#world-cup-2026

#world-cup-2026

Italy entered September's international window with ground to make up in Group I, trailing Norway by nine points but holding two games in hand. They responded well, brushing aside Estonia in Bergamo before heading to Hungary, where they fought through a chaotic encounter against Israel. Gattuso's side looked to have thrown away a vital win after surrendering a 4-2 lead, but Sandro Tonali's stoppage-time strike sealed a dramatic victory and kept their qualification hopes alive.

You can watch Egypt v Guinea-Bissau for free in some countries, thanks to the FIFA+ streaming service. There will be full live coverage with English commentary and you can watch without having to create an account just click play and watch for free. Although FIFA+ is widely available around the world, there are certain geo-restrictions, notably in the US, India, and certain African countries.

Wales arrive in this fixture reeling from a chastening 3-0 loss to England in a friendly, which exposed persistent defensive vulnerabilities. Their campaign so far has been a roller-coaster: resilient at home (unbeaten in competitive matches at Cardiff since June 2023), but porous early in matches-seven goals conceded before half-time across their last four games. Bellamy's side will be desperate to respond in front of home fans. They know that a draw may keep them in the hunt,

Denmark's qualification campaign has begun in emphatic fashion. After a goalless draw with Scotland in their opener, Brian Riemer's side turned in a clinical display in their rematch with Greece, winning 3-0 on foreign soil. Most recently, they demolished Belarus 6-0 in a neutral venue, with Rasmus Højlund registering a brace and Patrick Dorgu adding another - extending their goal difference to +9.

Nota bene: All products in this article are independently selected and vetted by InsideHook editors. If you buy something, we may earn an affiliate commission. Each week, our inbox runneth over with news of gear, apparel and tech releases from around the world. In this feature, we'll parse through the best of it. Today: A new collaboration from GAP and Sandy Liang is announced, Tom Holland and RDJ partner to merge coffee and beer, and World Cup balls drop in early celebration of the 2026 tournament.

Since winning the World Cup on home soil in 1966, England have only gone beyond the quarter-finals twice, finishing fourth both in Italy in 1990 and in Russia in 2018. In that time, they have gone out in the last eight at five tournaments, the last 16 twice and the group stage once (also second group stage in 1982), while failing to qualify on three occasions.

Immigration difficulties, mass deportation raids, and climate issues have plagued the United States, the biggest of the three World Cup host countries, for most of 2025. With the first phase of ticket sales leaving fans astounded by the record-high prices, it begs the question: how much will fans really be able to enjoy the 2026 World Cup? Immigration struggles Since Donald Trump's return to power, the US has made entering the country a nightmare for many.

Though he admits his main goal is to play for England at the World Cup next year, Jack Grealish insists he is focused on Everton at the moment.

GENEVA -- European soccer body UEFA is moving toward a vote to suspend its member federation Israel over the war in Gaza, people familiar with the proposal told The Associated Press on Thursday. A majority of UEFA's 20-member executive committee is expected to support any vote in favor of suspending Israeli teams from international play, two sources told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the subject.

FIFA said on Tuesday the program which has shared a total of hundreds of millions of dollars among clubs whose players were selected for each World Cup finals tournament since 2010 will now include all players who took part in qualifying games. Eritrea and Russia -- which has been suspended from international football since 2022 -- did not play qualifying games among FIFA's 211 member federations.

Mamdani, who is the current frontrunner ahead of November's general election, launched his Game Over Greed petition on Tuesday night, calling on FIFA to end dynamic pricing and set a price cap on resale tickets. He also called on soccer's governing body to set aside 15% of tickets for local residents at a discounted rate. Mamdani said thousands of people have signed the petition since it was launched Tuesday night.

The opening sales phase for the 2026 Fifa World Cup is the first chance for fans to secure tickets for the 23rd edition of the tournament. Organisers said almost 3.2 million tickets were sold for the 2022 finals in Qatar, generating $686 million in revenue. Tickets for the finals in the USA, Canada and Mexico are certain to be hugely popular again, featuring 104 international matches across 16 cities between June 11 and July 19 2026.

Ecuador have booked their ticket to a second straight World Cup with ease, even after starting this qualifying cycle on the back foot with a three-point deduction. El Tri have been remarkably hard to break down, posting seven wins, eight draws and just two defeats from 17 outings. All eight stalemates have finished 0-0 - including their last four in succession - highlighting both their defensive discipline and their attacking shortcomings.

If Spain are to come anywhere close to their 2008-2010 feats and back up their European Championship title by adding the World Cup, then they have a central problem. Literally. It's a 6-foot-2, 118-pound problem by the name of Rodri Hernández: Ballón d'Or winner, leader, champion, enforcer, brainiac, and someone without whom, on top form, Spain simply won't lift their second Mundial trophy in New Jersey next July.

Commissioner Kionne McGhee has expressed concerns over Miami-Dade's budget, indicating that the approval of $46 million for World Cup expenses needs to be reconsidered as funding for local nonprofits falls short.

The draw for the fourth round of AFC qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup revealed the six teams vying for places in the expanded tournament.

The United States will play Ecuador and Australia in October as part of its preparation for the 2026 World Cup, according to U.S. Soccer.

Jordan Henderson's contract with Ajax will not be extended as he seeks a new club ahead of the upcoming World Cup, attracting interest from English and European teams.

"It's a massive lesson for us, I think it's priceless," Pochettino said at his post-match press conference. "I think it was an amazing tournament to realise the way that we want to grow. It's also a very, very painful night. When you lose a trophy or lose a game, it's really, really painful. But the most important thing is to have our heads up."

Concacaf announced that players from Canada, United States and Mexico who receive a red card during the 2025 Gold Cup will serve a suspension during the team's next friendly match, as the disciplinary action does not carry over into the 2026 World Cup.

This one's really hard to swallow. We've got to learn how to win the biggest moments, right? We've made a lot of progress since I've been...

Cristiano Ronaldo emphasized the importance of rest ahead of the 2026 World Cup, leading him to extend his contract with Al-Nassr for two more years.

The 2026 World Cup will feature 16 venues across North America, marking the first time three countries—Canada, Mexico, and the United States—will share hosting duties.