Japan international Takumi Minamino's participation at next year's World Cup is in doubt after the midfielder's club, AS Monaco, confirmed he had ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2025/12/23/soccer/minamino-acl-rupture/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #soccer #takumiminamino #2026fifaworldcup
With the start of North America's World Cup just over six months away, Spain will head into the new year as FIFA's top ranked team. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2025/12/23/soccer/spain-fifa-rankings/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #soccer #fifa #spain #2026fifaworldcup
The winner of the 2026 World Cup will receive $50 million in prize money as part of a record financial contribution for the tournament from FIFA. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2025/12/18/soccer/world-cup/world-cup-prize-money/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #soccer #worldcup #2026fifaworldcup
World Cup organizers unveiled a new cut-price ticket category on Tuesday after a backlash by fans over pricing for the 2026 tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2025/12/17/soccer/world-cup-ticket-prices-60-dollars/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #soccer #2026fifaworldcup #us #canada #mexico #fifa
Fan group Football Supporters Europe (FSE) on Thursday called for FIFA to stop the sale of tickets for next year's World Cup due to their "extortionate" cost. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2025/12/12/soccer/world-cup/fifa-world-cup-tickets-prices/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #soccer #worldcup #2026fifaworldcup #fifa
England will continue its preparation for next year's World Cup with friendly internationals against Uruguay and Japan, it was announced Wednesday. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2025/12/11/soccer/world-cup/england-japan-friendly-wembley/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #soccer #worldcup #england #thomastuchel #samuraiblue #2026fifaworldcup #uruguay
The path to glory at the 2026 World Cup has now been laid out with FIFA on Saturday confirming the full match schedule for its first 48-team tournament. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2025/12/07/soccer/world-cup/world-cup-schedule/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #soccer #worldcup #2026fifaworldcup #samuraiblue #us #canada #mexico #gianniinfantino #donaldtrump
Defending champion Argentina and leading contender Spain were handed kind draws for the 2026 World Cup, while Japan will contend with the Netherlands and Tunisia in its group. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2025/12/06/soccer/world-cup/2026-world-cup-draw/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #soccer #worldcup #us #canada #mexico #donaldtrump #2026fifaworldcup #gianniinfantino #samuraiblue
Haitians have rejoiced over their first World Cup berth in 50 years, calling the celebrations a rare outburst of joy given the security crisis in much of the country, where gangs have taken advantage of a power vacuum. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2025/11/25/soccer/haiti-world-cup-berth/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #soccer #haiti #2026fifaworldcup
Four-time World Cup winner Italy will face Northern Ireland in the semifinals of the European playoffs for the 2026 tournament, while Ukraine will face star-studded Sweden. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2025/11/21/soccer/italy-northern-ireland-world-cup/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #soccer #italy #northernireland #2026fifaworldcup
Veteran coach Dick Advocaat says tiny Curacao's qualification for the World Cup is the "craziest thing" he had ever achieved in his long-standing career. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2025/11/21/soccer/curacao-world-cup-qualification/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #soccer #dickadvocaat #curacao #2026fifaworldcup
Keisuke Honda, one of Japan's biggest soccer stars in the first two decades of the millennium, says his country has the potential to win the World Cup next year. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2025/11/18/soccer/world-cup-honda/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #soccer #keisukehonda #2026fifaworldcup #samuraiblue
U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday unveiled special fast-track visas for people with tickets to the 2026 World Cup — but his administration warned it was no guarantee of entry to the United States. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2025/11/18/soccer/trump-world-cup-visas/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #soccer #donaldtrump #2026fifaworldcup #gianniinfantino
Germany and the Netherlands went on goal sprees as they wrapped up World Cup qualification with resounding wins in their last European group matches on Monday. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2025/11/18/soccer/germany-netherlands-world-cup/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #soccer #netherlands #germany #2026fifaworldcup
Norway qualified for its first World Cup since 1998 after Erling Haaland struck again in a 4-1 thumping of Italy on Sunday which sealed a spot in next summer's finals in the United States, Canada and Mexico. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2025/11/17/soccer/norway-reaches-world-cup/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #soccer #erlinghaaland #norway #2026fifaworldcup #italy
France reached the 2026 World Cup with a 4-0 win over Ukraine on Thursday as the country marked the 10th anniversary of the 2015 Paris attacks. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2025/11/14/soccer/france-punch-world-cup-ticket/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #soccer #2026fifaworldcup #france #portugal #cristianoronaldo #didierdeschamps #norway #paris
FIFA has created a new annual award called the FIFA Peace Prize to be awarded for the first time during the 2026 World Cup draw in Washington, world soccer's governing body said Wednesday. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2025/11/07/soccer/fifa-new-peace-prize/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #soccer #fifa #2026fifaworldcup #donaldtrump #gianniinfantino
The team may not be blessed with star names, but Cape Verde's captain is certain that his team can make a mark at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2025/10/21/soccer/cape-verde-captain-world-cup/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #soccer #2026fifaworldcup #capeverde #ryanmendes
A carnival-like atmosphere erupted in the streets of Cape Verde's capital, Praia, on Monday after the tiny archipelago nation qualified for the World Cup for the first time. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2025/10/14/soccer/cape-verde-world-cup/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #soccer #capeverde #2026fifaworldcup
France’s perfect record in its World Cup qualifying campaign ended as it was held to a 2-2 draw away to Iceland in an entertaining Group D clash. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2025/10/14/soccer/france-world-cup-iceland/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #soccer #france #iceland #ukraine #2026fifaworldcup