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.
Belgium, who missed a slew of scoring chances against Iran on Sunday, have taken only two points from their opening two matches despite entering the tournament as favourites to progress from the group.
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.
At the Iran-Belgium FIFA World Cup match, least one attendee wearing a pre-revolutionary flag shirt was detained for trying to run onto the pitch and Iranian player Alireza Jahanbakhsh said after the match that he doesn't want to keep focusing on the challenging situations faced by his team.
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.
Australia secured their spot in the World Cup's round of 32 after a 0-0 draw against Paraguay. The Socceroos finished second in Group D and will face the second-placed team from Group G. Paraguay now faces an anxious wait to see if they qualify as one of the best third-placed teams.
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.
Following a dominant group stage performance, Argentina is now preparing to face Cape Verde in the Round of 32.
Displaced Palestinians in Gaza are overcoming power cuts, poor internet and ongoing insecurity to follow the FIFA World Cup, finding brief moments of joy and escape amid the hardships of war and displacement.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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's World Cup football team has finally received visas to enter the United States, just days before their first match in Los Angeles.
Indian squash player Veer Chotrani defeated Abhay Singh in the opening round of the World Squash Championships in Giza, Egypt. Chotrani will face Mostafa Asal in the next round.
Iran's national soccer team will sleep in Mexico and travel to the US on the days of its three FIFA World Cup matches after Washington declined to host the squad for the tournament.
South Africa will look to bounce after a 2-0 loss to co-hosts Mexico in their opening FIFA World Cup match.
Iran's coach and their key player said the national team will strive to bring joy and unity to Iranian people around the world, despite war and other tensions making their FIFA World Cup adventure uniquely challenging.
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 national soccer team attended visa appointments in Ankara, Turkey, applying for Canadian visas and some players also submitting applications for US entry ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Karandeep Kochhar, in excellent form with three top-10 finishes this season, will lead a 10-member Indian contingent at the USD 2 million International Series Morocco golf tournament. He will be joined by other prominent Indian golfers including Anirban Lahiri.
Brazil is facing significant defensive challenges, particularly at right-back, ahead of their World Cup opener against Morocco.
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.
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.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said on Monday her government agreed to allow the Iranian national football team to stay in Mexico during the World Cup, adding that the United States did not want to host the team.
Iran will play their final World Cup warm-up behind closed doors in Turkey on Thursday before departing for their tournament base in Mexico on Saturday.
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.
The 34-year-old Neymar faces two to three more weeks on the sidelines.
Pakistani hockey players are facing financial difficulties as they await pending dues from the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF). Their daily training camp allowance has also been reduced ahead of the FIH World Cup.
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.
Indian squash player Abhay Singh lost a close five-game match to Egypt's Youssef Ibrahim in the second round of the El Gouna Open, a PSA Platinum event.
India's Abhay Singh lost a thrilling five-game match to Egypt's Youssef Ibrahim in the second round of the El Gouna Open.
Naomi Osaka battled past Donna Vekic in straight sets to reach the French Open third round for the first time since 2019, continuing her impressive comeback run at Roland Garros.
Neymar has suffered a minor calf injury but is expected to recover in time to join Brazil's camp next week ahead of the World Cup starting on June 11 in the U.S., Canada and Mexico.
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.
Indian tennis player Maaya Rajeshwaran Revathy is strategically balancing junior and professional tournaments as she prepares to transition to the senior circuit. Training at the Rafa Nadal Academy in Spain, the 16-year-old aims to build confidence and secure a strong junior ranking before fully committing to professional events.
East Bengal coach Oscar Bruzon hints at a possible stay after guiding the team to their first national league title in 22 years, pending clarity on the future of the Indian Super League.
