Tag: Fifa

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Mexico prepared to host Iran World Cup games, says president

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said on Tuesday that her country is prepared to host Iran’s first-round matches at the 2026 World Cup if needed due to the conflict in the Middle East.

Iran’s participation at this summer’s finals in the United States, Canada and Mexico has been in doubt since the war began last month, with President Donald Trump warning that Iranian players’ safety would be at risk if they travelled to the U.S.

Iran’s football federation has opened talks with FIFA about potentially relocating its matches from the United States, though the global governing body has so far maintained that the tournament’s schedule remains unchanged.

Asked directly if Mexico was open to hosting the matches, and if the decision will purely come down to FIFA logistics, Sheinbaum told a press conference: “Yes.”

“Mexico maintains diplomatic relations with every country in the world, therefore we will wait to see what FIFA decides,” she added.

Iran’s place at the tournament was thrown into question after the U.S. and Israel launched a massive offensive against the Islamic Republic, which responded with waves of missiles and drones targeting Israeli territory and American targets across the Middle East.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino initially said that Trump had given assurances that the Iranian team — scheduled to face New Zealand and Belgium in Los Angeles, followed by Egypt in Seattle — would still be welcome.

But the Republican president then triggered uproar last week after stating that Iran’s football team should not travel to the tournament “for their own life and safety”.

Iran hit back at Trump’s comments saying that “no one can exclude Iran’s national team from the World Cup”.

Iran were the second Asian team after Japan to qualify for the World Cup, securing their place almost a year ago as they topped their qualifying group.

On Monday, Iranian soccer chief Mehdi Taj wrote on social media: “When Trump has explicitly stated that he cannot ensure the security of the Iranian national team, we will certainly not travel to America.

“We are currently negotiating with FIFA to hold Iran’s matches in the World Cup in Mexico.”

Iranian soccer authorities “are currently discussing with FIFA whether it is feasible — since they were originally scheduled to go to the United States — to see if they can” move Iran’s games to Mexico, confirmed Sheinbaum. “The matter is under review and we will provide an update in due course.”

When contacted by AFP on the matter, FIFA said it was “looking forward to all participating teams competing as per the match schedule announced on 6 December 2025”.

“FIFA is in regular contact with all participating member associations, including IR Iran, to discuss planning for the FIFA World Cup 2026,” a spokesperson said.

The Iran team’s base camp for the tournament is currently slated to be located in Tucson, Arizona.

Abolfazl Pasandideh, Iran’s ambassador to Mexico, on Monday denounced “the U.S. government’s lack of cooperation regarding visa issuance and the provision of logistical support” for the Iranian delegation ahead of the World Cup, in a statement published on the embassy’s website.

Should Iran not take part in the World Cup, it is not yet clear which country might replace them. (JapanToday)

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DR Congo drop NFF-disputed players for play-offs

The Democratic Republic of Congo have omitted two players highlighted in the Nigeria Football Federation’s complaint to FIFA as they unveiled a 26-man squad for the 2026 World Cup intercontinental play-offs, a development that adds fresh intrigue to an eligibility dispute still awaiting a verdict from world football’s governing body, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.

Head coach Sébastien Desabre released the Leopards’ squad on Wednesday, retaining the core players who guided the team past Nigeria on penalties in the African play-off round while recalling several names absent from the Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.

Captain Chancel Mbemba leads the side alongside established figures such as Cedric Bakambu, Yoane Wissa and Samuel Moutoussamy as DR Congo pursue a second appearance at the World Cup.

However, the announcement is notable for the absence of Michel-Ange Balikwisha and Mario Stroeykens , two of the players Nigeria specifically highlighted in its formal complaint to FIFA over alleged eligibility breaches.

Only Matheu Epolo, the third player mentioned prominently in the Nigerian petition, has been included in Desabre’s squad.

Nigeria lodged the complaint after losing the African play-off tie to DR Congo 4–3 on penalties, arguing that the Congolese federation misled FIFA in securing nationality switches for several overseas-born players.

The petition, made public on December 15, 2025, asked FIFA to investigate the matter and potentially disqualify DR Congo from the qualification process.

