Saturday June 13, 2026 Jovo Lukic (C) of Bosnia and Herzegovina celebrates after scoring during the group B match between Canada and Bosnia and Herzegovina at the 2026 FIFA World Cup at Toronto Stadium in Toronto, Canada, June 12, 2026. (Photo by Zou Zheng/Xinhua) Canada marked its first World Cup appearance on home soil with a milestone result on Friday, drawing 1-1 with Bosnia and Herzegovina to earn the country’s first-ever point in FIFA World Cup history. On a bright afternoon under clear skies, 43,002 fans filled…

Jeff Rueter at Los Angeles StadiumSaturday June 13, 2026 With the Forum standing across the parking lot as a reminder of Los Angeles’ showtime sports tradition, the US men’s national team opened its 2026 World Cup campaign before 70,492 spectators and looked every bit the part. The latest homegrown cast delivered the kind of bright, swaggering performance that made the Lakers famous in the 1980s, sweeping past Paraguay in a 4-1 victory. Folarin Balogun celebrates with teammates after scoring his team's third goal during…

By: Jeremy CorbynSaturday June 13, 2026 Omar Artan’s journey home on Wednesday, after being turned away at Miami international airport, marked a bitter twist in what should have been a historic moment. Photograph: Feisal Omar/Reuters Omar Artan was set to break new ground as the first Somali referee to take charge at a World Cup finals. Already a Fifa-certified official since 2018, he had overseen matches at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations and was later named the 2025 Confederation of African Football men’s referee of the…

“I tell you, it will go well. It will be a super event. That’s what they’re good at, the Americans. They know how to organise stuff. “I hope it will be affordable for everybody at the end of the day. I hope that ticket prices still come down. I understand why so many people are sceptical, but go there first and make up your own mind.” That was former Germany striker Jürgen Klinsmann, speaking recently on the ‘Stick to Football’ podcast about how he expects the FIFA World Cup in the US, Canada and Mexico to unfold. Klinsmann,…

Ramallah: The man who leads Palestinian football is still stuck in Mexico City, awaiting entry to the United States as World Cup officials from around the globe gather for the 2026 tournament. Jibril Rajoub attended Thursday’s opening match between Mexico and South Africa, but he remains one of several accredited World Cup guests who have either been denied U.S. visas or are still waiting for them. “I don’t believe that it’s fair to use or to abuse and deny the right of all footballers all over the world to attend,” the…

South Africa’s World Cup journey began under the bright lights of the Estadio Azteca with an early setback, as Bafana Bafana slipped to a 2-0 defeat against tournament co-hosts Mexico in Mexico City. The tone was set almost immediately: within the opening nine minutes, Mexican striker Julián Quiñones punished a defensive error, pouncing on a blunder to drive home the first goal. Mexico continued to look the more dangerous side, led by a lively Raúl Jiménez who repeatedly tested South Africa’s back line and emerged as the…

Friday June 12, 2026 Denied entry to the United States, FIFA World Cup referee Omar Artan returned to Somalia to a hero’s welcome, underscoring how quickly a sports setback can turn into a moment of national pride. In the meantime, B.C. Premier David Eby and Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow have both said they would like to see Artan officiate matches in Canada.

Friday June 12, 2026 Raul Jimenez (up C) and Jesus Gallardo (up L) of Mexico vie for a header during the match. (Xinhua/Wu Wei) Julian Quinones and Raul Jimenez struck in either half as co-host Mexico opened the 2026 FIFA World Cup with a commanding 2-0 victory over nine-man South Africa on Thursday. Quinones pounced on a turnover to put Mexico ahead early in the Group A contest, and South Africa’s task grew tougher when Sphephelo Sithole was shown a red card for dragging down Brian Gutierrez. Jimenez later headed in…

Friday June 12, 2026 Soccer Football - FIFA World Cup 2026 - Group A - South Korea v Czech Republic - Estadio Guadalajara, Guadalajara, Mexico - June 11, 2026 Czech Republic's Ladislav Krejci in action REUTERS/Paul Childs Purchase Licensing Rights South Korea roared back from an early deficit to claim a dramatic 2-1 victory over the Czech Republic in their opening World Cup Group A match on Thursday, with substitute Oh Hyeon-gyu striking the decisive goal in the 80th minute. The Koreans had already squandered several…

Thursday June 11, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan, barred from officiating at the 2026 FIFA World Cup after being denied entry to the United States, has now been handed one of UEFA’s top assignments: the Super Cup in August, the confederation announced. Artan is set to referee the Aug. 12 showdown in Salzburg between Paris Saint-Germain and Aston Villa, UEFA said. “Referee announced for 2026 #SuperCup! We’re pleased to share that Somali referee Omar Artan will officiate the highly anticipated…