Month: June 2026

For a few moments, it looked like Iran had found the goal that would send it through. In the 93rd minute deep in stoppage time against Egypt, Shoja Khalilzadeh struck the ball into an empty net after a wild sequence inside the box. Iran celebrated like it had just scored the late winner that would secure qualification to the knockout stage as the second-place team in Group G. Then VAR stepped in. The goal was ruled out for offside, and at first glance, it was easy to see why the decision looked confusing. Yasser Ibrahim was behind Khalilzadeh when the ball came to him, so the natural reaction was to think he had kept him onside. But Ibrahim was not the second-last Egyptian player; he was the last one. That is where the position of Egypt goalkeeper Mostafa Shobeir mattered. Shobeir had come out and was ahead of Khalilzadeh on the play, which changed the offside line. Usually, the goalkeeper is one of the two opponents closest to the goal, so it can be perceived to think of offside as being the “last defender.” But the rule is not based on the last defender; it is based on the second-last opponent. Because Shobeir was further up the field, Ibrahim being behind Khalilzadeh was not enough to keep him onside. Ibrahim was only the final Egyptian player back. The second-last Egyptian player was Hamza Abdelkarim, and Khalilzadeh was ahead of him when the ball came his way. That put Khalilzadeh in an offside position. So even though there was an Egyptian defender behind him, Iran’s goal could not stand. Khalilzadeh needed to be level with or behind the second-last opponent, not just one Egyptian player near the goal line. It was a devastating moment for Iran. A 93rd-minute winner would have sent it into the knockout stage automatically. Instead, the match stayed 1-1, Egypt held onto second place, and Iran was left waiting on other results to see if it would advance as one of the best third-place teams.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

The day was supposed to be defined by Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappé going head-to-head at the World Cup, and Lamine Yamal facing his biggest test of the tournament yet. It ended with Haaland riding the bench, Mbappé and Yamal failing to score and Ousmane Dembélé stealing the show. Here is everything you might have missed on Day 16 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup: BEST OF THE DAY Moment Of The Day Ousmane Dembélé was absolutely unguardable in France’s 4-1 win vs. Norway on Friday at Boston Stadium. The 2025 Ballon d’Or winner scored a first-half hat-trick and brought his overall tally for the tournament to four goals, one shy of the tournament-high. Dembélé had gone 19 previous major international tournament games without scoring a goal before France’s last game; he now has four in the last two. Goal Of The Day Pape Gueye has not started a match for Senegal at the 2026 FIFA World Cup; that might not be the case for much longer, with Senegal successfully advancing to the round of 32. In 33 minutes against Iraq, Gueye scored two goals and recorded an assist. He ended the match with the highest number of goal contributions on the team (3) despite coming on as a substitute in the 56th minute. Super sub. Assist Of The Day Nicolas Raskin and Romelu Lukaku both subbed on in the 85th minute. One minute later, the two connected on Belgium’s fourth goal of the night as Lukaku drove it home. Talk about instant impact. Save Of The Day Any hope Norway had of mounting a comeback against France was crushed when Les Bleus goalkeeper Mike Maignan denied Jørgen Strand Larsen from the penalty spot. Maignan is the second French goalkeeper to save a penalty in the World Cup — excluding shootouts — after Joel Bats against Zico in the 1986 quarter-final against Brazil. Norway vs. France Senegal vs. Iraq Uruguay vs. Spain Cape Verde vs. Saudi Arabia New Zealand vs. Belgium Egypt vs. Iran​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

How quickly this game of ours can change. Belgium, which had been extremely disappointing in the 2026 World Cup, finally shook off its inhibitions and won emphatically, 5-1, over New Zealand on Friday night in Vancouver. As a result, the Red Devils avoided an early embarrassment. And, just like that — with some late drama from substitutes Romelu Lukaku and Alexis Saelemaekers — they secured top spot over Egypt in Group G, thanks to a greater goal difference. A brace from Leandro Trossard and another one from Kevin De Bruyne secured the win in a complete performance, and this was exactly what the doctor ordered. As for New Zealand, after a well-earned point against Iran on the first match day, the Kiwis sadly lost back-to-back matches and bowed out of the World Cup. Here are my takeaways: 1. Finally, Belgium Arrived At The World Cup One of the reasons why we have appreciated Belgium for many years is the aesthetically pleasing football. At its best — thanks to the talent at its disposal and specifically in the midfield — the Red Devils push the ball forward with so much ease. That’s what happened Friday. From the first whistle, Belgium pushed, dominated possession and, when