Carlos Ancelotti's Brazil commence their 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign against plucky Morocco, who come into the mega event on the back of some pre-tournament turbulence.
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.
Norway made history at the FIFA World Cup by fielding three sons of former World Cup players in the same match: Erling Haaland, Alexander Sorloth, and Kristian Thorstvedt. This mirrored a 1994 World Cup match where their fathers played together. Erling Haaland marked his debut with a brace, leading Norway to a 4-1 victory over Iraq.
Videos circulated online showed Senegal players being screened by airport security before travelling from Raleigh, North Carolina to San Antonio, Texas for a warm-up friendly against Saudi Arabia ahead of the tournament.
High costs, visa hurdles, and logistics for the World Cup are deterring fans, leading to a disappointing boost for US hotels, airlines, and the travel industry.
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.
Uruguay winger Maximiliano Arajo, whose grandfather hailed from Goa's Loutolim village, scored a late equaliser to earn his side a 1-1 draw against Saudi Arabia in their FIFA World Cup opener.
Thousands of Colombian football fans transformed Mexico City into a vibrant yellow sea, celebrating their national team's 3-1 victory over Uzbekistan in their World Cup opener. The city's streets and restaurants buzzed with supporters enjoying Colombian food, music, and a strong cultural connection, making the Estadio Azteca feel like a home venue for the victorious team.
After a stellar performance in the World Cup, Norwegian striker Erling Haaland enjoyed an incognito break in New York City with his partner. Despite his global fame, he managed to explore Times Square and Katz's Deli largely unnoticed, attributing his disguise to a baseball cap and sunglasses. His team, Norway, is preparing for an upcoming match against Senegal.
A satirical song about leaving Bosnia for America has become the country's unofficial World Cup anthem after Dubioza Kolektiv rewrote the hit to celebrate Bosnia's remarkable journey to the global football stage.
Indian women's cricket captain Harmanpreet Kaur maintained the BCCI's 'No Handshake' policy with Pakistan's Fatima Sana at the toss of their T20 World Cup match, a policy reportedly initiated after a terror attack and military operation last year.
Japan captain Wataru Endo has withdrawn from the World Cup squad due to injury in a blow for the Samurai Blue, with the midfielder also announcing his retirement from international football.
With Mariachi costumes, trumpets, and a sea of dark green support, Mexico City has opened the World Cup on Thursday, as fans packed the famous Azteca stadium ahead of the opening game between Mexico and South Africa, amid a backdrop of protests around the capital.
Four matches, four draws and a slice of World Cup history.
Brazil showed their attacking intent from the outset and thought they had taken an early lead when Raphinha finished from Bruno Guimaraes' clever through ball. However, the celebrations were cut short by an offside flag.
Climate change has increased the likelihood of temperatures high enough to affect player performance at 97 of the 104 tournament matches.
Canada secured its first-ever World Cup victory with a dominant 6-0 win, but the celebration was marred by a severe leg injury to midfielder Ismael Kone. Kone suffered a broken leg after a tackle from Qatar's Assim Madibo, an incident that left his teammates and coach Jesse Marsch deeply shaken. The injury is a significant blow to Canada's World Cup campaign, despite their strong position in Group B.
Australia's assistant coach Hayden Foxe states that the Socceroos are mature enough to handle media hype and social media comments ahead of their World Cup match against co-hosts the United States. Despite being written off by some US commentators, the team is confident after a strong start to the tournament, having defeated Turkey 2-0. Players are focused on the upcoming game, drawing motivation from past criticisms while remaining grounded.
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.
Cape Verde pulled off a World Cup shock by holding Spain to a 0-0 draw in the opening game of Group H on Monday, where the European champions and one of the tournament favourites could find no way past the debutants and their keeper Vozinha.
Luka Modric is expected to lead Croatia at what could be his final World Cup as Zlatko Dalic's side aim to continue their remarkable record of success on football's biggest stage despite fitness concerns over their captain.
Spain arrive into their Group H clash against Saudi Arabia needing a sharper attacking display after being held to a shock 0-0 draw by World Cup debutants Cape Verde in their opening match in Atlanta.
Cape Verde's heroic goalkeeper Vozinha will have his mother in the stands when he next takes to the pitch at the World Cup on Sunday, after US officials moved to ensure she could obtain a visa in time.
An emotional Lionel Messi was wiping his tears with his shirt after scoring Argentina's first goal against Algeria in the World Cup, a strike that marked the beginning of a memorable performance where he netted thrice to secure a 3-0 win.
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.
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.
Advocacy groups issued a travel advisory on Thursday, warning that visitors traveling to the US for the 2026 World Cup may face arbitrary detention or deportation, among other human rights abuses.
The United States men's national team secured a dominant 4-1 victory over Paraguay in their World Cup Group D opener, with Folarin Balogun scoring two goals and Giovanni Reyna adding another.
Harry Kane struck twice while Jude Bellingham and Marcus Rashford delivered the knockout blows as England survived a back-and-forth battle to beat Croatia 4-2 on Wednesday and launch their World Cup campaign in a heavyweight clash that lived up to its billing.
Iran's World Cup football team has finally received visas to enter the United States, just days before their first match in Los Angeles.
Iran's World Cup team conducted open training in Tijuana, Mexico, after relocating their base camp due to geopolitical tensions.
Group C promises one of the most competitive battles at the T20 World Cup, with former champions England and West Indies joined by ambitious sides Scotland, Nepal and debutants Italy.
The Portugal squad are shutting out criticism of the team and captain Cristiano Ronaldo following an underwhelming draw in their World Cup opener against Democratic Republic of Congo, defender Ruben Dias said on Friday.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be broadcast live in India after FIFA and 'Z' group reached an agreement. The tournament will be co-hosted by the USA, Canada and Mexico.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be broadcast live in India after FIFA and 'Z' group reached an agreement. The tournament will be co-hosted by the USA, Canada and Mexico.
Mexico have failed to progress beyond the Round of 16 for the last 32 years. With the 2026 FIFA World Cup on home soil, they hope to finally end the 'quinto partido' curse.
Inspirational Lionel Messi would like to end his glittering career on a high as Argentina begin their World Cup defence on June 17 against Algeria in their Group J encounter.
Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer is facing potential scrutiny from FIFA after appearing to breach tournament equipment regulations during a World Cup match. He reportedly cut the sleeves off his long-sleeved jersey and wore a white undershirt that did not match his outer kit, both actions potentially violating FIFA rules on uniform consistency.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Pan American Health Organization and the World Health Organization have all described the risk of Ebola to World Cup host countries as low, citing measles, COVID-19 and influenza -- which spread when large crowds gather -- as the most likely threats.
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.
