FIFA World Cup | DD News

July 11, 2026 1:38 PM

Magic Merino strikes again as Spain down Belgium to reach World Cup semis

Super-sub Mikel Merino snatched another late winner for Spainon Friday after Belgium goalkeeper Senne Lammens failed to hold onto the ball as they claimed a 2-1 win over their injury-hit opponents and set up a World Cup semi-final clash with France. After the teams went in level at 1-1 following the first half, Spain eventually prevailed when Belgian back-up keeper Lammens, who came on in the second period for the injured Thibaut Courtois, spilled Pau Cubarsi's low strike. The ball bounced in ...

June 23, 2026 9:33 PM

US agencies have seized more than 300 drones near World Cup sites, TSA says

U.S. agencies have seized over 300 drones near FIFA World Cup venues since the tournament began on June 11, the Transportation Security Administration said on Tuesday. On match days, all aircraft operations, including drones, are prohibited within a radius of three nautical miles and up to 3,000 feet above ground level around the stadiums unless specifically authorized by air traffic controllers. The FBI's Miami field office said it had issued tickets to 49 operators of drones for unauthorized...

June 22, 2026 12:51 PM

FIFA World Cup: Salah magic inspires Egypt to historic victory over New Zealand

Mohamed Salah inspired Egypt to their first-ever World Cup win as they came from a goal down to beat New Zealand 3-1 with a brilliant second-half display on Sunday, moving top of Group G and boosting their hopes of reaching the knockout stage. After a relatively quiet first half that saw them go in behind at the break, Egypt and Salah turned up the heat in the second period as the 34-year-old winger showed he is still capable of conjuring magic from his boots. "It's a great achievement for all...

June 22, 2026 4:39 AM

FIFA World Cup: Yamal inspires Spain as Oyarzabal double sinks Saudi Arabia

Lamine Yamal inspired Spain to a dominant 4-0 win over Saudi Arabia in their Group H clash on Sunday, helping the former champions secure a place in the knockout stage of the FIFA World Cup after a disappointing goalless draw against Cape Verde in their opener. The 18-year-old winger, restored to the starting lineup, provided the spark Spain had lacked in their first match. Yamal opened the scoring in the 10th minute, sliding home after connecting with a Dani Olmo delivery. Spain doubled their ...

June 19, 2026 10:20 AM

FIFA World Cup 2026: Switzerland set unique record after 4-1 win Bosnia and Herzegovina

Switzerland produced a stunning late turnaround to beat Bosnia and Herzegovina 4-1 at the FIFA World Cup on Thursday, with all five goals in the match coming after the 74th minute in a record-setting finish. The Swiss struggled to break down Bosnia for much of the contest and were repeatedly frustrated by goalkeeper Nikola Vasilj, who made a series of important saves to keep the game level deep into the second half. The breakthrough finally arrived in the 74th minute when substitute Johan Manz...

June 16, 2026 5:12 PM

Messi, Ronaldo set for record sixth World Cup as Argentina, Portugal begin campaigns

Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are set to add another chapter to their legendary rivalry when they feature in the FIFA World Cup 2026, becoming the first male footballers in history to play in six editions of the tournament. From making their World Cup debuts in Germany in 2006 to leading their respective nations in 2026, the two icons have dominated world football for more than two decades. With the tournament in North America likely to be their final appearance on football’s biggest sta...

June 14, 2026 6:42 AM

FIFA World Cup: Qatar snatch historic first point with stoppage-time equaliser against Switzerland

Qatar secured their first-ever point at a FIFA World Cup outside home soil after Boualem Khoukhi scored a dramatic stoppage-time equaliser in a 1-1 draw against Switzerland in their Group-stage clash on Saturday. Switzerland looked set to take all three points after Breel Embolo converted a penalty in the 17th minute, but Khoukhi struck in the fourth minute of added time to deny the Europeans at a sun-drenched venue in the San Francisco Bay Area. The Swiss dominated proceedings for long period...

June 12, 2026 10:06 AM

South Korea snatch 2-1 win over Czech Republic in World Cup opener

South Korea came back from a goal down to snatch a thrilling 2-1 win over the Czech Republic in their World Cup Group A opener on Thursday, substitute Oh Hyeon-gyu grabbing the winner in the 80th minute. Korea captain Son Heung-Min wasted a number of decent chances before his Czech counterpart Ladislav Krejci broke the deadlock against the run of play in the 59th minute by heading home from a long throw-in, but the lead was short-lived as Hwang In-Beom kept his cool to dink the equaliser over t...

June 12, 2026 9:42 AM

FIFA World Cup: Quinones, Jimenez shine as Mexico start campaign with 2-0 win over South Africa

Mexico began their FIFA World Cup campaign with a convincing 2-0 victory over South Africa at the iconic Estadio Azteca on Friday, with Julian Quinones and Raul Jimenez finding the net in front of an enthusiastic home crowd. The match was played at a high intensity and featured three red cards. According to ESPN, it marked the 20th World Cup match hosted at Estadio Azteca — the most by any stadium in tournament history. Mexico also extended their unbeaten record at the venue and registered a ...

June 10, 2026 11:09 AM

US denies Somali World Cup soccer referee entry because of ‘security threat’

The Trump administration said on Tuesday the United States had denied Somali soccer referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan entry for the World Cup because of his links to "suspected members of terror organizations". The administration's strict immigration policies have been a point of concern ahead of the World Cup, with Washington imposing a sweeping travel ban last year on citizens of 12 countries, including Somalia. Artan, Africa's referee of the year in 2025, had been set to become the first Somali...