entering the final third, it changed from a 4-3-3 to a 2-1-7 formation. Fullbacks played as wingers, wingers as forwards, Aston Villa’s Youri Tielemans directed all the play and De Bruyne essentially turned into a striker. More on them later. But the point was to be more fluid up top and not have a target man. In fact, they were all the targets. Trossard put on that Arsenal title-winning confidence to good use tonight with a great brace too. He was excellent tonight. The cherry on top was Lukaku’s goal, as he came on as a late substitute to rescue the goal difference. And then Saelemaekers added the exclamation point. But overall, as far as Rudi Garcia’s entire team was concerned for tonight, it was a great performance from a national team, which finished in third place at the 2018 World Cup. Perhaps this is the start of a momentum for Belgium. 2. Jérémy Doku’s Return Ignites Attack After the birth of his first child, a son named Praise, alongside his wife Shireen, Doku’s teammates undoubtedly praised — sorry, I had to — his return to the lineup. The Manchester City winger often plays like a video game character, where his change of direction and speed can be a nightmare for any opposing defender. Garcia, therefore, made him switch from right wing to left with Trossard on the other side, and New Zealand just couldn’t deal with his trickery. He didn’t score tonight, but he didn’t need to. Doku is just a continuous weapon that does not stop to surprise you with his runs. When you have someone like him, everything becomes easier because he demands so much attention it opens space everywhere else. 3. Youri Tielemans And Kevin De Bruyne: A Brilliant One-Two Punch As a lifelong Aston Villa fan, you already know my thoughts on Tielemans, so it was disappointing to see him start so badly in this tournament, especially after having his best ever season in the Premier League and Europe. But Friday against New Zealand, he was fantastic as he played the role of conductor, directing the Belgian orchestra in the middle of the park. If the team enters the final third, it is almost always because of him. Then there’s De Bruyne, one of the finest attacking midfielders of the modern game. He turns 35 on Sunday, but based on tonight, you wouldn’t have ever known, as he constantly penetrated the box and opened up opportunities for his teammates. In the 66th minute, he scored the team’s third. Forget his passing, which is obviously world-class. Youth players should just watch his movement. It is tremendous. 4. New Zealand Got It All Wrong — Until It Was Too Late In the first half, Darren Bazeley’s side had zero shots and only one touch in the box. It only managed 38-40% possession and just couldn’t create anything of value. It improved in the second, but it was too late. The strategy was also perplexing as it decided to sit back and allow Belgium to keep attacking the box with very little room to counter. It was the equivalent of a boxer asking to be hit with no plans to protect their face. I always felt that New Zealand’s best asset was its physicality and ability to hit opponents with the counter. It did not succeed in doing any of that tonight. Shout-out, however, to Elijah Just, who had a great tournament with three goals. In the end, Belgium was too strong, secured the win and finished top of the group. Now, it will have to wait another day to see which team it’ll face in the round of 32 in Seattle on Wednesday.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

Lionel Messi and Argentina now know who they will face in the 2026 FIFA World Cup round of 32. Argentina clinched the top spot in Group J with two wins in its first two matches. While it has yet to play its final group-stage match, its opponent has now been set following Friday’s round of group-stage finales. Here is everything you need to know about Argentina’s round of 32 opponent: Who Is Argentina’s Round Of 32 Opponent? As the runner-up in Group H, Cape Verde, which is making its World Cup debut in 2026, will play reigning champions Argentina in the round of 32. Cape Verde finished Group H with three points after securing three points in three matches, including a 2-2 draw against Uruguay in its second group stage match. Cape Verde had +165 odds to advance to the round of 32 entering the tournament. When Is Argentina vs. Cape Verde? Argentina and Cape Verde will go head-to-head in the round of 32 on July 3 at Miami Stadium. This will mark Lionel Messi’s fourth time playing at Miami Stadium, with his most notable appearance coming in the 2024 Copa América final. Messi plays for Inter Miami CF at the club level, but the MLS side plays all of its home matches at Nu Stadium in Miami. Who Is Cape Verde’s Best Player? On paper, Cape Verde’s statistical leader is Ryan Mendes, the team’s all-time leader in goals and appearances, but veteran goalkeeper Vozinha has become an overnight sensation after recording a seven-save clean sheet against Spain in Cape Verde’s World Cup opener.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

