2026 — The Tournament Of A Lifetime

World Cup News

Surrounded by rolling fields and winding roads, and hidden away at the back of the Jamberoo Pub, is a moving tribute to Australian football As the Socceroos and Australian football fans make a pilgrimage to North America filled with uncertainty over what the next few weeks might bring, it is all too easy to forget who and what laid the foundations for the team’s sixth successive trip to a World Cup. For while the current crop of Socceroos are out to chart their own course at this year’s global showpiece, where their adventures will ultimately be recorded and remembered remains up in the air. The Jamberoo Pub is a 90-minute drive south of Sydney and a step back in time. A facade that pays homage to the Tudor era reveals nothing of the stories inside just waiting to be told. Yet for well informed football fans, and those who unwittingly stumble across it, the town holds special significance. Surrounded by rolling green fields and winding roads, and hidden away at the back of a pub, is one of the most momentous places in Australian football – the Johnny Warren Museum. The front room of the pub gives the first hint of what lies within. Sporting souvenirs decorate the walls and ceilings, fighting for space alongside football jerseys, scarves and flags as sunlight flickers through the window. A story begins to unfold down the spine of the building, with a long hallway decked out in posters, portraits, photos and newspaper clippings mostly featuring the Australian football pioneer Warren. At the end of the corridor is a football fever dream. An exhibition honouring Warren and the successes and struggles he encountered in a life dedicated to being a footballer, coach, commentator and chief advocate for the game in Australia. The Jamberoo Pub is co-owned and run by Jamie Warren, nephew of Johnny, who has taken up the mantle of promoting the world game through memorabilia and memories. As curator, tour guide and publican, Jamie’s pride in his family’s critical role in the sport’s history in Australia is evident as he recalls in fine detail the stories behind each item. There is no centrepiece to a collection that jumps back and forth between eras and continues to evolve – occasional additions are made as the Socceroos and Matildas find greater success on the global stage. But a portrait of Johnny bearing his catchcry “I told you so” – the words he uttered just weeks before his death in 2004 when asked what he wanted his legacy to be – is positioned to jump into view as soon as visitors walk into the expansive main room. A Socceroos poster signed by every player from the groundbreaking 1974 World Cup squad is its own snapshot of time – complete with haircuts ubiquitous to the period. Similarly rare items are usually held in more secure surroundings. One of Jamie’s favourite pieces links the 1974 squad with the players that finally ended the Socceroos’ 32-year wait to return to the World Cup. “Rale Rasic gave us that one,” Jamie says in casual reference to the coach of the first Australia team to qualify for the tournament, before he runs through the players like they are old family friends. “There’s Peter Wilson, John Watkiss, Harry Williams, Ray Richards, Manfred Schaefer, I think … Jimmy Rooney, Jimmy Mackay, Attila Abonyi and uncle John.” One of the oldest photos in the collection is of a five-year-old Johnny playing as a goalkeeper in his first match. Many of the items only resurfaced for an exhibition in the lead in to the 2006 World Cup called From Botany to Berlin – a nod to Johnny’s home town and the location of the Socceroos’ tournament debut in West Germany. “It was a wonderful tribute to John and a really exciting period for football in Australia,” Jamie says. “It was kind of devastating at the same time that he wasn’t here to enjoy all of that.” The scrapbooks, brooches, trophies, medals and awards from Johnny’s time with the Socceroos and clubs like St George-Budapest are dotted around the museum room, while his MBE has pride of place behind the main bar. Parts of the collection are occasionally put on display at other venues but Jamie is yet to hear from FA about a more permanent exhibition or other steps being taken to preserve the sport’s rich history. “It’s every man for himself, unfortunately,” he says. “The A-League has the Johnny Warren medal though, which is nice recognition and something that keeps the connection to the past.” The Jamberoo Pub will host watch parties for each Socceroos match as a new chapter in Australian football is written at the 2026 World Cup. The seismic shift in Australian football that Warren fought so hard for across his 61 years may even edge closer over the next few weeks. In the meantime the building blocks remain waiting to be explored in the back room of a small country pub.

World Cup News

Shirts had included imagery evoking Haitian revolution Winter Olympics team also had to redesign uniforms Haiti have been made to find new jerseys on the eve of the 2026 World Cup, after Fifa deemed certain elements to be too political in nature. The Concacaf qualifiers are set to open their group stage against Scotland on Saturday. In a statement responding to the decision, kit manufacturer Saeta confirmed that it had worked with Fifa to ensure the design would meet requirements, even having “successfully implemented the requested modifications” during the mandatory review process. “Working in close collaboration with the Haitian Football Federation,” Saeta’s statement elaborated, “our objective throughout the process was to create a jersey that celebrated the pride, resilience and spirit of the Haitian People. Several concepts were developed and refined over a number of months and submitted through Fifa’s standard approval process. The final design presented by Saeta was intended as a tribute to the men and women who contribute every day to Haiti’s future and was not intended as a political statement.” “During the review process, Fifa determined that certain visual elements could be interpreted differently under its equipment regulations and ultimately requested modifications to the design,” the manufacturer’s statement continued. “While this interpretation differed from our intention, Saeta respected the process and implemented the final requirements communicated by Fifa. We remain proud to have contributed, alongside the Haitian Football Federation, to this historic moment for Haitian football and wish the team every success at the Fifa World Cup.” Haiti’s jerseys come in blue (home), white (away) and red (third) with red collars and sleeves and the national team’s badge in the center of the shirt. The point of contention resided on the shirt’s right hip, which depicted silhouettes inspired by the Battle of Vertières and the Haitian revolution. In 1803, revolutionary leader Jean-Jacques Dessalines, who later became the nation’s first emperor, tore the white band off of a French flag to create a new flag for “the world’s first free Black republic”. The moment is commemorated throughout the nation every 18 May as Haitian Flag Day. The iconography appears on all three of Haiti’s shirts released by Saeta released ahead of the tournament. All three versions are sold out on the Saeta website. The manufacturer does not appear to be priming to release a batch of alternative shirts. Fifa’s online shop only offers two pieces of Haiti-specific merchandise: a trucker hat and a scarf. Haiti advanced from Concacaf World Cup qualifying for the first time since 1974, and wore the now-banned shirts during pre-tournament friendlies against New Zealand and Peru last week. In photos from Fifa’s official World Cup portrait sessions taken on Tuesday, players were wearing jerseys that did not feature the iconography. This is the second time this year that a Haitian team have had to change uniform designs in an international tournament. The International Olympic Committee also required Haiti’s ski suits to be redesigned at the last minute before the Winter Olympics in Milan, as designer Stella Jean’s imagery (which also depicted a revolutionary) apparently breached rules about designs and athlete expression.

