World Cup 2026
FIFA Men's World Cup — USA, Canada, Mexico.
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Earthquake strikes England's World Cup camp as African referee denied US entry
England's preparations for the 2026 World Cup were disrupted by an earthquake near their training base, while a separate controversy emerged after an African referee was refused entry into the United States ahead of the tournament.
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Somali referee Artan barred from 2026 World Cup after US entry denial
Omar Abdulkadir Artan, a FIFA-appointed referee for the 2026 World Cup, was denied entry to the United States at Miami airport on June 6. Somalia is on the list of countries subject to travel restrictions under the Trump administration.
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Ronaldo cut off Gary Lineker after presenter named Messi the better footballer
Gary Lineker has revealed Cristiano Ronaldo stopped speaking to him after he publicly declared Lionel Messi the superior footballer. The pair had previously enjoyed a friendly relationship before Lineker's stance on the GOAT debate ended contact.
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England fans balk at £12.50 pints and £15 seltzers at World Cup venues in the US
Supporters attending England's warm-up win over New Zealand at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa were confronted with beer prices starting at £12.50 a pint, with cocktails reaching £21 and even bottled water costing nearly £6.
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Mbappé silent against Northern Ireland, Deschamps jokes: "He's saving his goals for the United States"
Kylian Mbappé fired six shots without scoring in the friendly match against Northern Ireland (3-1), remaining stuck at 56 goals for France, one short of Olivier Giroud's record. Didier Deschamps chose to laugh it off.
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Mbappé surpasses Lizarazu and Blanc with his 98th cap against Northern Ireland
Coming on as a substitute Monday evening at Lille against Northern Ireland, Kylian Mbappé brought his total to 98 caps with France, overtaking Bixente Lizarazu and Laurent Blanc (97 caps each) in the ranking of most-capped France players.
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Olise's Hat-Trick Against Northern Ireland: An Unprecedented Performance Since Platini at Euro 1984
Michael Olise scored all three French goals in a 3-1 victory over Northern Ireland in Lille, becoming the first non-striker to achieve a hat-trick for France since Michel Platini in 1984.
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2026 World Cup: 70 matches at risk of not being broadcast to 19 African countries
New World TV, the broadcaster of 2026 World Cup rights for 19 sub-Saharan African countries, is facing severe financial difficulties that threaten coverage of 70 of the 104 matches. Only 34 free-to-air matches appear guaranteed.
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Amorim's praise for 'amazing' Ndiaye fuels Man Utd summer transfer interest
Manchester United have placed Everton forward Iliman Ndiaye on their summer transfer shortlist, with manager Ruben Amorim having previously singled out the Senegal international as an 'amazing player' ahead of the sides' meeting last November.
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Yamal's mother names Merino as Spain's most underrated while Alvarez agent denies Real Madrid contact
Lamine Yamal's mother has praised Arsenal midfielder Mikel Merino as an underrated Spain international, while Julian Alvarez's agent insists Real Madrid have made no approach for the Atletico striker coveted by Arsenal and PSG.
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Pochettino vows 'good memories' as 5,500 fans greet USA at World Cup base camp
The U.S. men's national team opened their World Cup preparations at Great Park in Irvine, California, in front of 5,500 fans — drawn from 32,000 applicants — as manager Mauricio Pochettino and captain Tim Ream set the tone ahead of Friday's opener against Paraguay.
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Lineker says BBC 'marriage ran out of love' as he reflects on Match of the Day exit
Gary Lineker has described his 26-year relationship with the BBC as a marriage that had 'run out of love', saying his departure from Match of the Day last May was accelerated by a controversial Instagram post about Zionism that he says he shared without noticing an antisemitic image.
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Olise hat-trick seals France's 3-1 win over Northern Ireland in Deschamps' last home game
Michael Olise scored three times, including a stunning 20-metre curler, as France beat Northern Ireland 3-1 in Lille on Monday — Didier Deschamps' final match in charge on home soil before the 2026 World Cup.
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Spence to play entire World Cup in mask after Delap broke his jaw in final weeks of season
Djed Spence will wear a protective face mask throughout the 2026 World Cup after Chelsea's Liam Delap broke the Tottenham full-back's jaw in the penultimate Premier League game of the season. The defender insists the injury will not prevent him from representing England this summer.
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Somali referee denied US entry just days before World Cup begins
FIFA World Cup referee Omar Artan, selected by the Confederation of African Football, has been blocked from entering the United States despite previously being told his visa situation was resolved. Artan travelled from Nairobi via Istanbul to Miami before being turned away and returning to Turkey.
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Barnes urges England to leave Ngumoha alone after impressive Three Lions debut
John Barnes has called on England to ease pressure on Liverpool teenager Rio Ngumoha after his Player of the Match debut against New Zealand, insisting the 17-year-old must first nail down a regular starting spot at Anfield.
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Somali World Cup referee Omar Artan denied entry into the United States at Miami airport
Omar Artan, Somalia's sole representative among World Cup referees, was turned away by US Customs and Border Protection at Miami International Airport on Saturday. CBP cited unspecified "vetting concerns" as the reason for his inadmissibility.
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Mbappé misses Giroud record again in France's 3-1 win over Northern Ireland
With six unsuccessful attempts at Stade Pierre-Mauroy in Lille, Kylian Mbappé remains stuck on 56 goals for France. Olivier Giroud's record of 57 goals slips away just a week before the World Cup.
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McGinn defends Scotland after Norway blast cancelled friendly as 'weak' and 'unprofessional'
Scotland pulled out of a behind-closed-doors friendly against Norway in Charlotte just two days before kick-off, citing injury concerns. Norway's Brede Hangeland and Alexander Sørloth publicly condemned the decision, prompting a sharp response from Scotland captain John McGinn.
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Jota's wife writes to Robertson: 'You'll be taking his dream with you' at the World Cup
Rute Cardoso, widow of Diogo Jota, has written an open letter to Andy Robertson ahead of Scotland's World Cup campaign, telling the former Liverpool team-mate that Jota 'will be with you' as he leads his country at the tournament.
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