FIFA World Cup: Mexico wins opening game for the first time

Mexico’s Raul Jimenez celebrates after scoring his side’s second goal during the World Cup Group A soccer match against South Africa in Mexico City on June 11, 2026. | Photo Credit: AP Mexico had never won their opening game of World Cup in seven attempts, registering five defeats and two draws during their previous appearances … Read more

Wataru Endo, Japan’s captain, is out of World Cup and retires from international duty

Japan’s captain Wataru Endo is out of this FIFA World Cup and also announced his retirement from international football. | Photo Credit: AP The Japan Football Association said Thursday (June 11, 2026) that captain Wataru Endo has withdrawn from the country’s World Cup squad due to a foot injury. Later the Liverpool midfielder announced his … Read more

Of old warhorses, their longevity and last dance

Messi. | Photo Credit: Reuters A look at age-verification documents would make one wonder how these warhorses’ batteries still have enough charge for the FIFA World Cup. It appears as though they have been competing at football’s glitziest spectacle since time immemorial. The ageless fighters, however, are likely to bid adieu to the pinnacle of … Read more

Brotherhood, shared memories, and the FIFA World Cup

Desire, left, and Guela share a light-hearted moment. | Photo Credit: AFP FIFA World Cups are as much about shared memory as they are about football. They are, at the same time, grand and intimate — a collective realisation that we are about to turn the page to a brand-new chapter in our global family … Read more

FIFA World Cup 2026: A guide to the 16 stadiums

The FIFA World Cup 2026 will be held across the United States of America, Canada, and Mexico from June 11 to July 19. The tournament will be the largest in the competition’s history, expanding from 32 to 48 teams and featuring a record 104 matches. Spanning three countries, four time zones and distances of up … Read more

FIFA World Cup: Full list of winners

On June 11, 2026, the FIFA World Cup 2026 will begin in North America, bringing together teams from across the globe. The tournament, to be jointly hosted by three countries and staged across 16 cities, will feature an expanded field of 48 teams, making it the largest edition in the competition’s history. More than 1,000 … Read more

FIFA World Cup: Infantino defends ticket prices, says fans ‘should chill’ about referee denied U.S. entry

FIFA president Gianni Infantino defended World Cup ticket prices on Wednesday (June 10, 2026), saying “if we do something wrong, then probably everyone selling tickets in North America is doing something wrong”. Infantino spoke with reporters during a rare question-and-answer session on the eve of the opening match of an expanded 48-nation, 104-game World Cup … Read more

​Sport during a war: On the FIFA World Cup 2026

No showpiece event of a sport has lived up to its billing quite like the FIFA World Cup. The 2026 edition, which kicks off on Thursday, offers proof. With 48 teams and 104 matches, it is the biggest ever. With roughly one in four FIFA member nations qualifying, and six of the seven continents represented, … Read more

Will expansion of dream lead to explosion of quality?

Mexico players have fun during a training session. | Photo Credit: Reuters The World Cup has a habit of redefining football’s hierarchy. New stars emerge, established powers fall and careers are forever defined by a handful of moments. As the tournament heads to North America for the first time since 1994, the game is at … Read more

FIFA World Cup 2026 Group D squads: Full player lists

Group D of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, co-hosted by the United States, promises an exhilarating show on the international football stage. The inclusion of the United States as the seeded host creates a uniquely competitive field alongside Australia, Türkiye, and Paraguay. Let’s have a detailed look at the Group D squads. United States of … Read more

World Cup 2026 Group L squads: Full player lists

The race to FIFA World Cup 2026 is gathering pace as 48 teams prepare to battle for football’s biggest prize across the United States, Canada and Mexico. Scheduled from June 11 to July 19, the biggest football is set to be played by 48 teams across over 100 match fixtures. Essentially, Group ‘L’ includes England, … Read more