World | News

The Democratic Republic of Congo became the latest underdogs to roar at the World Cup on Saturday, battling into the knockout rounds for the first time as Iran’s rollercoaster campaign ended in elimination. A chaotic finale to the tournament’s expanded group phase saw Austria and Algeria fill the final two berths in the last 32 late on Saturday after battling to an extraordinary 3-3 draw in Group J — a result that dashed Iran’s hopes of advancing from their group. A win for either Austria or Algeria would have allowed Iran to squeeze into the last 32, and it looked as if the Asian side would advance when Riyadh Mahrez scored in the third minute of stoppage time to put the Algerians into a 3-2 lead. But Iranian joy was short-lived when Sasa Kalajdzic arrowed in a header in the sixth minute of injury time to snatch a draw for Austria and spark pandemonium in Kansas City. Austria midfielder Marcel Sabitzer, who scored Austria’s second goal, described the closing moments as “weird”. “It’s a draw normally, so you ...

They became the first African side to score five goals in a World Cup match

Polymarket emerged as an onboarding layer for about 60% of World Cup bettors, who interacted with the blockchain for the first time during their prediction market entry. About 60% of users who placed their first World Cup bets on Polymarket had never interacted with blockchain protocols before, suggesting prediction markets are becoming an entry point into crypto. The finding is based on a 90-day Bitget Wallet study shared with Cointelegraph on Thursday that tracked the onchain activity of 857,000 active Polymarket users. Bitget Wallet said the findings suggest some users are entering crypto through prediction markets instead of beginning with token trading or DeFi protocols. Read more

Belgium were held to a scoreless draw by Iran in a frustrating encounter Sunday that saw the Red Devils reduced to 10 men and facing the possibility of group-stage elimination for a second straight World Cup. A star-studded though ageing lineup including Kevin De Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku was if anything fortunate to leave Los Angeles with a point, controlling possession yet ceding the game’s best chances to a resolute Iran team. Iran’s Mehdi Taremi had the ball in the net from a well-worked first-half free kick that was overturned for offside by VAR, while Nathan Ngoy was sent off after the break for hauling down the striker after a badly mis-hit backpass. The result means all three games so far in Group G have ended in draws. Stuck on two points, Belgium at least have the comfort of playing the tournament’s lowest-ranked team, New Zealand, in their final group game. Iran will also need at least a point against Egypt next Friday. Having been frustrated by visa issues as they travel from their base camp in Mex...

Japan marked the 1,000th match in World Cup history with a commanding 4-0 win over Tunisia in Group F on Saturday, as Ayase Ueda scored twice to send the North Africans out. Hajime Moriyasu’s side, who drew 2-2 with the Netherlands in their opener, went ahead after four minutes when a sweeping attack ended with Keito Nakamura cutting the ball back for Daichi Kamada to score. Tunisia, beaten 5-1 by Sweden in their first match and playing under new coach Herve Renard, struggled to cope with Japan’s pressing and movement from the outset. Japan almost doubled their advantage in the 11th minute with an attack down the right flank, with Tunisia’s Dylan Bronn turning a low cross away from Kamada. From the resulting corner, Tunisia goalkeeper Aymen Dahmen produced a fine save, with goal-line technology confirming the ball had not crossed the line. Moriyasu’s team continued to dominate possession, their front line harrying Tunisia’s defence and preventing Renard’s side from establishing any rhythm in the Monterrey hea...

As soon as Switzerland and Bosnia were off the pitch after their World Cup match on Thursday, another team were on it. But instead of tearing at the grass with studs this team were mowing, brushing, seeding, and repairing it. After being battered by some of the world’s best and most physically abusive (to grass) players for two hours, the surface was getting some tender loving care - a necessity in this World Cup, which is often being played atop grass pitches placed on a sub-surface that usually supports artificial turf. It has not all gone well. French coach Didier Deschamps, after his side’s 3-1 win over Senegal on Tuesday, said his squad had to alter their boots for the New York-New Jersey pitch, which was not great. “Let’s just say it’s … it’s different. It’s unusual, so you have to get used to it,” said Deschamps. “It’s different, so the bounce is different too.” None of his players used screw-in studs “even though boots today are a bit more adaptable.” France midfielder Adrien Rabiot added: “The pitch ...

