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Soccer fans have accused FIFA of a “monumental betrayal” after latest prices for World Cup tickets began to circulate on Thursday. The governing body allocates 8% of tickets to national associations for games involving their team to sell to the most loyal fans. And a list published by the German soccer federation revealed prices ranged from $180-$700 for varying group stage games. The lowest price for the final was $4,185 and the highest was $8,680. Those group-stage prices are very different from FIFA’s claims of $60 tickets being available, while the target from United States soccer officials when bidding for the tournament seven years ago was to offer hundreds of thousands of $21 seats across the opening phase of games. Fan organization Football Supporters Europe (FSE) described the current prices as “extortionate.” “This is a monumental betrayal of the tradition of the World Cup, ignoring the contribution of supporters to the spectacle it is,” it said in a statement. The English Football Association shared pricing information with the England Supporters Travel Club (ESTC) on Thursday evening, which showed that if a fan bought a ticket for every game through to the final it would cost just over $7,000. FIFA said in September that tickets released through its website would initially range from $60 for group-stage matches to $6,730 for the final. But those prices are subject to change as it adopts dynamic pricing for the first time at the World Cup. FIFA tickets are available in four categories, with the best seats in Category 1. In the price list published by the German federation, there were only three categories. The lowest priced ticket was $180 for Germany’s opening group game against Curacao in Houston. The lowest price for the semifinal was $920 rising to $1,125. The FSE called on FIFA to immediately halt ticket sales via national associations “until a solution that respects the tradition, universality, and cultural significance of the World Cup is found.” The Associated Press approached FIFA for comment. Latest phase FIFA launched its third phase of widespread ticket sales Thursday, with fans now able to apply for specific matches for the first time through its “Random Selection Draw.” Following last week's draw for the 2026 tournament, which will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, an updated schedule has been published. That means fans know when and where the likes of Lionel Messi and Argentina will play. Previous ticket ballots were blind as the qualification period had not even been completed and the draw was yet to take place. Now participating nations have been placed in groups, with their paths through the tournament determined. For instance, Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo could go on to meet in the quarterfinals in Kansas City if both Argentina and Portugal top their respective groups. Not that fans are guaranteed to get tickets to the games they apply for. The draw opened Dec. 11 at 11 a.m. ET (1600 GMT) and closes Jan. 13, 2026. FIFA says ticket applications can be made at any point during this window and the timing of entry will not impact the chances of success. Fans can apply via FIFA's website for a maximum of four tickets per household per match and a maximum of 40 tickets throughout the tournament. Fans will need a FIFA ID to apply for tickets and can pick which matches and which pricing category they want to apply for. Successful applicants will be notified by email in February and charged automatically. Prices The last time the U.S. hosted the World Cup in 1994 prices ranged from $25 to $475. In Qatar in 2022 prices ranged from around $70 to $1,600 when ticket details were announced. Tickets for the final at MetLife Stadium on July 19 are already going for in excess of $11,000 on secondary resale sites. For this tournament FIFA has also set up its own resale platform where it charges a 15% fee based on the total resale price. FIFA said that closer to the tournament any remaining tickets will go on general sale on a first-come, first-served basis. It did not reveal a time frame for the release of those remaining tickets.

Arsenal’s Marli Salmon became the sixth-youngest footballer to appear in the Champions League after coming on as a late substitute during the team’s 3-0 victory over Club Brugge on Wednesday. The teenage defender, aged 16 years and 103 days, replaced Ben White at the Jan Breydelstadion. Manager Mikel Arteta said the coaching staff had long anticipated giving him his first minutes on Europe’s biggest stage. “We knew we would have to use him at some point,” Arteta said. “He’s only 16 and he’s already playing in the Champions League.” Despite his age, Salmon is not Arsenal’s youngest debutant this season. That honor belongs to Max Dowman, who was 15 years and 308 days old when he featured as a second-half substitute against Slavia Prague last month. UEFA records show Salmon is the third player aged 16 or below to represent Arsenal in the Champions League, following Dowman and former midfielder Jack Wilshere. Liverpool beat Inter without Salah; Barcelona and Bayern clinch comeback wins Arteta credited the academy for preparing young prospects. “This is why so much effort goes into developing these players. When we need them, they’re ready to step in,” he said. Dowman holds the record as the youngest player ever to appear in the competition, surpassing Youssoufa Moukoko’s 2020 mark set at 16 years and 18 days. Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal is listed as the third youngest after debuting at 16 years, 68 days in 2023. Wearing the No. 89 shirt, Salmon is regarded by Arsenal as a technically strong, ball-playing central defender. He entered the academy setup at Under-11 level. Wednesday’s match marked his first Champions League outing before making any senior league or domestic cup appearance. He previously played for Arsenal’s U21s in the Football League Trophy in September.

