Veertien Mie Overview

The 2026 World Cup is underway and so is the race for the prestigious Golden Boot - the award given to the tournament's top scorer. There's a long road ahead as 48 nations battle for the top prize, but which star will take home the illustrious award? Here are GOAL's predicted candidates for the prize as we keep track of the tournament's most prolific stars

Thousands of Argentina fans turned Kansas City into a Lionel Messi pilgrimage, with banderazos, late-night parties and unwavering support ahead of the World Cup opener.

The first round of 2026 World Cup group-stage fixtures is in the books, and the tournament has gotten off to a flyer. Despite a lack of eye-catching fixtures on paper in the new, expanded format, there have been thrills and spills aplenty, with all the big names showing up for their respective countries on football's biggest stage. Well, almost all of them.

Former Inter and Stoke striker Marko Arnautovic was on target as Austria secured their first World Cup victory in 28 years with a hard-fought 3-1 win over debutants Jordan at San Francisco Bay Area Stadium. Ralf Rangnick's side relied on a mix of individual brilliance and late drama to navigate a tricky Group J opener in Santa Clara.