Lionel Messi's showstopping talent brought a premature end to the career of his childhood football coach, who decided to bow out after training "the best player in the world."

Brazil midfielder Casemiro believes being a "step behind" other World Cup favourites could actually work in the team's favour when the tournament kicks off next week.

Full list of players called up for the June 11-July 19 World Cup in Canada, Mexico and the United States.

Iran's football team will leave for Spain this weekend en route to their World Cup base in Mexico despite still awaiting visas, the head of the country's football federation said.

Belgium captain Youri Tielemans said on Tuesday Napoli forward Romelu Lukaku scoring on his first international appearance in more than a year in a 2-0 World Cup friendly win over Croatia was "ideal".

Brazil coach Carlo Ancelotti is in no hurry to rush star forward Neymar back from his calf injury, the Italian said on Tuesday as his team touched down in the United States ahead of the World Cup.

A consortium comprising BTV, T Sports and Star News is set to acquire the broadcast rights for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, officials confirmed on Tuesday, ending fears of a potential blackout of the tournament in Bangladesh.

It is hard not to get excited about a Portugal squad brimming with talent as the 2026 FIFA World Cup approaches.

As previously confirmed, Argentina will fine-tune their preparations with two friendly matches before beginning their World Cup campaign.

Turkey manager Vincenzo Montella named his World Cup squad on Tuesday, selecting the experienced Hakan Calhanoglu, Arda Guler, Kerem Akturkoglu, Baris Alper Yilmaz, and Yusuf Yazici to lead the side.

New Zealand footballer Tim Payne's online fan club soared past four million on Tuesday, more than the All Blacks, after an influencer picked him out as the "least known" player at the World Cup.

Manchester City's Antoine Semenyo and former Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey were included in Ghana's World Cup squad as coach Carlos Queiroz left it to the last minute to finalise his 26-man selection.

What the English saw as unpardonable theft, the Argentines saw as epic retribution.

The flight carried the number 1978 -- a tribute to Argentina's first World Cup triumph.

The Inter Miami forward, Uruguay's all-time leading scorer, retired from international football in September 2024, but recently indicated he would be willing to return if selected.

Goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa is set to become the first Mexican player to feature at six World Cups after the 40-year-old was named in Javier Aguirre's squad for the tournament on Sunday.

Chelsea midfielder Moises Caicedo and newly crowned Champions League winner Willian Pacho of Paris Saint-Germain will spearhead Ecuador's challenge at the World Cup.

Just as Diego Maradona would single-handedly win the World Cup for Argentina in 1986, Garrincha had achieved that very feat for Brazil 24 years earlier.

The agreement comes just 10 days before the tournament kicks off on June 11 across the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Now at Manchester City, Semenyo is expected to play a key role for a Ghana side led by new coach Carlos Queiroz, after the Black Stars failed to qualify for the most recent Africa Cup of Nations.