World Soccer news

• What each team needs to reach World Cup knockouts

  28-06-2026 01:24 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  Austria need a point against Algeria to book their passage [Getty Images]The final round of group fixtures is nearing a conclusion, with the path to the World Cup final on 19 July becoming clearer.But with 32 of the 48 teams advancing to the knockout rounds, new tie-breaker rules, and a table of third-placed teams to keep track of, staying across the various permutations is far from simple. England won Group L but Scotland miss out on qualifying as one of the best third-placed sides. There are a
  
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• Bellingham sends signal to Mourinho after red-hot form for England: ‘At Real Madrid I play differently, a little deeper…’

  28-06-2026 08:00 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  Bellingham sends signal to Mourinho after red-hot form for England: ‘At Real Madrid I play differently, a little deeper…’Jude Bellingham has been on fire for England at the FIFA World Cup and has thrived as the team’s attacking midfielder under Thomas Tuchel.He scored in the team’s opener against Croatia and was named the man of the match, then went on to earn the same accolade in the team’s disappointing draw against Ghana.Last night, he again step
  
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• 18 Manchester City stars confirmed for FIFA World Cup Round of 32

  28-06-2026 08:00 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  18 Manchester City stars confirmed for FIFA World Cup Round of 32Eighteen City players have progressed to the FIFA World Cup Round of 32 across 11 nationsEngland’s contingent is the largest, with four City players advancing from the group stageIncoming Man City manager Enzo Maresca will be keenly looking on from EnglandEighteen Manchester Citystars have progressed to the FIFA World Cup Round of 32 across 11 nations as the tournament in North America enters its knockout phase.The scale of C
  
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• 🏆 Round of 32 bracket: projections and who has the easier side? 🌍

  28-06-2026 07:44 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  🏆 Round of 32 bracket: projections and who has the easier side? 🌍The group stage has come to an end overnight in Italy with yet another Messi masterpiece and Portugal’s draw (CR7 once again anonymous): now the paths to the final are set. Let’s take a look at the bracket and the teams that will have more or less easy opponents, at least on paper.🏆 The bracketOn the left side of the bracket, the following matches will be played:Germany-Paraguay (June 29, 10:30 P
  
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• England 2-0 Panama: Three things we learned as Jude Bellingham inspires the Three Lions to victory

  28-06-2026 07:40 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  England 2-0 Panama: Three things we learned as Jude Bellingham inspires the Three Lions to victoryEngland claimed a 2-0 win over Panama in their final group-stage fixture at the 2026 FIFA World Cup at New York-New Jersey Stadium on Saturday evening.The result sees the Three Lions finish top of Group L, one point clear of second-placed Croatia.Jude Bellingham is the manThere was uncertainty surrounding Bellingham’s place before the start of the tournament, but he once again demonstrated why
  
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• Knockouts are here - what is England's path to the final?

  28-06-2026 07:39 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  England drew with Ghana but beat Croatia and Panama to top Group L with seven points [Getty Images]England have qualified for the knockout stages of the World Cup by winning their group.The Three Lions weren't always in top form, but with seven points from three matches, did enough to finish ahead of Croatia in second, third-placed Ghana, and bottom side Panama.Now that the group stage has concluded, Thomas Tuchel's men know the path they must negotiate if they are to reach the final.If they man
  
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• England last-32 tie on BBC - see full schedule

  28-06-2026 07:00 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  England's World Cup last-32 tie against DR Congo will be shown live on BBC One and BBC iPlayer, with all 16 games in the first knockout round covered across BBC Sport.Thomas Tuchel's side will face the knockout stage debutants on Wednesday in Atlanta, with kick-off at 17:00 BST.DR Congo, appearing in their first World Cup in 52 years, drew with Portugal in the group stage before coming from behind to beat Uzbekistan 3-1 to set up this intriguing match.The BBC will also show Spain's tie against A
  
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• 🚨 Tuchel reveals how serious Quansah's injury is

  28-06-2026 06:55 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  🚨 Tuchel reveals how serious Quansah's injury isThomas Tuchel spoke about Jarell Quansah’s health after the player was unable to finish the match against Panama on the final matchday of the Group Stage. 
  “He suffered a typical ankle sprain. He had it before,” the manager said, casting doubt on his participation in the round of 32. The player got minutes this Saturday due to Reece James’ injury, and James will not feature for his national team in the next
  
