TEHRAN, Iran (AA) – Iran has hit out at former German footballer and coach Jurgen Klinsmann, demanding his resignation from the FIFA Technical Study Group for his comments after Iran’s 2-0 win against Wales on Friday. In a statement on Sunday, Iran’s football federation accused Klinsmann of making judgments about Iranian R...
DOHA, Qatar (AA) – The Katara Cultural Village Mosque in Qatar’s capital of Doha has become the focus of attention for World Cup fans who want to know about Islam. Multilingual male and female preachers at the mosque explain the religion and tolerance of Islam to tourists. Electronic boards about Islam in more than 30 […]
ANKARA (AA) – The Iranian football team on Monday refused to sing their national anthem before the match against England in the 2022 FIFA World Cup to protest the death of Mahsa Amini. In addition, some sections of the Iranian fans at the Khalifa International Stadium in Qatar’s Ar-Rayyan booed their own anthem for the […]
Doha, Qatar (AFP): The World Cup kicked off in Qatar on Sunday as the month-long football showpiece finally got under way after a tortuous 12-year build-up dogged by off-field controversies. Qatar’s Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani was present in the impressive Al Bayt Stadium in Al Khor, 50 kilometres (31 miles) outside of Doha, to [&hel...
DOHA, Qatar (AA) – FIFA President Gianni Infantino has defended Qatar against what he called “Western hypocrisy” amid criticism of the Gulf country’s treatment of migrant workers. The global tournament is set to open in Qatar on Sunday and will last through December 18. Doha has come under growing European criticism over an a...
BRUSSELS (AA) – Qatar’s labor minister responded Monday to allegations about the conditions of migrant workers involved in construction work for the World Cup, saying a mechanism is already in place for those seeking compensation. In response to boycott calls from some politicians and human rights organizations in European countries foll...
Doha, Qatar (AFP): One week from kickoff, the World Cup trophy returned to Qatar on Sunday, teams and fans started arriving and safety barriers went up across Doha ahead of one of the most controversial football tournaments ever. The trophy which will be presented on December 18 returned from a world tour of 51 countries […]
ANKARA (AA) – Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid has announced that Israeli football fans would be able to fly directly to Qatar for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. “We have set up direct flights between Israel and Qatar for fans attending the FIFA World Cup,” Lapid said on Twitter. Qatar and Israel do not have […]
ISTANBUL (AA) – A French newspaper has published a cartoon depicting Qatar’s national football team as “terrorists”, sparking outrage across the Gulf country. The lampooning caricature comes days before Qatar is set to host FIFA World Cup 2022 this month, becoming the first Arab and Middle East country to organize the global tournament. The of...
DOHA, Qatar (AA) – Qatari Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani has slammed criticism of the Gulf country’s hosting of the World Cup as “hypocrisy”. Qatar is set to host World Cup from November 20 through December 18, becoming the first Arab and Middle Eastern country to organize the global tournament. The country has [&hel...