World Cup News

The Ghanaian government has raised more than $3m for fans to travel to North America. Photograph: Kara Thomas/Focus Images Ltd/ShutterstockAntoine Semenyo will need help from his supporting cast but there is plenty of excitement about a 20-year-old midfielder likened to Michael Essien This 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. Ghana’s performance in a warm-up match against Wales in Cardiff gave a sense of what their new coach, Carlos Queiroz, might be up to. The first half was not surprising – a leaky, low block with poorly coordinated pressing that brought back memories of the dysfunctional team Otto Addo had left behind. The second half was markedly different: a well-coordinated mid-block with synchronised pressing and better protection for the full-backs. In terms of structure, Queiroz favours a back four – as opposed to Otto’s back three. In Cardiff, he started with a double pivot of Elisha Owusu and a remarkably off-the-pace Thomas Partey, whose withdrawal in the second half for Caleb Yirenkyi seemed significant. The midfield pairing of Yirenkyi, who scored Ghana’s goal, and Kwasi Sibo brought a lot of dynamism and intensity. Out wide, Ernest Nuamah and Christopher Bonsu Baah have pushed themselves to the front of the queue for the right-wing spot. While Baah excelled on the left against Wales, Antoine Semenyo is expected to have that spot under lock and key. That will probably leave Iñaki Williams, Kamaldeen Sulemana and Abdul Fatawu waiting in the wings. Ghana’s main concern is a lack of goals up front. Jordan Ayew, who directly contributed to 14 goals during qualifying, scored just six times for Leicester last season. More worryingly, Ayew started just over half the games for a side that was relegated to League One. The hope is that Manchester City’s Semenyo, who registered 17 goals and four assists in the Premier League, will inspire Ghana in attack. Ghana – drawn with England, Croatia and Panama in Group L – have enough talent to make an impact in North America. Their best showing so far at a World Cup? The quarter-finals in 2010. Carlos Queiroz has coaching experience at Real Madrid and Manchester United, and has worked at the World Cup on four occasions – 2010 with Portugal, and 2014, 2018, and 2022 with Iran. But the Portuguese describes his latest job as the most difficult yet. “After eight national teams and a couple of important competitions, this is the biggest challenge of my entire career, and I am ready for that,” Queiroz said. “When you work for Ghana, they don’t expect anything different than win, win, win. That is why it is the biggest challenge.” In a parallel universe right now, Antoine Semenyo is heading to the World Cup with England, probably as a starter. But the London-born forward will be wearing Ghana’s gold shirt in Foxborough on 23 June, when the Black Stars face the Three Lions. In truth, Semenyo’s international career has not gone according to plan, with three goals in 34 appearances a poor return. But his 17 goals and four assists for Bournemouth and Manchester City this season, plus the winner in the FA Cup final, make him one of the most formidable, in-form forwards in Europe and he should be Ghana’s main threat. Caleb Yirenkyi has been compared with Michael Essien and it’s not hard to see why with his range of tackling, passing and ability to drive the ball forward into the opposition half. He combines athleticism with technical ability and is effective at both ends of the pitch. In January a reported move to Brighton fell through, but there will be no shortage of suitors for the 20-year-old Nordsjælland midfielder. His club and international teammate Prince Amoako told Joy Sports in January: “He doesn’t see himself the way we see him because he’s a very humble guy. But Caleb is insane, he’s crazily good. He’s a superstar, and I tell him so every time.” After failing to qualify for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations – the first Afcon they missed for more than 20 years – Ghana turned to Benjamin Asare , who became the first goalkeeper from the Ghana Premier League to start a competitive fixture for the national team since 2015. He was not particularly brilliant but saved the shots expected of him and restored confidence in an otherwise charitable backline. There are still concerns about his command over crosses, but his quick reflexes, agility, and impressive distribution are the reason a defence that conceded 13 goals in nine competitive games before he arrived suddenly went on a mean streak, conceding just once in six World Cup qualifiers. The Ghana Supporters Union may be the most colourful set of fans you will see this summer. With their powerful live band, they produce an electrifying atmosphere wherever they go. Fifa will not allow musical instruments in the grounds but, as they’ve shown in similar circumstances in the past, the Supporters Union will still bring the energy and Ghana’s unique, morale-lifting “jama” (a highly energetic, rhythmic and chant-like music). Ghana’s government is funding for thousands of supporters to travel to the tournament, raising more than $3m. Wary. Ghana has faced tariffs on goods, rows over visas and recently walked away from a big US health and aid deal, saying US negotiators had demanded access to the private health data of citizens. But the government, which last year agreed to accept people deported from the US by Trump’s crackdown on illegal immigration, treads a careful path. As for Carlos Queiroz – his long history of working for Iran may add to the sensitivity, but don’t expect big statements. In 2022 as Iran coach he refused to engage with the political heat around their game against USA in Qatar, saying: “Our mission is here to create entertainment, to make people happy. To bring smiles to all people for 90 minutes.” Written by Victor Atsu Tamakloe for Myjoyonline.com.

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ShareSaveAdd as preferred on GoogleMegan BonarandKayleigh Harvey,BBC Scotland, BostonThousands of Scotland fans are descending on Boston after making the long journey to the US for the World Cup. Anticipation is building as the men's team prepare to play in the tournament for the first time in almost 30 years. Members of the Tartan Army have been arriving in the east coast of the US ahead of the opening fixture with Haiti, which will be played at 21:00 local time on Saturday - 02:00 BST on Sunday for those watching back home. While dozens of fans have reported issues with travel permits being revoked at the last minute, thousands have already completed the journey. The World Cup kicks off on Thursday night with the opening ceremony and the first game between Mexico and and South Africa. Edinburgh Airport was awash with kilts and Scotland tops on Wednesday as fans headed to the States via different flight routes. Some going direct to Massachusetts, where Scotland play their first two group games in Boston, with others travelling to neighbouring states. The Delta direct flight to Boston was special for one family, who managed to secure match tickets mid-flight. Christopher Currie from Ayr told BBC Scotland he used the airline's wifi to buy four tickets Scotland v Haiti for a "decent" price. He said: "We managed to buy tickets at 34,000ft so it's been a great flight. We're absolutely buzzing now." It will be his son Hudson's first big international game. Fans who have already travelled to the US include 69-year-old Jim Stewart from Edinburgh. He has been following Scotland since he saw his first game at Hampden as a 15-year-old schoolboy in 1972. That match ended in a 1-0 defeat to England – but Jim was hooked. One of his most memorable moments came in 1977 at Wembley, where he saw the 2-1 victory over England. The match is still remembered for the post-match pitch invasion, where fans stole parts of the turf and broke the crossbar on one of the goals. "I was on the pitch that day. My dad's got a bit of Wembley turf in his garden somewhere still - but no goalposts," said Jim. His first World Cup was Spain in 1982, when he and eight friends bought a campervan, covered it in tartan wallpaper and drove to Malaga. Jim - in the middle of the back row, wearing a Scotland top - and friends took a campervan to the 1982 World CupThe 1982 competition in Spain was the first World Cup that Jim (back right) attendedFootball matches took a back seat when Jim moved to England to pursue a career as a financial advisor, but his interest was rekindled in the early 2000s. Jim says he hasn't missed a Scotland game – home or away – since the 2018 game against Peru. He describes it as a great way to see the world. "I enjoy meeting up with people and seeing different places I never in my life would have thought I'd have gone to – Peru, Kazakhstan, Albania, Armenia, Russia and Moldova. "You meet up with all sorts of people when you go to these places. There's a big group of us that always seem to find each other. "On match days there can be 50 or 60 of us and we'll have a few beers and go to the games." Jim, who's now retired, was able to secure $60 tickets for all three of Scotland's group stage fixtures – but admits that he didn't think he would see the men's team play at another World Cup. "I'd been to Spain in 82, France in 98 and the Euros in 24, but it just seemed to be the World Cup was never going to happen for us." Scotland have never progressed beyond the group stages at a World Cup. Jim thinks the current squad is the strongest he's seen and is optimistic about the team's chances. "I think we could get out of the group, but then again I've thought that in every World Cup since 1974," he added. Keeping his options open, Jim has decided not to book a return flight home so he can continue to follow the team as far as they go. Those in the Shetland branch of the Tartan Army believe they are among the most dedicated members because of the extra travel involved from the far north of Scotland. About 30 will be travelling from Shetland to the US for the World Cup, including brothers James and Stuart Milne, from Brae in the north of the mainland. They started their journey by travelling to the central belt of Scotland to join a group of friends, before flying from Edinburgh to Frankfurt, then on to New York City before taking a party bus to Boston. The brothers have each spent about £6,500 on match tickets, accommodation, flights, internal flights and transfers during the trip. "And we've not even bought a pint yet!" jokes 41-year-old James, who planned the trip. While James is a long-time member of the Tartan Army, his 40-year-old brother is a more recent recruit. Stuart says they have become "a lot closer" through attending matches together. "Having your brother sitting next to you in a stadium when the game kicks off, for me it's everything," added James. Inverness Caley Thistle legend Charlie Christie - the father of Scotland star Ryan - will also be jetting out to the US with his family. Charlie said it had been a "dream" to watch his son's football career. Ryan progressed from Caley Thistle's youth system to play for the club, before moves took him to Celtic, Aberdeen and now Bournemouth - while earning 68 caps for Scotland. Charlie said the World Cup would be the "pinnacle" of Ryan's career and that he had encouraged his son to savour every moment. "I'm not one to go overboard, but it will be emotional. There will be tears," he added.

