Inspirational Lionel Messi would like to end his glittering career on a high as Argentina begin their World Cup defence on June 17 against Algeria in their Group J encounter.
Somali football referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan, expected to be the first Somali to officiate at a World Cup match, was denied entry into the United States due to "vetting concerns" by US Customs and Border Protection.
Cape Verde's heroic goalkeeper Vozinha will have his mother in the stands when he next takes to the pitch at the World Cup on Sunday, after US officials moved to ensure she could obtain a visa in time.
Harmanpreet Kaur's rapid 56 helped India post 170 for four against Australia in a must-win Women's T20 World Cup match. Despite a strong start from openers Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma, the middle order struggled for acceleration, leaving Harmanpreet to boost the total in the final overs.
Scotland defeated Haiti 1-0 in a World Cup Group C match, with John McGinn scoring the winning goal. This victory marks Scotland's first win in the tournament since 1990, placing them at the top of their group. Haiti, despite their pace, lacked the finishing touch.
Harry Kane struck twice while Jude Bellingham and Marcus Rashford delivered the knockout blows as England survived a back-and-forth battle to beat Croatia 4-2 on Wednesday and launch their World Cup campaign in a heavyweight clash that lived up to its billing.
Kylian Mbappe became France's all-time leading scorer with a double to power his team to victory against Senegal on Tuesday.
England midfielder Jordan Henderson has publicly defended teammate Jude Bellingham, highlighting his crucial role and 'X-factor' for the team despite media scrutiny. Henderson also discussed his own controversial selection for his fourth World Cup and the challenge of facing Luka Modric.
Lionel Messi earned a spot in the World Cup history books with a hat-trick that saw Argentina begin the defence of their title with an emphatic 3-0 victory over Algeria in their Group J opener at Kansas City Stadium, Missouri, on Tuesday.
Monday marks 40 years since Diego Maradona's defining performance in Argentina's 2-1 win over England in the 1986 World Cup quarter-finals at Mexico City's Azteca Stadium.
Brazil is facing significant defensive challenges, particularly at right-back, ahead of their World Cup opener against Morocco.
Talismanic Mohamed Salah scores twice to help Egypt rally to 3-1 win over New Zealand on Sunday.
Brazil showed their attacking intent from the outset and thought they had taken an early lead when Raphinha finished from Bruno Guimaraes' clever through ball. However, the celebrations were cut short by an offside flag.
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.
Japan's Yuto Nagatomo made history by becoming the first Asian player to feature in five FIFA World Cups during Japan's 1-1 draw against Sweden. This achievement places him among an elite group of players globally. The draw secured both Japan and Sweden's advancement to the Round of 32 in the 2026 tournament.
The 34-year-old Neymar faces two to three more weeks on the sidelines.
Cristiano Ronaldo had a quiet start to the FIFA World Cup 2026 as Portugal were held to a 1-1 draw by DR Congo in their opening Group K match.
The FIFA World Cup 2026 will feature four sets of brothers playing for different countries.
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.
Indian shooter Sakshi Padekar finished seventh in the 10m Air Rifle women's final at the ISSF World Cup in Munich. Serbia's Andelija Stevanovic won gold, while Japan's Nobata Misaki secured silver.
Australia defeated Turkey 2-0 in their Group D World Cup opener, with goals from Nestory Irankunda and Connor Metcalfe, placing them second in the group.
Iran's players say adversity has united Team Melli after a resilient 0-0 draw against Belgium kept their World Cup knockout hopes alive. A win over Egypt could secure a historic first-ever place in the last 32.
Japan captain Wataru Endo has withdrawn from the World Cup squad due to injury in a blow for the Samurai Blue, with the midfielder also announcing his retirement from international football.
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.
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.
Football fans in Kerala's Pullavoor village have created a unique floating stadium with cutouts of the Argentine squad in a river, showcasing their intense passion for the upcoming World Cup. This elaborate display continues a tradition of fervent fan support in the region.
Despite the World Cup returning to their country for the first time in four decades, many in Mexico said they feel excluded, priced out of stadiums, forced to pay for expensive TV subscriptions and constrained by strict licensing rules.
Sweden trio Yasin Ayari, Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyokeres were all on target as they cruised to a 5-1 victory over Tunisia in Monterrey on Sunday.
An emotional Lionel Messi was wiping his tears with his shirt after scoring Argentina's first goal against Algeria in the World Cup, a strike that marked the beginning of a memorable performance where he netted thrice to secure a 3-0 win.
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.
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.
Australia's assistant coach Hayden Foxe states that the Socceroos are mature enough to handle media hype and social media comments ahead of their World Cup match against co-hosts the United States. Despite being written off by some US commentators, the team is confident after a strong start to the tournament, having defeated Turkey 2-0. Players are focused on the upcoming game, drawing motivation from past criticisms while remaining grounded.
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.
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.
Pochettino expects a "very tough game" against Paraguay, praising their aggression and discipline.
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.
For Iran's team, the FIFA World Cup has been marred by fraught politics at home, the war with the US, and tensions over whether they would actually be able to set foot on US soil to play their games.
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.
Lionel Messi will lead defending champions Argentina at the 2026 FIFA World Cup after coach Lionel Scaloni named a 26-man squad featuring 17 players from the 2022 title-winning team.
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.
