Football – War Watch

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Will Iran play at the 2026 World Cup? Explaining the state of play
ByMatt Hughes March 13, 2026

US-Israel war with Iran has implications in the sports world, with a war of words involving Fifa leaving the team’s status unclearIran’s participation in this summer’s World Cup appears to change on an almost hourly basis. Donald Trump caused more conf…

Read More Will Iran play at the 2026 World Cup? Explaining the state of play
Australia news | Ayatollah Ali Khamenei | Benjamin Netanyahu | Donald Trump | Football | Gaza | Human rights | Iran | Iran's nuclear programme | Israel | Israel–Iran War | Middle East and north Africa | Nuclear weapons | Palestinian territories | Petrol prices | Sport | Women's Asian Cup 2026 | Women's football | World news

‘They are safe here’: five Iranian women footballers granted humanitarian visas in Australia
ByMartin Farrer March 9, 2026March 9, 2026

Home affairs minister Tony Burke confirms US president Donald Trump’s overnight comments on social media that the players had been ‘taken care of’Middle East crisis – live updatesFive members of the Iranian women’s football team have been granted human…

Read More ‘They are safe here’: five Iranian women footballers granted humanitarian visas in Australia
Airlines and Airplanes | Americans Abroad | Evacuations and Evacuees | Football | Iran | Iran's nuclear programme | Israel | Israel–Iran War | Middle East | National Football League | New England Patriots | State Department | US and Israeli Attack on Iran (2026)

New England Patriots’ Plane Ferried Americans Back From Middle East
ByVictor Mather and Michael Crowley March 6, 2026March 6, 2026

The flight was arranged and paid for by the State Department, officials said, as part of the evacuations of citizens stranded by attacks in the Middle East.

Read More New England Patriots’ Plane Ferried Americans Back From Middle East
Africa | Africa Cup of Nations | Africa Cup of Nations 2025 | Ayatollah Ali Khamenei | Benjamin Netanyahu | Donald Trump | Football | Gaza | Iran | Iran's nuclear programme | Israel | Israel–Iran War | Middle East and north Africa | Morocco | Nuclear weapons | Palestinian territories | Petrol prices | Senegal | Sport | World news

Inside the magic and chaos of the Africa Cup of Nations
ByMorgan Ofori January 21, 2026

While Senegal’s victory in the chaotic final has made the headlines, we look at five other big takeaways from the tournament – from the strong diaspora representation to the floor-filling tunes• Don’t get The Long Wave delivered to your inbox? Sign up …

Read More Inside the magic and chaos of the Africa Cup of Nations
Africa | Africa Cup of Nations | Africa Cup of Nations 2025 | Ayatollah Ali Khamenei | Benjamin Netanyahu | Donald Trump | Football | Gaza | Iran | Iran's nuclear programme | Israel | Israel–Iran War | London | Middle East and north Africa | Morocco | Nuclear weapons | Palestinian territories | Petrol prices | Senegal | Sport | UK news

Confidence runs high in London’s Little Morocco as Afcon glory beckons
ByMatthew Weaver January 17, 2026

Atlas Lions face Senegal in final of Africa Cup of Nations on Sunday and Moroccan diaspora scents victoryLondon’s Little Morocco is brimming with pride and anticipation. The Moroccan diaspora in North Kensington is in no doubt that on Sunday the Atlas …

Read More Confidence runs high in London’s Little Morocco as Afcon glory beckons
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei | Benjamin Netanyahu | Communities | Donald Trump | Football | Football politics | Gaza | Iran | Iran's nuclear programme | Israel | Israel–Iran War | Maccabi Tel Aviv | Middle East and north Africa | Nuclear weapons | Palestinian territories | Petrol prices | Politics | Sport | Uefa | UK news

Wednesday briefing: Making sense of the Maccabi Tel Aviv saga, where law and disorder fumbled with fandom
ByArchie Bland October 22, 2025

In today’s newsletter: Inside a tortuous political saga where fandom and antisemitism once again became a political footballGood morning. In the end, the decision that capped the controversy over the ban on Maccabi Tel Aviv fans attending their away ma…

Read More Wednesday briefing: Making sense of the Maccabi Tel Aviv saga, where law and disorder fumbled with fandom
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei | Benjamin Netanyahu | Donald Trump | Football | Gaza | Iran | Iran's nuclear programme | Israel | Israel–Iran War | Middle East and north Africa | Norway | Nuclear weapons | Palestinian territories | Petrol prices | Sport | World Cup 2026 qualifiers

Tight security and political tension hang over key Norway v Israel World Cup qualifier
ByNick Ames in Oslo October 10, 2025

The hosts in Oslo are closing in on qualification but the politics surrounding their visitors’ presence casts a shadow over the footballIt will be the most high-security sports event in Norway since the Winter Olympics in 1994. Anti-terror measures are…

Read More Tight security and political tension hang over key Norway v Israel World Cup qualifier
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei | Benjamin Netanyahu | Donald Trump | Football | Gaza | Iran | Iran's nuclear programme | Israel | Israel–Iran War | Middle East and north Africa | Norway | Nuclear weapons | Palestinian territories | Petrol prices | Sport | World Cup 2026 qualifiers

Tight security and political tension hang over key Norway v Israel World Cup qualifier
ByNick Ames in Oslo October 10, 2025

The hosts in Oslo are closing in on qualification but the politics surrounding their visitors’ presence casts a shadow over the footballIt will be the most high-security sports event in Norway since the Winter Olympics in 1994. Anti-terror measures are…

Read More Tight security and political tension hang over key Norway v Israel World Cup qualifier
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei | Benjamin Netanyahu | Donald Trump | Fifa | Football | Football politics | Gaza | Iran | Iran's nuclear programme | Israel | Israel–Iran War | Middle East and north Africa | Nuclear weapons | Palestinian territories | Petrol prices | Sport | Uefa

Fifa banned Russia from international football. Now it must do the same for Israel
ByJules Boykoff September 25, 2025

As Israel inflicts untold misery on Palestinians, it is time for football’s governing bodies to stand by the principles they claim to upholdWhen Israel takes the pitch against Norway on 11 October for their 2026 World Cup qualifier, the most important …

Read More Fifa banned Russia from international football. Now it must do the same for Israel
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei | Benjamin Netanyahu | Donald Trump | Fifa | Football | Football politics | Gaza | Iran | Iran's nuclear programme | Israel | Israel–Iran War | Maccabi Tel Aviv | Middle East and north Africa | Nuclear weapons | Palestinian territories | Petrol prices | Sport | Uefa | World Cup | World Cup 2026 | World Cup 2026 qualifiers | World news

Israel’s future in Uefa could come to a head before October World Cup qualifiers
ByPaul MacInnes September 25, 2025

National team and club sides could face suspensionNext Uefa international break begins on 6 OctoberUefa could decide as early as next week whether to suspend Israel from its competitions, with the governing body facing growing pressure from inside and …

Read More Israel’s future in Uefa could come to a head before October World Cup qualifiers