Jubilant fans leapt with joy in Buenos Aires after Argentina defeated England 2-1 in Wednesday’s World Cup semifinal match. The defending champions will take on Spain in Sunday’s final.
Published On 16 Jul 202616 Jul 2026
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Holders Argentina will face Spain in the final after snatching victory from England in a highly charged encounter.
Published On 15 Jul 202615 Jul 2026
Lautaro Martinez scored a 92nd-minute winner as Lionel Messi inspired World Cup holders Argentina to a stunning comeback to beat England 2-1 and set up a final with European football champions Spain.
England had been on course to reach their first FIFA World Cup final since 1966 after Anthony Gordon fired them into the lead 10 minutes into the second half of the semifinal in front of 68,239 fans in Atlanta on Wednesday.
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The great rivalry between these nations has produced several memorable contests on the World Cup stage through the years, and this will be remembered as the stuff of legends in Argentina as the South Americans denied England with two late sucker punches.
Messi set up Enzo Fernandez to fire in an 85th-minute equaliser, and then, with extra time looming, crossed for substitute Lautaro Martinez to head in the winner in the second minute of stoppage time.
It was maybe not quite up there with Diego Maradona’s legendary display in putting England to the sword in 1986, but the goals this time brought Argentina back from the dead and kept alive their hopes of winning back-to-back World Cups.
No team has retained the trophy since Brazil in 1962, and now, Messi will become just the second player after Brazilian great Cafu to appear in three World Cup finals. Italy are the only other side to defend a World Cup crown.
The 2026 final will take place at New York New Jersey Stadium in New Jersey on Sunday, as the first 48-team World Cup boils down to a confrontation between the reigning champions of Europe and South America.
Messi had waited until the age of 39 to get the chance to play against England, and he will now face Spain for the first time in a competitive game.
His career appeared to be complete when he dragged Argentina to glory in 2022 in Qatar, but he is clearly not done yet.
England, though, will have huge regrets as they head to Miami to play France in Saturday’s third-place playoff, a game neither team will want to contest.
The prospect of a first World Cup final appearance since their sole triumph 60 years ago was a momentous one, and they were so close, but will live to regret sitting back after Gordon’s opener.
The key men for Thomas Tuchel’s side during this campaign have been Jude Bellingham and captain Harry Kane, yet they failed to deliver on this occasion, and England’s players slumped to the turf at full-time.
Given the deep-rooted rivalry between these nations, this was always likely to be a game with an edge, and there was a palpable sense of tension at Atlanta Stadium.
Argentina’s players were clearly fired up, partly by a determination to hold onto their World Cup crown but also by a sense of what this fixture means.
That translated into a niggly contest, pockmarked by fouls in the first half, including Elliot Anderson being booked for scything down Messi.
There were no real chances to speak of in the first half, but England struck in the 55th minute.
Kane was involved in the buildup as the ball eventually came to Morgan Rogers on the right, and he whipped in a low cross towards the back post where Gordon stole in front of Nahuel Molina to score.
But this was the stadium where Argentina produced a stunning comeback from 2-0 down to beat Egypt in the last 16, and they were not done.
They threw everything at their opponents, as Jordan Pickford made a great save from a Nico Gonzalez header, and Alexis Mac Allister was then denied by the post in the 76th minute.
Fernandez was denied from range by Pickford, but moments later, he equalised, controlling a Messi pass on the edge of the area and letting fly past the goalkeeper.
Argentina smelled blood, and Mac Allister again hit the post before England failed to clear, and Martinez headed in the winner from an exquisite Messi cross to spark chaotic scenes of celebration and leave England completely deflated.
Thousands of Argentina fans held a banderazo in the streets of Atlanta ahead of their World Cup semi-final against England. The fan tradition transforms public spaces into celebrations before a major match.
Published On 15 Jul 202615 Jul 2026
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Suspect is charged with ‘preparation of terrorist acts – linked to extreme right-wing terrorism’, say British police.
Published On 15 Jul 202615 Jul 2026
A 14-year-old boy arrested by British police has been charged with a crime related to “terrorism” over an alleged plot to target local mosques.
London’s Metropolitan Police revealed the charge against the unnamed boy on Wednesday, saying he was suspected of preparing to carry out an “act of terrorism” in connection with “extreme right-wing” ideology.
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“This is a very serious terrorism charge against a young boy and likely to be highly concerning to the public and the local community,” said Helen Flanagan, head of counterterrorism policing in London.
Police said they did not believe the case pointed to a wider threat, but added that they had contacted the mosques, located in south London’s Sutton area, and offered advice and support.
“We know this will be particularly concerning to the Muslim community and we are working closely with the venues affected to ensure they are kept updated and to provide advice, support and reassurance, and this will continue,” said Flanagan.
British police first arrested the boy on July 9 over criminal damage to a car, but later searches uncovered documents that led to a charge of “conduct in preparation for giving effect to an intention to conduct acts of terrorism”, the Metropolitan Police said.
The suspect is set to appear before a magistrates’ court in London on Thursday.
The incident marks the latest of several alleged plots or attacks targeting Muslims in the United Kingdom.
Earlier this week, British police arrested 12 people in connection with an “extreme right-wing” plot to target an Islamic gathering held in Suffolk in eastern England.
Last month, a man was charged with attempted murder linked to “terrorism” after going on a suspected anti-Muslim stabbing rampage in Edinburgh, Scotland.
Detective Chief Superintendent Nick Blackburn, who oversees local policing in south London, said authorities would work to provide “reassurance and support” to the local Muslim community after the latest arrest.
“We should not underestimate the cumulative impact of incidents of this nature on the Muslim community,” h said.
Thousands of people who travel every day between the southern tip of Spain and the British territory of Gibraltar will no longer have to cross a physical border from Wednesday.
This came after the European Union and United Kingdom on Tuesday signed a treaty that delivers “economic and trade certainty for the people and businesses of Gibraltar, safeguards British sovereignty and protects the autonomous operation of UK military facilities”.
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The treaty was signed in Brussels by the European Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic, British Minister of State for Europe Stephen Doughty, Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares and Gibraltar Chief Minister Fabian Picardo.
“Gibraltar was left out of the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement following Brexit, creating the prospect of a devastating ‘hard border’ for the 15,000 people – more than half of Gibraltar’s workforce – who cross the land border between Spain and Gibraltar every day,” the treaty said.
Here’s what we know about the treaty:
Britain secured Gibraltar, a strategically important enclave at the southern tip of Spain, in the 1713 Treaty of Utrecht, which ended the War of Spanish Succession.
The contested British overseas territory of 38,000 people is perched at a strategic location, only 8 nautical miles (15km) from Morocco where the Atlantic Ocean meets the Mediterranean Sea.
The new agreement allows residents of Gibraltar to cross into Spain using residence cards without needing to have their passports stamped. In return, Spanish citizens will be allowed to enter Gibraltar using a government ID card.
