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A tournament with more teams and more games has been filled with euphoria, heartbreak, and these weird and wonderful viral momentsAs a Japanese supporter exclaimed to a television camera, “Texas is good, everything is big”, we knew the World Cup had started. In those early euphoric moments, seeing the palpable joy when everything is still possible, it seemed Japan fans were the MVPs of memes.They came in their thousands, dressed in sombreros and Mario outfits, tossed into the air like confetti and line dancing with the Dutch. Then the heartbreak arrived.With more locations, more teams and more games than ever, this was always going to be a tournament primed for viral spectacle. A Ghanaian witch-doctor. Erling Haaland becoming the internet’s boyfriend. Victoria Beckham’s face.We’ve narrowed down a selection of the most weird and wonderful moments of this World Cup – both on the field and on the sidelines. Or, in the case of Norway, in virtually any physical space to complete a “Viking row”. Strap in, readers.Thank you, Japan, for the joy you brought this World Cup. It started with a local reporter asking a pair of supporters literally dressed in Japan jerseys “where are you guys from”, who happily complimented her state of Texas with “everything is big”. Then a fan was gleefully thrown into the air by a sea of Netherlands fans, armed with a Pikachu. Notable mentions must also go to the Japan fans’ many and varied outfits.Poor Thierry Henry, just trying to get through commentating the World Cup without being subjected to imagery of Alexi Lalas’s “nether regions”. Lalas was very excited by the opening ceremony in Los Angeles ahead of the USA’s match against Paraguay, loudly telling the Fox Sports panel: “I thought that was awesome. My nether regions are still vibrating from the bass.” Henry couldn’t hide his reaction.This one is somehow even funnier in original Spanish: “Ay no, tarjeta gris otra vez.” Whether this dog was actually at the World Cup, where only service animals are allowed, is besides the point. We fell in love with the Brazilian supporter when it went viral for its confused look over the colour of a card.In a battle between the meme mascots of this World Cup, points must also go to Merlín, the Mexican duck, who stole our hearts with his confident waddle and silly little jersey. Merlín became a folk hero and met with Mexico’s president, Claudia Sheinbaum, as the co-hosts rode a wave of momentum to the last 16. But like his side was unable to go as far in the tournament as hoped, when barred from attending his beloved Mexico’s later matches.Ghanaian witch-doctor Nana Kwaku Bonsam, the self-described “most powerful spiritualist in the world”, had Harry Kane in his grips during his national team’s 0-0 draw with England. Bonsam claimed to have put a non-violent curse on the English captain. Thankfully, Kane was released from it soon after, but that didn’t help England against Argentina.Speaking of England and Ghana. American commentator John Strong delivered an all-timer on a Fox Soccer broadcast during their match in Foxborough, Massachusetts, where he observed England “historically struggled”. Surely the US have enough to dwell on beyond the American revolutionary war.If you hadn’t heard of 36-year-old Themba Zwane before the World Cup, you have now. The South Africa midfielder not only earned a red card in the first game of the tournament, but delivered a generational meme with the profound shock of his reaction. He may have got a three-match ban, but Zwane’s legacy lives for ever.A real joy of a World Cup this size has been the showdowns you don’t see coming. Morocco versus Haiti was one. An unexpected, action-packed game that saw Morocco sail into the last 32 with a 4-2 win. In the words of one internet user: “The Haiti second goal was soo perfect to watch I forgot I was Moroccan”. If you know, you know.This may transcend memes. Over in Patagonia, the Argentinians felt it was the appropriate time to unveil a new, 85-foot statue of Lionel Messi midway through the tournament. And, honestly, it speaks for itself.Norway’s fans have never met a surface, it seems, that they can’t use for a “Viking row”. It felt as if they were everywhere this World Cup: bobbing up on escalators, spinning around suitcase conveyors, planted in the middle of city streets, celebrating each win or the team’s return home.How do you sum up England’s victory against Mexico? A player got a yellow card and was stretchered off the pitch, neither of which occurred during gameplay. Kane’s voice after the game sounded as if he was channelling Terry Jones acting as an angry mother in the Life of Brian, even while describing Jordan Henderson’s dramatic fall. Mexico’s head coach Rafael Márquez let out expletives, then cackled. And that’s before you get to the game itself.Erling Haaland is fast. Erling Haaland is strong. Erling Haaland likes … $750 taxidermy racoons? Few have united the internet such as Norway’s striker, whose looks and expressions have been compared to a spring onion and Dragon Ball Z, and whose bromance with Jude Bellingham has warmed the cockles of the most cynical football fan’s heart.Victoria Beckham could barely contain her emotion when Jude Bellingham scored for England in extra time against Norway. Sadly, her facial expression was quite akin to Mick Jagger when England finally fell to Argentina.Nothing has drawn so much universal frustration this World Cup as the cursed hydration break. Mandatory, yet pointless three-minute breaks implemented in each half of every match, regardless of whether it is 20C and fine outside, presumably so Fifa can make more money off advertising. Thankfully, they did pose a newfound opportunity for memes, and nothing brings people together more than shared hatred.Already feeling sad that the World Cup is almost over? Don’t worry. There’s so much more to look forward to as the tournament grows and grows. Hopefully by then, Turkey will have figured out the difference between Australia and Austria.

