Latest Sports Stories

World Cup News

John McGinn was slathering on sun cream. T-shirt lines aplenty were on show. And the Scotland players were making a beeline for the sprinklers.The humidity and heat hitting Inter Miami's training ground on Tuesday was not what most of these Scots were made for.The barrels of ice being bundled to the side of the pitch and cold plunge tubs waiting for them at the end of their intense session was sweet relief for Steve Clarke's squad, who were tested to the max under the Miami sun.One man who was less fazed, though, was Jack Hendry.The defender has a head start of coping with such conditions having played in Saudi Arabia with Al Ettifaq for the past three years."Stay hydrated," is the top tip from the 31-year-old, who reiterated this squad's desire to be the first Scotland squad to progress beyond the group stages."It's about maintaining fluids, making sure you're very concentrated because you can lose a lot of sweat in the humidity."The game can be a little bit different because you maybe can't run about as much, getting tired very quickly and energy going from you, so it definitely impacts."Such sweltering conditions were exactly what Clarke wanted, though, as he stressed the importance of "acclimatising" this week to the conditions his squad will face throughout their tournament.The Scots start against Haiti (Sunday, 14 June, 02:00 BST) - live across the BBC - and also play Morocco in Boston, before returning to Miami to face Brazil on Wednesday, 24 June (23:00)."It maybe would have been a shock if we had came out to the Miami game because it hits you as soon as you come off the plane, the humidity and the heat," Hendry told BBC Scotland at the team's hotel in Fort Lauderdale."So it's good that we can come out here for this week, prepare and get used to it and I'm sure that will put us in really good stead going into the game."Water breaks will be in operation, and Hendry stressed the importance of "using them efficiently"."They're certainly going to help us from a recovery point of view, but maybe tactical. as well," he said."I'm accustomed to it in Saudi; we have these water breaks and it might disrupt the rhythm of the game a wee bit, but from the players' point of view it definitely helps."By the time the Scots return south following back-to-back games in Boston, it could be they have already done what no other Scotland side have by reaching the knockout stages of a World Cup.It's undoubtedly the aim for this talented, together squad, but they're not looking too far ahead. They're still Scottish after all."It's just trying to get as far as possible, I think," Hendry said of what success for the country looks like this summer."It's difficult to look too far ahead. The main ambition is going to be trying to get out of the group. Then we see where we can go afterwards."We can't look too far ahead, just take it game by game and if we do that, enjoy it and play the best we can, then we should be able to achieve that."We've got to make the most of it and make sure we don't come out of this with any regrets."Everything you need to know about the World Cup

World Cup News

Colombian pop star Shakira will perform her official song for the 2026 World Cup at the competition's opening ceremony in Mexico.Shakira will perform Dai Dai, along with Burna Boy, on Thursday, 11 June at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, before Mexico and South Africa play the first of the tournament's 104 games (20:00 BST).Dai Dai - an Italian phrase meaning "let's go" or "come on".Colombian reggaeton star J Balvin and South African singer-songwriter Tyla will also perform at the show in Mexico.Opening ceremonies will precede each of the first matches played in the host nations of USA, Canada and Mexico.Canadian singer-songwriters Michael Buble and Alanis Morissette will headline the opening ceremony at BMO Field in Toronto before Canada take on Bosnia and Herzegovina on Friday, 12 June (20:00 BST).In the USA, pop star Katy Perry and rapper Future will perform before the USA take on Paraguay at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles on Friday, 12 June (Saturday, 02:00 BST).Shakira, along with Madonna and K-pop boyband BTS, will also co-headline the Super Bowl-style half-time show at this summer's World Cup final on 19 July.Shakira unveils official World Cup 2026 songMadonna, Shakira & BTS to headline World Cup showEverything you need to know about the World Cup

