The world’s four highest-ranked teams have reached the World Cup semifinals, underlining the dominance of football’s traditional powers. Yet two of the planet’s biggest nations, China and India, remain absent despite the tournament’s expansion to 48 teams. If FIFA eventually increases the field to 64 nations, other populous countries may finally have a realistic path to football’s biggest stage.

Home to a combined 2.89 billion people, China and India boast millions of passionate football fans, but neither has established itself on the global stage. China has qualified for the men’s World Cup only once, in 2002, when it lost all three group-stage matches without scoring a goal. Despite years of heavy investment in the sport, the country’s domestic league has struggled to sustain its growth.

India, where cricket dominates the sporting landscape and field hockey also enjoy widespread popularity, has never qualified for a men’s World Cup. An expanded 64-team tournament could give countries like India and China, along with other emerging football nations, a greater opportunity to compete on the sport’s biggest stage.

Population does not translate into footballing success, but FIFA President Gianni Infantino has offered hope that countries such as India and China could reach the 2030 or 2034 World Cup if the tournament expands to 64 teams.

“The whole world must be allowed to dream of the World Cup and not only Europe and South America,” Infantino was quoted as telling Swiss outlet blue Sport on Saturday.

The tournament has only just expanded to 48 teams for this edition. But the sight of debutant Cape Verde reaching the knockout stage and giving defending champion Argentina a scare, along with the Democratic Republic of the Congo impressing in only its second World Cup, has helped counter claims that expanding the field would reduce the tournament’s quality.

Apart from the United States and Brazil, eight of the world’s 10 most populous countries are not at the World Cup, but they soon could be.

In the world’s most populous country, cricket is the unchallenged national sport. The national team’s success and the billion-dollar Indian Premier League command talent, money and attention, often at football’s expense.

Other reasons cited for India’s lack of success in football, despite the sport’s popularity, include poor infrastructure, inadequate talent development and a demanding climate.

India is trying to catch up. Since its launch in 2014, the Indian Super League has sought to professionalize the sport with investment from businesses and the entertainment industry.

But the road to the World Cup remains long. India was eliminated in the second round of qualifying for the 2026 tournament, finishing behind Qatar and Kuwait in its group.

China once again missed out on qualifying for the World Cup. It is ranked 91st in the FIFA rankings.

President Xi Jinping, like many Chinese, is considered a football fan and has set the goal of making China a major football nation. But the sport has made headlines more for match-fixing and corruption than for success on the field.

Observers point to structural problems, saying clubs and leagues cannot develop independently in China, where the Communist Party has built an extensive web of bureaucratic controls over decades.

There is some hope, however. China’s women’s team is ranked 16th in the FIFA rankings.

In the world’s largest archipelago, Indonesia, with a population of at least 280 million, football is by far the most popular sport. But the country’s only World Cup appearance came in 1938, when it competed as the Dutch East Indies.

As recently as the 1950s, Indonesia was among Asia’s leading football nations. Political upheaval was followed by decades of mismanagement, corruption allegations and a lack of youth development. Talent development has also been hampered by the country’s geography, with more than 17,000 islands. In 2015, FIFA temporarily suspended Indonesia’s football association after government interference in the domestic league.

Things are improving. The association is investing more heavily in youth development and can also draw on players trained in Europe who have Indonesian heritage, including Kevin Diks of Borussia Mönchengladbach and Maarten Paes of FC Dallas.

Interest in football is also high in Pakistan, which has a population of more than 255 million. Many fans wear Lionel Messi jerseys, and the Lyari district in the port city of Karachi is known as “Mini Brazil” because of its passion for the South American nation.

But the country’s sports infrastructure is geared toward cricket, introduced during British colonial rule. Attempts to establish a professional football league have been ongoing for years.

Disputes, limited funding for youth programs and a lack of quality pitches across the country continue to hinder development.

Pakistan has never qualified for the World Cup, but the country is represented at this tournament. The official match ball, “Trionda,” is manufactured for Adidas in the industrial city of Sialkot.

Nigeria, with a population of about 242 million, is one of Africa’s football powers despite failing to qualify for the 2026 World Cup. As in other West African countries, football academies fuel the dreams of many young players hoping to become professionals. But after the Super Eagles failed to qualify again, critics said talent development had been neglected.

