Former Iran international Sadegh Varmiziar has declared his outfit upcoming 2026 World Cup clash against Egypt as a â??life or deathâ?? affair as the battle for knockout stage heats up.Egypt will face Iran on Saturday morning in the third round of Group G, with both sides approaching the fixture from very different positions in the standings and momentum.The Pharaohs arrive full of confidence after securing a historic 3â??1 victory over New Zealand in their second group

Confederation of African Football (CAF) is set to conduct the official draw for next seasonâ??s CAF Champions League and CAF Confederation Cup.The draw has been scheduled for August 2026, with Morocco expected to host the much-anticipated draw, where clubs will get to know their opponents for the preliminary round of matches.The decision underlines CAFâ??s continued preference for Morocco as a host nation for major football events, driven by the countryâ??s modern infrastructure,

Ghana head coach Carlos Queiroz has admitted it is still too early to determine whether first-choice goalkeeper Lawrence Ati-Zigi will be available for the Black Stars' final Group L game at the 2026 FIFA World Cup after missing the crucial clash against England.Ati-Zigi was absent as Ghana produced a disciplined defensive performance to hold England to a goalless draw, a result that strengthened the Black Stars' hopes of progressing to the Round of 32.Speaking at his

Black Stars forward Antoine Semenyo has been one of Ghana's standout performers at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with his displays on the pitch attracting widespread praise.Away from football, the Manchester City striker has also attracted attention alongside his fiancee, Jordeen Buckley, who has become a familiar face supporting Ghana during the tournament.Buckley is a social media influencer and entrepreneur, best known as the owner of the London-based beauty business Jrose Nail

Black Stars goalkeeper Joseph Anang shared a special moment with former West Ham United teammate Declan Rice after Ghana's goalless draw with England at the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Tuesday.The pair exchanged jerseys following the Group L encounter at the Boston Stadium, rekindling a friendship that dates back to their time together in the West Ham academy and first-team setup.Anang spent seven years with the Hammers after joining the club in 2017, progressing through the youth

Former Ghana technical advisor Winfried Schafer believes the Black Stars have what it takes to defeat Croatia and book their place in the knockout stages of the 2026 FIFA World Cup despite no longer being part of the national team's technical structure.Schafer has remained a close observer of Ghana's campaign and is currently working as a television pundit from Antalya while covering the tournament.Although his contract with the Ghana Football Association ended shortly

A group of Ghana football supporters have launched an online petition calling on FIFA to investigate what they describe as biased officiating during the Black Stars' 2026 FIFA World Cup encounter against England.The petition, addressed to the FIFA Council, alleges that several refereeing decisions during the match unfairly disadvantaged Ghana and influenced the outcome of the contest.At the time of publication, the petition had attracted 47 verified signatures, with organisers

Black Stars returned to training on Wednesday, less than 24 hours after battling to a goalless draw against England that kept them joint top of Group L at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.Carlos Queiroz's side held a recovery session at Bryant University in Providence, with the focus firmly shifting to Saturday's decisive clash against Croatia.Players who started against England underwent light recovery work, while the substitutes and those who did not feature completed a more

Ghana will leave their training base in Rhode Island on Thursday for Philadelphia as preparations intensify for Saturday's decisive FIFA World Cup Group L clash against Croatia.The Black Stars held a recovery session at Bryant University on Wednesday, less than 24 hours after producing an impressive defensive display to earn a goalless draw against England at Gillette Stadium.Carlos Queiroz's side head into the final round of group matches level on four points with England,

French football has been left in mourning following the death of Guingamp midfielder Kenzo Kies, who died after drowning in the Rhône River. He was 21.Kies was pulled from the water by firefighters on Monday after entering the river with three friends near Lyon as they attempted to cool off during an intense heatwave sweeping across France.He was found in critical condition and rushed to hospital, where he later died.According to reports, temperatures in parts of France reached

