Latest Sports Stories

World Cup News

Prices for trains and buses to World Cup matches at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey have been cut following a backlash from fans. The price of a train ticket has been slashed from $150 (£111) to $98 (£73) while shuttle bus fares are down to $20 (£15) from $80 (£59).Thomas Concannon, leader of the Football Supporters' Association England fan group, previously criticised "astronomical" event pricing - which he described as "completely out of the norm".MetLife Stadium - which will be known as New York/New Jersey Stadium during the World Cup as part of Fifa's policy on corporate sponsored names - will host eight matches including the final and one of England's Group L games.Rail journeys from Penn Station in Manhattan to the venue, which is about 18 miles, are normally $12.90 (£9.50) for a return fare.£111 trains will have 'chilling effect' on World CupTravel at the World Cups in Russia and Qatar was free, and the USA had committed to offer the same perk in its 2018 host agreement.In a tweak to the agreement made in 2023, it was decided that supporters would be able to travel at cost.Responding to criticism, Fifa also claimed there was no precedent for transport price rises for a major event at MetLife Stadium.In a social media post on Tuesday, Sherril said commercial sponsorship meant the price for the 30-minute train journey could be cut."Good news: Ahead of NJ Transit World Cup train tickets going on sale, NJ Transit is lowering ticket prices to $98 without New Jersey taxpayer money," Sherill wrote."Thank you to our partners for helping make this possible."New York governor Kathy Hochul said "getting to the World Cup should be as accessible as possible" after announcing the 75% reduction in round-trip bus fares on social media.She added that 20% of tickets would be reserved for New Yorkers in recognition that they are "helping host the world".Elsewhere, fans travelling to Foxborough, Boston are facing transport price hikes of more than 300%.Round-trip tickets from central Boston (South Station) to Boston Stadium at Foxborough usually cost $20 (£15) but fans will be charged $80 (£60) at the World Cup.The prices in New Jersey and Foxborough will hit England and Scotland fans.The Three Lions take on Ghana in Foxborough on 23 June, and then face Panama at MetLife Stadium on 27 June.Steve Clarke's Scotland have two games in Foxborough - against Haiti on 13 June and Morocco on 19 June.Kansas City is offering return bus tickets to the stadium for $15, while Philadelphia has confirmed their usual price of $2.90 will remain the same for the tournament.Listen to the latest Football Daily podcastSoundsGet football news sent straight to your phone

World Cup News

United States President Donald Trump says he "wouldn't pay it either" when asked about the potential $1,000 (£736) ticket price to watch his country play Paraguay in their 2026 World Cup opener.The competition starts on 11 June and the US, who are co-hosting the tournament with Canada and Mexico, will open their campaign in Los Angeles on 12 June."I did not know that number," Trump told The New York Post, external when asked about fans having to pay $1,000 (£736) to watch the USA's first Group D match."I would certainly like to be there, but I wouldn't pay it either, to be honest with you."Fans also face having to pay vastly inflated prices for most games through Fifa's official resale platform, while world football's governing body is taking a 30% fee - 15% each from both the buyer and seller - of each ticket which is sold."If people from Queens and Brooklyn and all of the people that love Donald Trump can't go, I would be disappointed, but, you know, at the same time, it's an amazing success," added Trump."I would like to be able to have the people that voted for me to be able to go."Infantino's 'hot dog & Coke' pledge over $2m ticket"In the US, it is permitted to resell tickets as well, so if you were to sell tickets at the price which is too low, these tickets will be resold at a much higher price," Infantino said on Tuesday at the Milken Institute Global Conference in Beverly Hills.World Cup matches in Toronto can also only be sold for their original price because of the Ontario government's recent ban on reselling event tickets above face value.Fans are also facing increased transport costs in the US for the tournament, although recently announced controversial prices have been reduced in New Jersey.A 30-minute train journey to a World Cup game at MetLife Stadium had risen to $150 (£111) from the usual $12.90 (£9.50) for a return fare, but that has now come down by 30%.The price of a journey of about 18 miles from Penn Station in Manhattan to the venue in New Jersey will instead cost fans $105 (£77).New Jersey Transit chief executive Kris Kolluri, external said Governor Mikie Sherrill had asked for private sponsorships and other finance sources to be found to ensure the ticket price could come down."I am pleased we are able to reduce the price by at least 30% and bring the cost down to $105 per ticket."Listen to the latest Football Daily podcastSoundsGet football news sent straight to your phone

