The climax of World Cup Group B is almost here, with plenty to play for in both of Wednesday's final matches.

Canada and Switzerland are level at the top of the group with four points each and will battle it out for first place, while any winner of Bosnia and Herzegovina vs Qatar clash would stand a strong chance of qualifying for the last-32.

A draw would likely send both teams home, which sets the scene for a potential high-drama thriller.

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ITV presenter, pundits and commentators for Bosnia and Herzegovina vs Qatar

The ITV punditry team is led by Mark Pougatch with Laura Woods as co-presenter.

Duncan Ferguson, Ian Wright and Patrick Vieira are offering their sage footballing thoughts and opinions on the action from the Brooklyn studio hub.

The studio team are covering both Group B games simultaneously, with separate commentary personnel.

Commentary is being provided by Joe Speight for this one.

Alongside Speight is his co-commentator Lucy Ward.

The ITV commentators, pundits and presenters for Canada’s World Cup 2026 clash with Switzerland have been revealed.

Co-hosts Canada moved into pole position in Group B with a 6-0 thrashing of Qatar in Vancouver, while Switzerland beat Bosnia and Herzegovina 4-1 last time out to boost their hopes of qualifying for the last 32.

The two teams now head to BC Place for a clash that will decide top spot.

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ITV’s complete list of commentators, pundits and presenters for Switzerland vs Canada

Canada know they will win Group B if they avoid defeat, which would mean Jesse Marsch’s side get to play their knockout games on home turf.

However, a defeat would see them leapfrogged by Switzerland, who trail them only on goal difference - so it is all to play for in Vancouver.

ITV has the broadcast rights for the 8pm (BST) kick-off, with coverage presented by Mark Pougatch.

The experienced presenter is joined by three big names in ITV’s studio, which boasts the stunning New York skyline as its backdrop.

Ex-Arsenal and England striker Ian Wright is on the punditry panel, having become a regular face on ITV’s tournament coverage over many years.

The Gunners legend will have a former team-mate alongside him in the form of Patrick Vieira, who won the 1998 World Cup with France on home soil and then triumphed at Euro 2000.

Completing the punditry panel is former Everton striker Duncan Ferguson - a member of the Scotland squad at Euro 1992.

Commentary will be provided by Jon Champion. He is joined by co-commentator Ally McCoist.

The Tartan Army and the rest of Scotland appear set to witness Neymar make his long-awaited Brazil return in the nations' final 2026 World Cup group stage match on Wednesday.

The superstar attacker has not featured for the Selecao since October 2023, but all signs suggest he is in line to earn minutes against Steve Clarke's side at Miami Stadium.

The 34-year-old Neymar missed Brazil's opening two Group C fixtures against Morocco and Haiti after suffering a calf injury in league play with boyhood club Santos FC, but an appearance in the Group C finale is possible if not likely.

Ancelotti: "Neymar can play the whole 90 minutes"

Brazil manager Carlo Ancelotti seemed to all but confirm Neymar's involvement during Tuesday's pregame press conference, revealing the the country's all-time leading scorer is fully fit.

“He is available. He trained very well this week,” Ancelotti said. “He is fit and able and ready to play. We are very happy he is back. He is a high-quality player."

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“He can play from halftime or the whole 90 minutes. He is very well. He worked very hard, so he is ready," Ancelotti added.

Neymar's last appearance for Brazil came in a World Cup qualifier against Uruguay on Oct. 17, 2023, but injuries and other setbacks have prevented him from adding to his 128 caps and record 79 goals since.

Neymar's return would provide a significant boost for Brazil. as the five-time world champions look to secure the top spot in Group C.

The Selecao currently leads the group on four points, edging Morocco on goal difference, but Scotland could still finish first with a victory coupled with a Haiti draw or win over the Moroccans.

The Tartan Army — the collective nickname for Scotland supporters — has celebrated that possibility in festive fashion across Miami in recent days.

The Scottish fans have been seen throughout the city in the lead-up to Wednesday's clash, including on South Beach and at a Miami Marlins game on Tuesday that featured a march through Little Havana.

Brazilians have also joined in on the pre-game fun, helping create a rowdy atmosphere as the group stage of the 2026 World Cup begins to come to a close.

Do you see Scotland overcoming Brazil with Neymar? Tell us in the comments below.

Bosnia and Herzegovina and Qatar are set to battle it out for the chance of progressing to the knockout stages of the World Cup.

A win would put either side on four points, which could be enough to qualify as one of the eight best third-place teams, while a draw or defeat would be the end of the road.

The contest is being held in Seattle, with either one or both teams set to head home afterwards.

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Venezuelan official taking charge of his second match of the tournament

The game will be overseen by Venezuelan referee Jesus Valenzuela.

He's already appeared at this tournament, when he took charge of Australia's unlikely victory over Turkey in the first round of fixtures.

Valenzuela is a well experienced referee with a great deal of experience on the international stage, having appeared in three Copa America tournaments.

He made his first professional appearance back in 2013 and has officiated close to 400 games, starting in the Venezuelan Primeira Division.

He has previously been named CONMEBOL’s best referee in 2021 by IFFHS (The International Federation of Football History and Statistics).

Valenzuela will be joined by his fellow countrymen Jorge Urrego and Tulio Moreno, who will be assisting on the touchlines.

Meanwhile, the fourth official will be Tomosuke Araki, while the reserve assistant referee will be Jun Mihara, both are from Japan.

The match is due to kick off at 8pm on Wednesday evening UK time.

The group stage of World Cup 2026 has served up a few spicy meatballs for the third round of matches and there's plenty on the line in Group B.

Canada go head-to-head with Switzerland with top spot up for grabs. If the co-hosts avoid defeat, they'll stay in Vancouver for the first two knock-out games. If they lose, the Swiss win the group, but a mix of head-to-records and goal difference should salvage second and a round of 32 tie in California.

Canada's advantage in the event of a draw stems from their superior goal difference – 6-0 gubbings of Qatar will do that for you.

Remember, though, the first tiebreaker for teams level on points is now head-to-head record. That means a heavy defeat for either side at BC Place could technically mean they end up in third. But that would require a pretty unlikely course of events here and with Bosnia and Herzegovina vs Qatar.

But those are details. Switzerland want that Vancouver path just as much as Canada, and will have all three points in mind today.

Read on as FourFourTwo brings you all the information you need to watch Switzerland vs Canada in the FIFA World Cup 2026 online, on TV, and from anywhere.

Watch Switzerland vs Canada for FREE

Switzerland vs Canada will be free-to-stream across multiple regions, including ITV in the UK, RTÉ Player in Ireland, SBS On Demand in Australia, CazéTV on YouTube in Brazil, NOS in the Netherlands, RTBF/VRT in Belgium, SRF/RTS/RSI in Switzerland, and TRT in Turkey.

English commentary will be provided on ITV, RTE Player and SBS On Demand.

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Watch Switzerland vs Canada from anywhere

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How to watch Switzerland vs Canada in the UK

In the UK, you can stream on ITV. The build-up starts at 7:00pm, ahead of the kick-off at 8:00pm.

How to watch Switzerland vs Canada in the US

In the US, you can stream Switzerland vs Canada on Fox.

This channel is accessible via Fox's own streaming platform Fox One or via a cord-cutting platform such as YouTube TV, Hulu+Live TV, Sling (select markets), Fubo or DirecTV.

How to watch Switzerland vs Canada in Australia

In Australia, you can watch Switzerland vs Canada on the free SBS On Demand.

Switzerland vs Canada: World Cup 2026 Preview

Jesse Marsch's team are without talismanic midfielder Ismael Kone after he suffered a stomach-churning injury against Qatar in Canada's second match. That aside, the co-hosts are in fine fettle.

Equalising late against Bosnia and Herzegovina in the first game set them up nicely for the second; winning the second so emphatically earned them the right to draw the third.

Marsch will be wise to the value of momentum and he has top players to keep in form by going full throttle. Jonathan David and Cyle Larin have five goals between them. Tajon Buchanan and Alistair Johnston on the right have been a handful too.

Canada have achieved their first World Cup point and first World Cup win on home turf this month. Next step: qualify for the knock-outs for the first time and do so as Group B winners.

It'll be tough. Switzerland roared into life in the last quarter of an hour to put four past Bosnia and get their World Cup up and running. They found their spark off the bench and what a spark it was.

Johan Manzambi and Ruben Vargas managed four goal contributions between them in a matter of minutes but 11-man Canada will be a much sterner test than 10-man Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The Swiss are seeking a fifth knockout spot in their past six World Cups.

Switzerland vs Canada: Group B

Team News

Switzerland XI: Gregor Kobel (GK); Luca Jaquez, Nico Elvedi, Manuel Akanji, Ricardo Rodriguez; Djibril Sow, Granit Xhaka, Remo Freuler; Johan Manzambi, Ruben Vargas; Breel Embolo

Yakin makes four changes, with Jaquez in for Silvan Widmer at the back, Sow replacing Aebischer in midfield, and Manzambi and Vargas in from the start in place of Fabian Rieder and Dan Ndoye.

Canada XI: Maxime Crepeau (GK); Alistair Johnston, Luc De Fougerolles, Derek Cornelius, Richie Laryea; Tajon Buchanan, Nathan Saliba, Mathieu Choiniere, Ali Ahmed; Jonathan David, Cyle Larin

Marsch makes two changes, both in midfield. Saliba and Choiniere come into the side in place of Stephen Estaquio, who is experiencing a minor muscular issue, and the injured Kone.

FourFourTwo's prediction

Switzerland 2-2 Canada

FourFourTwo predicts an entertaining affair between two teams with a target ahead of them and a cushion behind.

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After hosting the World Cup in 2022, Qatar did everything they could to enrage the locals in Vancouver in their second Group B game this time around.

The group underdogs might be relieved to be playing outside Canada again in the aftermath of their widely condemned physical approach to what was ultimately a 6-0 loss against the co-hosts.

Qatar will be without Homam Ahmed and Assim Madibo, both sent off at BC Place as Julen Lopetegui's team demonstrated an alarming loss of control.

The result was overshadowed to a large degree by the injury inflicted on Ismael Kone by Madibo, an incident that could prove as distracting for Qatar as it is for a Canadian team with four points under their belt.

The Qataris' race is not yet run. They made Switzerland pay for their profligacy on matchday one and that late equaliser means a win today would likely be enough.

Read on as FourFourTwo brings you all the information you need to watch Bosnia and Herzegovina vs Qatar in the FIFA World Cup 2026 online, on TV, and from anywhere.

Watch Bosnia and Herzegovina vs Qatar for FREE

Bosnia and Herzegovina vs Qatar will be free-to-stream across multiple regions, including ITVX in the UK, RTÉ Player in Ireland, SBS On Demand in Australia, CazéTV on YouTube in Brazil, NOS in the Netherlands, RTBF/VRT in Belgium, SRF/RTS/RSI in Switzerland, and TRT in Turkey.

English commentary will be provided on ITV, RTE Player and SBS On Demand.

‼️ Outside one of these countries? Use Norton VPN to unlock your stream from anywhere in the world – more on that below.

Watch Bosnia and Herzegovina vs Qatar from anywhere

Away from home this summer and want to watch Bosnia and Herzegovina vs Qatar? All you need is a VPN, a handy piece of software that makes your devices appear to be in a different location.

This World Cup, our office friends at TechRadar are recommending Norton VPN:

How to watch Bosnia and Herzegovina vs Qatar in the UK

In the UK, you can watch Bosnia and Herzegovina vs Qatar on ITV4 and ITVX. The build-up starts at 7:00pm, ahead of the kick-off at 8:00pm.

How to watch Bosnia and Herzegovina vs Qatar in the US

In the US, you can stream Bosnia and Herzegovina vs Qatar on FS1.

This channel is accessible via Fox's own streaming platform Fox One or via a cord-cutting platform such as YouTube TV, Hulu+Live TV, Sling (select markets), Fubo or DirecTV.

How to watch Bosnia and Herzegovina vs Qatar in Australia

In Australia, you can watch Bosnia and Herzegovina vs Qatar on the free SBS On Demand.

Bosnia and Herzegovina vs Qatar: World Cup 2026 Preview

The internal equations of Group B are such that a maximum of one of these teams can go through to the round of 32. Like Qatar, Bosnia and Herzegovina followed a draw with a heavy loss, and a point each would mean game over for both.

Things will be more interesting if there's a winner in Seattle. Canada and Switzerland meet elsewhere with both on four points, meaning that a result in both games would see second and third both on four.

If that's Qatar and Switzerland or Canada and Bosnia, the head-to-head tiebreaker would be meaningless and goals scored would come into play. In truth, four points should be enough one way or another regardless.

The most recent of a small handful of previous meetings between these nations took place in 2010. It was a 1-1 draw in a summer friendly in Sarajevo in which striker Edin Dzeko, now Bosnia and Herzegovina's 40-year-old captain, was named in the starting line-up.

Dzeko is his country's most-capped player and record goalscorer too. Qatar's captain and most-capped player is Hassan Al-Haydos. He's in the squad along with top scorer Almoez Ali.

This match is essentially a matter of win and in. For either team, it would mean a first-ever trip to the knock-out rounds at just the second attempt.

Bosnia and Herzegovina vs Qatar: Group B

Team News

Bosnia and Herzegovina XI: Nikola Vasilj (GK); Arjan Malic, Nikola Katic, Stjepan Radeljic, Sead Kolasinac; Esmir Bajraktarevic, Ivan Basic, Ivan Sunjic, Kerim Alajbegovic; Erdedin Demirovic, Edin Dzeko

Bosnia make four changes. Dzeko starts but Malic, Muharemovic, Bajraktarevic and Basic come in for Dedic, Tahirovic, Memic and suspended defender Tarik Muharemovic.

Qatar XI: Mahmoud Abunada (GK); Pedro Miguel, Boualem Khoukhi, Issa Laye, Sultan Al-Brake; Jassem Gaber, Ahmed Fathy, Karim Boudiaf; Hassan Al-Haydos, Akram Afif, Edmilson Junior

Madibo and Elamin are suspended after the Canada game. Al-Brake, Fathy and Al-Haydos come in for the suspended pair and Yusuf Abdurisag.

FourFourTwo's prediction

Bosnia and Herzegovina 1-0 Qatar

World Cup 2026 is waiting for its Dzeko moment. FourFourTwo predicts a historic winner from the big man at Lumen Field.

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Canada’s Group B finale against Switzerland is arguably a bigger game for the co-hosts than their opponents.

While the two teams - who are separated by Canada’s superior goal difference - will both want to top the group, Jesse Marsch’s side know they will continue playing their games on home soil only if they maintain their position at the summit.

Canada need a point to make that happen, so it promises to be a tense affair in Vancouver - and here’s the man who will take charge of the World Cup clash.

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Brazilian official to referee Switzerland vs Canada

Brazilian referee Ramon Abatti will officiate Switzerland vs Canada, with compatriots Danilo Manis and Rafael Alves alongside him as assistants.

At 36 years old, the South American is less experienced than some of his counterparts at the World Cup, but this will not be his first taste of the tournament.

Abatti took charge of Belgium’s 1-1 draw with Egypt in Group G last Monday, handing out four yellow cards.

If this season is anything to go by he is reluctant to produce a red card, having dismissed just three players in his 29 games in 2025/26, according to transfermarkt.

While Abatti is less well-known internationally than other referees, he has officiated in Brazil’s Serie A for several seasons.

He also took charge of the men’s gold medal match at the Paris 2024 Olympics, in which Spain beat France 5-3 after extra-time at the Parc des Princes.

Peru’s Kevin Ortega is the fourth official for Switzerland’s clash with Canada, while compatriot Michael Orue is the reserve assistant referee.

Both Switzerland and Canada benefited from red cards for their opponents in their second Group B fixture.

The co-hosts beat Qatar 6-0, with Homam El Amin and Assim Omer Madibo sent off for Julen Lopetegui’s side - the latter for a foul that left Canada midfielder Ismael Kone with a badly broken leg.

Meanwhile, Bosnia and Herzegovina defender Tarik Muharemovic was dismissed late on against Switzerland, who were 1-0 up at the time and went on to win 4-1.

Kylian Mbappe has revealed David Beckham has tried to persuade him to move to MLS.

The France superstar is in America for World Cup 2026 and is enjoying life across the pond, scoring twice in each of his country’s opening two Group I games against Senegal and Iraq.

Those goals moved Mbappe above Olivier Giroud as Les Bleus’ all-time top scorer, while he has now found the net 16 times at the World Cup - a tally beaten only by Lionel Messi.

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Kylian Mbappe reveals transfer ‘talks’ with David Beckham

The Real Madrid forward has put a difficult end to the domestic season behind him, having been booed by Los Blancos fans on his return from injury last month.

Supporters were angry that Mbappe went on holiday to Sardinia while recovering from a hamstring issue and a petition calling for the club to get rid of him received more than 95million signatures, despite the 27-year-old scoring 42 goals in all competitions last term.

The former Paris Saint-Germain star is under contract until 2029, but the unrest in Madrid could lead him to look elsewhere.

And with Messi thriving in America with MLS club Inter Miami, who are co-owned by Beckham, Mbappe revealed the England and Manchester United legend - who also had spells at Real and PSG - has already tested the waters.

Asked if he would ever move to MLS, Mbappe said: "We’ll see. David Beckham has mentioned it to me many times.

"American culture is different, there are no limits to ambition, and I like that."

Mbappe is still nine years younger than Messi was when he joined Inter Miami in July 2023 and is yet to win La Liga or the Champions League, so it would be a surprise if he moved to America in the near future.

However, he has already shown at this World Cup that he can be persuaded by English celebrities who are well-known in the US.

Mbappe celebrated his first goal in France’s 3-1 win over Senegal by pretending to play an imaginary flute, which was suggested to him by chat show host James Corden when the striker appeared as a guest on his After Hours show.

Les Bleus’ skipper is set to return to action on Friday night, when he goes up against fellow superstar forward Erling Haaland in France’s clash with Norway to decide who finishes top of Group I (8pm BST kick-off).

FourFourTwo’s free-to-play World Cup match predictor is in full swing. The deadline to play round three is 7pm TONIGHT, but in the meantime, the winners of Round One have been contacted, crowned and credited.

The game is completely free to play, but it can win you real cash, as our Round One victors will attest. Each has pocketed £500 having correctly forecast 16 of the 24 group openers.

We’re not asking for score predictions, just a win, loss or draw, and on this occasion getting 66.67% of your guesses correct was enough to share the prize pot.

Play below for free!

We must thank our sponsors BOYLE Sports for providing the cash prize, which renews each round. Better still, BOYLE Sports give everyone who logs a set of predictions a free £5 bet simply for playing. All you need is a BOYLE Sports account – make sure you have your account number handy to enter when you make your predictions. The free bet will be credited within 48 hours of the deadline and valid to use for seven days.

Fancy getting in on the action? Round Three is ready to play, but closes at 7pm. After that, there are five more rounds to play, and five more £5 free bets to redeem.

That’s five chances to win a share of £1,000, or the entire pot if you top the leaderboard alone.

Schedule and format

Matchday 1: Predict every nations' first game (win, lose or draw) CLOSED
Matchday 2: Predict every nations' second game: (win, lose or draw) CLOSED
Matchday 3: Predict every nations' third game: (win, lose or draw) CLOSES TONIGHT AT 7pm!
Matchday 4: Predict the outcomes of the final eight Round of 32 games: (winner + amount of goals in 90 minutes, plus added on time – not including extra-time or pens)
Matchday 5: Predict the outcomes of the final four Round of 16 games: (winner + amount of goals in 90 minutes, plus added on time – not including extra-time or pens)
Matchday 6: Predict the outcomes of the final three Quarter Final games: (winner + correct scoreline in 90 minutes, plus added on time – not including extra-time or pens)
Matchday 7: Predict the correct scorelines of the two Semi Finals after 90 minutes, plus added on time – not including extra-time or pens, with the minute of the first goal in the first Semi Final the tie breaker
Matchday 8: Predict the correct scorelines of the 3rd Place Playoff and World Cup Final after 90 minutes, plus added on time – not including extra-time or pens, with the minute of the first goal in the World Cup Final the tie breaker

Deadlines

Matchday 1: Closed Thurs 11 June, 7pm BST

Matchday 2: Closed Thurs 18 June, 4pm BST

Matchday 3: Closes Weds 24 June, 7pm BST – Closes today

Matchday 4: Closes Weds 1 July, 8pm BST

Matchday 5: Closes Thurs 6 July, 7pm BST

Matchday 6: Closes Fri 10 July, 7pm BST

Matchday 7: Closes Tues 14 July, 7pm BST

Matchday 8: Closes Sat 18 July, 9pm BST

World Cup Fantasy has given fans across the globe extra reason to keep a close eye on events in North America.

FIFA’s official World Cup 2026 game allows supporters to select a squad of 15 players competing at the tournament and score points based on how they perform this summer.

Players have until 8pm BST on Wednesday to make transfers ahead of the third batch of group fixtures, so here are our tips for round three.

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Who to Buy

Ismael Saibari

The Morocco striker has scored in both matches to earn his side four points in Group C, following up his goal in the 1-1 draw against Brazil with an early winner to beat Scotland.

At just $6.8m and with the Atlas Lions potentially needing a big win against already-eliminated Haiti to win the group, now is the time to cash in on Saibari.

Ismaila Sarr

Another player with two goals is Senegal striker Sarr, although both of those came in a 3-2 defeat by Norway last time out.

The 28-year-old has looked lively this tournament and faces a must-win game against Iraq, so could represent good value at $6.2m.

Deniz Undav

The Germany supersub has scored three goals off the bench already this tournament, including a last-gasp winner as part of a double to beat Ivory Coast 2-1.

Undav has gained 28 points so far at World Cup 2026, fewer than only Lionel Messi and Erling Haaland but, at $6.6m, represents much greater value. Julian Nagelsmann’s side have already clinched top spot in Group E so Undav may well get the nod to start against Ecuador.

Alex Freeman

Talking of value, USA defender Freeman racked up 23 points in his first two games, courtesy of a goal, an assist and a clean sheet - all while costing just $4m.

The Villarreal star, aged just 21, is up against a Turkey side who have already been knocked out, so the Group D winners will be strongly tipped to triumph again.

Cody Gakpo

The Netherlands put five past Sweden in round two and Gakpo played a key role, scoring twice and claiming an assist.

The Liverpool forward will be expected to start against Tunisia, which Ronald Koeman’s side may have to win to guarantee top spot in Group F. At $7.7m, it could be a sensible time to transfer him in.

Who to Drop

Romelu Lukaku

Some World Cup Fantasy players may have felt they were getting the jump on the competition by picking Belgium’s all-time top scorer, who arrived at the World Cup undercooked but still his country’s chief goal threat.

Lukaku started the 0-0 draw with Iran last time out but looked off the pace, so at $7.4m and with just two points to his name, he is not worth the risk.

Anthony Gordon

The winger got the nod over Marcus Rashford to start on England’s left flank in the opening two games against Croatia and Ghana, but failed to impress in either match.

Gordon seems one of the players most at-risk of being dropped by Three Lions manager Thomas Tuchel, so you should do the same.

Rodri

While undoubtedly one of the top midfielders in world football, Rodri hasn’t been a high points-scorer at this World Cup.

The Manchester City star earned just six points in Spain’s first two games against Cape Verde and Saudi Arabia, so his $7.5m transfer fee could be better spent elsewhere.

Desire Doue

Also at $7.5m, the Paris Saint-Germain forward looked a good pick at the start of the tournament as part of France’s fearsome attack.

However, he was displaced in the line-up by clubmate Bradley Barcola and Les Bleus manager Didier Deschamps may stick with the same XI for a winner-takes-all clash with Norway in Group I.

Arda Guler

Turkish football’s bright young thing has been the poster boy of his country’s disastrous World Cup, in which they were eliminated after losing their first two games.

Guler has claimed just four points to date and anyone who picked him from the start will surely regret paying $7m for the Real Madrid midfielder, especially ahead of a clash with co-hosts USA.

Who to avoid transferring in

Ismael Kone

The Canada midfielder’s horrific leg break marred what was otherwise a joyous 6-0 victory for the co-hosts against Qatar, their first World Cup victory.

He will be sidelined for some time, so his tournament is over.

Nico Schlotterbeck

Borussia Dortmund defender Schlotterbeck started both of his country’s opening two games, scoring in the 7-1 win over Curacao, but was withdrawn at half-time against Ivory Coast last Saturday.

It emerged this week that the centre back has an ankle injury and will play no further part in the tournament.

Raphinha

Alarm bells were ringing among Brazil fans when the winger was forced off in the first half of his country’s 3-0 win over Haiti.

Raphinha now appears set to miss the five-time winners’ Group C finale against Scotland, with his return date uncertain.

Nathan Ngoy

The Lille defender is a rising star of the Belgian national team and started the tournament as his country's first-choice centre-back, despite turning 23 just this month.

However, a careless red card in the 0-0 draw with Iran means he will have to sit out the Group G finale against New Zealand.

Julian Ryerson

Borussia Dortmund have not had a good tournament, with full-back Ryerson forced off just 13 minutes into Norway’s 3-2 win over Senegal.

The assist king faces a race to be fit for Friday’s clash with France, but may still be worth a punt based on his potential for points at both ends of the pitch.

The marathon World Cup 2026 group stage is almost over, with just the final round of matches left to play.

With 12 groups to get through this summer, up from eight in recent editions, many teams will have played just two games in the opening fortnight of the tournament.

But once the final group fixtures have concluded in the early hours of Sunday morning (BST), the path to the World Cup 2026 final in New Jersey will start to become clearer.

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When does World Cup 2026 end?

The World Cup began with co-hosts Mexico’s 2-0 win over South Africa in Estadio Azteca on Thursday, June 11 - the first of 72 group matches crammed into just 17 days.

With 104 games in total, the vast majority of fixtures will have taken place by Saturday night, before they start to thin out over the remainder of the tournament.

The knockout phase begins on Sunday - less than 24 hours after the group stage ends - and finishes with the World Cup 2026 final on Sunday, July 19 in New Jersey (8pm kick-off BST).

The expanded format of this tournament means there is an extra knockout round, with teams who qualify from their group playing a last-32 fixture next, rather than going straight into the last 16. It means the two finalists will contest eight games in total.

All last-32 matches will be played between Sunday, June 28 and the early hours of Saturday, July 4 (BST).

The teams who progress will reach the last 16, which takes place between Saturday, July 4 and Tuesday, July 7.

That is followed by the quarter-finals, held between Thursday, July 9 and Saturday, July 11. From this point onwards, all games are in the USA, rather than co-hosts Canada and Mexico.

The semi-finals take place on Tuesday, July 14 in Dallas and Wednesday, July 15 in Atlanta, with both matches kicking off at 8pm.

After that, there will be only two games remaining: the third-place play-off in Miami at 10pm BST on Saturday, July 18 and, of course, the final in New Jersey the following day.

That will bring the curtain down on the longest World Cup in history, at 39 days - a whole seven days longer than recent editions of the tournament.

Alphonso Davies is expected to make his return from injury in Canada’s crucial World Cup clash with Switzerland.

