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.
Brazilian football star Neymar remains optimistic about his participation in the FIFA World Cup despite a recent calf injury. He dismisses concerns about his fitness, even though he has been benched for his club Santos' last three matches. Brazil's medical staff is taking precautions, and it is unlikely that Neymar will be fit to play in the warm-up games against Panama and Egypt.
A World Cup bus was set alight and a teenager suffered a gunshot wound during chaotic scenes in Midtown Manhattan as thousands of basketball fans poured into the streets late on Saturday to celebrate the New York Knicks' historic win in the NBA Finals.
New Zealand midfielder Sarpreet Singh, the first Sikh footballer to play at a FIFA World Cup, hopes his historic appearance will inspire more players of Indian and South Asian heritage to reach football's biggest stage.
The FIFA World Cup trophy's gold content has more than doubled in value since 2022, now estimated at USD 713,000, driven by a broader rally in gold prices due to geopolitical tensions and economic uncertainty. This makes it the most valuable sporting trophy by melt value, significantly surpassing other major awards like the Champions League and American sports trophies.
The 34-year-old Neymar faces two to three more weeks on the sidelines.
Despite Pakistan not qualifying for the FIFA World Cup, Karachi is buzzing with excitement as the global event begins. "WC Football" villages have been set up in areas like Malir and Lyari, known for their love of the sport, featuring large screens, decorations, and enthusiastic fans. The city's passion for football is evident, with local clubs and administration organising events for youngsters, highlighting the sport's growing influence beyond cricket.
Lionel Messi is poised to further cement his legendary status as Argentina faces Austria in a crucial FIFA World Cup Group J match. Following a record-breaking hat-trick against Algeria, Messi is on the verge of equalling or surpassing several all-time World Cup records, including consecutive goals, total goals, and match victories. The football world watches as he leads Argentina against a formidable Austrian side.
Argentina start their bid for back-to-back World Cups on Tuesday with a side full of familiar faces from Qatar 2022, facing an Algerian team buoyed by warm-up wins and featuring a 20-year-old rising star nicknamed after Diego Maradona.
The complete schedule of FIFA World Cup 2026 in IST.
Pochettino expects a "very tough game" against Paraguay, praising their aggression and discipline.
Football legend Ronaldinho has come out of retirement at 46 to sign with Italian Serie C club Ravenna FC.
Indian archery faces poor planning and the absence of a full-time foreign coach as they prepare for the World Cup Stage 2 in Shanghai, raising concerns ahead of the Asian Games.
With Kylian Mbappe's depth and experience, economists predict France are tipped to edge Spain to lift World Cup.
Iran's World Cup campaign has left many Iranian-Americans torn between supporting Team Melli and opposing the country's leadership, highlighting deep divisions within Los Angeles' influential Iranian diaspora.
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.
Thousands of New York Knicks fans celebrated their NBA Finals victory in Midtown Manhattan, leading to chaotic scenes including a World Cup bus being set alight and a teenager suffering a gunshot wound in Times Square. Police eventually intervened to disperse the unruly crowds.
Former India captain Bhaichung Bhutia says FIFA's expanded 48-team World Cup format significantly improves India's chances of qualification while creating new opportunities for emerging football nations across Asia and beyond.
The Gujarat ATS and the Indian Coast Guard seized 115 kg of cocaine valued at nearly Rs 1,150 crore from a vessel off Mundra port and apprehended three foreign nationals.
Japan v Tunisia marks 1,000th FIFA World Cup match
Sabri Lamouchi's dismissal as Tunisia coach after a single game at the World Cup places him on an ignominious list that includes one of the most successful coaches in tournament history.
Adani Group and Brazilian aerospace firm Embraer have selected Dholera, Gujarat, as the location for a final assembly line for Embraer's regional jets. This strategic collaboration, formalised by an MoU in January, aims to boost India's Regional Transport Aircraft programme and align with the Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative and UDAN scheme. Embraer sees immense potential in the Indian market across various aviation segments.
'How will this woman find her? And how does that affect her, because it's not a biological relationship.'
Lionel Messi earned a spot in the World Cup history books with a hat-trick that saw Argentina begin the defence of their title with an emphatic 3-0 victory over Algeria in their Group J opener at Kansas City Stadium, Missouri, on Tuesday.
Morocco, Norway, Turkey, Colombia, Mexico and Japan are among the leading dark horses for FIFA World Cup 2026, with each side possessing the talent and momentum to challenge football's traditional powers.
Despite the World Cup returning to their country for the first time in four decades, many in Mexico said they feel excluded, priced out of stadiums, forced to pay for expensive TV subscriptions and constrained by strict licensing rules.
Colombian singer Shakira has released 'Dai Dai', the official song for the 2026 World Cup, featuring Nigerian singer Burna Boy.
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.
The Gujarat ATS and Indian Coast Guard seized 115 kg of cocaine worth nearly Rs 1,150 crore from a vessel off Mundra port, arresting three foreign nationals and disrupting an international drug trafficking network.
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.
Priyanka Goswami led the Indian women's marathon team to a fifth-place finish at the World Athletics Race Walking Championships. In the men's event, India did not figure in the team rankings due to fielding only two competitors.
The final teams have qualified for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Find out which teams have qualified and their group stage assignments.
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 Indian compound women's archery team won gold at the Archery World Cup Stage 1.
A grassroots football academy in Punjab is using football to combat drug abuse and develop young talent, addressing key issues in Indian football's grassroots development.
With hot weather due and memories fresh of the scorching 2025 Club World Cup, FIFA has for the first time mandated three-minute hydration breaks in each half for all 104 matches of the World Cup starting this week in the U.S., Mexico and Canada.
Luka Modric scored to put Croatia ahead before they edged Slovenia 2-1 in the international friendly before the World Cup.
The Indian women's compound team won gold at the Archery World Cup Stage 1, while the recurve archers struggled.
In terms of achievement, McLaren are the second most successful Formula One team of all time with 203 grand prix victories since the first in 1968.
Guillermo Ochoa said he has entered his final Mexico training camp as the veteran goalkeeper closes in on a historic sixth FIFA World Cup appearance in 2026.
