Football News, Live Scores, Results & Transfers | Goal.com UK (original) (raw)
GOAL writers predict the winners of the 2026 World Cup It's so close we can almost taste it. The 2026 World Cup is now just hours away, with the best players on the planet having descended on the United States, Canada and Mexico for what promises to be a superb summer of football. While some teams will solely harbour dreams of getting out of the groups, others know that anything other than a trophy parade in late-July will go down as failure. We're set, then, for five-and-a-half weeks of drama, filled with joy and heartbreak in equal measure.
Rashford, beware! Electric Gordon stakes World Cup claim England completed their World Cup preparations with a comfortable 3-0 victory over Costa Rica in their rain-delayed final warm-up friendly on Wednesday. It was a bruising encounter against a physical opponent, but Thomas Tuchel's men kept their cool to dominate in the sweltering Orlando heat courtesy of goals from Declan Rice, Anthony Gordon and Ollie Watkins.
10 potential breakout stars of the 2026 World Cup It's so close you can almost touch it. After years of build-up, the 2026 World Cup will kick-off on Thursday when co-hosts Mexico face off against South Africa in a repeat of the opening game from 2010. Over the next five-and-a-half weeks, records will be broken and legacies rewritten as a number of modern greats do battle to win the most recognisable trophy in all of sport.
Phonzy's fight to ensure World Cup doesn't pass him by There’s a running group that trots through the streets of Toronto on Monday nights, swallowing up sidewalks with expansive crowds, especially when summer temperatures take over the city. On a recent evening, the group passed outside Toronto Stadium, adorned with FIFA's World Cup branding and ready to host six games during the 2026 tournament.
WC26 Power Rankings: Spain stay No.1 as Brazil & U.S. climb There really is nothing like the World Cup. Even just qualifying generates a level of nationwide excitement that the club game simply cannot match, which is why we witnessed truly joyous scenes all across the globe as one country after another secured a spot at this summer's festival of football in North America. The final six participants were confirmed in March, with Sweden, Turkiye, Czechia and Bosnia & Herzegovina taking the four remaining slots in Europe, while Iraq and DR Congo came out of the inter-confederation play-offs.
America expects - but will U.S. 'Golden Generation' deliver? In March, after the U.S. men's national team suffered back-to-back humblings at the hands of Belgium and Portugal, Mauricio Pochettino wondered aloud about the players he had at his disposal. Whether that vocal wondering came from a place of honesty or from a place of motivation, only Pochettino knows. The only certainty was that his assessment was blunt: his team, man for man, wasn't as good as the elite.
BDO Power Rankings: World Cup set to decide Golden Ball winner With the Lionel Messi-Cristiano Ronaldo duopoly presumably disappearing into the rearview mirror, the battle for the Ballon d'Or hasn't felt so open for the best part of 20 years, with countless players now beginning each campaign believing they have a chance of claiming the most prestigious individual prize football has to offer. Ousmane Dembele emerged from a career plagued by injuries and inconsistencies to win the Golden Ball in 2025, and he is among a crowded field of contenders again in 2026.
RANKED: Top 20 kits at the 2026 World Cup There's just a few hours to go until the biggest show on earth gets underway, with the 2026 World Cup kicking off in Mexico City on Thursday. If you haven't already caught a serious case of World Cup fever, what better way to get in the mood than by checking out the very best kits that will be on show in North America this summer.
RANKED: 100 most iconic moments in World Cup history The World Cup has had no shortage of iconic moments across nearly 100 years of history. Every four years, billions of fans congregate to watch a tournament that has provided more drama, heartbreak and joy than any other event in sporting history. Football's grandest stage, the World Cup has always offered a platform for legends to be born, but it has also seen reputations destroyed and the downfall of so many famous faces.
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'Not here to give advice to Arteta!' - Guardiola snaps back at reporter A nonplussed Pep Guardiola dismissed a question from a reporter that related to Mikel Arteta chasing his first Premier League title as a manager, insisting that he had not attended his pre-match press conference to offer advice to the Arsenal boss. Manchester City face Leeds on Saturday evening as they look to close the gap at the top of the table to two points, with the Gunners not in action until Sunday, when they host Chelsea.
🎥 | Robbie Lyle chats Arsenal & AFTV on Beast Mode On Podcast From building AFTV into one of the biggest football platforms in the world to changing the way fans consume football media forever, Robbie Lyle joins the Beast Mode On Podcast for an honest conversation about Arsenal, criticism, viral moments and the reality behind football fan culture.
