Fifa

The next generation of football stars will showcase their talent on the biggest stage when the FIFA U-17 World Cup 2025 kicks off in Qatar on Monday.

With an expanded field of 48 teams, the tournament is set to deliver a spectacle unlike any before.

Here’s everything you need to know about the showpiece event:

What are the key dates?

The FIFA U-17 World Cup will be held in Qatar from November 3, with two matches – South Africa vs Bolivia and Costa Rica vs the United Arab Emirates – kicking off the tournament.

The final will be played on November 27, marking the conclusion of the 104-match tournament.

• Group stage: November 3 to 11
• Round of 32: November 14 and 15
• Round of 16: November 18
• Quarterfinals: November 21
• Semifinals: November 24
• Third-place playoff: November 27
• Final: November 27

Where is the tournament being held?

Qatar will host five consecutive U-17 World Cups, starting this year.

At the 2025 edition, all matches up until the final will take place across eight pitches at the Aspire Zone complex in Al Rayyan, about 9km (5.6 miles) from the centre of the capital, Doha.

The final will be played at Khalifa International Stadium, the 45,857-capacity venue that hosted six matches during the men’s FIFA 2022 World Cup. Built in 1976, it is one of Qatar’s oldest stadiums.

This year’s tournament marks the third time the U-17 World Cup has been held in the Arab world, after Egypt hosted in 1997 and the United Arab Emirates in 2013.

How many teams are taking part?

The 2025 U-17 World Cup is the first to be played in the 48-team format instead of the previous biennial 24-team tournaments.

The participating nations, from six confederations, have been divided into 12 groups, as follows:

⚽ Group A: Qatar, Italy, South Africa, Bolivia
⚽ Group B: Japan, Morocco, New Caledonia, Portugal
⚽ Group C: Senegal, Croatia, Costa Rica, United Arab Emirates
⚽ Group D: Argentina, Belgium, Tunisia, Fiji
⚽ Group E: England, Venezuela, Haiti, Egypt
⚽ Group F: Mexico, South Korea, Ivory Coast, Switzerland
⚽ Group G: Germany, Colombia, North Korea, El Salvador
⚽ Group H: Brazil, Honduras, Indonesia, Zambia
⚽ Group I: US, Burkina Faso, Tajikistan, Czechia
⚽ Group J: Paraguay, Uzbekistan, Panama, Republic of Ireland
⚽ Group K: France, Chile, Canada, Uganda
⚽ Group L: Mali, New Zealand, Austria, Saudi Arabia

What is the tournament format?

The top two teams in each of the 12 groups, along with the eight best third-placed sides, will qualify for the round of 32.

From there on, the tournament will be played in a knockout format, featuring the round of 16, quarterfinals, semifinals and the final.

Why is the U-17 World Cup important?

Youth World Cups are exciting to watch as they offer a glimpse into football’s future, showcasing young talents before they make their mark on the biggest professional stages.

The U-17 World Cup holds special significance as it often serves as a launchpad for the stars of tomorrow.

Retired and current players like Cesc Fabregas, Toni Kroos, and Phil Foden — who went on to shine in the world’s top football leagues — first caught global attention at the U-17 World Cup, each winning the tournament’s Golden Ball award for the best player.

Who are the favourites to win?

Brazil, aiming for a record-equalling fifth U-17 World Cup, will be the frontrunners in Qatar. Heading into the tournament as the reigning South American champions, Brazil are arguably the best team from the region, having held that crown for a record 14 times.

Nigeria’s failure to qualify for this World Cup means the Brazilians are the most successful team at the 2025 edition.

Other contenders for the title are Portugal, who sealed their third U-17 Euro title in June, and France, who often enjoy a deep run at major tournaments.

Although Germany are the defending World Cup winners from 2023, expectations are low this year after they failed to get past the group stage at the Euros.

Twice World Cup winners Mexico are also the title favourites as they make their eighth successive appearance at the finals, while Asian champions Uzbekistan and Saudi Arabia could be the dark horses.

Who are the top players to watch?

Italy’s attacking midfielder Samuele Inacio, the top scorer at the Euros finals with five goals, is one to watch at the tournament. Inacio, who plays for the Borussia Dortmund youth academy, is a constant goal threat thanks to his sublime creativity in the forward line.

France forward Djylian N’Guessan, who scored nine times during the Euro qualifying and finals, is another key player from the region, known for his link-up play, calm finishing and excellent technique. N’Guessan, 17, also played for his nation in the recent U-20 World Cup in Chile.

Although Argentina failed to reach the semifinals at the South American U-17 Championship, striker Thomas de Martis finished as the top scorer with six goals. Clinical in the box and great at finishing, de Martis also possesses excellent aerial ability.

Sadriddin Khasanov, named the most valuable player (MVP) in Uzbekistan’s U-17 Asian Cup triumph for his goal-scoring abilities and impressive skills, is also on the list of must-watch players, alongside Morocco’s midfield maestro Abdellah Ouazane, the player of the tournament during their maiden U-17 Africa Cup of Nations title run.

Where to buy tickets and watch the tournament?

Tickets for the U-17 World Cup are on general sale and can be purchased on FIFA’s official platform. Five types of tickets are available, including a day pass, a dedicated ticket for all of host nation Qatar’s matches, and a standalone final ticket.

A day pass, which provides access to six selected pitches, costs approximately $5.50, while the tickets for the final start at about $4.

Broadcasters for selected territories – including Brazil, Italy, the United Kingdom and the United States – have been announced.

Five nations will make history in Qatar by making their debut at the FIFA U-17 World Cup this year 🙌

🇸🇻 El Salvador
🇫🇯 Fiji
🇮🇪 Republic of Ireland
🇺🇬 Uganda
🇿🇲 Zambia pic.twitter.com/oiOyOwyiLj

— FIFA (@FIFAcom) April 19, 2025

• The FIFA U-17 World Cup 2025 is hosted by Qatar and will kick off on November 3, with the final on November 27.
• The tournament will start with two matches: South Africa vs Bolivia, and Costa Rica vs the United Arab Emirates.
• The U-17 World Cup final will take place at Doha’s 45,000-seat Khalifa International Stadium.
• All matches until the final will be played across eight pitches at the Aspire Zone complex in Al Rayyan.
• The U-17 World Cup 2025 is the first to be played in the 48-team format instead of the previous biennial 24-team tournaments.
• The 48 teams will be divided into 12 groups for the tournament, with 104 matches in total.
• The group stage will run until November 11, with the 32-team knockout stage scheduled to begin on November 14.

Here are the details on the teams, groups, format, match fixtures, kickoff times and venues for FIFA U-17 World Cup 2025:

Groups and teams

⚽ Group A: Qatar, Italy, South Africa, Bolivia
⚽ Group B: Japan, Morocco, New Caledonia, Portugal
⚽ Group C: Senegal, Croatia, Costa Rica, United Arab Emirates
⚽ Group D: Argentina, Belgium, Tunisia, Fiji
⚽ Group E: England, Venezuela, Haiti, Egypt
⚽ Group F: Mexico, South Korea, Ivory Coast, Switzerland
⚽ Group G: Germany, Colombia, North Korea, El Salvador
⚽ Group H: Brazil, Honduras, Indonesia, Zambia
⚽ Group I: USA, Burkina Faso, Tajikistan, Czechia
⚽ Group J: Paraguay, Uzbekistan, Panama, Ireland
⚽ Group K: France, Chile, Canada, Uganda
⚽ Group L: Mali, New Zealand, Austria, Saudi Arabia

Format

The top two nations in each group automatically qualify for the knockout rounds, while the eight best third-place teams will also proceed further.

Winners of the last-32 advance to the round of 16, followed by the quarterfinals, semifinals and the final.

In knockout fixtures, if a game is level at the end of normal playing time, no extra time shall be played, with a penalty shootout determining the winner.

