The Nation Newspaper

Tag: world cup

  • Maradona to reunite with Lineker at World Cup draw

    Maradona to reunite with Lineker at World Cup draw

     

    Diego Maradona will be reunited on stage with World Cup rival Gary Lineker at the draw in Moscow next week.

    Fifa says Maradona will represent Argentina in the State Kremlin Palace, where all eight World Cup-winning nations will send a playing great to assist in the draw.

    Maradona, now in charge of UAE club Fujairah, captained Argentina to the 1986 title, eliminating Lineker’s England in the quarter-finals with the help of his “Hand of God” goal in Mexico City.

    Lineker will host the 32-nation ceremony on December 1. England will be officially represented by Gordon Banks, goalkeeper on the 1966 team.

    The other draw assistants are Laurent Blanc, Cafu, Fabio Cannavaro, Diego Forlan, Carles Puyol and Nikita Simonyan for host Russia. Former Germany forward Miroslav Klose will bring the World Cup trophy on stage.

    Qualified countries are eagerly awaiting the emergence of their group opponents with many hoping praying to have wheat they dubbed favorable draw that can guarantee survival in the first stage.

    Nigeria, Egypt, Senegal Tunisia and Morocco will be representing the continent in Russia. Super Eagles made history as the first African country to qualify for Russia 2018, booking a ticket even before the last match against Algeria. The Gernot Rohr tutored side will be hoping to improve on their performance at the Mundial. 

    Russia 2018 would mark Nigeria’s 6th appearance at the stage. In the 1994 edition in USA the Eagles booked exit in the group of 16 losing in the final match to Italy 2-1 after extra time. In the 1998 edition in France the Eagles again booked exit in the round of 16, losing 4-1 to Denmark. The 2002 and 2010 editions were recorded as the poorest outing with first round crash outs. In 2014 in Brazil the Eagles returned to the group of 16 exit. Nigerians are optimistic that the Eagles can go past the group of 16 with some intensifying prayer for the team to escape group of death come December 1 when the draw will be made in the Kremlin Palace.

  • Russia 2018: River taxis set to sail

    Russia 2018: River taxis set to sail

     

    River taxis have been introduce along Moscow River ahead of the forth coming world cup. Tickets for ride in the taxis is expected to go for 500 rubles about N2950

    No fewer than ten river shuttles will start traveling along the Moscow River ahead of the city’s hosting duties for the 2018 World Cup, Moscow City Hall has announced.

    The initiative is part of City Hall’s program to expand tourism infrastructure in the capital ahead of the international sports tournament which will kick off in June next year. Moscow is also expanding walking routes and bus tours in Moscow.

    The new river buses will have a telescopic glass roof, climate control and audio guides in nine languages.

    The shuttles, which fit 44 passengers each, will stop at seven city piers at 30-minute intervals. The stops include the Luzhniki Stadium, which will host the opening and final match of the World Cup, Gorky Park and Vorobyovy Gory.

    To make the shuttles easy to recognize, they will be painted in bright colors, including pink, lilac and burgundy.

    The shuttles are expected to start working in spring 2018 when navigation reopens on the Moscow River.

    meanwhile the Education and Science Ministry has denied it plans to empty student dormitories to house security services during the World Cup 2018.

    Russian media reported last week that law enforcement would be moved into student housing in May, a month before Russia hosts the international football tournament. Universities in host cities were reportedly changing students’ schedules to accommodate the police and military.

    “The reports of mass evictions from dormitories during the World Cup 2018 circulated in the media are not true,” the ministry said in a statement carried by the Interfax news agency.

    The ministry said students will have already left their dormitories for the summer holidays by the time security personnel move temporarily into the student housing for the World Cup.

    No students who stay for the summer will be forcibly evicted, the ministry said. It added that the plan would “not disrupt the educational process.”

