United News of Bangladesh

FIFA has overhauled the 2026 World Cup draw format to ensure the four highest-ranked teams  like Spain, Argentina, France and England avoid each other until the semifinals, provided they top their groups. The draw, set for December 5 at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., will use a tennis-style bracket system for the first time. FIFA confirmed Tuesday that the new format rewards top-ranked sides by placing them in separate pathways for the 48-team tournament hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico from June 11 to July 19. The change means defending champions Argentina, led by Lionel Messi, and European champions Spain, inspired by Lamine Yamal, can only meet in the final at MetLife Stadium near New York, if both win their respective groups. “To ensure competitive balance, two separate pathways to the semifinals have been established,” FIFA said in a statement, aiming to reward teams whose consistent good results have raised their world ranking. Unlike previous World Cups where knockout paths were tied to group allocation, the new approach fixes the bracket in advance. This year’s draw will place 48 teams into four pots before assigning them to 12 groups of four. A full, updated match schedule, with stadiums and kickoff times, will be released on December 6. The ceremony will last about 90 minutes, with the draw itself taking an estimated 45 minutes. As hosts, Canada, Mexico and the United States enter Pot 1, joined by the nine highest-ranked teams: Spain, Argentina, France, England, Brazil, Portugal, the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany. Forty-two teams have already qualified, including Iran and Haiti, which FIFA expects to play as drawn despite political sensitivities with the U.S. The tournament will span 16 venues across the three host nations, including 11 NFL stadiums in the U.S. The remaining six entrants will be decided in March through European and intercontinental playoffs. Those teams will enter Pot 4, the lowest-ranked tier, meaning four-time champions Italy could prove a dangerous wildcard next week when the final placing draw is made. Host nations will be marked with different colored balls: Mexico as A1 (green ball), Canada as B1 (red ball), and USA as D1 (blue ball). The other nine Pot 1 teams will automatically be assigned to position 1 in their respective groups. Pot 2 features the next 12 teams: Croatia, Morocco, Colombia, Uruguay, Switzerland, Japan, Senegal, IR Iran, Korea Republic, Ecuador, Austria and Australia. Pot 3 includes Norway, Panama, Egypt, Algeria, Scotland, Paraguay, Tunisia, Côte d'Ivoire, Uzbekistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and South Africa. Pot 4 contains Jordan, Cape Verde, Ghana, Curaçao, Haiti, New Zealand and the six playoff winners. Teams from the same confederation cannot be drawn together, except for Europe, which will have 16 representatives, forcing four groups to include two UEFA nations. To maintain bracket balance, Spain (rank 1) and Argentina (rank 2) will be placed in opposite pathways. The same applies to France (rank 3) and England (rank 4), ensuring the top sides stay separated until late. For the host schedules, the USA, placed in Group D, will open on June 12 in Inglewood against a Pot 3 team, then face a Pot 2 opponent in Seattle on June 19, and finish against a Pot 4 side back in Inglewood. Mexico, in Group A, will kick off the tournament on June 11 at the Estadio Azteca against a Pot 3 team, then play a Pot 2 team on June 18 in Guadalajara, before returning to Mexico City for their final group match against a Pot 4 opponent. Canada starts on June 12 in Toronto against a Pot 4 team, then moves to Vancouver for matches against Pot 3 and Pot 2 sides. World Cup draw pots: Pot 1: Canada, Mexico, USA, Spain, Argentina, France, England, Brazil, Portugal, Netherlands, Belgium, Germany Pot 2: Croatia, Morocco, Colombia, Uruguay, Switzerland, Japan, Senegal, IR Iran, Korea Republic, Ecuador, Austria, Australia Pot 3: Norway, Panama, Egypt, Algeria, Scotland, Paraguay, Tunisia, Côte d'Ivoire, Uzbekistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Africa Pot 4: Jordan, Cabo Verde, Ghana, Curaçao, Haiti, New Zealand, European Playoff A, B, C, D, FIFA Playoff Tournament 1 and 2 Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.    

