Lionel Messi reflects on Argentina’s 2026 World Cup final loss to Spain, describing the defeat as deeply painful while praising his team’s second straight final. Ferran Torres scored in extra time as Spain won 1-0 in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on Sunday, July 19, 2026.

England captain Harry Kane admitted he was devastated after England's World Cup dream ended with a painful semifinal defeat to Argentina. Despite taking the lead early in the second half, England could not withstand Argentina's late comeback, leaving the Three Lions one step short of reaching their first FIFA World Cup final in six decades. Anthony Gordon Gives England Hope

World Cup quarterfinals are taking shape, with France, Morocco, Norway and England confirmed in the last eight as the knockout stage moves closer to the semifinals. The confirmed World Cup quarterfinals include France vs. Morocco and Norway vs. England, while four remaining last-16 matchups will decide the other two places in the bracket. World Cup quarterfinals: France vs. Morocco confirmed France will face Morocco in one of the first confirme

Belgium is challenging FIFA’s decision to clear U.S. forward Folarin Balogun for the United States’ World Cup match against Belgium, escalating a disciplinary dispute before a knockout game with a quarterfinal place at stake. FIFA suspended Balogun’s one-match ban after he received a red card in the United States’ previous World Cup match against Bosnia and Herzegovina, allowing him to play against Belgium on Monday, July 6, 2026, in Seattle. Reuters reported that FIFA cited

Mbappe's four-word post follows France win over Paraguay France booked their place in the FIFA World Cup 2026 quarter-finals after battling past Paraguay 1-0 in a tightly contested Round of 16 encounter. Kylian Mbappe once again proved to be the difference, converting a second-half penalty before sharing a simple four-word message on social media that quickly went viral: "A day at work." The victory was far fro

The World Cup 2026 Round of 16 field is complete after Argentina survived a major scare against Cape Verde, Egypt advanced on penalties and Colombia claimed the final knockout spot. Argentina, the defending world champion, defeated Cape Verde 3-2 after extra time in Miami on Friday, July 3, 2026, in one of the tournament’s most dramatic matches so far. Cape Verde twice fought back to level the game before an own goal by Diney Borges in the 111th minute sent Argent

The match ball from Argentina’s 1986 World Cup quarterfinal win over England, remembered for Diego Maradona’s “Hand of God” goal, is heading back to auction as one of soccer’s most famous collectibles returns to the market. Heritage Auctions has listed the ball with a starting bid of $2.5 million. The same ball previously sold for nearly $2.4 million in 2022, while Maradona’s shirt from the match sold that year for about $9.2 million, setting a major benchmark for soccer

Ronaldo shuts down retirement talk after World Cup knockout drama in Toronto Cristiano Ronaldo has cooled intense speculation over his international future after Portugal’s dramatic 2-1 victory over Croatia in a tense knockout clash at the

A dramatic turnaround in Seattle Belgium produced one of the most dramatic comebacks of the World Cup 2026 as they defeated Senegal in a tense Round of 32 clash that swung wildly until the final moments. Trailing 2-0 deep into the second half, Belgium looked on the verge of elimination before a stunning late revival changed the course of the match entirely.

Cape Verde’s World Cup run reached the knockout stage after the tournament debutant secured a 0-0 draw with Saudi Arabia. The Blue Sharks finished the group stage unbeaten with three points from three draws and advanced to the round of 32. Cape Verde World Cup run secured by Vozinha Goalkeeper Vozinha, 40, made several decisive saves as Saudi Arabia pushed for the victory it needed. He stopped Mohamed Kanno’s header in first-half stoppage t

South Africa have written a new chapter in their football history after securing a place in the FIFA World Cup knockout stage for the very first time. Bafana Bafana defeated South Korea 1-0 in their final Group A match, completing one of the tournament's most inspiring turnaround stories. The achievement is even more remarkable considering the challenges South Africa faced before the competition began. Due to administrative issues and visa

More than 30,000 soccer fans packed San Pedro Square for one of San Jose’s World Cup watch parties, turning the downtown district into a crowded international fan zone. Some supporters were turned away after the Mexico-South Korea screening reached capacity. San Pedro Square World Cup Watch Parties Boost Downtown Businesses The San Jose Earthquakes designated San Pedro Square as the official Soccer Celebration headquarters, bringing large match-day cro

The USMNT Round of 32 match date is Wednesday, July 1, 2026, after the United States beat Australia 2-0 and secured first place in World Cup 2026 Group D. The Americans will play at 5:00 PM PT, or 8:00 PM ET, in Santa Clara, California, against a third-place qualifier whose identity will be determined later. USMNT Round of 32 match date, time and opponent The United States will face a third-place team from Group B, E, F, I or J at San Francisco Bay Area

The FIFA World Cup 2026 winner prediction debate is underway, and one question is already dividing soccer fans: Which country will become world champion? The tournament began on Thursday, June 11, 2026, and will conclude with the final on Sunday, July 19, 2026. The expanded competition features 48 teams playing 104 matches across the United States, Canada and Mexico. FIFA World Cup 2026 Winner Prediction Four major contenders a

MetLife Stadium World Cup traffic is expected to increase as France faces Senegal in a 3:00 p.m. weekday match in New Jersey. Officials are warning drivers, rail passengers and families to prepare for congestion, station restrictions and school schedule changes. The supplied report identifies the game as taking place on a Tuesday but does not provide the calendar date. MetLife Stadium World Cup traffic could build before kickoff Rutherford offi

  FIFA World Cup 2026: Australia Stun Turkiye 2-0 in Vancouver for First Big Upset Australia delivered the first major shock of the FIFA World Cup 2026 with a disciplined 2-0 win over Turkiye at BC Place in Vancouver on Sunday, June 14. The Socceroos combined sharp counter-attacking football with strong defensive organisation to secure a memorable Group D victory. The result moves Australia near the top of the group standings and puts pressure on Turkiye

LOS ANGELES — How U.S. Soccer funded Mauricio Pochettino returned to focus after the USMNT opened its FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign with a 4-1 victory over Paraguay on Friday, June 12, 2026. Folarin Balogun scored twice as the United States delivered a confident attacking performance in Los Angeles. The victory provided an encouraging first tournament result for Pochettino, although one match cannot determine whether the federation’s expensive coaching decision will produce a dee

The World Cup 2026 opening ceremonies schedule begins with three separate host-nation events across North America, giving Mexico, Canada and the United States their own kickoff celebrations. The first ceremony is set for Thursday, June 11, 2026, at Mexico City Stadium, widely known as Estadio Azteca, before Mexico face South Africa in the opening match. Two more ceremonies follow on Friday, June 12, 2026, in Toronto and Los Angeles. World Cup 2026 opening ceremoni

Former England international Ian Wright has criticized what he called a “World Cup of chaos” as 2026 World Cup visa concerns grow ahead of the tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico. The comments came after Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan was denied entry into the United States, a development that has intensified debate over travel and immigration procedures before one of the largest sporting events in the world. Reuters reported that Artan was

Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, is being listed as San Francisco Bay Area Stadium for FIFA World Cup matches, creating a noticeable name change for fans using maps, travel apps and tournament information. The temporary stadium name is tied to FIFA tournament branding rules. During World Cup operations, the home of the San Francisco 49ers will be identified by its tournament name rather than its regular commercial name, Levi’s Stadium. Existing signage