Norway’s Erling Haaland celebrates scoring team’s second goal against Senegal, on June 22, 2026 | Photo Credit: Reuters Erling Haaland scored twice to raise his World Cup goals total to four, as Norway advanced to the Round of 32 with a 3-2 win over Senegal on Monday night (June 22, 2026). Marcus Pederson put the … Read more
The World Cup match between France and Iraq was suspended at half-time on Monday due to a severe weather alert, as fans were told to take shelter from an approaching thunderstorm. A FIFA official said the game in Philadelphia, which kicked off at 2100 GMT, would be delayed for at least half an hour, including … Read more
Lionel Messi scores Argentina’s second goal during the World Cup Group J match between Argentina and Austria in Arlington, Texas, near Dallas on June 22, 2026. | Photo Credit: AP After a stunning three-goal opener against Algeria on June 16, 2026, Argentina captain Lionel Messi climbed the ranks of footballers with the most goals scored … Read more
Argentina’s Lionel Messi scores his side’s second goal during the World Cup Group J match between Argentina and Austria in Arlington, Texas, near Dallas, on June 22, 2026 | Photo Credit: AP The takeover had begun long before kick-off. The previous evening, thousands had gathered at the Klyde Warren Park for the traditional Argentine Banderazo, … Read more
Ronaldo will once again be the centre of attraction. | Photo Credit: Getty Images For a team that enjoyed 75 per cent possession, completed 783 passes and spent much of the afternoon monopolising the ball, Portugal emerged from its World Cup opener with remarkably little to show for. The numbers from the 1-1 Group K … Read more
Hello, all and a warm welcome to the Group J clash between Argentina and Austria in Dallas. Lineups are announced and players are warming up. Argentina: Emiliano Martinez; Lisandro Martinez, Cristian Romero, Facundo Medina, Nahuel Molina, Rodrigo de Paul, Alexis Mac Allister, Enzo Fernandez, Lionel Messi, Thiago Almada, Lautaro Martinez Austria: Alexander Schlager; Kevin Danso, … Read more
Austria’s Konrad Laimer and David Alaba in action with Argentina’s Lionel Messi on June 22, 2026 | Photo Credit: Reuters Lionel Messi became the all-time leading scorer in men’s World Cup history on Monday (June 22, 2026), netting his 17th tournament goal during Argentina’s match against Austria to surpass Germany striker Miroslav Klose. Argentina vs … Read more
Young football fans playing in Bengaluru. | Photo Credit: SUDHAKARA JAIN As football fans world over celebrate their abiding love for the sport in the ongoing season of FIFA World Cup, The Hindu’s reporters attempt to put the fever and frenzy into perspective with a series on Bengaluru’s tryst with the game over the decades. … Read more
The 2026 FIFA World Cup has delivered dramatic matches, surprise results and compelling storylines. But beyond the football, the tournament has also become a flashpoint for debates about geopolitics, immigration and access. Iran’s participation has been overshadowed by the fallout of a wider regional conflict, while visa denials and travel restrictions have raised questions about … Read more
Impactful: Oyarzabal’s value to the national team, filled with stars, extends well beyond the goals he scores. | Photo Credit: Getty Images Football, like life, has a habit of changing fortunes quickly. Less than a week ago, Mikel Oyarzabal found himself attached to an unwanted statistic after Spain’s goalless draw against Cape Verde. For nearly … Read more
Kylian Mbappé passed Pelé on the World Cup goal-scoring list and inched closer to setting the overall goal record for the tournament. And, Mbappé also set France’s national team goal-scoring record. Also read | Kylian Mbappe has World Cup history in sights after breaking France scoring record All that in just his first World Cup … Read more
The movement of Olmo between the lines repeatedly unsettled the Saudi Arabian defence. | Photo Credit: Getty Images For a few days, questions had followed the Spanish team everywhere. Had the draw against Cape Verde exposed deep-lying flaws in one of the pre-tournament favourites? Had opponents finally discovered a way to blunt the fluidity that had made … Read more
Uruguay’s Rodrigo Zalazar, Rodrigo Aguirre and Mathias Olivera look dejected after their FIFA World Cup 2026 Group H match with Cape Verde, in the Miami Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida, U.S., on June 21, 2026. | Photo Credit: Reuters Uruguay is off to a start many did not expect. After draws against Saudi Arabia and Cape … Read more
Argentine referee Dario Herrera shows a red card to Belgium’s Nathan Ngoy during the 2026 World Cup Group G football match against Iran at the Los Angeles Stadium in Inglewood on June 21, 2026. | Photo Credit: AFP The 2026 FIFA World Cup has already matched the combined red card tally of the 2018 and … Read more
Egypt’s Mohamed Salah celebrates after the FIFA World Cup 2026 match against New Zealand on June 21, 2026. | Photo Credit: Reuters Mohamed Salah scored the go-ahead goal and Egypt went on to defeat New Zealand 3-1 on Sunday night and secure its first-ever World Cup win. Salah celebrated his 68th international goal by pumping … Read more
