FIFA World Cup 2026

Manager and team had hit rock bottom, but together they found redemption and are heading to North America A manager down on his luck after a second failure in quick succession, wondering what the future would hold. A national team struggling at the bottom of their qualifying group given a second chance through the vagaries of the Nations League. That national team happens to be the country where the manager made his name, inspiring a team from a town with a population of 50,000 to win the Swedish Cup. So the two get together, doubting manager and doubting country, and somehow, less than six months after the nadir, they are going to the World Cup finals.

Canada are co-hosts and the expanded format offers teams increased hope of getting out of their group. So how far could they go?

Only half of the 26 places appear nailed-on and some players benefited from missing the Uruguay and Japan games Jordan Pickford remains the undisputed No 1. Harry Kane is irreplaceable up front. Declan Rice and Elliot Anderson look certain to start in midfield, nobody has emerged as a realistic challenger to Bukayo Saka on the right and Jude Bellingham’s hopes of grabbing the No 10 spot were done a world of good by other challengers failing to impress against Japan and Uruguay.

That’s it, England have played their last game on home soil before the World Cup. It might not have inspired much World Cup fever, but don’t worry, Marcus is here to put that right. He even gets Luke and Jim on board the Harry Maguire train. Elsewhere, there will be no World Cup fever at all in Italy after they fail to qualify yet again. Plus, Luke explains why Roberto De Zerbi could be a disastrous appointment for Tottenham. Sign up to the Football Ramble Patreon for ad-free shows for just $5 per month: https://www.patreon.com/footballramble. Get your Ramble merch HERE. Find us on Bluesky, X, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube, and email us here: [email protected]. ***Please take the time to rate us on your podcast app. It means a great deal to the show and will make it easier for other potential listeners to find The Football Ramble, the original and best football podcast. Brand new podcasts every single weekday throughout the Premier League season and every day throughout the 2026 FIFA World Cup. No cliches. No ex-pros like Peter Crouch or The Rest is Football. Just the funniest football conversation out there. Your guardian for the season, daily not weekly. Stick to the Ramble, totally. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Max Rushden is joined by Barry Glendenning, Lars Sivertsen and Nicky Bandini as Italy suffer World Cup heartbreak once again and England play out yet another disappointing friendly. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/footballweeklypod. Watch us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FootballWeeklyPodcast

Italian celebrity chef Aldo Zilli has labelled the national team as a bunch ‘mummy’s boys’. Italy became the first former winners to miss out on three consecutive World Cups havin…

Facing Italy in Toronto to open the World Cup would have presented challenges. The cohosts have new marching orders now – but a same goal

Some national associations are warning of potential losses should they not advance into the final eight of this summer's tournament.

No team worked harder to reach this summer's tournament – and they were ready to cherish the moment

BBC Sport chief football writer Phil McNulty picks his 26-man England World Cup squad - do you agree?

Cristiano Ronaldo will lead Portugal into the 2026 World Cup this summer in what will be his final tournament. The 41-year-old footballing icon has achieved almost everything there is to achieve i…

If you entertain the possibility that the U.S. can go on an unprecedented run, this is what it will look like

Who will come out on top in North America with all the teams now confirmed for football's biggest tournament?

The Burnley star, 28, bundled home a corner off his midriff in extra-time to seal a 1-0 win in the intercontinental play-off final in Mexico.

Mexico are hosts of what will be their ninth straight World Cup appearance this summer, in what will be a proud moment. The North American side are hoping to be pushing for glory in their home tour…

In a mixed night elsewhere for the Reds, one former player ended a 52-year wait for his nation.

Pochettino plans to name his World Cup roster on May 26, shortly before the USMNT's final pre-tournament friendlies against Senegal and Germany

Alexi Lalas, David Mosse and Rob Stone are back with a new LIVE episode of State of the Union! We break down another disappointing USA loss in the buildup to the World Cup, this time a 2-0 defeat at the hands of Portugal. The trio discuss the changes to the starting XI made by Mauricio Pochettino and whether we are too close to the World Cup to be tinkering with the team’s tactics. Additionally, with Christian Pulisic being in an extended scoring slump for both club and country, the guys ask what his role within the team is and how the squad and Pochettino can get the best out of him. Finally, we ask the question: has this window changed our minds about the U.S.’s prospects in the World Cup. Can they still make a deep run? After a thorough USA discussion, Alexi, Mosse, and Rob react to the full World Cup bracket and break down the final day of qualifying that saw Türkiye book their place in the USA’s group and Italy failing to qualify AGAIN. All of that and much more in the newest episode of State of the Union.Presented by Zillow #Zillow (0:00) Intro(3:10) U.S. falls to Portugal 2-0(9:41) The Great Keeper Debate: Freese vs Turner(17:32) Are we worried about Pulisic?(22:05) Too Late to Tinker for Pochettino?(37:18) UEFA World Cup Playoffs: Italy falls yet again(48:27) FIFA World Cup Playoffs: Sorry Jamaica(56:28) Mexico, Canada, Brazil, Argentina Friendlies Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Spain are one of the most iconic international teams and they will be eyeing their second World Cup title this summer. Their distinctive red shirts and beautiful football are a key part of the icon…