Bangladesh is the world’s eighth-most populous country, with nearly 180 million people, but it has never qualified for a men’s World Cup.

Images of thousands of Bangladeshi fans wearing Lionel Messi jerseys and supporting Argentina have gone viral, illustrating the country’s passion for football.

Brazil matches have also brought many streets in Dhaka to a standstill.

Bangladesh’s men’s national team, however, went winless in the second round of World Cup qualifying, scoring one goal and conceding 20 in six matches.

Weak administration, insufficient investment and poor infrastructure are widely cited as the main reasons.

In March, Bangladesh qualified for the Women’s Asian Cup for the first time. The national association celebrated by declaring: “Get ready, Asia. Bangladesh has arrived on the football map!”

Ethiopia, with a population of about 139 million, is known for producing world-class distance runners. In men’s football, however, it ranks among Africa’s weaker nations, sitting 143rd in the FIFA rankings. Armed conflict, security concerns and a lack of quality pitches have slowed development. The national team has even been forced to play home matches abroad in recent years because none of its stadiums met international standards.

Russia, a regular World Cup participant before its suspension, is not competing because FIFA and UEFA have barred Russian national and club teams from international competitions following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

The 2018 World Cup host could return in the future if football’s governing bodies follow the International Olympic Committee’s lead and lift the suspension.

A new refereeing protocol has intensified debate over fairness at the FIFA World Cup, with a former FIFA referee saying Monday that another controversial decision involving Argentina has further fueled criticism from fans.

The defending champions’ run to Wednesday’s semifinal against England has been overshadowed by repeated complaints from opponents over officiating decisions, while speculation on social media has claimed the tournament has favored Lionel Messi’s side.

The controversy peaked during Argentina’s quarterfinal victory over Switzerland on Saturday, when Swiss forward Breel Embolo was shown a second yellow card for simulation under the new VAR protocol, a decision Switzerland coach Murat Yakin described as “unacceptable.”

Asked about the latest criticism Monday, FIFA referred Reuters to a July 8 interview with refereeing chief Pierluigi Collina, who dismissed allegations of bias following Argentina’s round-of-16 victory over Egypt.

The mistaken identity protocol is one of several situations in which VAR is allowed to intervene under rules introduced for the 2026-27 season and the World Cup, putting a largely untested measure under intense public scrutiny.

“I don’t think it should have been applied in the first place. It was too broad,” said Christina Unkel, British broadcaster ITV’s rules analyst for the World Cup and a former FIFA referee.

“And where I’m struggling with it is we’re not just changing who gets the card, we’re changing the underlying decision from a free kick going this way to saying, ‘No, no, no, it’s actually a decision completely the opposite way.’ So we’re changing the basis of the decision.

“And to me, that is where we are now officially, I think, in the re-refereeing area that VAR has been fighting to stay out of.”

The fact that the protocol benefited Argentina, whom social media critics have dubbed “VARgentina,” only appeared to fuel the outrage.

“This new expansion of the protocol without testing it, without really knowing that’s what they wanted it to do … it’s just like a powder keg,” Unkel told Reuters. “I’m just waiting for the final lynchpin.”

‘Completely eroded’

The narrative has been building since the group stage, when Algeria called for Messi to be sent off after he stood on the calf of captain Aissa Mandi in the first half. He was not, and went on to score a hat trick.

Days later, Algeria filed a complaint alleging poor refereeing during the match, a source told Reuters.

Controversy surrounding Argentina’s round-of-16 victory over Egypt lingered for days. Egypt scored in the 62nd minute, but the goal was disallowed after a VAR review found a foul in the buildup.

Egypt’s appeal for a penalty later in the match was waved away before Argentina scored the winner in the 92nd minute. The Egyptian Football Association said several decisions during the match affected the outcome.

Unkel said nothing in either match stood out to her as poor refereeing, even though officials are often the easiest targets for criticism when results do not go a team’s way.

But she added that off-field issues have contributed to growing fan mistrust.

FIFA’s handling of two World Cup red card cases came under renewed scrutiny this month after U.S. striker Folarin Balogun received a last-minute reprieve from his one-match suspension while England defender Jarell Quansah was handed a two-match ban.