The group stage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup will conclude Saturday with Groups J, K and L playing their final slate of games. In Group L, England can likely clinch the group with a win over Panama, while Ghana and Croatia meet in a pivotal match with both teams looking to clinch a spot in the round of 32. Group K will be the next group to play its final two games. The big game between Colombia and Portugal are heavyweights with ambitions to go far in the knockout stages. The winner of this game will win the group. In the other game, the DR Congo could still advance to the round of 32 if it beats Uzbekistan. Finally, in Group J, Argentina has already won its group and might rest key players, including Lionel Messi, when it takes on a Jordan team that is already out. Austria and Algeria then clash in a game where both teams likely need at least a point to feel comfortable about advancing. Here is everything to know about match day 17. When: Saturday, June 27, 5 p.m. ET Where: New York New Jersey TV: FOX Stream: Watch three days free on FOX One England will be looking to officially punch its ticket to the knockout stage when it faces Panama on Saturday at New York New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford in Group L. Entering with four points from its first two games, the Three Lions can win the group with a victory here, combined with Ghana failing to defeat Croatia. If Ghana also wins, the group will be decided by goal differential (England is currently at +2 while Ghana is at +1). After impressing in its opener, England was held to a frustrating 0-0 draw with Ghana on Tuesday. Thomas Tuchel’s team struggled to break down Ghana’s aggressive defense that did not give the English players much space to operate in the final third. On the occasion when England managed to get in a position for a shot, the players either missed the target or saw their shot saved. A key for England in this game is to be more effective in wider areas of the field. Against Ghana, it was not until wingers Bukayo Saka and Marcus Rashford subbed into the game in the second half that England’s attack was able to find a rhythm. In addition, Harry Kane was limited to just 19 touches and no goals against Ghana. Tuchel will be looking to get Kane on the ball a lot more against Panama. For Panama, Thomas Christiansen’s side have already been eliminated from the knockout stage and will exit the tournament after this game. Panama has played very hard in its first two games, starting with a 1-0 loss to Ghana where it conceded a very late goal. In its second game against Croatia, Panama was surprisingly on the front foot for long stretches but were undone by an Ante Budimir goal in the 54th minute. Panama is still searching for its first goal of the World Cup but will likely continue to prioritize defense and sit in a low block like it did against Croatia. Player To Watch The Arsenal winger has come off the bench in England’s first two games of this tournament. In these appearances, the Three Lions played better whenever he was on the field. Against Croatia, Saka entered in the 72nd minute and assisted on the final goal of a 4-2 win. Against Ghana, Saka was subbed on in the 65th minute, and he completed 100% of his passes while drawing three fouls. England needs to be more effective in getting into one-on-one situations from the wings and that could lead to Saka starting and being an important player in this game. When: Saturday, June 27, 5 p.m. ET Where: Philadelphia TV: FS1 Stream: Watch three days free on FOX One Automatic qualification to the round of 32 is on the line when Croatia takes on Ghana at Philadelphia Stadium on Saturday afternoon. The winner of this game will be guaranteed of at least second place, while Ghana will finish second in the event of a draw. Ghana arrives at this game on the heels of a hard-fought 0-0 draw with England on Tuesday. The Black Stars frustrated the Three Lions over the full 90 minutes with a compact defense and a dangerous counterattack that prevented England from sending more players into the attack. Carlos Queiroz took over as Ghana’s head coach in April after a disastrous March window where the team’s defense bled goals. The Portuguese manager did not have much time to fix the situation, but Ghana is yet to concede a goal at the World Cup and now has an excellent chance of advancing to the round of 32 with four points from its first two games. Ghana’s improvement at this World Cup has been one of the tournament’s most surprising stories. The team’s 1-0 win over Panama in its opener snapped a seven-match winless run, and the team is currently 73rd in the FIFA World Rankings, one of the lowest of all World Cup teams. Croatia has not had an easy time at this World Cup. Despite scoring two equalizers against England, Croatia let the game get away in the second half of a 4-2 loss. Against Panama, Croatia and to fight a lot harder than expected for its 1-0 win. Against Ghana, head coach Zlatko Dalić will need big performances from his veteran midfielders to break down the Black Stars defense. This begins with 40-year-old captain Luka Modrić along with Manchester City’s Mateo Kovačić, 32, who is also part of the team’s leadership. Croatia’s talent and experience likely has it as