World Cup News

Richards back in full training before first match Center-back feared worst after Palace ankle injury US face Paraguay in high-pressure Group D start If it was up to Chris Richards, he’d be in the lineup when the United States opens Group D action against Paraguay. The center-back is among the most important players on the squad, the clear lead defender among a deep corps of options. When he exited Crystal Palace’s second-to-last Premier League fixture with an ankle injury, anxiety spiked that Mauricio Pochettino’s side would enter the tournament without their bedrock. Richards was as tense as anybody, admitting his ankle was so swollen after the hit that he braced for the worst – again. Since Monday, he’s been a full participant in practice. It’s an open question whether he’ll start the opener or be held out for preservation. “Once I got the diagnosis. I was like, all right, cool. Whatever it takes, I have to make it for this first game,” Richards told the media on Wednesday. “I think the first time I really realized that I could be 100% for Friday was probably last week. It was a lot of massages, a lot of ice, a lot of compression, things like that. Once I was finally on the pitch, it felt good, and I think that was the main thing. I can play with pain as long as functionally, I’m good.” The waiting period was understandably tense. As well as the considerable swelling, Richards had a transatlantic flight which he admits may have complicated his recovery timeline. Having missed the 2022 World Cup with a hamstring injury, it was difficult not to revisit familiar feelings of possibly missing out on a hard-earned career milestone. “When I first came out with the injury, I was pretty devastated,” Richards said. And I was honestly fearing the worst, but I kind of forced myself back on the pitch to prove to myself that it was doable. Once I found out the diagnosis, it was all right. How do I get ready for this game against Paraguay?” Richards was one of 10 defenders selected on Pochettino’s squad, but projects to start at the heart of the backline. His ability to muscle opponents off the ball is unparalleled in the pool, helping the others organize while clarifying roles for the rest of the defense. “I think we have a really good group of center-backs, called CBU,” said fellow center-back Mark McKenzie. “We’ve got a good range of experience, both at the international level and the club level, but we also shared this opportunity now with the national team for a number of years now, in a way. I think all that time together has built a really strong group. We have a lot of chemistry, and then on the field, it just helps with understanding each other’s tendencies, habits, routines, whatever it is to help offset any moments, [and] be able to manage different situations in the games.” Neither Richards nor McKenzie played in the US’s 2-1 win over Paraguay in a November friendly, played mere weeks before the American nations were drawn into the same group. Both teams have had plenty of time since December’s draw to revisit that tape while closely monitoring each other’s subsequent performances to get a sense of what’s to come. Richards’ return to selectable status will be an unwelcome development for Paraguay, who enter this game without one of their own most important players, creator Julio Enciso. His absence could mean Paraguay retreats a bit more to fortify tactically in hopes of claiming a crucial result against a host team facing immense pressure. “If you can start off the World Cup with three points – not just for our confidence, but also to show the group that we want to be the top dogs in this group, and we’ll be the top dogs in this World Cup,” Richards said. “I think with a statement hopefully on Friday and three points, I think that’ll definitely set the tone for the World Cup.” It’s an opportunity Richards has worked incredibly hard to keep in range, allowing him to play in a World Cup at last. “I’m experiencing these things for the first time, and it’s very exciting,” Richards said. “I think the last few weeks were very intense, and now it’s time to just hone in on what we do best, and hopefully get some good results.

World Cup News

Ivan Perisic (top) is still knocking about at 37. He has a World Cup final goal to his name. Photograph: Icon Sportswire/Getty ImagesLuka Modric and friends are aiming for one last hurrah but a Tottenham defender is providing hope for the future for England’s group opponents This 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. Qualifiers were easy for the Vatreni – the Blazers – as Czechia, far from their glory days, provided the only serious challenge in the group and were the only opponents to snatch at least a draw. Zlatko Dalic therefore used some of those games to experiment and deepen his pool of players. But when, last November, Croatia beat the Faroe Islands to secure top spot with one game to go, the manager said: “I will never try to play with three at the back again.” Fast forward to March before the friendlies with Colombia (2-1 win) and Brazil (1-3 defeat): he changed his mind, trying the formation in both matches with mixed results. However, this is likely to remain only a plan B for the World Cup. Croatia rely on Josko Gvardiol and Mateo Kovacic and, with the Manchester City duo back from injury, Dalic is inclined to revert to a back four – either 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 – which has been a constant during his nine-year reign. Croatia will be among the oldest teams at the tournament, with roughly half or more of their starters into their 30s and the captain, Luka Modric, now 40. That means loads of experience and a winning mentality but also raises some uneasy questions. Can the old guard of Modric, Kovacic (32), Ivan Perisic (37) and Andrej Kramaric (turning 35) still cut it? Are the younger, lesser-known players ready to step up? Croatia have been used to punching above their weight and their success at the past two World Cups has set the bar impossibly high, but they seem determined to deliver one last hurrah. Keeping his post for almost a decade now is quite an achievement in trigger-happy Croatia, but Zlatko Dalic has done more than enough to earn his credit and is practically untouchable. However, mention his contract ends with this World Cup and he will prove sensitive on the subject. “Leave me in peace to do my job,” he snapped when asked about it recently. “I’m not going to sign an extension if anyone is forcing me to decide now.” This is his third World Cup in charge having led the team to a silver medal in Russia and bronze in Qatar. It’s been 20 years since his full international debut and for most of that time Croatia have been Luka Modric ’s team, built around the midfield maestro. It still is, even though a generation or two of players in his supporting cast have come and gone. Clearly he is not the same player who won the Ballon d’Or and Champions League titles with Real Madrid, but that is sometimes hard to tell when he is still pulling the strings for Croatia. He has been Milan’s best player – by some distance – after his switch from Madrid in 2025. He scored his 29th international goal in a warm-up match against Slovenia and should surpass the 200-cap mark in North America. Luka Vuskovic is the ball-playing, playmaking, scoring centre-back who is dominant in the air and has been the leader in every age category or league in which he has played so far. At 19 and still new to the team, the Tottenham defender (who was loaned out to Hamburg in the Bundesliga last season) has proved his worth to Zlatko Dalic and is expected to be a starter in North America. Is he ready for the biggest stage? Of course he is – you just wait and see. Mateo Kovacic spent most of his career in Modric’s shadow and has rarely been seen as a key player for Croatia. It is only when he is absent that his impact in midfield is truly appreciated as, when he is there, he provides Modric with more freedom and connecting lines of play. To Dalic, Kovacic’s importance is so clear that his whole approach, including formation, depends on it. If Kovacic is not at his best, Croatia are likely to switch from 4-3-3 to 4-2-3-1, or even to a back three. Croatia have had more than their fair share of trouble with fans, with their behaviour responsible for various sanctions. The team will have mass support, as always, but fans travelling to North America will be there to sing, dress up and simply have a good time supporting the team rather than protesting or causing strife. Or at least that’s the hope. The “not mixing sport with politics” cliche remains a fixed position in Croatia, rolled out when it suits those in power. The nation’s politicians have not been vocal about the Trump administration, so don’t expect anything even resembling an opinion or attitude from anyone in the team camp. Fans may complain about the prices or other issues, but generally Croatia are unlikely to cause a stir.

