World Cup

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In this Wednesday, March 28, 2018 photo, a tourist takes a picture in the area where the fan zone of the Russia Soccer World Cup 2018 will be placed, with Moscow State University main building in the background in Moscow, Russia. At Moscow State University, Russia's oldest and most prestigious, there will be a 25,000-capacity fan zone outside the main building during exam season, prompting thousands of students to campaign against the tournament. (AP Photo/Pavel Golovkin)

Russia’s World Cup drives some students to rare protests

By JAMES ELLINGWORTH - Associated Press

Referee Deniz Aytekin checks the VAR during the international friendly soccer match between England and Italy at the Wembley Stadium in London, Tuesday, March 27, 2018. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)

FIFA leaves countries using video review off WCup refs list

By GRAHAM DUNBAR - Associated Press

Greece's Anastasios Bakasetas, left, fights for the ball against Egypt's Mohamed Elneny, during the friendly soccer game Egypt against Greece at the Letzigrund stadium in Zurich, Switzerland, Tuesday, March 27, 2018. (Ennio Leanza/Keystone via AP)

Egypt’s frailties exposed in World Cup warmup losses

By HAMZA HENDAWI - Associated Press

Spain players celebrate scoring 6-1 during the international friendly soccer match between Spain and Argentina at the Wanda Metropolitano stadium in Madrid, Spain, Tuesday, March 27, 2018. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)

Rested Messi watches Argentina get crushed 6-1 by Spain

By TERESA MEDRANO - Associated Press

Russian President Vladimir Putin holds the FIFA World Cup trophy during its presentation at Moscow's Luzhniki Stadium, Russia, on Saturday, Sept. 9, 2017. From September 2017, the original trophy starts its tour over 24 Russian cities and more than 50 countries around the globe ahead of 2018 World Cup to start at Luzhniki stadium on June 14, 2018. (Mikhail Klimentyev, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)

World Cup boycott: Seven nations’ governments protest Russia over nerve-agent attack

By Victor Morton - The Washington Times

FIFA president Gianni Infantino leaves at the end of European Club Association's (ECA) 20th General Assembly, in the organization's 10-year anniversary in Rome, Tuesday, March 27, 2018. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

European clubs push back at FIFA expansion plans

By ANDREW DAMPF - Associated Press

Italy's Lorenzo Insigne, left, celebrates with Andrea Belotti after scoring on a penalty during the international friendly soccer match between England and Italy at the Wembley Stadium in London, Tuesday, March 27, 2018. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

Vardy 1, VAR 1: Italy levels vs England after video review

By ROB HARRIS - Associated Press

FILE - A Friday Dec. 1, 2017 file photo of the World Cup trophy placed on display during the 2018 soccer World Cup draw in the Kremlin in Moscow. Morocco has touted its limited threat from gun crime in a 2026 World Cup bidding proposal to take on the United States-led rival for the 2026 soccer showpiece. The North African nation highlights safety for visiting fans in bidding documents published by FIFA on Monday that do however show every stadium and training ground requires building work. (AP Photo/Pavel Golovkin, File)

Morocco touts gun safety in 2026 World Cup bid against US

By GRAHAM DUNBAR and ROB HARRIS - Associated Press

Nordic combined champ Watabe ends season with another win

Associated Press

France's head coach Didier Deschamps reacts during a friendly soccer match between France and Colombia in Saint-Denis, outside Paris, Friday March 23, 2018. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)

Behind the glitz, France has problems to solve before WCup

By JEROME PUGMIRE - Associated Press

Teammates congratulate Colombia's Radamel Falcao after he scored his side second goal during a friendly soccer match between France and Colombia in Saint-Denis, outside Paris, Friday March 23, 2018. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)

France’s poor defending exposed again as Colombia wins 3-2

By JEROME PUGMIRE - Associated Press

Swiss national team head coach Vladimir Petkovic, left, and player Valon Behrami attend a training session at the AEK FC Training Center, in Athens, Greece, Wednesday, March 21, 2018. Switzerland will face Greece in Athens on March 23, 2018 for an International friendly soccer match. (Laurent Gillieron/Keystone via AP)

Switzerland has key players primed to peak at World Cup

By GRAHAM DUNBAR - Associated Press

File - In this March 8, 2018 file photo, Atletico Madrid's Diego Costa reacts during the Europa League Round of 16 first leg soccer match between Atletico Madrid and Lokomotiv Moscow at the Metropolitano stadium in Madrid. Spain enters the final stage of its World Cup preparations with coach Julen Lopetegui experimenting up front. Lopetegui has called up several different forwards since taking over the national squad and has plenty of options to choose from before announcing the final list for Russia in a few months (AP Photo/Francisco Seco, File)

Spain experimenting with its forwards ahead of World Cup

By TALES AZZONI - Associated Press

FILE - In this Oct. 8, 2017 file photo, Egypt's Mohamed Salah sings the national anthem before the 2018 World Cup group E qualifying soccer match between Egypt and Congo at the Borg El Arab Stadium in Alexandria. Egypt’s first World Cup warmup will be against Portugal in a match that could have two of the most prolific scorers in soccer going up against each other. The Egyptians will be led by Liverpool forward Mohammed Salah. On the other side is Cristiano Ronaldo. (AP Photo/Nariman El-Mofty, File)

Egypt looking wobbly ahead of Portugal, Greece warmups

By HAMZA HENDWI - Associated Press

A view of the 45,000-seat Samara Arena in Samara, Russia, Wednesday, March 21, 2018. FIFA says a World Cup stadium in the Russian city of Samara requires &quot;a huge amount of work&quot; to be ready on time. (AP Photo/Oleksandr Stashevskyi)

FIFA urges Russia to hasten work on delayed World Cup arena

Associated Press

FIFA President Gianni Infantino listens to a reporter's question during a press conference after the FIFA Council Meeting, in Bogota, Colombia, Friday, March, 16, 2018. FIFA has finally and fully approved video review to help referees at the World Cup. The last step toward giving match officials high-tech help in Russia was agreed to on Friday by FIFA's ruling council chaired by Infantino. (AP Photo/Fernando Vergara)

FIFA finally approves video review to use at World Cup

Associated Press

FILE - In this July 1, 2014, file photo, fans cheer for the United States against Belgium during a Brazil 2014 World Cup viewing party at Soldier Field in Chicago. Chicago, the home of the U.S. Soccer Federation, has dropped out of the North American bid for the 2026 World Cup. Organizers were to announce their list of bidding cities Thursday, March 15, 2018. (AP Photo/Stacy Thacker, File)

Morocco struggles to stay in 2026 cup contest vs Americans

By GRAHAM DUNBAR and ROB HARRIS - Associated Press

Honda returns to Japan squad for March friendlies

Associated Press

FIFA apologizes as World Cup ticket site fails to cope

Associated Press

Graham Arnold attends a press conference where he will sign a four-year contract to coach the Australian national soccer team in Sydney, Thursday, March 8, 2018. Arnold, current coach of A-League champions Sydney FC, will replace Dutchman Bert van Marwijk after the World Cup in Russia. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)

Arnold named Socceroos coach, takes over after World Cup

By DENNIS PASSA - Associated Press