… fter early scare By AFP June 14, 2026 10:31 (EAT) Add as a Preferred Source on Google Follow us Follow on Whatsapp Follow on Google Follow on Twitter Germany's defender #18 Nathaniel Brown (C) celebrates with teammates after scoring his team's fifth goal during the 2026 World Cup …
… otland end wait for World Cup win By AFP June 14, 2026 01:30 (EAT) Add as a Preferred Source on Google Follow us Follow on Whatsapp Follow on Google Follow on Twitter Scotland's midfielder Kenny McLean and Haiti's forward Josue Casimir fight for the ball during the 2026 World Cup …
… atience as Brazil make slow World Cup start By AFP June 14, 2026 10:50 (EAT) Add as a Preferred Source on Google Follow us Follow on Whatsapp Follow on Google Follow on Twitter Brazil's Italian head coach Carlo Ancelotti speaks to forward Vinicius Junior during the 2026 World Cup …
… chettino hails entire squad after World Cup opening win By AFP June 13, 2026 03:20 (EAT) Add as a Preferred Source on Google Follow us Follow on Whatsapp Follow on Google Follow on Twitter US players celebrate the fourth goal by midfielder Giovanni Reyna during the 2026 World Cup …
… on Google Follow us Follow on Whatsapp Follow on Google Follow on Twitter Morocco's head coach Mohamed Ouahbi (L) speaks with defender #02 Achraf Hakimi during a training session at The Pingry School in Basking Ridge, New Jersey on June 12, 2026, on the eve of the 2026 World Cup …
… start for World Cup co-hosts By AFP June 13, 2026 06:30 (EAT) Add as a Preferred Source on Google Follow us Follow on Whatsapp Follow on Google Follow on Twitter US midfielder Giovanni Reyna celebrates with teammates after scoring his team's fourth goal during the 2026 World Cup …
… An online auction is running from June 1 to 21 featuring shirts from the nations competing at the 2026 World Cup, before a live sale on June 25 at BUDDS's auction rooms in Wellingborough, central England.
Audio By VocalizeSouth Korea's goalkeeper #01 Kim Seung-gyu and teammate midfielder #16 Park Jin-seob celebrate after winning the 2026 World Cup Group A football match between South Korea and the Czech Republic at the Guadalajara Stadium in Zapopan on June 11, 2026. …
Mexico beat South Africa to kick off World Cup By AFP June 12, 2026 12:57 (EAT) Add as a Preferred Source on Google Follow us Follow on Whatsapp Follow on Google Follow on Twitter Mexico's players celebrate at the end of the 2026 World Cup Group A football match between Mexico an …
Germany won 7-1 against Curacao in their opening Group E match at the 2026 World Cup in Houston, with goals from Felix Nmecha, Nico Schlotterbeck, Kai Havertz (two), Jamal Musiala, Nathaniel Brown, and Deniz Undav, after Curacao briefly equalized through Livano Comenencia.
Germany won 7-1 against Curacao in their opening Group E match at the 2026 World Cup in Houston, with goals from Felix Nmecha, Nico Schlotterbeck, Kai Havertz (two), Jamal Musiala, Nathaniel Brown, and Deniz Undav, after Curacao briefly equalized through Livano Comenencia.
Scotland won 1-0 against Haiti in their 2026 World Cup Group C opener on June 13, with a first-half goal from John McGinn. McGinn expressed optimism that Scotland can reach the knockout stages for the first time in the tournament.
Brazil drew 1-1 with Morocco in their opening 2026 World Cup Group C match in New Jersey, with Vinicius Junior equalizing after falling behind to Ismael Saibari's goal. Coach Carlo Ancelotti urged patience, saying "you don't win a World Cup based on your first match," acknowledging the team played with anxiety and nerves but cautioning against losing heart early in the tournament.
US coach Mauricio Pochettino praised the entire squad after the co-hosts defeated Paraguay 4-1 on Friday in Los Angeles, with Folarin Balogun scoring twice and Gio Reyna adding another, saying the victory was a collective team performance rather than individual brilliance.
Morocco coach Mohamed Ouahbi said his players should not fear playing Brazil in their 2026 World Cup opener in New Jersey on Saturday, but treat them with respect. Ouahbi emphasized confidence in his team following Morocco's semi-final run at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
The United States defeated Paraguay 4-1 in the 2026 World Cup's first match on US soil, held in Los Angeles, with goals from Folarin Balogun (2), Gio Reyna, and an own goal giving the co-hosts a dominant start to the tournament.
Pele's 1958 World Cup winners' medal is expected to fetch £500,000 when auctioned in England later this month, as part of a catalogue of 450 World Cup-related items being sold by sporting memorabilia specialists BUDDS.
