FIFA World Cup Day 10 recap: Japan, Netherlands dominate; Curaçao makes history

Here are the group standings through Day 10 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup:

MONTERREY, Mexico — Japan moved one step closer to reaching the knockout stages of the World Cup for the fourth consecutive time after pummeling Tunisia 4-0 in Group F.

Japan’s four goals were the most the Samurai Blue had ever scored in a World Cup game, as Japan comfortably dismantled a Tunisia side that became the first to ever fire its coach after the opening game.

Ayase Ueda scored twice, along with Daichi Kamada and Junya Ito to put Japan level with the Netherlands on four points. The Dutch are currently on top the group due to having scored one more goal than Japan across its two matches.

×

The loss for Tunisia means it is eliminated from the tournament. Japan are guaranteed at least third in the group, which could be enough to advance to the knockout stages.

Tunisia appointed two-time Africa Cup of Nations winner Hervé Renard to try and rescue the Eagles of Carthage after its humiliating 5-1 loss to Sweden, but the North African nation could not contain Japan’s speedy attack nor create any clear chances of their own.

Kamada opened the scoring in the fourth minute, the fastest in Japan’s World Cup history. The Crystal Palace midfielder was perfectly positioned for Keito Nakamura’s cross and barely had to move to tap in his second goal of the tournament.

In the 31st minute, Ueda received the ball in the midfield and drove toward the Tunisia box. When Ueda opted not to pass to a few advancing runners, any chance of a goal seemed lost — but the 27-year-old fired an angled shot from outside the box which flew into the left corner of the goal to make it 2-0.

The striker had an impressive club season with Feyenoord, scoring 24 goals in the Eredivisie to earn the league’s top scorer award.

In the 69th minute, Ito slotted a third goal for Japan after a Ueda’s flick put Ito in a one-on-one with Tunisia’s goalkeeper Aymen Dahmen, which he finished calmly.

Ueda’s masterful looping header in the 83rd minute, his second of the night, capped off an impressive night for the Samurai Blue.

Japan, who have not lost to a European opponent in 90 minutes since 2019, will play against Sweden in Dallas on Thursday. Tunisia will play the Netherlands in Kansas City at the same time.

Wilcox writes for the Associated Press.

Japan 4, Tunisia 0 — 83rd minute

Ayase Ueda scored his second goal of the game to extend Japan’s already mammoth lead in what has been a dominant second half for the Samurai Blue.

Japan is the first Asian team to score four goals in a World Cup match.

Japan 3, Tunisia 0 — 69th minute

Junya Ito scored a spectacular goal off the rush, getting onto a looping feed and fending off a Tunisia defender to power the ball past goalkeeper Aymen Dahmen.

The goal was set up by a beautiful flick pass by Ayase Ueda.

Japan 2, Tunisia 0 — Halftime

Goals from Daichi Kamada (fourth minute) and Ayase Ueda (31st minute) have put Japan in command of a game Tunisia must avoid losing if it wants to stay in contention for the knockout stage.

Japan has controlled the ball 65% of the match and has three shots on goal. Tunisia got its first shot on goal in stoppage time.

Japan is looking for its first win at this World Cup after playing to a draw against the Netherlands last week.

Japan 2, Tunisia 0 — 31st minute

Capitalizing off a rush following a midfield turnover, Ayase Ueda found the far lower corner of the goal on a perfect right-footed strike from the edge of the box to double Japan’s lead.

Defender Kou Itakura set up the chance with a great outlet pass up the middle that caught the Tunisia defense off guard.

Japan 1, Tunisia 0 — 27th minute

Japan continues to make life difficult of the Tunisia defense and goalkeeper Aymen Dahmen.

Japan has two shots on goal and has controlled the ball for 68% of the match.

Japan 1, Tunisia 0 — Fourth minute

Japan wasted no time getting on the scoresheet, with Daichi Kamada scoring ff a cross from Keito Nakamura that went off his back heel.

It was Kamada’s second goal of this World Cup and a culmination of what has been a very aggressive start by Japan in match’s opening minutes.

Tunisia and Japan are underway in Monterrey, Mexico, in the final match of Day 10 at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Tunisia must avoid a loss in order to remain in contention for the knockout round.

Tunisia fired coach Sabri Lamouchi after last week’s 5-1 loss to Sweden. Interim coach Hervé Renard, who has now coached three different teams in the last three World Cups, will be tasked with trying to guide 54th-ranked Tunisia to an upset over No. 17 Japan.

Japan earned a point last week after playing the Netherlands to a 2-2 draw.