The 25-year-old has not played since suffering a hamstring issue in the second leg of Bayern Munich’s Champions League semi-final against Paris Saint-Germain on May 6.

It has forced Canada captain Davies to watch the co-hosts’ opening two games at World Cup 2026 from the sidelines.

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Is Alphonso Davies injured for Canada vs Switzerland?

Jesse Marsch’s side have performed well in their skipper’s absence, claiming their first World Cup point in a 1-1 draw with Bosnia and Herzegovina in Toronto before ticking off a maiden win at the tournament with a 6-0 thrashing of Qatar in Vancouver.

It leaves Canada top of Group B heading into their crucial clash with Switzerland in Vancouver at 8pm BST tonight and they will win the group if they avoid defeat.

Marsch’s side must win Group B to ensure they play their last-32 and - if they progress - last-16 fixtures in Vancouver, with any other outcome forcing them to contest their knockout games in the USA.

Davies’ big-game experience could be crucial against Switzerland and manager Marsch expects his captain to feature, although potentially only from the bench.

"We will evaluate what we need of him in the game," the former Leeds United boss told CBC. "I would like to get him into the match, for sure.

“And I think that he can have a big impact, both on us physically and football wise, but also mentally, psychologically, to have our captain back, our best player back in the team. I think this is a big factor."

Marsch added: "It's so much more than just what he brings on the pitch — it's what he represents to us. So, the good news is he's looking great, he's in training, he looks great, he looks fit, he looks ready to go, excited. So, let's see how things go, but I expect him to play."

Davies, who can operate in several positions, has won 58 caps for Canada but has not featured for his country since October 2024 due to a string of injuries.

The Bayern star played just 23 times for his club last season and did not make his first appearance of the campaign until December 9.

He started all three of Canada’s games at World Cup 2022 in Qatar, scoring in a 4-1 defeat by Croatia, and will now hope to help his country reach the knockout phase for the first time.

England’s stalemate with Ghana has left their potential route through the World Cup knockout phase up in the air.

The Three Lions would have clinched top spot in Group L if they had claimed three points in Boston, but Carlos Queiroz’s side secured a 0-0 draw.

It leaves both teams on four points ahead of their final group fixtures at World Cup 2026, with England top by virtue of having a superior goal difference by one.

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Who do England play if they finish second in their group?

The Three Lions return to action on Saturday when they face already-eliminated Panama in New Jersey at 10pm BST, the same time as Ghana face Croatia in Philadelphia.

England will top the group if they beat Panama, unless they triumph by at least two fewer goals than Ghana - so they would finish second if they won 1-0 and Ghana won 3-0, on account of the African side having a better goal difference.

If Tuchel’s men finish runners-up in Group L, it would radically change their potential route to the final.

In that situation, England’s last-32 game would be at 12am BST (midnight) on Friday, July 3 against the Group K runners-up in Toronto. As things stand, their opponents would be Portugal, who boast several Premier League stars including Bruno Fernandes and Ruben Dias, plus Cristiano Ronaldo, of course.

If they won that, the Three Lions would play their last-16 fixture at 8pm BST on Monday, July 6 in Dallas, where they beat Croatia 4-2 in their opening match. That game would be against the Group H winners or the Group J runners-up, which are currently Spain - who beat England in the Euro 2024 final - and Austria respectively.

That route to the final already looks tricky, but if Tuchel’s side reach the quarter-finals they would head to Los Angeles for an 8pm BST kick-off on Friday, July 10.

On paper, their last-eight fixture could look relatively kind, with the winners of groups D and G among their potential opponents. Co-hosts United States have already secured top spot in Group D, while Egypt lead Group G and will finish first if they beat Iran in their final group game.

At the risk of getting too far ahead of ourselves, England’s semi-final would then be back in Dallas on Tuesday, July 14 - if they top the group and reach the last four, it would be in Atlanta on Wednesday 15. There are plenty of permutations, but France, Germany and the Netherlands are all potential opponents in that one as things stand.

Of course, the final is guaranteed to kick-off at 8pm BST on Sunday, July 19 in New Jersey whatever happens - and if the Three Lions get that far for the first time since 1966, they will believe they can beat whoever they face.

With all of England’s knockout games taking place on different days depending on whether they win the group or finish second, Three Lions fans in North America may well decide not to finalise their travel plans until Saturday’s match is out of the way.

Weather delays could give FIFA a headache in the final round of World Cup group games.

The last two matches in each group will take place between Wednesday evening and the early hours of Sunday morning BST, with dozens of teams’ fate still to be decided.

FIFA protocols state that the final round of games in each World Cup group must kick-off simultaneously to avoid any country knowing in advance what they need to qualify, but that doesn’t mean they are guaranteed to end at the same time.

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Does FIFA have a plan if final group games are delayed by weather?

The last set of World Cup group games have kicked off at the same time since the 1986 tournament in Mexico, as a result of the infamous ‘Disgrace of Gijon’ in Spain four years earlier.

In that game, West Germany beat Austria 1-0 - a result that secured qualification for both teams at the expense of Algeria, who had already played their final group fixture, and involved neither team making any effort to score once the Germans had taken a 10th-minute lead.

FIFA have attempted to prevent that from happening ever since, with Article 12.4 of the official World Cup 2026 regulations stating that “the last two matches in each group shall have simultaneous kick-off times on the same day, unless stipulated otherwise by FIFA (e.g. in cases of force majeure).”

However, The Times reports that FIFA does not have a plan in place if any matches in the final round of group fixtures are delayed by weather, which could give certain teams an advantage.

On Monday night, France’s 3-0 win over Iraq in Philadelphia was hit by heavy rain and subject to a two-hour delay at half-time, because the Group I clash could not be safely restarted until the threat of thunderstorms had cleared.

But if the same thing happened in the final round of games, the other fixture in that group would not be paused to ensure both finished at the same time - meaning that the teams involved in the delayed match would know what they needed to do to qualify.

Meanwhile, if a game was abandoned due to bad weather, World Cup regulations state that it would restart on a future date from the minute that the match paused - allowing the two teams to tweak their game plans accordingly.

The unusual situation could impact England and Scotland, who are both looking to secure qualification for the knockout phase in their final group game.

The Three Lions’ Group L clash with Panama in New Jersey kicks-off at 10pm BST on Saturday, the same time as Croatia’s match against Ghana in Philadelphia, with Thomas Tuchel’s men above the African side only on goal difference at the top of Group L.

Meanwhile, Scotland face Brazil in Miami at 11pm BST tonight and are third in Group C, one point behind second-placed Morocco, who face Haiti in Atlanta.

World Cup Group C wraps up on Wednesday evening, as Morocco take on Haiti and Brazil face off against Scotland.

The biggest storyline in this final pair of matches is whether Scotland will be able to qualify for the World Cup knockout stages for the first time in their nation's history.

The stakes may not be quite so high in the evening's other match, but there will be plenty to play for.

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Morocco vs Haiti odds from BOYLE SPORTS

• Morocco WIN - 2/11
• Draw - 11/2
• Haiti WIN - 14/1

Morocco vs Haiti prediction

Whatever happens on Wednesday night, it will be the end of Haiti's second-ever World Cup campaign, as their defeat to Brazil on Friday night meant they cannot qualify for the knockout campaign.

But the minnows will want to sign off in style and at least score their first goal of the World Cup campaign when the two sides face off at Atlanta Stadium in the match which kicks off at 5pm local time (11pm UK time).

As with several of the final set of group games, permutations are likely to dictate how the two sides approach this game.

Morocco know that in order to top Group C and set up a tie against the Group F runners-up in the last-32 (currently Japan) they must either better Brazil's result against Scotland, or if both teams win, overhaul a goal difference which currently sits at two goals behind the South Americans. Total goals would be the next tiebreaker.

Any win or draw seals a top-two spot, while the Atlas Lions would still finish second with a loss, plus a Brazil victory against Scotland.

Ismael Saibari has netted both of Morocco's goals at the World Cup so far and the PSV Eindhoven man is again likely to be the key player.

Given that Morocco will want to win the group, they will know that goal difference could well come into play, so expect the likes of Brahim Diaz and Bilal El Khannouss will look to dominate and get the supply lines to Saibari flowing.

Morocco dominated Scotland on Friday night, but were unable to convert this superiority into a glut of goals and are again likely to find a resolute low block in Atlanta.

Haiti will be playing for pride and will hope that a front-footed Morocco approach will leave gaps for them to score that elusive goal that has so far escaped them in this summer's tournament.

But even if that is the case, the North Africans should have more than enough to register a comfortable victory.

Score prediction: Morocco 3-1 Haiti

How to watch Jordan vs Algeria

You can watch Morocco vs Haiti in Group C of World Cup 2026 for free.

The match will be broadcast live on BBC Two in the UK, Fox Sports in the United States and SBS in Australia.

What's your Morocco vs Haiti prediction? Let us know below...

Bosnia and Herzegovina and Qatar face a battle to stay in the World Cup when they go head-to-head in the final round of group fixtures.

Neither side has won a match so far, with Bosnia and Herzegovina drawing with Canada and losing to Switzerland.

Qatar, meanwhile, managed to draw with Switzerland before they were thumped 6-0 by co-hosts Canada.

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Bosnia vs Qatar odds from BOYLE SPORTS

• Bosnia and Herzegovina WIN - 2/5
• Draw - 7/2
• Qatar WIN - 11/2

Bosnia and Herzegovina vs Qatar predictions

Both Bosnia and Herzegovina and Qatar have a chance of making the round of 32 teams with a win in their final game.

However, they will both need to be much better than they were in their last outings, with Bosnia and Herzegovina beaten 4-1 by Switzerland and Qatar thumped 6-0 by Canada.

Each of them have a point, so a win would put them in with a decent shout of going through as one of the eight best third-place teams on four points.

The bookies are clearly favouring Bosnia and Herzegovina for this one, with Qatar big underdogs, and it's hard to see this match going any other way.

Qatar were a little fortunate to get their point against Switzerland and completely collapsed against Canada, so the likelihood is Bosnia and Herzegovina get the win they need to reach the next stage of the tournament.

Score prediction: Bosnia and Herzegovina 2-0 Qatar

How to watch Bosnia and Herzegovina vs Qatar

You can watch Bosnia and Herzegovina vs Qatar in Group B of World Cup 2026 for free. All the information you need is in our how to watch guide.

The match will be broadcast live on ITV in the UK, FOX in the United States and SBS in Australia.

What's your Switzerland vs Bosnia and Herzegovina prediction? Let us know below...

We hate to be the bearer of bad news…

It remains a possibility that England could well be set with a rematch against Cristiano Ronaldo, 20 years after the Manchester United showpony made himself Public Enemy No.1 in the country he was playing his football in, with that wink.

Surely enough time has passed for you to feel a little less bitter about the Three Lions' exit from the World Cup in 2006 – so can you tell us the 11 players who started that clash against the Portuguese?

Handpicked football quizzes we know you'll love

While remembering the iconic trophy lifts and famous tournament matches is great for a casual chat, a true mastermind knows how to dig beneath the surface of the global game. To see if your tactical stamina can keep pace with the unfolding drama of World Cup 2026 across North America, we've got a few more quizzes for you – courtesy of Kwizly.

We’re starting with a sharp look at the elite talent that missed out on the flight to Canada, Mexico, and the United States, challenging you to identify the most valuable players who didn't make it to World Cup 2026. Once you've audited the high-profile absentees, pivot to the clinical marksmen who absolutely seized their moment on the grandest stage of all by trying to name every World Cup hat-trick scorer since 1998. It is a ruthless trial of penalty-box perfection that separates casual summer fans from deep-cut archival experts.

If your scouting network excels at tracking veteran leadership or the deep-cut folklore of international history, we have an incredible double-header waiting for you in the tunnel. You can filter the current tournament rosters for ultimate longevity by trying to name every player at World Cup 2026 with over 100 caps, celebrating the evergreen leaders who bring invaluable experience to the big stage this month. Following that, throw yourself directly into the crossfire of our Ultimate World Cup Quiz to check your memory on nearly a century of iconic goals, shock losses, and unforgettable tournament controversies.

To lower your pulse after navigating that mountain of international history, find a quiet spot in the dugout to tackle FourFourTwo's Weekend Crossword 58, featuring clues on winners, losers and legends, featuring a brilliantly cryptic mix of footballing folklore. To ensure you stay one step ahead of the action as the group stage drama intensifies, make sure to subscribe to our newsletter for your daily afternoon briefing of hand-picked trivia. To completely cement your legacy this summer, join The Club, our free membership hub that serves as your digital dugout, where you can unlock secret hints for the toughest quizzes, climb our global leaderboards, and engage in tactical debates in the comments section as the matches play out.

Hey, Scotland fans!

It's the big day for the Tartan Army, as Scotland look to avenge a defeat from 28 years ago and break a long-standing cycle: this is a weaker Brazil team than we're all used to, and surely, there's no reason they can't shock the world, right?

Right! So let's get started exorcising those demons by going through the Scots who faced the Selecao back in France '98: 11 players to name and all the time in the world to do so.

Handpicked football quizzes we know you'll love

While remembering the iconic trophy lifts and famous tournament matches is great for a casual chat, a true mastermind knows how to dig beneath the surface of the global game. To see if your tactical stamina can keep pace with the unfolding drama of World Cup 2026 across North America, we've got a few more quizzes for you – courtesy of Kwizly.

We’re starting with a sharp look at the elite talent that missed out on the flight to Canada, Mexico, and the United States, challenging you to identify the most valuable players who didn't make it to World Cup 2026. Once you've audited the high-profile absentees, pivot to the clinical marksmen who absolutely seized their moment on the grandest stage of all by trying to name every World Cup hat-trick scorer since 1998. It is a ruthless trial of penalty-box perfection that separates casual summer fans from deep-cut archival experts.