Thomas Tuchel has moved to calm speculation that he singled out Djed Spence during Englandâ??s 0-0 draw with Ghana, after the defender was seen receiving animated instructions from the touchline. The England manager insisted the reaction was purely tactical, not personal, as debate continued over a tense moment that briefly stole attention from the match itself.Spenceâ??s selection had already drawn interest after a turbulent build-up involving Ghana midfielder Thomas Partey,

Morocco has officially become the highest-scoring African nation in FIFA World Cup history. The Atlas Lions achieved this historic milestone following a thrilling 4-2 comeback victory against Haiti in their final Group C match at the FIFA World Cup 2026 in Atlanta.The win elevated Moroccoâ??s all-time tournament total to 26 goals across 26 matches, allowing them to surpass Nigeriaâ??s long-standing record of 23 goals to claim sole possession of continental goalscoring supremacy.The

South Africa secured qualification to the Round of 32 at the 2026 FIFA World Cup after grinding out a tense 1-0 victory over South Korea in their decisive final Group A encounter on Thursday morning.Bafana Bafana entered the match under pressure following defeat to Mexico and a draw against Czechia in their opening two fixtures, leaving them with only one point and needing a victory to guarantee progression to the knockout stage.On the matchday, South Korea started brightly and

England manager Thomas Tuchel has praised Ghanaâ??s organisation and resilience after the Black Stars produced a disciplined defensive display to secure a 0-0 draw against the Three Lions in their Group L clash on Tuesday night.Tuchel admitted his side found it difficult to break through a compact and physically committed Ghana team, despite enjoying long spells of dominance in possession.England controlled much of the contest but were repeatedly frustrated by Ghanaâ??s structured

England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford has praised Ghanaâ??s tactical organisation after both sides played out a goalless draw in Group L action at the Boston Stadium on Tuesday night.The Black Stars produced a compact and disciplined defensive display that frustrated England throughout the encounter, despite long periods of pressure from Thomas Tuchelâ??s side.England dominated possession and dictated the tempo for much of the match, but struggled to convert control into clear-cut

Morocco booked their place in the Round of 32 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup after overcoming a determined Haiti side in a dramatic 4-2 victory on Wednesday in Atlanta.The result confirmed Moroccoâ??s progression from the group stage, but it was anything but straightforward, as the North African side were pushed all the way in a tense and unpredictable encounter filled with momentum swings and standout moments.Morocco were rocked early in the match when goalkeeper Bono accidentally

Ghana's goalless draw with England at the 2026 FIFA World Cup has been the most-watched World Cup broadcast in BBC history.The Group L match garnered a peak viewership of 15.4 million on BBC One and iPlayer, exceeding all prior World Cup broadcasts by the network.Notwithstanding the absence of goals, the eagerly awaited match captivated the interest of football enthusiasts throughout the United Kingdom and beyond.The record-breaking viewership reflects both teams' global

Senegal and Iraq head into their final Group I clash at the 2026 FIFA World Cup knowing that victory is crucial if they are to keep alive their hopes of reaching the knockout stage as one of the tournamentâ??s best third-placed teams.The two nations will meet at BMO Field in Toronto on Friday in a high-pressure encounter, with both sides still searching for their first win of the competition after difficult starts to the tournament.Key Stakes:For Senegal, expectations were significantly

Tunisia head into their final Group F match at the 2026 FIFA World Cup with only pride left to fight for as they prepare to face the Netherlands at Arrowhead Stadium on Thursday.The Eagles of Carthage have already been eliminated from the tournament following consecutive defeats, while the Dutch arrive in Kansas City aiming to secure top spot in the group and continue their impressive World Cup run.The new tournament regulations, which prioritise head-to-head results over goal difference,

Curacao and Ivory Coast face off in their decisive final Group E clash at the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Thursday, with both sides chasing a historic achievement at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia.The Elephants are aiming to secure a place in the round of 32 for the first time in their history, while Curacao continue their remarkable underdog journey and remain in contention to produce one of the tournamentâ??s biggest surprises.Curacao head into the encounter boosted by