Saudi Arabia has been officially confirmed by FIFA as host of the 2034 World Cup in men’s soccer.

Soccer’s biggest ever global club tournament comes to the United States next year and the 32-team group stage is drawn Thursday.

Robert Lewandowski joined Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi as the only players in Champions League history with 100 or more goals.

Metal lockers that once held the sweat-stained shirts and muddy cleats of some of the world’s greatest soccer players are up for auction.

Cristiano Ronaldo has scored his record-extending 133rd international goal to keep Portugal perfect in the Nations League with a 3-1 win over Poland while Spain struck late to edge Denmark 1-0.

International soccer returned to Europe over the past week less than two months after the conclusion of Euro 2024.

Cristiano Ronaldo is showing just why Portugal is persisting with him at the age of 39.

Lionel Messi was omitted from the list of nominations to win this year’s Ballon d’Or award for the world’s best soccer player.

The Oasis reunion could come earlier than expected.

Real Madrid will have rematches of the final from its past three Champions League title wins, against Liverpool and Borussia Dortmund, in its eight-game schedule in the new format of European soccer’s signature event.

Kylian Mbappé has finally put on a Real Madrid jersey to fulfill his childhood dream in front of a packed Santiago Bernabeu Stadium.

Tournament soccer offers a chance for young players to break through.

France has beaten Portugal 5-3 in a penalty shootout to reach the European Championship semifinals and end Cristiano Ronaldo’s bid to win the title in his last appearance at the tournament.

Kylian Mbappé has described Cristiano Ronaldo as a “footballing legend” and “one of a kind” as the superstars prepare to meet in the European Championship quarterfinals.

Cristiano Ronaldo has confirmed this year’s European Championship will be the last of his career.

Kylian Mbappé has had more masks than goals at the European Championship.

A game of epic personal drama and tears for Cristiano Ronaldo has ended with his Portugal making the European Championship quarterfinals, beating Slovenia on a penalty shootout after a 0-0 draw.

It took 36 games in 13 days across 10 cities in Germany to play the group stage of the European Championship in men’s soccer.

Georgia pulled off one of the biggest upsets in European Championship history by beating Portugal 2-0 and advancing to the last 16.

Security is being increased field-side to stop fans getting to players at the European Championship.

There were no goals, one assist and no less than four selfie-pursuing field invaders for Cristiano Ronaldo in Portugal’s 3-0 win over Turkey that secured a spot in the European Championship round of 16.

Portugal coach Roberto Martinez says Cristiano Ronaldo should consider himself lucky to have come to no harm after being confronted by four supporters who came onto the field for selfies with the five-time world player of the year at a European Championship match.

Cristiano Ronaldo has become the first player to feature at six European Championship tournaments as he captained Portugal to a 2-1 win its opening game against the Czech Republic.

Cristiano Ronaldo is 39 and about to play in a record-extending sixth European Championship.

Italy stuttered to a 0-0 draw at home to Turkey in the first of two warmup matches before it begins the defense of its European Championship title next week.

Real Madrid had barely begun celebrating a record-extending 15th Champions League title when coach Carlo Ancelotti started to plot a 16th.

Kylian Mbappé leads an attacking trio including Ousmane Dembelé and Bradley Barcola for Paris Saint-Germain as the French champions have a full-strength squad for the Champions League semifinal first leg at Borussia Dortmund.

In 1990 Mark Robins scored a goal that has long been credited for saving former Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson his job and provided the platform for more than two decades of success.

Ukraine, Georgia and Poland are going to the 2024 European Championship after bringing late drama to win emotional qualifying playoffs on Tuesday.

Cristiano Ronaldo has been suspended for one match for making an alleged offensive gesture during a Saudi Arabia league game while playing for Al Nassr in the Saudi Pro League.

Saudi Arabia sees placing its soccer clubs in more international games including Super Leagues as key to achieving the kingdom’s ambitions in the sport.

Cristiano Ronaldo is reportedly being investigated for making an alleged offensive gesture while playing for Al Nassr in the Saudi Pro League.

The Professional Fighters League is set to become the first major MMA promotion to hold a card in Saudi Arabia.