World Cup News

Spain will depart from Santiago de Compostela at 10am on Friday morning bound for Chattanooga, via Nashville, but seven of the eight men who made their debuts in the final preparation game before the World Cup will not be on board with them. Nor will the seleccion be flying west with a victory after they bid adios with a 1-1 draw against Iraq at Estadio Riazor. Which may not sound very good – and it really was not very good either, a 22-minute cameo from Mikel Merino about the best thing about it – but is no cause for alarm.Luis de la Fuente’s side will still be among the favourites in the US, Canada and Mexico and rightly so; this was not really his side, at least not recognisably so.If anyone came for clues as to what Spain will be like at the World Cup, they did not find them in La Coruña. How could they when it played out like this? When the fifth and final group of players to report for duty at their Las Rozas HQ, 25km northwest of Madrid, had only arrived at quarter to nine on Wednesday night, 24 hours and 15 minutes before kick-off? When there were 11 substitutions made? When of the coach’s preferred XI, it’s plausible that only two or perhaps three started here? And when the players who probably most enjoyed this, for whom it most mattered, aren’t going to the US at all?Ten of the men who did travel to the US, were not included. It was not just those that had played the Champions League final – Fabián Ruiz, David Raya and Martín Zubimendi – who were left out. De la Fuente took care of Nico Williams, who had played just six of the past 15 club games, and Lamine Yamal, who has not made an appearance since 22 April because of a torn hamstring, was also left out. Lamine Yamal remains the big question for everyone. Rodri, Pedri, Mikel Oyarzabal, Marc Cucurella and Víctor Muñoz sat in the stands too.Down on the pitch, only Pedro Porro, Aymeric Laporte and perhaps Dani Olmo are natural starters. Two of those that began the match – Marc Bernal and Jon Martín – are not going to the World Cup, and seven of those who sat on the subs’ bench at kick-off are not either, with De la Fuente giving an opportunity to the support squad, invited to join Spain in training over the past week. Every one of them was given a game. Along with Marc Pubill, that made eight debutants in a single night, which will be a good quiz question one day.Spain have a settled squad and a settled side, with few positions still to be fought for, so this felt a little superfluous. If this was an opportunity for Joan García to make a claim on the goalkeeping spot, a national debate right now, Iraq’s goal did not strengthen his case. If it was an opportunity for Gavi, after a season of injury, it did not do the Barcelona midfielder any harm. He was his usual busy presence and it was no surprise when he was booked.The structure of the side looked a little different too, the 4-2-3-1 a bit more defined than it might be in the US, where it’s likely to look like 4-3-3. In the absence of Lamine Yamal, Williams and Muñoz, the wingers were Álex Baena and Ferran Torres, men with a tendency to come inside, lacking the directness De la Fuente embraced to such effect at the Euros, so that too offered little insight.One thing that will have pleased the head coach was the ease with which Laporte took responsibility for bringing the ball out. He was the one intercepting and stepping out to start the move that gave Spain the lead on 15 minutes. An incisive forward pass divided Iraq, breaking through the first line of pressure, and found Olmo who, just as swiftly, moved it on another line. Borja Iglesias let it run through his legs and Torres took it on, dashing through from the right, too fast for Zaid Tahseen, and scoring with a low finish.This, perhaps predictably, was a Spanish monologue and was soon accompanied by olés and Mexican waves but more goals did not follow and nor did much football. Iraq equalised through Merchas Doski. If he meant it, it was outrageous. The position, out on the left wing, suggested a cross; the swing and the contact with the ball did not. García got a bit of his right hand on it but could not keep it out. At the other end Torres hit the bar and Olmo volleyed over but there were no more goals before half-time when Spain made five changes. Jesus Rodríguez had been on just 18 seconds when he dashed through and shot wide.Three more changes were made on 59 minutes, all of them debutants: Atlético Madrid centre-back Pubill, who is going to the US, and Beñat Turrientes and Javi Guerra who are not. Seven minutes after that came a more significant introduction: Merino, whose 28 minutes on the final day of the Premier League season were the only time he had played since January, was introduced to take another step towards full rehabilitation, wearing the captain’s armband. He was then followed by Leo Román and Rodríguez but no goals.They won’t be on the flight to Nashville but 26 men will and they will land in the US with a week still to prepare and as favourites.

