Tehran, Iran | AFP | Sardar Azmoun and Mehdi Taremi were on target as Iran confirmed their spot in the 2018 World Cup finals with a 2-0 victory over Uzbekistan at the Azadi Stadium in Tehran on Monday. It was Iran’s sixth win from eight matches in Group A which …
Read More »Russia almost ready for World Cup with a year to go
Moscow, Russia | AFP | Despite fears over security and construction delays at several stadiums, Russia looks largely on course one year from the kick-off of the World Cup in June 2018. There was already a whiff of scandal around the first World Cup to be held in Eastern Europe …
Read More »Mali face World Cup ban after officials fired
Bamako, Mali | AFP | Mali could be thrown out of the 2018 World Cup qualifying competition after the government sacked the national football federation leaders. The bottom-of-the-table west Africans are scheduled to play Morocco twice, group leaders Ivory Coast and Gabon this year. Global football body FIFA does not permit …
Read More »A 48-team World Cup, but who can host it?
Paris, France | AFP | FIFA’s decision to expand the World Cup to 48 teams starting with the 2026 tournament prompted one major question: who can host the global showpiece in its revamped format? North America is the favourite and in pole position with other former candidates relegated to outsiders. …
Read More »FIFA approves 48 team World Cup for 2026
Zurich, Switzerland | AFP | FIFA’s ruling council on Tuesday unanimously approved an expansion of the World Cup to 48 teams in 2026, with a format of 16 groups of three nations. “The FIFA Council unanimously decided on a 48-team #WorldCup as of 2026: 16 groups of 3 teams,” a …
Read More »Egypt beats Ghana, goes past Uganda in World Cup qualifying group
Johannesburg, South Africa | AFP | Egypt avenged a humiliating World Cup defeat by Ghana three years ago with a 2-0 victory Sunday in a 2018 African Group E qualifier before an 85,000 crowd in Alexandria. Ghana triumphed 6-1 in the first leg of a 2014 World Cup play-off to …
Read More »Saudi says foiled plot to bomb World Cup qualifier
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia | AFP | Saudi authorities said Sunday they had foiled a plot to bomb a football stadium during a World Cup qualifying match and dismantled two “terrorist” cells linked to the Islamic State group. The interior ministry said in a statement that four suspects from each cell …
Read More »48 teams: FIFA boss makes gains on World Cup expansion
Zurich, Switzerland | AFP | FIFA president Gianni Infantino built momentum towards expanding the World Cup Friday as some powerbrokers appeared to back the move, while sceptics will have to be convinced before a final call in January. Growing the cash cow tournament from 32 to as many as 48 …
Read More »Cranes approach World Cup qualifiers with Nations Cup gusto
Friday Ghana vs Uganda, 6.30pm (LIVE SS4/UBC) Group A :Libya, Guinea, DR Congo, Tunisia Group B: Zambia, Cameroon, Nigeria, Algeria Group C: Gabon, Morocco, Mali, Ivory Coast Group D: Burkina Faso, South Africa, Cape Verde, Senegal Group E: Uganda, Congo, Egypt, Ghana Matchdays 1: Oct 3-11 2016 2: Nov 7-15 …
Read More »Uganda Cranes draw Egypt, Ghana in World Cup qualifiers
Group A :Libya, Guinea, DR Congo, Tunisia Group B: Zambia, Cameroon, Nigeria, Algeria Group C: Gabon, Morocco, Mali, Ivory Coast Group D: Burkina Faso, South Africa, Cape Verde, Senegal Group E: Uganda, Congo, Egypt, Ghana Matchdays 1: Oct 3-11 2016 2: Nov 7-15 2016 3/4: Aug 28-Sept 5 2017 5: …
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