And it is not just ticket prices that have spiralled.

Manchester City kept their slender Premier League title hopes alive as Jeremy Doku inspired a 3-0 win against Brentford on Saturday.

With each nation allowed up to 26 players, the tournament could feature as many as 1,248 footballers — the largest player pool in World Cup history.

Liverpool remained fourth in the table with 59 points from 36 games, a step closer to Champions League qualification, while Chelsea are in ninth with 49 points from the same number of matches.

Shayak Dost struck twice as Brothers Union eased their relegation concerns with a crucial 3-1 victory over Rahmatganj MFS in their Bangladesh Football League match at the Muktijuddho Smriti Stadium on Saturday.

He helped Inter win the Serie A title this season, proving a super sub for the Italian club with five league goals.

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.

The 39‑year‑old retired from international football in September 2024 as Uruguay’s all‑time leading scorer with 69 goals in 143 appearances.

Education Secretary Mario Delgado said the decision to end the school year 40 days early was made in part due to a heat wave impacting several states.

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.

Real Madrid players Federico Valverde and Aurelien Tchouameni have apologised for their dressing-room fight, manager Alvaro Arbeloa said on Saturday, urging his team to focus on Sunday's top-of-the-table clash with Barcelona.

The club did not impose any sporting sanctions on the two players, saying in a statement that the fine "thereby concludes the internal procedures" launched against them.

The high-stakes Bangladesh Football League clash between holders Bashundhara Kings and Bangladesh Police on Friday was overshadowed by a lengthy interruption caused by confusion over the eligibility of foreign players.

The average price currently sits at $567, down from $684 14 days ago and a whopping $720 30 days ago. The latter represents a 21.2% price drop in the past month.

Kylian Mbappe trained on Friday after recovering from a hamstring injury ahead of the Clasico against Barcelona, with Aurelien Tchouameni also involved following his bust-up with teammate Federico Valverde.