World Cup News

Sports editorPublished6 May 2026Britain's so-called 'special relationship' with the United States may be under renewed scrutiny, but when it comes to football, it appears to be in good health.The chief executive of US Soccer has hailed the Football Association's role in the establishment of a "transformative" new 200-acre national training centre outside Atlanta.JT Batson said officials from the governing body had been "incredible partners in helping us learn from what works well in England"."That certainly factored into our thinking around the building of a national centre, as well as the designing of what we've called the 'US Way', which is our strategy for sporting success," he said.Speaking exclusively to BBC Sport from the $228m Arthur M Blank training complex, which opens this week, Batson said "think of it as St George's Park, but slightly bigger and obviously newer".The FA's Staffordshire base opened in 2012 and has been credited with playing a key role in the subsequent revival of England men's and women's teams.US Soccer officials visited the site as part of a fact-finding mission when designing their own version, which will host the national team's pre-World Cup camp. FA officials are said to have been happy to share knowledge with their US counterparts, who also visited the training grounds of Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City."There's lots to learn from around the world, but the US is different," added Batson."We're really big, both geographically and in numbers of people. We think that really having a home for the first time for soccer in America is going to be transformative for us."Batson also paid tribute to US Soccer's former sporting director Matt Crocker, who was previously the FA's former head of teams, based at St George's Park.Welshman Crocker was responsible for appointing Mauricio Pochettino and Emma Hayes as head coaches of the US men's and women's senior national teams respectively, but left last month to take up a similar role at the Saudi Arabia football federation."Matt and team have done an incredible job of taking us from where we were to where we are now from a strategy standpoint… and that gives us the foundation to be able to carry forward... around how do we support the entire soccer ecosystem in the United States to be successful," said Batson.The World Cup line-up is complete - here's what you need to knowDescribing it as "an incredible opportunity for us to transform what soccer looks like in America", Batson claims it will show that the US "is now a soccer nation. What makes soccer in America unique is that we are the challenger sport in our country and we are the challenger country in our sport."The Football Supporters' Association has said that fans are being "fleeced" as a result of Fifa's ticketing strategy.BBC Sport has plotted a route through the group stage and found that England supporters would need about £6,500 each or £13,000 for two.There has also been controversy over the cost of transport, with Fifa being criticised by some US politicians for not doing more to help host cities. Fifa has adopted a new organisational model for the 2026 World Cup that means it is responsible for ticket sales. Fifa president Gianni Infantino has defended prices, insisting that they reflect demand.BBC Sport asked Batson if he feared the cost of attending the event will make it a harder task to grow the game, and whether the tournament risks becoming an event largely for the wealthy."We're focused on making sure that everyone who wants to be a part of this World Cup can be a part of it, no matter where you live, whether you're going to be able to watch on television at home, [or] watching at a bar…" said Batson."In our [warm-up] game in Charlotte against Senegal, we have $26 tickets… you're also going to see US soccer gear and merchandise at all different price points. We want everyone who cares about our sport to feel connected… and I think this summer is an important opportunity for us to be able to do that."Asked how confident he was that all World Cup matches would be sold out, Batson said: "My expectation is that we want a very vibrant stadium for every game. And given the passion for our game in America, and the passion from the fans who are coming in from around the world, I would expect that Fifa is focused on ensuring that's the case too."Last month Pochettino said that American youngsters tend to develop an "emotional relationship" with football later than other countries because of competition from more established sports, describing it as "a problem", but Batson is more positive."One of the things that excites me in terms of where we are relative to when I was growing up is there's an opportunity to build that emotional relationship with soccer at such a young age that did not exist historically," he said."You now have the first generation of kids growing up whose parents played at scale. And so the moment historically of a father or mother taking their kid to a baseball or basketball game is a momentous family occasion."Now that's soccer, and so there's been such a generational shift here that this World Cup will be a nice tidal wave of carrying those emotions forward."The MLS was formed in 1995, one year after the US hosted the World Cup for the first time, and has grown significantly since then, with Lionel Messi's arrival in 2023 evidence of a changed landscape.Batson said that in 1994, "the soccer market was very nascent in the US, and if you fast forward to today, we have thriving professional leagues, some of the world's great stadiums… the opportunity for this summer is how do we take that next big step forward and how do we use it to build the system of what soccer looks like in a way where every kid can play?"The US are in a group with Paraguay, Australia and Turkey, and are aiming to reach the quarter-finals for the first time since 2002.When asked if Pochettino's team had to do well for the tournament to have the desired impact domestically, Batson said: "This is a team that is excited about the opportunity."Their ambition is high… they've got an opportunity to really earn that excitement, earn that passion and energy from the tens of millions of Americans who love them."Pochettino has had a mixed record since taking up the job in 2024, with his team losing both of their most recent friendlies against Belgium and Portugal, but has said he believes the team could pull off a shock win."This is a team that can compete with the world's best," insists Batson."It's going to have home support. And why not give it a go? I mean, that's the whole point of playing in a tournament. Any team stepping in should have a plan to go as far as possible, which ultimately means having a plan to ultimately win."Derby's Agyemang to miss World Cup with Achilles injuryLast month, rights groups issued a travel advisory urging visitors to "exercise caution" as a result of what it called the government's "violent and abusive immigration crackdown".Tournament organisers have also said they are worried about a long-running partial shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security due to a funding dispute in Congress.Asked what his message was to overseas fans who may be reconsidering whether to attend, Batson said: "Fifa and the US government at all levels have been in co-ordination for years around ensuring a successful delivery of the World Cup, first and foremost starting with safety."The US has lots of history of organising major events all over the country and very often in the very specific stadiums where the games are going to be played. I know that at all levels from local, county, state and federal government, there is a clear focus on ensuring there's a safe and fun World Cup for everyone here."When it was put to Batson that US officials have said Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents will be part of World Cup security plans, and that fans from a number of participating countries are subject to travel bans.He said: "I know that FIFA and the White House are very focused on delivering a safe, secure and positive event for everyone who attends, whether you live in this country or whether you're coming in from around the world."White House wants DHS to reopen for World CupListen to the latest Football Daily podcastSoundsGet football news sent straight to your phone

