Sports

World Cup 2026: third-place table, who has qualified and who needs what?

With the group stage hurtling towards its end we look at who needs what to make the knockout phase

Goalkeepers beware: Trionda World Cup ball hits ‘crisis’ point at certain speed

Some, like Luca Zidane, have been bamboozled and an academic paper bears out Joe Hart’s opinion about its movement

World Cup becomes cult of the individual but ignores team complexity

The irony of the superstar-heavy narrative is the way it embellishes rather than diminishes importance of the collective

Fidalgo caps Mexico rout as co-hosts maintain 100% record and send Czechia out

There are ways of leaving a tournament. You can go out with a sheen of glory, having gone to-to-toe with a great opponent. You can be unlucky and go home raging at referees and the fates. You can self-immolate in a blaze of red cards or own goals or spectacular errors. Or you can slink away without leaving a trace – and that was the path followed by the Czechia. Nobody in 20 years will remember they were involved in this World Cup, other perhaps that Ireland fans reflecting on what a mess the Czechs made of the place they pinched from them in the playoff.

Maseko strike sends South Africa into first World Cup knockouts with win over South Korea

South Africa celebrated a first World Cup knockout berth with jubilant scenes on Wednesday after Thapelo Maseko’s second-half strike secured a 1-0 victory over South Korea, who still have a chance of advancing as one of the eight best third-placed teams.

Clarke and Robertson fear Scotland's World Cup journey is over after Brazil defeat

Scotland’s head coach, Steve Clarke, and the captain, Andy Robertson, fear the country’s World Cup journey is over after a chastening defeat to Brazil in Miami. A 3-0 loss for the Scots means they are clinging on to one of the eight places in the last 32 made available to teams finishing third in the section. Scotland have three points and a goal difference of minus three.

Duck off: World Cup hero Merlín barred from Mexico game due to Fifa’s animal ban

World’s sixth-most famous duck falls short of dream

Morocco battle back to claim thumping World Cup win in six-goal thriller with Haiti

Morocco confirmed their progress to the World Cup last 32 ⁠but twice had to ⁠come from behind to ​get the better of plucky Haiti 4-2 in an action-packed game on Wednesday, and fell short of topping Brazil in the Group C standings.

Scotland's World Cup dream hanging by a thread after Vinícius sparks Brazil victory

Scotland will now play the waiting game. The trouble is, as they hang around to discover whether a place in the last 32 can be secured as among the leading eight third placed teams in this World Cup, it is legitimate to question the point of it all. Scotland’s on field contribution to this tournament has been pitiful.

Wyatt-Hodge propels England past West Indies and into T20 World Cup semi-final

Group 2: England, 186-7, bt West Indies, 148-5, by 38 runs

Reece James an England injury worry after complaining of tight hamstring

England are sweating on the fitness of Reece James before facing Panama on Saturday after the right-back complained of a tight hamstring.

Canada lose home advantage for last 32 after Switzerland win to take top spot

With Canada’s home World Cup on the line, Jesse Marsch used his captain, Alphonso Davies, as a “decoy”. A shrewd Switzerland side, alas, never took the bait and so the switch is now Marsch’s lot as his team are forced to become road warriors.