Tag: FIFA World Cup

Saudi Arabia launches bid to secure hosting rights of FIFA World Cup 2034

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Saudi Arabia has initiated its campaign to host the FIFA World Cup in 2034, with the bid likely to succeed owing to the absence of any other expression of interest before the deadline that the global governing body for the sport had set last year.

Morocco, Portugal, and Spain are co-hosting the competition in 2030, whereas FIFA had limited the 2034 edition for bidders from the Asian and Oceania confederations. Saudi Arabia will thus become the second middle-eastern country to host the quadrennial competition, since Qatar in 2022.

The Saudi Arabian Football Federation (SAFF) has committed to its collective growth, with the World Cup campaign showing the way the nation has forged stronger ties with other countries through the help of sport.

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Lately, the Saudis have made investments in football, Formula 1, boxing, and golf, with critics accusing them of “sportswashing” their human rights record. However, they have played down those accusations and insist that they continue to safeguard their national security with the help of law.

“Telling our football story to the world is of massive importance. We’ve made unprecedented progress in both the men’s and women’s game, and our bid is an open invitation to the world to join us on this exciting journey,” SAFF President Yasser Al Misehal said in a statement.

Next up, Saudi Arabia will be submitting their full bid documents to FIFA in July. Further, the hosts for both the 2030 and 2034 editions of the competition will be finalised in the FIFA Congress at the end of the year.

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

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Andreas Brehme, scorer of West Germany’s winning goal in the 1990 World Cup final, dies at 63

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Former FIFA World Cup winner and German international Andreas Brehme passed away at 63 on Tuesday. Brehme is best recalled for scoring the late spot-kick that helped the Die Nationalmannschaft defeat Argentina in Italy and win the quadrennial competition for a third time.

Brehme was hailed as an offensive-minded fullback and also someone who had mastered set-piece situations. His impeccable composure to convert the penalty had won them a 1-0 victory against the Diego Maradona-led Argentina.

💔 Former German left-back Andreas Brehme, scorer of Germany’s World Cup winning goal in 1990, has passed away at the age of 63.

RIP. 🕊️ pic.twitter.com/Jb7Hk7sU8D

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) February 20, 2024

Tributes and condolences poured in from clubs across the Bundesliga and Europe. “A magnificent player, a great Inter fan. Ciao Andy, forever legend,” former club Inter Milan said on social media. Brehme also played for Bayern Munich and Real Zaragoza among others before retiring in 1998 following his return to Kaiserslautern and lifting the Bundesliga title with them.

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He also won the German league title with Bayern Munich while also lifting the Serie A trophy and a UEFA Cup with Inter. “FCK mourns the passing of Andreas Brehme,” Kaiserslautern said. “He wore the Red Devils’ shirt for a total of 10 years and became German champion and German Cup winner with FCK.”

FC Bayern are extremely saddened by the sudden passing of Andreas Brehme. We extend our deepest sympathies to his family and friends.

Andreas Brehme will forever be in our hearts, as a World Cup winner and, more importantly, as a very special person. He will forever be part of… pic.twitter.com/X3Tichnncp

— FC Bayern Munich (@FCBayernEN) February 20, 2024

“In 1990 he fired the German national team to the World Cup title with his penalty and became a football legend. The FCK family is in deep mourning and our thoughts are with Andi’s family and friends.” Brehme won 86 caps for Germany, scoring eight goals, including the one he is best remembered for.

On behalf of the entire European football community, we are deeply saddened to hear that Germany’s Andreas Brehme has passed away.

Having netted the winning goal in the 1990 World Cup final, he also lifted a UEFA Cup with Inter in 1991.

Our thoughts are with his family and… pic.twitter.com/RIMm3bt2VS

— UEFA (@UEFA) February 20, 2024

“Andreas Brehme will forever be in our hearts, as a World Cup winner and, more importantly, as a very special person. He will forever be part of the FC Bayern family,” Bayern Munich said.

