Royal News

Tag: World cup

  • Messi to Extend Inter Miami Contract Beyond 2026 World Cup

    Messi to Extend Inter Miami Contract Beyond 2026 World Cup

     

    Lionel Messi has reached an agreement with Inter Miami to extend his stay in Major League Soccer beyond next year’s World Cup, a source close to the negotiations told AFP on Wednesday.

    The deal will keep the 38-year-old forward in competitive football until and after the 2026 World Cup, which will be hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico. An official announcement is expected within two weeks.

    Messi joined Inter Miami in 2023 following a brief and difficult spell at Paris Saint-Germain. He had previously spent 17 years at Barcelona, where he won 10 La Liga titles and four Champions League trophies.

    The Argentine captain guided his country to World Cup victory in Qatar in 2022 and has signaled his ambition to defend the title at the next tournament.

    Despite Inter Miami’s playoff elimination in 2024, Messi was named MLS Most Valuable Player that season. The following year, he became the fastest player to reach 40 goals in league history.

    If confirmed, the extension would likely see Messi end his playing career in MLS, solidifying his role as the league’s biggest star heading into the 2026 World Cup.

  • Spain Unveil Squad for World Cup Qualifiers

    Spain Unveil Squad for World Cup Qualifiers

    Spain head coach Luis de la Fuente has named his squad for the start of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, combining experienced internationals with a new wave of emerging stars.

    La Roja begin their campaign with two away fixtures. They will face Bulgaria in Sofia on Thursday, September 4, before travelling to Konya for a clash with Turkey on Sunday, September 7. Both matches are scheduled to kick off at 20:45 local time.

    The announcement was made on Friday, August 29, at the Royal Spanish Football Federation’s headquarters in Las Rozas. De la Fuente is expected to address the media later in the day, while the squad will assemble for training on Monday, September 1.

    Among the headline inclusions are Barcelona teenagers Lamine Yamal and Pau Cubarsi, who continue their rapid rise after strong performances at club level. Arsenal duo Martin Zubimendi and Mikel Merino, alongside Chelsea defender Marc Cucurella, highlight the Premier League’s growing influence on the national side.

    Spain’s squad also features trusted veterans such as captain Alvaro Morata, Dani Carvajal, and Rodrigo. Meanwhile, young midfielders Fermin Lopez and Dean Huijsen underline the coach’s commitment to nurturing fresh talent alongside established stars.

    The 25-man list is anchored by goalkeepers Unai Simon, David Raya, and Alex Remiro. With a blend of La Liga regulars and players excelling abroad, De la Fuente is backing balance and depth as Spain look to begin their qualification campaign on a strong note.

    Full Spain squad: Goalkeepers: Unai Simon (Athletic Bilbao), David Raya (Arsenal), Alex Remiro (Real Sociedad)

    Defenders: Dani Carvajal, Dean Huijsen (Real Madrid), Pedro Porro (Tottenham), Dani Vivian (Athletic Bilbao), Pau Cubarsi (Barcelona), Robin Le Normand (Atletico Madrid), Alejandro Grimaldo (Bayer Leverkusen), Marc Cucurella (Chelsea)

    Midfielders: Martin Zubimendi (Arsenal), Rodrigo (Manchester City), Gavi, Fermin Lopez, Pedri Gonzalez, Dani Olmo (all Barcelona), Mikel Merino (Arsenal), Fabian Ruiz (PSG)

    Forwards: Lamine Yamal, Ferran Torres (Barcelona), Nico Williams (Athletic Bilbao), Yeremy Pino (Villarreal), Mikel Oyarzabal (Real Sociedad), Alvaro Morata, Jesus Rodriguez (Como)

  • FIFA picks Vegas for 2026 world cup draw

    FIFA picks Vegas for 2026 world cup draw

    FIFA has selected Las Vegas, USA, as the host city for the official draw of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will take place on December 5, according to a report by ESPN.

