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The Iran squad and staff attend a farewell ceremony in Tehran before their departure for the 2026 World Cup. Photograph: Atta Kenare/AFP/Getty ImagesAll eyes will be on Team Melli amid the ongoing conflict with the US and Israel, making their campaign one of the most unusual and unpredictable of recent timesThis article is part of the Guardian’s 2026 World Cup Experts’ Network, a cooperation between some of the best media organisations from the 48 countries who qualified. theguardian.com is running previews from three countries each day in the run-up to the tournament kicking off on 11 June.Iran were one of the first teams to secure qualification for the 2026 World Cup and, compared to previous campaigns, they had a relatively smooth path to the tournament. However, preparing the team for the competition has been anything but easy. Iran’s conflicts with the US and Israel threw their involvement at the World Cup into serious doubt – all three of their group games take place in the US – and Amir Ghalenoei, the manager, and his coaching staff have had to work hard to minimise disruption.Nevertheless, in their two friendlies in March against Nigeria and Costa Rica, Iran showed that they have different plans in mind for the World Cup. In the first match against Nigeria, they lined up in a 3-6-1 formation – a setup Ghalenoei described as the team’s “defensive plan B”, likely designed for the group meeting with Belgium. In the second game against Costa Rica, Ghalenoei used a 4-4-2 formation, indicating that he intends to shift tactics depending on the opponent. The primary system remains 4-2-3-1, which Iran used in most of qualifying.A few players can feel certain of their place in the starting lineup regardless of the formation. Alireza Beiranvand will be Iran’s first-choice goalkeeper for a third consecutive World Cup. Shojae Khalilzadeh is the only centre-back guaranteed a starting spot, while Saeid Ezatolahi, if fully fit, is the undisputed No 6 in midfield. Up front, whether Iran play with one striker or two, Mehdi Taremi – wearing the captain’s armband – will lead the line. Another star forward, Sardar Azmoun, has been left out. He is a divisive figure in Iran after the publication of photos with the ruler of the United Arab Emirates, who supported the US and Israel during the war.Despite the problems and controversies surrounding the national team, who moved their World Cup base camp from the US to Mexico just weeks before the tournament, Ghalenoei still believes his side are capable of achieving something special. “We’ve had many problems recently, but the players tried their best and made sacrifices. They worked so hard [through qualification] and sacrificed a lot, so it is my job to thank them. They can do something epic in the World Cup. They can do it, they have the technical potential to make this a World Cup to remember.”Amir Ghalenoei was a diminutive midfielder who played mainly for Esteghlal, one of Tehran’s two biggest clubs. The most memorable moment of his playing career was a physical altercation in the Tehran derby that resulted in a six-month suspension. As a coach, Ghalenoei went on to become one of the most decorated managers in Iran, although his aggressive personality has prevented him from becoming universally popular. This is his second spell in charge of the national team. He first took over after the 2006 World Cup but was dismissed following Iran’s elimination from the 2007 AFC Asian Cup – an episode he still recalls bitterly. Success this summer would give Ghalenoei an opportunity to settle old scores with his longtime critics.Mehdi Taremi has never truly been a fan favourite, but there is no doubt that if Iran are to achieve something significant at the World Cup, their hopes will rest on the form of a player who has delivered consistently for Porto, Inter, and Olympiakos. Having spent several years competing at the highest level in Europe, Taremi has developed confidence and authority, to the point that he is now influential in the team’s internal decisions as well. He is a hard-working striker who also contributes defensively. His greatest strength lies in making runs in behind the opposition’s defence and finding himself one-on-one with the goalkeeper. In those situations, he is always ready either to score or go down at the slightest contact, and win a penalty for his team.Many in Iran expected Mehdi Ghayedi to develop into a major star, but controversy and off-field distractions seem to have followed him everywhere. So far he has failed to achieve the level of consistency and continuity that had been expected of him but he is only 27 and should be in his peak years. The lightning-fast Al-Nasr (UAE) winger could, in fact, become Ghalenoei’s surprise weapon in North America. With his dazzling dribbling skills and precise finishing, Ghayedi is capable of producing eye-catching moments. After spending some time sidelined through injury, he marked his return to the national team with a stunning goal against Costa Rica in March.Since making his debut almost a decade ago, Saman Ghoddos has been a reliable, consistent member of the Iran squad. However, since he has never played for an Iranian club, he has not benefited from the traditional support of club fans, and as a result, has received less media attention. Nevertheless, thanks to his good character and professionalism, the former Brentford player – who can play almost anywhere on the pitch – is a well-liked figure within the team. Born in Malmö, Sweden, he left the Premier League for Kalba in the UAE in 2024.For the second consecutive World Cup, Iranians are deeply divided over the national team. On one side are the supporters who back Team Melli under any circumstances; on the other are those who oppose the Iranian government and therefore prefer to see the national team – which they view as representing the state – lose. Given the visa restrictions facing Iranians travelling to the US, a large portion of Iran’s supporters at the tournament will probably be members of the diaspora already living in America, many of whom are opposed to the government in Tehran. Like in Qatar in 2022, Fifa is expected to ban the Shir-o-Khorshid (lion and sun) flag – Iran’s pre-revolutionary flag – from stadiums, but it would not be surprising to hear chants in support of Reza Pahlavi, the former crown prince of Iran. Likewise, if Iran concede goals or lose matches, sections of the crowd are likely to celebrate those moments openly.After the outbreak of the recent war, serious doubts emerged over whether Iran’s national team would travel to the US for the World Cup. Ahmad Donyamali, Iran’s sports minister, said: “Given that this corrupt regime has assassinated our leader, under no circumstances can we take part in the World Cup.” After Donald Trump stated that the Iran team might not be guaranteed security while travelling to the US, Ghalenoei responded sharply in an Instagram story: “No one can keep the Iranian national team out of the World Cup.” In the end, the decision was made that Iran should take part. One important reason was the perception that Trump would prefer to see the competition held without Iran’s presence, and Iranian officials did not want withdrawing from the tournament to be seen as giving the president what he wanted. Despite the security concerns, the Iranian government views the national team’s participation as another symbolic victory against Trump and the US.