FIFA has overhauled the 2026 World Cup draw format to ensure the four highest-ranked teams  like Spain, Argentina, France and England avoid each other until the semifinals, provided they top their groups. The draw, set for December 5 at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., will use a tennis-style bracket system for the first time. FIFA confirmed Tuesday that the new format rewards top-ranked sides by placing them in separate pathways for the 48-team tournament hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico from June 11 to July 19. The change means defending champions Argentina, led by Lionel Messi, and European champions Spain, inspired by Lamine Yamal, can only meet in the final at MetLife Stadium near New York, if both win their respective groups. “To ensure competitive balance, two separate pathways to the semifinals have been established,” FIFA said in a statement, aiming to reward teams whose consistent good results have raised their world ranking. Unlike previous World Cups where knockout paths were tied to group allocation, the new approach fixes the bracket in advance. This year’s draw will place 48 teams into four pots before assigning them to 12 groups of four. A full, updated match schedule, with stadiums and kickoff times, will be released on December 6. The ceremony will last about 90 minutes, with the draw itself taking an estimated 45 minutes. As hosts, Canada, Mexico and the United States enter Pot 1, joined by the nine highest-ranked teams: Spain, Argentina, France, England, Brazil, Portugal, the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany. Forty-two teams have already qualified, including Iran and Haiti, which FIFA expects to play as drawn despite political sensitivities with the U.S. The tournament will span 16 venues across the three host nations, including 11 NFL stadiums in the U.S. The remaining six entrants will be decided in March through European and intercontinental playoffs. Those teams will enter Pot 4, the lowest-ranked tier, meaning four-time champions Italy could prove a dangerous wildcard next week when the final placing draw is made. Host nations will be marked with different colored balls: Mexico as A1 (green ball), Canada as B1 (red ball), and USA as D1 (blue ball). The other nine Pot 1 teams will automatically be assigned to position 1 in their respective groups. Pot 2 features the next 12 teams: Croatia, Morocco, Colombia, Uruguay, Switzerland, Japan, Senegal, IR Iran, Korea Republic, Ecuador, Austria and Australia. Pot 3 includes Norway, Panama, Egypt, Algeria, Scotland, Paraguay, Tunisia, Côte d'Ivoire, Uzbekistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and South Africa. Pot 4 contains Jordan, Cape Verde, Ghana, Curaçao, Haiti, New Zealand and the six playoff winners. Teams from the same confederation cannot be drawn together, except for Europe, which will have 16 representatives, forcing four groups to include two UEFA nations. To maintain bracket balance, Spain (rank 1) and Argentina (rank 2) will be placed in opposite pathways. The same applies to France (rank 3) and England (rank 4), ensuring the top sides stay separated until late. For the host schedules, the USA, placed in Group D, will open on June 12 in Inglewood against a Pot 3 team, then face a Pot 2 opponent in Seattle on June 19, and finish against a Pot 4 side back in Inglewood. Mexico, in Group A, will kick off the tournament on June 11 at the Estadio Azteca against a Pot 3 team, then play a Pot 2 team on June 18 in Guadalajara, before returning to Mexico City for their final group match against a Pot 4 opponent. Canada starts on June 12 in Toronto against a Pot 4 team, then moves to Vancouver for matches against Pot 3 and Pot 2 sides. World Cup draw pots: Pot 1: Canada, Mexico, USA, Spain, Argentina, France, England, Brazil, Portugal, Netherlands, Belgium, Germany Pot 2: Croatia, Morocco, Colombia, Uruguay, Switzerland, Japan, Senegal, IR Iran, Korea Republic, Ecuador, Austria, Australia Pot 3: Norway, Panama, Egypt, Algeria, Scotland, Paraguay, Tunisia, Côte d'Ivoire, Uzbekistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Africa Pot 4: Jordan, Cabo Verde, Ghana, Curaçao, Haiti, New Zealand, European Playoff A, B, C, D, FIFA Playoff Tournament 1 and 2 Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.  

Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo hinted that he will retire within the next two years, confirming that the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup will be his last appearance on football’s biggest stage. “I will be 41 years old and I think will be the moment in the big competition (World Cup),” Ronaldo told CNN’s Becky Anderson in an interview at the Tourism Summit in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Tuesday. As for when he’ll retire from the sport, the all-time leading goalscorer in international football history said, “I’m enjoying the moment, but when I mean soon, it’s really soon because I gave everything for football. “I’m in the game for the last 25 years. I did everything. I have many records in the different scenarios in the clubs and also in the national teams. I’m really proud, so let’s enjoy the moment, live the moment.” Ronaldo has scored 143 international goals and is the first-ever male player to score at five World Cups. The five-time Ballon d'Or winner is hoping to play at a sixth World Cup next year. He came closest to lifting the trophy on debut in 2006, when Portugal lost to France in the semi-finals. The expanded 48-team tournament, the largest in history, kicks off June 11, 2026, in the US, Mexico and Canada. The World Cup draw is scheduled for December 5 at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC. Portugal have yet to qualify for the 2026 World Cup, but can secure their spot if they beat Ireland on Thursday.