World Cup News

Whether through livestreams or in-person attendance, America’s mayors have taken a variety of approaches to integrating soccer into their comms strategyFrom the moment he entered office, New York City Zohran Mamdani hasn’t hesitated to make his love of soccer clear. The former New York state assembly member hosted a watch party for the Africa Cup of Nations final soon after moving in to City Hall, littered speeches with references to soccer stars past and present, and remained a fixture at a Brooklyn pub to watch his beloved Arsenal on their way to a Premier League title.The World Cup, though, is a different level. And as such, Mamdani has stood out over the last month-plus for being one of several municipal politicians in US host cities using the tournament – and soccer in general – as a way to connect with constituents, advance political goals, or in some cases, change the perception of their city among the public at large.Mayors pursuing these sorts of goals is nothing new. But in the United States, where American football, basketball and baseball hold much of the public’s attention, using soccer to get there is a novel concept.“Football holds a rare power,” Mamdani said in the latest of his Morning Pitch live streams, which have delivered traffic and weather information to New Yorkers on World Cup game days, in addition to soliloquies about the sport. The streams have been a hit; enough so that the final edition, due to arrive Sunday for the World Cup final in nearby East Rutherford, New Jersey, will have a special guest host: Gary Lineker, the famed presenter and former England striker.In Mamdani’s case, the football chat comes naturally. But for most mayors in the US, this year is their first exposure to a World Cup, and certainly to one on home soil.San Jose mayor Matt Mahan’s playing career ended in childhood; he stayed connected with the game by coaching during his time as a teacher and now by watching his young daughter, who plays in a local league. He saw the hosting of World Cup games in nearby Santa Clara as a prime opportunity to change the perception of the city he oversees.“One of the things that we were able to communicate and show off about our city is that San Jose is fun, that it’s cool and that it’s a destination,” said Mahan. “That may not sound like a big deal to somebody in, say, New York, but in our region, San Jose is kind of a workhorse city. We’re a bedroom community where a lot of the Silicon Valley workforce lives, but we’re not seen as a, generally seen as a cultural destination, the way that San Francisco is.”Mahan said that local organizers sought to communicate that feeling by hosting watch parties in downtown’s San Pedro Square – gatherings they estimated would draw about 350,000 people over the life of the tournament, but with a total attendance that now sits just north of 900,000 before the final match.Hosting big events is nothing new for the Bay Area or San Jose specifically, with the Super Bowl having just taken place at Levi’s Stadium earlier this year. But Mahan noted that the extended nature of the World Cup – and its international appeal – provides new opportunities to reach out to constituents.“You have a lot of time and so many matches that there are a lot of bites at the apple,” he said. “The Super Bowl is one game … there’s nothing like the World Cup where virtually every community can be activated.“I mean, I’ve been out to San Pedro every, every day or two throughout the tournament, done a lot of selfie videos, and walking around talking to people, and just trying to actually document what we’re doing and celebrate our cultural diversity and our cultural vibrancy, and the small businesses.”The approach has been similar around the country, with Los Angeles mayor Karen Bass announcing numerous watch party locations throughout the city. In Philadelphia, the World Cup coincided with the Fourth of July and America 250 festivities, with Mayor Cherelle Parker personally calling performers on Independence Day to continue a concert after thunderstorms had seemingly wiped it out.In Kansas City, Mayor Quinton Lucas had a slightly different goal: introducing the city to the world at large. He described the hosting efforts as a way to “brand the city” in an interview with KCUR, saying the World Cup was also an opportunity to advocate for the city’s ongoing streetcar project – a rare public transportation win in a city that is still majority car-based and faced numerous traffic issues on game days for fans getting to and from the stadium.In Mamdani’s case, the city he oversees hardly needs selling. Rather, he has used his daily livestreams as a way to further his own political philosophy, connecting it to the sport he has followed since he was a kid growing up in Uganda.These efforts are gaining him followers well outside the five boroughs. For his stream about Brazil v Morocco (his pick for World Cup winner) on 13 June, Mamdani used the moment to educate viewers about Sócrates, the Brazilian midfielder known for his political activism. The moment went viral in Brazil, even being reposted by Corinthians, Sócrates’ former team in São Paulo.The sport, Mamdani said on a recent stream, has “the power to give billions worldwide a glimpse into another world –one beyond jobs that don’t pay enough, bills that pile up and leaders who never meet their promises. The power to deliver joy to the people.”