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With every squad for the Geopolitics World Cup now finalised – Turkey, Jordan, Ghana and Uzbekistan were the last teams to confirm their 26-man rosters on Tuesday – we now know exactly who is making the trip to the tournament. But as a leading expert in rejection, constantly trying and failing to convince your inbox to let us out of the spam folder, Football Daily is just as interested in those who have been snubbed than those that will be subbed. The reactions to the omissions was also fascinating: sure, being selected to represent your country at the GWC is cool, but have you ever had to trawl through the Social Media Disgraces of Harry Maguire’s mum as she reacts to her son’s omission from the England squad with all the rage and injustice of Germany reacting to the terms of the Treaty of Versailles? And with that image seared into our collective brains, we humbly present our Omitted XI (4-3-3), the best non-knacked players (of qualified nations) that didn’t or won’t make it on to planes bound for the USA USA USA, Canada and Mexico.Goalkeeper: Lucas Chevalier (France): Chevalier has had a brutal season after a €40m move from Lille last summer. He lost the gloves at PSG to a Russian who could potentially be mistaken for a Games Workshop employee and now is fourth or fifth choice in the French pecking order.Right-back: Jeremie Frimpong (Netherlands): as much end product as an asthmatic balloon entertainer but an electrifying player nonetheless, who suffered from being played out of position by Arne Slot at Liverpool. The man he was meant to replace at Anfield, Trent Alexander-Arnold, also missed out.Centre-back: António Silva (Portugal): much-hyped 22-year-old fell out of favour for club and country at the worst possible time. Roberto Martínez named Silva as the man who accidentally leaked Portugal’s XI against Georgia at Euro 2024 but the Portugal manager insisted that was not a factor here.Centre-back: Dean Huijsen (Spain): there are no Real Madrid players in a Spain World Cup squad for the first time ever. The Dutch-born defender’s decision to switch allegiance after a youth career with the Netherlands looks to be something of a gaffe.Left-back: Alejandro Balde (Spain): admittedly, Spain have excellent options in Marc Cucurella and Alejandro Grimaldo, but with 42 appearances in all competitions for La Liga champions Barcelona, Balde can feel unlucky to miss out.Central midfield: Adam Wharton (England): we can only hope those Jordan Henderson vibes are worth it, Thomas.Central midfield: Eduardo Camavinga (France): another Madrid casualty. Yes, France’s squad is stacked but central midfield is arguably their weakest position and the 23-year-old has heaps of elite experience, including the 2022 final.Central midfield: Diego Luna (USA USA USA): after featuring on Times Square billboards and pre-GWC Nike adverts, Luna was informed via email by Mauricio Pochettino that he was out, despite seven goal involvements in 16 internationals.Right wing: Mika Godts (Belgium): the wonderkid can play off both flanks but his versatility and more than 30 goal contributions for Ajax were still not enough to convince Rudi Garcia of a place in the squad. Oh, Rudi!Left wing: Morgan Gibbs-White (England): as Phil Foden struggled for form and Cole Palmer for fitness, Gibbs-White was arguably the best player in the Premier League in 2026, scoring 12 league goals since early January for a Nottingham Forest side at the wrong end of the table.Striker: João Pedro (Brazil): evidently, being player of the year for a mid-table Premier League side based in west London doesn’t mean much to Carlo Ancelotti and Brazil (unless, of course, you are Brentford’s Igor Thiago).The GWC player interactive has arrived! Thanks Fifa. Read up on all 1,248 players, from the Paraguay striker called “Viking” to the Irish-born Cape Verde defender who received his first call-up via LinkedSky. Once you’re clued up on all 48 teams’ strengths and weaknesses, you can have a go at Bracketology, our World Cup simulator game where you can click your way through the group stage and the knockouts to predict a champion. And for bookmarking, you can keep tabs on the sharpest shooters with our Golden Boot tracker.“There are low points, there’s depression. You can suffer from depression in football too; there’s no need to be ashamed to say so. It’s true that I’ve often heard players say they were suffering from depression and that fans or people on the outside didn’t understand because they were earning a lot of money. But no, that’s rubbish and you shouldn’t say that. Depression is personal; it’s deep inside you. When you’re depressed, it starts in the heart, goes up to the brain and takes over your whole body. For me, that’s what’s hard, and we need to talk about it” – the France and departing Liverpool defender Ibrahima Konaté opens up about the struggles he has faced during a year of personal tragedy in which the death of teammate Diogo Jota was followed by that of his father.double quotation markMaybe as an American I don’t have the necessary perspective, but if I’m Andoni Iraola, do I really want the Liverpool job? ‘Hey, we just pitched the last gaffer out the door marked Do One only 12 months removed from winning the title in the toughest league in the world because this year we only finished fifth and got bounced out of Bigger Cup in just the quarter-finals by the defending and eventual champs. What shoddy performance … So, you interested?’” – Ray Anselmo.double quotation markIf the current trend at the French Open is any indication, get ready for a Curaçao v Jordan GWC final” – Krishnamoorthy V.double quotation markRe: yesterday’s Football Daily letters. Right, Mike Wilner, we may have tolerated each other in the same virtual bar for nigh on two decades, but now you’ve got my goat. If you are telling me that Carly Simon isn’t a significant figure in 1970s Adult-Orientated Rock (album-oriented rock being an early-80s mangling of the term to justify the existence of Toto, Boston and bloody Journey) then I’ll give you Nobody Does it Better, which is probably slightly overdoing it when it comes to a Kiwi centre-half, and also ask to you to consider the clear evolutionary lines between early groundbreaking AOR classic ‘Tapestry’ by singer-songwriter Carole King and the work of Ms Simon. Yes, nothing in Tapestry can in any way be adapted to further the cause of Antipodean Journeymen, but seriously, I’d be asking someone to hold my pint at this stage, alas as you can probably tell I don’t actually have any friends” – Jon Millard.If you have any, please send letters to the.boss@theguardian.com. Today’s prizeless letter o’ the day is … Krishnamoorthy V. Terms and conditions for our competitions, when we run them, are here.This is an extract from our daily football email … Football Daily. To get the full version, just visit this page and follow the instructions.

