September 10, 2025 2:01 PM

England thrash Serbia 5-0 to close in on World Cup spot

England took a huge step towards automatic qualification for next year's World Cup with captain Harry Kane paving the way for a crushing 5-0 victory away to main Group K rivals Serbia in an impressive free-flowing display on Tuesday. While Kane netted his record-extending 74th England goal, Noni Madueke, Ezri Konsa and Marc Guehi all scored their first senior international goals in an emphatic win. England have a maximum 15 points from five games and could even seal automatic qualification as ...

September 10, 2025 1:59 PM

FIFA WC qualifier: Portugal edge Hungary 3-2 with late Cancelo goal

Portugal earned a 3-2 victory at Hungary in their World Cup qualifier on Tuesday, with Joao Cancelo scoring a late winner, two minutes after the hosts had equalised, to put them in control at the top of Group F with two away wins from two. The visitors had come from behind to lead thanks to Cristiano Ronaldo's penalty but almost let the three points slip when conceding late on before Cancelo's goal rescued the win to add to their 5-0 success in Armenia on Saturday. Hungary took the lead in the...

August 4, 2025 4:51 PM

FIFA faces Dutch class action over player transfer regulations

A Dutch soccer players' group is preparing a "potentially billion-dollar" Europe-wide class action claim against FIFA and other associations, seeking compensation over alleged loss of income due to restrictive transfer rules, it said on Monday. The Dutch Foundation for Justice said world soccer governing body FIFA's rules had affected approximately 100,000 players in European member states and the United Kingdom since 2002. The foundation added that consultancy firm Compass Lexecon had estimat...

July 10, 2025 12:46 PM

PSG crush Real Madrid 4-0 to reach FIFA Club World Cup final against Chelsea

Paris St Germain's Spanish midfielder Fabian Ruiz scored twice in a devastating first-half display as the French champions demolished Real Madrid 4-0 on Wednesday to book their place in the Club World Cup final against Chelsea. Two defensive errors handed PSG their opening goals within nine minutes at MetLife Stadium. Raul Asencio's poor control in the sixth minute gifted Ousmane Dembele possession and his first effort was saved by Thibaut Courtois before the rebound was picked up by Ruiz who ...

July 9, 2025 9:56 AM

Trump to attend Club World Cup final, FIFA opens office in Trump Tower

U.S. President Donald Trump will attend Sunday's Club World Cup final in East Rutherford, New Jersey, he said at a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, as world soccer's ruling body FIFA announced it had opened an office in New York's Trump Tower. The expanded tournament featuring many of the world's best club teams has been widely seen as a dry run for the 2026 World Cup, which will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico with a record 48 national teams taking part. Sunday's Club World Cu...

July 6, 2025 11:46 AM

Real Madrid survive Dortmund scare to reach Club World Cup semis

Real Madrid edged past Borussia Dortmund 3-2 in a dramatic Club World Cup quarter-final on Saturday to set up a semi-final against Paris St Germain. The Spanish giants stamped their authority on the match early at the MetLife Stadium, dominating possession and opening a two-goal lead thanks to strikes by Gonzalo and Fran Garcia in the 10th and 20th minutes. Despite the reduced intensity of play in New Jersey's scorching heat, Real comfortably saw out the match, leaving Dortmund unable to mount...

July 1, 2025 9:39 AM

Real boosted by Mbappe’s return for Juventus clash at Club World Cup

Kylian Mbappe looks set to make his Club World Cup debut when his Real Madrid side face Juventus in the last 16 at the Hard Rock Stadium on Tuesday, in a major boost for the 15-time European champions. "It's a big possibility," Real Madrid coach Xabi Alonso told a press conference on Monday when asked if the France forward, who missed all three group matches with acute gastroenteritis, would feature. Mbappe's return comes as Real Madrid look to build on a squad boosted by the recoveries of Dan...

June 29, 2025 10:25 AM

FIFA’s Arsene Wenger promises better pitch quality at 2026 World Cup

FIFA's Global Football Development chief Arsene Wenger acknowledged that the quality of pitches hosting Club World Cup matches in the U.S. was not good enough, but insisted it would be better when the country co-hosts the 2026 World Cup. The pitches, often very dry and sprinkled with water during cooling breaks or at halftime, have been widely criticised, mainly by coaches and players of the European teams taking part. "I’ve been personally on the pitch at Orlando," former Arsenal manager We...

June 25, 2025 12:58 PM

Flamengo happy to progress after 1-1 draw with LA FC

Misfiring Flamengo were held to a 1-1 draw by Los Angeles FC in their final group match at the Club World Cup on Tuesday but the Brazilian side still go into the knockout stage with some momentum after another strong performance. Denis Bouanga put the MLS club ahead in the 84th minute but substitute Wallace Yan responded two minutes later to ensure Flamengo would progress unbeaten to their last-16 tie against Bayern Munich in Miami on Sunday. With top spot in Group D already assured, Flamengo ...

June 25, 2025 12:32 PM

Boca Juniors draw with Auckland City, exit Club World Cup

Boca Juniors were held to a surprise 1-1 draw by amateurs Auckland City and failed to reach the knockout stage of the Club World Cup on Tuesday in steamy Nashville, Tennessee, where the match was suspended for nearly 50 minutes due to stormy weather. Argentine side Boca came into the game needing both a convincing win against already-eliminated Auckland City to overturn a seven-goal difference with Benfica and for the Portuguese club to lose to German champions Bayern Munich in the other Group ...