Tunisia vs. Japan is the 1,000th match in World Cup history.

Béla Guttmann may be the most consequential soccer coach you’ve never heard of. But if it weren’t for Guttmann, you may never have heard of Pelé.

And Brazil may never have become the greatest soccer-playing country on Earth.

That’s because Guttmann changed the shape of modern Brazilian soccer — and changed the sport forever — when he imported the revolutionary 4-2-4 system from Hungary to Sao Paulo in 1957. A year later, Brazil won the first of five World Cups and the joga bonito was born.

GUADALAJARA, Jalisco — Before the World Cup, critics and fans of the Mexican national team debated whether Javier Aguirre’s third stint as head coach was the right decision. Two games later, the coach has led Mexico to the tournament’s knockout round.

Thursday’s 1-0 victory over South Korea at Guadalajara Stadium made the World Cup co-host the first in the tournament to advance while also clinching the top spot in Group A with one group play game remaining. After South Korea’s goalkeeper fumbled a ball, Luis Romo scored the goal that gave the Mexicans six points and pushed them to the top of the standings.

El Tri will close out the first round against Czechia (6 p.m.) at Azteca Stadium on Wednesday.

Here’s a look at the FIFA World Cup group standings heading into the Group F showdown between Tunisia and Japan at 9 p.m. PDT:

MORRISTOWN, N.J. — Brazil forward Raphinha will undergo treatment on a hamstring injury with the hope of him returning to the World Cup, the country’s national team said Saturday.

Raphinha left late in the first half of the team’s win over Haiti on Friday night in Philadelphia after receiving medical attention. The Brazilian soccer confederation said afterward that the 29-year-old felt something in his right hamstring and would undergo further tests.

Those tests confirmed an injury but not one that led him to be ruled out of the tournament, like defender Wesley was prior to Brazil’s opener against Morocco. Raphinha is set to go through an intensive treatment protocol with the aim of resuming normal activities in a short period of time, the confederation said.

Brazil, which is unbeaten in two games so far, plays Scotland on Wednesday in Miami Gardens, Florida, in each team’s group play finale.

TIJUANA — About 150 miles from SoFi Stadium, south of the Mexican border, sits the hotel housing Iran’s World Cup team for its games at the Inglewood venue.

The entrance to the Marriott in Tijuana is barricaded, flanked by police and members of the Mexican National Guard, guns held close. No one enters without a hotel reservation or special pass.

Despite the tensions and challenges surrounding Iran’s participation in the World Cup, early Saturday morning finds the mood inside the four-star hotel relaxed, even jubilant. Several dozen fans mingle and bond over their shared excitement to see the squad’s players before they depart for their second group-stage match at SoFi.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Curacao goalkeeper Eloy Room made 15 saves against a relentless Ecuador attack, allowing The Blue Wave to earn a 0-0 draw against the heavily favored La Tri on Saturday night and earn the tiny island nation its first-ever World Cup point.

The outcome also allowed Germany, which beat Ivory Coast earlier in the day, to clinch Group E.

The 37-year-old Room, whose shutout of Jamaica last November sent Curacao to its first World Cup, bounced back from a 7-1 loss to Germany with one of the finest performances by a goalkeeper in World Cup history. His save total was one shy of the record — since saves became an official stat in 1966 — of 16 set by Tim Howard of the U.S. against Belgium on July 1, 2014.

×

The draw doesn’t eliminate either team from knockout play, but it put Ecuador in dire shape going into its group finale. Those matches take place Thursday with Curacao facing Ivory Coast in Philadelphia and Ecuador playing Germany in New York.

Ecuador certainly had a home-field advantage Saturday night at the home of the Kansas City Chiefs. Its fanbase, dressed like its players in bright yellow shirts, filled the stadium to the brim, making it look like a convention of Minions. There was only a couple of small pockets of blue-clad Curacao fans in a stadium whose capacity could house half of its island citizenry.

Among those in the crowd were Kansas City Royals players Bobby Witt Jr., Salvador Perez and Starling Marte.

The pressure mounted on Ecuador earlier Saturday, when Deniz Undav’s goal in stoppage time gave Germany a 2-1 win over Ivory Coast. The outcome of that match in Toronto meant that La Tri faced World Cup elimination with a loss to The Blue Wave.

Curacao made sure the pressure continued once play began.

Throughout the first half, 78-year-old coach Dick Advocaat’s team kept finding seams through the middle of the Ecuadorean defense, creating open looks at the goal. But each time, Curacao would end the runs with a sloppy pass or a shot wide of net.