Egypt and Iran, two Middle East nations which target gays and lesbians, have complained to FIFA over a World Cup soccer match in Seattle that is planned to celebrate LGBTQ+ Pride. Leaders in the nation's soccer federations publicly rebuked the idea of playing the match June 26 at Seattle Stadium, which local organizers say will include a “once-in-a-lifetime moment to showcase and celebrate LGBTQIA+ communities in Washington.” In Egypt, the soccer federation issued a statement late Tuesday saying it sent a letter to FIFA “categorically rejecting any activities related to supporting homosexuality during the match.” Seattle PrideFest has been organized in the city since 2007 by a nonprofit which designated the June 26 game for celebration before FIFA made the World Cup draw Friday. FIFA chose Saturday to allocate the Egypt-Iran game to Seattle instead of Vancouver, where the teams' group rivals Belgium and New Zealand will play at the same time. Already, organizers in Seattle have promoted an art contest for the game, including one entry of a rainbow-flagged sun rising over Mount Rainier as a crab goalie goes for a soccer ball while holding a cup of coffee in its pinchers. “With matches on Juneteenth and pride, we get to show the world that in Seattle, everyone is welcome,” Seattle's Mayor-elect Kate Wilson wrote on social media. “What an incredible honor!” FIFA controls only stadiums and official fan zones in World Cup host cities and should have no formal authority over community events like Seattle PrideFest. FIFA declined comment Tuesday to the Associated Press, and did not address a question if it would consider switching the Belgium-New Zealand game to Seattle. Angry response in Iran, Egypt In Iran, where gays and lesbians can face the death penalty, the president of Iran’s Football Federation Mehdi Taj criticized scheduling the match during an interview aired on state television late Monday. Taj said Iran would bring up the issue during a FIFA Council meeting in Qatar next week. The longest-serving member of the 37-person council chaired by FIFA President Gianni Infantino is Egypt's Hany Abo Rida. “Both Egypt and we have objected, because this is an unreasonable and illogical move that essentially signals support for a particular group, and we must definitely address this point,” Taj said. State TV on Tuesday confirmed a complaint would be sent to FIFA. The Egypt soccer federation led by Ado Rida said of the pride celebration it “completely rejects such activities, which directly contradict the cultural, religious and social values in the region, especially in Arab and Islamic societies.” It urged FIFA to stop the celebration to “avoid activities that may trigger cultural and religious sensitivity between the presented spectators of both countries, Egypt and Iran, especially as such activities contradict the cultures and religions of the two countries.” Iran had threatened to boycott the World Cup draw in Washington, DC over complaints about five of its nine-person delegation, including Taj, not getting visas to enter the United States. Iranians are subject to a travel ban imposed by President Donald Trump’s administration and the U.S. in the past has denied visas for those with ties to Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, like Taj. Iran ended up sending a smaller delegation including the team's coach. Tensions remain high between Tehran and Washington over Iran's nuclear program, particularly after American warplanes bombed atomic sites in the country during Israel's 12-day war with the Islamic Republic in June. Unlike the 2022 World Cup, however, Iran is not scheduled to play the United States in the World Cup's opening matches. Seattle's response Asked about the complaint Wednesday, Seattle's organizing committee said it was “moving forward as planned with our community programming outside the stadium during Pride weekend and throughout the tournament.” “The Pacific Northwest is home to one of the nation’s largest Iranian-American communities, a thriving Egyptian diaspora and rich communities representing all nations we’re hosting in Seattle,” spokesperson Hana