“I think fan confidence is completely eroded right now,” said Unkel, president of United Soccer League women’s club Tampa Bay Sun FC. “I’ve covered major tournaments in this position and as a referee, and I have never seen this level of chatter, not just on social media.”

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Türkiye’s Mete Gazoz defeated Italy’s Mauro Nespoli in straight sets Sunday to win the recurve men’s gold in the 2026 Archery World Cup in Madrid, adding to their ongoing rivalry and completing Gazoz’s successful World Cup campaign this season.

In a highly anticipated rematch of their Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games gold medal contest, won by Gazoz 6-4, both archers brought their best to the Complutense National Stadium.

While Nespoli prevailed over Gazoz at this year’s European Outdoor Championships semifinal, Madrid firmly belonged to the reigning European Champion.

Gazoz managed the gusty conditions with composure, opening with strong ends of 29 and 30 to quickly take the lead. Nespoli faltered in the third end, posting scores of 10, 8, and 7, which left Gazoz with a straightforward path to victory.

The Turkish archer’s final arrow was swept right by a sudden wind gust but landed as a six – enough for a 6-0 shutout and the gold medal.

“I wasn’t expecting that, but I had made a really good decision,” Gazoz told World Archery’s official website after the win. “Everything was great. Just as I was about to make the final shot, the wind hit really hard and pulled the bow to the right. It went for a six. I mean, whatever number of points I need to hit, I’ll hit that one,” he added.

For Gazoz, the win offered redemption against a familiar foe. “I remember the Olympics and also this year’s European Championships. Mauro won the (silver) medal and I lost against him in the semifinal,” he said.

“This time I wanted to win this one, and this year I won one stage. We’ll see in the World Cup Final… I hope it’s the same final,” he added.

He also expressed deep respect for Nespoli’s veteran status. “I love shooting with him because he’s had a really good career. He won the Olympic team silver medal in (Beijing) 2008. I was 9 then,” Gazoz recalled.

“He’s a really big name and I have so much respect for him because of his age and the fact that he can still show such a good performance,” he told World Archery.sport.

The gold in Madrid capped Gazoz’s steady rise throughout the 2026 Archery World Cup. After claiming bronze in Puebla and silver in Shanghai, Gazoz’s disciplined build-up paid off with gold in the season’s final stage.

He attributed this consistent improvement to the Turkish team’s planning under technical director and national team head coach Yusuf Göktuğ Ergin.

“It’s actually everything, not just the technique or just physical strength – it’s everything. It’s about the process,” Gazoz said.

“We’re always preparing for the last competition because the World Championships, Europeans, Olympics, every major competition, is in July or August,” he added.

As Gazoz begins focusing on the upcoming Taranto 2026 Mediterranean Games, the archery world’s attention shifts to Saltillo, Mexico, which will host the Archery World Cup Final this September.

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Top-seeded Italian Jannik Sinner held off a fierce challenge from Alexander Zverev to defend his Wimbledon title and claim his fifth Grand Slam trophy in a dramatic final Sunday.

Zverev, in his first Wimbledon final hot on the heels of winning the French Open, threatened an upset after taking an intense opening set, but eventually ran out of firepower ⁠as Sinner found another gear to win 6-7(7), 7-6(2), 6-3, 6-4.

The ⁠destiny of the title was still on a knife-edge nearly three hours into an absorbing contest, but second seed Zverev’s resistance finally cracked after a nasty tumble in the third set and Sinner surged on to the title.

Sinner, 24, became the first Italian to win ​a Wimbledon singles title last year by beating Carlos Alcaraz and now joins an elite list of 10 ​men ⁠to successfully defend it in the professional era.

It was a 10th successive victory for Sinner over Zverev, but this time he was pushed to the limit by the 29-year-old, who had been bidding to become the first German man to win the Wimbledon title since Michael Stich in 1991.

Zverev’s first-serve percentage hovered around 80% for much of the match, while his forehand, often his Achilles heel at big moments during his career, proved a fearsome weapon as he went toe-to-toe with his opponent.