World Cup News

As of Friday at 10:00 BST, the game in Miami (kick off 22:00 BST) has not yet sold out with 1,246 tickets on general sale listed at $865 (£657) and $1,125 (£855).There are a further 5,864 tickets available on the official resale platform, with the cheapest being category three available at a face value of $455 (£346) plus Fifa's 15% fee.However, there are many tickets in the higher-priced categories listed well below what they were purchased for.A category one ticket with an original price of $1,125 (£855) has a hugely discounted price of $659 (£500).Sunday's World Cup final is also not yet fully sold out, with 32 of the most expensive tickets still on general sale.However, these tickets cost between $29,995 (£22,796) and $32,970 (£25,057). These are standard tickets, not VIP.The original price of these tickets was $7,380 (£5,609), which means if you decided to buy one of these, Fifa will add an extra $1,107 (£841).The most expensive resale ticket for the final is listed at $2m (£1.52m), plus a Fifa fee of $300,000 (£228,000).Prices on resale are set by users and do not directly reflect what people are actually paying.Effort, spirit and moments - but do England lack all-round quality?Some England players disappointed by tactics as Tuchel questions team's DNAWhat next for England? How does Tuchel fix key problems for Euro 2028?How to watch the World Cup on the BBC and ITV

World Cup News

Close00Novak Djokovic told BBC Radio 5 Live Drive that England’s World Cup knockout is a “hard blow” but “there is always another opportunity” in sport.Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingRelated topicsFIFA World Cup 2026Follow FIFA World Cup 2026close panelYou are now following FIFA World Cup 2026Updates from your Sport topics will appear in My Sport and in a collection on the Sport homepage.England Men's Football TeamFollow England Men's Football Teamclose panelYou are now following England Men's Football TeamUpdates from your Sport topics will appear in My Sport and in a collection on the Sport homepage.ArgentinaFollow Argentina

