World Cup news

USMNT star Folarin Balogun has issued a heartfelt apology to supporters following the United States' humbling exit from the 2026 World Cup. The Monaco striker was at the center of a global firestorm after his red card against Bosnia and Herzegovina was sensationally overturned by FIFA, allowing him to feature in the 4-1 Round of 16 defeat to Belgium.

Patrice Evra has explained to GOAL why Michael Olise’s “nonchalance” is a good thing, with the enigmatic France international winger being told what the “hardest” part of being a superstar is about to become. The Bayern Munich forward has been in dazzling form for club and country, with World Cup glory currently being chased down on North American soil.

If you are planning to visit the AT&T Stadium for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, we've got you covered

Harry Kane continues to look unstoppable for England at the 2026 World Cup, with former Three Lions star Des Walker admitting to GOAL that kicking the prolific striker may be the only way of bringing him to a halt. The record-breaking frontman has been rewriting the history books, with the benefits of a move from Tottenham to Bayern Munich being explained.

Cristiano Ronaldo's dream of World Cup glory has officially come to an end following a heartbreaking defeat to Spain in Dallas. While the veteran forward left the pitch in tears, his former club manager has moved to shield the 41-year-old from the mounting criticism surrounding his final tournament display.

FIFA has sparked a massive debate ahead of the World Cup quarter-finals by appointing an entirely Argentine officiating crew for France's clash against Morocco. The decision has raised eyebrows across the footballing world given the intense recent history and bubbling rivalry between Les Bleus and the Albiceleste, as well as the fact Argentina are likely to be a main challenger to France winning the entire tournament.

Mohamed Salah and his Egypt team-mates were met with an emotional reception at their team hotel following their crushing World Cup exit at the hands of Argentina. Despite the devastating nature of the defeat, the players stood and applauded the travelling fans who had gathered to show their appreciation for the Pharaohs' historic run.

If you are planning to visit Levi's Stadium for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, we've got you covered

Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni was unable to finish a post-match interview as raw emotion took hold following a historic World Cup comeback win against Egypt. The Albiceleste boss was moved to tears pitchside as he attempted to process one of the most dramatic nights in the tournament's history.

We're in the end game now! With only eight teams remaining, the 2026 World Cup is about to reach boiling point, with the stakes unspeakably high for each of the quarter-finalists. The next round has a lot to live up, too, after this thrilling tournament continued to deliver moments of magic on an almost daily basis.

Egypt forward Mostafa Zico has sparked a global firestorm after sensationally claiming the 2026 World Cup is "fixed" following the Pharaohs' dramatic last-16 exit at the hands of Argentina. In one of the most explosive post-match interviews in the tournament's history, the attacker alleged that officials intentionally manipulated the result to ensure Lionel Messi and the reigning world champions remained in the competition.

The final 20 minutes of England's dramatic, round-of-16 win over Mexico suited Jordan Pickford down to the ground. The Three Lions were down to 10 men, and Thomas Tuchel made the remit clear: To bunker in and keep the ball as far away from goal as possible. Pickford performed his task to a tee.

Kylian Mbappe is on a Lionel Messi-themed revenge mission at the 2026 World Cup, Louis Saha has told GOAL, with France’s talismanic striker determined to right a few wrongs from Qatar 2022. Final agony - despite scoring a hat-trick against Argentina - was endured in the Middle East, but positive progress has been made through another major competition on North American soil.

The 2026 World Cup has been a non-stop festival of football across North America, but fans looking for their daily fix on Wednesday will find the schedule surprisingly empty. After a breathless round of 16 that saw the world's heavyweights battle for survival, FIFA has implemented a tactical pause in the proceedings.

France may be cruising at the World Cup, but all is reportedly not well behind the scenes in the Les Bleus camp. Despite a perfect run to the quarter-finals, reports suggest that one of Didier Deschamps' brightest young talents is reaching a breaking point over his peripheral role in North America.

Wayne Rooney described Cristiano Ronaldo's final appearance at a World Cup as "a sad day for football". It wasn't, though. Not really. Ronaldo may be one of the most iconic figures in sporting history, but Spain's victory over an insipid Portugal side, taken in conjunction with Belgium battering the United States, actually made July 6, 2026 a pretty good day for the game.

Jude Bellingham enjoys being a “show-off” and England’s “main man”, Des Walker has told GOAL, with the Three Lions superstar considered to have joined fellow generational talents Wayne Rooney and Paul Gascoigne in an exclusive “big head” club. Bellingham is said to boast positive “arrogance”, with that self belief allowing him to thrive at the 2026 World Cup.