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England could face knockout ties against DR Congo, Mexico, Brazil and Argentina before facing Spain in the finalWho will England have to beat to win the World Cup for the first time since 1966? We can’t predict the future but, with the help of the Opta supercomputer, we can give a probabilistic estimate of what could happen. Let’s establish the “what if” scenarios and map out England’s potential route to the final.England are the top seeds in Group L alongside Croatia, Ghana and Panama. On the face of it, it is a kind draw, and the Opta supercomputer’s numbers reflect that. Across its 10,000 tournament simulations, England made it through to the knockout stage 96% of the time and won the group in 67.9% of simulations. They are the third-likeliest side to win their group behind only Spain (75.3%) and Argentina (73.0%).The supercomputer is less certain about who will qualify alongside England, but Croatia are deemed the next-most likely (77.8%) above Ghana (49.7%) and Panama (39.4%).With eight teams able to qualify for the last 32 having finished third in their group, there is a strong chance only one team from Group L will be sent packing. In fact, just 12 of the 48 teams at the World Cup will be knocked out in the group stage.If England top their group, they will face one of the eight third-placed teams in the next round. The winners of Group L will face a third-place finisher from Group E, H, I, J or K.The teams most likely to finish third in these groups are Côte d’Ivoire (Group E), Saudi Arabia (H), Senegal (I), Algeria (J) and DR Congo (K). Predicting who England will face in the last 32 is hard considering the 495 possible combinations, but the winners of Group L end up playing the third-placed team from Group K in 330 of them (66.7%). England are most likely to come up against DR Congo on 1 July in Atlanta.DR Congo have only appeared in one previous World Cup, in 1974 as Zaire, when they lost all three games, failed to score and conceded 14 times. A lot has changed since then but the omens for them would not be great. England have played eight matches against African sides at World Cups and have never lost (five wins and three draws), including a 3-0 win over Senegal at the last tournament in 2022. If England were to beat DR Congo, they would face co-hosts Mexico in Mexico City on 5 July.What a test this would be for England. Mexico are the likeliest side to top Group A (47.8%) and will expect to defeat a third-place qualifier in the round of 32. That would mean England taking on Mexico in front of a partisan crowd at the Azteca in the capital.England’s only previous World Cup meeting with Mexico came in similar circumstances, just with roles reversed. England were hosts when the teams met in the group stage in 1966, a match England won 2-0.England have faced three World Cup hosts. They lost 2-1 to Italy in the 1990 third-place playoff but kept a clean sheet in group matches against Spain (0-0) in 1982 and Switzerland (2-0) in 1954.Facing Mexico is far from a given, though. Group A does not contain any of the world’s top 20 teams so could be very open and unpredictable. Mexico are the favourites to win that group, but South Africa, South Korea or Czechia could come up against England instead.According to our projections, England would most likely face Brazil in the quarter-finals on 11 July in New Jersey. Brazil have won the tournament five times – a record no other country can match – but they have not won it in 24 years. That wait is not as long as England’s 60 years, though it’s significant.If England progress to the semi-finals, there is a strong chance they will have to beat Brazil at an international tournament for the first time. England’s previous four meetings with Brazil have seen them draw once, in the 1958 group stage, and lose in 1962, 1970 and 2002. Two of those – 1962 and 2002 – were in quarter-finals, with the last featuring Ronaldinho’s infamous lob over David Seaman from long range in Japan. A victory in the quarter-finals would take England into the semi-finals for just the fourth time.A win over Brazil could set up a semi-final with Argentina on 15 July in Miami. The Opta supercomputer projects that both Argentina and England will be two of the four teams in the World Cup semi-finals 9.2% of the time. For that to happen, both would have to win their group and then progress through three knockout rounds.England’s previous World Cup clashes with Argentina have been packed with incident and controversy. This would be England’s first tournament match against Argentina since David Beckham scored a match-winning penalty in their 2002 group-stage clash in the Sapporo Dome. It was redemption for Beckham, who was sent off for kicking Diego Simeone in a last-16 tie in 1998 that Argentina eventually won on penalties.In 1986, Diego Maradona’s famous “Hand of God” goal was followed by his superb solo “Goal of the Century” to knock England out at the quarter-final stage. Twenty years earlier, England beat Argentina in the quarter-finals at Wembley, where the Argentina captain, Antonio Rattín, was sent off but refused to leave the pitch.To continue their journey in this tournament, England may have to do something that no other team has managed in World Cup history: beat Argentina in a semi-final. They have played five semi-finals – in 1930, 1986, 1990, 2014 and 2022 – and have won them all.England have been eliminated in their last two World Cup semi-finals, losing to Croatia in 2018 and being defeated on penalties by West Germany in 1990. They have only played in one World Cup final and they won it.So, could England end their 60 years of hurt and lift the trophy for a second time? Thomas Tuchel’s side reached the final in nearly a fifth of the Opta supercomputer’s pre-tournament simulations (19.0%), going on to win it 11.2% of the time. The only two teams to win the World Cup more often across the simulations were Spain (16.1%) and France (13.0%).England faced Spain in the final in 4.8% of the 10,000 pre-tournament simulations. It would be a repeat of the Euro 2024 final, which Spain won 2-1 thanks to Mikel Oyarzabal’s 86th-minute winner. England have won just one of their last five meetings with Spain – a Nations League match in October 2018, when England raced into a 3-0 lead before holding off a Spain comeback to win 3-2. Will England avenge their Euro 2024 final defeat and repeat the success of 1966? We’ll soon find out.

