The 2026 FIFA World Cup is deep into the knock-out stages — and HuffPost is live-blogging every twist and turn as the final looms at New York/New Jersey Stadium on July 19.
Even before a ball was kicked, the 23rd edition of the tournament was engulfed in controversy: from Iran’s tough journey to the competition amid Donald Trump’s war, to the president’s close relationship with FIFA’s Peace Prize-awarding President Gianni Infantino. That’s not to mention Trump’s travel bans keeping some fans and officials out and the fury over soaring ticket prices.
Once the soccer actually began, much of the concern was eased — at least for a short while.
The sport’s biggest stars came out to play, and the Cape Verde’s Cinderella story captured the imagination. Off the field, Norway’s “Viking row” went viral and Boston was a sea of tartan as Scotland’s fans took over.
But the introduction of hydration breaks, seen as a vehicle for TV advertising, prompted booing from fans and questions about the fundamentals of the game being undermined. And Trump’s intervention in an effort to get a red card reversed for U.S. forward Folarin Balogun, which was fruitless, as the Americans were soundly defeated by Belgium, will likely leave a stain on this World Cup.
Check out the full games schedule on the FIFA website.
Follow along with our coverage below:
Dutch Referee, Who Was Removed From World Cup Panel, Dies At 38
Dutch referee Rob Dieperink has died at the age of 38, two months after he was dropped from the panel of match officials for the 2026 World Cup following a police case in Britain that was later dropped.
No cause of death has been revealed.
"We are shocked and deeply saddened by the passing of Rob Dieperink. With Rob, we lose a highly valued referee, but above all a kind and dedicated colleague," the Dutch football association said in a statement.
Dieperink had been selected as part of the video assistant referee (VAR) panel at the World Cup, but was removed in May after he had been arrested the previous month by Metropolitan Police. He had been in London to officiate in the Conference League fixture between Crystal Palace and Fiorentina. The case was dropped due to a lack of evidence.
"It saddens me greatly that I have been wrongly accused," Dieperink said in an interview with De Telegraaf. "From the beginning, I have fully cooperated in the police investigation and also immediately gave full openness to FIFA, UEFA and the KNVB.
"I am grateful for the support I have received from the KNVB and the way in which they have dealt with this case. It is a pity that FIFA has decided not to appoint me for the World Cup anymore, of course I am disappointed about that."
Dieperink had officiated in the Dutch Eredivisie since 2017 and was a VAR official at the 2024 European Championship.
Latest Live Updates
Yet Another World Cup Coach Heads For The Exit
Haiti has reached an agreement to part ways with coach Sebastien Migne, ending the Frenchman’s tenure after he led the country to its first World Cup appearance since 1974, the football federation announced on Tuesday.
The decision was made by mutual consent, the federation said in a statement.
Haiti thanked Migne for his “professionalism, commitment, and dedication”.
Migne, 53, had been in charge of Haiti since 2024.
Haiti exited the tournament in the group stage after losing 1-0 to Scotland, 3-0 to Brazil and 4-2 to Morocco.
England Fans Cry Foul Over Referee Named For Argentina World Cup Semifinal
Major League Soccer referee Ismail Elfath has never overseen a Lionel Messi loss or draw -- only wins.
That’s why his appointment to Argentina’s World Cup semifinal against England on Wednesday angered English fans and led to accusations of fixing the tournament for another Messi title.
Elfath, an American citizen born in Morocco, was tapped for the England-Argentina showdown with fellow Americans Corey Parker and Kyle Atkins as his two assistants.
Several online outlets noted that Messi’s teams are 5-0 in matches that Elfath has worked in some capacity. He served as the fourth official for the 2022 World Cup final in Qatar, where Messi and Argentina beat France in a penalty shootout after an instant classic 3-3 draw.
Then Messi joined Inter Miami the following summer. Elfath, a two-time MLS Referee of the Year honoree, worked the final of the inaugural Leagues Cup in 2023, in which Miami defeated Nashville SC -- also on penalties -- landing a quick first trophy for Messi in his new home.
During this World Cup, Elfath has worked two group-stage matches -- Japan vs. the Netherlands and Spain vs. Uruguay -- as well as Norway’s upset of Brazil in the round of 16.
The winner between Argentina and England will move on to face Spain in the final on Sunday in East Rutherford, N.J.
Trump Ties Land FIFA Boss Gianni Infantino In Fresh Ethics Complaint
The International Olympic Committee has received a complaint alleging FIFA president Gianni Infantino has repeatedly breached rules on political neutrality in his support of President Donald Trump.
FairSquare, a nonprofit organization and advocacy group, asked the IOC to investigate, among several instances, Infantino’s possible involvement in the suspension of a one-game ban for striker Folarin Balogun, enabling him to play for the United States in a round of 16 match on July 6 against Belgium.
