Team captain Alireza Jahanbakhsh said last week that a decision on whether to sing the anthem 'has to be decided in the team' amid ongoing protests in Iran

National broadcaster examines controversy surrounding soccer tournament, including deaths of migrant workers who built stadia, anti-LGBTQ laws; but some fans upset

Home team falls behind Ecuador 2-0 on opening day of tournament dogged by controversies over human rights concerns

'Making history': Agreement will see more than 1,000 passengers travel from Israel to Qatar on direct flights for the 2022 FIFA World Cup

Bryan Swanson, who is gay, rebuffs criticism of FIFA chief, says all will be welcome at games, amid concerns over Doha's human rights record

Abbas's trip kept quiet, after unverified leaked documents purported to show plans to fly with huge entourage, racking up hundreds of thousands of dollars in hotel bills

Tehran's violent response to protests prompts questions of whether team represents regime, as players face calls to show solidarity with demonstrators

In deal to secure competition, conservative Muslim emirate agreed to FIFA requirement on alcoholic drinks; beer sponsor Budweiser tweets 'Well, this is awkward...' before deleting

Gas-rich host of 2022 soccer World Cup has mediated in conflicts far afield, from Afghanistan to Israel and the Palestinians, while often providing a conduit for US diplomacy

Khalid Salman's interview with German TV halted following comments, with Berlin decrying 'awful' remarks; Qatar has faced an outcry over LGBTQ rights and other rights concerns