https://www.scmp.com/rss/321311/feed The Federation Internationale de Football Association (Fifa) is the governing body of association football. Fifa is responsible for the organisation of football's major international tournaments, notably the World Cup which commenced in 1930 and the Women's World Cup which commenced in 1991. Fifa was founded in 1904. Headquartered in Zurich, its membership now comprises 209 national associations. Member countries must each also be members of one of the six regional confederations into which the... en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Reuters Reuters Iran’s government will decide whether the national team will play in the ⁠World Cup only once they ⁠receive a response from Fifa over ⁠the relocation of their matches, the country’s Minister of Sport Ahmad Donyamali has said. Iran’s football federation (FFIRI) has been pushing to move the team’s three World Cup group-stage matches from the United States to Mexico, citing American military involvement alongside Israel in strikes that sparked ‌an ongoing war in the region. Last month, the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3349281/iran-wait-fifa-response-venue-switch-making-decision-world-cup?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3349281/iran-wait-fifa-response-venue-switch-making-decision-world-cup?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 07 Apr 2026 15:00:08 +0000 Reuters Reuters Wins over England and Scotland ⁠underline Japan’s status as the Asian nation most likely to make a major impact at the World Cup during an international window of mixed fortunes for the continent’s qualifiers for this summer’s finals. Iraq’s emotional 2-1 victory over Bolivia during the intercontinental play-offs in Mexico took the Gulf state to the World Cup for the ‌first time in 40 years and ensured Asia would have a record nine qualifiers at the tournament. But while Graham Arnold and his... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3349027/japan-underline-status-asias-best-world-cup-hope-fellow-qualifiers-get-mixed-results?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3349027/japan-underline-status-asias-best-world-cup-hope-fellow-qualifiers-get-mixed-results?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 04 Apr 2026 06:52:18 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Women’s Asian Cup finalists Japan and Australia renewed calls on Thursday for equal prize money with the men’s tournament in a direct challenge to the Asian Football Confederation and accused the governing body of “ignoring” previous requests. Japan beat hosts Australia 1-0 in the final in Sydney on March 21 in front of more than 74,000 fans, the biggest crowd in the competition’s history. It concluded a tournament that made global headlines after seven members of the Iran squad sought asylum... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3348850/womens-asian-cup-finalists-accuse-governing-body-ignoring-pleas-equal-prize-money?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3348850/womens-asian-cup-finalists-accuse-governing-body-ignoring-pleas-equal-prize-money?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Apr 2026 02:00:24 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Fifa raised its top ticket price for the World Cup final to US$10,990 during the glitch-hampered reopening of sales on Wednesday after the 48-team field for this year’s tournament was finalised. The price had been US$8,680 when Fifa sold tickets after the tournament draw in December. Fifa’s category two tickets for the July 19 game at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, were US$7,380, up from US$5,575, and category three cost US$5,785, an increase from US$4,185. Tickets were listed... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3348781/fifa-raises-top-ticket-price-world-cup-final-us8680-us10990-sales-reopen?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3348781/fifa-raises-top-ticket-price-world-cup-final-us8680-us10990-sales-reopen?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 Apr 2026 07:25:25 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Coach Graham Arnold has challenged his players to “shock the world” after Iraq became the 48th and final team to qualify for the World Cup on Tuesday with a nerve-shredding 2-1 win over Bolivia in an intercontinental play-off in Mexico. Meanwhile, Japan, who were the first nation to qualify for the finals in North America, made their own slice of history with a statement 1-0 win over England that showed they could go deep at the finals. Iraq, whose preparations were disrupted by the war in the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3348703/world-cups-last-qualifier-iraq-plot-shock-while-japan-confident-making-more-history?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3348703/world-cups-last-qualifier-iraq-plot-shock-while-japan-confident-making-more-history?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 Apr 2026 00:00:17 +0000 Mike Chan Mike Chan The Fifa World Cup trophy will be on display in Hong Kong for the first time when the Fifa Museum opens in the city in two months. Located on the fourth floor of Times Square in Causeway Bay and taking up 6,000 sq ft, the Fifa Museum will run for six months from its May 28 grand opening, which is expected to be attended by several football legends, including former world champions from Brazil, France and Spain. Asia Partners IFBD Corporation, the global sports investment company that owns the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3348526/world-cup-trophies-take-pride-place-when-fifa-museum-opens-hong-kong-6-months?