Infantino acknowledged receiving a call from Trump, who publicly lobbied for Balogun to play, but the FIFA president said he did not interfere with the decision-making process.
Balogun played as the USMNT was eliminated 4-1 by Belgium. He had received a direct red card in the 64th minute of a July 1 match for a foul on Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Tarik Muharemovic. The U.S. went on to win 2-0 with 10 men in the round of 32, and Balogun was suspended for the next game.
A red card or suspension cannot be appealed. FIFA, however, posted this message without further explanation to its website on July 5 about its use of the rule book in the case: “By operation of Article 27 FDC, the implementation of the automatic match suspension for USA player Folarin Balogun is suspended for a probationary period of one (1) year.”
“All I did was ask for a review because I didn’t think it was a foul,” Trump said on the day of the game against Belgium. “And, you know, again, I’m good at this stuff. I didn’t think it was a foul. I thought it was two great athletes that crashed into each other and got entangled.
“I think they made a really brilliant decision. I think the referee’s call was horrible and nobody talks about that. They talk about the red card like it’s fine, nobody talks the referee’s decision to red card.”
Infantino said FIFA’s judicial committees act autonomously in a statement on his behalf on FIFA’s website. “Their independence is essential to the credibility and integrity of football, and this must always be respected,” the statement read.
FairSquare, in its complaint, is questioning the credibility and integrity of Infantino, who also became an IOC member in 2020. The organization said he “is obliged to adhere to strict rules on political neutrality in the Olympic Charter and the IOC Code of Ethics, adding that the IOC can expel members who don’t fulfill these obligations.
“As outlined in the FairSquare complaint, there is compelling evidence that Infantino has committed five clear breaches of IOC rules on political neutrality through statements or other clear expressions of support for the US President,” FairSquare posted on its website.
One “serious breach” in the complaint was the Balogun situation with Infantino possibly giving in to pressure from Trump. Another was Infantino promoting a FIFA fan site for the 2026 World Cup, “which appears to have been part of a data-harvesting campaign run by entities linked to President Trump,” FairSquare wrote.
Another alleged breach was Infantino’s supportive post on his Instagram account after attending an event linked to Trump’s presidential inauguration in January 2025.
Infantino also publicly endorsed Trump for the Nobel Prize in October 2025, and he made more supportive comments in November. In December, Infantino presented Trump with the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize at the World Cup draw at the Kennedy Center.
FairSquare also made a complaint to FIFA’s ethics committee in December, which was supported by the Norwegian football federation as well as 50 members of the European Parliament in a separate writing on June 29.
The IOC and FIFA did not respond to requests for comment from multiple media outlets.
Atlanta Ramps Up Security For High-Stakes England-Argentina World Cup Semifinal
The Atlanta Police Department (APD) will have enhanced security in place for Wednesday’s World Cup semi-final in the city between England and Argentina, two nations with a fierce soccer rivalry.
The World Cup has been free of the violent disorder that blighted some tournaments in the 1980s and 1990s but authorities are taking no chances for the last of the seven matches at Atlanta Stadium.
“The Atlanta Police Department has enhanced its citywide public safety and security posture,” the APD said in a statement.
“Additional personnel and resources are already deployed and will continue to be strategically assigned ... to help ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for everyone.”
The APD said the proactive measures were the result of continual assessment of what was required to secure the matches in Atlanta.
“Adjustments are a routine part of managing an event of this magnitude and are intended to ensure a safe and enjoyable FIFA World Cup experience,” the statement added.
Argentina’s security minister, Alejandra Monteoliva, said on Tuesday that enhanced security had been discussed at a meeting in the United States on Monday.
Monteoliva indicated that, for the first time at the tournament, rival fans would be channelled into Atlanta Stadium through separate entrances on Wednesday.
“There will be 1,600 officers ... We want the celebration to be peaceful,” she told local radio in Argentina.
FIFA’s ticket sales policies for the tournament mean that segregating fans inside the stadium, as happens routinely in domestic football matches in England and Argentina, would be nigh on impossible on Wednesday.
The APD said it works closely with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and its “public safety partners” on planning for such events but never “discuss specific operational risk assessments or the details of planning”.
The soccer rivalry between Argentina and England was forged through five previous meetings at World Cups, several of which have featured controversial incidents.
It intensified in the wake of the 1982 military conflict between the two countries over the Falkland Islands and South Georgia in the South Atlantic, which resulted in 907 deaths.
Monteoliva said that Argentina fans would not be able to take any flags or banners into Atlanta Stadium which claimed sovereignty over the islands, which the Argentines call Islas Malvinas.
“The entry of elements that have any type of provocative message, whether of political or racial content, is prohibited. They will not be able to enter flags or posters with that content,” Monteoliva said.
The reputation of England fans has improved greatly since the days when hooligan elements ran riot at the 1982 and 1998 World Cups.