World Cup News

Belgium fans will hope their veteran stars can lift themselves for one last tournament. Photograph: Crystal Pix/MB Media/Getty ImagesNot much of the fabled golden generation remains, but the Red Devils have a winnable group and possess genuine quality in De Bruyne and DokuThis article is part of the Guardian’s 2026 World Cup Experts’ Network, a cooperation between some of the best media organisations from the 48 countries who qualified. theguardian.com is running previews from three countries each day in the run-up to the tournament kicking off on 11 June.The head coach, Rudi Garcia, is well aware that the Red Devils’ strength lies in attack. Kevin De Bruyne, Jérémy Doku and Romelu Lukaku can each make a difference in their own way. The defence is, except for goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, the weak point after the golden generation of Toby Alderweireld, Vincent Kompany, Thomas Vermaelen and Jan Vertonghen gradually retired. “That is why I will always choose four defenders and not five,” Garcia explains. “With five defenders I have to sacrifice an attacking player and that would be a shame.”Garcia usually opts for a medium block to support the attack and not put too much pressure on the defenders. His reasoning could be described as flawed because there is a problem with Lukaku. He played only 64 minutes for Napoli this season and none for the national team because of injuries until coming off the bench in Tuesday night’s 2-0 win against Croatia, scoring the second goal in added time. He was also deeply affected by the death of his father. Belgium’s all time top scorer – 90 goals – will therefore start the World Cup without any kind of match rhythm.Qualifying went smoothly against Wales, North Macedonia, Kazakhstan and Liechtenstein. Despite going undefeated, the level of play was not high and there were three draws, two against North Macedonia and one in Kazakhstan. With 29 goals in eight games, Belgium underlined where their strengths lay. It’s clear there will be plenty of attention on Doku in attack and Courtois to prevent goals at the other end.Garcia has been in charge since January 2025 and said at his unveiling: “I am ready to take on the challenge. It will take time to learn, even though we don’t have much of it. It’s not about trying, it’s about doing, that’s my motto.” Hard work is key, according to the Frenchman. “We must focus on the mindset. We must wear the jersey with pride, and give everything for the national team.”Rudi Garcia is a national coach for the first time in his career and so will be making his World Cup debut in North America. The 62-year-old succeeded Domenico Tedesco in January 2025 and has plenty of experience, having been in charge at Lille, Roma, Marseille, Lyon, Al Nassr and Napoli among others. The Frenchman is old school, rejecting data-led analysis, and has restored a positive atmosphere to the national squad. “What matters to me is that there is a team on the field,” he says. “My experience shows that you get the furthest that way.”Jérémy Doku is the most popular player in the squad. The 24-year-old Manchester City attacker is still making giant steps in his development. Having relied solely on his impressive speed, he has developed his crossing ability of late and scored some important goals in the closing stages of the Premier League season. “I know my qualities and know that I have to work on my statistics,” he said. “But I’m not there yet.”Matias Fernandez-Pardo was not in Garcia’s plans until early May. The 21-year-old Lille striker, who holds Spanish and Belgian passports, had declared he would choose Spain. When the Belgian FA sounded him out again due to the doubts surrounding Lukaku and the decline of Loïs Openda at Juventus, he changed his mind. His speed, dribbling skills and opportunism have earned him a slot in the World Cup squad. Fernandez-Pardo left Gent in August 2024 as a winger, but the Lille coach Bruno Génésio has deployed him as a striker, leading to eight goals and five assists in 29 league games in 2025-26.Maxim De Cuyper the 25-year-old Brighton left-back, is of great value to the Red Devils with his attacking contributions and, in the absence of Lukaku, has developed into a regular goalscorer for the national team. Under Garcia, he has started every match when fit. He will likely retain that status during the World Cup despite his status as a substitute all too often at Brighton.Belgian fans love having fun and a few beers before entering the stadium. However, there are not many chants because Dutch, French and a little German are spoken in Belgium, the linguistic mix making it difficult to coordinate the songs. As a compromise, they simply sing in English, if there is any singing at all.Just as in most other EU countries, there is scepticism about Donald Trump, and certainly about his manner of expression. He once called Molenbeek, a suburb of Brussels, a “hellhole,” and that did not go down well. The Belgian FA is unlikely to say anything publicly and while fans have complained about high prices there has not been any talk of a boycott.Written by Ludo Vandewalle for Het Nieuwsblad

