World Cup news and highlights

Members of the US and England teams shake hands after the match.

The US Men’s National Team battled to a scoreless draw against England at the?World Cup in Qatar on Friday, and both teams can still advance to the knockout stage from Group B with another match to play.

England tops the group with four points, followed by Iran with three, the US with two and Wales with one. (Teams earn 3 points for a win and 1 point for a tie.)

England faces Wales and the United States plays Iran on Tuesday.

The US must beat Iran to advance. It would mark their first victory in Qatar, as they’ve tied twice thus far.

England can advance with at least a draw on Tuesday. They thrashed Iran to start their campaign, winning 6-2.

The United States' Tim Weah, left, and England's Harry Maguire fight for the ball during Friday's 0-0 draw.

The US and England have tied, 0-0, in just their third match in World Cup history.

The Group B game was considered a key test for the young, promising Americans, and they held their own in the scoreless contest.

The US’s hopes of progressing into the knockout rounds are still in its own hands, knowing a win against Iran on Tuesday will see it through to the last 16.

US fans watch the match at Al Bayt Stadium.

The US has continued its dominance into the second half and has England pegged into its own half of the pitch.

It’s been wave after wave of attack, but the Americans can’t quite find the breakthrough.

Christian Pulisic has taken a number of corners, which has whipped up the crowd behind the England goal. The forward has been encouraging them to make even more noise.

The US needs to capitalize on this period of play – or the team may regret it.

England players kneel before kickoff Friday, just as they did before their first match against Iran.

England’s players once again took a knee on the pitch before the start of their match against Team USA on Friday, a gesture the team’s coach has described as an act of solidarity.

The England team and Premier League clubs have been taking a knee before matches for several years as an anti-racism gesture. They have done so before both matches so far at Qatar 2022.

After defeating Iran on Monday, manager Gareth Southgate said the kneeling was a way for his players to make their voices heard.

More context: Teams have been walking a fine line in Qatar, with players facing potential sanctions if they protest the country’s treatment of LGBTQ people and other human rights issues.

England captain Harry Kane is among the most prominent players not wearing a?“OneLove” armband during the tournament as originally planned, after learning players could receive yellow cards for the display. The armband features a striped heart in different colors to represent all heritages, backgrounds, genders and sexual identities.

The second half has started in the crucial showdown between England and Team USA at the World Cup in Al Bayt Stadium.

US star Christian Pulisic takes a shot in the first half that smacked off the crossbar against England.

The US and England teams are tied 0-0 in their pivotal World Cup match after an exciting first half.

It’s been a no-nonsense half of football, with only one minute of added time, a record low number for this tournament.

We’ll see what the second half brings!

England's Harry Kane, left, is challenged by US midfielder Tyler Adams.

Just like they did it their opening game against Wales, the Americans have started this match at a high intensity.

Despite England looking threatening in the early exchanges, the US has set about making its opposition’s life difficult by smothering their space — and the US fans behind the goal are loving it.

American fans are enjoying seeing their team do more than hold their own, taunting the England team with the chant, “It’s called soccer.”

Both teams have gotten a few close shots on goal.

The best chance so far came from Christian Pulisic, who launched a screaming shot?in the 33rd minute that crashed off the crossbar and went behind the goal.

The question remains whether the US can keep this up for 90 minutes. It couldn’t against Wales in a 1-1 tie on Monday.

England's Declan Rice, in white, tries to shield the United States' Weston McKennie at the start of Friday's match.

We have kickoff! The US vs England World Cup match has started at Al Bayt Stadium in the city of Al Khor in Qatar.

It’s a key test for the USMNT’s so-called “Golden Generation,” and the third meeting between the two teams in World Cup history.

Ahad of the World Cup showdown between the US Men’s National Team (USMNT) and England on Friday, US Soccer Federation CEO and Secretary General JT Batson told CNN that the team is feeling ready for the competition.?

“The team looks good; the team is feeling good, they were in good spirits. … England looked great in the first game and we know we’ve got some stiff competition, but the guys are up for it, which we’re excited about,” he told CNN’s Becky Anderson.?

“The team is confident. We have a great record in the World Cup against England, and we look to keep that rolling today,” he said. ?

The last time the US participated at the men’s World Cup was eight years ago. And with the match falling during the Thanksgiving holiday, it could be the most-watched game of soccer in US history.?

So far, Qatar World Cup ticket sales have surpassed 3 million according to FIFA, with America ranking as one of the top nations in those sales. Batson said that speaks to the growth of the game in the US.?

“Americans love big competitions, and of course, we love to win. Nothing gets bigger than the World Cup. The growth of the game in the States has been incredible over the past few decades. … I think this is only going to grow,” he said, adding that he predicts the US will dominate the most tickets sold at the Women’s World Cup next year.???

