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Sometimes, doing what you believe is right comes with a cost. For former National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) midfielder Elizabeth Eddy Biggs, she knew that long before she ever hit "post." Mrs. Biggs officially announced her retirement Tuesday after an 11-year professional career. "I'm deeply thankful to God, my family, friends, teammates, staff, coaches and fans for this wild, wonderful journey, both full of blessing and growth," Mrs. Biggs said in a video posted to her social media. (Video: https://x.com/elizabetheddy2/status/2036553794373210317) And, in a conversation with OutKick on Monday, she said she's at peace with how everything unfolded — even if...

An athlete’s silent act of dissent can turn both her and her family into targets of intimidation under the rule of Iran’s radical Islamist regime. After refusing to sing the Islamic Republic’s anthem before a match in Australia, seven members of Iran’s women’s national soccer team sought asylum there, making a desperate choice no athlete should ever face. After the regime issued threats against the seven and jailed their families, five later withdrew their claims and left. And yet from the global capital of women’s soccer, there has been no public solidarity.

1 min video at link: FOX & Friends@foxandfriends“I know that families have even been detained. I know family members are missing.”An Australian official sounds the alarm for Iranian female soccer stars as more players reportedly pull asylum bids after reportedly facing heavy intimidation.“When you do break a contract as an athlete in Iran you can face the death penalty.”

Iran cannot participate in the 2026 World Cup following airstrikes against the country by the United States and Israel, the Iranian sports minister said Wednesday. "Given that this corrupt government assassinated our leader, under no circumstances can we participate in the World Cup," Ahmad Donyamali reportedly told Iranian state television. - President Trump says Iran 'welcome' at World Cup, says Infantino - Iraq coach Arnold asks FIFA to reschedule its WC playoff Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was killed in the first day of attacks. He has since been succeeded by his son, Mojtaba Khamenei. Iran was due to...

Five members of Iran's women's national team are seeking asylum in Australia following the team's participation at the AFC Asian Cup, and are currently safe and being cared for by local authorities. The players defected on Monday, a day after a 2-0 defeat to the Philippines, which would ensure the team would be eliminated in the group stage. The team was scheduled to depart Gold Coast, Australia, on Monday despite airspace restrictions in the Middle East because of the Iran War, which began on Feb. 28, after the team traveled to take part in the Asian Cup. The Iran War...

New York City doesn’t have enough hotel rooms for hordes of visitors coming to this summer’s FIFA World Cup and should suspend the current restrictions on Airbnb and other short-term rental platforms, business leaders told Mayor Zohran Mamdani and City Council Speaker Julie Menin on Friday. Groups including the Partnership for New York City and chambers of commerce for all five boroughs say the city must pause its short-term rental laws from June 1 to July 31 so more people can stay in the Big Apple during the games — along with celebrations for the country’s 250th anniversary and Fleet...

The Iranian women’s national soccer team made quite the statement on Monday night during the opening match of the Women’s Asian Cup, as they refused to sing while their national anthem played over the speakers at Cbus Super Stadium on the Gold Coast. The players were in their customary line before their match against South Korea, when the Iranian national anthem began to play. The women, looking straight ahead and barely moving, were stoic as it appeared there were jeers from the crowd. Later, applause erupted from those in attendance following the 3-0 South Korea victory. Iran’s manager, Marziyeh Jafari,...

Saturday’s major military attack on Iran by U.S. and Israeli forces is impacting everything from international diplomacy to the game of soccer. The move by President Trump to strike multiple targets in Iran comes just months before the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be hosted by the U.S., Canada and Mexico. All three nations automatically qualify as hosts. Iran also qualified for the World Cup. One of the best teams in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), the Iran National Team finished atop Group A in the AFC World Cup Qualifying competition, sending them through at the first time of...

The 40-year-old man was stabbed by his wife after a misunderstanding while watching a Napoli game at their home, according to Italian media. A Napoli supporter was allegedly stabbed by his wife at their home after an argument broke out when he lost his temper while watching a match on TV, Italian media reported. The 40-year-old became frustrated as his side lost 2-1 to Atalanta in Serie A on Sunday, according to L'Unione Sarda daily newspaper. He reportedly shouted insults at the TV after a controversial VAR decision overturned a penalty that had been awarded to Napoli. The man's 35-year-old...

@MarioNawfal SICK OF STARMER'S DYSTOPIAN NIGHTMARE? HERE COMES RESTORE BRITAIN Britain is being run into the ground, and now a new party is saying it out loud. Restore Britain is calling out weak leadership, broken institutions, and a political class that looks after itself while everyone else pays the price. They’re pushing low taxes, small government, secure borders, national pride, traditional Christian principles, free speech, and direct democracy. Source: @RupertLowe10

Israeli journalist Rina Mazliah set off a firestorm on Thursday when she said during an Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation-Kan Reshet Bet broadcast that she was "disgusted" by a soccer player who recited "Shema Yisrael" (Hear o' Israel - Deuteronomy 6:4) verse while taking the field. "I see at soccer games, every player that takes the field goes 'Shema Yisrael'... It's disgusting. I mean, why 'Shema Yisrael' when you take the field? It's disgusting, Akiva, disgusting. Go in, play, why 'Shema Yisrael' in the middle of a soccer game?" Matzliah said. The remarks garnered fierce reactions on the net, with many...

Calls are growing on social media for international soccer fans to boycott the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which is being hosted across the United States, Canada and Mexico. Newsweek reached out to FIFA for comment via email. Why It Matters While there have been some World Cup boycott pushes in recent months, some over the cost of tickets, there are now renewed calls due to growing unrest, immigration fears, and the Trump administration's moves on the international stage—including President Donald Trump saying on Thursday night that the U.S. is “going to start now hitting land” and targeting drug cartels "running...

VIDEOIn 2026 the FIFA World Cup Soccer arrives in the USA. That will be the time when native born Americans PRETEND (if they are polite) to be interested in Soccer or what the rest of the world calls Football. Watching these Brits suffering extreme meltdowns over absurdly (and typically) low scoring soccer games is amusing to watch. It has convinced me that growing up watching either American football vs soccer somehow wires your brain differently. The way soccer flows with its absurdly low scores just does NOT appeal to Americans who expect higher scores in a game that flows entirely...

Fans have accused FIFA of a "monumental betrayal" after the latest ticket prices for the World Cup began circulating Thursday. The governing body allocates 8% of tickets to national associations for games involving their team to sell to the most loyal fans. And a list published by the German soccer federation revealed prices ranged from $180 to $700 for varying group stage games. The lowest price for the final was $4,185, and the highest was $8,680.

Teams from two Islamic countries playing in one of America’s wokest cities on the anniversary of Stonewall – what could go wrong?FIFA looks set to face its first major scandal of the 2026 World Cup – if you don’t count the exorbitant cost of the tickets, that is. The Egyptian FA has made a formal request for the cancellation of an LGBTQ+ celebration planned to take place at their Group G game against Iran on June 26 in Seattle. The game roughly coincides with the anniversary of the Stonewall Riots of 1969. The Seattle Pride match committee are planning to...

Iran and Egypt have complained to FIFA after Seattle designated their World Cup game as a ‘Pride Match’. The fixture, between two countries in which homosexuality is outlawed, is meant to honour the LGBTQ+ community in the liberal city and the clash was pencilled in before it was known which sides would be involved. Due to take place on June 26, it coincides with Seattle’s Pride Weekend. However, the federations of each Muslim country have now contacted FIFA to express their opposition, in what is a growing, diplomatic incident more than six months out from tournament kick-off. Iranian Football Federation...

DUBAI, Dec 7 (Reuters) - Fifty-five Iranians deported from the United States will return to their home country in the coming days, Iran's foreign ministry said on Sunday, in the second such deportation under President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown. In September, officials said the U.S. had identified about 400 Iranians to be deported, with a first flight carrying 120 people making its way to Tehran via Qatar's capital. "In the coming days, about 55 nationals will return to Iran...This is the second group being returned to Iran in the latest months," Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said, adding that...

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Soccer may be the world’s most popular sport, but in the U.S., its rise to mainstream status has been anything but smooth. Despite steady growth, the game still faces hurdles that have slowed its acceptance, from cultural disconnects and stiff competition from other major sports to challenges in youth development and infrastructure. While more Americans are embracing the sport, breaking into the country’s deeply rooted sports culture remains an uphill battle. The question isn’t whether soccer can thrive in the U.S., but what it will take to finally cement its place among the nation’s biggest sports. 16. Resistance to Adopting...

Members of the Football Association of Ireland voted overwhelmingly on Saturday for its board to request that Uefa immediately suspends the Israel Football Association from European competitions. A resolution passed by FAI members cited alleged violations by Israel’s FA of two provisions of Uefa statutes: its failure to implement and enforce an effective anti-racism policy and Israeli clubs playing in occupied Palestinian territories without the consent of the Palestinian Football Association.