World Cup News

Officials in New York and New Jersey have issued an air quality health alert because of wildfire smoke just days before the World Cup final.Haze caused by Canadian wildfires has blanketed the New York region, prompting officials to urge residents to reduce outdoor exertion and stay indoors if possible.New York New Jersey Stadium - which is in East Rutherford, New Jersey - will host the final between Spain and Argentina on Sunday, 19 July (20:00 BST).Conditions deteriorated just before Spain landed in New Jersey on Wednesday night, a day after their semi-final victory over France in Texas.Spain spent Thursday training outdoors, looking unaffected by the air quality. They have not commented on whether they are concerned.Argentina, meanwhile, stayed in Georgia after their semi-final win over England, but will begin training in New Jersey on Friday afternoon.Contractor Dan Edgar said his daughter Kaitlynn was practising at New York New Jersey Stadium on Thursday, where she will be dancing and performing for the final."She's texting me that it's bad out there," he said. "It's hard to dance, she says you can feel the air, it's heavy."The smoke-filled sky and extremely hot temperatures have already been experienced by some footballers. The National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) went ahead with a match between Gotham FC and Washington Spirit on Wednesday night in front of a record crowd at Citi Field in Queens despite the orange haze.The air quality index meant players were mandated to take two breaks per half according to NWSL policy.Washington Spirit's Trinity Rodman said after the match that the air quality was rough, and in her opinion, they shouldn't have played.Rodman said: "Not to make excuses at all, but I think on both sides we were all like, 'another break, another break, another break'."New Yorkers are relieved conditions are not as intense as they were in June 2023, when the skies turned completely orange because of Canadian wildfires.New York New Jersey Stadium is an open-air facility, but at the moment there is no suggestion the World Cup final, with more than 80,000 spectators and a star-studded half-time show, will be affected.The air quality in the area is expected to improve on Friday while forecast rain on Saturday should further help disperse some of the smoke.'A true miracle of destiny' - Messi and Lamine Yamal's incredible first meetingWhen the World Cup finishes, the football continues on BBC SportHow to watch the World Cup final on the BBC and ITV

World Cup News

Batson says US federation will ‘take a break’Sporting director role unfilled after Crocker exitThe US men’s national team leaves the World Cup with some considerable gaps in their organizational chart. Mauricio Pochettino’s future is undetermined as his contract – funded in part by billionaire donors – ends with the conclusion of this tournament. In April, Matt Crocker resigned from his role as sporting director to take a similar position with Saudi Arabia.Despite these crucial positions being open, there may not be resolutions for some time.“We are going to take a break after the World Cup and rest and recuperate,” US Soccer chief executive JT Batson said at a roundtable with media on Thursday when asked about Pochettino. “I didn’t get to do too much resting and recuperating, but we’re excited about the discussions. [Pochettino and his staff] have been active about long-term planning. As a recent example, [they] were active in our discussions with Steve [Cherundolo] around the U-23 role. We’re feeling good about where we are overall, and we’re looking forward to the discussions.”As for Crocker’s abdicated role, Batson cited a federation workforce of more than “600 people” working toward achieving their ultimate aims, rather than one figurehead executive.Both Batson and USSF chief operating officer Dan Helfrich, who was also at the roundtable, declined to clarify whether another sporting director would be among “a number” of impending hires.“We feel confident we have a great team, and that great team has soccer expertise from deep within the American system and soccer expertise from other parts of the world,” Helfrich said. “As we are talking about and making strategic choices, we have [vice-president of sporting] Oguchi Onyewu and [head of development] Barry Pauwels and [head of women’s youth development] Tracey Kevins and Emma Hayes who are part of the discussions we’re having, both about near-term choices and about longer-term structure.“I anticipate, in the months to come, there’s a little more clarity on structure, but the fundamentals of the team are there.”

