Page 11 - Latest Updates on FIFA World Cup

How Julian Naglesmann helped Germany forget the ghosts of 2018 and 2022

For the first time since lifting the World Cup in Brazil in 2014, Germany have secured a place in the knockout stages of football's biggest tournament.

World Cup: Iran, Fifa avoid questions on Seattle Pride Match against Egypt

Before coach Amir Ghalenoei or goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand answered any questions Thursday ahead of Iran's World Cup match with Egypt, a FIFA official spoke up. Daniel Marin, FIFA's executive director of public relations, read a statement in light of the teams meeting in a "Pride Match" in Seattle on Friday. Egypt and Iran are two of the most repressive places in the world for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people, but they coincidentally will play each other while the host city honours the LGBTQ+ community. "This Islamic Republic of the Iran Football Federation has asked us to inform the media that they are only willing to answer questions in relation to the game," Marin said. "We fully respect the right of all journalists to ask questions. In this case, we ask you respect the rights of the federation here today to only answer questions in relation to the team, the tactics, the match, and so on." Nonetheless, Ghalenoei was peppered with questions about what will transpire

New Zealand just one win away from historic World Cup knockout berth

There are several World Cup teams ranked higher than New Zealand entering their final group-stage matches without any hope of advancing to the round of 32. "That's not us," New Zealand coach Darren Bazeley said Thursday ahead of his team's match against Belgium on Friday. "We're now in a game where we win, we go through." That scenario seemed unthinkable when the All Whites, among the lowest-ranked teams in the this year's World Cup, were drawn into Group G with Belgium, Egypt and Iran. But thanks to the expanded 48-team format and a group that has veered off script, New Zealand is one win away from advancing out of the group stage for the first time. "It never works out like you expect it to," Bazeley said. "Football doesn't." A win against Belgium could push New Zealand into second place in Group G -- and therefore the knockout rounds -- if Egypt and Iran play to a draw in a match that will be played simultaneously on Friday. Anything less than a win for New Zealand against Bel

Fifa WC 2026: Turkey stun US 3-2 with late goal as Americans eye knockouts

Kaan Ayhan scored on the final kick of the match, and Turkey beat the United States 3-2 Thursday night for its only win of the World Cup. Auston Trusty scored in the third minute and Sebastian Berhalter got a tying goal early in the second half for the Americans, who had already won Group D with victories over Paraguay and Australia. Coach Mauricio Pochettino's team will meet Bosnia-Herzegovina in the Round of 32 on Wednesday. Pochettino fielded nine new starters for this low-stakes game, but Christian Pulisic entered in the 58th minute. He hadn't played since the first half of the Americans' opener due to a calf injury. Arda Guler and Orkun Kokcu scored in the first half of a resilient performance by Turkey, which had already been eliminated. Turkey won in the eighth minute of stoppage time when Can Uzun got the ball in space on the back post and pushed it past sprawling goalkeeper Matt Turner to Ayhan, who slid to knock it home.

How Carlo Ancelotti finally unlocked best version of Vinícius Jr for Brazil

Few coaches understand Vinícius better than Carlo Ancelotti. The Italian spent four seasons working with the winger at Real Madrid.

FIFA World Cup: Mexico finish Group A on top after unbeaten campaign

Group A is done and dusted! Mexico finish as group winners after an unbeaten campaign, while South Korea join them in the Round of 32.

FIFA World Cup 2026: Ecuador through to Ro32, beat heavyweights Germany 2-1

Gonzalo Plata poked the ball past Manuel Neuer in the 77th minute, and Ecuador advanced to the knockout stage of the World Cup by rallying for a 2-1 win over Germany on Thursday. Germany, which clinched first place in Group E with victories in its first two games, went ahead on Leroy Sane's second-minute goal. Nilson Angulo scored Ecuador's first goal of the tournament in the ninth minute. Plata scored after a corner kick was nodded on by Kevin Rodriguez. Neuer, the 40-year-old Germany goalkeeper who came out of international retirement for the World Cup, was about the grasp the ball when Plata raised his left foot and with a toe put the ball into the net. Ecuador finished third in the group with four points and advanced past the group stage for the second time, the first since a round of 16 game in 2002.

FIFA World Cup 2026: Which teams have made it to the Round of 32?

With one round of group-stage matches remaining, seven nations have officially booked their places in the Round of 32.

Zlatan to Maldini: The greatest players who never scored at FIFA World Cup

Football history contains a fascinating category of legends, players who conquered domestic leagues, won Ballon d'Or awards, lifted European trophies and broke scoring records, but never managed

FIFA World Cup 2026 June 26 schedule, live match timings (IST), streaming

Curaçao vs Côte d'Ivoire, Ecuador vs Germany (1:30 am); Tunisia vs Netherlands, Japan vs Sweden (4:30 am); Türkiye vs USA, Paraguay vs Australia (7:30 am).