The treaty in effect brings Gibraltar into the EU’s Schengen free-travel area, which allows people from 29 countries to move among them freely without needing visas.
At Gibraltar’s airport and port, entry and exit checks will be conducted by both British and Spanish border officials. The arrangement is similar to what’s in place at Eurostar train stations in London and Paris, where both British and French officials check passports.
Travellers to Gibraltar from countries outside the Schengen area, including the UK, will have to contend with the EU Entry/Exit System, which was rolled out in Europe in April and replaced passport stamps with biometric data collected through photographs and digital fingerprints.
Under the older system, every person had to face two border checks, one by Gibraltarian border agents and the other by Spanish officials when entering or exiting the Schengen area. The checks caused long queues, heavily impacting the workers who made the crossing daily.
The British government said the agreement brings “fluidity for people and goods crossing the Gibraltar-Spain border to support economic growth and jobs in the region”.
In a 2016 referendum in which UK voters approved leaving the EU, 96 percent of voters on “the Rock”, as Gibraltar is popularly known in English, supported remaining in the bloc.
When Britain eventually left the EU in 2020, the relationship between Gibraltar and the bloc was left unresolved. Previous talks on a deal to ensure people and goods could keep flowing across the border had made halting progress.
While the Trade and Cooperation Agreement, which came into force in 2021, broadly covered relations between the bloc and Britain, it was decided that Gibraltar would be addressed in separate negotiations because of its unique situation because it’s not in the EU customs union or the Schengen area.
In 2025, the EU and UK announced an agreement on those issues after more than three and a half years of negotiations.
Yes, Gibraltar is in a unique position because it has now gained EU privileges without being an actual EU member.
Still, it is under British sovereignty, and the treaty solely seeks to resolve post-Brexit cooperation with the EU and border management due to its open land border with the EU.
None of Britain’s other overseas territories, which include 14 territories scattered across the Caribbean and the Antarctic, has a deal similar to Gibraltar’s due to the shared land border.
Some of the territories have international arrangements, including Bermuda, which has its own immigration and tax systems, and the Falkland Islands, which govern themselves.
England face Argentina in Wednesday’s semifinal, hoping to reach the World Cup final for the first time since 1966.
Manager Thomas Tuchel said he did not feel burdened by the weight of history as he bids to lead England to a first World Cup final in 60 years by beating Argentina on Wednesday.
The Three Lions have been led at the 2026 tournament by Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane, who have each scored six goals.
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Remarkably, Wednesday’s semifinal will be the first time Lionel Messi faces England, at the grand old age of 39, despite the historic significance of the fixture.
Former Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich boss Tuchel said he did not feel extra pressure as he spoke to reporters in Atlanta on Tuesday.
“I don’t feel a burden. We feel the tension and will be nervous, but that is normal,” Tuchel said.
“What I like is that I feel the players are really competitive, hungry and excited to play this match.
“The two shirts are just iconic. There are historic matches, iconic moments, and everyone recognises the shirts and players straight away.”
England have not won a major trophy since their 1966 World Cup triumph on home soil.
England and Argentina have previously clashed five times at World Cups, most notably the 1986 quarterfinal when Diego Maradona scored his infamous “Hand of God” goal in a 2-1 win.
Twelve years later, Argentina won on penalties after David Beckham was sent off for kicking Diego Simeone.
“I think the players of both countries are very aware of what it means to them – if a fixture provides so many iconic moments, then you cannot say it is just another football match, but as a coach we do exactly that, focus on what we can influence.”
The German said he would not use the rivalry between the two teams as “fuel” to fire his men.
“We know why we are here, we know what we want, we were never shy of expecting that from ourselves, and of saying it or of dreaming it,” he added.
“We are in the semifinals, and we arrive very hungry.”
The England boss said his entire squad trained on the eve of the game and that Declan Rice was fit to play after recovering from illness. Jarell Quansah remains suspended, following his red card in England’s last 16 win over Mexico.
Tuchel explained that he had “no words” to describe magical Messi, who has scored eight goals so far and is second behind Kylian Mbappe in the Golden Boot race.
“You can see the cohesion, you can see that they are experienced in tournament football,” Tuchel said.
“They have the same core group of players who have been together a long time, and they have a very experienced and very, very good head coach, he added, referring to Lionel Scaloni.
“We know how big the obstacle is, but we are ready for it.”
Argentina have laboured to reach the semifinals, although England’s path through the knockout rounds has not been smooth either, with tough matches against the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mexico and Norway.
“It is just my first World Cup as a coach, and it is very rare that you fly through a tournament and everything falls into place from match to match,” Tuchel said.
“We will prepare for the best version of Argentina – we expect and demand the best of ourselves.
“We have not peaked yet, but the match will bring the best out of us, and we are excited.”
Should England beat Argentina, they will face Spain in Sunday’s final after La Roja defeated two-time world champions France with a controlled display in the first semifinal.
A station in southeast London has been temporarily renamed Jude Bellingham Station before England faces off with Argentina in a seismic semi-final World Cup showdown. Fans hope the star midfielder can help England through to their first World Cup final since 1966.
Published On 14 Jul 202614 Jul 2026
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EXPLAINER
Al Jazeera put nine leading AI models to the test to predict the 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup champion.
Published On 14 Jul 202614 Jul 2026
As the 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup enters its final stages, AJLabs asked nine leading AI models to predict the tournament’s final podium based on all available data for each team, including:
France emerged as the favourite to lift the trophy, receiving five (Gemini, Grock, DeepSeek, Le Chat and Qwen) of the nine champion votes.
Argentina, the defending world champions, received the remaining four votes (ChatGPT, Claude, Copilot and Meta AI).
Predictions for the runner-up were more divided: France and Argentina each received three votes, followed by England with two and Spain with one.
Spain was the clear favourite to finish third, receiving six of the nine third-place predictions, while England and France each received fewer votes.
The predictions reflect a broad AI consensus around the four remaining contenders, France, Argentina, Spain and England, but also highlight differences in how leading language models weigh recent performances, squad depth and tournament momentum.
The AI predictions come as the tournament reaches the semifinals. France will face Spain on July 14 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, while England will meet Argentina on July 15 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia.
The third-place playoff will be played on July 18, before the World Cup final on July 19 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
Champion predictions
Runner-up predictions
Third-place predictions
London debuts new powers targeting state proxies after accusing Iranian military organisation of engineering anti-Semitic attacks.
Published On 13 Jul 202613 Jul 2026
The British government is pressing to use new powers allowing it to criminalise state proxies in order to designate Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a threat to national security.
In a statement issued on Monday, the government announced that it was submitting draft regulations to the UK Parliament that would ban support for the IRGC. The move follows a series of anti-Semitic attacks in the United Kingdom.
