A consortium comprising BTV, T Sports and Star News is set to acquire the broadcast rights for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, officials confirmed on Tuesday, ending fears of a potential blackout of the tournament in Bangladesh.

The US states of New York and New Jersey announced a probe Wednesday into whether FIFA has exploited football fans with "impossibly high" World Cup ticket prices.

With the 2026 World Cup just around the corner, VAR is no longer just a rulebook enforcer. It has grown into a full tech backbone inside the biggest stadiums.

China's state broadcaster has secured the rights to air the World Cup this year and in 2030, CCTV and FIFA said Friday, ending an agonising wait for fans in the football-mad country.

Shakira revitalizes football passion with her 2026 FIFA World Cup anthem teaser filmed at Maracana Stadium. Featuring Burna Boy, Dai Dai blends Afrobeat and Latin energy, restoring global unity before the historic North American tournament.

"The FIFA Disciplinary Committee has decided to extend the six-match ban imposed by UEFA ... to have worldwide effect," FIFA said in a statement.

Beyond geopolitics, FIFA made several significant decisions.

As they were leaving the Vancouver Convention Centre, Rajoub and Shalabi were targeted by protesters who were demanding that FIFA should ban Iran from the World Cup.

Scattered across the globe after fleeing Taliban rule in Afghanistan, the country's exiled women footballers are daring to dream of uniting on the Olympic stage after being given a path back to international soccer.

Global soccer governing body FIFA gave Trump the inaugural award at the World Cup draw in December for "promoting peace and unity around the world", triggering condemnation from human rights groups and activists in the lead-up to the World Cup.

FIFA is in discussions with national associations to increase prize money for all 48 teams participating in the 2026 World Cup, soccer's global governing body said on Sunday.

Iran's footballers will be welcome at this year's World Cup, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Thursday, distancing the US government from a proposal that Italy could take their place in the tournament.

A new batch of World Cup tickets to all 104 matches will go on sale this Wednesday, just 50 days before the tournament kicks off, FIFA said Tuesday.

Iran's government will only decide on the national team's participation in the World Cup once they receive a response from FIFA over the relocation of their matches, the country's Minister of Sport Ahmad Donyamali said.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino told AFP Tuesday that Iran "will be at the World Cup" and will play their group matches in the United States as scheduled, despite the Middle East war.

A report by the disciplinary committee of world football's governing body found the IFA "failed to take meaningful action against Beitar Jerusalem" for "persistent and well-documented racist behaviour".

FIFA decreed Thursday that all women's teams competing in world tournaments must have a woman head or assistant coach on the bench.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino on Thursday underlined the body's commitment to making sure the World Cup goes ahead "as scheduled" with "all teams" taking part amid doubts about Iran's presence at the tournament.

YouTube has reached a new agreement with FIFA that will allow rights-holding broadcasters to stream parts of World Cup matches on the platform, in a move aimed at expanding the tournament’s reach among younger and more digitally engaged audiences.

Later Thursday, FIFA issued a statement providing more details, including plans to construct a football academy, a new 20,000-seat national stadium and dozens of pitches.