World Cup News

Life of late has been a whirlwind of emotions for Duckens Nazon.From the highest of highs - helping Haiti qualify for their first World Cup since 1974 - to fearing for his life while trying to escape the ongoing conflict in Iran, where he plays his club football for Esteghlal, it has been a turbulent time.The 32-year-old, who spent six months of a colourful 13-year career - spanning 13 clubs and eight countries - in Paisley with St Mirren in 2019, now has his sights set on stunning the nation he briefly called home.As Haiti's record scorer with 44 goals in 76 caps, starting in his country's first World Cup match in 52 years against the Scots will cap off a wild spell for the striker, who claims his life was saved by a SIM card during his recent evacuation from Iran.Celtic linked with Leonard and Stewart - gossip'I watched bombs drop from 100 metres away'Nazon was set to depart Iran on the day the Israeli-US strikes began, but he was ordered off the flight for safety reasons.Meanwhile, his wife from Morocco - a nation Haiti will also face in their World Cup group alongside Scotland and Brazil - and their four children were safe in France, where the former Coventry City striker was born.Nazon is thankful his family were not part of his "crazy" evacuation trip, during which he watched bombs drop from just 100 metres away before finally escaping via Azerbaijan.Speaking on the BBC's Sacked in the Morning podcast, he said: "I was about to take a plane to go to Istanbul or Paris, then the steward told everybody to get off because the war had started."Imagine you have your wife and your children by your side in that situation. If you're alone, I wouldn't say I don't care about my life, but you are more relaxed and taking decisions is easier and faster."On the complications he experienced at the Iran-Azerbaijan border, he added: "I was stuck at the border for maybe 48 hours. They refused me, sent me back to Iran and I slept at the border."But I was so lucky because, before the war started I bought an eSIM. After that, they cut the internet in Iran."So I had no contact and I was praying that when I reached the border I would get some signal - and it worked. This saved my life."I could talk to the French embassy and they helped me to get my passport. They spoke to the Azerbaijani forces and then I got out."With domestic football in Iran suspended because of the ongoing conflict, Nazon is following an individual training programme to prepare for the World Cup.The Haiti squad have become heroes for leading the nation back to football's grandest stage, where they will make just their second appearance at the finals.Nazon acknowledges that the players are now "part of the country's history" but insists they will play without "extra pressure", starting with their opener against Scotland."We are ambassadors of our country and we know we have a responsibility," he says. "We know the young people also see us as examples."But we don't have to put extra pressure on ourselves and, when we play for our country, it's more a mission and we do it with passion and with love."On loan at St Mirren from Belgian club Sint-Truiden for the second half of the 2018-19 season, Nazon "had a story" in Scotland. It was short-lived, though.The forward played 12 games, scoring twice, but said he was "not ready for this kind of aggression and fight" in Scottish football, while the weather also played a part."I remember one game we had sun, snow and rain," he recalls. "After this, I was like, OK, I'm done."Weather is unlikely to be an issue for Nazon this summer in North America. The striker, a friend of Scotland defender Dominic Hyam - with whom he played at Coventry - did, however, voice concerns about inflated ticket prices for the upcoming World Cup matches."There is only one thing that starts to go in my brain - it's the ticket prices," he says. "Hopefully this is not going to affect the crowd and people coming to the stadium, because we want this atmosphere."We want this energy around us. I'm looking forward to seeing Scottish people and Haitian people in the stadiums. This is going to be important."