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Move prevents ‘risk and injury to players and attendees’Fans concerned about heat and access to drinking waterSpectators will not be allowed to carry reusable water bottles into World Cup venues owing to safety concerns, Fifa has said, after a last-minute change to its stadium code of conduct.The governing body had earlier permitted empty, transparent, reusable plastic bottles inside stadiums but said the updated code prohibited that. Other items such as bottles, cups, jars and cans are also banned to prevent the risk of injury if thrown.“Fifa is committed to protecting the health and safety of all players, referees, fans, volunteers, and staff,” it said. “Fifa made the decision to prohibit bottles to prevent risk and injury to players and attendees.“Outside bottles are already prohibited at several of these venues for safety considerations and Fifa is applying this consideration across its tournament stadiums.”The move has raised concerns among supporters about coping with heat, with temperatures at a few venues expected to range between 26C and 28C, and access to drinking water inside stadiums.“Inside the stadium footprint, pricing for water bottles for the Fifa World Cup 2026 will remain consistent with other events held at each stadium.”The 48-team World Cup, co-hosted by the US, Canada, and Mexico, will run from 11 June to 19 July.

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Egypt qualified unbeaten for 2026 after missing out on 2022 in Qatar. Photograph: Franck Fife/AFP/Getty ImagesA first win at a World Cup is the floor-level target for a team that still relies heavily on the ability of Mohamed SalahThis article is part of the Guardian’s 2026 World Cup Experts’ Network, a cooperation between some of the best media organisations from the 48 countries who qualified. theguardian.com is running previews from three countries each day in the run-up to the tournament kicking off on 11 June.Egypt qualified for the World Cup unbeaten after missing out on Qatar 2022, booking their ticket to North America with a game to spare. They scored 19 goals in nine matches, as Mohamed Salah led the way with nine, conceded two goals and kept seven clean sheets. Despite the impressive numbers in qualifying, Egypt’s shape is pragmatic more than romantic and they carried that same muscle memory into the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations: tight games, deep stretches without the ball, quick release into Salah or Omar Marmoush. This was exposed by a semi-final defeat to Senegal, when Egypt were set up more to endure rather than to control.Egypt will probably begin the World Cup in a 4-3-3 formation that becomes a 4-2-3-1 when they have to chase a game, while occasionally switching to a 3-5-2 against high blocks. Mohamed El-Shenawy is likely to start in goal, although Mostafa Shobeir has lately been giving the veteran a run for his money. The rest of the spine looks solid with Rami Rabia and either Hossam Abdelmaguid or Yasser Ibrahim in central defence. Marwan Attia and Hamdi Fathi will screen the backline and Emam Ashour will look to deliver the ball to the trio up front.The coach, Hossam Hassan, has effectively confirmed there will be no late tactical revolution, saying he has settled on “90%” of the side. He also frames the team as “100% locally made” compared with African rivals who are stocked with European-born players. “Hossam Hassan is completely different from the foreign coaches we have had before,” says the forward Ahmed “Zizo” Sayed. “He manages to convince you that you are the best player in the world even if you’re coming to the camp not having been in good form.”Egypt are cohesive, often hard to score against and emotionally committed, but they can still look blunt if opponents double up on Salah and the midfield cannot pass through the press. The draw placed Egypt in Group G with Belgium, Iran and New Zealand. Egypt have never won a World Cup match so ending that is the floor-level target.Hossam Hassan is the national team’s all-time leading scorer and a legend in Egyptian football. As a manager, the fanfare is considerably quieter. Across nine clubs and two national teams, he has won zero trophies. His appointment in 2024 carried a nationalist tone from day one. When Egypt qualified for the World Cup, he declared: “We are happy for this great day for Egyptian football and for pleasing the Egyptian people, headed by Abdel Fattah el-Sisi [president of Egypt].”After the 2025 Afcon semi-final exit, Hassan blamed the loss on mosquito-infested hotels and scheduling conspiracies before resorting to blood-and-soil nationalism. “Egypt is the mother of Arabs and Africa. No one possesses the history we possess. We won the African Cup seven times. This creates jealousy. No one will achieve what Egypt’s national team accomplished.” When a journalist pressed him on tactical shortcomings, Hassan replied: “Your questions are impolite and show no respect. I will not answer you. You lack media etiquette.” It was recognisably on brand.This is still Mohamed Salah’s team, even if the club version has entered a more mortal phase. For Egypt, he remains the attacking system and the emotional infrastructure. In qualification, he was decisive again, scoring twice in the match that secured the World Cup spot and was the main reason Egypt’s campaign did not require late drama. Salah turns 34 the same day the Pharaohs play their first group match. He is approaching the end of his international career and is acutely aware that this may be his final chance to change that.FC Nordsjælland’s Ibrahim Adel is not a pure touchline winger: he attacks the half-space, arrives at the back post and presses with more appetite than many Egyptian attackers raised on a counterattack diet. The 25-year-old’s case is built on movement. He may not start every match, but tactically he offers something Egypt need: a wide threat capable of carrying the ball into the final third independently of Salah, which reduces the team’s dependency on a single right-side channel. This tournament could cement him as a genuine option at this level, but it could also reveal his limitations.Marwan Attia is the sort of midfielder who makes the whole side look slightly more coherent than it is. The 27-year-old screens centre-backs, covers