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Tag: FIFA World Cup

  • WORLD CUP WATCH: Cavani back scoring to boost Uruguay hopes

    WORLD CUP WATCH: Cavani back scoring to boost Uruguay hopes

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    MADRID — There was relief for Edinson Cavani the moment his penalty kick struck the net.

    “What crossed my mind is that it finally went in,” he said after scoring his first goal since signing for Valencia.

    The Uruguay striker came to Spain looking for playing time ahead of potentially his last World Cup but had been growing anxious about his lack of scoring, having failed in his first three games with the club.

    That all ended against Elche in the Spanish league on Saturday, when he also scored with a header in first-half stoppage time in a 2-2 draw.

    “For us strikers, scoring is something very important,” the 35-year-old Cavani said. “We do things to help the team, we work for the team, but scoring goals is something that is good for us.”

    There was a scare for both Valencia and Uruguay when Cavani didn’t return for the second half against Elche because of an ankle injury, but he said after the game it wasn’t anything serious.

    “The ankle was swollen but it should be just a matter of days,” he said. “It hurts a bit, but it was a precaution.”

    Cavani will be looking to make it to his fourth World Cup with Uruguay, with whom he is expected to spearhead the attack alongside Luis Suárez and Darwin Núñez in a group containing South Korea, Ghana and Portugal.

    Along with Suárez, he helped the South American nation finish fourth in 2010 in South Africa. Four years later in Brazil, Uruguay was eliminated by Colombia in the round of 16.

    It was a disappointing ending for Uruguay and Cavani in 2018 in Russia, when he couldn’t contribute in a loss to eventual champion France in the quarterfinals because of a muscle injury that kept him from playing.

    RICHARLISON’S TEARS

    Holding crutches and not putting weight on his left leg, Tottenham forward Richarlison broke down in tears as he spoke about a calf injury that he feared might rule him out of playing in the World Cup for Brazil.

    “It’s kind of hard to say because it’s close to the realization of my dream,” he said Saturday after Tottenham’s 2-0 win over Everton, during which he pulled up with a calf strain and walked off the field.

    However, he has allayed any fears by saying on social media he will be back in two weeks.

    “Guys, thank God it was just a big scare!!” he wrote in Portuguese:

    Richarlison has emerged over the past year as a strong option for one of the forward spots in Brazil’s team, moving ahead of Gabriel Jesus and Roberto Firmino as the starting No. 9 for now.

    INJURIES FOR PORTUGAL

    The supply line for Cristiano Ronaldo at the World Cup is thinning.

    Last week, Pedro Neto was ruled out of the tournament after sustaining an ankle injury on club duty for Wolverhampton that requires surgery.

    Another left winger, Diogo Jota, might also be questionable for the World Cup. The Liverpool forward, who missed the first month of the season because of injury, was carried off on a stretcher late in the win over Manchester City on Sunday because of a thigh problem.

    RACE FOR JIMENEZ

    Mexico striker Raul Jimenez is also in danger of missing the World Cup.

    A groin injury has kept the 31-year-old Jimenez out of action for Wolverhampton in the Premier League since Aug. 31. And the team’s interim coach, Steve Davis, cannot guarantee his striker will return before the tournament in Qatar.

    “I think that’s the hope, but I’m not too sure,” Davis said. “It’s very difficult when you put a date on an injury. If it’s early, it’s a great surprise, but if it goes beyond that then people start wondering about the treatment and things like that. Rather than let people question it, it’s important we make sure he’s right, that his mental health is good and he’s in a good place.

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    AP World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/world-cup and https://twitter.com/AP—Sports

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  • World Cup ticket sales top 90% of stadium capacity in Qatar

    World Cup ticket sales top 90% of stadium capacity in Qatar

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    DOHA, Qatar — Nearly 2.9 million tickets have been sold for the World Cup in Qatar, FIFA and organizers said Monday, leaving about 7% of seats still available.

    People living in the United States, Saudi Arabia and England topped the list of international ticket buyers, while Mexico was the biggest market outside Qatar for corporate hospitality sales.

    More tickets will become available before the tournament starts on Nov. 20, FIFA’s tournament director Colin Smith said at a news conference in Doha held with Qatari organizers.

    Tickets can typically become available late because stakeholders such as sponsors and FIFA member federations return them from their quotas.

    About 1.2 million international visitors are expected in Qatar for the 29-day tournament with extra accommodation still being added to avoid a shortage of rooms in the tiny emirate.

    Qatari officials said 2 million separate room nights have already been sold to fans — in hotels, apartments, cruise ships and some camping sites — with 30,000 room options now added to the capacity.

