South African football news

Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin has been criticised for reportedly claiming the World Cup expansion for the 2026 finals has led to 'uninteresting' games.

• NET
• JAP

⚽️ World Cup kick-off time: 7pm ET/12am BST/9am AEST ⚽️ Player guide | Bracketology | Golden Boot | Contact Beau 2 min It’s 90 degrees Fahrenheit. If you prefer Celsius … good for you. Caicedo sends an ambitious effort well wide, almost as if to send a warning rather than to put something directly on frame. Continue…

• ECU

Former England manager Sir Gareth Southgate says he turned down work as a pundit at the World Cup because he did not think it would be "helpful" to the side's chances.

• ENG

Four-time winners Germany overcome a brief scare from World Cup debutants Curacao before turning on the style to win their Group E opener in Houston.

• Curaçao
• GER

The net rippled and Curaçao’s bench exploded in every conceivable ­direction, their giddiness underpinned by a lucid awareness of the goal’s place in history. Livano Comenencia had just equalised against Germany and an island of 158,000 inhabitants, represented here by an accomplished group born almost entirely in t…

• Curaçao
• GER

Squad has evolved since 2024 but the European champions are happy to embrace the tag of tournament favourites Spain knew, now everyone else does too. It was almost 1.30am on 15 July 2024 when Álvaro Morata, the captain who had lifted the Henry Delaunay trophy, headed down the slope and towards the team bus parked be…

• SPA

Livano Comenencia makes national history scoring Curacao's first-ever World Cup goal against Germany in their Group E match in Houston.

• Curaçao
• GER

Daichi Kamada scored a late equaliser as two fancied teams flexed their muscles in an entertainiing second half The New York Knicks’ NBA glory has absolutely nothing to do with the World Cup – but only if you take these things literally. In Manhattan right now, it’s an essential part of the 2026 World Cup story. On…

• NET
• KOR
• JAP

Eze dismisses idea of changing spot-kick technique ‘If there is a penalty to take I’ll be there again’ Eberechi Eze says he will not let his missed penalty in the Champions League final stop him from stepping up in a shootout for England in the World Cup. The attacking midfielder sent his kick wide when Arsenal lost…

• ARS
• ENG

Tottenham Hotspur right-back Pedro Porro signs a new, long-term contract with the club understood to be valid until 2031.

• TOT

Spain left-back completes move on six-year contract Cucurella had spoken out against Chelsea hierarchy Real Madrid have announced the signing of Marc Cucurella from Chelsea in a package worth up to €60m (£52m). News of the deal emerged on Sunday, with this Spanish club now revealing a six-year deal has been negotiat…

• REA
• CAP
• CHE
• SPA

Lille midfielder excelled against Brazil but it was no surprise to his national coach after a key role in convincing him to turn down France’s overtures The name Ayyoub Bouaddi was on everyone’s lips after Brazil’s draw against Morocco on Saturday night. Even the army of concerned South American journalists firing q…

• MOR
• BRA
• FRA

Real Madrid announce the £51.8m signing of Chelsea defender Marc Cucurella on a six-year deal.

• REA
• CHE

Italian referee Maurizio Mariani will wear pink during Monday's World Cup game between Uruguay and Saudi Arabia.

• SAU
• URU

Anxious dead-of-night watch parties ended in celebration after 1-0 victory over Haiti in first finals match since 1998 It was around 2.28am in the UK that John McGinn ended 28, arguably 36, years of hurt – and anyone daft enough to be asleep will surely have stirred as chants of “no Scotland, no party” echoed from B…

• SCO
• HAI

⚽ Kick-off: 12pm local/1pm EDT/6pm BST/3am AEST ⚽ Player guide | Bracketology | Golden boot | Email Daniel Email! “Tiny Curaçao has just 158,000 citizens, apparently,” says Justin Kavanagh. “So after tonight (assuming they throw on at least four subs), one in every 10,500 Curaçao’s will have played against Germany a…

• Curaçao
• GER

A delay to Scotland's Group C tie with Haiti in Massachusetts continued a noticeable trend of tardiness at the 2026 tournament, with none of the first eight matches kicking off on time.

• SCO
• HAI

Irankunda and co have not yet earned golden generation status but they can revive Australia’s World Cup aspirations There always was a familiar feeling to this youthful squad of Socceroos. That sense of deja vu. That you had seen something like this before. But it took Nestory Irankunda running to the corner flag to…

• AUS

Japan could be one of the surprise packages of the 2026 World Cup, with growing belief they are ready to go further than ever before.

• JAP

As Thomas Tuchel's England side prepare for their opening game against Croatia, who would you pick to start the first match in Dallas?

• CRO
• ENG

Russell Martin, who led Southampton into the Premier League in 2024, has been out of work since being sacked by Rangers in October.

• IPS
• LEI
• RAN