World Cup News

Scotland's Super Mario and social butterfly who emerged from Man Utd cocoon BBC Scotland's chief sports writer in Charlotte Scott McTominay is talking about mentality, about dig and dog and how some players have it and how some players just don't. That refusal to stop and give up? He says he's had it since he was a kid and knows that every last man in the Scotland changing room has it, too. "Not willing to stop when it gets tough, it's one of the most important things in football," he tells BBC Sport, before talking about a guy who, to him, embodied that uncompromising nature every day - Michael Jordan, the NBA colossus of yesteryear. "He once said that whenever somebody arrives to the stadium they could be watching for the first time," McTominay explained. "So if you're not giving your absolute best a young fan could be walking away going 'he wasn't that great'." The Scotland midfielder says he's been doing a bit of that in training, a mentor but also a taskmaster for the youngsters in the squad, such as teenagers Tyler Fletcher and Findlay Curtis. "I'm demanding and quite hard on some of them," he says. "The right way to live your life off the pitch is probably more important than what you do on the pitch because you can kill your whole career by things that you do off the pitch. "They need a little bit of tough love sometimes, young players. I had that. There was a lot of senior pros saying, 'Listen, you've got to up your game or you've got no chance. I don't want to name names. It was a lot. Behind closed doors. "And the things that get said are ruthless - sink or swim." The day McTominay scored an even better overhead kick He left home in Lancaster at an early age to become part of a residency programme at the club, an emotional upheaval that presented challenges to a boy who spent much of his early years flying well under the radar. He was no childhood prodigy, no sure thing. In his first season of under-18 football he barely saw two hours of competitive action. He was only 5ft 6in at 16 - a "silky number 10" as he put it. In his debut season with the under-21s he started two of 22 matches. His growth spurt was something to see, from a diminutive attacker to a beast at 6ft 4in. His bolshiness seemed to grow in proportion with his height. That tough love he talks about now began around then. He tells a story of a day spent training with the senior team and how he vented when all the tight decisions in a bounce game were given in favour of the "old lads" and against the "young lads". Jose Mourinho was his manager who later became his champion. "Jose phoned me because I was arguing with Michael Carrick and Ashley Young," McTominay recalled. "There were a couple of swear words in there. He dressed me down. It was like 'who do you think you are, you've done nothing'. I thought it was over [at United] before it started, how forceful he was." It wasn't over, it was just beginning. McTominay made his senior debut in May, 2017. "This kid has everything I want," said the manager. The following season, Mourinho invented a new award at the end of campaign ceremony, making McTominay the manager's player of the season. "He started the season in the academy and ended it playing big games in the Premier League," said the Portuguese. "I thought this kid cannot go home without an award." McTominay was a Scotland player by then, capped in March 2018 against Costa Rica. There was a brief crossover between Steven Naismith exiting the international stage and McTominay bursting on to it, but Steve Clarke's now assistant, remembers how the young man was back then. "He kept himself to himself," he said. "At the start I thought, is that because he was born in England and it's his grandparents who are Scottish? He's maybe just a wee bit unsure of the Scottishness, the bluntness of Scottish people? But over the years, he just matured." McTominay was born into a difficult era at United. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer succeeded Mourinho and loved the youngster. He gave him 22 games, then 37, then 49. He called him a "physical monster". His engine was unreal even when the team was not. Ralf Rangnick succeeded Solskjaer and talked of McTominay as a future captain. The problem was that Old Trafford was in turmoil. When the United fans rounded on players then their local boy, the lifelong fan, was one of the first to get it. Playing in a deeper role instead of the box crasher he has become, he came in for special treatment. Tough love? At times, it was savage. Rangnick made way for Erik ten Hag, who simultaneously praised McTominay's fighting qualities while at the same signing a battery of players in his position. He could have left for West Ham for £30m but stayed. Newcastle, Fulham and Bayern Munich were said to be interested. Nothing happened. In October 2023, United were trailing 1-0 at home to Brentford when McTominay came off the bench with 10 minutes to go. He scored twice in added time to win the game. He gave one of his most famous quotes in the aftermath, words that reflected his frustration but also his fierce determination. "Never give up, man," he said. "You never give up. No matter the situation you never give up, never throw the towel in." It's said that McTominay did not give up on United but that United gave up on McTominay. Things were stressed. Money had been wasted. The club needed to sell in order to buy. He left for Napoli. A succession of his former United managers rounded on the club for letting him go. "I'm almost shocked," said Solskjaer. "This decision is beyond me." It wasn't long before Mourinho was calling his former wunderkind "one of the best midfielders in Europe". "When I think of Scotland, I think of my boy Scott McTominay," he said. "I got him when he was 18, when nobody at Man Utd believed he could be the player he is." His Napoli years - the Serie A title in 2024-25 and the adoration that came with it - have turned him into a player who is worshipped in Naples and identified throughout the world. McTominay is the superstar of this Scotland team, the guy with a giant mural on the side of a house near Hampden and whose frame - mid-bicycle kick against Denmark on the night of all nights last November - is on a bank note. For club and country he has scored 13, 16 and 17 goals in the last three seasons, some of them to win a title in Italy, others helping Scotland to the World Cup. McTominay has 70 caps and has played multiple positions - right-sided centre-back, defensive midfielder, attacking midfielder. He is now exactly where he wants to be, in every sense. Naismith has watched him grow into a player of huge substance, on and off the field. "He can glide across the pitch with elegance. He's such an athlete," he said. "And see his passing - it's as if you're in a computer game. It's like in Super Mario where you get a mushroom and you're bigger, if that makes sense. He's just more powerful than everybody else. "The last part is you just hope he's not an arsehole - and he's not. He'll hang about with the youngest players in the squad at dinner and he'll chat away to them. "And then the next day he could be sitting with [John] McGinn and Robbo [Andy Robertson] and Kenny McLean and Grant [Hanley] and be part of that. "And then he might just be by himself for a bit. He's a social butterfly and it's all pure happiness for him." It's taken a lot of hard work to get McTominay happy. A nation will be hoping he's still smiling in the wake of their opener against Haiti, Scotland's first World Cup game since the great thoroughbred in their midfield was barely out of nappies. Everything you need to know about the World Cup

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When Scotland last reached a men's World Cup, the Scottish Parliament didn't exist, Google wasn't a thing and a pint of lager was roughly £1.90. The first concerns around what Y2K would bring were creeping in. C'est La Vie by B*witched was number one in the charts, The Wedding Singer was the best in the box office, and the BBC's written coverage for the opening game against Brazil was on Ceefax. While the Tartan Army were healing their broken hearts with a 10p Freddo after Morocco spoiled the party in St Etienne, little did they know they'd be waiting 28 years to see their country at a men's World Cup again. 1998 was a very long time ago. Too long ago. Eight of Steve Clarke's squad here in the US were not even born. A whole generation and then some have been envious of their elders who have experienced their national team dining at the top table. But while Scotland have been sitting in the footballing dark, doing their best to keep their memories of France fresh, the rest of the world has kept spinning. And then some... Why this World Cup will showcase 'different Steve Clarke' Though it had been in existence for over a decade, it was largely used for work, not play. It's true potential - or danger - was lightyears away from being learned. Craig Brown's line-up wasn't being predicted, leaked or discovered online, and there certainly wasn't anyone watching Colin Hendry and his team-mates trot out at the Stade de France in their kilts on their mobile phones. That's an image, actually. Only one in four people back then actually had a mobile phone. Imagine the huddling... In fact, most fans back home were watching in smoke-filled pubs – it was nearly eight years before it was made illegal to light-up in enclosed public spaces. They watched Hendry admirably attempt his unenviable job of marking a certain Ronaldo – the world's most expensive player at the time. He'd just completed a £17m move from Barcelona to Inter Milan. At the time the fee was eye-watering, but now it might buy you a third-choice full-back. The Euro didn't come into use until the year after. And it was that year too that Scotland's first First Minister, Donald Dewar proclaimed "today there is a new voice in the land," as the new parliament opened in Edinburgh. There have been six First Ministers since, and one vote on independence in 2014. Glasgow hosted the Commonwealth Games in the same year, two summers after London welcomed the world for the Olympics. Hampden hosted a few men's and women's football games during that one. Including the 1998 title, won weeks before the jaunt to France, Celtic have won 21 Scottish top-flight titles since, that one in 98 - the Scottish Premier Division league title, as it was then called – ending nine years of dominance by Rangers. Elsewhere in the sport, a 22-year-old Tiger Woods was waltzing into the golfing world. He had just one major to his name - The Masters - but would go on to win a further 14. Roger Federer hadn't even made his ATP debut, never mind won any of his 103 singles title - or his 20 majors, while Wimbledon's winner in '98, Pete Sampras earned £43,500 more than women's winner, Jana Novotna. Equal pay finally arrived in 2007 with last year's winners - Jannik Sinner and Iga Swiatek - both receiving £3m. Changed days. This Scotland squad will feel £3m and more having achieved what they just have. They might also have spent close to that amount on the celebrations... But this is historic. The first for a generation and then some. Aaron Hickey, Lewis Ferguson, Ben Gannon-Doak, Nathan Patterson, Anthony Ralston, Findlay Curtis and Tyler Fletcher were all born post-1998. They grew up watching James McFadden, Darren Fletcher, Barry Ferguson, Scott Brown, Kenny Miller and many others in dark blue fail to reach the promised land. It's taken over 10,000 days to do so. There won't be CDs and DVDs to capture the backdrop of these finals, while the milk required for the tea and coffees won't cost 34p, either. But, the more things change, the more they stay the same.