Match schedule

⚽ Group Stage

3 November 

Group A: South Africa vs Bolivia (Aspire Zone, pitch 3, 3:30 pm/12:30 GMT)

Group C: Costa Rica vs United Arab Emirates (Aspire Zone, pitch 8, 3:30 pm/12:30 GMT)

Group C: Senegal vs Croatia (Aspire Zone, pitch 1, 4:00 pm/13:00 GMT)

Group B: Japan vs Morocco (Aspire Zone, pitch 5, 4:30 pm/13:30 GMT)

Group D: Argentina vs Belgium (Aspire Zone, pitch 2, 5:45 pm/14:45 GMT)

Group B: New Caledonia vs Portugal (Aspire Zone, pitch 4, 6:15 pm/15:15 GMT)

Group A: Qatar vs Italy (Aspire Zone, pitch 7, 6:45 pm/15:45 GMT)

Group D: Tunisia vs Fiji (Aspire Zone, pitch 9, 6:45 pm/15:45 GMT)

4 November 

Group F: Ivory Coast vs Switzerland (Aspire Zone, pitch 8, 3:30 pm/12:30 GMT)

Group H: Brazil vs Honduras (Aspire Zone, pitch 3, 3:30 pm /12:0 GMT)

Group F: Mexico vs South Korea (Aspire Zone, pitch 1, 4:00 pm/13:00 GMT)

Group E: Haiti vs Egypt (Aspire Zone, pitch 5, 4:30 pm/13:30 GMT)

Group G: Germany vs Colombia (Aspire Zone, pitch 2, 5:45 pm/14:45 GMT)

Group E: England vs Venezuela (Aspire Zone, pitch 4, 6:15 pm/15:15 GMT)

Group G: North Korea vs El Salvador (Aspire Zone, pitch 9, 6:45 pm/15:45 GMT)

Group H: Indonesia vs Zambia (Aspire Zone, pitch 7, 6:45 pm/15:45 GMT)

5 November 

Group I: Tajikistan vs Czechia (Aspire Zone, pitch 8, 3:30 pm/12:30 GMT)

Group J: Panama vs Ireland (Aspire Zone, pitch 3, 3:30 pm/12:30 GMT)

Group J: Paraguay vs Uzbekistan (Aspire Zone, pitch 1, 4:00pm/13:00 GMT)

Group L: Austria vs Saudi Arabia (Aspire Zone, pitch 5, 4:30 pm/13:30 GMT)

Group L: Mali vs New Zealand (Aspire Zone, pitch 2, 5:45 pm/14:45 GMT)

Group I: USA vs Burkina Faso (Aspire Zone, pitch 4, 6:15 pm/15:15 GMT)

Group K: France vs Chile (Aspire Zone, pitch 7, 6:45 pm/15:45 GMT)

Group K: Canada vs Uganda (Aspire Zone, pitch 9, 6:45 pm/15:45 GMT)

6 November 

Group A: Bolivia vs Italy (Aspire Zone, pitch 3, 3:30 pm/12:30 GMT)

Group B: Portugal vs Morocco (Aspire Zone, pitch 8, 3:30 pm/12:30 GMT)

Group B: Japan vs New Caledonia (Aspire Zone, pitch 1, 4:00 pm/13:00 GMT)

Group D: Argentina vs Tunisia (Aspire Zone, pitch 5, 4:30 pm/13:30 GMT)

Group D: Fiji vs Belgium (Aspire Zone, pitch 2, 5:45 pm/14:45 GMT)

Group C: United Arab Emirates vs Croatia (Aspire Zone, pitch 4, 6:15 pm/15:15 GMT)

Group A: Qatar vs South Africa (Aspire Zone, pitch 7, 6:45 pm/15:45 GMT)

Group C: Senegal vs Costa Rica (Aspire Zone, pitch 9, 6:45 pm/15:45 GMT)

7 November 

Group E: England vs Haiti (Aspire Zone, pitch 3, 3:30 pm/12:30 GMT)

Group G: El Salvador vs Colombia (Aspire Zone, pitch 8, 3:30 pm/12:30 GMT)

Group G: Germany vs North Korea (Aspire Zone, pitch 1, 4:00 pm/13:00 GMT)

Group E: Egypt vs Venezuela (Aspire Zone, pitch 5, 4:30 pm/13:30 GMT)

Group F: Mexico vs Ivory Coast (Aspire Zone, pitch 2, 5:45 pm/14:45 GMT)

Group F: Switzerland vs South Korea (Aspire Zone, pitch 4, 6:15 pm/15:15 GMT)

Group H: Brazil vs Indonesia (Aspire Zone, pitch 7, 6:45 pm/15:45 GMT)

Group H: Zambia vs Honduras (Aspire Zone, pitch 9, 6:45 pm/15:45 GMT)

8 November 

Group I: Czechia vs Burkina Faso (Aspire Zone, pitch 3, 3:30 pm/12:30 GMT)

Group K: Uganda vs Chile (Aspire Zone, pitch 8, 3:30 pm/12:30 GMT)

Group L: Mali vs Austria (Aspire Zone, pitch 1, 4:00 pm/13:00 GMT)

Group K: France vs Canada (Aspire Zone, pitch 5, 4:30 pm/13:30 GMT)

Group I: USA vs Tajikistan (Aspire Zone, pitch 2, 5:45 pm/14:45 GMT)

Group J: Paraguay vs Panama (Aspire Zone, pitch 4, 6:15 pm/15:15 GMT)

Group J: Ireland vs Uzbekistan (Aspire Zone, pitch 9, 6:45 pm/15:45 GMT)

Group L: Saudi Arabia vs New Zealand (Aspire Zone, pitch 7, 6:45 pm/15:45 GMT)

9 November 

Group D: Fiji vs Argentina (Aspire Zone, pitch 3, 3:30 pm/12:30 GMT)

Group D: Belgium vs Tunisia (Aspire Zone, pitch 8, 3:30 pm/12:30 GMT)

Group B: Portugal vs Japan (Aspire Zone, pitch 5, 4:30 pm/13:30 GMT)

Group B: Morocco vs New Caledonia (Aspire Zone, pitch 1, 4:30 pm/13:30 GMT)

Group C: United Arab Emirates vs Senegal (Aspire Zone, pitch 2, 5:45 pm/14:45 GMT)

Group C: Croatia vs Costa Rica (Aspire Zone, pitch 4, 5:45 pm/14:45 GMT)

Group A: Bolivia vs Qatar (Aspire Zone, pitch 7, 6:45 pm/15:45 GMT)

Group A: Italy vs South Africa (Aspire Zone, pitch 9, 6:45 pm/15:45 GMT)

10 November 

Group F: Switzerland vs Mexico (Aspire Zone, pitch 3, 3:30 pm/12:30 GMT)

Group F: South Korea vs Ivory Coast (Aspire Zone, pitch 8, 3:30 pm/12:30 GMT)

Group G: El Salvador vs Germany (Aspire Zone, pitch 5, 4:30 pm/13:30 GMT)

Group G: Colombia vs North Korea (Aspire Zone, pitch 1, 4:30 pm/13:30 GMT)

Group H: Zambia vs Brazil (Aspire Zone, pitch 4, 5:45 pm/14:45 GMT)

Group H: Honduras vs Indonesia (Aspire Zone, pitch 2, 5:45 pm/14:45 GMT)

Group E: Egypt vs England (Aspire Zone, pitch 7, 6:45 pm/15:45 GMT)

Group E: Venezuela vs Haiti (Aspire Zone, pitch 9, 6:45 pm/15:45 GMT)

11 November 

Group K: Uganda vs France (Aspire Zone, pitch 3, 3:30 pm/12:30 GMT)

Group K: Chile vs Canada (Aspire Zone, pitch 8, 3:30 pm/12:30 GMT)

Group J: Ireland vs Paraguay (Aspire Zone, pitch 5, 4:30 pm/13:30 GMT)

Group J: Uzbekistan vs Panama (Aspire Zone, pitch 1, 4:30 pm/13:30 GMT)

Group I: Czechia vs USA (Aspire Zone, pitch 4, 5:45 pm/14:45 GMT)

Group I: Burkina Faso vs Tajikistan (Aspire Zone, pitch 2, 5:45 pm/14:45 GMT)

Group L: Saudi Arabia vs Mali (Aspire Zone, pitch 7, 6:45 pm/15:45 GMT)

Group L: New Zealand vs Austria (Aspire Zone, pitch 9, 6:45 pm/15:45 GMT)

Rest days on 12 and 13 November 

⚽ Round of 32

14 November

Match 1 (Aspire Zone, pitch 8, 3:30 pm/12:30 GMT)

Match 2 (Aspire Zone, pitch 3, 3:30 pm/12:30 GMT)

Match 3 (Aspire Zone, pitch 1, 4:00 pm/13:00 GMT)

Match 4 (Aspire Zone, pitch 5, 4:30 pm/13:30 GMT)

Match 5 (Aspire Zone, pitch 2, 5:45 pm/14:45 GMT)

Match 6 (Aspire Zone, pitch 4, 6:15 pm/15:15 GMT)

Match 7 (Aspire Zone, pitch 7, 6:45 pm/15:45 GMT)

Match 8 (Aspire Zone, pitch 9, 6:45 pm/15:45 GMT)

15 November

Match 9 (Aspire Zone, pitch 3, 3:30 pm/12:30 GMT)

Match 10 (Aspire Zone, pitch 8, 3:30 pm/12:30 GMT)

Match 11 (Aspire Zone, pitch 1, 4:00 pm/13:00 GMT)

Match 12 (Aspire Zone, pitch 5, 4:30 pm/13:30 GMT)

Match 13 (Aspire Zone, pitch 2, 5:45 pm/14:45 GMT)

Match 14 (Aspire Zone, pitch 4, 6:15 pm/15:15 GMT)

Match 15 (Aspire Zone, pitch 7, 6:45 pm/15:45 GMT)

Match 16 (Aspire Zone, pitch 9, 6:45 pm/15:45 GMT)