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In the statement, the government said the submission of the legislation was part of an attempt to “crack down on foreign state-backed activity in the UK”, noting this would include “espionage, foreign interference in our democracy, sabotage and physical attacks”.
Following the designation, it will be a criminal offence to invite support for or express support for the military organisation, assist them in carrying out UK-related activities, engage in conduct likely to materially assist them, or accept or retain material benefits provided by or on their behalf, according to the report.
Apart from the IRGC, the UK government also listed the Islamic Movement of Companions of the Right (IMCR), an Iran-backed group that claimed seven attacks on Jewish sites in the UK earlier this year, and Russia’s military intelligence agency, the GRU Volunteer Corps, as “the first bodies designated under landmark new state threats powers”.
British police have investigated attacks on Jewish-linked sites in London, including the torching of four ambulances belonging to a community charity in March, as anti-Semitic hate crimes. Three men were charged with arson in April.
“If approved by Parliament later this week, those conducting acts of sabotage including arson on behalf of these groups could face life imprisonment,” the statement added.
Caretaker Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: “These new powers will make it easier to prosecute and lock up anyone carrying out their dirty work here in Britain.”
The new legislation gives the UK government “proscription-like” powers to designate foreign state proxies deemed a threat to the UK’s national security. It will mean that prosecutors do not need to establish a foreign power connection in cases involving designated groups.
“Iran and Russia are using proxies and thugs to do their dirty work on our shores. I have rapidly designated three groups so those working for them will be tracked down and put behind bars,” Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said.
Reporting from London, Al Jazeera’s Charlie Angela said the designation could come into force “as early as Friday”.
“What that’s going to mean is it will become a criminal offence to support the groups in any way or to help them operate, and that could carry a maximum sentence of life imprisonment,” Angela said.
“Diplomatically, it is going to mark a further deterioration in the relationship between Iran and the UK. Earlier, Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper summoned the Iranian ambassador to the Foreign Office and questioned him. And that is likely going to get a strong response from Iran.”
The government said the IRGC has “a long history of using proxies and criminal networks to target people overseas – particularly the Jewish community and Iranian dissidents”.
Tehran, which is still at war with the United States and Israel, has previously denied using proxies.
Regarding the GRU military intelligence service, the government said Russia was using the group “for foreign intelligence collection and hostile covert operations and has a long record of targeting the UK and its allies”.
The UK has experienced two record heatwaves this year, with temperatures in England reaching 35.1C in May and 37.7C in June.
Published On 13 Jul 202613 Jul 2026
More than 2,700 deaths across England and Wales have been linked to unprecedented heatwaves in the United Kingdom in May and June, according to new research.
There were 550 heat-related deaths between May 21 and 29, and nearly 2,200 people died between June 18 and 28, scientists estimated in the study published on Monday.
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Researchers from Imperial College London, the Met Office and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine used weather data, climate models and studies on excess deaths during the extreme weather to arrive at their estimate.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said it would publish its official estimate of heat-related deaths in the coming weeks, based on death records from recent heatwaves.
The UK and much of Europe have already experienced two record-breaking heatwaves this year, with temperatures in England reaching 35.1C (95.2F) in May and 37.7C (99.9F) in June.
“They were extreme heatwaves for the UK, and for all parts of Western Europe, and they’re particularly exceptional for the timing and how early in the year they occurred,” said Mark McCarthy, the science manager at the Met’s climate attribution team.
Scientists emphasised the role of climate change in making heatwaves more intense and frequent.
They estimated that maximum daytime temperatures were up to 4C (7.2F) higher than they would have been without global warming.
The Climate Change Committee (CCC), the body responsible for advising the British government on climate change, warned last year that the UK was “not ready” to deal with the consequences of climate change.
Lea Berrang Ford at UKHSA’s Centre for Climate and Health Security says the study released on Monday would “help illustrate the scale of risk associated with extreme heat and the growing threat climate change poses to our wellbeing”.
In a report published in May, it estimated that 92 percent of British homes could be too hot by 2050.
It said the government should set maximum temperature limits in the workplace, as well as invest in air conditioning for public buildings such as hospitals and schools in preparation for extreme weather.
The research on heat-related deaths in the UK comes as data showed that more than 10,000 excess deaths were recorded across Europe during the heatwaves across the west of the continent in late June.
EuroMOMO, a network backed by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control and the World Health Organization, said most of those deaths were among people aged 65 and above, with 9,000 excess deaths reported in that age range.
Scientists pooled national mortality statistics from 27 European countries in June and concluded that, without other notable factors such as COVID-19 outbreaks, the heatwave is most likely to have contributed to the spike of 10,650 excess deaths between June 22 and 28.
The football teams of forty-eight countries set out with a chance of winning the World Cup on June 11, and the hopes of just four nations remain alive.
The top four teams in the FIFA rankings, with eight previous titles between them, will lock horns on Tuesday and Wednesday to try to secure a place in what is set to be the grandest of showpiece occasions in sport: the World Cup Final at New York New Jersey Stadium on Sunday, July 19.
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Al Jazeera ranks the contenders for the title:
What’s this? The defending champions as the outsiders?
Well, Algeria, Austria, Jordan, Cape Verde, Egypt and Switzerland must be one of the kindest ever paths to the business end of a World Cup, and La Albiceleste have not exactly been convincing along it.
They were made to sweat by Cape Verde and Egypt in the knockout stages before finding a way to prevail in dramatic circumstances, and the pattern was repeated against Switzerland in Kansas City on Saturday night, when they went almost 90 minutes without a shot on target following Alexis Mac Allister’s early opening goal.
Their ageing side eventually prevailed after 120 minutes in sweltering conditions. Had Switzerland kept 11 men on the field, things might have been very different, but, once again, in the end, the defending champions found a way to win when they were well below their best.
Surely they cannot get away with another performance like that against England? Well, England fans might well be saying the same about the Three Lions. Both Harry Kane and Lionel Messi fell well short of their best in the last-eight matchups too.
The outpouring of emotion from Messi at full-time in the comeback win over Egypt showed just how close the three-time winners came to being eliminated. In an already emotionally charged matchup with England, expect tempers to rise and tears to flow on either side come full-time.
If Argentina, and – in his first-ever appearance against the Three Lions – Messi, are able to rediscover their swagger and win, ousting their old foes from the tournament in the knockout stages for a third straight time, then the confidence and momentum they would take into the final would be huge.
However, nothing they have shown in the US this summer would suggest that is likely to happen.
And even if it did, whether it would be enough to give them the edge against European champions Spain, or a vengeful France side they vanquished on penalties in the epic final of Qatar 2022, is another matter entirely.
Have we seen the best of England in this tournament? Probably not. And yet, here they are, in the semifinals for just the fourth time ever.
The win over Norway was neither pretty nor convincing, and manager Thomas Tuchel admitted they were lucky to get through, thanks largely to Jude Bellingham putting the team on his shoulders at a couple of key moments once again. Could a midfielder really win the Golden Boot? He is only two behind Messi and Kylian Mbappe with six goals already.
