Gareth Southgate has revealed he declined offers to work as a television pundit for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, choosing instead to keep his distance from the England team he led for eight years.It is the first World Cup since Southgate stepped down as England manager following defeat in the Euro 2024 final. He was succeeded by Thomas Tuchel, who now leads the Three Lions into their Group L opener against Croatia on Wednesday.Instead of returning to the spotlight in a broadcasting

Tunisia have become the first team to make a managerial change at the 2026 FIFA World Cup after parting company with head coach Sabri Lamouchi in the aftermath of their crushing defeat to Sweden.The decision comes less than 48 hours after the Carthage Eagles were dismantled 5-1 by Sweden in their opening Group F fixture, a result that has placed immense pressure on the North Africans heading into the remainder of the tournament.What was expected to be a competitive start to Tunisiaâ??s

Ghana forward Abdul Fatawu Issahaku is oozing with confidence ahead of the Black Stars' World Cup campaign. The Leicester City winger is expected to star at the tournament as he prepares for his second World Cup, having featured at the 2022 edition in Qatar as a teenager."I feel amazing because itâ??s always a dream come true to be part of a World Cup team. Iâ??m privileged to be part of this team, and this is my second time. The first time was about experience

Ghana's Black Stars will leave Rhode Island on Monday ahead of their World Cup opener against Panama in Toronto. The team led by Carlos Queiroz are expected to arrive early Monday morning, before holding their final training session for Wednesday's crucial game.The Black Stars will travel without experienced midfielder Thomas Partey, who was denied entry to Canada over allegations of rape and sexual assault. The 33-year-old's has been in and out of court in the

Kazakhstan Premier League side FK Zhenys have announced the signing of Ghanaian defender Patrick Kpozo, adding experience and versatility to their squad ahead of the new season.The 28-year-old joins the club after spells across several European leagues, bringing with him a wealth of experience gained from playing in Sweden, Moldova and the Czech Republic.Zhenys confirmed the move in an official statement, expressing confidence that the Ghanaian will significantly strengthen the

Kazakhstan Premier League side FK Zhenys have announced the signing of Ghanaian defender Patrick Kpozo, adding experience and versatility to their squad ahead of the new season.The 28-year-old joins the club after spells across several European leagues, bringing with him a wealth of experience gained from playing in Sweden, Moldova and the Czech Republic.Zhenys confirmed the move in an official statement, expressing confidence that the Ghanaian will significantly strengthen the

Ghana Football Association (GFA) President Kurt Okraku has issued a bold statement of intent ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, insisting the Black Stars will overpower all their group-stage opponents.The four-time African champions are preparing for their fifth appearance at the global tournament, where they have been drawn in Group L alongside Panama, England and Croatia.Ghana will be aiming to improve on their recent World Cup outings in 2014 and 2022, when they failed to progress

Panama defender Jiovany Ramos has acknowledged the challenge posed by Ghana ahead of their opening match at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, describing the Black Stars as a physically strong and aggressive side.The centre-back made the remarks as Panama continued preparations for Wednesday's Group L clash against Ghana at Toronto Stadium.Speaking to the media before Sunday's training session, Ramos stressed the importance of discipline and concentration if Panama are to make a

Former Asante Kotoko goalkeeper Frederick Asare has expressed no disappointment over his omission from Ghana's squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, stating that the players selected deserved their places in the team.The goalkeeper, who featured four times for Durban City FC in South Africa during the 2025/26 season, said he fully respects the decisions made regarding the Black Stars squad.Speaking in an interview with Nhyira FM, Asare admitted that missing out on the prestigious

Swedish referee Glenn Nyberg has been appointed as the official referee for the 2026 World Cup Group L opener between Ghana and Panama on Wednesday. The encounter, scheduled to take place at Toronto Stadium, is expected to play a key role in shaping the fortunes of both nations in a group that also includes England and Croatia.Nyberg will be supported by fellow Swedes Mahbod Beigi and Andreas Söderkvist, who have been named as assistant referees. Khalid Alturais will complete

Tunisia endured a nightmare start to their 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign as they suffered a heavy 5-1 defeat against Sweden in their opening Group F encounter at Estadio Monterrey.A brilliant brace from Yasin Ayari helped inspire a dominant Swedish performance, while goals from Alexander Isak, Viktor Gyokeres and Mattias Svanberg completed a miserable evening for the North Africans.Sweden signalled their attacking intent from the opening minutes and nearly found the breakthrough

Ghana midfielder Thomas Partey played a leading role in inspiring local children during the Black Stars' community engagement event at Bryant University in Rhode Island ahead of their FIFA World Cup opener on Wednesday.As part of the FIFA-WHO Be Active campaign, Partey joined several of his teammates on the pitch to interact with children aged between 10 and 14, promoting the importance of physical activity and healthy living through football.The experienced midfielder took

Africa celebrated its first victory at the 2026 FIFA World Cup after a dramatic late strike from Amad secured a 1-0 win for Cote d'Ivoire against Ecuador on Monday.The Elephants looked destined to settle for a goalless draw in their opening Group E encounter before Amad produced a moment of brilliance in the 90th minute to hand the 2023 African champions all three points.The victory marks the first win for an African nation at the expanded 48-team World Cup and provides a major

Ivory Coast made a winning start to the 2026 FIFA World Cup after a 12-year absence, securing a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Ecuador in their opening Group E fixture thanks to a late strike from Amad Diallo on Sunday night.The Elephants had to withstand sustained pressure from Ecuador throughout much of the contest before finding the decisive breakthrough.Ecuador started brightly and threatened on several occasions in the opening half. Enner Valencia came close in the 11th minute

Morocco Football Federation president Fouzi Lekjaa has revealed that his country agreed to host the expanded 2026 Women's Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) largely because no other African nation was willing to stage the tournament.Speaking about Morocco's decision to host the continental showpiece, Lekjaa said the North African nation stepped forward after finding itself in a unique position where it was fully prepared to organize the competition while facing no competition