Italy’s World Cup Drought: Why Haven’t the Azzurri Played at the World Cup Since 2014? Footiehound Italy are one of the most successful teams in the history of the World Cup. When Fabio Grosso swept home from the penalty spot to defeat France in Berlin back in 2006, he brought the… The post Italy’s World Cup Drought: Why Haven’t the Azzurri Played at the World Cup Since 2014? appeared first on Footiehound. Written By Ken Anucha

Wales coach Craig Bellamy sarcastically joked about how ‘s***’ his own team was to lose to Bosnia and Herzegovina after they beat Italy to qualify for the World Cup. The Azzurri will mi…

Bosnia shock the four-time champions – but how significant is that result? And who will the USMNT and Canada now face this summer?

England's final friendly before Thomas Tuchel names his World Cup squad ended in disaster with a 1-0 home defeat by Japan.

Australia will face a stern test in their first match of the tournament after beating Curacao 5-1 in Melbourne on Tuesday night.

2026 World Cup squads ranked: All 48 national teams that can win this summer espn.in

Iraqis erupt in jubilation as national football team qualify for World Cup The National

The final six nations have qualified for the 2026 World Cup - this is your essential lowdown on the expanded edition of the tournament.

Everything you need to know from TV details and tickets to host cities in the United States, Canada and Mexico

Iraq became the 48th and final team to book their place at the World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico

Hello Rank Squad! This international break gave us what we've been waiting for - the final names locked in for this summer's World Cup field. 48 nations have locked and loaded their spots in the biggest tournament in world football. Perhaps the biggest one missing though, once again, is Italy - with the Azzurri beaten on penalties by Bosnia & Herzegovina to make it three World Cups in a row that they have now missed out on qualification for. We break down that game, as well as Czechia's penalty shootout win over Denmark; Sweden's dramatic late show against Poland; and Türkiye's ground out 1-0 win over Kosovo; as the final European nations booked their places, before heading onwards to take a look at some of our favourite things from the now-set group stages. We take a peek at where the biggest upsets could come, the Group of Death, the Group of Life, where the goals will come, where the chaos will come and who has the most to lose, within the 12 groups of four; before rounding things off with the games you cannot miss in that first round of fixtures. It's Ranks! And remember, if you’d like more from the Rank Squad, including extra podcasts every Monday and Friday (including our weekly Postbox taking a look at the whole weekend of football) and access to our brilliant Discord community, then why not join us here on Patreon? (http://patreon.com/ranksfc) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com (https://pcm.adswizz.com) for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Jesse Marsch might have been hoping for more from his team against Iceland and Tunisia, but they put up a decent fight in both matches, and gave plenty of fringe players a chance to stake their claim for the World Cup. This team have been hit by so many injuries over the past few months and that will leave a ton of questions for Marsch to answer within his squad composition for the summer tournament. After consecutive draws with Iceland and Tunisia, here are the looming questions still needing to be answered before the summer.

Could holders Argentina be a letdown? Does 41-year-old Ronaldo have a real shot at the Golden Boot? And who are our writers backing to win?

Here are the 48 teams that will play in the 2026 FIFA World Cup

Esmir Bajraktarevic shot the winning spot-kick in Zenica, where the Bosnians booked a place in Group B and matches against co-hosts Canada, Switzerland and Qatar, and plunged Italy into a new nightmare.

The Cooligans go live to react to the USMNT’s 2-0 loss to Portugal, breaking down what went wrong and whether it’s time to start worrying ahead of the World Cup. Bruno Fernandes shines as Player of the Game, while concerns grow around Christian Pulisic’s form. The guys also grade Mauricio Pochettino’s March window, preview the U.S. World Cup group, predict the starting XI, and react to fan takes from social media.