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ShareSaveAdd as preferred on GoogleBen PhilipBBC Scotland NewsA Scotland football fan has told how he found out an hour before flying to the World Cup finals in the US that his travel permit had been revoked. Michael Wright had been due to head off to the States for a dream 30th birthday trip with his brother and had tickets for Scotland's group stage games against Haiti and Morocco. But he ended up having to send his brother through the security gates at Manchester Airport on his own when his visa status switched from "approved" to "pending" and finally to "travel not authorised". Michael, who is from Greenock but now lives in Australia, told BBC Scotland News: "I don't think I've ever felt that bad." He added: "I sent my brother through security because I still wanted him to go and enjoy his holiday. And I didn't want him to see me ready to break down." UK citizens who want to go to the United States for up to 90 days without a visa need to apply to the country's Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA). But dozens of fans who filled out the form have said on social media that their application status had changed in the days leading up to the World Cup kicking off on Thursday. Some supporters have now been told to make last-minute trips to the US Consulate in Belfast to secure approval of their visas. First Minister John Swinney said he had contacted US officials over the issue and would do "all I can to help" those affected. He said: "I have asked officials to convey our hope that they can resolve this so that Scotland's fans do not miss out." Michael, who emigrated to Australia nine years ago, applied for his ESTA in March. He travelled home to Greenock to spend two weeks with his family before preparing to head off to the US with no concerns about his visa status. "In my eyes, there's no valid reason for them to decline it," he said. "I live in what most people would say is the second hardest country in the world to get a visa. I've been living there nearly 10 years, reapplying for visas and completing police checks. "They (the US authorities) granted it originally so I'm not sure why they've decided to look back into it." Acting assistant secretary of US Homeland Security, Lauren Bis, previously told the BBC that the tightening of granting ESTAs was because "the Trump administration is enforcing immigration laws". "Under the Visa Waiver Program, all ESTA applications are continuously vetted against law enforcement and security databases," she said. "Travellers must provide complete and truthful information, including all criminal history." Michael Wright said the late U-turn had left him feeling "very raw" - as well as thousands of pounds out of pocket. He said: "You're talking about £4,500 to £5,000 and the only thing I'm ever going to get the money back on is the match tickets. "But at this point I don't even want to take the money back on them – I'll probably just give them away." However, he still insists on "taking the positives" from his World Cup experience. "I made the trip home and spent about two-and-a-half weeks back in Scotland with all the family who I obviously don't get to see every day. "Now I'll just go back to Australia and watch the games with my mates." A spokesperson for the UK's Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office said: "The US government sets ESTA and visa requirements. We encourage applicants to follow instructions set out by the US Embassy. "We continue to engage closely with the US embassy regarding entry requirements for British nationals traveling to the World Cup." In order to travel to America, applicants must complete a form, pay a fee, and receive approval before travel. An approved ESTA is usually valid for two years and allows multiple short visits. UK citizens with certain criminal convictions or immigration issues are usually not eligible. In December, the White House said it wanted to make social media checks part of the process of applying for the permissions. Anyone who does not qualify for an ESTA has to apply for a US visa instead, but this can be a lengthy progress. Scotland kicks off its World Cup campaign on 13 June. BBC Scotland News has approached the US Embassy in London and US Customs and Border Protection for comment.

