By Andrew Warshaw in Moscow
June 14 – So, after months of criss-crossing the globe, how did they manage to win so emphatically? As leaders of the triumphant North American 2026 World Cup bid took in the totally unexpected margin of victory, they were honest enough to admit that even they didn’t expect such an outcome.
By Andrew Warshaw in Moscow
June 13 – It was the 13th item on the agenda and it proved to be unlucky verging on disastrous for Morocco as the United States and its partners Canada and Mexico were today awarded the 2026 World Cup.
By Andrew Warshaw in Moscow
June 12 – Whether it should be this way is a matter of debate. But in the modern world, commercial clout and the promise of safe, sophistated infrastructure invariably carry more weight than passion and legacy – as Morocco seem likely to find to their cost when the race to stage the 2026 World Cup reaches its denouement tomorrow.
By Andrew Warshaw in Moscow
June 11 – The two sides in the bid to stage the 2026 World Cup upped the ante today as they made final presentations to all but one of FIFA’s six individual regional groupings – and not without considerable controversy.
By Andrew Warshaw
June 8 – Having already seemingly lost out to their North American rivals to secure the votes of both South Africa and Liberia, 2026 World Cup underdogs Morocco have received a further blow to African unity with the news that Zimbabwe has also declared itself for United 2026.
By Andrew Warshaw
June 2 – Publicly, they have put on a brave face and sent out a positive message. Privately, as well as being relieved, they must be mightily frustrated to put it mildly.
By Andrew Warshaw
May 29 – As tension mounts ahead of the eagerly awaited technical inspection report that will determine whether 2026 World Cup candidates Morocco can join the heavyweight North American bid on the ballot paper next month, both contenders have been summoned to FIFA for final talks with members of the evaluation team.
March 21 – The two contenders to stage the 2026 World Cup are returning to southern Africa this week in a final push to secure the potentially pivotal backing of the region according to local reports.
May 21 – In a late run to pick up support ahead of next month’s 2026 world cup vote, Morocco have named former Germany captain Lothar Matthäus as its latest promotional ambassador.
By Andrew Warshaw
May 18 – Morocco’s attempt to wrest the 2026 World Cup away from the North American favourites reaches its most decisive point to date on May 29 when FIFA’s evaluation Task Force delivers its verdict on whether the north Africans have met the criteria and can be on the ballot paper in Moscow.
By Andrew Warshaw
May 16 – Morocco’s request for four countries to be pulled from next month’s 2026 World Cup vote has received a non-committal response from FIFA with the simmering controversy quite possibly coming to a head at the ballot itself in Moscow.
May 16 – South Africa’s football leadership are being urged not to break ranks with the Continent and to back Morocco’s bid to host the 2026 World Cup.
May 11 – Morocco’s rivals to stage the 2026 World Cup have defended the right of four US-governed territories to take part in next month’s vote after the north Africans complained in writing to FIFA about a potential conflict of interest.
By Andrew Warshaw
May 2 – The row over alleged dirty tricks from within the FIFA administration to have Morocco thrown out of the 2026 World Cup bid process has prompted former Senegalese international El Hadji Diouf to further denounce claims that he has a family link with FIFA’s number two Fatma Samoura.
By Andrew Warshaw
April 25 – Fresh suspicions that FIFA president Gianni Infantino may be behind an alleged plot to exclude Morocco from the 2026 World Cup vote have provoked a furious response from the North African underdogs as tensions escalate ahead of the ballot in June.