For decades, the word “FIFA” more often than not referred to the video game franchise as opposed to the eponymous soccer governing body.
No more. FIFA and EA Sports are ending their nearly three-decade relationship, effective in 2023.
In short: The game will change its name to EA Sports FC (I know, yuck) but not much else. As for the why: As usual, it’s greed (from both parties).
One of the most important things Gregg Berhalter and the USMNT established over the course of qualifying was the trusted centerback pairing of Miles Robinson and Walker Zimmerman. On Monday, however, Atlanta United confirmed that Robinson had suffered a ruptured left Achilles tendon during Saturday's win over the Chicago Fire.
Gregg Berhalter was invited on ESPN’s flagship SportsCenter show to talk about the U.S. men’s national team 200 days before the Americans open the World Cup in Qatar. The USMNT coach talked plenty of soccer and did his best to dumb it down for the average SportsCenter viewer. As the interview concluded, host Scott Van Pelt showed the USMNT jersey Berhalter had given him. It was far too small for the 6-6 anchor and not quite sized for any of his three children, either. It was for SVP’s beloved dog Otis.
Van Pelt was nearly brought to tears.
LJUBLJANA — Ukraine will pour their heart and soul into ensuring they win their World Cup playoff matches as soldiers repelling the Russian invasion want the team to do everything they can to qualify, midfielder Taras Stepanenko said on Friday.
Ukraine, who last played against Bosnia & Herzegovina in a 2-0 victory in November, faces Scotland in a World Cup playoff semifinal on June 1, with the winner set to face Wales for a place in the finals against the U.S., England and Iran in Qatar later this year.
After a mediocre qualifiers campaign on the field, Chile is now trying to get a spot in the next World Cup through a legal maneuver that will see Ecuador missing the tournament.
The Chilean soccer federation filed an official claim asking FIFA to investigate if Ecuador fielded an ineligible player in a series of games of the last CONMEBOL qualifying process, which ended a month ago.
The player named in the complaint is Byron Castillo. His sin? According to the Chilean accusation, he is not Ecuadorian but Colombian.
The shirt worn by Diego Maradona when he scored two of the most famous goals in soccer history was sold for $8.93 million on Wednesday, marking a new auction record for an item of sports memorabilia.
Maradona wore Argentina's No. 10 shirt in the 1986 World Cup quarterfinal against England in Mexico. Six minutes into the second half he put his team ahead by punching the ball into the net for what became known as the "Hand of God" goal.
Four minutes later Maradona dribbled from his own half to score a goal widely considered one of the greatest in World Cup history.
New to the world of soccer and the biggest international tournament? The18 has you covered with our Fan Guide to the World Cup. First up is World Cup terms you need to know. Watch this and learn everything you need to sound like an expert at your watch party this November/December!
Group Play: Preliminary round-robin games (3 total) to qualify for knockout rounds
Knockout Rounds: The round following group play. Sudden Death. Winner moves on. Loser goes home.
Cap: A game appearance made by a player, no matter the length of time in the game.
My initial reaction to the news that the 2022 World Cup was being played in the winter was a mix of outrage and annoyance. Fast forward to present day and I along with every other USMNT fan couldn’t be happier that Qatar is hosting a winter tournament. A growing USMNT injury list is the reason.
When it comes to international soccer, appearances, goals scored and trophies won are usually the biggest indicators of a successful career, and rightly so. But perhaps the most elusive achievement for an international footballer is appearing at five World Cups.
First, it requires an international career of at least 16 years. Around 30 or so active international players made their debut for their country before the 2006 World Cup. A player must also be on a team that qualifies for five successive World Cups — something only 13 countries have achieved.