Michel Platini
FIFA president Gianni Infantino, left, smiles after receiving the shirt of the Venezuelan soccer team with Venezuela President Nicolás Maduro, right, during his visit at Miraflores Presidential Palace in in Caracas, Venezuela , Friday , Oct 15, 2021. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)
Infantino says biennial WCups can bring youth back to soccer

By Rob Harris Oct. 20, 2021 08:25 AM EDT

Poland's Robert Lewandowski heads the ball during the Euro 2020 soccer championship group D match between Sweden and Poland, at the St. Petersburg stadium in St. Petersburg, Russia, Wednesday, June 23, 2021. (AP Photo/Kirill Kudryavtsev, Pool)
Long flights frustrate some teams at sprawling Euro 2020

By James Ellingworth Jun. 25, 2021 09:49 AM EDT

England's goalkeeper Jordan Pickford, right, goes for the ball ahead of England's Tyrone Mings, left, and Croatia's Bruno Petkovic during the Euro 2020 soccer championship group D match between England and Croatia, at Wembley stadium, London, Sunday, June 13, 2021. (Laurence Griffiths, Pool via AP)
The Latest: Spectators injured by parachuting protestor

By The Associated Press Jun. 15, 2021 08:15 AM EDT

FILE - In this Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2019 filer, Germany's fans are seen before the Group C soccer qualifying match between Germany and Northern Ireland at the Commerzbank Arena in Frankfurt, Germany. For players, the pandemic has meant a congested season that poses fitness challenges, let alone trying to avoid coronavirus infections. Financially playing the delayed tournament is essential for UEFA. For fans, the EURO 2020 24-team event should be the first chance for the widespread return of fans to stadiums across Europe since March 2020, assuming new restrictions aren't imposed. (AP Photo/Michael Probst, File)
EURO 2020: Virus poses financial, logistical challenges

By Rob Harris May. 25, 2021 08:35 AM EDT

FILE - In this Thursday, Oct. 27, 2016 file photo, the Euro soccer championships trophy is seen in front of the logo during the presentation of Munich's logo as one of the host cities of the Euro 2020 European soccer championships in Munich, Germany. With 100 days to go, UEFA is pushing ahead with staging the European Championship across the continent. All 12 cities, however, might no longer make the cut. Bilbao, Dublin and Glasgow risk being dropped over the lack of guarantees about the number of fans that could be allowed into stadiums by June 2021. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader, File)
Bilbao, Dublin, Glasgow risk being cut from Euros hosting

By Rob Harris Mar. 03, 2021 01:30 PM EST

France's Olivier Giroud celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during their friendly international soccer match between France and Ukraine at the Stade deFrance in Saint Denis, north of Paris, Wednesday Oct. 7, 2020. (AP Photo/Francois Mori)
MATCHDAY: England-Belgium at Wembley; France hosts Portugal

By The Associated Press Oct. 10, 2020 07:01 PM EDT

FILE - In this Tuesday, June 19, 2018 file photo, former FIFA President Joseph Blatter arrives at a hotel in Moscow, Russia. Suspended former FIFA president Sepp Blatter has arrived in Moscow for a World Cup visit at the invitation of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Five years into a sprawling investigation of soccer corruption, the first courtroom trial in Switzerland is due to begin Monday, March 9, 2020 in a 2006 World Cup fraud case. Sepp Blatter, the former FIFA president, and German soccer great Franz Beckenbauer are listed by Switzerland's federal criminal court to testify in the trial of four soccer officials implicated in a suspect 6.7 million euros ($7.6 million) payment. (AP Photo/Dmitry Serebryakov, file)
Swiss prosecutors intend to drop 1 FIFA case against Blatter

By Graham Dunbar Apr. 11, 2020 07:23 AM EDT