    Those new rooms added a total capacity of about 1 million room nights, said Yasir Al Jamal, director general of the Qatari organizing committee.

    Extra capacity was added last week with the hiring of a third, 1,075-cabin cruise ship to dock in Doha port as a floating hotel. Prices started at $470 each night during the opening two weeks when all 32 teams are still involved.

    Though 420,000 people worldwide applied to be a tournament volunteer working in Qatar, only 20,000 have been chosen, organizers said. A total of 11%, about 2,200 people, will come from abroad and 89% are from Qatar.

    Organizers said an innovation for this World Cup will be a central base for consular services with 45 countries represented by their embassy staff, in an exhibition hall in the downtown West Bay area.

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    AP World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/world-cup and https://twitter.com/AP—Sports

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  • Fox to avoid World Cup off-field controversy in Qatar

    Fox to avoid World Cup off-field controversy in Qatar

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    NEW YORK — Fox plans to avoid coverage of Qatar’s controversial treatment of migrant workers during World Cup broadcasts, much as it didn’t address criticism of Russia’s government during the 2018 tournament.

    “Our stance is if it affects what happens on the field of play, we will cover it and cover it fully,” David Neal, executive producer of Fox’s World Cup coverage, said Thursday. “But if it does not, if it is ancillary to the story of the tournament, there are plenty of other entities and outlets out there that are going to cover that. We firmly believe the viewers come to us to see what happens on the field, on the pitch.”

    Neal spoke at an event to debut images of the network’s set in Doha made of LED screens, the hub of its coverage of a tournament that runs from Nov. 20 to Dec. 18.

    “This set, in typical subtle Fox fashion,” he said, “I think it will be visible from Mars,”

    Qatar has been criticized over its treatment of the workers who built the World Cup venues. Paris’ city government will not broadcast World Cup matches on giant screens in public fan zones amid concerns over rights violations of migrant workers and the environmental impact of the tournament in Qatar.

    Neal said he did not regret bypassing coverage of issues such as racism and sexism in Russia four years ago.

    “I think the quizzical thing about what’s happened with Russia is that they took all that international goodwill that they had correctly earned as a really great host of the World Cup, and that’s now gone,” Neal said.

    Fox took over from ESPN as the FIFA’s U.S. English-language World Cup broadcaster starting with the 2015 women’s tournament and has rights through the 2026 men’s tournament in the United States, Mexico and Canada. It will televise 34 of 64 matches this year on the main Fox network and the remainder on its FS1 cable network.

    U.S. Spanish-language television rights are held by NBCUniversal’s Telemundo.

    Fox will have commentators call all matches from stadiums in Qatar, where the eight venues are within 35 miles (55 kilometers) of Doha. Four years ago, the 12 venues were spread around Russia and Fox called 33 matches onsite, including all but one during the knockout rounds.

    John Strong and Stu Holden, the lead announce team, attended the event along with host Rob Stone, analysts Alexi Lalas and Maurice Edu, and reporter Jenny Taft.

    With the tournament shifted from its traditional June/July time slot because of Qatar’s summer heat, games will take place during the NFL and college seasons. Fox debuted a “Superfan Santa” advertisement last weekend tying soccer to Santa Claus.

    “On Thanksgiving Day, yes, it’s great to be around family. It’s better to be around the television with your family so you don’t have to talk to them all the time,” Stone said. “So Thanksgiving Day, it is Luis Suárez. It is Cristiano Ronaldo. It is Neymar. It is Cowboys-Giants. That’s a lot of TV. That’s a lot of time you don’t have to talk to the in-laws.”

    Some weekend games will overlap coverage on Fox and other networks.

    “When we first saw the tournament being moved to November/December, we, like a lot of people said, oh, boy, that’s tough. It’s against football,” Neal said. “We came to realize that it’s an advantage. The simple fact is there’s more eyeballs available in November and December than there is in the summer. There’s more people available to television who are able to tune in, and instead of having to attract people in from the beach to watch what we’re doing, they’re already there.”

    The U.S. is back in the World Cup after missing the 2018 tournament.

    “One of our proudest moments as an entity, certainly as a World Cup rights holder, was the month worth of storytelling that we did in Russia, and it was about that 33rd character: 32 teams and the host country,” Neal said. “This time around we got a huge advantage over that because we got the United States there. The United States team I think we all believe has a legitimate chance of getting out of the group stage.”

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    AP World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/world-cup and https://twitter.com/AP—Sports

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  • Injury report raises hope for Di María’s World Cup status

    Injury report raises hope for Di María’s World Cup status

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    TURIN, Italy — Argentina winger Ángel Di María will be out for “around 20 days” with an injured right hamstring, Juventus announced on Thursday, leaving hope he can return in time for the World Cup.