(With Reuters inputs)

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

New Jersey’s MetLife stadium to host 2026 World Cup Final; FIFA unveils entire schedule

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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FIFA revealed on Sunday that the 2026 World Cup final is set to take place at New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium, home to the National Football League’s New York Giants and New York Jets. The 48-team tournament, will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, and culminate on July 19 at the MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford.

Canada and Mexico will host 10 group stage matches split evenly between Toronto and Vancouver, while the United States will host the majority of the tournament across 11 cities. Another set of 10 group-stage matches will be held in Mexico City, Guadalajara and Monterrey.

🇺🇸 The #FIFAWorldCup 26 final is headed to New York New Jersey!#WeAre26

— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) February 4, 2024

Toronto, Mexico City, and Los Angeles will host the opening matches of their respective national teams.

The open-air stadium for the final, which opened in 2010 and has a capacity of 82,500, hosted the Copa America Centenario final in 2016 when Chile denied Lionel Messi’s Argentina for a second time in a penalty shootout.

Mexico City’s Estadio Azteca will host the opening match of the tournament on June 11 when Mexico will become the first nation to stage the World Cup for a third time. The opening day will also feature a match in Guadalajara.

Mexico head coach Jaime Lozano, said in translated comments that his squad will have pressure playing in front of home fans but that they are also happy to feature in the opening game and called it a special day in his life and of the national team.

Mexico hosted the World Cup in 1970 and 1986, with the finals of both editions held at Estadio Azteca where Pele’s Brazil crushed Italy 4-1 and Diego Maradona’s Argentina beat West Germany 3-2.

Maradona also scored the famous “Hand of God” goal and the “Goal of the Century” at the same venue in a 2-1 victory over England in the 1986 quarter-finals.

The first match in Canada, which has never hosted a World Cup game, will be June 12 in Toronto at the home of the city’s Major League Soccer team while the opening game in the United States will be in Los Angeles at the home of the NFL’s Rams.

📍 Mexico City
🏟️ Estadio Azteca
🗓️ 11 June 2026

🇲🇽 The #FIFAWorldCup 26 opening match is coming to Mexico!

— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) February 4, 2024

Home Sweet Home

Each tournament host will spend the group stage in their own countries, with the United States sticking to the West Coast and playing twice in Los Angeles and once in Seattle.

“We’re counting on the public getting behind us,” said U.S. men’s national team head coach Gregg Berhalter. “I’m excited for the public to get to know some of our players and get a personal connection with them because it’s a great group of guys.”

Canada will play one group stage game in Toronto, and two in Vancouver, while Mexico will play twice at Estadio Azteca and once in Guadalajara.

🇲🇽🇨🇦🇺🇸 Three countries. Three openers.#WeAre26 | #FIFAWorldCup

— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) February 5, 2024

Canada is winless in six matches across their two World Cup appearances and only scored their first goal in 2022. Still, interim head coach Mauro Biello admitted expectations will be much higher playing at home.

“I think about that game in Qatar when we scored our first goal, and I am sure when we get that first win it will be a great moment for this country,” said Biello. “And that’s the objective, win the first one and then move on to the next round.”

The tournament will shift entirely to the United States starting with the quarter-final round, which will be held in Los Angeles, Kansas City, Miami, and Boston.

Dallas and Atlanta will host the two semi-finals, Miami will be the site of the third-place playoff while Philadelphia will host a Round of 16 match on July 4 to coincide with the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.

The 2026 World Cup will feature 104 matches instead of the traditional 64 games, including an additional knockout round due to the previously announced decision to expand to 48 teams from 32.

(With Reuters inputs)

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Sandesh Jhingan: ISL is the spark igniting our belief to play in the FIFA World Cup

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Sandesh Jhingan was perhaps the first, biggest product that had emerged out of the ISL ecosystem. Over the 10 years, he has seen impeccable success at the international level, winning the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) Championship in 2023, emerging victorious in the Intercontinental Cup twice (2018, 2023), and also the Tri-Nation series on two occasions (2017, 2023).