Tadesse said in a statement. "We’re committed to ensuring all residents and visitors experience the warmth, respect and dignity that defines our region.” Iran, Egypt target LGBTQ+ community For years, Egyptian police have targeted gays and lesbians, sparking warnings even from the app Grindr in the past. Though Egypt technically does not outlaw homosexuality, authorities frequently prosecute members of the LGBTQ+ community on the grounds of “debauchery,” or “violating public decency.” Iran also has targeted the LGBTQ community and its theocracy is believed to have executed thousands of people for their sexuality since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Hard-line former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad once famously went as far as to claim during a 2007 visit to the United States: “We don’t have homosexuals like in your country.” A crowd at Columbia University responded by laughing and heckling the leader. FIFA dilemma FIFA risks being accused of a double standard if it sides with World Cup teams' federations over the city of Seattle. At the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, FIFA fiercely defended the right of the host nation's cultural norms to be respected in full by visiting teams. A group of European federations wanted their team captains to wear a “One Love” armband with some rainbow colors that symbolized human rights and diversity, which FIFA and Qatari officials viewed in part as criticism of the emirate criminalizing same-sex relations. Some Wales fans had rainbow hats removed before entering the stadium. Qatar also will play in Seattle at the World Cup, on June 24 against a European opponent which could be Italy or Wales.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino is facing formal complaints to the soccer body’s ethics investigators over his public backing of U.S. President Donald Trump and the awarding of a peace prize to him. London-based human rights group FairSquare said Tuesday it requested investigations into Infantino for allegedly violating FIFA’s statutory duty to remain politically neutral. FIFA said its ethics committee does not comment on potential ongoing cases and could not confirm receipt of the complaint. Under FIFA rules, breaches of neutrality can lead to bans of up to two years, though it is unclear if the case will proceed. Critics note that FIFA-appointed ethics investigators are now seen as less independent than in the era of former president Sepp Blatter. Infantino’s ‘Peace Prize’ for Trump sparks debate over FIFA’s political neutrality Infantino has publicly praised Trump this year, including suggesting he deserved a Nobel Peace Prize. He also aligned FIFA closely with the U.S. ahead of the 2026 men’s World Cup, co-hosted by the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. Trump received the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize last week as Infantino launched the tournament draw in Washington, D.C. FairSquare said in an eight-page complaint that awarding a prize to a sitting political leader “is a clear breach of FIFA’s duty of neutrality.” The group also criticized Infantino for potentially acting without proper authority. FairSquare has previously challenged FIFA over Saudi Arabia’s human rights record, the influence of World Cup sponsor Aramco, governance standards, and slow investigations into Israeli settlement teams. Source: AP 

Liverpool proved they could cope without Mohamed Salah on Tuesday, securing a crucial 1-0 Champions League win over Inter Milan thanks to a late penalty. With Salah left out following his criticism of the club last week, Dominik Szoboszlai took over spot-kick duties and calmly converted an 88th-minute penalty to seal the victory against one of the tournament’s standout teams. The win was especially important for Arne Slot’s side after managing just one victory in their previous six matches. Liverpool climbed to eighth, regaining momentum in the race for a direct place in the round of 16, while Inter slipped to fifth. Two-goal Fernandes inspires Manchester United to 4-1 win over Wolves Earlier, Ibrahima Konate thought he