The United States begins their World Cup campaign against Paraguay at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles on Friday, June 12, 2026—their first finals game on home soil in 32 years. US head coach Mauricio Pochettino says success means winning the World Cup, not merely progressing from Group D.
South Korea won their opening 2026 World Cup Group A match against Czech Republic 2-1, with substitute Oh Hyeon-gyu scoring the decisive goal in the 80th minute at Guadalajara Stadium.
Mexico beat nine-man South Africa 2-0 in the opening match of the 2026 World Cup at Mexico City Stadium, with Julian Quinones scoring in the ninth minute and Raul Jimenez adding a second goal. South Africa had two players sent off during the match.
South Africa coach Hugo Broos has challenged his players to cope with the noise at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City for their 2026 World Cup group-stage opener against co-hosts Mexico, with Broos expecting around 85,000 Mexican supporters to create a hostile environment.
Addressing World Cup fans in Barcelona, Pope Leo XIV said life, like football, should be "played as a team" and that people must learn to run together; he added that individual stars who never pass the ball prevent others from entering the game.
Paul Gascoigne said on Wednesday he hopes England can reproduce the same team spirit as the squad at the 1990 World Cup during their quest for glory at this year's tournament. The former midfielder emphasised that all players need to be fully committed and that team unity is crucial.
The Norwegian Football Federation has requested FIFA's ethics committee to investigate FIFA president Gianni Infantino's award of an inaugural peace prize to US President Donald Trump during the December 2026 World Cup draw. The inquiry follows a complaint filed by human rights group FairSquare, which alleged Infantino breached his duty of neutrality.
Cristiano Ronaldo, at 41, will play in a record sixth World Cup for Portugal in 2026, with debate continuing over whether the five-time Ballon d'Or winner strengthens or hinders manager Roberto Martinez's squad. Ronaldo is the men's international leading goalscorer with 143 strikes, including 25 in 30 games under Martinez.
Erling Haaland propelled Norway to qualification for the World Cup for the first time in 28 years. The Manchester City striker scored 16 goals in a qualification campaign that saw Norway win eight consecutive matches and score 37 goals total, with the squad also featuring Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard.
Egypt's Mohamed Salah and Belgium's Kevin De Bruyne, Romelu Lukaku and Thibaut Courtois have been drawn in Group G of the 2026 World Cup alongside New Zealand and Iran, with the tournament likely being their last chance for glory on football's biggest stage.
Egyptian striker Mohamed Salah played his final match for Liverpool on Sunday, leaving as the club's third-highest all-time goalscorer with 257 goals. The 33-year-old, who will captain Egypt at the 2026 World Cup, played 74 minutes in a 1-1 draw with Brentford.
The 2026 World Cup has attracted elite coaches including Thomas Tuchel (England), reversing international football's struggle to compete with club game salaries. Tuchel, a former Bayern Munich, Chelsea and PSG boss, has been hired by the English Football Association to end their wait to win a major tournament since 1966.
Climate scientists warn that one in four 2026 World Cup matches could take place in very hot conditions, with 26 of 104 games potentially reaching at least 26°C Wet Bulb Globe Temperature. FIFA has mandated cooling breaks during matches held across the United States, Mexico, and Canada from June 11 to July 19.
Former Manchester City striker Edin Dzeko has been selected in Bosnia-Herzegovina's squad for this summer's World Cup, making him an outfield player aged 40 or over — a list that includes only Cameroon's Roger Milla among outfield players, though six goalkeepers have previously achieved this feat.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup, hosted by Mexico, the United States, and Canada, will feature three separate opening ceremonies in each country with global music stars including Katy Perry, Future, Alanis Morissette, Michael Bublé, J Balvin, and Lisa performing. Mexico's ceremony will take place 90 minutes before the tournament's first match between Mexico and South Africa on June 11 at Mexico City Stadium, and will include performances by J Balvin, Maná, Alejandro Fernández, Belinda, Lila Downs, and South African singer Tyla.
Football Australia said it was "extremely disappointed" with a decision by Melbourne Arts Precinct to ban public watch parties for the 2026 World Cup in Federation Square, citing the event's unifying potential for Australia's multicultural communities. The precinct cited previous "dangerous" fan behaviour in the square as grounds for the ban.
Belgian Tom Saintfiet has resigned as Mali national team coach after two years in charge. Under his leadership, Mali finished third in their 2026 World Cup qualifying group and lost to Senegal in the quarter-finals of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.
Saudi Arabia's football federation has appointed Georgios Donis, a Greek former international, as head coach following Herve Renard's sacking in April. Donis, 56, takes over less than two months before Saudi Arabia's World Cup opener against Uruguay on June 15.