Football: World Cup Round of 32 fixtures

Los Angeles, United States: Full schedule for 2026 World Cup Round of 32 matches following completion of the group stage on Saturday: somethingsdifferent.biz

Sunday June 28
At Los Angeles
South Africa v Canada (2200 Qatar Time)

Monday June 29
At Houston
Brazil v Japan (2000 Qatar Time)

At Foxborough, Massachusetts
Germany v Paraguay (2330 Qatar Time)

Tuesday June 30
At Monterrey, Mexico
Netherlands v Morocco (0400 Qatar Time)

الأخبارطرابزون سبور التركي يضم محمد صلاحأعلن نادي طرابزون سبور التركي، انتقال اللاعب الدولي المصري محمد صلاح إلى صفوفه في صفقة انتقال حر، دون الكشف عن تفاصيل الاتفاق أو قيمته المالية. ونشر النادي صورا عبر حساباته الرس...فتح →

At Arlington, Texas
Ivory Coast v Norway (2000 Qatar Time)

At East Rutherford, New Jersey
France v Sweden (0000 Qatar Time)

Wednesday July 1
At Mexico City
Mexico v Ecuador (0400 Qatar Time)

At Atlanta, Georgia
England v DR Congo (1900 Qatar Time)

At Seattle, Washington
Belgium v Senegal (2300 Qatar Time)

Thursday July 2
At Santa Clara, California
United States v Bosnia-Herzegovina (0300 Qatar Time)

At Los Angeles
Spain v Austria (2200 Qatar Time)

Friday July 3
At Toronto, Ontario
Croatia v Portugal (0200 Qatar Time)

At Vancouver, British Columbia
Switzerland v Algeria (0600 Qatar Time)

At Arlington, Texas
Australia v Egypt (2100 Qatar Time)

Saturday July 4
At Miami
Argentina v Cape Verde (0100 Qatar Time)

At Kansas City, Missouri
Colombia v Ghana (0430 Qatar Time)

Doha, Qatar: Four years ago, Lionel Messi led Argentina to glory in Qatar at the FIFA World Cup, and he is one step away from repeating that feat and making Argentina the first team to retain the trophy since Brazil in 1962.

On Wednesday night, under the lights of Atlanta, the Messi Magic was unleashed when the Argentine legend sparked a magnificent late comeback against England to deny Thomas Tuchel’s men their first World Cup final berth since 1996.

Argentina were trailing England until the 85th minute, before Messi, aged 39, decided he wasn’t done yet. He didn’t need to score to win the game, but just needed to create two chances out of nothing. Enzo Fernandez and Lautaro Martinez converted the chances created by Messi into goals to turn a 0-1 scoreline into a 2-1 win that sent Argentina to Sunday’s final.

The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner now has same number of goals in front of his name at the North American World Cup, and has made four assists, climbing to the top of the race for the Golden Boot.

Messi hailed his teammates after Wednesday’s win, saying: “What the group has been doing is incredible, and this, of course, is again something that shows our character, our grit, our collective, the way that we play together.”

“It was really, truly amazing.”

His coach Lionel Scaloni was also elated with the win.

“The other day I said this group never stops surprising me,” Lionel Scaloni said afterward, referring to a similar comeback win by his men who came back from two goals down to beat Egypt in the last 16.

Without surprise, Messi was at the heart of that rescue act too.

Waiting for Argentina at the iconic New Jersey Stadium will be Spain, who dismantled one of the pre-tournament favourites France with a 2-0 win on Tuesday.

“And I’ll tell you the truth, we’re going to try to win, we’re going to leave everything out there. It’s incredible. We are unique, truly, and it’s not arrogance, it’s from the heart,” Scaloni said.

Messi echoed Scaloni’s sentiments, saying he was looking forward to facing Spain in the final, where he will face the country where he spent most of his career, at Barcelona.

He said Spain, who beat France 2-0 to reach the final, were “a fantastic side, wonderful players”.

“They play very, very well. I know them quite well. Their whole idea and philosophy has been very well developed throughout this time, and I know the players as well,” Messi said.

