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Tag: Fifa

Spain Set to Host 2030 World Cup Final

Fola Badmus07 mins

Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) President Rafael Louzan has said that Spain will stage the final of the 2030 World Cup, which will be co-hosted by Spain, Portugal and Morocco. Morocco wants to stage the game in Casablanca at the Grand Stade Hassan II, a huge stadium currently under construction north of the city. “Spain has proven its organisational capacity over many years. It will be the leader of the 2030 World Cup and the final of that World Cup will be held here,” Louzan said late on Monday (local time) at an event organised by the Madrid Sports Press Association. Louzan did not say whether the match would be played at Madrid’s Santiago Bernabeu or Barcelona’s Camp Nou, the two leading candidates. Once completed in late 2028, the new stadium in Morocco is expected to hold 115,000 spectators. Morocco’s Royal Football Federation (FRMF) President Faouzi Lekjaa last year expressed his wish to see a final against Spain in Casablanca. Louzan also alluded to the challenges Morocco faced during its hosting of the last Africa Cup of Nations, including the chaotic scenes during the final between Senegal and Morocco this month. That match, which Senegal won 1-0, was overshadowed by fan disruptions and player protests that temporarily halted play. “Morocco is really undergoing a transformation in every sense, with magnificent stadiums,” Louzan said. “We must recognise what has been done well. But in the Africa Cup of Nations, we have seen scenes that damage the image of world football.” FIFA and the Portuguese and Moroccan football federations have not responded to requests for comment on the final’s location. FIFA told Reuters last year it was premature to decide the venue for the 2030 final, saying the host city for the 2026 World Cup final was revealed only two years before the tournament. World football’s ruling body has the final say on where the match will be played.   XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX   Former FIFA President Joins Call for U.S. World Cup Boycott Former FIFA president Sepp Blatter joined a growing call for an international boycott of the World Cup matches scheduled to take place in the U.S. this summer. That would include the 6 matches at Levi’s Stadium.   Blatter’s recommendation comes days after former FIFA reform chairman Mark Pieth suggested to a Swiss newspaper that soccer fans should avoid attending games in U.S. cities in light of Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations in the streets and political unrest. The tournament, beginning in June, is playing out in Mexico, Canada and 11 U.S. locations.   “For the fans, there’s only one piece of advice: stay away from the USA!” Blatter posted on X Monday. “I think Mark Pieth is right to question this World Cup.”   Vice presidents of the German soccer federation Oke Göttlich told a Hamburg news outet last week that it’s time for soccer fans and teams to “seriously consider” not visiting the U.S. because of the Trump administration’s foreign and domestic policies. The President has caused concern in Europe by expressing interest in acquiring the island of Greenland from Denmark and questioning NATO’s value to the U.S.   Many fans of Iran and Haiti’s soccer clubs won’t have the option of seeing their teams play live when the World Cup tournament begins in June due to a travel ban imposed by the Trump administration last summer.   Trump has expressed excitement about the World Cup coming to the U.S. since his first administration helped bring the tournament to North America by teaming up with Canada and Mexico in 2017 to make a winning bid. The President shares a warm relationship with FIFA President Gianni Infantino, who presented him with the newly invented FIFA Peace Prize in December after Trump unsuccessfully campaigned to win the Nobel Peace Prize.   He called that trophy “truly one of the great honors of my life.”   Team USA men’s squad begins its longshot campaign to win the World Cup with a June 12 match against Paraguay in Southern California. They’ve never won the tournament. Argentina is the defending champion.   The U.S. women’s team, which will compete for the Women’s World Cup in Brazil in 2027, has won its tournament four times.

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Super Eagles Jump 12 Places To 26th In FIFA Rankings After AFCON Bronze Finish

Wale busari01 mins

The Super Eagles of Nigeria have soared to 26th in the latest FIFA World Rankings, marking a stunning 12-place leap from their previous 38th position. The rise comes after Nigeria’s strong performance at the 2025 AFCON in Morocco, where they secured third place. In Africa, the Super Eagles now sit as the continent’s third-best team, trailing only AFCON champions Senegal, ranked 12th globally, and Morocco, placed eighth. Algeria and Egypt hold the fourth and fifth spots in the African standings. At the global level, the top 10 teams feature Spain, Argentina, France, England, Brazil, Portugal, Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, and Croatia.