In a historic accomplishment, the US Soccer Federation and the United States Women’s National Team USWNT reached an agreement to end a dispute over equal pay in February. Asked why it took so long, he told CNN that they have “long been committed to this.”

“We’ve long been a leader in women’s football, we know the rest of the world is fortunately now investing in that which is exciting, and we want to continue that investment to be the leader for decades to come,” he continued.?

The USMNT showed their support for the LGBTQ+ community by having a rainbow-themed team logo inside their training facility. Batson said that speaks to the team’s “long history of supporting the LGBTQ community.”

“One of the beauties of America is its diversity. We have players from all over the world, from all over the country, all sorts of different backgrounds and different perspectives. So we really want to give them the platform to advocate on things that are important to them, whether it’s gun violence, Black Lives Matter, basic human rights. Anything beyond that, we want to support them,” he said.

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Former USMNT winger DaMarcus Beasley sounded confident about the US’ chances against England on Friday, telling CNN Sport’s Amanda Davies: “I think they can beat England. Will they? That’s a different question.”

Head coach Gregg Berhalter’s team sparkled in the first half but labored in the second, as it drew its first match of the tournament against Wales.

It was the US’ first match at the World Cup in eight years, and the squad showed all the energy and inexperience that was expected of a team packed with youth.

Meanwhile, England comes into the game off the back of a 6-2 thrashing of Iran, a fact that doesn’t daunt Beasley.

“You’re playing one of the favorites to win the World Cup. You look across the squad list and you see who’s on the team,” he told CNN Sport. “If you can’t get up for this type of game then you shouldn’t be in football, simple as that.”

Beasley, who was a part of the USA team that drew with England at the 2010 World Cup, also spoke on how the mentality is different with this young, hungry team.

“Yes, in our day we thought we could beat anyone, but this team, they believe it,” he said. “They feel that they can beat England and I have the same sentiment – that they can.”

After Iran beat Wales earlier in the day, the US’?final match against Iran will be key in getting out of the group. But victory against its rival from across the pond would put the US at the top of the group and in pole position to move on to the knockout stage.

Star forward Neymar expressed his frustration on social media after an injury interrupted his quest to earn Brazil its sixth FIFA World Cup championship.

In a?post?on Instagram, Neymar wrote, “The pride and love I feel wearing the shirt has no explanation.”?

“If God gave me the opportunity to choose a country to be born in, it would be BRAZIL,” he wrote.

“Today has become one of the hardest moments in my career… and again in a World Cup. I have an injury yes, it’s annoying, it’s going to hurt but I’m sure I’ll have the chance to come back because I’ll do my best to help my country, my teammates and myself,” he added.

The forward suffered an ankle injury in Brazil’s opening match against Serbia.?Brazilian team doctor Rodrigo Lasmar said Friday that Neymar will miss the team’s next match against Switzerland on Monday, but remained hopeful he would play again in the tournament.

US fans Deya Banisakher (L) and Mireya Jurado visit a fan festival in Qatar on Friday ahead of the US vs England match.

US fans have been enjoying the sights and sounds of Doha over the course of the tournament and many were milling around the FIFA Fan Festival early today in anticipation of their team’s match against England.

The US has never lost to England at a World Cup – shocking the world with a 1-0 win in 1950 and drawing 1-1 in 2010. It’s safe to say that confidence is cautiously high.

US fans Mireya Jurado and Deya Banisakher were among those visiting the fan festival. They flew to Qatar from the US via Abu Dhabi.

Both were dressed head-to-toe in their country’s colors and were fully aware of the test facing the US at the Al Bayt Stadium.

“We’re going to win, go USA!” Banisakher told CNN jokingly. “But seriously, we’re optimistic even though our chances are slim.”

The couple has been buoyed by recent surprise results so far at Qatar 2022, including Saudi Arabia’s victory against Argentina and Japan’s win over Germany.

The US sits 16th in FIFA’s official list, 11 places lower than England, and a win tonight would arguably be the biggest in its history.

“We need more national pride in our men’s team,” she said.

England's Declan Rice, left, and Harry Kane warm up before Friday's match.

England and the US are both out for their warmups as fans start to trickle into the stadium.

The atmosphere hasn’t quite picked up yet, but no doubt many supporters are still on their way in. Al Bayt Stadium, which hosted the opening game on Sunday, is the furthest venue from Doha and it takes a long time to get inside, due to its size.

There were fears that, due to the rivalry and teams involved, this match would attract hostility from the fans. But an hour or so from kickoff, the mood was largely calm and the groups of security guards had precious little to do.

Supporters already in their seats cheered the players as they started their drills. There is a nice touch from the US coaching team: The cones for the American players are laid out in the colors of the US flag, where possible.