    The decision comes after venues in co-host nations Canada and Mexico were ruled out. This marks another significant milestone in the lead-up to the expanded 48-team tournament, which will be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico next year.

    Pedro Cedillo, an executive with Mexican club Pachuca, confirmed the draw’s date and venue during a recent media interaction. “December 5, if I’m not mistaken, is precisely the day the draw takes place, or at the beginning of December,” he said. “I understand it will be in Las Vegas, and that’s where we need to be present to provide information about the city of Pachuca, the state of Hidalgo, and the two venues we have.”

    Las Vegas previously hosted the World Cup draw at the Convention Center when the United States last welcomed the global football event in 1994.

    The 2026 edition will be the first to feature 48 teams, expanding from the traditional 32, and is expected to be the most geographically diverse World Cup in history.

  • I’m not retiring from Argentina– Messi clarifies after World Cup glory

    I’m not retiring from Argentina– Messi clarifies after World Cup glory

    Lionel Messi has revealed he does not intend to retire from international football after Argentina’s dramatic World Cup final victory.

    The 35-year-old got his hands on football’s biggest prize, netting twice in the final game against France. His penalty and Angel di Maria’s first-half strike put Argentina 2-0 up at half-time, but Kylian Mbappe scored twice in 97 seconds to send it to extra-time.

    Messi found the back of the net for the seventh time in Qatar, only for Mbappe to equalise again as the final went to penalties.

    Both scored in the shootout but Kingsley Coman and Aurelien Tchouameni were then unable to convert their spot-kicks, before Gonzalo Montiel gave Argentina a 4-2 win on penalties after it finished 3-3 at the end of 120 minutes.

    Speaking after the match, Messi insisted the game would not be his final international game.

    “No, I’m not gonna retire from the national team,” Messi told TyC Sports.

    “I want to keep playing as World Cup champions with the Argentina shirt.”

    On lifting the World Cup, he added: “I knew that God was going to give it to me.”

    The World Cup win is Argentina’s first trophy since Diego Maradona led them to glory in 1986, and it comes 18 months on from the Copa America triumph. Messi now has his defining moment, fulfilling a destiny that appeared increasingly inevitable as the tournament went on.

  • Qatar 2022: Davido performs at FIFA World Cup closing ceremony

    Qatar 2022: Davido performs at FIFA World Cup closing ceremony

    Nigerian superstar Davido, who arrived in Qatar ahead of his appearance at the FIFA 2022 World Cup’s closing ceremony, was supposed to perform at the beginning of the football tournament but couldn’t.

    This will be the singer’s second public appearance since the tragic passing of his beloved son, Ifeanyi, in October.

    Davido was supposed to perform at the beginning of the football tournament, but unfortunate incidents made it impossible.

    His performance at the closing ceremony of the World Cup on Sunday, December 18, 2022, will be his first after the sad event that made him go off the radar.

    The ‘Stand Strong’ singer’s appearance at the World Cup was first announced on Thursday, December 8, by Chinese businessman Stephen Hung via his Instagram story.

    With great excitement, Hung confirmed that Davido will perform at the closing ceremony. He added that he could wait to see the singer.

  • Morocco earns $25m as 4th place…breakdown of 2022 Word Cup prize money

    Morocco earns $25m as 4th place…breakdown of 2022 Word Cup prize money


    The winner for the ongoing 2022 World Cup will go home with a prize of $42million, even as the prize for participating teams run up to whooping total of $440 million.

    The final game will be between France and Argentina today 4:00pm Nigerian Time at Lusail Iconic Stadium, Lusail.

    The 2022 tournament featured 32 teams from various countries across the globe. 13 countries from Europe, five African teams, four North American countries, four countries from South America and six countries from Asia.

    The teams that exited the World Cup at the group stage – Qatar, Ecuador, Wales, Iran, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, Denmark, Tunisia, Canada, Belgium, Germany, Costa Rica, Serbia, Cameroon, Ghana, Uruguay – all earned $9 million each

    The teams that made it through to the round of 16 – USA, Senegal, Australia, Poland, Spain, Japan, Switzerland, South Korea – all earned $13 million each. While those that reached the quarter-finals -Brazil, Netherlands, Portugal, England – earned $17 million each.