Much to Tuchel’s frustration, bar a 20-minute purple patch in the second half of the 4-2 opening game win against Croatia, England have yet to dominate a team, and relied on counterattacking bursts to give them a 3-2 lead to defend in the epic round-of-16 victory over Mexico in the cauldron of the Azteca.
What they have shown is character, in abundance, and they will likely need plenty more of that if they are to end 60 years of longing for a second World Cup title.
The game against Argentina will be far more than 11 vs 11; the ghosts of football history will line up alongside both teams, and the hype and pressure are sure to be enormous.
A few possible positives for England will be that they have already made par for this tournament: Ranked fourth in the world, they have reached the last four. Anything else would be a bonus. Nobody really considers them a top-two team in the world, which might help to alleviate some of the burden of expectation.
After a trip to the altitude of Mexico City, and the oppressive heat and humidity of Miami, a return to the 22-Celsius (71.6F) climate-controlled confines of Atlanta, where England overcame DR Congo in the round of 32, will be welcome.
They also have no new suspensions to deal with, with Jarell Quansah left with one game of his two-match ban to serve; and there were minutes for Reece James against Norway. England will meanwhile be hoping Declan Rice recovers fully after a 45-minute cameo in which he was patently not fit following illness.
An ageing Argentina side have struggled against the pace, movement and trickery of Cape Verde, Egypt and Switzerland in the past three rounds, and Bukayo Saka, Anthony Gordon, and even Marcus Rashford will be even better placed to exploit that.
Beyond Messi, Argentina have not posed too many attacking questions themselves, though Julian Alvarez’s stunning strike against Switzerland might just be the start of his own World Cup.
All things considered, expect England to make it through to the final, but France would likely be a step too far, and even Spain would be a big ask, despite the additional motivation of revenge for their Euro 2024 final defeat.
They are the third semifinalists yet to find top gear at this tournament, bar a one-sided display against Austria in the round of 32.
La Roja’s stoic defence might have been punctured for the first time this summer by Belgium in the last eight, but the 649 minutes that preceded that goal were the longest streak in World Cup history without conceding, and they have still allowed just seven shots on target in their six matches so far.
Though the goal contribution stats might not reflect it, Lamine Yamal has shown flashes of a return to top form after that season-ending hamstring injury in April, while La Roja’s carousel of tricky attackers has posed problems for defences in all six matches so far, and Mikel Merino has written himself into folklore with last-gasp winners against Portugal and Belgium.
Four-goal leading scorer Mikel Oyarzabal has gone off the boil in the past couple of games, however, and is unlikely to strike too much fear into the French backline.
While teenage defender Pau Cubarsi looks at home on the biggest stage of all, he is yet to face the kind of test that Kylian Mbappe, Michael Olise and Ousmane Dembele will pose.
If they make the final, Spain will be favourites to win it, and they have won the World Cup the only time they previously reached the last four, but despite having beaten France in their past two encounters, a third should be beyond them.
Before their last-eight matchup with Morocco, we asserted that France were the class of the field with a fearsome foursome in attack and a defence that, although it had not really been tested yet, had only allowed two goals in five matches.
Well, make that two in six, even if they still have not really been tested, such was the Atlas Lions’ toothless attack on the night in their 2-0 defeat.
Mbappe further enhanced his credentials for the Golden Boot and all-time World Cup scoring record with another quality goal against Morocco, and Olise, Dembele, Desire Doue and Bradley Barcola continue to threaten across the field in a way no other team on earth can.
Spain, and in particular their defence, will pose a different challenge, and the underworked French defence will likely get their own test this time, too, with the likes of Dani Olmo, Alex Baena, Ferran Torres and Fabian Ruiz getting into promising positions around Oyarzabal, and that’s not to mention super-sub Merino.
Whoever beats France will surely lift the World Cup, but none of the remaining teams can match the dynamism of Les Bleus’ forwards. Although Spain will likely be their hardest challenge, it is one you can expect Didier Deschamps’s men to overcome, not least fuelled by the additional motivation of having lost to La Roja in the Euro 2024 and Nations League semifinals over the past two years.
The two finalists from Qatar 2022 could well be on course for a rerun as the FIFA World Cup 2026 draws to a close.
Lionel Messi led Argentina to glory four years ago against a France side that were defending the title they won at Russia 2018.
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Argentina and France overcame Croatia and Morocco, respectively, in the semifinals, both surpassing expectations to reach that stage.
This time, however, both teams will face sides considered serious contenders for the title.
Al Jazeera takes a look at whether we are witnessing the best last-four lineup in World Cup history, and with it, potentially, the beautiful game’s greatest finale.
The lineup for the 2026 semifinals marks the first time since FIFA rankings began – in 1992 – that the current top four sides in the world have made it to this stage.
France currently hold the number one spot, and are led by one of the most feared strikers in the world, Kylian Mbappe, while also boasting the reigning Ballon d’Or winner, Ousmane Dembele.
Argentina are ranked second and led by a player in Lionel Messi who, after having helped his side become only the third to defend a World Cup, may well be acknowledged as the greatest of all time.
Spain are ranked third and boast La Liga starlet Lamine Yamal of Barcelona. The Spanish have reached the semis with a miserly defence, but the stage may now be set for Yamal to fully shake off the memory of the calf injury that forced him to miss the end of the domestic season and shine much as he did in helping the Spanish to the Euro 2024 title.
England are the lowest-ranked of the remaining teams but considered the second favourites to lift the title behind France. This is mainly based on the incredible talents of not only Harry Kane, but also Jude Bellingham, who some suggest may be regarded as the greatest player to emerge from England, should he continue to drag the side all the way.
There is also a feeling, though, that England’s wide players may now be allowed to come to the fore with the game set to open up against more attack-minded opponents.
France lifted their second World Cup when they beat final debutants Croatia to seal the crown. Croatia were the heavy underdogs, and they themselves beat an England side seen as surprise semifinalists.
Belgium enjoyed a long run as the number one side in the world through the period, although their star-studded squad failed to fulfil their potential at major tournaments.
The Germans claimed their fourth title in South America after stunning the tournament hosts, Brazil, with a 7-1 demolition in their last-four clash.
Lionel Messi was named player of the tournament, but could do little to inspire insipid matches against the Netherlands and Germany. Both matches went to extra time: Argentina sealed a 1-0 win in the semifinal before losing on penalties after a 0-0 draw against the Germans in the final.
Germany’s Manuel Neuer was named the goalkeeper of the tournament, which perhaps said it all about the German efficiency that year, which saw the semifinal mauling regarded as more of a blip than the result of free-flowing football. Much of the headline-grabbing scoreline was down to Brazil’s underwhelming squad.
