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Tag: 2026 World Cup

  • Kane to extend England career beyond 2026 World Cup

    Kane to extend England career beyond 2026 World Cup

    England captain Harry Kane says he is performing at his highest ever level as he dismissed suggestions the 2026 World Cup should be his international swansong.

    Thomas Tuchel will take over as England manager in January with his first matches not until World Cup qualifiers start in March’s international break.

    Interim boss Lee Carsley guided the Three Lions to promotion from the second tier of the Nations League with five wins from his six games in charge.

    That included a 3-0 win away at Greece last week, where Carsley took dropped Kane to the bench.

    The 31-year-old striker admitted he had been shocked by that call, but scored in Sunday’s 5-0 thrashing of the Republic of Ireland on his return to the starting line-up.

    At of Euro 2024 last summer, Kane often looked laboured and was substituted in all four knockout games as England reached the final.

    But the Bayern Munich striker has scored 20 times for club and country in 21 appearances this season.

     “I think there’s a perception when you get to your thirties that you’re coming to an end but for me I’m performing at the highest level I’ve ever performed and feel as good as I’ve ever felt,” Kane told the Press Association. “I don’t like to look too far ahead and in my career I never have, the World Cup is going to be exciting.

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     “In America it will be an incredible occasion and ultimately it’s about trying to win that, looking at where you are, where to improve and it will be no different in a couple of years.”

    Kane was speaking at the unveiling of a statue of him at the home of his former youth team Ridgeway Rovers in east London.

    Already England’s all-time record goal scorer with 69 goals in 102 games, Kane could easily also surpass Peter Shilton’s record of 125 caps.

    But he believes he must help end his nation’s wait for a major tournament victory since 1966 to emulate World Cup winning captain Bobby Moore and be honoured with a statue at Wembley.

    Kane previously worked with Tuchel at Bayern and is positive about the impact the German can make when he becomes the third foreign manager to take charge of England.

     “I think we need to win a major tournament,” he added. “We’ve come close on a couple of occasions and the next step is for me and the other boys to win.

     “We have a new coach coming in March. He’ll be great for us, he has vast experience in the big competitions, he’ll bring a great energy to the team and he’ll put his own stamp and identity on the way we play tactically.”

  • Japan, South Korea face away tests on road to 2026 World Cup

    Japan, South Korea face away tests on road to 2026 World Cup

    Japan can take a major step towards the 2026 World Cup over the next week if they can negotiate away tests at Indonesia and China in the space of five days.

    Son Heung-min’s South Korea will also look to close on a spot at the showpiece in North America as they travel to Kuwait tomorrow and then face Palestine in Jordan next week.

    Meanwhile Herve Renard, who masterminded a famous victory over eventual champions Argentina at the Qatar World Cup, takes charge of Saudi Arabia for the first time since returning to the job.

    An estimated 78,000 will pack out the Gelora Bung Karno Stadium in the Indonesian capital Jakarta in hope of seeing the hosts pull off a shock on Friday.

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    Hajime Moriyasu’s Japan will then need to face down another hostile crowd when they travel to Xiamen on Tuesday to play China.

     “If you look at the FIFA rankings and the games in the World Cup qualifiers so far, you might think that the advantage is with Japan,” said coach Moriyasu. “But we are playing both games away and I think it will be tough.”

    With the third Asian qualifying round nearing the halfway point, Japan are five points clear at the top of Group C from Australia and Saudi Arabia, who face each other on Thursday.

    The top two from each of the three groups go straight to the World Cup.

    China and Indonesia occupy the bottom two spots in Group C but are not out of the reckoning as teams finishing third and fourth will advance to a further qualifying stage.

    Moriyasu has called up Celtic’s Kyogo Furuhashi for the first time in a year after first-choice striker Ayase Ueda was injured.

    Australia host Saudi Arabia in Melbourne with both nations on five points after four games.

  • ‘Sorry I have a German passport’ – Tuchel says as he hopes to make England’s dream come true

    ‘Sorry I have a German passport’ – Tuchel says as he hopes to make England’s dream come true

    Thomas Tuchel said he will work to “make our dream come true” at the 2026 World Cup following his appointment as England head coach.

    German Tuchel, 51, was confirmed as the next Three Lions boss on Wednesday and will officially take charge on 1 January after signing an 18-month contract.

    Tuchel said he is “sorry I have a German passport” when asked about becoming only the third non-British permanent head coach of the England men’s team, after some observers said the job should have gone to an English candidate.

    The Champions League winner also explained he was initially unsure about making the switch from club to international football but added he is excited to work with a “very special and exciting group of players”.

    In June, Tuchel ruled himself out of the running to take over at Manchester United – it was understood that he met Red Devils co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe in France.

    Asked why he chose England over United, he said: “The idea and the way John [McDermott] and Mark [Bullingham] presented it was very fast and confidential. It was very straightforward, it was a decision for this job and not against anything else.”