Portugal were denied an early ticket to the World Cup after Dominik Szoboszlai’s stoppage-time goal earned Hungary a 2–2 draw in their Group F qualifier in Lisbon on Tuesday, despite another record-setting night for Cristiano Ronaldo. Attila Szalai gave Hungary the lead early on, but Ronaldo struck twice before halftime to put Portugal in front. However, Szoboszlai slid in at the far post in added time to snatch a dramatic point for the visitors. Ronaldo’s first goal made him the all-time top scorer in World Cup qualifying history with 40 goals, one ahead of Guatemala’s Carlos Ruiz. The Portuguese captain now boasts 143 international goals in 225 appearances — both world records. Portugal dominated the opening stages, with Ronaldo missing narrowly in the fifth minute before Diogo Costa denied Roland Sallai. From the ensuing corner, Szalai headed home to give Hungary a surprise lead. Bangladesh’s Asia Cup dream almost over with 1-1 draw against Hong Kong Ronaldo equalised in the 22nd minute, converting Nélson Semedo’s low cross, and headed in again in first-half stoppage time from Nuno Mendes’ delivery to make it 2–1 at the break. After halftime, Portugal squandered several chances to seal victory. Semedo’s shot was kept out, while Rúben Dias and Bruno Fernandes were both denied by the woodwork and the goalkeeper. Substitute João Félix also went close with a header. Hungary continued to press late on, and Szoboszlai’s last-minute finish from Dániel Lukács’s cross ensured a share of the spoils. Portugal remain top of Group F with 10 points from four matches, followed by Hungary on five. Ireland climbed to third with four points after beating 10-man Armenia 1–0, who stay bottom with three. Messi scores twice, assists once as Inter Miami crush Atlanta United 4-0 In Group I, Italy secured at least second place with a 3–0 win over Israel, taking their tally to 15 points from six games — three behind leaders Norway, who have a perfect 18 points and a +26 goal difference compared to Italy’s +10. Gennaro Gattuso’s side must win big in their final match to overtake them.

Lionel Messi led his Argentina lineup off the field because of a brawl between rival fans in Brazil, delaying the start of their South American World Cup qualifier by 27 minutes Tuesday at the Maracana Stadium. Messi's squad returned from the locker room after it was deemed to be safe and went on to win a tense match 1-0, staying on the pitch to celebrate with their fans long after the final whistle. “There was family of the players (there). We were more worried about that than playing the match,” Messi said after the match. “We did that (going to the locker room) because that was the way to make it all calm. From below, we couldn’t do much, we saw how they (police) hit people.” Read: Argentina beats Brazil 1-0 in World Cup qualifying after crowd violence delays start Players of both teams had earlier asked fans for calm, with Argentina goalkeeper Dibu Martinez racing to one of the rails in front of the visiting fans and urging police to stop the violence. Police used batons to break up the fights in the crowd, which started minutes after the national anthems echoed around the stadium. Parts of seating and other objects were thrown from both sides and hit some spectators behind one of the goals, and at least one fan left the stadium bleeding from his head. Argentina returned after 22 minutes in the locker rooms, and warmed up for several minutes before the game was finally started. Dozens of police surrounded Argentina fans as they cheered during the match, and even more security faced toward them on the pitch. Police gathered around the section that can hold about 3,000 fans. Col. Vagner Ferreira, the highest-ranking police officer in the stadium, blamed organizers for the lack of a barrier between home and visiting fans. He defended the actions of police. Read: Messi seeks 1st goal against Brazil in World Cup qualifying, hosts try to avert crisis in Rio “Every action demands a reaction. There is a history of confrontation here. At first we spoke to them. Then, we had to use our batons. There was no lethal force involved, no rubber bullets, no tear gas. This was a very technical approach,” Ferreira told TV channel SporTV. All 69,000 tickets for the match in Rio de Janeiro were sold. Brazil fans, who jeered and applauded Messi before the brawl began, chanted against him when he returned to the pitch. Brazil players remained on the pitch and warmed up while waiting for the Argentina team to return. Argentina leads South American World Cup qualifying with 15 points from six games. Brazil is in sixth position. Both teams had