1 hour ago Trump allowed to speak at glitzy World Cup draw as soccer chiefs prepare to hand him peace prize

The Kennedy Center in Washington, DC is just down the road from the White House. With the 2026 FIFA World Cup draw set to take place on Friday, President Trump will have a major role.

Politics

5 h. ago White House fails to rule out ICE raids in and around World Cup stadiums ahead of draw

The 2026 World Cup draw is taking place on December 5 and will determine the initial schedule for next year’s competition

Events

6 h. ago FA chief makes bullish World Cup promise with honest appraisal of Thomas Tuchel

England head to the USA, Canada and Mexico next summer as one of the World Cup favourites and, ahead of Friday's draw, FA chief Mark Bullingham is relishing the opportunity

Politics

6 h. ago Arsene Wenger predicts World Cup 2026 winners with England to miss out and Argentina not defending trophy

ARSENE WENGER claims England could win the World Cup but admits the Three Lions are not as good as France. England will discover their opponents on Friday for next summer’s tournament in the United States, Mexico and Canada with the draw due to start at 5pm. Former Arsenal boss Wenger, now FIFA’s chief of global...

Politics

6 h. ago A supersized World Cup field begins taking shape at Friday's draw

The World Cup draw takes place Friday, featuring four debuting teams: Cape Verde, Curaçao, Jordan and Uzbekistan

Politics

8 h. ago World Cup ‘94 chief Alan Rothenberg on growth of US soccer, the 2026 finals and dynamic pricing

A foundational figure in the business of soccer and sports in the US is adamant that fans will find a way to attend big events, regardless of political issuesWhenever the modern era of American soccer began (the 1994 World Cup? Or the 1990 appearance by the US men? Or the 1991 World Cup win by the US women?), Alan Rothenberg was a key player.Rothenberg came up as a lawyer under Jack Kent Cooke, owner of Washington’s NFL team, the Los Angeles Lakers of the NBA, the LA Kings of the NHL, and – crucially, the Los Angeles Wolves of the North American Soccer League (NASL), a team that started life fielding mostly players from Wolverhampton Wanderers. Continue reading...

Sport

8 h. ago Trump orders US embassies to prioritize World Cup fan visas ahead of draw and expected peace prize in DC: Live

Trump is rumored to be the recipient of the new ‘FIFA Peace Prize’

Politics

10 h. ago Arlington residents outraged as Cowboys’ stadium rebrands to ‘Dallas Stadium’ for World Cup

The venue, currently the AT&T Stadium, is the home of the Dallas Cowboys NFL team, despite being located some 20 miles outside its namesake city

Politics

10 h. ago World Cup 2026 draw: Confirmed pots and seedings as England await fate

New seeding structure means Three Lions could avoid Spain and Argentina until the semi-finals

Politics

12 h. ago Noise around Donald Trump an unwanted distraction to World Cup draw of dreams

Amid all the hoopla circling its Washington backdrop, Friday’s event must be all about firing the starting gun on football’s biggest showWhen the sculptor Joel Shapiro created Blue, the piece that stands around the back of the John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, looking out over the Potomac River in Washington, he wanted to tap into a number of elements. The giant matchstick figure denotes movement and energy, risk and possibility. As Shapiro himself has said, it is supposed to “reconfigure depending on how you look at it”.It has the perfect home at the Kennedy Center, the vast cultural hub for ballet and opera, stage productions and concerts. And it resonates on a new level now as the venue prepares to host Friday’s World Cup draw, at which the competing nations at next summer’s extravaganza in the United States, Canada and Mexico will discover their group opponents and knockout round pathways. Because from one angle it is plain that Blue is executing a raking pass. From...

Politics

12 h. ago Scotland's World Cup Draw: Every pot 4 team ranked by difficultly

Here is every pot 4 team in the World Cup 2026 draw ranked on difficulty, from easiest to most difficult.

Politics

13 h. ago World Cup 2026 draw: Donald Trump to take centre stage as England discover their fate

Remember the football? Ah yes. A draw so complicated that it has to go into extra time - but at some point, the sport will take centre stage as the World Cup permutations are confirmed

Politics

13 h. ago Rio Ferdinand's 'man of the people' claim amid new life in Dubai and World Cup draw role

The Manchester United icon will oversee the World Cup draw on Friday, when England learn their opponents for next summer's tournament

Politics

13 h. ago Lionel Messi drops hint he could MISS the World Cup on the eve of the draw in DC

The Argentina great, who will turn 39 during next summer's tournament, has previously cast doubt over his chances of making it to the World Cup after admitting that 'age is a reality that is there'.

Politics

13 h. ago Report takes aim at Fifa and IOC over policies for athletes convicted of sexual assault

The collaborative report said a lack of clear standards across borders creates confusion for big events like the World Cup and OlympicsWith the draw for the 2026 Fifa World Cup set to take place on Friday, a report examining the participation of athletes convicted of sexual offences at major sporting events has highlighted significant distrust of international sports governing bodies in how they deal with these situations.The report, titled No One Wants to Talk About It, is the result of interviews with elite athletes directly affected by sexual abuse and is intended to gauge attitudes around the eligibility and accreditation criteria for athletes with prior criminal sexual convictions and their participation at mega sporting events. Continue reading...

Events

14 h. ago World Cup 2026 draw: Start time, pots, teams qualified and how to watch on TV

The tournament in USA, Canada and Mexico will be the first with 48 teams taking part in a 12-group format

Politics

14 h. ago Scotland World Cup Draw: Every pot 2 team ranked by difficultly

Here is every pot 2 team in the World Cup 2026 draw ranked on difficulty, from easiest to most difficult.

Politics

14 h. ago Everything you need to know about Curacao as tiny nation makes World Cup history

The FIFA World Cup draw in Washington, DC will see the smallest nation to ever qualify for the tournament learn their opponents

Politics

14 h. ago World Cup 2026 draw: Who Scotland could face as possible opponents confirmed

Steve Clarke’s side have landed in Pot 3 – but could still earn a favourable draw

Politics

14 h. ago World Cup 2026 draw: Who England could face as possible opponents confirmed

Fifa have already handed England a boost after they grabbed a top-four seeding

Politics