    Juventus said tests revealed “a low-grade lesion to the hamstring of the right thigh,” adding “it will take around 20 days for the player’s complete recovery.”

    Di María exited Juventus’ Champions League loss at Maccabi Haifa on Tuesday when he pulled up grasping the back of his right thigh while wincing in pain.

    Argentina, one of the favorites for the World Cup in Qatar, opens on Nov. 22 against Saudi Arabia and also faces Mexico and Poland in Group C.

    Di María’s injury came days after fellow Argentina international Paulo Dybala was injured while playing for Roma.

    Also, Lionel Messi has a slight calf injury and was unavailable for Paris Saint-Germain’s game against Benfica in the Champions League on Tuesday.

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    AP World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/world-cup and https://twitter.com/AP—Sports

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  • FIFA reveals sites for World Cup fan viewing parties

    FIFA reveals sites for World Cup fan viewing parties

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    ZURICH — Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro and Dubai Harbour in the United Arab Emirates are among six locations worldwide that stage fan festivals during the World Cup in Qatar.

    Mexico City’s Plaza de la República, Sao Paulo’s Anhangabaú Valley, and downtown nightclub venues in London and Seoul, South Korea, also will host official game viewing parties and music events.

    Organizers have also hired electronic music events from Saudi Arabia and England to perform during the tournament.

    The events will “only be open to consumers of legal drinking age” at the venues co-organized by FIFA and long-time World Cup sponsor AB InBev, which brews the Budweiser, Corona and Brahma brands.

    Entry to some events will be free and some will have an entry charge, FIFA said in a statement on Monday.

    FIFA also revealed more details of music events planned in Qatar during the Nov. 20-Dec.18 tournament.

    The electronic music festival Aravia, run by a Saudi Arabian events organizer, will be staged at a 5,500-capacity site at Al Wakrah.

    The Arcadia Spectacular event, staging DJs beneath a fire-breathing, giant metal spider structure, has been a feature of the storied Glastonbury music and culture summer festival in England. It will be on a 15,000-capacity site at nearby Ras Bu Fontas, also close to Doha’s new international airport next to the Persian Gulf.

    Qatari World Cup officials and the music promoters have not detailed ticket prices for their World Cup shows.

    The main fan festival site for watching the 64 tournament games is at Al Bidda Park on the southern tip of the Corniche waterfront.

    Qatar has relaxed some restrictions on where and when alcohol can be consumed in the emirate so that AB InBev beers can be sold at official fan parties and game viewing areas.

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    AP World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/world-cup and https://twitter.com/AP—Sports

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  • FIFA won’t sanction Indonesia over fatal crush, Widodo says

    FIFA won’t sanction Indonesia over fatal crush, Widodo says

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    JAKARTA, Indonesia — Indonesia’s president said the country will not face sanctions from soccer’s world governing body after the firing of tear gas inside a half-locked stadium caused a crush at the exits, killing 131 people, including 17 children.

    Joko Widodo said FIFA President Giani Infantino wrote in a letter to him about potential collaborations between Indonesia and FIFA and the country will remain the host of next year’s U-20 World Cup joined by 24 countries from five continents.

    “Based on the letter, thank God, Indonesian is not sanctioned by FIFA,” Widodo said in a video posted on the presidential office’s YouTube channel late Friday.

    In its security protocols, FIFA advises against the use of tear gas in or around stadiums and recommends exit gates be unlocked at all times during a game. While those rules are considered a safety standard, they don’t apply to domestic or national leagues and FIFA has no authority over how local governments and police control crowds.

    Widodo toured the Kanjuruhan soccer stadium in Malang city on Wednesday and said several locked gates had contributed to the disaster that followed a league game between host Arema FC and Persebaya Surabaya on Oct. 1. The national police chief on Thursday said the stadium did not have a proper operating certificate and criminal charges would be brought against six people, including three police officers.

    Indonesia’s national soccer association, known locally as PSSI, has long struggled to manage the game domestically.

    Gaining the right to host next year’s Under-20 World Cup was a major milestone in Indonesia’s soccer development, raising hopes that a successful tournament would turn around longstanding problems that have blighted the sport in the nation, home to more than 277 million people.

    The deadly crush at is a tragic reminder, however, that Indonesia is one of the most dangerous countries in which to attend a game.

    Since last week, the domestic league has been suspended. Widodo has ordered the sports minister, the national police chief and the soccer federation to conduct a thorough investigation into the deadly stadium crush.

    He said on Friday that Indonesian government has agreed to take collaborative measures with FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation to improve stadium safety to prevent another tragedy.