World Cup News

2 CommentsA shirt worn by Pele during the 1958 World Cup final has sold for $4.9m (£3.6m) at a Sotheby's auction in New York.It is the second most valuable football jersey sold behind the Argentina shirt Diego Maradona wore when he scored the 'Hand of God' goal against England at the 1986 World Cup - which went for £7.1m in 2022.Having received a total of 10 bids from more than five bidders, Pele's shirt from the 1958 final is his most valuable item of memorabilia ever sold at auction.This very shirt sold in 2004 for $105,600 (£70,505).Pele scored twice against Sweden as a 17-year-old in the 1958 World Cup final to win the first of his three World Cups.He still holds the record for the youngest player to score in a World Cup final."Today's result is a powerful testament to the enduring legacy of one of the greatest footballers of all time," said Brendan Hawkes, Sotheby's head of sports strategy and development."This shirt is not only a lasting reminder of one of the most important moments in football history, but is principally connected to the very moment that catapulted Pele into a global sporting icon."Other items sold in 'The Beautiful Game' auction on Thursday included the captain's armband worn by Maradona during the 1986 World Cup - including when he scored the 'Hand of God' goal against England - which sold for $512,000 (£380,000).A shirt worn by Lionel Messi during Barcelona's dramatic 6–1 comeback victory over Paris St-Germain in the last 16 of the Champions League in 2017 sold for $217,600 (£161,482), while David Beckham's shirt from his 50th England cap at the 2002 World Cup sold for $51,200 dollars (£37,996).'A true miracle of destiny' - Messi and Lamine Yamal's incredible first meetingHow coach-on-pitch Messi undid England's tactics on the fly

World Cup News

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World Cup News

An England fan who was so convinced the Three Lions would win the World Cup that he got a huge tattoo celebrating the "win" has decided to add the words "only joking" underneath.Sean Carrington got the foot-long £550 inking of the trophy with the words "England World Cup Winner 2026" written below it after the team beat DR Congo.But along with millions of other supporters he was left railing at another frustrating England exit after Wednesday night's late defeat against Argentina in the semi-final.The 36-year-old, from Wigan, Greater Manchester, said he had "no regrets" about having it done and was now considering how to have it amended.However, he admitted he was pleased he rowed back on his original plan - which was to get "It's Coming Home" emblazoned across his chest.Sean watched the match at Manchester's Depot Mayfield fanzone and said he was "buzzing" when England took the lead with Anthony Gordon's neat strike in the 55th minute."The atmosphere was crazy until the very end. But we sat back and gave it away," he said."It was depressing - it ended up so flat."Regarding his tattoo, he said: "I'll probably get 'only joking' added to it."He said the team at Holy Trinity Tattoo Studio in Standish talked him out of his original idea."That was more of a laugh but the World Cup trophy - in my heart I thought we'd do it," he said."I'd so love them to win it."He admitted he was a "bit of a joker" but added: "I've not done anything like this before".Sean, who has eight other tattoos, mainly the names of family members, said he was "impulsive" but has no plans for any more ill-advised inks.The roofer, who said he was "too tender" to go to work on Thursday morning, said he was shocked at how much attention his tattoo got."It went viral. I'm even on social media," he said.He earlier told the BBC how he got the idea for the tattoo when he was watching the tournament on holiday in Tenerife and was egged on by friends.But he had to wait until he returned before a studio could fit him in.Holy Trinity's manager Jamie Taylor said: "I was dubious at first and told him it was permanent and wouldn't wash off."He was adamant, though," she said.Jordan Stringfellow, who also works at the studio, said: "Sean has a great sense of humour and won't be bothered."He always knew it was a joke and a good craic."He wanted to get 'it's coming home' across his chest but I said that was taking it too far."The 34-year-old said Sean was not the first England fan to be premature with tattoos."It happened in the Euros.They got an England flag and 'it's coming home'," he said.Tell us which stories we should cover in Greater ManchesterContact formContact formMore on this storyFan has huge £550 tattoo declaring England World Cup winners

World Cup News

CloseKing Charles III has hinted at England's World Cup semi-final loss to Argentina as he poured a pint in a pub."Maybe it's a good day to drown a few sorrows," he said to laughter, while Queen Camilla smiled as she stood next to him.Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingRelated topicsUK Royal FamilyFollow UK Royal Familyclose panelYou are now following UK Royal FamilyUpdates from your News topics will appear in My News and in a collection on the News homepage.King Charles IIIFollow King Charles III