It’s the small things that matter.

Fans wait for the US-England match to start on Friday.

After a frustrating 1-1 draw against Wales, this World Cup isn’t about to get any easier for the United States Men’s National Team.

Next up is England, the favorite to top Group B after thrashing Iran 6-2 earlier this week — an ominous sign for the USMNT in its bid to qualify for the knockout stages.

But with a win or draw against England, US coach Gregg Berhalter will know that a berth in the next round could be within his side’s grasp, with a game against Iran to come.

It will be the biggest test that the USMNT’s so-called “Golden Generation” has faced under Berhalter, and potentially an era-defining game for a side that struggled for form throughout the qualifying rounds.

“We know how much quality England’s going to have. But again, we think we match up well against them,” US captain Tyler Adams said earlier this week, according to ESPN.

Read more ahead of the game here.

Team USA

Manager: Gregg Berhalter

Goalkeepers: Ethan Horvath, Sean Johnson, Matt Turner

Defenders: Cameron Carter-Vickers,?Sergi?o Dest, Aaron Long, Shaq Moore, Tim Ream, Antonee Robinson, Joe Scally, DeAndre Yedlin, Walker Zimmerman

Midfielders: Brenden Aaronson, Kellyn Acosta, Tyler Adams, Luca de la Torre, Weston McKennie, Yunus Musah, Cristian Roldan

Forwards: Jesús Ferreira, Jordan Morris, Christian Pulisic, Gio Reyna, Josh Sargent, Tim Weah, Haji Wright

England

Manager:?Gareth Southgate

Goalkeepers: Jordan Pickford, Nick Pope, Aaron Ramsdale

Defenders: Trent Alexander-Arnold, Conor Coady, Eric Dier, Harry Maguire, Luke Shaw, John Stones, Kieran Trippier, Kyle Walker, Ben White

Midfielders:?Jude Bellingham, Conor Gallagher, Jordan Henderson, Mason Mount, Kalvin Phillips, Declan Rice

Forwards: Phil Foden, Jack Grealish, Harry Kane, James Maddison, Marcus Rashford, Bukayo Saka, Raheem Sterling, Callum Wilson

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England’s all-time leading goal-scorer Wayne Rooney recalls his favorite World Cup memory – when thousands of England fans chanted the team’s names outside the hotel in Germany 2006.

“It’s a shame that that’s the best memory,” he adds, referencing England’s repeated disappointing performances at World Cups.

Qatari players react at the end of their loss against Senegal on Friday.

Qatar’s dream World Cup has quickly turned into a nightmare. The hosts have come under much criticism for events off the field, but they have now suffered humiliation on it.

The Maroon became the first host nation in World Cup history to be knocked out after only two games.

After losing 3-1 to Senegal earlier in the day, their fate was sealed when the Netherlands drew with Ecuador — meaning that even with a win against the Dutch in the final game, Qatar is out of the World Cup.

Qatari fans will be disappointed with a limp performance from a team that has been 12 years in the making and came into the tournament as Asian champions.

South Africa is the only other host nation to be knocked out in the group stage of the World Cup, but they were only knocked out in the final game of the group stage in 2010.

The Netherlands' Frankie de Jong is swarmed by Ecuador players during their 1-1 draw on Friday.

It ends all square between the Netherlands and Ecuador,?leaving the two teams joint-top of Group A on four points each.

The Dutch raced into a lead, scoring the quickest goal of the tournament from new star Cody Gakpo’s stellar strike.

But the Oranje were unable to control the game as the young Ecuador team fought its way back into the game.

The Ecuador fans thought that they had equalized right on the stroke of halftime, but were denied by the offside flag before grabbing a deserved equalizer early in the second half through talisman Enner Valencia.

The forward scored his third goal of the tournament when following up on?Pervis Estupinan’s shot that was initially saved.

But the evening ended early for Valencia, who was carried off the field on a stretcher. The South American nation will have an anxious wait to see if its captain will be able to continue at the World Cup.

Ecuador striker Enner Valencia, center, celebrates after scoring the tying goal against the Netherlands.

Ecuador is back in it, and this time the goal counts as captain Enner Valencia strokes home.

The Netherlands are caught in possession and the ball falls to Pervis Estupinan on the edge of the area.

His strike is saved by Andries Noppert but he palmed the ball straight into Valencia’s path, who easily taps in.

The goal takes Valencia to three in the tournament and his total tally to six goals in five World Cup matches.

Halftime is over, and Ecuador is looking to make up for that goal denial as the Netherlands leads 1-0.

Neymar's ankle is swollen after the Serbia match Thursday.

