FIFA World Cup
United States' players hold the trophy as they celebrate winning the CONCACAF Women's Championship final soccer match against Canada in Monterrey, Mexico, Monday, July 18, 2022. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano)
US women's team has new vibe, work to do before World Cup

By Anne M. Peterson Jul. 25, 2022 04:07 PM EDT

United States' Sophia Smith, center, reacts during a CONCACAF Women's Championship soccer semifinal match against Costa Rica in Monterrey, Mexico, Thursday, July 14, 2022. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano)
US advances to W Championship final against Canada

By Anne M. Peterson Jul. 14, 2022 09:10 PM EDT

FILE - United States' Megan Rapinoe, right, celebrates after scoring the opening goal from the penalty spot during the Women's World Cup final soccer match between the United States and Netherlands at the Stade de Lyon in Decines, outside Lyon, France, July 7, 2019. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco, File)
Rapinoe's role changing as US preps for World Cup qualifying

By Anne M. Peterson Jul. 03, 2022 03:26 PM EDT

A man walks past the Gazprom Arena, the stadium that was supposed to host the Champions League 2022 final soccer match in St. Petersburg, Russia, Saturday, May 28, 2022, with a sculpture of one of Bolshevik's leader Sergei Kirov in the foreground. UEFA removed Saint Petersburg as the host of the final due to the ongoing Russian-Ukrainian crisis. (AP Photo/Dmitry Lovetsky)
Sports court sets July dates for Russian soccer ban appeals

By Graham Dunbar Jun. 22, 2022 08:02 AM EDT

The 23 venues bidding to host World Cup matches in 2026

Jun. 15, 2022 02:07 PM EDT
NEW YORK (AP) — A look at the 23 venues bidding to host soccer matches at the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada: ___ ...

Japan team members warm up during an official training session at the National Stadium in Tokyo Sunday, June 5, 2022. Japan national soccer team will play a friendly soccer match against Brazil on June 6. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)
Brazil faces Japan in friendly with lesser focus on Neymar

By Stephen Wade Jun. 05, 2022 06:50 AM EDT

FILE - China's fan holds national flag before the AFC Asian Cup quarterfinal soccer match between Iran and China at Mohammed Bin Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, on Jan. 24, 2019. China withdrew as host of soccer's 2023 Asian Cup on Saturday, May 14, 2022, in the latest cancellation of the country's sports hosting duties during the COVID-19 pandemic. (AP Photo/Kamran Jebreili, File)
China cites pandemic and withdraws as host of 2023 Asian Cup

May. 14, 2022 03:56 AM EDT

Hertha fans during the Bundesliga soccer match between Hertha BSC and FSV Mainz at Olympiastadion, Berlin, Saturday May 7, 2022. (Soeren Stache/dpa via AP)
UEFA decides Euro 2024 opener in Munich and final in Berlin

May. 10, 2022 11:27 AM EDT

FILE - IAAF President Sebastian Coe attends a press conference ahead of the Doha IAAF Diamond League in Doha, Qatar, May 2, 2019. Olympic great Sebastian Coe said Monday March 14, 2022, sports federations must remain firm to keep Russian and Belarusian athletes out of competitions following the invasion of Ukraine. (AP Photo/Kamran Jebreili, File)
Sebastian Coe says sports must fight to keep Russia banned

By Chris Lehourites Mar. 14, 2022 12:10 PM EDT

A screen shows support to Ukraine before the English Premier League soccer match between Everton and Manchester City at Goodison Park in Liverpool, England, Feb. 26, 2022. (AP Photo/Jon Super)
Russia ready again for urgent court case over World Cup ban

By Graham Dunbar Mar. 04, 2022 12:40 AM EST

FILE - Mexico's Hector Herrera plays during the first half of a FIFA World Cup qualifying soccer match, Friday, Nov. 12, 2021, in Cincinnati. The Houston Dynamo signed Mexican national team captain Héctor Herrera to a designated player contract Wednesday, March 2, 2022, that will run through at least the 2024 season. (AP Photo/Jeff Dean, File)
Mexico vs USA 11/12/2021