had given Liverpool the lead, but the goal was overturned after a lengthy VAR review found a handball in the buildup. VAR later awarded Liverpool the decisive penalty after spotting Alessandro Bastoni pulling Florian Wirtz’s shirt. Bayern’s young star impresses againBayern Munich moved to second in their group after a 3-1 comeback win over Sporting Lisbon, highlighted by 17-year-old Lennart Karl’s stunning volley — his third goal in four Champions League appearances. Bayern overturned Joshua Kimmich’s early own-goal with strikes from Serge Gnabry, Karl and Jonathan Tah. Alphonso Davies made his first appearance since March after recovering from a knee injury. Chelsea fallsChelsea suffered a 2-1 defeat to Atalanta, ending nearly three months without a Champions League loss. Joao Pedro scored first, but Atalanta hit back through Gianluca Scamacca before Charles De Ketelaere set up the equaliser and netted the 83rd-minute winner. Chelsea dropped to 11th. Barcelona, Spurs and others winJules Koundé’s two quick headers gave Barcelona a 2-1 comeback win over Eintracht Frankfurt, with Lamine Yamal setting a Champions League record for most combined goals and assists by a player under 19. Tottenham moved up to ninth with a 3-0 win over Slavia Prague, a match marred by controversy over the removal of a rainbow flag. Elsewhere, Julián Alvarez led Atletico Madrid to a 3-2 victory at PSV, Marseille edged Union Saint-Gilloise 3-2, Monaco beat Galatasaray 1-0, and Olympiakos earned a 1-0 win at Kairat Almaty. Source: AP 

Bruno Fernandes scored twice and set up another as Manchester United cruised to a 4-1 victory over Wolverhampton on Monday, climbing into the Premier League’s top six. Fernandes opened the scoring early, capitalizing on a midfield error by Andre before squeezing a shot past goalkeeper Sam Johnstone. Wolves equalized seconds before halftime when David Moller Wolfe’s cross found Jean-Ricner Bellegarde, who volleyed home for the team’s first league goal in more than a month. United regained control shortly after the restart. Bryan Mbeumo tapped in Diogo Dalot’s pass in the 51st minute to restore the visitors’ lead, and Mason Mount extended it 11 minutes later after a clever chipped assist from Fernandes. The United captain sealed the win with an 82nd-minute penalty. The result handed Wolves their eighth straight defeat, leaving them bottom of the table with just two points, eight behind Burnley. Thousands of fans staged a 15-minute boycott against owners Fosun International, missing United’s opening goal. “We got ourselves back in the game but the goals we conceded were poor,” Wolves manager Rob Edwards said. “We’re getting punished and have to improve.” Despite United’s inconsistent form this season, the team dominated the second half. Mount said manager Ruben Amorim’s stern halftime talk pushed the players to be “ruthless” after a sloppy finish to the first period. United now sit sixth with 25 points, level with fifth-place Chelsea. “We can’t stop now. We’ve got to keep going,” Mount added.

A woman has been sentenced to four years in prison for blackmailing soccer star Son Heung-min, a South Korean court said Monday. The woman, identified only as Yang, was charged with extorting 300 million won ($204,000) from Son in 2024 after sending him an ultrasound photo of a baby that she claimed was his and demanding money to stay silent. She later conspired with a man, identified as Yong, to try to extort more money from Son. The Seoul Central District Court on Monday said Yang “lied” to Son, although she hadn’t confirmed whose child she was carrying. The court said Yang denied the charges of extortion and attempted extortion. Yong, who confessed, was sentenced to two years in prison, according to the court. The 33-year-old Son is among Asia's greatest players. After a decade at Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League, the South Korean star joined LAFC in August. South Korean news agency, Yonhap, reported in May that a women in her 20s and a man in his 40s had been detained on suspicion of attempting to blackmail Son in June of last year while he was still at Tottenham.