    Fourth place team Morocco, earned $25 million.

    Third-placed team Croatia earned $27 million.

    The runner-up between Argentina or France will earn $30 million, while the 2022 FIFA World Cup winner will earn $42 million.

    The tournament will officially come to an end on Sunday (today) December 18, 2022, as holders France will face Argentina for a chance to lift the trophy and win the $42 million grand price.

  • Qatar 2022: Croatia defeat Morocco to emerge third

    Qatar 2022: Croatia defeat Morocco to emerge third


    Croatia defeated Morocco 2-1 in the World Cup third-place play-off on Saturday, with Mislav Orsic curling home the winner.

    Josko Gvardiol, one of the stars of the tournament in Qatar, headed Croatia into the lead in the seventh minute at the Khalifa International Stadium but Achraf Dari brought Morocco level right away.

    Orsic’s terrific curling strike late in the first half ensured Croatia took home the bronze medal, the 11th World Cup in a row a European team has finished third.

    “It’s a bronze medal but for us it’s like a gold medal,” Croatia coach Zlatko Dalic said.

    Walid Regragui, the Morocco coach, said there was a lot for his team to proudly reflect on after they became the first African semi-finalists in World Cup history.

    “It’s a bitter defeat but I think it’s deserved,” said Regragui.

    “We have a team that never gave in. We’ll remember a lot of matches, we’re going to come back stronger. We’ve united our country for a month, everybody was happy.”

    Morocco, who had never gone beyond the last 16 before this World Cup, had signalled their intent with a spirited display against 2018 runners-up Croatia in their opening game in Qatar.

    The rematch was nothing like the cagey 0-0 draw in the group stage, with Morocco goalkeeper Yassine Bounou dangerously close to passing the ball into his own net early on.

    Croatia soon surged in front from a well-rehearsed free-kick as Ivan Perisic nodded Lovro Majer’s clip into the box back towards a diving Gvardiol, who planted his header into the corner.

    But Morocco hit back two minutes later when Hakim Ziyech’s free-kick looped up off the head of Majer, allowing Dari to head past Dominik Livakovic.

    Andrej Kramaric headed straight at Bounou, who then did well to scoop the ball to safety as Marko Livaja closed in after he spilled a drive from Luka Modric.

    Orsic curled in brilliantly via the post from the corner of the box to put Croatia back on top before half-time after 18-year-old Morocco debutant Bilal El Khannouss lost the ball deep in his half.

    Orsic again went close moments after the restart, his goalbound effort brushing Jawad El Yamiq and fizzing narrowly past the post.

    Croatia were furious when Gvardiol tumbled inside the area when his foot appeared to be caught by Sofyan Amrabat, but there was no VAR review.

    It could have proved a match-changing moment had Youssef En-Nesyri found a way past Livakovic, who spread himself superbly to block the striker from close range.

    Mateo Kovacic put wide with the chance to put the game beyond doubt. Morocco had a late penalty appeal turned down and En-Nesyri headed just over but the Atlas Lions could not find a way back after their historic run.

  • Ronaldo denies reports he swore at Portugal coach over substitution

    Ronaldo denies reports he swore at Portugal coach over substitution

    Cristiano Ronaldo has denied he swore at Portugal coach Fernando Santos after being substituted during a dramatic 2-1 defeat to South Korea in the World Cup on Friday.

    Both teams had advanced into the next round with the result.

    But the Portugal captain said the comments he made as he left the field in the 65th minute were in fact aimed at a South Korean player.

    Portuguese media said the former Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus player, who left the English club last month, appeared to challenge Santos over the decision to substitute him.

    It was reported he used vulgar language towards the coach.

    “What happened was before my substitution. The South Korea player told me to get off quickly. I told him to shut up as he doesn’t have that authority.

