Harry Kane rose to rescue England, striking twice in the span of 11 minutes as the former champions fought back from a goal down to beat a a gritty Democratic Republic of Congo 2-1 in their FIFA World Cup last-32 clash in Atlanta on Wednesday.
Morocco triumphed over the Netherlands 3-2 in a penalty shootout to advance in the World Cup after a drama-filled 1-1 draw in their Round of 32 clash on Monday.
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.
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.
Croatia secured their first points in the World Cup Group L by defeating Panama 1-0, thanks to a second-half goal from substitute Ante Budimir. The victory eliminated Panama from the tournament. The match also saw captain Luka Modric achieve his 200th cap for Croatia.
Lionel Messi extended his record by scoring in a ninth straight FIFA World Cup match as Argentina fought back from 2-0 down to beat Egypt 3-2 and keep their title defence alive.
Belgium players celebrated their 4-1 FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 16 victory over hosts United States with a dance inspired by US President Donald Trump. Romelu Lukaku and teammates performed the viral dance after Lukaku's stoppage-time goal sealed their quarter-final spot. The US Men's National Team thanked supporters after their elimination, while Belgium, led by Charles De Ketelaere's brace, will face Spain next.
Morocco showcased their evolution as a top football nation with a comprehensive 3-0 victory over Canada in the World Cup last 16.
India secured a 3-1 victory over Germany in the FIH Hockey Pro League, a match where Manpreet Singh became the most capped player for India. Goals from Mandeep Singh, Shilanand Lakra, and Nilakanta Sharma, coupled with a strong defensive performance, ensured the win, with Hardik Singh named Player of the Match.
England manager Thomas Tuchel has made three changes to his starting XI for the World Cup semi-final against Argentina, bringing Reece James and Djed Spence into the defence, while Argentina's Lionel Scaloni makes one switch, with Giuliano Simeone replacing Rodrigo De Paul.
Jude Bellingham's stellar performance, including a goal and an assist for Harry Kane, propelled England to a 2-0 victory over Panama. This win secured England's top position in Group L of the World Cup, allowing them to avoid a difficult knockout phase route. The match saw England dominate possession and overcome a flat first half, with Kane also breaking Gary Lineker's World Cup goal record for England.
Mexico's World Cup aspirations were shattered after a 3-2 defeat by England at their home ground, Azteca Stadium, leaving fans heartbroken despite 'El Tri' reaching the round of 16 without conceding a goal.
The Indian men's hockey team defeated the Netherlands 3-2 in their final match of the FIH Pro League Rotterdam leg.
Mexico continued their perfect start to the World Cup with a 3-0 romp against the Czech Republic on Wednesday, finishing their group-stage campaign with a flourish.
Austria and Algeria played out a dramatic 3-3 draw in their final World Cup Group J match, with two stoppage-time goals ensuring both teams progressed to the Round of 32, while eliminating Iran. Argentina topped the group, with Austria finishing second and Algeria advancing as a best third-placed side.
Portugal and Colombia played to a 0-0 draw in their final World Cup Group K match, with Colombia securing the top spot and Portugal finishing second. Both teams advanced to the last 32, setting up future clashes against Ghana and Croatia respectively.
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.
Argentina booked their place in the World Cup knockout stage on Monday as Lionel Messi recovered from an early penalty miss to score a record-breaking double in a 2-0 victory over Austria.
Brazil's head coach Carlo Ancelotti expressed disappointment after the team's FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 16 defeat to Norway, but stated the team would use the exit as motivation for future improvements. He highlighted the need for new midfield talent as key players like Neymar are expected to retire from international football.
Belgium look to have found their best playing style at the World Cup after thrashing co-hosts the US 4-1 on Monday, but the successful tinkering of coach Rudi Garcia has come at a cost to his top players.
Cristiano Ronaldo, despite his prolific scoring record in six FIFA World Cups, has yet to score in a knockout stage match. As Portugal faces Croatia, the superstar aims to break this drought while also holding records for most World Cup appearances and being Portugal's all-time leading scorer in the tournament.
Cape Verde coach Bubista expressed immense pride in his team's performance at their first World Cup, despite their 3-2 extra-time loss to three-time champions Argentina in the last-32. He highlighted their draws against Spain and Uruguay, and the character shown by his players, many of whom are not from elite leagues, in taking Argentina to the wire. Bubista emphasised that their World Cup campaign was about showcasing the island-nation's spirit and identity.
DR Congo coach Sebastien Desabre expressed pride in his team's performance at the World Cup, despite their exit after a close match against England.
Spain have knocked Portugal out of the World Cup after Mikel Merino's late goal sealed a dramatic 1-0 victory, ending Cristiano Ronaldo's final World Cup campaign.
Ruben Vargas and Johan Manzambi scored second-half goals as Switzerland beat Canada 2-1 on Wednesday to qualify for the knock-out stage of the World Cup as Group B winners, with the tournament co-hosts also progressing as runners-up.
England manager Thomas Tuchel praised his side's "pure mentality and heart" after the 10-man Three Lions survived a thrilling 3-2 win over Mexico at the Azteca Stadium to book a FIFA World Cup quarter-final against Norway.
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.
Alexis MacAllister has puts Argentina ahead in the10th minute.
Balogun scored his third goal of the tournament but was later sent off, becoming only the fourth player to score and receive a red card in a FIFA World Cup knockout match.
Former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp criticised the VAR decision that disallowed Jonathan Tah's goal, leading to Germany's early exit from the FIFA World Cup 2026. He also took a dig at Arsenal regarding their set-piece goals, suggesting many would be ruled out if Tah's goal was illegal.
Kylian Mbappe, after scoring a double against Sweden, is nearing Lionel Messi's World Cup goal record but states his primary focus is on winning the trophy for France. He acknowledges his scoring prowess but emphasises the team's collective goal of reaching and winning the final on July 19, downplaying the individual rivalry with Messi.
Morocco confirmed their progress to the World Cup last 32 but twice had to come from behind to get the better of plucky Haiti with a 4-2 win in an action-packed game on Wednesday and fell short of topping Brazil in the Group C standings.
Inspired by Lamine Yamal, Spain strolled to a 4-0 win over Saudi Arabia in Group H on Sunday, where Mikel Oyarzabal restored his reputation with two goals and Luis de la Fuente's side found their groove after an underwhelming World Cup opener.
Kylian Mbappe's crucial second-half penalty secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory for France over a resilient Paraguay, propelling them into the World Cup quarter-finals where they will face Morocco.
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.
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.
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.
Egypt's national football coach, Hossam Hassan, has vehemently blamed 'unfair' refereeing decisions and 'external factors' for his team's dramatic World Cup elimination by Argentina, stating he will no longer watch the tournament.
Ravichandran Ashwin praised Cabo Verde on X, urging fans to "Remember the name" after their spirited performances.
Anthony Elanga's equaliser helped Sweden qualify for the World Cup's round of 32 following a 1-1 draw with Japan, but while his teammates were celebrating the result, the striker collapsed on the ground in frustration thinking they had not qualified.