full-backs, kills counters, restarts attacks, receives awkward passes under pressure, and gives Emam Ashour and the wide players permission to go forward. After qualification, Attia spoke of the World Cup as a source of immense pride and of the current generation’s potential to achieve positive results, especially “securing Egypt’s first-ever World Cup victory”.Egyptian support will be present, but not socially representative. The reality is the overwhelming majority of Egyptians will watch from their homes or in cafes, with a phone screen propped against a cup of tea if they need to. North America is not as close as Qatar and Egypt is not part of a visa waiver program. The $185 (£137) visa application fee alone exceeds Egypt’s current minimum wage ($132), before flights, hotels or tickets. Expect diaspora families, wealthier Cairenes, corporate guests and expatriates. The broader Ultras, historically the most visible and vocal force in Egyptian football, have been systematically repressed since 2013, proscribed as terrorist organisations and many of them are in prison.The team and the EFA are not publicly pro- or anti-American; however the state relationship is more telling. With Donald Trump as president, Cairo has usually received warmth and fewer human-rights lectures. In his first term, Trump infamously called Sisi his “favourite dictator”, while his second administration preserved Egypt, alongside Israel, as an exception in a wider foreign-aid freeze.The Egyptian president returned the praise, saying that Trump “is the only one capable of bringing peace to the region”. Notably, the World Cup flashpoint is cultural rather than diplomatic. The EFA formally asked Fifa to block LGBTQ+ pride activities around Egypt v Iran in Seattle, saying they clashed with cultural and religious values. The two countries have objected to the locally branded Pride match, which coincides with the city’s Pride weekend and was planned before the tournament draw took place.

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We’ve looked at data from USA 1994 onwards to see how and when classic upsets take place – and what that could mean for this year’s competitionThis year, the biggest ever World Cup will feature 48 teams, an increase from 32, opening up the tournament to even more upsets, shocks and surprises. The vagaries of the World Cup draw have given rise to classic underdog victories over the years, from an amateur USA team’s shock defeat of the then-favourites England in 1950 onwards. But what does the data tell us about upsets in football’s modern era?Starting from the launch of the Fifa men’s world ranking system in 1993, we have analysed each World Cup match in which an underdog beat a higher-ranked team, along with the ranking disparity between the teams: the bigger the gap, the higher the “upset score”, and the larger the circle in the graphics below. Upsets are marked in red, while matches decided on penalties are represented with a white border.This World Cup was characterised by a consistent stream of upsets, particularly in the group stages, with a couple of surprise regional rivalries including Belgium (Fifa ranking 27) triumphing over the Netherlands (2) and Saudi Arabia (34), in their World Cup debut, seeing off Morocco (28).The first World Cup after the dissolution of the USSR featured the first appearance by a unified German team and arguably the tournament’s most iconic underdog moment, when a header by Yordan Letchkov secured Bulgaria’s (29) victory over top-ranked Germany (1) in the quarter-finals. Bulgaria enjoyed a strong competition overall, including beating Argentina (8) in the group stages and a surprise round of 16 win against Mexico (16) in a penalty shootout.This was one of the few recent World Cups to culminate in an underdog victory, as the hosts, France (17), thrilled a Stade de France packed with home fans when they beat the top team, Brazil (1), 3-0. The team’s historic victory was secured with two spectacular headers from Zinedine Zidane.The biggest upset, however, was from Nigeria (74), who beat Spain (15) 3-2 in the group stages, as well as conquering Bulgaria (35) 1-0. There were also unpredictable quarter-finals, as Croatia (19) knocked Germany (2) out of the tournament, while the Netherlands (25) saw off Argentina (6).The hosts, South Korea (40), were the tournament’s champion underdogs, making it all the way to the semi-final via victories over Poland (38), Portugal (5), Italy (6) and Spain (8). But perhaps the most significant upset came in the opening game when the World Cup first-timers Senegal (32) took on the reigning champions, France (3). Senegal scored half an hour in, then defended successfully against a much older French team – including stars Zidane, Marcel Desailly and Fabien Barthez – which struggled in Seoul’s heat and humidity. At the final whistle, crowds back home in Dakar erupted in shock and joy as the former colony triumphed over the one-time imperial power.Germany 2006 wasn’t memorable only for Zidane’s notorious head-butt on Marco Materazzi in the final between France (8) and Italy (13). The numbers show it was the most surprising World Cup in recent history, with 21 upsets throughout the tournament, and five in its later stages – including Ukraine’s (45) round-of-16 victory over Switzerland (35) at their first World Cup. Other countries making their debut included Angola (57), Ghana (48), Côte d’Ivoire (32), Trinidad and Tobago (47) and Togo (61), making this an underdog-heavy tournament.Despite defeating France (9) with the biggest “upset score” of our analysis, South Africa (83) became the first host nation in World Cup history to be eliminated at the group stage. Other notable underdog victories included South Korea’s (47) defeat of Greece (13), and Slovakia’s (34) defeat of Italy (5), with France and Italy both failing to progress to the knockout stage. In their first appearance, the underdogs North Korea (103) lost all three of their group matches and received a public mauling for “betraying” the communist nation’s ideological struggle.The 2014 World Cup was notable for the champions, Spain (1), crashing out at the group stage, along with the hosts, Brazil (3), losing 7-1 to Germany (2) in the semi-finals. The tournament’s “group of death” was Group D: the first ever to sport three former world