Japan's Olympic Minister insists the rearranged Tokyo 2020 Games must be held "at any cost,” while the International Olympic Committee says only that it is committed to delivering a safe event.

But with less than a year before the July 23-Aug. 8 Games are due to start, the hugest of question marks remains over whether they can ever take place. With neither partner seemingly willing to consider scrapping the event as the coronavirus pandemic continues to wreak havoc globally, we consider the options available, and possible scenarios:

KABUL — Pressure is mounting in Afghanistan for the arrest of the fugitive former head of the national soccer federation, who was banned from the sport for life last year after FIFA's ethics committee found him guilty of sexually abusing female players.

Keramuudin Karim, 58, is accused by the attorney general's office of repeated abuse of at least five female footballers between 2013 and 2018 during his time as president of the Afghanistan Football Federation (AFF).

Yūki Nagasato has done just about everything. She’s won a Women’s World Cup, an Olympic silver medal and a UEFA Champions League title. She’s played club ball in her home country of Japan, Germany, England, the U.S. and Australia, winning league titles in Japan and England. 

Now Nagasato’s aiming for something a little different: playing for a men’s team.

Atlanta United technical director Carlos Bocanegra was elected to the National Soccer Hall of Fame on Tuesday.

The former U.S. Men's National Team captain is the lone member of the Class of 2020 and will be enshrined in 2021.

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Carlos Bocanegra made his mark on American Soccer. #NSHOF20

After missing Portugal’s 4-1 victory over Croatia on Saturday due to a toe infection caused from a bee sting, Cristiano Ronaldo returned to the starting 11 on Tuesday against Sweden and showed off his newly acquired flying insect superpowers.

Sitting on 99 international goals, Ronaldo buzzed over a free kick in the 45th-minute before unleashing a venomous, right-footed stinger into the top corner.  

Italy midfielder Nicolò Zaniolo will undergo surgery to repair a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee just weeks after recovering from a similar injury in his right knee, his club AS Roma said on Tuesday.

The 21-year-old limped out of Monday's Nations League match against the Netherlands in obvious pain after what looked like an innocuous tackle.

"Nicolò Zaniolo will undergo surgery on Wednesday after MRI scans today confirmed the player has suffered a complete tear to the anterior cruciate ligament of his left knee," Roma said in a statement.

CONCACAF and FIFA provided an update on the 2022 World Cup qualifying process with an announcement that the First Round is being pushed back to March 2021 due to COVID-19 concerns. 

Update on the Concacaf Qualifiers for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 https://t.co/5OK6XtibM6

Norway beat Northern Ireland 5-1 in their Nations League match on Monday with Borussia Dortmund striker Erling Haaland leading the charge with two goals and an assist in Belfast.

Mohamed Elyounoussi gave Norway the lead in the second minute but, after Paddy McNair equalised, Haaland got the goal of the game with an emphatic half-volley from the edge of the box that had keeper Bailey Peacock-Farrell rooted to the spot.

France forward Kylian Mbappe has tested positive for the COVID-19 virus and will miss this week's Nations League international against Croatia, the French football federation (FFF) said on Monday.

"Given that the result of his COVID-19 test carried out by UEFA on Monday morning showed up as positive, he was removed from the rest of the squad after the results came through following training, and then returned to his home later in the evening," the French football body said on its website.