Category sport-news

The development board of Rwanda’s premier league leaders announced on Wednesday that their partnership with Arsenal would end at the end of the current season.

The Visit Rwanda partnership, which was signed eight years ago, had become more and more sensitive as a result of the escalating violence in the mineral-rich eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, which is close to Rwanda.

The M23 militia, which has seized large tracts of DRC territory since it took up arms in 2021, is being alleged by the DRC to be supporting and arming Rwanda.

Despite signing a ceasefire agreement and peace framework in recent months, the conflict has claimed the lives of thousands of people and created a humanitarian crisis.

Also read: McClaren steps down after Jamaica is excluded from the World Cup.

Arsenal supporters protested the partnership’s continued existence in April, in which case the Visit Rwanda logo is displayed on the players’ jersey sleeves.

The Rwanda Development Board announced in a statement that Arsenal and the Rwanda Development Board had reached a mutual agreement to end their partnership at the end of the current season, bringing the partnership to an end.

Rwanda maintains partnerships with Atletico Madrid, Bayern Munich, and Paris Saint-Germain in Europe.

With the return of Haiti and Panama for the first time in 52 years, the tiny Caribbean nation of Curacao made history as the smallest country ever to qualify for the World Cup.

With a 0-0 draw against Jamaica in Kingston, the CONCACAF qualifying campaign’s final score saw Curacao, with a population of just 156, 000, advance to the next year’s finals in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

Meanwhile, Haiti, which last competed in the World Cup in 1974, also finished off their unlikely qualification campaign with a 2-0 victory over Nicaragua.

Ironically, due to unrest in their home country, Haiti won their decisive qualification match against Curacao.

Also read: McClaren steps down after Jamaica is excluded from the World Cup.

Panama, meanwhile, defeated El Salvador 3-0 to move into the other automatic spot on the ballot for Tuesday.

Suriname’s chances of being automatically qualified were ended by that victory. Despite being defeated 3-1 by Guatemala, Suriname remained in the playoff spots.

Curacao were left celebrating a historic result after their veteran Dutch coach, Dick Advocaat, was forced to miss the game due to a family issue in the Netherlands.

The “Blue Wave” team won Group B with 12 points from six games, one point clear of Jamaica.

Curacao are by far the smallest nation to have qualified for the World Cup, which will be expanded to 48 teams for the first time next year.

Iceland, which had a population of about 350,000 in 2018, was the previous smallest nation to qualify for the tournament.

After an extraordinary finale at Kingston’s National Stadium, where Jamaica, led by former England manager Steve McClaren, launched a furious assault as they fought for their place.

In the second half, the Jamaicans hit the woodwork three times, with substitute Bailey-Tye Cadamarteri coming incredibly close with a header that fell off the post in the 87th minute.

In stoppage time, Jamaica were given a penalty for sliding tackle on Dujuan Richards that resulted in a penalty.

Ivan Barton, a Salvadorian referee, pointed the ball home before leaving Curacao in the face of a heartbreaking defeat.

The decision was later overturned, leaving the Caribbean islanders on course for the World Cup, as the players from Curacao protested.

In a 2-0 victory over Nicaragua, Haiti secured their return to the World Cup thanks to goals from Louicius Don Deedson and Ruben Providence.

With 11 points from six games, Haiti finished second in Group C due to Honduras’ goal of 0-0 draw with Costa Rica. Suriname only managed nine points, which means Hondurana finished second in the inter-continental playoffs next year.

Only the second time in history will Haiti advance to the World Cup. Before going out in the first round, the team made its previous appearance in 1974, when they were defeated by Italy, Poland, and Argentina.

After the Reggae Boyz’s failure to advance to the 2026 World Cup, Jimaica coach Steve McClaren resigned on Tuesday.

McClaren, who took over as Jamaica’s manager in July of last year, made the announcement shortly after his team was held to a 0-0 draw by Curacao in their final qualifying round.

Jamaica was only allowed to watch as tiny Curacao held on to advance to the tournament in the absence of winning the game at Kingston’s National Stadium.

Also read: Curacao, Suriname, and &nbsp on the verge of joining the World Cup Party

McClaren, who famously failed to accompany a star-studded England team to the 2008 European Championship, suffered yet another bitter flop in the process.

At the start of Tuesday’s post-game press conference, McClaren stated in a statement that “I have given everything I have to this job, to this role.”

“One of the greatest honors of my career has really been leading this team.” However, football is about delivering results, and tonight we were only successful in achieving our goal, which was to qualify from this group.

The leader has a responsibility to take responsibility, accept responsibility, and make decisions that will benefit the team in the long run.

I’ve decided to step down as the head coach after much reflection and an honest assessment of where we are and where we need to go.

Jamaica must now look for a head coach following the 64-year-old resignation in order to advance to the Inter-Confederation play-offs, which will include Iraq, Democratic Republic of Congo, New Caledonia, Bolivia, and Suriname.

After a stunning 4-2 victory over Denmark on Tuesday, Scotland will play in the World Cup for the first time in 28 years, and Spain also secured a spot in the 2026 finals with two injury-time goals.

With the late brilliant goals from Kieran Tierney and Kenny McLean, Steve Clarke’s Scotland won the crucial match in Glasgow to advance from Group C.

On the final night of European qualifying, European champions Spain, Austria, Belgium, and Switzerland all purchased tickets to the following year’s tournament in the United States, Mexico, and Canada.

Scott McTominay’s sensational overhead kick put Scotland ahead in just the third minute as the crowd erupted in Hampden Park.

Before the hour mark, Denmark had a Rasmus Hojlund penalty, but Rasmus Kristensen’s dismissal reduced the team to 10 men.

Although Lawrence Shankland believed he had killed Scotland in the finals, Patrick Dorgu later appeared to have broken the hearts of the home fans.

Also read: Curacao, Suriname, and &nbsp on the verge of joining the World Cup Party

However, Tierney outlasted him in the third minute of added time with a magnificent strike from distance before McLean headed in from close range.

Ralf Rangnick’s Austria won their first World Cup since 1998 with a 1-1 draw against Bosnia and Herzegovina thanks to Michael Gregoritsch’s 78th-minute goal.

In Group E, Spain were only able to draw 2-2 with Turkey if they were to pull off a seven-goal defeat to clinch a place at a 13th successive World Cup.

Belgium defeated Liechtenstein 7-0 to claim a spot in the finals, and Jeremy Doku and Charles De Ketelaere both scored twice.

With a 1-1 draw against Kosovo in Pristina, Switzerland extended their run of six World Cup appearances.

Tunisia held to a dismal 1-1 friendly draw by Carlo Ancelotti’s Brazil on Tuesday in Lille as their slow build-up to the 2026 World Cup slowed.

Lucas Paqueta wasted a chance to win the game for the Selecao from the spot, but the 18-year-old in excellent form did so.

After only finishing fifth in South American qualifying, the five-time world champions are preparing for the tournament in the United States, Mexico, and Canada under some sort of a cloud.

Last month, they also lost to Japan by a score of 3-2.

Read more about Curacao and Suriname’s potential participation in the World Cup.

In his starting lineup, Brazil coach Ancelotti named a strong starting lineup that included four forwards: Matheus Cunha, Vinicius Junior, Rodrygo Goes, and Estevao.

However, Tunisia took a surprise lead in the opening period when Ali Abdi’s brilliant pass found Hazem Mastouri, who was unable to hold his composure as he slipped the ball past Brazil goalkeeper Bento.

However, shortly before half-time, Brazil received a penalty from VAR for handball, much to the dismay of the thousands of Tunisian fans at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy.

Estevao added his fifth international goal on Saturday against Senegal by scoring against Senegal.

With 12 minutes left, substitute Paqueta replaced Estevao for the spot-kick and smashed his effort over the crossbar.

Brazil should have received a third penalty after Estevao fell in the 89th minute, but the referee continued to award it despite a VAR review.

In other international friendlies, Sadio Mane scored a hat-trick as Senegal defeated Kenya 8-0, while Ivory Coast, the country’s champion, recovered from a defeat to Saudi Arabia with a 2-0 victory over Oman.

Algeria defeated the Saudis 2-0 at home, and Riyad Mahrez added to the scoreline as Morocco, the country that finished 2022 World Cup semi-finalists, defeated Uganda 4-0.

Abdukodir Khusanov was sent off against Iran in a goalless draw, which Uzbekistan will make their World Cup debut next year.

As more of football’s lesser luminaries have a chance to make it to a tournament that has been expanded to 48 teams, Curacao and Suriname could win the 2026 World Cup on Tuesday.

At the finals in the United States, Mexico, and Canada, the two Caribbean countries would compete alongside Cape Verde, Uzbekistan, and Jordan, as well as other first-time participants like them. They will compete alongside legendary players like Brazil, who have won five times before, and two-time champion France.

Curacao defeated Bermuda 7-0 last week to claim top spot in CONCACAF qualifying, giving the tiny island off Venezuela’s northern coast a chance to book a ticket if they do not lose to Jamaica on Tuesday in Kingston.

When veteran Dutch coach Dick Advocaat had to leave the team camp and travel home for family reasons, their preparations suffered a blow.

The least-populationally populous nation ever to qualify for a World Cup would be Curacao, a self-governing region of the Netherlands with a population of just over 150 000.

As long as Panama does not lose to El Salvador, who is already eliminated, Suriname leads their group in goal difference and can claim a historic qualification with a victory in Guatemala City.

Suriname must finish the night with a better goal difference if both nations win in order to take the crucial position at the top of their group.

Cape Verde won their spot in African qualifying last month, and FIFA, the game’s world-governing body, was quick to release a video of their exuberant players rushing to celebrate with their supporters in the stands.

Their qualification, according to Captain Ryan Mendes, was abysmal.

Mendes, a member of his Turkish club football, told AFP, “We have taken part in four African Cup of Nations (CAN) tournaments and we were also very close to qualifying for the 2014 World Cup.”

Over the years, a lot has been accomplished. And we can confidently say that this is the logical conclusion right now.

Mendes couldn’t help but feel the excitement in the small island off the coast of Senegal, which has a population of 525, 000.

“Everyone is so happy, the entire country,” he declares in a statement from the diaspora. He said, “I just think about it makes me feel goosebumps.”

DR Congo’s Breakup of Nigeria’s 2026 World Cup Dream

Having 64 teams? &nbsp,

There haven’t been many surprise qualifiers in Europe so far, but some of the big players, including Italy’s four-time World Cup champions and Sweden, must navigate playoffs to qualify for the finals.

Despite persistent criticism that the involvement of the smaller nations could lead to some unfavorable outcomes when the tournament kicks off in June, FIFA President Gianni Infantino’s promise that opening up the World Cup to 48 teams would further spread the sport worldwide is true.

Additionally, Infantino, who has a powerful influence on international football, appears to be giving the possibility of allowing 64 nations to qualify for the 2030 World Cup some serious thought.

That could inspire even more nations to occupy the biggest stage of football, where they may not have previously dreamed.