champions – England (10), Italy (9) and Uruguay (7) – along with Costa Rica (28). But the underdogs more than proved their mettle, beating Italy 1-0 via a Bryan Ruiz header before going on to draw with England and progress to the knockout stage, while Italy and England were eliminated.This World Cup was a wild ride, starting with controversy around the choice of host, continuing as reports of abuse of migrant labourers building stadiums emerged, and culminating in a tournament full of unpredictability and upsets. As in many tournaments, Russia (70) enjoyed a host country boost, beating Spain (10) in the round of 16 after triumphing against Saudi Arabia (67) and Egypt (45) in the group stages. There were surprises in the semi-finals too, as Croatia (20) memorably knocked out England’s (12) talented but inexperienced team, and France (7) deprived Belgium (3) and its “golden generation” a chance of a major trophy.The first World Cup held in the Middle East was shifted to the winter months to avoid Qatar’s intense summer heat. Amid disruption to many domestic leagues and controversies over the treatment of migrant workers and minorities, there was one undisputed star underdog story: the rise of Morocco (22). The first African and first Arab team to reach the semi-finals beat Belgium (2), Canada (41) and Portugal (9) along the way, but perhaps their most thrilling victory was against Spain (7) in the round of 16. After a goalless draw the game went to penalties, Moroccoprevailing 3-0 in the shootout and fans packing the stadium went wild as their side reached the last eight for the first time.This year, the expanded format means a hectic match schedule is spread across 16 cities in three countries and four time zones, with some teams at risk of dangerous heat stress while others play in air-conditioned stadiums. Throw in a volatile political backdrop and the participation of teams that would usually struggle to be granted US visas, and this could be the most unpredictable World Cup yet.Four countries – Cape Verde (69), Curaçao (82), Jordan (63) and Uzbekistan (50) – are making their World Cup debuts, and potential upsets include:Haiti (83) v Scotland (43) – 13 June, Croup C: Haiti will be looking to add their name to a list including Peru, Iran and Costa Rica to send shivers down the spines of the Tartan Army. Haiti drew with Iceland in their latest warm-up match, and present a tricky opener for a Scottish team that has lost Billy Gilmour and will be forced to come out and attack, with both sides knowing Morocco and Brazil await them next.New Zealand (85) v Iran (21) – 15 June, Group G: After losing every match in their first World Cup and drawing every game in their second, New Zealand’s opener offers a golden chance for a historic first win. They face an Iran team plagued by uncertainty – facing potential entry issues due to the US conflict with Tehran, alongside possible fan and player protests. The All Whites may never get a better shot at an upset.Cape Verde (69) v Uruguay (17) – 21 June, Group H: Uruguay frequently reach the later stages of the tournament, but have had bad results under their polarising coach, Marcelo Bielsa. Cape Verde, making their World Cup debut, came through tough African qualifiers and are defensively strong.Sources: World Cup match data from football.db, Fifa rankings by year from Inside Fifa

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‘Reboot Fifa’ calls for investigation into InfantinoComplaint to be sent to ethics committee after World CupA quest to deliver the “biggest complaint Fifa has ever received” is being launched by campaigners a week before the World Cup.With fans concerned over safety and the cost of tickets at the tournament, and complaints ongoing against Fifa from human rights organisations and football competitions, a class action-style complaint is calling for an investigation into the president, Gianni Infantino.The “Reboot Fifa” campaign starts on Thursday and is being led by the advocacy group FairSquare, which has pushed Fifa over its governance since before the 2022 Qatar World Cup. Led by an advisory board of football activists and writers, including the historian David Goldblatt and whistleblower Bonita Mersiades, the campaign is “encouraging people to add their name to … what we hope will be the largest single complaint Fifa will ever have received about the conduct of its senior officials”.The complaint will be submitted to Fifa’s ethics committee after the World Cup and will be an updated version of one sent to it at the end of last year, in which FairSquare claimed Infantino had on four occasions breached article 15 of the Fifa code of ethics, which requires staff to “remain politically neutral”. The complaint followed Infantino’s decision to attend a Summit for Peace held by Donald Trump and the subsequent award of the Fifa peace prize to the US president.“People are rightly angered and frustrated by a range of issues, from exorbitant World Cup ticket prices to Fifa’s offering of a peace prize to a man who then launched an illegal war on a World Cup participant,” said FairSquare’s director, Nick McGeehan. “This campaign is about harnessing that anger and redirecting it effectively to create the political pressure required to force meaningful change at Fifa.”Among the reforms proposed by FairSquare are: increased auditing of the billions of dollars Fifa shares with its member organisations; a separation between Fifa’s commercial and regulatory and governance functions; and improved transparency and public accountability, including expanded engagement with the media.FairSquare’s original complaint this week received backing from Lise Klaveness, the president of the Norwegian football federation and campaigner for Fifa reform. The NFF has written to Fifa’s ethics committee in support of the complaint and, on the eve of the Norway squad’s departure for the World Cup, Klaveness said of the letter: “We have sent it, and it is ⁠causing some political reactions. But it is sent, and that is checked off. We will follow up, push forward, request meetings, and build momentum on this as soon as the World ⁠Cup is over.”He has further defended his personal relationship with Trump, saying: “I think it is absolutely crucial for the success of a World Cup to have a close relationship with the president.”

