National Teams

FIFA wants VAR video reviews to be applied in the same way across all competitions, as they take over direct responsibility for the system.

Issues concerning VAR have been handled primarily by IFAB, the game's law-making body, during the system's two-year experimental phase and its introduction as part of the laws of the game. Soccer's global governing body FIFA, however, took over the role of supporting competition organizers with the implementation of VAR from July 1.

One of the most commonly Googled phrases right now is “when are sports coming back?” Most pro sports outside of soccer are not scheduled to return for some time in the U.S. Fortunately, soccer leagues around the world have returned or will resume play soon, but the question remains: when is international soccer coming back?

ZURICH — Switzerland named a special prosecutor to review criminal complaints against FIFA chief Gianni Infantino and Swiss Attorney General Michael Lauber after the men held undocumented meetings while Lauber's office was investigating suspected graft surrounding the global soccer body.

Lauber last month became the subject of an impeachment process relating to his handling of the soccer inquiry.

CAPE TOWN — Next January's 2021 Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon has been postponed by one year and will now take place in 2022, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) decided on Tuesday.

The COVID-19 health crisis has suspended football across most of the continent since March and left little time to complete the qualification competition, said CAF president Ahmad Ahmad at a news conference.

The Cup of Nations was due to be held from Jan. 9-Feb. 6 next year but will now be scheduled for January 2022.

A joint bid from Australia and New Zealand was voted the 2023 Women's World Cup host by the FIFA Council on Thursday.

The Australia-New Zealand bid was a heavy favorite to win the hosting rights after Brazil and Japan both pulled out in the weeks leading up to the vote. Colombia was the only other nation vying to become the 2023 Women's World Cup host.

SYDNEY — The task of building on the huge success of last year's Women's World Cup will fall to a region that has never staged it before when Colombia and a joint bid from Australia and New Zealand vie for the 2023 hosting rights in Thursday's FIFA vote.

The 2019 World Cup in France was hailed as a watershed for global interest in the women's game and FIFA President Gianni Infantino personally drove the campaign to increase the field to 32 teams from 24 for 2023.

NEW YORK — The U.S. women's national soccer team's bid to immediately appeal the dismissal of their equal pay claims against their national federation was denied on Tuesday.

Judge R. Gary Klausner of the United States District Court for the Central District of California said their appeal must wait until after their remaining claims — including unfair medical services, travel and training — proceed to trial, which is set for Sept. 15.

Last month, the judge threw out players' claims that they were under paid in comparison with the men's national team.

World Cup 2022 is scheduled to begin Nov. 21 in Qatar, less than 18 months from now, but it will not be without controversy.

NAIROBI — The captain of Uganda's national football team said on Tuesday he and his team mates are seeking clarity on a $1 million pledge that President Yoweri Museveni made to the players last year after their participation in the 2019 African Cup of Nations.

The cash pledged would be shared among the players and help them deal with the financial struggles caused by the COVID-19 outbreak, said Denis Onyango, who was voted the best African-based player of 2016.