Australia's coach said Asian sides had closed the gap after the defending champions received a reality check at the Asian Cup, signalling a tough time ahead in the 2022 World Cup qualifiers. The Socceroos once expected to dominate their regional rivals but they found their title defence tough, going goalless for 210 minutes of knockout…

Fifa president Gianni Infantino wants to expand the 2022 World Cup in Qatar to 48 teams - which may mean matches being played in other Gulf states.Football’s world governing body voted last January to expand the tournament from 32 teams for 2026.....