World Cup news

France head coach Didier Deschamps admitted that he has no doubt that Paul Pogba's goal is to return to the national team ahead of next year's World Cup in the USA. At a press conference on Thursday, Deschamps explained what the 32-year-old must do in order to earn a recall to Les Bleus' squad, with the ex-Manchester United and Juventus player expected to make his Monaco debut later this month.

Former USMNT star Landon Donovan has changed his tone regarding Christian Pulisic following the winger's exceptional performances for AC Milan. Donovan, who previously criticized Pulisic's decision to skip the Gold Cup, emphasized his support for the 26-year-old's success while explaining the reasoning behind his earlier comments.

Former USMNT star Landon Donovan is questioning the reliability of forward Ricardo Pepi and attacking midfielder Gao Reyna following their recent injury setbacks. The USMNT's all-time joint leading goalscorer suggested that availability issues could threaten both player’s roles in the national team under coach Mauricio Pochettino.

Some matches at the World Cup next summer involving England and other European nations are likely to played after midnight UK time, as FIFA have spoken of their desire to combat extreme heat experienced in many areas of the tournament's host nations: the US, Canada and Mexico. The issues mirror those experienced at the Club World Cup in the US last summer, where matches scheduled earlier in the day in local time were often met with intense, at times, unsafe heat conditions.

One of FIFA's vice-presidents has insisted that US President Donald Trump cannot decide which cities host games in the 2026 World Cup. Victor Montagliani, who is also president of CONCACAF, was speaking at a conference in London after Trump suggested he would move games away from cities he thought could be "even a little dangerous for the World Cup".

Millions of soccer fans from around the world have the opportunity to buy tickets to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, to be held in North America, as lottery winners from 4.5 million applicants were granted access starting Wednesday. FIFA said lottery winners were or will be informed of their status via email. The governing body expects demand will be high.

GOAL talks with trusted assistant Jesus Perez about a U.S. staff focused on reducing 'the gap between your best day and your worst day'

Cristiano Ronaldo has been backed to be a "vital" player for Portugal at the 2026 World Cup "regardless of how long he stays on the field". The five-time Ballon d’Or winner, now armed with a record-shattering new two-year contract at Saudi giants Al-Nassr, shows no signs of slowing down. His relentless pursuit of football immortality, including the dream of smashing through the 1,000 career goal barrier, has football fans wondering: just how long can this "machine" keep going?

Mic'd Up: Villa talks Barcelona, the Spanish national team and why Barcelona's Yamal will win a Ballon d'Or

UEFA has delayed a vote on suspending Israel from European competition after United States president Donald Trump revealed a fresh attempt to end the war in Gaza. Trump has unveiled a 20-point peace plan and has given Hamas "three or four days" to respond or face the consequences. Given the circumstances, UEFA has now put a plan to vote on suspending Israel on hold.

USMNT star Quinn Sullivan has confirmed that he suffered a devastating ACL injury blow during the Philadelphia Union’s 6-0 victory over D.C. United. The 21-year-old midfielder lasted just six minutes of that contest before picking up a knock. He initially attempted to play on, but it soon became apparent that would not be possible. Sullivan is now sweating on his place in Mauricio Pochettino’s plans for a home World Cup in the summer of 2026.

If you are planning to visit BC Place Stadium for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, we've got you covered!

If you are planning to visit Hard Rock Stadium for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, we've got you covered!

With the World Cup just months away, GOAL looks at how the U.S. squad might look in the upcoming October camp.

In this episode we interview scouts, academy directors and players to reveal the successes and struggles of Ghana's football academies, their impact on the national team, and the consequences of Ghanaian players being shipped off to European clubs at a young age.

Barcelona’s decision to recall Diego Kochen, bringing him in as backup to Wojciech Szczęsny after No. 2 Joan García’s injury, prompted U.S. Soccer to make a late change to its FIFA U20 World Cup roster. The Blaugrana are also without Marc-André ter Stegen, who is dealing with a long-term injury. Brøndby’s Gavin Beavers has been called in as his replacement.

U.S. President Trump suggested to reporters this week that he could move matches for next summer’s 2026 men’s World Cup away from U.S. host cities that are “even a little bit dangerous.” It is unclear how feasible it would be to change sites for World Cup games at this point in the process, as the event begins next June.