#2026-world-cup

#2026-world-cup

Schloessman has been preparing for that big deal for most of the last eight years. Together with the local host committee and civic leaders, she helped secure eight games for SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, set up fanfests throughout the region, organized public transportation, found training centers for visiting teams and worked to establish a legacy program that will ensure the tournament's influence continues well beyond the final match.

Fifa is set to press ahead with plans to have VAR checks on the awarding of corner kicks at the 2026 World Cup despite domestic leagues rejecting the idea for the wider game. At an October meeting of the International Football Association Board (Ifab) - which determines the laws of the game - there was agreement that VAR could be expanded to cover incorrectly shown second yellow cards that lead to a red.

For the first time at a World Cup draw, the venues and kick-off times for all 104 matches won't be released on the same day as we learn the groups -- with FIFA instead placing the games in the best location based on the time zones, of which there are four for the tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Friday, December 5 sees the 2026 World Cup draw take place in Washington D.C. Fans of the qualified nations, and even those of play-off hopefuls, will then be able to start plotting their routes to a possible coronation at MetLife Stadium next July. Sixteen venues in the United States, Canada and Mexico will play host to the biggest-ever edition of the tournament, with the number of teams increasing from 32 to 48 and the tally of games upped from 64 to 104.

Losing 5-1 is certainly not something that can be ignored. There's a term for it that's meant to be private, but one feels ashamed when results like this occur.

After all, they have perhaps the best player in the world right now, with the Manchester City striker netting a staggering 16 goals in eight World Cup qualifying games. We're used to seeing numbers like that from Haaland at club level, but he can clearly also do it without the help of Pep Guardiola and world class teammates like the ones alongside him at the Etihad Stadium.

European qualifying for the 2026 World Cup finished Tuesday with Spain, Belgium, Switzerland, Scotland and Austria securing the region's remaining automatic spots. Spain was held to a 2-2 home draw at Turkey but guaranteed first place in Group E and equaled Italy's 31-match unbeaten streak in competitive matches. Italy's record came between 2018 and 2021.

Lithuania were caught playing out from the back in the 16th minute, with Tijjani Reijnders spinning to meet Frenkie de Jong's throughball and rifle his effort into the top-left corner. He arguably should have had a second shortly after; he broke through the defence once more, only to bend his outside-of-the-boot shot off the left post. Lithuania offered very little threat, but a second-half collapse ensured there was no way back into the game after Artemijus Tutyskinas was penalised for a handball.

So if we think there is a problem in Seattle we have a very, very liberal-slash-communist mayor. I would say certainly beyond just liberal. I watched her over the weekend. Another beauty we've got there. If we think there's going to be a problem, Gianni, can I say we will move? Trump asked Infantino. Trump continued, I don't think we will have this problem, but we will move the event to some place it will be appreciated and safe.

Another international, another impressive performance so far from Elliot Anderson. Only his fifth England appearance, already looks so at home, surely Tuchel's starting No 6 at the World Cup. Good in possession. Taking ball from Pickford, calmly passing through the Serbian press.

The shirt design confirms the leaks - a hybrid of the iconic 1990 and 2014 World Cup winning shirts, featuring a black, red, and gold chevron separated by white diamonds in the middle. The stars above the DFB crest are adorned with the years Germany won the World Cup - 54', 74', 90', and 14'. Black and red trim adorns the sleeves and collars, and black shorts and white socks round off the outfit.

In Santa Ursula Coapa, the most constant sound is no longer that of shouts, cheers, and whistles from the stadium, but that of bulldozers. The neighborhoods surrounding the Azteca Stadium Santa Ursula, Huipulco, and Pedregal de Carrasco are experiencing an accelerated construction frenzy that many residents attribute to the impact of the 2026 World Cup. Mexico City will be one of the three host cities in the country for the tournament, along with Monterrey and Guadalajara.

"And I would like to be there. To feel well and to be an important part of helping my national team, if I am there. I am going to assess that on a day-to-day basis when I start preseason next year with Inter [Miami] and see if I can really be 100%. I'm really eager because it's the World Cup. We're coming off winning the last World Cup, and being able to defend it on the field again is spectacular"

The former Three Lions captain played in the 1998, 2002 and 2006 editions of the tournament, experiencing some memorable highs and crushing lows. Who can forget Beckham's red card for kicking out at Argentina's Diego Simeone at France 98 - or his cathartic, match-winning penalty against the same opponents in Japan and Korea four years later?

Trump has previously suggested he could declare cities not safe for the 104-game soccer tournament and alter a detailed hosting plan that FIFA confirmed in 2022. It includes games at NFL stadiums near New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco. World Cup host sites aren't up to Trump. The 11 U.S. cities plus three in Mexico and two in Canada are contracted with FIFA, which would face significant logistical and legal issues to make changes in the eight months before the June 11 kickoff.

The reporter mentioned Seattle and San Francisco as two cities that have seen demonstrations, and pointed out that both cities are World Cup hosts (though San Francisco is not a host city, but part of the San Francisco Bay Area that will host games at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara). The reporter then asked Trump if the demonstrations could result in the loss of World Cup games from those host venues.