RIO DE JANEIRO: Brazil superstar Neymar was handed a dramatic recall to the country&#39;s World Cup squad on Monday, returning to the national team after a near three-year absence. The inclusion of Neymar, Brazil&#39;s all-time leading goal scorer with 79 goals in 128 appearances, was the biggest surprise in the 26-man squad named by coach Carlo Ancelotti. Ancelotti announced Neymar&#39;s selection at a gala ceremony in Rio de Janeiro, with loud cheers ringing out as the veteran attacker&#39;s call-up was confirmed. Speculation has raged for months over whether the 34-year-old former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain attacker would force his way back into the national team set-up. The forward, a veteran of the 2014, 2018, and 2022 World Cups, had not played for Brazil since suffering knee injury during a World Cup qualifying game against Uruguay in 2023. A mixture of injuries and poor form had left him outside the national team set-up, with Ancelotti citing concerns over his fitness after leaving him out of Brazil&#39;s squad for March friendlies against France and Croatia. However, Neymar, who rejoined boyhood club Santos in January after an injury-ravaged stint in Saudi Arabia, has now earned Ancelotti&#39;s stamp of approval for the World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico. Brazil, who are chasing a record sixth World Cup crown, open their World Cup campaign against Morocco on June 13 before playing Haiti and Scotland in Group C.

Football

Mixture of injuries, poor form had left him outside the national team set-up, with Ancelotti citing concerns over his fitness after leaving him out of Brazil's squad for March friendlies

Neymar included in Brazil World Cup squad

TEHRAN: The Iran team will head to Turkey for a training camp before taking part in the World Cup in the United States, local media reported Friday.&nbsp;&quot;The next phase of the national team&#39;s preparation is set to be hosted in Antalya, Turkey,&quot; Iranian Football360 website reported, adding that the squad would then travel to their World Cup base in Tucson, Arizona.&nbsp;Antalya also hosted the Iran team for training and matches in March.&nbsp;It was not immediately clear when the squad would leave Tehran for Turkey, where players are also due to undergo visa procedures, although Iranian sports outlet Varzesh3 reported they are expected to depart Saturday.&nbsp;As part of their preparations in Antalya, Iran will play a friendly against Gambia on May 29 and are hoping to play a second warmup match against an opponent that is yet to be decided, the agent arranging the matches said Friday.&nbsp;&quot;It is confirmed for 29 May,&quot; Sam Mehdizadeh, an Iranian-Canadian who organises friendlies involving the Iranian national team, said.&nbsp;Iran held a send-off ceremony for the team in Tehran on Wednesday.&nbsp;The players, dressed in red and black tracksuits, were presented on a stage in the Enghelab square in the centre of the Iranian capital, where crowds of people cheered for them, according to videos aired on state TV.&nbsp;Iran football federation chief Mehdi Taj said Thursday no visas had yet been issued for the team to enter the United States, which launched strikes on Iran in late February at the start of a wider Middle East war.&nbsp;&quot;We have not received any account from the other side regarding who has been granted visas. No visas have been issued yet,&quot; Taj said according to IRNA state news agency.&nbsp;Taj is expected to hold talks with FIFA president Gianni Infantino as Tehran seeks assurances for its squad amid tensions following the war.&nbsp;Taj also said players were expected to undergo fingerprinting as part of the visa process but wished to avoid a trip of more than 450 kilometres (280 miles) from Antalya to Ankara.&nbsp;&quot;The players must travel to Ankara for fingerprinting, but we are trying to arrange for this to be done in Antalya so there will be no need to travel to Ankara,&quot; Taj said.&nbsp;Iran opens its World Cup campaign against New Zealand in Los Angeles on June 15 before facing Belgium and Egypt in Group G.

Iran will hold a pre-World Cup training camp in Antalya before traveling to Arizona for the tournament, while awaiting US visas amid ongoing tensions. Tehran will open its World Cup campaign against New Zealand in Los Angeles on June 15.