World Cup News

It has been clear for a while that, on cost alone, this tournament is set to be like no other.What if you decided, today, that you fancied a trip over to the United States to watch England or Scotland?BBC Sport has plotted a route through the group stage and found that England supporters would need about £6,500 each or £13,000 for two.The cost for a single person would be higher as accommodation prices are for twin or double rooms.But for a family of four with two pre-teen children (though you would have to take them out of school), the cost sky-rockets to more than £22,000.England fans get a good deal in Dallas but Scotland have eight nights in Boston - one of the most expensive cities.Two Scots would face spending about £7,500 each, while a family would have to find more than £25,000.BBC Sport picked the best value hotel within four miles of the city centre - though if you were prepared to be based farther out, use Airbnb or go truly budget, it could potentially be done for less.The cheapest available tickets on Fifa's official resale site have been selected too.* Prices correct at the time of writing but subject to change.One of the most difficult expenses to predict is the cost of simply living your life in the United States for 14-15 days.Primarily we are talking meals, drinks, snacks and local transport.And on the days when there is no game, people are going to need to find something to do.Everyone is different, as is every city. Some would be happy with low-cost options, others might look to make the most of the trip.Then there are those who would be content to spend all their days around the bars - and that would require a bigger budget.Also, in the US everything comes at an additional cost because of the tipping culture.For two people working to a low-to-mid-range budget, we have made an estimate of £3,000.That works out on average as a conservative £107 per person per day for England fans.Some days are largely taken up by travelling, which would free up budget for other days.A family would need to spend more, of course, and with excursions to keep the children busy, it has been set at £4,500.As Scotland have an extra day, these costs are adjusted to £3,214 and £4,820.Our two England fans fly out of Heathrow on Monday, 15 June with return flights to JFK in New York costing just over £500 each - which is good value.With the Three Lions' final group game taking place in New Jersey, it is the most cost-effective way to travel to the US and back, with the first stop being Dallas.After landing in the States, they pick up a flight to Dallas the same night - this costs £283 per person.Four nights at the Hampton Inn & Suites Dallas Market Center cost £624 (£156 a night) for a twin.Double rooms, which are more available in all cities, come in cheaper at the Hilton Dallas Medical District at £560 (£140 a night).Both properties have breakfast included, meaning Dallas - which also has free shuttle buses from stations to the stadium in Arlington - is an affordable start to the trip.The England supporters fly to Boston on Friday, 19 June with the fare £378 each.Boston is at the other end of the scale as one of the more expensive host cities for accommodation.Our couple stay at the Hampton Inn & Suites Boston Crosstown Center, costing £1,650 (£330 a night), including breakfast, for five nights.The cheapest twin-bed option in the city itself is £2,041 (£408 a night) without breakfast at the Courtyard Boston Downtown/North Station.It is possible to book a hotel near the airport £500 cheaper but with five days in the city, it may not be worth the saving.With England's third game being in New Jersey, there is no need to take a flight. The supporters can hop on the Amtrak train to New York on Wednesday, 24 June with tickets £42 each.Unlike in Boston, there are still lots of hotel options in New York with a five-night stay before the flight home on 29 June.A double at the Truss Hotel Times Square costs £1,184 (£237 a night) while a twin at the AMTD Idea Tribeca Hotel is £1,275 (£255 a night).This time, however, you will need to head out for breakfast.But the last two games come with a sting - train tickets to the stadiums cost £59 per person from Boston and £114 from New York.Just to get to the States and travel around, the estimated costs for two friends are £6,273 and for a couple £5,855.And what of the family? It is going to cost £9,008 to get to the States, get around and put your heads down.Costs are helped by some hotels offering free stays for children.In Dallas, the Comfort Inn Dallas Medical-Market Center costs £627 (£156 a night).The same Hampton Inn is used in Boston with a higher cost of £1,763 (£353 a night).Over in New York, the Holiday Inn in Times Square costs £1,589 (£318 a night).While Fifa has been drip-feeding some additional match tickets at face value, the chances of snagging any to England's games appear slim.This means turning to Fifa's official resale site, which sees ever-more expensive tickets - plus you will need to pay Fifa a 15% transaction fee on top.For each game, upper-tier category-two tickets were the cheapest available.For the opener against Croatia, the two tickets cost £1,406 - the face value being £517.Then it was £1,222 to get two tickets for the Ghana match, from a face value of £745.The last match against Panama was available for £1,396, original price £494.Total cost for two people to go to the games including fees? £4,370 (£2,185 per person), which is two and a half times the face of £1,756.It is more expensive for a family because there is less availability for a group of four tickets together, and there is no concession pricing.The face of the 12 tickets comes in at £4,132 but with the resale price and the Fifa fees, the final total is more than double that at £8,720.You've budgeted for the time in the United States.You've sorted out transport to the matches and the expensive resale tickets.How much would you be looking at spending for 14 nights?Tartan Army 'taking back control' from Fifa with fan ticket exchangeAttributionNewsPublished25 AprilEngland & Scotland World Cup tickets on resale at inflated pricesScotland play their first two matches in Boston, one of the most expensive host cities.On top of that, it costs £59 per person for a return train ticket to the stadium in Foxborough for the two fixtures.The plan requires a 15-night stay too rather than the 14 nights for the England supporters.There is just one direct flight per day from Glasgow to New York and with so few seats left, the cost is more than double travelling via a layover in Amsterdam.It's £1,887 for two tickets or £3,390 for the family, heading out on 11 June - nearly twice what England fans would pay to fly to New York.It is more cost-effective to spend the first night in New York rather than get to Boston very late and pay a higher hotel cost.One night at the Truss Hotel Times Square is £191 for a couple. A twin at the Courtyard New York Manhattan/Midtown East is £240.On 12 June, the evening train to Boston costs £122 for two tickets.Then it is the extended, eight-night stay.The enVision Hotel costs £2,290 - or £286 a night. There is no breakfast but it is by far the best value on offer.The same hotel provides the best price for a twin at £2,552 - £319 a night.On Saturday, 20 June the fans leave Boston and fly to Miami. Single flights are far more costly than returns but this is the nature of a World Cup. Two tickets would set you back £765.The Scotland fans would then get to spend six nights in Miami. The MetroPark Hotel is suitable for a twin or a double, priced at £1,228 - £205 a night.The good news is a transfer to the Miami stadium is expected to be free from four separate train station hubs.The flight back to New York on 26 June, connecting directly for the return to Glasgow via Amsterdam, costs £205 for two tickets.Total cost for a couple is £6,924 or £3,462 each.Two friends would be spending £7,205 or £3,603 per person.The family, however, would need to find £10,491 to book the first part of this trip.That's booking the Holiday Inn Lower East Side in New York for £243, no breakfast.In Boston, the enVision Hotel is again used at a cost of £2,552 or £319 a night.Six nights at the Hampton Inn Miami-Coconut Grove/Coral Gables costs £1,559 with breakfast - £260 a night.The price of resale tickets for Scotland's first two group games are cheaper than England's.Unfortunately, the final match is against Brazil and prices are extremely high.Most pairs of tickets are in category two and in the upper tiers.For the Haiti match, it would cost £1,151 for two tickets, with a face value of £477.It's a similar price for the Morocco game, coming in at £1,222. The face of those tickets is £471.To get into the game it would currently cost £2,557 for two tickets, which would have been priced at £772 when they went on sale.In total, the cost for two people would be £4,930 (£2,465 per person), almost three times the face-value price of £1,720.As with England, it is more costly to get four tickets together.For the family, the best value is lower tier, category one for the Haiti game. The rest are upper tier, category two.The total spend would be £10,488 for 12 tickets, with no concession pricing, over three times the original £3,304.Scotland fans really do pay the price of being in Boston for such a length of time, as well as the prices for the Brazil game.It is £15,068 for a couple to book the trip now or £7,534 per person.That goes up to £15,349 for two friends, or £7,675 each.The Scots do have an extra night in the States but they would face paying 15% more for the trip than their England counterparts.Most of that is taken up by the price of the resale tickets, with the three Scotland games more than 20% higher than the England matches.Listen to the latest Football Daily podcastSoundsGet football news sent straight to your phone