If your scouting network excels at tracking veteran leadership or the deep-cut folklore of international history, we have an incredible double-header waiting for you in the tunnel. You can filter the current tournament rosters for ultimate longevity by trying to name every player at World Cup 2026 with over 100 caps, celebrating the evergreen leaders who bring invaluable experience to the big stage this month. Following that, throw yourself directly into the crossfire of our Ultimate World Cup Quiz to check your memory on nearly a century of iconic goals, shock losses, and unforgettable tournament controversies.

To lower your pulse after navigating that mountain of international history, find a quiet spot in the dugout to tackle FourFourTwo's Weekend Crossword 58, featuring clues on winners, losers and legends, featuring a brilliantly cryptic mix of footballing folklore. To ensure you stay one step ahead of the action as the group stage drama intensifies, make sure to subscribe to our newsletter for your daily afternoon briefing of hand-picked trivia. To completely cement your legacy this summer, join The Club, our free membership hub that serves as your digital dugout, where you can unlock secret hints for the toughest quizzes, climb our global leaderboards, and engage in tactical debates in the comments section as the matches play out.

England vs Ghana, despite its seemingly boring 0-0 scoreline, was full of drama from its first minute.

Would it be a major international tournament without England playing like part-time plumbers, part-time footballers?

The answer to that question often appears to be a resounding yes, but England escaped an even darker fate yesterday vs Ghana with a late Ezri Konsa challenge not resulting in a penalty, despite being nailed on, according to referee Christina Unkel.

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England avoided clear penalty vs Ghana due to 2026 World Cup 'directive', says referee Christina Unkel

The referee began her discussion on CBS Sports Golazo with an acknowledgment of a certain 2026 World Cup "directive."

Unkel described this as being a form of guidance to the referees, so that penalties are avoided if there's even "slight doubt" over the challenge in question.

"There's a bunch of consistent contacts not being given," claimed the referee.

"You can then see that the threshold for VAR is: 'Do not give them unless it is so significant, and so clear, that everyone would think you're crazy.'

"The France-Senegal penalty... there's this sense that if there's any kind of slight doubt... it feels like the direction is, it's got to be 110% before you send it down here," she continued.

Unkel described the Konsa challenge as falling into that pattern, despite being, in her view, a penalty.

"I would have rather seen a penalty here. But they want it to be 110%, not something that allows for a clip-debate-analysis," said the referee.

Konsa made a clattering challenge in the tail-end of England's face-off vs Ghana, as Prince Kwabena Adu drove in on goal.

The resulting sequence was calamitous, and hilarious, with the Ghana attacker going to ground from the seemingly mistimed challenge, before Antoine Semenyo blocked a following shot from Prince on England's goal-line.

Still, it appears that referees are beginning to confirm a pattern that many would have initially labelled conspiracy, with England being beneficiaries of exceedingly harsh officiating.

If you’re going to wait eight matches to claim your first win at the World Cup, you may as well do it in style.

Canada did exactly that against Qatar in their second Group B game, as the co-hosts thrashed Julen Lopetegui’s side 6-0 in Vancouver.

The only sour note was the serious leg break suffered by midfielder Ismael Kone, which understandably took the shine off their historic win - but Jesse Marsch’s side must refocus quickly as they return to BC Place to face Switzerland in their toughest test yet.

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Switzerland vs Canada odds from BOYLE SPORTS

• Switzerland WIN - 11/8
• Draw - 2/1
• Canada WIN - 2/1

Switzerland vs Canada prediction

Having claimed their first World Cup point against Bosnia and Herzegovina in the opening game, then their first World Cup win last time out, Canada now have another chance to make history.

While they are likely to qualify for the last 32 even if they lose to Switzerland (kick-off 8pm BST), thanks to their tally of four points and goal difference of +6, Les Rouges still haven’t officially sealed their place in the knockout stage for the first time.

And while they are all-but guaranteed to progress further at the World Cup than ever before, they will still be desperate to beat the Swiss and finish top of Group B.

That is because Canada will only continue to play their games on home turf if they win their group, whereas if they finish second, they will have to travel south to the USA for their knockout matches.

Marsch and his players will no doubt be aware of that, so you can expect the same positive, front-footed performance that they showed against Bosnia and Qatar here - with the potential addition of captain Alphonso Davies, who is nearing his return from injury.

If fit, the Bayern Munich star's big-game experience could be crucial against Switzerland, whose 4-1 win over Bosnia last time out was one of the most unlikely thrashings of the tournament.

Having drawn with Qatar in their opening game, Murat Yakin’s side looked destined to be heading for a stalemate in Los Angeles - until substitutes Johan Manzambi and Ruben Vargas changed the game in the final quarter, with three goals and an assist between them.

The duo will surely be in line to start against Canada as manager Yakin looks to combine the flair of his supersubs with the experience of Granit Xhaka and Ricardo Rodriguez to produce a performance for a full 90 minutes, rather than 20.

Switzerland have lost just two of their past 18 group-stage matches at major tournaments and reached the quarter-finals of Euro 2024, so they will be tough to beat.

Canada’s superior goal difference means a draw will be enough to top the group, but Marsch will want to do it in style.

Score prediction: Switzerland 1-1 Canada

You can watch Switzerland vs Canada in Group B of World Cup 2026 for free.

The match will be broadcast live on ITV in the UK, Fox in the United States and SBS in Australia.

What's your Switzerland vs Canada prediction? Let us know below...

Time for a quiz…

This one's a little different: we're going to give you 30 players and all we want you to do is tell us how many times they've played for their country.

Well… sort of. We've sorted them into 10 groups of three players. And you don't have to know exactly how many international appearances each has made – just sort them into first, second and third, from left to right. Easy, right?

Handpicked football quizzes we know you'll love

While remembering the iconic trophy lifts and famous tournament matches is great for a casual chat, a true mastermind knows how to dig beneath the surface of the global game. To see if your tactical stamina can keep pace with the unfolding drama of World Cup 2026 across North America, we've got a few more quizzes for you – courtesy of Kwizly.

We’re starting with a sharp look at the elite talent that missed out on the flight to Canada, Mexico, and the United States, challenging you to identify the most valuable players who didn't make it to World Cup 2026. Once you've audited the high-profile absentees, pivot to the clinical marksmen who absolutely seized their moment on the grandest stage of all by trying to name every World Cup hat-trick scorer since 1998. It is a ruthless trial of penalty-box perfection that separates casual summer fans from deep-cut archival experts.

If your scouting network excels at tracking veteran leadership or the deep-cut folklore of international history, we have an incredible double-header waiting for you in the tunnel. You can filter the current tournament rosters for ultimate longevity by trying to name every player at World Cup 2026 with over 100 caps, celebrating the evergreen leaders who bring invaluable experience to the big stage this month. Following that, throw yourself directly into the crossfire of our Ultimate World Cup Quiz to check your memory on nearly a century of iconic goals, shock losses, and unforgettable tournament controversies.

To lower your pulse after navigating that mountain of international history, find a quiet spot in the dugout to tackle FourFourTwo's Weekend Crossword 58, featuring clues on winners, losers and legends, featuring a brilliantly cryptic mix of footballing folklore. To ensure you stay one step ahead of the action as the group stage drama intensifies, make sure to subscribe to our newsletter for your daily afternoon briefing of hand-picked trivia. To completely cement your legacy this summer, join The Club, our free membership hub that serves as your digital dugout, where you can unlock secret hints for the toughest quizzes, climb our global leaderboards, and engage in tactical debates in the comments section as the matches play out.

What time is it? It's quiz time!

We're currently blessed with a crop of excellent England stars – and given the number of internationals that players play these days, the longevity of your average footballer and the quality of the players currently at our disposal, we wouldn't be surprised to see several of this current Three Lions set-up crack 100 caps.

But today, we're asking you for those halfway there: 16 minutes on the clock to name the 68 players who have made 50 or more appearances for the England men's national team. Go!

Handpicked football quizzes we know you'll love

While remembering the iconic trophy lifts and famous tournament matches is great for a casual chat, a true mastermind knows how to dig beneath the surface of the global game. To see if your tactical stamina can keep pace with the unfolding drama of World Cup 2026 across North America, we've got a few more quizzes for you – courtesy of Kwizly.

We’re starting with a sharp look at the elite talent that missed out on the flight to Canada, Mexico, and the United States, challenging you to identify the most valuable players who didn't make it to World Cup 2026. Once you've audited the high-profile absentees, pivot to the clinical marksmen who absolutely seized their moment on the grandest stage of all by trying to name every World Cup hat-trick scorer since 1998. It is a ruthless trial of penalty-box perfection that separates casual summer fans from deep-cut archival experts.

If your scouting network excels at tracking veteran leadership or the deep-cut folklore of international history, we have an incredible double-header waiting for you in the tunnel. You can filter the current tournament rosters for ultimate longevity by trying to name every player at World Cup 2026 with over 100 caps, celebrating the evergreen leaders who bring invaluable experience to the big stage this month. Following that, throw yourself directly into the crossfire of our Ultimate World Cup Quiz to check your memory on nearly a century of iconic goals, shock losses, and unforgettable tournament controversies.

To lower your pulse after navigating that mountain of international history, find a quiet spot in the dugout to tackle FourFourTwo's Weekend Crossword 58, featuring clues on winners, losers and legends, featuring a brilliantly cryptic mix of footballing folklore. To ensure you stay one step ahead of the action as the group stage drama intensifies, make sure to subscribe to our newsletter for your daily afternoon briefing of hand-picked trivia. To completely cement your legacy this summer, join The Club, our free membership hub that serves as your digital dugout, where you can unlock secret hints for the toughest quizzes, climb our global leaderboards, and engage in tactical debates in the comments section as the matches play out.

Quiz time!

Can you really believe that France '98 was a whole 28 years ago? Time certainly flies: that was the year that Kylian Mbappe was born, that Zizou only did positive things in World Cup finals and when the only Ronaldo around was the Ronaldo.

Happier times, some may say – so to indulge in a fresh dose of nostalgia, we're chucking 20 questions about the summer of 1998 to you – how much do you remember?

Handpicked football quizzes we know you'll love

While remembering the iconic trophy lifts and famous tournament matches is great for a casual chat, a true mastermind knows how to dig beneath the surface of the global game. To see if your tactical stamina can keep pace with the unfolding drama of World Cup 2026 across North America, we've got a few more quizzes for you – courtesy of Kwizly.

We’re starting with a sharp look at the elite talent that missed out on the flight to Canada, Mexico, and the United States, challenging you to identify the most valuable players who didn't make it to World Cup 2026. Once you've audited the high-profile absentees, pivot to the clinical marksmen who absolutely seized their moment on the grandest stage of all by trying to name every World Cup hat-trick scorer since 1998. It is a ruthless trial of penalty-box perfection that separates casual summer fans from deep-cut archival experts.

If your scouting network excels at tracking veteran leadership or the deep-cut folklore of international history, we have an incredible double-header waiting for you in the tunnel. You can filter the current tournament rosters for ultimate longevity by trying to name every player at World Cup 2026 with over 100 caps, celebrating the evergreen leaders who bring invaluable experience to the big stage this month. Following that, throw yourself directly into the crossfire of our Ultimate World Cup Quiz to check your memory on nearly a century of iconic goals, shock losses, and unforgettable tournament controversies.

To lower your pulse after navigating that mountain of international history, find a quiet spot in the dugout to tackle FourFourTwo's Weekend Crossword 58, featuring clues on winners, losers and legends, featuring a brilliantly cryptic mix of footballing folklore. To ensure you stay one step ahead of the action as the group stage drama intensifies, make sure to subscribe to our newsletter for your daily afternoon briefing of hand-picked trivia. To completely cement your legacy this summer, join The Club, our free membership hub that serves as your digital dugout, where you can unlock secret hints for the toughest quizzes, climb our global leaderboards, and engage in tactical debates in the comments section as the matches play out.

Ready for another Quickfire Quiz?

Handpicked football quizzes we know you'll love

Welcome to the ultimate tournament sanctuary: with the global showpiece fully underway, your screens are packed with non-stop action, but we are here to test if your brain can keep up with the frantic pace of the matches: courtesy of Kwizly.

Let’s start with the tactical masterminds currently patrolling the touchlines. We are challenging you to name every manager at World Cup 2026, a test of your up-to-the-minute knowledge of international tacticians, sudden appointments, and seasoned veterans navigating the high-pressure knockout environment. Once you've mapped out the dugouts, shift your focus from the technical areas to the geography books and try to name every capital city of every nation at World Cup 2026.

Next, see if you can name these historic World Cup shirts from a series of classic designs, separating the legendary jerseys from the template kits of the past. To pair with the apparel, we want you to look at the elite executioners of tournament history and name every player with 6+ World Cup goals. This spans decades of international football, tracking down the clinical icons who reliably turned up when the margins between glory and failure were at their absolute thinnest.

For fans of the home nations, we have tailored two specific historic deep dives that will push your memory of past campaigns to its absolute limit. Take on The Ultimate England Quiz to see if you can secure 50 correct answers, covering everything from iconic tournament heartbreaks to obscure squad selections and historic milestones across decades of Three Lions history. If you fancy a Tartan twist instead, try to name every nation Scotland have ever faced at a World Cup: it's a journey through Scotland's famous tournament appearances, forcing you to recall the group-stage adversaries and historic clashes that defined their travels across the globe.

For the true scholars who view standard trivia as a simple warm-up exercise, the real examination begins in the final stretch. Pre-Match Poser no.32 offers a devastatingly complex, elite-level football quiz question explicitly engineered to baffle the most confident pundits and find the fans who possess a truly archival mind. Once you have wrestled with that, grab a metaphorical pen and dive into FourFourTwo's Weekend Crossword 58. Cryptically themed around winners, losers and legends, this intricate grid demands sharp lateral thinking, a deep vocabulary, and an exceptional memory for the game's historic peaks and tragic troughs.