Rest days on 16 and 17 November

⚽ Round of 16

18 November

Match 1 (Aspire Zone, pitch 8, 3:30 pm/12:30 GMT)

Match 2 (Aspire Zone, pitch 3, 3:30 pm/12:30 GMT)

Match 3 (Aspire Zone, pitch 1, 4:00 pm/13:00 GMT)

Match 4 (Aspire Zone, pitch 5, 4:30 pm/13:30 GMT)

Match 5 (Aspire Zone, pitch 2, 5:45 pm/14:45 GMT)

Match 6 (Aspire Zone, pitch 4, 6:15 pm/15:15 GMT)

Match 7 (Aspire Zone, pitch 9, 6:45 pm/15:45 GMT)

Match 8 (Aspire Zone, pitch 7, 6:45 pm/15:45 GMT)

Rest days on 19 and 20 November

⚽ Quarterfinals

21 November 

Quarterfinal 1 (Aspire Zone, pitch 4, 3:30 pm/12:30 GMT)

Quarterfinal 2 (Aspire Zone, pitch 5, 4:30 pm/13:30 GMT)

Quarterfinal 3 (Aspire Zone, pitch 2, 5:45 pm/14:45 GMT)

Quarterfinal 4 (Aspire Zone, pitch 7, 6:45 pm/15:45 GMT)

Rest days on 22 and 23 November

⚽ Semifinals

24 November

Semifinal 1 (Aspire Zone, pitch 5, 3:30 pm/12:30 GMT)

Semifinal 2 (Aspire Zone, pitch 7, 6:45 pm/15:45 GMT)

Rest days on 25 and 26 November 

Third-place playoff

27 November (Aspire Zone, pitch 7, 3:30 pm/12:30 GMT)

⚽ Final

27 November 

Final (Khalifa International Stadium, Doha, 9pm/18:00 GMT)

FIFA confirms change of name to Afghan Women United, dropping ‘refugee’ from the team name ahead of the tournament.

A FIFA-organised tournament involving the Afghanistan women’s refugee team has been moved from the United Arab Emirates to Morocco, the world football governing body said, with the four-team friendly competition set to begin on Sunday.

The “FIFA Unites: Women’s Series” tournament, originally scheduled to run from October 23-29 in Dubai, also features the national women’s teams of the UAE, Chad and Libya.

The Afghanistan women’s refugee team’s creation stems from the Taliban’s ban on women’s sports following their takeover of Afghanistan in 2021, prompting players to flee the country, fearing persecution.

“FIFA would like to thank the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FMRF) and looks forward to working together to host a successful tournament,” FIFA said in a statement.

The governing body also confirmed that the Afghanistan women’s refugee team has chosen a new official name, “Afghan Women United,” following consultation with FIFA.

Prior to the Taliban’s takeover, Afghanistan had 25 women players under contract, most of whom now live in Australia. Afghanistan’s men’s team continues as normal.

The picture for the FIFA World Cup 2026 became a lot clearer on Tuesday when a number of top teams across the continents booked their place at football’s global showpiece.

The number of confirmed teams has now risen to 28 following the latest round of qualifiers, with another 20 still to be filled by various confederational playoffs, intercontinental playoffs, and – in Europe’s case – the main qualifying stage, which still needs to be completed.

England, South Africa and Qatar were among the headline names to book their place at the tournament on Tuesday.

Al Jazeera Sport takes a look at the tournament that the nations around the world are all vying to reach.

When and where is the FIFA World Cup 2026?

The tournament is being staged across the United States, Canada and Mexico. The first match will be played in Mexico City on June 11, while the final will be staged in New Jersey, US, on July 19.

Due to the expansion of the tournament – from 32 teams to 48 – the 39-day event is the longest in its history.

When will we know all the teams for the FIFA World Cup 2026?

FIFA’s intercontinental playoffs will be the last chance saloon for teams around the world to reach next summer’s event. The finale of that route will be on March 31, 2026, less than three months before the World Cup kicks off. The European qualification process runs until March, but most of the remaining confederations will have finished their continental qualification processes long before then.

What are the FIFA intercontinental playoffs?

Once the respective confederations finish their qualification process, FIFA offers two final spots to be contested by the best-placed team from each of the six continental routes that have not already qualified.

When is the draw for the FIFA World Cup 2026?

Although we will not know the full list of teams for the event until the end of March 2026, the draw will take place on December 5, 2025.

28/48 ✅@Aramco | #WeAre26 pic.twitter.com/eaksBnrBYM

— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) October 14, 2025

Where will the draw be held for the FIFA World Cup 2026?

The draw will take place in the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC. US President Donald Trump confirmed the location while speaking in the Oval Office at the White House, flanked by Vice President JD Vance and FIFA boss Gianni Infantino. He did not rule out overseeing the draw itself.

What will the format be for the FIFA World Cup 2026?

With the expansion to 48 teams, the World Cup will now feature 12 four-team groups. That in turn will lead to a round of 32, an extra knockout round to previous editions.

Indeed, the tournament has doubled in size since it was staged in the US in 1994, when only 24 teams competed.

Can Trump move games at the FIFA World Cup 2026?

Trump has been quite clear and consistent on the staging of games within the US, saying he will move the games from any cities that he deems to be unsafe.

On September 26, when Trump was asked about games being moved, he warned: “Well, that’s an interesting question … but we’re going to make sure they’re safe. [Seattle and San Francisco are] run by radical left lunatics who don’t know what they’re doing.”

How will the FIFA World Cup 2026 game staging be split between the hosts?

The US will stage games in 11 cities: Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, New Jersey/New York (joint host region), Philadelphia, San Francisco Bay Area and Seattle.

Canada will host 13 games in total, split between Toronto and Vancouver. Mexico will also get 13 games, which will be played in Mexico City, Guadalajara and Monterrey.

Where will the FIFA World Cup 2026 final be staged?

The US will stage the final, which will be played at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.

Who are the defending FIFA World Cup champions?

Argentina won the last edition of the FIFA World Cup, beating France in the final of Qatar 2022.

With the game level at 3-3 after extra time, Argentina won the penalty shootout 4-2.

Will the weather affect games at the FIFA World Cup 2026?

The 2025 FIFA Club World Cup was staged in the US, and the heat and resulting thunderstorms proved to be a huge problem for the tournament.

Three stadiums – in Arlington, Atlanta and Houston – have retractable roofs that are expected to be closed due to the summer heat, while Inglewood and Vancouver have fixed roofs.

Which teams have already qualified for the FIFA World Cup 2026?

After the latest round of qualifying matches, here is a breakdown of the confirmed contenders from each of the six regions:

Hosts: Canada, Mexico, USA

Asia: Australia, Iran, Japan, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Uzbekistan

Africa: Algeria, Cape Verde, Egypt, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Morocco, Senegal, South Africa, Tunisia

Europe: England

Oceania: New Zealand

South America: Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Uruguay

Which teams can still qualify for the FIFA World Cup 2026?

Africa: Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon and Nigeria will play off for the final intercontinental spot from the continent. The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has announced November 13 for the first matches, followed by a deciding match three days later.

Asia: UAE and Iraq will vie for one intercontinental playoffs spot when they compete over two legs in the final stage of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) qualifiers on November 13 and 18.

Europe: 53 of the 54 European teams vying for 16 qualification spots can still confirm their berths, alongside England, as their first-round matches will run until November 18. European qualification will run until March, just before the intercontinental playoffs begin.

North, Central America and the Caribbean: Three spots remain up for grabs, given the World Cup hosts take up three spots already. Bermuda, Costa Rica, Curacao, El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala, Haiti, Jamaica, Nicaragua, Panama, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago have all advanced to the third round, with the winners to be decided by November 18. The three second-placed teams from each group will then fight for the intercontinental playoffs spot.

Oceania: New Caledonia have qualified for the intercontinental playoffs.

South America: Bolivia have qualified for the intercontinental playoffs, having missed out on one of the six automatic qualifying positions.

The latest round of qualifiers around the globe for the FIFA World Cup 2026 has seen the number of entrants rise to 28.

Al Jazeera Sport takes a look at some of the best photos from the nations that confirmed their qualification on Wednesday for the FIFA World Cup 2026.

Qatar are the headline news in the latest group of confirmed entrants for next year’s FIFA 2026 World Cup following the most recent round of qualifying matches.

The hosts of the 2022 edition of the global showpiece event reached the finals for the first time through the qualification route, when they beat the United Arab Emirates on Tuesday.

South Africa also clinched a tight group, with fellow African giants Nigeria pushed to the playoffs, on a tense final day of group stage qualifiers on the continent. This came a day after Cape Verde’s first qualification for the World Cup finals.

The European teams still have some way to go to finish their qualifying groups, but the picture has become far clearer with some progress already made.

Al Jazeera Sport takes a close look at how the qualifying process stands around the globe:

Which teams are in the FIFA World Cup 2026?

