United News of Bangladesh

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is set to be the largest in the tournament’s history, featuring 48 teams, 104 matches and three host countries across 39 days of competition. Hosted jointly by the United States, Canada and Mexico, the event marks the first World Cup since FIFA expanded the field from 32 to 48 teams. The new format adds 12 more teams, four additional groups in the first round and a new round of 32 in the knockout stage. The last expansion came in 1998, when the tournament grew from 24 to 32 teams. The 2026 edition is also only the second World Cup to be staged by multiple countries after Japan and South Korea co-hosted in 2002. A total of 16 stadiums will host matches, including 11 venues in the United States, three in Mexico and two in Canada. Mexico and Canada will each stage 13 matches, while the remaining 78 games, including all quarterfinals, semifinals and the final, will be played in the United States. Here are some key numbers behind the tournament: 1,248 players A record 1,248 players from 449 clubs across 71 countries have been selected for the tournament. Of them, 357 have previous World Cup experience, while 891 will be making their debut. England-based clubs provide the highest number of players with 200, followed by Germany (109), France (86), Spain (86), Italy (71) and Saudi Arabia (49). At club level, Manchester City leads with 19 players in the tournament, ahead of Bayern Munich with 18. Paris Saint-Germain and Arsenal each have 16 players, while Barcelona has 15. 226 international appearances Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo enters the tournament with a record 226 international caps. He and Lionel Messi are set to become the first players to appear in six World Cups. Ronaldo remains the only player to have scored in five different World Cups and has netted eight goals in 22 World Cup matches. Messi holds the record for most World Cup appearances with 26 matches, while Luka Modrić is closing in on 200 international appearances. 16 World Cup goals The all-time World Cup scoring record of 16 goals, held by Miroslav Klose, could come under threat. Messi has scored 13 World Cup goals, while France striker Kylian Mbappé already has 12 goals from the last two tournaments. 8 champions Only eight countries have ever won the World Cup. Brazil leads with five titles, while Italy and Germany have four each. The most recent first-time champions were France in 1998 and Spain in 2010. 2 successful title defenses Only Brazil and Italy have successfully defended a World Cup title. Brazil achieved the feat in 1958 and 1962, while Italy won back-to-back crowns in 1934 and 1938. 6 defending champions eliminated early Six reigning champions have failed to advance beyond the group stage, including three in the last four tournaments. Italy exited early in 2010, Spain in 2014 and Germany in 2018. 3 straight finals? France will attempt to become only the third nation to reach three consecutive World Cup finals after winning in 2018 and finishing runner-up in 2022. 23 appearances for Brazil Brazil national football team is the only nation to have appeared in every World Cup since the inaugural tournament in 1930. Brazil also leads all countries with 76 World Cup wins, 237 goals and a goal difference of +129. 4 debutants Four nations will make their World Cup debut in 2026: Cape Verde national football team, Curaçao national football team, Jordan national football team and Uzbekistan national football team. Their participation will raise the total number of countries that have played in the World Cup to 84. 7 matches without a win Egypt national football team has played seven World Cup matches without recording a victory, with a record of two draws and five defeats. Only Honduras has gone longer without a win, having played nine matches, but it did not qualify for this year's tournament. 2,720 goals A total of 2,720 goals have been scored in 964 matches across the first 22 World Cups. With 40 additional matches in 2026 compared with previous tournaments, the record of 172 goals scored at the 2022 World Cup is expected to be surpassed. 25-year age gap The oldest player in the tournament is Scotland goalkeeper Craig Gordon, who will be 43 years old when the competition begins. The youngest is Mexico midfielder Gilbert Mora, who is just 17, creating an age difference of more than 25 years between the oldest and youngest participants.  

