BREAKING NEWS
Venomous snake spotted at Germany World Cup training camp in US • Austria beat debutants Jordan 3-1 in World Cup comeback win • Messi scores hat-trick as Argentina beat Algeria • Zidane Iqbal makes history as first Pakistan-origin player to feature in World Cup • Playback singer Sonu Nigam reveals health issue • Veteran actress Bushra Ansari hits back at lip filler claims • ‘Zombied’ continues strong box office run, earns over Rs350m • Turkish Actress Ece Ertem dies at 35 • Trump jokes about being ‘Boss’ after arriving late at G7 summit • Italy’s Meloni says she quit smoking ‘Last Month’ at G7 event • G7 Nations welcome US-Iran agreement, pledge support for implementation • Nawaz urges dialogue, peace as PML-N reviews situation in Azad Kashmir • Sindh presents tax-free budget for 2026-27 • Balochistan unveils tax-free Rs1.089 trillion budget, announces 7% pay raise • FIFA approves Trump’s role in trophy presentation at World Cup final
Advertise with us >

Spain

Cape Verde hold Spain to shock 0-0 draw in World Cup upset

by
Cape Verde

ATLANTA: European champions Spain were held to a surprise goalless draw by World Cup newcomers Cape Verde in a Group H match on Tuesday, marking one of the tournament’s early upsets.

Spain, widely regarded as strong favourites, dominated possession with 74 percent of the ball and created several attacking opportunities. However, they were repeatedly denied by a disciplined and well-organised Cape Verde defence.

Despite sustained pressure, Spain failed to break the deadlock in Atlanta, leaving them frustrated after a match they were expected to win comfortably.

Head coach Luis de la Fuente introduced Barcelona teenager Lamine Yamal in the second half in search of a breakthrough, but the substitution did not change the outcome.

Cape Verde players and fans celebrated the result as a historic achievement, treating the draw as a victory against one of football’s elite teams.

The result gained further attention due to Cape Verde’s debut appearance at the expanded FIFA World Cup, made possible after the tournament’s expansion to 48 teams. The island nation, with a population of around 525,000, is competing at the finals for the first time.

Supercomputer reveals favourite to win 2026 FIFA World Cup

by
Supercomputer

The FIFA World Cup, the biggest event in world sports, is set to begin on June 12, featuring a historic expanded format for the first time.

The tournament will be jointly hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada, marking the first World Cup to include 48 participating teams.

The teams will be divided into 12 groups of four, with a total of 104 matches scheduled throughout the competition. The top two teams from each group will advance to the knockout stage, which will also feature a newly introduced Round of 32.

With more teams and greater competition, predicting a winner has become increasingly difficult. However, the Opta supercomputer has made data-driven projections using advanced AI-based simulations.

According to the model, Spain are the strongest favourites to lift the trophy, with a 16.1% chance of winning the tournament after running more than 10,000 simulations.

France are ranked second, followed by England in third and Argentina in fourth, with all four teams having more than a 10% chance of winning the World Cup.

Despite being favourites, Spain also face uncertainty, with a 52.1% probability of not reaching the quarter-finals. However, if they progress, their chances improve significantly, with a 39% likelihood of reaching the semi-finals and a 25.6% chance of making the final.

The data also suggests that the expanded format increases unpredictability, although Spain remain the clear front-runners in the statistical model.

Spain reveal surprise-filled squad for upcoming World Cup

by
Spain reveal

MADRID: European champion Spain national football team has announced its 26-man squad for the upcoming FIFA World Cup, with no players from Real Madrid CF included in the selection.

It marks the first time in Spain’s history that the national team will compete in a World Cup without a single Real Madrid player in the squad.

Head coach Luis de la Fuente built much of his squad around players from FC Barcelona.

Eight Barcelona players were selected, including Lamine Yamal, Pedri, Gavi, Dani Olmo and Ferran Torres.

Meanwhile, notable Real Madrid players such as Dean Huijsen and Dani Carvajal failed to make the final squad.

Explaining the decision, De la Fuente said player selection was based on commitment to the national team rather than club affiliation.

“We only want players who feel proud to represent Spain,” the coach said.

The squad also includes seven players currently playing in the Premier League.

De la Fuente also expressed confidence over the fitness of Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams, saying all players are expected to be fully fit before the tournament begins.

Spain to legalise 500,000 undocumented migrants

by
Spain to legalise

MADRID: Spain has announced a plan to provide legal status to approximately 500,000 undocumented migrants, marking a significant move in contrast to stricter immigration policies in other parts of Europe.

According to the Spanish Minister for Migration, José Luis Escrivá, the government is set to approve a decree under which nearly half a million undocumented migrants will be regularized.

The actual number of beneficiaries may vary. Those granted legal status will be allowed to live and work anywhere in the country and in any sector.

Minister Escrivá emphasized that the government aims to create an immigration system aligned with human rights, social inclusion, mutual integration, economic growth, and social cohesion.

The policy will apply to migrants who have resided in Spain for at least five months and have a clean criminal record. It also covers children already living in the country. Applications are expected to open in April and continue until the end of June.

The initiative will be implemented through a government decree, which does not require parliamentary approval, as the coalition government led by the Socialists does not hold a majority.

Opposition parties, including conservatives and right-wing groups, have criticized the plan, claiming it could lead to an increase in illegal immigration.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez defended the policy, stating that immigration is necessary to address labor shortages and the challenges of an aging population.

According to the think tank Funkas, as of early January 2025, around 840,000 undocumented migrants were living in Spain, mostly from Latin America.

The Spanish National Institute of Statistics (INE) reports that of Spain’s total population of 49.4 million, over 7 million are foreign migrants.