Strindheim Overview

Japan captain Wataru Endo has been forced to withdraw from the 2026 World Cup squad due to a persistent injury, bringing a premature end to his international career. The Liverpool midfielder confirmed he is stepping away from the national team entirely after failing to recover in time for the tournament in North America.

Mic'd Up: The FOX host will be at the center of coverage for the World Cup, and she thinks it's time for England to dream once again

Four nations will make debuts at the 2026 World Cup, with Cape Verde, Curacao, Jordan and Uzbekistan set to grace the grandest stage in international football for the first time. It will be the tournament with the most newcomers since 2006 and all will have ambitions of ending a 16-year wait for a debutant to reach the knockout stages.

The 2026 World Cup is almost here. After years of build-up, dramatic qualifiers and numerous good - and bad - news stories surrounding FIFA's flagship finals, players and coaches from around the world are completing their last preparations after descending on the United States, Mexico and Canada for the biggest international football tournament to ever have been staged.