Raised in Chandigarh, he debuted for the senior national team in 2015, on the back of his impressive outings in the league. From being at the forefront of the famous ‘Viking Clap’ of the Blue Tigers, to being the bona fide leader at the back, everyone looks up to him in a moment of difficulty. The Arjuna Award winner is confident that India will be a regular in the FIFA World Cups going forward, and he insists that the first chapter of that book will be dedicated to the ISL, for how instrumental the top-tier has been in revolutionising the sport in the country.

“ISL is so important. Every citizen of this country will be involved, and will be remembered, in 15-20 years, when India will be where we want us to be. Nobody believed in us when we were ranked 173, people used to ask whether India has a football team? We were supporting them at that point in time, and now people take notice of us,” said Jhingan, talking in the recent episode of ‘In The Stands’.

Also Read: Top 5 key takeaways from ISL 2023-24 as season hits halfway mark

“I can’t sum up the role that the ISL has played in the recent performances of the national team. It’s massive. The impact of the ISL has been massive. You can’t sum it up in scale, in words, it’s just been so important for the growth of our country. When we will be regular at the FIFA World Cups, trust me, people should and will say that the ISL was one of the sparks that ignited that fire. People will remember this league,” he said.

For Jhingan, the ISL has helped create local inspirations, which have encouraged youngsters to take up football professionally. He believes that an entire generation of Indians grew up idolising European sportspeople, because the country lacked homegrown heroes. That issue has been addressed through the ISL according to him, with youngsters from Chandigarh relating to his story and striving to chart their own journey on similar lines.

FULL EPISODE OUT NOW! 🍿

Head to the link below to watch the brand 🆕 episode of #InTheStands ft. a highly motivated @SandeshJhingan ahead of the upcoming #AsianCup2023! 🧱

Watch here 👉https://t.co/FPO1Xe2ZGh#ISL #ISL10 #LetsFootball | @FCGoaOfficial @IndianFootball pic.twitter.com/Laam4qLSi3

— Indian Super League (@IndSuperLeague) January 4, 2024

“You need the local heroes. When I was a kid, my local heroes were Bhaichung (Bhutia) sir, (Sunil) Chhetri bhai, Renedy (Singh) bhai, I can say the whole team. Because, I was very involved in football. Many of my friends didn’t know anything about it. But, they know who plays for Manchester United, FC Barcelona, so when you have local heroes, you can connect more with them. For the next kid in Chandigarh who is from the same sector from where I am, they are just like me. So when you connect with local heroes, and realise they are normal human beings, it inspires you and gives you a more realistic idea that you can be there,” Jhingan explained.

Jhingan has gradually evolved to become one of the most recognisable faces of the ISL. He was perhaps the first, biggest product that had emerged out of the ISL ecosystem. For the uninitiated, Jhingan was the first-ever recipient of the ISL Emerging Player of the Year award, back in 2014. He has represented Kerala Blasters FC, Mohun Bagan Super Giant, and Bengaluru FC in the league, before turning a new chapter with his move to the Gaurs, who were seeking a comeback after a few disappointing seasons. From having started off as a breakout 20-year-old star in 2014 to becoming a family man 10 years down the line, Jhingan’s life has come full circle and the ISL has had a major role to play in it. In fact, his move to FC Goa was driven by familial factors more than anything else.

“Manolo was the major influence behind my move to FC Goa. To be honest, it was a lot because of my family, my daughter too. Of course, if I was just with my wife, you would change your decisions. When I was single, I had different viewpoints. When you get married, you have different viewpoints. When you become a father, you become the last person you think of. I just felt like this is a good place for her to grow,” Jhingan said in an interaction with the league, touching upon his desire for her daughter to grow in the quaint and scenic state of Goa.

Over the 10 years, he has seen impeccable success at the international level, winning the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) Championship in 2023, emerging victorious in the Intercontinental Cup twice (2018, 2023), and also the Tri-Nation series on two occasions (2017, 2023). However, the ISL trophy has eluded him still, despite having finished runner-up four times (2014, 2016, 2020-21, 2022-23). However, the ISL trophy has eluded him still, despite having finished runner-up four times (2014, 2016, 2020-21, 2022-23). Asked if he believes he can break that streak with FC Goa this season, he replied, “I never lack confidence.” Needless to say, the team has started off on a bright note on that front.