The final was marred by Zinedine Zidane’s head-butt that resulted in the red card that would end his playing career, but overall, it was two sides in decline following golden generations, and ended with Italy claiming their fourth title after penalties.
A young Ronaldo was to be spotted for the first time at the global showpiece, but better days were to come for Portugal, while Germany were heavily reliant on Bastian Schweinsteiger and Miroslav Klose in an otherwise average side.
The football was bleak, but the names were legendary. Regarded as one of the poorest World Cups of modern times, the football was conservative, and the day-and-age of lumping anyone with any skill still reigned over the game.
Germany were led and marshalled by Lothar Matthaus, while Jurgen Klinsmann and Rudi Voller were the dead-eye duo in attack that seemed to find a way to the end of every cross and through ball. The pair were enough to see off one of England’s finest generations – with Paul Gascoigne and Gary Lineker the standouts – in the semifinals, and Diego Maradona and the defending champions Argentina in the final.
Italy’s Salvatore Schillaci etched his name into World Cup folklore as an iconic player when he stole the show from some of the bigger and more glamorous players to seal the Golden Boot with six goals.
The football was brutal throughout, and the most romantic part of the tournament was the wonder of the Italian cities and their history, as well as the tournament’s theme tune: Nessun Dorma, sung by Luciano Pavarotti. If only the football had hit the same notes.
Argentina and, in particular, Diego Maradona lit up the finals. Mainly due to Maradona’s brilliant second goal in his side’s 3-2 win against England in the quarterfinals, which also saw him net the infamous “Hand of God” goal as the diminutive forward challenged English keeper Peter Shilton for a ball in the air.
It was otherwise mostly blood and thunder at the tournament, and neither West Germany, France, nor Belgium particularly illuminated, but it was a worthy mention for Maradona’s emergence. His five goals were only pipped for the Golden Boot by Lineker’s six strikes.
The world was introduced to “Total Football” at the 1974 edition, with Johan Cruyff setting the tone for the sharp passing and movement of the Dutch. It was not enough to topple the hosts, however, who claimed their second crown.
Brazil, meanwhile, were beginning their decline, which would last nearly 20 years, following the retirement of Pele at the previous edition.
The world got its first glimpse at a new way of playing football: the Brazilian way. Pele debuted at the 1958 edition and was the solitary target of the boot boys – the players that spent the whole match kicking opponents as high as they could – until the 1970 edition, when he was joined by the first great international side of superstars.
England had the timeless talent of Bobby Charlton when they won it in 1966, but it was overwhelmingly a tournament of bullies. Indeed, Pele was given the full treatment by England in the quarterfinals, where the Brazilians’ attempt at a third straight title ended.
In 1970, however, it was nearly impossible to get near the pace and play of the Brazilians, as well as the power.
They were well ahead of their time and remain one of the greatest to grace the game. They were also furlongs ahead of any opposition.
It is very hard to see past the array of talent on display across all four of the sides; so much so that Messi and the defending champions are now seen as the outsiders in this stage.
The answer will truly lie in the football, and the teams that have had to endure not only the rise of the professional and tactical standard across the globe, but also the emergence of so many new nations that will hope to hold their own for years to come.
DR Congo and Cape Verde delighted, and have given the world a taste of things to come, especially with a 64-team tournament mooted for the 2030 edition.
For now, however, all eyes are on four nations, who could produce the global game’s most beautiful moment.
Italy’s Jannik Sinner beats Germany’s Alexander Zverev 6-7 (7-9) 7-6 (7-2) 6-3 6-4 to claim his fifth Grand Slam.
Published On 12 Jul 202612 Jul 2026
Jannik Sinner was at his clinical best as he successfully defended his Wimbledon title with a bruising four-set victory over French Open champion Alexander Zverev in the final.
The world number one recovered from losing the first set in a match largely dominated by serve, eventually wearing Zverev down to secure a 6-7 (7/9), 7-6 (7/2), 6-3, 6-4 win on Sunday.
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The Italian was rewarded for his perseverance in the contest with his first Grand Slam title since lifting the trophy at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club 12 months ago.
Sinner’s fifth Grand Slam crown is just two behind the majors tally of his injured rival Carlos Alcaraz after Sinner notched his 100th match win at tennis’s four biggest events.
He hit 58 winners against only 25 unforced errors in three hours and 46 minutes on Centre Court, refusing to buckle against an in-form Zverev, who brought a 13-match winning streak at the majors into the final.
Sinner has banished the memories of his shock second-round exit from the French Open at the hands of Juan Manuel Cerundolo, when he blew a two-set lead last month.
The closest Sinner came to crashing out of Wimbledon was in the first round when he had to come from behind to beat Miomir Kecmanovic in five sets.
It was plain sailing from then on for Sinner, who has become a fearsome force on grass.
The 24-year-old now boasts a remarkable 44-3 win-loss record this year after winning his sixth title of the season.
Zverev had never even reached the quarterfinals in nine previous visits to Wimbledon, but had been a man reborn in London after finally breaking his Grand Slam duck in Paris.
He managed to take a first set off Sinner in seven meetings, but could not kick on to snap a now 10-match losing streak against a seemingly unbreakable rival.
Zverev, who was bidding to become the first German man to win the trophy since Michael Stich in 1991, will climb above Alcaraz to second in the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) rankings on Monday.
Zverev saved the only break point of a tight first set dominated by serve as it went to a tie-break.
The first 15 points of the breaker went with serve, with both men saving set points, before Zverev clinched with a fizzing forehand winner.
There were no break points in the second set as the players again efficiently bludgeoned their way to 6-6, but this time Sinner stepped it up in the tie-break to level the match.
Zverev finally created his first break point in the seventh game of the third set, but slipped when Sinner dinked over a drop-shot winner.
He clutched his knee and Sinner crossed the net to check on his injured opponent as the crowd held its breath, but the German was helped to his feet by the Italian.
Sinner made his move in the next game as Zverev’s serve finally broke down.
Zverev threw his racquet angrily across the turf after looping a forehand long on a break point which had seen Sinner lying flat on the turf earlier in the rally.
The top seed immaculately served it out to love, sealing a two-sets-to-one lead with an ace.
Zverev gamely tried to prolong the contest, but his race was run when Sinner broke for a 4-3 advantage in the fourth set.
He wrapped up the title on serve despite a dramatic final game featuring arguably the two best rallies of the match, falling to the turf in celebration after slapping away a forehand winner on his first match point.
Jude Bellingham was England’s hero once more by scoring twice as the Three Lions came from behind to end Norway’s historic run and reach the World Cup semifinals with a 2-1 win after extra-time.
In their first ever quarterfinal, Andreas Schjelderup fired Norway into a shock lead in the searing Miami heat on Saturday.
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But Bellingham, who also netted a double in a memorable 3-2 over Mexico in the last 16, produced a moment of magic to equalise just before half-time.