  • FIFA releases Guidelines for 2026 Bidding Process

    FIFA releases Guidelines for 2026 Bidding Process

     

    World football’s governing body FIFA Tuesday dished out bidding process for the 2026 World cup with the 2018 World cup in Russia barely eight months away. Recall that, approval was given late last month of the bidding regulations for selecting a host for 2026. The 2026 edition will be the first World Cup to feature an expanded tournament with 48 teams.

    The guide outlines key elements of the reforms approved by the FIFA Council, as well as “the assessment mechanisms in place, recommendations on the protection of the process’ integrity, the timeline for the selection of the host(s), the specific requirements for hosting, a detailed explanation of the government guarantees, as well as the principles of sustainable event management and human rights protection.”

    There are two bids for hosting the 2026 World Cup. A joint bid from the United States, Mexico and Canada is competing against Morocco.

    The bids have until the end of November to submit a completed bidding agreement to FIFA. The deadline for the submission of bids is March 16, 2018. The FIFA Council will shortlist the bids just ahead of the 68th FIFA Congress, selecting the winner on June 13, 2018.

    Though it seems unneeded given the strength of the North American bid, FIFA has set up a process to be followed if neither of the candidates is awarded the right to host in June. In fact, the backup plan would take effect earlier should there be no bids submitted in March. Under this plan, the host for 2026 would be chosen by the 70th FIFA Congress in May 2020 according to fifa.com

  • Russia plan eye-popping Draw at the Kremlin

    Russia plan eye-popping Draw at the Kremlin

     

    Producers  of the final Draw Ceremony for 2018 World cup in Russia, have promised an eye-popping event noting that the December 1 event  will serve as a peep into what the proper world cup experience will be in the former Soviet union.

    The event being packaged by Channel One will be directed by Felix  Mikhailov who has produced another colorful show representing the local culture welcoming the other 31 Nations that will join the Russian hosts

    Mikhailov was also the creative mind behind the Preliminary Draw for the FIFA World Cup in Saint Petersburg and the Official Draw for the FIFA Confederations Cup 2017 in Kazan.

    “The Final Draw slogan perfectly reflects the meaning of this historic moment,” added the Chairman of the Russia 2018 Local Organising Committee, Deputy Prime Minister Vitaly Mutko. “The Final Draw is an essential, key moment in the preparations for a FIFA World Cup. Fans from all over the world cannot wait for the event that will dictate their trip to Russia, while for teams it will lay out the path to the FIFA World Cup final at the Luzhniki Stadium.”

    One of the eight draw assistants who will hold the fate of the 32 qualified teams in their hands is FIFA World Cup ambassador and Russian football legend Nikita Simonyan. “The head coaches and supporters everywhere will be eagerly waiting to see which groups their teams land in. I’d like to wish everyone good luck,” said Simonyan when asked to comment on his role as Final Draw assistant. “The choice of the State Kremlin Palace as the location says a lot about the prestige of the World Cup and Russia’s excitement to welcome teams and fans from all over the world.

    The biggest milestone ahead of the FIFA World Cup could not have found a more historic and unique venue in the host country. Built in 1961 on the grounds of the Moscow Kremlin, this concert hall is one of the best places in Russia to hold theatrical productions and concerts. Over the years, the State Kremlin Palace has welcomed global stars such as Luciano Pavarotti, James Brown, Eric Clapton, Charles Aznavour, Whitney Houston, Elton John and Sting. It is fitting therefore that it is here on the evening of 1 December that the whole world will watch the stars of football align.

  • Brewster Street walks in style with winner’s medal

    Brewster Street walks in style with winner’s medal

     

    England Under-17 World Cup hero Rhian Brewster has returned to his roots after arriving back in the UK following his India exploits.

    The Liverpool striker received the golden boot at the Under 17 World Cup after scoring nine goals during the competition, the last of which came in the final 5-2 victory over Spain.

    And on returning home, Brewster went for a wander through the streets of Chadwell Heath, the area of east London where he grew up.

    Kitted out in full England tracksuit and decked out in his gold medal, the Liverpool forward posted a message of thanks along with his Tweet.