    Tuchel is tasked with guiding England’s men to the 2026 World Cup, where they will hope to end a 60-year wait for a major trophy.

    He replaces Gareth Southgate, who resigned after eight years in charge following England’s loss to Spain in the Euro 2024 final in July.

    Read Also: Thomas Tuchel is new England manager

    “I understood very quickly that is it is a big job. I think always the job you are in is the biggest job and it makes no sense to compare, but it feels big and feels like a privilege,” Tuchel said at a media conference at Wembley on Wednesday afternoon.

    “I think it is pretty obvious I am very emotional. I love what I am doing and am passionate about football.

    “This role just brought the young me alive and brought back my teenage days, to get excited for such a big task.

    “Everyone can be assured we will do it with passion and emotions. We will try to install values and principles and rules as quickly as possible to make the dream come true.”

  • Simon vows to ensure Eagles’ qualification for 2026 World Cup

    Simon vows to ensure Eagles’ qualification for 2026 World Cup

    Super Eagles winger, Moses Simon, has expressed determination to do everything within his powers to help Nigeria qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup despite the country’s slow start to the qualifiers.

    Simon played in the Eagles two opening World Cup qualifiers against Lesotho and Zimbabwe which ended in draws but the Nantes FC player told FIFA.com that his desire to ensure he plays at his first World Cup in less than three years would inspire him and his teammates to go all out in the remaining games.

    The former AS Trencin of Slovakia player missed out on the Russia 2018 World Cup following a late minute injury while the Black Stars of Ghana beat the Eagles to the ticket for Qatar 2022.

    Simon said he felt so bad missing out on the World Cup especially in 2018 after playing in all the qualifiers , stating that he was devastated hence he would go all out to ensure the Eagles recover from their poor start if their 2026 World Cup campaign to pick the ticket in the group for the final round.

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    “In 2018, at first, I felt really sad. I played all the qualification games, I started and I finished [the matches]. But in the end, I didn’t go to the World Cup,” Simon told FIFA.Com. “It’s something I would not wish on my worst enemy. I was really devastated. But not anymore. Now, I just think: ‘OK, I thank God for everything because I know that it’s for a reason.’

    “It [not going to the 2018 World Cup and or qualifying for Qatar 2022] motivated me to keep working hard. I want to play in the next World Cup, it’s a dream. I just need to do my best, push and work hard. If the coach calls me, good. If he doesn’t and calls up someone else, I will be happy to support them.”

    Simon who was raised in the Barracks admonished young players that want to choose football as a career to distinguish themselves early by being obedient to their coaches and others who could help them.

    “I would just say: you can do more. At 19, it is the time you need to prove to the world that you are one of the best players. If you can put this in your head, you will make it for sure.

    “You will go further than where you are now. Just keep working. Also, respect the people around you. Respect your coaches. Listen to what they say, this is key. Don’t argue with your leader or with anyone that is older than you and that has seen it all before you. Listen and understand, and you will go far.”

  • 2026 World Cup Bid: Morocco Loses to U.S, Canada & Mexico

    FIFA said on Wednesday that U.S, Canada and Mexico will host 2026 World Cup.

    Morocco lost out in the challenge at the FIFA Congress, Sportinglife.ng can report.

    The joint bid won 134 votes (67 percent) out of the 203 entitled to vote with Morocco bagging 65 (33 percent) when voting took place in Moscow early on Wednesday.

    This would be the fifth time Morocco will be bidding to host the World Cup, describing it as “the dream of a nation,” Us soccer president had said 

    Meanwhile, the US hosted the World Cup previously in 1994 while Mexico hosted it in 1970 and 1986. Canada has never hosted a men’s World Cup but held the women’s tournament in 2015.

    Earlier, US Soccer President Carlos Cordeiro has said his bid would generate $14bn in revenue and make an $11bn profit for FIFA. The bid also expects record ticket and hospitality revenue.

    Although it would be the first tournament to be hosted by three nations, the vast majority of games will be held in the US.

    According to the Executive Director of the United Bid Committee, John Kristick, “We can focus on the game. We are ready made. Our cities are ready to host today.”

    The 2026 World Cup will head to North America for the fourth time and will be the first with 48 teams taking part.

  • U.S, Mexico, Canada to host 2026 World Cup

    Morocco on Wednesday failed in its bid to host the 2016 FIFA World Cup, losing to joint bid from United States, Mexico and Canada.

    The FIFA delegates who were in Moscow, Russia, voted overwhelmingly – 134-65 and with only one neutral vote – in favour of the three-nation joint bid which had been in the lead in the run-up to the vote.

    Morocco’s loss was its fifth and the bid had been destined to fail even before the vote at the Moscow Expocentre, following the pre-vote report by FIFA technical officials.

