EAST RUTHERFORD, New Jersey: Brazil begin their latest hunt for a long-awaited sixth World Cup crown on Sunday with little room for a gentle landing, facing up-and-coming Morocco in a Group C opener that will test the side’s ability to cope with a lengthy injury list. The record five-time winners a»»»

DOHA: Argentina (1st, up 2), the reigning world champions, will begin their title defence as the world’s top-ranked side after the June Men’s World Ranking was released hours before the 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off on Thursday. Argentina reclaimed top spot following friendly wins over Iceland and »»»

Aspetar Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Hospital, a FIFA Medical Centre of Excellence, continues to play a central role in supporting Arab national teams competing at the FIFA World Cup 2026, taking place from 11th June to 19th July across the United States, Mexico and Canada. As part of its ongoin»»»

1 of 2 | Racing pigeons, like this one in Portugal, participate in contests that range from 62 miles to more than 800 miles, testing speed and stamina across vast distances. Photo by Nelson Ferreira June 11 (UPI) -- As tourists in Portugal's historic city of Tomar dodge pigeons swooping for pastry »»»

Pope Leo XIV on Thursday visited Spain's Canary Islands, the once-notorious centre of the European migration debate, where he threw a bouquet of flowers in the sea in tribute to the migrants who perished trying to reach the Atlantic archipelago. The pontiff made a plea for "human dignity" and conde»»»

TOULOUSE: Authorities in the French city of Toulouse on Thursday announced a curfew for under-16s during “high risk” World Cup matches, after unrest marred celebrations of the recent Paris Saint-Germain Champions League victory. The matches in question are those involving France, games played by Mo»»»

WARSAW: Polish ‌lawmakers voted on Thursday to crack down on so-called ‘trash streaming’, imposing jail terms of up to five years for online broadcasts of crimes like rape and murder as well as cruelty to animals and violence aimed at humiliating people. The move is part of a broader ‌push by ‌Pola»»»

NEW JERSEY: Morocco replaced two injured players in their World Cup squad ahead of an opening game against Brazil, including star winger Abde Ezzalzouli. FIFA confirmed late Wednesday that former Barcelona player Ezzalzouli and Marseille defender Nayef Aguerd were withdrawn from the Morocco squad f»»»

Toulouse, France: Authorities in the French city of Toulouse on Thursday announced a curfew for under-16s during "high risk" World Cup matches, after unrest marred celebrations of the recent Paris Saint-Germain Champions League victory. The matches in question are those involving France, games play»»»

Doha, Qatar: Podar Pearl School, Al Meshaf Campus and Pearl School, Al Dafna Campus have been conferred the prestigious Diamond Category Award by the Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MoEHE), for the academic year 2025-2026. The award recognises the schools’ exemplary performance in the n»»»

New EU asylum rules come into force on Friday (12 June), spanning 10 legislative files that have taken years to develop, as far-right forces gain momentum amid a wider backlash against migration. The European Commission has framed the package as a major policy achievement, despite uneven implementa»»»

Doha, Qatar: The FIFA World Cup 2026 will represent a key milestone for Arabfootball, with Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Algeria, Jordan, Iraq, Egypt, Morocco and Tunisia all set to compete, marking the largest Arab presence in the tournament’s history. Co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico from»»»

Doha, Qatar: When co-hosts Mexico take on South Africa at the Estadio Azteca tonight (10pm Qatar time), the FIFA World Cup will enter a new era. The 23rd edition of football’s showpiece tournament is the first to feature 48 teams, expanding both the scale and reach of the competition. Fittingly, th»»»

On the occasion of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Al Majalla highlights some of the most notable and recent films on the world's most coveted sport. We start with a classic and then dive into more recent titles. A Stranger in My House Written by: Wahid Hamed Directed by: Samir Seif Country of production:»»»

Abu Dhabi: The second edition of the UAE Games 2026 concluded in Abu Dhabi after several days of sports competitions and community activities that brought together more than 1,000 athletes with intellectual and developmental disabilities from across the UAE. Organised by Special Olympics UAE, the e»»»

Mexico City Some of the most iconic objects in the history of world football are now on view in Mexico City as Objects of Glory: Iconic Moments in the History of Football opens at Museo Jumex as part of the Qatar Canada and Mexico 2026 Year of Culture. The opening was attended by Qatar's Ambassador»»»

Mexico City, Mexico and Doha, Qatar: Some of the most iconic objects in the history of world football are now on view in Mexico City as Objects of Glory: Iconic Moments in the History of Football opens at Museo Jumex as part of the Qatar Canada and Mexico 2026 Year of Culture. The opening was atten»»»

