World Cup 2026 Soccer / Football
News
Argentina lose Martinez and Romero to injuries
20.7.26 Argentina
Argentina lost both starting center backs, Lisandro Martinez and Cristian Romero, to injuries during the World Cup final against Spain, weakening its defense in a match that remained scoreless through regulation. Spain eventually claimed a 1-0 extra-time victory on Ferran Torres' 106th-minute goal to win the World Cup, ending Argentina's title defense.
Tuchel says back injury ruled Mainoo
19.7.26 England
England manager Thomas Tuchel said Kobbie Mainoo missed the World Cup third-place win over France after suffering a back injury in training. The Manchester United midfielder did not play a single minute during England's World Cup campaign, prompting criticism of Tuchel's selection decisions despite Mainoo's strong club form and England's midfield struggles.
Yamal declared fit for World Cup final
18.7.26 Spain
Spain coach Luis de la Fuente confirmed that Lamine Yamal is fully fit for Sunday's World Cup final after recovering from a painful knock sustained in the semifinal win over France. The 19-year-old missed one training session as a precaution after suffering a dead leg but returned to full training and is expected to play.
Yamal sits out Spain training
17.7.26 Spain
Spain are closely monitoring Lamine Yamal's fitness after the Barcelona winger trained separately with heavy strapping on his left thigh ahead of the 2026 World Cup final against Argentina. The 19-year-old suffered a heavy knock in the semifinal win over France, but the team believes his reduced workload is precautionary and remains optimistic he will be available for Sunday's final.
Declan Rice fit for World Cup semi-final
15.7.26 England
England manager Thomas Tuchel has confirmed Declan Rice is fit to start Wednesday's World Cup semi-final against Argentina after recovering from illness. Rice returned to training, while Tuchel said all available players are fit, with only suspended Jarell Quansah and injured Jordan Henderson unavailable.
William Saliba suffers injury
15.7.26 France
William Saliba was forced off with a suspected muscular injury early in France's World Cup semi-final defeat to Spain after going down unchallenged. The Arsenal defender's injury adds to France's disappointment, while his fitness is now a concern ahead of the third-place play-off and Arsenal's upcoming season.
Mbappe expected to be fit for semifinal
14.7.26 France
France captain Kylian Mbappe is expected to be available for Tuesday's FIFA World Cup semifinal against Spain despite a minor ankle injury sustained in the quarterfinal win over Morocco. Coach Didier Deschamps said the forward is fit after having his training workload reduced as a precaution, with France aiming to reach the final against an unbeaten Spain side.
England optimistic Rice will be fit for semifinal
14.7.26 England
England are increasingly confident midfielder Declan Rice will be fit to start Wednesday's World Cup semifinal against Argentina after recovering from illness that limited him in the quarterfinal win over Norway. The team will continue monitoring several other players, including Nico O'Reilly, Ezri Konsa and Marc Guehi, ahead of the clash.