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• New deal, new beginnings & a sudden exit - Clarke's Scotland timeline

  28-06-2026 06:51 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  Thirty one days can whisk by in a flash. Just ask Steve Clarke.That's the time-scale between signing a new four-year deal to his abrupt resignation as Scotland head coach.Following Wednesday's defeat to Brazil in Miami, Scotland's World Cup exit appeared to drag on just as much as their 28-year wait to return to the biggest stage of them all.That fate was sealed just before the clock ticked into Sunday in Scotland as Croatia defeated Ghana 2-1.For just over 30 minutes, attention officially then
  
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• World Cup Round of 32: Knockout rounds begin with Canada taking on South Africa

  28-06-2026 06:47 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  The 2026 World Cup continues on Sunday as the Round of 32 begins and the remaining teams involved have their eyes on a world title. Tournament co-hosts Canada and South Africa will play the only match of the day as there is no tomorrow for match losers going forward.Here's what you need to know for Day 18 of the World Cup.South Africa vs. CanadaSunday, June 28 | 3 p.m. ET | Inglewood, California | TV: FoxOdds: Canada (-320), South Africa (+250), Tie (+260)Canada is the only one of the World Cup'
  
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• ☕️🥐FC Breakfast: Uruguay without a plane ✈️, Kane legendary 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

  28-06-2026 06:40 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  ☕️🥐FC Breakfast: Uruguay without a plane ✈️, Kane legendary 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿Sweet Caroline 🎶Against Panama, the England supporters were clearly in great form.You don't need to be in the stadium to get the atmosphere going!Uruguay grounded ✈️Uruguay's World Cup elimination is clearly not going down well.So much so that the Federation reportedly decided to cancel the private plane arrang
  
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• 📊 Final standings in Groups J, K and L, what a finish!

  28-06-2026 06:27 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  📊 Final standings in Groups J, K and L, what a finish!After the matches played overnight in Brazil, this Saturday (27) saw the final three groups of the FIFA World Cup decided.With plenty of INSANITY!The first was Group L. England confirmed top spot.Croatia beat Ghana and took second place, leaving Ghana - who also advanced - in third.The standings ended up like this:Next, Colombia confirmed first place by outperforming Portugal despite the goalless scoreline.And DR Congo made history by
  
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• 🚨 World Cup: the full round of 32 schedule!

  28-06-2026 06:17 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  🚨 World Cup: the full round of 32 schedule!Things are getting serious!That’s it, the group stage of the 2026 World Cup has delivered its verdict with the final matches of Group J!We finally know the full round-of-32 bracket for this World Cup, which actually gets underway tonight with the host nation.Check out below the full schedule for this first round of knockout matches, as well as the tournament bracket, where you can see Les Bleus’ possible path!The round-of-32 schedule
  
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• Jude Bellingham steps up, shows why he can lead England to World Cup glory

  28-06-2026 06:15 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Stood with his arms wide in front of England's fans going bonkers as he gave his country the lead against Panama in New York City, Jude Bellingham once again showed he was England's man for the big occasion. He always delivers and he loves stepping up when it matters most. And boy did England need him on Saturday. "Hey Jude!" rang out form the England fans on multiple occasions during the game as they lauded their charismatic playmaker. It was sung loud and proud af
  
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• 2026 World Cup: Iran falls one spot short of knockout round after wild Algeria-Austria finish

  28-06-2026 06:14 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  One day after a heartbreaking draw threatened to end Iran's World Cup run, Algeria and Austria delivered the final blow.As the third-place finisher in Group G, the Iranian national team needed losses from Croatia, DR Congo, and either Algeria or Austria in order to claim one of the final third-place knockout slots. Eight of the 12 third-place finishers advance to the Round of 32 as part of the expanded tournament.Instead, Croatia beat Ghana, who had already secured its spot; DR Congo rolled to a
  
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• 2026 World Cup: Iran falls 1 spot short of knockout round after wild Algeria-Austria finish