Ecuador wasted its best scoring chance in the opening minutes, when World Cup veteran Enner Valencia found nothing between him and the goalkeeper. But Room guessed right, dived to his left and deflected the shot to keep the game scoreless.

The relentless pressure of La Tri picked up in the second half — and each time, Room was standing in the way.

Moises Caicedo forced him into making a spectacular save early on, then Valencia did the same with a well-placed header that Room knocked wide. On the ensuing corner kick, Room made two more sensational saves before Curacao finally cleared it.

It was that kind of night for Room. And that kind of night for Ecuador.

Skretta writes for the Associated Press.

Ecuador 0, Curaçao 0 — 73rd minute

Ecuador continues to be thwarted by Curaçao goalkeeper Eloy Room, who is almost single-handedly keeping the game scoreless.

Off a corner kick in the 66th minute, Room made two saves at close range during a spectacular sequence to thwart Ecuador’s hopes of getting on the scoresheet.

A minute earlier, Room also stopped a header from Enner Valencia.

Ecuador has had 24 shots, including 13 on goal.

Ecuador 0, Curaçao 0 — 54th minute

In the 50th minute, Ecuador’s Moises Caicedo got a decent shot on goal from outside the box, but it was from far enough out to give goalkeeper Eloy Room enough time to make a diving save.

Room had 25 touches in the first half — the second most of any Curaçao player.

Curaçao’s Juninho Bacuna and Livano Comenencia each received yellow cards early in the second half. Curaçao has three yellow cards so far.

Ecuador 0, Curaçao 0 — Halftime

Ecuador has been the dominant team so far, but it has nothing to show for it.

Ecuador had six shots on goal amid several scoring chances, but it hasn’t been able to turn those into goals. Curaçao’s aggressiveness has complicated Ecuador’s ability to capitalize.

Curaçao’s Leandro Bacuna and Ecuador’s Jordy Alcivar each received yellow cards within a minute of one another. Bacuna’s foul on Gonzalo Plata stopped an Ecuador rush that could have been very problematic for the Curaçao defense.

Ecuador 0, Curaçao 0 — 25th minute

Ecuador is starting to control play and it’s creating more scoring opportunities.

Ecuador, which has possessed the ball for 77% of the match, has six shots so far, including four on target. Curaçao goalkeeper Eloy Room has been the difference so far, but Ecuador captain Enner Valencia is testing Curaçao’s defense constantly.

Ecuador 0, Curaçao 0 — 14th minute

It’s been a fast-paced game so far with both teams getting chances through back-and-forth play. Curaçao’s aggressive play on the ball is complicating Ecuador’s attempts to set up plays.

Enner Valencia nearly scored in the third minute for Ecuador, taking control of a deep pass behind the Curaçao defense at full sprint. Curaçao goalkeeper Eloy Room made a big save to thwart the attack.

Ecuador got another chance in the 12th minute when John Yeboah put another shot on goal from the right side of the box, only for Room to make the save.

Ecuador has gotten three good looks at potential goals so far.

In the eighth minute, Curaçao’s Sherel Floranus found an opening on the left side of the box, but his shot went wide.

Ecuador and Curaçao enter their Group E showdown looking for a win that would all but secure them a spot in the round of 32.

Curaçao, the smallest nation ever to compete at the World Cup, is coming off a 7-1 loss to Germany. It was completely dominated in that game and will face a tough challenge against an Ecuador team that lost 1-0 to Ivory Coast in its World Cup opener.

Curaçao is ranked 83rd in the world; Ecuador, looking to reach the knockout stage for the first time in 20 years, is 28th.

Gio Reyna scored an iconic goal to kick off the World Cup for the U.S. Vinícius Junior scored a dazzling one in Brazil’s opener. Kylian Mbappé scored twice to become France’s career goals leader. Harry Kane got two of his own to tie England’s mark as he and his teammates try to bring the elusive trophy home.

What do they all have in common? Pink, of course.

Of all the colors of the rainbow at the World Cup taking place in the U.S., Canada and Mexico, pink is the star on soccer’s biggest stage. Dozens of players are wearing pink boots that stand out against the green grass of the pitch after multiple shoe companies produced them ahead of this tournament with an eye on performance as well as visibility.

Gio Reyna celebrates after scoring for the U.S. against Paraguay at the World Cup on June 12.

(Harry How / Getty Images)

“Athletes associate this color with confidence and standing out, and that resonates,” Nike Director of Global Footwear Odinga Nimako said.

Nimako pointed to Nike’s silver, yellow and blue boots at the 1998 World Cup changing how people saw boots in the sport. Before that, black and white was the standard.