Norway had a second goal controversially disallowed after a VAR review in the second half for a foul by Erling Haaland as both sets of players were pushed to their physical limits by going to extra-time.
Bellingham came up with another big moment for the winner as he pounced on an error by Orjan Nyland to sweep in his sixth goal of the tournament.
England will face Argentina or Switzerland on Wednesday for the chance to reach a first World Cup final in 60 years.
Haaland’s spectacular run of scoring in his last 14 competitive matches for Norway came to an end against the land of his birth with Norway’s exhausted talisman replaced at half-time of extra-time.
Having failed to win a World Cup knockout game after conceding first since the final of 1966 before this tournament, England have now done so twice in three matches.
Harry Kane’s heroics prevented an embarrassing early exit to the Democratic Republic of the Congo in the last 32.
But it is Bellingham who has stood up in the past two matches to keep England in the hunt to end their long wait for major tournament glory despite far from flawless performances.
The 5pm local time (21:00 GMT) kickoff in Florida meant that temperatures remained above 30 degrees Celsius (86 Fahrenheit) throughout, with intense humidity making for draining conditions for the players.
The heat looked as if it would spoil the spectacle in the first half.
Thomas Tuchel’s men were rattled as England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford saved low from Martin Odegaard before Alexander Sorloth wasted a glorious chance when he failed to feed Haaland and instead went for goal himself.
Almost immediately Bellingham pulled his team out of the mire once more.
Bellingham had been well marshalled until he collected Anthony Gordon’s pass, burst into the box at speed and then slotted home on his weaker left foot.
Momentum was suddenly in England’s favour and they nearly went into the break ahead.
Bellingham was this time the creator for Kane, who dinked the ball coolly over Nyland, but had just drifted offside.
Tuchel introduced Bukayo Saka and Eberechi Eze at the break for the ineffective Noni Madueke and Declan Rice – the Arsenal midfielder had been suffering with illness earlier in the week.
But those changes left England light in midfield and they were left hanging on at spells in the second half.
Torbjorn Heggem made the most of some sloppy defending to turn in at the back post, but Haaland was penalised for a push on new Manchester City teammate Elliott Anderson before the corner had been taken, and the goal was disallowed.
Norway were inches away from a winner again when Kristoffer Ajer hit the bar after England fail to deal with another dangerous corner.
Both sides visibly wilted in the energy-sapping conditions late on but were forced to endure an extra 30 minutes.
Nyland had been Norway’s supporting act in the last 16 win over Brazil with a series of saves before Haaland struck twice late on for a landmark victory.
This time the Sevilla goalkeeper was the villain as he spilled substitute Morgan Rogers’ shot from distance and Bellingham pounced and scored.
England were awarded a penalty moments later, but this time VAR intervened in Norway’s favour to deem Djed Spence had initiated contact inside the box.
Yet, Norway’s spirit was already crushed, epitomised by a slouched Haaland watching on from the bench with nothing more to give.
Tuchel said his side was “lucky” to emerge with the win.
“We made life very, very difficult for ourselves today. The result is fantastic. We are in the last four. It’s amazing but not happy with the performance,” he told ITV.
“The commitment is there but we made life difficult for ourselves in the way we played – sloppy, a lot of technical mistakes, not fast enough, not repetitive enough. We were lucky today.
“It’s about the quality – we need to play better. We will get better [in the semifinal]. We need to.”
Live coverage and text updates as England play Norway in a quarterfinal clash in Miami.
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Three wins to go. How can your team reach the final and win the World Cup 2026? Click here to find out.
Who: Norway vs England
What: FIFA World Cup 2026 – Quarterfinals
Where: Miami Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida, the United States
When: Saturday, July 11, at 5pm (21:00 GMT)
How to follow: We will have all the build-up on Al Jazeera Sport from 18:00 GMT before our live text commentary stream.
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Four weeks ago, if you told Norwegians their team would be in the World Cup quarterfinals, they might have laughed it off. But this weekend, the Scandinavian country is set to break new ground.
Norway’s dream run in North America enters a new chapter when the tournament’s dark horses take on title contenders England for a place in the semifinals.
It took Norway a whopping 28 years to return to the sport’s biggest stage, and they have made their mark in style – from their traditional Viking row celebrations capturing global attention to striker Erling Haaland becoming the internet’s darling.
A lethal presence in the box and a goofy, no-nonsense personality off the pitch, Haaland has become somewhat of an all-round entertainer for viewers. His exemplary goal-scoring figures make you almost forget he’s playing in his debut World Cup – and next up, the towering striker will go toe-to-toe with England’s Harry Kane, another number nine who delivers when it matters most.
Norway finished second in Group I with six points, beating Senegal and Iraq and losing to France. They started their knockout phase with a late 2-1 win over the Ivory Coast before stunning Brazil by the same scoreline to reach the quarterfinals for the first time.
England topped Group L with seven points, beating Croatia and Panama and drawing with Ghana. They needed a second-half comeback to beat the Democratic Republic of the Congo in the round of 32 and knocked out cohosts Mexico 3-2 in a scintillating last-16 contest at the iconic Azteca Stadium.
The chants of “It’s Coming Home” were louder than ever when England’s fighting spirit – against the background of high altitude, history and a red card – steered them to victory against the home side Mexico.
Sharing 10 of the team’s 11 goals between them, the dynamic duo of Kane and Jude Bellingham has kept England alive in the title race, especially at a time when there are defensive deficiencies in the squad.
The in-form side, which also boasts more World Cup experience than Norway, are deemed favourites to reach the semifinals for the first time since 2018.
“We’ve been here a few times,” said England winger Bukayo Saka. “But the best team on the day is going to be the team that wins, so we’re aware of that and that’s where our focus is.”
England’s leaky defence – which has kept only two clean sheets in five games – will face its toughest test yet against Haaland, whose seven goals rank him third in the Golden Boot race, only behind Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe.
In their first World Cup since 1998, Norway, a nation of just more than five million people, has exceeded expectations.
After stunning the record five-time world champions Brazil to reach their first-ever quarterfinal, Norway will be eager to take down another giant and extend their fairytale run.
As much as their success has been a team effort, the spotlight has centred on their poster boy, Haaland – the blond, pony-tailed, 1.95-metre- (6ft4-) tall striker and a new social media sensation.
With his nonchalant replies in news conferences, awkward post-match selfies on Snapchat and a glittering collection of luxury handbags, the striker has drawn attention for more than just his goal-scoring prowess. In fact, “Haaland mania” has reached a fever pitch during the course of the World Cup.
Instagram is flooded with AI-generated and animated videos of him, stitched with his now-famous song “Ha-ha-ha-Haaland”.
“It’s important to joke around … I like to joke a little bit, and I like to have fun,” Haaland said. “That’s a key for my daily life – to joke around and, of course, train well and prepare well.”