At Mohammed VI Tower; one of the Kingdom of Morocco’s most iconic architectural landmarks and the tallest tower in Africa, Research Science Investment (RSI), a leading UAE-based educational and cultural institution, signed a series of partnership and cooperation agreements with several Moroccan gov»»»

Doha, Qatar: Minister of Municipality H E Abdullah bin Hamad bin Abdullah Al Attiyah participated in the opening of GreenTech Amsterdam 2026, held in the Kingdom of the Netherlands from 9 to 11 June 2026. The exhibition is one of the world’s leading international events dedicated to agricultural te»»»

Doha, Qatar: A record eight Arab nations will compete at this month’s expanded FIFA World Cup 2026. As well as every minute of all104 matches available to watch live across the Middle East and North Africa exclusively on beIN Sports, the region’s leading sports and entertainment broadcaster will al»»»

Doha, Qatar: Spain head into the 2026 FIFA World Cup determined to reassert themselves among football’s elite, carrying both the legacy of past triumphs and the ambition of a new generation ready to define a new era. La Roja arrive with an impressive record in international football. Their finest m»»»

Doha, Qatar: Brazil made a historic move for this World Cup by appointing Carlo Ancelotti, becoming the first foreign manager to lead the Selecao in decades. The Italian has conquered Europe’s biggest leagues, winning domestic titles in England, Spain, Germany, France and Italy. He stands alone as »»»

Doha, Qatar: “Brazil will win their FIFA World Cup opener against Morocco.” That is what Ritinha predicts. Ritinha is not an expert in football, or any other sport – but just a female sandbar shark currently residing at the Rio de Janeiro’s AquaRio aquarium. World Cup predictions usually come from »»»

More than 1,100 migrants have been rescued off the coast of Mauritania in less than two weeks, its coastguard said Tuesday, signaling a resurgence in migration along the perilous Atlantic route. Thousands of people, most of them young, have tried to reach Europe from west Africa in recent years, ma»»»

For most of the post-Soviet era, Central Asia's economic story was written in commodities. Kazakhstan exported oil, uranium and metals. Uzbekistan relied on gold, natural gas and cotton. Turkmenistan sat atop some of the world's largest gas reserves. Technology barely featured in the conversation. »»»

RABAT: Moroccan police arrested 11 people after warrants were issued against them over drug trafficking and money laundering in France, Belgium, and the Netherlands, authorities said Tuesday. The arrests occurred on Monday in the cities of Marrakech and Tangier, Moroccan police told AFP. Police sai»»»

Oil markets have long been vulnerable to wars. Sanctions. Refinery outages. Shipping disruptions. Increasingly, however, analysts are warning of another threat capable of moving prices within minutes: Misinformation and/or disinformation. As tensions in the Middle East continue to unsettle energy m»»»

Bulgarian farmers have warned that suppliers to retail chains are pressuring them to cut purchase prices by 15% following the launch of the government’s “Care Basket” initiative, which promotes discounted basic food products. The program encourages stores to offer items from the basic consumer bask»»»

Doha: On behalf of H.E. Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani, President of the Qatar Olympic Committee, H.E. Dr. Thani bin Abdulrahman Al Kuwari, Second Vice President of the Qatar Olympic Committee, met this morning at his office with H.E. Jose Enrique Enriquez Rodriguez, Ambassador of the Republic of »»»

France on Tuesday banned Israel’s Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich from entry, slamming the far-right politician’s calls for the annexation of the occupied West Bank, new settlements in the area and the “recolonisation” of Gaza. Smotrich was among dozens of Israelis who were slapped with sanctions»»»

Who is the Somali referee barred from entering the US for the World Cup? 12 minutes agoShareSaveAdd as preferred on GoogleRob Stevens,BBC Sport AfricaandAbdinasir Ali,BBC Somali Getty ImagesOmar Artan became a Fifa referee in 2018 after working his way through the ranks of the Somali and African ga»»»

France Tuesday banned Israel's far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich from entering the country, the French foreign minister said, as part of coordinated sanctions with other countries over settler violence against Palestinians. France's sanctions were in coordination with Britain, Canada, Aus»»»

Executive Director of the Shafallah Center for Persons with Disabilities Fatima Saeed Al Saadi affirmed that the patronage of Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani for the 2026 graduation ceremony of the center's participants reflects »»»

Morocco are playing five-time world champions Brazil in their opening World Cup match on June 13, with fans hopeful following the team's success in the Africa Football Cup of Nations a few months prior. They will also be facing Scotland and Haiti.»»»

