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July 19, 2026 11:49 AM

France’s Kylian Mbappe becomes FIFA World Cup’s all-time top scorer

France striker Kylian Mbappe became the World Cup's all-time leading scorer with 22 goals when he netted twice in Les Bleus' 6-4 defeat by England in the third-place game on Saturday. The 27-year-old leapfrogged Argentina's Lionel Messi (21), who is due to play in Sunday's final against Spain, and although that will almost certainly be his rival's last World Cup game, Mbappe will probably play in at least one more global tournament. Mbappe finished his third World Cup campaign with 10 goals to...

July 19, 2026 11:03 AM

England survive France fightback and secure third place in World Cup goalfest

Bukayo Saka scored a hat-trick as England held off a stunning France fightback to claim a 6-4 victory in a madcap Miami thriller on Saturday, securing third place for their best World Cup finish since their sole title triumph in 1966. In a match of two halves where defending was a second thought, Kylian Mbappe scored twice to become the all-time World Cup top scorer as France battled back from 4-0 down at halftime to come within a handful of missed chances of equalising. Saka completed his hat...

July 18, 2026 5:17 PM

France gears up for England in Deschamps’ final match

France trained in Fort Lauderdale on Friday (July 17) ahead of Saturday's (July 18) World Cup third-place match against England in Miami, with captain Kylian Mbappé and goalkeeper Mike Maignan taking part in the session. The bronze-medal match will mark the final game in charge for coach Didier Deschamps, who announced before the tournament that he would step down after the World Cup. France's run ended with a 2-0 semifinal loss to Spain, their third straight major tournament semifinal defeat ...

July 18, 2026 5:27 PM

Why Argentina are the World Cup’s favourite villains

For some fans following this World Cup, the calculation has been simple: support whoever is playing against Argentina. Across the tournament, that has meant wearing the green of Algeria, the blue of Cape Verde, or the red of Switzerland. Even the often maligned England got a boost in global social media pledges of support last week ahead of their semifinal clash. And in Sunday's final, it may mean pulling on a red Spain shirt. Argentina are one of football's most successful and recognizable nat...

July 7, 2026 10:07 AM

What is Article 27 of FIFA’s Disciplinary Code that allows red-carded Balogun to play?

FIFA will allow United States striker Folarin Balogun to play in their World Cup last-16 clash with Belgium on Monday after suspending his ban for a red card in the previous round, citing Article 27 of the world ruling body’s Disciplinary Code. Following is an explanation of what Article 27 is. Article 27 allows FIFA to suspend the implementation of a disciplinary sanction. The sanction itself remains in force but does not have to be served immediately unless the suspension is later revoked...

July 6, 2026 8:12 AM

FIFA makes U-turn to clear Balogun for US v Belgium World Cup clash following call from Trump

United States striker Folarin Balogun is available for the World Cup last-16 clash with Belgium after FIFA suspended his ban for a red card on Sunday in an unprecedented move following a call from U.S. President Donald Trump to FIFA President Gianni Infantino. Balogun scored his third goal of the World Cup in the 2-0 win over Bosnia but was shown a red card in the second half for planting his boot into the ankle of Tarik Muharemovic. The 25-year-old was sent off after a VAR review,...

July 5, 2026 12:03 PM

FIFA World Cup 2026: Mbappe penalty sends France past Paraguay into quarter-finals

France arrived in Philadelphia with the swagger of World Cup heavyweights and left looking like they had spent the afternoon wrestling a cactus, grinding out a narrow victory over Paraguay in sweltering conditions. Their win was less a showcase of French elegance than a survival exercise, with Kylian Mbappe's penalty finally settling an ill-tempered contest that Paraguay had dragged into their preferred territory of physical confrontation and tactical disruption. Paraguay offered something Fra...

July 5, 2026 11:15 AM

FIFA World Cup 2026: Clinical Morocco ease past Canada 3-0 to reach quarter-finals

Morocco dispatched a determined Canada 3-0 in the World Cup last 16 on Saturday as Azzedine Ounahi scored twice and the North Africans ended the co-hosts' record run while advancing to the quarter-finals for the second time in a row. The scoreline flattered Morocco, who were on the back foot for most of the opening period and failed to register an attempt on goal until the 28th minute after Canada had spurned a number of solid chances. The tame first-half performance caused Morocco's visibly f...

June 11, 2026 10:22 AM

Argentina players’ passport details leaked in security oversight

A security oversight leaked the passport details of every player in the Argentina squad for Tuesday's pre-World Cup warm-up friendly against Iceland, including Lionel Messi, media reports said. The passport numbers, listed on the official team sheet, should have been blurred before being released to the media and the public. But in Alabama's Jordan-Hare Stadium, they were circulated without redaction. Reuters has contacted the Argentinian Football Federation and FIFA for comment. Argenti...

June 11, 2026 9:30 AM

Haiti alter World Cup shirts after FIFA objects to design

Haiti have changed their World Cup shirts, which depicted a war scene from the country's battle for independence, after FIFA said they had violated its regulations on political speech, manufacturer Saeta said on Wednesday. Colombia-based Saeta said it had collaborated with the Haitian Football Federation on the design, which it said "celebrated the pride, resilience, and spirit" of the Haitian people and was not intended as a political statement. "During the review process, FIFA determi...