The Nigerian federation’s document listed numerous foreign-born players who featured against the Super Eagles, including Lionel Mpasi, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Axel Tuanzebe, Arthur Masuaku, Samuel Moutoussamy, Ngal’ayel Mukau, Noah Sadiki, Nathanael Mbuku and Cedric Bakambu in the starting line-up, as well as substitutes Timothy Fayulu, Matheu Epolo, Joris Kayembe, Edo Kayembe, Steve Kapuadi, Gédéon Kalulu, Michel-Ange Balikwisha and Mario Stroeykens.

In the complaint, released publicly by journalist Osasu Obayiuwana, Nigeria argued that several players obtained clearance to represent DR Congo only days before the decisive play-off match against them, despite having been called up earlier for the fixture.

The document questioned how the Congolese federation could summon players before final approval had been granted by FIFA.

“It should be added for context that at least three of these players with unrenounced Belgian nationality (Michel-Ange Balikwisha, Mario Stroeykens, and Matheu Epolo) received their final clearance to play for DRC between November 11 and 12, 2025, just before the play-off match against Nigeria on November 16, 2025,” the complaint read.

“Notably, Balikwisha played his debut match for DRC in this game against Nigeria.”

The document further suggested that the timeline surrounding the call-ups raised serious concerns about procedural compliance.

“It is most curious, however, that these players had already been called up by DRC on November 1, 2025, to play in the play-offs, approximately eleven days before receiving FIFA clearance and approvals.”

“This raises the question of what gave FECOFA the confidence to take the unusual step of calling up players of a foreign nationality for such crucial play-offs well before securing the necessary FIFA approval for those players.”

“We request a formal investigation into these serious matters.”

Balikwisha had made his debut against Nigeria and converted one of the penalties in the shoot-out that secured DR Congo’s progression, while Stroeykens was unable to earn his first senior cap after sustaining an injury soon after the match.

Epolo, meanwhile, only made his international debut for the Leopards on December 16, 2025, a day after Nigeria’s complaint became public.

Their absence from the new squad, particularly Balikwisha’s omission despite his decisive role in the previous round, inevitably raises questions about whether the Congolese coaching staff are attempting to avoid further scrutiny while the case remains unresolved. (Punch)

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Iran’s sports minister says his country can’t take part in World Cup because of US attacks

Iran’s sports and youth minister said it’s “not possible” for the country to take part in the World Cup after the United States killed its supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in its ongoing war.

Iran was expected to take part in the World Cup that will be held across North America in June, but Iranian Sports and Youth Minister Ahmad Donyamali told state television that his country’s soccer team players are not safe in the U.S., according to a video of the interview posted Tuesday.

“Due to the wicked acts they have done against Iran — they have imposed two wars on us over just eight or nine months and have killed and martyred thousands of our people — definitely it’s not possible for us to take part in the World Cup,” he said.

Iran is scheduled to play in Inglewood, California, against New Zealand on June 15 and Belgium on June 21 before finishing group play against Egypt in Seattle on June 26. The U.S. is hosting the tournament with Canada and Mexico from June 11 to July 19.

FIFA said Tuesday night that it anticipates that Iran’s national team will be allowed to come to the United States.

Last week, U.S. President Donald Trump said “I really don’t care” if Iran takes part in the 48-nation tournament.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino said he met with Trump on Tuesday night “to discuss the status of preparations” for the tournament. During the meeting, Trump “reiterated that the Iranian team is, of course, welcome to compete in the tournament in the United States,” Infantino wrote in an Instagram post.

A White House official, granted anonymity to discuss private conversations, confirmed Trump’s message to Infantino about Iran’s participation.

Since June, Iran has been subject to a travel ban into the U.S. as part of the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown. But athletes and coaches from the target nations are exempt, which means the Iranian team would be allowed to enter. (JapanToday)

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Nigeria sports community mourns Onigbinde

Tributes are still pouring in for the late Super Eagles coach, Adegboye Onigbinde, who passed away on Monday.

Led by the National Sports Commission and the Nigeria Football Federation, Onigbinde’s passing has been described as “the exit of a great man who served Nigerian football wholeheartedly and was diligent and devoted to the development of the game.”

“His legacies as a former national team coach and former CAF and FIFA technical instructor will continue to shape the sport for decades to come. A true legend has gone home. Rest on, High Chief,” the Director-General of the NSC, Bukola Olopade, wrote.

