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The 2026 World Cup is the most expensive ever - and with tickets going unsold, one expert explains where FIFA got it wrong and how it can fix it

Barcelona boss Hansi Flick doesn't want to get bogged down in questions about the summer transfer window at this particular moment in time, and that's perfectly understandable. The Catalans may be presently nine points clear of Real Madrid in the Spanish title race, but there's still work to be done - possibly without an injured Lamine Yamal - and, as Flick pointed out on Tuesday, "La Liga is not an easy league."

Pellegrino Matarazzo and Real Sociedad are a perfect match, each propelling the other to greater heights. Their symbiosis has already hit a milestone, yet both are set to aim higher.

Almost every footballer's career has a sliding doors moment, and Georgia Stanway's came in the summer of 2022. It's remarkable to think now, given her role in the England team and her status as one of the best midfielders in the game, but as that year's European Championship approached, Stanway was not in Sarina Wiegman’s starting XI.

Newcastle's season has unravelled; with five Premier League games remaining and in the thick of a dire run of form, the Magpies find themselves closer to the bottom three than they are to the Champions League places, and their hopes of securing any form of European football are fading fast. To make matters worse, their struggles are unfolding against the backdrop of significant upheaval behind the scenes as pressure mounts on head coach Eddie Howe.

FC Bayern are league champions and have reached the DFB Cup final. As a result, the treble now looks well within reach. A commentary.

For much of Wednesday night, it looked like Inter Miami would drop points in Utah, but two of the club's biggest names stepped up with world-class finishes.

A Lamine Yamal penalty ensured Barcelona saw off a stubborn Celta Vigo side on Wednesday night to stretch their lead over Real Madrid at the top of La Liga to nine points. However, the 1-0 victory at Spotify Camp Nou came at a cost, as the wonderkid winger was forced off injured straight after converting the winner from the spot in the first half.

Erling Haaland scored the only goal as an underwhelming Manchester City beat Burnley 1-0 to move top of the Premier League and relegate the Clarets in the process. Three days after netting the winner in the title showdown against Arsenal, the Norwegian demonstrated his physical prowess to score the winner in just the sixth minute as Pep Guardiola's men edged to victory.

FC Bayern have reached the DFB-Pokal final for the first time since 2020. In the semi-final, the Munich side won 2–0 away against Bayer Leverkusen. Individual player ratings for the FCB squad.

Mic'd up: Kaylyn Kyle breaks down Canadian teams in MLS, who Inter Miami could appoint to replace Javier Mascherano, and why Neymar would be an excellent fit in North America

If we're being brutally honest, it always felt like a case of not if, but when the axe would fall on Liam Rosenior after he was named as the surprise successor to the sacked Enzo Maresca in January. A positive start in the Stamford Bridge dugout now feels like a distant memory, with a historically-bad run of form accelerating his downfall. Having overseen a fifth league defeat in a row, Rosenior has deservedly been relieved of his duties - but he was simply a symptom of the Blues wider, deeper problems.

No team benefits more from an expanded World Cup than the All Whites, who head into this summer's tournament with a genuine opportunity

The striker is in the best form of his career as he heads towards the most important games he's ever played

The American youth soccer system is full of talent but lacking in organization, and GOAL's writers offer their thoughts on what needs to change.

Johan Manzambi, who evokes memories of BVB’s Felix Nmecha, is poised to fill the void left by Leon Goretzka at Bayern Munich. The 20-year-old has quickly established himself as a match-winner for SC Freiburg.

The banner unfurled by Manchester City fans on the south stand of the Etihad Stadium on Sunday really did sum up the narrative nicely, "Panic on the streets on the London." After a devastating 2-1 defeat at the home of their Premier League title rivals, Arsenal are now just three points clear of Pep Guardiola's men - and having played one game more.

Despite hefty transfer spending, one of the world’s most valuable squads, a European Cup triumph 12 months ago and a promising league start, the historic English club Tottenham Hotspur is surprisingly slipping towards relegation.

San Diego FC, after performing so well in their inaugural season, have struggled immensely to find their rhythm in their sophomore season. And something might have to change.

May 2, 2026 - it should be a day of pure pride and celebration in Leicester, nothing but touching tributes to Jamie Vardy, Riyad Mahrez, N'Golo Kante and every other member of Claudio Ranieri's Premier League-winning squad. However, the imminent 10-year anniversary of the most miraculous top-flight title triumph the game has ever seen will also serve as a cruelly-timed reminder of just how far the Foxes have fallen over the past decade.

Real Madrid bounced back from their four-match winless run and kept their slim title hopes in La Liga alive with a 2-1 victory over Alaves on Tuesday. Goals from Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Jr got the job done for Alvaro Arbeloa's side, who closed the gap on leaders Barcelona to six points for at least the next 24 hours.

Chelsea's slide towards mid-table mediocrity under Liam Rosenior continued at Brighton on Tuesday, with the blunt Blues suffering an embarrassing 3-0 defeat at the Amex Stadium. After four consecutive Premier League losses without scoring a single goal, the fifth-placed Londoners had arrived on the south coast hoping to revive their hopes of qualifying for next season's Champions League. However, they now sit sixth after allowing Brighton to climb above them with disturbing ease.

Mauricio Pochettino can't take everyone to the World Cup, so which players are fighting for those spots?

There are more opportunities to play soccer in the United States than ever before, but a fractured system and high price of entry make it immensely difficult to succeed

As bitter as Serge Gnabry’s absence is for Bayern Munich in the final stretch of the season, Jamal Musiala is at least hitting top form just in time. Kompany, however, issued a warning and raised one final big question.

The new electric power units have frustrated many drivers this season, and Formula 1 has used the mid-season break to fine-tune the regulations—though the changes stop short of a full revolution.

There is a bitter irony to the fact that Chelsea will face Brighton on Tuesday at one of the lowest ebbs of the BlueCo 'project'. The Blues travel to the south coast with their hopes of a top-five Premier League finish hanging by a thread, and the club hierarchy is finally ready to move away from a transfer model that was inspired by the Seagulls' success as a result.

This is Legacy, GOAL’s feature and podcast series that counts down until the 2026 World Cup. Each week, we explore the stories and the spirit behind the nations that define the world’s game. This week, we dive into the moment MLS stopped thinking small - because one global icon decided to go first...

SPOX reporter Nino Duit has been honoured for his in-depth article on the history of FC Bayern’s kits, published in January 2025.