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World Cup 2026: Buildup to blockbuster semi-finals, Infantino hints at 64-team expansion – live
The Guardian

World Cup 2026: Buildup to blockbuster semi-finals, Infantino hints at 64-team expansion – live

Latest news as final week of World Cup gets under way Power rankings | Sign up to Football Daily | Email us Back to the pub piece, it’s great that businesses are getting a boost. The problem, though, is what happens afterwards. Not all pubs are enjoying a football bonanza, however. Steve Hopkins, owner of the Shovel Inn in Stourbridge, where Bellingham was born, is quitting the business after the tournament. He said: “I’ve been in pubs for six World Cups. Most have been fantastic for trade but for this one turnout has been poor. People are staying away from boozers or only coming to them at the last minute. Whereas in the past the pub would be full at 3pm or 4pm for an 8pm kickoff. You’re talking about doubling your trade while the World Cup was on. Continue reading...

England on collision course with Messi and Argentina in World Cup semi-final grudge match
The Guardian

England on collision course with Messi and Argentina in World Cup semi-final grudge match

First competitive game between teams since 2002 World Cup Georgia braced for potential flashpoints in Atlanta buildup It has been billed as one of the biggest grudge matches in the history of international football. After England’s players rode their luck against Erling Haaland’s Norway on a steamy night in Miami, they spent Sunday recuperating at their base in Kansas City as thoughts turn to facing Argentina in the World Cup semi-final on Wednesday. Thomas Tuchel’s team will take on the reigning champions on what promises to be an emotionally charged occasion in Atlanta for the chance to play France or Spain in the final. Continue reading...

Tuchel and Bellingham need to cool tension with England so close to history | Jacob Steinberg
The Guardian

Tuchel and Bellingham need to cool tension with England so close to history | Jacob Steinberg

The latest episode of Thomas versus Jude does not have to descend into a drama and team cannot afford to be distracted heading into the World Cup semi-final Thomas Tuchel lobbed a grenade into the mix. Jude Bellingham picked it up and threw it back. There was an explosion of honesty in Miami, where everyone was struggling to maintain composure in the stifling humidity, and it needs to be dealt with before England try to reach a men’s World Cup final for the first time on foreign soil. It is time for cool heads. Tuchel was searing in his immediate analysis of England’s quarter-final win over Norway, telling ITV’s Gabriel Clarke that the performance was sloppy, not fast enough and full of technical mistakes. Praise for the side’s mentality was there but slightly lost in the noise. It was the criticism that Bellingham was asked about and the way he responded , punching back at Tuchel’s comments with some forthrightness of his own, ran the risk of England’s campaign falling down because of a public disagreement between the head coach and the star player. Continue reading...

Former Spanish PM accused of racism in remarks about French football team
The Guardian

Former Spanish PM accused of racism in remarks about French football team

Political leaders in both countries rebuke Mariano Rajoy after he writes team ‘does not have any French players’ The former Spanish conservative prime minister Mariano Rajoy is facing growing accusations of racism after writing in a World Cup newspaper column that the French national team “does not have any French players”. Rajoy, who was in office from 2011 to 2018, pondered Spain’s looming semi-final showdown with France in an article for the online newspaper El Debate on Friday. Continue reading...

World Cup 2026 power rankings: who leads the pack as semi-finals loom?
The Guardian

World Cup 2026 power rankings: who leads the pack as semi-finals loom?

We assess the teams who played in the last eight as the business end of the tournament approaches Didier Deschamps has seen it all before and certainly does not fear even the lowest of blocks. It is clear everyone is afraid of Les Bleus, which is understandable, and they are using it to their advantage. It is admirable how teams keep France quiet for lengthy periods but the game is too long to completely silence Kylian Mbappé and Ousmane Dembélé. Against Morocco an hour of patience was required but these forwards are used to it and Mbappé produced the magic that has powered this run, following it up with an assist. In a tournament defined by individuals, France has the best of a talented bunch. Continue reading...

Big game Bellingham steps up again with show-stopping World Cup run for England | Andrew Beasley
The Guardian

Big game Bellingham steps up again with show-stopping World Cup run for England | Andrew Beasley

Real Madrid forward is thriving on the global stage as the first player to score twice in consecutive knockout matches at the tournament since Maradona in 1986 England’s World Cup journey has rapidly become the Jude Bellingham show. He scored twice to see off Norway on Saturday having also bagged a double in the previous round against Mexico. The 23-year-old attacking midfielder loves delivering on the biggest of stages. This is the greatest era of World Cup goal scoring, aided by the expansion of the tournament. The two leading scorers of all time are still in the 2026 edition, with Lionel Messi (21 goals) and Kylian Mbappé (20) joined by Harry Kane (14) in the top six. Erling Haaland scored seven times in only five matches, meaning he may be in the upper reaches of the chart by the time he retires, too. Continue reading...

Gianni Infantino hints at expansion to 64-team World Cup before 2030 event
The Guardian

Gianni Infantino hints at expansion to 64-team World Cup before 2030 event

‘Definitely ​an issue that will be examined and discussed’ Fifa president calls 48-team tournament a ‘huge success’ Fifa officials will look at the possibility of expanding the World Cup by another 16 teams before the ⁠2030 event, Gianni Infantino said in an interview. The Fifa president told Bluewin, a Swiss media outlet, that growing from 48 to ⁠64 teams could make ⁠sense. “That’s definitely ​an issue that will be examined and discussed in the relevant committees after this World Cup,” Infantino said. “When organising ⁠a World Cup, it’s important to organise it for the whole world – not just Europe and South America – but effectively the ⁠entire world. Continue reading...

World Cup 2026: England set up Argentina semi, Haaland’s father says Norway ‘robbed’, Senegal sack Thiaw – live
The Guardian

World Cup 2026: England set up Argentina semi, Haaland’s father says Norway ‘robbed’, Senegal sack Thiaw – live

⚽ All the latest as the quarter-finals conclude ⚽ Player guide | Bracketology | Golden Boot | Email us Sidebar, Whatever bears such a striking resemblance to Neil Innes’ I’m Free to be an Idiot that the former Monty Python collaborator received a songwriting credit and a share of the royalties in an out of court settlement. Wonderwall might be the England team’s Oasis song of choice , but surely they change it up to this more apposite (and far better imo) number. Continue reading...