England's World Cup campaign has increasingly come to rest on the shoulders of Harry Kane, whose goals, link-up play and ability to deliver in decisive moments have repeatedly rescued a side still searching for fluency and conviction.
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.
Morocco defeated Canada 3-0 in the World Cup last 16, with Azzedine Ounahi scoring two goals, to advance to the quarter-finals for the second consecutive time. The victory ended Canada's tournament run.
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.
Cape Verde pulled off a stunning 2-2 draw against two-time World Cup winners Uruguay in Miami on Sunday.
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.
Saudi Arabia coach Georgios Donis said his players lacked self-confidence in the second as they failed to hold on to their lead with Maxi Araujo equalising for Uruguay in the 2nd half.
Switzerland secured a vital 2-0 victory over Algeria propelling them into the Round of 16.
Brazil and Morocco played to a 1-1 draw in their World Cup Group C opening match. Morocco took an early lead through Ismael Saibari, but Vinicius Jr's brilliant goal brought Brazil level before halftime. Despite Brazil's second-half improvements, Morocco's strong defence held them to a point.
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.
Argentina start their bid for back-to-back World Cups on Tuesday with a side full of familiar faces from Qatar 2022, facing an Algerian team buoyed by warm-up wins and featuring a 20-year-old rising star nicknamed after Diego Maradona.
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.
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.
Rudi Garcia's comments about Senegal's tactical structure, along with other pundit remarks, have reignited scrutiny over racially coded language in World Cup commentary, drawing criticism from scholars and anti-racism advocates who argue such language perpetuates harmful stereotypes about Black players and African teams.
The Democratic Republic of Congo has made a historic return to the World Cup knockout stages, 52 years after a disastrous debut.
Lionel Messi made history by scoring in his seventh consecutive World Cup match, leading a second-string Argentina to a 3-1 victory over Jordan in their Group J clash in Dallas. Goals from Giovani Lo Celso and Lautaro Martinez also contributed to Argentina's win, setting them up for the round of 32.
South Africa has made history by securing their first-ever World Cup knockout stage berth after a 1-0 victory over South Korea. Thapelo Maseko scored the decisive goal in the 63rd minute, leading to jubilant celebrations and setting up a clash with co-hosts Canada. This marks a significant achievement for the team, overcoming previous group stage exits.
Australia secured their spot in the World Cup's round of 32 after a 0-0 draw against Paraguay. The Socceroos finished second in Group D and will face the second-placed team from Group G. Paraguay now faces an anxious wait to see if they qualify as one of the best third-placed teams.
Yasin Ayari -- the son of a Tunisian father and a Moroccan mother -- chose not to celebrate his opener, briefly raising his hands in acknowledgement rather than joining the jubilant scenes around him.
India's women's football team secured their sixth SAFF Women's Championship title, and their first in seven years, by defeating defending champions Bangladesh 3-1 in the final. The team maintained an all-win record throughout the tournament, scoring 18 goals and conceding only one, showcasing a dominant performance.
Kylian Mbappe became France's all-time leading scorer with a double to power his team to victory against Senegal on Tuesday.
Carlo Ancelotti has spent weeks warning that grit and resilience would decide a long, complicated World Cup. On this evidence, Brazil have been listening -- even if, for much of the match against Japan, they seemed determined to test the theory to destruction.
The Indian Under-18 women's hockey team was defeated by China in a penalty shootout during the semi-finals of the Under-18 Asian Championships, ending their bid for a gold medal. After a 2-2 draw in regulation time, India lost 1-3 in the shootout and will now compete for the bronze medal.
Lionel Messi equalled the men's World Cup all-time scoring record with a hat-trick in Argentina's Group J opener against Algeria on Tuesday.
The Indian men's hockey team was defeated by England 1-4 in a penalty shootout after their FIH Pro League match ended in a 2-2 draw during regulation time. Dilpreet Singh scored both goals for India, while David Goodfield and Nicholas Bandurak netted for England. England secured the bonus point with a dominant shootout performance at the Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre.
Senegal kept their World Cup knockout hopes alive in dominant fashion on Friday with a 5-0 victory over 10-man Iraq, who were eliminated from the tournament.
Lionel Messi broke the FIFA World Cup scoring record, but his achievement was overshadowed by controversial refereeing decisions.
Harry Kane scored twice, including a 75th-minute equaliser and a late winner against DR Congo, to guide England into the last 16 with their first World Cup comeback victory since 1990.
Uruguay winger Maximiliano Arajo, whose grandfather hailed from Goa's Loutolim village, scored a late equaliser to earn his side a 1-1 draw against Saudi Arabia in their FIFA World Cup opener.
The Indian men's hockey team secured a 4-1 victory against Korea in their third Pool A match of the U-18 Asia Cup, with Ketan Kushwaha scoring twice.
Brazil have lodged a formal complaint with FIFA over the disallowing of a Vinicius Jr goal during their 3-0 FIFA World Cup 2026 group-stage victory over Scotland, with the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) also requesting that Mexican referee Cesar Ramos no longer officiate the team's matches.
Nicolas Pepe justified his World Cup selection with two goals on Thursday, coming out of the cold to restore his reputation as a key striker for the Ivory Coast.
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.
The Indian Women's Hockey team delivered a commanding 6-0 victory over Chile in the FIH Hockey Women's Nations Cup semi-final, securing their place in the final. Navneet Kaur and Deepika scored two goals each, contributing to India's fourth consecutive win in the tournament.
Before Diego Maradona's famous blue shirt became a $9.28 million auction item, it may have had a humbler beginning in Tepito, Mexico City's market district.
India beat defending champion Bangladesh 3-1 to win their first SAFF title in seven years.
Neymar Junior returned to international football after a 981-day absence, playing 20 minutes as a substitute in Brazil's 3-0 World Cup victory over Scotland.
France captain Kylian Mbappe became his country's all-time leading scorer with a double against Senegal at the World Cup on Tuesday.
Belgium drew 1-1 with Egypt in their World Cup opener after Romelu Lukaku's second-half introduction led to an own goal. Egypt had taken an early lead through Emam Ashour, and despite Belgium's numerous chances, they struggled to equalise until Lukaku's impact. Both coaches reflected on the match, with Belgium's coach highlighting the importance of their next game against Iran, and Egypt's coach feeling his side was closer to victory.
The Indian Women's Hockey team secured a dominant 6-0 victory over Chile in the FIH Hockey Women's Nations Cup semi-final, with Navneet Kaur and Deepika scoring two goals each. This emphatic win propels India into the final, where they will face hosts New Zealand.
