Kitsap Pumas Overview

USA v Belgium: Round of 16 - FIFA World Cup 2026

'The whole world is dancing!'- Iran rejoice as USMNT crash out

The USMNT's World Cup dreams ended in a nightmare in Seattle, but while American fans were left in tears, the Iran Football Federation was ready to celebrate. Following a tournament dominated by political tensions, Iranian officials have issued a scathing response to the co-hosts' elimination.

Messi Mbappe Haaland World Cup Golden boot 16:9

World Cup Golden Boot standings: Mbappe, Haaland & Messi top chart

The 2026 World Cup is well underway and so is the race for the prestigious Golden Boot - the award given to the tournament's top scorer. There's a long and winding road to be navigated as 48 nations battle for the top prize, but which star will take home the illustrious award? Here, GOAL tracks the tournament's most prolific stars.

Winners losers World Cup group stage GFX

Winners & losers of the World Cup group stage

The group stage of the 2026 World Cup came to a dramatic conclusion on Saturday, as Austria scored a 96th-minute equaliser against Algeria to qualify for the knockout stage while simultaneously eliminating Iran, who had been set to progress as one of the tournament's third-placed finishers. Elsewhere, Lionel Messi came off the bench to help Argentina maintain their 100 percent winning record with a 3-1 victory over Jordan and, in doing so, the No.10 extended his record-breaking goals tally at the finals to 19.

Spain v Cabo Verde: Group H - FIFA World Cup 2026

How have debutant teams performed at the FIFA World Cup?

Four nations made debuts at the 2026 World Cup, with Cape Verde, Curacao, Jordan and Uzbekistan gracing the grandest stage in international football for the first time. It is the tournament with the most newcomers since 2006 and Cape Verde have achieved the feat of ending a 16-year wait for a debutant to reach the knockout stages, with the African nation to face Lionel Messi's Argentina on Friday.

FIFA World Cup 2026 Opening Press Conference

'It's a disaster World Cup!' - Iran captain slams FIFA over 'unfair' treatment

Iran captain Mehdi Taremi has criticised FIFA and president Gianni Infantino over what he described as a "disaster" World Cup, accusing organisers of failing to resolve ongoing logistical and visa issues. Head coach Amir Ghalenoei also called on FIFA to stand up to the tournament hosts after claiming his side had been treated unfairly.