Mar. 02, 2022 01:32 PM EST

FILE - Russian President Vladimir Putin touches the World Cup trophy as FIFA President Gianni Infantino stands beside him, at the end of the final match between France and Croatia at the 2018 soccer World Cup in the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow, Russia, Sunday, July 15, 2018. In a sweeping move to isolate and condemn Russia after invading Ukraine, the International Olympic Committee urged sports bodies on Monday to exclude the country's athletes and officials from international events. The decision opened the way for FIFA, the governing body of soccer, to exclude Russia from a World Cup qualifying playoff match on March 24. Poland has refused to play the scheduled game against Russia.(AP Photo/Petr David Josek, File)
Croatia vs France 7/15/2018

Feb. 28, 2022 12:12 PM EST

FILE Poland's Robert Lewandowski controls the ball during the World Cup 2022 group I qualifying soccer match between Poland and England, at the Narodowy stadium in Warsaw, Wednesday, Sept. 8, 2021. Poland is refusing to play its World Cup qualifier against Russia next month in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the Polish soccer federation president said Saturday, Feb, 26, 2022. Poland striker Robert Lewandowski, the nation's all-time leading scorer, immediately responded to say it's the “right decision!” (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski, File)
England vs Poland 9/8/2021

Feb. 26, 2022 11:46 AM EST

CONCACAF's W Championship to qualify 4 teams for World Cup

Feb. 14, 2022 07:51 PM EST
MIAMI (AP) — CONCACAF's new W Championship tournament to determine four of the region's teams in the 2023 Women's World Cup will be held this July in Monterrey,...

FILE - FIFA president Gianni Infantino speaks during the Confederation of African Football general assembly in Cairo, Egypt, July 18, 2019. Infantino has linked his plan for biennial World Cups to giving more hope to African people who currently risk their lives crossing the sea to Europe. Infantino's comments were in a speech to European lawmakers in Strasbourg, France on Wednesday, Jan. 26, 2022. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar, file)
Olympic members unite against Infantino's World Cup plan

By Graham Dunbar Feb. 02, 2022 10:27 PM EST

FIFA President Gianni Infantino, center, prepares to present the trophy to Saudi Arabia's Al Hilal midfielder Salman Al-Faraj, left, after winning the AFC Champions League final soccer match against South Korea's Pohang Steelers 2-0, at the King Fahd International Stadium in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Tuesday, Nov. 23, 2021. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil)
FIFA touts billions to be gained from biennial World Cups

By Rob Harris And Graham Dunbar Dec. 20, 2021 10:36 AM EST

Italy's Jorginho passes the ball as Switzerland's Remo Freuler closes him down during the World Cup 2022 group C qualifying soccer match between Italy and Switzerland at Rome's Olympic stadium, Friday, Nov. 12, 2021. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
Switzerland vs Italy 11/12/2021

Nov. 22, 2021 01:10 PM EST

FIFA president Gianni Infantino, left, smiles after receiving the shirt of the Venezuelan soccer team with Venezuela President Nicolás Maduro, right, during his visit at Miraflores Presidential Palace in in Caracas, Venezuela , Friday , Oct 15, 2021. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)
Infantino says biennial WCups needed to attract youth

By Rob Harris Oct. 20, 2021 08:25 AM EDT

FILE - In this Thursday, Feb. 7, 2019 file photo, UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin listens to reporter's questions during a press conference at the end of the 43rd UEFA congress in Rome. Ceferin says he has “grave concerns” about FIFA’s plans to stage World Cups every two years and is astonished by the lack of consultation by Gianni Infantino’s governing body. The comments were made in a letter to Football Supporters Europe. Ceferin says he backed the group’s “extremely valid and important” concerns about the damage doubling the frequency of World Cups would cause to domestic and regional competitions. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino, File)
UEFA says FIFA snubs request for talks on World Cup concerns

By Rob Harris Sep. 22, 2021 12:05 PM EDT

Real Sociedad's Mikel Merino vies for the ball with Barcelona's Frenkie de Jong, right, during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Barcelona and Real Sociedad at Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona, Spain, Sunday, Aug. 15, 2021. (AP Photo/Joan Monfort)
Luis Enrique names Spain squad with 7 changes from Euro 2020

By Tales Azzoni Aug. 26, 2021 06:27 AM EDT