United News of Bangladesh

FIFA President Gianni Infantino confirmed that Iran will participate in the upcoming FIFA World Cup and play its scheduled matches in the United States. FIFA’s conformation will now end speculation about a potential boycott or venue relocation amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. Speaking after attending Iran’s 5-0 friendly victory over Costa Rica in Turkey on Tuesday, Infantino said the tournament schedule will proceed without alterations. "Iran will be at the World Cup," Infantino said. "The matches will be played where they are supposed to be, according to the draw". The announcement follows weeks of uncertainty surrounding the Iranian team's status due to the US-Israel war with Iran. Earlier this month, the Iranian football federation stated it was negotiating with FIFA to relocate its matches to Mexico. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum had publicly offered to host the games if necessary. Iran is scheduled to face New Zealand on June 15 and Belgium on June 21 in Los Angeles, followed by a match against Egypt in Seattle on June 26. The tournament, co-hosted by the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, begins June 11. Mehdi Mohammad Nabi, vice president of the Iranian Football Federation, said the team will adhere to FIFA's regulations and expects host nations to do the same. "Every host country has made commitments to FIFA and must honor them," Nabi said. He added that Infantino’s visit during his transit from Mexico to Qatar provided a significant boost to the players. The geopolitical tension had recently spilled into public statements from government officials. U.S. President Donald Trump posted on social media earlier this month that while Iran was "welcome to the World Cup," he felt they should not participate "for their own life and safety". In response, Iranian officials suggested the U.S. should forfeit its place in the tournament. Iranian Sports Minister Ahmad Donyamali also previously stated the country was not in a position to compete. Prior to Tuesday's friendly match in Antalya, Iranian players held up photographs of damaged hospitals, historical buildings, and children killed in the war.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is unlike anything football has seen before  and that's not just a line for the brochure. This is the first World Cup to include 48 teams, expanded from 32, and the first to be hosted by three nations simultaneously the United States, Canada, and Mexico, spread across 16 cities. But the numbers only go so far in capturing what this qualification cycle actually produced. There were stories of nations waiting decades for this moment, a European giant falling through the trapdoor for the third consecutive time, a man from Manchester scoring 16 goals for Norway, and a tiny Caribbean island rewriting the record books. All of that before a ball is kicked at a World Cup. The Full 48 Teams — Confederation by ConfederationUEFA — Europe: Austria, Belgium, Croatia, England, France, Germany, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Scotland, Spain, and Switzerland all qualified as group winners. The remaining four European spots were settled in the March 2026 playoffs, where Bosnia and Herzegovina, Sweden, Türkiye, and Czechia each won their respective paths to join the field. Italy four-time World Cup winners missed out for the third consecutive time, losing the play-off final. The scale of that absence, in a 48-team tournament no less, warrants more than a footnote. CAF — Africa: Algeria, Cape Verde, Egypt, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Morocco, Senegal, South Africa, and Tunisia make up the African contingent, with DR Congo joining them via the intercontinental playoff. Ten African nations at a single World Cup the most ever. AFC — Asia: Australia, Iran, Japan, Jordan, Uzbekistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and South Korea qualified directly, with Iraq claiming the final Asian berth through the intercontinental playoff. Japan was the first nation anywhere in the world to qualify, and South Korea secured their 11th consecutive World Cup appearance. CONMEBOL — South America: Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, and Uruguay all came through the grueling round-robin format. Brazil maintains their record as the only nation to have qualified for every World Cup since 1930. OFC — Oceania: For the first time in history, the OFC received a guaranteed berth, and New Zealand filled it, a landmark moment for Oceanian football that has been 96 years in the making.

