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.
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.
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.
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.
Argentina's men's hockey captain, Matias Rey, draws inspiration from football legend Lionel Messi as he leads his team in his sixth World Cup. Rey, like Messi, emphasizes the "never give up" philosophy learned from the national football team's success. The team, including goalkeeper Tomas Santiago, is preparing for a tough match against India, focusing on neutralizing key players like Harmanpreet Singh, while fans show their support by wearing Messi's jersey.
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.
The All India Football Federation has disclosed the number of registered football players, coaches, and referees in India in response to an RTI application.
India has been drawn into Group E of the AFC U-17 Men's Asian Cup Qualifiers, alongside hosts Malaysia, Palestine, Singapore, and Guam. The qualifiers will take place in Malaysia from November 11 to 20, with India aiming for their 11th appearance in the main tournament, scheduled for Uzbekistan in 2027.
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.
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.
The FIFA World Cup 2026 will feature four sets of brothers playing for different countries.
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.
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.
FIFA has announced that the 2026 World Cup, co-hosted by Mexico, Canada, and the United States, will feature separate opening ceremonies in each of the three countries. The ceremonies will feature a diverse lineup of musical performers and cultural showcases.
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.
Brazil is preparing for their World Cup opener against Morocco without star forward Neymar, who is recovering from a calf injury.
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.
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.
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.
Global pop stars Shakira, Madonna and Korean sensation BTS will headline the first-ever halftime show at the 2026 FIFA World Cup final with proceeds going towards a global education initiative.
Spain head coach Luis de la Fuente has strongly condemned the post-match clashes that marred the FIFA World Cup 2026 final, calling the behaviour of Argentina's players 'unacceptable' after his side lifted the trophy with a dramatic extra-time victory.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Argentina's President Javier Milei's government has issued a decree allowing the deportation of foreigners who incite hatred or violence against the country and its citizens, a move that comes amid criticism of the national football team's behaviour and political messaging during the recent FIFA World Cup.
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.
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.
FIFA has selected India as one of 12 countries for its Women's Development Programme, aimed at building sustainable models for women's football clubs and preparing them for the upcoming AFC club licensing system.
Lionel Messi, widely regarded as one of the greatest footballers of all time, has announced his retirement from international football, concluding a career marked by numerous club and international accolades, including multiple Ballon d'Or awards and a World Cup title.
Lionel Messi sparked injury concerns after he left the field in the 73rd minute of Inter Miami CF's 6-4 victory over Philadelphia Union
Iran's coach and their key player said the national team will strive to bring joy and unity to Iranian people around the world, despite war and other tensions making their FIFA World Cup adventure uniquely challenging.
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.
Mexico have failed to progress beyond the Round of 16 for the last 32 years. With the 2026 FIFA World Cup on home soil, they hope to finally end the 'quinto partido' curse.
Brazilian football star Neymar Jr. shares his emotional response to being included in the FIFA World Cup squad, expressing gratitude for the support he received during his journey.
