Jordan Plot South Korea Upset as Asian Cup Braces for Semi-finals

 Soccer Football - AFC Asian Cup - Round of 16 - Iraq v Jordan - Khalifa International Stadium, Al Rayyan, Qatar - January 29, 2024 Jordan coach Hussein Ammouta reacts. (Reuters)
Soccer Football - AFC Asian Cup - Round of 16 - Iraq v Jordan - Khalifa International Stadium, Al Rayyan, Qatar - January 29, 2024 Jordan coach Hussein Ammouta reacts. (Reuters)
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Jordan Plot South Korea Upset as Asian Cup Braces for Semi-finals

 Soccer Football - AFC Asian Cup - Round of 16 - Iraq v Jordan - Khalifa International Stadium, Al Rayyan, Qatar - January 29, 2024 Jordan coach Hussein Ammouta reacts. (Reuters)
Soccer Football - AFC Asian Cup - Round of 16 - Iraq v Jordan - Khalifa International Stadium, Al Rayyan, Qatar - January 29, 2024 Jordan coach Hussein Ammouta reacts. (Reuters)

Jordan will make a slice of history when they face Son Heung-min's South Korea in the Asian Cup on Tuesday while hosts and holders Qatar play Iran in the other semi-final.

On paper South Korea would be expected to beat a Jordan side who are the lowest-ranked team left in the tournament and in the last four for the first time.

But Jordan held South Korea 2-2 in the group phase, with Jurgen Klinsmann's side salvaging a draw in injury time when Yazan Al-Arab deflected Hwang In-beom's shot into his own net.

Under their admired Moroccan coach Hussein Ammouta, Jordan scored twice at the death to beat Iraq in the last 16 and then saw off fairytale debutants Tajikistan in the quarter-finals.

That put Jordan, who are 87th in the FIFA rankings and made their Asian Cup debut in 2004, into their first semi-final.

"Our eyes are now on the trophy," defender Abdallah Nasib, whose second-half header deflected off Tajikistan defender Vahdat Hanonov for the only goal of the game, told AFP.

"What the Jordanian team has achieved confirms that nothing is impossible."

Of the semi-finalists, Jordan are the only ones never to have won the Asian Cup.

Their opponents South Korea have lifted the trophy twice, but the last time was in 1960 and they are under big pressure at home to end that barren run.

They have not been convincing. Held by Jordan and Malaysia in the group phase, they beat Saudi Arabia in the last 16 on penalties and then needed some magic from Son to see off Australia in extra time.

As well as the enduring quality of skipper and Spurs star Son, Klinsmann's side have also been reliant on a series of late goals to stay alive in Qatar.

South Korean media, who have no fondness for the German Klinsmann, have called it "zombie football". Son says the team's ability to keep coming back from the dead in games is proof of their resilience.

The Koreans will be missing Bayern Munich's Kim Min-jae, a rock at the heart of their defense, because of suspension.

Iran close on fourth title

Qatar, who defeated Japan in the 2019 final, and Iran clash on Wednesday in the second semi-final.

Both sides won all three of their group games -- the only teams to do so along with now-eliminated Iraq -- and Iran then squeezed through on penalties against Syria, before beating Japan 2-1 in the last eight.

That victory on Saturday over the pre-tournament favorites, thanks to a stoppage-time penalty from Alireza Jahanbakhsh, has Iran dreaming of a first Asian title since 1976 and fourth overall.

They will welcome back prolific striker Mehdi Taremi after he was suspended for the Japan game.

"This match can be a turning point for Iranian football," coach Amir Ghalenoei said following the victory over Japan.

"Not just for the senior national team, but also for the U23s, U19s and the whole football set-up."



UEFA Pressure on Infantino Grows as Greek FA, Bierhoff Back Change

Football - FIFA President Gianni Infantino arrives at the stadium before a FIFA Under-20 Women's World Cup match on September 5, 2026. (Reuters)
Football - FIFA President Gianni Infantino arrives at the stadium before a FIFA Under-20 Women's World Cup match on September 5, 2026. (Reuters)
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UEFA Pressure on Infantino Grows as Greek FA, Bierhoff Back Change

Football - FIFA President Gianni Infantino arrives at the stadium before a FIFA Under-20 Women's World Cup match on September 5, 2026. (Reuters)
Football - FIFA President Gianni Infantino arrives at the stadium before a FIFA Under-20 Women's World Cup match on September 5, 2026. (Reuters)

Greek Football Association ‌president Makis Gagatsis and former Germany national team director Oliver Bierhoff on Tuesday backed UEFA's push for change in FIFA's leadership, underscoring a united European front in opposition to FIFA president Gianni Infantino.

"The Greek FA (EPO) has taken a clear position against a candidacy of Gianni Infantino," EPO President Makis Gagatsis told reporters.

"We saw things happen at the World Cup that are not acceptable to football public opinion," Gagatsis said.

"Then... came a program to sell World Cup rights and we are clearly against it, so we withdrew our support of the FIFA president."

He was speaking after a meeting ‌of the UEFA ‌Executive Committee in the northern Greek city of ‌Thessaloniki, ⁠with a "legends'" five-a-side ⁠game held in the city center to promote UEFA's grassroots program.

UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin was also present at the event but did not talk to media.

Infantino has been under mounting pressure ever since he unveiled a proposal to sell a commercial stake of the World Cup to private investors. The plan prompted fierce opposition, with UEFA, the Asian Football Confederation and ⁠North America's CONCACAF among those calling for change at ‌the top of FIFA.

FIFA quickly abandoned ‌the plan and apologized to member associations for mistakes made, but its leadership reaffirmed ‌support for Infantino after a crisis meeting in August in Morocco.

UEFA ‌has been among the staunchest critics of Infantino and have said a change in leadership is now necessary given the loss of trust in Infantino, who is planning to run for re-election in March.

"We have to take care of ‌football," Bierhoff, who was Germany's national team director for 18 years until 2022, said.

"It is already commercial but ⁠it is ⁠a property for all of football.

"The world views may be different but in the last weeks and months a lot happened so that we have no trust anymore that it will be going in the right direction."

Infantino has weathered the opposition against him since he apologized to FIFA members in August over errors surrounding the abandoned proposal but has since declined to discuss the fallout publicly.

Sources have told Reuters his critics are now having to rethink their strategy.

They have until mid-November to name a rival presidential candidate but so far there is no clear frontrunner.

On Saturday, Danish football chief Jesper Moller, a member of UEFA’s Executive Committee, said he would continue working with European colleagues to find a candidate who could command a majority.


Spain Manager Luis de la Fuente Agrees Contract Extension Until 2030 World Cup

08 June 2025, Bavaria, Munich: Spain coach Luis de la Fuente stands on the touchline during the UEFA Nations League final match between Portugal and Spain at the Allianz Arena. (dpa)
08 June 2025, Bavaria, Munich: Spain coach Luis de la Fuente stands on the touchline during the UEFA Nations League final match between Portugal and Spain at the Allianz Arena. (dpa)
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Spain Manager Luis de la Fuente Agrees Contract Extension Until 2030 World Cup

08 June 2025, Bavaria, Munich: Spain coach Luis de la Fuente stands on the touchline during the UEFA Nations League final match between Portugal and Spain at the Allianz Arena. (dpa)
08 June 2025, Bavaria, Munich: Spain coach Luis de la Fuente stands on the touchline during the UEFA Nations League final match between Portugal and Spain at the Allianz Arena. (dpa)

Spain's World Cup-winning coach Luis de la Fuente has agreed a contract extension until 2030 after guiding the men's national team to back-to-back major titles, media ‌reported on ‌Tuesday,

De la Fuente, ‌who ⁠led Spain to ⁠glory at Euro 2024 before winning the World Cup in July, had a contract in ⁠place until 2028.

The ‌new ‌deal ensures that de la ‌Fuente will remain ‌in charge when Spain attempt to defend their global title on home ‌soil. Spain will co-host the 2030 World ⁠Cup ⁠with Morocco and Portugal.

Since taking over, de la Fuente's Spain have been defeated just twice in 41 competitive matches.

Reuters have contacted the Royal Spanish Football Federation for comment.


World Athletics Championships to Be Staged in Africa for the First Time with Nairobi as Host

 World Athletics President Sebastian Coe speaks during a news conference marking the formal opening of the World Athletics Ultimate Championship in Budapest, Hungary, Thursday, Sept. 10, 2026. (AP)
World Athletics President Sebastian Coe speaks during a news conference marking the formal opening of the World Athletics Ultimate Championship in Budapest, Hungary, Thursday, Sept. 10, 2026. (AP)
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World Athletics Championships to Be Staged in Africa for the First Time with Nairobi as Host

 World Athletics President Sebastian Coe speaks during a news conference marking the formal opening of the World Athletics Ultimate Championship in Budapest, Hungary, Thursday, Sept. 10, 2026. (AP)
World Athletics President Sebastian Coe speaks during a news conference marking the formal opening of the World Athletics Ultimate Championship in Budapest, Hungary, Thursday, Sept. 10, 2026. (AP)

The World Athletics Championships are heading to Africa for the first time as Kenya's capital Nairobi was confirmed Tuesday as host of the 2029 edition.

Kenya has long been a superpower in distance running but has yet to host an event of this scale. The championships return to Germany in 2031 with Munich hosting.

“Taking our championships to Africa for the first time will be historic,” World Athletics President Sebastian Coe said as he announced the decision following the Ultimate Championship in Hungary. “Athletics is woven into the fabric of Kenya.”

The decision brings recognition of Kenya's status as a track nation, but is likely to bring extra scrutiny of the East African nation's history of top runners being busted for doping.

Marathon world record holder Ruth Chepng'etich is serving a three-year doping ban after joining the many elite-level Kenyan runners suspended over the past decade.

After the new Ultimate Championship brought big cash prizes instead of medals for an invitation-only field of track's biggest names, it's back to the traditional worlds format next year in Beijing.

The world championships run for 10 days, against three for the new Ultimate Championship, with a full slate of events. That means including competitions like the men's triple jump, shot put, walks and marathon which weren't on the schedule in Budapest last week.