World Cup news

Find out where to watch the Turkiye national team throughout FIFA World Cup 2026.

GOAL brings you everything you need to know about Mexico vs South Korea at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Real Madrid have officially secured the signing of Chelsea defender Marc Cucurella in a deal worth £52 million, marking the first major acquisition of Jose Mourinho’s second tenure at the Bernabeu. The Spanish international returns to his homeland after a five-year stint in the Premier League, ending a period of speculation regarding his future at Stamford Bridge.

Rafael van der Vaart has launched a stinging attack on Virgil van Dijk, comparing the Netherlands captain to a commercial airliner following a shaky defensive display against Japan. Despite the Liverpool man finding the net in the 2-2 draw, Van der Vaart admitted he was stunned by the defender's lack of mobility during the Netherlands' World Cup opener.

Find out where to watch the Haiti national team throughout FIFA World Cup 2026.

Kylian Mbappe has issued a rallying cry to his France team-mates by admitting he must evolve his own game to ensure World Cup glory. The Les Bleus captain acknowledges that his defensive contributions have often been a point of contention and is determined to silence the critics in North America.

Find out where to watch the Scotland national team throughout FIFA World Cup 2026.

Former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has found himself at the centre of a social media storm after choosing to attend the USMNT's opening match to support his pop-star girlfriend, Katy Perry, over his own national team. The 54-year-old was a notable absentee as Canada played their first-ever home World Cup fixture, a 1-1 draw against Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Jurgen Klopp has issued a heartfelt apology to Germany head coach Julian Nagelsmann following a controversial slip of the tongue on live television. The former Liverpool manager, who is currently serving as a pundit during the 2026 World Cup, admitted he felt like "an idiot" after a specific word choice sparked a national debate regarding Nagelsmann’s job security.

After Arsenal lost to Manchester City in April, Declan Rice, perhaps a little inadvertently, went viral. The England midfielder slumped on his heels, sprung to his feet defiantly, and was pictured shouting, "It's not done!" to his Gunners team-mates. At the time, it didn't look good; Arsenal's Premier League lead had shrunk to just three points - and City still had a game in hand.

Pep Guardiola is out of work, after leaving Manchester City, but should his sudden availability concern England boss Thomas Tuchel - a man under pressure to deliver at the 2026 World Cup? Former Three Lions star Michael Owen has given two reasons to GOAL why a German tactician filling the most demanding of roles should not fret about the shadow cast by a highly-decorated Catalan coach.

Spain head coach Luis de la Fuente has delivered a massive fitness boost ahead of their World Cup opener, confirming that Lamine Yamal is in "perfect condition" to face Cape Verde. The Barcelona sensation suffered a serious injury towards the end of the 2025-26 campaign that threatened to derail his tournament debut, but he has worked hard to recover quicker than expected.

Sweden made a devastating statement of intent at the 2026 World Cup as they dismantled Tunisia 5-1 to move to the top of Group F. Spearheaded by the clinical duo of Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyokeres, who both got their names on the scoresheet, the Scandinavians proved far too powerful for their African opponents in Monterrey.

Uruguay’s 2026 World Cup campaign has been hit by a significant logistical setback after multiple flight delays left Marcelo Bielsa’s squad temporarily stranded in Mexico. The La Celeste party suffered a cancellation and further hold-ups due to paperwork issues just 24 hours before their opening match against Saudi Arabia.

For a coach who's worked in professional football for nearly 40 years, Marcelo Bielsa hasn't won many trophies at the highest level. Pep Guardiola says that doesn't matter, though. "To be loved is this biggest title, bigger than the Champions League or Premier League or whatever," the Catalan once argued. "To be loved is the most important thing, and I think Marcelo has that more than any other manager in the world."

Four years ago in Qatar, Lionel Messi ended the GOAT debate by leading Argentina to victory over France in the World Cup final. There was a player on the other team, though, who actually appeared to have sufficient talent to potentially reopen it one day. After all, Kylian Mbappe had actually pipped Messi to the tournament's Golden Boot by outscoring the Argentine No.10 in that epic encounter in Lusail thanks to the first hat-trick in a World Cup final since Sir Geoff Hurst all the way back in 1966.

Kylian Mbappe is learning how to share the limelight, Frank Leboeuf has told GOAL, with the World Cup-winning Frenchman boasting similar main character energy to Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. Those qualities are currently illuminating La Liga and the 2026 World Cup, but could they pass through the English Premier League at some point?