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3348526/world-cup-trophies-take-pride-place-when-fifa-museum-opens-hong-kong-6-months?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Apr 2026 02:55:08 +0000 Associated Press,Agence France-Presse Associated Press,Agence France-Presse Earlier this month, Iraq coach Graham Arnold was stranded in Fujairah, on the eastern coast of the United Arab Emirates, because of the Middle East war. He wondered if his national team would even be able to compete for one last chance to qualify for the 2026 World Cup. After travelling a long and winding road to reach Mexico, Arnold and Iraq will seek to return to a World Cup after an absence of 40 years when they face Bolivia in the final of their intercontinental play-off in Monterrey in... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3348511/fifa-world-cup-2026-after-harrowing-travel-ordeal-iraq-hope-secure-asia-its-9th-spot?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3348511/fifa-world-cup-2026-after-harrowing-travel-ordeal-iraq-hope-secure-asia-its-9th-spot?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 31 Mar 2026 08:00:13 +0000 Agence France-Presse,Associated Press Agence France-Presse,Associated Press Italy have one more obstacle standing between them and a return to the World Cup in the shape of Bosnia and Herzegovina, who host the Azzurri on Tuesday in what promises to be a tense qualification play-off final in Zenica. Meanwhile, Kosovo are on the verge of winning a spot in the finals for the first time – a potentially momentous sporting turnaround for Europe’s youngest nation. For Italian fans, a battling win over Northern Ireland in last week’s semi-final did little to ease their fears... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3348436/fifa-world-cup-italy-hoping-scale-bosnian-everest-tiny-kosovo-verge-history?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3348436/fifa-world-cup-italy-hoping-scale-bosnian-everest-tiny-kosovo-verge-history?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 31 Mar 2026 02:00:22 +0000 Agence France-Presse,dpa Agence France-Presse,dpa Amnesty International has warned that this summer’s football World Cup, spread across three North American countries, risks becoming a “stage for repression” in a report published on Monday. The London-based human rights organisation’s report “Humanity Must Win” details what the organisation calls “significant risks” to and which will impact on fans, players, journalists, workers and local communities in all three host countries. Fifa has promised a tournament where everyone “feels safe,... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3348390/fifa-world-cup-risks-being-stage-repression-amnesty-international-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3348390/fifa-world-cup-risks-being-stage-repression-amnesty-international-says?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 30 Mar 2026 11:00:12 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse A physical China beat World Cup-bound Curacao 2-0 on Friday in the Caribbean island nation’s first match under new Dutch coach Fred Rutten after the abrupt departure of veteran Dick Advocaat. Wei Shihao and Zhang Yuning scored either side of the break at Sydney’s Stadium Australia in a wake-up call for the tiny country ahead of their debut appearance at the global showpiece in North America in June-July. Curacao, with a population of just 156,000, are the smallest nation ever to make a World... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3348143/lower-ranked-china-give-world-cup-bound-curacao-wake-call-fifa-series-match?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3348143/lower-ranked-china-give-world-cup-bound-curacao-wake-call-fifa-series-match?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Mar 2026 09:30:07 +0000 dpa,Agence France-Presse dpa,Agence France-Presse The remaining six places at this summer’s Fifa World Cup are set to be decided over the next week. As well as 16 European nations battling it out in the play-offs to secure one of four places available, Fifa is also holding a new six-team intercontinental event in Mexico that will determine the other two qualifiers. Here is a look at how the two formats work. What are the European play-offs all about? With the World Cup, which will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, expanded... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3347997/fifa-world-cup-play-offs-italy-coach-set-biggest-match-iraq-bid-second-finals?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3347997/fifa-world-cup-play-offs-italy-coach-set-biggest-match-iraq-bid-second-finals?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Mar 2026 14:00:08 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse The fourth and final ticket sales phase for the 2026 World Cup will open on April 1, Fifa announced on Wednesday, without specifying how many tickets will be made available. The “last-minute” sales phase will then remain open through the end of the tournament, which runs from June 11 to July 19, global football’s governing body said in a statement. Tickets will be sold on a first-come, first-served basis and be “released for sale on a rolling basis, including, on occasion, for matches taking... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3347942/final-phase-2026-world-cup-ticket-sales-be-sold-first-come-first-served-basis?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3347942/final-phase-2026-world-cup-ticket-sales-be-sold-first-come-first-served-basis?