Lionel Messi scored moments after coming off the bench on Tuesday to dispel any injury doubts and help Argentina win their final warm-up game for a World Cup overshadowed by off-field distractions, as the Somali referee refused entry to the United States said his dream was over. The 38-year-old Messi had not featured for Argentina […]
Emotional World Cup return to Mexico for South Africa coach Broos
Forty years after playing for Belgium against hosts Mexico in the 1986 World Cup opener, Hugo Broos makes an emotional return to the Estadio Azteca on Thursday, this time as coach of South Africa. The clash between Mexico and South Africa in Mexico City signals the start of the 2026 World Cup, the first of […]
Saudis in World Cup spotlight after $2bn spending spree
A lavish spending spree brought star players and attention to Saudi Arabia, but it has not reaped rewards for the national team who arrive at the World Cup desperate to reverse a run of poor results. The oil-rich kingdom pumped around $2 billion in three years into football, signing Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar and Karim Benzema […]
Somali referee dropped from World Cup after turned back at US border
A Somali referee was on Monday dropped from the World Cup after he was denied entry to the United States, reigniting concerns about how Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown could disrupt the tournament. Omar Artan was set to be the first match official from Somalia to referee at a World Cup finals, but he was turned […]
Acid attack on woman doctor sparks fear, protests
An acid attack against a woman doctor has sent shockwaves through Pakistan’s medical sector, sparking strikes and a protest Tuesday demanding safety and justice for the victim. A man threw acid at Mahnoor Nasir at her hospital in the southern city of Quetta on Saturday, causing burns to seven percent of her body, according to […]
World number one Korda wins US Women’s Open golf championship
Nelly Korda won the US Women’s Open on Sunday, rolling in a clutch birdie putt at the 17th hole to break free of a crowded leaderboard and triumph by one stroke at Riviera Country Club. The world number one edged England’s Charley Hull and Mexico’s Gaby Lopez for her long-coveted first US Open victory, giving […]
Yamal available for Spain’s World Cup opener after injury
Teenage Barcelona star Lamine Yamal and fellow winger Nico Williams will be available for Spain’s World Cup opener against debutants Cape Verde on June 15, coach Luis de la Fuente said on Sunday. Yamal and Athletic Bilbao’s Williams both missed the end of the club season with hamstring injuries and their imminent returns will be […]
Major quake off Philippines kills at least 32, dozen still missing
A 7.8-magnitude earthquake in the southern Philippines on Monday killed at least 32 people, according to provincial authorities, after toppling buildings and sparking tsunami warnings across the region. National disaster authorities said at least a dozen people were still missing, while 134 had sustained injuries. Philippine authorities urged people in affected coastal regions to move […]
Football fever grips Karachi’s impoverished Lyari neighbourhood
Children dribble footballs across the narrow alleys of Pakistan’s impoverished Lyari neighborhood, with only days left for the FIFA World Cup 2026 to begin. The FIFA World Cup will kick off on Thursday, June 11, with co-hosts Mexico playing against South Africa. All men’s football World Cup editions between 1930, the inaugural tournament, and the […]
Women detained in Afghanistan’s Herat in clothing crackdown
Afghan residents in the western city of Herat have told AFP of witnessing multiple women detained by the Taliban government’s morality police, in a crackdown over clothing which has drawn criticism from the United Nations. The UN mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said Sunday it was “concerned over multiple arrests and detentions of women in Herat […]