World Cup

Saudi Arabia was the only football association to present a bid to host the 2034 FIFA World Cup before the deadline closed, soccer's global governing body said on Tuesday.

Saudi Arabia World Cup 2034 confirmed

OFFICIAL: World Cup 2034 will be hosted by Saudi Arabia, as president Gianni Infantino has confirmed.

“Football unites the world like no other sport, World Cup is perfect showcase for a message of unity and inclusion”.

RIYADH – Saudi Arabia said on Monday it was launching an annual Esports World Cup, which will include the most popular games in the world and have the largest prize pool in esports history.

The competition will be held annually in Riyadh starting summer 2024, a statement from Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said.

Clubs will compete across games from various genres to become the ultimate Esports World Cup champion, the statement said. 

While the United States women’s national team continues the head coach search, ex-manager Vlatko Andonovski has found his new gig with the Kansas City Current.

Prior to becoming USWNT head coach in 2019, Andonovski was coaching in the NWSL with FC Kansas City and OL Reign. During his four-year tenure with Kansas City, he led them to back-to-back NWSL Championship titles in 2014 and 2015.

Los Angeles is no longer a host city for the 2026 World Cup due to an ongoing dispute between FIFA and the owners of SoFi Stadium, ESPN reported.

The home of the NFL's Rams and Chargers was originally thought to be one of three contenders to host the World Cup final, along with MetLife Stadium (East Rutherford, N.J.) and AT&T Stadium (Arlington, Texas).

Previous reports indicated that Stan Kroenke, owner of SoFi Stadium and the Rams, is unhappy with the proposed financial split between FIFA, the city and the stadium.

Football Australia chief executive James Johnson said on Thursday they are still exploring a bid to host the 2034 World Cup, despite the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) having declared support for Saudi Arabia.

After naming Morocco, Spain and Portugal as 2030 World Cup hosts on Wednesday, with Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay hosting the opening matches to mark the tournament's centenary, FIFA then invited countries from the Asia and Oceania regions to submit bids for 2034.

Morocco, Spain and Portugal have been named hosts of the 2030 soccer World Cup, while Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay will host the opening matches to mark the tournament's centenary, world soccer body FIFA said on Wednesday.

The 2030 World Cup will be hosted in SIX different countries, on THREE different continents:

Uruguay: opening game
Argentina: opening game
Paraguay: opening game
Morocco
Spain
Portugal

MADRID — Spain's World Cup-winning women's team coach Jorge Vilda has been sacked, the country's football federation (RFEF) said on Tuesday 10 days after FIFA suspended its president for kissing national team player Jenni Hermoso on the mouth.

A new board formed after the suspension of RFEF President Luis Rubiales by soccer's world governing body FIFA over the allegedly non-consensual kiss during the World Cup victory celebration two weeks ago has terminated Vilda's contract.

MADRID — Spanish regional soccer chiefs demanded federation boss Luis Rubiales resign for grabbing and kissing World Cup winner Jenni Hermoso, as the country's caretaker government promised on Tuesday to ensure women play a bigger role in running sports.

J'espère que c'est sa meuf sinon c'est une dinguerie ça. pic.twitter.com/SlZxe8K8gK

The mother of suspended Spanish soccer chief Luis Rubiales locked herself inside a church and started a hunger strike to protest against her son's treatment over his kissing player Jenni Hermoso on the lips after the world cup victory, family members said.

"She has gone on hunger strike, she does not want to leave the church," Vanessa Ruiz, a cousin of Rubiales, told reporters outside the parish church of Divina Pastora in the family's home town of Motril, southern Spain.