Teboho Mokoena’s penalty kept South Africa’s dream of reaching the World Cup knockout stages for the first time alive after a 1-1 draw with the Czech Republic in Atlanta on Thursday. Michal Sadilek’s early opener had the Czechs on course for just their second World Cup win as an independent nation. But Mokoena’s late spot-kick kept both teams in the hunt for the last 32, although they will almost certainly have to win their final Group A fixture to advance. Both sides move onto one point, two behind co-hosts Mexico and South Korea, who face off later on Thursday. South Africa next face South Korea, while the Czech Republic take on the daunting task of playing Mexico in the Estadio Azteca. Both sides started with disappointing performances and defeats on the World Cup’s opening day, but the Czechs quickly set about making amends. Patrik Schick is the biggest name in a Czech side lacking the star quality of previous generations but the Bayer Leverkusen forward missed a glorious chance inside the first minute wh...

Cristiano Ronaldo’s record-equalling sixth World Cup got off to a disappointing start as the Democratic Republic of Congo secured their first ever point at the finals, drawing 1-1 with Portugal in their Group ‘K’ match in Houston on Wednesday. Yoane Wissa’s header cancelled out Joao Neves’s early goal and the African side — appearing in their first World Cup since 1974 when it was known as Zaire — more than held their own. Ronaldo, 41, was largely a peripheral figure throughout the match — failing to make the impact his great rival Lionel Messi had done on Tuesday in scoring a hat-trick against Algeria. The DRC’s achievement was even greater given their preparations had been disrupted by the Ebola outbreak back in their country. Portugal coach Roberto Martinez acknowledged his side felt the pressure of trying to win the tournament while failing to carve out enough opportunities and keeping the ball in areas that allowed DR Congo to adjust. “We didn’t create enough chances and probably we lost that intention o...

An Israeli flag was reportedly removed from a fan at a World Cup match between Iran and New Zealand, while nearby Palestinian flags were left in place, Hebrew media reported.

Ghana midfielder Thomas Partey, who is facing trial on rape charges in Britain, lost a court challenge on Tuesday that would have allowed him to enter Canada for his side’s World Cup opener in Toronto. Ottawa denied the Villarreal player a visa over the British charges, blocking him from playing for Ghana against Panama on Wednesday. Accra filed a request for an injunction in federal court on Tuesday seeking to set aside Ottawa’s decision. But broadcaster CBC said Judge Roger Lafreniere had dismissed the challenge. Shortly before the decision was handed down, Ghana’s veteran coach Carlos Queiroz told reporters in Toronto that his side would be ready, regardless of the court outcome. “My business is to play with the cards that I have in front of me,” Queiroz said. “When the decision comes, we are ready.” Panama head coach Thomas Christiansen, also asked about Partey’s possible exclusion, said he believed Ghana would pose strong competition even if the former Arsenal player was not on the pitch. “They have a lo...

Spain controlled the ball for nearly 75% of the match and took 27 shots at Cape Verde's goal on June 14, a stat line that usually ends in a win. Cape Verde's 40-year-old goalkeeper, Vozinha, walked away with player-of-the-match honors after a 0-0 draw that cost Polymarket bettors millions and made one obscure wallet roughly […] The post World Cup bettors are losing millions on Polymarket’s “safe” favorites appeared first on CryptoSlate.

European champions Spain were held to a shock 0-0 draw by tiny World Cup debutants Cape Verde on Monday. Regarded as one of the strong pre-tournament favourites, Spain had been expected to cruise past Cape Verde in their Group H opener in Atlanta. But despite enjoying 74 per cent possession and laying siege to the Cape Verde goal, the 2010 world champions were unable to find a breakthrough against the underdogs from the volcanic archipelago of just 525,000 people, who are ranked as 2000-1 outsiders to win the World Cup by several betting websites. Cape Verde’s Vozinha applauds fans after the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group H match between Spain and Cabo Verde at Atlanta Stadium on June 15, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia, the US. — AFP Not even the introduction of Barcelona superstar Lamine Yamal off the bench could engineer a goal for Luis de la Fuente’s men. Cape Verde’s players and supporters, meanwhile, celebrated wildly after securing an improbable point in what was their first-ever World Cup match. The underdogs, ni...

Michael van Gerwen en Gian van Veen zijn er niet in geslaagd de World Cup of Darts te winnen. Het Nederlandse duo boog in Frankfurt in de finale voor Engeland en verloor met 10-5 in legs. Het Engelse team bestond uit de nummers 1 en 2 van de wereld: Luke Littler en Luke Humphries.

