LONDON (AP) — Fewer than half the people in England and Wales consider themselves Christian, according to the most recent census — the first time the country's official religion has been followed by a minority of the population.
DOHA, Qatar (AP) — If England needs any added motivation ahead of its final World Cup group game against Wales on Tuesday, it only has to watch a certain video from 2016.
DOHA, Qatar (AP) — With Wales on the verge of World Cup elimination, Gareth Bale was dismissive when asked if Tuesday’s game against England could be the last for his country.
DOHA, Qatar (AP) — Harry Kane will be available to start for England in the team's final World Cup group game against Wales on Tuesday.
The striker took a hit on his ankle in England's opening game against Iran and looked off the pace in the 0-0 draw with the United States on Friday.
DOHA, Qatar (AP) — The task is clear for the United States: beat Iran in a politically charged World Cup match or go home.
CARDIFF, Wales (AP) — Australia came from 21 points down with 23 minutes left to overhaul Wales 39-34 in an astonishing turnaround in their Cardiff rugby test on Saturday.
After the historic loss to Georgia last weekend, Wales desperately needed the win more than the heavily depleted Wallabies and was delivering in style by rolling to 34-13 with its best rugby of the month.
DOHA, Qatar (AP) — After a World Cup start clouded by a disastrous loss and persistent questions about the civil unrest back home, Iran is celebrating the prospect of its first ever trip to the knockout stage.
AL RAYYAN, Qatar (AP) — Tensions ran high at Iran’s second match at the World Cup on Friday as fans supporting the Iranian government harassed those protesting against it and stadium security seized flags, T-shirts and other items expressing support for the protest movement that has gripped the Islamic Republic.
Al RAYYAN, Qatar (AP) — As protests that have gripped Iran emerged at the World Cup, its national team rallied late for its first win at the tournament in Qatar.
The betting pool on the next coach of Wales is up and running.
Scott Robertson of Super Rugby's Crusaders leads at odds of 2-1, followed by ex-Wales boss Warren Gatland at 5-1, La Rochelle's suspended Ronan O'Gara at 7-1, and current assistant Jonathan Humphreys at 8-1.
DOHA, Qatar (AP) — Iran goalkeeper Ali Beiranvand will miss the World Cup match against Wales with a concussion, giving likely replacement Hossein Hosseini a tall task against star Gareth Bale.
Iran, in last place in Group B after a 6-2 loss to England, plays Wales on Friday at Ahmad bin Ali Stadium.
NEW YORK (AP) — The United States’ opening 1-1 draw with Wales at the World Cup was viewed by 11.7 million for its English- and Spanish-language broadcasts.
DOHA, Qatar (AP) — The 90-minute soccer match is turning into 100-plus at the World Cup — and that is what FIFA wants to give fans more entertainment.
AL RAYYAN, Qatar (AP) — A young United States team was nearing victory in its World Cup return. Then Walker Zimmerman needlessly plowed into Gareth Bale.
DOHA, Qatar (AP) — President Joe Biden telephoned the American World Cup team ahead of their opener against Wales, urging them to "let’s go shock ’em all.”
DOHA, Qatar (AP) — Gio Reyna, Joe Scally and Yusuf Musah were 11 years old the last time the United States took the field in a World Cup match. On the 3,066th day after that loss in Brazil, the Americans return to soccer’s showcase with a new-look team dreaming lofty goals and hoping for actual ones.
DOHA, Qatar (AP) — Wales midfielder Joe Allen will miss his team's World Cup opener against the United States on Monday because of a hamstring injury that has sidelined him for more than two months.
CARDIFF, Wales (AP) — Georgia upset Wales 13-12 for the first time in rugby history on Saturday in Cardiff, only the Lelos' second win against a tier one nation.
DOHA, Qatar (AP) — Ben Cabango thought back to playing with his brother Theo in their garden.
“Me and him just always used to get at it,” he said. “Looking back now, it’s just good times.”
EDINBURGH, Scotland (AP) — Hooker Julian Montoya has returned to captain Argentina against Scotland on Saturday in the rugby test at Murrayfield.
A rib injury in the win against England forced him to withdraw late before the 20-13 loss to Wales in Cardiff last weekend.
CARDIFF, Wales (AP) — Wales handed back-row forward Josh Macleod a test debut for Saturday’s match against Georgia, nearly two years after he was denied a first international appearance when he ruptured his Achilles tendon during a practice session four days before the game.
CARDIFF, Wales (AP) — Forwards Dan Lydiate and Will Rowlands were withdrawn from Wales' squad on Monday after their injuries in the rugby test win over Argentina at the weekend.
Lydiate broke his left forearm in the first half and Rowlands suffered a left shoulder injury in the second half and neither finished the 20-13 win in Cardiff on Saturday.
CARDIFF, Wales (AP) — Wales reacted to humiliation from New Zealand by bringing Argentina to earth in a tense 20-13 rugby victory on Saturday.
