2026 FIFA World Cup
Injury rules Spurs' Kudus out of Ghana's World Cup squad
Tottenham Hotspur forward Mohamed Kudus will miss next month's World Cup due to injury after being ruled out of Ghana's preliminary 28-man squad named by Carlos Queiroz on Tuesday.
26 May 2026, 09:23 AM
Messi diagnosed with left hamstring fatigue, return plan uncertain
Lionel Messi remained at the heart of an injury scare only weeks before the World Cup after medical tests diagnosed him with muscle fatigue in his left hamstring, Inter Miami announced on Monday.
26 May 2026, 06:58 AM
FIFA reveals 48 World Cup team base training sites
Defending champions Argentina and England will have their World Cup teams based in Kansas City under a list of training sites announced by FIFA on Monday.
26 May 2026, 06:46 AM
Iran to commute to World Cup games from Mexico after US refusal, Sheinbaum says
Iran's national soccer team will sleep in Mexico and travel to the U.S. on the days of its three World Cup matches after Washington declined to host the squad for the tournament, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said on Monday.
25 May 2026, 21:26 PM
Iranian VP urges striker Azmoun's return to national team
An Iranian vice president called Monday for striker Sardar Azmoun, who faced allegations of treason from Iran's state media, to be reinstated to the national team ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
25 May 2026, 20:21 PM
Yamal headlines Spain World Cup squad, Merino recalled
Lamine Yamal is the star name in Spain's squad for the 2026 World Cup named by coach Luis de la Fuente on Monday, which also included Arsenal midfielder Mikel Merino after his recent return from injury.
25 May 2026, 18:20 PM
The silence of Belo Horizonte
Inside the stadium, tens of thousands of people were crying, yet there was almost no sound. That silence hurt more than any scream ever could. Supporters in yellow jerseys sat with their faces buried in their hands. Some stared blankly at the pitch, unable to process what had just unfolded before their eyes. Just six minutes. In the span of six devastating minutes, a nation’s dream, a generation’s wait, an entire country’s footballing identity turned to dust.
25 May 2026, 11:04 AM
Canada will spend C$1 billion to host World Cup, watchdog says
Canada is expected to spend just over C$1 billion ($727 million) to host the World Cup this summer, according to a report from the federal budget watchdog published on Wednesday.
21 May 2026, 09:43 AM
DR Congo cancel World Cup training in Kinshasa amid Ebola outbreak
The Democratic Republic of Congo national football team have cancelled a planned pre-World Cup training camp at home after the country was hit by an Ebola outbreak, a team official told AFP Wednesday.
21 May 2026, 08:20 AM
Neymar included in Brazil World Cup squad
Brazil superstar Neymar was handed a dramatic recall to the country's World Cup squad on Monday, returning to the national team after a near three-year absence.
19 May 2026, 03:15 AM
After escaping Iran war, Haiti’s record scorer Nazon awaits World Cup dream
Haiti's record goalscorer Duckens Nazon was already strapped into his seat, the aircraft on the tarmac at Tehran airport ready to take off, when his phone lit up with a message from a friend playing in Israel.
18 May 2026, 20:13 PM
Croatia names Modric-led World Cup squad
Croatia coach Zlatko Dalic announced Monday a preliminary 26-man squad for the upcoming World Cup, to be led by veteran Luka Modric, the key architect of the country's historic success in recent years.
18 May 2026, 20:06 PM
Raging Neymar forced off by refereeing error as Santos lose
On the day before the announcement of the Brazilian squad for the World Cup, the oft-injured 34-year-old was receiving treatment in the 65th minute on the far side of the field from the team benches.
18 May 2026, 03:54 AM
The bite mark, and the dawn of the curse
When Giorgio Chiellini pulled down his jersey collar to show the referee his neck, the scene looked like a child complaining to a school teacher. This colossal Italian defender -- a man who, metaphorically, spent his entire career holding a knife to the throats of forwards -- was himself a silent victim that day. And the tooth marks of that predator were stamped on his shoulder.
17 May 2026, 23:29 PM
Haiti set sights on knockout rounds after unveiling squad
Haiti coach Sebastien Migne said Friday his team are targeting a place in the knockout rounds of the World Cup as he named a 26-strong squad for the tournament.
16 May 2026, 01:21 AM
De Ligt to miss World Cup after back surgery
Matthijs de Ligt will miss the Netherlands' World Cup campaign after undergoing back surgery to address an injury that has kept him out since November.
15 May 2026, 21:00 PM
'Out of shape' Lukaku named in Belgium World Cup squad
Belgium coach Rudi Garcia named Romelu Lukaku in his World Cup squad on Friday despite saying Belgium's all-time record goalscorer was "out of shape".
15 May 2026, 20:17 PM
China state broadcaster secures rights to 2026, 2030 World Cups
China's state broadcaster has secured the rights to air the World Cup this year and in 2030, CCTV and FIFA said Friday, ending an agonising wait for fans in the football-mad country.
15 May 2026, 19:57 PM
Injured Mitoma fails to make Japan's World Cup squad
Mitoma is one of Japan's best players and scored the winner in their 1-0 friendly victory over England at Wembley in March.
15 May 2026, 12:00 PM
Mbappe, Dembele head up France squad for 2026 World Cup
Kylian Mbappe will spearhead France at the World Cup after national team coach Didier Deschamps on Thursday announced his 26-man squad for this summer's tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
15 May 2026, 01:18 AM