This time, Nike, Adidas, Puma, Skechers and New Balance all came out with pink boots.

Mbappé and Vinícius have the Nike swoosh on his feet, as does Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo and Norway’s Erling Haaland. Reyna, England’s Jude Bellingham and Declan Rice, Canada’s Jonathan David, Spain’s Lamine Yamal and France’s Ousmane Dembélé wear Adidas.

Whenever Neymar Jr. plays for Brazil, he’s expected to be in Puma pink like American Weston McKennie. U.S. teammate Timothy Weah is among those in New Balance. Kane and Sweden’s Anthony Elanga are sporting Skechers at the World Cup.

Skechers Director of Technical Performance Alex Bardini said the inspiration came from the company’s headquarters in southern California.

“The colorways reflect the breathtaking palette of an L.A. sunset: warm shades of pink and purple melting into white, with subtle tinges of orange,” Bardini said.

From Los Angeles and Vancouver to Guadalajara, Houston, Miami and Boston, long before the World Cup is decided, pink has become a clear winner. When Sweden put up five on Tunisia in Monterrey, Mexico, three came from players in pink boots: two by Yasin Ayari and another in the 84th minute by Mattias Svanberg.

Pink itself does not make players perform any better, but shoe company executives consider it a mindset. Bardini said comfort and performance are at the core of what Skechers does, and Nimako said Nike wants players to feel more aerodynamic.

“That feeling is holistic,” Nimako said. “It’s the engineering, yes, but it’s also how the entire product comes together. When an athlete puts on a Mercurial and it looks fast, feels locked in, and weighs next to nothing, that perception reinforces performance. Everything works together.”

Belgium’s Jérémy Doku will not play in his team’s World Cup match against Iran on Sunday due to illness.

The Manchester City winger was ruled out Saturday by the Red Devils for the match at SoFi Stadium in the Los Angeles area. Coach Rudi Garcia declined to comment at length on the condition of Doku, who is believed to have been fighting a respiratory problem for at least two weeks.

“He can’t play, and so we’ll be playing without him,” Garcia said through an interpreter during his pre-match news conference. “I knew since (Friday) evening that he won’t be playing. I don’t want to get players to play if they’re not medically up for the game. I can get players to play even if they’re not 100 percent physically, but 100 percent medically is (more important). But I’m absolutely 100 percent sure we’ll be fine and we’ll be winning tomorrow.”

The speedy Doku started Belgium’s World Cup opener last Monday and played into the 86th minute of a 1-1 draw with Egypt. Doku reportedly left a practice early due to breathing issues during the week before the opening match.

“He was fine, and he managed to play against Egypt,” Garcia said. “But since then, well, there are ups and downs in life, and the medical staff decided to take things a little bit further and help him recover.”

Doku also has been in the spotlight in recent days after telling reporters that he planned to leave the team if necessary for the birth of his first child during the World Cup. Doku’s wife is due in early July, during the knockout stages.

Garcia declined to say who will replace Doku in the starting lineup, but he indicated that Romelu Lukaku probably will be a substitute again. The 33-year-old striker missed nearly all of last season at Napoli due to a persistent hamstring injury.

Lukaku, Belgium’s career goals leader, entered the match against Egypt in the second half and immediately created the chance that led to the tying goal. Garcia said Lukaku still isn’t ready to play a full match.

“We do need to be careful, because we could be tempted to play him more than he could,” Garcia said. “But the goal is to have him play to the end (of the World Cup). We cannot wear him out early. And then there’s competition. As long as the others are fit to play, he can play a role as the super sub. It’s his role par excellence. We also could have him start, but I’m not sure he could go further than 60 minutes. ... He’s not only a good striker for Belgium, but he’s one of the best in football, and it’s good to have him here. He missed many training sessions, so we’re happy to have him against all odds.”

Belgium is 10th in FIFA’s world rankings, but it needs a strong result against Iran to stay on track to win its group after being held to that surprising draw by Egypt. The Red Devils finish group-stage play against New Zealand on Friday.

If the Red Devils win their group and their first knockout-round match, they would face the co-host U.S. on July 6 in the round of 16 if the unbeaten Americans also win their first knockout-round match against a third-place team.

Beacham writes for the Associated Press.

Germany 2, Ivory Coast 1 final

With one precision pass, Germany sliced through the Ivory Coast defense and stole the lead and ultimately three points in stoppage time.