Barcelona secured their second consecutive La Liga title and 29th overall with a comfortable 2-0 victory over rivals Real Madrid at Camp Nou on Sunday, in a match overshadowed by the bereavement of coach Hansi Flick. Goals from Marcus Rashford in the ninth minute and Ferran Torres in the 18th sealed the win, giving Barcelona an unassailable 14-point lead with three matches remaining. A draw would have been enough for the Catalan club to clinch their third title in four seasons. Messi wants Neymar at World Cup despite injury concerns Flick, whose father died hours before kickoff, was on the bench for the clasico. Players observed a moment of silence and wore black armbands. “It was a tough day… this team is like a family,” Flick said. Real Madrid, record 36-time champions, are set to finish a second straight season without a major trophy. The defeat capped a turbulent week marked by training-ground altercations, with Federico Valverde and Aurélien Tchouaméni fined 500,000 euros each. Jude Bellingham had a goal ruled out for offside, while Raphinha returned from injury. Madrid missed top scorer Kylian Mbappé due to a hamstring issue, and Valverde was also absent following a head injury. Barcelona have now won 11 straight league matches and also lifted the Spanish Super Cup this season. Elsewhere, Mallorca drew 1-1 with Villarreal, while Real Oviedo were held 0-0 by Getafe.

Arsenal will look to end a 20-year wait for a UEFA Champions League final appearance when they host Atletico Madrid in the second leg of their semifinal on Tuesday. The tie remains finely poised after a 1-1 draw in Madrid last week, with both sides scoring from penalties as they chase a first European Cup title. Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said, "After 20 years to be in this position again, We are so hungry to get the game that we want (Tuesday) and go through to that final.” Arsenal had earlier beaten Atletico 4-0 at home during the league phase in October, though Atletico coach Diego Simeone expects a more disciplined performance from his side. “I’m going to try to tell the team to play like they did in the second half (in Madrid)," Simeone said. "If it’s that easy it would be great. We have a lot of faith in what we’re doing.” Both teams have received boosts with key players returning from injury. Forward Julian Alvarez is expected to play for Atletico, while Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard and forward Kai Havertz are available. Atletico have reached the Champions League final twice under Simeone, in 2014 and 2016, losing both times to Real Madrid. Arsenal’s only final appearance came in 2006, when they were beaten by Barcelona. The winner will face either Paris Saint-Germain or Bayern Munich in the final. PSG lead 5-4 from the first leg ahead of Wednesday’s return match. Arsenal’s pursuit of their first Premier League title in 22 years also received a boost after Manchester City drew 3-3 with Everton. Arsenal can secure the title by winning their remaining three matches. Atletico are currently fourth in La Liga, trailing leaders Barcelona by 25 points.

Football’s global rulemakers have revised red card guidelines following two controversial incidents in international matches earlier this year. The changes were pushed by FIFA President Gianni Infantino after separate incidents involving Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni and Senegal’s national team drew widespread attention. Under the updated guidance approved by the International Football Association Board (IFAB), players can now be shown a red card if they cover their mouths while verbally confronting an opponent. The rule is optional and can be enforced at the discretion of tournament organizers, including FIFA. The decision follows an incident in a Champions League match where Prestianni allegedly hid his words while insulting Real Madrid’s Vinícius Júnior. Vinícius, supported by teammate Kylian Mbappé, accused him of making a racially offensive remark. Last week, UEFA handed Prestianni a six-match suspension, with three games suspended during a probation period, citing verbal abuse. While the body said it could not prove racial abuse, it confirmed the use of a homophobic slur, which the player admitted. If selected for Argentina’s World Cup squad, he will miss the team’s first two matches, although the decision can still be appealed. IFAB also approved another rule allowing referees to issue red cards to players who leave the field in protest of a decision. The same punishment can apply to team officials who encourage such actions. This follows a dramatic incident during the Africa Cup of Nations final in January, when Senegal’s players walked off the pitch in stoppage time to protest a penalty awarded to host Morocco with the score at 0-0. The match was halted for nearly 15 minutes before play resumed. Senegal eventually won in extra time, but the title was later stripped by African football authorities. The case is now set to be heard at the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Switzerland. IFAB said the new rules will be shared with all 48 teams participating in the upcoming World Cup, which kicks off on June 11 in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Football star Lionel Messi has been sued by a Miami-based event promoter who claims he broke the terms of a $7 million contract by failing to play in a scheduled exhibition match last year. According to court records, Vid Music Group filed a lawsuit last month in a Miami-Dade circuit court, accusing Messi and the Argentine Football Association (AFA) of fraud and breach of contract. The company says it had secured exclusive rights to organize and promote Argentina’s friendly matches against Venezuela and Puerto Rico in October, in return for ticket sales, broadcast rights and sponsorship revenue. It claims the agreement required Messi to play at least 30 minutes in each match unless he was injured. Messi did not play in Argentina’s 1-0 win over Venezuela on October 10, instead watching from a suite at Hard Rock Stadium in Florida. However, he played the following day for his club Inter Miami in an MLS match, where he scored twice in a 4-0 win over Atlanta United. He later featured in Argentina’s 6-0 victory over Puerto Rico on October 14. That match had originally been scheduled in Chicago but was moved to Florida amid low ticket sales and security concerns. The promoter alleges it suffered losses running into millions of dollars due to Messi’s absence from one match and poor attendance at the other. Messi and the AFA have not yet responded to the lawsuit.

Barcelona will need to overturn a two-goal deficit against Atletico Madrid on Tuesday to secure a place in the Champions League semifinals, as the two sides meet for the fifth time in less than two months. Atletico Madrid will host the second leg, defending a 2-0 advantage from the first match as they aim to reach the last four of Europe’s elite club competition for the first time in nearly a decade. The teams have faced each other repeatedly in recent weeks. Before last week’s Champions League first leg, Barcelona defeated Atletico 2-1 in a Spanish league clash on April 4. The sides also met twice in the Copa del Rey semifinals, where Atletico secured a 4-0 home win and progressed to the final despite losing 3-0 in the second leg in Barcelona. Man City hold psychological advantage over Arsenal, says Rooney Atletico last reached the Champions League semifinals in 2017, while Barcelona were eliminated at the last-four stage by Inter Milan last season. Atletico coach Diego Simeone has not ruled out goalkeeper Jan Oblak’s return, as he has resumed training after a muscle injury sustained on March 10 and is expected to be fit. The winner will face either Arsenal or Sporting CP in the semifinals, with Arsenal holding a 1-0 advantage from the first leg ahead of Wednesday’s return match in England.

Lionel Messi will have a stadium stand named after him by his current club Inter Miami CF at their new home ground, the 26,700-seat Nu Stadium. The 38-year-old forward, widely considered one of football’s greatest players, joined the MLS side in 2023 after a successful career in Europe with FC Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain. Since arriving in Florida, Messi has become Inter Miami’s all-time top scorer with 82 goals and leading assist provider with 53. The club’s decision to name a stand after an active player is seen as unusual. In a statement, Inter Miami said such honours are usually reserved for the past, but this recognition reflects what Messi is achieving now and the impact he continues to make on the pitch. The club is set to play its first match at the new stadium against Austin FC on April 4. This marks the second time a stand has been named after Messi. In June 2025, his boyhood club Newell's Old Boys also honoured him in a similar way. Messi, who led Argentina national football team to World Cup victory in 2022, is an eight-time Ballon d’Or winner and became the first player in MLS history to win back-to-back MVP awards last season. His move to Inter Miami, co-owned by former England captain David Beckham, has boosted the club’s profile and popularity of the league, along with bringing titles such as the Leagues Cup, Supporters’ Shield and MLS Cup. Source : BBC

Defending champions China beat Taiwan 2-0 in the quarterfinals of the Women’s Asian Cup on Saturday, securing a place in the semifinals against host Australia and qualifying for the 2027 Women’s World Cup. The match ended goalless after 90 minutes despite China dominating the game between the two sides that have long-standing geopolitical tensions. Shao Ziqin finally broke the deadlock three minutes into extra time. A late own goal by Taiwan sealed a deserved victory for the Chinese team. Iran withdraws from 2026 FIFA World Cup amid war “I’m very happy that we won today and that I could score a goal,” Shao said after the match. “We are now in the last four. Thank you everyone for your support.” Earlier on Friday, Sam Kerr scored once and set up another goal as Australia advanced to the semifinals and confirmed their World Cup berth with a 2-1 victory over North Korea. Later on Saturday, South Korea were scheduled to face Uzbekistan in another quarterfinal in Sydney. On Sunday, Japan will play the final quarterfinal against the Philippines, also in Sydney. Japan enter the match with three wins from three group games and a tournament-best 17 goals without conceding. The semifinals will be held on Tuesday and Wednesday, while the final is scheduled for next Saturday in Sydney. World Cup qualification All four semifinalists of the Women’s Asian Cup automatically qualify for next year’s Women’s World Cup in Brazil. North Korea will get another opportunity to qualify through a playoff match next Thursday in Australia. The teams finishing fifth and sixth in the tournament will also earn places at the World Cup. Earlier in the week, the group stage was overshadowed by Iran’s withdrawal from the tournament after members of its delegation were granted asylum.

Shafiul Alam Uzzal and Yadul Haque have been elected president and general secretary of the Bangladesh Elevator, Escalator and Lift Importers Association (BELIA) for the tenure of 2026-2028. The new executive committee was officially announced on Saturday at a restaurant in the BTMC Bhaban in the city’s Karwan Bazar. The announcement was followed by an introductory meeting and an Iftar party attended by general members. Students and women’s football stars unite to stand against cyber harassment According to the election board, the transition of leadership was completed peacefully following the announced schedule. A single full panel of 13 candidates filed nomination papers for the 13 available posts. As no other valid nominations were submitted within the deadline, the election board declared the panel elected uncontested. The other office bearers of the committee include Senior Vice-President Achinta Kumar Biswas, Vice-President Asim Sarkar, Finance Secretary SM Moniruzzaman Monir, and Joint General Secretary Md. Khalid Hossain Tarafder. The elected directors are Mohammad Zakirul Haque, Md. Neamul Haque, Md. Lutfar Rahman, Faruk Hossain, Mohammad Nasir Uddin, Ahmed Ali, and Aref Ahmed. Speaking at the event, newly elected President Shafiul Alam Uzzal expressed his commitment to strengthening the association's activities. He pledged to play an effective role in protecting the interests of members and advancing the development of the country’s lift and elevator industry.

Cristiano Ronaldo, the world’s all-time leading goal scorer, celebrates his 41st birthday today on Thursday, as much a global brand as a football icon. Beyond league titles, Ballon d’Ors, and Champions League triumphs, Ronaldo has crafted a self-sustaining commercial empire that could thrive even after he retires. His CR7 brand spans footwear, apparel, fragrances, gyms, and hotels. Partnerships include CR7 Crunch Fitness in Portugal and Spain, CR7 Pestana hotels across Madeira, Lisbon, Madrid, Marrakech, and New York, and a fragrance line with Eden Parfums. Ronaldo hints at retirement in “probably one or two years” Ronaldo’s social media reach is unmatched: in September 2025, he became the first person to reach 1 billion followers across all platforms, with 671 million on Instagram alone. His online presence provides unmatched visibility for sponsors, including Nike, Herbalife, Clear, Binance, Tag Heuer, Armani, and Jacob & Co. In the twilight of his career, Ronaldo’s move to Saudi Arabia’s Al Nassr offered enormous commercial gains. His 2025 contract extension pays £492 million over two years, including a 15% stake in the club worth £33 million, ensuring a lavish post-playing career. Experts say Ronaldo’s strategy—building digital and tangible assets while active on the pitch—offers a model for athletes worldwide, including India, to grow personal brands alongside sporting careers.