Paraguay pulled off the biggest upset of the 2026 World Cup on June 29, knocking out four-time champion Germany 4-3 on penalties after a 1-1 draw in extra time. Jose Canale scored the deciding spot kick in sudden death, while goalkeeper Orlando Gill saved two German penalties. Germany had never lost a World Cup penalty shootout in its history. A controversial VAR ruling disallowed what would have been Germany's 102nd-minute winner from Jonathan Tah.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup knockout stage begins Tuesday with three round-of-32 matches: France vs. Sweden at MetLife Stadium, Ivory Coast vs. Norway in Dallas, and Mexico vs. Ecuador in Mexico City. The 48-team tournament, co-hosted by the US, Canada, and Mexico, has already produced several upsets including the USMNT's group-stage exit.
Thousands of World Cup fans arriving in North America for the 2026 tournament are being left without seats after StubHub canceled resale tickets just days before matches. The secondary ticketing platform blamed FIFA's ticketing infrastructure, while angry fans report being offered refunds but no replacement tickets for sold-out games.
Uruguay crashed out of the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Friday night after a 1-0 loss to Spain, with goalkeeper Fernando Muslera's error proving decisive. The defeat allowed Cape Verde to advance to the knockout rounds in its first-ever World Cup appearance after a 0-0 draw with Saudi Arabia. Spain won Group H. Cape Verde will face Lionel Messi and defending champions Argentina in Miami on July 3.
The United States men's national team lost 3-2 to Turkey on June 25 in a dramatic World Cup group stage match, conceding a goal in the 94th minute. Despite the defeat, the US advanced to the round of 32 thanks to results elsewhere. Christian Pulisic scored once and assisted another, showing his best form of the tournament. The US will face Bosnia and Herzegovina in the knockout round.
India defeated Bangladesh by five wickets in the ICC Women's T20 World Cup at Old Trafford, Manchester, keeping their semifinal hopes alive. Shafali Verma smashed 53 off 34 balls — her second half-century of the tournament — to steer the chase of 137. Earlier, spinners Radha Yadav (3/28) and Sree Charani combined to restrict Bangladesh to 136/8. India now faces a must-win clash against Australia to advance.
Colombia secured its place in the FIFA World Cup round of 32 with a 1-0 victory over DR Congo in Group K, with Daniel Munoz scoring the winner. The 2026 tournament, co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, continues to deliver surprises as debutants Cape Verde held Spain to a 0-0 draw and Curaçao made their first appearance. The expanded 48-team format has produced more competitive matches across the board.
Iran twice came from behind to draw 2-2 with New Zealand in a World Cup Group G match at Los Angeles Stadium, as political tensions over the U.S.-Iran war and protests against Tehran's government created a charged atmosphere. Whistles drowned out Iran's national anthem during the pre-match ceremony. The result leaves both teams level on one point, with group matches still open.
Lionel Messi cemented his legacy as football's all-time greatest by scoring a brace against Austria on Monday to become the FIFA World Cup's leading goal scorer. The 38-year-old Argentine captain scored twice in Argentina's 2-0 victory at Dallas Stadium in Arlington, Texas, surpassing Germany's Miroslav Klose's record of 16 goals. Messi entered the tournament tied with Klose after scoring a hat-trick against Algeria in Argentina's opener. Playing in his sixth World Cup, the defending champions now sit top of Group J with two wins from two matches.
Curaçao goalkeeper tied Tim Howard's World Cup saves record in a 0-0 draw against Ecuador at the 2026 World Cup. The tiny Caribbean nation's performance stunned observers. The US team advanced to face the Bay Area in the next round. Meanwhile, Italy's failure to qualify sparked a bitter political battle, and climate protesters targeted FIFA's Saudi oil sponsor Aramco.