FIFA Men's World Cup

The World Cup Has Its Own Version Of The Olympic Torch

The faded soccer ball, covered with scratches and thousands of signatures, is a testament to soccer's power to bring the world together. Kings, prime ministers, monks and professional footballers have knocked the ball around. The Ball has been kicked and headed all across the world. The Ball travels from Battersea Park in London to the World Cup every four years, and it started a new journey on March 25.

Morocco Touts Gun Control, Lack Of Gun Violence In Fight Against U.S., Mexico For World Cup Bid

Morocco isn’t pulling any punches in its fifth bid to host a World Cup. Competing against the U.S., Mexico and Canada for the right to host the 2026 event, the Morocco World Cup bid is telling FIFA to consider the poor safety record of the U.S. and Mexico, particularly when it comes to murder rate and gun circulation.

Diego Costa Says What We’re All Thinking: Without Messi, Argentina Is Nothing

For anyone who paid the slightest bit of attention to Argentina throughout the CONMEBOL World Cup qualifying cycle, Spain’s resounding 6-1 defeat of La Albiceleste comes as no surprise. Without Messi, Argentina has zero business being at this World Cup. The statistics, again, bear repeating:

Without Messi, Argentina played eight matches in qualifying. They won one. They scored 0.75 goals per game. They lost to Ecuador, Paraguay and Bolivia. They drew with Venezuela. Tata Martino was sacked and so was his successor, Edgardo Bauza. 

Iceland's Government Is Boycotting The World Cup

After a former Russian double agent was poisoned in Britain, the resulting international uproar has led to (and included) Iceland boycotting the 2018 World Cup in Russia. Just the government, though. The team will still compete in the tournament. The Viking Clap cheer will presumably also travel to Russia.

Can South America Finally Break Its European World Cup Curse?

Historically speaking, things look pretty bleak for the five South American nations set to compete in Russia this summer. Over the history of the World Cup, the event has taken place in Europe 10 times. Collectively, if you break those tournaments down by how things finished, European nations have accounted for 34 of the 40 top four finishes (85%), leaving South America with only six success stories:

Goalkeepers Are Already Complaining About The World Cup Ball

Every four years, the footy community gathers together for one of the most famous, most important traditions in sports: goalkeepers complaining about the World Cup ball.

This is what three goalkeepers who will probably feature in Russia had to say about the ball:

David de Gea: "It's really strange. It could have been made a lot better."

Oprah’s World Cup Advice To Lionel Messi: Find The Strength Inside Yourself

Imagine this: it’s July 15, 2018. It’s the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow. 81,000 spectators are collectively holding their breath while more than one billion are tuned in across the planet. After 120 minutes of action in the 2018 FIFA World Cup Final, we’re all square between Argentina and Germany. It's penalties.

Argentina now has a chance to lift the trophy with their fifth and final spot kick. It’s Lionel Messi — the perennial international runner-up — approaching the spot with German No. 1 Manuel Neuer staring him down. 

See The Newly-Released Mexico World Cup Away Kit

Adidas has finally released the away kits for the World Cup squads it sponsors, inluding the Mexico World Cup away kit. Let's take a look!

Germany:

It’s Official: England Will Lose The World Cup Because Of VAR

FIFA officially approved the use of video assistant referees at this summer’s World Cup during a FIFA Council meeting on Friday in Bogota, Colombia. After testing the system out at last year’s Confederations Cup, World Cup VAR is sure to annoy all the England fans who like to complain about not having anything to complain about. 

England Institutes Partial Boycott Of World Cup; Could Other Countries Follow?

United Kingdom Prime Minister Theresa May announced a sort of England World Cup boycott on Wednesday, confirming no British royal family or government ministers will be in Russia for the 2018 World Cup this summer. 

The partial England World Cup boycott comes after the attempted murder of former spy Sergei Skripal, who was poisoned recently in England. British authorities have said the attack was “highly likely” to have been committed by Russia. U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, before Donald Trump fired him via tweet, concurred. 

Pages