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.
Switzerland found the keys to break down a resolute Bosnia and Herzegovina defence with four late goals in a 4-1 win thanks to a brace from Johan Manzambi and further strikes from fellow substitute Ruben Vargas and captain Granit Xhaka with a penalty.
Qatar snatched their first ever World Cup point with a stoppage-time goal to draw 1-1 with Switzerland in an energetic and one-sided Group B opener on Saturday.
Qatar celebrated their first World Cup point after a late own goal forced a 1-1 draw against Switzerland and sent the Gulf nation into jubilation on Saturday.
Liverpool secured a dominant win over West Ham, while other Premier League matches saw Brentford edge Burnley in a seven-goal thriller and Everton secure a late victory against Newcastle.
Manchester City scored three goals in 17 second-half minutes and move within six points of league leaders Arsenal.
The official 26-man squads for FIFA World Cup 2026.
Sunderland defeated Newcastle United 2-1 with a late goal from Brian Brobbey, while Nottingham Forest secured a 3-0 victory over Tottenham Hotspur in Premier League action.
Two Swiss government ministers have backed national team players Granit Xhaka and Xherdan Shaqiri after their controversial goal celebrations in Friday's 2-1 World Cup win over Serbia.
Granit Xhaka hammered two goals in what is expected to be his last game as Arsenal clinched a 5-o win over Wolves.
Defender Per Mertesacker expects Granit Xhaka to set the tempo from the Arsenal engine room this season and described him as the 'perfect signing' for the club.
Bayer Leverkusen have sacked manager Erik ten Hag after two league games in charge, the Bundesliga club said on Monday, with the weekend draw at Werder Bremen not enough to save the Dutchman's job.
A dreadful defensive error from Arsenal's Granit Xhaka gifted Burnley an equaliser as the sides drew 1-1 at Turf Moor in the Premier League on Saturday.
News of all that transpired on and off the football field
A summary of Saturday's action in the FIFA World Cup 2026 UEFA Qualifiers.
News of all that transpired on and off the football field.
Sweden's hopes of qualifying for next year's World Cup are hanging by a thread after Switzerland captain Granit Xhaka scored from the spot to help the visitors win 2-0 in their qualifying Group B clash on Friday.
Ronaldo, the first player to score in five World Cups, has only one goal in Qatar which came in Portugal's group opener against Ghana.
Saka double against Palace sends Arsenal eight points clear
Arsenal reopened their London Colney training ground to first team players for individual training on Monday as the English Premier League club continued to observe social distancing protocols amid the coronavirus pandemic. France striker Alexandre Lacazette, Brazil defender David Luiz and Switzerland midfielder Granit Xhaka were seen arriving at the facility, which is situated 20 miles north of London.
IMAGES from Premier League matches played on Saturday
Champions Leverkusen, who set a European record of 51 consecutive games without loss across all competitions last season, kept their unbeaten streak intact with a number of late equalisers.
Bayer Leverkusen won their first trophy in 31 years with five matches left in the season, snapping Bayern Munich's 11-year stranglehold on the Bundesliga.
Images from the FIFA World Cup Group G match between Switzerland and Cameroon on Thursday.
Spain secured their place at the 2026 World Cup after a nervy 2-2 draw with Turkey in Seville on Tuesday.
Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann -- who for the third time named the same starting 11 -- is a big fan of Havertz, but the fact an old-school number 9 like Fuellkrug saved the day may prompt calls for the side to have a clear focal point up front.
'It's all about football tomorrow and this is what is going to matter. We are ready and mature enough to just play football. We want to make our nation proud and happy, and we will ignore the rest.'
The match was turned on its head when substitute Mario Gavranovic snatched a 90th-minute equaliser and force extra time.
Serbia refuses to recognise the independence of its former province Kosovo, whose 1.8 million people are mostly ethnic Albanians, which broke away 10 years ago, and opposed Kosovo's ultimately successful bid to join FIFA.
A 90th-minute goal by Xherdan Shaqiri secured Switzerland a 2-1 victory over Serbia in a blistering-paced World Cup Group E match in Kaliningrad on Friday, putting them in a strong position to go through to the knockout round.
Poland reached the quarter-finals of Euro 2016 on Saturday when they beat Switzerland 5-4 in a penalty shootout after the sides had drawn 1-1 after extra-time. Granit Xhaka missed the second penalty for the Swiss when he fired his shot wide of the post.
Heiko Vogel was fired as coach of FC Basel on Monday, only five months after leading them to a Swiss league and cup double.
Ranked sixth in the world and beaten only once since Euro 2016, Switzerland appeared to have enough talent to end Sweden's surprise run in the tournament but instead gave a soulless display as they lost 1-0.
While France and Switzerland largely got what they wanted with a 0-0 draw at Euro 2016 on Sunday, it was a night of shame for ground staff and sports manufacturers.
Barcelona bounced back from their painful Clasico loss in style as they cruised to a 3-0 home LaLiga win over Villarreal with a brace from Robert Lewandowski on Thursday.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
A man who tried to rob Arsenal players Mesut Ozil and Sead Kolasinac at knifepoint in a failed North London carjacking last July was sentenced to 10 years in jail on Friday.
Images from the Euro 2024 Group A match between Switzerland and Germany, in Frankfurt, on Sunday.
La Liga leaders Real Madrid cruised to a 4-0 home win over relegation-threatened Celta Vigo on Sunday to restore their seven-point lead at the top of the table with a dominant display.