Haaland’s top-notch preparation has delivered outcomes that even the 25-year-old did not expect.
“To be in the quarterfinals with Norway in the World Cup is quite surprising, even for me,” he said.
“Just to be able to play in the World Cup is, for me, a huge honour, and it was a huge goal for me in my career. To be able to be here and play on the biggest stage with my Norwegian friends against the best teams in the world, it’s really special.”
The Opta supercomputer gives England a 50.4 percent likelihood of winning in regulation time, while Norway’s chances of winning are 25.1 percent.
The model estimates a 24.6 percent probability of the game going to extra time.
To check the TV listings for your country, head to FIFA’s TV listing schedule here.
The winner of the Norway vs England match will play Argentina or Switzerland in the semifinals in Atlanta on Wednesday.
Norway and England have never met at the World Cup, but have previously faced each other 12 times. England have won seven times, Norway twice, while three matches ended in a draw.
Their most recent encounter came in a 2014 international friendly, which England won 1-0 at Wembley.
England will be without defender Jarell Quansah after he was handed a two-match ban for picking up a red card in the game against Mexico. He will miss the quarterfinal and a potential semifinal should England advance.
Centre-back Marc Guehi has a slight hamstring strain and will be assessed later on Friday to see if he is fit to play, while Reece James remains doubtful with a hamstring injury.
Defensive midfielder Jordan Henderson has been ruled out of the rest of the tournament with a broken wrist.
No issues have been reported in the Norway camp.
(4-3-3): Nyland (goalkeeper); Ryerson, Ajer, Heggem, Moller Wolfe; Berg, Berge, Odegaard; Sorloth, Haaland, Nusa
(4-2-3-1): Pickford (goalkeeper); Konsa, Stones, Guehi, O’Reilly; Rice, Anderson; Saka, Bellingham, Gordon; Kane
There has been unrest on the streets of London where Morocco fans were confronted by police following their team’s 2-0 loss to France and exit from the World Cup. Several arrests were reportedly made late on Thursday night around London’s Edgware road.
Published On 10 Jul 202610 Jul 2026
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Andy Burnham, who is expected to become the next Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, took to social media to apologise for the Labour Party’s initial stance on Israeli attacks in Gaza. He’s now calling for accountability of the Netanyahu government.
Published On 10 Jul 202610 Jul 2026
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England host India in a women’s Test at the iconic Lord’s Cricket Ground – the first of such a kind at the venue.
Published On 9 Jul 20269 Jul 2026
Lord’s will finally host a women’s Test, 142 years since staging its first such men’s match, when England face India in a four-day game at the “Home of Cricket” starting on Friday.
“It just boggles my mind that it is just the first (women’s) Test match here at Lord’s,” said India coach Amol Muzumdar.
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“It is a great occasion, and we are looking forward to it.”
The match takes place just more than 50 years since the first women’s match of any kind at the renowned London venue, with England beating Australia by eight wickets in a one-day international on August 4, 1976.
England’s captain at Lord’s that day was the late Rachael Heyhoe Flint, a pioneering figure in a women’s game where players were still wearing skirts rather than white or coloured trousers, as they do now.
Heyhoe Flint, who died in 2017, now has a gate named after her at Lord’s.
But in 1976, Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), the owners of Lord’s, were still decades away from admitting women as members, with the thought of females walking directly through the Long Room of the pavilion before taking the field a distant dream.
England’s No 5 that day, Megan Lear, compared the experience to the moon landing, telling The Guardian: “On that day in 1976, to walk on to the hallowed turf at Lord’s, it was like one small step for us women cricketers, but one giant leap towards the future of women’s cricket.”
It is a sign of how things have changed from those amateur days that a Test between two professional sides will also be England’s second fixture at Lord’s in less than a week, following Sunday’s defeat by Australia in the women’s T20 World Cup final – a match that attracted a capacity crowd.
Nine of England’s World Cup squad are included for the Test, including captain Nat Sciver-Brunt, who is “hoping to play” despite a nagging calf injury.
“We’ve always known this has been on the calendar,” said England coach Charlotte Edwards.
“A lot of our players have been doing Test match prep throughout the T20s, so we’re really looking forward to it,” added Edwards, England’s captain when they won the 2009 Women’s T20 World Cup final at Lord’s.
“It’s a historic Test match for us as a group and for the Indian team, and we can’t wait to play in front of a lot of people again over the next four days.”
Teenage England spinner Tilly Corteen-Colman is well aware of the importance of the occasion.
“I remember speaking to Lottie (Edwards) about when she used to play here and they weren’t allowed in the Long Room,” said the 18-year-old.
“The first women’s Test at Lord’s is history in the making, so to be involved would be incredible. It would mean the absolute world.”
As well as a breakthrough, the game will also mark England batter Tammy Beaumont’s farewell to international cricket.
Beaumont has made 260 appearances for England since her debut 17 years ago, and she was the first English woman to score a double century in a Test – 208 against Australia at Trent Bridge in 2023.
“When I fell in love with playing cricket as a young girl, I barely knew that playing cricket for England was an option,” said Beaumont.
The 35-year-old, who will continue to play domestic cricket, added: “Our first ever women’s Test at Lord’s feels like the perfect occasion to sign off on a career that I could never have dreamt would be as special as it has been.”
Police arrested pro-Palestine activists for blockading a UK facility operated by UAV Engines Ltd, a subsidiary of Israeli arms manufacturer Elbit Systems, and one of the world’s largest drone engine manufacturers. Activists say Elbit’s weapons are used in Israel’s war on Gaza.
Published On 9 Jul 20269 Jul 2026
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London, United Kingdom – Should Andy Burnham enter Downing Street as early as July 17, if he is confirmed unopposed as Labour leader, one of his most consequential early decisions will have nothing to do with defence spending, immigration, or the economy.
It will concern a seven-year 330-million-pound ($440m) contract between NHS England and Palantir Technologies, a leading defence and intelligence software firm in the United States that received no contracts from Burnham’s Greater Manchester administration during his nine years as mayor.
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The ramifications of such a decision could extend well beyond the NHS.
Media reports surfaced last week that Burnham is minded to hold that line with Palantir across all of the UK government when he arrives in Downing Street.
When approached by Al Jazeera, an Andy Burnham spokesperson said: “We’re not going to comment on individual government procurement contracts or companies and there are legal processes that must be followed.
“However, in general, Andy’s guiding principles on procurement are that we need to be getting value for money for the taxpayer and that we need to be safeguarding people’s data and British interests.”
For a company that has spent six years embedding itself across several public sector entities – the NHS, the Ministry of Defence, the Home Office, the Financial Conduct Authority – that posture is a real shift from the outgoing Labour administration led by Keir Starmer.
Starmer’s government actively courted US-based AI companies championed by the former UK ambassador to Washington, Peter Mandelson.
