The World Cup ambassador for the Gulf nation, Khalid Salman, a former international football player for Qatar, has come under criticism for remarks he made in an interview with German television suggesting that homosexuality is a “disease in the head.” The tournament, which is scheduled to begin on November 20, has come under fire for reports of the ongoing mistreatment of migrant workers... 

FIFA has refused to punish the Saudi Arabia men’s national football team after they snubbed a minute’s silence in memory of the London terrorist attack victims before a World Cup qualifier against Australia. Eight people – including two Australian nationals – were killed and more than 50 injured when a group of three terrorists drove a van into pedestrians on London Bridge and then... 

The Saudi Arabia men’s national football team triggered controversy when they failed to line up for a minute’s silence in memory of the London terror attack victims before their World Cup qualifying match against Australia in Adelaide. While an announcement resonated across the stadium, making clear what was about to happen, the Australian players lined up and put their arms around each... 

A hardline Saudi cleric has called on football’s governing body, FIFA, to prohibit players from making the sign of the cross in celebration on the field. As expected, not only have his calls fallen on deaf ears, but he has also been lambasted online. Mohammed Alarefe boasts 17.5 million Twitter followers, which, though impressive, is unlikely to hold any sway with FIFA’s elite. “I’ve seen... 

A former senior FIFA official, Chuck Blazer, claimed he and others took bribes in exchange for supporting World Cup candidate countries in 1998 and 2010, an unsealed paper says. South Africa has denied paying any bribes. French reaction is pending. The 40-page transcript of a secret court session was published online on Wednesday, revealing more details surrounding Blazer’s 2013 guilty plea to charges... 

The FIFA-linked arrests on the eve of the re-election of the organization’s chief are an obvious attempt to thwart Sepp Blatter’s re-appointment, Vladimir Putin said, answering journalists’ questions. He added it’s another example of US meddling abroad. Russian President Vladimir Putin has said the US could be selfishly motivated for its own gain, as was the case with Edward Snowden and Julian... 

A prominent campaigning group has criticized soccer’s international governing body FIFA for its inaction over the plight of migrant construction workers in Qatar who are busy preparing venues for the 2022 World Cup in the Persian Gulf state. The International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), the world’s largest trade union federation, urged FIFA sponsors, including Coca-Cola, Visa and McDonald’s,... 

A top FIFA official says the 2022 World Cup won’t be held in Qatar because of dangers faced by players and fans in scorching temperatures. The Gulf State, which has faced repeated allegations of corruption, says they want to move the event to winter. The claims were made by Theo Zwanziger, who is a FIFA Executive Committee member. He is adamant that the present plan to stage world football’s biggest... 

A view of the Itaquerao Stadium in the Brazilian city of Sao Paulo. Football fever grips the fans as the World Cup starts in Brazil while police in Sao Paulo clashed with protesters opposing the tournament. On Thursday, the Itaquerao Stadium shined under blue skies as Brazil kicked off its home World Cup with a football-style carnival. Some fans reportedly chanted slogans against Brazilian President... 

The Indian embassy in Qatar says over 450 Indian migrant workers have died in the Persian Gulf state over the past two years. The embassy said on Monday the deaths occurred in 2012 and the first 11 months of 2013 but did not give details about the circumstances of the deaths or where they occurred, AFP reported. It said on average about 20 Indian migrants died in Qatar each month and the toll peaked... 

FIFA President Joseph Blatter has backed calls from the EU Parliament condemning the exploitation of migrant workers in Qatar, but he also said Europe bears responsibility for the working conditions at the 2022 World Cup sites. Blatter said on Friday that there is a need to investigate what has happened in Qatar regarding the alleged abuses of the migrant workers, who are preparing venues for the... 

The Luzhniki stadium in Moscow FIFA President Sepp Blatter appeared on Russian national television to name the eleven cities where the 2018 World Cup will be played. ­There were 13 venues in the running, which were all visited by the FIFA inspectors during the two years after Russia won the World Cup bid. Russia’s Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko said earlier that the positions of Moscow, Saint... 

Following the Algerian defeat in the Algeria-Egypt match (Soccer World Cup), several Arab riots have taken place on the French territory, especially in the invaded city of Marseille. Veuillez installer Flash Player pour lire la vidéo La bêtise des supporters violences à Marseille [news] Tf1 151109 Vidéo fullhdready1 sélectionnée dans Actualité  Read More »