    ‘Just landed back in the UK as a world champion!’ he tweeted. ‘Thanks to all the @England and @LFC fans for their support throughout the tournament!’

    Brewster and his team-mates touched down on Monday after flying back from India, and the 17-year-old told reporters that the achievement had yet to hit home.

    ‘I don’t think it has sunk in yet,’ Brewster said to Sky Sports News. ‘I’m happy to be home, it has been a long month but a great month for us.

    ‘The golden boot is an amazing achievement for me personally but an even bigger achievement winning the World Cup. We’re still only 17, we’re still young and we still have work to do. We’re still learning. That’s what we can do now.

    ‘I think playing in front of that many fans, 66,000, shows we can play and it doesn’t really faze us. I think playing in these kinds of tournaments help a lot. It’s the exposure, just an amazing experience.

  • England are U17 World Cup champions!

    England are U17 World Cup champions!

     

    England have won the Under-17 World Cup after fighting back from 2-0 down to beat Spain 5-2 in Saturday’s final.

    England Under-17s became world champions in sensational fashion as Phil Foden’s brace and Rhian Brewster’s eighth goal of the tournament powered the Young Lions to a 5-2 World Cup final win over Spain.

    It was a sensational turnaround for Steve Cooper’s side after slipping 2-0 behind in little more than half an hour but they showed endless reserves of energy, enthusiasm and skill as they matched England’s World Cup-winning under-20s in style and avenged defeat to the same opponents in the final of the European Championship.

    England have been the dominant force in age-group football in 2017, asserting themselves in a way their senior counterparts have not been able to, and in Manchester City playmaker Foden and Liverpool forward Brewster they have two particularly promising talents.

    Brewster’s header gave England hope at 2-1 down, Morgan Gibbs-White grabbed the equaliser and from there it was one-way traffic, Foden producing a pair of smart finishes and Marc Guehi on target from close range.

    It completes an unprecedented year of success for English youth sides, with Steve Cooper’s under 17s joining the under 20s in standing on top of the world during 2017.

    When you add in the under 20 second string retaining the Toulon Tournament and the under 19 side being crowned European champions, there is very definite evidence now that the future is bright for the national team

    A sell-out crowd of over 66,000 enthusiastic fans in the Salt Lake Stadium gave this occasion the sprinkling of stardust these young players deserved.

    And as soon as the first whistle blew, those spectators were treated to an open, entertaining and end-to-end contest as both teams set their stall out.

     

  • Buffon to retire from football after Russia 2018

    Buffon to retire from football after Russia 2018

     

     

    Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon has said he will retire after the World Cup – unless he can help club side Juventus win the Champions League this season.

    The 39-year-old World Cup winner, who on Monday was named goalkeeper of the year at the FIFA Best awards, has never lifted European football’s top prize.

    And only the prospect of winning the competition this season and qualifying for next year’s Club World Cup would prevent him calling it a day in 2018.

    “This is my last season and I am quite convinced of the choices I take,” he told Sky Italia.

    “I am a very calm person, in the sense that I am not afraid of the future and of what my life may be.

    “It would not change anything to play for one or two more years. It would take nothing or add anything to what I have already done.

    “The only way would be to win the Champions League and, at that point, to try to win the Intercontinental. Maybe (Wojciech) Szczesny could play a game and me another.

    “But I think with a goalkeeper like him, it is normal that next year I’ll be aside.”

    Buffon has won eight Serie A titles, Serie B once, the Coppa Italia four times and the UEFA Cup, but has been on the losing side in three Champions League finals. He was a member of Italy’s 2006 World Cup-winning squad.

    Buffon is definitely not a new comer to awards.

    In 2015, France Football rated him as one of the ten best footballers in the world who are over the age of 36.In 2016; he was named the greatest goalkeeper in history by the same magazine

    Later that year, he was also named the greatest goalkeeper of all-time in the UEFA Champions League in an official UEFA online Twitter poll.

    In 2017, Buffon launched his own brand of wine under the name “Buffon #1”.