Your hard-earned tournament expertise deserves a permanent home rather than just a fleeting boast, so make sure to log your triumphs over at The Club, our free digital community hub. It is the definitive portal to archive your scores, earn bespoke digital badges for your profile, and see exactly where your footballing IQ sits on our global leaderboard. To ensure your mental conditioning remains at a championship standard throughout the thrilling weeks ahead, subscribe to our weekday newsletter to get a freshly curated dose of high-intensity trivia delivered directly to your inbox every single afternoon, keeping you perfectly prepped for the next kickoff.

England had to settle for a 0-0 draw against Ghana in their second World Cup game, and Harry Kane knows exactly why he was unable to assert himself on the match.

After the victory over Croatia last week, many had expected the Three Lions to deliver much of the same against Ghana, and for Harry Kane to add to his goal tally.

However, a compact and resilient defensive display from Ghana was enough to stifle England, with Kane registering just three touches in the opposition box throughout the game.

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Harry Kane knows why he found it so difficult against Ghana

It was a clear tactical decision from Ghana and their manager, Carlos Queiroz, to get men behind the ball and limit England's attack.

Kane could have changed the outcome of the game, though, but was unable to convert a late chance in the box after a Nico O'Reilly header hit the bar.

Speaking to the press after the game, Kane was asked about that spurned opportunity, and the England captain didn't seem too downbeat about the situation.

He said: "You go through games like that. I was just waiting for an opportunity like that to fall my way. It was the kind of game as a striker where you're just waiting for the ball to bounce, and it did.

"I just couldn't quite get over the ball, but I'd back myself to score that more often than not. It is what it is. I've been a striker long enough to know they don't always go in, so I have to accept it."

Given Kane's past goalscoring exploits at previous World Cups, and his form for Bayern Munich this season, the idea of him missing from inside the box is unthinkable.

Overall, it would be fair to say England vs Ghana was one of the more lacklustre games at the World Cup 2026 so far. But, for Ghana, things went according to plan.

Kane was under no illusions as to why he wasn't able to make a difference in the game, highlighting Ghana's tight marking and defensive shape as the key reasons the match was so devoid of clear-cut chances.

"I was almost man-marked by [Thomas] Partey for a lot of the game. I didn't really have the space to drop deep and then arrive late in the box, and they also defended the box well," Kane added. "We had plenty of crosses, but we just couldn't quite get the first contact. The balls through the middle were tough to play because it was so compact in there."

Kane did see glimpses of hope in the performance, though, and remained positive about the point gained by the Three Lions.

"It was a game where I felt we got better as we went along, and once we started getting the wingers one-on-one, it looked dangerous," he continued. "You're playing in the World Cup against a decent side who are compact and can make it difficult, and that's what we came up against today."

Declan Rice was seen limping away from England's goalless draw with Ghana on Tuesday night.

The Arsenal midfielder completed the full 90 minutes for the Three Lions, but appeared to be hobbling slightly in the closing minutes of the game after Thomas Tuchel had already used all five of his substitutes.

This is the second game in a row that Rice has walked away from somewhat gingerly having done likewise after the 4-2 win over Croatia last week.

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Declan Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation

Tuchel had taken Rice off in the 72nd minute against Croatia, with the manager saying after the game: "Normally I would never take Declan out but I didn’t want to take any risk."

Rice himself meanwhile told ITV: "It's just what I’ve been nursing probably in the second half of the season at Arsenal - little neural pains here and there. But yeah, I’m all good. All fine, just precaution."

That means the same thing happening after the Ghana game could be something or nothing: it would not exactly be unusual for a player who has been managing that kind of injury to be feeling it a bit immediately after a game.

As he indicated, Rice had some undisclosed niggles that looked potentially calf-related throughout the second half the Gunners' title-winning season last term.

But that did not stop him from starting all by three of their Premier League games over the season, one of which was the final game of the campaign with the title already in the bag and the Champions League final ahead.

England are very likely to make it through to the knockout stage unless an absolute nightmare scenario unfolds in the final Group L games on Saturday.

That may afford Tuchel the opportunity to gamble on resting Rice ahead of the round of 32.

England are level on points with Ghana at the top of Group L, and sit in first place on goal difference.

For them to miss out on finishing at least second in the group, England would probably need to lose by at least three goals to already-eliminated Panama, with Croatia only narrowly beating Ghana in the other game.

However, Croatia's 1-0 victory over Panama later on Tuesday means that England are guaranteed to finish at least third in their group, and four points will probably be enough to make sure they would finish as one of the eight best third-placed teams.

DR Congo will face Colombia this evening at 3am British time, and it's Michel Nkuka's time to shine.

The 'living statue' that follows his nation far and wide is out in full force, ready to stand his ground until the final whistle is blown.

But who is Michel Nkuka? What is his story, and why did he decide to become the living statue?

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Who is DR Congo's 'living statue' Michel Nkuka?

Michel Nkuka, known for his living statue routine, is a supporter and native of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Nkuku first appeared to showcase his routine in 2013, standing still amongst the crowd, and has done so ever since.

Often, Nkuka stands on a platform in the crowd, elevated above his fellow fans, and remains entirely motionless.

He typically wears a suit or outfit that is colour-coded to match the Democratic Republic of Congo's flag.

In interviews given to interested media, Nkuka has stated that his act is in tribute to Patrice Lumumba.

Lumumba served as the first Prime Minister of the First Congolese Republic, and had a statue erected in 2002 in Kinshasha.

The politician was assassinated in 1961, after serving as the leader of the Congolese National Movement for the three preceding years.

The living statue gained notoriety during 2025's Africa Cup of Nations tournament, as DR Congo made it to the Round of 16.

Hilariously, or tragically, Nkuka fell in a similar fashion to when Woody hears Andy's footsteps in Toy Story, as Algeria scored a 119th-minute winner.

The DR Congo faithful will hope for a better showing this evening, but one thing is guaranteed — as long as there is hope, the living statue will remain standing.

The BBC commentators, pundits and presenters for Colombia vs DR Congo, being broadcast tonight at 3am BST, have been revealed.

Colombia vs DR Congo might not seem like the greatest game on paper, however, recent fixtures and patterns tell us otherwise.

From nearly every late-night British time match being of seemingly high quality, to DR Congo's giant-slaying opener performance vs Portugal, fans should perhaps be more excited for this one.

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ITV's complete list of pundits, commentators and presenters for Colombia vs DR Congo, in Group K at the 2026 World Cup

On commentary, Seb Hutchinson will serve as the main voice for the event, as one of ITV's staple presences this tournament.

Assuming co-commentary duties is Andros Townsend, the ex-Crystal Palace man who has gone viral recently for his raw beef-eating habits.

As it stands, Colombia vs DR Congo is likely to be absent of a pundit and presenter line-up.

This falls in line with the decision to broadcast Sunday morning's face-off between Ecuador and Curacao without one.

Without confirmation, this is subject to change, however, football fans can brace for a night of dogfight football without a studio presence being experienced in-between.

After Portugal's big win over Uzbekistan, Colombia know they need a win against DR Congo to return to the top of Group K.

Colombia impressed in their opening game with a 3-1 win over Uzbekistan, but will face a sterner test against African outfit DR Congo.

The game is scheduled to kick off at 3 a.m. BST at Guadalajara Stadium, but who will be the referee and who is supporting him on the sidelines and in VAR?

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Referee for Colombia vs DR Congo

Maurizio Mariani will be the referee for the Colombia vs DR Congo clash in Group K.

The Italian official has already overseen one game during World Cup 2026: a 1-1 draw between Saudi Arabia and Uruguay. Interestingly, there was only one yellow card shown during that match.

Mariani works in Serie A predominantly. He was given FIFA international status in 2019 and was promoted to the UEFA Elite category in 2024.

Over the past 12 months, Mariani has officiated 32 games across all competitions. He shows an average of 3.34 yellow cards per game, which is relatively standard, but he is clearly reluctant to brandish a red, with just two shown in the last year.

He is usually a little more trigger-happy with his cards, though. Over his whole career, Mariani averages at 4.25 yellows and 0.25 red cards per game.

Mariani was the man in the middle for the UEFA Europa Conference League final this summer, where Crystal Palace beat Rayo Vallecano.

Alongside Mariani at Guadalajara Stadium will be compatriots Daniele Bindoni and Alberto Tegoni as assistants. Juan Calderon of Costa Rica is the fourth official. Juan Mora is on reserve in case he's called into action on-field.

Have you enjoyed the second lot of group fixtures?

Well, get ready to kiss them goodbye as we finish off in Group K with Colombia taking on DR Congo.

The game is set to kick off at Estadio Akron in Zapopan, Mexico at 8pm local time (3am UK time) with progress to the next round still there for the taking for either side.

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Colombia look to progress to knockout stage as DR Congo aim to build on Portugal point

DR Congo picked up a more than useful and deserved point against Portugal in their opening game, with Newcastle United's Yoan Wissa scoring deep into first-half stoppage time to cancel out Joao Neves' early opener.

Colombia meanwhile took the full three points against Uzbekistan last time out, with Daniel Munoz, Luis Diaz and Jaminton Campaz all getting on the scoresheet in a 3-1 win.

Colombia could now make sure of their place in the next round of the competition with a victory in this game following Portugal's five-goal victory over Uzbekistan earlier in the day.

Nestor Lorenzo's side are the favourites to do exactly that after dominating the action against the Uzbeks.

It doesn't hurt them at all that Bayern Munich forward Diaz has come into the tournament hot on the heels of an excellent season in which he claimed 26 goals and 19 assists.

But DR Congo showed against Cristiano Ronaldo and co that they are determined to make their presence felt in their first World Cup since competing as Zaire in 1974.

Wissa put his frustrating campaign behind him by scoring his country's first-ever goal on this stage, while goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi (not to be misread in haste) will have been pleased not to have had a singly save to make after Portugal's fifth-minute opener.

We're not expecting this one to be an easy game for Colombia by any means, then.

But they should have enough quality across the park to get the job done in the end - even if they get a scare or two along the way.

• Score prediction: Colombia 2-1 DR Congo

Who exactly is going on the FIFA website to vote for the man of the match at this World Cup, and what game were they watching during England's goalless draw with Ghana?

Jude Bellingham was, bizarrely, awarded the competition's official man of the match award despite registering just one shot and one key pass before being subbed off in the 72nd minute, to be replaced by Morgan Rogers.

Even the Real Madrid star was caught off-guard by the honour, admitting that he wouldn't have given it to himself - or any of his England teammates.

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Speaking to FIFA's in-house media after the game, Bellingham said: "I didn't deserve it, to be honest, it should have gone to one of their lads who defended so well.

"I had a couple of moments. It was hard to get into the game, and I'm grateful for whoever voted, but it should've gone to one of their lads who defended so well, so fair play to them.

"Like always, it's second-game fever, isn't it, with England: win the first one, do well, and draw the second.

"But it's OK. I think they played for a draw as it would have seen them go through and fair play to them, they got a great draw."

Teammate Declan Rice admitted his frustration at the result, telling the BBC: "It's always difficult to play against 11 behind the ball as deep as they were, so you've got to find solutions.

"In the last ten minutes we probably found more than we did all game, and we were unlucky not to score.

"But we stay positive, we keep going, and we've still got a great chance to top the group against Panama."

England started their World Cup campaign with a 4-2 win over Croatia, and will now round out their Group L campaign by taking on Panama.

That game is set to be played at MetLife Stadium just outside New York City on Saturday, with kick-off set for 5pm local time (10pm UK time).

Thomas Tuchel's side would be guaranteed of progressing to the round of 32 with a victory.

Colombia have the chance to seal their place in the last 32 of the World Cup 2026 with a victory over DR Congo. However, it certainly won’t be easy as the Leopards showed in their opening-round draw with a world giant that they are far from simply making up the numbers in Group K. Estadio Akron hosts the key match.

Colombia made the perfect start to the tournament as they secured a deserved 3-1 victory over World Cup debutants Uzbekistan. Bayern Munich forward Luis Diaz was the star of the show, providing a constant threat in wide positions and capping his display with a well-taken goal. The former Liverpool man also laid on another and hit the woodwork.

Cafeteros boss Nestor Lorenzo will want his side to continue playing a high-tempo, attacking brand of football but will understand that DR Congo present a new challenge. Sebastien Desabre's side soaked up pressure extremely well against Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal and proved they can be lethal on the counter-attack, as Yoane Wissa put his Newcastle travails behind him to score his country's first World Cup goal, and win their first point. The 1-1 draw was the least they deserved.

Read on as FourFourTwo brings you all the information you need to watch Colombia vs DR Congo in the FIFA World Cup 2026 online, on TV, and from anywhere.

Watch Colombia vs DR Congo for FREE

Colombia vs DR Congo will be free-to-stream across multiple regions, including ITV in the UK, RTÉ Player in Ireland, SBS On Demand in Australia, CazéTV on YouTube in Brazil, NOS in the Netherlands, RTBF/VRT in Belgium, SRF/RTS/RSI in Switzerland, and TRT in Turkey.

English commentary will be provided on ITV, RTE Player and SBS On Demand.

‼️ Outside one of these countries? Use Norton VPN to unlock your stream from anywhere in the world — more on that below.

Watch Colombia vs DR Congo from anywhere

Away from home this summer and want to watch Colombia vs DR Congo? All you need is a VPN, a handy piece of software that makes your devices appear to be in a different location.

