Ex Brazilian president Lula da Silva might be in prison, but that has not stopped a Brazilian TV station from hiring him as a World Cup commentator. “This is not a joke,” said Jose Trajano, who hosts the daily program at the Sao Paulo-based VTV network on which Lula, who was in office from 2003 to 2010, is talking about the competition.
Footballer Cristiano Ronaldo has reportedly agreed to accept a €18.8m fine and a suspended jail term to settle tax evasion charges. The Real Madrid and Portugal footballer, 33, was accused last year of defrauding tax authorities of €14.8m, charges he denies.
Video assistant referees will be used at the World Cup for the first time after Fifa formally approved the technology for this year's tournament. VAR has been trialed in some domestic English cup games this season, and has been used in Germany and Italy.
Peru's Renato Tapia admitted discussing World Cup qualification with Colombia captain Radamel Falcao during their match on Tuesday night but denied making a pact. Falcao, who plays his club football for French Ligue 1 side Monaco, was seen in discussion with Peruvian players with his hand covering his mouth towards the end of the 1-1 draw in Lima.
Lionel Messi fired Argentina into the World Cup with a brilliant hat-trick on Tuesday as South American champions Chile suffered a shock elimination. Messi single-handedly resurrected Argentina’s hopes in a 3-1 win over Ecuador in Quito that drew a line under a chaotic campaign that had left the two-time champions in danger of failing to qualify.
If the United Kingdom had consented to sit and negotiate the Falkland Islands, Argentina would have given its vote for England to organize the 2018 World Cup. The long standing rumor was confirmed by the son of Argentina's deceased powerful boss of the country's football, Julio Humberto Grondona.
FIFA’s ethics judge says full publication of Michael Garcia’s report on alleged corruption in the 2018/2022 World Cup bidding race is not legally possible and would breach confidentiality agreements with interviewees.
Sepp Blatter says a report into allegations of corruption in the 2018 and 2022 World Cup bidding contests will not be made public. During a press conference wrapping up a two-day executive meeting, the FIFA president said that the report by the federation’s chief investigator Michael Garcia will not be published.
Senior officials from the England team which bid to host the 2018 World Cup are meeting a lawyer appointed by FIFA to investigate allegations of wrong-doping surrounding the voting process.
The lead prosecutor of FIFA new ethics committee confirms he will examine the controversial awarding of the 2018 and 2022 World Cups to Russia and Qatar as well as the ISL scandal and corruption allegations involving Sepp Blatter.