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The Scotland squad for the 1982 World Cup was the most internationally adept the nation had ever assembled. Ten European Cup winners' medals between them from the previous five years, three Uefa Cup winners and four European Super Cups. Within another two seasons, they would have amassed another two European Cups, two more Uefa Cups, four Cup Winners' Cup winners and five more Super Cups. Throw in a collective 63 domestic honours and 503 caps and a legendary European Cup-winning manager in Jock Stein. Even if this assembly of tartan talent only added up to the sum of its parts, then BA Robertson's paean to hope, 'We have a Dream', trumped the blind faith of 'Ally's Army' four years previous. This was their time. Scotland at their third straight World Cup finals. Cracked it. What could possibly go wrong in Spain? Joe Jordan, Gordon Strachan and John Wark look back... John Wark: "It must be the best squad we've ever taken to a finals - and the best manager. "We had players who'd won everything in the game, they needed someone who commanded their respect and big Jock [Stein] did it just by walking into the room. To this day I believe that was our chance." Joe Jordan: "I had gone from Man United to Italy that year and I spoke to Jock to make sure I would still be part of the Scotland scene at Milan. "I'd had an injury towards the end of the Serie A season but he involved me in the Home Internationals so I figured he was trying to get me fit to go to Spain. I didn't get my chance until the third game - but I was ready." Gordon Strachan: "It wasn't easy being away in those days. We got one phone call home a week from the SFA. There was no internet, no social media to keep up, the only telly was Spanish telly, and Willie Miller was the room-mate who just wanted to sleep 24/7. "The room was the first I'd ever been in that had the harling [rough plaster] on the inside. And Jock used to berate me every time he saw me outside because he thought the sun would kill the wee ginger guy - never mind the fact I might have to acclimatise to play three games in it!" Wark: "When you score five, you come off the park thinking you've done pretty well. You know you have to beat the minnows - and we did. "Personally, I was a wee bit annoyed because I had a great chance to score a hat-trick, I had a header I should have put away. "We gave them two goals for nothing and you don't think about it at the time but they come back to haunt you. Two balls over the top, the first one Danny McGrain and [goalkeeper Alan Rough] Roughie get mixed up, the second Allan Evans gets caught." Jordan: "It's easy in hindsight but I felt it at the time on the bench as well, 100%. If you're being professional, you just don't give these goals away. That was a regret. I instantly felt it could come back and bite us. And that's borne from experience. "I go back to Zaire in '74 and the fact we never scored enough goals. We settled, and it cost us. This was the same." 18 June, Seville. (Narey 18) Scotland 1-4 Brazil (Zico 33, Oscar 48, Eder 63, Falcao 87) Wark: "It's incredible to think that Brazil team didn't win the World Cup. "The heat didn't help. During the anthems, the sweat was lashing off us, then I looked along their line. Not a single drop on a single forehead and I just thought, 'uh-oh'." Strachan: "The other problem was the pitch - we never had a clue what studs to wear because the grass was so long, which was the way the Brazilians liked it. There was actually a lot of physical engagement to their play, it wasn't as much about moving the ball quickly as it is now. "In the end it didn't matter too much - we never saw the ball when they got going anyway." Wark: "Our goal [Scotland took the lead through Dave Narey] just got them annoyed. I was playing on the right - we had so many good centre mids I never got to play in my best spot - and I headed it down for big Sash [handsome Narey's nickname after singer Sacha Distel] to score that famous goal of his. "He didn't have a clue what to do. He obviously hardly ever scored so he ended up running around like a wee boy who didn't know what day it was! "After that, though? It was an education." Strachan: "They were good, but what you don't realise was their height and strength was incredible. Their midfield three - Socrates, Falcao and Cerezo - they were all 6ft 3in. "I thought I was pretty strong, and I'm eyeing up wee Junior for a challenge, maybe knock him over when I'm taking the ball off him, and bang. I went down like a cartoon character, I just crumpled. "They're the best team never to have won a World Cup. Probably the best team I ever played, actually - except the big striker Serginho, to be fair, he wasn't that great. I actually swapped strips with him, which means there'll be a Scotland number seven shirt somewhere in a loft in Sao Paulo." Wark: "Their goals were class. I was the end man in the wall for Zico's and Roughie was giving it, 'perfect, John', with the big thumbs up. Two seconds later it's round me and in the top corner. Two keepers couldn't have stopped it. "At the final whistle, Kenny [Dalglish], who'd come on as a sub, went to Zico and tried to get his shirt. Big [Alan] Hansen sprinted over to try and get it too - it was probably the closest he got to him all night. "But Zico fobbed them both off and came over to me instead. 'Swap?' he says. Turns out he just collected number 10s - so when I got back into the dressing room I was waving it in Hansen's face. I actually ended up giving it away to a charity in Ipswich and it made a lot of money at an auction." 22 June, Malaga. (Jordan 15, Souness 86) Scotland 2-2 USSR (Chivadze 59, Shengelia 84) Jordan: "It was my first start - and what turned out to be my last cap - but I got the goal we needed. Stevie Archibald got on to a mistake from their centre-half but I had a good 35 yards to go. I still had a decent turn of pace for a 30-year-old and although I didn't like having that much time to think, the keeper left me just enough room at the near post." Wark: "I watched the game a few weeks ago on BBC Scotland and I'd forgotten how much we battered them. We just had to win, any win, and we were good enough to win three games against them, honestly. "The first one's horrible, we've got about four defenders round it, but [Aleksandre] Chivadze sclaffs [mishits] it off the ground and it bounces up and over Roughie. "And the second, the infamous mix-up between Miller and Hansen, even watching it again, even knowing exactly when it's coming, you can't stop yourself shouting 'what the **** are they doing???' at the telly." Strachan: "That's a footballer's life sometimes, though, all the great things you do and you get talked about for the one mistake. If Steven Gerrard hadn't single-handedly won Liverpool a European Cup in Istanbul, he'd only be remembered for that slip against Chelsea." Jordan: "The goals we lost were hard to take. When you get to that level and you're playing the best, you should still make them work for it, to score with quality the way Brazil did, say. "The thing is, the goal Graeme [Souness] scores to pull us level again is a cracker as well, but it almost made it feel worse - touching distance again." Strachan: "Scottish football was in a seriously good place at the time as well. There have been better teams but the overall quality in our own top division was the best ever, when there were four teams properly going at it. "And the fact the Anglos [English-based players] were the best as well. Six of them played every week for the two best teams in England." Wark: "Yes, we had the talent - but the bottom line is we still didn't qualify for the next stage, which we should have done. End of story." Goalkeepers: Rough (Partick Thistle), Wood (Arsenal), Leighton (Aberdeen) Defenders: McGrain (Celtic), Gray (Leeds United), Burley (Ipswich), Hansen (Liverpool), Narey (Dundee United), Miller (Aberdeen), McLeish (Aberdeen), Evans (Aston Villa) Midfielders: Souness (Liverpool), Strachan (Aberdeen), Wark (Ipswich), Hartford (Man City), Robertson (Nottingham Forest), Provan (Celtic) Forwards: Dalglish (Liverpool), Brazil (Ipswich), Jordan (AC Milan), Archibald (Tottenham), Sturrock (Dundee United).

World Cup News

241 Comments When Glenn Hoddle's England started their World Cup campaign in France in 1998, Thomas Tuchel was still working a student job at a bar in Stuttgart. Almost 30 years later, Tuchel is now the England manager tasked with doing what Hoddle and so many others failed to do - win the World Cup for the Three Lions. The Three Lions face Norway on Saturday in the quarter-finals knowing victory would set up just their second World Cup semi-final since 1990 and fourth in total. The 52-year-old German is known as one of the game's keenest minds, a coach obsessed with detail and blessed with a special gift for analysis. It is hard to imagine that in the late 1990s, Tuchel was working at the wildest parties in Stuttgart and hanging out with some of Germany's biggest hip-hop stars. Yet it was there, having almost given up on football entirely, that Tuchel began his journey to World Cup management. Last year, respected German coach Ralf Rangnick recalled the story of how he launched Tuchel's career as a coach. "When I found out that he was working in a bar in Stuttgart to earn his living, I could hardly believe it," Rangnick told the BBC, external in an interview with former Germany and Aston Villa midfielder Thomas Hitzlsperger. "I called him and I said, 'what are you doing?' He said 'I have to earn my living there'. I said to him, 'Thomas, please, why don't you come to us in Stuttgart and work as a youth-team coach?' "I brought him together with the academy director and that's how his coaching career started." Tuchel had played under Rangnick at SSV Ulm and the two had long admired each other. At Ulm in the early 1990s, Rangnick was laying the groundwork for a tactical revolution in German football as one of the first managers to introduce zonal marking. As Tuchel later told Sky Sports, the coach "changed the way I watched football on television". Rangnick, meanwhile, quickly earmarked the young defender as a possible future coaching talent. "He was always interested in why we play the way we play," Rangnick told the BBC. "After a couple of weeks when you are a head coach you can always pretty precisely tell which players could become a coach." Tuchel's playing career was cut short by injury. Damage to the cartilage in his knees was causing such severe pain that he could barely walk up and down stairs. He had an operation at the age of 23 in a bid to save his career, but eventually realised he would have to retire. The knee issue ended his dream of playing in the Bundesliga, and as he told Die Zeit, external in an interview in 2017, it left him strapped for cash because his insurance had not covered the operation. Having given up his first degree in sport and English to focus on football a few years earlier, Tuchel was now back to square one. "I still had nothing in my bank account. I felt like I was a professional footballer, but I still had to go looking for a job," he told Die Zeit. Tuchel moved to Stuttgart to study business administration and found work in a bar. This was not just any bar, however. Tuchel's new workplace was located in the famous Radio Barth building on Stuttgart's Rotebuhlplatz. Originally a huge music department store which sold records and instruments, the building had been slated for demolition after the store filed for insolvency in 1995. For a few years before it was torn down, however, the venue was rented out to young artists, who briefly transformed it into an iconic nightlife and culture venue. Located on the ground floor of the building, the Radio Bar where Tuchel worked became a hotspot for Germany's burgeoning hip-hop scene. In an interview, external with a student-made documentary in 2008, the bar's former manager Carlos Coelho recalled how popular it became. "We had so many people coming that we had to shut the doors because nobody else could fit in the space," he said. "People just loved it, especially being in this historic Radio Barth building. Everyone who came would say, 'this is where I bought my first record'." Tuchel began collecting empty bottles and glasses, before graduating to table-waiting and eventually serving cocktails at the bar. "I wouldn't want to have drunk the cocktails I was making at the beginning," he told Die Zeit. Yet aside from how to make a mojito and carry a tray of glasses above his head, the England manager said his time at the bar taught him valuable lessons for his future career. "Shift by shift, night by night, I slowly built up my confidence working in the bar," he told Die Zeit. "I overcame my inhibitions about asking strangers if they needed my help, and I realised that people liked me for who I was, that they had no idea that I was an ex-footballer." One of the people Tuchel befriended at the bar was Max Herre, a Stuttgart musician who would go on to be one of Germany's most popular rappers. Speaking to the podcast, external Und was machst du am Wochenende (And what do you do on the weekend) in 2024, Herre recalled how Tuchel became part of his "clique" and would often turn up to his concerts. "On one occasion, he even came all the way to a gig in Vienna," said Herre. When Rangnick called him up to offer him a position, Tuchel was initially reluctant. Yet in 1999, he had a moment when his former club Ulm were promoted to the Bundesliga. Tuchel heard about the promotion during one of his bar shifts and it knocked him sideways. "I was really annoyed because I thought, 'I always wanted to get to the Bundesliga, and now they are living my dream,'" he told Die Zeit. "I worked another half an hour and then I told my colleagues that I had to leave." Radio Bar's loss was VfB Stuttgart's gain, as Tuchel threw himself into his new life as a youth coach. He initially took charge of the under-15s, before later becoming assistant to Stuttgart's legendary youth coach Hans-Martin 'Hansi' Kleitsch with the under-19s. Like Rangnick, Kleitsch had been an instrumental figure in the shift to zonal marking, and he was also credited with making Stuttgart into a conveyor belt of world-class youth talent. Among those who came up the ranks under Kleitsch were Sami Khedira and Mario Gomez. World Cup winner Khedira was also part of the under-19 team crowned German champions in 2005 with Kleitsch as coach and Tuchel his assistant. In an interview, external with German website Spox in 2020, Kleitsch said Tuchel made an impression on the young players with his fashion sense. "Thomas used to wear an old military parka that a lot of the players liked," he said. "A few of them also started going to Thomas' hairdresser, but I think in the end it was too expensive for them." Above all, it was Tuchel's abilities as a coach and in particular his talent for analysis that marked him out. Kleitsch described Tuchel as "the man with the X-ray vision". "His match plans always worked. He would dissect the opponents and always find solutions with his analysis. It was phenomenal," he told Spox. England fans will be hoping that Tuchel's X-ray vision is still as sharp as ever as they sit potentially three matches away from greatness. Three decades after he left his bar job to return to football, the German now faces what could be the toughest test of his career - to bring the World Cup back to England. I've changed my mind, we might actually be able to win this thing - Shearer Quansah banned for two games after Mexico red card Norway's Haaland wants 'pressure' put on England