Similarly, the Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of the National Institute for Sports, Philip Shaibu, said, “Coach Onigbinde represents an era of discipline, courage and football intelligence. At the National Institute for Sports, we believe our legends must be celebrated, respected and preserved as national treasures while we also tap into their experience and wisdom in navigating our core mandate. Unfortunately, as part of the natural course of life, he is no longer with us.”

NFF General Secretary Dr Mohammed Sanusi said the Modakeke high chief was “an extraordinary achiever who impacted positively not only on Nigerian football but on the African and global game at large.”

“Indeed, a big tree has fallen. Chief Onigbinde ate, drank, breathed, slept and lived football development. We will miss him greatly, as he was never tired of offering advice on the game’s development even at his ripe old age. We pray that God will grant him eternal rest and also grant his family, relations, friends and the Nigerian football fraternity the fortitude to bear the loss.”

The Nigeria Football Coaches Association also paid tribute to the man widely regarded as a trailblazer of coaching education in the country.

“Beyond his technical contributions on the pitch, he was a respected leader, mentor and elder statesman whose influence extended through generations of coaches, players and football administrators across Nigeria and Africa,” the association said in a statement.

Respected globally for his deep knowledge of the game’s tactics and techniques, Onigbinde served as Technical Director of the Nigeria Football Federation and also as Technical Adviser to the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation, where he worked with the country’s youth teams. He was for many years a technical adviser to the Confederation of African Football and also served on several Technical Study Groups of FIFA and CAF at major championships.

He began his coaching career in the 1960s and rose to national prominence in 1977, when he led Water Corporation FC of Ibadan to the quarter-finals of the African Cup of Champions Clubs. Seven years later, he guided Shooting Stars Sports Club of Ibadan to the final of the same competition.

A quintessential teacher, educator and instructor, Onigbinde was the first indigenous coach to lead Nigeria’s senior men’s national team to an Africa Cup of Nations silver medal, achieving the feat with a largely youthful squad at the 1984 tournament in Côte d’Ivoire.

The cerebral tactician later guided the Super Eagles to the 2002 FIFA World Cup in Korea and Japan, where a blend of emerging talents and experienced players narrowly lost to Argentina and Sweden and drew with England. He became the first Nigerian coach to manage the Super Eagles at the FIFA World Cup, following foreign managers Clemens Westerhof (1994) and Bora Milutinović (1998).

Afterwards, he served as an instructor and educator for the NFF, CAF and FIFA, dedicating his time to training coaches and football administrators, a contribution that earned him recognition and accolades across the football world. (Punch)

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All 2026 World Cup matches sold out, says FIFA president Infantino

All 104 matches of the 2026 World Cup will be “sold out,” FIFA president Gianni Infantino said on Wednesday, even though tickets are still available ahead of the tournament’s June 11 kickoff.

“The demand is there. Every match is sold out,” Infantino told CNBC.

Infantino, in an interview from President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, said that there had been 508 million ticket requests in four weeks for some seven million available tickets.

He said requests during the main sales phase in January came from more than 200 countries.

“(We’ve) never see anything like that — incredible,” said Infantino, adding that football’s global governing body has kept “some tickets back” for the last-minute sales phase that will begin in April and run until the end of the World Cup on July 19.

Infantino addressed the issue of ticket prices, described as “exorbitant” by supporters associations and which have already reached record levels on resale sites.

“I think it is because it’s in America, Canada and Mexico,” he said. “Everybody wants to be part of something special.

“Ticket prices have been fixed but you have, in the US in particular, something called dynamic prices, meaning the prices will go up or down.

“You are able as well to resell your tickets on official platforms, secondary markets, so the prices as well will go up.

“That’s part of the market we are in.”

Infantino estimated that the first 48-team World Cup would bring FIFA some $11 billion or more in revenue, adding that “every dollar” will be reinvested in football in FIFA’s 211 member countries.

He put the World Cup’s impact on the US economy at around $30 billion “in terms of tourism, catering, security investments and so on.”

Infantino estimated that in addition to seven million spectators, the World cup would also attract 20 to 30 million tourists and create “185,000 full-time jobs”.

