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FIFA President Giovanni Infantino attends the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup UAE 2024 final match between Brazil and Italy at the Dubai Design District Stadium in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Sunday, Feb. 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Christopher Pike)

FIFA rules panel scraps plan for blue cards. Recipients would have gone to ‘sin bin’

By Graham Dunbar - Associated Press

Juventus' Paul Pogba keeps his eyes on the ball during an Italian Cup soccer match between Inter Milan and Juventus, at the San Siro Stadium, in Milan, Italy, April 26, 2023. Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba has been banned for four years by Italy’s anti-doping court after the World Cup winner tested positive for testosterone. Pogba’s positive test was announced in September following an exam the previous month. (Spada/LaPresse via AP, File)

Pogba has tough fight against 4-year ban judging by doping cases in soccer and for other stars

By GRAHAM DUNBAR - Associated Press

Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp celebrates at the end of the English Premier League soccer match between Liverpool and Luton Town, at Anfield stadium in Liverpool, England, Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2024. (Peter Byrne/PA via AP)

Burst of high-profile coaching departures leaves 3 iconic European clubs scrambling for replacements

By Steve Douglas - Associated Press

Visitors pose for a picture at the Water Front Park in Jiddah, Saudi Arabia, on Jan. 15, 2020. Japan’s national women’s football team are preparing to play the first of their two final Olympic qualifying games against North Korea in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, the Japan Football Association announced Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil, File)

Japan-North Korea women’s Olympic soccer qualifier moved to Saudi Arabia

Associated Press

PSG striker Kylian Mbappe shows his jersey during a press conference Monday, May 23, 2022 at the Paris des Princes stadium in Paris. Mbappe has told Paris Saint-Germain he will leave the club at the end of the season, it was reported on Thursday, Feb. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Michel Spingler, File)

Real Madrid free to make another run for Mbappe after disappointment from several years ago

By Tales Azzoni - Associated Press

Soccer in Hong Kong and China's paranoia illustration by Linas Garsys / The Washington Times

Soccer star Lionel Messi sits out game in Hong Kong, triggers China’s ideological paranoia

By Miles Yu

General view of the Mestalla stadium played in an empty stadium because of the coronavirus outbreak, during the Champions League round of 16 second leg soccer match between Valencia and Atalanta in Valencia, Spain, Tuesday March 10, 2020. Atletico Madrid is revamping its training facilities. Sevilla and Valencia are rebuilding their stadiums. Sporting Gijon is expanding its youth academy. This week Spanish clubs are showcasing projects funded with their shares of the $2.1 billion that private equity group CVC Capital Partners is investing in the Spanish league.(AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti, File)

How private equity is changing the global soccer landscape with big investments in clubs and leagues

By Tales Azzoni - Associated Press

Panathinaikos' Willian Arao reacts after scoring against AEK Athens, during a Greek Super League soccer match at OPAP Arena stadium, in Athens, Greece, Sunday, Jan. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Yorgos Karahalis)

Soccer fans in Greece will need cellphones to buy tickets in government crackdown on violence

Associated Press

Argentina's Lionel Messi lifts the trophy after winning the World Cup final soccer match between Argentina and France at the Lusail Stadium in Lusail, Qatar, on Dec. 18, 2022. Just over a year on from Messi winning the World Cup, what sporting legacy has it left in Qatar? (AP Photo/Martin Meissner, File) **FILE**

Messi, World Cup have left Qatar with richer sports legacy

By James Robson - Associated Press

Fans throw flares in the pitch before the Cyprus' cup soccer match between AEL and Apollon at Alpha Mega stadium in Kolossi near Limassol, Cyprus, Wednesday, Jan. 24, 2024. A key Cyprus Cup battle between perennial Limassol rivals Apollon and AEL has been called off after a number of fans invaded the pitch and hurled flares at each other prior to the start of the match. (AP Photo)

Cyprus government wants to prohibit fans from soccer matches that are deemed a security risk

Associated Press

Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi acknowledges supporters as he leaves the pitch during the second half of a preseason friendly MLS soccer match against FC Dallas, Monday, Jan. 22, 2024, at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas. FC Dallas won 1-0. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