  28-06-2026 06:14 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  One day after a heartbreaking draw threatened to end Iran's World Cup run, Algeria and Austria delivered the final blow.As the third-place finisher in Group G, the Iranian national team needed losses from Croatia, DR Congo and either Algeria or Austria in order to claim one of the final third-place knockout slots. Eight of the 12 third-place finishers advance to the Round of 32 as part of the expanded tournament.Instead, Croatia beat Ghana, which had already secured its spot; DR Congo rolled to
  
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• Third-place rankings: How Scotland and Iran missed out on World Cup knockout stages

  28-06-2026 06:13 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  The group stage of World Cup 2026 has reached a conclusion with eight third-placed sides heading through to the last 32 – but Scotland and Iran have just missed out.For the first time in the World Cup’s history, 48 nations are competing in the tournament. The 12 group winners and 12 runners-up automatically go through to the round of 32, and they are joined by the eight best third-placed finishers. They were ranked by points; then goal difference; goals scored; team conduct score; Fi
  
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• Man City 2026 World Cup Watch: Rayan Ait-Nouri and Algeria secure Round of 32 qualification after thrilling draw

  28-06-2026 06:10 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  Man City 2026 World Cup Watch: Rayan Ait-Nouri and Algeria secure Round of 32 qualification after thrilling drawA breathless Group J finale at Kansas City Stadium produced one of the most dramatic matches of the 2026 World Cup, as Algeria and Austria traded blows in a six-goal thriller that ended 3-3.With Argentina already through as group winners, both sides knew the result would determine who claimed second place, Austria only needing a point while Algeria required a win to guarantee automatic
  
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• 2026 World Cup Group J: Wild Austria-Algeria tie locks Iran out of knockout rounds

  28-06-2026 06:05 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  The 2026 World Cup match between Algeria and Austria had a single loser: Iran.The stakes were clear entering the final two matches of the group stage. The Argentina-Jordan match was of no consequence, as Argentina had already won the group while Jordan’s run was over. The bigger match was Algeria-Austria, which would decide the final two spots in the Round of 32.It was between those two teams and Iran, which was bitterly watching the proceedings after losing a would-be game-winning goal on
  
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• World Cup takeaways for Round of 32: Portugal's draw with Colombia likely denied us the chance to see Messi vs. Ronaldo

  28-06-2026 06:00 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  The dream of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo meeting for the first and only time in the World Cup is (likely) dead.Portugal's 0-0 draw with Colombia on Saturday night relegated it to second in Group K and on the opposite side of the knockout round bracket from Argentina. Had Portugal won Group K, Argentina and Portugal would have been on a collision course to meet in the quarterfinals on July 11.Now, the only way that the 39-year-old Messi and the 41-year-old Ronaldo can meet in the World Cup
  
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• Lionel Messi becomes first man to score in 7 straight World Cup games with free kick goal in win over Jordan

  28-06-2026 05:56 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  Lionel Messi set yet another World Cup record against Jordan on Saturday.Messi scored on a free kick in the 80th minute for his 19th career goal in the tournament. And as he added to his World Cup-record total, he also became the first player to score in seven straight World Cup games as Argentina won 3-1.Lionel Messi, the first player in FIFA World Cup history to score in 7 consecutive matches at the tournament 😱 pic.twitter.com/BXcQFsbZdi— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) June 28, 2026Mes
  
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• 🐐 Messi sets another record with his 19th World Cup goal

  28-06-2026 05:49 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  🐐 Messi sets another record with his 19th World Cup goalLionel Messi is not messing around at this FIFA World Cup.After closing in on, matching, and then surpassing the record for most goals in World Cup history, Argentina’s No. 10 keeps adding more milestones to his name.He started Saturday’s (27) match against Jordan on the bench. But he came on in the second half (61') and reached 19 World Cup goals with a free-kick.
  Messi has now become the player with the longest scoring
  
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• World Cup 2026 golden boot standings as Lionel Messi surges clear of Mbappe, Haaland and Kane

  28-06-2026 05:47 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  The race for the golden boot at the World Cup is hurtling towards an epic contest during the knockout stage afterLionel Messi added another to his tally to move clear of Vinicius Jr, Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland in the race.The stars continue to dominate at this tournament, none more so than Messi after backing up a hat-trick against Algeria with a double against Austria to highlight one of his greatest traits after a penalty miss. Another arrived off the bench against Jordan – in
  
