Kylian Mbappé and France are going to the 2026 World Cup. And Cristiano Ronaldo might be banned from Portugal's first game there if his team finally wins its European qualifying group.
Two goals from star striker Mbappé helped two-time champion France to qualify with a 4-0 home win against Ukraine on Thursday. But Ronaldo was ejected for the first time in his international career and Portugal will have to wait until Sunday to secure a qualifying spot for the seventh straight time after it was stunned 2-0 by Ireland in Dublin.
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Richonell Margaret scored twice in two-minute span in the second half on Thursday as Suriname defeated El Salvador 4-0 in CONCACAF qualifying to move closer to securing a spot in the World Cup for the first time.
Tjaronn Cherry opened the scoring with a penalty kick in the 44th minute and Richonell Margaret scored in the 74th and 76th minutes while Dhoraso Moreo Klass added a goal in the 83rd.
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Cristiano Ronaldo likely faces a three-week wait to discover the length of his FIFA ban ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
The Portugal superstar could be suspended for two or three games for the red card he was shown Thursday for striking Ireland defender Dara O'Shea with an elbow during a 2-0 loss in Dublin.
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France striker Kylian Mbappé won't travel with his teammates to Azerbaijan after the two-time champions secured a place at next year's World Cup, the national soccer federation said on Friday.
Mbappé scored twice Thursday as France booked its spot for the tournament with a 4-0 win against Ukraine in Paris. They were his 399th and 400th senior career goals.
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FIFA approved two soccer players to change national eligibility to Congo from Belgium ahead of 2026 World Cup qualifying playoffs for Africa starting Thursday.
Celtic forward Michel-Ange Balikwisha and Standard Liege goalkeeper Matthieu Epolo are now available to play for Congo against Cameroon in a playoffs semifinal.
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Dynamic ticket pricing will not be used for the 2028 European Championship, organizers say.
The controversial ticketing strategy — where prices depend on demand — was in operation at the Club World Cup in the United States this year and fluctuated wildly. Dynamic pricing will also be deployed at the men's World Cup next year with tickets ranging from $60 for group-stage matches to $6,730 for the final.
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Turkey's football federation temporarily banned 102 players on Thursday in a betting scandal.
The players were referred to the Turkish Football Federation's Professional Football Disciplinary Board in the ongoing investigation.
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Nikola Jokic scoring 50 or more points had never been enough for the Denver Nuggets to win. Until now.
Jokic tied the highest-scoring performance in the NBA this season with 55 points, and the Nuggets beat the Los Angeles Clippers 130-116 on Wednesday night for their sixth straight victory.
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Cristiano Ronaldo said he expects his record sixth World Cup next year at age 41 will be his last.
"Definitely, yes, because I will be 41 years old," Ronaldo told CNN anchor Becky Anderson in a live video link from Portugal's training camp to a tourism conference in Saudi Arabia.
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Former Chelsea midfielder Oscar is in stable condition in hospital after falling ill with a heart issue, his club Sao Paulo has said.
Brazilian media reported that Oscar was doing tests on an exercise bicycle when he collapsed and was unconscious for about two minutes.
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