Sweden trio Yasin Ayari, Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyokeres were all on target as they cruised to a 5-1 victory over Tunisia in Monterrey on Sunday.
Austria made a winning return to the World Cup after 28 years, defeating debutants Jordan 3-1 in a Group J opener. The victory was secured with a second-half own goal and a late penalty, following a tense match where Austria initially led, was equalised, and had a goal disallowed by VAR.
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.
Belgium's dressing room erupted in celebration after their dramatic 3-2 comeback win over Senegal, with match-winner Youri Tielemans leading the festivities.
Germany's World Cup misery continued as Paraguay stunned the four-time champions on penalties in the Round of 32, extending a decade-long decline marked by defensive frailties and major tournament disappointments since 2014.
The United States defeated Bosnia 2-0 to advance to the World Cup round of 16. Malik Tillman scored the decisive goal from a free kick after Folarin Balogun was sent off, having previously opened the scoring. This marks their first knockout win since 2002.
Portugal defeated Croatia 2-1 in a dramatic World Cup match, with Goncalo Ramos scoring the winning goal in stoppage time after Cristiano Ronaldo had equalised from a penalty. The victory ends Luka Modric's fifth World Cup bid, and Portugal now advances to face Spain in the round of 16.
Prestianni Law enforced for the first time at FIFA World Cup as Almiron sees red.
Iran's football coach, Amir Ghalenoei, has strongly criticised the United States for imposing travel restrictions on his team during the World Cup, claiming it unfairly hampered their preparation and performance.
Nikola Vlasic scored a late header from a Luka Modric corner to give Croatia a 2-1 victory over Ghana, securing second place in World Cup Group L and a spot in the last 32. Petar Susic had opened the scoring for Croatia, while Derrick Luckassen equalised for Ghana before Vlasic's decisive goal.
The United States' World Cup campaign took an extraordinary turn on Sunday when FIFA made the unprecedented decision to suspend Folarin Balogun's automatic red-card ban, clearing the striker to face Belgium in Monday's last-16 clash after US President Donald Trump personally urged FIFA President Gianni Infantino to review the case.
Youri Tielemans struck a 125th-minute penalty as Belgium rallied from two goals down and defeated Senegal 3-2 after extra time in their World Cup last 32 clash in Seattle on Wednesday to keep alive their title hopes that had looked dead and buried.
Belgium secured top spot in Group G and a place in the World Cup round of 32 after a dominant 5-1 victory over New Zealand.
Kylian Mbappe became France's all-time leading scorer with a double to power his team to victory against Senegal on Tuesday.
Lionel Messi made history by scoring in his seventh consecutive World Cup match, leading a second-string Argentina to a 3-1 victory over Jordan in their Group J clash in Dallas. Goals from Giovani Lo Celso and Lautaro Martinez also contributed to Argentina's win, setting them up for the round of 32.
Lionel Messi equalled the men's World Cup all-time scoring record with a hat-trick in Argentina's Group J opener against Algeria on Tuesday.
Iran face an anxious wait to see if they will progress to the World Cup knockout stage after they came from behind to hold Egypt to a 1-1 draw.
In one of the biggest upsets ever seen at the World Cup, Paraguay goalkeeper Orlando Gill saved the efforts of Kai Havertz and Nick Woltemade before Jonathan Tah fired over the bar, paving the way for Jose Canale to blast home the decisive spot kick.
Ecuador secured a stunning 2-1 victory over Germany in a crucial World Cup match, ensuring their qualification for the last 32. Despite an early German goal, Ecuador fought back with goals from Nilson Angulo and Gonzalo Plata to clinch the win.
Paraguay achieved a stunning upset by eliminating four-time World champions Germany from the World Cup in a penalty shootout. After a 1-1 draw in their Round of 32 match, Paraguay secured a 4-3 victory in the shootout, with Jose Canale scoring the decisive kick.
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.
The English Premier League has clarified its refereeing guidelines for the upcoming season, specifically addressing incidents of hair pulling. A red card will be issued for excessive force, while deliberate but less forceful hair pulling will result in a yellow card. The league also announced stricter scrutiny on holding and increased protection for goalkeepers.
Cristiano Ronaldo became the first player to score in six World Cups and Portugal's all-time leading marksman at the global finals with two goals in Tuesday's emphatic 5-0 Group K win over Uzbekistan in Houston.
Senegal kept their World Cup knockout hopes alive in dominant fashion on Friday with a 5-0 victory over 10-man Iraq, who were eliminated from the tournament.
The Democratic Republic of Congo secured a spot in the World Cup knockout stage after a thrilling 3-1 comeback victory against Uzbekistan. Yoane Wissa scored twice, including a crucial penalty, and Fiston Mayele added another goal to seal their progression. This win marks DR Congo's return to the World Cup knockouts after 52 years, setting up a clash with England.
Austria coach Ralf Rangnick praised Lionel Messi's exceptional scoring ability after his team's 2-0 loss to Argentina, where Messi netted twice. However, Rangnick expressed frustration over Argentina's first goal, believing a foul on Xaver Schlager was overlooked. Despite the defeat, Rangnick was largely satisfied with his team's performance and their World Cup campaign.
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.
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.
Neymar Junior returned to international football after a 981-day absence, playing 20 minutes as a substitute in Brazil's 3-0 World Cup victory over Scotland.
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.
Cristiano Ronaldo silenced his critics in spectacular fashion, becoming the first player to score in six World Cups.
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.
FIFA's new hydration breaks at the 2026 World Cup have sparked controversy, with coaches including Marcelo Bielsa and Gustavo Alfaro claiming they disrupt football's rhythm and serve commercial interests more than player welfare.
Canada achieved their first-ever World Cup finals victory, thrashing nine-man Qatar 6-0, with Jonathan David scoring a hat-trick. The win boosts Canada's chances in Group B, despite an injury to midfielder Ismael Kone.
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 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.
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.
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.
Belgium drew 1-1 with Egypt in their World Cup opener after Romelu Lukaku's second-half introduction led to an own goal. Egypt had taken an early lead through Emam Ashour, and despite Belgium's numerous chances, they struggled to equalise until Lukaku's impact. Both coaches reflected on the match, with Belgium's coach highlighting the importance of their next game against Iran, and Egypt's coach feeling his side was closer to victory.
Gianluca Rocchi steps aside amid a Serie A fraud probe, with VAR official Andrea Gervasoni also under investigation, raising fears of another Calciopoli-style crisis.
