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FIFA president Gianni Infantino affirmed on Thursday that Iran will take part in this summer’s World Cup despite the country’s current conflict with the United States. "Of course, Iran will be participating at the FIFA World Cup 2026, and of course Iran will play in the United States of America," Infantino said during his opening remarks of the FIFA Congress in Vancouver. "The reason for that is very simple, dear friends, is because we have to unite. We have to bring people together. It is my responsibility." Among the 211-member FIFA congress, Iran was the only absentee. DOOCY: The president...

THE 2026 World Cup is shaping up to be expensive for fans. Depending on what stadium your ticket is for — if you even got one due to exorbitant prices — transit and lodging costs are cripplingly high. This year’s World Cup was marketed as a tournament to get Americans excited about soccer and be a place where all fans could come and watch their countries compete. Instead, it has become a bidding war with both Fifa and local governments setting incredibly high prices. The cheapest tickets for less favorable games start at around $140 for a seat, but can...

An already-expensive trip to the World Cup just got even more costly, as NJ Transit and the FIFA New York New Jersey Host Committee announced fare hikes to attend eight matches at MetLife Stadium this year. The East Rutherford, New Jersey, stadium will host those matches, beginning June 13 and ending with the final on July 19, but a roundtrip train ticket to and from New York Penn Station and MetLife Stadium will be $150, up from the usual $12.90. Shuttles are also available for $80. NJ Transit CEO Kris Kolluri defended the fare hikes on Friday, saying that the...

Seattle is ramping up cleanup efforts as it prepares to welcome tens of thousands of visitors for the FIFA World Cup this summer, with a new report highlighting millions of pounds of waste removed, hundreds of thousands of sharps collected, and growing community participation across neighborhoods. The Seattle Clean City 2025 Community Impact Report, released April 14, outlines what the city calls a year of major milestones, stronger partnerships, and expanded, data-driven strategies aimed at keeping streets and public spaces cleaner and safer. In 2025, Seattle Clean City and its partners collected and removed 5.3 million pounds of waste from...

As if World Cup tickets weren't costly enough, getting to those games is slated to cost plenty more than usual. NJ Transit tickets from MetLife Stadium to New York Penn Station after matches are reportedly set to cost more than $100, while prices in Boston are also set to surge. Currently, prices from East Rutherford to Penn Station are just under $13. The Athletic also reported that there will be no price differences for seniors, children or passengers with disabilities, and a final decision on the pricing is expected in the next few days. Last week, the Massachusetts Bay Transportation...

Homeless individuals were allegedly bribed with cash, cigarettes, and marijuana in exchange for signing voter registration forms and ballot petitions — often using fake addresses Independent investigative journalist James O’Keefe and his team at O’Keefe Media Group (OMG) have released explosive undercover footage documenting what appears to be widespread voter registration and petition fraud on Los Angeles’ Skid Row, where homeless individuals were allegedly bribed with cash, cigarettes, and marijuana in exchange for signing voter registration forms and ballot petitions — often using fake addresses. The investigation, titled “CALIFORNIA ELECTIONS FRAUD CASH FOR BALLOTS PART I,” captured at least 28...

Shocking images and reports of dogs being killed in Morocco have drawn global scrutiny of a campaign linked to the country's 2030 World Cup preparations. (Snip) Animal welfare organizations have released images and testimony alleging Moroccan authorities are using harsh methods, including clamping dogs by the neck, loading them into trucks and poisoning or shooting them before disposing of their bodies in mass graves. A report published last month described Marrakech, expected to host World Cup matches, as a 'kill center', where canines were transported in white vans and processed in warehouse facilities fitted with meat hooks and washable flooring....

As the Trump Administration prepares for the U.S. to co-host the World Cup this summer, easing travel rules for sporting events amid otherwise tightening immigration policy, some members of the global soccer community are saying: “Stay away from the U.S.A.!” That particular phrasing came from Mark Pieth, a Swiss attorney who chaired the Independent Governance Committee’s oversight of FIFA reform between 2011 and 2013, in an interview with Swiss newspaper Der Bund last week. But calls for a boycott of the world’s biggest international soccer competition have gained traction among other prominent soccer figures, lawmakers, and fans. The U.S. is...

A German politician has suggested that boycotting the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico could be a “last resort” in response to Donald Trump’s threats against Greenland. US President Donald Trump believes his country needs to acquire Greenland, the world's largest island, for national security reasons. The demands have been rejected by Greenland's leaders and by Nato member Denmark, of which the island is a semi-autonomous territory. Trump, meanwhile, has not ruled out using military force. In fact, Trump recently threatened to impose tariffs on countries that do not “go along” with his plan to annex...

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.

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...

Experience the full official ceremony of the FIFA World Cup 2026 Draw, held at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C., on December 5, 2025. This historic event brought together major world leaders and FIFA officials, including: 🇺🇸 U.S. President Donald Trump 🇲🇽 Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum 🇨🇦 Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney ⚽ FIFA President Gianni Infantino Together, they participated in the official FIFA World Cup 2026 Draw, marking a major moment as the world prepares for the tri-nation World Cup across the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

Live stream...

Israel's World Cup qualifiers in Norway and Italy are being overshadowed by security concerns, with the mayor of the northern Italian city of Udine warning about the situation ahead of the match scheduled to be played there next week. The Israeli team is set to visit Norway on Saturday and Italy on Tuesday in Group I. The first match is at the Norway national team's home, Ullevaal Stadium in Oslo, while the Italy game will be hosted at Serie A club Udinese's Stadio Friuli, with limited attendance. In recent weeks, demonstrators have taken to the streets in Italy against Israel's...

European soccer body UEFA is moving toward a vote to suspend its member federation Israel over the war in Gaza, people familiar with the proposal told The Associated Press on Thursday. A majority of the UEFA (Union of European Football Associations) 20-member executive committee is expected to support any vote in favor of suspending Israeli teams from international play, two sources told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the subject. Such a step would prevent Israeli national and clubs teams from playing in international competitions including next year's World Cup. Israel's men's team is...

Could there be a World Cup without Spain? If Israel participates, it could be a possibility. That’s what has been implied by the words of the spokesperson for the Socialist Group in Congress, Patxi López, who stated that “at the appropriate time” the possibility of Spain not attending the 2026 FIFA World Cup will be considered if Israel participates.The position of the Spanish government comes amid the ongoing debate about Israel’s participation in international sporting competitions, a debate that has resurfaced strongly in Spain in recent days. During a press conference in Congress, López urged sports organizations to “exclude” Israel...

Guadalajara, a World Cup site next year, lies in a cartel stronghold. As Trump considers attacking drug gangs, it offers a cautionary tale.Carmen Lucia Carrillo spotted her son immediately. Daniel was dressed in black, stretching his lanky frame over the cars, squirting soapy liquid. Handsome and outgoing, with a gap-toothed grin, he always did like to look sharp, even with a rag dangling from his back pocket. She had just bought him those jeans, from a trendy Mexican discount store, Beware of the Dog. A half-hour later, Daniel vanished. Two men — one carrying a pistol — grabbed him and...

Democrats in Congress have begun to celebrate parts of the “One Big, Beautiful Bill” — a measure they voted against. Reps. Sharice Davids (D-KS) and Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO) issued a joint press release last week touting a provision tucked into the legislation that locked in $625 million for World Cup security. While the pair heralded a bipartisan push to secure funds geared toward safety across the 11 host cities in the United States for the 2026 tournament — in particular Kansas City, which has a metropolitan area that spans both their districts — they left out any mention of the...

VIDEOEEEK! He wouldn't leave the stage when the Manchester Club received their World Cup winner trophy! Eeek! Hey, President Donald Trump is entitled especially since it happened on the one year anniversary of not only America but the World being saved when Trump miraculously dodged the assassin's bullet by millimeters at Butler, PA. Even the booing by the Trump hating anti-Americans could not spoil the FIFA celebratory moment. Oh, and by Trump taking part in the team victory on stage it brought attention in America to a sport we call soccer but which the rest of the world calls football....

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — President Donald Trump on Sunday marked the one-year anniversary of a failed attempt on his life, joining family, friends and close advisers to witness Chelsea's dominating FIFA Club World Cup final victory over Paris Saint-Germain. The president joined the players on the field after the match to congratulate the tournament's outstanding performers, present PSG players with their runner-up medals and hand Chelsea their championship trophy. "It was an upset today I guess," Trump told reporters after flying back to Washington following Chelsea's victory. "But it was a great match." Trump and first lady Melania Trump were...