Iran have asked Fifa to relocate their upcoming World Cup group matches from the United States to Mexico amid escalating geopolitical tensions in the Middle East.
The national team’s participation in this summer’s tournament was thrown into doubt following recent airstrikes by the US and Israel on Tehran.
Those strikes, which killed the Islamic Republic’s supreme leader, prompted retaliatory attacks on American military bases in the Gulf.
Security concerns prompt relocation request
United States President Donald Trump stated last week that it was not appropriate for the Iranian squad to compete in the country for their own safety.
That prompted a swift response from the president of Iran’s football federation, Mehdi Taj.
Taj confirmed that moving the team’s fixtures south of the border is the primary solution currently under consideration.
“When Trump has explicitly stated that he cannot ensure the security of the Iranian national team, we will certainly not travel to America.”
“We are negotiating with FIFA to hold Iran’s World Cup matches in Mexico.”
Tournament logistics and potential withdrawal
The global showpiece, co-hosted by the US, Canada and Mexico, is scheduled to begin on 11 June.
Under the current draw, the Middle Eastern nation are slated to play two group stage matches in Los Angeles and a third in Seattle.
Iran’s sports minister had previously suggested it was impossible for their players to participate following the outbreak of conflict.
An official withdrawal would be unprecedented in the modern era and leave world football’s governing body scrambling for a late replacement team.
Asian Football Confederation expects participation
Despite the escalating rhetoric, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) clarified they have received no formal notification of a withdrawal.
AFC general secretary Windsor John told reporters in Kuala Lumpur that the decision ultimately rests with the national federation.
“At the end of the day, it’s the federation who should decide if they’re playing, and as of today, the federation has told us that they are going to the World Cup.”
Tottenham Hotspur are actively considering an approach for Robbie Keane to replace manager Igor Tudor amid a worsening Premier League relegation battle.
The north London club currently sit just one point above the dreaded drop zone.
Spurs secured their first point under the Croatian coach during a recent draw with Liverpool, but overall performances remain uninspiring.
Tudor was originally appointed to succeed Thomas Frank, yet the team has looked largely toothless in attack during his short tenure.
Relegation fears loom large
A defeat against Nottingham Forest this weekend could see the capital club plunge into the bottom three.
That catastrophic scenario will become reality if West Ham United manage to secure three points in their respective fixture.
With top-flight survival hanging in the balance, sources indicate the Tottenham hierarchy are exploring alternative options to spark an immediate turnaround.
Door open for a return
The former Spurs striker is currently managing Hungarian outfit Ferencvaros, where he has enjoyed notable success.
Having already won two league titles in his fledgling managerial career, the Irishman has developed a reputation for building a winning mentality.
Ferencvaros director Judit Berkesi recently admitted her club is realistic about losing highly-rated staff members to bigger leagues.
“This is actually the club’s merit in this respect, that we are already at a point where we can sell not only players well in certain cases, but also head coaches in the last two cases. It is certain that this possibility may also exist with Robbie in certain cases, despite the fact that he feels very good here, can really work in very good conditions, receives all the support that is possible, and the coaches can appreciate this as well.”
A necessary upgrade
These candid comments suggest obtaining the former fan favourite could be a relatively straightforward process.
Whether facilitated through a modest release clause or a mutual agreement, a pathway appears clear for a reunion.
Bringing back a beloved club legend who intimately understands the fanbase could instantly lift the sour atmosphere surrounding the stadium.
Decision-makers must now determine whether to ruthlessly pull the plug on the current regime before their Championship fate is permanently sealed.
Liverpool manager Arne Slot has warned his squad about their damaging recent form as they prepare to overturn a 1-0 deficit against Galatasaray in the Champions League on Wednesday.
The Reds welcome the Turkish giants to Anfield following a deeply frustrating 1-1 Premier League draw with Tottenham Hotspur.
That result leaves the Merseyside club two points adrift of Aston Villa in the race for domestic top-four qualification.
Recent struggles have visibly affected the stadium atmosphere, with some supporters booing the team and leaving early during the weekend fixture.
Slot frustrated by recurring flaws
The Dutch tactician highlighted his side’s inability to convert chances and maintain defensive solidity as major concerns.
Despite regularly generating a higher expected goals (xG) tally than their opponents, the six-time European champions have repeatedly dropped vital points.
“Of course it is damaging but how many times has this been damaging for us this season?”
“We don’t help ourselves at all. It is so many times this season we have created much more xG or chances than the amount of goals we score.”
Slot acknowledged that a severe lack of clean sheets is hindering their ambitions to climb the Premier League table.
