World Cup news

Lionel Messi and Argentina are readying themselves for a historic World Cup final showdown against Spain, but the defending champions may have a superstitious hurdle to overcome. Rapper Drake has publicly backed the Albiceleste with a massive financial wager, sparking fears among supporters that the infamous "Drake curse" could strike.

The 2026 World Cup final is set to be a historic occasion both on and off the pitch as Argentina and Spain battle for global supremacy at MetLife Stadium. FIFA has pulled out all the stops for the tournament's first-ever official half-time show, bringing together a collection of the world's biggest musical icons.

Comprehensive match preview of Spain vs Argentina at World Cup 2026. We talk tactics, team news and more ahead of this final clash in East Rutherford.

Thomas Tuchel has hit back at his critics after England secured a third-place finish at the World Cup, suggesting the fallout from their semi-final exit was disproportionately negative. The German tactician oversaw a wild 6-4 victory over France to claim the bronze medal but spent much of his post-match address defending the "next steps" of his project.

Kylian Mbappe has reached the summit of World Cup history, but the France captain is fully prepared to see his stay at the top lasting less than 24 hours. Despite surpassing Lionel Messi to become the competition's all-time leading scorer with 22 goals, the Real Madrid forward remains certain that his former PSG team-mate will have something to say in Sunday's final against Spain.

England at least managed to put a bit of shine on their World Cup campaign. The highly-entertaining, 6-4 win over France in Saturday's bronze-medal match didn't change the fact that they collapsed in the semi-final against Argentina three days earlier, but it did at least save a little bit of face.

Michael Olise made history on the grandest stage of all, but the Bayern Munich winger was left devastated following France’s chaotic 6-4 defeat to England in the World Cup bronze final. Despite eclipsing a long-standing record held by the legendary Pele, the 24-year-old was unable to find personal joy after a series of uncharacteristic misses in Miami.

Lionel Messi has sparked fresh speculation about his international future after releasing a powerful and emotional statement just hours before the 2026 World Cup final. The legendary forward, who has led Argentina to the brink of consecutive global titles, described the upcoming clash against Spain as part of a journey that has already secured its place in the history books.

Manchester United star Kobbie Mainoo has officially concluded his 2026 World Cup journey without playing a single minute for England. Following his absence from the third-place play-off against France, manager Thomas Tuchel has provided a fresh update on the 21-year-old amid shocking claims the midfielder was urged to fake an injury to avoid the "nonsense" fixture.

The World Cup final is finally upon us, and Sunday's showdown between Spain and Argentina in New Jersey promises to be an absolutely enthralling encounter between the two best teams in the tournament - with the emphasis very much on 'teams'.

Bukayo Saka has voiced his frustration over a lack of playing time at the World Cup despite Inspiring England to a third-place finish with a sensational hat-trick against France. The Arsenal winger was surprisingly benched for the semi-final defeat against Argentina, a decision that has sparked intense debate over Thomas Tuchel's tactical choices.

Jude Bellingham has officially etched his name into the history books by becoming the first Englishman to ever score seven goals at a single World Cup tournament. The Real Madrid sensation reached the unprecedented milestone during a chaotic bronze-medal match against France, surpassing the previous benchmarks set by national icons.

The bronze-medal match tends to be one of the highest-scoring games of the tournament, and this one certainly didn't disappoint. England manager Thomas Tuchel called it a fixture “nobody wants to play in” earlier in the week, but that didn't appear to be the case as the Three Lions and France battled in the highest-scoring third-place match in World Cup history, with England edging a wild 6-4 win

New Croatia head coach Slaven Bilic has made Luka Modric his first priority in the role, revealing plans to speak with the veteran midfielder about his international future as he looks to convince the AC Milan captain to continue representing his country.

Manchester United midfielder Kobbie Mainoo missed England’s World Cup third-place play-off against France after picking up an injury. The 21-year-old will depart the Three Lions camp without having seen a single minute of competitive action during the tournament in North America.

Chelsea have reached an agreement with Aston Villa to sign Morgan Rogers in a deal worth a staggering £117 million. The 23-year-old playmaker has opted for Stamford Bridge over Premier League rivals Arsenal after being enticed by the project under new head coach Xabi Alonso.

kylian Mbappe has paid an emotional tribute to Didier Deschamps ahead of his final match in charge of France, admitting the squad "failed" to give their long-serving manager the send-off he deserved after their World Cup elimination, as Les Bleus prepare for one last game together against England.