BRUSSELS - Belgium’s Axel Witsel was included in the squad for next month’s European Championship with coach Roberto Martínez gambling the influential midfielder will be fit in time for the tournament.

Witsel, 32, had surgery on an Achilles tendon injury suffered with Borussia Dortmund in January and has not played since but has been a key part of Belgium's lineup, winning the last of his 110 caps against England last November.

“Witsel is recovering well and working really hard to be completely fit and is ahead of his recovery schedule," Martínez told reporters on Monday.

HONG KONG - The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) confirmed on Sunday that North Korea has pulled out of next month's qualifying tournament for the 2022 World Cup finals in Qatar.

The move comes after the country had already withdrawn from the Olympic Games in Tokyo this summer because of concerns over the COVID-19 pandemic.

South Korea is due to host the remaining matches in Group H of the second round of Asia's preliminary tournament in June, but North Korean officials informed their southern counterparts of their intention to withdraw this month.

International players Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie and Tyler Adams lead the 40-man provisional roster submitted Monday for the CONCACAF Nations League, but longtime team standards Michael Bradley and Jozy Altidore are not on the list.

HONG KONG - China head coach Li Tie has included five overseas-born players in his 26-man squad ahead of the resumption of their World Cup qualifying campaign later this month.

The former Everton player has selected England-born duo defender Tyias Browning and midfielder Nico Yennaris as well as Brazil-born forwards Elkeson, Alan Carvalho and Fernandinho.

Browning, Elkeson, Carvalho and Fernandinho are among seven Guangzhou FC players in the squad, with the eight-time Chinese Super League champions dominating the selection.

FIFA decided to postpone the qualifying matches for the 2022 World Cup for the African teams, which were to take place from June to November of this year and March of next year, according to the organization's statement.

Breaking: CAF Emergency Committee FIFA World Cup African Qualifiers. Press release here pic.twitter.com/PYwh02YQUw

— Mpho Motaung (@Mph__Motaung) May 6, 2021

Vlatko Andonovski is trying to form an unstoppable USWNT squad and several young players have clearly been on his radar. While many of these youngsters have worked their way into the senior squad, they've bumped off some familiar faces in the process. Competition at the national team level is fierce and the best of the best will earn their spot, but for those that have not made the cut they must now work their way back under immense pressure.

Hopefully USWNT fans haven't forgotten about a few of these players that've not been consistent additions to Andonovski’s roster. 

LONDON — Former Manchester United soccer star Ryan Giggs has been charged with assault against two women, police and prosecutors said in statements on Friday.

Giggs, 47, has been charged with causing actual bodily harm to a woman in her 30s and common assault of a woman in her 20s, as well as one count of coercive and controlling behaviour between 2017 and 2020.

Seville has replaced Bilbao as a host city for Euro 2020 with St. Petersburg in Russia, already a host venue, taking the three group stage games from Dublin, UEFA said on Friday.

Wembley Stadium in London has gained the Irish capital's last-16 match, taking its total number of fixtures to eight, which include the semifinals and final.