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.
Japan v Tunisia marks 1,000th FIFA World Cup match
South Korea have come from behind to beat the Czech Republic 2-1 in their Group A opener at the 2026 World Cup, sealing a vital three points to start their campaign in style.
After England's 2-1 World Cup quarter-final win over Norway, midfielder Jude Bellingham pushed back against manager Thomas Tuchel's "sloppy" performance assessment, highlighting the team's resilience and the challenging conditions. Despite the friction, Bellingham's two goals were crucial in securing England's semi-final spot, underscoring his vital role in the tournament.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup has already seen eight red cards, matching the combined total of the 2018 and 2022 tournaments. This surge in dismissals, including six straight red cards, highlights a significant increase in disciplinary actions compared to recent editions, with Belgium's Nathan Ngoy being the latest player sent off.
Iran's World Cup football team has finally received visas to enter the United States, just days before their first match in Los Angeles.
Uruguay coach Marcelo Bielsa said the hydration breaks introduced in each half of matches at the World Cup add nothing to football while destroying the sport's cultural essence.
Following a dominant group stage performance, Argentina is now preparing to face Cape Verde in the Round of 32.
The Indian women's compound archery team, comprising Jyothi Surekha Vennam, Prithika Pradeep, and Chikitha Taniparthi, secured a silver medal at the Archery World Cup Stage 4 in Madrid.
For the expanded 2026 tournament, FIFA has gone a step further and introduced an extra amnesty for yellow cards, effectively wiping the slate clean twice.
Despite initial challenges like unsold tickets and a rained-out fan festival, visitors are flocking to Toronto for the first-ever World Cup soccer match in Canada. Fans are drawn by factors such as lower drinking age compared to the US, cultural similarities, and Canada's diverse immigrant population, creating a unique and determined atmosphere for the tournament.
Former India coach Stephen Constantine shares his views on Lionel Messi, ranking him below Pele, Maradona, and Ronaldinho due to his reliance on teammates for defensive work. He also predicts Spain will win the upcoming final against Argentina, despite acknowledging Argentina's experience and Messi's match-winning ability. Constantine further discusses England's semi-final exit and criticises hydration breaks and refereeing controversies.
Erling Haaland scored two crucial late goals to lead Norway to a stunning 2-1 victory over five-times champions Brazil in the World Cup Round of 16, securing their place in the quarter-finals. Neymar's late penalty was not enough for Brazil, who also missed an earlier spot-kick.
It is only the second time a tournament run by world football's governing body FIFA has featured as many as 48 teams.
South Korea's football team, coached by Hong Myung-bo, secured a 2-1 comeback victory against the Czech Republic in their World Cup Group A opener.
Extreme heat and humidity could emerge as a major challenge at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with several host cities in the United States, Canada and Mexico expected to experience soaring temperatures during the tournament.
Climate change has increased the likelihood of temperatures high enough to affect player performance at 97 of the 104 tournament matches.
For Iran's team, the FIFA World Cup has been marred by fraught politics at home, the war with the US, and tensions over whether they would actually be able to set foot on US soil to play their games.
The 2026 World Cup has witnessed an unusual number of own goals in its opening 10 days, with seven already recorded, making it the second-highest tally in tournament history. The United States has benefited from two such incidents. This trend is notable given the tournament's expansion and could surpass the 2018 record of 12 own goals. Several players from different nations have contributed to this statistic, highlighting a peculiar aspect of the early matches.
A recent study by the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, has identified self-fertilisation, or uniparental reproduction, as a critical trait enabling plants to become invasive. Researchers examined 28 species from the daisy family, finding that all 11 invasive species studied could reproduce uniparentally, unlike most native and non-invasive alien species. This ability allows a single plant to establish new populations, displacing local flora and altering ecosystems, highlighting the importance of reproductive strategy in weed-risk assessment.
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 is facing renewed scrutiny over its inconsistent handling of two World Cup red-card cases involving England's Jarell Quansah and the USA's Folarin Balogun. While Quansah received a two-match ban, Balogun's one-match suspension was controversially suspended, leading to accusations of external interference and a lack of transparency from the governing body.
Wayne Chung, senior investigator at the city's Intellectual Property Investigation Bureau, told reporters on Thursday that 230,000 items had been seized.
Iran's Football Federation will lodge an official protest with FIFA after the United States reportedly denied the national team's request to travel to Los Angeles two days before their FIFA World Cup 2026 Group G match against Belgium, citing geopolitical tensions and previous visa issues.
England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford is set to face Lionel Messi for the first time in his career during Wednesday's World Cup semi-final against Argentina, an occasion he described as carrying a 'sense of history' given his long-standing admiration for the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner.
Dutch coach Koeman expected to leave in wake of early World Cup elimination
England's football team has reached the World Cup semi-finals, demonstrating significant resilience by overcoming setbacks. They are set to face old rivals Argentina, a match steeped in history. The team's success is largely attributed to the partnership of Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham, who have scored a combined 12 goals. Coach Thomas Tuchel acknowledges the team's fighting spirit but also sees room for improvement as they aim to end a 60-year wait for a World Cup title.
South Korea's World Cup group-stage exit has sparked a nationwide football crisis, with coach Hong Myung-bo resigning, President Lee Jae Myung ordering an investigation, and growing calls for sweeping reforms within the Korea Football Association.
Mexico on Thursday imposed a tariff of up to 50 per cent on imports from its non-preferential trade partners, including India, a move that might hit New Delhi's annual $5.75 billion shipments to its third-largest car export market.
The Iranian football team is facing significant travel restrictions in the US during the World Cup, requiring them to enter and leave within 24 hours of matches. This has led the Football Federation of Iran to lodge a formal complaint with FIFA, citing concerns over fair play and technical preparation, while US authorities maintain the measures are for safety and security.
A Toronto cannabis store destroyed its World Cup trophy-inspired "FIFA Bong" after receiving a copyright infringement notice from FIFA, but the owners say the dispute generated more publicity than they ever expected.
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.
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.
Football legend Zlatan Ibrahimovic heavily criticised Netherlands manager Ronald Koeman following their penalty shootout loss to Morocco, stating that the team lost its traditional identity under his leadership, which made him "angry". Morocco advanced to the Round of 16 after a dramatic 1-1 draw and a 3-2 penalty victory.
Fans heading to watch Portugal play Croatia in the World Cup round of 32 in Toronto on Thursday are being warned to keep hydrated and limit their alcohol intake after a heat warning issued by Environment Canada.
Jude Bellingham delivered an authoritative and relentless performance, scoring two crucial goals to lead England to a 2-1 extra-time victory over Norway in their World Cup quarter-final, securing their place in the semi-finals.
Andrew Giuliani, executive director of the White House Task Force for the World Cup, confirmed that the US will continue to assess Iran's travel arrangements for the tournament despite their complaints about restrictions.
The study, covering audience trends across the three host nations, found that Lionel Messi's debut for Inter Miami CF in the 2023 Leagues Cup drove a 173% leap in linear viewership compared with the tournament average.
The FIFA World Cup 2026 quarter-finals are set, featuring a diverse lineup of one South American, one African, and six European teams, including defending champions Argentina and France, alongside surprise packages like Morocco and Norway, all vying for football's ultimate prize.
