WORLD CUP NEWS
Daily World Cup 2026 briefs — every nation, written the moment the story breaks.
Portugal squad revealed as Congo DR brace for World Cup opener
Congo DR now know their opening opponent at the World Cup, Portugal, one of the tournament's deepest squads. Head coach Roberto Martínez has named a 24-man selection for their final warm-up friendly against Nigeria on Wednesday, and the same group of players is expected to carry the fight into the group stage.…
Japan edge Iceland 1–0 as World Cup awaits
Japan head into the 2026 World Cup on a winning note after edging Iceland 1–0 in an international friendly. Takefusa Kubo, Ritsu Doan, Wataru Endo, and Daichi Kamada all featured as the Samurai Blue put in a controlled performance ahead of the tournament in North America.…
Brazil opener two days out, Morocco target quarterfinals
Your World Cup starts Wednesday against Brazil. Not just any opener, a Group C clash with the five-time champions.…
Mousa Al-Tamari leads Jordan into historic first World Cup
Jordan's historic first World Cup campaign kicks off June 11, and all eyes are on Mousa Al-Tamari to lead the charge. The winger is the standout name in a squad that defied expectations to reach the 2026 tournament, where your team will face Argentina in the group stage.…
Norway's Viking photo stirs debate as World Cup return looms
Norway are going to a World Cup for the first time since 1998, and they've marked the occasion with a Viking-themed team photo featuring Erling Haaland and the squad. The image is pure theatre, fitting for a return 28 years in the making.…
South Africa head into World Cup opener with everything to prove
South Africa open the 2026 World Cup on Thursday against co-hosts Mexico in Mexico City. It is exactly 16 years since Siphiwe Tshabalala's iconic goal against the same opponent in 2010.…
England sharpen for Costa Rica as Ngumoha departs camp
England play their last World Cup tune-up against Costa Rica on Wednesday night in Orlando. This is Tuchel's final chance to settle on his starting XI before the group stage begins.…
Rode Duivels land in Seattle with positive vibes and a surprise on every bed
Your Rode Duivels touched down in Seattle on Monday and are settling in ahead of the World Cup. Toby Alderweireld says the mood is completely different from past tournaments: "De sfeer is goed", the last time he left for a World Cup, he says, it was nothing but negativity.…
Taha Ali's journey from security guard to Sweden's World Cup darling
Sweden's most talked-about player heading into the World Cup isn't Viktor Gyokeres, it's Taha Ali. The winger, who was working as a security guard not long ago, has become a fan favorite after his performance against Greece and is now poised to break out on the biggest stage.…
Switzerland sheds "buying team" label, now a "super bank"
Switzerland's reputation as a footballing buyer's market is officially over, with the national team now branded a "super bank" in a striking identity shift ahead of the 2026 World Cup. The label signals that Swiss players are no longer seen as purchases to be acquired but as premium assets commanding top value, a reflection of the talent pipeline that has made the country one of Europe's most efficient exporters of elite footballers.…
Portugal's final World Cup tune-up as Nigeria coach talks up the seleção
Portugal face Nigeria on Wednesday in Leiria for the final warm-up before the World Cup. Roberto Martínez has a fully fit squad at his disposal after the closed training camp in Oeiras, Matheus Nunes trained after earlier fitness concerns.…
Ecuador face Germany, Ivory Coast and Curaçao in World Cup Group E
Ecuador head into the 2026 World Cup grouped with Germany, Ivory Coast, and Curaçao in Group E. Sebastián Beccacece's side arrives in strong form after a convincing friendly win over Guatemala, where VfB Stuttgart midfielder Arevalo caught the eye by striking the woodwork.…
Canada two days from World Cup kickoff as Brazil withdraw
You're 48 hours from hosting a World Cup. The tournament starts June 11, runs through July 19, and Canada is in it automatically as co-host alongside Mexico and the United States.…
Makkelie to referee Paraguay's World Cup opener against USA
Dutch referee Danny Makkelie has been appointed to officiate Paraguay's opening World Cup 2026 match against the United States on June 12. It's the first fixture of the tournament for both sides, with Paraguay entering as underdogs against the host nation.…
Colombia World Cup preview: Díaz and James carry the hopes
Colombia kick off their World Cup campaign on 11 June against Uzbekistan, riding the momentum of a recent friendly win in which Arias bagged a brace. The squad enters the tournament with Luis Díaz as its primary attacking spark, while the entire setup continues to revolve around James Rodríguez's creativity in the final third.…
Germany ready for Curacao opener as Gordon makes Scotland squad at 43
Your World Cup starts Sunday. Germany face Curacao in their opening Group H fixture, with Julian Nagelsmann expected to field a strong side featuring Manuel Neuer, Florian Wirtz, and Jamal Musiala.…
Craig Gordon, 43, is the World Cup's oldest player and a walking miracle
Craig Gordon will be 43 when Scotland kick off their first World Cup since 1998, making him the oldest player at the entire tournament. It's a staggering achievement for a goalkeeper who almost had his career, and his life, cut short.…
Germany women hit five, Nmecha set for World Cup start
The women's national team wrapped up World Cup qualifying in style on Tuesday, smashing Slovenia 5–0 in Ljubljana. Vivien Endemann, Elisa Senß, Linda Dallmann, Larissa Mühlhaus, and Lea Schüller all got on the scoresheet.…
Haiti land in New Jersey ahead of World Cup opener against Scotland
Haiti arrived in New Jersey on Monday night, locking in their World Cup training headquarters at Stockton University, the same facility Flamengo used during their 2025 U.S. tour.…
Scaloni worried as Messi fitness hangs over Iceland friendly
Lionel Scaloni admitted he would rather not face Iceland on Tuesday, with several Argentina players not at 100% physically ahead of the final warm-up before the World Cup. "If this game didn't exist, we'd have more peace of mind to prepare for Algeria," Scaloni said.…
Donovan, Pulisic, and the USMNT World Cup goals that still hit hard
The Guardian has ranked the greatest USMNT World Cup goals, and it's a perfect 10-day warmup for what's coming. Landon Donovan's stoppage-time winner against Algeria in 2010 sits at No.…
Algeria face Austria group-stage trapdoor as World Cup nears
Algeria open their World Cup campaign in Group G alongside Austria, and the final group game between the two could get ugly. If both sides have already secured qualification by the time they meet, losing that match might actually hand the loser an easier last-16 path.…
Mexico's opener under protest cloud as World Cup nears
Mexico's World Cup opener against South Africa on Thursday could be disrupted by a wave of social protests sweeping the host nation. Belgian sociologist Arthur Debruyne, who studies Mexican social movements, warns that a convergence of unrelated conflicts is using the World Cup as a megaphone.…
Neuer fit for Germany as Curaçao's World Cup debut looms
Manuel Neuer has recovered from injury and trained fully for the first time, with Julian Nagelsmann expected to name him in Germany's starting lineup for Sunday's World Cup opener against Curaçao. The legendary keeper had been a doubt, but his return significantly strengthens an already formidable German side.…