Messi to make his Super Bowl debut, set to appear in Michelob Ultra ad

By Tim Reynolds - Associated Press

United States' Samantha Mewis and Australia's Chloe Logarzo go for a header in the women's bronze medal soccer match at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 5, 2021, in Kashima, Japon. Samantha Mewis, who played for the U.S. team that won the 2019 Women's World Cup, has retired from soccer because of a knee injury that has sidelined her from the national team since the Tokyo Olympics. (AP Photo/Fernando Vergara, File)

U.S. national team midfielder Samantha Mewis retires from soccer because of knee injury

By ANNE M. PETERSON - Associated Press

Pia Sundhage, new head coach of the Swiss women's soccer national team, speaks during a press conference in Bern, Switzerland, Tuesday, Jan. 16, 2024. (Peter Klaunzer/Keystone via AP)

France’s soccer union launches lawsuit to protect players from clubs’ pressure in transfer market

Associated Press

A game of DroneSoccer is played at the Camtic booth during the CES tech show Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2024, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)

Drone soccer flies into Las Vegas with global ambitions

By Ryan Lovelace - The Washington Times

Referee Halil Umut Meler holds his face as he lies on the ground after being punched by MKE Ankaragucu president Faruk Koca, center, at the end of the Turkish Super Lig soccer match between MKE Ankaragucu and Caykur Rizespor in Ankara, Dec. 11, 2023. Koca, the former president of a Turkish top division soccer team told a court on Tuesday Jan. 9, 2024, that he regretted attacking a referee at the end of a league game but denied having threatened him with death. (Abdurrahman Antakyali/Depo Photos via AP, File)

Former club president regrets attacking Turkish soccer referee but denies threatening to kill him

Associated Press

Brazil's soccer star Pele, left, embraces Mario Zagallo after the latter's appointment as coach of the Brazilian national soccer team, in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil, in March 1970. Zagallo, who reached the World Cup final a record five times, winning four, as a player and then a coach with Brazil, has died. He was 92. Brazilian soccer confederation president Ednaldo Rodrigues said in a statement in the early hours of Saturday, Jan. 5, 2024, confirming Zagallo's death that Zagallo "is one of the biggest legends" of the sport. (AP Photo, File)

Mario Zagallo, the World Cup winning player and coach for Brazil, dies at age 92

Associated Press

British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe, the founder of the INEOS Chemicals company, is interviewed by The Associated Press at the Iffley Road Track, in Oxford, England, April 30, 2019. British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe has finally got his hands on Manchester United after securing a stake of up to 25% in the Premier League club. His investment in United — with the club confirming a deal on Sunday Dec. 24. 2023. subject to Premier League approval — comes after moves elsewhere in European soccer that could have seen him take control of one of United’s main Premier League rivals as recently as last year. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham, File)

Ratcliffe wants struggling Man United back at the top of English and European soccer

By James Robson - Associated Press

Saudi Arabian Football Federation President Yasser Al Misehal poses for a photo after an interview with The Associated Press, in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Thursday, Dec 21, 2023. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

In Saudi Arabia’s stellar soccer year, federation boss sees 2034 World Cup fueling more change

By Graham Dunbar - Associated Press

In this handout photo released by Turkish Interior Ministry, Turkish referee Halil Umut Meler, center, rests in a bed as he talks to Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya, third left, at Acibadem hospital in Ankara, Tuesday, Dec. 12, 2023. The Turkish Football Federation has suspended all league games in the country after a club president punched the referee in the face at the end of a top-flight match. (Turkish Interior Ministry via AP)

Turkish soccer matches to resume on Dec. 19 after suspension caused by referee attack

Associated Press

Smoke hangs over the field before the French League One soccer match between Nantes and Reims at the Stade de la Beaujoire stadium in Nantes, France, on Nov. 5, 2023. Nantes says one of its supporters has died following an assault before the club’s 1-0 win over Nice in the French league, amid reports the fan was stabbed. Nantes said in a statement in the early hours of Sunday, Dec. 3, 2023 that the fan was “fatally injured” close to the club's stadium. (AP Photo/Jeremias Gonzalez, File)

Sports minister reacts to Nantes soccer fan’s death by mooting idea of travel ban for away games

Associated Press