Iran to hold pre-World Cup training camp in Turkey: media

TEHRAN: Iran&#39;s football federation chief said on Thursday that no visas had yet been issued for the national team to participate in the 2026 World Cup in the United States, state media reported. &quot;Tomorrow or the day after tomorrow, we will have a decisive meeting with FIFA. They must give us guarantees, because the visa issue has still not been resolved,&quot; the state news agency IRNA quoted federation chief Mehdi Taj as saying. &quot;We have not received any account from the other side regarding who has been granted visas. No visas have been issued yet,&quot; he added. According to Taj, the players were expected to travel to the Turkish capital Ankara for fingerprinting as part of the visa process. &quot;The players must travel to Ankara for fingerprinting, but we are trying to arrange for this to be done in Antalya so there will be no need to travel to Ankara,&quot; he said. Iran has been at war with the United States and Israel since February 28, though a fragile ceasefire has been in place since April 8. Iran&#39;s deputy foreign minister, meanwhile, said that a &quot;host country cannot use political disputes, sanctions or its own unilateral domestic policy decisions&quot; to prevent a team from attending the World Cup. &quot;If the organizing body cannot guarantee that all qualified teams, including Iran, can enter the host country without discrimination or restriction... the credibility of the World Cup itself will be undermined,&quot; Kazem Gharibabadi wrote on X. Tehran and Washington have had no diplomatic relations since 1980 following the hostage crisis at the US embassy, which came after the Islamic revolution that toppled the US-backed shah. Iran held a send-off ceremony on Wednesday for the national football team as it prepared to play in the 2026 World Cup, co-hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada. Iran&#39;s national team, also known as TeamMelli, will be based in Tucson, Arizona, during the World Cup. The Iranians open their World Cup campaign against New Zealand in Los Angeles on June 15 before lining up against Belgium and Egypt in Group G.

Tehran and Washington have had no diplomatic relations since 1980 following the hostage crisis at the US embassy, which came after the Islamic revolution that toppled the US-backed shah.

Iran says no US visas issued yet for 2026 World Cup

WASHINGTON: The United States said Wednesday it would ease its system of demanding bond payments of visa applicants for certain fans seeking to come for the World Cup. Under one of President Donald Trump&#39;s many initiatives to crack down on migration, the United States has begun asking people from 50 developing countries to hand over anywhere from $5,000 to $15,000 for a US visa, refundable once they return home. The State Department said it would waive the bonds for team members competing in World Cup matches in the United States as well as for fans from competing countries who already have tickets and signed up for a priority system set up for visas. &quot;We remain committed to strengthening US national security priorities while facilitating legitimate travel for the upcoming World Cup tournament,&quot; said Mora Namdar, the assistant secretary of state for consular affairs. &#39;Biggest and best&#39; She said the Trump administration wanted to organize the &quot;biggest and best FIFA World Cup in history.&quot; Five countries that qualified for the World Cup are among those whose nationals are required to pay visa bonds: Algeria, Cape Verde, Ivory Coast, Senegal and Tunisia. At least two other countries that have qualified for the soccer showcase have seen nearly total bans on entry into the United States under Trump: Haiti, the poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere, and Iran, which the United States and Israel attacked on Feb. 28. The Trump administration has also sharply expanded scrutiny for visitors from friendly Western countries, requiring them to provide access for the US government to look through their social media postings. A study by the Mendoza Law Firm found that Haiti could play its matches with virtually no fans traveling from the country due to the restrictions. It said that in the five qualifying countries affected by the visa bonds, $15,000 is equivalent to an average of three years of income. The World Cup, which kicks off June 11, is being co-hosted by Canada, Mexico and the United States.

Under one of President Donald Trump's many initiatives to crack down on migration, the United States has begun asking people from 50 developing countries to hand over anywhere from $5,000 to $15,000 for a US visa, refundable once they return home.

United States relaxes visa bonds for World Cup fans

VANCOUVER: FIFA President Gianni Infantino reiterated that Iran will play their World Cup games in the United States as scheduled, as football&#39;s power-brokers met in Vancouver on Thursday. Iran&#39;s participation at this year&#39;s World Cup in Canada, Mexico, and the United States has been shrouded in uncertainty since the eruption of war in the Middle East in February following strikes by the United States and Israel. Infantino, who has repeatedly stated that Iran will be at the World Cup, underscored that stance at the start of his address to delegates as FIFA&#39;s 76th Congress got under way in western Canada. &quot;Let me start by the outset, confirming straightaway that of course Iran will be participating at the FIFA World Cup 2026,&quot; Infantino said. &quot;And of course, Iran will play (in) the United States of America.&quot; Infantino&#39;s remarks drew swift support from close ally US President Donald Trump, who told reporters in the Oval Office he was &quot;OK&quot; with Iran&#39;s participation. &quot;Well, if Gianni said it, I&#39;m OK,&quot; Trump said. &quot;I think let &#39;em play.&quot; Iranian officials had floated the idea of shifting their group games from the United States to Mexico, but that proposal had already been nixed by Infantino. In a further twist last week, Italy-born US special envoy Paolo Zampolli was reported to have floated the idea of Italy taking Iran&#39;s World Cup place. The US government later distanced themselves from that proposal, with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio saying Iran&#39;s footballers would be welcome. But the tension surrounding Iran&#39;s World Cup participation rumbled into the build-up to Thursday&#39;s summit. Iran&#39;s delegation was the only absentee from the 211-member congress as Thursday&#39;s meeting got under way after a clash with Canadian border officials earlier this week. Officials from the Iranian football federation (FFIRI) abruptly left Canada after landing in Toronto, abandoning their onward trip to Vancouver. Iranian media said FFIRI president Mehdi Taj &mdash; a former member of Tehran&#39;s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) &mdash; and two colleagues flew home after being &quot;insulted&quot; by Canadian immigration officers. Canada, which designated the IRGC a terrorist organization in 2024, said Wednesday that individuals linked to the force were &quot;inadmissible.&quot; Iran, who are due to be based in Tucson, Arizona, during the World Cup, face New Zealand, Belgium and Egypt in Group G. The Iranians open their World Cup campaign against New Zealand in Los Angeles on June 15. Infantino election boost&nbsp;FIFA supremo Infantino went into Thursday&#39;s summit with his organization under fire over skyrocketing ticket costs for the World Cup, which one supporters group has branded a &quot;monumental betrayal&quot; of fans. Infantino brushed off those criticisms in his address, insisting that all revenues from the World Cup &mdash; estimated between $11 and $13 billion &mdash; would be pumped back into football development. &quot;There are expensive tickets, yes, (but) there are also affordable tickets,&quot; Infantino said. &quot;And what is important is that all the revenues that we generate from the world go back to the entire world and finance football in all of your countries.&quot; Infantino&#39;s close ties to US President Trump have also come under scrutiny. Advocacy group Fairsquare filed a formal complaint in December arguing that Infantino had breached FIFA rules concerning political neutrality by awarding Trump the inaugural &quot;FIFA Peace Prize&quot; during last year&#39;s World Cup draw. However, Infantino received a huge boost to his hopes of securing re-election as the head of world football on Thursday after receiving pledges of support from the African and Asian regional confederations. The Confederation of African Football (CAF) and Asian Football Confederation (AFC) have both said they will back Infantino if, as expected, he stands for a fourth term in 2027. The African and Asian confederations account for 101 votes in FIFA&#39;s presidential election out of a total of 211. Infantino has already secured support for re-election from South American football&#39;s ruling body CONMEBOL, which is worth a further 10 votes.

Iran's participation at this year's World Cup in Canada, Mexico, and the United States has been shrouded in uncertainty since the eruption of war in the Middle East in February following strikes by the United States and Israel.



Infantino confirms Iran will play World Cup games in US

WASHINGTON: The fourth and final phase of ticket sales for the 2026 World Cup in North America began on Wednesday, FIFA announced.&nbsp;The phase for the June 11&ndash;July 19 event in the United States, Mexico and Canada involves more than three million tickets.&nbsp;This &quot;last-minute&quot; sales phase opened at 1500 GMT on the official website, FIFA.com/tickets, the global governing body stated in a press release.&nbsp;Tickets are being sold on a &quot;first-come, first-served&quot; basis and will remain available until the end of the competition on July 19, it added.&nbsp;Tickets will be released for sale on a rolling basis -- including, on occasion, for matches taking place on the very same day, according to FIFA.&nbsp;At the scheduled time, prospective buyers were directed to a &quot;waiting&quot; page to &quot;queue&quot; while awaiting access to the site, a wait that could last several hours.&nbsp;&quot;A countdown will appear before you can enter the ticket sales phase. Once the countdown is over, an &#39;Enter&#39; button will be available for 5 minutes. Click it to access,&quot; instructions specify.&nbsp;In total, nearly seven million tickets are being offered for the competition, taking into account the capacities of the 16 stadiums hosting the global tournament.&nbsp;More than three million of these tickets have already been sold during the first three sales phases -- including over one million during the random selection draw phase alone (held in January and February), which received 500 million requests, according to FIFA.&nbsp;The global governing body is likely to break the all-time record of 3.5 million tickets sold for a World Cup -- a mark set during the 1994 edition.

FIFA launched the final ticket sales phase for the 2026 World Cup, offering over three million tickets on a first-come, first-served basis. Controversy surrounds high prices, resale practices, and complaints filed with the European Commission.

Final ticket sales phase begins for FIFA World Cup

Web Desk

MEXICO CITY: Iran&#39;s football federation is &quot;negotiating&quot; with FIFA to relocate the country&#39;s first-round matches at the World Cup to Mexico from the United States, citing the conflict in the Middle East, Iran&#39;s embassy in Mexico said Monday. Iran&#39;s participation at this summer&#39;s finals in the United States, Canada and Mexico has been thrown into doubt since the war began late last month. &quot;When (US President Donald) Trump has explicitly stated that he cannot ensure the security of the Iranian national team, we will certainly not travel to America,&quot; Iranian football chief Mehdi Taj said in remarks posted on the embassy&#39;s X account. &quot;We are currently negotiating with FIFA to hold Iran&#39;s matches in the World Cup in Mexico.&quot; Iran is scheduled to face New Zealand and Belgium in Los Angeles, followed by Egypt in Seattle. The team&#39;s base camp for the tournament is currently slated to be located in Tucson, Arizona. Abolfazl Pasandideh, Iran&#39;s ambassador to Mexico, on Monday denounced &quot;the US government&#39;s lack of cooperation regarding visa issuance and the provision of logistical support&quot; for the Iranian delegation ahead of the World Cup, in a statement published on the embassy&#39;s website. He added that he had also &quot;suggested to FIFA that Iran&#39;s matches be moved from the United States to Mexico.&quot; FIFA did not immediately respond to a request for comment from AFP.

Iran's football federation is negotiating with FIFA to relocate the country's first-round matches at the World Cup to Mexico from the United States, citing the conflict in the Middle East.

Iran 'negotiating' with FIFA over moving World Cup games to Mexico: embassy

ISLAMABAD: Iran&#39;s Minister of Sports and Youth, Ahmad Donyamali, said that Iran is not in a position to participate in the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The tournament is set to start on June 11 across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Iran are due to face New Zealand and Belgium in Los Angeles on June 15 and 21, respectively, and Egypt in Seattle on June 26.&nbsp; The situation has become uncertain after the US and Israel launched strikes on the country.&nbsp; The crisis intensified after the killing of Iran&rsquo;s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei. Iran responded by launching missiles and drones toward Israel and other countries hosting US military bases.&nbsp; Earlier on Wednesday, FIFA president Gianni Infantino said US President Donald Trump had told him Iran is &quot;welcome to compete&quot; at this summer&#39;s finals.&nbsp; In an interview with the IRIB Sports Network, Donyamali said that the current circumstances make participation impossible. &quot;Given that this corrupt government has assassinated our leader, under no circumstances do we have the appropriate conditions to participate in the World Cup,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;Our boys are not safe, and conditions for participation do not exist.&rdquo; Donyamali added that ongoing conflicts have heavily affected the country. &ldquo;Over the past eight or nine months, two wars have been imposed on us and several thousand of our people have been killed and martyred. Therefore, we definitely do not have the possibility for participation.&rdquo;

Iran’s Sports Minister Ahmad Donyamali says the country cannot participate in the 2026 FIFA World Cup due to the ongoing war following the killing of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

Iranian minister says country will not play in FIFA World Cup

BARRANQUILLA: FIFA boss Gianni Infantino told AFP on Tuesday he was &quot;very reassured&quot; about Mexico&#39;s hosting of games in the football World Cup, in his first comments on the violence triggered by the killing of a drug cartel leader.&nbsp;&quot;Very reassured, everything&#39;s good. It&#39;s going to be spectacular,&quot; Infantino said in the Colombian city of Barranquilla, two days after cartel members went on a rampage including in host city Guadalajara over the army&#39;s killing of their leader Nemesio &quot;El Mencho&quot; Oseguera.&nbsp;Mexico is one of the three host countries for the June 11-July 19 World Cup, along with the United States and Canada.&nbsp;The country as a whole, but particularly Guadalajara, was shaken by the violence that followed the killing of the leader of the powerful Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG).&nbsp;At least 74 people were killed during the operation to capture him at a ranch near Guadalajara and subsequent clashes between the security forces and suspected cartel members.&nbsp;Only one was a civilian, according to the government, but residents and tourists alike were left scurrying for cover as cartel gunmen blocked roads in 20 of Mexico&#39;s 32 states and torched vehicles and businesses.&nbsp;No risk&#39; to football fans&quot;It feels like we&#39;re in a war zone,&quot; Javier Perez, a 41-year-old engineer, told AFP on Tuesday in the parking lot of a grocery store replete with burnt-out cars in the Jalisco tourist resort of Puerto Vallarta.&nbsp;The images of anarchy and violence were beamed around the world less than four months before the start of the World Cup, while FIFA on Monday refused to comment.&nbsp;Infantino spoke to AFP at a Colombian Football Federation event.&nbsp;However, Infantino&#39;s optimism was not reflected by the Portuguese Football Federation, who cast doubt on whether their team would play a friendly on March 29 in Mexico City.&nbsp;The federation said it was &quot;closely monitoring the delicate situation currently unfolding in Mexico.&quot;&nbsp;It added that the safety of players, coaches and supporters was a top priority and security considerations would be the deciding factor.&nbsp;Mexico national team coach Javier Aguirre was more upbeat, declaring: &quot;All is going ahead as planned.&quot;&nbsp;Earlier, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum assured that there was &quot;no risk&quot; to World Cup fans and said the situation was &quot;gradually returning to normal.&quot;&nbsp;Guadalajara, the capital of Jalisco state, will host four group-stage matches.&nbsp;Mexico City and the north-eastern city of Monterrey will also host games. Both cities were spared by the recent unrest.&nbsp;In addition to the four matches, including one of the most anticipated of the first round between Uruguay and Spain, Guadalajara will co-host with Monterrey the playoff tournament that will determine the last two teams to qualify for the World Cup at the end of March.&nbsp;Jalisco Governor Pablo Lemus ruled out the prospect of Guadalajara being dropped from the tournament over security concerns, saying there was &quot;absolutely no risk&quot; of a change in the line-up.&nbsp;All eyes will be on the central state of Queretaro on Wednesday, when Mexico meets Iceland for a friendly.&nbsp;A first-division game was suspended on Sunday in Queretaro over the violence.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino said Mexico is ready to host World Cup matches despite recent cartel violence after the death of Nemesio Oseguera. Officials say fans are safe, though some teams remain cautious.