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Tunisia fans show their passion in Monday’s friendly in Austria, which they lost 1-0 in Vienna. Photograph: Jamie McDonald/Getty ImagesHaving stormed through African qualifying without conceding a goal, can Sabri Lamouchi lead the Eagles of Carthage out of the group stage for the first time?This article is part of the Guardian’s 2026 World Cup Experts’ Network, a cooperation between some of the best media organisations from the 48 countries who qualified. theguardian.com is running previews from three countries each day in the run-up to the tournament kicking off on 11 June.Tunisia completed their qualification campaign without conceding once in 10 matches – a record shared with Côte d’Ivoire in Africa – but the faces in the dugout were constantly changing. Three different coaches led the team on the road to this World Cup: Jalel Kadri, Montasser Louhichi and Sami Trabelsi. Kadri, now managing Al-Hazem in Saudi Arabia, was Tunisia’s head coach during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Trabelsi was later replaced by the current manager, Sabri Lamouchi, shortly after Tunisia were knocked out of the Africa Cup of Nations in January.“I am Tunisian, my roots are Tunisian, and I am happy to be here,” Lamouchi said during his first press conference. Why is this significant? Because in 1993, Lamouchi was close to representing Tunisia rather than France. He came, took part in the warm-up, but did not come off the bench – and never returned afterwards. The versions differ between Lamouchi and Youssef Zouaoui, the manager at that time, but the outcome remained the same: Lamouchi never wore the Tunisia shirt. It remains a painful memory that supporters have never forgotten.Tunisia’s first training camp under Lamouchi, which included two friendly matches, took place in March. His first squad selection highlighted a major shift. The message was clear: Tunisia would rebuild around young players. Another decision warmly welcomed by supporters came during Lamouchi’s first press conference in February: “For the 2026 World Cup, there will only be three goalkeepers.” It is worth remembering that Tunisia’s decision to take four goalkeepers to Qatar had sparked significant controversy. This time, Lamouchi kept his promise.From a tactical perspective, Lamouchi set Tunisia up in a 4-3-3 system for his first match against Haiti. A few days later against Canada, he experimented with a 4-2-3-1 formation. It remains to be seen how he will approach each of the World Cup games.Sabri Lamouchi’s playing career took him to France, where he won Ligue 1 titles with Monaco and Auxerre, and Italy, where he played for Parma and Inter. His first job in coaching came with the Côte d’Ivoire national team in 2012, reaching the quarter-finals of he 2013 Afcon and going out of the 2014 World Cup at the group stage. He went on to manage several clubs, notably Rennes – where he coached Wahbi Khazri, a legendary figure in Tunisian football and now a member of his coaching staff – as well as Nottingham Forest, before heading to Qatar and Saudi Arabia. After 14 years in management, Lamouchi is still waiting for his first major trophy. As for this World Cup, no specific objective has been included in his contract. For the next Afcon, however, targets have been clearly defined.Hannibal Mejbri. The midfielder who chose Tunisia in 2021 has gradually become the face of this national team. After joining Manchester United from Monaco for a reported £8m, Hannibal struggled to establish himself. Loan spells at Birmingham and Sevilla followed but his performances have consistently improved since joining Burnley permanently two years ago. Wearing Wahbi Khazri’s No 10 shirt, Hannibal embodies the role: playmaker, unofficial captain and undisputed star. Everyone wants his shirt; everyone wants a picture with him. At the last World Cup, he played only 10 minutes. Since then, everything has changed. He is the first name on the teamsheet now.Developed at Paris Saint-Germain, the 22-year-old attacking midfielder Ismaël Gharbi now has the opportunity to showcase his talent on the world stage. Born in Paris to a Tunisian father and a mother from Madrid, Gharbi idolised Cristiano Ronaldo – “I used to copy everything he did, from his haircut to his boots,” he told Fifa last year – as well as Isco and Eden Hazard. Loaned by Braga to Augsburg for the 2025-26 campaign, Gharbi’s situation became complicated after the coach who brought him to Germany, Sandro Wagner, was dismissed only weeks after his arrival. Since then, his appearances have been limited. But he has one major advantage: Sabri Lamouchi believes in him and has included him in Tunisia’s World Cup squad.Despite struggling for a while with a hernia problem, the left-back Ali Abdi has always given everything for the national team. He used to have to live in the shadow of Ali Maâloul, one of Tunisia’s greatest players in his position. As a result, Abdi spent several years as a substitute before finally earning his place in the starting lineup. Since then, he has continued to battle through pain and adversity. Generous on the pitch, he has consistently delivered both defensively and offensively. After defeats, he was often the first player to face the media, defend his teammates, explain the situation, and apologise to supporters.Tunisia are expected to be backed by strong and passionate support despite the cost of travelling to the United States and Mexico for group matches. It should also be noted that, apart from the incidents involving Tunisia and England supporters before the 1998 World Cup match in Marseille, Tunisia’s fans have not developed a reputation for violence. On the contrary, in Russia and Qatar, they acted as ambassadors for their country, even launching initiatives promoting tourism in Tunisia. Videos of their travels and the vibrant atmosphere they created in the streets remain powerful testimony to that spirit.Neither the players nor members of the Tunisian football federation have made public statements regarding Donald Trump or the policies of his administration. As for ticket prices, Tunisian supporters – like fans from many other nations – naturally voiced their dissatisfaction. However, the Tunisian federation has made lower-priced tickets available for supporters. A $15,000 visa deposit has been waived by the Trump administration for Tunisia fans travelling to the United States with valid match tickets.Written by Ahmed Adala for Radio Mosaïque FM.