World Cup News

The 2026 World Cup is almost upon us - with a record 48 teams taking part.DR Congo and Iraq were the last two teams to book their places in the 23rd edition of the World Cup to be held in the United States, Canada and Mexico from 11 June to 19 July.It rounded off a marathon qualification process that began in September 2023 and spanned six confederations before culminating in the high‑stakes Uefa and intercontinental play‑offs.Of the 48 teams participating, the three hosts qualified automatically while 43 places were earned via direct qualification from the confederations and two spots were determined by intercontinental play-offs.With the full cast confirmed, attention now shifts towards the biggest World Cup staged.A record 48 nations - up from the 32 that featured in Qatar four years ago - will take part in the 2026 edition, making it the largest World Cup field, with 104 matches to be played across three countries for the first time.It will take place in 16 cities - 11 in the US, three in Mexico and two in Canada - between 11 June and 19 July.The tournament will also last a record 39 days - an increase from 29 days in Qatar and 32 in 2014 and 2018 - and a new format features 12 groups of four.Mexico will face South Africa in Mexico City's Estadio Azteca to open the tournament on Thursday, 11 June - 18 days after the conclusion of the Premier League season.The top two teams from the 12 groups and the eight best third‑placed nations will advance into an expanded knockout phase that will begin with a round of 32.The new world champion will be crowned at New Jersey's MetLife Stadium on 19 July.BBC Sport experts choose England World Cup XIs - who would you pick?That means for viewers in Europe, some games will be played from midnight onwards.For example, all five of the group-stage matches in Kansas City will take place in the middle of the night UK time, with the earliest kick-off being 00:00 BST on Friday, 26 June for Tunisia against the Netherlands while the latest is a 03:00 BST start for Algeria versus Austria on Sunday, 28 June.The San Francisco Bay Area hosts two games that will kick off at 05:00 BST - Austria versus Jordan on Tuesday, 16 June and Turkey versus Paraguay on Friday, 19 June.There are also 05:00 BST games in Vancouver - Australia versus Turkey on Saturday, 13 June - and in Guadalupe, Mexico, when Tunisia take on Japan on Saturday, 20 June.In total there will be 35 group-stage games that kick-off between 00:00 BST and 05:00 BST, which is almost half of the 72 fixtures for that stage.However, the most common kick-off time is 20:00 BST, with 12 group-stage games taking place then.Iran, the US, and a World Cup that starts in three monthsWed, 17 June v Croatia - Dallas at 21:00 (15:00 local)Tue, 23 June v Ghana - Boston at 21:00 (16:00 local)Sat, 27 June v Panama - New Jersey at 22:00 (17:00 local)Sun, 14 June v Haiti - Boston at 02:00 (21:00 local)Fri, 19 June v Morocco - Boston at 23:00 (18:00 local)Wed, 24 June v Brazil - Miami at 23:00 (18:00 local)European champions Spain are the favourites, having enjoyed an almost flawless route through qualification.Their squad is packed with talent such as Pedri, Fabian Ruiz, Martin Zubimendi, 2024 Ballon d'Or winner Rodri and Lamine Yamal, who is one of the best young players in the world.Just behind Spain, this generation of England players is tipped to land some silverware, having finished runners-up at the past two Euros.Thomas Tuchel's team qualified for the World Cup with a perfect record, winning all of their matches without conceding a goal. They have a squad brimming with big names including Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane.France are also strong contenders. Didier Deschamps' squad have a fearsome front line, including Bradley Barcola, Michael Olise, Kylian Mbappe and Hugo Ekitike, and the 2022 runners-up were unbeaten in European qualifying.Defending World Cup champions Argentina won the South American qualifying group by a big margin, finishing nine points ahead of second-placed Ecuador.With two Copa Americas and one World Cup win in just four years, the Albiceleste are looking strong.Finally, despite an underwhelming qualification campaign - in which they finished fifth in the Conmebol table after losing six of their 18 matches - and winning the last of their record five World Cups 22 years ago, who would confidently rule out Brazil?What information do we collect from this quiz?Who are the outside contenders?ByMichael EmonsBBC Sport journalistNorway have not played in the World Cup since 1998 and have never got past the last 16, but with Manchester City's Erling Haaland scoring 16 goals in qualifying, they could be a surprise in the summer.They were flawless in qualifying, winning all eight of their matches, including home and away victories over four-time winners Italy.Morocco were another side to win all of their qualifying games and they sit eighth in the world rankings. They reached the final of this year's Africa Cup of Nations and, despite being beaten 1-0 by Senegal, they have been controversially awarded the title. They will likely be confident of advancing from a group that contains Brazil, Scotland and Haiti.Egypt, featuring Mohamed Salah, will also expect to make it beyond a group that includes Belgium, New Zealand and Iran.Japan are the strongest of the Asian sides and cruised through qualifying, conceding only three goals in 16 matches. And they recorded their first victory over England with a 1-0 friendly win at Wembley at the end of March. They will be up against the Netherlands, Tunisia and Sweden.Colombia will be confident of a strongshowing after a good South American qualifying campaign in which they beat both Brazil and Argentina as they finished third overall.What about the host nations? Well, Canada, in their third finals, could be a surprise. They have lost all six of their previous World Cup finals matches, but a kind draw has them in with Qatar, Switzerland and Bosnia-Herzegovina.Four nations are set to make their World Cup debut this summer.The tiny Caribbean island of Curacao will become the smallest nation to participate in a World Cup when they take on Germany, Ivory Coast and Ecuador in Group E.Curacao, 37 miles off the Venezuela coast, has a population of a little more than 150,000 (similar to Cambridge or Huddersfield) and a land area of 171 square miles, smaller than the Isle of Man.They only became a country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands in 2010.Cape Verde, meanwhile, are the third-smallest nation after Curacao and Iceland to reach the World Cup. The Blue Sharks secured top spot in their qualifying group ahead of African heavyweights Cameroon.An archipelago of 10 islands in the Atlantic Ocean with a population of fewer than 525,000, Cape Verde gained independence from Portugal in 1975 and first attempted to reach the World Cup when it was held in Japan and South Korea in 2002. They face Spain, Saudi Arabia and Uruguay in Group HThere are two debutants from Asia in Uzbekistan and Jordan.The Uzbeks, who were the Asian Cup semi-finalists in 2011, ended their long wait for qualification under 2006 World Cup-winning Italy captain Fabio Cannavaro.The White Wolves boast players such as Manchester City defender Abdukodir Khusanov and former Roma striker Eldor Shomurodov and will hope to make an impact in a group featuring Portugal, Colombia and DR Congo.Jordan, meanwhile, finished behind South Korea with four wins and four draws from 10 matches in the third round of the qualifiers in Asia.Ranked 64th in the world, their progress has been steady, reaching the final of the 2023 Asian Cup, when they were beaten by hosts Qatar. Argentina, Algeria and Austria await in Group J.Listen to the latest Football Daily podcastSoundsGet football news sent straight to your phone

