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Former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said the decision to scrap FIFA president Gianni Infantino’s controversial plan to sell off stakes in the World Cup was “absolutely necessary and beyond question”. Wenger works as FIFA’s chief of global football development — he was appointed in 2019 — and the Frenchman became the latest high-profile figure to criticise Infantino’s scheme on Tuesday. Infantino wanted to sell a 20 per cent stake in the World Cup to private equity investors through his FIFA Forward Enterprise. The plan sparked a barrage of criticism for Infantino and has been rejected by three continental confederations, forcing the Italian to ditch his divisive idea. UEFA, European football’s governing body, threatened to boycott the World Cup and other FIFA competitions if Infantino pressed ahead with his plan. Wenger, the most successful manager in Arsenal’s history, joined the chorus of disapproval on Tuesday, making it clear he was opposed to the plan. “The recent events at FIFA deserve some clarity fro...

The blockchain analytics firm said the World Cup attracted global participation in prediction markets and digital collectibles, with more than 400,000 wallets placing blockchain-based bets. The 2026 FIFA World Cup drove $20 billion in blockchain-based prediction market volume and $24 million in digital collectible trades, with more than 400,000 wallets participating in blockchain-based betting, according to a report from blockchain analytics firm Chainalysis. The $20 billion figure includes trading before and during the tournament, with bettors placing roughly $5.7 billion in wagers over the five-week World Cup itself. World Cup-related markets accounted for about 63% of all prediction market activity during that period, the report said. According to Chainalysis, users from every continent except Antarctica participated in World Cup prediction markets, with the United States and China generating the highest attributable trading volumes, followed by Canada, Thailand and the United Kingdom. Read more

European football’s governing body UEFA said on Thursday it would boycott the World Cup should FIFA press ahead with its private investor plan. “No UEFA national teams will participate in any FIFA competition for so long as these proposals remain alive, unless this proposal has been abandoned in its entirety and binding assurances have been given that FIFA will never again open its governance or competitions to private ownership,” UEFA said in a statement. “The World Cup cannot be treated as an investment product … No part of it should ever be surrendered to private investors. The World Cup is not for sale.” FIFA, football’s world governing body, on Tuesday announced plans to create a commercial subsidiary to run its biggest events, such as the World Cup and Club World Cup. Under the proposal, private investors would be allowed to acquire stakes in the company but would remain minority shareholders, FIFA said. The governing body hopes to raise up to $4.2 billion based on a valuation of $20 billion for the FIF...

The organization sold locked WLD tokens to strategic investors as it seeks to grow its biometric identity network amid rising demand for human verification online. World Foundation has raised an initial $52.5 million through a sale of locked WLD tokens to strategic investors, with Pantera Capital leading the funding round. The round also included Bain Capital Crypto, Eightco Holdings, Selini Capital, Susquehanna Crypto and other investors, according to a Friday announcement shared with Cointelegraph. The WLD tokens sold in the fundraising are subject to a 12-month lockup. The nonprofit behind the World protocol said that new funds will be used to expand World ID, its system designed to distinguish people from AI agents. World ID generates a digital credential after users complete biometric verification at a World Orb device. Read more

[PRESS RELEASE – London, United Kingdom, July 22nd, 2026] Recognition in the Enterprise Fintech category reflects OpenPayd’s role in building the universal financial infrastructure for the digital economy OpenPayd, a leading provider of financial infrastructure, has been recognized among CNBC’s World’s Top Fintech Companies 2026, earning a place in the Enterprise Fintech category. Following an […]

France striker Kylian Mbappe became the World Cup’s all-time leading scorer ​with 22 goals when he netted twice ‌in Les Bleus’ 6-4 defeat by England in the third-place game on Saturday. The 27-year-old leapfrogged Argentina’s Lionel Messi (21), who ​is due to play in Sunday’s final ​against Spain, and although that will almost certainly ⁠be his rival’s last World Cup game, Mbappe ​will probably play in at least one more ​global tournament. Mbappe finished his third World Cup campaign with 10 goals to lead the Golden Boot standings, two ahead ​of Messi. France’s Kylian Mbappe celebrates scoring a goal, Miami Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida, US on July 18, 2026. — Reuters The Real Madrid forward managed the feat ​in 22 appearances, scoring four goals in 2018 and eight ‌in 2022 as France reached both finals, beating Croatia and losing to Argentina four years ago. “Messi is going to score (on Sunday), that’s for sure. I’m just ​trying to ​help my ⁠team win. When you score a lot of goals at the World Cup, ​it puts...

World champions will receive $50 million, while the losing finalists will collect $33 million

England beat France 6-4 in a chaotic World Cup third-place playoff on Saturday as Kylian Mbappe became the all-time leading scorer in World Cup history. Both teams had higher aspirations at the 2026 tournament but suffered painful semi-final exits — France were outplayed by Spain while England suffered a late collapse against Argentina. Both coaches made multiple changes for the match in the oppressive heat of Miami, with a host of stars on the bench at the start. England boss Thomas Tuchel left out Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham from his starting line-up while Deschamps, stepping down after 14 years at the helm, omitted Bradley Barcola and Ousmane Dembele. Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice put England ahead with a goal from distance in the third minute and Ezri Konsa headed home to make it 2-0. Kylian Mbappe and Michael Olise were a threat as France searched for a way back into the game but they found England’s second-choice goalkeeper Dean Henderson in top form. The game threatened to become embarrassing for F...

Heavy, acrid smoke blanketed the eastern United States on Saturday, marring preparations for the weekend’s highly awaited World Cup final to be held in an open stadium in New Jersey. Wildfires burning in Canada have sent the noxious smog billowing across the border, with residents in New York, Washington and the US Midwest urged to stay indoors due to dangerously low air quality. At one point on Saturday, the smoke made New York City the most polluted city in the world, followed closely by Toronto and Washington, according to air tracker IQAir. The marquee World Cup match, pitting Argentina against Spain, will be played Sunday in an open stadium in New Jersey, right across the river from New York City, where the city skyline was obscured by dense smoke and people wore masks outdoors. Members of the media try to record adverse weather conditions after an Argentina’s training session was postponed in Morristown, New Jersey, on July 18, 2026. — AFP Tournament organisers are “monitoring closely,” White House Worl...

Spanish elan meets Argentinian steel in a historic World Cup final on Sunday which sees the reigning champions of Europe and South America battle for football’s ultimate prize. Holders Argentina are bidding to become the first team in 64 years to successfully defend the title, in what is almost certainly the final World Cup match of captain Lionel Messi’s career. Spain are aiming to thwart those ambitions by clinching the country’s second World Cup crown following their maiden victory in 2010. US President Donald Trump will be among a star-studded crowd of just over 80,000 spectators at the MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford as the largest World Cup in history reaches its climax. World Cup officials have said they are “monitoring closely” air quality from Canadian wildfires affecting the region around the final, which kicks off at 12am PST. The final will also see an unprecedented 25-30 minute half-time interval for a Super Bowl-style concert featuring the likes of Madonna, Shakira and Justin Bieber. This com...

The pitch where Spain forward Lamine Yamal honed his skills in a working-class, multi-ethnic neighbourhood outside Barcelona was buzzing with life on Thursday as locals looked ahead with pride to the World Cup final against Lionel Messi’s Argentina. “Now that the moment has come when the two of them are going to play against each other, it’s incredible,” said Keba, an 18-year-old Senegalese resident, referring to Barcelona forward Lamine Yamal’s well-known admiration for Messi. Messi, 39, enjoyed the peak years of his career at Barcelona, having come through the club’s youth academy, and a viral photograph showing the Argentine with a baby Lamine Yamal, now 19, has captured imaginations ahead of Sunday’s final in New Jersey. Pedro, 83, talks in front of a jersey of soccer player Lamine Yamal displaying on the wall of Bar El Cordobes at Rocafonda neighbourhood in Mataro, north of Barcelona, Spain on July 16, 2026. — Reuters As children from migrant families played on a pitch behind a mural featuring Lamine Yam...

Argentina chase historic consecutive titles as Spain bid for a second World Cup crown

Lionel Messi will play in his second consecutive World Cup final, yet that wasn't good news for one trader.

White House says Trump will attend World Cup final, calling it the most watched and secure in US history

Denise poursuit une année d’une intensité rare : entre ses concerts à La Balançoire le 31 juillet prochain et au Palais le 2 août, avec son mari Shyn, puis le Festival Makua à Toamasina du 29 octobre au 1er novembre, elle trace un parcours qui unit création et engagement. Chaque scène devient pour elle un espace de rencontre, un lieu où la […] L’article Denise, ambassadrice de World Cola : l’art au service du rayonnement malgache est apparu en premier sur Midi Madagasikara.

Messi earns 200th Argentina cap, eyes another World Cup final

He is looking to emulate the French star by winning the World Cup as a teenager

Jude Bellingham scored twice, including the extra-time winner, as England ground out a 2-1 victory over a battling Norway side at Miami Stadium on Sunday to reach the World Cup semi-finals for the fourth time. The teams were locked up ​1-1 at the end of regulation time after Andreas Schjelderup had opened the scoring for Norway with a wonder strike in the 36th minute and Bellingham skipped ‌into the area to equalise just before halftime. Three minutes into extra time, though, Morgan Rogers fired a long-range shot at the Norwegian goal that Orjan Nyland could only parry and Bellingham stole in to bury the rebound, delighting the white-shirted fans in the crowd of 64,478. England will face Argentina or Switzerland in Atlanta on Wednesday in their fourth semi-final in their last five major championships, looking to stay on course for a repeat of their sole World ​Cup triumph of 1966. “The result is fantastic. We’re in the last four. It’s amazing, but I’m not happy with the performance,” England coach Thomas Tuch...

When four-time World Cup winners Italy failed to qualify for the 2026 tournament, then head coach Gennaro Gattuso lamented that Africa had so many places at the global showcase. “Africa deserves fewer World Cup slots,” he said, referring to the number of automatic qualifying places allocated to that continent rising from five to nine in an expanded 48-nation event. It became 10 when the Democratic Republic of Congo won an inter-continental play-off and returned to the World Cup after 52 years. Was Gattuso, a midfielder in the Italian 2006 World Cup-winning team, correct? Was Africa over-represented in the United States, Canada and Mexico? Apart from a disastrous showing by Tunisia, who axed coach Sabri Lamouchi after their first group game and lost all three matches, African flag-bearers proved competitive, justifying their presence. The other nine representatives reached the knockout stage, five as group runners-up. The other four were among the eight best third-placed teams. That represents 90 per cent succ...

England lock horns with Norway in a World Cup quarter-final in Miami on Saturday that pits Harry Kane against Erling Haaland in a mouthwatering battle of elite strikers. The teams are competing to face either reigning champions Argentina or surprise package Switzerland in the semi-finals. Kane has once again been England’s hero, dragging his teammates through an attritional last-16 meeting with Mexico at the Estadio Azteca that they won 3-2 despite having a man sent off. The Bayern Munich forward has scored six goals to fire the Three Lions to the quarter-finals. Haaland appears to have been enjoying himself ever since he touched down in the United States and began smashing in the seven goals that have carried Norway further than ever before. Their run, which included eliminating Brazil, has been accompanied by their fans’ joyous rowing celebration that has turned venues across the US into giant human Viking ships. A young Norwegian fan prepares to participate in the “Viking Row,” a cheer created by Norwegian...