the favorites in this game, but age might also work against the team if the game becomes a test of athleticism. Ghana has little pressure in this game as the Black Stars have already surpassed expectations. Player To Watch The Manchester City midfielder has the unenviable task of breaking down Ghana’s compact defense. Panama and England were both unsuccessful and now will be Croatia’s turn. Kovačić likes to receive the ball in deep areas and drive forward into the attack. He has been very useful for Manchester City over the years against over-matched teams who try to sit deep. His style could really help Croatia to open the game and create chances. When: Saturday, June 27, 7:30 p.m. ET Where: Miami TV: FOX Stream: Watch three days free on FOX One In one of the most anticipated group stage finales, Portugal and Colombia clash on Saturday night at Miami Stadium in a game that will decide Group K. Colombia has already qualified for the round of 32 but can win the group with just a draw. Portugal, meanwhile, is essentially through to the knockout stages given its strong goal differential following the 5-0 win over Uzbekistan. But a point mathematically clinches a knockout appearance while a win gives Roberto Martinez’s team the group title. After a lackluster 1-1 draw with DR Congo in its opening game, Portugal came to life against Uzbekistan with a 5-0 win. Cristiano Ronaldo, 41, was the top story in that game as he ended his 10-game (13 games when not including penalties) international scoring slump in major tournaments. He became the first player to ever score at six different World Cups with his brace, and those goals saw him join other greats such as Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappé, Harry Kane and Erling Haaland with multiple goals in this tournament. With Ronaldo off and running, Portugal is very dangerous with a team stacked with world-class talent. Against Colombia, Ronaldo leads an attack that also features Rafael Leão and Francisco Conceição. The midfield trio of Vitinha, João Neves and Bruno Fernandes is among the best in this tournament and will be difficult for Colombia to stop. Colombia has been the clear better team in each of its first two games, but has not dominated. Crystal Palace right wing back Daniel Muñoz has scored in each of the first two games, and Bayern Munich left-winger Luis Diaz has also been very effective on the other side. James Rodriguez, 34, has struggled at the club level the past five years as he has bounced around without sticking. His most recent attempts have come in Mexico and the United States, but he continues to be very effective for Colombia’s national team and was responsible for creating several scoring chances in the 1-0 win over DR Congo. Portugal is favored in this game, but Colombia will have plenty of fan support in Miami. Colombia might also opt to play conservatively due to only needing a draw to win the group. Player To Watch Who else? Portugal’s all-time leading scorer ended his slump in international tournaments in a big way with two goals against Uzbekistan, and he became the first player to ever score in six World Cups. These performances are not just important for Ronald’s résumé, they are great for Portugal. If Ronaldo continues to contribute, Portugal becomes a threat to go far and maybe even win the tournament. When: Saturday, June 27, 7:30 p.m. ET Where: Atlanta TV: FS1 Stream: Watch three days free on FOX One Both DR Congo and Uzbekistan will be looking for their first ever World Cup victories when the two teams meet at Atlanta Stadium on Saturday. Neither team is mathematically eliminated from qualifying for the round of 32, and the only path forward for both is to win this game and possibly get help. DR Congo has the best chance. Sitting at one point from its draw with Portugal and a -1-goal differential, DR Congo would move to four points with a win. The chances of finishing second are very slim, as the Leopards would also need Portugal to lose in a way that negates its six-goal advantage in the goal differential tiebreak. DR Congo still likely controls its own fate. A win would bring it to four points, which is likely enough to finish as one of the eight best third-place teams. One thing to watch at the start of this game is DR Congo’s formation. Needing a win to advance, head coach Sébastien Desabre might stray from the five-man backline formation he used in the first two games and opt for a more aggressive approach with more attackers on the field. Regardless of the formation, Yoane Wissa and veteran Cedric Bakambu will be the Leopards’ top scoring options. This World Cup has been a learning lesson for Uzbekistan, which lost its opener to Colombia 3-1 and then was blown out 5-0 by Portugal. Technically it could advance with a win because some third-place teams might advance with three points. But Uzbekistan’s goal differential of -7 makes that nearly impossible. Head coach Fabio Cannavaro will still want to end the team’s tournament on a high note. Uzbekistan has been one of Asia’s best performing countries at the youth national team level and there are encouraging signs for the future. It would be another