Ecuador's President Daniel Noboa declared a national holiday after the country's football team secured a spot in the World Cup knockout phase with a surprising 2-1 victory over Germany. This marks only the second time Ecuador has reached this stage, sparking widespread celebrations.
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.
England manager Thomas Tuchel believes they are in good shape heading into the FIFA World Cup and can "dare to dream" about lifting the trophy.
Football legend Ronaldinho has come out of retirement at 46 to sign with Italian Serie C club Ravenna FC.
Stephen Eustaquio scored a dramatic 92nd-minute goal to secure a 1-0 victory for Canada over South Africa, propelling the co-hosts into the World Cup last 16 for the first time. The tense match in Los Angeles saw few clear chances until Eustaquio's late strike, ending Canada's frustration and sending them to face either the Netherlands or Morocco in the quarter-finals. South Africa, despite a strong defensive effort, exited the tournament.
Brazil take on bogey team Norway in the FIFA World Cup Round of 16, aiming for their first-ever victory over the Scandinavians as Erling Haaland leads Norway's bid for another historic upset.
Japan showed their battling qualities to eke out a 2-2 draw with the Netherlands in their World Cup Group F opener on Sunday, as Hajime Moriyasu's side backed up their desire to make an impact at the tournament with a gritty display.
Iran's national soccer team, currently training in Tijuana, Mexico, will be able to enter the US the day before each of their three World Cup matches, the Department of Homeland Security said on Tuesday.
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.
President Droupadi Murmu unveiled the Durand Cup 2026 trophy, marking the start of preparations for Asia's oldest football tournament. She highlighted the tournament's role in nurturing talent, promoting sportsmanship, and connecting people, while also drawing parallels to India's vision of becoming a developed nation.
Ousmane Dembele scored a first-half hat-trick as France made sure of top spot in World Cup Group I with a ruthless 4-1 win on Friday over a second-string Norway who like the French had already qualified for the next round of the tournament.
Lionel Messi's family has confirmed that his father, Jorge Messi, 68, is receiving medical treatment for an undisclosed health issue. They stated he is recovering well and responding positively to treatment, while also expressing frustration over media speculation and requesting privacy for the family during this time. The statement follows emotional scenes involving Lionel Messi during a recent World Cup match, which he later clarified were unrelated to football but due to difficult personal days.
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.
Iran twice came from behind to earn a 2-2 draw with New Zealand in their opening World Cup match on Monday after an end-to-end contest played against the backdrop of Iranian fan protests against the government in Tehran.
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.
Iran's participation in this year's World Cup has been called into question after co-hosts the United States launched joint air strikes at the country along with Israel at the weekend.
Wayne Chung, senior investigator at the city's Intellectual Property Investigation Bureau, told reporters on Thursday that 230,000 items had been seized.
Miguel Almiron became the first player sent off at the World Cup for violating a new rule against covering mouths during confrontations. His dismissal left Paraguay with 10 men, but they still secured a 1-0 victory over Turkey, keeping their World Cup hopes alive while eliminating Turkey. The incident has sparked debate among coaches about the impact of new rules on the game's essence.
The Democratic Republic of Congo plans to continue its preparations for the 2026 World Cup despite a warning from the United States about a potential Ebola outbreak.
Mohun Bagan Super Giant has withdrawn its players from the Indian national team camp for the Unity Cup in London, citing concerns over injuries and lack of compensation from the AIFF outside the FIFA international window.
US coach Mauricio Pochettino praised his team's collective effort after their historic 4-1 victory over Paraguay in their World Cup opener. Folarin Balogun scored two goals, a first for a U.S. player since 1930, though Christian Pulisic's calf injury raised concerns. Pochettino credited extended training time for the team's strong start.
Brazil secured their spot in the World Cup knockout stages with a dominant 3-0 victory over Scotland. Vinicius Jr scored twice, continuing his impressive form, while Neymar made his much-anticipated return to the national team after nearly three years. The win saw Brazil top Group C, with Matheus Cunha also contributing a goal. Scotland's hopes now rest on qualifying as one of the best third-placed teams.
Bosnia and Herzegovina kept their World Cup hopes alive thanks to a stunning goal from teenager Kerim Alajbegovic, which powered them towards a tense 3-1 win over Qatar on Wednesday and secured third place in Group B to eliminate their opponents.
Russian clubs and the national team have been suspended from FIFA and UEFA competitions since the country invaded Ukraine in February 2022.
Portugal's latest bid for World Cup glory begins in Houston on Wednesday when they take on the Democratic Republic of Congo in a Group K clash.
Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan, who was denied entry to the United States for the World Cup despite a valid visa, has been appointed to officiate the upcoming UEFA Super Cup match between Paris St Germain and Aston Villa. This appointment follows a cooperation agreement between UEFA and CAF.
Early data from the World Cup indicates that sportswear giant Adidas is currently gaining a significant advantage over rival Nike in brand visibility and sales. Adidas, an official sponsor, is seeing a substantial surge in apparel spending and foot traffic, particularly driven by jersey sales. While Nike's business is also growing, it is being outpaced by Adidas, which appears to have a more resonant product offering. Nike, facing declining market share and intense competition, is relying on the World Cup for a boost, though its footwear presence remains strong.
Qatar's resilience against Switzerland owed much to goalkeeper Mahmoud Abunada, whose key saves kept them in the game, a remarkable comeback for a player once close to retirement due to a serious back injury.
The All India Football Federation (AIFF) secretary M Satyanarayanan has refuted allegations of corruption against president Kalyan Chaubey, stating that no concrete evidence has been found.
Iran hosted a large send-off rally for its World Cup team in Tehran, despite ongoing concerns about visa issues for entry into the United States, where the team is scheduled to play its group matches.
England overcame Mexico, the hostile Azteca atmosphere, high altitude and a red card to seal a dramatic 3-2 World Cup victory, with Jude Bellingham inspiring a famous win that could define their tournament.
Australia defeated Turkey 2-0 in their Group D World Cup opener, with goals from Nestory Irankunda and Connor Metcalfe, placing them second in the group.
Manchester United's Amad Diallo struck in the 90th minute as Ivory Coast stunned Ecuador 1-0 in their World Cup Group E opener on Sunday.
India's chances of qualifying for the FIFA U-17 World Cup suffered a major blow after losing to Uzbekistan in their AFC U-17 Asian Cup group match.
Talismanic Mohamed Salah scores twice to help Egypt rally to 3-1 win over New Zealand on Sunday.
Kylian Mbappe is under immense pressure and facing criticism regarding his recent performances and leadership ahead of France's World Cup opener. Despite a trophy-less season with Real Madrid, his teammates Ousmane Dembele and Lucas Hernandez defend him, highlighting his leadership within the French squad and his focus on the tournament. Mbappe has a strong World Cup record and aims to silence critics by performing well in the upcoming matches.
Egypt secured their first-ever World Cup knockout victory, defeating Australia 4-2 on penalties after a 1-1 draw in a last-32 match at Dallas Stadium, advancing to the last-16.
The question nobody seems to ask is why a democracy should be silent when many of its citizens are concerned about the way the US is deviating from its traditional ways of consultation, cooperation and collaboration and moving away from traditional allies, asks Ambassador T P Sreenivasan.
Australia's coach Tony Popovic expresses confidence in his team's ability to challenge favourites Turkey in their World Cup opener in Vancouver, despite being considered underdogs. He also confirmed the squad is fully fit, including Mohamed Toure.
Pope Leo may have traded his life in Chicago for the ornate apartments at the Vatican's apostolic palace, but he still plans to root for his old national team at the World Cup this month.