Felix Nmecha was between midfield and the top of the box when he whistled a ball down the middle into the box to super sub Deniz Undav, who took one touch and fired the ball into the net before Ivory Coast could react. It was 2-1 Germany four minutes into stoppage time.

Stunned Ivory Coast could find no answers in the final two minutes and lost.

The late subs and cool reaction under pressure helped Germany handle the early onslaught of Ivory Coast’s elite speed and eventually use its technical skill to pull off a comeback win.

Ivory Coast 1, Germany 1, 68th minute

Germany has had no power behind any runs to goal, while Ivory Coast has brought more energy and speed to the pitch.

Germany made three substitutions in the 60th minute to try to inject life its side.

In the 68th minute, Germany finally managed to flip the field and get decent momentum behind a run at goal. The Germans passed the ball from just past midfield to the right side. Nadiem Amiir then dribbled up the right side and delivered a high arching pass into the box that substitute Deniz Undav volleyed in for a goal.

Ivory Coast 1, Germany 0, 51st minute

We’re back after the halftime break. Both teams mounted early runs in the first few minutes of the second half, but no one has scored.

Ivory Coast 1, Germany 0, halftime

Germany pushed the ball into Ivory Coast’s portion of the field more frequently in the final 10 minutes, but the team lacked much power behind any shot attempts and they were managed by the Ivory Coast defense.

The combination of the halftime break and possibly some substitutes could help Germany make the most of technical skill. In the first half, the Germans seemed to lack speed required to keep pace with Ivory Coast.

Ivory Coast 1, Germany 0, 30th minute

Ivory Coast showed tremendous speed early in this match and finally broke free to score.

Yan Diomande controlled the ball along the left side of the box and cross to Amad Diallo. Diallo’s strike was blocked by German defender Nathaniel Brown, but Franck Kessié caught the rebound at the top right corner of the box and hit a rocket to the back left corner of the next.

Germany 0, Ivory Coast 0, fourth minute

The Germany versus Ivory Coast match is under way in Toronto. The winner advances out of the group stage.

Netherlands 5, Sweden 1, final

Crysencio Summerville hit the most appropriate Steph Curry night-night celebration after tacking on another goal against Sweden in the 89th minute.

Memphis Depay passed to Summerville at midfield and he pushed forward to the top of the box. Summerville split three Swedish defenders and shot into the bottom left side of the goal.

Sweden ran out the clock without scoring or giving up any more goals.

Netherlands 4, Sweden 1, 59th minute

Sweden made four substitutions after Netherlands’ fourth goal and got some immediate positive results. Alexander Isak passed from midfield to Anthony Elanga, who controlled the ball despite Dutch pressure and scored a goal for his overwhelmed team.

Netherlands 4, Sweden 0, 54th minute

The Netherlands’ Orange army is dancing in Houston.

There was no pressure on as the Dutch gathered the ball in front of their box and weaved up the middle of the field. Crysencio Summerville took the ball at midfield and moved to pushed forward without much resistance before passing to Cody Gakpo on the left side. Gapko slotted home his second goal.

Netherlands 2, Sweden 0, 47th minute

Netherlands once again came out of the locker room on fire.

Crysencio Summerville passed Denzel Dumfries, who is a master at delivering crosses into the box and Cody Gakpo tapped the ball in for a back-breaking Dutch goal.

Netherlands 2, Sweden 0, halftime

Sweden did, in fact, benefit from a hydration break. The team was far more competitive after the stop in play. The Dutch still had chances, but Sweden was not chasing them nearly as much. Sweden took two good shots first half stoppage time, but Bart Verbruggen saved both.

Netherlands 2, Sweden 0, 45th minute

Benjamin Nygren took a free kick from the right side and curled it into the box, where Gustaf Lagerbielke emerged in crowd of bodies to head the ball home. However, multiple Swedish players were offsides and the goal was erased.

Netherlands 2, Sweden 0, 17th minute

Donyell Malen passed to Denzel Dumfries, who delivered a cross to Brian Brobbey in the box. Brobbey then tapped in the ball for his second goal of the match.

Sweden limped to the hydration break in the 23rd minute, soaking up both water and a much-needed chance to regroup after the relentless Dutch attack.

Netherlands 1, Sweden 0, fifth minute

The Orange Army is roaring in Houston.

The Netherlands reset by passing back to its goalkeeper, who booted the ball to Brian Brobbey midfield. He passed to Tijjani Reijnders on the left side of the pitch and he sprinted forward before passing to Cody Gakpo left of the box. Gapko squared up and passed low into the box and Brobbey directed the ball into the goal.