This World Cup, our office friends at TechRadar are recommending Norton VPN:

How to watch Colombia vs DR Congo in the UK

In the UK, you can stream Colombia vs DR Congo on ITV 1. Coverage starts at 2:30am BST, with kick-off at 3:00am BST.

How to watch Colombia vs DR Congo in the US

In the US, you can stream Colombia vs DR Congo on FS1.

This channel is accessible via Fox's own streaming platform Fox One or via a cord-cutting platform such as YouTube TV, Hulu+Live TV, Sling (select markets), Fubo or DirecTV.

How to watch Colombia vs DR Congo in Australia

In Australia, you can watch Colombia vs DR Congo on the free SBS On Demand.

Colombia vs DR Congo: World Cup 2026 Preview

Having lost friendlies to France and Croatia just before the World Cup got underway, there were a few concerns as to how Colombia would fare in North America. Any doubts were cast aside thanks to an impressive performance that featured goals from Daniel Munoz, Diaz and Jaminton Campaz against the Uzbeks.

Los Cafeteros looked scintillating in attack and could have easily scored more than three, with Diaz hitting the woodwork in the early going. Captain James Rodriguez also provided a constant threat wide on the right, while Jefferson Lerma helped control the midfield.

The only slight concern for Lorenzo will be that Uzbekistan were able to carve out plenty of opportunities. His side looked particularly vulnerable from balls into the box, with goalkeeper Camilo Vargas looking ill at ease when trying to collect crosses.

DR Congo will hope to take full advantage of any uncertainty at the back as they seek to deliver another upset. Desabre’s men put in an incredible defensive display against Portugal and expertly took their chance when Wissa drew them level on the stroke of half-time.

The Leopards were rarely troubled in the second half, with midfielder Samuel Moutoussamy providing plenty of cover for his hard-working defenders. He’ll be required to deliver another energetic display and will have to help his full-backs deal with the twin Diaz-Rodriguez threat.

The only slight concern will be whether the DR Congo players will be feeling the effects of their efforts in the Texas heat as they can expect to come under plenty of pressure throughout the 90 minutes.

Colombia vs DR Congo: Group K

FourFourTwo's prediction

Colombia 2-1 DR Congo

FourFourTwo expects Colombia to make it back-to-back victories with a deserved win in Zapopan.

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The team that loves to sing about a “Wonderwall” couldn’t break down a yellow wall.

The Boston Stadium DJ eschewed playing England’s celebratory Oasis song. There was nothing to celebrate. They got a point, but that was all they deserved against the well-organised Ghana midfield and defence. England’s high hopes were broken on a low block.

Ghana were so well prepared by Carlos Queiroz. They blocked and intercepted and headed clear, so frustrating England in the first half that Jude Bellingham left a foot in on Jerome Opoku. An angry Queiroz made his displeasure very clear to Bellingham. Queiroz’s players were busy high-fiving as the half closed, scoreless and largely chanceless. Ranked 65^th in the world, Ghana were thwarting the fourth best in the Fifa billing.

England could not break Ghana down in their second Group L match

As against Croatia, England again got off to a nervy start. Tuchel shuffled his back-four to try to bring some more security. He brought Marc Guehi in as the left-sided centre-back. Guehi was promptly beaten in the air by Jordan Ayew. Tuchel partly opted for the greater pace of Djed Spence at left-back against danger man Antoine Semenyo, who promptly started on the other flank. Inaki Williams was up against Spence. Semenyo’s diligent work on the left included tracking back and joining Gideon Mensah in doubling up on Noni Madueke.

England fans grew in exasperation at the team’s travails but were initially unperturbed. They’d gathered in huge number for hours in advance outside the home of the Patriots, paying up to $200 for parking, singing about drinking all the local beer, as if the Tartan Army had left any.

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They chanted about Thomas Partey, about the 'World In Motion', the years of hurt and their determination to reach the final.

The game provided little evidence or hope of living with elite teams like France, Argentina or Spain. England lacked some magic, someone to provide the imagination or technical finesse to open up Ghana. Only Bellingham looked to have the class and the edge.

There were moments of promise until the hydration break killed off any semblance of momentum. Reece James had a promising run, Declan Rice put a free-kick over, James hit a long switch to Anthony Gordon, but it was largely uninspiring and unthreatening.

With temperatures hardly nudging above 20C, and drizzle in the air, Fifa’s deeply unpopular hydration break – commercial break – arrived to widespread derision.

The frustration was exacerbated as the game had just been stopped for James and Ayew to be assessed for concussion and patched up. Tuchel did take the opportunity of the subsequent hydration break to urge England to play it “short, short” and then “switch” and flood forward, trying to beat the block.

Madueke did finally break free, lifting in a cross that Rice headed over. Harry Kane wriggled his way down the inside-right channel but a yellow blanket was thrown across him. Jonas Adjetey and Opuku were immense, clearing danger whether airborne or on the ground. England simply lacked a game-changer. Queiroz outthought Tuchel.

Anthony Barry, Tuchel’s assistant, spoke at the break of the need for “patience”. Tuchel stayed patient with his starting XI before finally sending on Bukayo Saka for the subdued Gordon and Nico O’Reilly for Spence. Ghana remained a threat on the counter and Bellingham did well to dispossess the flying Semenyo.

The lively Marvin Seneya had a shot blocked but worse almost befell England just before the second hydration break. Jordan Pickford raced out of his area, attempting to beat Prince Adu to the through ball. In a blur of limbs, the pair fell to earth. It looked a free-kick to Ghana and a yellow card for Pickford. But the Honduran referee, Said Martinez, erred on England’s side – to some surprise amongst neutrals and considerable anger amongst Ghanaians.

The unnecessary extra break drew more boos.

Tuchel changed again, sending on Eberechi Eze and Morgan Rogers for Elliot Anderson and Bellingham. Ghana were looking more of a threat on the counter. With 13 minutes remaining, Prince fell under a heavy challenge from Ezri Konsa, who was incredibly fortunate to escape without conceding a penalty and collecting a card. Konsa leapt in and his right boot cut across the Ghanaian's knee.

Marcus Rashford finally came on as the clock ticked down and England desperately fought for the win. Saka cut in from the right and his low, left-footed shot was parried by Benjamin Asare. O’Reilly’s header hit the bar, Kane fired over, but Ghana’s defenders deserved their point. England have work to do, and cannot now rest and rotate against Panama on Saturday.

England's goalless draw with Ghana at the 2026 World Cup does not even come close to sitting among their worst results at the competition.

The Three Lions have a long history of being over-confident, under-powered and underwhelming at the World Cup, with group stage games against the low seeds acting as a thorn in their side since they first set foot in the competition 76 years ago.

Let's relive some of them…

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USA 1-0 England (1950)

Still the leader in the clubhouse after all these years, at least when it comes to World Cups.

England were at the tournament for the very first time having previous seen the whole thing as beneath them, and got off to a winning start with a 2-0 victory over Chile.

The United States had appeared twice before, they were ultimately a team of part-timers who were expected just to make up the numbers in Brazil. To their credit, though, they led Spain for much of the game in their opener before conceding three goals in the final ten minutes.

Even still, nobody expected this. Joe Gaetjens gave the US the lead late on in the first half, and an England side packed with stars like Billy Wright, Tom Finney and Stan Mortensen failed to find a response for Walter Winterbottom's side. England subsequently lost to Spain and went out at the first hurdle.

Bulgaria 0-0 England (1962)

Just four years before their famous World Cup triumph, England made hard work of getting out of their group at the 1962 World Cup.

Hungary beat the Three Lions 2-1 in their opener in Chile, which was bad enough. But at least the Hungarians were a big name in those days, even if their golden generation was a decade or so behind them; they were one of the four teams to make it Euro 1964 after a 29-team qualification campaign.

No such claim can be made for Bulgaria, who were appearing at a major tournament for the first time and had just been pumped 6-1 by Hungary in the previous game, while England claimed a 3-1 win over Argentina.

Yes, England knew going in that a draw against Bulgaria would get them out of the group on goal average.

But with Bobby Charlton and Jimmy Greaves among the forwards, they still would have expected better than a bore draw that has been described as 'one of the worst internationals ever seen' and 'without question the most boring, sterile match England had ever contested'.

Morocco 0-0 England (1986)

The 1986 World Cup was not a vintage affair for England.

Bobby Robson's side lost 1-0 to a Portugal side making their first appearance at the tournament since 1966, but who had reached the Euros semi-finals two years prior. Not ideal by any means, but England could just about live with it.

But the next group game, against a Morocco side with just one previous World Cup appearance to their name, was an absolute nightmare in the sweltering Mexican heat.

First, star man and captain Bryan Robson went off with a recurring shoulder injury that ruled him out of the rest of the summer. Then, Ray Wilkins was sent off for chucking the ball at the referee in a fury. By the time the final whistle came, England were just glad to get out of Monterrey with a clean sheet and a point.

Slightly ridiculously, England managed to make it out of the group regardless after beating Poland 3-0 in their third and final group game, They of course went on to come undone at the hands and feet of Diego Maradona in the quarter-finals.

Romania 2-1 England (1998)

This is a marginal one, to be completely fair, because Romania had some wonderful players in the 1990s and had reached the quarter-finals of the World Cup four years earlier. It wasn't a shock that they were quite good.

On the other hand: Romania had also lost all three of their games at Euro 96 two years earlier, and England would have been expecting to top Group G out in France.

But their hopes were effectively killed off by this defeat, which came courtesy of Chelsea man Dan Petrescu's 90th minute winner.

The silver lining for England was the emergence of an 18-year-old Michael Owen, we was brilliant from the bench and became the first teenager ever to score for England at a major tournament.

That slip-up ultimately meant England finished second in the group and ended up playing Argentina in the round of 16...and we all know what happened there.

USA 1-1 England and Algeria 0-0 England (2010)

South Africa marked the true beginning of the 'England are always rubbish in the groups' trope that has plagued almost every one of their major tournament appearances ever since.

Everything looked rosy for Fabio Capello's men when Steven Gerrard fired them ahead against the USA after just four minutes - only for surprise goalkeeper selection Rob Green to have an absolute stinker when trying to keep out the most routine of long-range strikes from Clint Dempsey.

After missing a fleet of chances to go back ahead, England rolled on to their next opponents, Algeria, who had been AFCON semi-finalists earlier that year but would surely be no match for England's golden generation.

This was the Wayne Rooney 'nice to see your own fans booing you' game, though. A bizarrely nervy England were absolutely hopeless, and never really threatened the Algerian goal throughout the 90 minutes.

A 1-0 win over Slovenia in a similar uninspired performance secured second place in the group, which one again had disastrous implications for England: instead of getting a more inviting round of encounter with Ghana, they were hammered 4-1 by Germany.

Costa Rica 0-0 England (2014)

The 2014 World Cup in Brazil was absolutely rancid for Roy Hodgson's England.

Back-to-back 2-1 defeats to Italy and Uruguay meant England were already eliminated from the competition before they even kicked off against Costa Rica, who had already claimed the scalps of both Uruguay and Italy to go top of the group.

That meant a draw would put the Central American side through as group leaders, while England had nothing to play for except pride.

Well, at least one of the teams achieved their objective.

England finished bottom of the group after another flat performance ended in goalless draw - their worst showing at a World Cup since 1958.

Croatia vs Panama will kick off at 12:00am British time this evening, with the game being played at Toronto Stadium.

The Luka Modric-led national side will look to capitalise on Group L's wide open state of affairs, after a hideous England display vs Ghana.

Croatia aim to bounce back after their loss vs the Three Lions last week, while Panama search for a World Cup win - but who is the referee?

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Who is the referee for Croatia vs Panama?

As it stands, Croatia and Panama are both on 0 points in Group L after losses to England and Ghana respectively, who played to a 0-0 stalemate tonight.

For tonight's game, Gabonese referee Pierre Atcho will serve as referee, with all to play for in Group L.

Atcho will be joined by fellow countrymen Boris Ditsoga and Amos Abeigne Ndong as his assistant referees.

Egypt's Amin Mohamed is the fourth official, and Australia's Jarred Gillett will assume VAR responsibilites.

Atcho has past experience on the biggest of international stages, particularly on the African continent.

The Gabonese referee has overseen multiple Africa Cup of Nations face-offs, including the Senegal vs Egypt semi-final in the 2026 tournament, which ended 1-0 to the former.

At that competition, Atcho has averaged over 4.5 bookings per game, and a penalty or red card every 2.5 games.

The 33-year-old also served as referee for Egypt's 3-1 victory over Benin in the same tournament, delivering a strong officiating performance in a clash that exceeded 90 minutes.

At the 2026 World Cup, Atcho also refereed Norway vs Iraq, which ended 4-1 to the former with an Erling Haaland brace.

Panama lost 1-0 to Ghana in their opening Group L match, and Croatia fell 4-2 to England in a revenge clash from their 2018 semi-final.

England vs Ghana promised exactly what the Three Lions' faithful might have expected: complete and utter regression.

Too many times have England proven they have the capacity to play high-quality football at major international tournaments, before suddenly losing the plot entirely just a game later.

But was a draw against Ghana, after an abysmal performance during which England managed a measly three shots on target, enough to secure knockout football for the Three Lions?

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Are England through to the 2026 World Cup knockouts after draw vs Ghana?

The most honest of Three Lions fans, or perhaps the most angry, will confess that a draw was perhaps flattering tonight.

In fact, prior to Harry Kane's mystifying miss on the verge of stoppage time, it was Carlos Queiroz's side who came closest to breaking the deadlock.

Unfortunately for England, although, entirely deserved, they did not secure knockout football with this evening's draw.

That also extends to the remainder of the day, with Croatia taking on Panama at midnight British time.

No result in that game could possibly have the kind of positive effects that England were hoping tonight to create for themselves.