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Mar 2026 04:20:58 +0000 Reuters Reuters New Zealand’s national footballers have said they would be willing to play against Iran outside the United States in their opening match at the 2026 World Cup, as uncertainty persists over the fixture amid geopolitical tensions. Iran were one of the first nations to qualify for the finals but their participation has been in doubt since the US-Israeli conflict with the ‌Islamic Republic broke out at the end of February. Team Melli are scheduled to play all three of their opening-round group... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3347838/fifa-world-cup-new-zealand-players-willing-face-iran-their-opening-match-outside-us?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3347838/fifa-world-cup-new-zealand-players-willing-face-iran-their-opening-match-outside-us?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Mar 2026 08:00:12 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse The Football Supporters Europe (FSE) group filed a lawsuit on Tuesday with the European Commission against football’s world governing body Fifa over “excessive ticket prices” for this year’s World Cup finals. “Euroconsumers and Football Supporters Europe (FSE) have filed a formal complaint with the European Commission against Fifa, alleging that the football body has abused its monopoly position to impose excessive ticket prices and opaque and unfair purchasing conditions and processes on... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3347746/supporters-group-files-lawsuit-against-excessive-fifa-2026-world-cup-ticket-prices?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3347746/supporters-group-files-lawsuit-against-excessive-fifa-2026-world-cup-ticket-prices?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Mar 2026 15:00:15 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Italy is coming off a record performance at the Winter Olympics. Kimi Antonelli just became the second youngest driver at 19 to win a Formula 1 race and is considered The Next Big Thing in auto racing. The Azzurri rugby squad beat England for the first time in the Six Nations. Also, Jannik Sinner is back to winning ways on the tennis court. Italy’s men and women are the world champions in volleyball. Even the country’s unheralded baseball and cricket teams have broken barriers recently. Yet... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3347342/football-still-no-1-italy-azzurri-face-world-cup-play-amid-other-sports-success?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3347342/football-still-no-1-italy-azzurri-face-world-cup-play-amid-other-sports-success?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Mar 2026 23:45:08 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Fifa president Gianni Infantino received a 33 per cent increase in his annual bonus last year as part of a US$6 million pay package detailed on Thursday by football’s world body. Infantino’s basic annual salary was unchanged at 2.6 million Swiss francs (US$3.3 million) and his bonus rose by 550,000 Swiss francs to 2.2 million Swiss francs in 2025, when Fifa organised its first month-long men’s Club World Cup in the United States. In each of the prior two years, Infantino’s annual bonus had been... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3347291/fifa-boss-received-33-bonus-increase-after-club-world-cup-us6-million-pay-deal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3347291/fifa-boss-received-33-bonus-increase-after-club-world-cup-us6-million-pay-deal?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Mar 2026 11:00:10 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Asian football bosses said Friday they were stopping the bidding process to host the 2031 and 2035 Asian Cups after a Fifa request to move the continental showpiece to even-numbered years. Several countries including Australia, Japan and South Korea had thrown their hats into the ring to stage the 2031 and 2035 tournaments. The announcement comes after the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) recently met Fifa “concerning a potential revision to the international match calendar”, the AFC said. “As... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3347284/football-chiefs-halt-bids-host-2031-2035-asian-cups-after-fifa-request-change-dates?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3347284/football-chiefs-halt-bids-host-2031-2035-asian-cups-after-fifa-request-change-dates?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Mar 2026 07:03:39 +0000 Agence France-Presse,Reuters Agence France-Presse,Reuters Iran will “boycott the United States” but “not the World Cup”, Iranian football federation president Mehdi Taj said in a video released by the Iranian press agency Fars. Iran is currently scheduled to play its group matches in the US in this year’s tournament. “We will be preparing for the World Cup. We will boycott the United States but not the World Cup,” Taj said in the video released on Wednesday. Iran’s football federation, FFIRI, said it had opened talks with Fifa about potentially... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3347185/iran-boycotting-united-states-not-world-cup-football-federation-chief-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3347185/iran-boycotting-united-states-not-world-cup-football-federation-chief-says?