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• DR Congo vaults from despair to World Cup delirium — ‘We write our story with a black pen’

  28-06-2026 05:42 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  ATLANTA — As omens go, this wasn’t a great one: just hours before the matchup that would decide their World Cup fate, DR Congo supporters learned that their most visible (and motionless) fan, Lumumba Vea, would not be in attendance for Saturday night’s match against Uzbekistan. Lumumba (real name: Michel Kuka Mboladinga) did not get a visa approved to enter the United States, and that meant Congo would have to make do with a well-meaning knockoff: Iconic DR Congo fan Lumum
  
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• Portugal Held Scoreless, Ronaldo Under Fire, Colombia Win Group & Round of 32 Preview

  28-06-2026 05:28 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  Subscribe to The CooligansApple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTubeChristian Polanco and Alexis Guerreros react to Colombia's hard-fought 0-0 draw with Portugal, a result that secures first place in the group for Los Cafeteros while leaving Portugal searching for answers ahead of the knockout rounds. The guys break down the biggest moments from the match and discuss why Colombia continues to look like one of the tournament's most balanced teams heading into the Round of 32.Next, The Cooligans examine P
  
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• What you need to know about England's opponents DR Congo

  28-06-2026 05:22 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  Yoane Wissa has now scored three goals for DR Congo in this World Cup [Getty Images]Get the lowdown on DR Congo, England's World Cup opponents in the round of 32.What can I expect from DR Congo?Fifty-two years after a chastening World Cup debut, DR Congo have earned redemption by qualifying for the knockout stages for the first time. Back in 1974, when known as Zaire, their three group defeats included a 9-0 hammering by Yugoslavia. They had not been to a World Cup since, until now, but head coa
  
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• Lorenzo on Davinson's disallowed goal: I'll ask him to get a pedicure

  28-06-2026 05:06 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  Lorenzo on Davinson's disallowed goal: I'll ask him to get a pedicureThe controversy over the disallowed goal by Davinson Sánchez in Colombia vs. Portugal continues, and Néstor Lorenzo, head coach of the Colombian side, has already made his first statements. 
  The coach said at the press conference about the bizarre offside call: "Next time I’ll ask him to get a pedicure," he said. Lorenzo also praised his team’s dominant performance against a football powerhou
  
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• Spain's Williams criticises tackle that injured him

  28-06-2026 04:35 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  Nico Williams came on in the 76th minute of Spain's 1-0 win over Uruguay [Getty Images]Nico Williams has criticised Uruguay's Nicolas de la Cruz for a "completely unnecessary" tackle that injured the Spain winger, who is expected to miss at least his nation's World Cup last-32 fixture.Williams sustained a muscle injury following the challenge in a 1-0 win for Spain that sent Uruguay home, calling it "one of the worst days of my life".De la Cruz was booked for the tackle in added time, before tea
  
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• Reporter apologizes for joke about not knowing where Bosnia and Herzegovina is ahead of World Cup clash vs. USMNT

  28-06-2026 04:34 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  A reporter who went viral for proudly claiming that she didn't know where Bosnia and Herzegovina was on a map has since apologized.Abigail Velez, a reporter and fill-in anchor for ABC7 in Los Angeles, made the comments ahead of the upcoming Round of 32 matchup between Bosnia and Herzegovina and the U.S. men's national team (Wednesday, 8 p.m. ET, Fox). A clip of the segment went viral, with critics pointing to Velez seemingly being proud of her ignorance.As a result, Velez walked back her words i
  
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• Yoane Wissa underlines threat as DR Congo set up England clash at World Cup

  28-06-2026 04:23 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  Yoane Wissa scored twice as DR Congo came from behind to beat Uzbekistan 3-1 and progress to the round of 32 of the World Cup.The African nation, who returned to the tournament after a 52-year absence, will now face England in the knockout stage on Wednesday after finishing third in Group K.Uzbekistan’s Eldor Shomurodov opened the scoring in the 10th minute in Atlanta, converting from a tight angle after an Abbosbek Fayzullaev header into the box.DR Congo thought they had levelled minutes
  
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