Praying his captain and talismanic striker is fully fit seems the head coach's best chance of success this summer

After a dismal run in the qualifiers, Viktor Gyokores and Sweden finally clicked in the play-offs to reach the finals this summer

Qualifying for football's biggest tournament will bring a 'little dose of joy' to a nation where life is challenging for many

Australia beat Curacao 5-1 on Tuesday night as they prepare for the World Cup in the summer

In this episode, MLS History RETURNS! We are diving into a story of brighter days in the PNW, covering the very first MLS game in Vancouver Whitecaps history! #MLS #MLSCup #mlscupplayoffs #ATLUTD #atlantaunited #austinfc #charlottefc #forthecrown #cf97 #chicagofire #fccincinnati #fcc #allforcincy #coloradorapids #rapids96 #columbuscrew #crew96 #dcu #dcunited #fcdallas #dtid #houstondynamo #holditdown #sportingkc #skc #lagalaxy #losangeles #lafc #intermiami #intermiamicf #messi #lionelmessi #...

Canada's scoring woes resurfaced, but so did a new attacking wrinkle as the World Cup opener in Toronto gets ever closer

After a 2-0 defeat to Portugal, more questions than answers surround Mauricio Pochettino’s USMNT. Jimmy Conrad, Charlie Davies, and Tony Meola break down a frustrating night and a March camp defined by constant tinkering, with tactics, personnel, and, most notably, a back four that still isn’t convincing this close to the World Cup. There were bright spots - Auston Trusty made the most of his opportunity - but who else helped or hurt their case with the roster deadline looming? The guys debate the biggest selection dilemmas and build their ideal XI for the opener against Paraguay. Despite back-to-back losses, Pochettino and Christian Pulisic are striking a positive tone… but is that optimism justified, or a warning sign? Plus, Türkiye punch their ticket to Group D - are they the immediate favorites to top it? And what did Pochettino really mean by saying his squad doesn’t feature “top 100” players? Call It What You Want is available for free on the Audacy app as well as Apple Podcasts, Spotify and wherever else you listen to podcasts. Follow the Call It What You Want team on X:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@JimmyConrad⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ @CharlieDavies9⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@TMeola1⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Visit the ⁠betting arena on CBSSports.com⁠ for all the latest in ⁠sportsbook reviews⁠ and ⁠sportsbook promos⁠ for ⁠betting on soccer⁠ For more soccer coverage from CBS Sports, visit ⁠https://www.cbssports.com/soccer/⁠ To hear more from the CBS Sports Podcast Network, visit ⁠https://www.cbssports.com/podcasts/⁠ Watch UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, UEFA Europa Conference League, UEFA Women’s Champions League, EFL Championship, EFL League Cup, Carabao Cup, Serie A, Coppa Italia, CONCACAF Nations League, CONCACAF World Cup Qualifiers, Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, NWSL, Scottish Premiership, AFC Champion League by subscribing to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Paramount+⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Visit the betting arena on CBS Sports.com: ⁠https://www.cbssports.com/betting/⁠ For all the latest in sportsbook reviews: ⁠https://www.cbssports.com/betting/news/sportsbook-promos/⁠ And sportsbook promos: ⁠https://www.cbssports.com/betting/news/sportsbook-promos/ To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 26 is decision day for Pochettino to name his final World Cup roster

Send us Fan Mail Welcome to the GP Soccer Podcast! (S14 E5) Proud member of the Sports History Network and endorsed by the National Soccer Coaches Association of Canada. Host Giovanni Pac...

Fans in Australia adore the Matildas and Socceroos - but they've been given good reason to drop off the sport when there isn't a World Cup on.

The USMNT faces Portugal as both sides prepare for the 2026 World Cup, today we will provide live commentary and reactions for this game. Caring and Cures → https://www.caringandcures.com Patreon → https://www.patreon.com/TacticalManagerTV Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/tacticalmanagertv Twitter → https://twitter.com/ManagerTactical TikTok→ https://www.tiktok.com/@tacticalmanagertv?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc Brazil Channel→ @chapeuFootball Merch store → https://www.tacticalmanagertv.com/ Discord link: https://discord.gg/8crvqsqWRU FuboTV Link for Free Trial: https://www.fubo.tv/welcome?irad=343747&irmp=2871982 Our Live Streaming Studio Browser platform preference: https://streamyard.com?fpr=tactical10 Music By Danae Subscribe to his Channel : @listentodanae Intro music by Music By Skymike Subscribe to his Channel : https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCt2p67RGk8XSquT1OvOfoZg Sources: https://www.transfermarkt.com https://www.mlssoccer.com/ https://www.espn.com/ https://www.fotmob.com/ #USMNT #TacticalManagerTV

The U.S. made multiple tweaks but fell to a second straight European power in similar fashion, leaving much to do as the World Cup nears

An extra-time goal from Axel Tuanzebe ensured DR Congo became the 47th team to qualify for this summer's World Cup

The U.S.-born former New England Revolution winger, who has one USMNT cap, sealed a memorable triumph