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Mexican Federation Threatens to Drop Players from World Cup Squad Amid Club Row

Players of Mexico's Toluca celebrate after beating the United States' Los Angeles FC during a CONCACAF Champions Cup second leg semifinal soccer match in Toluca, Mexico, Wednesday, May 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano)
Players of Mexico's Toluca celebrate after beating the United States' Los Angeles FC during a CONCACAF Champions Cup second leg semifinal soccer match in Toluca, Mexico, Wednesday, May 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano)
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Mexican Federation Threatens to Drop Players from World Cup Squad Amid Club Row

Players of Mexico's Toluca celebrate after beating the United States' Los Angeles FC during a CONCACAF Champions Cup second leg semifinal soccer match in Toluca, Mexico, Wednesday, May 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano)
Players of Mexico's Toluca celebrate after beating the United States' Los Angeles FC during a CONCACAF Champions Cup second leg semifinal soccer match in Toluca, Mexico, Wednesday, May 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano)

Liga MX players who fail to attend Mexico's World Cup training camp starting on Wednesday will be dropped from the tournament squad, the Mexican Football Federation (FMF) said, essentially cancelling an exemption granted to players from Toluca.

Clubs had initially agreed with FMF that they would release all called-up players from May 6.

FMF later granted special permission to Toluca players to remain with their club for Wednesday's second leg of the CONCACAF Champions Cup semi-final against Los Angeles FC, in which they trail 2-1 on aggregate.

That exemption drew criticism from Amaury Vergara, owner of ⁠Guadalajara, which fields ⁠only Mexican players. Vergara later urged his club's five selected players to return for the Liga MX Clausura quarter-finals, with the team seeking to overturn a 3-1 deficit against Tigres UANL in Saturday's second leg.

"All players must report to the High Performance Centre in Mexico City," Reuters quoted the FMF as saying in a statement on ⁠Wednesday. "On the coaching staff’s instructions, any player who fails to attend the training camp today will be excluded from the World Cup."

The dispute highlighted growing tension between clubs and the national team over player availability ahead of the World Cup, with domestic and continental fixtures clashing with preparations for the tournament.

Toluca, the reigning Liga MX champions, had requested permission since the start of the season to keep players available. After the FMF statement, Toluca said they would release Jesus Gallardo and Alexis Vega to join ⁠the national team.

"Toluca ⁠acted at all times in compliance with FMF regulations," the club said in a statement. "A specific authorization was requested in advance ... and validation was granted by Liga MX and the FMF.

"The club will release their players and do without them for tonight’s crucial match in the second leg of the CONCACAF Champions League semi-final."

Mexico, co-hosts of the World Cup alongside the US and Canada, will complete their preparations with friendlies against Ghana on May 22, Australia on May 30 and Serbia on June 4, before opening the tournament against South Africa in Group A on June 11.

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Iran Squad Arrives in Türkiye for Training amid World Cup Uncertainty 

Iran's players and staff pose ahead of a training session in Antalya in March © Adem ALTAN / AFP/File
Iran's players and staff pose ahead of a training session in Antalya in March © Adem ALTAN / AFP/File
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Iran Squad Arrives in Türkiye for Training amid World Cup Uncertainty 

Iran's players and staff pose ahead of a training session in Antalya in March © Adem ALTAN / AFP/File
Iran's players and staff pose ahead of a training session in Antalya in March © Adem ALTAN / AFP/File

Iran’s national soccer squad landed in Türkiye for a training camp on Monday ahead of their planned trip to the US for the World Cup, with uncertainty still hanging over the team's participation after the US and Israel attacked Iran in late February. FIFA Secretary-General Mattias Grafstrom told Reuters on Saturday that he held a constructive and positive meeting with Iran's FA (FFIRI) President Mehdi Taj, expressing confidence about the country's participation in the World Cup.