World Cup News

Bellingham takes coveted shirt with Anderson given No 8England train for first time in Florida ahead of World CupJude Bellingham has received a boost from Thomas Tuchel after being handed the coveted No 10 shirt for England’s World Cup campaign.Preparations began at a training camp in Florida on Tuesday and the midfielder Kobbie Mainoo said the squad believed “100%” that they can win the tournament.With two weeks to go until England’s opening World Cup fixture, 21 of Tuchel’s 26-man squad are in West Palm Beach for a week-long camp and the squad numbers were confirmed on Tuesday.Bellingham, the Real Madrid midfielder, takes the No 10 shirt ahead of his rivals Morgan Rogers and Eberechi Eze. Elliot Anderson, who made his England debut less than a year ago, secured No 8.After training in temperatures that reached 33C, England players addressed the media and Mainoo was asked whether the squad believed they could win the 48-team tournament which begins next Thursday and runs until July 19.“One hundred per cent,” the Manchester United midfielder said. “I feel like everyone in the squad and the staff believes we can win it but it doesn’t come easy and the first game, the second game, we have to build and build.”Jordan Henderson, who at 35 is at his fourth World Cup, talked through the standards the squad hope to hit by the time they open against Croatia on 17 June.“It’s about bringing the best version of ourselves, individually and collectively, and working every day to achieve our dreams,” he said. “We all know the talent this squad has and how we can hurt teams. But we know we have to be ready to do all the invisible work too.”On the weather conditions, Henderson said: “It’s hard to really adapt but this week is about building capacity. We’ve got an amazing team behind the team working on how we cool down and recover. Hopefully that can give us an edge.”Earlier the Football Assocation’s CEO, Mark Bullingham, said it was “going to be hard” for England to bring home the trophy. “It’s only twice in history that a European team has won a World Cup outside Europe,” he told the Performance People podcast. “There’s a reason for that. It’s very hard to win in heat, altitude, humidity and so on. Other countries are better at dealing with that because they’ve grown up with it. So it is going to be hard, but we’ll be doing everything we can to go as far as possible.”Arsenal’s Declan Rice, Noni Madueke, Eze and Bukayo Saka, and the Crystal Palace goalkeeper Dean Henderson will join the group late after taking part in European finals last week. In the meantime, Tuchel has supplemented his numbers by including Liverpool’s Rio Ngumoha, Fulham’s Josh King, Arsenal’s Ethan Nwaneri and Alex Scott of Bournemouth as part of the Florida group.

World Cup News

1 CommentsReal Madrid midfielder Arda Guler has been named in Turkey's 26-man World Cup squad.Guler, 21, picked up the Champions League Revelation of the Season award, which recognises a young player's achievement in the competition, following his four assists and two goals as Real reached the quarter-finals.Manchester United goalkeeper Altay Bayindir and Brighton defender Ferdi Kadioglu have also been included in head coach Vincenzo Montella's final squad.Turkey open their Group D campaign against Australia on 14 June, followed by Paraguay on 20 June and the United States on 26 June.The World Cup, co-hosted by the US, Canada and Mexico, begins on 11 June.World Cup: Every squad as they are announcedDefenders: Abdulkerim Bardakci (Galatasaray), Caglar Soyuncu (Fenerbahce), Eren Elmali (Galatasaray), Ferdi Kadioglu (Brighton), Merih Demiral (Al-Ahli Saudi), Mert Muldur (Fenerbahce), Ozan Kabak (Hoffenheim), Samet Akaydin (Caykur Rizespor), Zeki Celik (AS Roma).Midfielders: Hakan Calhanoglu (Inter Milan), Ismail Yuksek (Fenerbahce), Kaan Ayhan (Galatasaray), Orkun Kokcu (Besiktas), Salih Ozcan (Borussia Dortmund).Forwards: Arda Guler (Real Madrid), Baris Alper Yilmaz (Galatasaray), Can Uzun (Eintracht Frankfurt), Deniz Gul (Porto), Irfan Can Kahveci (Kasimpasa), Kenan Yildiz (Juventus), Kerem Akturkoglu (Fenerbahce), Oguz Aydin (Fenerbahce), Yunus Akgun (Galatasaray).Everything you need to know about the World Cup

World Cup News

Sixteen cities were chosen to host matches at this summer's World Cup - which is only nine days away.Be aware, some stadiums are in a different city to their official Fifa one.But, lucky for you, naming either city will get you the points in our quiz!After more quizzes? Go to our dedicated Football Quizzes and Sports Quizzes pages and sign up for notifications to get the latest quizzes sent straight to your device.What information do we collect from this quiz?Related topicsFootballFIFA World Cup 2026Play more quizzesQuiz: Name every nation at the 2026 World CupWhich World Cup team are you? Take our quizWorld Cup quiz: Name every player in England's squadWorld Cup quiz: Name every player in Scotland's squad