PHILADELPHIA — Neymar is expected to return from a right calf injury and play for Brazil in its final World Cup group match, coach Carlo Ancelotti said Friday night.

Neymar missed Brazil’s first two games of the tournament, including Friday’s 3-0 win over Haiti.

Ancelotti said Neymar would go through individual training on Saturday, train with the team on Monday and “will be available” for Brazil when it closes Group C play against Scotland on Wednesday in Miami Gardens, Florida.

Neymar is Brazil’s career scoring leader with 79 goals in 129 international appearances.

The 34-year-old midfielder has yet to practice in full sessions with the team since reporting to Brazil’s squad while nursing the calf injury.

Looking to play in his fourth World Cup, Neymar had tests on his calf last Monday to determine the progress of the injury that he sustained while playing for Brazilian club Santos on May 17.

There was widespread debate in Brazil over whether Neymar, whose first World Cup was on home soil in 2014, should have been called up for the tournament. He has struggled since returning from tearing the ACL in his left knee in October 2023 in a World Cup qualifier.

Neymar has four goals and two assists in eight matches for Santos this year.

Brenda Jaimes pushed her way through an ecstatic crowd in downtown Santa Ana Thursday night, stopping in the middle of Fourth Street and calling attention to herself by shouting, “Me! Me!”

An hour earlier, Mexico beat South Korea 1-0 in the World Cup. Jaimes, a 22-year-old Santa Ana resident, was one of thousands of people who crowded into the neighborhood’s many bars and restaurants to watch the thrilling victory then spilled onto the streets to party.

Fans blew horns and spun noisemakers, chanting “México!” and “¡Sí se puede!” They brandished the Mexican flag seemingly everywhere: on banners, painted on cheeks, emblazoned on Jaimes’ tube top. They stood on the back of trucks and boogied.

In many ways, the most ambitious World Cup in history — which kicked off Thursday in Mexico City — has inspired more angst than anticipation, more fear than fervor.

The competition, returning to North America for the first time in more than three decades, has expanded to 48 teams and 104 matches, to be played over 39 days in 16 cities in the U.S., Mexico and Canada. The complex planning was eight years in the making.

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Paraguay midfielder Miguel Almiron became the first player issued with a red card at the World Cup for covering his mouth, getting sent off during a confrontation late in the first half against Turkey on Friday night.

The infraction came during first-half stoppage time in the Group D match when Almiron and Mert Mulder exchanged words following a foul near midfield. Almiron covered his mouth while saying something to Mulder, who immediately appealed to referee Ivan Barton for punishment.

Barton went to video review and quickly ruled that Almiron would be given a red card and ejected under a new rule put in place for this year’s World Cup.

“According to the law, if you cover your mouth you’re sent off. Red card,” coach Gustavo Alfaro said. “There’s nothing I can do about that. Unfortunately, we can’t issue a new opinion on this.”

Paraguay led 1-0 at the time and held on for the win despite playing a man down for the entire second half.

Alfaro said he tried to cheer Almiron up after the game, telling him his absence brought out the “fighting spirit” of the team.

“He apologized to the players for his mistake,” Alfaro said. “He knew about the situation he had left his teammates in with his actions. ... It happened and it happened.”

FIFA president Gianni Infantino pushed for the new rule after Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni tried to hide verbal insults toward Real Madrid’s Vinícius Júnior in a Champions League game.

Alfaro said the team was well aware of the rule even if it might be too harsh.

“I fear we are too strict and football loses its essence,” Alfaro said. “In football, there’s frictions, fights, clashes.”

The red card means Almiron will miss the final group stage match against Australia with second place in Group D on the line. FIFA could choose to lengthen a suspension to sideline Almiron for a knockout round match.

“I hope the penalty is he misses as few matches as possible,” Alfaro said. “He was very sorry and he was heavily affected.”

This is the second time in two games at the World Cup that Almiron was carded under a new rule in place this year. He got a yellow card in the opening match against the United States after video review overturned a yellow card issued to Tim Ream and gave it to Almiron instead for diving.

SEATTLE — If a pregnant Nigerian woman had been allowed to board a plane 25 years ago, the U.S. team’s path through this summer’s World Cup may have unfolded much differently. Instead, a gate agent turned her away, insisting it wasn’t safe for her to fly from New York to London.

So Florence Balogun returned to Brooklyn, where she had been visiting relatives, and waited for her second son to be born. And when Folarin arrived a few weeks later, entering the world just hours before Independence Day dawned, he did so as an American citizen.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia — Although he saw little action in Canada’s World Cup victory over Qatar, there was a moment when goalkeeper Maxime Crépeau was almost persuaded to get more involved in the offense.

