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World Cup 2026 set to have 104 matches & 48 teams in major expansion

Mar 14 2023 Share

The World Cup as we know it is about to change massively, with governing body FIFA set to approve an expansion of 40 more matches and 16 more teams.

The new World Cup format will grow from 64 to 104, rather than the originally-planned 80 matches. This increase in matches will aid FIFA in reaching it £9 billion revenue target whilst also solving format issues for the tournament, which will be hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Sources have stated that the World Cup will have 12 groups of four countries each, rather than having 16 groups with three teams. The top two teams then advance to the round of 32 with the top 8 third place teams.

The final decision will be approved at a FIFA Council meeting in the Rwandan capital of Kigali on Tuesday.

The World Cup final will take place on Sunday 19th July 2026 in the United States. Matches will take place in 16 cities across the host countries, with matches in the USA to take place in Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, New York/New Jersey, Philadelphia and San Francisco. Toronto and Vancouver will host a few matches in Canada whilst Mexico’s Guadalajara, Mexico City and Monterrey are also set to welcome World Cup fanatics.

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“For anyone who is in a dark moment”, Pawlu Borg Bonaci shares words of courage

"For anyone who is in a dark moment", Pawlu Borg Bonaci shares words of courage
Mar 14 2023 Share

“Someone, someone slept alone for the first time, someone graduated even though the current was against him, someone embraced his mother for the last time and doesn’t know she will leave him tomorrow…”

These were the initial statements of local singer and entertainer Pawlu Borg Bonaci as he posted a few sentiments of courage on Facebook for all those who may be going through a tough time.

Attempting to motivate anyone attempting to overcome adversity to speak to someone or seek help, Borg Bonaci stated that while the statements may not make sense to some, they could be all someone needs to save a life.

“Someone tasted a lemon for the first time, someone felt alone in an office of people, someone hugged their father after ten years and forgave him for not accepting he was gay, someone threw away a packet of cigarettes and said that they won’t smoke anymore”, the post continued.

“For anyone who is in a dark moment”, Borg Bonaci concluded.

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Maltese couple surprised by Top 100 DJ Christina Novelli during their wedding

Mar 14 2023 Share

It’s not everyday that a pair of newlyweds have a world-renowned DJ play at their wedding but Maltese bride Christina was met with the surprise of a lifetime after seeing DJ Mag Top 100’s Christina Novelli enter their wedding hall.

Most known for global hit ‘Concrete Angel’, Novelli’s collaboration with Gareth Emery is an absolute favourite amongst Maltese music-lovers; safe to say that the newlyweds are fans.

“You’re crazy”, the bride told the groom as the trance legend entered the hall, to which he answered “Yes, I know.” With the crowd in awe of the DJ’s presence, Novelli took to the DJ stand to drop a few tracks as the crowd danced the night away to celebrate the couple coming together.

What do you make of this?

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Photos: Brighter Image Weddings

“Kemm għoliet il-ħajja?” Here’s how inflation in Malta really affects you

"Kemm għoliet il-ħajja?" Here's how inflation in Malta really affects you
Mar 14 2023 Share

If, over the past months, you’ve felt that things got really expensive really fast, you weren’t wrong. The increase in the level of prices of goods and services is a phenomenon called inflation which, in a nutshell, explains why you can buy less with €1 today than you could have bought yesterday.

 

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Inflation is measured considering a basket of selected goods and services such as food, fuel, cars, clothes, banking and hairdressing, amongst others. The basket usually reflects the purchasing habits of people living in a particular country, whereby the level of prices is measured periodically.

However, inflation isn’t always bad. In fact, moderate inflation is a typical sign of economic growth and progress, with high inflation tending to feed on itself and impair the economy’s long-term performance.

That being said, you may ask, “is Malta’s level of inflation worrying?” Well, even though the country’s 6.8% in January 2022 is one of the lowest inflation rates in the eurozone, this is still much higher than the desired 2%, with the current global economic and political scenario causing an increase in price levels.

Unfortunately, there is no easy solution, but central banks brace for the most negative effects of inflation by increasing interest rates. By doing this, the consumer pays more when borrowing money but gets more money when investing in assets with a positive relationship with rising interest rates, such as real estate and stocks.

 

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If you’re saving money in your bank account, inflation will erode the real value of your savings. If you have a loan, increasing inflation will decrease the actual value of your loan over time and if you are an investor, and you are receiving fixed interests, the real amount of your return is less than it was before because now you can buy less goods or services than you could have bought yesterday with the same amount of money.

What happens if I have a home insurance policy? Well, inflation could also impact it. As a client, the sum you have insured is the total amount for which you are covered and the maximum amount your insurers will pay you for claims. If you get this insurance value wrong and it is lower than the real value at risk, then your premium will be based on the wrong value and will be lower than you should have paid to cover the property at risk. For example, in case of a home insurance, the sum insured may not reflect the real value of the property and the relative costs to reinstate or repair it, specifically due to the increasing levels of inflation and higher cost of living.

Ultimately, as a consumer of financial services, you should understand what the impact of inflation on your investment or saving decisions is. In any case, always check the real interest rates linked to your payments or returns, and if in doubt, ask your service provider to provide further information.

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