sign of progress if the team can return home with a World Cup point. Player To Watch The Newcastle United forward scored DR Congo’s equalizer in the 1-1 draw with Portugal in the opener. He has also been the team’s most dangerous scoring option over its 180-plus minutes at this World Cup. DR Congo needs to win this game, and if they do, a spot in the knockouts is likely. Unlike the first two games where DR Congo was the underdog, in this game the Leopards should be the favorites. Scoring opportunities should be there, and Wissa will have a big say in whether his team moves on — or goes home. When: Saturday, June 27, 10 p.m. ET Where: Dallas TV: FOX Stream: Watch three days free on FOX One Lionel Messi celebrated his 39th birthday on Wednesday while playing some of the best soccer of his career. If anyone was hoping that this World Cup would be where the Argentine legend finally shows signs of slowing down, they are surely extremely disappointing. Argentina has six points from its first two games and is outscoring its opponents, 5-0. Messi has scored all five of Argentina’s goals at this World Cup and could have had even more as he missed a penalty in the 2-0 win over Austria earlier in the week. In that game, he scored his 18th World Cup goal and is now the tournament’s all-time leading scorer. On Saturday, Argentina takes on Jordan in what is a dead-rubber match in Group J. Argentina has already clinched the group title while Jordan has already been eliminated and will return home after this game. Because of that, Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni might opt to rest Messi ahead of the knockouts. That would give Jordan a more realistic chance of securing its first ever World Cup point. It will still be extremely difficult for Jordan even without Messi on the field. Without Messi, Scaloni could opt for Como’s promising attacking midfielder, Nico Paz, to play in Messi’s role. Also, Argentina has a number of top players returning from injury in Julián Álvarez, Leandro Paredes, and Nicolás Tagliafico. These players played limited minutes in the first two games but could see their role expanded against Jordan. As for Jordan, it is a game about showing pride. Head coach Jamal Sellami will likely continue to go with his top lineup, but the key for his team is to improve its set piece defending, as Jordan has conceded set piece goals in each of the first two games. Player To Watch If Scaloni fully rests Messi in this game, as seems likely, then Paz could be the player who steps into that role. Paz, 21, looks ready for an increased role in Argentina, and he is a big part of the future for La Albiceleste. In May, he won the award for Serie A’s Midfielder of the Season. In 2025-26, he scored 12 goals and added six assists to lead Como to a fourth-place finish and a spot in the 2026-27 UEFA Champions League. Messi is considered by many to be the greatest player of all time, but with Paz, the team’s future looks bright. This is a good opportunity for him to begin carving out a role in the team. When: Saturday, June 27, 10 p.m. ET Where: Kansas City TV: FS1 Stream: Watch three days free on FOX One Second place in Group J and an automatic spot in the World Cup’s round of 32 will go to the winner of Saturday night’s game between Austria and Algeria at Kansas City Stadium. Both teams have lost to Argentina and defeated Jordan, but Austria carries an edge in goal differential and would claim second place with a draw. But that might not be a good thing. In an interesting conundrum, some analysts have noted that finishing second in Group J is no prize as it likely sets up a matchup with tournament favorite Spain in the round of 32. If the third-place team in Group J qualifies for the knockouts, it would likely offer a much more manageable path. Austria manager Ralf Rangnick will likely try to boost his team’s offense in starting forward Marko Arnautovic for the first time at this World Cup. The 37-year-old forward is the team’s all-time leading scorer and has played well off the bench. In the opening 3-1 win over Jordan, Arnautovic was instrumental in delivering the win. Algeria head coach Vladimir Petkovic will be forced to continue to play without leading attacker Mohamed Amoura, who suffered a hamstring injury in the opening game loss to Argentina. In the 2-1 win over Jordan, Algeria started slowly but dominated the second half in a comeback win that was led by attackers Nadir Benbouali, Amine Gouiri and Riyad Mahrez. Rangnick’s Austrian team plays with an intense counter-pressing system. Algeria will only succeed if it can make quick passes out of pressure and get into the attack before Austria gets into its defensive shape. Player To Watch The French-born Chaïbi is a versatile player but has settled into a more attacking role on the left side for both Algeria and his club Eintracht Frankfurt. In the 2025-26 Bundesliga season, he had two goals and nine assists in 1,789 minutes. Chaïbi, 23, is Algeria’s best passer in attacking situations and against a counter-pressing team in Austria, he could find openings to create a lot of chances.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports