Wales manager Craig Bellamy calls up a player with one league start for World Cup qualifying
CARDIFF, Wales (AP) — Few soccer players have been fast-tracked to their national team quicker than Ronan Kpakio.
The right back from Cardiff, who turned 18 on Sunday, was named in Wales manager Craig Bellamy's squad for upcoming World Cup qualifiers on Wednesday despite only having started one league game.
He could now play in games against Liechtenstein on June 6 and Belgium on June 9.
Kpakio has featured in six games for Cardiff in all competitions, and only started his first league game May 3, the last day of the season. That followed two earlier substitute appearances in the second-tier Championship and matches in the FA Cup and English League Cup.
Wales has four points from its first two qualifying games as it aims to reach a second successive World Cup for the first time in its history.
___
AP soccer:
https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
San Francisco Chronicle
22 minutes ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
The Club World Cup has faced pushback in Europe but FIFA is banking on its big bet
The Club World Cup. A bold new era for the world's most popular sport — or a major inconvenience, shoe-horned into a soccer calendar that is already at saturation point? FIFA's newly expanded tournament kicks off June 14 in Miami against the backdrop of legal challenges in Europe, strike threats and repeated concerns over players' mental and physical welfare due to the increased number of games. There has been no shortage of pushback from Europe since the bumper new addition to soccer's landscape was announced in December 2023. Voices of dissent from the continent that will be sending the most teams to the tournament have continued virtually right up to its big launch. 'We want to protect football,' David Terrier, president of players' union FIFPRO Europe, said. 'It's a big problem and it's not just about the workload. The question is about the governance because the calendar is a consequence of the governance of football.' FIFA's big bet That sentiment is not shared universally. In many other parts of the world, there is a buzz of anticipation among fans about the opportunity of going up against the giants like Real Madrid in the biggest ever global tournament for clubs. The biggest sales of tickets outside of the United States have come from Brazil, Argentina, Mexico. The brainchild of FIFA president Gianni Infantino, soccer's world governing body is banking on its tournament rivaling the Champions League and Premier League in terms of status, wealth and popularity — describing it as its 'prime club competition.' Featuring 32 teams — expanded from seven — and staged in the U.S. through June and July, it will be played on a four-yearly basis. It means many top players face the prospect of offseason tournaments in three out of every four years going forward, with the Club World Cup sandwiched between the men's World Cup for national teams, the European Championship and Copa America. European doubts The lack of enthusiasm in Europe was striking when the new format was announced. 'I am not against new competitions, I am against the lack of time to recover year by year,' Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola said. Jürgen Klopp, the former Liverpool manager and now head of global soccer for Red Bull, called it "useless" as recently as January. 'It means you have no summer break,' he said. "Who wins the tournament, wow, is the poorest winner ever because you have to play through the whole summer.' A legal complaint by FIFPRO Europe and the association of European Leagues fed into a general sense of negativity from the continent. Javier Tebas, president of the Spanish league, called for the Club World Cup to be withdrawn. Last year there were doubts whether Real Madrid — the most famous franchise in soccer — would even accept its invitation to play after then-coach Carlo Ancelotti reportedly suggested the record 15-time European champion would boycott over appearance money. Madrid soon confirmed it would be involved after all. Clubs are taking it seriously Despite the criticism, the tournament is backed by the European Club Association, which represents the majority of its top teams. And those participating are not taking it lightly. Europe will be represented by some of the biggest clubs like Madrid, Manchester City, Bayern Munich and Champions League winner Paris Saint-Germain. Superstars including Kylian Mbappé, Vinícius Júnior and Erling Haaland are expected to play. Madrid has signed Trent Alexander-Arnold early to ensure he is available. Also, midfielder Jude Bellingham will reportedly delay a shoulder operation in order to play. While City forward Phil Foden said he and his teammates were 'mentally drained' after a troubled season when the once-dominant Premier League club ended up trophyless, he did not doubt its determination to win the Club World Cup. 'Some clubs will take it more seriously than others, but I know City and the club we are. We'll definitely take it seriously,' he said. PSG coach Luis Enrique was also enthusiastic. 'I think it is an incredible competition. Maybe not now in its first edition, but it will become an incredibly important competition to win,' he said. The potential for the winner to take home $125 million from a total prize pot of $1 billion has also likely helped fuel interest from clubs participating. Lack of communication Europe's leagues and players' union say it was a lack of talks that put them on a collision course with FIFA over the tournament. Both of those bodies want to be consulted about new competitions being added to the calendar and that was the basis of their case with the European Commission, said Mathieu Moreuil, vice president of European Leagues. 'I mean we sent in letters, we tried to engage, there was no real consultations through any kind of committees or anything,' he said. Moreuil spoke at a briefing held in Munich ahead of the Champions League final last month, which The Associated Press attended. It was evidence of the intention to continue to apply pressure to FIFA even in the final weeks before the Club World Cup kicks off. 'FIFA is the one dealing with world football and is the governing body and they should take care of the game,' Moreuil said. FIFA didn't reply to requests for comment. Big expectations Coaches and players in Latin America have not complained about having to play more matches. In Argentina there is huge expectation. According to FIFA, Boca Juniors was the first team to sell out tickets for its three group stage matches, likely helped by two games in Miami, where there is a large Argentine community. 'I'm going to the Club World Cup with the highest expectations," said new Boca head coach Miguel Ángel Russo. "I dream big.' Latin American teams have also been active in the transfer market, making marquee signings in preparation. Former Madrid captain Sergio Ramos joined Mexican team Monterrey. In Argentina, River Plate signed seven new players and Brazilian club Palmeiras paid 18 million euros ($20 million) for striker Paulinho. Wider reception In the host nation, there were joyous scenes when LAFC secured the last place in the tournament after a playoff victory against Club America of Mexico last month. It will join Lionel Messi's Inter Miami and Seattle Sounders representing the U.S. In Japan thousands of fans unfurled a huge flag saying 'Grab the World Cup' ahead of Urawa Reds' last domestic game before heading to the U.S. For South Korea, represented by Ulsan HD, it is a case of national pride to take part. 'This is not just the journey of one club, but a message that the entire K-League sends to the world,' said local news outlet Asia Today. For Saudi Arabia, the Club World Cup is the chance to show the rapid growth of its Pro League following the oil-rich kingdom's drive to become a major player in soccer, which has included luring Cristiano Ronaldo and winning the right to host the 2034 World Cup. ___
Epoch Times
37 minutes ago
- Epoch Times
Toronto May Scale Back Funding for 2026 FIFA World Cup, Mayor Says
Funding may need to be scaled back for the six 2026 FIFA World Cup matches set to take place in Toronto next June, as financial discussions between the city and the Ontario government continue, Mayor Olivia Chow says. A May 20 from Toronto's World Cup Secretariat to city council indicates the expenses associated with public transport, law enforcement, and health-care services, among other areas, have risen to nearly $40 million overall—suggesting a substantial amount of the money Ontario promised to the city will be eaten up by existing commitments.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
WWE Money in the Bank 2025 predictions: Surprise cash in? John Cena no longer a heel?