What was billed as a potential final meeting between longtime rivals Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo didn’t materialize, but there was no doubt which of the superstars enjoyed Al-Nassr’s 6-0 rout of Inter Miami more.

Inter Miami played six preseason matches last season.

The lucrative Saudi soccer league has lost one of its high-profile players.

The preseason tour for Lionel Messi and Inter Miami keeps growing, with the team revealing Friday that a stop in Japan has now been added to the schedule.

Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo will meet in Saudi Arabia after all.

Shohei Ohtani’s jaw-dropping $700 million, 10-year deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers has some similarities to other contracts for the world’s biggest sports stars, including soccer icons Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, along with NFL quarterback Patrick Mahomes.

Shohei Ohtani, Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Patrick Mahomes and Mike Trout are among the world’s top athletes, each with a long list of epic accomplishments.

Portuguese soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo has been hit with a billion dollar class-action lawsuit over his role in promoting cryptocurrency-related “non-fungible tokens,” or NFTs, issued by the beleaguered cryptocurrency exchange Binance.

A U.S. appeals court has sided with Cristiano Ronaldo, rejecting an appeal by a woman trying to force the international soccer star to pay millions more than the $375,000 in hush money he paid her after she accused him of raping her in 2009.

Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo could resume their longstanding rivalry in a tournament being staged in Saudi Arabia in February.

The top goal scorer in international soccer has announced that she will retire from the Canadian national team at the end of this season.

Neymar left the soccer field in tears after yet another injury in what has become an all-too familiar sight.

Lawyers for international soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo were back in court in a legal battle over hush money he paid in 2010 to a woman who accused him of raping her in Las Vegas.

Hundreds of soccer fans have stormed into a hotel in Tehran, hoping for a glimpse of star player Cristiano Ronaldo, who arrived along with his Saudi teammates ahead of a game.

Portugal didn’t need Cristiano Ronaldo to rack up its biggest-ever win in a competitive game.

Scott McTominay has moved ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo and Harry Kane as the joint leading scorer in European Championship qualifying with Scotland on the brink of securing a place at next year’s tournament.

It turns out that two-time NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo has a deft scoring touch on the court — and the pitch.

There is no history of world-class, elite basketball success in the United Arab Emirates.

The Saudi Pro League kicks off Friday after a spending spree on new players grabbed the soccer world’s attention.

Kylian Mbappé finds himself training alone at home while his Paris Saint-Germain teammates are playing abroad and speculation is mounting as to where the France great will play his first game this season.

Saudi Arabian soccer club Al-Ettifaq has signed Jordan Henderson weeks after luring Liverpool great Steven Gerrard to join as manager.

Saudi Arabian soccer team Al-Hilal has made a record $332 million bid for France striker Kylian Mbappe after missing out on Lionel Messi.

Christine Sinclair hopes her sixth appearance at the Women's World Cup will finally land Canada the elusive title.

Marcus Rashford has committed himself to five more years at Manchester United after the most prolific season of his career.

Missing out on Lionel Messi hasn’t slowed Saudi Arabia’s ambitious recruitment drive as the oil-rich kingdom tries to establish itself as a viable destination for the world’s top players.

Lionel Messi didn’t care about the boos in his final game for Paris Saint-Germain as the French league champion lost to Clermont 3-2.

Lionel Messi has helped Paris Saint-Germain clinch a record 11th French league title, and broke another scoring record in the process.

Speculation over Lionel Messi’s potential next destination is turning into a media frenzy but his father has intervened to say no deal has been agreed over a move to Saudi Arabia or return to Barcelona.

A Brazilian dictionary has added “Pelé” as an adjective to use when describing someone who is “exceptional, incomparable, unique.”.

When Lionel Messi was jeered by Paris Saint-Germain fans during last Sunday’s home defeat to Lyon, their relationship looked like it had reached breaking point.

England and Portugal have made it two wins out of two at the start of European Championship qualifying as their star players continued their record-breaking streaks.

A U.S. judge has slapped a Las Vegas lawyer with a $335,000 penalty for pressing a bid to force international soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo to pay millions of dollars more than a hush money settlement he paid to a Nevada woman who claimed Ronaldo raped her in Las Vegas in 2009.