World Cup News

Former Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey has been named in Ghana's squad for the World Cup.Partey has pleaded not guilty to seven charges of rape and one count of sexual assault relating to allegations by four different women between 2020 and 2022.The 32-year-old, who now plays for La Liga side Villarreal, is due to stand trial next year.Partey made 167 appearances in all competitions for Arsenal between 2020 and 2025 but left the Gunners last summer after his contract expired."Thomas is our vice-captain. He is one of the top midfielders in the world and we stand by him shoulder to shoulder," Ghana FA president Kurt Okraku told BBC Sport.Ghana boss Carlos Queiroz named Partey in a preliminary 28-man squad for a pre-World Cup training camp and friendly against Wales in Cardiff on 2 June (19:45 BST).Partey remained in the squad as Queiroz left out goalkeepers Solomon Agbasi and Paul Reverson to reach his final 26-man selection.Centre-back Alexander Djiku has been ruled out after suffering a hamstring injury as his Spartak Moscow team won the Russian Cup final on 24 May so has been replaced by Netherlands-born defender Derrick Luckassen, who made his Ghana debut in March.Manchester City forward Antoine Semenyo and Coventry striker Brandon Thomas-Asante are also included, along with Leicester duo Jordan Ayew and Abdul Fatawu.Joseph Anang, who plays for League of Ireland Premier Division club St Patrick's Athletic, is one of three goalkeepers in the squad.Tottenham winger Mohammed Kudus missed out with the quad injury which has kept him out of action since January.Ghana begin their World Cup Group L campaign against Panama in Toronto on 17 June before they face England and Croatia in Boston and Philadelphia, respectively.Ghana boss Queiroz no qualms over Partey selectionDefenders: Baba Abdul Rahman (PAOK), Gideon Mensah (Auxerre), Marvin Senaya (Auxerre), Alidu Seidu (Rennes), Abdul Mumin (Rayo Vallecano), Jerome Opoku (Istanbul Basaksehir), Jonas Adjetey (Wolfsburg), Kojo Oppong Peprah (Nice), Elisha Owusu (Auxerre), Derrick Luckassen (Pafos).Midfielders: Thomas Partey (Villarreal), Kwasi Sibo (Real Oviedo), Augustine Boakye (Saint-Etienne), Caleb Yirenkyi (Nordsjaelland), Abdul Fatawu Issahaku (Leicester City).Forwards: Kamaldeen Sulemana (Atalanta), Christopher Bonsu Baah (Al Qadsiah), Ernest Nuamah (Lyon), Antoine Semenyo (Manchester City), Brandon Thomas-Asante (Coventry City), Prince Kwabena Adu (Viktoria Plzen), Inaki Williams (Athletic Bilbao), Jordan Ayew (Leicester City).Everything you need to know about the World Cup

World Cup News

ShareSaveAdd as preferred on GoogleJonny HumphriesNorth WestA six-year-old schoolboy who has supported England "my full life" has shared his joy at being selected to travel to the United States as a mascot before the World Cup.CJ, from Blackburn in Lancashire, will travel to Orlando with his grandad Paul Clegg, who has long followed the Three Lions around the world.Young fan CJ will join the players on the pitch before England take on Costa Rica in a warm-up game on 10 June ahead of the tournament."I just hope that he follows my path because I've been to some amazing places around the world... I've been to so many different places following England," said his proud grandfather. "It's not just the football - it's the whole culture that surrounds it."Paul told the BBC the family believed CJ, who has been attending England games since he was two, had missed out because they had not heard anything by a supposed deadline on Wednesday.However an email arrived the following day, inviting CJ to Orlando where he will meet his favourite players - Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane and Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford.Paul, who has been going to England matches since the 1990s, said the culture had changed since the days when fans were dogged with a reputation for hooliganism."In 1998 - the first game that I attended in Marseille - it was like three days of proper civil war. It was horrendous," he explained."But things have changed since - England fans are welcomed around the world."There's a different atmosphere around the England fans."He added that having his grandson with him in Orlando would be "extra special".Listen to the best of BBC Radio Lancashire on Sounds and follow BBC Lancashire on Facebook, X and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.