Live News2026 Football World Cup

Lionel Messi became the all-time leading scorer in men's World Cup history on Monday, ‌netting his 17th tournament goal during Argentina's match against Austria to surpass Germany striker Miroslav Klose.

The Argentina captain moved level with Brazilian great ⁠Marta, whose 17 goals in the women's tournament had stood as the overall World Cup record, by scoring his fourth goal of the 2026 edition.

Messi crowned a flowing Argentina move in Dallas, starting the attack before ‌arriving ⁠unmarked in the penalty area to sweep a first-time finish into the bottom corner from Facundo Medina's low cross.

The goal ⁠put Argentina ahead in their second Group J match as the South American side ⁠sought to secure a place in the knockout stage after opening ⁠their campaign with a 3-0 victory over Algeria.

Source: Reuters
– Agencies 
 

Egypt secured their first-ever victory at a FIFA World Cup finals after producing a commanding second-half comeback to beat New Zealand 3-1 in Vancouver. 

The Pharaohs, who had never won across their previous World Cup appearances, recovered from a goal down at BC Place through strikes from Mostafa Ziko, Mohamed Salah, and substitute Mahmoud Trezeguet.

The result puts Egypt top of Group G with four points from two matches, following their 1-1 draw with Belgium in the opening round. Egypt will now face Iran in their final group-stage match, after Iran held Belgium to a goalless draw earlier.

New Zealand had entered the match after a 2-2 draw with Iran, while Egypt were looking to build on an encouraging performance against Belgium. Both sides knew that victory would place them in a strong position heading into the final round of group matches.

The All Whites made the stronger start and threatened early through Elijah Just, whose close-range effort was saved by Egypt goalkeeper Mostafa Shobeir.

New Zealand took the lead in the 15th minute. A corner caused problems inside Egypt’s area, with defender Finn Surman left unmarked to head home from close range.

Egypt struggled to find their rhythm in the opening stages but gradually grew into the game. Omar Marmoush came close to equalising midway through the first half, while Salah curled a free kick narrowly wide before Emam Ashour missed a late opportunity from close range.

Hossam Hassan’s side were also forced into an early change when Hamdi Fathi was unable to continue after suffering an injury, with Rami Rabia introduced in his place.

Egypt returned from the break with greater urgency and control, pinning New Zealand back for long spells. Shobeir produced another important save early in the second half to deny Callum McCowatt, before Egypt’s pressure finally produced a breakthrough. 

Just before the hour mark, Mohamed Hany delivered a first-time cross from the right and Ziko rose unmarked to head powerfully beyond goalkeeper Max Crocombe, bringing Egypt level.

The equaliser transformed the match. Egypt continued to press forward, moving the ball more quickly and finding greater space around New Zealand’s defensive line.

Salah put Egypt ahead eight minutes later. After carrying the ball forward and combining neatly at the edge of the area, the Liverpool forward calmly guided his finish past Crocombe to make it 2-1.

With New Zealand struggling to regain control, Hassan made a double substitution in the 76th minute, introducing Trezeguet and Hamza Abdelkarim for Marmoush and Ziko.

The move paid off almost immediately.

In the 82nd minute, Salah delivered a corner into the area and Trezeguet rose highest to head home Egypt’s third goal, sealing a historic victory for the Pharaohs.

The result leaves Egypt in a strong position ahead of their final Group G meeting with Iran. Egypt sit on four points, while Iran and Belgium have two points each following their 0-0 draw, and New Zealand remain on one point. 

For Egypt, however, the night in Vancouver will be remembered above all for ending a long wait: their first World Cup finals win, achieved with a statement second-half display.

Source: Egyptian Streets

--Agencies 

Uruguay and Cape Verde played out a 2-2 draw in their ​second World Cup Group H game in which ‌the tournament debutants went toe-to-toe with the South American heavyweights in an entertaining end-to-end game on Sunday.

Cape Verde, ​who drew 0-0 with Spain in their ​opening match, took the lead in the ⁠21st minute after Telmo Arcanjo earned a free ​kick following a blistering run and Kevin Pina ​stepped up to drill home a low shot from 31 metres out for his country's first ever goal ​at the World Cup finals.

Uruguay turned things around ​before halftime, however, when Maxi Araujo pounced on a rebound ‌to ⁠equalise with a header before he set up Agustin Canobbio with another header to make it 2-1 at the break.

Cape Verde substitute Helio ​Varela struck two ​minutes after ⁠coming on in the second half when he pounced on Mathias ​Olivera's loose back pass in no man's ​land, ⁠drawing the goalkeeper off his line to fire into an empty net.

Both teams are on two ⁠points ​behind group leaders Spain, who ​have four points heading into the final round of games.

