Scattered across the globe after fleeing Taliban rule in Afghanistan, the country's exiled women footballers are daring to dream of uniting on the Olympic stage after being given a path back to international soccer.

Arsenal coach Mikel Arteta was left raging at the decision to overturn a penalty his team had been awarded in their 1-1 Champions League semifinal first leg draw at Atletico Madrid on Wednesday.

Alvarez became the first Atletico Madrid player to score 10 goals in a single Champions League campaign, underlining his importance to Atletico Madrid on the biggest stage.

The 41-year-old broke the deadlock with a 76th-minute header at Al-Awwal Park, helping Al-Nassr move eight points clear of second-placed Al-Hilal and 13 ahead of third-placed Al-Ahli, although both chasing sides have a game in hand.

The Iran war, World Cup logistical headaches and the unresolved question of Russia's international ban are set to feature in discussions among roughly 1,600 delegates from more than 200 member associations.

Arsenal's solid defending helped them leave the Spanish capital in a good position to return to the Champions League final 20 years after their last appearance.

Atletico Madrid return to the Metropolitano seeking a response to their Copa del Rey final loss to Athletic Bilbao last week as Diego Simeone’s side host Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal in the first leg of their Champions League semifinal tonight. Arsenal arrive amid a fierce Premier League title push, chasing their first league crown since 2003-04 and a first major trophy in six years.

Prior to the Taliban's takeover, Afghanistan had 25 women players under contract, most of whom now live in Australia.

The 2025-26 UEFA Champions League marks the 33rd edition of the competition to feature a semifinal stage.

The government is set to launch a new grassroots initiative, Notun Kuri Sports, aimed at engaging young people across the country in sporting activities and nurturing talented athletes.

Ousmane Dembele's penalty on the stroke of half-time made this the first-ever semifinal with five goals in the first half.

Global soccer governing body FIFA gave Trump the inaugural award at the World Cup draw in December for "promoting peace and unity around the world", triggering condemnation from human rights groups and activists in the lead-up to the World Cup.

"All football lovers, I'm sure they revelled in watching the match."

The cash injection was announced following a meeting of FIFA's ruling council ahead of the body's Congress taking place in Vancouver on Thursday.

The 2002 FIFA World Cup is remembered as a tournament of shocks and surprises. Traditional powerhouses like France and Argentina crashed out in the group stage, while emerging sides such as South Korea and Turkey defied expectations to reach the semifinals.

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Ousmane Dembele scored twice each as Paris Saint-Germain beat Bayern Munich 5-4 in an epic first leg of their Champions League semifinal on Tuesday, an extraordinary encounter becoming the highest-scoring match ever at this stage of the competition.

Arsenal coach Mikel Arteta defended his "exceptional" side against criticism on Tuesday and backed them to prove their quality in the Champions League semi-final clash against Atletico Madrid.

Algeria goalkeeper Luca Zidane is a doubt for the World Cup after suffering a jaw and chin fracture while playing for his club Granada in Spain's second tier.

John Stones said he had lived "all my dreams out" as he announced on Tuesday he would be leaving Manchester City at the end of the season after 10 trophy-laden years at the Etihad.

Real Madrid's Brazilian defender Eder Militao is set to miss the World Cup after undergoing surgery on a hamstring injury on Tuesday.