The USMNT shouldn’t and doesn’t need help to qualify for the 2022 World Cup. Gregg Berhalter’s side controls its own destiny to make it to Qatar this winter. But it’s never a bad idea to have backup plan, and America’s neighbor to the north is on standby to bail the USMNT out should it fail against Mexico, Panama and Costa Rica.
Lyon forward Ada Hegerberg returned to the Norway squad for the first time in nearly five years on Thursday, handing a huge boost to the team ahead of this year's European Championship.
Hegerberg, who won the inaugural women's Ballon d'Or in 2018, quit the national team in 2017 because of a dispute with the Norwegian Football Federation over the treatment of women's soccer in the country. The federation's attempts to break the impasse failed.
SYDNEY - Substitute Kaoru Mitoma scored twice in the final few minutes to give Japan a 2-0 win over Australia at a rain-soaked Olympic Stadium on Thursday and send his country through to seventh successive edition of the World Cup finals.
Japan's first victory over the Socceroos in Australia since 1998 also secured Saudi Arabia's passage to Qatar and condemned Australia to a tricky path through two playoffs if they are to make the finals for the fifth time in a row.
This is it. This is the final Mexico vs USA soccer match in World Cup qualifying that will really matter. After this, the teams will (presumably) be given automatic berths to the 2026 World Cup as co-hosts before Concacaf qualifiers are be rendered largely meaningless when FIFA expands the field to 48 teams.
But now, this Mexico vs USA soccer match is the biggest sporting event in the world this month — or at least in North America.
TORONTO — Canada can complete phase one of a remarkable rebuild when they visit Costa Rica in a World Cup qualifier on Thursday knowing a victory would see the country secure a place at the global showcase for the second time.
Canada's World Cup history so far makes dreadful reading.
Only once have they qualified for the World Cup - in 1986 when they lost all three group games and failed to score.
The nearly four decades since have been filled with cringe-worthy displays and epic failures.
Tickets to the Qatar World Cup are now on sale. As with any major event, reserving a seat to one of the globe’s biggest shows is not quite as simple as just loading up your favorite ticket app and clicking a couple of buttons. Here’s everything you need to know about how to buy World Cup tickets for Qatar 2022, which start at just $11.
STOCKHOLM — Sweden's all-time record goalscorer Zlatan Ibrahimovic is preparing to pass the torch to a new generation of young players such as Anthony Elanga as his side prepare for their World Cup playoff semifinal against the Czech Republic on Thursday.
The 40-year-old striker recalled playing with the Manchester United winger's father Joseph for Malmo FF over 20 years ago and he is now sharing a dressing room with his son.
Portugal defender Pepe will miss their World Cup playoff semi-final against Turkey on Thursday after testing positive for COVID-19, the Portuguese Football Federation said.
The 39-year-old's absence means the former European champions will be without their two first-choice centre backs for the clash at Porto, with Ruben Dias ruled out due to a hamstring injury.
Portugal will be without these players against Turkey:
With its spot in the World Cup already clinched, the Netherlands is using the March international window for a pair of friendlies against Denmark and Germany in Amsterdam.
While Virgil van Dijk, Frenkie de Jong and Memphis Depay were arriving at the KNVB Campus in Zeist on Monday, 70-year-old manager Louis van Gaal was giving a customarily unfiltered press conference on player selection, his choice for national team successor and the prospect of a World Cup in Qatar.
Van Gaal didn't hold back when asked to discuss the host nation.