FIFA World Cup

Morocco hold Brazil to 1-1 draw in World Cup opener

Morocco and Brazil traded early goals and played to a 1-1 draw on Saturday in their 2026 FIFA World Cup Group C opener at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Ismael Saibari gave the Atlas Lions the lead in…

Brady, Travis Scott meet Neymar at World Cup opener

Tom Brady and Travis Scott were among the stars who descended on MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on Saturday for the FIFA World Cup 2026 group-stage clash between Brazil and Morocco, where both were spotted greeting an injured…

Ghana’s Partey denied entry to Canada for World Cup opener

The 2026 FIFA World Cup, which kicked off on June 11 in Mexico City, is already entangled in the politics of U.S. immigration enforcement. From a Somali referee barred at Miami International Airport to fans from multiple African nations locked…

Neymar ruled out of Brazil’s World Cup opener against Morocco

Brazil will take the field without their all-time leading scorer Neymar when they open their 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign against Morocco on Saturday evening at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Coach Carlo Ancelotti confirmed the news at…

Lisa makes history as first Thai artist to perform at World Cup ceremony

BLACKPINK's Lisa took the stage at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles on Friday evening as part of the United States' opening ceremony for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, performing "Goals" — her collaboration with Brazilian artist Anitta and Nigerian singer…

Canada opens World Cup with ceremony, earns first-ever point in 1-1 draw

Canada welcomed the world to the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Friday with a star-studded opening ceremony at Toronto Stadium, blending music, cultural tribute, and national pride ahead of the host nation's historic first World Cup match on home soil…

Streaming platforms crashed worldwide on World Cup opening night

The 2026 FIFA World Cup opened on Thursday in Mexico City with co-hosts Mexico defeating South Africa 2-0, but for millions of fans across at least three continents, the experience was defined not by the football but by the inability…

2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off as Mexico beats South Africa 2-0

The 2026 FIFA World Cup opened on Thursday in Mexico City with co-hosts Mexico defeating South Africa 2-0 at the Estadio Azteca, launching the largest edition of the tournament in history. The match, which featured three red cards, echoed the…

FIFA World Cup kicks off with concerts across three host nations

The FIFA World Cup 2026 launched its pre-tournament celebrations on Wednesday with simultaneous Countdown Concerts across Mexico City, Toronto, and Los Angeles, bringing together an international roster of performers one day before the tournament's opening match in Mexico City.

2026 FIFA World Cup opens with Shakira, Burna Boy headlining Mexico City ceremony

The 2026 FIFA World Cup opened on Thursday with a spectacle of music and football at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, as Shakira and Burna Boy took the stage to perform "Dai Dai," the tournament's official anthem, live for…

FIFA World Cup 2026 kicks off as first AI-built tournament

As the 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off this week across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, the tournament is being widely described as the first "AI World Cup" — a competition where artificial intelligence is embedded not as a…

Google and OpenAI compete for World Cup spotlight with rival sponsorship deals

As the 2026 FIFA World Cup prepares to kick off across North America, two of the world's largest AI platforms have staked their claims on the tournament — Google's Alphabet Inc. Gemini through sponsorship deals with multiple national teams, and…

Trump confirms he will attend World Cup matches

President Donald Trump confirmed on Wednesday that he plans to attend matches at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, days before the tournament kicks off in North America amid ongoing controversy over U.S. immigration policies affecting fans and officials.

North America’s soccer fan base tops 136 million ahead of World Cup

North America's soccer fan base has expanded by 10.9% over the past five years to more than 136 million people, according to a Nielsen report released Tuesday, underscoring the sport's momentum as the 2026 FIFA World Cup prepares to kick…

Iran says US revoked its World Cup ticket allocation

Iran's football federation announced on Tuesday that its entire ticket allocation for the 2026 FIFA World Cup has been withdrawn, leaving Iranian supporters who had already arranged travel unable to attend their national team's group stage matches.

