Japan captain Wataru Endo has withdrawn from the World Cup squad due to injury in a blow for the Samurai Blue, with the midfielder also announcing his retirement from international football.
Lionel Messi will lead defending champions Argentina at the 2026 FIFA World Cup after coach Lionel Scaloni named a 26-man squad featuring 17 players from the 2022 title-winning team.
England and Ghana, both coming off opening wins, are set to clash in a crucial Group L World Cup match in Boston.
Ruben Vargas and Johan Manzambi scored second-half goals as Switzerland beat Canada 2-1 on Wednesday to qualify for the knock-out stage of the World Cup as Group B winners, with the tournament co-hosts also progressing as runners-up.
Algeria rallied to eliminate debutants Jordan and keep their Round of 32 hopes alive at the FIFA World Cup 2026.
Caleb Yirenkyi scored a stoppage-time winner to earn Ghana a 1-0 win over Panama in a chilly and lively World Cup game in which the African side were forced to play the second half without starting goalkeeper Lawrence Ati Zigi on Wednesday.
Mexico secured a narrow 1-0 victory over South Korea in a Group A football match in Guadalajara. Luis Romo scored the decisive goal following a goalkeeping error, and Mexico's defence, backed by goalkeeper Ral Rangel's late saves, held firm against South Korean pressure.
Manchester United's Bruno Fernandes also emerged as the Premier League's best playmaker this season when he created a league-high 132 chances.
Danish midfielder Christian Eriksen has returned home and is recovering after collapsing on the pitch during a friendly match against Ukraine. He clarified that the incident was due to a shock from his ICD, different from his 2021 collapse, and assured fans of his good health.
Goalless Turkey were ousted from the FIFA World Cup 2026 after losses to Australia and Paraguay in Group D, thwarted by poor finishing and a staunch opposition defence.
The Indian men's hockey team, currently in the Dutch leg of the FIH Pro League, aims to conclude their campaign on a high note against hosts Netherlands. This tournament serves as crucial preparation for the upcoming World Cup and Asian Games, with coach Craig Fulton focusing on testing resources and addressing issues like conceding late goals. The team also looks forward to significant matches against England and arch-rivals Pakistan in London.
India has announced its 23-member squad for the SAFF Women's Championship 2026, set to take place in Goa. The team will compete against Maldives and Bangladesh in Group B, with the top two teams advancing to the semi-finals.
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.
Saudi Arabia coach Georgios Donis said his players lacked self-confidence in the second as they failed to hold on to their lead with Maxi Araujo equalising for Uruguay in the 2nd half.
The Indian women's hockey team concluded their four-match friendly series against Australia with a 2-2 draw, losing the final match 2-3 after initially leading 2-0. Despite the loss, the tour provided valuable preparation for upcoming tournaments, including the FIH Nations Cup and the World Cup.
South Africa coach Hugo Broos said his side are prepared to face Mexico's quality and home-crowd advantage in Thursday's World Cup opener.
Argentina start their bid for back-to-back World Cups on Tuesday with a side full of familiar faces from Qatar 2022, facing an Algerian team buoyed by warm-up wins and featuring a 20-year-old rising star nicknamed after Diego Maradona.
Initially appointed on an interim basis to replace Ruben Amorim, the former United midfielder, Michael Carrick has exceeded expectations and transformed the mood around Old Trafford, with the club's players backing him for the job.
Sweety Kujur has been named captain of the 18-member Indian women's U-18 squad for the Asia Cup hockey tournament in Kakamigahara, Japan, from May 29-June 6.
Australia defeated Turkey 2-0 in their Group D World Cup opener, with goals from Nestory Irankunda and Connor Metcalfe, placing them second in the group.
Jamshedpur FC secured a 2-0 victory against FC Goa in the Indian Super League, with late goals from Mohammed Sanand and Madih Talal propelling them to the top of the standings.
Brazil is preparing for their World Cup opener against Morocco without star forward Neymar, who is recovering from a calf injury.
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.
Germany secured a spot in the World Cup knockout stage after a dramatic 2-1 comeback victory against Ivory Coast.
Sir David Beckham, the first English player to win league titles in four countries, was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Friday.
Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha was not too keen to discuss it on Thursday but finally conceded he was very happy his mother had obtained a U.S. visa and would be able to watch him play against Uruguay in the World Cup this weekend.
Kylian Mbappe became France's all-time leading scorer with a double to power his team to victory against Senegal on Tuesday.
Harmanpreet Singh returns to captain a 24-member Indian men's hockey squad for the European leg of the FIH Pro League, a crucial preparatory competition ahead of the World Cup in August.
Mohun Bagan Super Giant has withdrawn its players from the Indian football team's Unity Cup squad, citing concerns over injury compensation outside the FIFA international window, impacting India's preparations for the tournament.
Mohun Bagan Super Giant has withdrawn its players from the Indian national team camp for the Unity Cup in London, citing concerns over injuries and lack of compensation from the AIFF outside the FIFA international window.
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.
Danish soccer player Christian Eriksen collapsed on the pitch in a match against Ukraine on Sunday, but was conscious, the Danish Football Federation said in a social media post.
The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has added five players to the national team for the Unity Cup in London after Mohun Bagan Super Giants withdrew their players. The AIFF is working to secure visas for the new players before the first match against Jamaica.
For the expanded 2026 tournament, FIFA has gone a step further and introduced an extra amnesty for yellow cards, effectively wiping the slate clean twice.
With a dazzling hat-trick against Algeria, Lionel Messi once again defied age, expectations and logic at the World Cup, prompting coach Lionel Scaloni to call his performances "inexplicable" and admit he is simply no longer surprised by the Argentine legend's brilliance.
When the final whistle blew, players embraced, danced and celebrated on the pitch as if they had won the match. Their joy was understandable. Against one of football's traditional giants and the world's second-ranked team, Cape Verde had achieved something few thought possible.
David Beckham has tipped Japan as a dark horse for the 2026 FIFA World Cup while backing England to end their 60-year wait for glory. The former captain also highlighted France, Spain, Argentina and Brazil as title contenders.
Japan v Tunisia marks 1,000th FIFA World Cup match
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia of Paris St Germain has been named the Champions League Player of the Season by UEFA after leading his team to victory. PSG defeated Arsenal in the final, with Kvaratskhelia playing a key role.
