And it is not just ticket prices that have spiralled.

Iran's football federation said on Saturday that the men's national team will take part in the 2026 World Cup this summer, but demanded that joint hosts the United States, Mexico and Canada agree to its conditions amid the Middle East war.

Bangladeshi-American DJ Sanjoy is among the featured performers and will appear in the United States’ opening ceremony at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles on June 12, where the US will face Paraguay. The main stage will also feature global stars such as Katy Perry and BLACKPINK’s Lisa.

That night in Rome, the moon was out, but there was no light. Beneath the vast galleries of Stadio Olimpico, the night slowly sank into a gloom as if the world itself already knew that a king would soon fall. Just as the air grows heavy before every tragedy, it felt that way that night. The smell of fatigue lingered on the grass, mingling with the crowd’s screams of fear, and there stood Diego Maradona in the midfield, looking utterly alone.

Neymar has received the backing of former teammates Lionel Messi and Ronaldinho to play for Brazil in the upcoming FIFA World Cup, set to begin on June 11 across the USA, Mexico, and Canada.

The 2026 World Cup will feature a trilogy of opening ceremonies, with each of the host countries -- Mexico, the United States and Canada -- getting its turn at a star-studded celebration.

Lionel Messi says Argentina fans are right to dream of a second straight World Cup crown, but warns other contenders, including France and Spain, "are in better shape".

A passion for football binds three generations of the Rueda family in Mexico City, from Pele fan Fernando to Maradona aficionado Jairo and France follower Emilio.

The FIFA World Cup 2026 is set to begin in just 33 days, but there is a strong possibility that Bangladeshi viewers may face a World Cup blackout, as no broadcaster in the country has secured telecast rights for the global showpiece event as of yesterday.

Thierry Henry, Andres Iniesta, Kaka, Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, or Wayne Rooney -- before the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, many of these stars were on the list of potential Golden Ball winners. Amid this constellation of talent, the name of an experienced Uruguayan striker was barely mentioned.

The song was produced with Nigerian artist Burna Boy and is set for official release on May 14.

Some say true magic cannot be seen, only felt. By the time you realise something extraordinary has happened, it has already slipped into the past. You cannot catch it by reaching out, nor can you see it by closing your eyes. All that remains is a strange emptiness in your chest -- as if you witnessed something, yet cannot quite name it.

Across club football, he played 710 matches and scored 335 goals. In international football, he netted 31 times in 75 appearances for Argentina in their iconic sky-blue and white jersey. The one behind the numbers is Gonzalo Higuain, who lit up the pitch for European heavyweights like Real Madrid, Napoli, Juventus, Chelsea and AC Milan for years.

Swathes of football-mad Asia from China and India to Malaysia and Thailand are yet to confirm broadcast rights for the biggest-ever World Cup with kick-off barely one month away.

Iran have suffered a significant on-field blow ahead of their World Cup campaign after winger Ali Gholizadeh suffered a season-ending knee injury while playing for his club Lech Poznan in Poland.

In a country where football is not merely a game but a pulse of everyday life, he was once its brightest star.

Coca-Cola Bangladesh has launched a nationwide campaign offering fans a chance to experience the FIFA World Cup 2026 beyond the screen, with exclusive match hospitality and official merchandise up for grabs.

What unfolded on that green carpet that day may, in the record books, be reduced to a few numbers. But for those who witnessed it, it remains etched in a far deeper dimension. Like a line from a poem that suddenly lodges in your throat, or a familiar tune that brings back the scent of a long-lost afternoon -- just like that.

Iranian officials had floated the idea of shifting their group games from the United States to Mexico, but that proposal had already been nixed by Infantino.

Soaring ticket prices and transport costs at this year's FIFA World Cup will expose fans to cyber fraud and scams as supporters are attracted by fakes in the mistaken belief they have bagged a bargain, an industry expert has warned.