FIFA World Cup 2026

Lionel Messi, one of the greatest footballers in history, has announced his retirement from international football at the age of 39. The Argentina captain shared the emotional news on social media on Monday, bringing an end to an extraordinary 20-year journey with the national team. The decision was clearly not an easy one for the legendary forward, who admitted that saying goodbye to the national team still hurts deeply.  Messi explained that he had been thinking about retirement since Argentina’s defeat to Spain

LaLiga has officially introduced a series of new refereeing rules for the 2026-27 season to improve match flow, reduce time-wasting, and ensure more consistent officiating. Several of the changes were successfully tested during the FIFA World Cup 2026 and have now been adopted for Spain's top-flight football competition. Aim of the New Rules The updated regulations are designed to: These rule changes are part of broader amendments approved by the International Football Association Board (IFAB). VAR Gets Expanded Powers One of the biggest

Argentina assistant coach Roberto Ayala has apologised for his involvement in the post-match altercation following the 2026 FIFA World Cup final, where Spain defeated Argentina 1-0. His comments come as FIFA continues its disciplinary investigation into the chaotic scenes that unfolded after the final whistle. Ayala Issues Public Apology Speaking to Valencia Capital Radio, Ayala acknowledged that his actions were inappropriate and accepted responsibility for the incident. "Of course I'm sorry. Given my position, I cannot allow a feeling, or whatever I might

Lionel Messi's dream of ending his legendary FIFA World Cup career with another title came to a heartbreaking end as Spain defeated Argentina 1-0 after extra time in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final. The 39-year-old captain, who inspired Argentina's remarkable run to the final, was left in tears after the final whistle as Spain claimed their second World Cup crown. Messi's Brilliant Tournament Ends in Heartbreak Messi delivered another unforgettable World Cup campaign, scoring eight goals and providing two assists, including a

Spain defeated Argentina in record-breaking extra time 1-0 to win the Football World Cup of 2026 at the New York New Jersey Stadium on Sunday. Ferran Torres, who was named man-of-the-match scoring the winning 106th minute goal that clinched a second title for Spain La Roja completely controlled the match for the full 90 minutes, with Argentina defending resiliently but failing to register a single shot on target—or even one attempt in general. They ended the day facing 20 shots to zero over

England and Argentina will renew one of football's greatest rivalries when they meet in the FIFA World Cup 2026 semifinal on Wednesday. England are aiming to reach their first World Cup final since winning the tournament in 1966, while defending champions Argentina hope to move one step closer to retaining the title. The match carries decades of history, from the 1982 Falklands War to Diego Maradona's famous "Hand of God" goal in the 1986 World Cup quarterfinal. This time, the spotlight falls on

Spain booked their place in the FIFA World Cup 2026 final with a dominant 2-0 victory over France in the first semifinal at Dallas Stadium. The European champions ended France's hopes of reaching a third consecutive World Cup final with a disciplined performance that kept Kylian Mbappé and the French attack largely quiet. Oyarzabal and Porro Seal Spain's Victory Spain took the lead in the 22nd minute after Lamine Yamal won a penalty following a foul by Lucas Digne. Mikel Oyarzabal calmly converted

England ended the hopes of a dogged Norway side at Miami Stadium on Saturday with Jude Bellingham's two goals including an extra-time winner taking the Three Lions through to the World Cup semifinals for a fourth time. Norway scored first when Andreas Schjelderup came up with a 36th minute wonder strike before England equalised just before halftime through Bellingham who cut into the area. However, just three minutes into extra time Morgan Rogers unleashed a long effort at the Norwegian goal which Orjan

France are just one win away from making history as they prepare to face Spain in the FIFA World Cup 2026 semifinal on Tuesday. Didier Deschamps' side is aiming to reach a third consecutive World Cup final and a fifth final appearance in the last eight editions of the tournament. Standing in their way is a formidable Spanish team that has already defeated France twice in recent years and boasts one of the tournament's strongest defensive records. France Chasing Another Historic Milestone France

Argentina booked their place in the FIFA World Cup 2026 semifinals after defeating Switzerland 3-1 in an entertaining extra-time battle. The reigning world champions showed their experience and resilience, overcoming a determined Swiss side to keep their title defence alive. Lionel Scaloni's men will now face England in what promises to be a blockbuster semifinal clash. Mac Allister Gives Argentina the Early Advantage Argentina started brightly and took the lead in the first half through Alexis Mac Allister, who finished clinically after a