| Team | Pts | GD | W-D-L | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Group A | ||||
| 1 | Mexico | 9 | 6 | 3-0-0 (3) |
| 2 | S.Africa | 4 | -1 | 1-1-1 (3) |
| 3 | Korea S. | 3 | -1 | 1-0-2 (3) |
| 4 | Czech R. | 1 | -4 | 0-1-2 (3) |
| Mexico 2:0 S.Africa | Korea S. 2:1 Czech R. | |||
| Czech R. 1:1 S.Africa | Mexico 1:0 Korea S. | |||
| S.Africa 1:0 Korea S. | Czech R. 0:3 Mexico | |||
| Group B | ||||
| 1 | Switzerl. | 7 | 4 | 2-1-0 (3) |
| 2 | Canada | 4 | 5 | 1-1-1 (3) |
| 3 | Bosnia | 4 | -1 | 1-1-1 (3) |
| 4 | Qatar | 1 | -8 | 0-1-2 (3) |
| Canada 1:1 Bosnia | Qatar 1:1 Switzerl. | |||
| Switzerl. 4:1 Bosnia | Canada 6:0 Qatar | |||
| Switzerl. 2:1 Canada | Bosnia 3:1 Qatar | |||
| Group C | ||||
| 1 | Brazil | 7 | 6 | 2-1-0 (3) |
| 2 | Morocco | 7 | 3 | 2-1-0 (3) |
| 3 | Scotland | 3 | -3 | 1-0-2 (3) |
| 4 | Haiti | 0 | -6 | 0-0-3 (3) |
| Haiti 0:1 Scotland | Brazil 1:1 Morocco | |||
| Scotland 0:1 Morocco | Brazil 3:0 Haiti | |||
| Morocco 4:2 Haiti | Scotland 0:3 Brazil | |||
| Group D | ||||
| 1 | USA | 6 | 4 | 2-0-1 (3) |
| 2 | Australia | 4 | 0 | 1-1-1 (3) |
| 3 | Paraguay | 4 | -2 | 1-1-1 (3) |
| 4 | Turkey | 3 | -2 | 1-0-2 (3) |
| USA 4:1 Paraguay | Australia 2:0 Turkey | |||
| USA 2:0 Australia | Turkey 0:1 Paraguay | |||
| Turkey 3:2 USA | Paraguay 0:0 Australia | |||
| Group E | ||||
| 1 | Germany | 6 | 6 | 2-0-1 (3) |
| 2 | Ivory C. | 6 | 2 | 2-0-1 (3) |
| 3 | Ecuador | 4 | 0 | 1-1-1 (3) |
| 4 | Curacao | 1 | -8 | 0-1-2 (3) |
| Germany 7:1 Curacao | Ivory C. 1:0 Ecuador | |||
| Germany 2:1 Ivory C. | Ecuador 0:0 Curacao | |||
| Curacao 0:2 Ivory C. | Ecuador 2:1 Germany | |||
| Group F | ||||
| 1 | Holland | 7 | 6 | 2-1-0 (3) |
| 2 | Japan | 5 | 4 | 1-2-0 (3) |
| 3 | Sweden | 4 | 0 | 1-1-1 (3) |
| 4 | Tunisia | 0 | -10 | 0-0-3 (3) |
| Holland 2:2 Japan | Sweden 5:1 Tunisia | |||
| Holland 5:1 Sweden | Tunisia 0:4 Japan | |||
| Tunisia 1:3 Holland | Japan 1:1 Sweden | |||
| Group G | ||||
| 1 | Belgium | 5 | 4 | 1-2-0 (3) |
| 2 | Egypt | 5 | 2 | 1-2-0 (3) |
| 3 | Iran | 3 | 0 | 0-3-0 (3) |
| 4 | New Zeal. | 1 | -6 | 0-1-2 (3) |
| Belgium 1:1 Egypt | Iran 2:2 New Zeal. | |||
| Belgium 0:0 Iran | New Zeal. 1:3 Egypt | |||
| Egypt 1:1 Iran | New Zeal. 1:5 Belgium | |||
| Group H | ||||
| 1 | Spain | 7 | 5 | 2-1-0 (3) |
| 2 | Cape Verde | 3 | 0 | 0-3-0 (3) |
| 3 | Uruguay | 2 | -1 | 0-2-1 (3) |
| 4 | S.Arabia | 2 | -4 | 0-2-1 (3) |
| Spain 0:0 Cape Verde | S.Arabia 1:1 Uruguay | |||
| Spain 4:0 S.Arabia | Uruguay 2:2 Cape Verde | |||
| Cape Verde 0:0 S.Arabia | Uruguay 0:1 Spain | |||
| Group I | ||||
| 1 | France | 9 | 8 | 3-0-0 (3) |
| 2 | Norway | 6 | 1 | 2-0-1 (3) |
| 3 | Senegal | 3 | 2 | 1-0-2 (3) |
| 4 | Iraq | 0 | -11 | 0-0-3 (3) |
| France 3:1 Senegal | Iraq 1:4 Norway | |||
| France 3:0 Iraq | Norway 3:2 Senegal | |||
| Norway 1:4 France | Senegal 5:0 Iraq | |||
