Lionel Messi is dealing with muscle fatigue in his left hamstring less than three weeks before the start of the World Cup, Inter Miami said on Monday after the Argentine forward was forced off in his final club match before the tournament.
Despite initial challenges like unsold tickets and a rained-out fan festival, visitors are flocking to Toronto for the first-ever World Cup soccer match in Canada. Fans are drawn by factors such as lower drinking age compared to the US, cultural similarities, and Canada's diverse immigrant population, creating a unique and determined atmosphere for the tournament.
Mexico counts more than 135,000 missing people, a figure that has surged since 2006 when then-President Felipe Calderon launched a war against the country's drug cartels.
Smriti Mandhana said India's failure to bowl enough dot balls cost them the T20I series against England and urged the team to learn from the setback ahead of the Women's T20 World Cup. Harmanpreet Kaur's return to form was a major positive.
Brazil forward Neymar will not travel with the squad for their second World Cup group game against Haiti in Philadelphia on Friday as he continues to recover from a calf injury, the Brazilian football association said.
FIFA Secretary-General Mattias Grafstrom will meet Iranian FA officials in Istanbul to offer reassurance over Iran's participation in the World Cup, amidst concerns raised by recent geopolitical tensions and visa issues.
German footballers at their FIFA World Cup base camp in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, are concerned about venomous snakes, specifically copperheads, after spotting one. Captain Joshua Kimmich expressed worries about potential bites, a sentiment echoed by Swiss and Norwegian teams, highlighting an unusual distraction for players preparing for the tournament.
While Mbappe and Messi currently lead the charts, Haaland, Kane, Dembele, and Vinicius Junior are all within striking distance, setting up an intense battle for the tournament's top scorer award in the matches ahead.
Former India captain Anjum Chopra believes the Indian women's cricket team are favourites for the upcoming T20 World Cup, highlighting their familiarity with English conditions and the return of key players.
New Zealand midfielder Sarpreet Singh, the first Sikh footballer to play at a FIFA World Cup, hopes his historic appearance will inspire more players of Indian and South Asian heritage to reach football's biggest stage.
Cape Verde pulled off a World Cup shock by holding Spain to a 0-0 draw in the opening game of Group H on Monday, where the European champions and one of the tournament favourites could find no way past the debutants and their keeper Vozinha.
Australia put in a commanding all-round display to beat West Indies by eight wickets and book their place in Sunday's final, chasing down 126 in just 13 overs.
Curacao fans will have woken up the morning after still a little hurt by the 7-1 defeat to Germany in their World Cup debut on Sunday, but the result has not dampened their spirit or their delight at a first global finals for the tiny island nation.
Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni lauded his team's ability to perform under pressure, stating they 'play its best football when it's under pressure' after their dramatic 2-1 comeback victory against England secured a spot in the World Cup final.
The Indian women's recurve team, consisting of Deepika Kumari, Ankita Bhakat, and Kumkum Mohod, secured a dramatic shoot-off victory against China to win the gold medal at the Archery World Cup Stage 2 in Shanghai.
Germany gave debutants Curacao a reality check, as the former champions won 7-1 to kick-start their 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign with a big win.
Australia fast bowler Mitchell Starc remains driven by the competitive nature of cricket and hopes to extend his 16-year international career for a few more years, he said on Saturday, keeping the door open for a potential appearance at the 2027 World Cup.
Sarah and Kathryn Bryce's 106-run partnership powered Scotland to a first-ever ICC Women's T20 World Cup victory as they beat Ireland by 40 runs.
Ronald Koeman says the Netherlands have the quality to beat any team at the World Cup despite not being favourites, while injury concerns linger over Jurrien Timber and Memphis Depay.
England came close to making a premature and shock exit from the World Cup at the hands of the Democratic Republic of Congo on Wednesday, before Harry Kane rode to the rescue, and manager Thomas Tuchel was proud of how his players refused to accept the defeat staring them in the face.