England are gearing up for one of their toughest challenges yet at the FIFA World Cup 2026 as they prepare to face Norway in the quarter-finals, with Erling Haaland emerging as the team's biggest concern. Aston Villa forward Morgan Rogers summed up the task perfectly, asking, "Has anyone ever stopped Erling Haaland?" before admitting, "I'm not sure they have, but we're going to have to try." After helping England secure a hard-fought 3-2 victory over Mexico in the Round of 16, Rogers believes

France secured their place in the FIFA World Cup 2026 semi-finals with a commanding 2-0 victory over Morocco at Boston Stadium, as Kylian Mbappe once again delivered a match-winning performance. After missing a first-half penalty, the French captain bounced back in style by scoring his eighth goal of the tournament before setting up Ousmane Dembele to seal the win. The victory sends the two-time world champions into a third consecutive World Cup semi-final, where they will face the winner of Belgium vs Spain.

France booked their place in the 2026 FIFA World Cup semifinals after defeating Morocco 2-0 in Boston on Friday. After a tightly contested first half ended goalless, the two-time world champions stepped up after the break with goals from Kylian Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele to secure a comfortable victory. The win also marked France's third consecutive World Cup semifinal appearance, while Morocco were unable to replicate their historic run from Qatar 2022, where they were also eliminated by France in the last four.

The Egypt coach crossed his arms into FIFA's official racism-alert symbol during Egypt's heartbreaking exit to Argentina — but no protocol was triggered, and nobody has explained why One of the most talked-about moments of the 2026 FIFA World Cup didn't come from a goal. It came from a gesture. As Egypt's dramatic Round of 16 exit to Argentina reached its final, chaotic minutes, head coach Hossam Hassan raised both arms and crossed his forearms into an "X" in front of the fourth

Switzerland qualified for the quarter final stage of FIFA World Cup 2026 after beating Colombia in penalties as they drew 0-0 after extra time followed by a nail-biting 4-3 win on spot-kicks. BC Place, Vancouver. The Round of 16 clash at the Round of 16 gave us high-octane football, incredible goalkeeping and late drama until this historic win for Switzerland. A Tactical Battle Ends Goalless Both teams made a steady defensive effort throughout regular time, allowing few clear looks at goal. Switzerland had

Iran's national football team took a playful dig at the United States on Tuesday. The jab came right after Belgium thrashed the co-hosts 4-1 in the Round of 16. Iran's official account shared an Instagram Story showing Belgium's win over USA. The post also featured Belgium's earlier goalless draw against Iran in the group stage. The caption read simply, "Dance with me!" The post spread quickly across social media within hours. Many fans read it as a light jab at USA's early exit.

Malik Tillman felt bad about handing the short-handed U.S. men’s national team insurance it craved in a 2-0 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina, sending both through to the World Cup’s round of 16, but he laughed all week about someone like him scoring a free-kick goal in the 82nd minute. Finally, the U.S. next faces Belgium in Seattle on Monday. Earlier Wednesday, the Belgians advanced 3-2 against Senegal after extra time. Read the full match report to see how the USA secured a

Harry Kane rescued England from World Cup disaster with two late goals as the Three Lions beat the Democratic Republic of Congo 2-1 in Atlanta to secure a place in the last 16. Needing to win a major tournament in 60 years, Thomas Tuchel's men were spared from humiliation and one the most embarrassing World Cup exits after Brian Cipenga's goal gave Congo an early start, keeping faith with their talismanic captain. But the Three Lions will have to find another level as

England played DR Congo today in Round of 32 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta, GA). Normal service for European giants is at a also reasonable 5pm BST with the chance to secure a last 16 berth. Five storylines that could affect how this game goes: 1. England's Right Back Problem An injury to Jarell Quansah and Reece James sees the former (above) drop out for this one. Djed Spence comes in at right-back, a position England have not been entirely assured in throughout the

FIFA has confirmed that fans will be allowed to bring rainbow flags to the FIFA World Cup Group G match between Egypt and Iran in Seattle, despite objections from both participating nations. The fixture, scheduled during Pride weekend, has been designated as Seattle's "Pride Match" by the city's local organising committee, sparking debate ahead of kickoff. The controversy emerged after the World Cup draw paired Egypt and Iran for the Seattle fixture. Both Muslim-majority nations expressed concerns over the Pride-related branding. Egypt's Football