Iraq’s midfielder Zidane Aamar Iqbal made history as the first footballer of Pakistani heritage to play at a FIFA World Cup tournament this week when he took the field against Norway. Iqbal, 23, was born in Manchester, England to a Pakistani father from Sahiwal in Pakistan’s eastern Punjab province and an Iraqi mother in April […]
FIFA
FIFA seeks explanation over VAR official’s hand gesture
FIFA is seeking an explanation over a hand gesture made by video assistant referee Shaun Evans before Germany’s 7-1 win over Curacao on Sunday. Before matches during the World Cup, FIFA has been briefly focusing on the officials as part of its world feed global coverage. First, the referee, and the rest of his team, […]
Pakistan invited to inaugural FIFA ASEAN Cup
Pakistan football has received a major boost after the national team was invited to participate in the inaugural FIFA ASEAN Cup, marking a significant milestone for the country’s presence on the international football stage. According to sources, FIFA extended an official invitation to Pakistan for the tournament, and the Pakistan Football Federation has confirmed the […]
FIFA Politics
Mexico’s 2-0 win over South Africa at the Azteca gave the 2026 FIFA World Cup the release it badly needed. For 90 minutes, the tournament could look like what FIFA sells so well: colour, noise, flags, spectacle and shared emotion. Yet the first whistle did not dissolve the question that shadowed the build-up. If this […]
US denies entry to Somali referee ahead of World Cup
The United States has denied entry to Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan, who had arrived in Miami to take part in preparations for the FIFA World Cup, according to US Customs and Border Protection and FIFA officials. Artan reportedly landed at Miami International Airport from Istanbul on Saturday but was deemed inadmissible following what authorities […]
World Cup 2026 set to begin amid global excitement and challenges
The FIFA World Cup is set to kick off on Thursday, bringing together a record 48 teams across the United States, Canada, and Mexico in what is being described as the largest and most complex edition of the tournament in history. The opening match will take place at Mexico City’s iconic Estadio Azteca, where co-hosts […]
FIFA revises water bottle rules for World Cup fans
FIFA has said it will allow fans to bring one soft plastic disposable water bottle into World Cup 2026 stadiums in the United States, Canada and Mexico, following criticism of an earlier restriction on refillable bottles. The announcement came two days after the governing body initially said refillable bottles would not be permitted, a move […]
FIFA bans vuvuzelas from World Cup stadiums
Soccer fans looking to bring the party to World Cup games will have to go without vuvuzelas, with FIFA banning the plastic horns from venues in the U.S., Canada and Mexico in its stadium code of conduct. Vuvuzelas, a horn made with a long plastic shell, are a staple of South African soccer matches and […]
FIFA bans reusable bottles at World Cup stadiums
FIFA has announced that spectators attending matches at the 2026 FIFA World Cup will not be allowed to bring reusable water bottles into stadiums, citing safety concerns and the need to protect players, officials and fans. Read More: Fifa World Cup expansion drives record revenue and emissions surge The decision follows a last-minute amendment to FIFA’s […]
Pakistan football on right track: FIFA official
The International Football Federation (FIFA) has backed the progress made by Pakistan football over the past year, describing it as being on the right track while calling for immediate constitutional reforms within the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF). FIFA officials emphasized that modern governance structures and greater stakeholder empowerment are essential for accelerating the sport’s development […]