The final squad lists for the 2026 FIFA World Cup have been confirmed, with more than 1,000 players set to compete in the largest tournament in football history.

Hosted across the United States, Canada and Mexico, the expanded competition will feature 48 nations for the first time, marking a significant increase from the previous 32-team format. Teams have been permitted to name squads of between 23 and 26 players, including three goalkeepers.

Defending champions Argentina will once again be led by veteran captain Lionel Messi, who was included in the squad as the South Americans prepare to defend the title they won in Qatar four years ago.

Several football powerhouses have unveiled star-studded line-ups.

Brazil will rely on the experience of Neymar, Vinícius Júnior, Marquinhos and Alisson, while England’s squad includes Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham, Bukayo Saka and Marcus Rashford.

France will look to Kylian Mbappé, Ousmane Dembélé and Aurélien Tchouaméni as they pursue a third World Cup crown.

Host nations the United States, Canada and Mexico have also named their final squads.

Mexico will be spearheaded by veteran striker Raúl Jiménez and AC Milan forward Santiago Gimenez, while Canada will count on Bayern Munich star Alphonso Davies and Juventus striker Jonathan David. The United States squad features Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie and Tyler Adams.

South Africa will make its return to football’s biggest stage with a squad captained by goalkeeper Ronwen Williams. The team includes a strong core from domestic giants Mamelodi Sundowns and Orlando Pirates, alongside overseas-based talents such as Burnley’s Lyle Foster and Hannover 96 defender Ime Okon.

Elsewhere, football fans can look forward to seeing some of the world’s biggest names in action, including Spain’s Lamine Yamal, Norway’s Erling Haaland, Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo, Belgium’s Kevin De Bruyne and Uruguay’s Federico Valverde.

The 2026 tournament is scheduled to run from 11 June to 19 July, with matches taking place across venues in North America.

The expanded format is expected to deliver more games, more players and more nations than any previous World Cup, ushering in a new era for the global showpiece.

With final squads now confirmed, attention turns to the opening fixtures as teams begin their quest to lift football’s most coveted trophy.

The race for the knockout rounds at the EMF EURO 2026 mini-football championship is heating up after three action-packed days of competition in Bratislava, with several teams already securing their places in the Round of 16 while others face decisive final group-stage encounters.

Hosted at TIPOS Arena, the tournament has attracted thousands of fans and delivered a series of thrilling matches as 24 national teams battle for European glory. The championship runs until June 4, when a new continental champion will be crowned.

Host nation Slovakia made an encouraging start to its campaign by defeating Greece in the opening match, but a narrow loss to Bosnia and Herzegovina prevented the hosts from securing early qualification. Slovakia remains in contention, however, and will look to seal a place in the knockout stage when it faces Montenegro in a crucial Group A fixture.

Defending world champions Azerbaijan continued to strengthen their credentials as one of the tournament favourites with a commanding 3-0 victory over Italy. Serbia also preserved its unbeaten record with a 2-1 win against Belgium, while

France boosted its hopes with a 3-1 triumph over Austria. French forward Dylan Rozier delivered a standout performance, scoring twice and earning Man of the Match honours.

Group E produced one of the most entertaining contests of the tournament so far, as Poland defeated Slovenia 7-4 in a high-scoring encounter. Ukraine edged Türkiye 3-2 in another closely contested match, while England and Spain played out a hard-fought 1-1 draw. Bulgaria also impressed with a 3-1 victory over Portugal, underlining the competitiveness of the championship.

With the group stage nearing its conclusion, eight teams have already booked their places in the Round of 16. However, numerous qualification spots remain up for grabs, setting the stage for a dramatic final round of group matches.

Saturday’s schedule features several decisive encounters. Slovakia will take on Montenegro in a must-win clash for the hosts, while Bosnia and Herzegovina face Greece in the other Group A match. Azerbaijan and France will battle for top spot in Group F, and Serbia meets Ukraine in a showdown between two unbeaten teams. Belgium, Türkiye, Portugal and Israel also enter the day needing positive results to keep their qualification hopes alive.

As the tournament moves closer to the knockout phase, every result carries added significance. With sixteen teams set to advance to the Round of 16, the final day of group-stage action promises high drama as Europe’s leading minifootball nations continue their pursuit of the EMF EURO 2026 title.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru successfully defended their Indian Premier League crown on Sunday, defeating Gujarat Titans by five wickets in the IPL 2026 final at the Narendra Modi Stadium.

Chasing a target of 156, RCB reached 161/5 with two overs to spare, becoming only the third franchise in IPL history, after Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians, to win back-to-back titles.

After winning the toss, RCB captain Rajat Patidar elected to bowl first, and his decision paid immediate dividends as the Bengaluru seam attack dismantled Gujarat’s star-studded batting line-up.

Josh Hazlewood and Bhuvneshwar Kumar set the tone by removing Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan early, exposing the Titans’ middle order. RCB’s bowlers repeatedly exploited short-pitched deliveries, with six of Gujarat’s eight dismissed batters falling to balls of a similar length.

Gujarat struggled to build meaningful partnerships throughout the innings. Nishant Sindhu attempted to accelerate the scoring but perished while trying to clear the boundary, while wickets continued to tumble at regular intervals.

Amid the collapse, Washington Sundar stood firm with an unbeaten 50 from 37 deliveries. His composed knock anchored the innings and helped Gujarat post a competitive total despite the constant setbacks.

Late contributions from Arshad Khan, who struck 15 off six balls, and brief cameos from Rahul Tewatia and Jason Holder added valuable runs, but RCB’s disciplined attack ensured Gujarat finished on 155/8.

Bengaluru’s chase began in explosive fashion. Virat Kohli and Venkatesh Iyer raced to the team’s half-century in just 3.3 overs, the fastest fifty recorded in an IPL final, immediately placing Gujarat under pressure.

Iyer justified his promotion up the order with a brisk 32 from 16 balls before Mohammed Siraj claimed his wicket. Kagiso Rabada then dismissed Devdutt Padikkal for one, a breakthrough that secured the Purple Cap for the season.

Gujarat briefly fought back when Rashid Khan removed both Rajat Patidar and Krunal Pandya in quick succession, while Tim David’s dismissal offered the Titans a glimmer of hope.

However, Kohli remained in complete control of the chase. The former RCB captain produced a masterful unbeaten 75 from 42 balls, bringing up his half-century in just 25 deliveries before expertly guiding his side toward the target.

Jitesh Sharma provided steady support as Bengaluru crossed the finish line with 12 balls remaining, sparking celebrations among the RCB faithful.

Kohli’s match-winning innings earned him the Player of the Match award and capped another memorable season for the veteran batter. The victory delivered RCB their second IPL title and further strengthened their status among the league’s elite franchises.

For Gujarat Titans, the defeat marked another heartbreaking final loss after an otherwise impressive campaign, echoing their narrow title-clash disappointment against Chennai Super Kings in 2023.