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2840 Comments The World Cup starts in Mexico City's Azteca Stadium on Thursday and finishes in the MetLife Stadium near New York City on 19 July. Forty-eight teams will contest the tournament, which will be played out in 104 matches across three countries over 39 days, including the co-hosts - Canada, Mexico and the United States - plus holders Argentina. Who will get their hands on the famous gold trophy this time? Who are the other main contenders? And how will England and Scotland do? BBC Sport's TV and radio football pundits and co-commentators have predicted what will happen over the next five weeks, and we have asked AI and Opta's 'supercomputer' for their picks too. Play BBC Sport's new World Cup predictor game Who will win the World Cup? Alan Shearer: France, but there's a caveat that comes with it - only if there is no in-house fighting. With the ability they have in forward positions, two or three big players are going to be left out every game, so it will come down to whether they cope with that in the right way. Danny Murphy: It's hard to look past France with the firepower they have, when you think about extra time in hot weather against tired legs. The likes of Rayan Cherki, Ousmane Dembele and Desire Doue can't all start, but they can be gamechangers if they come on after 70 minutes in 30 degrees heat. Olivier Giroud: For me the two strongest teams are France and Spain. But will they meet each other in the final or before? That will be the question, but I obviously hope France will win. Wayne Rooney: England and Spain will make the final, and hopefully England will win it. Thomas Frank: France are up there of course, and Spain too because they are very clear in how they play. That gives them a massive strength, although I still doubt them a little because they rely on Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams as the wingers and, if they don't have them, I am not sure they have enough individual quality to do it in the end. Along with Brazil, Argentina, England and Portugal, they are the main contenders. A lot of people are saying it is France or Spain, but for me it is between Brazil and England... and I am saying England! Micah Richards: How teams deal with the humidity is going to play a big part at this tournament, so the South American teams will be strong. But I just feel it's going to be a team who are really good at keeping the ball and that points me in the direction of Spain instead. Argentina will go close though, because of the way they work for Lionel Messi. I still think he can do something special, too. Steph Houghton: Hopefully it's England but, looking at other teams, France have so much quality right through their team - especially in attacking areas. Gael Clichy: France, Spain and England are the three for me who will do well. Spain seem to win everything, at every age group, so of course they are up there, but being French I am going for them to win it. Joe Hart: England. But I am not actually that bothered whether I am right or wrong. I just like to back my people and I want England to do it. Martin Keown: Looking at the draw, there will be some absolute blockbuster quarter-finals if the favourites win their groups, like England versus Brazil and Argentina against Portugal - or Messi against Cristiano Ronaldo. Is this the hardest World Cup there has ever been to win? Maybe. It feels very open. My head is telling me the best team is France, my heart is telling me that it could be England. Paul Robinson: The only thing that stops France from winning it is France. They will need a harmonious dressing room. Pat Nevin: This is a guess, but England have a real chance. Along with France, they are my favourites and it's a toss-up between the two as to who will win it. I also wouldn't be shocked if we get a left-field winner this time, and Morocco are the ones who jump out at me, because I covered most of their games when they reached the last four in Qatar. From what I hear, they might be better now than they were then - and they were great then. They will be used to the heat too, which always helps. Ellen White: Well, obviously I want England to win it. That's what I am going with, but if that wasn't to happen then France have a very good squad. Tony Pulis: It's ridiculous that there are 48 teams, and 40 more games than last time. Fair play to all the countries that are going, everyone will enjoy it, but football at this level is now being used as a cash cow. I've got Argentina, Brazil, France, England, Morocco, Portugal, Spain and Senegal as my quarter-finalists. My pick to win it? France. Chris Sutton: Spain are an outstanding team but I've gone for France to win the past two World Cups and I wasn't far wrong. I am not going to change my mind now - they didn't really click at the last Euros but I look at their frontline and think they will be hard to stop. Who will win the 2026 World Cup? Total votes France (9): Scott Brown, Gael Clichy, Rachel Corsie, Olivier Giroud, Danny Murphy, Paul Robinson, Tony Pulis, Alan Shearer & Chris Sutton England (7): Thomas Frank, Joe Hart, Steph Houghton, Martin Keown, Wayne Rooney, Sue Smith & Ellen White Thomas Frank: To win the World Cup you need individual quality, and England have definitely got that. Their midfield is very strong and if they can put the right defence together it is strong enough. They have a real chance. The team will be well structured because Thomas Tuchel is a top coach, plus they have experience in these tournaments and I am sure they will get their togetherness right because they seem to have some fantastic characters and leaders in the group. Ellen White: We've got an unbelievable squad, and I feel like Tuchel will create a nice blend in our team. We also have some great players, who have a lot of momentum - like Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka who have just won the Premier League with Arsenal. Steph Houghton: As well as experience, we've got some quality young players coming through. The only thing that worries me is a lack of game time for some players in our defensive unit, like John Stones or Reece James. Alan Shearer: I don't think we will win it, but we can make the semi-finals because of the ability we have, plus we have a manager who is not going to be afraid to make big decisions and leave certain players out. I am not sure that has always been the case. Hopefully he can get the best out of Harry Kane, like Bayern Munich have done this season when they have had players running past him. My guess is that Morgan Rogers, Saka and Marcus Rashford will play, and there are more goals there for England - they have all scored goals all season. Wayne Rooney: I'm going with Kane to get the Golden Boot. Chris Sutton: I worry a bit about England's defence, but you go through their team and they don't have too many weaknesses. Sue Smith: England have an elite manager who knows how to win things. The team is picked on togetherness and balance, but still has the star quality to succeed. Danny Murphy: It would be a disappointment not to make the semi-finals with the quality we have got. I think we are a bit too reliant on Kane. Lots of great teams are reliant on one goalscorer but when you look at the other players in the squad, none of them have been prolific or even consistent for England. At the back, I wouldn't have us down as being as good as France and Spain either. But being weaker defensively than we are offensively doesn't mean that we are not capable of winning it, if the luck goes our way. Martin Keown: England have potentially got the toughest of any last-16 tie, if we end up playing Mexico at the Azteca Stadium [if both teams win their groups and beat third-placed teams in the last 32]. Talk about advantage Mexico, taking into account altitude and climate and what that might take from the England team. Then we've probably got Argentina or Portugal in the semi-finals if they progress as expected too. But, whatever happens with the draw, I feel like the chemistry and balance of the group will be the important factor. Winning the World Cup always seems to come down to a piece of brilliance, and Tuchel has left out one or two maverick players who are capable of that because of his focus on the group, but that doesn't mean we can't still win it. England are very much in this fight. We are going to a World Cup which is probably the most open in living memory, because of the quality on offer, and we have a team now that dominates the ball. Micah Richards: For England to win it, everyone is going to have to be at their best, and it