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.
Manpreet Singh on Wednesday became India's most-capped hockey player with his 413th appearance for the country during the FIH Pro League match against Germany in Rotterdam.
Argentina's football players displayed a political banner claiming "The Falklands are Argentine" after their World Cup semi-final win against England, potentially violating FIFA's code of conduct.
Croatia secured their first points in the World Cup Group L by defeating Panama 1-0, thanks to a second-half goal from substitute Ante Budimir. The victory eliminated Panama from the tournament. The match also saw captain Luka Modric achieve his 200th cap for Croatia.
Former India coach Stephen Constantine shares his views on Lionel Messi, ranking him below Pele, Maradona, and Ronaldinho due to his reliance on teammates for defensive work. He also predicts Spain will win the upcoming final against Argentina, despite acknowledging Argentina's experience and Messi's match-winning ability. Constantine further discusses England's semi-final exit and criticises hydration breaks and refereeing controversies.
The meeting is a rematch of the 2022 World Cup semi-final, when France ended Morocco's historic run in Qatar.
India secured a 3-1 victory over Germany in the FIH Hockey Pro League, a match where Manpreet Singh became the most capped player for India. Goals from Mandeep Singh, Shilanand Lakra, and Nilakanta Sharma, coupled with a strong defensive performance, ensured the win, with Hardik Singh named Player of the Match.
Germany's 2-1 defeat to Ecuador in the World Cup knockout stage sparked a disagreement between coach Julian Nagelsmann and players Joshua Kimmich and Deniz Undav. While the players felt Ecuador 'wanted it more', Nagelsmann strongly rejected this assessment, urging the team to learn and improve for their next match.
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.
Following a dominant group stage performance, Argentina is now preparing to face Cape Verde in the Round of 32.
Defending champions Argentina, led by Lionel Messi, have shown remarkable resilience in the World Cup knockout stages, overcoming a 2-0 deficit against Egypt and needing extra time against Cape Verde to reach the quarter-finals against Switzerland.
The Indian men's hockey team defeated the Netherlands 3-2 in their final match of the FIH Pro League Rotterdam leg.
Veteran midfielder Manpreet Singh equalled former skipper Dilip Tirkey's record of 412 international appearances for India, but the Indian hockey team lost 2-3 to the Netherlands in the FIH Men's Pro League. Hockey India officials congratulated Manpreet on his significant milestone.
England's football team has reached the World Cup semi-finals, demonstrating significant resilience by overcoming setbacks. They are set to face old rivals Argentina, a match steeped in history. The team's success is largely attributed to the partnership of Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham, who have scored a combined 12 goals. Coach Thomas Tuchel acknowledges the team's fighting spirit but also sees room for improvement as they aim to end a 60-year wait for a World Cup title.
Morocco achieved a historic victory against the Netherlands in the FIFA World Cup Round of 32, winning 3-2 on penalties after a 1-1 draw. Key players like Achraf Hakimi, Neil El Aynaoui, and Ismael Saibari were instrumental in this sensational upset, with Saibari scoring the decisive penalty.
Brazil's national football team, the 'Selecao', suffered a disappointing 2-1 defeat to Norway in the World Cup last 16, marking their sixth consecutive early exit and extending their title drought to 24 years. Fans criticised missed opportunities and manager Carlo Ancelotti's defensive tactics.
Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni lauded his team's ability to 'suffer without losing belief' after their dramatic 3-1 extra-time victory over Switzerland in the World Cup quarter-finals, highlighting their growth in navigating challenging situations.
Breel Embolo became the first player in 20 years to be sent off at a World Cup for a second yellow card for simulation, a decision that proved a turning point in Switzerland's 3-1 extra-time defeat to Argentina in the quarter-finals.
Switzerland beat Colombia 4-3 on penalties after the teams were locked goalless at the end of extra-time in the Round of 16 match to enter the World Cup quarter-finals at BC Place, Vancouver, on Tuesday.
Mexico continued their perfect start to the World Cup with a 3-0 romp against the Czech Republic on Wednesday, finishing their group-stage campaign with a flourish.
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.
South Korea's World Cup group-stage exit has sparked a nationwide football crisis, with coach Hong Myung-bo resigning, President Lee Jae Myung ordering an investigation, and growing calls for sweeping reforms within the Korea Football Association.
Brazil take on bogey team Norway in the FIFA World Cup Round of 16, aiming for their first-ever victory over the Scandinavians as Erling Haaland leads Norway's bid for another historic upset.
Mexico's national football team secured a significant 2-0 victory over South Africa in their World Cup opening match at the Azteca Stadium. Midfielder Erik Lira expressed confidence, stating 'the sky is the limit' for the team, despite the emotionally challenging game which saw a record three red cards.
Belgium look to have found their best playing style at the World Cup after thrashing co-hosts the US 4-1 on Monday, but the successful tinkering of coach Rudi Garcia has come at a cost to his top players.
Four-time champions Germany suffered a shock 2-1 defeat to Ecuador in a FIFA World Cup group stage match, marking a historic upset. This loss highlighted Germany's persistent defensive issues, as they have now failed to keep a clean sheet in their last nine World Cup games. Despite an early lead, Germany succumbed to Ecuador's determined comeback, which secured Ecuador's progression to the round of 32.
The Indian women's hockey team defeated Japan 2-1 in the FIH Nations Cup, with goals from captain Salima Tete and Lalremsiami, securing their place in the semifinals. This victory marks their second win in Pool A, qualifying them for the next year's FIH Pro League.
Argentina and England are set to clash in a World Cup semi-final, marking their first such encounter, a match deeply rooted in decades of historical and footballing rivalry, including infamous incidents involving Antonio Rattin, Diego Maradona's 'Hand of God' goal, and the Falklands War.
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.
England manager Thomas Tuchel praised his side's "pure mentality and heart" after the 10-man Three Lions survived a thrilling 3-2 win over Mexico at the Azteca Stadium to book a FIFA World Cup quarter-final against Norway.
Brazil and Morocco played to a 1-1 draw in their World Cup Group C opening match. Morocco took an early lead through Ismael Saibari, but Vinicius Jr's brilliant goal brought Brazil level before halftime. Despite Brazil's second-half improvements, Morocco's strong defence held them to a point.
FIFA has dismissed Belgium's challenge regarding the eligibility of US striker Folarin Balogun, upholding the controversial decision to suspend his one-match ban ahead of the World Cup Round of 16 clash, despite the US ultimately losing 4-1 to Belgium and being eliminated.
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.
India may not be at FIFA World Cup 2026, but four players with Indian roots will represent their nations on football's biggest stage.
Brazil is facing significant defensive challenges, particularly at right-back, ahead of their World Cup opener against Morocco.
Former Italy under-20 international Cristian Volpato has decided to represent Australia and will join the Socceroos' training camp in Los Angeles ahead of the World Cup, Football Australia said on Friday.
Kylian Mbappe's crucial second-half penalty secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory for France over a resilient Paraguay, propelling them into the World Cup quarter-finals where they will face Morocco.
Cristiano Ronaldo had a quiet start to the FIFA World Cup 2026 as Portugal were held to a 1-1 draw by DR Congo in their opening Group K match.
Cape Verde pulled off a stunning 2-2 draw against two-time World Cup winners Uruguay in Miami on Sunday.
England say they are relishing the challenge of facing hosts Mexico at the high-altitude Azteca Stadium, with Morgan Rogers and Marcus Rashford insisting the hostile atmosphere will motivate the team in their FIFA World Cup Round of 16 clash.