After the latest round of qualifying matches, here is a breakdown of the confirmed contenders from each of the six regions:

Hosts: Canada, Mexico, United States

Asia: Australia, Iran, Japan, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Uzbekistan

Africa: Algeria, Cape Verde, Egypt, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Morocco, Senegal, South Africa, Tunisia

Europe: England

Oceania: New Zealand

South America: Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Uruguay

Who can still qualify for the FIFA World Cup 2026?

Africa: Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon and Nigeria will play off for the final intercontinental spot from the continent. The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has yet to announce the dates for those matches.

Asia: The UAE and Iraq will vie for one intercontinental playoffs spot when they compete over two legs in the final stage of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) qualifiers in November.

Europe: 53 of the 54 European teams vying for 16 qualification spots can still confirm their berths, alongside England, as their first-round matches will run until November 18.

North, Central America and the Caribbean: With the World Cup host nations taking three spots, only three are left up for grabs. They will be decided on November 18. Bermuda, Costa Rica, Curacao, El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala, Haiti, Jamaica, Nicaragua, Panama, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago have all advanced to the third round. The three second-placed teams from each group will then fight for the intercontinental playoffs spot.

Oceania: New Caledonia have qualified for the intercontinental playoffs.

South America: Bolivia have qualified for the intercontinental playoffs, having missed out on one of the six automatic qualifying positions.

28/48 ✅@Aramco | #WeAre26 pic.twitter.com/eaksBnrBYM

— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) October 14, 2025

Which major teams have been eliminated from qualification?

Peru and Chile, who were third-place finishers in 1962, were the biggest names to miss out from the South America qualifiers, where Venezuela were also eliminated.

Although not considered a powerhouse in Asia, China will be disappointed not to reach their first finals since 2002.

Angola, Libya, Mali and Namibia will be among those disappointed to be eliminated from the African qualification.

Indonesia were hoping to reach only a second World Cup, and made a valiant run to the fourth round of AFC qualification. But they will be disappointed not to have gone one step further following their Dutch recruitment drive, which included their coach, Patrick Kluivert.

Bahrain, who topped their 2023 AFC Asian Cup group stage ahead of South Korea, only to be eliminated by Japan in the round of 16, will be deflated to have missed out on the chance to showcase their skills on the global stage. Palestine were only seconds away from reaching the fourth round of the AFC qualifier and, following their historic run to the knockout stage of the last Asian Cup, will also be disappointed not to have at least gone one step further in their continental qualifiers.

When will all the teams for the FIFA World Cup 2026 be confirmed?

European qualification rounds stretch beyond the current group stages to March, while the intercontinental playoff final is scheduled for the same month, so the final 48 teams for the World Cup will not be known until less than three months before the tournament. March 31, 2026, is when all qualification will come to an end.

When and where is the draw for the FIFA World Cup 2026?

The World Cup draw, as revealed by US President Donald Trump in August, will take place on December 5 at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC.

“It’s the biggest, probably the biggest event in sports, I guess,” said Trump, who made the announcement in an Oval Office event where he was joined by Vice President JD Vance and FIFA President Gianni Infantino. Trump also did not rule out overseeing the draw himself.

When is the FIFA World Cup 2026 scheduled?

The tournament begins in Mexico City on June 11, and ends with the final in New Jersey on July 19.

EXPLAINER

FIFA boss Gianni Infantino was among attendees in Egypt, continuing a string of appearances with the US president Donald Trump.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino’s participation in Summit for Peace held in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt on Monday may have been a surprise to those who were expecting only world leaders, presidents and high-ranking officials to be in attendance at the Red Sea resort town.

Infantino was photographed next to the co-chair of the event, United States President Donald Trump, in the latest joint appearance by the pair during the second Trump presidency.

Here is all to know about Infantino’s presence in Egypt:

Why was FIFA president at the Egypt Peace summit?

Infantino stated that Trump had invited him to the Summit for Peace and that “FIFA is here to help, to assist and to put ourselves at disposal for whatever we can do to make sure that this peace process comes to fruition and to the best possible end.”

His invitation followed the FIFA president becoming more vocal on the Israel-Gaza conflict in recent days.

Last week, he called for football to support efforts towards peace in the Middle East in the lead-up to two World Cup qualifiers that involved Israel, after pro-Palestinian demonstrations were planned at stadiums in Norway and Italy.

After Friday’s Israel-Hamas ceasefire announcement, Infantino praised the US-brokered plan and singled out Trump to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts.

“The role of President Trump has been absolutely fundamental and crucial in the process. Without President Trump, there would be no peace,” he said.

What role did Infantino play at the Summit for Peace?

In Sharm el Sheikh, the FIFA president stressed football’s important role in creating new hope in the Middle East region.

Infantino pledged the governing body’s support to rebuild football infrastructure in Gaza as part of wider post-war reconstruction efforts following Monday’s peace summit.

“Football’s role has to be to support, has to be to unite, has to be to give hope in the region. In Gaza, in Palestine, we will, of course, help to rebuild all the football facilities. We will help to bring football back – together with the Palestinian Football Association – in every corner of the country. We will bring (footballs), we will build pitches, we will bring instructors, we will help organise competitions, we will launch a fund to help rebuild football infrastructure in Palestine,” he announced.

Infantino added that FIFA would contribute with mini-pitches and “FIFA arenas” and invite other partners to join the effort, saying “football brings hope to children, and it’s very, very important.”

What is the relationship between Infantino and Trump?

Trump first met Infantino at the White House in 2018, during his first presidential term, after the US was awarded the co-hosting rights to the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

They have appeared at summits together before; in 2020, they shared the stage at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. It was during this summit that Infantino first called Trump “my great friend”, according to reporting by The Washington Post.

The pair remained in contact when Trump left office in early 2021, but since the second Trump presidency, which coincided with June’s FIFA Club World Cup staged in the US, Infantino has been seen repeatedly with the US president.

Most recently, on August 22, Infantino was filmed inside the Oval Office after he gifted a gold replica World Cup trophy to Trump.

In late 2024, Infantino relocated to Trump’s hometown in Miami due to his North American-based World Cup commitments, ensuring the two friends have easy access for any joint public appearances in the future.

Fifa president Gianni Infantino wants football to keep an “open mind” about when World Cups are played.

The tournament has traditionally been contested in the northern hemisphere’s summer months – though the 2022 competition, in Qatar, took place in December to avoid playing in the hottest conditions.

“We have summer and winter and in the world if you want to play at the same time everywhere you can play in March or in October,” said Infantino, who runs the sport’s world governing body.

“In December you cannot play in one part of the world and in July you cannot play in another part.

“We need to consider all these elements and let’s see how we can make it better for everyone.

“Maybe there are ways we can optimise the calendar. We are discussing. We have to have an open mind.”

The international match calendar is fixed until 2030, with the United States, Canada and Mexico hosting next year’s men’s World Cup in June and July.

Morocco, Portugal and Spain host the World Cup in 2030 – with Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay holding matches to mark 100 years since the first World Cup was held in, and won by, Uruguay.

Saudi Arabia will host the tournament in 2034.

Meanwhile, Infantino also confirmed Fifa’s desire to further grow the Club World Cup.

The US hosted an expanded 32-team tournament during a major heatwave in the summer, with temperatures in New York reaching a record 39C in June.

This drew criticism from footballers and players’ unions, who raised issues over player welfare and the number of games adding to a packed calendar.

Professional Footballers’ Association chief executive Maheta Molango said in July the competition was devaluing football.

Chelsea beat Paris St-Germain in New York to claim the title.

Infantino, speaking at the European Football Clubs’ general assembly in Rome, said: “When the Champions League was created the first revenue was 40m (euros), now it is 4bn (euros). If the first Club World Cup generated 2bn (euros) in 30 years we should generate 200bn (euros).

“This has created revenues for the clubs. Now we work together to see how we can make it better, bigger and more impactful in collaboration with the clubs and stakeholders because it will benefit everyone.

“I’m biased but it was a huge success from every possible angle. We had 2.5m spectators in the stadiums. We had an average [attendance] of 40,000 and only the Premier League is doing better.

“There is interest in the entire world and we need the interest to boost the national leagues, the European and global competitions.”

Two goals from Salah and one from Adel make Egypt the third African country after Morocco and Tunisia to book a berth.

Egypt have booked a berth at the FIFA World Cup 2026 with an easy 3-0 win over Djibouti in Casablanca that gave them top place in Group A with one game remaining.

Liverpool star Mohamed Salah scored twice and Ibrahim Adel claimed the other goal for the Pharaohs on Wednesday, as they became the third African country after Morocco and Tunisia to book their place in next year’s finals in North America.

Salah has scored nine goals in Egypt’s marathon qualifying campaign that began two years ago.

Egypt have competed at three previous World Cups but failed to qualify for the 2022 edition in Qatar, where Morocco had their best run as semifinalists and Tunisia were knocked out in the group stage.