“It’s a big impact,” he said. “I hope this impact will not just be limited to the World Cup but for the future as well.” (Punch)

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FIFA president Infantino defends giving peace prize to Trump

FIFA chief Gianni Infantino defended his controversial decision to award a peace prize to U.S. President Donald Trump as he dismissed calls for a World Cup boycott.

Infantino was widely criticized for giving Trump the honor on behalf of his governing body at the 2026 World Cup draw in Washington DC in December.

The move drew further scrutiny after U.S. forces seized Venezuelan president Miguel Maduro, while Trump caused more controversy with his desire to acquire Greenland for national security reasons.

However, Infantino insisted Trump was deserving of FIFA’s inaugural peace prize, telling Sky News on Monday: “Objectively, he deserves it.

“Whatever we can do to help peace in the world, we should be doing it, and for this reason, for some time we were thinking we should do something to reward people who do something.”

Infantino rejected suggestions there might be a boycott of this year’s World Cup — to be held in the United States, Canada and Mexico from June 11 to July 19 — due to policies adopted at home and abroad by the Trump administration.

There has been unrest in a number of U.S. cities, most notably Minneapolis, over the Trump administration’s approach to immigration enforcement.

But Infantino said there were never calls for businesses to boycott a country, “so why football?”

The 55-year-old added: “In our divided world, in our aggressive world, we need occasions where people can come, can meet around the passion (for football).”

Infantino also said FIFA and UEFA — European football’s governing body — would “have to” look at allowing Russia back into international action.

Russia has been banned since its invasion of Ukraine in 2022, but the International Olympic Committee has now recommended sports federations allow Russian teams to compete at youth level.

“We have to(look at readmitting Russia. Definitely,” Infantino said. “This ban has not achieved anything, it has just created more frustration and hatred.

“Having girls and boys from Russia being able to play football games in other parts of Europe would help.” (JapanToday)

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Senegal declares public holiday after AFCON win

Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye has officially declared Monday a paid public holiday across the country in celebration of Senegal’s Africa Cup of Nations victory.

This decision followed the victory of the Senegalese national football team (“Teranga Lions”) over host nation Morocco in the AFCON 2025 final, which took place on Sunday, January 18, 2026, in Rabat.

The Head of State declared the day off, and fully paid salaries to be paid to public sector workers to allow the nation to celebrate the victory.

Senegal on Sunday night defeated hosts Morocco 1-0 after extra time to win the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final in Rabat, in a match marred by controversy, prolonged stoppages and players briefly leaving the pitch.

The dramatic final at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium was interrupted late in regulation time after a contentious penalty decision awarded to Morocco following a VAR review, sparking protests from Senegal players.

The penalty, awarded deep into stoppage time, led to chaotic scenes as Senegal players surrounded the referee, with play halted for several minutes.

Meanwhile, Football governing bodies FIFA and the Confederation of African Football (CAF) have condemned the “unacceptable scenes” that marred Sunday’s Africa Cup of Nations final in Rabat, with CAF pledging to take “appropriate action” against those found guilty.

The AFCON final between hosts Morocco and Senegal was disrupted late in normal time when referee Jean Jacques Mdala awarded Morocco a penalty following a VAR review for a challenge on Brahim Diaz, with the match level at 0-0.

In protest, most Senegal players walked off the pitch, while clashes broke out in the stands involving some Senegalese fans and Moroccan security personnel.

CAF, in a statement issued on Monday, condemned the behaviour of some players and officials but stopped short of assigning blame to either team.

The body said it is reviewing all available footage and will refer the matter to its disciplinary bodies.

“The Confederation Africaine de Football (CAF) condemns the unacceptable behaviour from some players and officials during the CAF Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025 Final between Morocco and Senegal in Rabat last night,” read their statement.

“CAF strongly condemns any inappropriate behaviour which occurs during matches, especially those targeting the refereeing team or match organizers.“CAF is reviewing all footage and will refer the matter to competent bodies for appropriate action to be taken against those found guilty.” (Channels)

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Mali coach launches stinging attack on FIFA-led AFCON changes

Mali head coach Tom Saintfiet has launched a stinging attack on the Confederation of African Football’s decision to reschedule the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), insisting that it’s a decision taken by UEFA, European clubs and FIFA, but which does not have the continent’s sporting interests at heart.