The Welsh were criticized for not standing up to the All Blacks' physicality last weekend in a heavy defeat, and responded with a tough, scrappy effort that had just enough golden moments to earn a third win in 10 tests this year.
LONDON (AP) — Prime Minister Rishi Sunak aimed to repair frayed relations with Britain’s European Union neighbors — and with highly skeptical leaders in Scotland and Wales — when he attended a summit of leaders from across the U.K.
CARDIFF, Wales (AP) — Argentina chose the same side which defeated England to face Wales in their rugby test in Cardiff on Saturday.
The Pumas earned a rare victory against England at Twickenham last weekend by 30-29.
MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Wales head coach Robert Page has dismissed concerns about Gareth Bale's fitness after including the former Real Madrid forward in his World Cup squad on Wednesday.
Bale will captain his country in Qatar, which is the first time it has qualified for the tournament since 1958.
CARIDFF, Wales (AP) — Wales thought it had its best shot against New Zealand in ages. Then referee Wayne Barnes blew for kickoff with the whistle from the first matchup in 1905 and a familiar script unfolded.
DUBLIN (AP) — New Zealand lock Brodie Retallick was handed a two-match ban on Tuesday following his red card against Japan, ruling him out of upcoming games against Wales and Scotland.
Retallick will be free to return for the All Blacks' last tour match against England on Nov.
DONCASTER, England (AP) — Papua New Guinea completed the quarterfinal lineup at the Rugby League World Cup after putting away Wales 36-0 on Monday.
The Kumuls scored six tries and captain Rhyse Martin was faultless with the boot as they confirmed their place as Group D runners-up to Tonga.
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — The Ukrainian soccer federation urged FIFA on Monday to remove Iran from the World Cup next month, alleging human rights violations and supplying the Russian military with weapons.
CARDIFF, Wales (AP) — Wales’ soccer team is considering a name change after the World Cup.
The Welsh soccer federation wants to call its teams “Cymru” — the Welsh name for Wales — at international level to reflect what it is called domestically.
TURIN, Italy (AP) — Weston McKennie could miss the rest of Juventus’ games ahead of the World Cup, adding to the United States’ injury concerns only three weeks before the start of the tournament.
McKennie was forced off with a thigh problem at halftime of Juventus’ 1-0 win at Lecce in Serie A on Saturday, and Italian newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport says the midfielder will be out for around two weeks.
WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — The All Blacks suffered more than injured pride in their narrow test win over Japan in Tokyo on Saturday.
Captain Sam Cane and hooker Dane Coles have been ruled out of the remainder of New Zealand’s northern hemisphere tour.
ST. HELENS, England (AP) — Tonga overcame a strong effort by Wales to prevail 32-6 on Monday and stay on course for a potential Rugby League World Cup quarterfinal with Samoa.
Winger Daniel Tupou scored a hat-trick of tries in Tonga's second win from two matches.
A hush descended over the players and coaching staff of the Welsh national team as renowned actor Michael Sheen delivered a stirring pre- World Cup speech at the squad’s training base.
Women's rights are back in focus as Iran's national soccer team prepares for the World Cup. They were never that far away.
Anti-government protests have engulfed the Islamic Republic following the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, who had been detained for allegedly wearing a mandatory headscarf too loosely.
LEIGH, England (AP) — The Cook Islands came from behind twice to beat Wales 18-12 in their Rugby League World Cup opener on Wednesday.
The Kukis earned only their second World Cup win and first since 2013 when they beat Wales in Wales.
England has a strong chance of being the reigning world champion in both of the limited-overs formats despite a renewed push to make test cricket its priority.
The England squad heads into the Twenty20 World Cup in Australia as the current titleholders in the 50-over World Cup following their success on home soil in 2019.
Italy defeated the United States 22-10 to open play Sunday on the second day of the Women's Rugby World Cup at Whangarei, New Zealand.
Canada beat Japan 41-5 and Wales edged Scotland 18-15, also at Whangarei.
WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — Center Anton Lienert-Brown has been recalled to a 35-man All Blacks squad for matches against Japan, Wales, Scotland and England next month to plug injury-enforced gaps in the New Zealand midfield.
LEVERKUSEN, Germany (AP) — Iran forward Sardar Azmoun is a doubt for the World Cup after picking up an injury while warming up for Bayer Leverkusen.
The Bundesliga club said late Thursday that the 27-year-old Azmoun is expected to miss six to eight weeks after tearing a muscle in his right calf in the warm-up before Tuesday’s 2-0 loss at Porto in the Champions League.
GENEVA (AP) — Political issues are swirling around the Iran men’s soccer team amid turmoil on the streets at home just weeks before the World Cup where it will play the United States, Wales and England.
Christian Pulisic and Ricardo Pepi will join the U.S. starting lineup for the Americans' last World Cup warmup against Saudi Arabia on Tuesday night after coach Gregg Berhalter admitted “we got our butts kicked” by Japan last week.