Win, lose or draw for either of the other two Group L sides tonight, England are still not guaranteed to progress to the knockouts.

However, England can still claim top spot with a win against Panama, provided that Ghana don't upset Croatia in the group's final game.

In the event that both Ghana and England win their respective face-offs, the top spot would be decided by a newly-introduced set of criteria.

What will sting for England, however, is that, using that set of criteria, a win vs Ghana would likely have been enough to secure the top position and have mathematically sealed progression.

For now, England will hit the training ground, with knockout football still to play for in their deciding Group L clash vs Panama.

Croatia and Panama are both looking to bounce back from losses in their first games.

Croatia were beaten 4-2 by England in the first game, while Panama were suckerpunched by Ghana – so with third-place slots getting into the next round, both sides will know a win might just go a long way to getting them into the knockouts.

Which one will this one go?

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Croatia vs Panama odds from BOYLE SPORTS

• Croatia WIN - 2/5
• Draw - 10/3
• Panama WIN - 6/1

Croatia vs Panama prediction

Let's make no mistake about it: Panama are vastly improved from their first World Cup eight years ago and won't be pushovers.

They put in a resilient performance against the Ghanaians, and with Croatia likely having to rely on transitional moments against the English, they might have to rethink how they approach a totally different game.

The midfield battle is one that we can probably see coming, however: expect Modric, now in his 40s, to control proceedings, with Croatia looking for openings and Panama looking to break.

As the Kockasti showed in Matchday 1, they do have quality in attacking areas, with ingenuity to find space: it would be a shock if they don't win this one.

Panama may have to do their very best impression of Ghana earlier on tonight in order to hang on for a draw against one of the stronger teams in this competition – but just as in their first match, we predict that they won't be able to hang on forever.

Score prediction: Croatia 2-0 Panama

How to watch Croatia vs Panama

You can watch Croatia vs Panama in Group L of World Cup 2026 for free.

The match will be broadcast live on BBC One in the UK, FOX in the United States and SBS in Australia.

What's your England vs Ghana prediction? Let us know below...

Jordan Pickford and England endured an abysmal opening 70 minutes against Ghana in their Group L clash at the 2026 World Cup.

As ever, the Three Lions have delivered a truly shocking performance in the aftermath of playing high-quality football; and that's how the England faithful will know an international tournament is here.

Up against a deep defensive block masterminded by Carlos Queiroz, Ghana appeared to be in on goal shortly prior to the second half's hydration break, causing a classic Pickford blunder.

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Should Jordan Pickford have been sent off vs Ghana?

After a first half which saw England fail to get a single shot out of six on target, their opposition threatened to break the deadlock in the second.

Ghana forward Prince Kwabena Adu was slipped in on goal, leading to a collision with England's man between the sticks, Pickford.

Despite the Ghana attacker failing to get the ball, neither did Pickford, clattering into his man on the edge of the area.

Queiroz went mad, as did the Ghana faithful, but, perhaps shockingly, the referee gave the call in England's favour.

While Pickford probably shouldn't have been sent off for the incident, if red cards were given for sheer clownery, he would be gone.

The Everton shot-stopper seemingly pulled out of a challenge, but used his body to obstruct the onrushing forward.

As a result, the opportunity for Ghana was entirely squandered, however, if Prince had gotten the ball, it would be a different story.

Still, the question being posed as such a large talking point is a damning indictment on England's pitfiul performance.

The event would never have occurred, or caused such controversy, had the Three Lions done their job in the preceding minutes.

Shortly before the 80th, inexperience on the world stage prevented Ghana from taking the lead, after a one-on-one was fluffed through heavy touches and a hilarious Antoine Semenyo clearance.

England vs Ghana was very different to the Croatia game, wasn't it?

A drab defensive wall kept the Three Lions at bay in Foxborough, with Thomas Tuchel's men creating very little of note in 90 minutes.

So…. did anyone come out of this one looking like a hero?

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Jordan Pickford: 6

Virtually nothing to do in the first half except spray balls forward: we expected that though, right? Incredibly lucky to see a foul given his way after a collision with Prince Adu just before the drinks break (that could well have gone the other way).

Reece James: 6

Dictated play in the first half of the game with pinpoint precision, showing why Thomas Tuchel really doesn't need Trent Alexander-Arnold – but Antoine Semenyo toying with the Chelsea man just before half-time was a little worrying from a defensive perspective.

Ezri Konsa: 7

The Croatia game may have tested Konsa's confidence but the Aston Villa defender was a metronome in the first half, having more touches than the entire Ghanaian team. Marc Guehi is a more natural partner for him at centre-back, it certainly seems.

Oh, and incredibly lucky not to be red-carded for that mix-up with Adu that was flagged offside.

Marc Guehi: 6

Steady on the ball, quiet game otherwise. Konsa was involved in more of the defensive flashpoints, which were few and far between.

Lacked a bit of urgency.

Djed Spence (off '65): 6

Inverted from left-back more often than not in the first half: it took nearly an hour for him to combine with Anthony Gordon.

Elliot Anderson (off '72): 7

Took on a lot of responsibility in the first half, shielding the back four and allowing Declan Rice to bomb forward and join in the attack. Didn't do a lot more: maybe wasn't his kind of game, in fairness.

Declan Rice: 7

England's best player in the early stages. Had a sighter of a free-kick in the first quarter-of-an-hour that whistled over the bar, a shot blocked, a header over, and generally did Declan Rice things: winning the ball high up and galloping forward with it.

Restricted to affecting the game with set-pieces in the second half and wasn't as superhuman as usual in getting back to stop Ghana in the few transitions they had.

Noni Madueke: 6 (off '83)

Held the width well on the right and looked a bright spark in the first half, getting to the byline and looking a danger on that flank. As the game wore on though, the Arsenal man looked ever more frustrated by things not quite coming off for him and his decision-making noticeably dropped.

Looked absolutely fine on the left… but really, didn't create enough of note across the game.

Jude Bellingham (off '72): 6

Barely touched the ball in the first half – but three minutes into the second half, Bellingham put in an excellent tackle on Semenyo. It summed up his World Cup so far: you don't notice what he does for the most part, but he's vital to this machine.

It's maybe taken for granted how hard Bellingham works for this side, too: he ran 40 yards around 58 minutes just to overlap Gordon (because Spence was still in a defensive position).

Anthony Gordon (off '65): 5

Completely pocketed by the brilliant Marvin Senaya in the first half. Gordon was frustrating (and frustrated) at times, but was isolated for large parts of the game, and looked at his most dangerous when combining with team-mates.

Given the competition from Rashford on the left-wing, this will be seen as an opportunity missed for Gordon to show what he can do in that position. An average showing, all in all.

Harry Kane: 6

Virtually anonymous in the first half – but more down to the brilliance of Ghana's low block than anything else. Most of the country moan about him drifting too deep, but was he too static in waiting for the ball and not affecting play enough?

Should have won the game on 85 mintues, however, blasting the ball over, following O'Reilly hitting the bar. One of them days.

SUB: Bukayo Saka: 7 (on '65)

Showed in a couple of glimpses why he's the first-choice on the right-wing, having the best shot of the match and having the beating of his full-back. His fitness will be hugely important going forward.

SUB: Nico O'Reilly: 6 (on '65)

Hit the bar on 85 minutes with a header, showing exactly what he does at Manchester City. Didn't get much of an opperunity to show his worth tonight but could be key going forward in this tournament.

SUB: Morgan Rogers: 6 (on '72)

Struggled to find space. Had a couple of mazy runs with the ball but would have preferred a clear sight of goal outside the box… and just didn't get one.

SUB: Eberechi Eze: 6 (on '72)

Showed flashes of elegance on the ball but didn't really get much of a chance to dictate. Will want another chance against Panama.

SUB: Marcus Rashford: 6 (on '83)

Looked confident receiving the ball but didn't run into space, as he'd have liked (there wasn't much).

Manager Didier Deschamps will miss France's final Group I game following the death of his mother.

The French Football Federation have confirmed that Deschamps was informed of the news on Tuesday morning and has been given leave to fly back home from North America to attend the funeral.

Assistant manager Guy Stephan will now take charge of France's meeting with Norway on Friday.

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Didier Deschamps returns home to France

France and Norway are already guaranteed passage out of Group I together after both claiming back-to-back wins over Senegal and Iraq in their first two games of the World Cup.

That puts them level on points at the top of the group, with France holding the advantage on goal difference.

The winners of Group I will face one of the best eight third-placed teams in the round of 32, and would be set for a meeting with Germany in the round of 16 if both teams were to get that far.

The Group I runners-up will meanwhile face their equivalents from Group E, which looks likely to be the Ivory Coast, but could be either Ecuador or Curacao.

There is no confirmation yet as to when Deschamps is expected to return to North America, with France's knock-out game set to be played on Tuesday, June 30.

Deschamps announced last year that he will step down from the national team following the World Cup, having been in charge since 2012.

Zinedine Zidane is reported to have made a verbal agreement to succeed his former Juventus and France teammate as manager.

The pair won the World Cup together on home turf in 1998 and won the Euros two years later, with Deschamps adding yet another winner's medal to his collection as manager at the 2018 World Cup.

France were defeated finalists at the last edition of the tournament, falling to a 4-3 defeat to Argentina in one of the greatest World Cup finals of all time.

The France-Norway game will kick off at 3pm local time (8pm UK time) on Friday, June 26. Boston's Gillette Stadium will be the venue for the occasion.

Expectations were high for England after their convincing win over Croatia last week, but Ghana have proven a sterner test than many had hoped.

A stop-start first half saw England have the lion's share of possession and create more chances, but there was very little cohesion, momentum, or danger in any of the play for either side.

It seems Ghana's highly-organised, compact defensive setup is doing the trick, but can England find a way through in the second half?

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Jude Bellingham and Declan Rice need to be more adventurous for England

England found it difficult to break through the Ghana lines, but Wayne Rooney believes the solution lies with midfield pair Declan Rice and Jude Bellingham.

In the BBC studio, he said: "Early on in the half, I think Declan Rice and Jude Bellingham's positions were really key to England breaking them down.

"If we look now at the positions they've both taken up, they need to be looking to make runs in behind. It's so congested and difficult to play through — a 4-5-1 is very tough to break down.

"With Harry Kane dropping deep, we need to see Declan Rice and Bellingham making those runs in behind. If they don't, it stays very tight; you can't get through it, you can't see a pass, and it's very difficult to break them down. Ghana are defending really well, to be fair to them."

Of course, Thomas Tuchel may well look to his bench to sharpen things up and find a break through in the second half, just as he did against Croatia.

But, Rooney believes a minor tweak in the mindset of Bellingham and Rice could do the job.

He added: "When you've got Declan Rice and Jude Bellingham in better positions, Declan Rice threatens to make the run behind, and then Jude makes the run in behind, dragging the backline with him.

"We're still probing, but they're trying to make those runs to be a bit more positive. I imagine this is exactly what Thomas Tuchel is saying to them: let's try and drag them out of their positions to make it a little bit easier to find a bit more space around or inside the penalty box."

Last time out in the World Cup 2026, it sounded like Tuchel made it very clear to his players that he wanted them to be braver and play the way he has instructed them.

One thing's for sure, something has to change or England could find themselves frustrated and empty handed come full-time in Boston.

England vs Ghana, in comparison to the Three Lions' previous thriller against Croatia, was a snoozefest.

But would it be a major international tournament without England looking like a pub side for at least one game?

Despite a whopping 79% possession, the Three Lions have fallen to the defensive genius of Carlos Queiroz, and will need a far superior performance in the second half to prevail in Group L.

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England's failed preparation vs Ghana revealed by Anthony Barry, as Three Lions enter break with 79% possession and 0 SOT

England fans that know their Africa Cup of Nations history will be aware of Queiroz's brilliance.

The Portuguese coach managed Egypt to the 2022 AFCON final, conceding just two goals the entire tournament.

Anthony Barry is certainly aware, although, perhaps not as much prior to the game, speaking at half-time about Ghana's defensive prowess.

"We expected it to be a difficult challenge against a tough opponent," confessed the Englishman.

"They defend deep... probably even deeper than we expected, about 10 to 12 metres deeper than the last two opponents they played against.

"They have this incredible speed which allows them to cover those spaces quickly, so it's been difficult to break them down.

"The headline for us is probably patience," surmised the Three Lions assistant manager. "Ghana are a team that possess exceptional counter-attacking options, and we've negated that so far."

England will return in the second half hoping to shake off past demons on the international stage.

While Three Lions fans are used to such performances occurring after brilliant displays, if this is to be the year that it finally comes home, then being out-foxed by Ghana doesn't bode well.

For now, England remain the dominant side in possession, facing a Ghana side led by a defensive genius in Queiroz.

It won't have escaped your attention that Djed Spence is wearing a distinctive bit of kit for England this summer.

Spence came off the bench during England's 4-2 win over Croatia in their opening game, and was selected as the starting left-back for their meeting with Ghana on Tuesday

Both times, the 25 year old was wearing an unusual protective mask on his head that runs down his cheeks and across the full width of his jaw and chin.

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Why Djed Spence is wearing a protective mask

Spence's mask is not a tribute to Abraham Lincoln as part of the United States' Semiquincentennial, but rather, a protective measure for an injury he suffered before the tournament.

The Spurs full-back received a hefty elbow to the face from Chelsea striker Liam Delap during the two sides' Premier League meeting in May.

That left Spence with a broken jaw, and he donned the protective chinstrap for his next outing for Tottenham five days later as they secured their safety from relegation with a 1-0 win over Everton on the final day of the season.

Spence has continued to wear the headgear since, and is set to do so throughout the entire World Cup and possibly into the new domestic season.