The decision to make the biennial AFCON a quadrennial tournament was announced by CAF President Dr Patrice Motsepe in a press conference on Saturday, with the football administrator announcing the decision alongside the launch of a new African Nations League, that would take place annually.

The announcement has prompted mixed reactions across the continent, with Mali’s Saintfiet, speaking ahead of his team’s AFCON fixture with hosts Morocco on Friday, outlining his disgust with a decision that he believes disrespects African football.

“I’m shocked with it, very disappointed,” he told ESPN on Thursday. “It’s all instructed by the big people in UEFA, the big clubs from the five leagues, and also by FIFA…and that makes me so sad.

“We fight so long to get respected in Africa, for African people and Africa’s own identity to get respected, but then to listen to Europe to change your history, a 68-year history, for financial reasons…I think we disrespect [Africa] by going to four years.

“I’m sad about that, and I hope the love for Africa would win out over the pressure of Europe.”

Motsepe blamed the need to change the schedule, which will begin after the 2028 Nations Cup, on the ongoing club-vs-country rows, which take place every time the AFCON is organised during the European football season, among other reasons.

The 63-year-old Mamelodi Sundowns owner also used the need to generate extra revenue as a reason for reducing the volume of AFCONs, although presence of FIFA General Secretary Mattias Grafstrom sitting alongside him for the announcement, reinforced the suspicion that it’s the world football governing body’s interests which are best being served by the changes.

“[We are changing] for the pressure of the clubs, who are giving the load on the players as an excuse for the change,” Saintfiet continued, “but who have created a Club World Cup for teams, a World Cup with 40 teams, a Champions League without champions.

“If you want to respect players, you should play the Champions League with only champions, don’t create new leagues which put more load on players, and then they can still play in a competition [the AFCON] which has existed for 60 years, on a two-year basis.”

The vagueness of CAF’s announcement and the lack of clarity about competition logistics has created much uncertainty around the specifics of the future vision for African football, with the continent’s governing body yet to outline what this reorganisation and the regional Nations League means for World Cup or AFCON qualification, or existing regional competitions as well as the African Nations Championship for domestic players.

Similarly, even though the AFCON has been moved to every four years, it may not solve the club-vs-country debates if some editions of the competition are held within the European season, a necessity given the climate conditions across much of sub-Saharan Africa.

“Africa is the world’s biggest football continent, given the passion of the players, the quality of the players, the big African stars in Europe,” Saintfiet concluded. “1957 was the first AFCON, and since that period, every two years there’s been one.

“It’s the pride of African football, the best players from Africa, the best players in Europe come together, and it’s a celebration of fans.

‘It’s the honour and the glory of African football, but to take it away and go to four years…I could understand if it was a question from Africa, a request from Africa, if, for whatever reason, it was needed by African players, the federations, or CAF,” Saintfiet said. (ESPN)

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FIFA accused of “monumental betrayal” over latest World Cup ticket prices

Soccer fans have accused FIFA of a “monumental betrayal” after latest prices for World Cup tickets began to circulate on Thursday.

The governing body allocates 8% of tickets to national associations for games involving their team to sell to the most loyal fans.

And a list published by the German soccer federation revealed prices ranged from $180-$700 for varying group stage games. The lowest price for the final was $4,185 and the highest was $8,680.

Those group-stage prices are very different from FIFA’s claims of $60 tickets being available, while the target from United States soccer officials when bidding for the tournament seven years ago was to offer hundreds of thousands of $21 seats across the opening phase of games.

Fan organization Football Supporters Europe (FSE) described the current prices as “extortionate.”

“This is a monumental betrayal of the tradition of the World Cup, ignoring the contribution of supporters to the spectacle it is,” it said in a statement.

The English Football Association shared pricing information with the England Supporters Travel Club (ESTC) on Thursday evening, which showed that if a fan bought a ticket for every game through to the final it would cost just over $7,000.

FIFA said in September that tickets released through its website would initially range from $60 for group-stage matches to $6,730 for the final. But those prices are subject to change as it adopts dynamic pricing for the first time at the World Cup.

