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Australia's Mile Jedinak scores a goal against Honduras during their World Cup soccer playoff deciding match in Sydney, Australia, Wednesday, Nov. 15, 2017. (AP Photo/Daniel Munoz)

Jedinak stars as Australia qualifies for 2018 World Cup

By JOHN PYE - Associated Press

Fans of the Italian team cheer prior to the World Cup qualifying play-off second leg soccer match between Italy and Sweden, at the Milan San Siro stadium, Italy, Monday, Nov. 13, 2017. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

Italian soccer fans need something else to do next summer

By DANIELLA MATAR - Associated Press

Italy's goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon, left, and Manolo Gabbiadini react to their team's elimination in the World Cup qualifying play-off second leg soccer match between Italy and Sweden, at the Milan San Siro stadium, Italy, Monday, Nov. 13, 2017. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

Italy’s decline can be traced to Serie A’s problems

By ANDREW DAMPF - Associated Press

Denmark's Christian Eriksen celebrates after scoring his side's fourth goal during the World Cup qualifying play off second leg soccer match between Ireland and Denmark at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin, Ireland, Tuesday, Nov. 14, 2017. (AP Photo/Peter Morrison)

Denmark qualifies for World Cup with 5-1 rout of Ireland

By NATHANIEL COPE - Associated Press

Italy coach Gian Piero Ventura gestures during the World Cup qualifying play-off second leg soccer match between Italy and Sweden, at the Milan San Siro stadium, Italy, Monday, Nov. 13, 2017. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

Italy needs a youth overhaul after missing World Cup

By ANDREW DAMPF - Associated Press

Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon cries after his team got eliminated in the World Cup qualifying play-off second leg soccer match between Italy and Sweden, at the Milan San Siro stadium, Italy, Monday, Nov. 13, 2017. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

Buffon bids teary Italy farewell after failed qualification

By ANDREW DAMPF - Associated Press

FILE - In this Nov. 6, 2017 photo, Omar Gaber, who plays for Swiss Super League side FC Basel, left, chats with Shikabala, whose real name is Mahmoud Abdel-Razeq, as they warm up with the national team, in Cairo stadium, Egypt. A surprise call-up for international duty has given striker Shikabala a comeback that could even bring on better things -- a place for the 31-year-old journeyman in the Egypt squad traveling to the 2018 World Cup in Russia. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil)

Surprise Egypt call-up for troubled Shikabala pays off

By HAMZA HENDAWI - Associated Press

Australia's player stand on the pitch after a 0-0 draw during the first leg of a World Cup qualifier play-off against Honduras, at the Olympic Stadium in San Pedro Sula, Honduras, Friday, Nov. 10, 2017. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo)

Socceroos back in Australia, get 1st advantage over Honduras

Associated Press

Australia's Tim Cahill stretches during a training session at the Olympic Stadium in San Pedro Sula, Honduras, Thursday, Nov. 9, 2017. Australia and Honduras will face for the first leg of the World Cup playoff on Friday. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo)

Cahill says he’s fit to face Honduras in World Cup playoff

Associated Press

Hassan Al Thawadi, secretary general of the 2022 Qatar World Cup Supreme Committee for Delivery &amp; Legacy, poses for a photo following an interview with The Associated Press in Sheffield, England on Thursday Nov. 9 2017. Following comments earlier this year attributed to German soccer federation president Reinhard Grindel, Al Thawadi said Thursday that &quot;Qatar does not support terrorism. Qatar is at the forefront of the fight against terrorism.&quot; (AP Photo / Rob Harris)

Isolated in Gulf, Qatar campaigns to protect 2022 World Cup

By ROB HARRIS - Associated Press

Colombia's Edwin Cardona, second from left, fights for the ball against South Korea' Lee Jae-sung and Son Heung-min, left, during their friendly soccer match at Suwon World Cup Stadium in Suwon, South Korea, Friday, Nov. 10, 2017. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