Five-time World Cup champion Brazil will be without stars Neymar and Danilo for their next match due to injury, the team announced on Friday.

Brazilian team doctor Rodrigo Lasmar confirmed both players will miss the team’s next match against Switzerland on Monday, but remained hopeful they would play again in the tournament.

“We thought it was important to do an image exam, an MRI so that we had more data on the evolution of the two players,” Lasmar said.

“The scans showed a lateral ligament injury to Neymar’s right ankle along with a small bone swelling. And a medial ligament injury to Danilo’s left ankle,” he said.

“We can already say that we will not have the two players for our next game, but they remain in treatment with our objective of trying to recover in time for this competition,” Lasmar added.

Neymar sprained his right ankle in his side’s opening World Cup match — a 2-0 win over Serbia — on Thursday.

Read more.

Wow! It was a quick start for the Netherlands as Cody Gakpo scored the fastest goal yet this tournament to open the scoring.

Ecuador had a couple of great chances to come back and scored an apparent goal in the third minute of injury time, but VAR ruled it out on a goal check.

We head into the break with the Dutch leading, but things could quickly turn in the second half!

Ecuador players dispute a disallowed goal that happened at the end of the first half.

Ecuador thought they had brought things level just on the stroke of halftime, but were denied by the referee’s whistle.

The Netherlands cleared the initial corner from the South Americans before Angelo Preciado rifled in a strike from the edge of the area that was flicked in by Pervis Estupi?án.

The Brighton fullback wheeled away in celebration, but was stopped short by the linesman’s flag. On review, it was clear that Jackson Porozo was obstructing keeper Andries Noppert’s vision and the goal was rightly disallowed.

The FIFA World Cup in Qatar has surpassed 3 million ticket sales,?with attendance figures sitting “at 94% after the first round,” the world football’s governing body said Friday.?

“Official figures show that the average overall match attendance stands at an impressive 94% compared to stadium capacities for the event,” FIFA said in a press release.?

The highest match attendance of the tournament so far was the Brazil vs Serbia game at Lusail Stadium on Nov. 24 with 88,103 fans, according to FIFA.??

Daley Blind, right, celebrates with Dutch teammate Cody Gakpo, who opened the scoring against Ecuador on Friday.

It took just five minutes and four seconds for golden boy Cody Gakpo to give the Dutch the lead, and what a goal it was!

After a mix up in the Ecuadorian defense, Davy Klassen laid the ball off for Gakpo. The young winger took a touch before rifling the ball into the top corner at the near post.

It is Gakpo’s second of the tournament and the fastest goal scored so far.

The Netherlands' Teun Koopmeiners, center, battles for the ball with Ecuador's Pervis Estupinan.

This is a big clash in Group A as both teams start the match with 3 points. A win here for either team would be huge for qualifying for the knockout stage of the tournament. The Netherlands start out as a slight favorite, but Ecuador did look good in its first game of the tournament.

It’s a great game coming up, and it’s kicked off. Let’s go!

The Netherlands:

Manager: Louis van Gaal

Goalkeepers: Justin Bijlow, Remko Pasveer, Andries Noppert

Defenders: Virgil van Dijk, Nathan Aké, Daley Blind, Jurri?n Timber, Denzel Dumfries, Stefan de Vrij, Mathijs de Ligt, Tyrell Malacia, Jeremie Frimpong

Midfielders: Frenkie de Jong, Steven Berghuis, Davy Klaassen, Teun Koopmeiners, Cody Gakpo, Marten de Roon, Kenneth Taylor, Xavi Simons

Forwards: Memphis Depay, Steven Bergwijn, Vincent Janssen, Luuk de Jong, Noa Lang, Wout Weghorst

Starting XI: Noppert, Timber, van Dijk, Aké, Dumfries, Klaassen, de Jong, Blind, Koopmeiners, Gakpo, Bergwijn

————————–

Ecuador

Manager: Gustavo Alfaro

Goalkeepers: Alexander Domínguez, Hernán Galíndez, Moisés Ramírez

Defenders: Pervis Estupi?án, ángelo Preciado, Piero Hincapié, Xavier Arreaga, Diego Palacios, Jackson Porozo, Robert Arboleda, Félix Torres, William Pacho

Midfielders: Moisés Caicedo, José Cifuentes, Alan Franco, Jhegson Méndez, Carlos Gruezo, Gonzalo Plata, ángel Mena, Ayrton Preciado, Romario Ibarra, Jeremy Sarmiento

Forwards: Enner Valencia, Michael Estrada, Djorkaeff Reasco, Kevin Rodríguez

Starting XI: Galíndez, Preciado, Hincapié, Porozo, Torres, Estupi?án, Plata, Méndez, Caicedo, Valencia, Estrada

For all the teams playing in the World Cup, click here.

Senegal's Bamba Dieng, left, celebrates after his goal on Friday.

Qatar’s World Cup is on the brink after a second loss on the trot.

The host nation was much improved from its opening day loss to Ecuador, but it was overpowered by a Senegal team that finally has arrived at the World Cup and won the first game for an African nation at this year’s tournament.

Senegal took a first-half lead after Boulaye Dia capitalised on a defensive error. The Teranga Lions doubled their lead just after the break from a powerful Famara Diedhiou header.

Qatar finally woke up and took the game to its opponent, drawing a couple of spectacular saves from Chelsea keeper Edouard Mendy before grabbing a deserved goal. Mohammed Muntari headed home following a lovely move down the wing.

Just as the comeback seemed on, the winds were taken out of the Qatari sails by Bamba Dieng. The substitute stroked a simple finish following some brilliant dribbling from Iliman Ndiaye.

The game ended in dour fashion as thousands of Qataris headed towards to the exits after the third goal, their hopes of a fairy tale World Cup all but vanished.

Teammates celebrate with Senegal's Bamba Dieng (No. 20) after he scored the team's third goal against Qatar.

The Qatar fans are hardly finished celebrating before being halted by a third goal from Senegal.

Substitute Iliman Ndiaye rides a few challenges, plays a give-and-go before cutting back to fellow substiute Bamba Dieng who slides it in.

What can Qatar do to respond? Surely, the result is resolved.

Mohammed Muntari scores Qatar's first-ever World Cup goal on a header in the second half.

Incredible! The host nation scores a crucial goal late in the game to bring one back.

And what a goal! A long ball is collected by Ismaeel Mohammad on the wing. His cross is then met by a lovely header from substitute Mohammed Muntari which nestles in the bottom corner.

2-1 to Senegal and game on!

Senegal's Famara Diedhiou directs a header for his team's second goal on Friday.

It’s two for Senegal!

Just minutes after half-time, the Teranga Lions double their lead from a corner. Ismail Jakobs swings in a corner, which is met by Famara Diedhiou whose powerful header goes in off the underside of the crossbar.

It’s a tall order now for host Qatar to save both the game and its World Cup.

The second half has begun and we’re looking for more goals as Senegal will look to seal the win and Qatar looks to avoid falling to its second loss in two games.

Let’s see what happens!

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Two years ago today, Diego Maradona died at the age of 60.

In a lifetime full of grandiose achievements and sporting wonders, it was a period of less than five minutes at the 1986 World Cup where he redefined football.

If the history of film was once described as before and after “Gone with the Wind,” it could be argued that the history of the World Cup can be defined as before and after the game between England and Argentina in 1986 – with one Diego Armando Maradona as protagonist.

In 1986, what happened in the space of a few minutes was that everything that’s possible in a game of football took place on the pitch, in full view of everyone watching, and it was all carried out by one man. The bad and the good, the ugly and the beautiful, lawlessness and perfection all displayed for everyone to see.

Click the link below to read more:

Maradona's quick thinking handed Argentina a World Cup Semi-final in Mexico City.

Related article How Diego Maradona redefined football in the space of less than five minutes

The half-time whistle blows, and it’s Senegal with a deserved 1-0 lead. Qatar will be looking to turn things around in the second half, while Senegal will likely look to put the pressure on even more.

All that means is an exciting second half awaits us.

Senegal's Boulaye Dia celebrates with his teammates after scoring the opening goal against Qatar on Friday.

The deadlock is broken! Boulaye Dia latches onto a loose ball to strike home. 1-0 Senegal!

A tame cross from Krepin Diatta is met by Boualem Khoukhi, but the center back slips and the ball dropped to Dia who made no mistake, rifling the ball into the near post.

Senegal’s World Cup is finally underway, but Qatar has to turn things around to avoid an early exit.

Senegal supporters cheer ahead of Friday's match against Qatar.

Senegal may have had a disappointing start to its tournament but that has not quelled its fans. After the color and noise that the Ghanaian fans brought yesterday, the Senegalese contingent will be looking to one up their fellow West Africans.

The fans are led by the 12e Gaindé, the now iconic row of fans with their shirts off and bodies painted, spelling out S-E-N-E-G-A-L. Behind them are hundreds of fans, fully decked out in the green, yellow and red of the Teranga Lions.?

Armed with djembes – traditional West African drums – and their voices, the fans will be impossible to ignore. Despite being outnumbered by the hosts, the supporters will make themselves heard throughout the 90 minutes in a match that Senegal desperately needs to win.

The 12e Gaindé – the now iconic row of fans with their shirts off and bodies painted, spelling out S-E-N-E-G-A-L – before Senegal's game against Qatar on Friday.