The players and officials filed out of Antalya Airport in black team outfits, many pulling black suitcases, before heading to waiting buses to travel to their hotel at the training base in the nearby resort of Belek, where several national teams have held camps in recent years.

Iran are scheduled to play all three group matches in the United States but the team's participation in the June 11 to July 19 tournament has been in question since the attacks by the US and Israel.

Iranian officials and FIFA have said US visa applications for the team would be handled in Türkiye. Uncertainty over the visas was fuelled after FFIRI's Taj was refused entry to Canada for the FIFA Congress in Vancouver this month because of his links to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

The US and Canada, who are co-hosting the World Cup with Mexico, classify the IRGC as a "terrorist entity" and have made clear they will not admit people with links to the elite military force.

Iran had asked for their World Cup matches to be switched to Mexico but FIFA President Gianni Infantino insists that all games must be played at the grounds originally scheduled.

Iran's squad is scheduled to move to their US base at the Kino Sports Complex in Tucson, Arizona in early June.

Iran are scheduled to get their World Cup campaign under way against New Zealand in Los Angeles on June 15. They are also due to play Belgium and Egypt in Group G.

Sports

Fernandes ‘Proud’ to Match Premier League Assists Record

Manchester United's Bruno Fernandes celebrates their victory at the English Premier League soccer match between Manchester United and Nottingham Forest in Manchester, England, Sunday, May 17, 2026. (AP)
Manchester United's Bruno Fernandes celebrates their victory at the English Premier League soccer match between Manchester United and Nottingham Forest in Manchester, England, Sunday, May 17, 2026. (AP)
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Fernandes ‘Proud’ to Match Premier League Assists Record

Manchester United's Bruno Fernandes celebrates their victory at the English Premier League soccer match between Manchester United and Nottingham Forest in Manchester, England, Sunday, May 17, 2026. (AP)
Manchester United's Bruno Fernandes celebrates their victory at the English Premier League soccer match between Manchester United and Nottingham Forest in Manchester, England, Sunday, May 17, 2026. (AP)

Bruno Fernandes said he was proud to match the Premier League assists record jointly held by "main names" Thierry Henry and Kevin De Bruyne and is now targeting top spot on the charts.

The 31-year-old helped Michael Carrick's men wrap up third place by setting up Bryan Mbeumo for United's third goal in their 3-2 win over Nottingham Forest on Sunday.

The Portuguese midfielder is just the third player to provide 20 assists in a Premier League season, joining Arsenal great Henry (2002/03) and Manchester City star De Bruyne (2019/20) in an elite bracket.

"Obviously I'm very proud," Fernandes said on the Old Trafford touchline.

"We're speaking about Thierry and Kevin, two of the main names of the Premier League, and for me I'm very grateful and I'm very happy to do it. It's a very proud moment."

Fernandes, named as United's player of the year for a record-breaking fifth time, now has the chance to reach 21 assists in Sunday's season finale at Brighton.

"Let's see," he said. "It doesn't change the way I play my game, so I will still have to create things for my team, and hopefully it can happen.

"But if it doesn't happen, I'm already very happy because I've never done 20 assists in the Premier League. I've never done 19 either, so even if I had finished with 19, I would be very happy."

The United captain was mobbed when Mbeumo converted his cross in the 76th minute, with goalkeeper Senne Lammens joining every United outfield player in celebrating a record he claims he only started thinking about when he collected his 19th assist.

"I'm very grateful to see their reaction more than mine because I wanted Bryan to celebrate his goal," Fernandes added.

"I didn't want to make it about myself because at the end of the day scoring the goal is the biggest thing in football and all credit to Bryan because if he doesn't put it in the back of the net, my record will not be there."

Sports

Who Could Be the 2026 World Cup’s Breakout Star?