Meanwhile, Thomas Partey was on the scoring sheet as Ghana trounced the Central African Republic 5-0 in Meknes, and they need one point from their final match at home to Comoros to qualify.

Mohammed Salisu, Alexander Djiku, captain Jordan Ayew, and Kamaldeen Sulemana were the other scorers for the Black Stars, who led 1-0 at half-time.

Cape Verde came from two goals behind in Tripoli to draw 3-3 with Libya and edge closer to a first World Cup appearance.

The island nation of about 550,000 inhabitants off the coast of Senegal will clinch first place in Group D if they defeat Eswatini in Praia on Monday.

Known as the Blue Sharks, the Cape Verdeans are two points ahead of Cameroon, who beat Mauritius 2-0 in Saint-Pierre with Manchester United striker Bryan Mbeumo among the goal scorers.

Cape Verde have 20 points after nine rounds, two more than Cameroon, whose eight World Cup appearances are an African record.

Cameroon, firm pre-qualifying favourites to win the group, had to secure maximum points in Mauritius to keep alive their hopes of overtaking Cape Verde, but needed 92 minutes to ensure success. They complete their schedule at home to Angola in Yaounde and must win to have any hope of automatic qualification.

Should Cape Verde finish first, Cameroon would hope to finish among the four best-ranked runners-up and qualify for the playoffs in November.

The winners of the African mini-tournament, comprising single-match semifinals and a final, advance to six-nation inter-continental playoffs next March with two World Cup places up for grabs.

The 2026 tournament will be co-hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada from June 11 to July 19.

Pressure is growing on football’s governing bodies to take action against Israel’s national football team over the war on Gaza.

Turkiye has become the first member of European football’s governing body, UEFA, to publicly call for Israel’s suspension from all football competitions, as pressure ramps up on the sport’s organising bodies to take action over the ongoing war on Gaza in advance of the World Cup 2026.

Turkish Football Federation President Ibrahim Haciosmanoglu on Friday sent a letter to international football leaders urging that “it is now time for FIFA and UEFA to act” – referring to the world and European football governing bodies.

“Despite positioning themselves as defenders of civic values and peace, the sporting world and football institutions have remained silent for far too long,” Haciosmanoglu said, according to Turkiye’s state-run Anadolu news agency.

“Guided by these values, we feel compelled to raise our deep concern regarding the unlawful (and more importantly, completely inhumane and unacceptable) situation being carried out by the State of Israel in Gaza and its surrounding areas,” he added.

UEFA is moving towards a vote on whether to suspend Israel, whose men’s football team is in the middle of attempting to qualify for next year’s World Cup, co-hosted by Mexico, the United States and Canada.

The 20-member UEFA ruling committee is expected to secure a majority to exclude Israel from games if a vote is called.

Unease has grown regarding the apparent double standard of Israel’s treatment and that of Russia, whose national team was banned by both UEFA and FIFA in 2022 following Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.

Also on Friday, a coalition of 48 high-profile professional athletes called on UEFA to suspend Israel from all football competitions over its assault on Palestinians in Gaza.

France midfielder Paul Pogba and English cricketer Moeen Ali were among 48 signatories to a statement calling for Israel’s suspension, published under the banner of Athletes 4 Peace.

“As professional athletes of diverse backgrounds, faiths, and beliefs, we believe sport must uphold the principles of justice, fairness, and humanity,” read the statement.

“We, the signatories of Athletes 4 Peace, call upon UEFA to immediately suspend Israel from all competitions until it complies with international law and ends its killing of civilians and the widespread starvation,” the athletes added.

The statement also cited the death last month of Suleiman al-Obeid – known as the Palestinian Pele – who, according to the Palestine Football Association, was killed when Israeli forces attacked civilians waiting for humanitarian aid in southern Gaza.

Israel has been a full member of UEFA since 1994 after being expelled from the Asian Football Confederation two decades earlier in a vote initiated by Kuwait and backed by other Arab countries.

It has only qualified for one men’s World Cup – the 1970 competition held in Mexico – when it was knocked out in the group stage without winning a game.

On Thursday, the US Department of State said it would “absolutely work to fully stop any effort to attempt to ban Israel’s national football team” from next year’s World Cup.

Though UEFA is able to stop Israel from participating in games related to European competitions, it cannot stop Israel from competing in FIFA-run World Cup qualifiers.

The head of FIFA, Gianni Infantino, has warm relations with President Donald Trump – visiting the US leader at the White House in March – and so is seen as unlikely to back a move to suspend Israel.

Infantino will chair a meeting of FIFA’s ruling council next Thursday in the Swiss city of Zurich.

More than three years after 11 U.S. cities were awarded the right to host games during next summer’s World Cup and just two months before the tournament draw, President Trump is threatening to move matches out of places he considers “a little bit dangerous.”

Trump made the comments while speaking to reporters Thursday in the Oval Office and the cities that appear to be in his crosshairs are Democratic ones such as Seattle and San Francisco, which have not supported the president’s immigration policies.

“They’re run by radical left lunatics who don’t know what they’re doing,” Trump said.

Seattle is scheduled to host six games, including a group-stage match featuring the U.S. Six matches will also be played at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, about 40 miles south of San Francisco. The tournament will kick off June 11 and end July 19 with the final in East Rutherford, N.J.

The president did not mention Inglewood, which will stage eight matches — including at least two U.S. games — at SoFi Stadium. The eight other U.S. host cities are Atlanta; Boston; Arlington, Texas; Houston; Kansas City, Mo., Miami; East Rutherford, N.J.; and Philadelphia. The 2026 World Cup will be the first to be shared by three countries with matches also scheduled to be played in Mexico and Canada.

“If any city we think is going to be even a little bit dangerous for the World Cup, or for the [2028] Olympics … but for the World Cup in particular, because they’re playing in so many cities, we won’t allow it,” Trump said.

“We’ll move it around a little bit. But I hope that’s not going to happen.”

Trump does not have the authority to relocate World Cup matches, which are overseen by FIFA, soccer’s global governing body. But FIFA leader Gianni Infantino, who Trump calls his “great friend,” has given in to the president before. Just last month, FIFA agreed to Trump’s unusual request to move the World Cup draw, which will set the matchups for the group stage, to the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C.

A FIFA spokesman did not respond to requests for comment. But another person heavily involved in World Cup preparations in multiple cities said Trump’s threat to move games is all bluster.

“As a practical matter, it would be impossible,” said the person, who is not authorized to speak publicly about the matter.

Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-Los Angeles), whose district abuts Inglewood, agreed.

“It’s so laughable, it’ll make you want to take a Tylenol,” she said.

“No one is taking this seriously,” she continued. “He has absolutely no power over that. The World Cup is not about Donald Trump. It’s also not about the United States. So another distraction and another example of ego and ignorance.

“My hope is that this president would be focusing on making sure that the U.S. host cities have the infrastructure that they need.”

According to the Athletic, FIFA’s contracts with host cities say the group “shall not have the right for ordinary termination” of the agreements. Most host cities have already spent millions of dollars to prepare for the World Cup and are anticipating a sizable economic boost from the tournament.

A study released last summer by Micronomics, a Long Beach-based economic research and consulting firm, found that the World Cup will have an economic impact of $594 million on Los Angeles County, including $343 million in direct spending from an estimated 180,000 out-of-town visitors.

Trump wouldn’t have to move games to make things difficult for cities he disfavors, however. In July, Congress allocated $625 million in federal funds for World Cup security. According to Andrew Giuliani, head of the White House World Cup task force chaired by Trump, cities will submit their expenditures with requests for reimbursement, but the task force will have wide latitude in deciding which bills to pay.

Trump has made crime and retribution a major theme of his administration, sending national guard troops — or threatening to send them — to Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., Memphis and Chicago, all cities with Democratic mayors. Nine of the 11 World Cup host cities in the U.S. have Democratic mayors.

Maybe the national team turned a corner in last week’s 2-0 win over Japan.

Maybe the change to a 3-4-2-1 formation unlocked the lively and innovative play that had been missing in the team’s first year under coach Mauricio Pochettino. Maybe Pochettino and his players have finally found the chemistry and coordination that was so obviously missing.

And maybe, just maybe, the U.S. really can make a deep run in next summer’s World Cup, the first to be played in the U.S. in 32 years.

Maybe.

Or maybe not.

One game can’t totally erase the dysfunctional and dispassionate performances that have marked much of the brief Pochettino era, one which included four consecutive losses at home and two losses in as many games with Mexico.

Nor can it make up for a player pool that has seemingly grown thin and ever-changing or speed the learning curve for a successful club coach who has struggled with the transition to the international game.

But it can buy the team and its coach some time.

“Touch the right buttons and we start to perform,” Pochettino said last September, shortly after he took the U.S. job. Just now, however, is he finding those buttons.

