FIFA World Cup 2026

2026

Loved the World Cup? Here's your ultimate 10-step guide to European soccer, 2026-27

So, you're keen to extend your soccer love after a wonderful summer? Well let Bill Connelly count 10 things you need to know before the new European seasons kick off in mid-August.

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The Fifa family: which confederations could support Infantino or turn against him?

Gianni Infantino is under increasing scrutiny following his World Cup sell-off plan. We look at each confederation’s relationship with the presidentThe pressure is growing on the Fifa president, Gianni Infantino, with many countries withdrawing their support following the bungled World Cup sell-off. However, how key is Infantino’s relationship with each confederation and is it likely that an election contest will actually happen? We look at the key considerations, confederation by confederation. <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/aug/04/fifa-which-confederations-could-support-gianni-infantino-or-turn-against-him">Continue reading...</a>

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Nottingham Forest open talks to sign World Cup sensation – journalist

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Cape Verde coach exits after historic WC campaign

Cape Verde coach Bubista, who led the World Cup debutants to a stellar tournament, joined Moroccan club RS Berkane on Tuesday.

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Jordan FA president accuses FIFA of 'blackmail'

FIFA has been accused of "blackmailing" Jordan over World Cup money in return for their support for Gianni Infantino to stay on as president.

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USMNT to face Mexico and Canada in friendlies to kick off 2030 World Cup cycle

<ul><li>Fall opponents also include Peru and Chile</li><li>Matches set for 26 September to 6 October</li><li><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/aug/04/usmnt-friendlies-mexico-canada">First games since Pochettino agreed to return</a></li></ul>The US men’s national team will kick off the next World Cup cycle with four matches over 11 days on home soil.The friendlies include games against Peru, Chile, Mexico and Canada in US cities that didn’t host World Cup action this summer. <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/aug/04/usmnt-friendlies-mexico-canada">Continue reading...</a>

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First USMNT fixtures after new Poch deal revealed

The United States men's national team returns to action for the first time since the 2026 World Cup during the September/October FIFA international window, hosting Peru, Chile, Canada and Mexico in friendlies across the country.

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New contract in hand, Pochettino will now face a different pressure as USMNT boss

Now that he has four years to plan for another World Cup, the demands on Mauricio Pochettino will be entirely different than what he has encountered so far.

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Cape Verde coach Bubista resigns to join Moroccan club

Head coach Bubista leaves Cape Verde after reaching the last 32 at the World Cup to join Moroccan club RS Berkane.

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David Squires on … Gianni Infantino clinging to power as his Fifa empire crumbles

Our resident cartoon imagines some of the crisis talks at Fifa as its president scrambles for support after a botched World Cup plan <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/picture/2026/aug/04/david-squires-gianni-infantino-clinging-to-power-as-his-fifa-empire-crumbles-cartoon">Continue reading...</a>

guardian

Wenger: FIFA's World Cup U-turn 'necessary'

FIFA's chief of global football development Arsene Wenger has said Gianni Infantino's decision to withdraw from a plan to sell stakes in a World Cup company to private investors was "absolutely necessary and beyond question."

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Wenger and Infantino’s No 2 Grafström criticise ‘sad and reproachable’ World Cup plan

<ul><li>Senior Fifa duo pile pressure on under-fire president</li><li>Wenger reveals he knew nothing about investment plan</li></ul>Gianni Infantino’s authority was dealt a further blow after his No 2, the Fifa secretary general Mattias Grafström, called the failed World Cup private investment plan a “sad and reproachable series of events”.In further evidence that senior Fifa personnel continue to distance themselves from Infantino and his botched scheme, Arsène Wenger issued a statement on Tuesday morning saying the project’s withdrawal was “absolutely necessary and beyond question”. The former Arsenal manager is Fifa’s chief of global development and had publicly been silent about the crisis unfolding in world football. <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/aug/04/arsene-wenger-gianni-infantino-grafstrom-criticise-world-cup-plan-fifa">Continue reading...</a>

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Concacaf countries considering withdrawing support for under-fire Gianni Infantino

<ul><li>Confederation which represents Americas unhappy</li><li>Pressure growing on the beleaguered Fifa president </li></ul>A number of Concacaf countries are considering following Europe’s lead by formally removing their support for the Fifa president Gianni Infantino.All 41 members of Concacaf, the confederation which represents North America, Central America and the Caribbean, are understood to have submitted letters of endorsement for Infantino’s re-election campaign before the World Cup, but many are now giving serious consideration to withdrawing them. <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/aug/04/concacaf-countries-considering-withdrawing-support-for-under-fire-gianni-infantino">Continue reading...</a>

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Sources: Madrid offer Viní Jr. €22M a year deal

Real Madrid have made an improved contract offer to Vinícius Júnior since the World Cup, sources have told ESPN, resuming talks which had been stalled for almost a year.