Paris Saint-Germain's French midfielder #14 Desire Doue celebrates his team victory at the end of the French L1 football match between RC Lens and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) at the Stade Bollaert-Delelis stadium in Lens on May 13, 2026. (AFP)
Paris Saint-Germain's French midfielder #14 Desire Doue celebrates his team victory at the end of the French L1 football match between RC Lens and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) at the Stade Bollaert-Delelis stadium in Lens on May 13, 2026. (AFP)
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Who Could Be the 2026 World Cup’s Breakout Star?

Paris Saint-Germain's French midfielder #14 Desire Doue celebrates his team victory at the end of the French L1 football match between RC Lens and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) at the Stade Bollaert-Delelis stadium in Lens on May 13, 2026. (AFP)
Paris Saint-Germain's French midfielder #14 Desire Doue celebrates his team victory at the end of the French L1 football match between RC Lens and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) at the Stade Bollaert-Delelis stadium in Lens on May 13, 2026. (AFP)

World Cups are where rising stars of football quickly transform into global icons.

AFP Sport looks at five of the contenders to become the game's next superstar at this year's finals in the United States, Mexico and Canada:

Nico Paz (Argentina)

The son of former Argentine international Pablo Paz has opted to play for the world champions despite being born and raised in Spain.

A rising star in the Real Madrid academy, Paz has flourished in two years working under Cesc Fabregas since a move to Como in Italy.

Madrid are reportedly set to exercise their buyback option on the 21-year-old.

His technical ability and eye for goal from range has alerted Europe's other top clubs.

Paz could have the daunting task of filling in for Lionel Messi with Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni expected to manage the 38-year-old's minutes during the champions' title defense.

Desire Doue (France)

Doue has already lit up the biggest stage in club football, winning the man-of-the-match award and scoring twice in Paris Saint-Germain's Champions League final thrashing of Inter Milan last year.

But this will be the 20-year-old's first taste of a major international tournament.

Doue has a battle just to ensure he starts for Les Bleus among a dazzling display of attacking talent that includes Kylian Mbappe, Ballon d'Or winner Ousmane Dembele and Bayern Munich's Michael Olise.

But Doue gave Didier Deschamps a timely reminder of his quality with his first two international goals in a 3-1 friendly win over Colombia in France's last outing in March.

Nico O'Reilly (England)

O'Reilly, 21, has already earned the trust of Pep Guardiola to become a regular for Manchester City.

Scorer of two goals from left-back in City's League Cup final win over Arsenal in March, O'Reilly began his career as a goalscoring midfielder.

Guardiola has harnessed his blend of height, speed and skill as an attacking weapon from deep and may have solved a problem position for England coach Thomas Tuchel in the process.

England reached the final of Euro 2024 without a natural left-back for the majority of the tournament due to Luke Shaw's lack of fitness.

"What a player," said Guardiola. "He has made an incredible step up and he has had a lot of minutes, but he deserves it."

Endrick (Brazil)

A teenage prodigy who made his Palmeiras debut at 16 and was snapped up by Real Madrid before his18th birthday, Endrick's hopes of shining at the World Cup have been rekindled by a successful loan move at French club Lyon.

Endrick burst onto the international scene by scoring the winner against England at Wembley two years ago and becoming Brazil's youngest goalscorer since Ronaldo in the process.

Relegated behind international team-mate Vinicius Junior and Mbappe after his big move to Madrid two years ago, the 19-year-old has found his scoring touch since his switch to France in January.

Often compared to another Brazilian great Romario for his squat but powerful physique, Endrick will be hoping to recreate the former's success in scoring five goals as Brazil won the World Cup on US soil in 1994.

Pedri (Spain)

Spain's latest passing metronome, Pedri has proven to be a fitting heir to Xavi Hernandez for both club and country.

After first rising to prominence as an 18-year-old at Euro 2020, Pedri was key to Spain's run to conquering Europe two years ago in Germany, but injury prevented him from featuring in the semi-finals and final.

For Barcelona he has put his fitness troubles behind him under Hansi Flick, playing a starring role in back-to-back La Liga title triumphs over the past two seasons.