Senegal's Ismaila Sarr is challenged by Qatari players at the start of Friday's match.

Though not a blockbuster game on paper, Qatar and Senegal have a lot to play for.

Qatar is looking to avoid the title of host nation that is eliminated from the competition the earliest in history, while Senegal is looking for Africa’s first win at the tournament.

The whistle is blown and the action gets underway.

Let’s go!

Qatar

Manager: Félix Sánchez

Goalkeepers: Saad Al-Sheeb, Meshaal Barsham, Yousef Hassan

Defenders: Pedro Miguel, Abdul Karim Hassan, Tarek Salman, Bassam Al-Rawi, Khoukhi Boualem, Abdelkarim Hassan, Ismaeel Mohammad, Homam Al-Amin Ahmed, Jassem Jaber

Midfielders: Ali Asad, Muhammad Waad, Salem Al Hajri, Assim Madibo, Mustafa Meshaal, Karim Boudiaf, Abdulaziz Hatin

Forwards: Naif Al Hadhrami, Hassan Al Haydos, Akram Afif, Almoez Ali, Mohammed Muntari, Khalid Muneer, Ahmed Alaa

Starting XI: Barsham, Miguel, Mohammad, Khoukhi, Hassan, Ahmed, Al Haydos, Boudiaf, Madibo, Ali, Afif

———————-

Senegal

Manager: Aliou Cissé

Goalkeepers: Seny Dieng, Alfred Gomis, Edouard Mendy

Defenders: Pape Abdou Cissé, Abdou Diallo, Ismail Jakobs, Kalidou Koulibaly, Formose Mendy, Youssouf Sabaly, Fodé Balo Touré

Midfielders: Pathé Ciss, Krepin Diatta, Idrissa Gana Gueye, Pape Gueye, Cheikhou Kouyate, Mamadou Loum, Nampalys Mendy, Moustapha Name, Pape Matar Sarr

Forwards: Boulaye Dia, Bamba Dieng, Nicolas Jackson, Iliman Ndiaye, Ismaila Sarr, Famara Diedhiou

Starting XI: E. Mendy, Sabaly, Koulibaly, Jakobs, Diallo, Gueye, N. Mendy, Diatta, Diedhiou, Sarr, Dia

Ahead of England’s World Cup clash with the United States on Friday, world football’s governing body FIFA said that Crusader costumes worn by England fans are “offensive” after it emerged that some supporters had been turned away from stadiums in Qatar.

FIFA says that “it strives to create a discrimination-free environment, to promote diversity across the organization and in all of its activities and events.”

Some England fans attend sporting events dressed as the English patron St. George, equipped with helmets, crosses and plastic swords.

However, FIFA told CNN that “Crusader costumes in the Arab or Middle East context can be offensive to Muslims. That is why anti-discrimination colleagues asked fans to wear things inside out or change dress.”

Christian armies fought Muslims for over 200 years to take back control of Jerusalem and its surrounding areas which were under Islamic rule.?

During the tournament in Qatar, football fan attire has been in the spotlight, particularly any clothing or paraphernalia that have rainbow colors.

The rainbow flag is a symbol for LGBTQ rights, and in Qatar, sex between men is illegal and punishable by up to three years in prison in the country. A report from Human Rights Watch, published last month, documented cases as recently as September of Qatari security forces arbitrarily arresting LGBTQ people and subjecting them to “ill-treatment in detention.”

At the Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium on Monday, ahead of the United States Men’s National Team’s (USMNT) match against Wales, American football journalist Grant Wahl and former Wales captain Laura McAllister both said they had been told to remove rainbow-colored items of clothing by security staff.

Wahl said he was detained and briefly refused entry to the match because of the “rainbow soccer ball t-shirt” he was wearing, posting on Twitter that security staff had told him: “You have to change your shirt. It’s not allowed.”

“One security guard told me that my shirt was ‘political’ and not allowed,” Wahl wrote.

Wahl told CNN on Tuesday that he had been given assurances beforehand that he would be allowed to wear rainbow-decorated clothing and that he “probably will” wear the shirt again as he has “no fear here about any of this.”

McAllister – who captained the Welsh women’s national football team in the 1990s – said she was stopped by security officials and had her rainbow-colored hat confiscated before she was allowed to enter the Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium.

“So, despite fine words from @FIFAWorldCup before event, @Cymru (Wales) rainbow Bucket hats confiscated at stadium, mine included,” McAllister tweeted of the incident.

“I had a conversation about this with stewards – we have video evidence. This #WorldCup2022 just gets better but we will continue to stand up for our values,” added McAllister.

The Welsh Football Association (FAW) said FIFA told the federation on Thursday that rainbow-colored flags and hats will be permitted at World Cup stadiums in Qatar.