    “FIFA, together with the government will set a transformation team for Indonesian ,” Widodo said, adding that Infantino would also to visit Indonesia in the near future.

    He said that FIFA will be based in Indonesia during these processes to improve safety standards at all football stadiums across the country, formulate security procedures and protocols for the police based on international standards, take feedback from Indonesian football clubs and fans, regulate season calendar under risk-based considerations as well as to involve experts from various fields for advice.

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  • Stadium tragedy exposes Indonesia’s troubled soccer history

    Stadium tragedy exposes Indonesia’s troubled soccer history

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    SEOUL, South Korea — Gaining the right to host next year’s Under-20 World Cup was a major milestone in Indonesia’s soccer development, raising hopes that a successful tournament would turn around long-standing problems that have blighted the sport in this country of 277 million people.

    The death of at least 125 people at a league game between host Arema FC of East Java’s Malang city and Persebaya Surabaya on Saturday is a tragic reminder, however, that Indonesia is one of the most dangerous countries in which to attend a game.

    “Do remember that the FIFA U-20 World Cup will be the worldwide spotlight since the event will be joined by 24 countries from five continents,” Indonesia’s President Joko Widodo said last month as he pushed for thorough preparations for the tournament.

    Since Saturday, the domestic league has been suspended. Widodo has ordered the sports minister, the national police chief and the soccer federation to conduct a thorough investigation into the deadly stadium crush.

    Indonesia was the first Asian team ever to play at a World Cup — participating in 1938 as Dutch East Indies — but despite an undoubted national passion for the sport, it has never returned to the global stage because of years of corruption, violence and mismanagement.

    Data from Indonesia’s soccer watchdog, Save Our Soccer, showed 78 people have died in game-related incidents over the past 28 years.

    Those accused are often associated with supporter groups that attach themselves to clubs, with the biggest boasting hundreds of thousands of members.

    Arema intense rivalry with Surabaya meant that no visiting fans were allowed in the stadium on the weekend. Yet violence broke out when the home team lost 3-2 and some of the 42,000 Arema fans, known as “Aremania,” threw bottles and other objects at players and soccer officials.

    Restrictions on visiting fans also have failed in the past. In 2016, despite Persib Bandung supporters being banned from a game with bitter rival Persija Jakarta, they were blamed for the death of a Jakarta supporter.

    A month earlier, a Persib fan had been beaten to death by Jakarta followers.

    In 2018, local media reported a seventh death in six years related to Indonesia’s biggest soccer rivalry.

    Soccer fans have accused security officials of being heavy-handed in the past and on the weekend, with witnesses describing officers beating them with sticks and shields before shooting tear gas canisters directly into the crowds. In 2016, police were accused of killing 16-year-old supporter Muhammad Fahreza at a game between Persija and Persela Lamongan, resulting in mass demonstrations demanding an end to police brutality.

    “The police who were in charge of security violated FIFA stadium safety and security regulations,” soccer analyst Akmal Marhali told Indonesian media on Sunday, referring to the use of tear gas on Malang fans who entered the pitch after their team’s defeat. That sparked a rush for exits in an overcrowded stadium.

    “The Indonesia Football Association may have been negligent for not informing the police that security procedures at a football match are not the same as those at a demonstration.”

    FIFA, soccer’s world governing body, prohibits the use of tear gas by on-field security or police at stadiums.

    Usman Hamid, executive director of Amnesty International Indonesia, said police who violated regulations should be tried in open court.

    “This loss of life cannot go unanswered. The police themselves have stated that the deaths occurred after police use of tear gas on the crowd resulted in a stampede at the stadium exits,” Hamid said in a statement. “Tear gas should also never be fired in confined spaces.”

    The soccer association, known locally as PSSI, has long struggled to manage the game domestically.

    In 2007, Nurdin Halid was imprisoned on corruption charges but was able to continue as the organization’s president until 2011. After Halid was banned from running for another term, a rival league, federation and national team emerged.

    But chaotic administration continued until FIFA suspended Indonesia in 2015, a sanction that was lifted the following year.

    In 2019, when FIFA awarded Indonesia hosting rights for the Under-20 World Cup, it was seen as a vote of confidence.

    In June, a FIFA panel inspected the country’s soccer facilities and planning for the May 20-June 11 tournament and proclaimed its satisfaction.

    “We are very pleased to see the preparations in Indonesia,” Roberto Grassi, Head of Youth Tournaments for FIFA said. “A lot of refurbishment work has been done already. We have had an encouraging visit and are confident of support from all stakeholders involved.”