| Group J | ||||
| 1 | Argentina | 9 | 7 | 3-0-0 (3) |
| 2 | Austria | 4 | 0 | 1-1-1 (3) |
| 3 | Algeria | 4 | -2 | 1-1-1 (3) |
| 4 | Jordan | 0 | -5 | 0-0-3 (3) |
| Argentina 3:0 Algeria | Austria 3:1 Jordan | |||
| Argentina 2:0 Austria | Jordan 1:2 Algeria | |||
| Jordan 1:3 Argentina | Algeria 3:3 Austria | |||
| Group K | ||||
| 1 | Colombia | 7 | 3 | 2-1-0 (3) |
| 2 | Portugal | 5 | 5 | 1-2-0 (3) |
| 3 | Congo | 4 | 1 | 1-1-1 (3) |
| 4 | Uzbekistan | 0 | -9 | 0-0-3 (3) |
| Portugal 1:1 Congo | Uzbekistan 1:3 Colombia | |||
| Portugal 5:0 Uzbekistan | Colombia 1:0 Congo | |||
| Colombia 0:0 Portugal | Congo 3:1 Uzbekistan | |||
| Group L | ||||
| 1 | England | 7 | 4 | 2-1-0 (3) |
| 2 | Croatia | 6 | 0 | 2-0-1 (3) |
| 3 | Ghana | 4 | 0 | 1-1-1 (3) |
| 4 | Panama | 0 | -4 | 0-0-3 (3) |
| England 4:2 Croatia | Ghana 1:0 Panama | |||
| England 0:0 Ghana | Panama 0:1 Croatia | |||
| Panama 0:2 England | Croatia 2:1 Ghana | |||
Round of 32
| M1: Germany - Paraguay | (1:1) 1 : 2 |
| M2: France - Sweden | 3 : 0 |
| M3: S.Africa - Canada | 0 : 1 |
| M4: Holland - Morocco | (1:1) 1 : 2 |
| M5: Portugal - Croatia | 2 : 1 |
| M6: Spain - Austria | 3 : 0 |
| M7: USA - Bosnia | 2 : 0 |
| M8: Belgium - Senegal | 3 : 2 |
| M9: Brazil - Japan | 2 : 1 |
| M10: Ivory C. - Norway | 1 : 2 |
| M11: Mexico - Ecuador | 2 : 0 |
| M12: England - Congo | 2 : 1 |
| M13: Argentina - Cape Verde | 3 : 2 |
| M14: Australia - Egypt | (1:1) 1 : 2 |
| M15: Switzerl. - Algeria | 2 : 0 |
| M16: Colombia - Ghana | 1 : 0 |
Round of 16
| Paraguay - France | 0 : 1 |
| Canada - Morocco | 0 : 3 |
| Portugal - Spain | 0 : 1 |
| USA - Belgium | 1 : 4 |
| Brazil - Norway | 1 : 2 |
| Mexico - England | 2 : 3 |
| Argentina - Egypt | 3 : 2 |
| Switzerl. - Colombia | 1 : 0 |
Quarter-finals
| France - Morocco | 2 : 0 |
| Spain - Belgium | 2 : 1 |
| Norway - England | 1 : 2 |
| Argentina - Switzerl. | 3 : 1 |
Semi-finals
| France - Spain | 0 : 2 |
| England - Argentina | 1 : 2 |
Finals
| France - England | 4 : 6 |
| Spain - Argentina | 1 : 0 |
League format : World Cup 2026
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be the first ever with 48 teams, split into 12 groups of four, hosted across the USA, Canada, and Mexico from June 11 to July 19. The top two teams from each group plus the eight best third-placed teams advance to a new Round of 32, making the path to the trophy longer with 104 matches in total.
If two or more teams are equal on points on completion of the group matches, the following tie-breaking criteria are applied:
- Points obtained in matches between tied teams
- Goal difference in matches between tied teams
- Goals scored in matches between tied teams
- Goal difference in all group matches
- Goals scored in all group matches
- Fair play points in group stage
- Position in the latest FIFA World Ranking