    When both bid leaders were given a last chance to make their case with 15-minute presentations in front of congress, the pledge on financial returns widened the gap.

    The North Americans had pledged to generate $11 billion profit, while Morocco could only pledge $5 billion profit.

    The 2026 tournament will feature 48 teams as against the current 32.

    NAN

     

  • U.S. to bid for 2026 World Cup

    U.S. President Donald Trump has announced the intention to bid for the 2026 World Cup in conjunction with Canada and Mexico.

    Trump, while announcing the bid on his Twitter handle, warned against opposition from countries that the U.S. has always supported.

    Morocco is currently challenging the North American bid for the first 48-team World Cup in 2026.

    The president suggested that the U.S. was considering withdrawing support for countries that are not reciprocating the America’s gestures.

    “The U.S. has put together a STRONG bid with Canada and Mexico for the 2026 World Cup.

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    ” It would be a shame if countries that we always support were to lobby against the U.S. bid.

    “Why should we be supporting these countries when they don’t support us (including at the United Nations)? Trump tweeted.

    The 2018 edition of the World Cup would be hosted by Russia.

    On Dec. 2, 2010, FIFA president Sepp Blatter announced the winning bids at FIFA’s headquarters in Zurich.

    While Russia was chosen to host the 2018 World Cup, Qatar was chosen to host the 2022 World Cup.

  • World Cup 2026: US, Canada, Mexico to make joint bid

    World Cup 2026: US, Canada, Mexico to make joint bid

    The U.S., Canada and Mexico have announced they will make a joint bid to host the 2026 World Cup finals.

    The 2026 finals will be the first tournament after the expansion from 32 teams to 48 and, if successful, would be the first time a World Cup has been shared by three hosts.

    The proposal would be for the U.S. to host 60 matches, with 10 games each in Canada and Mexico.

    The decision on who will host the event will be made in 2020.

    That is three years later than originally scheduled because of corruption allegations surrounding the awarding of the 2018 and 2022 World Cups to Russia and Qatar.

    The U.S. staged the 1994 World Cup, which had the highest average attendance in the tournament’s history.

    Mexico was the first nation to host the event twice, in 1970 and 1986, while Canada hosted the 2015 women’s World Cup.

    President Donald Trump has promised to build a border wall between the U.S. and Mexico but Sunil Gulati, president of the US Soccer Federation, said Trump is “supportive” of the bid.

    He said he had even “encouraged” it.

    “The U.S., Mexico and Canada have individually demonstrated their exceptional abilities to host world-class events,” added Gulati.

    “When our nations come together as one – as we will for 2026 – there is no question the U.S., Mexico and Canada will deliver an experience that will celebrate the game and serve players, supporters and partners alike.”

    European and Asian countries cannot bid for the 2026 World Cup due to world governing body FIFA’s rotation policy.

    It means the previous two host confederations – Europe in 2018 and Asia in 2022 – are excluded.

    The new-look tournament will begin with an initial round of 16 three-team groups, with 32 qualifiers going through to the knockout stage.

     

  • Africa gets nine slots for 2026 World Cup

    Africa gets nine slots for 2026 World Cup

    The expanded 48-team World Cup approved by world football’s governing body, FIFA, on Tuesday will see Africa getting nine slots, four more than the continent currently enjoys.

    An initial stage of 16 groups of three teams will precede a knockout stage for the remaining 32 when the change is made for the 2026 tournament, AfricanFootball.com reports.

    The sport’s world governing body voted unanimously in favour of the change at a meeting in Zurich on Tuesday.

    In the expanded tournament, Europe will now have 16 teams, three more than what the old continent have now, while South America will now get six automatic slots, upwards from the four automatic and one playoff places.

    Asia receives four extra spots with eight automatic and a playoff, while CONCACAF gets six automatic and a playoff slots.

    Oceania and host country will have a slot each.

  • 40-team World Cup not certain – Infantino

    40-team World Cup not certain – Infantino

    FIFA president Gianni Infantino on Tuesday said he is not yet certain that the 2026 World Cup finals would feature 40 teams, although he personally favours an expanded tournament.

    Infantino also said he would be happy for several countries to share the hosting of the World Cup, describing it as much a “social event for the whole world” as a global sporting competition.

    The FIFA supremo made a 40-team World Cup a key part of his campaign before his election in February, but admitted that it was not entirely up to him to decide whether the 2026 finals should be increased from the tournament’s current 32-team format.

    “My opinion has not changed on the 40 teams. But that’s my opinion. We will have to discuss it and see what’s the best for football,” supersport.com quoted Infantino as saying to reporters on Tuesday.

    FIFA expects to make decisions by October on the number of teams, the format for the tournament and the continents that will be eligible to stage the tournament.

    The latter would be a key decision as it would determine whether countries from Asia, where Qatar is staging the 2022 World Cup, can bid to host the tournament.

    The final decision on the host nation will be made in May 2020.