World Cup News

Around the world, here are the channels you can watch Newcastle United v Bournemouth Live TV. The global TV listings are featured below for local (to you) coverage on Saturday... You can click here to read the full article.

Norway star Jens Petter Hauge discusses his journey from AC Milan to Bodø/Glimt and his confidence heading into the World Cup 2026 as Norway returns to the global stage. We are just two months away from the FIFA World Cup, which will see Norway return to a major tournament for the first time since Euro 2000, and one man who will be looking to play a crucial role for them is Jens Petter Hauge. Born on October 12, 1999, Hauge was raised in Bodø and started off in Bodø/Glimt’s academy at 12 years old, ascending through the ranks before signing a professional contract on April 12, 2016. One day later, he came off the bench in the 64th minute and scored a hat-trick on his senior debut in a 6-0 cup win against IK Start. Following in the footsteps of his idol Eden Hazard, Hauge quickly made a name for himself thanks to his fleet feet and change of direction, becoming the club’s youngest-ever goalscorer in the Eliteserien. Whilst he wasn’t able to prevent them from suffering relegation, he nevertheless excelled in the second division and helped them achieve promotion with 2 goals and 13 assists in 2017. “When I got a little bit older, I started understanding more about football. Eden Hazard was my favorite player when he moved to Chelsea, and the way he was having fun while dribbling and scoring against the best teams in England,” stated Hauge in an exclusive World Soccer Talk interview. “It was special for me, and I wanted to be a player like him, so I would describe myself as an offensive player, good one-on-one, creating chances for my teammates and also myself.” After being loaned out to second-tier Aalesunds FK, Hauge returned with a vengeance and racked up 9 goals and 3 assists in 29 appearances across all competitions. 2020 was even better, with Hauge coming out of the pandemic a stronger player and scoring 14 goals and 10 assists in 18 league appearances, prompting him to be named the Eliteserien Young Player of the Year. Whilst he put them on track to win their maiden league title, he wasn’t able to enjoy the trophy: instead, after scoring a goal and an assist in a Europa League qualifier vs. Milan, he joined Milan for €5 million, signing a five-year contract. Hauge enjoyed a promising start to his Milan tenure, racking up 5 goals and 1 assist in 24 appearances, but he wasn’t able to lock down a starting spot during his time in Italy before eventually deciding to make the move to Eintracht Frankfurt in 2021. Hauge quickly adapted to life in Germany, scoring in two of his first three Bundesliga matches and emerging as a vital cog under Oliver Glasner as Eintracht knocked out Real Betis, Barcelona, and West Ham before defeating Rangers on penalties to win the UEFA Europa League, their first continental trophy in 42 years. But rather than stay put and take part in the UEFA Champions League, Hauge was loaned out to Belgian side Gent shortly after being purchased by Eintracht. He provided five assists in 29 appearances before heading back to Die Adler, where he struggled for regular minutes. Having scored 3 goals and 5 assists in 55 appearances for Die Adler, Hauge decided to head back to Bodø/Glimt on loan in January 2024, where he got off to a sensational start by assisting in his first two matches vs. Ajax and scoring 8 goals and 5 assists in 28 appearances en route to the championship. It was only a matter of time before Bodø decided to finalize the transfer for an initial €3.5 million, signing him to a contract through December 31, 2028. “It was a great start for me. Of course, it was a bit of a punch in the face that we didn’t beat Ajax and go through, but still, I was feeling like my fitness level was good. I also contributed with assists and scoring goals later on, so it was good to get that good start and feel that I’m still a good player, and just kept on working from there.” Hauge continued to build on his momentum in 2024/25, kicking off his UEFA Europa League campaign with a brace and an assist vs. Porto before registering an assist against Olympiacos and Lazio, but he was unable to come up with the goods as the Norwegians lost to eventual winners Tottenham Hotspur in the semifinals. After scoring 11 goals and 11 assists in 52 appearances, Hauge has taken things up a notch this season and established himself as one of the top Scandinavian players in Europe alongside the likes of Jesper Karlström, racking up 7 goals and 7 assists in 18 appearances, including 6 goals and 2 assists in 12 Champions League appearances. This form earned him a recall to the national team after a year out, making his 14th Norway appearance in a friendly against the Netherlands on March 27. And maybe, just maybe, he’ll have a role to play in this summer’s World Cup as Norway take on Iraq, France, and Senegal in Group I. “I can promise you that myself and the rest of the national team and the coaching staff did everything we could to make sure that Norway went to a major tournament again, and now, it’s time for the World Cup in North America. It’s going to be amazing; it’s going to be one of the coolest tournaments. I think everything is up for grabs for us, because the team is so talented, and the young Norwegian players now are playing at the best leagues and in the best teams. We will try our best, but personally, I’m confident.”