The win over Japan clearly lifts a huge weight off Pochettino and his players, but the reprieve may be temporary. If the U.S. regresses in friendlies with Ecuador and Australia next month, the angst and despair that have hovered over the team most of the year will return.

What it all means is Pochettino and the USMNT have reached a fork in the road. And the path they take will likely shape U.S. Soccer’s future for years, if not decades.

A World Cup the federation has been pointing to for years is just nine months away and much is riding on the U.S. team’s performance. A deep run in the tournament will engage and ignite the country, open the wallets of deep-pocketed sponsors and do more for the sport in the U.S. than any event since the last World Cup held here. That one led to the formation of MLS, which has grown into the largest first-tier professional league in the world, and the establishment of the U.S. Soccer Foundation, which has invested more than $100 million at the grassroots level, impacting nearly 100 million kids.

The coherent performance against Japan — albeit a young, inexperience Japanese “B” team — brought hope that a successful path, the longest one at the fork in the road, is still open.

But three days before beating Japan, the U.S. was thoroughly outplayed by South Korea in a 2-0 loss — the team’s sixth loss in 14 games this year — that raised alarm. According to The Athletic, the performance dropped the U.S. to 48th in the world in the Elo Ratings, a results-based formula for measuring all men’s national teams. It was the lowest ranking in 28 years for the Americans.

If the USMNT follows the South Korea path in the World Cup, its tournament run could be short, ending in the first two rounds and likely stunting both interest and investment in soccer in the U.S.

With just three international breaks remaining before the World Cup, there is reason for both hope and concern.

Pochettino’s lineup choices remain as unsettled as his tactical approach — although the Japan game may help settle that. As Stuart Holden, World Cup midfielder turned Fox Sports analyst, noted, the change to a three-man backline solved many problems.

Against Japan, Holden said, the center backs played with noticeable confidence and aggression. The formation also freed wingbacks Max Arfsten and Alex Freeman to be more creative and allowed attackers Christian Pulisic and Folarin Balogun, the team’s game-changers, to be more impactful.

There was much to like in the new approach and for the first time in his tenure, it seemed as if Pochettino had finally found a game plan that suited his players, with Balogun among those who benefited most: his goal, off an assist from Pulisic, was his first for the U.S. in nearly 14 months while his start was his first under Pochettino.

The other goal went to Alex Zendejas, who was called up for the first time this year despite having one of the best two-year runs of any USMNT attacker, scoring 16 goals and contributing 15 assists to help Mexico’s Club América to three straight Liga MX titles.

Another player who stepped up when given the opportunity was Seattle Sounders midfielder Cristian Roldan, who played an inspired 90 minutes, leading all players with 83 touches.

Pochettino welcomed the result but continued to argue it wasn’t the most important thing.

“It’s the process,” he told reporters.

“When you are strong in your ideas and your belief, it’s about never giv[ing] up.”

So which team is the real national team? The one that beat Japan or the one that was humiliated by South Korea? And what will the USMNT’s destiny be in the World Cup? A long, profitable run that changes the trajectory of soccer in the U.S. or a short, disappointing one that sets the sport’s progress back years?

The October games with Ecuador and Australia could go a long way toward determining that. There’s a lot riding on the answer.

World Cup ticket update

More than 1.5 million people registered for the chance to buy World Cup tickets in the first 24 hours of the tournament’s initial presale lottery, according to FIFA. Online applications came from 210 countries, FIFA said, with the three host countries — the U.S., Mexico and Canada — leading the way.

The presale draw, which began last Wednesday and will end Friday at 8 a.m. Pacific time, is the first phase of ticket sales for the tournament. After a random selection process, successful applicants will be notified via email starting from Sept. 29 and will be given a date and time slot to purchase tickets, starting at $60, beginning Oct. 1. When fans enter the window won’t affect their chances of winning.

Subsequent ticket sales phases will begin in October. Further details on the timeline and products are available at FIFA.com/tickets.

⚽ You have read the latest installment of On Soccer with Kevin Baxter. The weekly column takes you behind the scenes and shines a spotlight on unique stories. Listen to Baxter on this week’s episode of the “Corner of the Galaxy” podcast.

Bolivia pulled off one of the biggest shocks of the South American qualifiers to reach the World Cup playoff round.

Bolivia shocked Brazil 1-0 to secure a spot in the intercontinental playoffs for next year’s World Cup, while Argentina suffered a 1-0 defeat by Ecuador in the final round of South America’s 2026 qualifiers on Tuesday night.

Bolivia’s Miguel Terceros converted a penalty in first-half stoppage time to secure the home win over five-time World Cup winners Brazil in La Paz, a result which saw Carlo Ancelotti’s side drop to fifth in the standings.

Bolivia will be joined in the playoffs by two teams from CONCACAF as well as one each from the African, Asian and Oceania confederations, in the hunt for two places at the World Cup in Canada, Mexico and the United States.

The playoffs will take place in Monterrey and Guadalajara in March.

Messi-less Argentina stunned by Ecuador

While Ecuador and reigning champions Argentina had already qualified for the World Cup, there was no shortage of intensity in their match in Guayaquil.

Argentina’s Nicolas Otamendi was sent off in the 31st minute, and the hosts capitalised on their numerical advantage when Enner Valencia scored a penalty in first-half stoppage time.

Ecuador were also reduced to 10 men when Moises Caicedo was dismissed in the 50th minute, but they held firm to claim the 1-0 victory and go second in the table.

Argentina star Lionel Messi, who played his last official match at home last Thursday, did not suit up.

Despite the loss, Argentina retained top spot in the standings with 39 points, nine ahead of Ecuador.

Colombia secured third place with a 6-3 victory over Venezuela in Maturin, with Luis Suarez stealing the show by scoring four goals to extinguish Venezuelan hopes of clinching the playoff place.

Uruguay finished qualifying in fourth place following a 0-0 draw with Chile in Santiago, while Matias Galarza’s strike gave Paraguay a 1-0 win over Peru in Lima, leaving them in sixth place.

The most-followed professional sports league on Earth is increasingly an American one, but it’s not the NFL, NBA or Major League Baseball. Despite their impressive strides in growing global audiences and reach, homegrown U.S. sports aren’t the world’s biggest draw. Instead, American teams are buying into the world’s most popular sport — the other football — via the global all-star English Premier League.

The Premier League kicked off its 2025-2026 season Aug. 15 with 11 of its 20 clubs under U.S. ownership (only four teams in the league are British-owned. It promises to be a crackling season.

Will thrice runners-up Arsenal (which shares owners with the Los Angeles Rams) be able to dethrone Liverpool (owned by the Red Sox’s Fenway Sports Group)? Will heavy spenders Chelsea (which shares owners with the Dodgers and the Lakers) once again vie for the league title, fresh off its improbable FIFA Club World Cup win this summer? And will San Francisco 49ers-owned Leeds United gain a permanent foothold in the league after being promoted from the lower division last season?

Perhaps the most compelling Premier League storyline is the fast-accelerating American takeover of soccer/football and what it tells us about the globalization of American culture. Suddenly, Americans are far more connected to the rest of the world than previous generations were, thanks to sport, our age’s leading pastime and most important form of media.

When I first moved to the United States as a teenager in the 1980s, Americans didn’t play much with others. We had our sports and proclaimed the winners in our domestic leagues “world champions.” Sport was the exception to the rule that all things American were the world’s cultural lingua franca. Indeed, as a result of the great 19th century footballing schism, the U.S. is the only major country where the stars of our most popular sports leagues never get to represent their country in international competition.

Tom Brady never got to wear a Team USA jersey because, well, only other Americans play his kind of football. Moreover, although a Hollywood blockbuster might make three-quarters of its box office outside the U.S., and Taylor Swift scheduled two-thirds of her Eras Tour in nations other than America, our biggest sporting production — the Super Bowl — is still watched by far more people inside the U.S. than outside it.

Yet things have changed dramatically over the past generation. It used to be common to hear sports pundits and American politicians (especially conservative ones) vilify soccer with the same xenophobic fervor reserved for such dastardly foreign schemes as the metric system and socialism. But now our “America First” President Trump is fast friends with FIFA’s leader Gianni Infantino, and Trump’s enthusiasm for the recent Club World Cup was such that he famously overstayed his welcome on stage during Chelsea’s post-match celebrations last month at MetLife Stadium.

We can thank the girls and women of America, and Title IX, for putting an end to America’s sporting isolationism, along with immigrants, who were often the first to introduce the sport across American communities, and the marketing departments and aspirations of multinational corporations.

Coca-Cola was FIFA’s first global sponsor not because it was already a powerful American company, but because FIFA could help push the brand to every corner of the world. Electronic Arts could have simply created its Madden video game for NFL aficionados, but it was its FIFA game that made it a global player (and in turn helped popularize the sport among millions of American kids).