lost their previous games in the 10-team round-robin competition. The rivalry between Brazil and Argentina started at the club level and grew after the Argentinians won their first World Cup title in 1978. The Brazilians beat Argentina 3-1 in the second phase of the 1982 World Cup, and the Argentines responded with a 1-0 victory eight years later in the round of 16. The reginal rivals have since played fierce matches in World Cup qualifying and in Copa America, but not in World Cups. They were expected to face off in the semifinals last year in Qatar, but Brazil was knocked out by Croatia in the quarterfinals before Argentina went on to win the title for a third time. Read: FIFA World Cup Qualifiers: Bangladesh team make gym, recovery session in Melbourne Sunday  The heated debate over who is the best footballer in history, with most Brazilians going for Pelé and Argentinians split between Messi and Diego Maradona, has also intensified the rivalry. On Nov. 4, Brazil's Fluminense won the Copa Libertadores final at the Maracana Stadium after a week of street fights between some of its supporters and those of Argentina's Boca Juniors.

Lionel Messi stands on the brink of a long-awaited World Cup winner’s medal as Argentina faces defending champions France in Sunday’s final. One of soccer’s greatest players of all time is within touching distance of the one major trophy that has eluded him in his storied career. Read more: FIFA charges Argentina for disorder at World Cup match But having experienced defeat in the final of 2014 in Brazil, when Argentina lost 1-0 to Germany through extra time, Messi knows all too well the pain of having his World Cup dreams shattered. If Argentina is to win the tournament for the first time since 1986, here is how it might do it: LEAVE IT TO MESSI There is no escaping the sense that it is Messi’s destiny to emulate soccer great Diego Maradona and lead Argentina to the World Cup title. The 35-year-old Paris Saint-Germain forward has been in inspired form in Qatar, scoring five goals on the way to the final and producing some magical assists for his teammates. Maradona, who died in 2020, also scored five times in ’86 and was an iconic figure for his team and country. Messi does not dominate games over 90 minutes in the way he did during his peak years. Instead he decides them with moments of brilliance that showcase the talents that have led many to describe him as the finest soccer player in history. He has carried the expectations of his nation throughout his career, but never truly delivered at a World Cup. While he may be past his best, he has been more influential in this tournament than in any of his previous four World Cups. Argentina’s fans seem convinced they will win the trophy for a third time and that there is more than just Messi guiding them on. “Maradona,” they sing, “is cheering Lionel on” from heaven. CONCENTRATION IS KEY Assessing his team’s semifinal loss to France, Morocco coach Walid Regragui provided a fascinating observation. “I believe any country that plays France believe they are close to winning,” he said. “But when you’re close to winning, actually you are quite far from winning.” After putting France under pressure for long periods, Morocco eventually lost 2-0. It was a similar story for England in the quarterfinals. France won 2-1 in that game, despite England’s players believing they had been the better team. The warning is there for Argentina. Both teams have been comfortable giving up possession of the ball and attacking on the break. Perhaps the winner will be the team that manages to stick to those tactics, rather than being sucked in and pushing too far forward. Maintaining that concentration and discipline will be vital for Argentina — especially with the threat of Kylian Mbappe’s speed when France breaks. Read more: Argentina beat Croatia 3-0 to reach World Cup final FEED OFF THE FANS It has been emotional for Argentina and its supporters, who have lit up the tournament in Qatar. The mass outpouring of feelings has been a feature after every win. That can take a lot out of players — but in this instance, it has felt like the opposite has been true. Messi and Co. look like they are being driven on by the weight of expectation, rather than burdened by it. There is a sense that the players and the fans are in this together, and if, as expected, Argentina’s supporters outnumber France’s at Lusail Stadium on Sunday, that could give the edge to Messi and his teammates. That being said, Morocco’s fans totally dominated the atmosphere in their country’s semifinals match against France and still ended up on the losing side.  