World Cup News

305 CommentsOne of the greatest strikers of the past 15 years - Poland's Robert Lewandowski - is among the big names who will not be playing at the 2026 World Cup in Canada, the United States and Mexico.The 37-year-old Barcelona striker, who has scored 89 goals for his country, was not able to inspire his side as they lost 3-2 in Stockholm against Sweden in Tuesday's play-off final.Lewandowski, who won the German Bundesliga title on 10 occasions - twice with Borussia Dortmund and then in eight successive seasons with Bayern Munich, before winning La Liga twice with Barca - may have played in his last major international tournament.We have taken a look at six players who have missed out on qualifying for this summer's finals.Gianluigi Donnarumma has been one of the best goalkeepers in the Premier League this season since he moved from Paris St-Germain for £26m in September, after helping the French club win the Champions League last season.Despite being player of the tournament as Italy won the 2020 European Championship, he misses out on a World Cup again after Italy lost 4-1 on penalties to Bosnia-Herzegovina on Tuesday.Italy fail to qualify for third World Cup in a row after Bosnia shootout defeatTurkey beat Kosovo to reach first World Cup in 24 yearsWho is a certain starter at the World Cup? How England's players ratedBut he will not be at the World Cup as his country Guinea went out in the first round of African qualifying, finishing fourth in their group, with only four wins and three draws from their 10 matches.Khvicha Kvaratskhelia helped Paris St-Germain become European champions last season, scoring in the 5-0 final win over Inter Milan, and he came 12th in the 2025 Ballon d'Or awards.But Georgia had a miserable campaign in World Cup qualifying as they only picked up three points from a group that contained Spain, Turkey and Bulgaria.Lewandowski captained Poland at the World Cup in 2018, but did not score in Russia as his country came bottom of the group. He had a better tournament four years later in Qatar, scoring twice as Poland reached the last 16 before losing to France.He netted four times in Group G in 2026 qualifying only for Poland to finish three points behind the Netherlands, before losing to Sweden on Tuesday.Victor Osimhen helped Napoli win Serie A in 2023 before moving to Galatasaray, where he grabbed 26 goals in 30 games to take them to the Turkish title last season.Nigeria drew five of their 10 matches in the first group phase as they finished one point behind winners South Africa, but then had a second chance in the following play-off.With Osimhen already substituted, Nigeria lost on penalties to DR Congo to miss out on the World Cup.Liverpool and Hungary midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai has impressed this season and scored some stunning long-range goals.But he will not be at the World Cup after his country let a 2-1 lead slip in their final group game with the Republic of Ireland scoring twice in injury time to clinch a spot in the play-offs and eliminate Hungary.The World Cup in June and July will be a festival of football, but other players not there include goalkeeper Jan Oblak (Atletico Madrid and Slovenia), left-back Milos Kerkez (Liverpool and Hungary), centre-half Nikola Milenkovic (Nottingham Forest and Serbia), defender Willi Orban (RB Leipzig and Hungary), defender Riccardo Calafiori (Arsenal and Italy), full-back Ola Aina (Nottingham Forest and Nigeria), right-back Matty Cash (Aston Villa and Poland), midfielder Sandro Tonali (Newcastle and Italy) and winger Bryan Mbeumo (Manchester United and Cameroon).Listen to the latest Football Daily podcast