    “There was no disagreement (with the coach),” Ronaldo was quoted as saying by Portuguese reporters.

    The 37-year-old is seeking to equal the Portuguese record of most World Cup goals held by Eusebio, who racked up nine in 1966 in England, the only World Cup tournament he played in.

    Ronaldo last week became the first ever player to score in five World Cups.

    Santos, asked by reporters about the substitution incident, also said a South Korean player had been aggressive in his comments towards the five-time Ballon d’Or winner.

    “I saw the interaction with the Korean player and I have no doubts about what happened,” Santos said.

    Ronaldo was kept largely at bay by South Korea’s defence in the Asians’ last-gasp victory over Portugal that sent Uruguay out of the World Cup.

    But he was involved in the South Korean equaliser in the 27th minute when a corner-kick struck him on the back and fell for Kim Young-gwon to score.

    Santos made six changes to the side that beat Uruguay on Monday.

    He was perhaps mindful of the risk of yellow card suspensions in the next round for which Portugal had already qualified before kick-off against South Korea.

    “We’re unhappy. We wanted to go through with a win, we wanted to go through playing good football to keep boosting our confidence,” Santos said.

    “We’re not going to lose confidence. This group has confidence, but it’s a warning, a serious warning. Perhaps some positive things could come from this game.”

    He congratulated Paulo Bento, his predecessor as Portugal’s manager who is now in charge of South Korea.

    “I’ve just given him a hug. I’m unhappy, he is happy. I didn’t facilitate anything but friends are friends, business aside,” he added.

    Portugal, by finishing top of Group H, have avoided Brazil —- the winners of Group G —- in the first knockout round.

  • Qatar says 500 death toll of World Cup workers recorded

    Qatar says 500 death toll of World Cup workers recorded

    A top Qatari official has said the number of workers who died while building World Cup stadiums for the ongoing tournament is ‘between 400 and 500.’

    Hassan al-Thawadi, secretary-general of Qatar’s Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy, disclosed this during an interview.

    British journalist Piers Morgan asked Mr al-Thawadi: ‘What is the honest, realistic total do you think of migrant workers who died from… as a result of work they’re doing for the World Cup in totality?’

    Mr al-Thawadi replied: ‘The estimate is around 400, between 400 and 500… I don’t have the exact number. That’s something that’s been discussed.’

    ‘One death is a death too many. Plain and simple,’ Mr al-Thawadi added in the interview.

    Reports from the Supreme Committee dating from 2014 to the end of 2021 only include the number of worker deaths involved in building and refurbishing the stadiums now hosting the World Cup.

    Those figures put the total number of deaths at 40, and include 37 from what the Qatar officially describes as non-work incidents such as heart attacks, and three from workplace incidents.

    One report also separately lists a worker’s death from coronavirus amid the pandemic.

    In a later statement, the Supreme Committee said Mr al-Thawadi was referring to ‘national statistics covering the period of 2014-20 for all work-related fatalities (414) nationwide in Qatar, covering all sectors and nationalities’.

    Back in 2021, The Guardian reported that 6,500 migrant workers had died since the country was awarded the rights to host the World Cup in 2010 by Fifa.

  • World cup: Host country Qatar eliminated

    World cup: Host country Qatar eliminated

    Qatar makes history as earliest host country to get eliminated in the World Cup

    Qatar became the first World Cup host country to get eliminated after its first two games following a loss to Senegal on Friday November 25.

    The tournament hosts slipped to a second successive defeat in Group A on Friday, losing 3-1 to Senegal. That loss came after they were beaten by Ecuador 2-0 in their group opener on Sunday and leaves them with no chance of qualifying for the knockout phase after Ecuador and the Netherlands played out a 1-1 draw.

    Qatar still have one final game against the Netherlands on Tuesday, and even if they managed to pull off a shock win, they can only finish on a total of three points, which is not enough to catch their group rivals.

    South Africa is the only other host nation to be knocked out in the group stage of the World Cup, but they were only knocked out in the final game of the group stage in 2010.