The 2026 FIFA World Cup quarter-final fixtures are now complete after Switzerland defeated Colombia 4-3 on penalties following a goalless draw in the final Round of 16 fixture. Neither side could find a breakthrough over 120 minutes in Vancouver, forcing the tournament’s first penalty shootout of the last 16. Switzerla…

The three countries hosting the 2026 FIFA World Cup have all been eliminated before the quarter-final stage, bringing an early end to the tournament hopes of the United States, Mexico and Canada. The United States became the final co-host to exit the competition after suffering a heavy 4-1 defeat to Belgium on Tuesday.…

The 2026 FIFA World Cup has continued to produce standout individual performances, with several players adding to their goal tallies from the penalty spot as the tournament enters its decisive phase. As the Round of 16 concludes on Tuesday (today), PUNCH Online curates a list of players who have scored the most penalti…

…verdict on Brazil following their 2-1 defeat to Norway in the round of sixteen of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, insisting the five-time champions have lost the identity and quality that once made them one of football's greatest teams, PUNCH Sports Extra reports. Manchester City striker, Erling Haaland, rose to the occasion…

…Lamine Yamal have both been named in the starting line-ups for Tuesday’s blockbuster 2026 FIFA World Cup quarter-final clash. Portugal head coach Roberto Martínez has made one change to the side that defeated Croatia, recalling João Félix to the starting XI in place of Rafael Leão, who drops to the bench. Spain boss Lu…

Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo has confirmed that the ongoing 2026 FIFA World Cup will be the final World Cup of his illustrious career, saying he is focused on enjoying every moment of the tournament. The 41-year-old made the announcement while speaking to reporters on Sunday ahead of Portugal's Round of 16 clash…

…Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has praised the performances of African teams at the ongoing 2026 FIFA World Cup, commending their resilience and expressing hope for further success in the tournament. In a post on her verified X account on Sunday, Okonjo-Iweala singled out Morocco and Egypt for advancing to the next stage, while…

As qualified countries began the Round of 16 matches at the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Saturday, Brazil retained its place as the nation with the most match victories in the tournament's history. FIFA updated the ranking after matches played on Saturday, July 4. Brazil has reached the World Cup 23 times, playing 118 matche…

…Abubakar, has congratulated Morocco on its qualification for the quarter-finals of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, describing the achievement as a proud moment for Africa. PUNCH Online reports that Morocco became the first African nation to reach the last eight of the 2026 tournament after a commanding 3-0 victory over Canada…

France booked their place in the quarter-finals of the 2026 FIFA World Cup after edging Paraguay 1-0 in their Round of 16 encounter on Sunday, and will now face Morocco in the next round. The match remained goalless at the end of the first half, with Paraguay frustrating the French attack and preventing Les Bleus from…

…inaugurated a new board for the Bank of Agriculture, and France booked a place in the 2026 FIFA World Cup quarter-finals. APC faces backlash over controversial candidates' list The All Progressives Congress is facing widespread criticism after revising the list of candidates who emerged from its National Assembly prima…

…is among eight of the world's 10 most populous countries currently missing from the 2026 FIFA World Cup, a trend that has forced football-mad supporters in several of the affected nations to throw their support behind other countries at the ongoing tournament in North America. According to a BBC World Service report, o…

The ongoing 2026 FIFA World Cup continues to produce record-breaking performances, with several stars making football history in the knockout stage. Following the conclusion of the Round of 32 and the commencement of the Round of 16 on Saturday, PUNCH Online highlights the players with the most goals in the knockout ph…

…of countries participating at the 2026 World Cup who resigned or have been sacked. The 2026 FIFA World Cup has been a tournament of high-stakes drama, where the intense pressure of the global stage has already taken a heavy toll on several technical benches. For many national teams, failing to meet lofty expectations o…

…captain reached the landmark during his country's 2-0 victory over Austria at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, surpassing the previous all-time record. Despite the historic accomplishment, Messi admitted he was disappointed after missing an early penalty, saying it was one of the few negatives from an otherwise memorable night…

…scored his 17th World Cup goal during Argentina's 1-0 victory over Austria at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, surpassing former record-holder Miroslav Klose, who finished his World Cup career with 16 goals. Messi's latest milestone is another remarkable achievement in a career already filled with records. Having led Argentina…

Own goals are piling up at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with seven already recorded after just 10 days of action; putting the tournament on course to challenge an unwanted record. Only the 2018 World Cup in Russia saw more own goals, with 12 scored across the tournament. With this year’s edition expanded to 48 teams and 10…

Here are the countries that have qualified for the round of 32 of the ongoing 2026 FIFA World Cup. Mexico, the United States and Germany have become the first three nations to secure their places in the round of 32 at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The tournament's expanded format, featuring 48 teams, means the knockout stag…

Germany secured their place in the Round of 32 at the 2026 FIFA World Cup after coming from behind to defeat Côte d'Ivoire 2-1 in their second Group E match on Saturday. Julian Nagelsmann's side, who opened their campaign with an emphatic victory over Curacao, were made to work harder by the Elephants after falling beh…

…Barcelona winger Raphinha has suffered another injury setback, raising fears that his 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign could be over and adding further uncertainty to his future at club level. The 29-year-old was forced off in the 40th minute of Brazil's 3-0 victory over Haiti after experiencing discomfort in his right thi…

Haiti and Turkey have been eliminated from the 2026 FIFA World Cup after suffering defeats in their second group-stage matches.

…for Nigeria, is currently a member of South Africa’s squad participating in the ongoing 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States, Mexico, and Canada. Okon played the full 90 minutes as South Africa fought to a 1-1 draw against the Czech Republic on Thursday. In a video shared by Nigerian journalist, Osasu Obayiuwana, t…

At least two countries have qualified for the Round of 32 at the ongoing 2026 FIFA World Cup tournament. They are Mexico and the United States of America, USA. USA is the latest team to qualify for the last-32 after beating Australia 2-0 in a Group D tie Yesterday. An own goal from Cameron Burgess and a goal from Alex…

…countries that could qualify for the round of 16 of the 2026 World Cup tournament. The 2026 FIFA World Cup group stage is beginning to take shape, with several teams already establishing themselves as favourites to progress to the knockout rounds. Although the tournament's expanded format means teams must first navigat…

…Renard magic after appointing the charismatic Frenchman in an attempt to salvage their 2026 Fifa World Cup campaign.The Carthage Eagles did not waste time in parting company with Sabri Lamouchi after their 5-1 defeat by Sweden on Monday - making them the first ever country to sack a coach after their first game at the…