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Mar 2026 15:00:13 +0000 Reuters,Agence France-Presse Reuters,Agence France-Presse Malaysia have been knocked out of contention ⁠for the 2027 ⁠Asian Cup after the ⁠Asian Football Confederation (AFC) overturned their qualifying wins over Nepal and Vietnam, saying the national team fielded players who were not eligible to represent the country. It was the latest and possibly final chapter in a long-running scandal over seven foreign-born players who used forged documents to play for Malaysia’s national team. “The defendant fielded ineligible players in the relevant AFC Asian Cup... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3346875/malaysia-out-asian-cup-race-after-afc-overturns-wins-hands-down-us50000-fine?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3346875/malaysia-out-asian-cup-race-after-afc-overturns-wins-hands-down-us50000-fine?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Mar 2026 08:11:35 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Iran’s football federation is negotiating with Fifa to relocate the country’s first-round matches at the World Cup to Mexico from the United States, citing the conflict in the Middle East, Iran’s embassy in Mexico said on Monday. The country’s participation at this summer’s finals in the United States, Canada and Mexico has been thrown into doubt since the war began late last month. Iranian football chief Mehdi Taj said in remarks posted on the embassy’s X account that because US President... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3346833/iran-negotiating-fifa-over-moving-world-cup-games-mexico-embassy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3346833/iran-negotiating-fifa-over-moving-world-cup-games-mexico-embassy?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Mar 2026 04:06:51 +0000 Reuters Reuters The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) said ⁠on Monday it ⁠has not received any ⁠notification from Iran that it will withdraw its national team from the World Cup. Iran have qualified for the 48-team tournament to be held in the US, Canada ‌and Mexico from June 11, and are scheduled to play two group matches in Los Angeles and one in Seattle. Iran’s sports minister has said it was impossible for the players to participate in the tournament after the US launched air strikes alongside ⁠Israel... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3346762/asian-football-confederation-has-received-no-notification-iran-world-cup-withdrawal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3346762/asian-football-confederation-has-received-no-notification-iran-world-cup-withdrawal?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Mar 2026 12:00:12 +0000 Tribune News Service Tribune News Service Iran’s sports minister said on Wednesday his nation will not take part in this summer’s Fifa World Cup because the United States killed the country’s leader and continues to wage war on the oil-rich nation – and now the question becomes who might replace them. The US and Israel bombing campaign, which began two weeks ago, has triggered a region-wide conflict and killed more than 1,300 Iranians, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. “Considering that this corrupt regime has... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3346289/iraq-italy-who-could-replace-iran-world-cup-rules-say-fifa-can-do-what-it-wants?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3346289/iraq-italy-who-could-replace-iran-world-cup-rules-say-fifa-can-do-what-it-wants?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Mar 2026 02:41:26 +0000 Reuters Reuters Iran cannot take part in the 2026 World Cup after co-host the United States launched air strikes against the country alongside Israel, killing its leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, sports minister Ahmad Donyamali said on Wednesday. The US and Israel launched air strikes on Iran almost two weeks ago, killing the Islamic Republic’s ‌supreme leader, leading to a region-wide conflict in the Gulf. “Considering that this corrupt regime has assassinated our leader, under no circumstances can we... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3346272/iran-cannot-take-part-united-states-hosted-2026-world-cup-sports-minister-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3346272/iran-cannot-take-part-united-states-hosted-2026-world-cup-sports-minister-says?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Mar 2026 15:52:36 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Five players from Iran’s visiting women’s football team claimed asylum in Australia on Tuesday, seeking protection after they were branded “traitors” at home for refusing to sing the national anthem. Iranian players fell silent as the anthem played ahead of a tournament match in Australia last week, an act seen as a symbol of defiance against the Islamic Republic. US President Donald Trump was among those urging Australia to offer the players asylum, citing grave fears for their safety if they... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3345992/concern-iran-womens-football-team-rises-australia-amid-war?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3345992/concern-iran-womens-football-team-rises-australia-amid-war?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Mar 2026 10:08:02 +0000 Reuters Reuters Malaysia’s football association said ⁠on Friday it ⁠was disappointed by a Court ⁠of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ruling to partially uphold sanctions on seven footballers who played for the national team using falsified naturalisation documents. Deportivo Alaves’ Facundo Garces was among seven players banned for ‌a year by Fifa in September after it found that doctored documentation had been used so that they could play in an Asian Cup qualifier for Malaysia against Vietnam last year. The other... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3345710/malaysian-fa-disappointed-cas-ruling-partially-uphold-player-sanctions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3345710/malaysian-fa-disappointed-cas-ruling-partially-uphold-player-sanctions?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Mar 2026 08:41:24 +0000 Reuters Reuters The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ⁠on Thursday ⁠eased sanctions on seven ⁠footballers who played for Malaysia using falsified naturalisation documents, ruling they will serve a 12-month suspension from official matches only. Deportivo Alaves’ Facundo Garces ‌was among seven players banned for a year by Fifa in September, after football’s governing body found that doctored documentation had been used so that they could play in an Asian Cup qualifier for ⁠Malaysia against Vietnam. The other... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3345622/court-arbitration-sport-cuts-sanctions-malaysia-players-official-match-bans?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3345622/court-arbitration-sport-cuts-sanctions-malaysia-players-official-match-bans?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Mar 2026 15:30:10 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lewis Hamilton are among the sports stars whose schedules are in doubt because of the spreading war in the Middle East. Cancellations and travel shutdowns are already affecting events since the United States and Israel launched a wave of strikes on Iran on Saturday. Organisers of Formula 1 and major football games will face decisions soon on whether the competitions can go ahead as scheduled. Middle Eastern nations have become crucial to the world sports... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3345200/us-bombing-iran-disrupts-sports-doubt-over-messi-ronaldo-games-and-f1-races?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3345200/us-bombing-iran-disrupts-sports-doubt-over-messi-ronaldo-games-and-f1-races?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Mar 2026 01:22:14 +0000 dpa dpa Iran’s football federation president Mehdi Taj has given a bleak outlook regarding the World Cup in summer in the United States, Mexico and Canada the day after the US and Israel started air attacks against his country. “What is certain is that after this attack, we cannot be expected to look forward to the World Cup with hope,” Taj told sports portal Varzesh3 on Sunday. “The US regime has attacked our homeland and this is an incident that will not go unanswered.” Iran has been drawn into Group... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3345056/iran-football-federation-chief-speaks-about-world-cup-after-attacks-sport-affected?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3345056/iran-football-federation-chief-speaks-about-world-cup-after-attacks-sport-affected?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 01 Mar 2026 19:06:51 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Fifa boss Gianni Infantino said on Tuesday he was “very reassured” about Mexico’s hosting of games in the football World Cup, in his first comments on the violence triggered by the killing of a drug cartel leader. Mexico is one of the three host countries for the June 11-July 19 World Cup, along with the United States and Canada. “Very reassured, everything’s good. It’s going to be spectacular,” Infantino said in the Colombian city of Barranquilla, two days after cartel members went on a rampage... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3344598/fifa-boss-gianni-infantino-very-reassured-about-world-cup-mexico-despite-violence?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3344598/fifa-boss-gianni-infantino-very-reassured-about-world-cup-mexico-despite-violence?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Feb 2026 12:00:15 +0000 Leopold Chen Leopold Chen Hong Kong’s sports minister has expressed regret over her social media post about the former coach of the men’s football team made after their stinging loss to Singapore in an Asian Cup qualifying match last year, vowing to be “more careful” with her comments. Speaking on a radio show on Tuesday evening, Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism Rosanna Law Shuk-pui said her comments about Ashley Westwood were made from the standpoint of a fan rather than a government official. At the time, some... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3343926/hong-kongs-sports-minister-regrets-comments-about-coach-local-football-team?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3343926/hong-kongs-sports-minister-regrets-comments-about-coach-local-football-team?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Feb 2026 11:15:46 +0000 dpa dpa Fifa president Gianni Infantino has apologised over remarks he made about British fans and defended the decision to award a peace prize to US President Donald Trump. Infantino said at last month’s World Economic Forum in Davos that the World Cup in Qatar in 2022 had been special because “for the first time in history no Brit was arrested”. His comments were described as a “cheap” joke at the expense of fans by the Football Supporters’ Association, while the UK’s football policing lead Chief... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3342154/fifa-boss-sorry-offending-british-football-fans-defends-trump-peace-prize?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3342154/fifa-boss-sorry-offending-british-football-fans-defends-trump-peace-prize?