Belgium secured top spot in Group G and a place in the World Cup round of 32 after a dominant 5-1 victory over New Zealand.
Brazilian football star Neymar remains optimistic about his participation in the FIFA World Cup despite a recent calf injury. He dismisses concerns about his fitness, even though he has been benched for his club Santos' last three matches. Brazil's medical staff is taking precautions, and it is unlikely that Neymar will be fit to play in the warm-up games against Panama and Egypt.
India's campaign in the ICC Women's T20 World Cup ended after a six-wicket loss to Australia at Lord's. Skipper Harmanpreet Kaur admitted the team did not play to its standards and called for a "rethink" on their performance against top teams. Australian captain Sophie Molineux praised Ellyse Perry and Ashleigh Gardner for their match-winning partnership.
Mexico celebrated a historic 2-0 victory over South Africa in the opening match of the World Cup at the Azteca stadium, breaking a seven-game opening day curse.
England coach Thomas Tuchel confirmed Bukayo Saka is fully fit and available for the World Cup clash against Ghana, while also voicing concerns that FIFA's mandatory hydration breaks are disrupting the flow and identity of football.
Five-times champions Brazil came back strongly from a one goal deficit to beat Japan 2-1 in their FIFA World Cup Round of 32 clash at the Houston Stadium on Monday.
The United States defeated Bosnia 2-0 to advance to the World Cup round of 16. Malik Tillman scored the decisive goal from a free kick after Folarin Balogun was sent off, having previously opened the scoring. This marks their first knockout win since 2002.
Displaced Palestinians in Gaza are overcoming power cuts, poor internet and ongoing insecurity to follow the FIFA World Cup, finding brief moments of joy and escape amid the hardships of war and displacement.
Spain arrive into their Group H clash against Saudi Arabia needing a sharper attacking display after being held to a shock 0-0 draw by World Cup debutants Cape Verde in their opening match in Atlanta.
When the final whistle blew, players embraced, danced and celebrated on the pitch as if they had won the match. Their joy was understandable. Against one of football's traditional giants and the world's second-ranked team, Cape Verde had achieved something few thought possible.
From Mexico to Canada, across 16 stadiums in wildly different climates, the continental tournament is putting turf science to its ultimate test. The goal: creating living surfaces that can withstand kicks, studs, tackles and scorching summer heat.
India women's cricket team captain Harmanpreet Kaur stated that the ODI World Cup crown at home last year instilled the crucial confidence and self-belief needed to pursue more titles, including the upcoming T20 World Cup.
Mexico have failed to progress beyond the Round of 16 for the last 32 years. With the 2026 FIFA World Cup on home soil, they hope to finally end the 'quinto partido' curse.
With hot weather due and memories fresh of the scorching 2025 Club World Cup, FIFA has for the first time mandated three-minute hydration breaks in each half for all 104 matches of the World Cup starting this week in the U.S., Mexico and Canada.
Several high-profile football players are facing injuries ahead of the World Cup, raising concerns about their participation in the tournament. Kylian Mbappe, Lamine Yamal, and other stars are among those sidelined, while the packed playing schedule is drawing criticism.
Qatar celebrated their first World Cup point after a late own goal forced a 1-1 draw against Switzerland and sent the Gulf nation into jubilation on Saturday.
Sahil Jadhav, the reigning World University Games champion, secured his first Archery World Cup medal, a bronze in the compound men's event at Stage 2 in Shanghai, defeating Denmark's Martin Damsbo.
India's Under-17 men's team faces Uzbekistan in their final AFC U-17 Asian Cup group match, with a win potentially securing qualification for the FIFA U-17 World Cup.
Indian wushu player Aparna won a gold medal in the women's 52kg category at the 11th Sanda World Cup in Macau, defeating Vietnam's Thi Phuong Nga Ngo in the final.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino has strongly defended the recent World Cup, accusing critics of spreading 'hate and false narratives' and overlooking the tournament's success in promoting unity, safety, and inclusion.