“Usually in the Premier League you see a lot of teams outperforming their xG but that definitely is not what we are doing.”
Szoboszlai reveals squad crisis talks
The pressure of consecutive disappointing displays has prompted urgent internal discussions among the playing staff.
Hungarian international Dominik Szoboszlai confirmed that the squad held meetings to address their deteriorating form.
“We had already a couple of weeks ago a talk between each other saying: ‘Guys we don’t have such a lot of time to do this right so we have to wake up’.”
The 24-year-old midfielder also expressed severe disappointment with the lack of support from the stands during difficult moments.
Trailing from the first leg of their round of 16 tie, the former RB Leipzig playmaker urged supporters to remain behind the team against Galatasaray.
“I don’t think it helps us also that after 80 minutes people start to go home, it doesn’t help us at all.”
“Stick with us.”
Chelsea winger Mykhailo Mudryk could seek a loan move to restart his career once the outcome of his provisional doping suspension is resolved.
The Ukrainian international remains sidelined from action at Stamford Bridge while awaiting a final regulatory verdict.
Reports indicate the wide player will look for temporary opportunities away from West London if he is cleared to return to professional football.
Such a transfer would provide the former Shakhtar Donetsk forward with vital playing time following a turbulent spell in the English top flight.
Tudor retains Tottenham interim role
Elsewhere in the capital, Igor Tudor will continue as interim head coach at Tottenham Hotspur for two crucial upcoming fixtures.
The Croatian tactician is confirmed to oversee Wednesday’s highly anticipated Champions League clash against Atletico Madrid.
He will also remain in the home dugout for the pivotal Premier League encounter with Nottingham Forest.
Arsenal receive Odegaard fitness boost
Mikel Arteta has offered Arsenal supporters renewed hope regarding the recovery of influential club captain Martin Odegaard.
The Norwegian playmaker could potentially feature in Sunday’s Carabao Cup final against Manchester City at Wembley Stadium.
His timely availability would provide a significant creative lift for the North London outfit as they seek major domestic silverware.
Clarke contemplates club management return
North of the border, Steve Clarke has publicly admitted he is open to receiving offers from domestic club sides.
The experienced manager’s long-term future with the Scottish national team currently hangs in the balance.
Brentford missed the chance to move within a point of the Premier League’s top six as they squandered a two-goal lead to draw 2-2 with Wolverhampton Wanderers at the Gtech Community Stadium.
The hosts appeared to be cruising towards a crucial victory in their unlikely pursuit of European football following early strikes from Michael Kayode and Igor Thiago.
However, a resilient fightback from the visitors, sparked by Adam Armstrong’s controversial effort and completed by substitute Tolu Arokodare, forced a share of the spoils.
Thiago celebrates call-up as hosts dominate early exchanges
Keith Andrews’ side have defied pre-season expectations to challenge the division’s elite, and they started with their trademark high intensity in west London.
Their dominance was rewarded when full-back Kayode rose highest to plant a powerful header past Jose Sa in the 22nd minute.
The advantage was doubled shortly after by the newly-capped Brazil international Thiago, who calmly rolled the ball into an empty net following excellent wide play from Dango Ouattara.
Armstrong strikes amidst backpass controversy
The momentum shifted dramatically just before the interval when Armstrong fired home a spectacular effort to halve the deficit.
The goal was shrouded in controversy, with the home side furious that an apparent backpass from Ladislav Krejci to the visiting goalkeeper went unpunished during the build-up.
Refereeing body PGMOL later clarified that the video assistant referee could not intervene because the incident occurred outside the immediate attacking phase.
Substitutes make the difference for resilient visitors
Buoyed by their lifeline, the West Midlands outfit emerged for the second half with renewed belief and began to dictate the tempo.
Armstrong nearly grabbed a second when he struck the woodwork, serving as a stark warning of the growing threat.
The equaliser eventually arrived 13 minutes from time through Arokodare, who made an instant impact to level the match just four minutes after his introduction from the bench.
The result leaves the Bees frustrated in their pursuit of Chelsea and Liverpool, while the visitors return home with a hard-earned point to boost their own campaign.
Brentford striker Igor Thiago has received his maiden senior call-up for Brazil ahead of their March friendlies in the United States, while Chelsea winger Estevao has been omitted.
The uncapped forward is enjoying a phenomenal campaign under manager Keith Andrews.
He has scored 19 goals in 30 league appearances so far this season.
That impressive tally leaves the frontman second only to Erling Haaland in the scoring charts.
His remarkable domestic form recently earned the goalscorer a lucrative contract extension last month.