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FIFA President Condemns Senegal Players’ Walkout During AFCON Final, Calls Violence Unacceptable

Wale busari03 mins

FIFA President Gianni Infantino has criticized the actions of some Senegal players after chaotic scenes marred Sunday’s Africa Cup of Nations final, during which the eventual champions briefly left the pitch in protest over a penalty awarded to Morocco. “We strongly condemn the behaviour of some ‘supporters’ as well as some Senegalese players and members of the technical staff,” Infantino said in a statement to AFP. The final, tied 0-0 late in normal time, was disrupted when VAR awarded Morocco a penalty for a challenge on Brahim Diaz. In protest, most Senegal players walked off the field, while clashes erupted between some Senegalese fans and Moroccan security elsewhere in the stadium. Senegal eventually returned to play, with Diaz’s weak penalty comfortably saved by goalkeeper Edouard Mendy. The West Africans later secured victory in extra time thanks to a brilliant strike from Pape Gueye, silencing the 66,526-strong home crowd at Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat. “It is unacceptable to leave the field of play in this manner, and violence has no place in our sport,” Infantino added. Despite the incident, Infantino praised Morocco for their organisation of the tournament, describing it as a positive step ahead of the country’s co-hosting of the 2030 men’s World Cup. Morocco coach Walid Regragui, however, expressed concern over how the episode reflected on African football. “The image we showed of African football was rather shameful,” he said. “Stopping the game for more than 10 minutes with the whole world watching is not classy.”

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Super Eagles Remain 38th In FIFA Men’s World Rankings

Wale busari02 mins

The Super Eagles of Nigeria have held on to their 38th position in the latest FIFA men’s world rankings. Released on Monday, the new rankings show no change for Nigeria since November, when they recorded 1,502 points, as the team has not played any competitive matches in the intervening period. The team is currently in Morocco for the 35th Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON). Among African teams, Morocco leads the continent at 11th in the world, followed by Senegal in 19th place. Algeria and Egypt are ranked 34th and 35th, respectively, placing Nigeria just behind them. Other African nations in the continent’s top 10 include Tunisia (41st), Côte d’Ivoire (42nd), Mali (53rd), DR Congo (56th), and Cameroon (57th). On the global stage, Spain remains at the top of the FIFA rankings after reclaiming first place from Argentina in September 2025. The rest of the top 10 includes England, Brazil, Portugal, the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, and Croatia, with France securing third place.

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FIFA Awards Malaysia Three 3-0 Defeats Over Ineligible Players, FAM To Appeal

Wale busari02 mins

FIFA has handed Malaysia a major blow, awarding the nation three 3-0 defeats after it was found to have fielded ineligible players, the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) confirmed on Wednesday. Matches previously recorded as friendly wins against Palestine and Singapore, along with a home draw with Cape Verde earlier this year, have all been overturned. The sanctions follow FIFA’s suspension of seven foreign-born Malaysian national team players who submitted falsified documents claiming Malaysian ancestry. FAM, which had already been fined $440,000 in the ongoing scandal, has now been hit with an additional $12,500 penalty. A FIFA disciplinary committee meeting held last Friday declared, “Malaysia is declared to have lost 3-0 in all three matches,” the association said. The investigation began after FIFA received a complaint following Malaysia’s 4-0 victory over Vietnam in June during an Asian Cup qualifier, where two of the implicated players scored. FIFA’s probe found that Hector Hevel, Jon Irazabal, Gabriel Palmero, Facundo Garces, Rodrigo Holgado, Imanol Machuca, and Joao Brandao Figueiredo did not have a parent or grandparent born in Malaysia, as required for national team eligibility. FAM, however, insists it acted appropriately and confirmed it will appeal the ruling at the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