Sinner’s second-round meltdown at the French Open and then a close shave in the first round here against Miomir Kecmanovic a fortnight ago raised doubts about his form and condition.

But he ended the tournament showing why he is the best in the world, not dropping a single service game in a semifinal defeat of Novak Djokovic and in a ferocious final.

No better place

“There’s no better place, honestly, to play tennis,” Sinner said as he cradled the pineapple-topped Challenge Cup.

“I’m standing here. You can feel the nerves in a Sunday morning when you wake up, that this is a very special day, ⁠and ⁠you never know how many times you can come back. So I never take things for granted,” he said.

“It always takes two players. We try to give everything we have. I’m very happy about the win, but mostly very happy also about the level we played.”

On a hot and breezy Centre Court, an intense 65-minute first set full of heavy-metal tennis boiled down to tiny margins.

Only one breakpoint was on offer in the opening 12 games, with Sinner missing his chance at 4-3 on the Zverev serve when he uncharacteristically framed a forehand wide.

The pace and accuracy of Zverev’s forehand shook Sinner early on while the 6-foot-6 German dropped only eight points on serve in the opening set.

Zverev reached set point first in a high-quality tiebreak but was passed at the net after chasing a drop shot.

He then saved set point with ⁠an ace and when his chance came again, the free-flowing German cracked away a forehand to end Sinner’s run of winning 14 successive sets against him.

Frustration began to show on Sinner’s face early in the second set as he could make no impact on Zverev’s service games with the German confidently striding around the court.

But in the day’s second tiebreak, ​Zverev wavered for the first time and Sinner turned up the heat to level the match.

The booming serves and ferocious ball-striking continued into the third set, but ​just when Zverev threatened to strike, the match suddenly veered towards Sinner.

Zverev shaken by fall

At 3-3, Zverev earned his first breakpoint of the match after two hours and 42 minutes, but when Sinner conjured a deft drop shot, Zverev slipped behind the dusty baseline and fell ⁠awkwardly. Sinner walked around ‌to check on ‌his opponent and while Zverev said he was okay, he was clearly shaken.

Sinner held and then broke serve ⁠for the first time as Zverev was moving a little gingerly, the German flinging away his ‌racket across the turf in frustration.

Zverev recovered his poise in the fourth set, but Sinner was locked in and broke serve for 4-3.

The best was saved for last with Sinner winning an incredible ​23-stroke rally with an angled dink to bring up ⁠match point before sealing victory – his 100th in Grand Slams – with a forehand winner after three hours and 46 ⁠minutes.

Despite a fourth Grand Slam final defeat, Zverev can reflect on the best stretch of his career after winning his first major title in Paris ⁠and finally cracking the code on Wimbledon’s ​lawns after never previously going past the fourth round.

“That’s the tennis I want to play. That’s the game style I want to play,” said Zverev, who will move above Alcaraz to second in the rankings Monday.

“The more I do it, the better I’ll become, hopefully.”

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France are just one win away from reaching their third consecutive World Cup final and fifth in eight tournaments, as they prepare to take on Spain Tuesday in pursuit of extending their era of dominance.

To get there, ⁠Didier Deschamps’s side must overcome the team who have repeatedly blocked their ⁠path in recent years and whose defense has been breached only once at this tournament.

Spain, who have had a see-saw progression here, eliminated France in the Euro 2024 semifinals and beat them again in a nine-goal Nations League thriller last year, but this time Les Bleus ​arrive with the competition’s two most prolific forwards – Kylian Mbappe on eight goals and Ousmane Dembele on five – ​and ⁠a much more balanced team.

There is considerable continuity between the teams who met in Munich two years ago, when Spain recovered from Randal Kolo Muani’s early header to win 2-1 with goals from Lamine Yamal and Dani Olmo.

Seven of the players who started for France that night could again be in the line-up in Dallas, but the resemblance largely ends there.

France arrived at the Euro 2024 semifinal as a team still searching for fluency.

Mbappe had been hampered by the fractured nose he suffered in their opening game, Antoine Griezmann was struggling to impose himself and the side had reached the last four despite failing to score freely from open play.

Different foundation

Their progress in the United States has been built on a very different foundation.

