46 resultsfor “Football stars final tournament World Cup 2026”
football players will travel to North America this summer for the most anticipated sporting event of the year: the FIFA World Cup 2026. While the 48-team tournament will feature young prodigies and veterans alike
2026 squad deadlines: Key dates, team lists, final announcements With less than five weeks to go until the [FIFA World Cup](/fifa-world-cup-2026/) kicks off in North America, football fans are counting down the days
final in 2024 [Molly Darlington/Reuters] ### **⚽** Qatar - World Cup appearances: 2 (2022, 2026) - Best finish: Group stage (2022) - Overall record: W0 D0 L3 - FIFA world ranking: 57 **Overview** [Qatar](/sports/2026/6/3/fifa-world-cup-2026-qatar-squad-team-players-group-knockouts) return for their second World Cup
Football FIFA How teams are group World Cup 2026-1776670778](https://www.aljazeera.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/INTERACTIVE-Football-FIFA-How-teams-are-group-World-Cup-2026-1776670778.png?quality=80) ## Brahim Diaz hopes to shake off panenka nightmare Up until that penalty miss, talented forward Brahim Diaz had been the best player
star of the tournament? Who is going to win it all? The Guardian’s sports writers have made [their final predictions](https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/10/world-cup-2026-guardian-writers-predictions-for-the-tournament). **Fifa**| Gianni Infantino [told football fans to](https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/10/gianni-infantino-fifa-criticism-2026-world-cup) “chill
2026, are the 10 we think have been the best: ## 10. Zinedine Zidane One of the greatest and most controversial players of the game, Zidane won the 1998 World Cup for France at home, scoring
tournaments, there are doubts about whether his physique can keep up with the demanding nature of an expanded World Cup. Earlier this week, Neymar made global headlines, albeit for a [different reason](/sports/2026/5/18/why-was-neymar-angry-at-his-substitution-and-will-he-play-in-the-world-cup): a substitution
footballing nation has never won the game's biggest trophy, despite reaching the final on three occasions - in 1974, 1978 and 2010. ## Norway (home)  ## The battle for number 10 Bellingham is perhaps the most effective out of several talented England number
football World Cup on home soil when the team hosts familiar foes Paraguay in their 2026 tournament opener. With tens of thousands of fans cheering from the stands and millions watching at home, the pressure
star Burna Boy. The ceremony celebrating Aztec culture saw the pitch filled with performers in colourful costumes before Mexican singer-songwriter Lila Downs welcomed the world in Spanish and English. “People of the world, welcome
stars to watch for: ## ⚽ Kenan Yildiz (Turkiye) The last time Turkiye played at a World Cup, Juventus’s Kenan Yildiz wasn’t even born. But now, as they return to football’s biggest stage after
finally ready to play its first game of the [2026 World Cup](https://www.npr.org/series/g-s1-98388/2026-world-cup-north-america) with a match on Friday against Paraguay in Los Angeles. For the [26 Americans on the squad](https://www.npr.org/2026/05/26/nx-s1-5835318/2026-world-cup-us-roster-usmnt),
Football (or soccer, as they call it in North America) is the world's most popular sport and the World Cup is the most prestigious prize of them all. For the first time
2026 men's World Cup kicks off this week across the US, Mexico and Canada, with excited football fans preparing to cheer on England and Scotland. But which World Cup players have roots near
tournament. This year marks the first time a FIFA World Cup – men’s or women’s – will be played across three countries: the United States, Mexico and Canada. [Sixteen stadiums in 16 cities](/sports/2026/6/3/fifa-world-cup-2026-stadiums-matches-us-canada-mexico) – spread
football. The** [**expected omissions of Cole Palmer and Phil Foden**](/sport/football/articles/c78ke277pmdo) **from England's World Cup squad are testimony to that.** Two years ago it would have been unthinkable that the pair could be left
tournament four years ago through injury. Thiaw will have to trim his squad, announced on Thursday, by two players in advance of the final deadline towards the end of this month. Mane remains a leading
tournament. ## How did Panama perform in their previous World Cup appearance? Panama made their World Cup debut at the 2018 edition in Russia, finishing bottom of their group after defeats to eventual semifinalists Belgium
Football*** | Bukayo Saka’s first-half goal [edged Arsenal past Atlético Madrid](https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/may/05/arsenal-atletico-madrid-champions-league-semi-final-second-leg-match-report) to reach the Champions League final with a 2-1 aggregate victory. ***Tennis*** | Emma Raducanu has [pulled