Pictures of the week: From Iraq celebrating World Cup qualification to flags going up in Dubai The National

The goal that healed a nation: Aymen Hussein and Iraq’s World Cup story The National

Mark Chapman, Chris Sutton, Rory Smith and Phil Jagielka assess how damaging Arsenal's FA Cup defeat at Southampton could be for the rest of their season. German football writer Rafa Honigstein joins the podcast to look at Tonda Eckert and why Germany is bringing through so many young coaches. With Virgil Van Dijk saying Liverpool "gave up" during their defeat at Man City, the panel discuss whether Arne Slot can turn things around. And assistant coach of Iraq, Rene Meulensteen, tells us about his side's extraordinary qualification for the World Cup. TIMECODES 00:30 Arsenal's disappointing cup exits 17:15 Southampton's excellent display 19:00 Rafa Honigstein on young German coaches 32:18 Did Liverpool "give up" at Manchester City 43:08 Rene Meulensteen on Iraq's World Cup qualifcation

Best photos of April 4: Iraqi national football team celebrates in Baghdad to a fuel depot in Dhaka The National

Iraqi PM welcomes football team after World Cup qualification The National

Jimbo is back in the chair and joined by Duncan Alexander, Adrian Clarke, Natalie Gedra, with special guest Frida Fagerlund as the final six teams to play at this year’s World Cup are confirmed. It’s disaster yet again for Italy after penalty heartbreak in Bosnia & Herzegovina. The Azzurri become the first ever former winners to miss three World Cups in a row. Where do they go from here? There’s shootout joy for Czech Republic though who beat Denmark, Sweden see off Poland and Turkey are heading to the World Cup for the first time in 24 years after winning in Kosovo. DR Congo and Iraq are also through to the group stages, and there’s another disappointing performance from England at Wembley. Plus, it’s FA Cup Quarter Final weekend with Man City hosting Liverpool as domestic football returns. Producer: Lucy Oliva Video Producer: Jake Liascos Listen to the audio version of the Totally Football Show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or by following this link: https://podfollow.com/totallyfootballshow 00:00 World Cup Qualifying results 04:16 Bosnian bliss and Italian misery 15:44 Czech ecstasy and Turkish delight 20:55 Potter's wizardry for Sweden 27:52 DR Congo & Iraq 31:45 England v Japan 40:39 USA & Brazil 46:34 De Zerbi at Spurs 49:28 FA Cup preview Get in touch with the show: Email: [email protected] X: @thetotallyshow Instagram: @totallyfootballshow TikTok: @thetotallyshow BlueSky: ‪@totallyshow.bsky.social‬ The Totally Football Show is with you four times a week this season, giving you all the football news you need to know - and plenty that you don't. We've got views, stats and analysis from the very best football writers around. It's smart, it's funny, and it's totally free – so listen to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Thumbnail: Jonathan Nackstrand, Pontus Lundahl / Contributor, Marco Luzzani / Stringer #worldcup #italy #sweden #england

The Cooligans break down growing concerns around Christian Pulisic’s form for both club and country and ask the big question: can the USMNT rely on him at the World Cup? The guys also team up with Meta to answer fan questions straight from Threads, diving into the biggest debates surrounding the U.S. squad. Plus, they react to the drama of World Cup qualifying playoffs—from Italy’s shocking failure to qualify again to feel-good stories from Iraq, Congo, and Sweden, and why the expanded tournament might actually be a win.

The Lions of Mesopotamia have waited 40 years to return to the World Cup and they have had to do it the hard way If anyone deserves the chance to celebrate Iraq’s return to the World Cup it is Aymen Hussein and not just because the striker scored the winning goal in the final intercontinental playoff against Bolivia on Tuesday. Born and raised in Kirkuk in northern Iraq, a region affected first by war and then by Islamic State, Hussein lost his father in an al-Qaeda attack in 2008. Six years later his brother disappeared and the young footballer was then forced to flee with the remaining members of his family. Football provided Hussein with a way out and hope. Now he has given his country, one that is recovering from recent horrors but still susceptible to the general regional instability as current events show, one of the happiest moments in its recent history.