FIFA tickets are available in four categories, with the best seats in Category 1.

In the price list published by the German federation, there were only three categories.

The lowest priced ticket was $180 for Germany’s opening group game against Curacao in Houston. The lowest price for the semifinal was $920 rising to $1,125.

The FSE called on FIFA to immediately halt ticket sales via national associations “until a solution that respects the tradition, universality, and cultural significance of the World Cup is found.”

The Associated Press approached FIFA for comment.

FIFA launched its third phase of widespread ticket sales Thursday, with fans now able to apply for specific matches for the first time through its “Random Selection Draw.”

Following last week’s draw for the 2026 tournament, which will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, an updated schedule has been published.

That means fans know when and where the likes of Lionel Messi and Argentina will play. Previous ticket ballots were blind as the qualification period had not even been completed and the draw was yet to take place.

Now participating nations have been placed in groups, with their paths through the tournament determined. For instance, Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo could go on to meet in the quarterfinals in Kansas City if both Argentina and Portugal top their respective groups.

Not that fans are guaranteed to get tickets to the games they apply for.

The draw opened Dec 11 at 11 a.m. ET (1600 GMT) and closes Jan 13, 2026.

FIFA says ticket applications can be made at any point during this window and the timing of entry will not impact the chances of success. Fans can apply via FIFA’s website for a maximum of four tickets per household per match and a maximum of 40 tickets throughout the tournament.

Fans will need a FIFA ID to apply for tickets and can pick which matches and which pricing category they want to apply for.

Successful applicants will be notified by email in February and charged automatically.

The last time the U.S. hosted the World Cup in 1994 prices ranged from $25 to $475. In Qatar in 2022 prices ranged from around $70 to $1,600 when ticket details were announced.

Tickets for the final at MetLife Stadium on July 19 are already going for in excess of $11,000 on secondary resale sites.

For this tournament FIFA has also set up its own resale platform where it charges a 15% fee based on the total resale price.

FIFA said that closer to the tournament any remaining tickets will go on general sale on a first-come, first-served basis.

It did not reveal a time frame for the release of those remaining tickets. (JapanToday)

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Iran, Egypt rejects LGBTQ-themed World Cup match

Iran and Egypt have both objected to plans by local organisers in the United States to brand their 2026 World Cup group-stage match as an event supporting the LGBTQ community.

The organising committee in Seattle, Washington, where the fixture is scheduled to take place next year, had previously announced its intention to hold a “Pride Match” coinciding with the northwestern city’s Pride Weekend in late June.

Following last week’s FIFA tournament draw, Egypt and Iran are now slated to face off in Seattle on June 26, the Friday before.

The head of Iran’s Football Federation, Mehdi Taj, was quoted by local news agency ISNA as saying that Tehran and Cairo had both raised “objections against the issue”, which he labelled an “irrational move that supports a certain group”.

Taj did not mention the specific branding of the fixture.

On Monday, Iranian state television said Tehran would “appeal” to FIFA over the matter.

Homosexuality is illegal in Iran under Islamic law and can be punishable by death.

In a statement, the Egyptian Football Association said it had sent a formal letter to FIFA secretary-general Mattias Grafstrom, rejecting “in absolute terms” any activities linked to LGBTQ support during the match.

The EFA said such initiatives would clash with “the cultural, religious and social values” of both Egypt and Iran and urged FIFA to ensure the match would remain focused solely on football.

In Egypt, homosexuality is not expressly outlawed, but is often punished under loosely worded laws prohibiting “debauchery”.

The EFA cited FIFA’s statutes on political and social neutrality, arguing that matches should not be used to promote causes that are “sensitive or of a contentious nature”.

The 2026 World Cup will mark Iran’s seventh participation in the tournament, which will be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Iran and the United States have had no diplomatic relations since 1980, following a hostage crisis in the wake of the 1979 Islamic revolution.

Iran had initially opted out of Friday’s draw to protest the US refusal to grant visas to several members of its delegation but eventually reversed the decision.

On Tuesday, Taj said some Iranian players might face visa problems over their service in the Iranian military, which includes the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) — designated a “terrorist organisation” by the US in 2019.

“For the World Cup, we must work on having replacement options, and we have already started that,” he said. (Punch)