FC Goa has had a picture perfect start to the 10th season of the Indian Super League (ISL), staying unbeaten as the campaign headed into its halfway break. The appointment of Manolo Marquez and his new acquisitions have turned things around pretty swiftly for the Gaurs, and the role of defender Sandesh Jhingan in the same has been exemplary. The India international has been a stalwart at the back, playing every minute of ISL 2023-24, helping the team keep six clean sheets in 10 games. He has recorded 5.6 clearances per game with a passing accuracy of 79%. Jhingan has scored once, and his defensive partnership with Odei Onaindia has ensured that his team has conceded the least (5) goals in the league so far.

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

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German football legend Oliver Kahn backs India to play FIFA World Cup

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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In a historic moment for Indian football enthusiasts, the legendary German goalkeeper, Oliver Kahn, graced Mumbai’s GD Somani Memorial School as part of the Pro10 initiative. The South Mumbai school resonated with cheers as the football icon was welcomed in a traditional Indian and Maharashtrian manner, symbolising the unity of global football culture.

Oliver Kahn, known for his indomitable spirit and exemplary career, shared inspiring words with the students, embodying his life philosophy, “Never give up.” Addressing the young minds at GD Somani Memorial School, Kahn emphasized the importance of perseverance, resilience, and dedication in achieving one’s goals, both on and off the field.

“Football is not just a game; it’s a way of life. The challenges I faced in my career taught me the value of persistence. ‘Never give up’ has been my motto in life, and I encourage each one of you to embrace it. Success comes to those who are relentless in their pursuit of excellence,” remarked Kahn, capturing the attention of the aspiring football enthusiasts.

Expressing his thoughts on the future of Indian football, Kahn shared his optimism, saying, “India has immense potential in football. The passion I see here is incredible. It’s time for India to carve its own way of playing football, blending its rich culture with the beautiful game. I genuinely believe that India will soon be a formidable force on the global football stage, competing in the World Cup.”

The Pro10 initiative, which brought Oliver Kahn to GD Somani Memorial School, aims to foster a love for football among the youth and promote the development of the sport at the grassroots level. The initiative seeks to provide opportunities for young talents to thrive, ensuring a bright future for Indian football. Kahn will also soon be establishing a goalkeeping academy in India very soon with Pro10.

GD Somani Memorial School, known for its commitment to holistic education, is proud to be a part of this initiative, bringing a football legend of Kahn’s stature to inspire its students.

The event not only marked a milestone in the Pro10 initiative but also served as a testament to the power of sports in bridging cultures and inspiring the next generation. Oliver Kahn’s visit left an indelible mark on the hearts and minds of the students, reinforcing the belief that with dedication and passion, dreams can be realized.

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India take on Qatar in the FIFA World Cup qualifier in Bhubaneswar today

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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India will take inspiration from their famous goal-less draw against Asian champions Qatar four years ago when they face the same opponents in a 2026 FIFA World Cup second round qualifiers match here on Tuesday.

Their confidence boosted after the 1-0 away win against Kuwait on November 16, India will hope to give a tough fight to Qatar, though the fancied visiting side will start as firm favourites.

India had surprised the football fraternity when they soaked up waves of attacks to hold Qatar 0-0 on September 10, 2019 in their 2022 World Cup second round qualifiers in Doha. Qatar were then in red-hot form, having won the Asia Cup title in early 2019. Talismanic India captain Sunil Chhetri was absent in that match as he was indisposed and he would be eager to show his class at the Kalinga Stadium on Tuesday, though scoring chances for the hosts are expected to be far less than the visitors.

Goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, who had captained the team that night in Doha in front of a partisan expatriate crowd, will have to be at his best again on Tuesday to thwart the marauding Qataris as he had done four years ago. Ranked 61 in the world, Qatar are coming off a 8-1 thrashing of Afghanistan in their earlier match in Doha on November 16, and they would be looking to make the record of the drawn game in 2019 straight with a dominating win against the 102nd-ranked India.

