Page 8 - Football

FIFA head Gianni Infantino says fans should be able to abstain at World Cup

FIFA president Gianni Infantino downplayed Qatar's last minute ban on the sale of beer at World Cup stadiums as nothing more than a brief inconvenience to spectators. "If this is the biggest problem we have, I'll sign that (agreement)," Infantino said Saturday, a day after the conservative Muslim emirate did an about-face on the deal it had made to secure the soccer tournament. Infantino blamed "crowd flows" in Doha for the decision, though it appeared to be a ruling by Qatar's autocratic government to placate its conservative Wahhabi citizens who already have been angered by some events around the tournament they view as Western excesses. Infantino said the beer ban at stadiums was made jointly by Qatar officials and FIFA. "We tried until the end to see whether it was possible," Infantino said of allowing alcohol sales. "If for 3 hours a day you cannot drink a beer, you will survive. Maybe there is a reason why in France, in Spain, in Scotland, alcohol is banned in stadiums. Mayb

Man U looking to end Ronaldo's contract following controversial interview

In the interview, Ronaldo had criticized the club and said that he has "no respect" for its manager ten Hag.

FIFA 2022: Prejudice off the ball

At Qatar, everybody acknowledges that African or African origin players will play key roles in most big teams. Yet of the 32 teams, only four coaches are black, and they represent African teams

Here's all you need to know about $300 bn controversial Qatar World Cup

It's set to the biggest sporting event ever held in the Middle East -- and in a conservative, majority-Muslim country to boot.

FIFA World Cup Group C and D analysis: Argentina, Denmark to make headlines

FIFA World Cup 2022 Qatar: Here's a detailed analysis of which two teams will qualify for the knockouts from Group C and D of the tournament

FIFA World Cup 2022 Group A and B analysis: England, Netherlands favourites

FIFA World Cup 2022 Qatar: Here's a detailed analysis of which two teams will qualify for the knockouts from Group A and B of the tournament

Why FIFA World Cup, which kicks off on Sunday, will be one of its kind

Qatar on yellow card with accusations of sportswashing, curbs on fan freedom; many high-profile players to retire

Fifa World Cup Qatar 2022: 'Sports should not be politicised', says Macron

French President Emmanuel Macron said on Thursday that "sports should not be politicised," days after it was announced to criticism that he would attend the World Cup in Qatar if France reaches the semifinals. Speaking in Bangkok, Macron said issues about Qatar's human rights record and the environment were "questions you have to ask yourself when you award the event." Qatar won the hosting rights for this year's tournament in a FIFA vote in 2010. The World Cup has sparked multiple controversies from the living conditions of migrant workers to the impact on the environment of air-conditioned stadiums and the place of LGBTQ people, women and minorities. The first World Cup to be held in an Arab country opens on Sunday. On Monday, the presidential Elysee said Macron will go to the Qatar if the country's national team reaches the semifinals, specifying that the French president "wrote them a message" to this effect. Last month, the city of Paris said it will not broadcast World Cu

Jio announces new international roaming plans ahead of Fifa world cup 2022

The plans launched by Jio for Fifa world cup 2022 will be functional in Qatar, UAE, and Saudi Arabia

Fifa World Cup could be viewed by 5 bn people: President Gianni Infantino

While attending the ongoing G20 Summit held in Bali, Indonesia, Infantino called on world leaders to set aside tensions and conflicts, and enjoy the quadrennial football event

Fifa WC: Spain coach Enrique to become online streamer for tournment

'The idea is simply to establish a direct relationship with the fans who could be interested in live information about the team, from a personal point of view of mine and the training staff'

Man United duo criticises decision to hold Fifa World Cup in Qatar

Just minutes after finishing the last Premier League match before the World Cup, Manchester United duo Bruno Fernandes and Christian Eriksen both questioned the decision to stage the tournament in Qatar. Fernandes said the World Cup should be done in a better way, criticizing the timing of the tournament and highlighting Qatar's treatment of migrant workers. The Qatar World Cup which starts next weekend is the first to be played in November and December rather than in June-July because of the desert nation's searing heat in the summer. Qatar has also faced intense scrutiny of its treatment of the hundreds of thousands of migrant workers who were needed in the tiny emirate since the World Cup hosting rights were won 12 years ago. Amnesty International says dozens may have died from apparent heat stroke. Qatar's views on homosexuality which is criminalized in the country has also been heavily criticized and the comments by Fernandes indicated that players will not hesitate to spe

Fifa World Cup 2022 in Qatar will be great football but an ugly game

The next few weeks will be a reminder of how the clash in values of the liberal West and the rich Arab states can play out in the international arena to everyone's dissatisfaction

How the Fifa World Cup 2022 rebuilt a market for dodgy carbon credits

World Cup organizers have pledged to erase the event's negative environmental impact. They plan to make the event "carbon neutral" by buying offsets

FIFA World Cup 2022: How to get tickets, reach Qatar, watch the game live

FIFA World Cup 2022: Know all the information about how to get tickets for Qatar 2022, how to reach Doha, and how to watch the matches on TV, mobile phones, and laptops in India

Fifa WC 2022: Leverkusen says giving World Cup to Qatar was 'scandalous'

Bayer Leverkusen became the latest Bundesliga club to criticize the World Cup in Qatar by describing the decision to award the tournament to the country as "scandalous" on Tuesday. "The World Cup should never have been awarded to Qatar," Leverkusen said in a statement. "It was the least suitable of all applications for hosting a World Cup according to FIFA's own audit reports. Out of eight new World Cup stadiums, seven were new-build projects. Football culture does not exist in Qatar. From our perspective, that is a knockout criterion for a potential World Cup host." Leverkusen's statement also referred to widely reported issues of homophobia, the lack of freedom of expression and denial of women's rights plus the "unacceptable working conditions" endured by migrant workers in Qatar while helping the country get ready to host the 32-team tournament. "Questions ignored in the award of this tournament 12 years ago on the human rights situation, on equality and the freedom of expressi

ManU set to fine Cristiano Ronaldo £1m for Piers interview interview

Several UK media outlets claimed that Ronaldo may be staring at a huge fine following his claims

Germany's Lahm says it was 'mistake' to award World Cup 2022 to Qatar

Seven days before the World Cup is due to start in Qatar, former Germany captain Philipp Lahm says it was a mistake to award the tournament to the Gulf Arab country. Lahm, who is head of Germany's organizing committee for the 2024 European Championship, wrote Sunday in a column for Zeit Online that the World Cup does not belong in Qatar and he criticized the human rights situation in the nation. Lahm acknowledged some progress but homosexuals are still being criminalized, women do not have the same rights as men, and there are restrictions on freedom of the press and expression. He added that conditions for migrant workers are devastating. Lahm, who won the World Cup with Germany in 2014, slammed FIFA for awarding the tournament to Qatar in 2010 when he says there were better candidates available. FIFA has damaged soccer and its credibility as a western organization, said Lahm, who also questioned Qatar's enthusiasm for the sport. Soccer isn't a popular sport in Qatar and there's

ISL: Kerala Blasters end 10-game winless streak with 3-0 win over FC Goa

Kerala Blasters ended their 10-game winless streak that spanned six years, against FC Goa with an assertive 3-1 victory in the Indian Super League (ISL) at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium

Mukesh Ambani enters race to buy football club Liverpool, says report

The club has been put up for sale by its current owner FSG, which bought it in October 2010, The Mirror newspaper said