When asked to clarify the dress code, FIFA referred CNN to the tournament handbook which states “expats and tourists are free to wear the clothing of their choice, as long as it is modest and respectful to the culture.”

In this handbook, it also states “body protection gear,” “weapons of any type” and “items with political, offensive or discriminatory messages” are banned.

Aside from this document, FIFA has a human rights monitor inside of each stadium and they will be responsible for determining what is acceptable or not.

Carlos Queiroz, Head Coach of IR Iran, celebrates with players after the 2-0 win during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Group B match between Wales and IR Iran at Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium on November 25.

Iran takes the three points in a dramatic finish in Qatar! It has a chance to qualify for the knockout stage of the World Cup for the first time in its history!

The scores were locked at 0-0 for almost the entire game, but Iran looked to be the stronger of the two sides, constantly probing Wales’ defense.

As the pressure built and built, Wales goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey was sent off for a reckless challenge on Mehdi Tarami with just four minutes of regular time left.

Still, Wales’ defense held firm until the 98th minute of the game when Roozbeh Cheshmi leathered the ball into the goal to seemingly seal the win.

And two minutes later, Ramin Rezaeian made Iran’s victory secure and kept alive its hopes of reaching the knockout stages.

What a match!

Ramin Rezaeian scores Iran's second goal against Wales at the Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium on November 25.

What a finish!

Ramin Rezaeian chips the ball over replacement goalkeeper Danny Ward and Iran score two goals in added time!

Roozbeh Cheshmi of IR Iran scores their team's first goal during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Group B match between Wales and IR Iran at Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium on November 25.

What. A. Goal!

Roozbeh Cheshmi scores a last-minute rocket to break Wales’ hearts and surely, surely secure an Iran victory.

Wow!

Mehdi Taremi of IR Iran is fouled by Wayne Hennessey of Wales during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Group B match between Wales and IR Iran at Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium on November 25.

Wales goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey has been red-carded! Originally, the referee awarded a yellow, but it was overturned by VAR. Incredible! Hennessey becomes the first player to be sent off at Qatar 2022.

Brazil's forward #10 Neymar walks with a swollen ankle at the end of the Qatar 2022 World Cup Group G football match between Brazil and Serbia at the Lusail Stadium in Lusail, on November 24.

Brazil star Neymar sprained his right ankle in his team’s 2-0 win over Serbia last night, Brazilian team doctor Rodrigo Lasmar confirmed last night in a post-game press conference.

Lasmar said that the team had already begun treating Neymar and would have more clarity in 24 to 48 hours.

“It was a direct trauma where the knee of a Serbian player made a movement that caused the sprain,” Lasmar added.

“He presented with some swelling of the ankle. We started treatment immediately, including on the bench. He is still in physio treatment now. And we will have to wait 24 to 48 hours before we have a clearer picture of the player’s situation.”

The Paris Saint-Germain forward was substituted with 10 minutes remaining after going down under a challenge and Neymar looked emotional once he got to the bench, sitting down and covering his face with his shirt.

Cameras caught Neymar looking down at his ankle, which appeared to be very swollen as he made his way off the pitch.

It will no doubt be a huge concern to Brazil – and football fans around the world – whose chances of success would decrease considerably without star man Neymar.

Neco Williams of Wales battles for possession with Sardar Azmoun of IR Iran during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Group B match between Wales and IR Iran at Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium on November 25.

Neither side can afford for this game to end in a draw.

We are all square after the first half, and the teams run back out onto the pitch knowing that they have to score in the last 45 minutes, setting up an enthralling end to the match.

Let’s go!

It’s becoming a bit of a trend in this tournament for matches to remain 0-0 at half-time.

Both sides have had opportunities to score. Wales’ Kieffer Moore had a wide open goal early on but could not direct his header past Iran’s goalkeeper Hossein Hosseini while Ali Gholizadeh’s effort for Iran found the net but was ruled out by VAR for offside. Several late efforts by both squads also came to naught and we head into the break like we started!

Ali Gholizadeh of IR Iran scores a goal past Wayne Hennessey of Wales that was ruled offside during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Group B match between Wales and IR Iran at Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium on November 25.

Ali Gholizadeh looks like he makes it 1-0 to Iran but it’s ruled out for offside by the video assistant referee (VAR)!

Iran players line up for the national anthem prior to the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Group B match between Wales and IR Iran at Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium on November 25.

Some of Iran’s players sang the national anthem loudly before kick-off in their match against Wales, but most remained subdued, barely moving their lips.

In the stands, Iranian fans cried listening to the anthem while the Welsh fans applauded them on.

This year’s World Cup was moved to the winter to combat the extreme heat in the Qatari summer, but it’s far from cold as Iran kicks-off against Wales.