He explained: "It is a little bit uncomfortable – but it is what it is. I have a broken jaw so I have to wear it throughout the tournament. It is something I will have to get used to.

‘It will be three months until it is fully healed, so it is a long time. It was painful, but luckily I play football with my feet and not my jaw so it is all good.

‘It was a crazy challenge, but it is in the past now. I’ve just got to focus on this tournament now. I have been wearing it in training, getting used to wearing it in the heat, and trying to break it in properly."

"It was a crazy challenge, but it is in the past now. I’ve just got to focus on this tournament now."

England will finish their World Cup group stage campaign by taking on Panama at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on Saturday.

KIck-off for that game is set for 5pm local time, or 10pm UK time.

Alan Shearer slammed the referee's failure to call for the hydration break during England vs Ghana, during a separate stoppage.

The hydration break, one of the most-hated aspects of the 2026 World Cup, would have slotted in near perfectly during the stoppage.

The event occurred after Reece James and Jordan Ayew collided heads, prompting a brief break from the game.

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Alan Shearer slams suspect FIFA motive during England vs Ghana

Shearer, the highest goalscorer in Premier League history, was far from impressed after the event.

As the game was stopped, and the hydration break near, it did not sit right with the ex-England international that the referee refused to allow them to overlap.

Speaking on commentary duty alongside Guy Mowbray, the former Newcastle striker said: 'It's crazy for the referee to not just say 'let's have the hydration break now.'"

Mowbray then described a possible reason for the failed overlap, hinting at suspect FIFA motives: the esteemed commentator, one of football's most recognisable voices, surmised that it was likely due to advertising.

As there was no advertising schedule lined up at that time, the decision was instead made to keep the hydration break separate.

Both commentators agreed with the assessment, as England's battle to beat Ghana in their Group L fixture was momentarily derailed to accommodate for two separate breaks.

With both sides suffering defeats in their opening Group L games, there’s plenty on the line in Toronto for Panama vs Ghana. The winner takes potential qualification for the last 32 to matchday 3, but the loser will be almost certainly out.

Panama are still searching for their first World Cup win after a narrow loss to Ghana, while Croatia will want an immediate response following their 4-2 defeat by England.

Panama always knew that getting out of the group would be difficult and much would depend on their result against Ghana. Having lost that by the narrowest of margins, Thomas Christiansen's side need to produce a huge upset to remain in with a chance of reaching the knockout stages. They'll have to do it without star midfielder Adalberto Carrasquilla, too, who is still injured.

Croatia, meanwhile, will be confident of getting their tournament back on track by gaining all three points at the Toronto Stadium. Luka Modric should benefit from a slower pace of game, while Martin Baturina, who scored a cracker against England, will again be one to watch.

Read on as FourFourTwo brings you all the information you need to watch Panama vs Croatia in the FIFA World Cup 2026 online, on TV, and from anywhere.

Watch Panama vs Croatia for FREE

Panama vs Croatia will be free-to-stream across multiple regions, including BBC in the UK, RTÉ Player in Ireland, SBS On Demand in Australia, CazéTV on YouTube in Brazil, NOS in the Netherlands, VRT in Belgium, SRF/RTS/RSI in Switzerland, and TRT in Turkey.

English commentary will be provided on BBC, RTE Player and SBS On Demand.

‼️ Outside one of these countries? Use Norton VPN to unlock your stream from anywhere in the world — more on that below.

Watch Panama vs Croatia from anywhere

Away from home this summer and want to watch Panama vs Croatia? All you need is a VPN, a handy piece of software that makes your devices appear to be in a different location.

This World Cup, our office friends at TechRadar are recommending Norton VPN:

How to watch Panama vs Croatia in the UK

In the UK, you can stream Panama vs Croatia on BBC One. Coverage starts at 11:50pm BST (Tuesday), ahead of kick-off at 12:00pm BST.

How to watch Panama vs Croatia in the US

In the US, you can stream Panama vs Croatia on Fox.

This channel is accessible via Fox's own streaming platform Fox One or via a cord-cutting platform such as YouTube TV, Hulu+Live TV, Sling (select markets), Fubo or DirecTV.

How to watch Panama vs Croatia in Australia

In Australia, you can watch Panama vs Croatia on the free SBS On Demand.

Panama vs Croatia: World Cup 2026 Preview

On top for much of the first half and dominating possession, it looked as though Panama were on course to secure a first World Cup victory. However, a late loss of focus allowed Ghana to launch a devastating counter-attack expertly finished by Caleb Yirenkyi in the fifth minute of injury time.

"The result is painful, but that is because we deserved better," Panama manager Christiansen said after the game. The Dane saw his side create plenty of chances but will need his forwards to show more ruthlessness in front of goal against Croatia.

Ismael Diaz is perhaps the biggest goalscoring threat. The 28-year-old has 17 goals for his country and has turned up in big games, scoring six goals at the 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup.

While Panama are seeking goals, Croatia’s focus is on addressing their defensive problems. Level at the break with England thanks to well-taken goals from Baturina and Petar Musa, they conceded twice more in the second 45, much to the disappointment of long-time head coach Zlatko Dalic.

“We must be much, much better,” declared the 59-year-old, who was particularly unhappy with how his team defended set-pieces.

Dalic will also hope that captain Modric can find his best form against Panama. The legendary figure struggled against England, giving away a first-half penalty before being subbed off in the 58th minute.

Panama vs Croatia: Group L

FourFourTwo's prediction

Panama 0-2 Croatia

FourFourTwo predicts Croatia getting their World Cup back on track with a comfortable victory.

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Carlos Quieroz will be a very familiar face to plenty of football fans.

The 73 year old is at his fifth World Cup in a row as a manager having previously taken his native Portugal to the tournament in 2010; Iran in 2014, 2018, and 2022; and now Ghana at the ongoing 2026 edition.

Queiroz even led South Africa to qualification for the 2002 World Cup to boot, but quit the job before leading out his side in Japan and South Korea. But his history on international football's biggest stage is merely the tip of the iceberg.

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Carlos Quieroz's journey to the 2026 World Cup with Ghana

For some time, Queiroz was best-recognised in England for his two spells Sir Alex Ferguson's assistant at Manchester United.

The former goalkeeper was at Old Trafford for the 2002/03 season, having previously managed Portugal under-20s, the senior Portuguese side, Sporting, NY/NJ Metrostars, Nagoya Grampus Eight, the UAE, and that unhappily-ended spell with South Africa.

Queiroz's work at United attracting the attention of Real Madrid, who brought him in as manager in summer 2003 to work with a star-studded squad that included Ronaldo, Luis Figo, Raul, Zinedine Zidane, Roberto Carlos, Claude Makelele and David Beckham.

Real did not enjoy a good season by their own high standards, however, as they finished fourth in La Liga; lost to Real Zaragoza in the Copa del Rey final; and crashed out of the Champions League in the quarter-finals thanks to a shock defeat to Monaco.

Queiroz duly returned to Manchester United, this time staying for four years and playing a part in the club's rebuild around the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney, helping the side to win the Champions League in 2007/08.

He was not universally popular, however: Roy Keane infamously had a massive falling-out with Quieroz that contributed to the midfielder's decision to leave the club.

Queiroz has plied his trade exclusively in international football since leaving United again to take over as Portugal boss in 2008.

Queiroz ended up getting sacked from the Portugal job after they lost in the round of 16 to eventual winners Spain at the 2010 World Cup - though his dismissal was actually a result of being judged to have disrupted the country's anti-doping authority in the build-up to the competition.

Deep breath here: since leaving Portugal following the 2010 World Cup, Queiroz has had spells in charge of Iran, Colombia, Egypt, Iran again, Qatar, Oman, and now, finally Ghana.

His most notable accomplishment across those jobs is leading Iran out at three straight World Cups - by no means a given, historically - and taking Egypt to the 2021 AFCON final, where they were defeated on penalties by Senegal.

Much has been made of Thomas Partey's inclusion in the Ghana starting line-up to face England in the Group L clash, but one uncomfortable moment was avoided in the live broadcast.

Partey missed Ghana's first game of the World Cup 2026 after failing to obtain a visa. His initial request for entry to Canada was denied after his application claimed there were no criminal charges against him.

The former Arsenal man has been granted permission to play against England, but did the Three Lions players shake his hand prior to the game?

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England vs Ghana broadcast avoided Thomas Partey handshake moment

There had been much talk about whether Partey would be snubbed by the England players, with the FA even said to be considering taking a stance on the matter.

In the end, they didn't intervene, and we now know that some of the England players, including Harry Kane, did shake Partey's hand before kick-off.

Based on clips circulating on social media, it would appear that Djed Spence was actually the only England player to snub Partey during the handshakes.

However, you would have missed that if you were watching England vs Ghana on BBC, as the footage cut away from the players just as the Ghanain was about to appear on-screen.

Fans were confused as to why this might have happened, with claims that the BBC had made the decision to avoid the controversial moment. However, that is not quite the case.

Match coverage from events like the World Cup is largely dictated by a centralised 'world feed' which is carried out by Host Broadcast Services (HBS).

They have roughly 45 cameras in the stadium focusing on players, coaches, and key moments on the pitch.

This is then fed back to broadcasters like the BBC for your viewing, leaving little room for editing or censorship of any kind.

While the BBC can dictate the pre-match build-up, half-time and full-time analysis segments, and the commentary, it's almost certain that the British TV channel did not cut the feed during the Partey handshake.

HBS have a match director sitting in the stands who decides what is noteworthy enough to point the camera at and include in the feed, and the assumption is that they deemed it inappropriate to show Partey during that moment.

The Villarreal midfielder is set to go on trial in 2027 for charges of rape and sexual assault, with five counts currently against his name. Partey has pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Jude Bellingham, one of the standouts in England's revenge match win vs Croatia, will look to replicate his performance vs Ghana tonight.

The Real Madrid and England star will also experience a special event beyond the match itself, breaking a long-standing Wayne Rooney record.

The Three Lions are facing off against Ghana, with both sides taking three points in their opening 2026 World Cup fixtures.

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Jude Bellingham to break long-standing Wayne Rooney record vs Ghana - before he's even touched a ball

Bellingham delivered a top-class performance vs Croatia in last week's World Cup opener for the Three Lions, as his side entered the break in a 2-2 stalemate.

The England star appeared in the second and scored almost instantly, sending the Three Lions up a goal and securing victory for his nation.

Now, deserving for a player of Bellingham's quality, he has broken a long-standing Rooney record for his international side.

According to Opta, the 22-year-old has became the youngest player in England history to reach 50 caps for his nation.

Previously, Rooney held the record with an age of 23 years and 159 days at the time of his 50th appearance.

With a start this evening vs Ghana, Bellingham has claimed the record with an age of 22 years and 359 days on the evening of his 50th cap.

In that time, the youngster, who has played enough to practically be labelled a veteran, has scored seven goals for the Three Lions.

England fans will have fond memories of those strikes, perhaps none more special than his 2024 stoppage time bicycle kick.

From keeping England in the 2024 UEFA European Championship when all hope appeared lost, to spearheading England's victory against Croatia at the 2026 World Cup, the Real Madrid man is compiling an international highlight reel for the ages.

On the night of his 50th appearance, can he deliver another special moment for the Three Lions, and secure knockout football for his nation?

England take on Ghana at Gillette Stadium tonight, and after France saw their game stalled for more than two hours on Monday, fans are a lot more attentive when it comes to weather reports.

A lot has been made of the heat during the World Cup 2026, with the much-maligned hydration breaks intended to combat that.

However, extreme weather hit Philadelphia for the France vs Iraq clash with torrential rain and a thunderstorm causing the match to be paused. Will the same happen to England?

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Boston braced for rain and thunderstorm during England vs Ghana

The bad news is Boston, where the England vs Ghana game is being hosted, is expected to be hit by rain and stormy weather tonight.

However, the good news is that the conditions are not expected to be as extreme and we should not see any major interruption to the schedule of play.

According to National Weather Service meteorologist Rob Megnia, there will be rain showers and potentially thunder, but he and those keeping an eye on the weather are "not overly concerned."

Conditions in Boston will be warm and wet, with temperatures in the low 70s during the day before dropping into the 50s through the night.

It is thought we could see an inch and a half of rain during the course of the match, but play will not be stopped for that.

England take on Ghana tonight in their second game of Group L, and Thomas Tuchel has made a couple of changes to his starting XI.

After a convincing and thrilling win over Croatia last week, you would have been forgiven for thinking that Tuchel would not tinker with his team.

England can qualify for the knockouts if they beat Ghana, and it seems Tuchel wants something a little different in his line-up to get the job done.

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England starting XI announced for Ghana clash

Thomas Tuchel has shaken things up in his defensive line with two changes of personnel.

First, and probably not so surprising, is that John Stones has dropped out of the England XI to make way for his Manchester City team-mate Marc Guehi.

Stones has not played a lot of football this year, and is understandably lacking the match sharpness required to start a second game in a week – with Tuchel citing the “agility” of Guehi as a reason behind the choice.

Meanwhile, a more shocking decision from Tuchel is to pull Nico O'Reilly out of the line-up to be replaced by Djed Spence.

The Tottenham Hotspur man impressed when he came on against Croatia last week, exhibiting his immense speed and desire to get forward and threaten the opposition defence.

It is perhaps more a case of Spence forcing his way into the England starting XI rather than O'Reilly doing anything to lose his place.

The rest of the England line-up remains the same from that World Cup 2026 opener against Croatia.

Jordan Pickford starts in goal, while Reece James and Ezri Konsa join Guehi and Spence in defence.

A midfield trio of Declan Rice, Elliot Anderson, and Jude Bellingham will play behind a front three of Noni Madueke and Anthony Gordon out wide, with captain Harry Kane through the middle.