The Italy national football team suffered another major setback, failing to qualify for a third consecutive FIFA World Cup after losing to Bosnia and Herzegovina national football team in a penalty shootout in the European playoffs on Tuesday. Despite taking an early lead through Moise Kean, Italy’s hopes were dented when defender Alessandro Bastoni was sent off before halftime. Bosnia fought back late in the match, with substitute Haris Tabaković scoring in the 79th minute to level the score at 1-1 and force extra time. Bosnia eventually triumphed 4-1 in the shootout, securing their first World Cup qualification since 2014 and only the second in their history. The defeat added to Italy’s recent struggles, having also failed to reach the last two World Cups after playoff losses to Sweden and North Macedonia. Italy coach Gennaro Gattuso said the team is facing a difficult period, acknowledging their repeated failures to meet expectations at both national and club levels. Defender Leonardo Spinazzola expressed disappointment, saying the result was painful for players, their families and fans, especially younger supporters who have never seen Italy play at a World Cup. The latest elimination means the four-time champions, winners in 1934, 1938, 1982 and 2006, will go at least 16 years without appearing at football’s biggest tournament. Italy’s last World Cup match was in 2014, when they were knocked out in the group stage in a game remembered for Luis Suárez biting Giorgio Chiellini. Italy’s football federation president Gabriele Gravina admitted the team is in a “huge crisis.” The defeat is also likely to increase scrutiny on Gattuso, who took charge after Luciano Spalletti was dismissed last year. Although Italy had a brief revival with a six-match winning run, they finished second in their qualifying group and were forced into the playoffs again. Italy had beaten Northern Ireland 2-0 in the playoff semifinal but struggled against Bosnia at the compact Bilino Polje Stadium in Zenica. On paper, the match appeared heavily tilted in Italy’s favor, with the team ranked far higher by FIFA and boasting significantly greater resources and player salaries. However, Bosnia held firm and capitalized on their chances. In the shootout, Italy’s Pio Esposito and Bryan Cristante missed their penalties, while U.S.-born Esmir Bajraktarević converted the decisive spot kick for Bosnia. The result also highlights a generational gap in Italian football, with none of the current squad having played in a World Cup finals. In other European playoff finals, Sweden national football team, Turkey national football team and Czech Republic national football team secured qualification. Sweden booked their place with a 3-2 win over Poland, thanks to a late goal from Viktor Gyökeres, who had also starred with a hat trick in the semifinal. Poland captain Robert Lewandowski had been aiming for what could have been his final World Cup appearance. Turkey qualified for the first time since 2002 with a 1-0 win over Kosovo, while the Czech Republic advanced after defeating Denmark in a penalty shootout following a 2-2 draw.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino has said that Iran “will be at the World Cup,” amid uncertainty over whether the team would travel to the United States, where most of their group-stage matches are scheduled. Earlier this month, US President Donald Trump said it would not be “appropriate” for Iran to participate, citing concerns over their life and safety. Iran has been trying to shift its matches to Mexico in response to the situation. FIFA fines Israel, rejects Palestinian call for suspension and urges Iran to keep World Cup schedule Meanwhile, Iran’s sports ministry last week barred its teams from travelling to countries it considers hostile, although the directive did not specifically mention the World Cup. Source: Al Jazeera

Fast bowlers Matt Fisher, Will O’Rourke, and Blair Tickner have been named in the New Zealand squads for the upcoming limited-overs tour of Bangladesh, returning to international cricket following injury layoffs. Test captain Tom Latham will lead both the one-day international and Twenty20 international sides. Regular white-ball captain Mitch Santner is unavailable due to commitments with the Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League.  O’Rourke returns to the ODI squad after recovering from a back injury, while Fisher joins the T20I side following a shin issue. Tickner, recovering from an ankle injury, has been named in both 15-man squads. New Zealand head coach Rob Walter said the return of the fast bowlers is crucial for managing workloads in the modern game. “Will, Blair and Matt have been working very hard over the past few months to get themselves back on the park and back in contention for selection,” Walter said.  The tour also marks a recall for off-spinning allrounder Dean Foxcroft, who has not played a T20I since April 2024. Foxcroft earned his spot following a strong domestic season where he finished as the fourth-highest run-scorer in the Ford Trophy, helping the Central Stags reach the final.  Several players, including Muhammad Abbas, Adithya Ashok, Kristian Clarke, and Ben Sears, will join the national team directly from the New Zealand A one-day series in Sri Lanka.  Clarke and Jayden Lennox are set for their second ODI appearances following New Zealand's historic away series victory against India in January. During that tour, Clarke took seven wickets across three matches, while Lennox maintained an economy rate of 4.20 over 20 overs. Lennox is also in line for a potential T20I format debut.  The team will depart New Zealand on April 13. The first ODI is scheduled to begin on April 17. New Zealand ODI Squad: Tom Latham (captain), Muhammad Abbas, Adithya Ashok, Kristian Clarke, Josh Clarkson, Dane Cleaver, Dean Foxcroft, Nick Kelly, Jayden Lennox, Henry Nicholls, Will O’Rourke, Ben Sears, Nathan Smith, Blair Tickner, Will Young. New Zealand T20I Squad: Tom Latham (captain), Katene Clarke, Kristian Clarke, Josh Clarkson, Dane Cleaver, Matt Fisher, Dean Foxcroft, Bevon Jacobs, Nick Kelly, Jayden Lennox, Tim Robinson, Ben Sears, Nathan Smith, Ish Sodhi, Blair Tickner.