🎥 | PSG or Arsenal?! Front Three host UCL final showdown Fans from PSG and Arsenal join the Front Three team in Budapest to play a Battle Royale game of epic proportions! Will Jules and Ali come out on top for the Ligue 1 champions or will it be Juwon and DSK who win the day for the Gunners? Find out by watching the video above
🎥 | EXCLUSIVE: Saka on all things Arsenal & trophy 'dream' Arsenal superstar Bukayo Saka joins Adebayo Akinfenwa on the Beast Mode On Podcast as the England forward opens up on his journey from the Gunners' Hale End academy all the way to the first team and captaining the Premier League leaders. The 24-year-old also reveals his burning desire to win trophies with the north Londoners and discusses his close relationship with Mikel Arteta among many other topics in a truly unmissable episode of the show.
🎥 | Wes Morgan reveals all about Leicester's miracle title win In the latest episode of the Beast Mode On Podcast, Wes Morgan, captain of Leicester City's historic title-winning side, shares the real story behind one of the greatest underdog achievements in football history. The conversation dives deep into the mindset behind the Foxes' impossible Premier League title win, a 5000-1 miracle that shocked the world. The ex-Nottingham Forest defender also discusses his battles with Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, his pride at representing Jamaica and more.
This is the Premier League
Trades of the week: Biggest done deals of the summer so far With the transfer window opening on June 15 for many of Europe's top leagues, GOAL, in association with eToro, is your go-to resource for all the biggest done deals. Will a Manchester cub break the £100 million barrier to land Elliot Anderson? Could Michael Olise end up at Real Madrid? Track all the biggest trades right here throughout the summer!
Ten Hag's ex-Man Utd assistant in talks over new head coach role Mitchell van der Gaag is reportedly in advanced discussions to take over as the new head coach of Maritimo, signaling a swift return to the dugout. The 54-year-old was a key figure under Erik ten Hag at Manchester United for two years but has been out of the game since leaving FC Zurich in October last year.
'Rest of your team is rubbish!' - Man Utd roasted over Bruno's POTY win Arsenal legend David Seaman has delivered a stinging assessment of Manchester United’s recent performances, claiming it is "easy" for Bruno Fernandes to stand out in a side he described as "rubbish." The former England goalkeeper believes the accolades for Player of the Year should instead favour stars from the title-winning Gunners squad.
Trent back to the EPL? ‘Gobsmacked’ claim amid Real regrets Trent Alexander-Arnold will have had “sleepless nights” and the odd regret since his move to Real Madrid, but Danny Murphy has told GOAL that he would be “gobsmacked” to see the Liverpool academy graduate back at Anfield. Questions are being asked of the England international’s future following a tough debut season in Spain and failure to secure a spot in Thomas Tuchel’s 2026 World Cup squad.
Must-read opinion and expert analysis
Why 2026 is the best managerial line up in World Cup history The 2026 World Cup is almost upon us. Over the course of the next week, the time for talking will stop, and teams will have to prove their credentials with their performances on the pitch in North America. All roads, whether through the United States, Mexico or Canada, will lead to New Jersey on July 19, and the biggest football match on the planet: the World Cup final.
Last Dance: Legends playing at their final World Cup in '26 The 2026 World Cup is set to be a historic tournament, unlike any that have come before it. Expanded to 48 teams for the first time and spread across three countries - the United States, Canada and Mexico - it promises to be the biggest spectacle in the competition’s near-100-year history.
RANKED: Top 10 World Cup Golden Boot contenders After years of build-up, the 2026 World Cup is almost upon us. The best players in the world have descended on the United States, Mexico and Canada with dreams of lifting the most prestigious trophy in global football ahead of the action getting under way in Mexico City.
Yamal & the NXGN wonderkids to watch at the World Cup The World Cup is now just a few hours away, with teams currently making their final preparations for the tournament in North America. The stage is set for a whole host of players to make themselves national heroes, including some of the most exciting youngsters in the game today.
Palmer & the biggest stars to miss out on the World Cup The 2026 World Cup is almost here. After years of build-up, dramatic qualifiers and numerous good - and bad - news stories surrounding FIFA's flagship finals, players and coaches from around the world are completing their last preparations after descending on the United States, Mexico and Canada for the biggest international football tournament to ever have been staged.
Transfer news and done deals 🤝
FIFA updates transfer system with mandatory release clauses & reduced fees FIFA has officially announced a groundbreaking overhaul of the global football transfer market that serves as the most significant reform of the system in over two decades. The governing body has reached a landmark agreement with FIFPRO and other key stakeholders to completely reshape how player movements and contracts are handled across the world.
Mourinho turns Bernardo's head! Real Madrid target leaves Barca in limbo Incoming Real Madrid head coach Jose Mourinho has dramatically altered the race for Bernardo Silva, making the high-profile free agent his primary summer target. The Portuguese midfielder has reportedly halted advanced talks with Barcelona and Atletico Madrid following direct assurances from his compatriot, completely shifting the landscape of La Liga's transfer window.