Rog and Rory Smith break down a dramatic end to qualifying across the globe. They start with Italy’s stunning playoff collapse and what it says about the future of one of football’s traditional powers, before turning to Turkey’s growing threat and what it means for the USA ahead of their group stage meeting. From there, the focus widens to stories like Iraq’s emotional return and DR Congo’s breakthrough underline both the chaos and meaning of qualification. Plus, England’s attacking questions and whether Max Dowman could factor into the squad. Presented by Christopher Ward. To celebrate our partnership with Men in Blazers, Christopher Ward is giving one lucky soccer fan the chance to win any Trident watch of their choice. CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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. Subscribe to The Guardian Football Weekly ► https://www.youtube.com/@FootballWeeklyPodcast?sub_confirmation=1 Chapters: 00:00 - Coming up... 00:54 - Italy are NOT on the plane 16:25 - Sweden ARE on the plane 20:00 - Czechia beat Denmark 21:14 - Turkey, are they dark horses? 00:23:13:00 - Ad break 23:15 - Tuchel loses to another good team 33:30 - World Cup round up inc. Iran and Iraq 00:36:42:14 - Ad break 2 36:44 - Spurs appoint De Zerbi Support the Guardian ► https://support.theguardian.com/ Guardian Football Weekly podcast: Apple ► https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/football-weekly/id188674007 Spotify ► https://open.spotify.com/show/6w8qWe0kjgHEHSWDSDGoLW?si=231c666f7f5a4453 Follow Guardian Football Weekly: Instagram ► https://www.instagram.com/guardian_footballweekly/ TikTok ► https://www.tiktok.com/@guardian_footballweekly #italy #england #worldcup

On Wednesday's Football Daily, Phil Egan rounds off all the international action as Ireland’s campaign ends with a 0-0 draw with North Macedonia at the Aviva Stadium. Troy Parrott has two goals ruled out for offside, with the second likely standing if VAR had been available. Senior debuts for James Abankwah and Bosun Lawal, while Harvey Vale makes his first Dublin appearance. Mark Travers replaces Caoimhin Kelleher at half-time; Seamus Coleman receives a standing ovation on what could be his final Ireland outing. A total of 17 substitutions made, with Johnny Kenny going close late after Adam Idah’s flick. Head coach Heimir Hallgrimsson describes the game as “strange” after the stalemate. Bosun Lawal reflects on a proud moment making his senior international debut. Nearly 40,000 fans attend; Jayson Molumby praises the continued support. Assistant coach John O’Shea calls working with Ireland a privilege amid contract uncertainty. Finn Azaz impresses in attack, with Hallgrimsson highlighting his growing importance. Ireland U21s beat Kazakhstan 1-0, and the U17s qualify for another World Cup after a 7-0 win over Slovakia. League of Ireland coverage returns with Drogheda United hosting Bohemians. Italy miss a third straight World Cup after losing on penalties to Bosnia-Herzegovina. Sweden, Türkiye, DR Congo, Czechia and Iraq confirm World Cup qualification. Scotland lose to Côte d’Ivoire, England fall to Japan, and Northern Ireland draw with Wales in friendly action. Become a member and sign up at offtheball.com/join

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

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

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

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It's been a combined 72 years since these teams have appeared in a World Cup, but the drought will end for one of them

Iraq beat Bolivia to qualify for 2026 Fifa World Cup The National

Iraq football team train ahead of World Cup inter-confederation play-off in Mexico The National