Luka Modric pulled his shirt up over his face as he trudged over to the sideline. Croatia’s red-and-white-clad fans recognized the sorrowful significance of the moment and rose up to applaud the diminutive midfielder who is probably their nation’s greatest ever player. Argentina’s boisterous supporters soon followed suit at Lusail Stadium, honoring an opponent who is likely appearing at his last World Cup. Substituted in the 81st minute on Tuesday, with his team trailing by three goals, it effectively marked the end of Modric’s World Cup era. Croatia ended up losing to Argentina 3-0 in the semifinals, four years after the team lost to France in the final. Read: Argentina beat Croatia 3-0 to reach World Cup final Modric was somber as he was replaced by Lovro Majer before calmly taking his seat in the dugout. There was no grand gesture to the crowd or outpouring of emotion for a man whose understated brilliance can still be overlooked despite everything he has achieved. “We just wanted to be again in the final,” Modric said, “but unfortunately we are not.” The second most famous 37-year-old at the World Cup is going home, a few days after the other one. Modric is the same age as former Real Madrid teammate Cristiano Ronaldo, but as both men approach the twilight of their trophy-laden careers, the contrast is stark. That was particularly evident leading up to and during the World Cup. While Ronaldo hogged the limelight with his explosive eve-of-the-tournament interview with Piers Morgan, Modric expressed himself on the field. After leading Croatia to the final in Russia, he was again the inspiration as a nation with a population of about 4 million made it to semifinals for the second straight World Cup. Read: Argentina erupts in joy after team reaches World Cup final Meanwhile, Ronaldo, amid the distraction of his exit from Manchester United and possible transfer to a club in Saudi Arabia, ended up benched and in tears as Portugal’s hopes were ended by Morocco in the quarterfinals. In Croatia’s quarterfinal match, Modric played his part in eliminating Brazil — and Neymar. But he couldn’t do anything to stop Lionel Messi on his personal mission to finally win soccer’s biggest trophy. Messi scored the opening goal from the penalty spot on Tuesday, and then produced a piece of magic to set up the second of Julian Alvarez’s two goals. But Messi wasn’t the only iconic figure on display at Lusail Stadium. Surely regarded by many as Croatia’s finest, Modric also ranks alongside the best midfielders to ever play the game. A five-time Champions League winner with Real Madrid, he also won soccer’s ultimate individual prize, the Ballon d’Or, in 2018. And his performances in Qatar show he still has more to give. He may yet play again for his national team at the 2024 European Championship with one final bow for his country. And who would rule out more trophies with Real Madrid? “Well, perhaps this is the end for the generation at the World Cup. A couple of them are at an age where it will be hard to play at the World Cup in 2026. We will wait and see,” Croatia coach Zlatko Dalić said. “I think a lot of players will finish off at Euro 2024.” Wherever Modric’s story goes from here, his status as a World Cup great is secure.

The streets of Argentina turned into a party Tuesday as the national team beat Croatia by a comfortable 3-0 and earned this soccer-crazed South American country a spot in the World Cup final. Fans poured onto the streets of the capital of Buenos Aires as soon as the match ended, with people waving Argentina flags out of their cars while others jumped and sang in joy amid a sea of wearing the national team’s jersey. Earlier, Buenos Aires had come to a standstill on what was a scorching summer afternoon as fans packed cafes, restaurants and public plazas, where giant screens followed the exploits of the Lionel Messi-led team. “I’m in complete ecstasy,” said Emiliano Adam, 31, who works at an advertising agency and was celebrating in the streets of Buenos Aires while wearing the country’s flag as a cape. “This is the first match that didn’t make me suffer, the first time I could enjoy a match from beginning to end.” Read: Modrić's dream of winning World Cup ends Argentina will now play the last match of the World Cup against either France or Morocco, who are facing off Wednesday.

