XUNICEF News and Views

I am not a football aficionado, but like most young boys in the MidEast I played football as my first sport but graduated to other athletic events as I grew up, culminating in tennis in my retirement years.

For those football fans among us, especially those whose national teams participated in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, there is a certain void in our daily routines, and one can’t help but ask “any game this afternoon?”.

The two finalists at the 2026 FIFA World Cup know each other for almost 19 years (- as per Kul’s BBC article - published on the Blog 17/7/26),

A fascinating account of how FIFA World Cup 2026's top football stars Messi and Yamal first connected thanks to a UNICEF-linked lottery!

I have been following the FIFA World Cup matches for five weeks, and can’t help but be amazed

Image: Magnifique FIFA’s Double Standard A beacon abroad, darkness at home: FIFA’s questionable practices. Manuel Manrique Castro Jun 24, 2026