World Cup News

An Englishman, an Irishman and a Scotsman were waiting at the door of Charlotte FC's training ground for Steve Clarke's arrival.On his search for Scotland's World Cup base camp, the head coach found the one in North Carolina, with a wee hand from a few familiar faces.MLS side Charlotte are coached by Dean Smith, the former Aston Villa manager and pal of Clarke, his assistant is the Scotland boss' former Kilmarnock player, Gary Dicker and the club's technical director is Clarke's ex-St Mirren team-mate, Tommy Wilson.They say it's not what you know, but who you know.A few other nations checked out the Atrium Health Performance Park, while the Scots searched "most of the East Coast", but Charlotte will be their home from home when they compete in their first World Cup since 1998 - against Haiti and Morocco in Boston and Brazil in Miami.With both cities around a two-hour flight away, Clarke said he is hopeful the "top" facilities will provide his side with the "best possible conditions" as they make their long-awaited return to the biggest stage of them all.With the help of Charlotte assistant Dicker and Scotland assistant Steven Naismith, BBC Scotland gets the lowdown on "one of the best facilities in the MLS" and the national team's summer set-up.Scotland choose Charlotte as base for World CupFor Scotland, Naismith admitted getting it right for "travel and humidity" was paramount."It's a travelling World Cup," the assistant coach and Sportscene pundit said."We've got two games in Boston, one in Miami, but there's only a limited amount of facilities around Boston."That was probably the biggest challenge. We've done a lot of work seeing a lot of training bases - there's a lot on offer - but we're delighted with Charlotte."Clarke's former Killie midfielder Dicker agreed it's "a really good central base" with flights to both Scotland's match cities only a couple of hours."I know it's difficult when at past tournaments it's easier to get around, but you do get used to it here, having an hour, two-hour flight and it not being a big deal."We're only 20 minutes from the private airport, so I'm sure they'll fly in and out of there too."The travel isn't the only thing the Scots will need to adapt to this summer. The heat and humidity is not something they're used to.Extreme heat during last summer's Club World Cup sparked conversations about this summer's tournament. Benfica's win against Bayern Munich in Charlotte was played at 15:00 local time in sweltering 36C conditions."I think the humidity ticks the boxes here as well," Dicker added."It's really hot and humid in the summer, which I think will really help them when they are going to Miami because it's going to be so, so hot down there."In Naismith's words, "world class facilities which are purpose-built for football".That might sound like the bare minimum, but as he scoured around for the ideal spot, the former international found many were tailored for NFL, basketball or baseball teams."You're actually having to compromise a wee bit on the actual facilities at some places," he explained."But in Charlotte, they've got the latest technology and recovery. The layout of these are all very much equipped for what we want, what we expect and what the players want day-to-day at their clubs."Dicker, who played and coached at Brighton, said the club's training ground was one of the most impressive aspects when he made the move across the pond in 2024."We've got four grass pitches, a full-size astro pitch and another nine-aside astro," he told the BBC."From multiple buildings, meeting rooms, the auditorium, gyms and the canteen, we've got everything pretty close but also in completely separate buildings."Real Madrid have been, Inter Milan were here for the Club World Cup, I think we've had four or five 'big' clubs come here for pre-season, so it wasn't a surprise we had a lot of national teams come and look here."But we have a decent Scottish connection and I think that helps a lot. There's a comfort there."The gaffer here obviously knows Steve well, I think they know they'll be looked after quite well. He worked with John McGinn and a few other Scotland players, so having that connection, understanding what teams need and being flexible with it, really helps."It's also not just about what the squad and staff need. Their families matter too.This is the biggest - and potentially longest - experience and tournament many will partake in. And with it being on the other side of the world, many will want their loved ones close by.But Dicker, who has his wife and children with him, insists there's plenty for families to do."You're away for so long, I'm sure most of them are going to come with their families," he explained. "But there's loads of stuff to do here with the kids."It's a fast-growing city, which isn't too busy, while you're close to the mountains and sea too."Even if they do want to go to Disneyland it's an hour-and-a-half flight to come back and down, it's not far at all."While Clarke might not want to hear of Andy Robertson running around in Mickey Mouse ears, downtime is a priority for the head coach and his staff, who will be "encouraging their freedom"."We're away for a long time, so it was important to get that relaxed element too," the assistant coach added."It was important that we were not isolated in a training facility that's not in a city, and in Charlotte, there's a lot for the players to do."We'll be encouraging them and I'm sure we'll try and get them to follow the routine they have back at home, if that's being able to see family time at certain points or if that's going out to do some shopping in an afternoon."Each player's got their own way of working and the manager's very open to allow that to be the feel around the group."