NOUAKCHOTT: More than 1,000 migrants have been rescued off the coast of Mauritania over 10 days, its coast guard said Tuesday, signalling a resurgence in migration along the perilous Atlantic route. Thousands of people, most of them young, have tried to reach Europe from west Africa in recent years»»»

DUBAI: Singer, dancer and actress Nora Fatehi is bringing Arab representation to the world’s biggest sporting stage once again, this time with a new song featured on the official FIFA World Cup 2026 album. The music video for the song was released on Monday. The track, titled “Siir Siir,” was relea»»»

PARIS: Diogo Jota’s widow said in a letter to Scotland captain Andy Robertson she is sure her late husband will be in his “heart” when he leads the side out for their opening match in the World Cup on Saturday.Jota and Robertson became close friends during their time at Liverpool before the former’»»»

Doha, Qatar: Morocco head to the 2026 FIFA World Cup as Africa’s strongest team and one of the leading forces in Arab football, determined to build on the history they made four years ago in Qatar. The Atlas Lions have enjoyed remarkable success in recent years. Alongside their historic World Cup a»»»

Damascus, June 9 (SANA) African diplomats accredited to Damascus underscored the importance of strengthening ties with Syria and expanding cooperation in economic, cultural and development fields during an Africa Day event in the Syrian capital.Speaking on behalf of African diplomatic missions at t»»»

Doha, Qatar: The FIFA World Cup 2026 is set to become the most significant edition in the tournament’s history, introducing a series of structural changes and record-setting achievements that will reshape the landscape of international football. Hosted jointly by the United States, Canada and Mexic»»»

Doha, Qatar: Katara Cultural Village in partnership with the Sri Lankan embassy in Doha will today host Ceylon Tea Tasting Evening — a celebration of the International Tea Day and 159 years of unbroken excellence of the legendary Ceylon tea industry. The evening will offer guests an immersive journ»»»

Neymar’s recent MRI revealed ‌he’s making “good progress” in his recovery from a calf injury as he ​attempts to represent Brazil in his fourth World Cup, the Brazilian Football Confederation announced on Monday. “The exam showed good progress in his treatment, within expected parameters,” the state»»»

Hong Kong’s three-day trade mission to Uzbekistan led by the territory’s Chief Executive John Lee on June 6 concluded with 23 signed agreements spanning finance, technology, aviation and investment. The journey to Uzbekistan followed the first leg of the mission in neighbouring Kazakhstan. In all, »»»

The Arab teams participating at the 2026 FIFA World Cup are relying on distinguished names, as these stars look forward to make a mark at football’s global showpiece. The eight Arab teams have raised their level of readiness, turning their attention to the biggest tournament in football. The upcomi»»»

ALGIERS: Three members of Western Saharan independence group the Polisario Front, including the son of the organization’s longtime leader Mohamed Abdelaziz, were killed while staging an attack on a Moroccan defense wall, the group announced. Lehbib Mohamed Abdelaziz, a member of the Polisario’s sec»»»

Misrata Free Zone (MFZ) Port received last Friday (5 June) the vessel “KAI XUAN 9” arriving from China as part of transit trade operations to Africa. The ship was carrying general cargo including iron coils, plywood, vehicles, and equipment, with a total cargo weight exceeding 9,700 tons. MFZ said »»»

BENGALURU: France will beat Spain to lift the World Cup trophy on July 19 and five-time winners Brazil are expected to be the biggest flops, according to a Reuters survey of economists who said football was still harder to call than inflation. For 160 respondents from nearly every continent, this p»»»

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi and Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki discussed bilateral relations, developments in the Horn of Africa, the conflict in Sudan, and Red Sea security during talks held in Cairo on Tuesday. According to a statement from the Egyptian presidency, the discussions »»»

Doha: President of the Qatar Olympic Committee HE Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al-Thani received on Monday morning at his office H E Shri Vipul, Ambassador of the Republic of India to the State of Qatar. During the meeting, the two sides reviewed the distinguished bilateral relations between the State of»»»

The European Union on Monday imposed sanctions on Iran’s Hormozgan Provincial Command of the IRGC Navy and two individuals over actions that impede lawful maritime transit and threaten freedom of navigation in the strategic Strait of Hormuz. Europe has been left on the sidelines as the US–Iran conf»»»