Global players' union FIFPRO has highlighted a "growing pattern of abuse," including racist and discriminatory attacks, against players at the World Cup, both online and in person. The union is demanding urgent collective action from football stakeholders, law enforcement, and social media platforms to protect players and ensure meaningful consequences for perpetrators.
Fans heading to watch Portugal play Croatia in the World Cup round of 32 in Toronto on Thursday are being warned to keep hydrated and limit their alcohol intake after a heat warning issued by Environment Canada.
Ministers and political leaders in Kerala are openly expressing their excitement and support for their favourite teams, particularly Argentina, ahead of the FIFA World Cup final between Spain and Argentina.
The Democratic Republic of Congo has made a historic return to the World Cup knockout stages, 52 years after a disastrous debut.
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 23rd FIFA World Cup, to be staged across the Americas from June 11 to July 19, has once again ignited excitement across the globe. India, despite its national football team languishing at 139th in the FIFA rankings, has been swept up in the tournament's magic.
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.
Lionel Messi led Argentina to a dominant 3-0 victory over Iceland in a FIFA World Cup 2026 warm-up friendly, scoring a penalty and contributing to another goal after recovering from muscle fatigue.
FIFA's digital watchdogs uncovered 89,000 abusive posts on social media during the group stage of the World Cup, marking a 13-fold increase from the 2022 edition in Qatar, world soccer's governing body said on Wednesday.
Lionel Messi, Erling Haaland, and Kylian Mbappe showcased their exceptional talent in recent World Cup matches, each scoring multiple goals. Despite recent dips in form or career stages, these football superstars proved their enduring prowess, with Mbappe becoming France's all-time top scorer and Messi achieving his first World Cup hat-trick.
Portugal and Croatia's World Cup last-32 clash on Thursday could be Cristiano Ronaldo or Luka Modric's final game on soccer's biggest stage, and the massive moment will unfold at the tournament's smallest venue.
Bosnia and Herzegovina kept their World Cup hopes alive thanks to a stunning goal from teenager Kerim Alajbegovic, which powered them towards a tense 3-1 win over Qatar on Wednesday and secured third place in Group B to eliminate their opponents.
German central defender Nico Schlotterbeck has been ruled out of the remainder of the World Cup and will be sidelined for several months due to an ankle ligament injury sustained during their Group E victory over Ivory Coast. Despite the setback, coach Julian Nagelsmann remains confident in the team's central defence options.
Colombia defeated Ghana 1-0 in a crucial World Cup Round-of-32 match, with Jhon Arias scoring the decisive goal in the 14th minute. This victory propels Colombia into the last 16, where they will face Switzerland.
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.
Fernando Alonso's main focus for the Belgian Grand Prix weekend will be making sure he gets home in time to watch Spain play Argentina in the World Cup final on Sunday.
Colombian superstar Shakira is set to perform the official World Cup song 'Dai Dai' at the opening ceremony in Mexico City, joined by Burna Boy, J Balvin, and Tyla.
Kunal Upreti, known as Spark, has become India's sole Trackmania representative at the Esports World Cup 2026 after excelling in the Asia and Oceania qualifiers. He will compete for a significant prize pool, representing both India and S8UL on the global stage.
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.
Senegal kept their World Cup knockout hopes alive in dominant fashion on Friday with a 5-0 victory over 10-man Iraq, who were eliminated from the tournament.
The ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026 is set to bring together the world's top teams for a month of fast-paced, high-stakes cricket, as they compete for the biggest prize in the shortest format of the game.
Indian boxers Nikhil, Deepak, and Saneh secured victories in their respective weight categories at the Boxing World Cup Stage 2 in Guiyang, China, advancing to the next round. Two other Indian boxers faced defeats, while two more are scheduled to compete on the following day.
England's World Cup campaign has increasingly come to rest on the shoulders of Harry Kane, whose goals, link-up play and ability to deliver in decisive moments have repeatedly rescued a side still searching for fluency and conviction.
Climate change has increased the likelihood of temperatures high enough to affect player performance at 97 of the 104 tournament matches.
France arrive in Philadelphia as the World Cup's most feared attacking force, but Kylian Mbappe and coach Didier Deschamps have warned that acclaim, records and a seemingly clear path mean little if they fail to stay grounded against Paraguay in Saturday's last-16 clash.
Portugal, led by Cristiano Ronaldo, were held to a surprising 1-1 draw by DR Congo in their FIFA World Cup 2026 opener. Ronaldo had a quiet game, failing to score, and was met with "Messi" chants from fans after the match, raising questions about the team's early performance.
>Mexican star Raul Jimenez delivered a powerful and emotional performance in the 2026 World Cup opener, scoring a crucial goal against South Africa.
Johan Manzambi continued his superb FIFA World Cup campaign by setting up Switzerland's opener in a 2-0 win over Algeria, ending the Swiss side's 88-year wait for a World Cup knockout victory and securing a place in the Round of 16.
Dublin-born defender Roberto Lopes, who represented Cape Verde in a recent tournament, received a hero's welcome upon his return to Dublin. Cape Verde, making their debut, impressed by reaching the knockout stage and narrowly losing to reigning champions Argentina, captivating fans globally. Lopes expressed gratitude for the overwhelming support from Ireland.
Australia's coach Tony Popovic expresses confidence in his team's ability to challenge favourites Turkey in their World Cup opener in Vancouver, despite being considered underdogs. He also confirmed the squad is fully fit, including Mohamed Toure.
Prestianni Law enforced for the first time at FIFA World Cup as Almiron sees red.
Harmanpreet Kaur was on Tuesday retained as captain of a largely predictable 15-member India squad for this year's Asian Games in Japan.
Morocco triumphed over the Netherlands 3-2 in a penalty shootout to advance in the World Cup after a drama-filled 1-1 draw in their Round of 32 clash on Monday.
England defeated South Africa by 40 runs in the semi-final at The Oval, securing their place in the Women's T20 World Cup final against Australia. Captain Nat Sciver-Brunt's 75 runs and a crucial partnership with Heather Knight were key to their victory.
Tiny Curacao battled to a 0-0 draw with Ecuador to earn the first World Cup point in the Caribbean island's history on Saturday after an outstanding performance from goalkeeper Eloy Room.
Mexico coach Aguirre hails fans as driving force for victory as they beat Ecuador to break 40-year-old hoodoo.
Belgium secured a dominant 4-1 victory over the United States in the World Cup last-16, with midfielder Nicolas Raskin suggesting the win felt like 'justice' following FIFA's controversial decision to allow US striker Folarin Balogun to play despite a previous red card.
The Netherlands secured a dominant 5-1 victory over Sweden in a World Cup match, with Brian Brobbey scoring an early double and Cody Gakpo adding two more in the second half. Crysencio Summerville sealed the rout with a late goal, despite Anthony Elanga pulling one back for Sweden. This win places the Netherlands at the top of Group F.
Colombia began their World Cup campaign with a convincing 3-1 victory over debutants Uzbekistan in a Group K encounter at the Azteca Stadium. Luis Diaz was instrumental, assisting the opening goal and scoring another, as Colombia secured three points to top their group.
Norway's prolific striker Erling Haaland wasted no time in opening his World Cup account as he found the net twice in a 4-1 defeat of Iraq in Group I on Tuesday that sent a warning to defenders in the rest of the tournament.