Temperatures are hovering around 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Farenheit) and the desert sun feels particularly strong today – standing directly in it quickly becomes uncomfortable.

The heat will certainly be a factor for the first match of the day – perhaps more so for Wales with its players less accustomed to such intensity.

Half the pitch at the Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium is covered with shade so at least some of the players will have some respite.

Aaron Ramsey of Wales kicks off during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Group B match between Wales and IR Iran at Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium on November 25.

Kick-off between Wales and Iran in a match which both teams need to get something out of, so expect some goals as the three points will be key to both teams’ aspirations to make it to the knockout stage.

Let’s go!

Supporters of Iran attend the Qatar 2022 World Cup Group B football match between Wales and Iran at the Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium in Al-Rayyan, on November 25.

All eyes will be on Iran’s players for reasons more than soccer before this game to see whether they sing their national anthem after they did not sing it before their opening game against England.

Outside the stadium of that game, CNN witnessed a number of Iran supporters wearing protest t-shirts, with slogans such as “Free Iran” or “Rise with the women of Iran.”

Iran is appearing at this World Cup under the shadow of domestic turmoil, with its game against Wales taking place a day after the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Chief, Volker Turk, said that the country is in a “full-fledged human rights crisis” as authorities clamp down on anti-regime dissidents.

Some additional context:

Soccer, like everything else in Iran, has been affected by the widespread protests, chaos and violence convulsing the country and threatening the very nature of the regime that has been in power for more than 40 years.

In the buildup to the World Cup in Qatar, there were calls for Iran to be thrown out of the tournament. As the team prepared to play England in its opening World Cup match, all eyes were focused on its players for more than soccer.

Fans of Iran protest over the death of Mahsa Amini in Iran prior to the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Group B match between Wales and IR Iran at Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium, on November 25.

The protests, referred to by experts as the most significant since the establishment of clerical rule following the 1979 Iranian Revolution, were sparked by the death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old woman who died after being detained by Iran’s morality police allegedly for not abiding by the country’s conservative dress code.

What began as a clamor for women’s rights has morphed into a movement, still driven by women, demanding the end of a regime that “people no longer believe…is reformable,” Abbas Milani, director of Iranian studies at Stanford University, told CNN’s Christiane Amanpour earlier this month. “They want a different social contract without the clergy claiming divine right.”

Wales fans in the stands before the match at Ahmad bin Ali Stadium in Al-Rajjan on November 25.

For both teams, who are side-by-side in FIFA’s ranking list, this feels like a must-win game in order to qualify for the knock-out stages from Group B.

Gareth Bale’s equalizer stole a late draw against the US Men’s National Team for Wales in its opening game, keeping his side’s qualification hopes alive in its first World Cup in 64 years.

Iran, on the other hand, is looking to bounce back after a disappointing 6-2 defeat to England in its opening match and requires at least a draw today to maintain any chance of reaching the knockout stages.

Wales

Manager: Rob Page

Goalkeepers: Wayne Hennessey, Danny Ward, Adam Davies

Defenders: Ben Davies, Ben Cabango, Tom Lockyer, Joe Rodon, Chris Mepham, Ethan Ampadu, Chris Gunter, Neco Williams, Connor Roberts

Midfielders: Sorba Thomas, Joe Allen, Matt Smith, Dylan Levitt, Harry Wilson, Joe Morrell, Jonny Williams, Aaron Ramsey, Rubin Colwill

Forwards: Gareth Bale, Kieffer Moore, Mark Harris, Brennan Johnson, Dan James

Starting XI: Hennessey, Davies, Mepham, Rodon, Williams, Ramsey, Roberts, Ampadu, Wilson, Bale, Moore

Iran

Manager: Carlos Queiroz

Goalkeepers: Alireza Beiranvand, Amir Abedzadeh, Hossein Hosseini, Payam Niazmand

Defenders: Majid Hosseini, Hossein Kananizadehgan, Shoja Khalilzadeh, Morteza Pouraliganji, Sadegh Moharrami, Ramin Rezaeian, Milad Mohammadi, Abolfazl Jalali

Midfielders: Ehsan Hajsafi, Saeed Ezatolahi, Rouzbeh Cheshmi, Ali Karimi, Saman Ghoddos, Ahmad Noorollahi, Vahid Amiri

Forwards: Alireza Jahanbakhsh, Ali Gholizadeh, Mehdi Taremi, Mahdi Torabi, Karim Ansarifard, Sardar Azmoun

Starting XI: Hosseini, Mohammadi, Pouraliganji, Hosseini, Rezaeian, Haji Safi, Ezatolahi, Gholizadeh, Noorollahi, Taremi, Azmoun

For every team, click here.