Qatar were 1-0 victors in the reverse fixture of the two teams in the 2022 World Cup qualifiers. Star striker Almoez Ali, who struck four times against Afghanistan the other day and was the top-scorer for Qatar at the 2019 Asian Cup with nine goals, would be the man to watch out for as he can create trouble at the Indian defence, which looked weak in the absence of Anwar Ali.

Sandhu would remember that he and India were lucky in Doha in 2019 as Ali was denied by the upright and the Indian custodian will have to marshal the defence, along with veteran Sandesh Jhinghan. Head coach Igor Stimac could not use the services of both Ali and defensive midfielder Jeakson Singh in the Kuwait match due to injuries, and it was a blow to the plans of the Croatian tactician though India won the match.

Ali had suffered an ankle injury in Mohun Bagan’s AFC Cup match against Bashundhara Kings of Bangladesh last month. Kerala Blasters player Jeakson suffered a shoulder injury in an Indian Super League match against Mumbai City FC and he had undergone a successful surgery early this month. Midfield mainstay Sahal Abdul Samad and Manvir Singh, who scored the lone goal for India against Kuwait, were there in Doha four years ago and they would look to make life difficult for the Qataris, more so after the duo’s good outing in Kuwait City.

Stimac was just a few months into India head coach’s job in the 2019 match, and after four years, he feels a positive result against Qatar is “not unfeasible”. “We have analysed Qatar from every angle and position and know very well what they are capable of in terms of speed and strength. Their defensive and offensive positions are immaculate, which they demonstrated against Afghanistan by scoring eight goals,” Stimac said.

“It is going to be very difficult, Qatar are one of the pre-tournament favourites from the group. We do not have high expectations but we know we have a chance and we have to grab that with both hands. “The first and bigger part was accomplished by winning against Kuwait, now I want the boys to show their quality against Qatar,” he said. India are placed in Group A alongside Qatar, Kuwait and Afghanistan with the top two from the group progressing to the third round of the FIFA World Cup qualifiers.

The top two teams from each group will also secure qualification to the 2027 AFC Asian Cup. The Blue Tigers have never advanced to the third round of AFC’s FIFA World Cup qualifiers but they now have a high chance of doing so after their 1-0 win over Kuwait.

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FIFA Women’s World Cup: New Zealand dealt with an embarassing exit in the first round

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 co-host New Zealand have crashed out of the tournament after a goalless draw against Switzerland at the Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin on Sunday. The Kiwis were pitted in Group A of the tournament along with Switzerland, Norway, and Philippines. They finished third in the standings after the end of three matches below Switzerland and Norway who ended up in the top two spots respectively.

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The home side gave their final group stage match their all, attempting 12 shots. However, efficiency was lacking in the frontline as only three of those shots landed on target. They had kicked off their campaign in style, having notched a 1-0 win against Norway earlier this month. Philippines piped them to a 1-0 victory in the second match and the dynamics of the group were such that the team needed a win in this game to seal a top two slot.

New Zealand are the first host nation in Women’s World Cup history to be knocked out in the group stages.

A tournament that started so well ends in disappointment for the Football Ferns.😞#FIFAWWC pic.twitter.com/RkH5hCM5zl

— Squawka Live (@Squawka_Live) July 30, 2023

The Swiss team rounded off the group stage without a single loss to their name. They bagged five points courtesy of a win and two draws in three matches and got the top spot. The Norwegian side won, lost, and drew once each to bring curtains down to the three games with the same number of points as New Zealand. However, their goal difference was a positive five, in comparison to New Zealand who scored and conceded only a single goal in the tournament.

So far, only the Group A teams have completed their three matches whilst all teams in the rest of the groups have played a couple of games each.

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This is just the start, says head coach Igor Stimac as India moves up to 99th spot in FIFA rankings

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Indian national football team head coach Igor Stimac has assured that the Blue Tigers are just getting started as the side has moved up to the 99^th spot in the FIFA rankings. The team recently won the Intercontinental Cup along with the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) Championship and those results are reflecting in the standings declared by the global football governing body.

