FIFA President Gianni Infantino has reiterated his support for Iran‘s participation in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, urging stakeholders to focus on football rather than politics amid ongoing controversy surrounding the team’s presence at the tournament. “I am happy to see Iran in the World Cup. I promised them before that I was ready to
Just days before Haiti’s return to the FIFA World Cup, the nation has found itself at the center of a controversy after FIFA requested changes to its official team jersey, arguing that elements of the design could be interpreted as a political message. The decision has sparked debate because the imagery in question commemorates a
By Yomi Kuku, Toronto, Canada A fresh controversy has erupted at the 2026 FIFA World Cup after Algeria’s national team reportedly discovered that parts of a closed training session had been filmed from the air and later broadcast by a local American television station, despite strict measures implemented to protect tactical preparations ahead of a
By Yomi Kuku, Toronto, Canada The controversy surrounding Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan took a dramatic new turn on Tuesday after Canadian political leaders publicly declared that the FIFA official, denied entry to the United States ahead of the 2026 World Cup, would be welcomed in Canada. Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow said Artan, who was
For years, Omar Abdulkadir Artan worked toward a moment no Somali referee had ever achieved. He earned FIFA’s trust, secured his World Cup appointment, obtained the necessary travel documents, and boarded a flight to the United States ready to officiate at football’s biggest tournament. Yet despite having the whistle, the visa, and the dream, Artan
By Yomi Kuku, Toronto, Canada Former England international and football pundit Ian Wright has joined growing criticism of the 2026 FIFA World Cup’s organization after Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan was denied entry to the United States, describing the situation as further evidence of the “chaos” that has engulfed the tournament. Wright’s comments came after
By Yomi Kuku, Toronto, Canada New York is taking an unprecedented step to make the FIFA World Cup accessible to ordinary supporters after Governor Kathy Hochul and Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced that Central Park will host a free public watch party for the 2026 FIFA World Cup final, with space for 50,000 fans on the
By Yomi Kuku, Toronto, Canada Toronto City Hall is facing mounting criticism after confirming that thousands of FIFA World Cup 2026 tickets purchased through its host-city allocation are being resold to corporations and sponsors in a bid to offset the city’s massive cost of staging the tournament. The controversy erupted after Mayor Olivia Chow’s office
By Yomi Kuku, Toronto, Canada Inter Toronto head coach Mauro Eustaquio has challenged his players to respond immediately after a humbling 4-1 home defeat to Forge FC, admitting his side lacked aggression, defensive solidity and discipline while also questioning several officiating decisions that he believes influenced the outcome. Forge produced a ruthless display in the
Morocco and Norway shared the spoils in a high-quality World Cup warm-up match on Sunday, with Brahim Díaz’s early strike cancelled out by a second-half equaliser from Martin Ødegaard in a 1-1 draw at Sports Illustrated Stadium in New Jersey. The friendly brought together two of the most intriguing teams heading to the 2026 FIFA