Cristiano Ronaldo has failed to score in his Saudi Pro League debut for Al Nassr.

Grimacing in pain from his bruised cheekbone Cristiano Ronaldo steadied himself before scoring from the penalty spot for his first goal in Saudi Arabia against a Paris Saint-Germain team featuring old foe Lionel Messi.

The palm trees lining the desert roads leading out of Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport were wet with rain drops when Cristiano Ronaldo arrived this week in Saudi Arabia’s capital city.

Cristiano Ronaldo’s latest coach spoke of his surprise as he looked out at a room filled with reporters.

Cristiano Ronaldo has been presented as Al Nassr’s superstar new signing.

Less than two weeks after his great rival Lionel Messi lifted the World Cup, Cristiano Ronaldo has completed a move to Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr and likely signalled the end of his career in elite club soccer.

Saudi Arabian soccer club Al Nassr has announced the signing of Cristiano Ronaldo, ending speculation about the five-time Ballon d’Or winner’s future.

Arguments over who was the greatest player in the history of men’s soccer can often see cheap hits aimed at Pelé.

Pelé won a record three World Cups and was widely regarded as one of his sport’s greatest players.

Reactions poured in from around the world to the death of Brazilian soccer legend Pele.

The superlatives about Pelé over the years came from the likes of Nelson Mandela and Andy Warhol.

Pelé, Brazil’s mighty king of soccer, has died.

Lionel Messi made his strongest case yet to be considered soccer’s greatest player of all time after finally winning the World Cup.

The World Cup final between Argentina and France is rich in storylines as the 22nd edition of the tournament ends with a match fit for the occasion.

As Lionel Messi approaches his second and likely last World Cup final the stakes could hardly be higher.

Portugal coach Fernando Santos has quit after eight years in the job and five days after Portugal’s exit from the World Cup in the quarterfinals.

Morocco coach Walid Regragui says the only regret he has about the team’s loss to France in the semifinals is conceding so early in the match.

Luka Modric pulled his shirt up over his face as he trudged over to the sideline.

As Morocco faces France in the World Cup semifinal, many players and fans of both diverse teams grapple with family tales of colonial history, challenges of immigration, and questions of national loyalty.

Cristiano Ronaldo has said in a cryptic social media post that his dream of winning the World Cup with Portugal has ended.

Ecstatic Moroccans have poured into the streets of their capital and other cities in the North African country to celebrate the national soccer team’s historic victory over Portugal at the World Cup.

Morocco became the first African country to reach the World Cup semifinals by beating Portugal 1-0 to likely end Cristiano Ronaldo’s chances of winning soccer’s biggest prize.

There will be no World Cup title for Cristiano Ronaldo in what was likely his last appearance at soccer’s biggest tournament.

Portugal coach Fernando Santos says Cristiano Ronaldo did not threaten to leave Qatar after being dropped from the starting lineup to play Switzerland at the World Cup.

Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are not ready to say goodbye to the World Cup just yet.

A future for Portugal's national team without Cristiano Ronaldo could be a daunting prospect to the country’s up-and-coming generation of internationals.

Kylian Mbappe is living up to his reputation at the World Cup as the man best-placed to succeed Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo as soccer’s biggest star.

The dream is still alive for Cristiano Ronaldo at the World Cup.

Cristiano Ronaldo's replacement scored a hat trick to lead Portugal over Switzerland 6-1 and into the World Cup quarterfinals.

Cristiano Ronaldo didn't start Portugal’s game against Switzerland in the round of 16 of the World Cup.

Two soccer games on Tuesday will define the last two spots in the World Cup quarterfinals, which include eight countries.

Writers covering the World Cup for The Associated Press have chosen their standout players at the tournament so far to form a best team of the group stage.

South Korea advanced to the round of 16 at the World Cup on the tiebreaker of goals scored after beating Portugal 2-1 following a stoppage-time strike from Hwang Hee-chan.

The U.S. team’s victory over Iran at the World Cup was closely watched across the Middle East.

Portugal became the third team to reach the round of 16 at the World Cup by beating Uruguay 2-0.