Cardona apologizes amid racism storm in South Korea

By JOHN DUERDEN - Associated Press

First place Martins Dukurs, of Latvia, center, poses with second-placed Sungbin Yun of South Korea, left, and third-placed Alexander Tretiakov, of Russia, at a World Cup skeleton event in Lake Placid, N.Y., Friday, Nov. 10, 2017. (AP Photo/Peter Morgan)

Latvia’s Dukurs wins again in World Cup skeleton opener

By TIM REYNOLDS - Associated Press

Janine Flock, center, of Austria, poses with Elisabeth Vathje, left, of Canada, and Lizzy Yarnold, right, of Britain, after placing first in the women's World Cup skeleton race in Lake Placid, N.Y., on Thursday, Nov. 9, 2017. Vathje was second and Yarnold placed third. (AP Photo/Peter Morgan)

Austria’s Flock wins women’s World Cup skeleton opener

By TIM REYNOLDS - Associated Press

Hassan Al Thawadi, secretary general of the 2022 Qatar World Cup Supreme Committee for Delivery &amp; Legacy, poses for a photo following an interview with The Associated Press in Sheffield, England, on Thursday Nov. 9 2017. Following comments earlier this year attributed to German soccer federation president Reinhard Grindel, Al Thawadi said Thursday that &quot;Qatar does not support terrorism. Qatar is at the forefront of the fight against terrorism.&quot; (AP Photo / Neil Barker)

2022 World Cup head tells Germany: Qatar doesn’t back terror

By ROB HARRIS - Associated Press

Switzerland's Ricardo Rodriguez celebrates with teammates after the World Cup qualifying play-off first leg soccer match between Northern Ireland and Switzerland at Windsor Park in Belfast, Northern Ireland, Thursday Nov. 9, 2017. (AP Photo/Peter Morrison)

Switzerland beats Northern Ireland on contentious penalty

By NATHANIEL COPE - Associated Press

FILE - This is a Saturday, June 4, 2016 file photo of Croatia's Luka Modric as he controls the ball during the international friendly soccer match between Croatia and San Marino, in Rijeka, Croatia. Modric Croatia's top player will be well-rested and fully focused when Croatia attempts to secure a World Cup spot in the playoffs against Greece beginning on Thursday Nov. 9, 2017. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic/File)

World Cup qualifying tournament reaching its climax

By The Associated Press - Associated Press

FILE - In this Sept. 10, 2017, file photo, Schalke's Weston McKennie runs for the ball during the German Bundesliga soccer match against VFB Stuttgart at the Arena in Gelsenkirchen, Germany. McKennie could make his U.S. national team debuts in a Nov. 14 exhibition at Portugal. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner, File)

McKennie, Carter-Vickers could make US soccer debuts

Associated Press

FILE - In this file photo dated Tuesday Nov. 18, 2014, Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal, left, and Lionel Messi of Argentina, during their International Friendly soccer match at Old Trafford Stadium, Manchester, England. More worldwide soccer tournaments involving even more national teams could be coming to every odd-numbered year from 2021, according to officials of the UEFA-led Global Nations League project, Friday Nov. 3, 2017, which may replace the Confederation Cup, so the worlds best players may face off against each other at last. (AP Photo/Jon Super, FILE)

UEFA-led plan for global soccer competition every 2 years

By GRAHAM DUNBAR - Associated Press

FILE - In this Sunday, Dec. 18, 2016 file photo, Real Madrid players celebrate on the podium after defeating Kashima Antlers in the final of the FIFA Club World Cup soccer tournament in Yokohama, near Tokyo. A member of FIFA’s ruling council says there are proposals for a 24-team Club World Cup to be played every four years from 2021, it was reported on Monday, Oct. 30, 2017. (AP Photo/Shuji Kajiyama, File)

FIFA exec says 24-team Club World Cup from 2021 discussed

By ROB HARRIS - Associated Press

FIFA to give 2018 World Cup champion $38M from $400M fund

Associated Press