World Cup

On Thursday, FIFA announced the plans for the FIFA World Cup Trophy Tour, an immense trek across the vast landscape of Russia as the world’s most coveted hardware visits 24 cities from Sept. 9 to July 7, 2018.

For World Cup groupies, better stock up on gas, Red Bull and beef jerky if you want to follow along.

Here’s a closer look at scheduled route. 

(While FIFA didn’t give details on travel arrangements, we’re going to assume the trophy travels by plane at the start and end of each of two phases and by car the remainder.)

It turns out Trump was right. You can get sick of winning. Germany winning, that is. Especially when German guy Lothar Matthäus starts rubbing it in.

Before you get your undies in a bunch and start telling us that "Lothar Matthäus isn't just some 'German guy,'" and that he may or may not be the greatest German player in history, let us cut you off. We know. We know he played in five World Cups. We know he's the most capped player in German history. We have the internets.

So Germany won the Confederations Cup on Sunday. It’s exciting for the players and the fans always want to watch their team win, but what does it mean in the big picture?

More precisely: What does it mean for Germany's chances in the 2018 World Cup next summer?

The Confederations Cup, in its current format, has been played the summer before the World Cup prior to the last five four-year cycles. 

If you're looking for a sleeper team at the 2018 World Cup, Iran is a good candidate.

They were recently the third team to qualify for Russia 2018, having gone undefeated in both the second and third rounds of AFC qualifying to this point (12-4-0).

With just a year to go until the 2018 World Cup in Russia, the Russian National Team finds itself in a bit of trouble. All 23 members of its 2014 World Cup squad are being investigated by FIFA for doping. A total of 34 Russian players are facing investigation, the Daily Mail reported.

Torsten Frings is finally getting his comeuppance, 15 years and 24 hours to the day. 

The former German international became head coach of SV Darmstadt in January, around the time American Terrence Boyd joined the team.

Darmstadt was promptly relegated to 2. Bundesliga.

On Thursday, 19-year-old Texan McKinze Gaines signed with the club. One can only assume he’s planning to help finish the job Boyd started.

Why might these young Yanks be plotting revenge on a new coach of high regard who spent a couple years in MLS before retiring?