In 2026, the men’s World Cup, which the United States will co-host with Mexico and Canada, will further ratify the end of America’s sporting isolationism. Ours is now a nation where soccer practice is a staple of most kids’ lives, the game’s best player ever joined our top domestic league (which didn’t exist until 1996), and we can watch every other league on the planet. Thanks to NBC’s masterful coverage, England’s Premier League is as avidly followed in this country as many of our domestic leagues.

It wasn’t that long ago that I could wear my Arsenal sweatshirt out and about without eliciting much of a response, but no more. A couple of seasons ago in Phoenix, I had taped a midday match to watch after work and was scrupulously avoiding any source of spoilers. Then I ran into my gym for a quick workout wearing my Arsenal cap.

“Tough loss,” the guy at the front desk said.

I guess so, but an oddly satisfying spoiler too, for what it represented.

Andrés Martinez is the co-director of the Great Game Lab at Arizona State University, a fellow at New America and author of the forthcoming book, “The Great Game: A Tale of Two Footballs and America’s Quest to Conquer Global Sport.”

The pay is nonexistent, but the perk could be viewing games in the U.S., Mexico and Canada for free during the FIFA World Cup next summer.

FIFA launched the application process for the World Cup volunteers Monday. How many are needed? A staggering 65,000 across the 16 cities that will host the expanded 48-team format over 39 days beginning June 11, the largest volunteer program FIFA has ever attempted.

“Volunteers are the heart, soul and smile of FIFA tournaments,” FIFA president Gianni Infantino said. “They get to show off their local pride, gain a behind-the-scenes view of the tournament and make memories and friendships that can last a lifetime, while supporting a historic event.

“We hope interested individuals will join us as we welcome the world to North America in 2026.”

In addition to stadiums, volunteers will provide support across at training sites, airports and hotels.

FIFA estimates 6.5 million fans will attend the World Cup, with 3.7 million attending games in the U.S., 1.5 million in Mexico and 1.3 million in Canada. The 2022 final with Lionel Messi leading Argentina past Kylian Mbappé and France, drew a record 1.42 billion viewers, including 26 million in the U.S.

“The Super Bowl, which is fantastic, has what, 120-130 million viewers? The World Cup has 6 billion,” Infantino told Fox Sports in April. “A World Cup is 104 Super Bowls in one month.”

Volunteers in the past ranged from students to seniors. No experience is required but applicants must be at least 18 years old. Interested individuals can apply at fifaworldcup.com/volunteers.

Those whose applications are accepted will be invited to attend the Volunteer Team Tryouts, which are expected to begin in October. Training will take place in March 2026.

‘Volunteers are the heartbeat of FIFA events and champions of their host city — sharing their pride and passion with fans from all corners of the globe, welcoming visitors to experience the unique culture of their host city and supporting the extraordinary event that is a FIFA World Cup,” FIFA said in a statement.

Los Angeles is one of 11 U.S. host cities, with eight games scheduled at SoFi Stadium, including the U.S. team’s opener June 12. After playing its second match in Seattle on June 19, the U.S. will conclude group play at SoFi on June 25.

Included in the games to be played in Inglewood are two round-of-32 games and a quarterfinal. Only one venue — AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas — was awarded more games with nine.

“We’re happy with with how it turned out,” U.S. coach Gregg Berhalter said. “We look forward to being in L.A. [and] probably one of the best stadiums in the world and to get to play there twice in the group stage.”

Other U.S. hosts cities include Seattle, Houston, Kansas City, Atlanta, Boston, New York/New Jersey, Philadelphia, Miami and the San Francisco Bay area. Games in Mexico and Canada will be held in Mexico City, Monterrey, Guadalajara, Toronto and Vancouver.

“FIFA changed my life,” longtime volunteer Craig Collins said on a video. “Why do I want to volunteer again? I can give back to an organization that has provided for me without knowing it.

Collins became the one-millionth person to join the FIFA volunteer community in April 2025.

“I’m excited to apply for the 2026 volunteer program and hope to show off my community to the world once more.”

“A seismic legal confrontation between players and Fifa.”

The view of former Fulham midfielder-turned-lawyer Udo Onwere when asked to assess the significance of the compensation claim launched against Fifa this week on behalf of current and former professional footballers over transfer rules.

On Monday, Dutch foundation Justice for Players (JFP) said it had started a class action lawsuit against the sport’s world governing body, along with the football associations of France, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium and Denmark.

It argues that 100,000 footballers playing in Europe since 2002 could have lost income as a result of “unlawful” Fifa regulations, and that “preliminary analysis” shows that damages could amount to several billion pounds.

The case is the result of last year’s ruling by the highest European court that Fifa regulations over some football transfers broke EU laws.

In October, the European Court of Justice (CJEU) found in favour of former Chelsea and Arsenal midfielder Lassana Diarra after he argued some of the rules restricted his freedom of movement and breached competition law, and sued Fifa.

“This class action could rewrite the rules governing player mobility across the global football industry” says Onwere, who is now a partner at law firm Bray and Krais.

“What distinguishes this case from previous skirmishes with the governing body is its sheer scale and complexity… The outcome of this litigation could usher in a new era of transfer regulations and governance – one where contractual stability is balanced with player autonomy.

“It could prove to be as transformational as the landmark 1995 Bosman ruling.”

Such a comparison is notable, because JFP is being advised by Diarra’s Belgian lawyer Jean-Louis Dupont, who also won the landmark 1995 case at the CJEU on behalf of ex-player Jean-Marc Bosman.

That ruling dramatically changed the sport, meaning footballers could choose to run down their contracts and move clubs on a free transfer, with teams no longer able to demand compensation for out-of-contract players.

Thirty years on, some now believe this latest case could result in players being able to terminate their own contracts, without paying compensation, before those deals come to an end.

BBC Sport has been told that Fifa has until the start of September to respond to the threat of legal action.

Football governing body says ticket sales for tournament in North America will be released in phases, with the process kicking off on September 10.

FIFA has announced that the process to purchase tickets for the 2026 World Cup in Mexico, the United States, and Canada will launch on September 10, urging fans looking to attend games to formally register their interest on its website.

The announcement on Tuesday came a day after the FIFA Club World Cup concluded in the US, a tournament that the international governing body for football hailed as a “rousing success”.

“We’re looking forward to welcoming the world back to North America, as Canada, Mexico and the United States host what will be the biggest and greatest sporting event ever,” FIFA President Gianni Infantino said in a statement.

“We encourage fans everywhere to get ready to secure their place – these will be the most coveted seats in world sport.”

FIFA did not provide details for how the tickets will be released, but it said on September 10, pre-registered fans will be able to “apply for their first chance to buy tickets”.

“There will be several distinct ticket sales phases from the start of sales on 10 September 2025, through to the final match on Sunday, 19 July 2026,” FIFA said.

“Each phase may differ in purchasing processes, payment methods and ticket products, and full details on each phase will be released in the coming months.”

The World Cup will kick off in Mexico City on June 11 next year and conclude in New Jersey on July 19.

Canada, Mexico host 13 World Cup games each

With the tournament expanded to 48 teams, it will see 104 games, with Canada and Mexico hosting 13 matches each.

The rest of the games will take place in the US, including all the fixtures from the quarterfinal onwards.

The US had a de facto test run for the big tournament with the Club World Cup that kicked off last month, with mixed results.

While the final at MetLife Stadium, which saw Premier League giants Chelsea beat European champions Paris Saint-Germain 3-0, attracted a sold-out crowd of over 81,000 people, some games saw an abysmally low turnout.

The searing hot weather also proved to be a challenge for players and fans, especially during midday games. However, many matches drew large crowds and a festive atmosphere, as well as some notable footballing upsets.

US President Donald Trump appeared to take a strong interest in the tournament. He hosted Italian club Juventus at the White House when the team was in Washington, DC, for a group stage game last month.

He attended the final in New Jersey and joined Chelsea players on stage for the trophy presentation.

However, Trump’s restrictive immigration policies have sparked concerns about the ability of international fans to visit the US next year.

In June, the US president imposed travel bans and restrictions on citizens of 19 countries, including Iran, whose national team has already qualified for the 2026 World Cup.

While football is known as the world’s game, the sport has been behind American football, baseball and basketball in popularity in the US. Still, football has been steadily gaining interest in the country over the past decade, a trend accelerated by Argentinian great Lionel Messi’s move to Inter Miami in 2023.

Qatar hosted the last World Cup in 2022, with Argentina lifting the trophy for the third time in their history, cementing the status of Messi as one of the greatest players of all time.

Six weeks ago in Munich, Paris Saint-Germain overwhelmed one of Europe’s top teams in the UEFA Champions League final, earning a trophy and recognition as the world’s best club team.

On Sunday in East Rutherford, N.J., PSG handed that mantle to Chelsea, which routed the exhausted Parisians 3-0 in the FIFA Club World Cup final, PSG’s worst loss in nearly two years.