“The way England fans have conducted themselves across North America has done our country proud,” the Football Supporters’ Association, which provides support and services to England fans, said in a statement ahead of the semi-final.
“We’ve continued to show that the outdated stereotypes don’t define us... let’s make sure we continue to look after one another, represent England with pride, and give everyone another reminder of why we have the best fans in the world.”
France Star Kylian Mbappe Offers 'Sloppy' Assessment Of World Cup Defeat To Spain
Kylian Mbappe offered a blunt assessment of France’s World Cup semifinal exit Tuesday, saying his team was too “sloppy” to keep Spain from controlling a 2-0 victory in Arlington, Texas.
The France captain pointed to breakdowns in both the game plan and its execution after Les Bleus were denied a third consecutive appearance in the World Cup final. Spain consistently created an extra man in midfield, leaving Rodri and Fabian Ruiz with the time and space to dictate possession.
“We were three against two in midfield and against Spain, that’s hard,” Mbappe said. “Fabian and Rodri had plenty of time to play. There was a lack of communication on the press. I think we should have done man-to-man press and force them to run with us.”
France entered the semifinal having won its first six matches and scored 16 goals, but struggled to establish its attack against Spain. Mikel Oyarzabal converted a penalty in the 22nd minute after Lucas Digne fouled Lamine Yamal, and Pedro Porro doubled the advantage shortly before the hour mark.
Mbappe said France’s plan had been to apply pressure high up the field and prevent Spain from settling into its preferred possession game. Instead, Spain regularly played through the press and quickly recovered the ball whenever France briefly regained it.
“We didn’t play the game we wanted, technically, tactically,” Mbappe said. “When you don’t do what you have to do in a World Cup semifinal, you don’t win.”
The Real Madrid forward also criticized France’s work with the ball, saying poor first touches and missed opportunities prevented his team from testing Spain when openings appeared.
“We were too sloppy technically,” Mbappe said. “We could not hurt them when we could have.”
Didier Deschamps tried to shift the match by removing Adrien Rabiot at halftime and later introducing Desire Doue and Rayan Cherki. The changes did little to disrupt Spain’s control, and Mbappe was held scoreless after entering the match with eight tournament goals.
He remains tied with Argentina’s Lionel Messi for the Golden Boot lead. Mbappe also scored eight goals at the 2022 World Cup, when France lost the final to Argentina in a penalty shootout.
“As the captain, I have to take all the responsibility and I have no problem with that,” Mbappe said. “We wanted to go to the final. We didn’t go.”
France will face the loser of Wednesday’s Argentina-England semifinal in Saturday’s third-place match in Miami Gardens, Fla.
U.S. World Cup Star Admits Trump's Meddling Made Things 'Difficult'
USMNT striker Folarin Balogun told CBS News on Tuesday that Trump’s efforts to get the red card repealed before the knockout game against Belgium made things “difficult” for the U.S. Men’s National Team.
“My initial reaction was, you know, I was happy to be back in the team, but when I kind of started to reflect, I knew it was gonna cause a lot of controversy,” Balogun said. “And I could almost see within my teammates a bit of nerves because it was something that’s so unique.”
Spain Shuts Down France And Kylian Mbappé, Advances To The World Cup Final With A 2-0 Victory
Mikel Oyarzabal scored from the penalty spot after a heady play by teenager Lamine Yamal, Pedro Porro added another goal and Spain advanced to its first World Cup final since winning in 2010 with a 2-0 victory over France on Tuesday.
A day after his 19th birthday, Yamal was denied a goal on a close offside call that came soon after Porro’s give-and-go with Dani Olmo in the 58th minute had put Spain up 2-0. But it was Yamal’s smart play against a veteran defender that put Spain in the lead.
Spain, which will play in the final for only the second time, will face either defending champion Argentina or England on Sunday in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
“We gave it our all in order just to go through to the final,” Porro said. “We knew that we’re a very tough team, we’re doing things really well. This is our team, it’s not about me.”
Read more from The Associated Press:
Messi In A Happy Place As Argentina Gears Up For World Cup Semifinal Against England
ATLANTA, July 14 (Reuters) - Lionel Messi is contentedly enjoying his sixth World Cup, and his teammates are reveling in their captain’s delight, Argentina’s Rodrigo de Paul said on Tuesday as the holders prepared for Wednesday’s semi-final clash against England.
Messi has had a record-breaking tournament, not only setting a new mark for the most games played but also shattering the goalscoring record with his eight goals at the finals in Canada, Mexico, and the U.S., bringing his total to 21, and ominously for England, is having a whale of a time.
“Seeing him enjoying himself makes me really happy, considering everything he’s been through with this jersey and everything he’s had to fight for,” said De Paul of his teammate, who also plays alongside him in Major League Soccer at Inter Miami.