feels like other countries have got players in better form right now. I actually think we are best placed to win the next Euros, in 2028. All our top players will be in their prime then, apart from Kane who will probably have retired. Paul Robinson: There are players in this England team now that have played in these big games before, so that might just be the missing ingredient that gets us over the line this time. We say it every time we go to a tournament - that on their day we are capable of beating anyone, but something has been missing. Now? That big-game mentality is there. Joe Hart: England are 100% in the conversation. They are a top team, and they have made good progression - hopefully this tournament will be the one. Pat Nevin: The worry for Scotland is that two of the favourites, for me anyway, in Brazil and Morocco are in their group. It means their whole plan depends on beating Haiti in their first game. Everyone in Scotland knows it, and the manager does too. So, they cannot start pragmatically - they have to hit the ground with an absolute sprint. Can they do it? Well they have had a good build-up and the big reason I am very hopeful is that when we played against Germany in the first game of the 2024 European Championship we looked exhausted, and some of our best players weren't fully fit. That is not the case this time. John McGinn is flying. I've watched Scott McTominay and he is in extraordinary form for Napoli just now, and Lawrence Shankland is firing in the goals. OK, we have lost Billy Gilmour to injury but, in reality, Scotland look to me as if they are the strongest they've been since Steve Clarke took charge in 2019 and that is down to injuries, or players being left out and getting rest. Andy Robertson looks in brilliant nick because he has only played half a season at Liverpool. It's exactly the same with McGinn, who was out for a few weeks at the start of the year. Chris Sutton: Scotland will beat Haiti - it is just how Steve Clarke goes about it and whether he goes with two up top, which I think is worth the risk in this game. Ben Gannon-Doak is going to be important for them - he didn't start a Premier League game for Bournemouth last season but he gives them that bit of dynamism when everyone will be focusing on McTominay in the middle of the park, and McGinn. Most people are thinking Brazil and Morocco are nailed-on to be the top two in Group C, but I actually think Scotland could nick a point off one of them too. It might sound far-fetched but they could finish higher than third. Alan Shearer: If you win one group game then the likelihood is you are going to make the last 32, and Scotland's chance is against Haiti. With their fans behind them - they will have a crazy following as usual from the Tartan Army - they can do it. Tony Pulis: Scotland have got a record of doing things they shouldn't do at World Cups, but they can't fail against Haiti... surely? Scott Brown: We will get three points and get out of our group. The first game against Haiti would be a good one to get that done, but it won't be as easy as everyone thinks. Steph Houghton: It's a tough group for them but I think they will make it out of there, and they will believe they can do something special. They have real individual quality in a few positions and, as a group, they know what kind of team they are and play to their strengths. Rachel Corsie: We will get out of our group, and I think we will get through one more game after that. Then, who knows? Ellen White: If they can put in a big performance against Haiti and give themselves some momentum and confidence then that can get them into the knockout rounds. Thomas Frank: I am going for Norway. They have some well-known Premier League players like Erling Haaland and Martin Odegaard but they also have others who can change games - Alexander Sorloth of Atletico Madrid, Antonio Nusa at RB Leipzig and Oscar Bobb of Fulham, who is a really top talent. It is their first World Cup since 1998 so they will come with a drive and a hunger too. I know everyone will do that when they come to this tournament, but it is just different when you have not been there for so long. Scotland will have that enthusiasm too, but they do not have the same individual quality. Paul Robinson: Saudi Arabia will surprise a lot of people. I cover the Saudi Pro League every week and I know their players inside out. We saw what Al-Hilal did at last year's Club World Cup, beating Manchester City and drawing with Real Madrid, and I can see Saudi Arabia bringing that to this tournament. Turkey will be tough to beat and while I know Belgium and the Netherlands are not exactly outsiders, they are not among the favourites either. No-one is really talking about them but they both have a mix of experience and younger players and they will be happy going under the radar at the moment. Ellen White: I am looking forward to watching Norway, and Japan did well when they beat England in March. Rachel Corsie: Turkey could be tricky for some, and I don't know if this is really a surprise but I think Japan could go beyond where their world ranking of 18 suggests. Steph Houghton: Japan. I really liked the way they played at Wembley. Olivier Giroud: One of the African teams. Maybe Ivory Coast, Senegal or Ghana - all dangerous on their day. Alan Shearer: Morocco could upset some of the big-hitters, like they did when they beat Spain and Portugal to reach the semi-finals in 2022, but my concern for this World Cup is that the number of teams could dilute the quality in the early stages. There could be a lot of tedious games, until we get to knockout football. Danny Murphy: The underdogs who do well are usually based on a strong defence, like Morocco were last time. Ecuador have got players like Chelsea's Moises Caicedo, Willian Pacho of Paris St-Germain and Arsenal's Piero Hincapie and they had an incredible defensive record in qualification, plus they will be used to playing in humidity. Wayne Rooney: Norway could do quite well, and I like Ecuador too. Martin Keown: Ecuador will take some beating. When I've watched them they always keep things very tight. Chris Sutton: I am not sure Ecuador will score enough goals with 36-year-old Enner Valencia leading their line but they are one of my picks, along with Japan. I became a bit of a celebrity in Japan when I correctly backed them to beat Germany at the last World Cup, or at least I appeared on TV over there to talk about it anyway. They have got some excellent technical players and will be dangerous, whoever they play. Joe Hart: I am not really a lover of dark horses. When it comes to any tie I always want the main team to win, and it will be a pretty similar feeling when I watch this tournament. I want everyone to go out there and express themselves, have a wicked time... but ultimately I don't want anyone to get in the way of England! Gael Clichy: Switzerland are a very dynamic group of young players, and their team and federation has progressed a lot in the past eight years or so. I have played there so I have been following them, and I'd like them to be the surprise of this tournament. Sue Smith: I am going for the US as the hosts who will go further than people think. Tony Pulis: Japan might have a good run at it and Norway, Morocco and Senegal are my other outsiders to watch. You've read what our expert humans think, but what about the machines? Opta's 'supercomputer' can tell you your team's exact chances of winning any competition at any given time. It is actually a complex algorithm that uses a model based on betting-market odds and the sports analytics company's own 'Power Rankings', which are calculated using past results. For this World Cup, it has simulated the outcome of the tournament 25,000 times - and has calculated Spain are the most likely winners (in 16.1% of the simulations). France (13%), England (11.2%) and Argentina (10.4%) are also given strong chances of glory. Scotland? Not so much. Clarke's side are down the list in 33rd place, with only a 0.2% chance of winning the World Cup according to Opta, but on the upside, in the same simulations they got out of Group C two-thirds (66.1%) of the time. AI has also had its say. Its prediction was generated using Microsoft Copilot Chat - we simply asked the tool 'who will win the World Cup and how will England and Scotland do?' Copilot Chat says Spain will win it, England will reach the semi-finals and Scotland will go out in the group stage, despite finishing third in their group. Do you disagree with our experts? Think algorithms are for boffins, not for football? You can pick your winners below.