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‘Day of joy’ as thousands of migrant workers take part in Qatar World Cup rally
Thousands of migrant workers wearing the colours of Argentina, Brazil and England staged a World Cup rally in Doha on Friday, less than 10 days from the start of the tournament.
Fans of Lionel Messi, Neymar and Harry Kane converged on the Doha seafront for a march that would normally not have been allowed, according to an AFP journalist.
The fans came mainly from Kerala state, a football bastion in India that also accounts for a huge chunk of the Indian migrant community in Qatar of about 750,000 people. Qatar has a total population of about 2.8 million.
The hordes turned up for the event that was organised on social media and marched behind drummers to the World Cup countdown clock overlooking the Gulf.
“Police were told in advance and this is our day,” said one organiser who requested anonymity.
Asia’s World Cup
Demonstrations and rallies are rare in Qatar and are normally confronted by tight security, but police on Friday watched the fans from a discreet distance.
“The foreign workers in Qatar love football and they have bought a lot of tickets,” added the organiser.
“This is the first World Cup in an Arab nation but in many ways, this is also going to be the first World Cup in South Asia.”
The fans donned the blue-and-white strip of Argentina and Brazil’s yellow jersey, bearing the names of Messi and Neymar, but also Indian names.
They marched past the royal palace in Doha, where it is normally illegal to take a picture of the building.
Qatar has been at the centre of intense scrutiny over its treatment of foreign workers. Most of those who took part in the football rally would not give their full names because they did not want employers to find out.
“This is a day of joy for us,” said one man who gave his name as Rajesh. “There will be no politics, we are going to sing and chant about football – especially Lionel Messi.”
“This is our freedom of expression,” said another man in a Messi shirt, who gave his name as Aju.
“Of course some of us have tough jobs, we hear the stories, but the World Cup is a once-in-a-lifetime event.”
Qatar residents have been the top buyers of tickets for the tournament, with some low-priced US$10 (S$13.70) tickets having been reserved for migrant workers. India has also been a key market for ticket sales.
The rally was held the day after the United States became the first team to arrive in Qatar for the event that starts Nov 20.
“Seeing players touch down in Doha, the coaches announcing their squads, and the players reacting with such natural and unbridled emotions… has excited the football world,” said Fifa president Gianni Infantino.
-AFP
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Morocco Handed Boost as Brazil Lose Only Specialist Right Back Ahead of World Cup Clash
Morocco have received an early boost ahead of their FIFA World Cup 2026 Group C opener against Brazil after the South Americans lost their only specialist right back, Wesley, to injury.
The AS Roma defender was ruled out of the tournament after suffering a left thigh muscle injury during Brazil’s 2-1 international friendly victory over Egypt in Cleveland on Saturday.
The Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) confirmed on Sunday that medical examinations revealed damage to the adductor muscle in Wesley’s left thigh, forcing him to withdraw from Carlo Ancelotti’s 26-man World Cup squad.
His absence leaves Brazil with a significant selection headache ahead of Saturday’s showdown with Morocco. Wesley was the only natural right back in the squad, meaning Ancelotti may now have to rely on makeshift options such as versatile defenders Danilo and Ibanez to fill the position.
“The MRI scan revealed a muscle injury to the adductor muscle in his left thigh,” the CBF said in a statement.
“The CBF regrets the injury. Wesley is a player much loved by the squad and will always be considered part of this team as it seeks to win its sixth World Cup title.”
Brazil have moved quickly to replace the injured defender, calling up Atalanta midfielder Ederson, who is expected to join the squad in the United States on Monday.
For Morocco, the development could offer a tactical advantage as the Atlas Lions prepare to face the five-time world champions in what is expected to be one of the most eagerly anticipated matches of the group stage.
The North Africans, who reached the semi-finals of the 2022 World Cup and continue to be regarded as one of the strongest teams outside Europe and South America, will be looking to exploit any defensive uncertainty on Brazil’s right flank.
Brazil, chasing a record-extending sixth World Cup title, are grouped alongside Morocco, Haiti and Scotland in Group C. The opening encounter between Morocco and Brazil is expected to play a key role in determining the eventual group winner.
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Algeria have extended the contract of national team coach Vladimir Petkovic and his technical staff until 2028, the country’s football federation said on Sunday, days before the World Cup in North America, with his previous deal due to expire immediately after the tournament.
Petkovic, who took charge in February 2024, has overseen a strong turnaround, leading Algeria to 21 wins, four draws and three defeats in 28 matches and guiding the team to qualification for the 2026 World Cup, after their absence from the 2018 and 2022 editions.
Algeria also reached the quarter-finals of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations after consecutive group-stage exits in 2021 and 2023, while climbing from 43rd to 28th in the FIFA world rankings and from seventh to fourth in Africa during the Bosnian’s tenure.
The federation said the extension reflected “stability and confidence in the work accomplished”, with Algeria set to open their World Cup Group J campaign against Argentina on June 17 before facing Jordan and Austria.
-Reuters
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Multi-champions Brazil, Argentina and Germany all won their preparatory games for the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Saturday, although by small margins, with former champion England and hopeful Portugal also securing victories.
The busy day of friendlies saw some of the biggest stars on display, with Cristiano Ronaldo, Vini Jr and Mohamed Salah playing, but three-time champion Argentina opted to rest Lionel Messi against Honduras in Texas in a game where forward Lautaro Martinez shone with a goal and one assist for a 2-0 win. Simeone scored the second for Argentina.
Five-time champion Brazil beat Egypt 2-1 in Cleveland with Newcastle midfielder Bruno Guimaraes scoring early from inside the box and Lyon forward Endrick adding in the second half after an assist from Barcelona’s Raphinha. Zico scored for Egypt, while Salah played the first half and seemed to be in good form.
There was some drama with Brazil and AS Roma right back Wesley leaving the field in tears after what appeared to be a serious muscle injury in the left leg, which might take him out of the World Cup. Teams can change players up to one day before their first games.
Harry Kane’s first-half header earned England a 1-0 win over New Zealand in Tampa, while there were also victories for Scotland and Belgium as teams fine-tune ahead of the tournament’s kickoff next week.
With England manager Thomas Tuchel rotating his entire team at halftime and handing minutes to 22 players in the scorching 32-degree Celsius (90-degree Fahrenheit) heat, the result was secondary to the process.
But Kane’s clinical finish with a glancing header into the bottom corner from Djed Spence’s cross offered a timely reminder of the skipper’s importance to their hopes of winning a second Cup.
Four-time world champions Germany secured a ninth win in a row with a 2-1 victory over World Cup co-hosts the United States in Chicago.
Germany’s Kai Havertz (left) challenges United States captain Tyler Adams during the international friendly match between the USA and Germany at Soldier Field in Chicago, Illinois, on June 6, 2026. Photo: Talia Sprague/IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters.
Kai Havertz headed in Joshua Kimmich’s free kick to give them a second-minute lead, but the Americans snatched a stunning equaliser when Antonee Robinson thundered in a volley after defender Jonathan Tah had headed away a corner.
But Leroy Sane rifled in from 12 metres to restore Germany’s lead in the 57th minute.
Portugal defeated Chile 2-1 in an ill-tempered clash in Oeiras, where both teams finished with 10 men as Rafael Leao and Ivan Roman received their marching orders.
Goncalo Guedes gave the home side the lead before Bruno Fernandes added a second from outside the box. Lucas Cepeda scored a late consolation for Chile.
“We were superior in the 90 minutes, we managed to control the game very well, especially having a lot of the ball in the last third,” Fernandes told RTP.
Striker Romelu Lukaku continued his comeback from injury for Belgium with 25 minutes off the bench as they enjoyed a 5-0 victory over 10-man Tunisia in Brussels.
Leandro Trossard, Charles De Ketelaere, Kevin De Bruyne, Dodi Lukebakio and Nicolas Raskin scored the goals as Lukaku grabbed an assist.
“We wanted a good performance in front of our fans,” Belgium coach Rudi Garcia said. “It is a good preparation for the World Cup, we know this team can do great things.”
A much-changed Scotland scored all their goals in the first half as they romped to a 4-0 success over Bolivia in New Jersey.
Che Adams bagged two to go with strikes from Lawrence Shankland and Scott McTominay in an impressive performance.
Switzerland and Australia drew 1-1, while Bosnia and Herzegovina were held to the same scoreline by Panama.
-Reuters
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