The World Cup

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FIFA President Gianni Infantino speaks before the 2022 soccer World Cup draw at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Center in Doha, Qatar, Friday, April 1, 2022. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)

U.S. to play England, Iran and possibly Ukraine at World Cup

By Ronald Blum - Associated Press

United States' Christian Pulisic talks to reporters after the team clinched a 2022 soccer World Cup berth Wednesday, March 30, 2022, in San Jose, Costa Rica. (AP Photo/Ron Blum) **FILE**

Relieved more than joyful, U.S. turns World Cup attention to Qatar

By Ronald Blum - Associated Press

A video screen displays the Ukrainian flag, during the English League Cup final soccer match between Chelsea and Liverpool at Wembley stadium in London, Feb. 27, 2022. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)

Russia ready again for urgent court case over World Cup ban

By Graham Dunbar - Associated Press

A view of the St. Petersburg Stadium prior to the Confederations Cup, Group A soccer match between Russia and New Zealand, Saturday, June 17, 2017. Russia has been stripped of hosting the Champions League final by UEFA with St. Petersburg replaced by Paris after Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The men's final will still be held on May 28 but now at the 80,000-seat Stade de France after the decision by UEFA's executive committee. (AP Photo/Pavel Golovkin, File) **FILE**

Russia suspended from international soccer over Ukraine war

By Graham Dunbar - Associated Press

Mohamed bin Hamad Al-Thani, left, Chairman of the 2022 bid committee, and Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani, Emir of Qatar, hold the World Cup trophy in front of FIFA Secretary General Jerome Valcke after the announcement that Qatar will host the 2022 soccer World Cup, on Dec. 2, 2010, in Zurich, Switzerland. Qatar has for years employed a former CIA officer to help spy on soccer officials as part of an aggressive effort to win and hold on to the 2022 World Cup tournament, an investigation by The Associated Press has found. (AP Photo/Anja Niedringhaus, File) **FILE**

World Cup host Qatar used ex-CIA officer to spy on FIFA

By Alan Suderman - Associated Press

Caeleb Dressel of the United States swims in a heat of the men's 100-meter butterfly at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Thursday, July 29, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

Caeleb Dressel goes for more gold on Day 7 of Tokyo Games

By Jenna Fryer - Associated Press

Republic of Ireland's Alan Browne, top, and Luxembourg's Olivier Thill battle for the ball during their World Cup 2022 group A qualifying soccer match between at the Aviva Stadium, Dublin, Saturday, March 27, 2021. (Brian Lawless/PA via AP)

Ireland’s qualifying campaign sinking, coach under pressure

By KEN MAGUIRE - Associated Press

FILE - This Thursday, Dec. 18, 2020 file photo shows a general view of the Al Rayyan stadium during the opening ceremony in Al Rayyan, Qatar. A look at the state of play in Qatar's preparations for the 2022 World Cup amid ongoing criticism of the host nation as qualifying in Europe begins. (AP Photo/Hussein Sayed, file)

EXPLAINER: Qatar prepares for World Cup amid rights concerns

By ROB HARRIS - Associated Press

From left, second placed, United States' Mikaela Shiffrin, winner, Austria's Katharina Liensberger and third placed, Switzerland's Wendy Holdenercelebrate, after the second run of a Women's slalom Alpine World Cup ski race in Are, Sweden, Saturday March 13, 2021. (Pontus Lundahl, TT via AP)

Liensberger ends Austrian 6-year wait for women’s slalom win

Associated Press

Vlhova keeps winning run going as Shiffrin slowly returns

Associated Press

Martins Dukurs of Latvia speeds down the track in the men's Skeleton World Cup race in Sigulda, Latvia, Friday, Nov. 20, 2020. Dukurs won the event. (AP Photo/Roman Koksarov)

Dukurs, Flock win opening skeleton World Cup races

Associated Press

Italy players celebrate after Domenico Berardi scoried his side's second goal during the UEFA Nations League soccer match between Bosnia and Italy, in Sarajevo, Bosnia, Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2020. (AP Photo/Kemal Softic)

Italy’s national team smiling again under Roberto Mancini

By DANIELLA MATAR - Associated Press

Barcelona's Lionel Messi during the Champions League quarterfinal match between FC Barcelona and Bayern Munich at the Luz stadium in Lisbon, Portugal, Friday, Aug. 14, 2020. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez/Pool)

Messi, Neymar aim for World Cup qualifying amid pandemic

By MAURICIO SAVARESE - Associated Press

France's Antoine Griezmann celebrates after scoring his first goal during a UEFA Nations League soccer match against Croatia at the Stade de France stadium in Saint-Denis, north of Paris, France, Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2020. (AP Photo/Francois Mori)

Griezmann stars as France beats Croatia 4-2 in WCup repeat

Associated Press

FILE - In this March 8, 2020, file photo, United States defender Crystal Dunn, who plays for the North Carolina Courage of the National Women's Soccer League, plays during the first half of a SheBelieves Cup soccer match against Spain, in Harrison, N.J. The NWSL opens its Challenge Cup tournament on Saturday, June 27, 2020, and the pressure is on as the first professional team sport in the United States to play amid the coronavirus pandemic. (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun, File)

NWSL takes field first as other pro leagues chart futures

By ANNE M. PETERSON - Associated Press

FILE - In this Feb. 7, 2020, file photo, Costa Rica forward Raquel Rodriguez, top, is knocked over by Canada defender Allysha Chapman during the first half of a CONCACAF women's Olympic qualifying soccer match in Carson, Calif. Raquel Rodriguez, better known as Rocky to her fans, was in route to join her new National Women’s Soccer League team when sports were shut down by the coronavirus. It certainly wasn’t an ideal start for the Costa Rican striker with the Portland Thorns. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson, Fle)

Rodriguez ready despite somewhat strange start with Thorns

By ANNE M. PETERSON - Associated Press

AP Sportlight

By The Associated Press - Associated Press

Flamengo's Gabriel Barbosa celebrates with Flamengo fans end of the Club World Cup semifinal soccer match between Flamengo and Al Hilal at the Khalifa International Stadium in Doha, Qatar, Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2019. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar).

Influx of club fans a ‘22 World Cup testing ground for Qatar

By ROB HARRIS - Associated Press

Juventus' Cristiano Ronaldo during the Champions League Group D soccer match between Lokomotiv Moscow and Juventus at the Lokomotiv Stadium in Moscow, Russia, Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2019. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko)

Top teams in good shape as Euro qualifying reaches climax

By STEVE DOUGLAS - Associated Press

South Africa fans celebrate at the Pirates Rugby Club in Johannesburg, South Africa, after their team's victory in the Rugby World Cup final between South Africa and England being played in Tokyo, Japan on Saturday Nov. 2, 2019. South Africa defeated England 32-12. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay)

Siya’s Springboks are exactly what Mandela envisioned

By GERALD IMRAY - Associated Press