  • Brazil vs England: FIFA site goes into meltdown

    Brazil vs England: FIFA site goes into meltdown

     

    More than one million football fans tried to purchase tickets for Wednesday’s Under-17 World Cup semi-final between England and Brazil in Kolkata, leading to the meltdown of FIFA’s online ticketing system.

    A decision was made to switch the highly-anticipated semi-final to Kolkata after the two teams refused to play on the heavily waterlogged pitch at the Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium in Guwahati.

    With over 1,000km between the two cities, the vast majority of fans who had purchased tickets in Guwahati were left cursing the torrential rain that ruined their chance to see the spectacle.

    But it was a bonus for fans who lived in Kolkata, with the Salt Lake Stadium set to stage its ninth game of the tournament on Wednesday lunchtime UK time.

    However, many who logged on to FIFA’s ticket portal to buy one of the 66,000 tickets placed on sale at short notice were to be left disappointed.

    FIFA have confirmed that over one million fans logged on to attempt to buy tickets when they went on sale on Monday, with many confronted with messages saying they were behind as many as 100,000 in the queue.

    Tickets went on sale at 8.30pm Indian time but by 8.40pm, over 95,000 – more than the overall capacity of the stadium – were waiting in line.

    It proved a game of patience for fans, with some sticking it out for hours and eventually obtaining their tickets as others logged out of the queue.

    A crowd of 66,613 attended the Brazil vs Germany quarter-final last Sunday, within touching distance of the capacity of 66,687 for this tournament. Brazil take on England in few hours with the winner to face winner in the second semi final tie between Mali and Spain.

  • World Cup 2018: 23 Nations Qualified, Nine More to Go

    World Cup 2018: 23 Nations Qualified, Nine More to Go

    With the 2018 world cup around the corner, 23 nations have so far qualified for the 2018 World Cup.

    See the nations in the list below:

    AFRICA

    • Nigeria
    • Egypt

    EUROPE

    • Belgium
    • England
    • France
    • Germany
    • Iceland
    • Poland
    • Portugal
    • Russia (hosts)
    • Serbia
    • Spain

    SOUTH AMERICA

    • Brazil
    • Uruguay
    • Argentina
    • Colombia

    ASIA

    • Iran
    • Japan
    • Saudi Arabia
    • South Korea

    NORTH, CENTRAL AMERICA AND CARIBBEAN

    • Costa Rica
    • Mexico
    • Panama

     

  • Russia 2018: NFSC to inaugurate Niger state chapter

    Russia 2018: NFSC to inaugurate Niger state chapter

     

    Gingered by Super Eagles qualification for the 2018 World Cup in Russia, the Nigeria Football Supporters Club has embarked on expansion project aimed at beefing up for the Mundial

    The Nation gathered that the project includes recruiting more members on one hand and establishing chapters in the 36 states of the Federation on the other.

    New songs that will charge the atmosphere when the Eagles take to the pitch we also gathered are being composed.

    Already inauguration of Niger State Chapter has been fixed for October 18th at the idris legbo kutigi conference centre in Minna.

    Chairman of NFSC in Niger state comrade Muhammed Muhammed, in a chat with sports writers said necessary logistics have been put in place, adding that the launch will be of benefit to all stakeholders in the state.

    According to him “Niger state is blessed with men and women who have contributed in no small measure to the upliftment of the game of soccer in Nigeria and therefore deserve to have a befitting chapter of Nigeria football supporters club”

    The National Chairman of NFSC Vincent Okumagba he further said will be received in audience by the Niger state

    Governor‎,  Abubakar sani Bello, who has since given his backing to the proposed launch.

    Comrade Muhammed disclosed that apart from the National Executive council, all the state chapters of NFSC across the country have indicated their interest in hitting Minna lend their support.

    Super Eagles who deviated from the usual to book a place in the World cup before any other African country, will be capping their qualification with the last match against Algeria in Algiers on November 6.
    Many soccer fans in the country have given Gernot Rohr and his team a pat on the back for rising to the occassion and avoiding last minute qualification.