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The son of England's 1966 World Cup winner Nobby Stiles is predicting an "epidemic" of brain injuries among players who head footballs, especially women.John Stiles spoke after an inquest on Wednesday into the death of his father, Nobby Stiles - the 78-year-old ex-Man Utd and England midfielder - heard thousands of headers during his career had caused his chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).Senior Coroner Alison Mulch is writing a prevention of future deaths report after recording Stiles' cause of death in 2020 as Alzheimer's disease, contributed to by CTE.The Football Association (FA), which has been asked to comment, is phasing out all football heading up to under-11s this year.Stiles died with severe dementia in 2020 aged 78 and had headed a football about 140,000 times in his career, Stockport Coroners' Court heard during the inquest into his death, held on Wednesday.Neuropathology expert Dr Daniel Du Plessis told the court: "I'm quite convinced his heading the football that many times has caused his CTE [chronic traumatic encephalopathy]."John, who founded campaign group Football Families for Justice, said afterwards that women's football was "a particular concern" that "really needs to be addressed".He added: "Tragically the brain injuries epidemic will grow as so many more girls play football: women's brains are even more susceptible to damage from heading."However, he also said: "Anybody who heads the ball is very likely to get this disease and, for God's sake, we must do something about it now."He said a "proper fund" was needed for when ex-players go into a care home, adding funding form the Premier Leaguer and players union, the Professional Footballers' Association (PFA), was not "adequate".Six years ago, former Southampton and England player Sue Lopez, one of the pioneers of the women's game, revealed she had dementia and cited heading as the likely cause.Four other members of England's 1966 winning team died as a result of dementia-related illnesses - Sir Bobby Charlton and his brother Jack along with left back Ray Wilson and midfielder Martin Peters.Stiles, who was born in Collyhurst, Manchester in 1942, was capped 28 times by England and played nearly 400 times for Manchester United.He lived in Stretford, Greater Manchester, and died in a care home on 30 October 2020, having been left bed-bound by his dementia.His family has campaigned for football authorities to do more to help ex-players cope with injuries they claim were caused during their playing days.Wednesday's inquest into his death heard that Old Trafford used to have a ball that would hang down from the stand and the players were encouraged to head it.The coroner recorded the cause of Stiles' death as Alzheimer's disease with "high stage" CTE, and also said a condition known as "stage three limbic predominant age related TDP-43" had been a contributing factor, as well as cerebrovascular disease.The FA co-funded, with the Professional Footballers' Association (PFA), a 2019 study that found footballers were three-and-a-half times more likely to die of neurodegenerative disease than age-matched members of the general population.The PFA, which has also been contacted, said previously it had set up several services to support players with dementia and other neurodegenerative diseases.Tell us which stories we should cover in Greater ManchesterContact formContact formListen to the best of BBC Radio Manchester on Sounds and follow BBC Manchester on Facebook, external, X, external, and Instagram, external. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.Headers caused Nobby Stiles' brain disease, coroner findsCoroner rules inquest needed into Nobby Stiles' deathNobby Stiles' son calls dementia group 'transformative'Meet the 25-year-old who's trying to stop footballers getting dementia'I think my dementia has been caused by heading' Video, 00:01:56'I think my dementia has been caused by heading'

World Cup News

Close10England's World Cup dreams are dashed once more, the wait for a first men's major trophy since 1966 goes on - and to make matters worse, they can't even get on a plane and fly home just yet.Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingRelated topicsFootballFollow Footballclose panelYou are now following FootballUpdates from your Sport topics will appear in My Sport and in a collection on the Sport homepage.England Men's Football TeamFollow England Men's Football Teamclose panelYou are now following England Men's Football TeamUpdates from your Sport topics will appear in My Sport and in a collection on the Sport homepage.FIFA World Cup 2026Follow FIFA World Cup 2026