The excitement of the World Cup has spread across Europe through an exhilarating draw. On Friday (December 13), the draw for Europe's World Cup qualifiers took place in Zurich, Switzerland. However, many heavyweight teams have not yet been placed in their groups, as the outcome depends on the Nations League results. Qualifying for the 2026 World Cup has already begun in other continents, but due to the ongoing Nations League in Europe, the qualification process has started later. As a result, many teams have not yet been assigned to groups, as the final groups will be determined after the Nations League quarterfinals. To clarify, an example can be given: If Germany beats Italy in the Nations League quarterfinals, they will move to Group A, where they will be joined by Slovakia, Northern Ireland, and Luxembourg. However, if Germany loses to Italy, they will move to Group I, where their opponents will be Norway, Israel, Estonia, and Moldova. The same situation applies to Spain-Netherlands, France-Croatia, and Portugal-Denmark. Although eight groups are still incomplete, the remaining four groups are fully settled in the draw. England, the 1966 World Cup champions, will play in Group K, alongside Serbia, Albania, Latvia, and Andorra. Belgium, Wales, North Macedonia, Kazakhstan, and Liechtenstein will be in Group J. In Group B, Switzerland will face Sweden, Slovenia, and Kosovo. Additionally, Group H consists of Austria, Romania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cyprus, and San Marino. The 12 groups are not all evenly matched. Six groups have been formed with four teams each, while six other groups consist of five teams, who will play in a home-and-away round-robin format. The top team from each group will directly qualify for the World Cup, while the runners-up will play in the playoffs. In total, 16 European teams will secure their places in the World Cup from the 12 groups. UEFA has also announced the dates for the European qualifiers. The matches will be held from March 21-25, June 6-10, September 4-9, October 9-14, and November 13-18, 2024. The playoffs will take place from March 26-31, 2026. The World Cup will begin in Mexico City on June 11, 2026, with the final in New Jersey on July 19. Group Draws: Group A: Germany/Italy (Nations League match winner), Slovakia, Northern Ireland, Luxembourg Group B: Switzerland, Sweden, Slovenia, Kosovo Group C: Portugal/Denmark (Nations League match loser), Greece, Scotland, Belarus Group D: France/Croatia (Nations League match winner), Ukraine, Iceland, Azerbaijan Group E: Spain/Netherlands (Nations League match winner), Turkey, Georgia, Bulgaria Group F: Portugal/Denmark (Nations League match winner), Hungary, Ireland, Armenia Group G: Spain/Netherlands (Nations League match loser), Poland, Finland, Lithuania, Malta Group H: Austria, Romania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cyprus, San Marino Group I: Germany/Italy (Nations League match loser), Norway, Israel, Estonia, Moldova Group J: Belgium, Wales, North Macedonia, Kazakhstan, Liechtenstein Group K: England, Serbia, Albania, Latvia, Andorra Group L: France/Croatia (Nations League match loser), Czech Republic, Montenegro, Faroe Islands, Gibraltar

Despite their strong Nations League performance, Germany are left in the awkward position of not yet knowing their exact 2026 World Cup qualifying path — even after Friday's draw. After finishing top of their Nations League group, Germany will face Italy in the quarterfinals in March 2025. The outcome of that game will affect which World Cup qualifying group Germany ends up in. If Germany win their quarterfinal against Italy, they will be in Group A with Slovakia, Northern Ireland and Luxembourg, and will start their campaign in September. Germany haven't played Slovakia since Euro 2016. They also played Northern Ireland in that tournament, but beat them more recently in qualifiers for Euro 2021. Germany haven't played Luxembourg in nearly 20 years. If they lose to Italy, they will be in Group I with Norway, Israel, Estonia and Moldova and start their qualifying campaign in March. Being in this group would mean a return to Germany for Erling Haaland and a first-ever qualifier against Israel for Germany's men. Germany would also face Moldova for the first time since 1999, and play Estonia again, having last faced them in qualifying for Euro 2021, winning the home game 8-0. In short, beating Italy would not only give Germany a chance at winning the Nations League but also place them in a smaller World Cup qualifying group that would start later in the year. “I think group A is a little more comfortable but it’s hard to know right now," said Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann. With draws, it can always be worse or better. I think in group I, Norway are a very good team with many good and experienced players. Group A might be the easier path but we have to beat Italy first. That’s the next step.” Germany dominated their 2022 World Cup qualifying group, losing just once albeit notably at home to North Macedonia. Under Julian Nagelsmann, Germany have been rejuvinated, losing only one game in all of 2024. A complicated draw Elsewhere in the European part of the World Cup qualifying draw, Thomas Tuchel's England were drawn in Group K with Serbia, Albania, Latvia and Andorra. With the 2026 tournament set to be the first World Cup with 48 teams, UEFA now has 16 qualifying spots on offer. They will be secured by the 12 group winners, and the runners-up (plus four teams with the best Nations League records) will go into the playoffs for the final four European spots. In addition to the 16 European teams, there will be nine teams from Africa, eight from Asia and six from South America. Canada, the US and Mexico all qualify automatically as hosts and there will be three more teams from North and Central America (CONCACAF). Oceania have an automatic spot for the first time and two more will qualify through the intercontinental playoffs in March 2026.

In a short span of time, Lamine Yamal has dazzled the football world with his performances for Barcelona and Spain. Already breaking numerous records, Yamal is hailed as one of the brightest young talents in global football today. Many see shades of Lionel Messi in him, and Messi himself agrees. During a recent event at the Adidas headquarters in Germany, Messi was asked to name a standout player from the new generation. The football legend highlighted Yamal. Messi remarked, “There’s a great generation of young footballers coming through. They have many years ahead of them. If I had to choose one, based on age and potential, I’ve heard many name Lamine Yamal—and without a doubt, I would too.” He added, “I agree with that assessment, but ultimately, it depends on him and many other factors, because that’s how football is. But there’s no doubt he has a fantastic future ahead.” Yamal joined Barcelona’s academy at the age of seven and made his first-team debut at just 15. He has already played over 70 matches for the club and was instrumental in Spain’s recent European Championship victory. At the last Ballon d’Or ceremony, Yamal won the Kopa Trophy for the best young footballer of the year. He also recently became the youngest player to win the prestigious Golden Boy award. Messi, an eight-time Ballon d’Or winner, left Barcelona in 2021 against his wishes after a 21-year career that saw him win a record 34 trophies for the club. He remains Barcelona’s all-time leader in appearances and goals. Since Messi’s departure, Barcelona has struggled to replicate its former glory. However, under German coach Hansi Flick, the team is currently leading La Liga this season and has climbed to second place in the newly revamped Champions League standings.

Saudi Arabia's confirmation on Wednesday as the host of the 2034 FIFA World Cup has raised significant alarm with human rights groups, labor groups and activists, including some within the country. FIFA's rating process saw Saudi Arabia's bid earn a record-high score of 419.8 out of a possible 500 and a record rating of 4.2 out of 5. The human rights situation in the Middle Eastern country was rated as a "medium" risk by the world football governing body, despite several human rights organizations providing evidence contrary to that assertion directly to both FIFA and the Saudi authorities. Lina al-Hathloul, the head of monitoring and advocacy at ALQST, a Saudi human rights organization, says that the world should not be distracted by a major tournament from the true situation in the country. "You won't be able to hear real Saudi voices from inside the country because self-censorship has become the norm," she told DW. "Everyone knows that saying anything that could be seen as not even critical, but just not applauding the authorities, is enough to lead you to being jailed. "So it's very important to hear us, to listen to what we have to say, and to stand in solidarity with Saudi political prisoners and everyone who is a victim of the Saudi authorities." Flawed 'independent' report on Saudi human rights risks AS&H Clifford Chance, a joint venture between two law firms in Saudi Arabia, was hired to compile an independent report that informed FIFA's human rights assessment of the country.  The review was restricted to 22 international human rights instruments, chosen in agreement between FIFA and the Saudi Arabian Football Federation (SAFF).  Crucially, it excluded many human rights areas such as freedom of expression, enforced disappearances, and labor rights violations. Instead, the report relied heavily on Saudi Arabia's domestic laws as the basis for assessing human rights risks.  Those laws often fail to align with global human rights standards, particularly regarding women's rights, freedom of expression, LGBTQ rights and the treatment of migrant workers. Al-Hathloul, whose sister was imprisoned in Saudi Arabia for campaigning for the right of women to drive vehicles, lamented both FIFA's and AS&H Clifford Chance's failure to directly consult any human rights groups while compiling the report. "It's becoming a pattern to really not consult human rights organizations," she explained. "Importantly, human rights organizations are not allowed to access Saudi Arabia.  "So, for an institution like FIFA to do its due diligence, it's very difficult, and they should be contacting human rights organizations, who are unfortunately in the diaspora. "ALQST is one of the only remaining organizations that really manages to get information from the ground, because even contacting human rights organizations is criminalized and considered a terrorist act."  FIFA responsibilities 'circumvented' In 2016, FIFA adopted the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and included a responsibility to respect human rights in Article 3 of its statutes. Praised at the time for being the first global sports body to commit to due diligence on human rights, it should have led FIFA to a process of identifying what the human rights risks would be for one of its tournaments and then ensuring it was clear how bidding countries would address those risks. However, Stephen Cockburn, head of Labor Rights and Sport at Amnesty International, believes that the process for both the 2030 and 2034 World Cups, which both have had sole bidders, has allowed FIFA to circumvent its responsibilities. "We have always said Saudi Arabia has the right to bid for a World Cup like everyone else," Cockburn said. "They also need to meet the human rights standards expected of other bidding countries as well. "Analyzing the bidding documents and the human rights strategies put forward clearly shows they are deeply flawed. They fail to identify the risk. They fail to deal with them. "In many ways, FIFA has colluded in that by engineering for single bids (for the 2030 and 2034 World Cups) from the start, there was no consultation and there are no real minimum standards set out. "For us to see Saudi Arabia awarded a medium risk and that it got such a high score, we described it as an astonishing whitewash. Now we've got to keep working to push FIFA and to push Saudi Arabia on the ground. Otherwise, there will be real and massive human costs." Migrant deaths reach close to 900 The number of migrant workers in Saudi Arabia is estimated at around 13.4 million. It is expected to rise steeply with plans to construct 11 new stadiums and refurbish four existing ones over the next 10 years. According to government data collected by Human Rights Watch, 884 Bangladeshi migrant worker deaths were recorded between January and July this year — long before Saudi Arabia officially was awarded the right to host the 2034 World Cup. There are few labor laws in Saudi Arabia, with no minimum wage for migrants. They are often saddled with recruitment fee debts from when they arrive. Meanwhile, the country's continued adherence to the Kafala system, a visa-sponsorship system used in several Gulf countries, leaves migrants dependent on their sponsors, regardless of any abuses they may suffer. The system is notorious for giving sponsors, who could be companies or private citizens, near total control over the migrants' employment and immigration status. Al-Hathloul wonders if the global outcry would be greater if the migrant workers dying in Saudi Arabia came from the West, rather than the Global South. "What we want as Saudis is for you to stand in solidarity with us," she said. "If the labor workers' deaths included Western people, I think that we would have heard about it a lot more. "I think that most countries would have voted no (to the bid) if the political prisoners were not necessarily Arabs and Saudis. "We are asking you to hear us, to stand in solidarity with us, and to differentiate between the people and the authorities." Saudi organizers play down human rights concerns A DW request to the Saudi authorities for comment on criticism of its human rights record in connection with its World Cup bid went unanswered. However, in a recent interview with the Reuters news agency, Hammad Albalawi, head of the 2034 bid, deflected such concerns. "We have come a long way and there's still a long way to go. Our principle is to develop something that is right for us," he said. "Our journey started in 2016, not because of the World Cup bid." Others inside the country appear unfazed by the international criticism, with Salman Al-Ansari, a prominent Saudi political analyst, saying any issues will be forgotten once the tournament begins. "The 2022 Qatar World Cup taught the world that accusations often fade while achievements endure," he told DW. "Saudi Arabia will use this opportunity to showcase its transformative journey, breaking stereotypes and uniting fans globally under the banner of sportsmanship and cultural exchange."

After consecutive losses in the UEFA Champions League, Real Madrid made a strong comeback with a 3–2 win against Italian club Atalanta. The attacking trio of Jude Bellingham, Kylian Mbappé, and Vinícius Jr. each scored in the match. In other matches, Bayern Munich and PSG delivered goal-fests. Bayern, despite trailing early, thrashed Ukrainian club Shakhtar Donetsk 5–1. PSG secured a comfortable 3–0 win over Austrian side Salzburg. Meanwhile, Liverpool edged out Girona 1–0, thanks to a penalty goal by Mohamed Salah. This victory marked six wins out of six for Arne Slot's team this season. Among the 36 teams in the tournament, Liverpool is the only club to have won all its matches and has already secured its place in the knockout stage. Quick Glance at the Results: Atalanta 2–3 Real Madrid Girona 0–1 Liverpool Shakhtar Donetsk 1–5 Bayern Munich Salzburg 0–3 PSG Leverkusen 1–0 Inter Milan Club Brugge 2–1 Sporting Lisbon Leipzig 2–3 Aston Villa Brest 1–0 PSV Eindhoven Dinamo Zagreb 0–0 Celtic

Real Madrid secured a commanding 3-0 victory over Girona on their home ground, taking a significant step toward overtaking Barcelona at the top of the La Liga table. With Barcelona dropping points after a draw, Real, having played one game fewer, now finds itself within striking distance of the league summit. The match highlighted the long-awaited synergy between Kylian Mbappé and Jude Bellingham, a pairing that had faced scrutiny in recent weeks. Former French and Arsenal midfielder Emmanuel Petit had even remarked that Mbappé lacked camaraderie within the squad and that Bellingham appeared to avoid him on the field. Against Girona, however, Bellingham proved his value once again, opening the scoring in the 36th minute. The midfielder, who struggled with a goal drought earlier this season, has now found the back of the net in five consecutive league matches. Following his first goal of the season on November 11 against Osasuna, he has since scored in matches against Leganés, Getafe, Athletic Bilbao, and Girona. In addition to his goal, Bellingham provided a crucial assist for Arda Güler’s 55th-minute strike. Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti, wary of potential injuries, substituted Bellingham in the 60th minute as a precautionary measure. With Mbappé and Bellingham now firing in tandem, Real Madrid’s ambitions for domestic dominance look stronger than ever.

Lionel Messi has claimed the MLS Player of the Year title in his first full season in Major League Soccer (MLS). The league announced yesterday through a statement that Messi has been awarded the “Landon Donovan Most Valuable Player” award for his exceptional performance throughout the season. Playing for Inter Miami, Messi led his team to win the Supporters’ Shield and demonstrated remarkable skill and leadership on the field.  However, the Argentine captain could not play the entire season due to various injuries, including leg pain, muscle strain, and an ankle injury sustained during the Copa América final. He also missed several matches due to his commitments with the Argentine national team. Messi’s achievement is not only a milestone for Inter Miami but also a significant boost for the league as a whole. His presence on the field has drawn global attention to Major League Soccer, helping the league attract a new audience and further solidifying Messi’s legendary status in football.