“I think this World Cup has found him truly enjoying himself.
“Of course, we all know his mentality, how he prepares, and how he approaches every game. But I see him happy and enjoying it, and as a friend, that makes me very happy.”
De Paul, 32, played in the World Cup final in Qatar four years ago, where Argentina edged France on post-match penalties, and is conscious of what it will take to get to Sunday’s deciding game in New York.
“We have plenty of concerns, of course, because we’re facing a great team. They have many top-class players, and I think they have a great coach as well,” De Paul said of England.
“Those concerns simply keep us focused. We spend our time making sure they’re under control.”
But the overwhelming emotion of being so tantalizingly close to the final is excitement.
“Being just one step away from playing in another World Cup final... there’s no greater motivation than that,” De Paul told reporters as Argentina held their last training session.
“Everyone loves playing in a World Cup. Every match is a final; that’s always how we’ve approached it. We’re facing a team we’ve never played before, a powerhouse that has done very well in this World Cup, just like the other four teams still here. It’s going to be a great match.
“I’m very happy and full of adrenaline. Personally, I really enjoy these kinds of matches. I’m trying to fully experience the moment without letting emotions overwhelm us. So we’re putting a lot of thought into preparing for tomorrow’s game, especially staying calm and level-headed.”
No team since Brazil in 1962 has ever successfully defended the trophy, and De Paul is under no illusions that Argentina will have to pull out all the stops if they are to keep their title.
“We have done it in the Copa America, but I believe it’s always much harder to win again after you’ve already won. To stay at the top for so many years isn’t easy, and we’ve managed to do that. I’m very proud of my teammates,” De Paul added.
“Yes, in the end, a World Cup and tournaments of this magnitude are decided by small details.”
(Writing by Mark Gleeson in Atlanta; Editing by Christian Radnedge)
Folarin Balogun Says Red Card Furor Caused ‘Outside Noise’ That Was ‘Hard To Avoid’
U.S. star Folarin Balogun admitted Tuesday that the controversy surrounding his World Cup red card caused “outside noise” that made it “difficult” to focus ahead of his team’s exit from the tournament.
The forward was sent off during the United States’ 2-0 win over Bosnia-Herzegovina, leaving the U.S. men’s national team without its leading goal scorer for the round of 16 clash against Belgium.
Against the backdrop of claims the Monaco striker was unfairly dismissed, FIFA’s disciplinary committee lifted the suspension.
But the furor ballooned when it emerged President Donald Trump called FIFA head Gianni Infantino to make the case that Balogun should not have been forced to sit out.
Infantino insisted Trump’s intervention did not influence the reversal.
In the event, the U.S. lost 4-1 to Belgium, exiting the World Cup with a disappointing performance.
Appearing on “CBS Mornings” on Tuesday, Balogun was asked about the controversy.
“My initial reaction was I was happy to be back in the team, but when I kind of started to reflect, I knew it was going to cause a lot of controversy, and I could almost see within my teammates a bit of nerves, because it’s something that is so unique,” he said.
“But the closer we got to the game, I tried to just focus as best as I could, but it was difficult. A lot of outside noise, and that’s hard to avoid.”
Folarin Balogun tells CBS Mornings what was going through his mind when he received a red card at the U.S. men’s #WorldCup game against Bosnia and Herzegovina: “I was definitely in shock.”
He said he was “happy to be back on the team” after President Trump spoke to FIFA… pic.twitter.com/zY6Y46Tmjc— CBS Mornings (@CBSMornings) July 14, 2026
Here Are The Stars Set To Appear At Sunday's World Cup Closing Ceremony
Actor Tom Cruise, Pussycat Dolls singer Nicole Scherzinger and streamer IShowSpeed are among the stars set to appear during Sunday’s World Cup closing ceremony at New York New Jersey Stadium (aka MetLife Stadium), FIFA announced Tuesday.
Cruise, who is expected to make a “special appearance” in the show, notably helped close out the 2024 Olympics when he jumped from the top of Stade de France in a stunt to promote the upcoming 2028 Los Angeles Games.
Scherzinger and Speed, the latter of whom dropped the song “World Cup (Champions)” as an unofficial tournament anthem last month, are scheduled to “perform” during the show.
Laura Pausini, who performed the Italian national anthem at the 2026 Winter Olympics opening ceremony in February, is also joining the star-studded lineup along with Robbie Williams.
More artists and special guests will be announced in the coming days, according to FIFA.
The ceremony is set to begin at 1:30 p.m. ET prior to kickoff of the World Cup final, where France or Spain will face either England or Argentina.
Jennifer Hudson is scheduled to perform “The Star-Spangled Banner” ahead of the competition.
Several stars will later hit the stage for the halftime show including Madonna, Shakira, Burna Boy, BTS, Justin Bieber and Gustavo Dudamel.
Source: HuffPost