Crépeau, speaking to reporters on Friday after Canada’s dominant 6-0 win the day before, addressed the final moments of the match, when he delivered the ball up the field and red-clad fans in the crowd at BC Place bellowed, “Shoot!”

“I swear I had the little devil here saying do it and the little angel said just pass the ball and go back,” he laughed. “I heard the crowd and I was like, ‘Oh no, I’m not doing it.’”

Crépeau didn’t see a shot on goal from Qatar during Canada’s first World Cup victory. Canada all but sealed its spot in the knockout round with one final group match remaining, on Wednesday against Switzerland.

“Max’s presence was really important yesterday. But let’s be honest, he hardly had anything to do,” coach Jesse Marsch said. “I don’t think in World Cup history, there’s been such a dominant performance. That’s the truth. I think our team will take a lot of confidence from that, and Max will as well.”

The match was chaotic, with a pair of red cards taking Qatar down to nine players and a devastating injury to Canada midfielder Ismaël Koné, who broke the tibia and fibula in his left leg on a tackle from behind by Assim Madibo.

Crépeau was among the teammates who rushed to Koné’s side. He could certainly relate to both the physical and emotional pain that Koné was going through.

In 2022, Crépeau broke his right leg during extra time of LAFC’s MLS Cup victory over the Philadelphia Union. Crépeau was taken from the field by ambulance and later underwent surgery.

The injury knocked the goalkeeper out of the 2022 World Cup, where he was expected to back up Milan Borjan.

After leaving LAFC, Crepeau remained in Major League Soccer with the Portland Timbers. The 32-year-old currently plays for Orlando City.

In the aftermath of Koné’s injury, Crépeau also consoled 20-year-old defender Luc de Fougerolles.

“Every guy lives the emotions a certain way, and we went through the emotions in that time,” Crépeau said. “Man, it’s so difficult to put into words, but it’s just a moment to say, ‘Hey, you’re not alone. I’m feeling the same thing as you, but we have a job to finish for him.’”

Fox is under fire for missing on-field action during the first match of the World Cup last week.

Many sports fans were irate when the network aired a full-screen ad when play resumed after a water break during last Thursday’s Mexico–South Africa match.

Love was in the air in Koreatown’s Seoul International Park on Thursday, where a sea of thousands of people in red and green jerseys joined together to celebrate soccer’s favorite romance.

South Korea fan Ben Lee was performing soccer kick-ups with a pack of Shin Noodles when he saw Kevin Gonzalez walk by in a Mexico shirt and offered him a fist bump.

“Hermano!” Lee, 31, exclaimed, and the pair, mere moments after meeting, snapped a selfie as Gonzalez, 28, presented his Korean bulgogi beef quesadilla to the camera with a grin.

The World Cup is turning prediction markets into a public ledger of million-dollar bets, exposing big wins and dramatic losses as the tournament attracts more money to the fast-growing industry.

More than $5 billion has been traded on the World Cup across Polymarket’s international exchange and U.S.-regulated Kalshi Inc. in 2026, according to a Bloomberg News analysis of Dune Analytics data and company records. The boom has produced multimillion-dollar winners and some painful losses, including a bet-gone-wrong on Belgium to beat Egypt that cost one Polymarket user nearly $9 million.

Imagine it. A neophyte coach, leading a team for the first time at any competitive level, and it being a high-profile assignment on the biggest of big stages.

A self-assured broadcaster, critical and competitive, having his bluff called, being invited to not just talk about it, but to be about it: Walk the walk, why don’t you?

A former player — scorer, shooter — being challenged to step up and right a listing ship while navigating politics and the push and pull of history and high hopes.

SEATTLE — Cristian Roldan and Haji Wright grew up less than three years and 30 miles apart, Roldan in Pico Rivera and Wright in Culver City. The odds that they would go on to become teammates on not one, but two, U.S. World Cup teams seem astronomical.

Yet despite starting at the same time and place and arriving together at the same destination, the two players followed completely different paths to get there.

SEATTLE — Growing up the son of an NFL wide receiver, Alex Freeman said he felt a lot of pressure to play the American version of football, not the one the rest of the world plays.

“I always got asked if football was the path,” he said last summer. “But I always had a secret love for soccer.”

Daiki Kaneko had only 24 hours before his World Cup journey took him to Dallas, where his home country’s squad will take on Sweden.