Source: Reuters

--Agencies 

Iran used seven saves from Alireza Beiranvand and a man advantage from a Belgium red card to pull out a 0-0 draw in the second consecutive tie for both teams in World Cup Group G play Sunday (Jun 21) afternoon in Inglewood, California.

Beiranvand, 33, earned his second clean sheet in his seventh appearance across three World Cups. He also had six saves in Iran's opening 2-2 draw with New Zealand.

Iran went up a man in the 66th minute when Belgium's Nathan Ngoy was sent off with a red card for dragging an Iranian attacker down after a poorly weighted back pass to the keeper presented a goal-scoring opportunity.

Even though Iran played against 10 men for the final 30 minutes of the match, they still had just 32 percent of the possession, were outshot 7-3 in shots on target and out-passed 608-269.

Even down a man, Belgium had the best scoring chance of the remainder of the game, with Beiranvand diving to the ground to stop a shot from Maxim De Cuyper, who had four shots on goal, in the 86th minute.

The second consecutive draw leaves both Belgium and Iran on two points through two Group G matches.

Belgium face New Zealand in Vancouver on the final day of Group G play, while Iran simultaneously face Egypt in Seattle.

While Belgium controlled play in the early going, Iran had the more threatening chances. They appeared to take the lead in the 25th minute when Mehdi Taremi put a slow-rolling set-piece pass through the Belgium wall into the back of the net. VAR overturned the goal for both an offside call and encroaching by Taremi.

An earlier chance required a diving stop by Thibaut Courtois (three saves) in the 14th minute.

In the 53rd minute, Taremi had a point-blank shot in the box, but ripped it right at Courtois, who caught it to keep the game scoreless.

Beiranvand made four first-half saves, but none were as threatening as Iran's early chances.

Beiranvand had to raise his level of play with his first second-half save, reaching out a hand while prone on the ground to stop a 59th-minute De Cuyper shot from close range and securing the ensuing loose ball.

Source: Reuters
– Agencies 
 

Lamine Yamal’s return sparked Spain’s World Cup into life as the European champions ran riot to beat Saudi Arabia 4-0 in Atlanta.

Making his first start in two months after a hamstring injury, Yamal ended La Roja’s long wait for a World Cup goal just 10 minutes in.

Mikel Oyarzabal then struck twice to put Luis de la Fuente’s men 3-0 up inside 24 minutes.

De la Fuente’s careful management of Yamal’s minutes continued as the Barcelona superstar was replaced at half-time before Hassan al-Tambakti’s own goal rounded off the scoring.

Victory propels Spain to the top of Group H ahead of Uruguay’s meeting with Cape Verde later on Sunday.

Billed as one of the pre-tournament favourites, Spain got off to a slow start in a 0-0 draw against debutants Cape Verde.

A pedestrian performance despite dominating possession only highlighted the importance of Yamal to their quest to be world champions for a second time.

De la Fuente also warned his players had been "stung" by the criticism they faced following their opening result and they responded emphatically.

Yamal’s return was one of four changes in total with Pedro Porro, Dani Olmo and Alex Baena also coming into the starting line-up.

After over 2,500 passes and 50 attempts at goal since their last World Cup goal, Spain finally found the net and fittingly Yamal made the breakthrough.

Pressure rises on Saudis

Oyarzabal found space in behind the Saudi defence and his low cross picked out the 18-year-old to slot in at the back post.

The Saudis held Uruguay 1-1 in their opening game but there was little evidence that the billions splashed to raise the level of their domestic league has aided the national team.

Coach Georgios Donis looked particularly irked that two of Spain’s goals came from corners.

Oyarzabal pounced on Aymeric Laporte’s flick on to give the 2010 winners the breathing space they craved.

Just three minutes later, the Real Sociedad forward volleyed home from Dani Olmo’s header for his 14th international goal in his last 13 caps.

Oyarzabal was inches away from a first half hat-trick when his audacious effort with the outside of his foot from a narrow angle came back off the crossbar.

But with the job done by half-time, De la Fuente could afford the luxury of replacing Yamal and Oyarzabal at the break.

The changes did not disrupt the waves of Spanish attack towards the Saudi goal, but the fourth also came via a corner.

Cucurella was afforded acres of space to shoot and although his effort was repelled by Mohammed al-Owais, the rebound deflected in off the unfortunate Tambakti.

To round off an ideal afternoon for De la Fuente on his 65th birthday, Nico Williams and Mikel Merino were afforded valuable minutes off the bench in the second period as they too get up to match speed after lengthy absences due to injury.

By contrast, the pressure is now on Donis to deliver in Saudi Arabia’s final group game against Cape Verde in Houston.

Victory will likely take the Arabian Falcons into the knockout stages for the first time since the World Cup was last in the United States 32 years ago.

Spain travel to Guadalajara next for the final group game against two-time winners Uruguay on Friday.

Source: AFP

--Agencies