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Lucas Bergvall celebrates with the fans after winning their playoff with Poland. Photograph: Jonathan Nackstrand/AFP/Getty ImagesWith Graham Potter at the helm and Viktor Gyökeres finding form, hopes are high after playoff successThis article is part of the Guardian’s 2026 World Cup Experts’ Network, a cooperation between some of the best media organisations from the 48 countries who qualified. theguardian.com is running previews from three countries each day in the run-up to the tournament kicking off on 11 June.Sweden’s attempts to qualify for the World Cup could hardly have gone worse, picking up just one point from the first four games under Jon Dahl Tomasson before, in October 2025, the Dane was sacked after a 1-0 defeat against Kosovo.In came Graham Potter, who had his breakthrough in coaching at Swedish side Östersund between 2011 and 2017, taking them from the fourth tier to the Allsvenskan, winning the cup and beating Arsenal in the Europa League.Under Potter’s leadership the focus shifted to more traditional values associated with the Swedish national team with a stubborn defence coupled with effective counterattacks. Having initially said he prefers a back four he set up with a 5-3-2 in the playoffs, with a focus on keeping things quiet at the back.With the Nations League having offered Sweden a route back into the World Cup qualifying process, they put in an impressive performance against Ukraine in Spain in the semi-finals, winning 3-1 after a Viktor Gyökeres hat-trick. The final, against Poland, was much tougher to watch with the visitors better for much of the game but Gyökeres again stepped up, scoring an 88th-minute winner in a 3-2 thriller.“It’s hard to explain, hard to describe,” said a delighted Potter. “Just an incredible evening, just so proud to be part of that and obviously proud to experience it. It was just the best night I’ve had in football. Incredible, like I was having some sort of out-of-body experience. I’m looking at the goal and suddenly all our bench is running and you’re thinking: ‘Am I here?’ I’m just grateful to be part of that.”So Sweden made it to the World Cup despite collecting two points from six games in their qualifying group. They now face Tunisia, Netherlands and Japan with hope of getting into the knockout stages – that’s the Potter effect for you.Injury wise they are without captain Dejan Kulusevski, whose influence on this team cannot be overstated. They will miss him in North America. There are also huge question marks over Alexander Isak’s form and fitness, although he did score in a worryingly one-sided 3-1 defeat against Norway on 1 June after coming on as a substitute.In October 2025 Graham Potter gave an interview to Fotbollskanalen that was not so much expressing an interest in becoming Sweden coach, but more of a come-and-get-me plea. “I have feelings for Sweden,” he said. “I love the country and I love Swedish football. Coaching the national team would be an incredible opportunity for me, absolutely.” A few days later he was in the job and, despite not winning either of his first two games, the Swedish FA was so smitten by him that they offered him a contract extension to 2030 in March. Potter speaks very good Swedish and for him it was the perfect job after difficult spells with Chelsea and West Ham.Alexander Isak became the most expensive transfer in Premier League history last year when he moved from Newcastle to Liverpool for £125 but after a tough first season at Anfield there is no question about who the talisman is for the national team: Viktor Gyökeres. The Arsenal forward also struggled initially at his new club but has hit form recently and scored four of Sweden’s six goals in the two playoff ties. His popularity took another upturn after the late goal against Poland with people from all over the country posting their own versions of his goal celebration, which is taken from Bane, the character played by Tom Hardy in The Dark Knight Rises film.Celtic’s Benjamin Nygren aside, one player that might play a bigger role than expected for Sweden in North America is Gustaf Lagerbielke. The Braga defender put in a crucial performance in the playoff final against Poland, scoring with a thunderous header and keeping Robert Lewandowski quiet at the back. The fact that the former Celtic defender is a baron and 254th in line to the Swedish throne only adds to the intrigue. There are talks of a move to a big-five league this summer and a good showing at the World Cup will only increase his chances.If Sweden are to succeed this summer, they will have to win battles against a very technical side in the Netherlands and a very tenacious and technical Japan side. Jesper Karlström will have to play a big part. Captain of Serie A side Udinese, Karlström is a late bloomer who took time to establish himself at Djurgården before a move to Polish side Lech Poznan. He has talked about how he struggled with a gambling addiction at Djurgården but that the club and his family helped him beat it. Karlström possesses all the classical traits of a deep-lying midfielder, being solid in the tackle and capable of dictating play. The 30-year-old’s calming presence will be key in North America as he is surrounded by youngsters such as Yasin Ayari and Lucas Bergvall in midfield.Swedish supporters have a reputation of coming in large numbers for tournaments and making themselves heard. Fans of Blågult (blue and yellow) tend to be friendly and full of banter, interacting with opposition fans. The go-to song of the supporters is “Kanna på”, a song referencing beer pitchers that keep on arriving. Yes, the Swedes like a beer or six. The song also states: “We are coming with 100,000 men” and, while there might not be another Viking invasion expected in America, there will be a large yellow-and-blue delegation at the World Cup.“Look what happened in Sweden last night.” Those were the words of president Trump in 2017, when talking about problems with large scales of immigration and subsequent terrorist attacks. The only problem was that nothing of any dramatic nature had happened in Sweden the night before. Trump said later he had been referring to a TV report on Fox News, which did not clarify things greatly. Swedish paper Aftonbladet then summed up what had happened in the country on the day Trump was referring to:Famous singer Owe Thörnqvist suffered technical problems in rehearsalsA man set himself on fire at a plaza in central StockholmThere were road closures in northern Sweden due to “harsh weather”Written by Samuel Parts for fotbollskanalen.se.