The Japanese soccer fan was making the most of it on Tuesday in Inglewood, snapping pictures of SoFi Stadium before taking in a different kind of monument: a space-age, two-story branch of the chicken chain Raising Cane’s, complete with a 308-square-foot screen, a mirrored dog sculpture and a massive halo hovering around the exterior.

For Kaneko, 25, who lives in the Tokyo suburbs, it was the perfect encapsulation of American grandeur.

“All this for chicken,” he said. “I love America.”

VANCOUVER, Canada — When the first men’s World Cup game played in Canada kicked off last week, Anthony Totera sat in the stands and wept.

“It was a dream come true,” said Totera, who has spent most of his 57 years on earth promoting Canadian soccer. “I can’t describe the emotions. It was something surreal.”

If the 1994 World Cup, the first held in the U.S., forever altered the direction of American soccer, this summer’s tournament, which Canada is sharing with the U.S. and Mexico, has the potential to do the same for that country.

SEATTLE — The World Cup is only a little more than a week old, but it’s already a historic one for the U.S.

With Friday’s 2-0 win over Australia, the U.S. matched its best World Cup performance ever with two victories. Their six goals match the most the U.S. has ever scored in the group stage and its goal differential of plus-five is also its best ever in the tournament. The U.S. also clinched a spot in the round of 32.

Most impressive of all, however, is how the U.S. achieved most of that without their best player, Christian Pulisic, who had an electric first half in the U.S. opener against Paraguay but hasn’t seen the field since.

SEATTLE — The 2026 FIFA World Cup is well into the second run of group play, with every team still eager to post wins as they look to secure a place in the knockout stage.

Here’s everything you need to know about matches being played on Saturday and Sunday in the 48-team tournament across the U.S., Mexico and Canada (all times Pacific).

Here’s where things stand in each group heading into Saturday’s four World Cup group stage matches:

The first nine days of the 2026 FIFA World Cup offered plenty of memorable moments.

Check out The Times’ daily recaps ahead of Saturday’s four-game slate:

Soccer

FIFA World Cup Day 9 recap: U.S. wins its group after Paraguay defeats Turkey

Recapping what happened at the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Friday. Get the latest news, results, standings and highlights from the 48-team, 39-day tournament.

June 19, 2026

Soccer

FIFA World Cup Day 8 recap: Switzerland, Canada and Mexico win

Live updates from the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Thursday. Get the latest news, results, standings and highlights from the 48-team, 39-day tournament.

June 18, 2026

Soccer

FIFA World Cup Day 7 recap: Colombia fends off Uzbekistan; Harry Kane ties record

Harry Kane tied a World Cup record during England’s win, Cristiano Ronaldo was held scoreless during a draw, Ghana stunned Panama and more during Day 7.

June 17, 2026

Soccer

FIFA World Cup Day 6 recap: Austria beats Jordan; Lionel Messi scores hat trick

Stars Kylian Mbappé, Erling Haaland and Lionel Messi all scored while leading France, Norway and Argentina to wins on Day 6 of the 2026 World Cup.

June 16, 2026

Soccer

FIFA World Cup Day 5 recap: Spain plays to a draw with Cape Verde

Follow along for live updates from the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Monday. Get the latest news, results, standings and highlights from the 48-team tournament.

June 15, 2026

Soccer

FIFA World Cup Day 4 recap: Sweden dominates; Netherlands plays to draw

Follow along for live updates from the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Sunday. Get the latest news, results and highlights from the 48-team, 39-day tournament.

June 14, 2026

Soccer

FIFA World Cup Day 3 recap: Australia and Scotland win their openers

Follow along for live updates from the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Saturday. Get the latest news, results and highlights from the 48-team, 39-day tournament.

June 13, 2026

Soccer

FIFA World Cup Day 2 recap: Canada plays to draw; U.S. wins its opener

Follow along for live updates from the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Friday. Get the latest news, results and highlights from the 48-team, 39-day tournament.

June 12, 2026

Soccer

World Cup recap: U.S. defeats Paraguay with dominant offensive display

Folarin Balogun scores twice and Christian Pulisic sets up two goals to lead the U.S. to a 4-1 win in its World Cup opener over Paraguay on Friday.

June 12, 2026

Soccer

FIFA World Cup Day 1 recap: Mexico and South Korea open with victories

Follow along for live updates from the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Thursday. Get the latest news, results and highlights from the 48-team, 39-day tournament.

June 11, 2026

Soccer

World Cup: Mexico defeats South Africa in game marred by 3 red cards

Mexico defeats South Africa 2-0 in a game that featured three red cards. Julián Quiñones and Raúl Jiménez scored for Mexico in front of 80,824 fans.

June 11, 2026