Author: Rowan Clarke

England have continued their World Cup preparations ahead of Tuesday’s Group L fixture against Ghana, though Bukayo Saka trained separately from the rest of the squad. The Arsenal winger was the only one of Thomas Tuchel’s 26 players not involved in group training at Swope Soccer Village in Kansas City. Saka instead spent Saturday’s session indoors working on an individual programme as he manages an Achilles issue that has been tracked since March. England face Ghana in Boston on Tuesday at 21:00 BST, with both sides having begun Group L with opening victories. Tuchel was present on the training pitch…

Dr Suzanne Huurman stands alone among 47 male counterparts as the sole female head of medical staff at the 2026 men’s World Cup. The Brazil-born doctor serves as head of medical staff for Curacao’s national men’s side, making her only the third-ever female team doctor in the tournament’s 96-year history. Dr Celeste Geertsema became the first female doctor for a participating men’s team at the 2010 South Africa World Cup, working with New Zealand’s national side. Dr Silja Schwarz has served as a team doctor for the Germany men’s side since 2023, representing only the second such appointment before Huurman’s…

Iran’s strict travel restrictions at the 2026 World Cup are under review, with the White House now in active discussions about changing the terms ahead of the tournament’s latter stages. The Iranian squad is currently permitted to fly into the United States just one day before each match and must leave the country on the same day the game is played. Iran are based in Mexico for the duration of the tournament, and the restrictions were deemed manageable for their opening fixtures in Los Angeles, which is only a 30-minute flight away. However, their third group match takes place in…

Paraguay midfielder Miguel Almiron has made unwanted history at the 2026 World Cup after becoming the first player dismissed under new rules banning players from covering their mouths during matches. The red card came during Paraguay’s victory over Turkey, a result that will be somewhat overshadowed by the controversial dismissal of their key midfielder. FIFA introduced the rule ahead of the tournament to ensure that players cannot conceal communications from officials, coaches, or broadcasters pitchside. The regulation was seen as a measure to increase transparency during matches, preventing players from whispering instructions or hiding tactical conversations from those monitoring the…

Brazil secured a 3-0 victory over Haiti in Philadelphia, but the performance left plenty of room for concern heading into their next fixture. Matheus Cunha scored twice and Vinicius Jr added a third before half-time, giving the Selecao a comfortable first-half lead at the Philadelphia Stadium. However, Brazil failed to register a single attempt on target after the break, as the game drifted away from their control. Haiti, who became the first team eliminated from the 2026 World Cup, managed seven shots in the second half compared to Brazil’s two. The result means Brazil have four points from two Group…

Scotland’s World Cup campaign remains alive after a gutting 1-0 defeat to Morocco in Boston left Steve Clarke’s side needing results to go their way. For a man long criticised for caution and risk-averse tactics, Clarke threw the gambler’s instinct into full effect during a frenetic and dramatic closing spell. He sent on Ben Gannon-Doak, Lyndon Dykes, and Ross Stewart from the bench as Scotland chased an equaliser with everything they had. Scott McTominay was effectively playing centre-forward by the end, hitting the side-netting and having a shot smothered in a frantic finale. Dykes headed over, McTominay threatened repeatedly, and…

Scotland are in action against Morocco in a FIFA World Cup 2026 Group C fixture, with both sides eager to make a strong impression at the tournament. The Scots lined up with a familiar core of experienced players, with goalkeeper Angus Gunn starting between the posts for the national side. Andy Robertson captained the side from left back, offering his usual attacking threat and leadership qualities down Scotland’s left flank. John Hendry and Grant Hanley formed the central defensive partnership, tasked with containing a technically gifted Moroccan attack throughout the contest. Nat Patterson occupied the right back role, while Kieran…

England head coach Thomas Tuchel has suggested Bukayo Saka is unlikely to be handed a starting role against Ghana on Tuesday in the World Cup group stage. The Arsenal winger came off the bench during England’s 4-2 victory over Croatia on Wednesday, immediately contributing an assist for Marcus Rashford’s fourth goal of the game. Rashford slotted home the finish after Saka’s introduction from the bench, underlining the 24-year-old’s ability to influence matches even from a limited starting position. Tuchel had flagged before the tournament that Saka would need careful management through the opening stages of the competition due to an…

Folarin Balogun announced himself on the World Cup stage with two goals as the United States beat Paraguay in their opening group game. The 24-year-old striker’s path to representing the co-hosts is rooted in one extraordinary twist of fate that occurred more than two decades ago. Balogun’s Nigerian parents were living in London when they travelled to New York in the summer of 2001, intending it to be a routine trip. His mother was prevented from boarding the return flight after airline attendants noticed she was heavily pregnant, and Balogun was subsequently born in Brooklyn, New York on 3 July…

The FIFA World Cup has always been defined by numbers, and the battle between Nike and Adidas is no different when it comes to marketing dominance. Both sportswear giants have produced sprawling, big-budget advertising campaigns designed to capture the imagination of billions of football fans worldwide. Nike’s “Rip The Script” campaign features Kylian Mbappe, Erling Haaland, Cristiano Ronaldo, and LeBron James among its headline names, making it feel more like a Hollywood production. Adidas’ “Backyard Legends” campaign matches that star power with Lamine Yamal, Jude Bellingham, Lionel Messi, Zinedine Zidane, and even an AI-generated version of David Beckham. Reports suggest…