What WWE fans know about Money in the Bank is that a men's and women's star will get a golden opportunity for a championship in the future. What fans don't know is who the lucky individual will be. The titular matches will headline the event taking place inside the Intuit Dome on Saturday. A chance to dramatically alter the WWE landscape awaits the winners. Advertisement The field for the men's and women's matches offer intriguing storylines. Cases could be made for several to be the victor of each match. However, only two people will be able to climb the ladder and snag the briefcase. Outside of the Money in the Bank matches, the Women's Intercontinental Championship will be on the line, plus John Cena and Logan Paul team up to face Cody Rhodes and Jey Uso. It's a small card with only four matches, but that leaves the door open for chaos. What will transpire at Money in the Bank? USA TODAY Sports' wrestling reporters offer their predictions: The 2025 women's Money in the Bank match features Stephanie Vaquer, Alexa Bliss, Roxanne Perez, Naomi, Rhea Ripley and Giulia. Women's Intercontinental Championship match: Lyra Valkyria (c) vs. Becky Lynch prediction Jordan Mendoza: Valkyria and Lynch run it back after their stellar performance at Backlash. This feud has been enjoyable to watch play out and Lynch has brought out more skills for Valkyria as a result. But can the champion get to 3-0 against "The Man?" Everything points to Lynch finally getting the best of her fellow countrywomen, and she'll probably cheat to do it. However, Valkyria pulls off another stunning finish to retain and remain perfect against Lynch. Winner: Lyra Valkyria. Richard Morin: Lynch is back for more after Valkyria beat her clean in the previous matchup. That can only mean one thing: Shenanigans. We still haven't seen Bayley, who Lynch took out at WrestleMania 41. I could see Bayley interfering with the aim of foiling Lynch, but she inadvertently costs Valkyria instead, setting up a three-way feud for the title down the road. Winner: Becky Lynch. Women's Money in the Bank match prediction Jordan Mendoza: One thing we do know is this match is going to steal the show. All six women are extremely talented and this one is tough to predict. Naomi seems to be the popular option, so I'll go a different route. Three fresh faces from NXT will be in this match, and it will be quite the entrance to the main roster if one of them bests the veterans, similar to Tiffany Stratton last year. After spending much of the match as a non-factor, "The Prodigy" adds another achievement in her young career and leaves with the briefcase in hand. Winner: Roxanne Perez. Richard Morin: This is a great lineup and I could see several different possibilities. Ultimately, I think the decision here is Naomi, whose new heel persona is working well. The emotionally-driven feud between Naomi, Bianca Belair and Jade Cargill needs a world title thrown in the mix, and giving Naomi the briefcase will do just that. Winner: Naomi. Men's Money in the Bank match prediction Jordan Mendoza: A few contenders stand out in the men's match, but some craziness is bound to happen in this one, especially with Seth Rollins in the fold. While giving him the briefcase again certainly makes his new faction even more dangerous, expect some outside interference to prevent him from winning. That leaves the ladder open to Solo Sikoa and LA Knight. Both are in need of big breaks, but Sikoa powers through. Winner: Solo Sikoa. Richard Morin: Forgive the fantasy booking here but a strange lineup like this is going to require a strange outcome. If we assume Americano is really Chad Gable (he is) then Gable will have less than an hour before the show starts from the end of his match against El Hijo del Vikingo in the main event of Worlds Collide. A pre-match announcement states Americano is unable to participate (I predict he'll lose to Vikingo). His replacement is announced as CM Punk, which gets a huge pop from the crowd. Roman Reigns returns to foil Rollins in the match, reigniting their feud. Reigns is then engaged by Sikoa, allowing Punk to claim the contract. Winner: CM Punk. John Cena and Logan Paul vs. Cody Rhodes and Jey Uso prediction Jordan Mendoza: Is this a match anyone wanted? Not really, but don't discount the fireworks that could happen in this one. If this match closes the show, something dramatic needs to happen. When it looks like Cena and Paul are closing in on victory, Cena stops his partner from cheating. After spending months as a heel, Cena finally has a change of heart and goes back to the crowd-loving champion he has always been. He allows Paul to take the loss, and after shaking hands with Rhodes and Uso, The Rock emerges, setting the stage for his return to the ring. Winner: Cody Rhodes and Jey Uso. Richard Morin: Many are confused by this match's presence on the card. If it closes the show, there's no reason for confusion. Having both champions in the ring at the same time is a perfect opportunity for a cash-in attempt (if this is not the main event, throw this prediction out the window). CM Punk, who I have as the surprise MITB winner, said Monday to Cena that he would "pick the bones...," and that's exactly what he'll do against a weakened Cena at the end of this match, which itself will end in a no contest. Punk takes the belt off Cena. Result: No contest. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: WWE Money in the Bank 2025 predictions: Surprise cash in on John Cena?
