World Cup 2026 live: Bukayo Saka injury latest ahead of England’s final warm-up friendly

The tournament launches tomorrow with Mexico hosting the first of three (!) opening ceremonies in each of the trio of nations co-hosting this World Cup. They are normally spectacular, if somewhat strange, affairs.

The start of this World Cup will be dominated by the discussion over some heavier issues, but there is still time for something lighter. The battle between kit manufacturers can be fascinating as bigger brands look to cash in on a strong selling opportunity – our Lawrence Ostlere has ranked every kit at the tournament.

They are the figures that have defined a footballing generation, two all-time greats driving each other to almost unprecedented heights. But is this the end for Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo? Their powers may be on the wane, Miguel Delaney writes, but they could still have a pivotal role to play over the next few weeks.

Lionel Messi appeared to have the perfect World Cup ending four years ago – but he’s back for more in 2026, like a number of others of his generation. Richard Jolly examines why the old guard just can’t say goodbye.

Passport details for the entire Argentina team involved in a pre-World Cup friendly were accidentally leaked in an embarrassing security blunder just days before football’s summer showpiece kicks off.

Occasionally team sheets, issued by teams to match officials a little over an hour before kick-off, include passport numbers, but these are normally blurred out before being released to the media.

Not so when Lionel Scaloni’s Argentina faced Iceland on Tuesday, when the likes of Lionel Messi, Lisandro Martinez and Enzo Fernandez all had their passport numbers exposed in the official team sheet – which was then reproduced by several local media organisations.

There is much to worry about at this World Cup, but travelling fans have long been fretting about the sky-high prices for everything from tickets to transport. Miguel Delaney explains how this tournament became a rip-off.

A World Cup referee from Somalia, who was denied entry into the United States, received a hero’s welcome in Mogadishu on Wednesday, where he vowed to officiate at the next tournament and urged Somali youths to embrace national pride.

Declan Rice and the rest of the Arsenal contingent have now joined up with the England squad after their extended exertions at the end of a successful season for the club. The midfielder has a new role, too, assisting Harry Kane as official vice-captain.

Who are the 26 men that will bid to win England’s first World Cup for 60 years?

Paul Gascoigne hopes Thomas Tuchel can achieve the same “unbelievable” team spirit as the England squad at the 1990 World Cup in their bid for glory during this year’s tournament.

The former midfielder was an integral part of Sir Bobby Robson’s team which reached the semi-finals in Italy before losing on penalties to eventual winners West Germany.

Only Gareth Southgate’s side in 2018 have reached the last-four stage in the intervening years as England aim to end 60 years of hurt in North America.

“You want 11 captains on the pitch and when you are playing in a game like that, at a World Cup, you cannot afford to carry anyone,” Gascoigne said on Good Morning Britain.

“Everyone has to be on the ball and the team spirit is important. The players that didn’t play, they were right behind the team, so our team spirit was unbelievable.”