Morocco youngest top-ranked Fifa World Cup squad, Brazil oldest: LCP study

Mexico leads in professional footballers and clubs, while the US and Saudi Arabia show rising football depth

Do FIFA really profit from WC hydration breaks? Infantino clears the air

Are hydration breaks genuinely about player safety, or have they quietly become valuable commercial inventory in football's biggest event?

Neymar makes 1st appearance as second-half sub for Brazil vs Scotland

Neymar has finally played in this World Cup. The Brazil superstar checked in during the 76th minute against Scotland on Wednesday, with the team leading 3-0 and well on its way to clinching a spot in the knockout stage that starts next week. It wasn't a surprise: Brazil said earlier this week that he would be available, clearing the way for the forward to make his debut after missing the first two matches. He did not start, and it seemed like that was the plan Brazil coach Carlo Ancelotti had all along when he raised the possibility earlier this week that Neymar could play as a substitute. And when Neymar got off the bench to start doing some warmup sprints and stretches along the sideline during the second half, fans in that area absolutely roared. The cheers got louder when he checked in, as well as when he made his first touch. Neymar was one of the final players to get off Brazil's bus Wednesday, flashing a thumbs-up, giving a wave and slapping hands with a few well-wishers as

FIFA World Cup: Rahimi, Yassine help Morocco rally to beat Haiti 4-2

Soufiane Rahimi and Gessime Yassine came off the bench to help Morocco rally for a 4-2 victory over Haiti on Wednesday and erase the Caribbean nation's hopes of a first ever point at the World Cup. Morocco twice came from behind against a team playing at soccer's biggest tournament for the first time in 52 years. Rahimi's deflected shot in the 78th minute put Morocco ahead 3-2 and Yassine killed off any chance of an upset with a goal in the 89th. Morocco advanced to the round of 32 in second place behind Brazil in Group C. The five-time champion Brazilians beat Scotland 3-0 in the other group match.

Can USA really win the FIFA World Cup? Why host nations always pack a punch

After back-to-back group-stage victories and qualification for the Round of 32, what initially felt like optimism has begun evolving into belief.

FIFA WC 2026: England, Ghana lead RO32 qualification race in Group L

Check FIFA World Cup 2026 Group L qualification scenarios as England and Ghana look to seal Round of 32 berths on Matchday 2

FIFA World Cup 2026 June 25 schedule, live match timings (IST), streaming

FIFA World Cup 2026 June 25 fixtures (IST): Switzerland vs Canada, Bosnia and Herzegovina vs Qatar (12:30 am); Morocco vs Haiti, Scotland vs Brazil (3:30 am); South Africa vs South Korea, Czechia vs M

Fifa WC: Portugal vs Colombia match on June 28 to decide Group K toppers

Fifa World Cup 2026 group K round of 32 qualification scenarios: Colombia are through; Portugal need a point, while DR Congo and Uzbekistan must win and rely on third-place calculations.

Fifa mulls keeping hydration breaks for future World Cups: Infantino

FIFA will consider keeping hydration breaks for future World Cups despite backlash to the extra stoppages in play at this year's tournament. Gianni Infantino, the soccer body's president, defended the decision to introduce breaks - which come midway through each half - at this World Cup and said Tuesday they may be providing more entertainment for fans. He said FIFA would analyze what it will do in future tournaments "based on this experience." But after criticism that the breaks were a stealth way to insert advertising or American-style timeouts, Infantino suggested the stoppages have been positive. "Maybe the coach can reassess certain situations, correct certain mistakes. The players get a little rest and come back in full speed. Well, is that bad necessarily? Maybe it's good," Infantino said. "And we see as well the intensity of the games. We've never seen 90 minutes in a tournament like this played in such an intensity. "Until the last second of the match, players attack and s

Fifa WC 2026: Paraguay's Miguel Almiron handed one-game ban after red card

Paraguay midfielder Miguel Almiron has been given a one-match suspension after he was the first player to be sent off at the World Cup for covering his mouth. FIFA confirmed on Tuesday that Almiron will miss Paraguay's final group game against Australia on Thursday. World soccer's governing body said the decision was not subject to appeal. Almiron made history when he was issued a red card for covering his mouth during a confrontation with Turkey's Mert Mulder late in the first half of Paraguay's 1-0 win last Friday. Under new rules, players are not allowed to cover their mouths to disguise what they are saying during confrontations, with infringements leading to an instant dismissal. FIFA president Gianni Infantino pushed for the legislation after a high-profile incident in a Champions League game between Real Madrid and Benfica last season. Benfica's Gianluca Prestianni tried to hide verbal insults toward Madrid's Vinicius Junior. UEFA later issued Prestianni a six-game ban --