The reigning world champions and the European champions were set to meet at the Finalissima, which was originally slated to be hosted at the Lusail Stadium in Qatar in March. The showdown was cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances, but the two sides will now face each other on a bigger stage, in a fitting finale to the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

عاد مدرب فرنسا ديدييه ديشان إلى معسكر منتخب بلاده خلال كأس العالم 2026 لكرة القدم في بوسطن يوم السبت، وذلك بعد مغادرته بسبب وفاة والدته، على ما أفاد الجهاز الفني لبطل العالم مرتين.
وكان المدرب قد غادر المعسكر يوم الثلاثاء متوجها إلى فرنسا لحضور جنازة والدته الجمعة.
ومن المقرر أن يقود ديشان الحصة التدريبية أمس، وذلك غداة الفوز العريض للفرنسيين على النرويج (4-1)، وهو ما ضمن لهم صدارة المجموعة التاسعة.
ويلتقي وصيف النسخة الماضية في دور الـ32 مع السويد يوم الثلاثاء في إيست راذرفورد في نيوجيرزي.

Stourbridge, United Kingdom: As England gears up for the World Cup semi-final Wednesday, there will be one name on everyone's lips: Jude Bellingham, the star midfielder who powered the Three Lions through to the marquee clash against Argentina.

In packed stadiums in North America and pubs back home, people belt out the Beatles' "Hey Jude" and don t-shirts with slogans like "Bend it like Bellingham" -- a play on the iconic 2000s film "Bend it like Beckham".

But nowhere is the 23-year-old midfielder more feted than his hometown of Stourbridge, a quiet market town in central England, west of Birmingham.

Wheeling his bike past the town's shopping centre, retiree Keith Hall blows a kiss towards a superhero comic-style mural of Bellingham.

"He's a local lad," Hall told AFP, adding Bellingham "keeps in touch with his roots" despite now playing for Real Madrid.

Bellingham launched his football career playing for the Stourbridge Juniors, before joining Birmingham City's youth side and becoming the club's youngest first-team player.

"It doesn't surprise me that he's become an international sensation because he's the coolest man currently living," gushed grocery store worker Sam Holden, 21.

"Harry Kane obviously can kind of save us in our time of need, but Jude Bellingham can just take us to the heights that England absolutely are capable of reaching."

A regional railway company is offering passengers named "Jude" free travel in Stourbridge this week.

"We look forward to inviting Judes from across the region for a free ride on the Stourbridge Shuttle," said Jonny Wiseman from the West Midlands Railway.

The fever has spread beyond the area, known as Black Country, with a railway station in southeast London briefly renamed to "Jude Bellingham" station.

'King Jude'

In a pub in the village of Hagley near Stourbridge, Vienna Letts recalls the incredible atmosphere when Bellingham and England take to the field.

"Hagley is quite a niche, quiet community normally, but it's like we've all come into one space to just support Jude," said Letts.

"No one would have thought that a boy from Stourbridge could be the top scorer and England could be in the semifinals."

After two stunning goals against Norway on Saturday that fired England into the semis, Bellingham is tied with team captain Kane on six goals in the tournament.

A local shop displays a portrait of Bellingham in its window, and during an interview, a man walks past yelling "hail king Jude!"

In Birmingham, a mural has popped up showing the 23-year-old and teammate and fellow local Morgan Rogers eating local delicacy battered chips -- dipped in an orange batter and deep-fried.

"He's like a hero for other local people, local children, knowing (if) you work hard, you can meet your dreams," said Harpreet Basin, a 40-year-old teacher, visiting the mural.

Back in Stourbridge, tanning salon manager Jessica said she'd been hearing chants of "Hey Jude" around town during the World Cup.

"My children, they've now learned what that song is from it being sung at the football matches," said Jessica. "They (go) round the house singing it as well."

Bellingham appeared moved to tears after the England versus Norway game, when even football legend David Beckham joined the huge crowds serenading him with "Hey Jude" on Saturday in the Miami Stadium.

أنهت كوريا الجنوبية حملتها المضطربة في كأس العالم 2026 المقامة في أمريكا الشمالية بخروجها السبت من دور المجموعات، بعدما جاءت النتائج في غير صالحها لتفقد فرصتها في بلوغ الأدوار الإقصائية.
وقد يكون القائد المخضرم سون هيونغ-مين (33 عاما) خاض آخر مباراة له في كأس العالم.
ولمح المهاجم السابق لتوتنهام الإنجليزي والذي يلعب حاليا مع لوس أنجلوس أف سي الأمريكي، في السابق إلى إمكانية اعتزاله اللعب الدولي.
وتتوقع صحيفة «سبورتس تشوسون» أن تكون هذه نهاية المشوار بالنسبة للاعب الذي حمل المنتخب الكوري الجنوبي مرارا وسجل 56 هدفا دوليا.
وجاء في عنوانها «النهاية المؤلمة لآخر كأس عالم لسون هيونغ-مين».