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FIFA Confirms $50 Million Prize For 2026 World Cup Winners

Wale busari02 mins

FIFA has confirmed that the champions of the 2026 World Cup will pocket $50 million, as part of a record-breaking $655 million prize fund for the tournament. The figure represents an almost 50 per cent rise from the $440 million shared among teams at the 2022 edition in Qatar. The next World Cup will run from June 11 to July 19, 2026, and will be jointly hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada. It will also mark a historic expansion, with 48 teams competing instead of the traditional 32. At the last World Cup, Argentina earned $42 million after Lionel Messi inspired them to a dramatic penalty shootout win over France, who took home $30 million as runners-up. In 2026, however, the finalists who fall short will receive $33 million, while the third-placed team will earn $29 million and the losing semi-finalists $27 million. Countries knocked out at the group stage will each collect $9 million, and every participating nation will be given an extra $1.5 million to support their preparation ahead of the competition. According to FIFA, the expanded format is designed to deliver the biggest and most lucrative World Cup ever, reflecting both the increased number of teams and the sport’s growing global appeal.

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Dembele Wins FIFA Best Award

Wale busari01 mins

Paris Saint-Germain star Ousmane Dembele has been named the FIFA Best men’s player of 2025. Demeble, 28, has capped off his incredible year during which he won Ligue 1, the Champions League and the Coupe de France. The Frenchman also helped PSG reach the final of the Club World Cup. His efforts were enough to secure him his first ever Ballon d’Or, arguably the most coveted individual award in football. At Tuesday’s FIFA ceremony in Doha, Qatar, Dembele claimed another. The nominees were announced as Dembele, Kylian Mbappe and Lamine Yamal. FIFA president Gianni Infantino announced the winner, as Dembele was invited on stage. PSG are playing in Qatar this week, facing Flamengo in the inaugural Intercontinental Cup Final.

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NFF Investigates DR Congo Over Ineligible Players, Boosting Nigeria’s 2026 World Cup Hopes

Wale busari04 mins

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has announced an investigation into DR Congo’s use of potentially ineligible players during the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, a move that could revive Nigeria’s chances of reaching the tournament in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, PUNCH Online reports. DR Congo eliminated Nigeria from the African play-offs in November, winning 4–3 on penalties in Morocco and ending the Super Eagles’ hopes of advancing to the FIFA intercontinental play-off. The Congolese team has since advanced to the final of the intercontinental play-off, where they are set to face the winner of the semi-final between New Caledonia and Jamaica. However, the NFF has raised questions about the eligibility of several DR Congo players fielded during the African play-offs. Reports indicate that six to nine players who switched national allegiance may not have fully complied with Congolese law, which prohibits dual citizenship. While FIFA cleared the players based on possession of DR Congo passports, it is alleged they did not formally renounce their previous nationalities, potentially violating the country’s constitution. “NFF has done the needful,” a member of the federation’s executive board told PUNCH Online. “Their constitution does not allow dual citizenship, and about six to nine players had that status during the play-off. That is the loophole we are exploring. Our lawyers must have submitted the relevant documents to FIFA as well.” NFF General Secretary Dr. Mohammed Sanusi also confirmed the federation’s challenge, saying, “We’re waiting. The Congolese rules say you cannot have dual citizenship or nationality. Some of the players have European passports—French, Dutch, or others. The rules are very clear, and we have submitted our petition. “FIFA rules say once you have a passport of your country, you’re eligible, and that is why they were cleared,” he added. “But our concern is that FIFA was deceived into clearing them. It is not FIFA’s responsibility to enforce Congo’s domestic regulations; FIFA acts based on what is submitted. What we are saying is that the process was fraudulent.” The development has renewed hopes for Nigeria’s qualification for the 2026 World Cup, following their failure to reach the 2022 edition in Qatar. DR Congo has made a single FIFA World Cup appearance, in 1974, when the country was known as Zaire.

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