Estevao and Neymar miss out
Carlo Ancelotti has opted to leave several high-profile names out of his latest Selecao squad.
Chelsea’s Estevao misses the cut having only recently returned to fitness following a hamstring injury.
Veteran attacker Neymar is also a notable absentee from the travelling party.
The former Paris St-Germain star has struggled for both form and fitness since undergoing major knee surgery in December.
An experimental squad for March friendlies
This upcoming international break represents the final training camp before the summer’s World Cup.
The five-time world champions will face France and Croatia in two exhibition matches across the Atlantic.
Despite lacking any prior experience in the national youth setup, the in-form Brentford talisman will hope to make his international debut.
He is joined by Bournemouth’s Rayan, Flamengo defender Leo Pereira and Galatasaray midfielder Gabriel Sara, who are all seeking their first caps.
Endrick returns alongside Premier League contingent
Lyon loanee Endrick has earned a recall following a resurgence in French football.
The 21-year-old initially struggled after joining Real Madrid in 2024, but has since netted six times in 12 outings for his new club.
A strong Premier League contingent remains involved, with Chelsea duo Andrey Santos and Joao Pedro making the trip.
Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson and Manchester United midfielder Casemiro will provide vital experience to the ranks.
Arsenal’s Gabriel Martinelli completes the English-based selections, though the winger faces stiff competition from Vinicius Jr for a starting berth.
England manager Thomas Tuchel will announce his squad on Friday for the upcoming World Cup warm-up friendlies against Uruguay and Japan at Wembley.
The announcement, scheduled for 10:00 GMT, serves as a crucial indicator of the national team’s direction ahead of this summer’s tournament.
Widespread changes are not anticipated, with highly-rated teenagers Max Dowman and Rio Ngumoha expected to be omitted despite recent domestic speculation.
However, the right side of defence presents a significant dilemma for the head coach following a fresh injury blow to Reece James.
Defensive reshuffle and Alexander-Arnold’s return
Chelsea captain James is sidelined with another hamstring issue, which Blues manager Liam Rosenior confirmed will keep him out for several weeks.
This unfortunate setback for the injury-prone defender opens the door for Trent Alexander-Arnold, who has returned to fitness following his own struggles in Spain.
The Real Madrid full-back has found it difficult to convince the German tactician previously, but his recent starts in La Liga make him incredibly difficult to ignore.
Newcastle United’s Tino Livramento and Tottenham Hotspur’s Djed Spence, who recently impressed against Liverpool, are also vying for inclusion on the right flank.
Midfield battles and defensive contenders
In the middle of the park, Bournemouth prospect Alex Scott is making a strong case for a recall after earning a spot in the squad just three months ago.
The fearless playmaker provides exceptional progressive passing, offering stiff competition to established names like Declan Rice and Elliott Anderson.
Elsewhere, Lewis Hall is fiercely challenging Manchester City youngster Nico O’Reilly for the starting left-back role.
At the heart of the defence, Jarell Quansah’s eye-catching performances for Bayer Leverkusen have significantly boosted his chances of selection.
The central defender will compete against the returning John Stones and Manchester United stalwart Harry Maguire, who is targeting a dramatic international recall.
Goalkeeping hierarchy remains stable
Between the posts, Everton’s Jordan Pickford remains the undisputed first choice despite a recent high-profile error against Arsenal.
Meanwhile, Aaron Ramsdale is heavily tipped to retain his spot as the third-choice goalkeeper after securing regular domestic minutes.
Celtic are targeting former striker Robbie Keane to replace outgoing manager Martin O’Neill ahead of the 2026-27 Scottish Premiership season.
The Glasgow club are preparing for life after the 74-year-old, who arrived during a difficult spell under Wilfried Nancy and successfully revitalised the squad.
Under the veteran coach, the Hoops currently sit just two points behind league leaders Hearts with a genuine chance of securing the domestic title.
Winning pedigree in Europe
The 45-year-old candidate has established a strong managerial reputation following successful spells with Maccabi Tel Aviv and his current club Ferencvaros.
Having already secured two league titles in his short coaching career, the former Republic of Ireland international has demonstrated an ability to make an immediate impact.
His preferred 3-5-2 formation would represent a tactical shift for the Scottish giants, but his track record of delivering domestic dominance makes him a compelling option.
A familiar face in Glasgow
The former Tottenham Hotspur forward understands the unique demands of the club following a brief loan spell at Celtic Park.
During that short stint as a player, the prolific attacker proved highly successful by registering seven league goals in just 12 appearances.
The Celtic hierarchy must act swiftly to secure their primary target, as other clubs including Tottenham are reportedly monitoring his availability before the summer window.