Germany won their first opening match at a World Cup since lifting the trophy in 2014 as they eased to a 7-1 win against debutants Curacao in their opening Group E match in Houston on Sunday. The Germans will face stiffer tests against group rivals Ecuador and Ivory Coast but the win against the tiny Caribbean nation puts them in a good position to progress to the knockout stages for the first time since 2014. An early German goal by Felix Nmecha was cancelled out by a deflected strike from Livano Comenencia which had the Curacao fans, known as the Blue Wave, out of their seats in Houston. However, Nico Schlotterbeck, Kai Havertz with a double, Jamal Musiala, Nathaniel Brown and Deniz Undav scored to put to bed any possibility of one of the greatest upsets in World Cup history. Germany settled early, Nmecha scoring a beauty in the sixth minute, receiving the ball from Florian Wirtz and curling the ball round a Curacao defender and past goalkeeper Eloy Room. The goal had coach Julian Nagelsmann letting out a h...

Advocaat will also become the oldest coach in World Cup history

Michael van Gerwen en Gian van Veen hebben zaterdag als koppel de kwartfinales van de World Cup of Darts bereikt. De Nederlanders waren in Frankfurt te sterk voor Zweden: 8-6 in legs.

Co-hosts Canada grabbed a second-half equaliser to draw 1-1 with Bosnia and Herzegovina on Friday in the first World Cup finals game ever played on Canadian soil. Cyle Larin got Canada’s goal after Jovo Lukic put Bosnia ahead with a header in the 21st minute in Toronto. The result gave Canada its first point in World Cup history. Canadian sides had a perfect record of futility at two previous tournament appearances in 1986 and 2022, with six losses. Lukic’s goal from a corner sent the small but enthusiastic Bosnian contingent at the Toronto Stadium into a frenzy. Canada had the majority of play in the first half but failed to generate any real chances. Bosnia and Herzegovina’s players celebrate the opening goal during the 2026 World Cup Group B football match between Canada and Bosnia and Herzegovina at the Toronto Stadium in Toronto, Canada on June 12, 2026. — AFP The stadium erupted in the 17th minute when forward Jonathan David had a clear shot on goal, but it was easily handled by Bosnian keeper Nikola Va...

FIFA and the FBI warned of ticket scams as TRM Labs identified World Cup-themed crypto fraud operations tied to multiple wallet addresses. TRM Labs warned that crypto scammers are targeting FIFA World Cup fans through fake ticketing sites, fixed-match betting schemes and event-themed crypto promotions.  The blockchain intelligence company said it identified several World Cup-related scam operations, including two fake-ticketing sites and one fixed-match betting pitch tied to four crypto addresses. “Criminals always look to exploit major events and cultural moments and they don’t wait until kickoff,” Ari Redbord, global head of policy at TRM Labs, told Cointelegraph. “Scammers build and position their infrastructure weeks in advance, then scale it the moment public attention peaks.” Read more

Hours before the World Cup kickoff, the boost to travel and tourism expected from this year’s biggest sporting event has yet to materialise. For years, the tournament was expected to deliver a windfall for America’s travel industry, now grappling with declining international visitors amid what rights groups describe as a climate of fear. The swarms of fans that hotels had counted on have yet to arrive, forcing many to cut rates. Flight bookings have slumped as ticket prices have skyrocketed. Expensive match tickets have further stymied demand, and industry analysts say excitement has been muted compared with past World Cups. The weak start suggests the traditional World Cup travel playbook — typically dependent on international fans willing to travel long distances and spend heavily to follow their teams — is faltering. Instead, the costs, visa hurdles and the logistics of attending matches across 16 host cities in three countries have proved a deterrent. US travellers, in a country where football is less pop...

Bernstein says the 2026 FIFA World Cup could inject billions into prediction markets, with Coinbase and Robinhood positioned to capture a wave of new users. The 2026 FIFA World Cup could mark a breakout moment for prediction markets, with Coinbase emerging as one of the biggest winners, according to a new research report from Bernstein. Published Thursday, the Bernstein analysts estimate the expanded tournament will generate more than $3 billion in incremental sports betting handle and $5 billion to $10 billion in additional consumer prediction market volume, as 104 matches transform what is typically the slowest period for online sports betting. FIFA expects the month-long tournament to attract roughly 6 billion viewers worldwide, up from an estimated 5 billion during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Matches are scheduled to start today. Read more