Ghana has dismissed head coach Otto Addo less than three months before the team’s opening match at the World Cup. The Ghana Football Association announced on Monday that it had parted ways with Addo with immediate effect but did not provide reasons for the decision or name a successor. The move follows a string of disappointing results, including a 2-1 defeat to Germany in Stuttgart on Monday. Ghana had also suffered a 5-1 loss to Austria last Friday, extending their losing streak to four consecutive friendly matches. Addo was in his second stint as head coach after leaving his role in talent development at Borussia Dortmund in March 2024. He previously led Ghana on an interim basis in 2022, including at the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, where the team secured a win over South Korea but failed to progress beyond the group stage. A former player, Addo won the Bundesliga with Dortmund and represented Ghana at the FIFA World Cup 2006. Ghana, making its fifth World Cup appearance, has been drawn in Group L alongside Croatia, England and Panama. The team is scheduled to open its campaign against Panama on June 17 in Toronto.

Lahore Qalandars batter Fakhar Zaman has been charged over alleged ball tampering before the final over of a Pakistan Super League match against Karachi Kings on Sunday. According to a statement from the Pakistan Cricket Board, Zaman denied the allegation during a disciplinary hearing conducted by match referee Roshan Mahanama. The board said another hearing will be held within 48 hours, after which a decision will be announced. If found guilty, he could face at least a one-match suspension under Level 3 offence rules. The incident occurred late in the match when fast bowler Haris Rauf was preparing to bowl the final over, with Karachi needing 14 runs to win. At that point, Lahore captain Shaheen Shah Afridi, Zaman and Rauf were seen discussing strategy at the top of the run-up, during which all three handled the ball — a common practice in tense moments. However, on-field umpire Faisal Afridi requested the ball for inspection and consulted with fellow umpire Sharfuddoula. The umpires concluded that the ball had been deliberately altered, awarding five penalty runs to Karachi and replacing the ball. Following the decision, Karachi’s target was reduced to nine runs from the final over. Although Khushdil Shah was dismissed off the first delivery, Rauf bowled a wide before Abbas Afridi struck a boundary and a six to secure a four-wicket victory for Karachi in 19.3 overs.

Mexico and Portugal played to a 0-0 draw Sunday in a World Cup warmup match marking the reopening of Azteca Stadium after nearly two years of renovations. Goncalo Ramos of Portugal came closest to scoring, striking the goalpost in the 26th minute. Mexico coach Javier Aguirre praised his squad’s performance despite some inconsistencies and injuries, noting that 12 key players were unavailable. Portugal also faced absences, including Cristiano Ronaldo and Rafael Leão. Mexico will face South Africa at the Azteca in the World Cup opener on June 11, and Belgium next Tuesday at Soldier Field in Chicago. Portugal will debut on June 17 against the winner of the intercontinental playoff between Jamaica and Congo and play the U.S. at Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium beforehand. Tragedy struck before kickoff when a fan fell from the second level in the VIP section and died. Authorities said the intoxicated fan attempted to climb down and was fatally injured despite medical attention. Protests also occurred outside the stadium by groups of mothers searching for missing relatives, highlighting ongoing criticism over Mexico’s handling of its 130,000 registered missing people. The match marked a historic return for the iconic stadium, which hosted the 1970 and 1986 World Cup finals and will host five games in the upcoming 2026 tournament.

Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) archer Lance Naik Newaz Ahmed Rakib has brought glory to the country by winning a gold medal on the international stage. Lance Naik Newaz Ahmed Rakib is currently serving in the Naikshongchhari Battalion (11 BGB), and his hometown is Haidhankhali village in Kishoreganj. Rakib achieved this success while representing Bangladesh in the ‘2026 Asia Cup World Ranking Tournament, Stage-1,’ according to a media statement. The Bangladesh team left for Thailand on March 20, 2026, and the competition began in Bangkok on March 21. A total of 42 players from 22 countries, including Bangladesh, participated in the tournament. In the final of the men’s team compound category held on the morning of March 27, 2026, Bangladesh defeated Vietnam by 232–225 points to win the gold medal. This remarkable achievement will inspire the country’s sports arena and pave the way for further success in the future, read the statement.

England captain Ben Stokes will miss the start of the county cricket season as he continues to recover from a broken cheekbone.The 34-year-old Durham all-rounder sustained the injury last month during a training session with academy players and underwent surgery soon after. Stokes has not played since England’s 4-1 Ashes defeat in Australia in January.He will miss Durham’s County Championship opener against Kent next week but could return for matches against Worcestershire in early May, Durham coach Ryan Campbell said. England’s first summer Test match is scheduled against New Zealand starting June 4. Naseem Shah issued show-cause notice over social media post mocking Punjab chief ministerLast week, the England and Wales Cricket Board confirmed it would retain the current leadership following its Ashes review. Managing director Rob Key, head coach Brendon McCullum, and Stokes as captain will continue in their roles after England lost the series in just 11 days with two games to spare.