Mac Millings makes his tournament debut as England's hopes hang by a thread. Bobby Robson is forced into some changes and, although familiar issues are still apparent early on against Poland, goals change games. And careers. There is also Morocco discovering what can be done when you cross the halfway line, progress for the hosts, Paraguay and Belgium fight to avoid the USSR, Italy remain unconvincing and some love for Jorge Valdano. South Korea v Italy - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=03ISodmB7jg Argentina v Bulgaria - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cyy0KjsS0os Mexico v Iraq - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2G2xrWF-sIQ Paraguay v Belgium - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8opR05tJ-E England v Poland - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8jcCQetmfAU & https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oBmpdKC1Ye8 Morocco v Portugal - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hkauTeF1NA8 If you want weekly exclusive bonus shows, join our Nessun Dorma community chat, want your episodes without ads and a couple of days earlier or just want to support the podcast, then head over to ⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/NessunDormaPodcast⁠⁠⁠ where you can subscribe for only $3.99 a month (less than 75p a week!). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Martyn is joined by Gary and debutant John Mackay get stuck into a bumper couple of days. Scotland make an unfortunate start against the Danes after Uruguay set out their stall against a West German side in a state of disarray. There are a couple of heavyweight clashes with some pulled punches and much more. Paraguay v Iraq - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O8GCTxga8jw Uruguay v West Germany - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cDOY6IR8u5Y Scotland v Denmark - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gfftlr9qtrQ Italy v Argentina - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IHGSoYFuHow France v USSR - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4uNEIWX5-z8 South Korea v Bulgaria - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VWxaRXvEB28 If you want weekly exclusive bonus shows, join our Nessun Dorma community chat, want your episodes without ads and a couple of days earlier or just want to support the podcast, then head over to ⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/NessunDormaPodcast⁠⁠⁠ where you can subscribe for only $3.99 a month (less than 75p a week!). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We are nearly there! Martyn is joined again by the author Aidan Williams to round up the rest of the qualifiers - from Argentina to Iraq - and to take a look at the contemporaneous previews on the eve of the tournament. There were big concerns about the impact of the midday sun on the quality of football, most agreed that there was no outstanding favourite and Diego Maradona had far from convinced everyone that he was about to take the world by storm. If you want weekly exclusive bonus shows, join our Nessun Dorma community chat, want your episodes without ads and a couple of days earlier or just want to support the podcast, then head over to ⁠⁠patreon.com/NessunDormaPodcast⁠⁠ where you can subscribe for only $3.99 a month (less than 75p a week!). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Zidane Iqbal on identity, Iraq and his new start: ‘I needed to leave Manchester United to grow’ The National

Adam Hurrey is joined by Charlie Eccleshare and David Walker on the latest Adjudication Panel. The agenda includes: the inside story of a viral Sunday League wondergoal, the Premier League's Twitter account crosses a line, a Luton fan's incredibly niche spreadsheet and how Blackburn Rovers briefly got embroiled in the Iraq War Meanwhile, the panel debate what constitutes a "rasping" shot and set the threshold for a defensive "comedy of errors." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Iraqi PM Mohammed Shia Al Sudani celebrates football team's victory in Arabian Gulf Cup The National

It’s the March 21st edition of Soapbox Standup. Soapbox Standup is a weekly podcast bringing you the latest headlines about Real Salt Lake in a 15 minute episode, published every Monday morning. This week, we cover: RSL’s victory over Nashville The team heads to Kansas City Meram called up to the Iraq National Team Real Monarchs to start this season away to Tacoma Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of Off the Crossbar, Matt, Kyle and Trevor talk: Justin Meram's retirement from the Iraq National Team RSL's playoff chances Toni Datkovic and rumors coming from Spain RSL's disastrous loss against Chicago Fire and more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this week's episode of Off the Crossbar, Matt, Kyle and Trevor talk: Justin Meram being called up to the Iraq National Team Douglas Martinez being loaned to San Diego Loyal Speculation on the latest with David Ochoa RSL's loss to Colorado Rapids Freddy Juarez's comments following RSL's loss to Colorado and more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Back to back wins certainly puts a spring in our step. As does the veritable feast of football that we had around this world this past week. And we talk about a lot of it in this week's show. We kick things off with an analysis of Vancouver Whitecaps' 1-0 win over Portland Timbers in MLS action on Friday night. A great defensive display that saw the 'Caps, temporarily at least, move into the playoff places, but most certainly now in the mix. We look at the good, the bad, and the ugly from the match, the supporters walkout, and the concerns the team still give us. Our feature interview this week is with Whitecaps defender Ali Adnan, as we sit down with the Iraqi international to talk about his footballing life so far, from playing football as a little boy in Iraq to his footballing family, the moves to Turkey and Italy, and now to MLS. We also chat with Marc Dos Santos about technology in the modern game and MLS managers complaining, to Will Cromack about the new TSS Rovers season, continue our 1979 NASL Soccer Bowl celebrations, and more!

The boys are joined by North Bank legend Mervyn Griffiths and discuss Merv joining the Army, Iraq being lawless, Napoli away, travelling to Israel and chasing the Oldham mascot. Paddy buys his daughter £380 Alexander McQueen trainers and the lads discuss the recent demonstration at the Millwall match, the reaction to last weeks podcast and take a look at recent hit and miss signings plus much more..... @ambitioniscritcal1997 on Instagram @TheAiCPodcast on Twitter