In Peru, there is a wave of new baby Haalands. In Argentina, Lionel has raced up the rankings, and in Mexico a girl was reportedly named after three soccer players. Parents in Latin America are already christening a new generation of babies after the stars of the World Cup.
Norway forward Erling Haaland has openly challenged the media to 'put every single pressure on the English lads' ahead of their FIFA World Cup 2026 quarter-final clash against England, following Norway's stunning upset victory over Brazil.
Cristiano Ronaldo, playing his 6th FIFA World Cup, headlines the Portugal squad that has a glittering supporting cast that includes Vitinha, Joao Neves, Bruno Fernandes and Nuno Mendes.
England's manager Thomas Tuchel has faced heavy criticism following their World Cup semi-final defeat to Argentina, but he attributes the loss to fundamental issues like a lack of 'ball possession DNA' rather than just tactical errors, while acknowledging the unstoppable brilliance of Lionel Messi.
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.
Virat Kohli, Anushka Sharma and Ravi Shastri watched Australia beat India by six wickets at Lord's.
England manager Thomas Tuchel believes they are in good shape heading into the FIFA World Cup and can "dare to dream" about lifting the trophy.
Argentina produced a stunning comeback after falling two goals behind, scoring twice in four minutes through Cristian Romero and Lionel Messi to beat Egypt 3-2 in their last 16 clash of the FIFA World Cup 2026 in Atlanta on Tuesday.
England and Ghana, both coming off opening wins, are set to clash in a crucial Group L World Cup match in Boston.
England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford is set to face Lionel Messi for the first time in his career during Wednesday's World Cup semi-final against Argentina, an occasion he described as carrying a 'sense of history' given his long-standing admiration for the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner.
Dutch coach Koeman expected to leave in wake of early World Cup elimination
India's impressive run in the AFC Women's U17 Asian Cup concluded with a 3-0 defeat against China in the quarter-finals, ending their hopes for a historic qualification for the 2026 FIFA U17 Women's World Cup.
A first World Cup win for seven-times African champions Egypt, 92 years after their debut, put them in charge though Iran's dogged performances in draws with Belgium and New Zealand means victory could also see them top Group G.
Ten-man Paraguay secured a vital 1-0 victory over Turkey in a dramatic World Cup Group D match, breathing new life into their campaign while condemning Turkey to an early exit.
Qatar take on Switzerland in their World Cup opener on Saturday eager to shake off the pressure of expectation, coming in as back-to-back Asian champions with an urgent need to make amends for a dismal debut as hosts of the 2022 tournament.
Portugal's World Cup squad will wear commemorative wristbands in tribute to their late former teammate Diogo Jota, who died in a car crash last year. Midfielder Vitinha discussed the team's approach to the upcoming tournament, acknowledging logistical challenges and expressing his personal ambition to win the World Cup.
Portugal and their talisman Cristiano Ronaldo were left frustrated after being held to a 1-1 draw by Group K rivals Democratic Republic of Congo in their World Cup clash in a sodden Houston.
Stephen Eustaquio scored a dramatic 92nd-minute goal to secure a 1-0 victory for Canada over South Africa, propelling the co-hosts into the World Cup last 16 for the first time. The tense match in Los Angeles saw few clear chances until Eustaquio's late strike, ending Canada's frustration and sending them to face either the Netherlands or Morocco in the quarter-finals. South Africa, despite a strong defensive effort, exited the tournament.
Praggnanandhaa completed a win to book a match against compatriot Erigaisi, making sure an Indian will feature in the semi-final.
Free, customizable "fan bands" have become the unexpected must-have souvenir at the 2026 World Cup, with over 700,000 distributed. Sponsored by Bank of America, these charm wristlets feature subtle branding and have gone viral, even appearing on resale platforms. This marketing strategy offers a counterpoint to the tournament's high ticket and merchandise prices, proving that unique, free items can create significant fan engagement and brand visibility.
With Kylian Mbappe's depth and experience, economists predict France are tipped to edge Spain to lift World Cup.
It happened in 2017, two years after Scaloni ended his playing career. De la Fuente, then in charge of Spain's youth teams, was among the figures who helped guide a recently retired player taking his first steps towards management.
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.
Egypt's players and Coach Hossam Hassan blasted FIFA and accused the governing body of blatantly 'favouring' Lionel Messi and his team.
India will be desperate to overcome their fielding and batting woes when they take on six-time champions Australia in their final Group A clash at Lord's, in London, on Sunday.
The United States defeated Bosnia 2-0 to advance to the World Cup round of 16. Malik Tillman scored the decisive goal from a free kick after Folarin Balogun was sent off, having previously opened the scoring. This marks their first knockout win since 2002.
Indian Grandmaster Nihal Sarin, representing esports and gaming content outfit S8UL, has qualified for the chess event of the upcoming Esports World Cup in Paris.
Five-times champions Brazil came back strongly from a one goal deficit to beat Japan 2-1 in their FIFA World Cup Round of 32 clash at the Houston Stadium on Monday.
Mexico have failed to progress beyond the Round of 16 for the last 32 years. With the 2026 FIFA World Cup on home soil, they hope to finally end the 'quinto partido' curse.
Indian boxers Jadumani Singh and Preeti Pawar have secured their spots in the quarterfinals of the Commonwealth Games boxing competition. Jadumani Singh defeated Pakistan's Sumama Rehman with a unanimous 5-0 decision, while Preeti Pawar advanced via Referee Stop Contest against Deborah Mtenje of Malawi. However, Aditya Pratap faced an early exit after losing his opening bout.
India's Abhay Singh lost a thrilling quarterfinal match to Egypt's Karim Gawad at the Grasshopper Cup squash tournament in Zurich.
'So, clearly, getting out of the group and winning a knockout game would be a real sign of progress. And if you win one, you win more'
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.
Harry Kane scored twice, including a 75th-minute equaliser and a late winner against DR Congo, to guide England into the last 16 with their first World Cup comeback victory since 1990.
France can secure a more comfortable route through the World Cup when they face Norway in their final Group I match on Friday, though finishing top could leave them facing one of the toughest roads to the trophy.
Kylian Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele shared a warm embrace in France training ahead of the FIFA World Cup quarter-final against Morocco, easing rumours of tension as Les Bleus chase another semi-final appearance.
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.
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.
After the US's win in the round of 32 fixture against Bosnia and Herzegovina, which involved striker Flo Balogun being shown a red card and sent off after a tackle with an opponent, former US footballer Alexi Lalas questioned why Argentina superstar Lionel Messi escaped any notice
France captain Kylian Mbappe sustained a minor ankle injury during the World Cup quarter-final win against Morocco but is expected to play in Tuesday's semi-final against Spain, with coach Didier Deschamps confirming he is 'fine'.
