South Africa scored a penalty seven minutes from fulltime as they fought back to draw 1-1 with the Czechia at the World Cup on Thursday after falling behind early in the Group A clash.
Colombia began their World Cup campaign with a convincing 3-1 victory over debutants Uzbekistan in a Group K encounter at the Azteca Stadium. Luis Diaz was instrumental, assisting the opening goal and scoring another, as Colombia secured three points to top their group.
Across World Cup co-host Mexico, soccer pitches are laid out wherever communities can find the space. On the edges of towns, on highway underpasses, and even in a volcano crater, spaces are cleared that allow the young and the old to share in the dream of the beautiful game.
Curacao and Cape Verde, two of the smallest nations globally, have achieved an unprecedented feat by qualifying for the FIFA World Cup.
Canada secured its first-ever World Cup victory with a dominant 6-0 win, but the celebration was marred by a severe leg injury to midfielder Ismael Kone. Kone suffered a broken leg after a tackle from Qatar's Assim Madibo, an incident that left his teammates and coach Jesse Marsch deeply shaken. The injury is a significant blow to Canada's World Cup campaign, despite their strong position in Group B.
The Portugal squad are shutting out criticism of the team and captain Cristiano Ronaldo following an underwhelming draw in their World Cup opener against Democratic Republic of Congo, defender Ruben Dias said on Friday.
Iran's national soccer team will sleep in Mexico and travel to the US on the days of its three FIFA World Cup matches after Washington declined to host the squad for the tournament.
England secured a hard-fought 3-2 victory over Mexico in the World Cup quarter-finals, demonstrating crucial adaptability and resilience after playing with 10 men for over half an hour, a performance that manager Thomas Tuchel believes proves their ability to survive when matches don't follow the script.
France can secure a more comfortable route through the World Cup when they face Norway in their final Group I match on Friday, though finishing top could leave them facing one of the toughest roads to the trophy.
Argentina produced a stunning comeback after falling two goals behind, scoring twice in four minutes through Cristian Romero and Lionel Messi to beat Egypt 3-2 in their last 16 clash of the FIFA World Cup 2026 in Atlanta on Tuesday.
Paris St Germain have signed Spain's World Cup-winning forward Ferran Torres from Barcelona on a contract until 2031, the two clubs announced on Saturday.
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.
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.
South Africa coach Hugo Broos said his side are prepared to face Mexico's quality and home-crowd advantage in Thursday's World Cup opener.
FIFA has approved a rule change allowing Afghan women footballers, many exiled since the Taliban's return, to play official international matches in FIFA competitions.
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.
With less than a month to go, football fans have all fingers -- and toes -- crossed, notes Kanika Datta.
Norway's star striker Erling Haaland is attempting to pile pressure on England ahead of their World Cup quarter-final clash, labelling them 'clear favourites' and urging the media to amplify expectations on the English squad.
Qatar take on Switzerland in their World Cup opener on Saturday eager to shake off the pressure of expectation, coming in as back-to-back Asian champions with an urgent need to make amends for a dismal debut as hosts of the 2022 tournament.
The FIFA World Cup 2026 will feature four sets of brothers playing for different countries.
Croatia's World Cup exit sparked controversy after coach Zlatko Dali launched a furious attack on the refereeing following their 2-1 defeat to Portugal.
Brazil is preparing for their World Cup opener against Morocco without star forward Neymar, who is recovering from a calf injury.
Argentina assistant coach Roberto Ayala has apologised for his altercation with Spain midfielder Dani Olmo following the chaotic World Cup final, an incident now under investigation by FIFA.
Ten-man Belgium dominated possession but could not break down a disciplined Iranian defence, with goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand producing a string of saves to preserve the result in the Group G encounter.
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.
Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha was not too keen to discuss it on Thursday but finally conceded he was very happy his mother had obtained a U.S. visa and would be able to watch him play against Uruguay in the World Cup this weekend.
England have suffered a theft of training equipment ahead of their arrival in Kansas City, local police said, after a vehicle transporting the gear to their World Cup base was broken into.
Brazil secured a comfortable 3-0 victory over Haiti, with Matheus Cunha scoring twice and Vinicius Junior adding another goal. The win keeps Brazil in contention for the top spot in Group C, though their decision to ease off in the second half could impact goal difference in a tight race with Morocco.
FIFA's Technical Study Group believes set-pieces are unlikely to dominate the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with Gilberto Silva predicting tighter, transition-based football due to limited preparation time for national teams.
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.
The United States football team secured its place in the World Cup knockout stage with a convincing 2-0 victory over Australia. An early own goal and an Alex Freeman header sealed the win, despite the absence of key player Christian Pulisic. The team's depth was highlighted as they dominated the match, moving to six points in Group D.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said on Monday her government agreed to allow the Iranian national football team to stay in Mexico during the World Cup, adding that the United States did not want to host the team.
Argentina midfielder Leandro Paredes said Spain were the better team in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final and deserved to lift the trophy after their 1-0 victory.
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.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is set to feature a significant generational divide, with players spanning over 25 years in age. Mexico's Gilberto Mora, 17, will be the youngest, while Scotland's Craig Gordon, 43, will be the oldest. The tournament will showcase a mix of emerging talents and seasoned veterans like Cristiano Ronaldo and Luka Modric, with nations like Panama and Ivory Coast representing the oldest and youngest average squads, respectively.
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.
Spain returned to winning form with a strong 3-0 victory over Austria, as Lamine Yamal's return from injury proved key in lifting Luis de la Fuente's side back to their best.
Iran will play their final World Cup warm-up behind closed doors in Turkey on Thursday before departing for their tournament base in Mexico on Saturday.
Louis Vuitton has once again designed the bespoke trunk for the FIFA World Cup trophy, marking the fifth consecutive tournament. The luxury travel case, featuring a golden V and the brand's monogram, will transport the coveted prize to the New York-New Jersey stadium. This partnership highlights the growing presence of luxury brands in professional sports, with Louis Vuitton also crafting trunks for Formula 1 and Tiffany & Co. for the Super Bowl trophy.
Colombian superstar Shakira is set to perform the official World Cup song 'Dai Dai' at the opening ceremony in Mexico City, joined by Burna Boy, J Balvin, and Tyla.
