…football is over, PUNCH Sports Extra reports. As Nigeria intensify preparations for the tournament in Morocco, the reigning African Women’s Goalkeeper of the Year believes every team is capable of causing an upset and has urged her teammates to approach every game with maximum respect. “I don’t share the belief that an…

…blood, sweat, tears.” Bayern Munich forward Kane, who scored six goals during the tournament, said Thomas Tuchel’s men had struggled to repel constant attacks from the defending champions. “After the goal, whether it was them putting more men forward or us not being able to match them man for man, it was just wave afte…

…play-off after suffering another painful exit in the latter stages of a major tournament.

…in football. Defending that title, however, has proven even more difficult. In the tournament’s nearly century-long history, only two countries have successfully retained the World Cup trophy, while several others have come agonisingly close. With defending champions Argentina edging England 2-1 to reach the 2026 FIFA…

…spectacular comeback to overcome the Three Lions, extending their impressive run in the tournament and moving one step closer to retaining the World Cup title. Anthony Gordon put England ahead in the 55th minute, but Enzo Fernandez equalised 30 minutes later, and Lautaro Martinez headed in the winner in stoppage time f…

…what is ours!” she wrote, echoing a popular anthem sung by Argentine fans during the tournament. Villarruel’s father fought in the 1982 Falklands War between Argentina’s military dictatorship and the UK over the South Atlantic islands, whose sovereignty remains contested. The 74-day conflict ended in a British victory,…

…coach Didier Deschamps is departing Les Bleus following the team's exit from the 2026 tournament. The dreams of the 57-year-old, who won the World Cup as a player (in 1998) and a manager (in 2018), of winning it a third time are over after their 2-0 defeat by Spain in Tuesday's first semi-final. Deschamps confirmed in…

…New Jersey.It marks Spain's second-ever appearance in a World Cup final. Spain won the tournament in 2010. The Spaniards will face the winner of the second semifinal between defending champion Argentina and England, taking place Wednesday, July 15.Spain's first goal came in the 22nd minute when Mikel Oyarzabal scored f…

…Maradona considered him indispensable to his preparations and recovery during the tournament. Diego Maradona in action in the clash Argentina Vs England at the 1986 World Cup | FIFA He reminisced, "It may have been 40 years ago, but things like that never leave you. To think Argentina and England are going to meet agai…

…the setup, I know we had full concentration going into the game." Balogun finished the tournament as the United States' leading scorer with three goals. by Linda Ikeji at 14/07/2026 3:39 PM | Share this Story

…at the World Cup so far, the teenager is confident of making an impact in one of the tournament’s biggest matches. “I don’t focus on goals, but it’s always special to score in a match like this. I accept the challenge. That’s why I came here,” he said. Yamal described the encounter as “the game everyone was waiting for…

…to protect the future prospects of the national program.The Teranga Lions entered the tournament with high expectations after defeating Morocco to secure the Africa Cup of Nations title in January. However, their World Cup campaign faltered early in Group I, where they suffered consecutive opening defeats to France and…

…classified as the 'highest risk' match at the World Cup following a meeting of the FBI, tournament officials and local law enforcement. The FBI, FIFA officials and local police held a security meeting on Monday to assess the risks surrounding the match, highlighting the long-standing rivalry between England and Argenti…

…within the French camp, resulting in an 18-match international ban for the striker.The tournament implosion saw the rest of the Les Bleus squad famously refuse to train in protest of Anelka's immediate expulsion, leaving the French Football Federation (FFF) with no choice but to hand out sweeping suspensions upon their…

…assistant referee. The appointment places the experienced Elfath in charge of one of the tournament’s biggest fixtures as Lionel Messi-led Argentina seeks to defend the World Cup title they won in Qatar in 2022. The semi-final pits two of football’s traditional powerhouses against each other, with Argentina chasing a p…

…Stadium for a place in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final, with England aiming to reach the tournament’s showpiece match for the first time since 1966, while defending champions Argentina seek another appearance in the final. Atlanta Police said additional officers and security resources will be deployed across the city to…

…name. Many pundits believe Spain possess one of the strongest squads in this year’s tournament. After beginning their campaign with a disappointing goalless draw against World Cup debutants Cape Verde, Luis de la Fuente’s side have steadily gathered momentum. Their biggest challenge now will be containing France’s form…

…and ensure the squad reaches peak physical condition before moving to Rabat for the tournament. Nigeria will head into the competition, scheduled to hold from July 26 to August 16 in Morocco, aiming to retain their continental crown, extend their record to 11 titles and secure one of the qualification places for the 20…

…in the opening singles rubber, giving the team an early lead in their first tie of the tournament. Burundi responded in the second singles through Ange Ishimwe, who defeated Success Ogunjobi 6-3, 6-3 to level the contest and send the tie into a decisive doubles rubber. Needing a victory to avoid an opening-day setback,…

…FIFA, UEFA and the KNVB about the matter and expressed disappointment at missing the tournament.The alleged incident reportedly occurred while Dieperink was in London ahead of a UEFA Conference League fixture between Crystal Palace and Fiorentina. In a statement announcing his death, the KNVB described Dieperink as a r…

…ahead of the blockbuster 2026 World Cup semi-final clash against England in Atlanta. The tournament holders booked their place in the last four with a 3-1 victory over Switzerland, setting up a highly anticipated showdown against the Three Lions, who edged a 2-1 win over Norway in the quarter-finals. According to repor…

…FIFA World Cup, Nigeria have missed the last two editions of the men’s Olympic football tournament. With the NSC allaying fears over his future, Chelle has also expressed his desire to remain in charge of the Super Eagles. “I try to do my job and I want to say thank you for all the support. If I have some time, I will…

…ROBERTO SCHMIDT/AFP) The encounter will be their first World Cup meeting since the 2002 tournament. 2026 FIFA World Cup semi-final fixtures Tuesday, July 14 France vs Spain Time: 20:00 Venue: Dallas Stadium, Dallas Wednesday, July 15 England vs Argentina Time: 20:00 Venue: Atlanta Stadium, Atlanta Remaining fixtures Sa…

…offense. A dramatic rise in clinical finishing and tactical fluidity across the tournament has seen goal-scoring rates climb to historic heights. Countries have continued to score goals to ensure their side progress to the next stage of the tournament, with this in mind we have curated a list of those with the highest…

…negotiations. Germany are seeking a fresh start after another disappointing major tournament. Since lifting the World Cup in 2014 under Joachim Low, the four-time world champions have struggled to replicate that success, suffering group-stage exits in 2018 and 2022 before their latest knockout-stage disappointment. Klo…