    Kanjuruhan Stadium, the site of the disaster on Saturday, is not among the six venues listed for the Under-20 World Cup, although nearby Surabaya Stadium is scheduled to host games.

    FIFA has not yet commented on any potential impact on the Under-20 World Cup but the weekend tragedy is likely to damage Indonesia’s bid to host the 2023 Asian Cup. It is vying with South Korea and Qatar to become host of the continental championship after China relinquished its staging rights in May.

    Indonesia has already co-hosted the tournament, sharing the event in 2007 with Thailand, Malaysia and Vietnam and hosting the final in Jakarta, where Iraq beat Saudi Arabia for the title.

    That was the last time Indonesia staged a major international soccer tournament. The Asian Football Confederation is expected to announce its decision on the 2023 tournament on Oct. 17.

    There is unlikely to be any soccer played before then as people in Indonesia, and football followers around the globe, come to terms with one of the deadliest disasters ever at a sporting event.

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    Duerden covers soccer in Asia for The Associated Press.

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    More AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer and https://twitter.com/AP—Sports

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  • EXPLAINER: What’s behind Indonesia’s deadly soccer match?

    EXPLAINER: What’s behind Indonesia’s deadly soccer match?

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    JAKARTA, Indonesia — Violence, tear gas and a deadly crush that erupted following a domestic league soccer match Saturday night marked another tragedy in Indonesian . Here’s a look at how the chaos occurred and what is being done to prevent future incidents:

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    HOW DID THE CHAOS OCCUR?

    Chaos broke out after Persebaya Surabaya defeated Arema Malang 3-2 in Saturday night’s match in East Java’s province Malang city. Police said there were some 42,000 spectators in the stadium, all of whom were Arema’s supporters because the organizer had banned Persebaya fans in an effort to avoid brawls.

    But a disappointing loss by Arema — the first match lost to Persebaya at its home stadium — prompted angry spectators to pour into the field after the match to demand answers. Fans threw bottles and other objects at players and soccer officials and violence spread outside the stadium, where at least five police cars were toppled and set ablaze and others damaged. Riot police responded with tear gas, which is banned at soccer stadiums by FIFA. But it sparked panic.

    Hundreds of spectators rushed to an exit gate to avoid the tear gas, resulting in a crush that trampled or suffocated 34 to death almost instantly, with many more deaths to follow due to injuries.

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    HOW MANY PEOPLE DIED?

    In one of the worst sports disasters, police said at least 125 people died, including children and two police officers, most of whom were trampled.

    More than 100 people were injured. Police said the death toll is likely to rise more with multiple people in critical condition.

    Data from an Indonesian watchdog organization, Save Our Soccer, said that at least 86 soccer fans had died since 1995, most of them in fights.

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    WHY DOES SOCCER BEGET VIOLENCE?

    Football is the most popular sport in Indonesia and the domestic league is widely followed. Fans are strongly attached to their clubs, and such fanaticism often ends in violence and hooliganism. But it usually happens outside the stadium.

    The most well-known feud is between Persija Jakarta and Persib Bandung. Supporters of the two clubs have clashed in several matches that led to deaths. In 2018, a Persija Jakarta supporter was beaten to death by Persib Bandung rivals.

    Indonesian football has also been beset with trouble on the international stage. Brawls broke out between supporters of archrivals Indonesia and Malaysia in 2019 during qualifiers for this year’s FIFA World Cup. In September 2019, Malaysian fans were threatened and pelted with projectiles at a World Cup qualifier in Jakarta, and Malaysia’s visiting sports minister had to be evacuated from the stadium after violence broke out. Two months later, fans hurled flares and bottles at each other in another match in Kuala Lumpur.

    Also in 2019, after losing in the finals of the U-22 match to Vietnam in the Southeast Asian Games, Indonesian fans took to social media to insult, harass, and send death threats to Vietnamese players and even their families.

    In June, two Persib Bandung fans died while jostling to enter the stadium in Bandung to watch the 2022 President’s Cup. The angry supporters became aggressive because the officers on the field did not allow them to enter the already-full stadium.

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    WHAT IS THE GOVERNMENT DOING ABOUT IT?

    Indonesian President Joko Widodo has expressed his deepest regret and ordered a thorough investigation into the deaths. He has also ordered the premier soccer league suspended until a safety reevaluation is carried out and tighter security put in place. Widodo said he hoped “this tragedy will be the last tragedy of football in Indonesia.”

    Indonesia’s soccer association has also banned Arema from hosting soccer matches for the remainder of the season. Rights group Amnesty International urged Indonesia to investigate the use of tear gas at the stadium and ensure that those found in violations are tried in open court.

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