FIFA WORLD CUP

The World football governing body, FIFA, has unveiled the Technical Study Group (TSG) for the 2026 FIFA World Cup 2026, which will provide cutting-edge analysis of all matches at the competition while increasing and developing the understanding of the game across the world. Guided by FIFA Chief of Global Football Development Arsène Wenger, the TSG consists of Otto Addo (Ghana), Tobin Heath (USA), Jürgen Klinsmann (Germany), Jayne Ludlow (Wales), Michael O’Neill (Northern Ireland), Gilberto Silva (Brazil), Jon Dahl Tomasson (Denmark), Paulo Wanchope (Costa Rica), Aron Winter (Netherlands) and Pablo Zabaleta (Argentina). The panel will be led by FIFA Senior Football Expert Pascal Zuberbühler and Lead of Football Performance Insights (FPI) Tom Gardner, and supported by a team ...

FIFA has announced an 11-member Technical Study Group for the 2026 World Cup, with former players and coaches set to analyse matches and decide the winners of major individual awards during the tournament. The panel was unveiled on Monday during a virtual media briefing monitored by The Nation ahead of the competition, which begins next month at Estadio Azteca. The group will be led by FIFA Senior Football Expert Pascal Zuberbühler and includes former Manchester City defender Pablo Zabaleta, ex-Germany striker and coach Jürgen Klinsmann, Northern Ireland manager Michael O’Neill, former Ghana coach Otto Addo, Costa Rica legend Paulo Wanchope and Brazilian World Cup winner Gilberto Silva. Others on the panel are Tobin Heath, Jon Dahl Tomasson, Jayne Ludlow and Aron Winter. FIFA s...

Iran has reportedly issued a list of demands to FIFA and the United States government before agreeing to participate in the 2026 World Cup amid mounting political tensions surrounding the tournament. The Iranian Football Federation (FFIRI) said the national side would take part 'without any retreat from our beliefs, culture and convictions'. It also warned that tournament organisers and host nations 'must take our concerns into account'. The statement comes after federation president Mehdi Taj was refused entry into Canada ahead of last month’s FIFA Congress, in a move that has intensified fears over how Iranian officials and players could be treated during the competition. Taj later disclosed that Iran had submitted 10 separate conditions to FIFA ahead of the expanded tourname...

Nigeria’s U-20 women’s national team, the Nigeria women's national under-20 football team, popularly known as the Falconets, have secured qualification for the 2026 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Poland. The Nigerian side booked their place at the global tournament after an impressive qualifying campaign, extending the country’s strong presence in women’s football on the international stage. The Falconets will now join some of the world’s best young talents at the tournament scheduled to take place in Poland in 2026. The qualification has sparked excitement among football fans and stakeholders, with many expressing confidence in the team’s ability to make a strong impact at the competition. Nigeria remains one of Africa’s most successful teams in the history of the FIFA U-20 Wo...

Andrew Giuliani, head of the White House Task Force on the 2026 World Cup, has dismissed President Donald Trump’s comments that tickets for next month’s opening match are too expensive. Giuliani, son of Trump attorney and former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, defended the World Cup ticket prices as proof that the event is in demand. “We look to FIFA as a private entity here, we don’t really believe in price controls,” Giuliani told The Financial Times. “That’s kind of like what dynamic pricing can do.” The Associated Press reported that the cheapest official ticket for the U.S.-Paraguay opener was listed at $1,120 through FIFA’s official portal, while the cheapest tickets for the World Cup final were listed at $5,785 and premium seats climbed to $10,990...

U.S. President Donald Trump has admitted that he wouldn't pay the astronomical prices FIFA is demanding for tickets to this summer's World Cup. FIFA chief Gianni Infantino appears to have lost his support from the US president, ahead of the tournament across the US, Canada, and Mexico. In an interview with the New York Post this week, Trump was asked about the exorbitant pricing, just hours after Infantino had brushed off rising criticism. 'I did not know that number,' the President said when told about the $1,000 get-in price for the USMNT's opener against Paraguay in Los Angeles on June 12. 'I would certainly like to be there, but I wouldn't pay it either, to be honest with you.' He then added: 'I haven't seen that, but I would have to take a look at it. If people from...

Controversial Nollywood actress Lizzy Anjorin has agreed to take part in a proposed celebrity boxing match against fellow actress Iyabo Ojo. The challenge, which carries a ₦10 million prize, was initially suggested in 2024 by Paulo Okoye. In a recent Instagram post, Anjorin confirmed her readiness to step into the ring. However, she attached new conditions to her acceptance, insisting that Paulo must first face her husband, Chief Lawal, in a 10-round bout before she proceeds to fight Iyabo Ojo the following day. Anjorin also intensified the ongoing rivalry by making personal remarks and daring both Paulo and Ojo to publicly showcase evidence of their wealth and accomplishments. The latest development adds another chapter to the long-standing feud between Anjorin and Ojo, which ...