Lionel Messi and World Cup holders Argentina face Austria in Dallas on Monday (June 22, 2026), with the Argentine great needing one more goal to rewrite the record books. Messi, who turns 39 on Wednesday (June 24, 2026), equalled Miroslav Klose’s all-time mark of 16 World Cup goals when scoring a hat-trick in the 3-0 … Read more
Egypt’s Mohamed Salah acknowledges fans as he is substituted off during the World Cup Group G soccer match between New Zealand and Egypt in Vancouver, British Columbia on Sunday (June 21, 2026). | Photo Credit: AP While Mohamed Salah’s club career is still undecided, he’s building his legacy with Egypt. Also read | FIFA World … Read more
Illustration: Sreejith R. Kumar The 1990 FIFA World Cup will always remain intertwined in my memory with the cold, rain-soaked nights of the southwest monsoon in Kerala. Even today, when the first rain of the season arrives in June, carrying the scent of wet earth and the sound of water dripping from coconut leaves, my … Read more
Cape Verde’s Vozinha and Laros Duarte celebrate after the match | Photo Credit: Reuters World Cup debutants Cape Verde scored a second-half equaliser to salvage a 2-2 draw against Uruguay on Sunday (June 21, 2026) in Miami, backing up their shock opening stalemate with Spain. Cape Verde took a surprise 21st-minute lead as Kevin Pina … Read more
Egypt’s Omar Marmoush in action with New Zealand’s Finn Surman during the FIFA World Cup 2026 match on June 21, 2026. | Photo Credit: Reuters Mohamed Salah scored the go-ahead goal, and Egypt went on to defeat New Zealand by 3-1 on Sunday night in their Group G match, securing its first-ever World Cup win. … Read more
Iran’s Alireza Beiranvand makes a save at the Los Angeles Stadium, Inglewood, California, U.S. on June 21, 2026. Photo: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Ten-man Belgium were left frustrated after being held to a 0-0 draw by a determined Iran in their World Cup Group G clash in Los Angeles on Sunday (June 21, 2026), failing … Read more
Spain’s Lamine Yamal, left, and Saudi Arabia’s Salem Aldawsari battle for the ball during the World Cup Group H soccer match between Spain and Saudi Arabia in Atlanta, on June 21, 2026. | Photo Credit: AP Spain had arrived in Atlanta needing a response. Ninety minutes later, it left with relief, having rediscovered the goals … Read more
Cape Verde’s Kevin Pina celebrates scoring their first goal with teammates on June 21, 2026. | Photo Credit: Reuters This live blog is now closed. Cape Verde fought back to earn a 2-2 draw with Uruguay in World Cup Group H on Sunday as the African archipelago maintained their stunning unbeaten start at the global … Read more
Referee Dario Herrera, right, shows a red card to Belgium’s Nathan Ngoy (25), center, during the World Cup Group G soccer match between Belgium and Iran in Inglewood, Calif., near Los Angeles, on June 21, 2026. | Photo Credit: AP This liveblog is now closed: Belgium were held to a scoreless draw by Iran in … Read more
Goal! Spain 2, Saudi Arabia 0. Mikel Oyarzabal (Spain) left footed shot from the left side of the six yard box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Aymeric Laporte with a headed pass following a corner. Soccer Football – FIFA World Cup 2026 – Group H – Spain v Saudi Arabia – Atlanta Stadium, … Read more
Lionel Messi during a training session. | Photo Credit: Getty Images Lionel Messi has spent the better part of two decades bending football’s sense of time. Records that once looked permanent have become milestones in his journey through the game. Defenders have changed, managers have changed, even the shape of Argentina around him has changed, … Read more
Japan’s Ayase Ueda and Keisuke Goto celebrate after the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group F match against Tunisia, on June 20, 2026. | Photo Credit: Reuters Japan marked the 1,000th game in the history of the World Cup with a 4-0 thrashing of Tunisia on Saturday (June 20, 2026) to close in on a place … Read more
Curacao goalkeeper Eloy Room joked that he deserves a statue on the Caribbean island after a jaw-dropping display that earned the team their first-ever World Cup point. The 37-year-old shot-stopper made 15 saves in the Group E match against Ecuador on Saturday (June 20, 2026) to keep alive Curacao’s hopes of progressing to the knockout … Read more
Japan showed their battling qualities to salvage a 2-2 draw with the Netherlands in their World Cup Group F opener on Sunday (June 14, 2026) as Hajime Moriyasu’s side backed up their desire to make an impact at the tournament with a gritty display. Daichi Kamada was credited with his side’s all-important second goal in … Read more
Iran coach Amir Ghalenoei said Saturday (June 20, 2026) he has been told US travel restrictions on his World Cup team will finally be eased for their third group game, but blasted the treatment they have received so far for damaging their on-field performance. The Iranian squad arrived at the World Cup with their country … Read more