped goal in a 20-17 win for Wales over Scotland in the Six Nations on Saturday.
CARDIFF, Wales (AP) — Stuart Hogg has never won a test at Principality Stadium, or even scored a point there, and yet he calls it his favorite rugby venue away from Murrayfield.
Hogg leads Scotland into the home of Wales in the Six Nations on Saturday, when they will aim to end a 20-year win drought in Cardiff.
The Welsh are used to getting written off in the Six Nations.
Often it’s way too premature. This time, the negativity might be justified.
An opening-round 29-7 loss to Ireland in Dublin was a wretched way for Wales to begin its defense of a title won, somewhat naturally, against the odds last year.
LIVERPOOL, England (AP) — Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane won't have much time to celebrate, lament or rest after the African Cup of Nations final.
The Liverpool teammates are due back in time for the team's next English Premier League game on Thursday, when the squad renews its pursuit of league-leading Manchester City.
DUBLIN (AP) — Australia No. 8 Rob Valetini was banned for three matches for his head-high tackle of Wales lock Adam Beard.
Valetini collided heads and injured Beard last weekend in Cardiff. Beard failed a head assessment and needed 20 stitches around his right eyebrow.
CARDIFF, Wales (AP) — Wales defeated 14-man Australia 29-28 with a last-gasp penalty kick on Saturday and condemned the Wallabies to their first winless autumn tour of Europe in 45 years.
Ill discipline heavily contributed to defeats against Scotland and England, and the Wallabies wrote the same script at Principality Stadium, and yet almost pulled off a remarkable victory.
CARDIFF, Wales (AP) — Beat Australia on Saturday and Wayne Pivac will deem Wales' autumn rugby series a success.
In order, New Zealand mastered the Welsh 54-16, South Africa edged them 23-18, and they were fortunate to beat Fiji 38-23.
CARDIFF, Wales (AP) — Wales secured a seeded spot in the World Cup playoffs on Tuesday by holding Belgium to a 1-1 draw after rallying from a goal down in their final qualifier in Group E.
Wales was guaranteed a playoff spot before kickoff through its Nations League results and the draw ensured that Rob Page's players will get a home draw in the playoff semifinals in March.
CARDIFF, Wales (AP) — Wales avoided embarrassment from 14-man Fiji in laboring to a flattering 38-23 win at Principality Stadium on Sunday.
Fiji wing Eroni Sau was red-carded in the 25th minute while his team was leading, and Fiji played 20 more minutes with 13 men, but Wales couldn't grab the lead for good until the 67th minute.
BRUSSELS (AP) — Belgium booked its place at next year's World Cup with a 3-1 win over Estonia in their qualifying group on Saturday, guaranteeing a third straight appearance at the tournament.
With just one match left to play in Group E, top-ranked Belgium remained unbeaten and has an unassailable five-point lead over second-place Wales.
PARIS (AP) — While Kylian Mbappe’s four goals in an 8-0 rout of Kazakhstan ensured defending champion France reached next year’s World Cup along with victorious Belgium, the Netherlands failed to join them Saturday after conceding two late goals.