FIFA Men's World Cup

FIFA Opens Disciplinary Proceedings Against Dele Alli Over Bronx Salute

FIFA, the organization whose scandalous bidding processes for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups revealed rampant institutional corruption, has opened disciplinary proceedings against England’s Dele Alli for his obscene gesture on Monday.

Peru’s World Cup Dream Is Lionel Messi And Argentina’s Nightmare

Want the definition of a miracle? Take Peru, a country that hasn't qualified for a World Cup since 1982 and is now closer than ever. Want the definition of a catastrophe? Take Argentina, who in recent years has lost a total of three finals and could get left out of next summer's World Cup in Russia entirely.

South Africa And Senegal Will Replay A World Cup Qualifier Because The Referee Has Been Banned For Match-Fixing

South Africa beat Senegal 2-1 in a World Cup qualifier last November, except for they didn't.

The match will have to be replayed because the referee from November, Ghanaian Joseph Odartei Lamptey, has been found guilty of match-fixing and banned for life.

Was there a dodgy penalty in this match that the referee might have called for match-fixing purposes? Reader, there was, though FIFA hasn't released the exact details behind Lamptey's ban.

Argentina Were Awful On Tuesday But Lionel Messi Was A Savage

On the face of it, a 1-1 draw with bottom-dwelling, already-eliminated Venezuela in front of 60,000 at the Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires was a godawful result for Argentina, and it really was. But from a broader perspective there’s a lot more to analyze and discuss than simply draw = bad.

Awful Defense Cost The USMNT At Least 3 Points This International Break

The United States came into this international break hoping to get at least four points, maybe all six from two matches against Costa Rica and Honduras in World Cup qualifying. You wouldn’t blame the Americans for their confidence, coming into the break with a 14-match unbeaten streak. That confidence is in tatters now thanks to some USMNT defensive struggles, which proved to be contagious for the rest of the team. 

Saudi Arabia Qualifies For The World Cup, Edging Australia On Goal Differential

For the first time since 2006, Saudi Arabia will be in the World Cup. The Green Falcons, having missed out on the last two tournaments, will return to the world stage after a 1-0 win over already qualified Japan on Tuesday. 

Bobby Wood Snatches 85th Minute Equalizer To Avoid Calamitous USMNT Defeat To Honduras

Booby Wood, on as a 73rd minute substitute for Darlington Nagbe, salvaged a point for the USMNT against Honduras by scoring his nation’s lone goal in the 85th minute. It took a superbly struck Kellyn Acosta free kick to trouble the staunch Honduran defense, and Wood was on hand to keep the U.S. in the automatic qualifying places — at least for now.

A Panama victory over Trinidad and Tobago later tonight would see the U.S. drop to fourth in the Hex, the spot that necessitates a dreaded inter-confederation playoff with Asia to determine who advances to Russia.

Good Dog Brings Goals To Brazil-Colombia World Cup Qualifying Match

Everyone loves a good dog. Especially when he brings goals. 

Moments after a dog wandered onto the pitch in the World Cup qualifier between Colombia and Brazil, Willian opened the scoring with a beautiful goal in a 1-1 draw between the two teams who came into the match atop the CONMEBOL standings. 

Ireland’s World Cup Hopes On The Brink After Defeat To Serbia

A 1-0 defeat to Serbia in Dublin has all but destroyed the Republic of Ireland’s World Cup dream following a dire 1-1 draw with Georgia on Saturday — it's safe to say it's been a disastrous week of qualifying for the Boys in Green. For Serbia, Aleksandar Kolarov’s 55th-minute strike has put them in firm control of securing automatic qualification from UEFA’s Group D with two matches to play.

Last-Minute Equalizer Keeps Syria Somehow Alive In World Cup Qualifying

Syria needed a win or a tie Tuesday against Iran to keep its World Cup hopes alive. Down 2-1 going into stoppage time, it looked like the dream was dead.

And then it wasn't.

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