Babar Azam for FIFA World Cup. Image Credits: XPakistan’s star batter Babar Azam is in the news again for non-cricket-related reasons. A viral claim on social media surfaced, which suggested that the batter received a special invitation from FIFA to attend the upcoming 2026 World Cup.Babar is one of Pakistan’s greatest modern-day cricketers who enjoys a huge fan following back home. However, when he was unexpectedly linked to the football World Cup tournament, the internet grew suspicious.Is Babar Azam really heading to Mexico for the FIFA World Cup 2026?Self-proclaimed cricket journalist Talha Nawaz made a huge claim on social media. In his post, he said Babar Azam has received a special invitation from FIFA to attend the opening ceremony of the World Cup 2026 as a special guest.The FIFA World Cup 2026 is set to begin in Mexico from June 12, and Babar was apparently invited to grace the tournament as a special guest of honour.The viral claim further added that Babar Azam would watch the opening fixture between South Africa and Mexico on June 12.Talha Nawaz @TalhaDigital007 🚨HISTORY MADE🚨 World-famous Pakistani cricketer Babar Azam has been specially invited by FIFA to attend the FIFA World Cup opening ceremony and the opening match as an honored guest. ⚽🏆 Babar Azam will arrive in Mexico on June 14, where he will watch the match between South May 11, 2026, 7:11 PM Despite the buzz, no verified source has backed the reports so far. Neither FIFA nor the PCB has issued any statement confirming the invitation, while major Pakistani media outlets have also not reported the development.Hence, the post by Talha Nawaz was nothing but a fake claim spread to gain clout on social media in the name of Babar Azam.Also Read - Babar Azam Poised To Return To Popular T20 League After 9 YearsFIFA World Cup 2026 to begin in JuneThat being said, the FIFA World Cup 2026 will be jointly hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada, with the expanded tournament featuring 48 teams for the first time in history. The tournament will begin on June 12. Mexico is expected to host the opening ceremony and opening match, while the final will take place in New York City/New Jersey.This edition will also introduce a new format. The 48 teams will be divided into 12 groups of four teams each, with the top teams progressing into an expanded knockout stage. As a result, the tournament will feature a record 104 matches.Babar Azam likely to be fit for the second TestMeanwhile, Babar Azam missed the first Test between Pakistan and Bangladesh after suffering from a knee injury just hours before the toss. Initially, fans suspected a conspiracy as the batter appeared fit and fine.However, Pakistan confirmed that Babar was indeed carrying a niggle, and resting him was a precautionary move.Having said that, as per the latest reports, Babar Azam is fit and could be available for selection for the second Test against Bangladesh. He was even seen practising throw-downs after stumps on Day 3 of the first Test.Also Read: Mitchell Starc Suffers His Worst Ever Night In The History Of IPL
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