A map of the world flashes cyber threat warnings. Into view across the big-screen-covered wall comes live video from World Cup stadiums. Then there's the incident alarm panels for all eight venues in Qatar.

This command center for the World Cup is all quiet and calm. By November, however, it will be at the heart of operations for the most high-profile sporting event to be staged in the Middle East.

With a spot on the line for what could be his fifth and final World Cup, Cristiano Ronaldo needs to avoid an upset like the one that ended Italy's hopes of making it to the tournament in Qatar.

Portugal faces a winner-take-all game on Tuesday against North Macedonia, the team that shocked Italy last week to keep the four-time champions out of the World Cup for the second straight time.

When a missile flew into an oil depot close to the track hosting the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, discussions among Formula One teams and drivers switched from human rights to personal safety.

The big question: Was it safe to remain in Jiddah and compete in the second race of the F1 season after Friday's attack about 11 kilometers (seven miles) away?

They are superstar strikers fighting to secure what could be their last chance to play on soccer's biggest stage.

And one thing's for sure: there isn't room for both Robert Lewandowski and Zlatan Ibrahimovic at the World Cup in Qatar.

A Yemeni rebel attack on a Saudi oil plant set off a huge fire near Jeddah's Formula One circuit during televised practice sessions on Friday, part of a wave of assaults on Aramco facilities.

Africa's World Cup playoffs will serve up a Mohamed Salah vs. Sadio Mané sequel as the Liverpool teammates face off on opposite sides again with their countries, this time for a place at soccer's biggest show.

Salah's Egypt will face Mané's Senegal in one of the continent's five decisive World Cup playoffs, with the first leg in Cairo on Friday. The draw for the playoffs was made before the two Liverpool stars met in last month's African Cup of Nations final, which was won by Senegal in a shootout thanks to Mané's winning penalty.

Brazil coach Tite and his players are doing their best to boost Neymar's morale after the striker's recent struggles at Paris Saint-Germain, where he has been booed by his own fans.

Neymar and Argentina great Lionel Messi have both faced heavy criticism in Paris after the team's loss to Real Madrid in the round of 16 of the Champions League. But ahead of the team's final two World Cup qualifiers, Brazil coach Tite is hoping Neymar can forget about his club's troubles and rediscover his best form. Brazil has already qualified for this year's tournament in Qatar, meaning Neymar won't be facing the same level of scrutiny.

Japan qualified for a seventh straight World Cup by beating Australia 2-0 Thursday and ended the Socceroos' chances of automatic qualification.

The result in Sydney also qualified Saudi Arabia from Group B.

Russia's war on Ukraine has drawn unprecedented sanctions that have seen it banned from most international sports in a Western-led break with the long-standing convention against politics mixing with sport.

For many Arabs, who have seen their own sportsmen and women punished for refusing to compete with Israelis in protest at successive wars, the exception made for a European conflict smacks of double standards.

At 37 years old, it's no secret time is running out for Cristiano Ronaldo.

Playing at a high level is not getting any easier, and the opportunities to compete in top tournaments are becoming scarce.