Mass visa denials block World Cup fans from Morocco, Ghana and other nations

With the 2026 FIFA World Cup set to kick off on June 11, fans from across the Global South are finding themselves shut out of the tournament despite holding tickets and spending thousands on travel preparations. Mass visa refusals have…

2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off June 11 with 48 teams across three nations

The largest FIFA World Cup in history is days away. On Thursday, June 11, Mexico will face South Africa in the opening match of the 2026 tournament, launching a 38-day, 104-match spectacle spread across 16 cities in the United States,…

World Cup teams descend on North America ahead of June 11 kickoff

With the 2026 FIFA World Cup set to kick off on June 11, national teams from around the globe are descending on North America, transforming training facilities across the United States into temporary homes for the world's best footballers.

Soccer’s rule-makers approve sweeping changes for 2026 World Cup

The International Football Association Board has approved a landmark set of rule changes that will debut at the 2026 FIFA World Cup when the tournament kicks off on June 11 across the United States, Mexico, and Canada. The changes, announced…

Messi named to Argentina’s World Cup squad at age 38

Lionel Messi will make history at the 2026 FIFA World Cup after coach Lionel Scaloni named the 38-year-old captain to Argentina's 26-man squad on Thursday, setting the stage for an unprecedented sixth World Cup appearance.

DHS chief says ICE will deploy daily at World Cup venues

Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin confirmed that Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Homeland Security Investigations agents will be deployed daily at FIFA World Cup 2026 venues across the United States, marking one of the largest federal law enforcement mobilizations for…

Ronaldo, 41, named to record sixth World Cup squad

Cristiano Ronaldo, at 41 years old, will captain Portugal at his record sixth FIFA World Cup after coach Roberto Martínez on Tuesday announced a 27-player squad for the 2026 tournament, paying tribute to the late Diogo Jota with a symbolic…

Shakira, Burna Boy release 2026 World Cup anthem

Colombian pop icon Shakira and Nigerian Afrobeats star Burna Boy have released "Dai Dai," the official anthem of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, FIFA announced on Friday. The track, released via Sony Music Latin and now available on all major…

Deschamps names France’s 26-man World Cup squad

Didier Deschamps announced his final 26-man squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Thursday, capping months of speculation over who would make the cut for what will be the longtime coach's farewell tournament at the helm of Les Bleus.

Madonna, Shakira and BTS to headline first World Cup halftime show

FIFA and Global Citizen announced that Shakira, Madonna, and K-pop supergroup BTS will co-headline the inaugural halftime show at the 2026 FIFA World Cup final on July 19 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. The performance, curated by Coldplay frontman…

Visa delays push World Cup fans toward Canada

With the first tri-nation FIFA World Cup set to kick off on June 11, international fans are increasingly eyeing Canada as their gateway to the tournament, driven by a simpler entry process, growing airline capacity, and mounting concerns about traveling…

Messi becomes fastest to 100 MLS goal contributions

BMO Field hosted the largest crowd in Toronto FC's history on Saturday as 44,828 fans packed into the newly expanded stadium to watch Lionel Messi's Inter Miami dismantle their hosts 4-2 in what doubled as a dress rehearsal for next…

Amnesty urges FIFA chief to reject repression at World Cup

With the 2026 FIFA World Cup set to kick off on June 11, two of the world's leading human rights organizations are sounding alarms about the conditions awaiting fans, players, and journalists — particularly in the United States, where 78…

Surging costs and travel bans cloud 2026 World Cup’s economic promise

With the 2026 FIFA World Cup set to kick off on June 11, a convergence of soaring energy prices, restrictive U.S. immigration policies, and softer-than-expected tourism demand is clouding the economic picture for what was meant to be the most…

Italy miss third straight World Cup as 48-team field is set

Four-time champions Italy will miss a third consecutive FIFA World Cup after a devastating penalty shootout loss to Bosnia-Herzegovina on Tuesday, a result that filled the last remaining European berths and completed the 48-team lineup for the expanded tournament set…