PSG & Liverpool target confirms summer transfer after World Cup Monaco rising star Maghnes Akliouche has officially opened the door to a high-profile move this summer, acknowledging that his time at the Stade Louis II is likely coming to an end. The 24-year-old playmaker has been heavily linked with European heavyweights PSG and Liverpool following a breakout campaign in Ligue 1.
Kompany gets his man! Bayern reach 'breakthrough' in €65m defender pursuit Bayern Munich are on the verge of completing their first major transfer coup of the summer window after making a significant breakthrough with Eintracht Frankfurt. The Bavarian giants have agreed a deal in principle to sign highly-rated Germany international defender Nathaniel Brown, a player heavily requested by head coach Vincent Kompany.
Winners & losers after Lionesses fail to seal World Cup spot It's always hard for representatives of a team that did not succeed to make a point about issues with a qualifying format, but few could begrudge the frustration evident among the England squad on Tuesday after the Lionesses fell short of the one automatic qualification spot available to them for the 2027 Women's World Cup.
EIGHT red cards shown as USWNT edge Brazil in chaotic encounter The United States Women’s National Team secured a gritty 1-0 victory over Brazil on Tuesday night, but the football was almost entirely overshadowed by total anarchy on the pitch. In a highly contentious game, the officiating took center stage as a staggering eight red cards were issued to the home side's players and coaching staff.
Women's World Cup 2027: Full list of qualified teams GOAL tracks all the qualification campaigns for the 2027 Women's World Cup, breaking down which teams have qualified and which nations could soon join them
Why Chelsea have made a world-record bid for Sweden teen Khadija Shaw is one of the best centre-forwards in the women's game, if not the best. Winner of three successive Women's Super League Golden Boots, and scorer of more goals than any other player in Europe's top five leagues since her move to Manchester City in 2021, it's no wonder that Chelsea were trying to bring her to west London as her contract neared its expiry this summer. But as it became apparent that the Blues were going to miss out on Shaw, it says a lot about Felicia Schroder that the Swedish teenager was next on their wish list.
Bosnia's teen star set to shine at the World Cup As 40-year-old Edin Dzeko enters the late twilight of his career, Bosnian football has a new potential superstar to carry it forward. Kerim Alajbegovic hadn't even been born when the revered striker made his international debut 19 years ago, but the pair are set to shoulder their country's hopes at the 2026 World Cup in North America this summer.
Why City, Barca & more want Palmeiras' next teenage star At Palmeiras, Endrick, Estevao, Luis Gulherme, Vitor Reis and Luighi became known as 'The Billion Generation' - a reference to the colossal amount of money four prodigiously gifted players were expected to generate for the Brazil club. However, it now feels as if another name should be added to that illustrious list of outstanding academy products, that of Eduardo Conceicao.
Why Chelsea, PSG & more want Werder's teen sensation A year ago, Karim Coulibaly hadn't even made his first-team debut for Werder Bremen. Fast-forward 12 months, though, and the centre-back could be on course for a record-breaking transfer away from the Bundesliga side at the age of 18. The Germany youth international has enjoyed a breakthrough season at Weserstadion, putting some of Europe's top clubs on notice, and Werder are seemingly prepared to cash-in already.
The Chaaaaaampions 🎶
Platini files criminal complaint against FIFA president Michel Platini has filed a criminal complaint in Paris against FIFA president Gianni Infantino, accusing him of active influence peddling and spreading false accusations linked to the events that ended his FIFA presidency bid in 2015. The former UEFA chief is also targeting two former FIFA officials as he seeks to clear his name and pursue accountability.
Real Madrid ask UEFA to strip Barca of titles Real Madrid have sensationally called for Barcelona to be stripped of their historic titles as the fallout from the Negreira scandal reaches a definitive breaking point. Following his dominant re-election victory, Florentino Perez has taken the offensive by submitting an extensive legal dossier to UEFA's headquarters.
Revealed: The ‘unfinished business’ that returned Mourinho to Real Madrid Jose Mourinho is reportedly on the brink of an emotional return to Real Madrid following Florentino Perez re-election as club president, but the Portuguese tactician isn't heading back to the Spanish capital for a mere nostalgia trip. The 'Special One' is driven by a singular goal that escaped him during his first three-year stint at the helm of the world's most successful club.
Toure takes his first managerial job as City icon appointed by Champions League club Manchester City legend Yaya Toure has finally landed his first head coaching role, stepping out from the shadows to take charge of Slovakian heavyweights Slovan Bratislava. The iconic midfielder, who has spent the last five years honing his craft in various backroom roles, is now set to lead the Slovakian giants into a new era.
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