World Cup News

The BBC will broadcast Scotland's first men's World Cup match since 1998, when they take on Haiti on 14 June, as well as their final group match against Brazil.England's second group match - against Ghana on 23 June - will also be shown on BBC, as well as their knockout fixtures in the last 32, last 16, and semi-final provided they reach those stages.England's other Group L matches - against Croatia and Panama - and Scotland's meeting with Morocco will be shown on ITV.The BBC will have three of the top four picks in the round of 16 and three of the top five picks in the round of 32.Defending champions Argentina will have their group meetings with Austria and Jordan shown live on the BBC.The BBC will also show two group matches apiece for 2022 finalists France, five-time champions Brazil, the Netherlands and Portugal."We can't wait to bring you the Fifa Men's World Cup," said director of BBC Sport Alex Kay-Jelski."From (hopefully) England knockout games live on BBC1 and iPlayer to Scotland's crunch matches with Haiti and Brazil to glamour games featuring Messi, Mbappe, Ronaldo, Yamal, Salah, Haaland, and more, we will bring you the drama and analysis of the moments that matter."And the ones you can't stay up for, we will have you covered the next morning too."Niall Sloane, ITV director of sport, said: "We are proud to broadcast the FIFA World Cup here at ITV and ensure it stays free-to-air for the UK audience to enjoy all summer."The 2026 World Cup will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, the first time the tournament will be staged by three different nations.The opening match will take place on 11 June 2026 in Mexico City, with the final on 19 July in New Jersey.England and Scotland find out World Cup kick-off times11 June: Mexico v South Africa (20:00 BST) - ITV12 June: South Korea v Czech Republic (03:00) - ITV12 June: Canada v Bosnia-Herzegovina (20:00) - BBC13 June: Qatar v Switzerland (20:00) - ITV14 June: Australia v Turkey (05:00) - ITV14 June: Netherlands v Japan (21:00) - ITV15 June: Ivory Coast v Ecuador (00:00) - BBC15 June: Spain v Cape Verde (17:00) - ITV15 June: Saudi Arabia v Uruguay (23:00) - ITV16 June: Iran v New Zealand (02:00) - BBC17 June: Argentina v Algeria (02:00) - ITV17 June: Portugal v DR Congo (18:00) - BBC18 June: Uzbekistan v Colombia (03:00) - BBC18 June: Czech Republic v South Africa (17:00) - BBC18 June: Switzerland v Bosnia-Herzegovina (20:00) - ITV19 June: Mexico v South Korea (02:00) - BBC19 June: Scotland v Morocco (23:00) - ITV20 June: Netherlands v Sweden (18:00) - BBC20 June: Germany v Ivory Coast (21:00) - ITV21 June: Spain v Saudi Arabia (17:00) - BBC21 June: Cape Verde v Uruguay (23:00) - BBC22 June: Egypt v New Zealand (02:00) - ITV22 June: Argentina v Austria (18:00) - BBC23 June: Portugal v Uzbekistan (18:00) - ITV24 June: Colombia v DR Congo (03:00) - ITV24 June: Canada v Switzerland & Bosnia-Herzegovina v Qatar (20:00) - ITV24 June: Scotland v Brazil & Morocco v Haiti (23:00) - BBC25 June: Mexico v Czech Republic & South Africa v South Korea (02:00) - BBC25 June: Germany v Ecuador & Curacao v Ivory Coast (21:00) - BBC26 June: Turkey v USA & Paraguay v Australia (03:00) - ITV26 June: Japan v Sweden & Netherlands v Tunisia (00:00) - BBC26 June: France v Norway & Senegal v Iraq (20:00) - ITV27 June: Cape Verde v Saudi Arabia & Uruguay v Spain (01:00) - ITV27 June: Egypt v Iran & New Zealand v Belgium (04:00) - BBC27 June: England v Panama & Croatia v Ghana (22:00) - ITV28 June: Algeria v Austria & Argentina v Jordan (03:00) - BBC28 June: Colombia v Portugal & DR Congo v Uzbekistan (00:30) - BBCListen to the latest Football Daily podcastSoundsGet football news sent straight to your phone