Lionel Messi bent over, clutched his left hamstring and appeared to grimace, immediately spreading panic through the soccer world but especially among all Argentines. Was their superstar — their idol — injured? Was he going to have to come off early in the World Cup semifinals? No such luck for Croatia. Before long, Messi was producing perhaps the best performance of his record-tying 25 appearances at the World Cup, leading Argentina to a 3-0 victory over Croatia on Tuesday that set up a meeting with either France or Morocco in Sunday’s final. Messi is back in soccer’s biggest match on his mission to win the game’s greatest prize for the first time. At 35, he could hardly be playing any better. Messi converted a penalty and played a part in the other two goals by Julián Álvarez — one with an outrageous piece of skill that brought roars of approval from Argentina’s huge following — to turn an initially tense occasion into a procession. “A lot is going through my head — it’s very emotional seeing all of this,” Messi said in a post-match interview on the field as he looked up at Argentina’s celebrating, scarf-waving supporters. “To see the fans — ‘the family’ — during the whole tournament was so incredible. We’re going to the final, which is what we wanted.” It will be Messi’s second World Cup final — Argentina lost the other one to Germany in 2014 — in what might be his last appearance at the tournament. The stage is set for a player widely regarded as one of the game’s best, if not the absolute best, to go out on the ultimate high. He is thrilling his legion of fans along the way. His swivel and driving run to set up the third goal for Álvarez in the 69th minute left Josko Gvardiol — one of the best defenders at the World Cup — grasping at thin air and epitomized Messi’s confidence and swagger. He is embracing the responsibility of leading Argentina to its third World Cup title, scoring in five of his six games in Qatar. He even had a penalty saved in the one game in which he didn’t score. “I am honored to train him and see him play,” said Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni, who was in tears in the post-match celebrations. “Every time you see him play, it’s a huge source of motivation for his teammates, fans and the whole world.” Croatia failed in its bid to reach a second straight World Cup final after conceding two goals in a five-minute span from the 34th, just when the team was looking comfortable at Lusail Stadium and Messi was raising concerns by rubbing his hamstring. Maybe it was a ruse. Messi was soon toying with his opponents in a way only he can and put Argentina ahead by lifting his penalty into the top corner after Álvarez was taken out by Dominik Livakovic after clipping the ball past the Croatia goalkeeper. Álvarez scored himself in the 39th after a surging run from halfway, which started after he collected Messi’s short pass. Then came the crowning moment, Álvarez’s second goal, after Messi took Gvardiol for a ride in the right corner. It was one game too far for Croatia, which had beaten Japan and Brazil on penalties in the knockout stage, and star midfielder Luka Modric, who — at 37 — has likely played his final World Cup match. Summing up a frustrating game for the little midfield magician, he was substituted in the 81st minute and had a bright red nose after the ball slammed into his face moments earlier. “The first goal took the match in a different direction,” Croatia coach Zlatko Dalić said. “It’s the true Messi we all expected to see.” Argentina maintained its record of never having lost in the World Cup semifinals and has reached the final for the sixth time. Those dark days after losing to Saudi Arabia in its opening group match seem so long ago now for Argentina, which will be hard to stop in the final with Messi playing this well. “Even though we lost our first match, we were confident that this group was going to push forward,” Messi said. “We know what we are, and we called on the fans to believe in us.” MESSI RECORDS Messi became Argentina’s record scorer at World Cups with his third penalty of the tournament taking him to 11 goals in total — one more than Gabriel Batistuta. He also tied the record for most appearances at the World Cup by playing for the 25th time, the same number as Lothar Matthäus of Germany. ALVAREZ The 22-year-old Álvarez didn’t start the tournament as Argentina’s striker. He only took the place of Lautaro Martinez in the third group game and now has four goals, one behind Messi and Mbappé. He is the youngest player to score twice in a World Cup semifinal match since a 17-year-old Pele scored a hat trick in 1958.

FIFA opened a disciplinary case against Argentina for its players’ actions during a contentious World Cup quarterfinal match against the Netherlands. The soccer governing body cited “order and security at matches” in its disciplinary code for charging the Argentina soccer federation. Argentina substitutes and coaches encroached on the field as the game turned confrontational in the late stages as the Dutch scored two late goals to force extra time. There were more heated exchanges on the field after Argentina won the penalty shootout following the 2-2 draw. Lionel Messi was among a World Cup record 17 players or coaching staff members who were shown yellow cards during or after the game. Team misconduct charges are routine for collecting five yellow cards in a game and disciplinary cases were opened against both Argentina and the Netherlands, FIFA said. Both federations could get the same 15,000 Swiss francs fine ($16,000) that FIFA’s disciplinary panel imposed twice on Saudi Arabia at this World Cup for team misconduct. Read more: US soccer journalist Grant Wahl dies at World Cup Argentina will likely get a heavier fine for the separate disorder charge. FIFA gave no timetable for verdicts, which have typically not been published before a team’s next game at this World Cup.