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Feb 2026 17:34:26 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse A ham-fisted attempt to ramp up Malaysia’s footballing fortunes with foreign-born players has backfired, critics say, sparking soul-searching and calls to redouble the focus on home-grown talent. Malaysian football was thrown into fresh chaos on Wednesday when the local governing body’s entire executive body quit. It was the latest twist in a saga over seven naturalised players who allegedly used forged documents to join the national team. Fifa accused the Malaysian football association (FAM) of... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3341836/anger-continues-build-malaysia-football-fortunes-naturalised-players-backfire?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3341836/anger-continues-build-malaysia-football-fortunes-naturalised-players-backfire?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 31 Jan 2026 02:00:11 +0000 Ada Li Ada Li Guangzhou officials have revived a proposal for the Greater Bay Area to host a Fifa World Cup, days after Hong Kong football boss Erik Fok Kai‑shan suggested an Asian Cup bid. With the 2026 World Cup on the horizon, a document titled Guangzhou’s Plan for Building a Sports-Strong City (2024–2035), released by the city government last July, has drawn fresh attention after the annual meeting of Guangdong Provincial People’s Congress and the Guangdong Provincial Committee of the Chinese People’s... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3341824/gba-officials-revive-prospect-world-cup-bid-after-hong-kong-boss-asian-cup-proposal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3341824/gba-officials-revive-prospect-world-cup-bid-after-hong-kong-boss-asian-cup-proposal?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 30 Jan 2026 09:30:11 +0000 Iman Muttaqin Yusof Iman Muttaqin Yusof Malaysia’s football leadership resigned en masse this week in what it called a governance move to protect the sport, but critics say any “reset” will count only if the association explains how allegedly forged eligibility documents were submitted and who will be held responsible. The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) late on Thursday said it had formally informed Fifa and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) that all members of its executive committee for the 2025–2029 term had... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3341821/can-malaysian-football-reset-mass-resignations-kick-debate-about-possible-reboot?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3341821/can-malaysian-football-reset-mass-resignations-kick-debate-about-possible-reboot?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 30 Jan 2026 08:08:46 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse The entire executive committee of Malaysia’s football association resigned on Wednesday, the latest blow in a damaging eligibility row over forged documents used to field foreign-born players in Asian Cup qualifiers. The move follows Fifa’s investigation last year into the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) over its inclusion of “heritage players” in the national team – foreign-born athletes accused of falsely claiming Malaysian ancestry. “The resignations are to safeguard the reputation and... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3341507/top-malaysian-football-officials-quit-over-foreign-born-players-scandal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3341507/top-malaysian-football-officials-quit-over-foreign-born-players-scandal?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 28 Jan 2026 05:53:37 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Seven foreign-born players for Malaysia’s national football team have been cleared to keep competing after the Court of Arbitration for Sport temporarily halted Fifa-imposed bans while their appeal is reviewed, Malaysia’s football federation said on Tuesday. Last September, Fifa fined the Football Association of Malaysia 350,000 Swiss francs (US$450,000) for fake documents filed to naturalise the seven players, who were also fined and suspended for a year. The players stemmed from Argentina,... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3341381/7-fifa-banned-malaysian-footballers-cleared-play-after-cas-grants-stay?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3341381/7-fifa-banned-malaysian-footballers-cleared-play-after-cas-grants-stay?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 27 Jan 2026 07:33:25 +0000 dpa dpa Fifa President Gianni Infantino made a joke about British football fans’ behaviour and defended ticket prices for this summer’s World Cup in North America during a speech to world leaders on Thursday. Infantino addressed concerns around the staging of this summer’s finals in the United States amid rising domestic tensions there in an address at the World Economic Forum in Switzerland, citing how there had been “a lot of critics” in the build-up to the Qatar finals in 2022. “When the ball started... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3340931/fifa-president-jokes-about-british-football-fans-defends-ticket-prices-2026-world-cup?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3340931/fifa-president-jokes-about-british-football-fans-defends-ticket-prices-2026-world-cup?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 23 Jan 2026 04:04:01 +0000 Reuters Reuters Real Madrid remained the biggest-earning club in world football ‍during the 2024-25 season while Liverpool for the first time generated the most revenues in the Premier League, according to an annual financial list published on Thursday. The Spanish club topped Deloitte’s Football Money League with €1.16 billion (US$1.36 billion) of revenue despite not winning either La Liga or the Champions League. The only club to make ⁠more than $1 billion in the past two seasons, Real Madrid benefited in... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3340890/real-madrid-footballs-biggest-earners-liverpool-top-epl-despite-mediocre-seasons?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3340890/real-madrid-footballs-biggest-earners-liverpool-top-epl-despite-mediocre-seasons?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 23 Jan 2026 00:00:15 +0000 Ada Li Ada Li A large number of Chinese football fans are expected to head to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, this Saturday to support China’s under-23 team in the AFC U-23 Asian Cup final, following the team’s historic run at the tournament. China beat Vietnam 3-0 in Tuesday’s semi-final to reach the final for the first time, where they will face Japan. With many supporters choosing to travel to Saudi Arabia to watch the young team in person, on Chinese social media platform RedNote, fans have been posting photos of... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3340851/china-football-fans-set-flock-saudi-arabia-support-under-23-team-asian-cup-final?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3340851/china-football-fans-set-flock-saudi-arabia-support-under-23-team-asian-cup-final?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 22 Jan 2026 09:39:42 +0000 Reuters Reuters New Indonesia head coach John Herdman has called on the country to harness the disappointment of previous failures to fuel ‌qualification for a first World Cup and to challenge for regional and continental titles. Herdman ‍was officially unveiled as Patrick Kluivert’s successor on Monday after the Dutchman parted company with the Indonesians following an unsuccessful attempt to qualify for the 2026 World Cup finals. Indonesia reached the fourth round of Asia’s qualifiers for the first time ⁠last... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3340185/new-indonesia-head-coach-john-herdman-calls-team-turn-disappointment-success?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3340185/new-indonesia-head-coach-john-herdman-calls-team-turn-disappointment-success?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 16 Jan 2026 14:30:09 +0000 Iman Muttaqin Yusof Iman Muttaqin Yusof Malaysia’s football authorities are under mounting pressure to convince Fifa that they can clean up after a forgery scandal that has shaken the national game, with experts warning that failure to act decisively could invite outside intervention by the sport’s global governing body. The latest flashpoint emerged after the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) on Thursday reinstated its secretary general Noor Azman Rahman, months after he was suspended amid an investigation into forged documents... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3339290/malaysian-football-body-risks-fifas-takeover-amid-forgery-scandal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3339290/malaysian-football-body-risks-fifas-takeover-amid-forgery-scandal?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 09 Jan 2026 06:21:41 +0000 Joseph Sipalan Joseph Sipalan Malaysia’s football governing body on Thursday reinstated its secretary general Noor Azman Rahman with immediate effect, after finding that he had no role in the forgery of documents used to enable seven foreign-born players to represent the country. The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) was plunged into an embarrassing crisis in September after Fifa, the sport’s global ruling body, ruled that FAM had submitted forged documents to claim Malaysian ancestry for seven “heritage” players of the... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3339206/malaysian-football-body-reinstates-its-chief-says-he-has-no-role-forgery-scandal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3339206/malaysian-football-body-reinstates-its-chief-says-he-has-no-role-forgery-scandal?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 08 Jan 2026 11:11:42 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Donald Trump returned to office vowing to be the peace president. Nearly a year later, he is embracing war on multiple fronts. Trump on Saturday ordered large-scale military strikes in Venezuela and announced that leftist leader Nicolas Maduro had been captured and flown out of the country. The raid to kick off the new year comes after the US military on Christmas Day hit Nigeria, in what Trump said was an operation targeting jihadists who had attacked Christians. And hours before the attack in... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3338630/self-proclaimed-peace-president-trump-bombs-venezuela-strikes-nigeria-warns-iran?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3338630/self-proclaimed-peace-president-trump-bombs-venezuela-strikes-nigeria-warns-iran?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 03 Jan 2026 14:05:09 +0000 Reuters Reuters In March 2024, retired Argentine football star Carlos Tevez published a tweet hinting at something suspicious going on in a Buenos Aires suburb. The treasurer of the Argentine Football Association, Tevez claimed, was making many trips to Pilar, where he implied the official had buried bags of money and kept a collection of antique cars. Coalicion Civica, a ‌progressive political party, began investigating after Tevez’s post and filed a criminal complaint centred on a mystery villa in Pilar. As... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3338432/argentina-fa-turmoil-ahead-world-cup-over-mystery-villa-and-dirty-money-claims?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3338432/argentina-fa-turmoil-ahead-world-cup-over-mystery-villa-and-dirty-money-claims?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 01 Jan 2026 19:00:11 +0000 SCMP Sport SCMP Sport The New Year may have been a little low key as far as sport in Hong Kong is concerned, but 2026 is promising to be just as busy as the past 12 months. Along with major events such as the Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens, LIV Golf and the return of the World Table Tennis Finals, there is something for almost everyone in the coming year. And while there is still no word yet on whether the hugely successful Football Festival will be back again, here are some of the events we do know about so you can... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3338401/ice-hockey-sevens-heres-some-what-lies-ahead-hong-kong-sport-2026?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3338401/ice-hockey-sevens-heres-some-what-lies-ahead-hong-kong-sport-2026?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 01 Jan 2026 09:30:09 +0000 Reuters Reuters Fifa president Gianni Infantino has defended the ticket prices for next year’s World Cup ‌in the United States, Canada and Mexico, citing heavy demand for them and ‍the revenue generated for the sport around the world. This month fan groups criticised the cost of tickets, which were several times more expensive than those for similar matches at the 2022 tournament. In response, the game’s world governing body then launched a US$60 ticket tier to make ⁠the games more affordable for fans of... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3338072/fifa-boss-infantino-hails-2026-world-cup-demand-after-150-million-tickets-requested?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3338072/fifa-boss-infantino-hails-2026-world-cup-demand-after-150-million-tickets-requested?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 29 Dec 2025 15:59:08 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial Football’s World Cup, featuring the top men’s national teams, is one of the most-watched international sporting events, with six billion people expected to view broadcasts of the action next summer. However, the ticket prices for those attending games in the United States, Canada and Mexico have sparked a global backlash. Fans groups have called them extortionate, astronomical and a betrayal. The ticket prices are much higher than for the last World Cup in Qatar, with prices for the final set at... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3337717/pricing-out-most-fans-harmful-world-cups-football-festival?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3337717/pricing-out-most-fans-harmful-world-cups-football-festival?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 28 Dec 2025 23:15:09 +0000 Reuters Reuters Bigger does not always mean better but try telling that to those who govern the world’s most popular sport as they reflect on a jam-packed year and begin the countdown to a supersized World Cup that will dwarf previous tournaments. World football’s governing body, Fifa – not to mention continental confederations, national leagues and broadcasters – will argue that the appetite for the “beautiful game” is insatiable and will point to the past 12 months as evidence. Fifa described its expanded... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3337740/year-football-expansion-mismatches-point-direction-fifa-will-take-beautiful-game?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3337740/year-football-expansion-mismatches-point-direction-fifa-will-take-beautiful-game?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 26 Dec 2025 08:00:42 +0000 SCMP Sport SCMP Sport Football chiefs in Asia plan to launch a new Nations League, opening up the prospect of Hong Kong playing more regular games against the likes of China, Chinese Taipei and others in the region. Officials at the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) said the new competition would be aimed at improving standards and commercial opportunities for international teams across the continent. While no ⁠start date was given by the Kuala Lumpur-based governing body, it said it intended to use existing Fifa... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3337282/hong-kongs-footballers-could-play-china-chinese-taipei-regularly-new-league?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3337282/hong-kongs-footballers-could-play-china-chinese-taipei-regularly-new-league?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 22 Dec 2025 05:55:47 +0000 Reuters Reuters Fifa has overturned the results of three Malaysia matches after finding they had fielded ineligible players, the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) said on Wednesday, in the latest setback for the team amid a widening document forgery scandal. Football’s world governing body had suspended seven naturalised players for 12 months and fined the association 350,000 Swiss francs (US$439,257) in September after finding false documentation had been used to allow them to play in an Asian Cup... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3336753/fifa-overturns-three-malaysia-matches-amid-player-eligibility-scandal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3336753/fifa-overturns-three-malaysia-matches-amid-player-eligibility-scandal?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 17 Dec 2025 07:58:57 +0000