Mbappe and Dembele have scored 13 goals between them, Michael Olise has provided invention and control between the lines, while Bradley Barcola and Desire Doue have offered another explosive option either from the start or off the bench.

France have become more coherent without the ball and more varied with it, capable of attacking at speed, slowing down the game or defending in ⁠a ⁠compact block for long periods without appearing uncomfortable.

That tactical flexibility was evident in their 2-0 quarterfinal victory over Morocco, when they resisted pressure, denied their opponents clear chances and waited patiently for the openings that eventually decided the match.

It is precisely that balance which will be tested against Spain, who will be able to rely on Lamine, a player rediscovering his groove after arriving at the tournament nursing a hamstring injury.

Luis de la Fuente’s side have retained the collective philosophy that carried them to the European title, using possession not merely to create chances but to suffocate opponents and protect their own defense.

Their record of one goal conceded underlines how rarely teams have been able to play through them, although Belgium showed during Spain’s 2-1 quarterfinal win that they can be unsettled when opponents escape the initial press and attack the space behind their midfield.

France appear better equipped than most to ⁠exploit those moments.

Mbappe’s pace will discourage Spain’s defenders from holding too high a line, while Dembele’s ability to attack from the flank can create uncertainty over where the greatest threat will emerge.

Olise, meanwhile, has become one of France’s most important connectors, drifting inside to combine with the midfield before brutally accelerating attacks.

Deschamps will need to decide whether he wants to reinforce the midfield ​or remain faithful to the attacking structure that has made France the tournament’s most feared side.

Committing four attacking players would give Spain more to worry about, but could also leave France exposed if their press is bypassed.

History within reach

“We are the only ones to have beaten them twice in a row, but this third match will be very different,” De la Fuente said after the victory over Belgium.

“These are two very high-level teams who ⁠are going to face ‌each other.”

France, however, ‌have history within reach.

They reached the World Cup final in 1998, 2006, 2018 and 2022, winning twice, and ⁠victory in Dallas would send them into a fifth final in eight tournaments.

It would also make ‌them the first nation since Brazil between 1994 and 2002 to appear in three consecutive World Cup finals.

That consistency has been built around Deschamps’s ability to renew his team without sacrificing its competitive ​identity. The side that won in 2018 was founded ⁠on defensive solidity and ruthless transitions; the 2022 finalists leaned heavily on Mbappe’s brilliance. This version appears deeper, more ⁠adventurous and less dependent on a single route to victory.

Spain may be the only opponents capable of exposing any remaining flaws.

They have conceded only once, possess ⁠the technical quality to deprive France of ​the ball and have repeatedly shown they can turn long spells of control into decisive bursts around the penalty area.

Yet France enter the meeting with more firepower, greater confidence and a sense that their evolution has brought them to a point where recent defeats no longer define the matchup.

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Seven-time MotoGP world champion Marc Marquez completed a Sachsenring sweep Sunday, following up his sprint victory with a commanding win in the German Grand Prix to boost his position in the championship battle.

The factory Ducati rider converted pole position into ​victory but was made to ​work early ⁠on by his younger brother Alex Marquez.

The Gresini Racing rider stayed close to Marc in the opening stages before crashing out on lap 10, ending his challenge.

With Alex out of contention, Marquez controlled the race from the front, keeping Trackhouse Racing’s Raul Fernandez and Ai Ogura at bay to ⁠secure ⁠a record 10th premier-class victory at one of his favourite circuits.

Ogura passed Fernandez late in the race to finish second and become the first Japanese rider since 2002 to secure three successive premier-class podiums, with Fernandez taking third.

Championship leader Jorge Martin finished ⁠fifth for Aprilia after crossing the line behind KTM’s Pedro Acosta, who took fourth place.

VR46 Racing’s Fabio ​Di Giannantonio, regarded as Marquez’s biggest challenger after ​qualifying third and finishing on the sprint podium, crashed out early and missed ⁠the ‌opportunity ‌to move to the top of ⁠the standings.

Former championship leader ‌Marco Bezzecchi was ruled out after fracturing his left ​collarbone in a ⁠heavy qualifying crash, with Aprilia ⁠saying on Sunday that the Italian had undergone ⁠successful surgery ​but faced an uncertain recovery timeline.

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