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Lukaku wheels away in celebration.

FIFA World Cup 2026 LIVE updates: Egypt hold Belgium as Cape Verde stun Spain with draw

A 40-year-old goalkeeper starred for debutants Cape Verde against a flat Spain, as build-up intensifies towards Iran’s opening game against New Zealand.

  • Emma Kemp

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We used AI and a complex formula to predict how the World Cup will play out.

We asked our AI model to simulate the World Cup 100,000 times. Here are the results

There are 48 teams, 104 matches and infinite possibilities at the World Cup. We crunched the numbers to find every team’s probability of success.

  • Roy Ward and Mark Stehle
Mapi León

Spanish player accused of groping female rival

The former international has been accused of asking an opponent “do you have a dick?” during a match.

  • Ben Rumsby
Fans celebrate as Saudi Arabia is announced as the host nation for the World Cup in 2034.

FIFA names Saudi Arabia as 2034 World Cup host; three nations to co-host 2030 edition

The decisions complete a mostly opaque 15-month bid process which FIFA president Gianni Infantino helped steer toward Saudi Arabia without a rival candidate.

  • Graham Dunbar
England soccer fans react after their team was beaten by Spain.

At the final whistle, England looked as if they had their hearts ripped out

England’s 58 years of misery goes on as the ultimate prize of a major soccer title slips away again.

  • Oliver Brown
Scottish barman Scott Ferguson celebrates after Spain scored the winning goal in the 2024 Euro final against England.

In St Kilda, England fans are devastated as Scott the Scot smiles

The young crowd in a St Kilda bar loudly cheered for England in the Euro 2024 final, but their joy turned to sadness as Spain clinched victory in the dying minutes.

  • Madeleine Heffernan
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Spain’s Alvaro Morata holds the trophy as he celebrates with his teammates

Spain strike late to beat England and win Euro 2024

Mikel Oyarzabal was the hero for Spain as he came off the bench to score the winner.

  • Mitch Phillips
Mikel Oyarzabal: the matchwinner?

As it happened: Spain outclass England to secure a record fourth Euro crown

Spain scored late to break English hearts and secure their fourth European title in Berlin.

  • Vince Rugari
Lionel Messi with an infant Lamine Yamal.

Meeting Messi as a baby, stunners for his country at 16. Welcome to the world of Lamine Yamal

The Spanish wunderkind is so young he can’t legally play 90 minutes for his country at the Euros. It’s easy to see why Spain would happily cop the fine, but not everyone agrees.

  • James Ducker
Spain’s teenage wonder Lamine Yamal is technically breaking Germany’s labour laws at Euro 2024.

Why it’s illegal for Spain’s teenage star to play 90 minutes at Euro 2024

Lamine Yamal has taken the tournament by storm - but the 16-year-old could be costing his team €30,000 every time he plays past 11pm due to Germany’s labour laws.

  • Vince Rugari