According to the Financial Times, which cited people briefed on the discussions, Burnham’s advisers, including former tech minister Josh Simons, are working with researchers Antonio Weiss and Martha Dacombe on a new AI strategy prioritising British companies and workers.
The story of how we got here runs through Manchester.
Burnham served as Mayor of Greater Manchester from 2017 until June, when he returned to Westminster via the Makerfield by-election.
Under his leadership, the Greater Manchester Combined Authority issued no contracts to Palantir. Greater Manchester Police has separately confirmed it did not have a Palantir contract in the past five years.
The more instructive precedent, though, is in the NHS – an institution Burnham has no direct mayoral authority over, but shaped politically through Greater Manchester’s landmark health devolution settlement.
Rather than adopt the NHS England-mandated Federated Data Platform, built on Palantir’s Foundry software, Greater Manchester’s NHS leaders spent six years building their own analytics infrastructure instead. That became a proof of concept, which allies now cite nationally: effective NHS data management, they argue, does not require Palantir.
In May, Al Jazeera spoke to the Good Law Project about its concerns that Palantir was a “potential security risk”.
Some campaigners have interpreted recent political signalling from Burnham’s camp as supportive of their position, although a Good Law Project spokesperson said it has had no direct contact with him or his team.
In his first major speech since returning to Westminster as an MP, Burnham said he wanted social value to weigh more heavily in government procurement decisions. The reasoning, according to those close to him, is as much political as ethical.
Reports have described concern within his camp that “unfettered tech boosterism” risks alienating voters already uneasy about how much of the state now runs on American software.
Underneath that concern sits a more specific worry: that a company built to serve defence and intelligence clients does not necessarily share the values of an institution built to treat patients.
“A defence company has inherently different values than a healthcare organisation like the NHS,” said Duncan McCann, Technology and Data Lead at the Good Law Project, which has led legal action seeking greater transparency over the contract. “That’s where I think this concern was created.”
Palantir is not unique in this respect. Its origins in US defence and intelligence contracting are shared, to varying degrees, by most of the US AI firms now supplying British government departments – a lineage that, for critics like McCann, taints the whole category rather than one company alone.
The NHS contract is the most visible, but it is unlikely to be the only one making headlines this year.
A parallel battle is already under way in London, where Palantir has launched a High Court challenge after Mayor Sadiq Khan blocked a 50-million pound ($67m) Metropolitan Police contract, arguing the decision amounts to stifling free speech.
Khan’s office has since approved a smaller arrangement – a partial reversal that has done little to settle the underlying tension.
![NHS workers contend that Palantir’s extensive support to the Israeli military will have inevitably contributed to Israel’s 804 attacks on Gaza health facilities [Vi Dimitrova/Health Workers for a Free Palestine]](https://i0.wp.com/www.aljazeera.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/London-1712147891.jpg?w=640&ssl=1)
For campaigners who have spent years pushing for greater scrutiny of Palantir’s role in British public life, Burnham’s ascent could be the moment the tide finally turns. The NHS break clause falls in March 2027, but a decision needs to be made by December.
Burnham is expected in Downing Street later this month. He will soon decide whether Palantir has a future in Britain’s health service – and, by extension, in the rest of the UK’s public sector.
Al Jazeera reached out to Palantir for comment but had not received a response at the time of publishing.
England hands Mexico their first World Cup loss at Estadio Azteca, winning 3-2 to reach the 2026 quarterfinals.
Published On 6 Jul 20266 Jul 2026
Jude Bellingham’s double inflicted a rare defeat on Mexico at their Estadio Azteca as 10-man England won a nerve-racking World Cup classic 3-2 to reach the quarterfinals.
Harry Kane also scored from the penalty spot as the Three Lions overcame Jarell Quansah’s red card, high altitude, and a fervent home support on Sunday to keep their quest for a first major tournament win in 60 years alive.
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England have relied on Bellingham and Kane throughout the tournament, and the duo has carried them into a last-eight showdown with Erling Haaland’s Norway.
Bellingham struck twice in 98 seconds in the first half to condemn Mexico to just a third defeat in 90 matches at the Azteca.
Julian Quinones and Raul Jimenez reduced the Mexican arrears, but they fell short of a place in the quarterfinals.
Victory also helped to erase some of England’s nightmarish memories at the Azteca in the quarterfinals of the 1986 World Cup, when Diego Maradona scored a double for Argentina, including the infamous “Hand of God” goal.
Sunday’s match was delayed by an hour after a thunderstorm and heavy rain lashed the Mexican capital for hours before the planned 6pm (00:00 GMT) kickoff time.
Despite the sodden conditions, more than 80,000 fans crammed into the stadium to create a deafening noise.
England coach Thomas Tuchel was wary of a fast start from Mexico as his side adjusted to the altitude of 2,240 metres (7,350 feet) above sea level.
Mexico had flown out of the traps when they won a World Cup knockout game for the first time in 40 years against Ecuador 2-0 on Tuesday.
This time, England managed to keep Javier Aguirre’s side at bay, but they did need a crucial intervention from Jordan Pickford to deny Jimenez opening the scoring with a diving header that was headed for the bottom corner.
Tuchel made three changes to the side that needed a heroic performance from Kane to prevent an embarrassing early exit to DR Congo.
Quansah was forced to deputise at right-back with Reece James not fit to start for a third consecutive game, opening up Tuchel to criticism over his decision not to select more specialist cover in the position.
Anthony Gordon and Bukayo Saka also started out wide, and both made telling contributions.
Saka’s cross picked out Bellingham to power in a header for the first goal Mexico conceded in five World Cup games.
The hosts failed to compose themselves, as within two minutes, the Real Madrid midfielder had doubled England’s lead.
Kane’s ball across fell perfectly for Bellingham to power in his fourth goal of the tournament.
Yet what should have been a comfortable lead was nearly wiped out by half-time.
Quinones blasted in his fourth goal of the tournament to spark the Mexico rally after England failed to clear a free kick.
Jimenez drilled wide and saw another header saved by Pickford before Bellingham made a last-ditch intervention to deny Cesar Montes a certain equaliser.
Nico O’Reilly nearly restored England’s two-goal cushion as his deflected shot cannoned off the post.
Quansah was shown a straight red card on 54 minutes after a VAR review for a mistimed lunge on Jesus Gallardo.
But just six minutes later, the 10 men had added to their lead when Gordon was wiped out by Mexico goalkeeper Raul Rangel and Kane emphatically dispatched the penalty.
The England captain’s sixth goal of the tournament puts him just one behind Haaland, Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe in the race for the Golden Boot.
The game took another huge momentum swing when, this time, Kane was penalised for a foul inside his own box and Jimenez slotted home the penalty to set up a frantic final 20 minutes.
England, though, stood tall, defending at times frantically to resist the Mexican wave during 11 minutes of additional time, and have reached a third consecutive FIFA World Cup quarterfinal.