FIFA boss 'very reassured' about World Cup in Mexico despite violence

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&rsquo;s Syeda Amna Batool has made history by becoming the first Pakistani to be appointed to the FIFA Institutional Reforms Committee, a key body within world football&rsquo;s global governance structure.&nbsp;The appointment marks a significant step in Pakistan&rsquo;s ongoing efforts to re-establish itself in the international football arena.&nbsp;Batool, a member of Pakistan&rsquo;s National Assembly, participated in the committee&rsquo;s plenary sessions and meetings this week in Qatar. According to an official statement, Batool is currently the only Pakistani serving on a FIFA committee, underscoring the importance of this achievement.&nbsp;The FIFA Institutional Reforms Committee is tasked with reviewing and recommending reforms to governance frameworks, transparency standards, and institutional practices within global football. As part of the committee, Batool&rsquo;s role will involve evaluating existing policies and driving reforms that ensure greater accountability and inclusivity across the sport.&nbsp;In a statement, Batool expressed her commitment to working within the committee to strengthen FIFA&rsquo;s reform mechanisms.&nbsp;&quot;My goal is to bring credible, transparent, and sustainable change to global football governance,&quot; she said. &quot;This is a significant opportunity for Pakistan to contribute to shaping the future of football worldwide.&quot;&nbsp;Batool&rsquo;s appointment comes at a pivotal moment for Pakistan&rsquo;s football scene, which has been marred by years of political and administrative instability. Pakistan&rsquo;s football administration has faced a long period of disarray, with internal disputes and external challenges tarnishing its reputation on the international stage.&nbsp;However, with Batool&rsquo;s inclusion in FIFA&#39;s reform efforts, Pakistan is beginning to rebuild its standing. This move is seen as part of a broader strategy by the government to reassert its position in global football.&nbsp;Officials noted that the government, under Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, is keen to stabilize football governance in the country and align with global standards.&nbsp;&quot;Football is not only a sport in Pakistan; it&rsquo;s a tool for youth engagement and social development,&quot; said a government source close to the matter. &quot;With over 60% of Pakistan&rsquo;s population under the age of 30, football has the potential to unite and empower our young people.&quot;&nbsp;In recent months, PM Sharif has engaged with senior officials from regional and international football bodies, including AFC President and FIFA Senior Vice President Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa.&nbsp;Sharif has emphasized Pakistan&#39;s commitment to an autonomous and merit-based football system, an essential step in restoring credibility to the national federation.&nbsp;Batool&#39;s appointment reflects these ongoing efforts to position Pakistan as a constructive partner in the global football community. As one of the few women from South Asia in the FIFA structure, her role is also seen as an important representation of gender inclusion in football governance.&nbsp;In parallel, the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF), under President Syed Mohsin Gilani, has been pursuing both local and international initiatives aimed at reviving the federation after a prolonged period of leadership challenges. Gilani has highlighted the importance of stabilizing the federation&rsquo;s operations and ensuring Pakistan&#39;s compliance with international football standards.&nbsp;Batool, reflecting on her responsibility, said, &ldquo;This is an opportunity not just to contribute to FIFA&rsquo;s reforms, but to ensure that Pakistan becomes a credible and constructive member of the global football family.&rdquo;&nbsp;With sustained efforts on both the governmental and football federation fronts, Batool&rsquo;s appointment signals a hopeful chapter for Pakistan&rsquo;s football future. While much work remains, officials are optimistic that the reform-driven momentum will contribute to Pakistan&rsquo;s successful reintegration into the global football ecosystem.

Pakistan's Syeda Amna Batool makes history as the first Pakistani appointed to FIFA's Institutional Reforms Committee, advancing the nation's role in global football governance. 

Articles tagged with "FIFA World Cup 2026"

Neymar included in Brazil World Cup squad

Iran to hold pre-World Cup training camp in Turkey: media

Iran says no US visas issued yet for 2026 World Cup

United States relaxes visa bonds for World Cup fans

Infantino confirms Iran will play World Cup games in US

Final ticket sales phase begins for FIFA World Cup

Iran 'negotiating' with FIFA over moving World Cup games to Mexico: embassy

Iranian minister says country will not play in FIFA World Cup

FIFA boss 'very reassured' about World Cup in Mexico despite violence

In a first, Pakistan's Amna Batool appointed to FIFA institutional reforms committee

Neymar included in Brazil World Cup squad