FIFA has granted US President Donald Trump permission to present the World Cup trophy, a role he previously undertook at the Club World Cup. This decision allows him to remain on the podium during celebrations, a departure from standard protocol, and he is expected to attend the final at MetLife Stadium.
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.
The World Cup has seen a shift to a more lenient refereeing style, prioritising game flow and reducing stoppages. This, combined with stronger, faster players, has led to a quicker, more physically demanding tournament with higher scoring. While welcomed, experts warn that this intensity tests players' physical limits, increasing injury risks, especially for those not fully fit.
England played out a 0-0 draw against Ghana in their second World Cup Group L match, a result that leaves both teams well-positioned for the next phase. Despite England dominating possession, Ghana's strong defensive strategy frustrated their attacking efforts, leading to a goalless stalemate.
England manager Thomas Tuchel made several bold selection calls for the World Cup, leaving out Phil Foden, Cole Palmer and Harry Maguire while recalling Ivan Toney and backing a new-look squad built on chemistry and trust.
The official 26-man squads for FIFA World Cup 2026.
Chelsea manager Liam Rosenior has dropped Enzo Fernandez for two matches after the midfielder publicly cast doubt over his future at Stamford Bridge.
Kyle Walker hung up his England boots on Tuesday, four matches shy of a landmark 100 caps, bringing the curtain down on a 14-year international career that saw him twice finish as a European Championship runner-up.
Chelsea's James warns England of extreme heat at 2026 World Cup
Arsenal maintained control of the Premier League title race as they chiselled out a nervy 2-1 win over London rivals Chelsea to open up a five-point lead at the top of the table on Sunday.
Chelsea's Enzo Fernandez scored a smash-and-grab goal deep in injury time to salvage a 1-1 draw with Manchester City on Sunday.
Arsenal closed out 2025 in emphatic fashion, smashing third-placed Aston Villa 4-1 on Tuesday to surge five points clear at the top of the Premier League.
IMAGES from UEFA Champions League matches played on Wednesday
Arsenal missed a chance to tighten their grip on the Premier League title race with a 1-1 draw at 10-man Chelsea on Sunday.
Nottingham Forest sacked manager Ange Postecoglou 20 minutes after they suffered a 3-0 defeat by Chelsea in the Premier League on Saturday which left the club languishing in 17th place and on the brink of slipping into the relegation zone.
The Thomas Tuchel-coached Three Lions were handed VIP tickets for the race that has McLaren's Oscar Pilastri on pole.
Liverpool shrugged off the absence of Mohamed Salah as midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai scored an 88th-minute penalty to give them a 1-0 Champions League win at Inter Milan.
Six points was the minimum requirement for England's opening two games and while the opposition were not of the highest quality, Tuchel said they were useful tests.
Erling Haaland took his league tally this season to 11 in eight games with both goals in City's 2-0 home win over Everton -- a result that temporarily put City above Arsenal on goals scored.
United States President Donald Trump paid homage to soccer great Pele after being met with boos and cheers from the crowd at the Club World Cup final on Sunday at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
In front of a tournament-high crowd of 81,188 at MetLife Stadium that included US President Donald Trump, Chelsea triumphed to bag the biggest club title.
Lewis-Skelly gets England call-up; Recalls Rashford, Henderson return.
The 23-year-old Palmer's two assists in five minutes during the second half turned the match around for Premier League club Chelsea and his efforts saw him named Player of the Match.
Extra time goals see Chelsea down 10-man Benfica to advance to quarters
Images from Friday's Premier League matches between Chelsea and Manchester United, Aston Villa and Tottenham Hotspur.
Chelsea won for the first time in six Premier League matches when they beat relegation-threatened Wolverhampton Wanderers 3-1 at home on Monday.
Liverpool moved one win away from sealing the Premier League title as substitute Trent Alexander-Arnold secured a 1-0 victory at Leicester City
IMAGES from the Premier League matches played on Tuesday.
Chelsea's interim manager Frank Lampard provided an update on the injured players, stating Reece James and Mason Mount will miss the rest of the season.
Moises Caicedo's blistering second-half strike cancelled out a Bruno Fernandes penalty as Chelsea salvaged a 1-1 draw with Manchester United on Sunday.
The BBC reported that the incident took place when South Korea international Son went to take a corner in the second half of the August 14 game, which ended in a 2-2 draw.
IMAGES from the Premier League matches played on Wednesday.
IMAGES from the Premier League matches played on Saturday.
Arsenal took the race to the final day last season and are strongly tipped to end Manchester City's dominance this time.
Timo Werner scored his first goal of the season as a much-changed Chelsea side crept into the fourth round of the League Cup by beating Aston Villa 4-3 on penalties after the Stamford Bridge clash ended 1-1 on Wednesday.
When England bundled out Denmark from the Euro 2020 Championship on Wednesday, these four players from the Three Lions scripted history.
Chelsea have condemned online racist abuse aimed at defender Reece James and called on social media platforms to take tougher action against users who engage in such 'despicable behaviour'.
Borussia Dortmund snatched a 1-0 victory over Chelsea in the Champions League round of 16 first leg on Wednesday
Images from Tuesday's action in the English Premier League
Chelsea have been charged with two counts of disorderly conduct during their ill-tempered 1-1 draw against Liverpool at the weekend, the Football Association said on Wednesday.
