
Commonwealth Games take off in Glasgow, Scotland on Wednesday with the Falklands squad the largest the Islands have ever sent to the Games. Falklands will be competing in Badminton, Lawn Bowls and Shooting. The Games are estimated to have a global audience of 1.5 billion during the lavish opening ceremony.

Two strong favourites have emerged to host the 2026 and 2030 World Cups. The UK is hopeful that they can follow Russia 2018 and Qatar 2022 and bring the cup to the country for the first time since 1966.

The British boss of a FIFA partner firm being investigated over alleged illegal World Cup ticket sales has surrendered to a judge in Brazil. Police had tried to arrest Ray Whelan four days ago but he was not at his exclusive Rio de Janeiro hotel. Mr. Whelan, director of Match Hospitality, denies any wrongdoing.

FIFA president Sepp Blatter has praised a very special World Cup in Brazil on Monday and gave the hosts a mark of 9.25 out of 10, slightly better that the 9 he had given South Africa four years ago.

Brazilians bitter about their team's disastrous World Cup celebrated Argentina's defeat to Germany in the final Sunday by dancing and launching fireworks, relieved that their arch-rivals failed to triumph on their soil.

Show the world you are better than Messi and you can decide the World Cup, German coach Joachim Löw told Mario Götze before sending him to the field, and effectively scoring the only goal of the match that gave Germany its fourth Cup.

Argentine president Cristina Fernandez will not be attending the Brazil World Cup final in Maracana stadium on Sunday when Argentina clashes with Germany, but will be present for the BRICS-Unasur-Mercosur summit scheduled for next week.

An executive from the World Cup’s hospitality services firm escaped out the back door of his plush Rio de Janeiro hotel Thursday to avoid arrest on charges of illegally selling tickets, police said.

Brazil forward Neymar has done the unpredictable once again by revealing he will support Brazil's biggest rivals Argentina in Sunday's World Cup final against Germany.

FIFA has suspended Nigeria from international competition after soccer leaders were fired by the government following the team’s World Cup exit amid a dispute over player bonuses. The suspension took effect immediately Wednesday, with Nigerian teams and officials barred from international matches and meetings.