So ended the first expanded Club World Cup, a tournament manufactured mainly to monetize the sport while lengthening the season six weeks for some teams — both PSG and Chelsea were playing for the 65th time in 48 weeks — and further congesting an already crowded schedule for others. And though it attracted more than 2.4 million fans overall, more than a quarter of the games drew fewer than 17,000 people, four got less than 9,000 and the competition overall averaged about the same attendance as the top 25 summer friendlies played in the U.S. last summer.

That’s after FIFA, the event’s organizer, drastically reduced ticket prices and, in some cases, let people in for free. So why did we play this tournament at all?

Well, the best answer is the Club World Cup served as a dress rehearsal for the real World Cup, which will be played at the same time and in some of the same stadiums next year. And if what FIFA learned from the club tournament doesn’t force it back to the drawing board to make some major changes for next summer — especially to kickoff times — it will be an education wasted.

The biggest takeaway was the weather. It was way too hot (and humid and stormy and just generally yucky).

Chelsea played three of its seven games in temperatures described by local weather authorities as “extreme,” meaning people were told to avoid strenuous physical activity or, in some cases, to even avoid going outdoors. (Sunday’s final kicked off in 81-degree temperatures and 69% humidity, conditions that necessitated two hydration breaks.)

“The heat is incredible,” Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez said in Spanish before the final. “The other day I got a bit dizzy during a play. I had to lie down on the ground because I was dizzy. Playing in this temperature is very dangerous.”

But it’s not just the danger to players FIFA should worry about (although that, clearly, is paramount). The conditions also change the way the game must be played, making it far less attractive to viewers.

“The speed of the game is not the same. Everything becomes very slow,” Fernandez said. “Let’s hope that next year they change the schedule.”

Wydad AC’s Cassius Mailula, center, and Mohamed Moufid try to cool off during a FIFA Club World Cup group match against Al Ain FC in Washington on June 26.

(Julia Demaree Nikhinson / Associated Press)

For the Club World Cup, many games started at midday or in the early afternoon so they could be broadcast in prime time in Europe and Africa. But the conditions on the field were often oppressive as a result.

MetLife Stadium, where Sunday’s final was played, will host eight World Cup matches, including the final, next summer. And while the kickoff times for that tournament won’t be revealed until the World Cup draw in December, BBC Sport said it has learned FIFA plans to start many East Coast games at noon, 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. local time.

FIFA issued a statement earlier this month that suggested it is not taking the problem near seriously enough, touting the hydration breaks, in which matches are halted so players can get a drink, as “significant and progressive measures … being taken to protect the players from the heat.”

FIFPRO, the union representing international soccer players, isn’t being so dismissive.

“From a health and safety perspective, this [extreme heat] is something that must take priority over commercial interests with regards to the safety of the players,” Alexander Bielefeld, the union’s director of policy and strategic relations, said on a conference call. “Heat conditions are not happening in a vacuum. The debate on extreme heat is not happening in a vacuum.

“It’s actually quite foreseeable.”

According to FIFPRO, at least three games at the Club World Cup should have been suspended or postponed because of extreme weather. It was so hot during a group-play game in Cincinnati, in fact, Borussia Dortmund’s bench players stayed in the locker room, watching the first half on TV.

The last World Cup that played in the U.S., in 1994, remains the hottest in history, which is remarkable for a tournament that since been played in Africa and the Middle East. That year Mexico and Ireland faced off in Orlando, Fla., where midday temperatures hit 105 degrees. And it was 100 degrees on the field for the final, which kicked off at noon at the Rose Bowl. (Not surprisingly that game ended in a scoreless draw, as did the 1999 Women’s World Cup final, played at the Rose Bowl under equally as oppressive conditions. Both games were decided in penalty kicks.)

More severe weather is all but certain next year.

“What you’re seeing right now is very typical,” Ben Schott, operations chief with the National Weather Service, told the Athletic. “Next year we may be going through the same thing.

That’s not good since a half-dozen Club World Cup games were delayed or halted by weather this summer, including Chelsea’s round-of-16 win over Benfica in Charlotte, N.C. That match was paused for two hours because of lightning.

“I can understand that for security reasons, you have to suspend the game,” Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca said. “But if you suspend seven, eight games, that means that probably is not the right place to do this competition.”

FIFA had a chance to protect its most valuable property, the World Cup final, by scheduling it for one of the four roofed stadiums chosen to host games in the U.S. in 2026. Instead it will tempt fate — and the weather gods — by playing the final at open-air MetLife.

If there were a silver lining to these storm clouds — I’m trying to be positive here — it’s that coaches and players are now keenly aware of what awaits them next summer, giving them ample time to get ready.

“We’re going to come prepared next year,” said Inter Milan’s Marcus Thuram, a French international. “There’s a lot of players that are doing the Club World Cup that will be doing the World Cup with their countries next year. So I think it’s a good preparation.”

Let’s hope FIFA is preparing as well. Because if the heat was on for the Club World Cup, it will be even warmer for the organizers of the real World Cup next summer.

⚽ You have read the latest installment of On Soccer with Kevin Baxter. The weekly column takes you behind the scenes and shines a spotlight on unique stories. Listen to Baxter on this week’s episode of the “Corner of the Galaxy” podcast.

Fifa’s hailing of its Club World Cup has been labelled “nothing more than a fiction” by the president of leading players’ global union Fifpro.

In a scathing statement, Sergio Marchi appeared to compare the world governing body’s president Gianni Infantino to the Roman emperor Nero.

And he also claimed Fifa “chose to continue increasing its revenue at the expense of the players’ bodies and health”.

It comes after BBC Sport learned that Fifpro was not invited to a key meeting on player welfare that Infantino held on the eve of the Club World Cup final with representatives from other unions.

Last year, amid a backlash over the expansion of the Club World Cup, Fifpro filed a legal complaint against Fifa, claiming it had abused its role under European competition law by adding more pressure to the fixture schedule.

Fifa has denied the claims, and at the weekend Infantino called the tournament “the most successful club competition in the world”.

But tensions have now intensified, with Fifpro president Marchi insisting that while the Club World Cup “generated enthusiasm among numerous fans and allowed some of the world’s leading figures to be seen in a single tournament… this competition hides a dangerous disconnect with the true reality faced by the majority of footballers around the world”.

Marchi added: “What was presented as a global celebration of football was nothing more than a fiction created by Fifa, promoted by its president, without dialogue, sensitivity, and respect for those who sustain the game with their daily efforts.

“A grandiloquent staging inevitably reminiscent of the ‘bread and circuses’ of Nero’s Rome, entertainment for the masses while behind the scenes inequality, precariousness, and the lack of protection for the true protagonists deepen.”

Fifth Roman emperor Nero threw spectacular games and events which made him popular with ordinary people, but is better remembered for his brutality and cruelty.

English Premier League side Chelsea beat European champions Paris Saint-Germain 3-0 in FIFA’s club showpiece final.

Cole Palmer scored twice and fed Joao Pedro for a goal as Chelsea overwhelmed Paris Saint-Germain in the first half and beat the European champions 3-0 in the final of the first expanded FIFA Club World Cup.

Palmer had almost identical left-footed goals from just inside the penalty area in the 22nd and 30th minutes on Saturday, and then sent a through pass that enabled Pedro to chip goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma in the 43rd for his third goal in two starts with the Blues.

“It’s a great feeling. Even better, because everyone doubted us before the game. We knew we had to put up a fight against a great team,” player of the match Palmer said afterwards.

A 23-year-old who joined Chelsea from Manchester City two years ago, Palmer scored 18 goals this season.

PSG finished a man short after Joao Neves was given a red card in the 84th minute for pulling down Marc Cucurella by his hair. After a testy final few minutes, the teams needed to be separated as PSG coach Luis Enrique and Donnarumma pushed Pedro near the centre circle.

A heavy favourite who had outscored opponents 16-1, PSG had been looking to complete a quadruple after winning Ligue 1, the Coupe de France and its first Champions League title.

Before a tournament-high crowd of 81,188 at MetLife Stadium, which included United States President Donald Trump, Chelsea showed the energy of a fourth day of rest after its semifinal, one more than PSG.

Chelsea had finished fourth in the Premier League and won the third-tier UEFA Conference League. The Blues took the world title for the second time after 2021, when it was a seven-team event. The Blues earned $128.4m to $153.8m in prize money, the amount depending on a participation fee FIFA has not disclosed.

PSG had not lost by three goals since a 4-1 Champions League defeat at Newcastle in October 2023.

Chelsea went ahead in the 22nd after goalkeeper Robert Sanchez kicked the ball downfield and Nuno Mendes mis-hit his header 15 yards past the midfield stripe towards his own goal. Malo Gusto’s shot was blocked by Lucas Beraldo, and rebounded to Palmer, who ended PSG’s streak of 436 minutes without conceding.

Palmer doubled the lead in the 30th when he ran onto a long ball from Levi Colwill, and cut inside before shooting.

Chelsea heads into the 2025-26 season, which starts in less than five weeks, believing it can challenge Liverpool, Manchester City and Arsenal for the Premier League title.