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Transfer roundup: Chelsea sell Trevoh Chalobah and sign Jordan Henderson

<ul><li>Chalobah to join Cesc Fàbregas at Como for £27.5m</li><li>Henderson adds experience to Xabi Alonso’s squad</li></ul>Trevoh Chalobah’s long association with Chelsea is set to end after Como agreed a deal worth an initial £25.7m (€30m). <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/21/from-times-square-to-england-squad-trevoh-chalobah-realises-world-cup-dream">The England World Cup defender</a>’s departurte was agreed on the same day the club completed the signing of Jordan Henderson.Chalobah will depart after playing 105 Premier League games and establishing himself as a first-team option during a number of turbulent periods for the club. The move will be seen as a coup <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/may/07/we-bring-in-hungry-humble-players-how-cesc-fabregas-is-leading-the-incredible-rise-of-como">for Como’s head coach, Cesc Fàbregas</a>, with the former Chelsea midfielder personally pushing to bring the centre-back to Italy. <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/aug/03/transfer-roundup-chelsea-sell-trevoh-chalobah-sign-jordan-henderson">Continue reading...</a>

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Mauricio Pochettino’s US return is risky, expensive and probably unnecessary | Leander Schaerlaeckens

In giving the head coach another World Cup cycle, US Soccer is tempting fate for negligible benefitMauricio Pochettino and US Soccer enjoyed their time together.Or, rather, they enshoyed it, as Pochettino would pronounce it in his thick Argentinian accent, which charmingly carries over when he speaks English. <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/aug/03/mauricio-pochettino-usmnt-return">Continue reading...</a>

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Newcastle reject first bid from Arsenal for captain Bruno Guimarães

<ul><li>Premier League champions have £70m offer turned down</li><li>Brazil midfielder has arrived at Newcastle pre-season camp</li></ul>Arsenal have stepped up their attempt to sign Bruno Guimarães by finally beginning formal transfer negotiations and making an opening offer, which Newcastle have rejected.Guimarães met Newcastle’s incoming manager, Matthias Jaissle, for the first time on Monday at the team’s pre-season training camp at La Manga after a post-World Cup holiday in Brazil. <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/aug/03/premier-league-transfer-newcastle-reject-first-bid-arsenal-bruno-guimaraes">Continue reading...</a>

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Four more years: Will lure of Europe threaten fresh Pochettino-USMNT partnership?

Pochettino will remain through the 2030 World Cup, but what happens if a big club comes calling before then?

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Football Daily | Scrapped proposals, statement wars and the ongoing Infantino furore

<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/info/2022/nov/14/football-daily-email-sign-up">Sign up now! Sign up now! Sign up now? Sign up now!</a>Here we go again. And, no, we are not talking about the start of the new Scottish Premiership season or the preliminary round of the Carabao Cup – although that Tranmere v Rochdale shootout was a cracker. Yes, after a week of talk about money, greed and Donald Trump’s son-in-law’s brother, the hot topic around the water cooler on Monday was again Gianni Infantino and, more specifically, the English and Welsh FAs’ decisions <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/aug/03/wales-become-first-nation-to-drop-support-for-fifa-president-gianni-infantino">to row back on their support</a> of a stalling ship. Along with Finland, they’re the first of Uefa’s 55 members to withdraw their letters of support for next year’s Fifa overlord elections.I write to you with my deep regret on hearing about the death of the heroic and granite-made Franco Baresi. Two moments stand out to me, both off the pitch, and show what a great man he was. The first was when Arrigo Sacchi, the Milan manager, dropped his intensity in training, fearing he was overworking the players; Baresi convinced Sacchi to up it instead for the sake of the team, with spectacular results. The second was an older Baresi reflecting on his 1994 World Cup final loss to Brazil, which he appeared in 25 days after knee surgery. Rather than lamenting his lot, having missed a penalty and lost the final, Baresi instead recalled watching the 1970 final between Italy and Brazil, only the second game he had seen on TV. The first game was the West Germany v Italy semi-final, where he recalled watching the players who ‘to me, they were Martians’. He said: ‘I would never have thought 24 years later, at 34 years old, I would have the possibility to play in that same game, the final, against Brazil, the same team. It was a dream that came true.’ Rest in peace” – Nick Kinsella.I was wondering if Gianni Infantino might revist his Big Sale Opportunity by allowing smaller, club-level contestants from less lucrative leagues to participate in a seriously revamped World Cup, replacing their boycotting national sides. For instance, from the lower leagues of Scottish competitions. Mainly to render possible the wonderful hypothetical headline result of the last match of the (?) 2038 edition: Fifa Forward Final fiasco … East Fife 4, Forfar 5” – Russell Richardson.Steve Bennett’s comment on Newcastle United’s new kit (<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jul/31/football-daily-email-gianni-infantino-fifa">Friday’s Football Daily letters</a>) made me think of West Bromwich Albion’s similarly ‘bar-coded’ Premier League strip <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2021/apr/25/aston-villa-west-brom-premier-league-match-report">from the 2020-21 season</a>, at the end of which they were relegated. Newcastle may have to hope that isn’t an omen” – Derrick Cameron.This is an extract from our daily football email … Football Daily. To get the full version,<a href="https://preview.gutools.co.uk/info/2016/jan/05/the-fiver-email-sign-up"> </a><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/info/2022/nov/14/football-daily-email-sign-up">just visit this page and follow the instructions</a>. <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/aug/03/football-daily-email-fifa-gianni-infantino-scrapped-proposals-statement-wars">Continue reading...</a>

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Sources: UEFA threatens Infantino with legal action

UEFA has raised the possibility that it might take legal action against Gianni Infantino over his World Cup sell-off plan, sources have told ESPN.

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