Neymar played a pivotal role in helping Santos avoid relegation from Brazil’s Serie A on Sunday, as the club defeated Cruzeiro 3-0, while the 33-year-old forward announced he will undergo surgery on his left knee. In the final league match of the season, Santos, the historic club famed for Pelé, secured its top-flight status, narrowly avoiding what would have been only the second relegation in the team’s history. The club had been relegated for the first time in 2023, nearly a year after the death of the legendary player. Neymar, who had been recovering from a torn ACL suffered during a World Cup qualifier against Uruguay in October 2023, returned to Santos in January and was instrumental in the team’s successful campaign to remain in the league. Over the last three rounds, Neymar scored against Sport Recife in a 3-0 win, netted a hat trick against Juventude in another 3-0 victory, and served as an effective playmaker in Sunday’s match. Goals from Thaciano in the 26th and 28th minutes, and João Schmidt in the 60th, secured the win for Santos at Vila Belmiro Stadium. The club finished 12th with 47 points. Neymar appeared in only 19 of the 38 league matches, scoring eight goals. Neymar signs contract extension with Santos through 2025 “I came to help in any way I could. These weeks have been very challenging,” Neymar said after the game. “I am grateful to everyone who supported me. Without them, I wouldn’t have played these matches because of my knee injuries. I need rest now, and then I will have surgery.” Neymar did not provide further details about the injury or the procedure but remains hopeful of being included in Brazil’s 2026 World Cup squad, despite not being called up by coach Carlo Ancelotti since May. Earlier this week, Flamengo secured its ninth Brazilian league title following a 1-0 win against Ceara and also claimed last month’s Copa Libertadores crown. Source: AP

Real Madrid finished with nine players on the field as it slumped to a 2-0 home loss against Celta Vigo on Sunday, slipping further behind La Liga leader Barcelona. Celta struck shortly after the interval, and Madrid’s troubles deepened when Fran García and Álvaro Carreras were both sent off in what became the club’s first home defeat of the campaign across all competitions at the Santiago Bernabéu. Unused substitute Endrick was also red-carded from the bench for dissent. Williot Swedberg opened the scoring in the 54th minute with a deft flick inside the box. Madrid went down to 10 men when García received a second yellow in the 64th, and to nine during stoppage time after Carreras was dismissed. Swedberg then wrapped up Celta’s win on a late counterattack. “We’re all frustrated — this wasn’t the match or the outcome we expected,” Madrid manager Xabi Alonso said, criticizing the officiating. “The referee’s decisions disrupted us. I didn’t like the way the game was managed.” The defeat leaves Madrid with just two wins in its last seven outings in all competitions. Up next is a Champions League home clash with Manchester City on Wednesday. Madrid’s only previous league loss this season came at Atletico Madrid in September, along with a Champions League group-stage defeat at Liverpool in November. Sunday’s result leaves Alonso’s side four points behind Barcelona, who defeated Real Betis 5-3 on Saturday. Madrid sits only a point ahead of third-placed Villarreal, which still has a match in hand. Vinícius Júnior and Kylian Mbappé both missed clear chances to bring Madrid level, while defender Éder Militão exited early with an injury. Celta climbed to 10th with its second win in three matches. Goalkeeping woes for Girona Girona goalkeeper Paulo Gazzaniga endured another difficult outing in his team’s 3-0 home loss to Elche, committing costly errors that resulted in two goals — including a misplaced pass to an opposing player inside the penalty area. He had already mishandled a routine near-post shot earlier in the game. Dortmund secure 3rd spot in Bundesliga with 2-0 win over Hoffenheim The Argentine had struggled similarly in Girona’s league opener, where his mistakes contributed to a goal, a penalty, and his sending-off in a 3-1 defeat to Rayo Vallecano. Girona, now 18th and in the relegation zone, has managed only one victory in its last six matches. Elche, winless in its previous seven league games, moved up to ninth. Espanyol extends winning streak Roberto Fernández scored from the penalty spot in the first half as fifth-placed Espanyol edged Rayo Vallecano 1-0 to secure its third straight league win. Rayo, now 12th, went down to 10 men after Unai López was sent off in the 64th, while Espanyol’s Tyrhys Dolan received a late red card in the 87th. Rayo remains winless in its last five league matches. Valencia snatches draw with late equalizer Hugo Duro struck three minutes into added time to earn 15th-placed Valencia a 1-1 home draw against 13th-placed Sevilla. Sevilla, without a win in three league fixtures, had taken the lead through an own-goal by César Tárrega in the 58th minute. Source: AP

Borussia Dortmund cemented third place in the Bundesliga with a comfortable 2-0 win over Hoffenheim on Sunday. Julian Brandt set the home side on its way shortly before halftime. Nico Schlotterbeck doubled Dortmund’s lead with a fierce shot that swerved into the bottom corner in the 60th minute. Dortmund moved back to a point behind second-placed Leipzig, which demolished Eintracht Frankfurt 6-0 on Saturday. League leader Bayern Munich, which thrashed Stuttgart 5-0 on Saturday, has an eight-point advantage over Leipzig. Hoffenheim would have leapfrogged Dortmund with a win but remained fifth, five points below its opponent. At the other end of the table, Hamburg moved away from the relegation zone as substitute Yussuf Poulsen scored two minutes after coming off the bench to snatch a 3-2 comeback victory over Werder Bremen.