“Back in the 90s and more importantly we’ve secured our position in Pot 2 for the World Cup Qualifiers draw. Long way to go still, this is just the start. @indianfootball,” Stimac tweeted, sharing a picture depicting India’s latest world ranking.

Back in the 90s and more importantly we’ve secured our position in Pot 2 for the World Cup Qualifiers draw 👏💙

Long way to go still, this is just the start 🇮🇳 @IndianFootball pic.twitter.com/50ZZOXw7bP

— Igor Štimac (@stimac_igor) July 21, 2023

The national team has been on a roll lately, as substantiated by the aforementioned recent results. They are gearing up well for the AFC Asian Cup that will be held in China in 2024.

Also Read: AIFF rolls out U-20 National Football Championship for men

India has been drawn in Group B with heavyweights like Australia, Uzbekistan, and Syria and this will be team’s third appearance in the continental competition since 2019. They had started their campaign in 2019 in incredible style with a 4-1 win against Thailand but failed to move past the group stages thereafter.

Stimac was appointed as the national team head coach later that year and his ideas and philosophies are finally beginning to take shape and show in the form of results. At the start of his tenure, the think-tank and the federation had outlined India’s objectives of qualifying to the FIFA World Cup 2026 and Stimac hence made a mention of the qualifiers of the same in his recent tweet.

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FIFA Women’s World Cup: Players to get their payments by their federations

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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FIFA President Gianni Infantino could make no guarantee that the member federations will distribute the $30,000 payments promised to every player at the Women’s World Cup. He said at a news conference ahead of the tournament opener that he’s engaging with member federations on the issue. The payments are made by the individual federations, which are expected to pay the players.

But there is no mechanism to directly pay the players the money, which could be life-changing for some.

“We are moving of course in the right direction, we have been consulting with associations, with players, to try to go in the right path,” Infantino said. “We have issued these recommendations, but we have an association of associations. So whatever payments we do, we will through the associations and then the associations will, of course, make the relevant payments to their own players. We are in touch with all the associations.”

#AUS saw off a determined #IRL side to enjoy the perfect start to the #FIFAWWC in front of a home crowd! 🙌

Catch the match action on FIFA+. 👇

— FIFA Women’s World Cup (@FIFAWWC) July 20, 2023

FIFA had previously confirmed that the 732 players participating in the World Cup will be paid at least $30,000 each. The paycheck rises if teams do well, with each player for the winning team earning $270,000.

Infantino said there are complications including residency and taxation that are best handled by federations. The payment is significant for many players: the average annual salary worldwide for women who play professionally is $14,000.

FIFA’s agreement means that half of the total World Cup prize money fund of $110 million will be paid to the players in the 32 teams. The prize pool is more than three times the $30 million prize fund FIFA paid out at the 2019 Women’s World Cup in France.

𝟕𝟓,𝟕𝟖𝟒. ✨

A record home crowd for a women’s football match in Australia! 🙌#BeyondGreatness | #FIFAWWC pic.twitter.com/7O9lJIddc3

— FIFA Women’s World Cup (@FIFAWWC) July 20, 2023

The global players’ union, known as FIFPRO, helped push FIFA to dedicate a percentage of the prize money to the players themselves. The union sent a letter to FIFA in October on behalf of players from 25 national teams calling for more equitable conditions and prize money.

However, the prize money fund is still far below the $440 million paid to the men who played in the World Cup last year in Qatar. Infantino said the goal is to equalize the prize money by the 2026 men’s World Cup and the 2027 women’s edition.

Infantino said the Women’s World Cup is expected to generate a half-billion dollars in revenue — despite the prize money boost — and the organization will break even. For the first time, the commercial rights for the Women’s World Cup were sold separately from the men’s tournament.

The tournament opens Thursday night with a match between host country New Zealand and Norway, and Australia, the other host country, plays Ireland.

(With Reuters inputs)

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KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow