'Thank you Los Angeles for your hospitality'
The complete schedule and all the results of FIFA World Cup 2026 in IST.
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.
Manchester City and Belgium footballer Jeremy Doku became a father, welcoming a baby boy named Praise with his wife Shireen. He temporarily left the national team's FIFA World Cup camp in the USA to be present for the birth in London, a decision supported by the Belgian Football Association despite some public criticism.
Brazilian defender Wesley has been ruled out of the World Cup squad due to a left thigh muscle injury sustained during a friendly match.
Belgian winger Jeremy Doku faces a personal dilemma during the World Cup as his wife is due to give birth to their first child. He hopes to be present for the birth, potentially requiring him to leave the tournament.
Iran's football federation announced its World Cup ticket allocation has been revoked just days before the tournament, leaving many fans unable to attend.
Iran's football federation has requested FIFA to clarify the timeline for issuing tournament visas after relocating their World Cup training camp from Arizona to Tijuana due to diplomatic friction and visa complications.
Iran's national soccer team, currently training in Tijuana, Mexico, will be able to enter the US the day before each of their three World Cup matches, the Department of Homeland Security said on Tuesday.
Former Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp shared a humorous exchange with France captain Kylian Mbappe after France's 2-0 victory over Morocco in the FIFA World Cup quarter-final, joking about Mbappe's prolific scoring and calling him a 'detector'.
Cabo Verde, making their FIFA World Cup debut, delivered a memorable performance, reaching the Round of 32 and pushing defending champions Argentina to extra time. Despite a 3-2 defeat, their campaign was marked by resilience, drawing against European champions Spain and two-time world champions Uruguay, and highlighted by the exceptional goalkeeping of 40-year-old Vozinha.
A record eight players aged 40 or older have been selected to play at the tournament in Canada, Mexico and the United States - one more than at all the past 22 tournaments combined.
France return to No.1 in FIFA rankings after wins over Brazil and Colombia, while Spain drop to second and Argentina slip to third in the latest standings.
Iran's participation in the upcoming FIFA World Cup is uncertain as the government awaits FIFA's response regarding their request to relocate matches from the United States to Mexico due to security concerns.
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.
The top 32 teams at the FIFA World Cup 2026 are now confirmed after a dramatic and exhausting group stage that came to a close on Saturday.
Iran twice came from behind to earn a 2-2 draw with New Zealand in their opening World Cup match on Monday after an end-to-end contest played against the backdrop of Iranian fan protests against the government in Tehran.
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.
Morocco outmuscled Scotland for a 1-0 win thanks to the tournament's fastest goal on Friday, taking control of Group C in the World Cup and moving into top spot with one match left to play.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino confirms Iran will participate in the 2026 World Cup despite geopolitical tensions, urging that sport remain separate from politics.
New Zealand defender Tim Payne's social media profile has exploded over the last few days after an Argentine influencer decided he was the least known player at the 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.
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.
The 34-year-old Neymar faces two to three more weeks on the sidelines.
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.
FIFA Secretary-General Mattias Grafstrom expressed confidence in Iran's participation in the upcoming World Cup after a meeting with Iran's FA President Mehdi Taj, despite concerns over visa issues and political tensions.
The official 26-man squads for FIFA World Cup 2026.
Iran's participation in this year's World Cup has been called into question after co-hosts the United States launched joint air strikes at the country along with Israel at the weekend.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino says the 2026 World Cup will proceed as scheduled despite uncertainty over Iran's participation due to security and geopolitical tensions.
Iran's football federation is in discussions with FIFA about moving their World Cup matches from the United States to Mexico due to concerns about the safety of their players, Iranian football president Mehdi Taj said.
The escalating conflict involving the U.S. and Israel with Iran has led to widespread disruption in the world of sports, with events postponed, travel plans thrown into chaos, and athletes seeking asylum.
The 'Finalissima' match between Spain and Argentina that was scheduled to be held in Qatar has been cancelled due to the conflict in the Middle East while the South American side rejected multiple alternatives, UEFA said on Sunday.
Under-fire Liverpool boss Arne Slot said he feels "complete support" from the club and the fans on Friday, even as his team endures a torrid run of form and supporters plan protests over rising ticket prices.
Iran cannot participate in the 2026 World Cup after co-host the US launched airstrikes alongside Israel, Sports Minister Ahmad Donyamali said on Wednesday.
Amid an escalating regional war, questions deepen over whether Iran's soccer team will compete at this year's FIFA World Cup to be jointly hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada.
Next year's 48-team World Cup will be held in the United States, Canada and Mexico from June 11 to July 19, 2026.
Ramzan Kadyrov, the Kremlin-backed head of Russia's southern Chechnya region, hosted a dinner in honour of Egypt's football team and presented the Liverpool star forward Mohamed Salah with an award, the Chechen leader's press service said on Friday.
Promoted Sunderland, who have defied expectations to stay in the top half of the Premier League table, could be the worst affected with six players going to the tournament, while the likes of Fulham, Manchester United, Burnley and Crystal Palace will also have to make do without some key personnel.
Cape Verde rarely played international football some 25 years ago but now head to next year's finals in North America as one of the nine African representatives.
