The countdown to the FIFA World Cup 2026 has officially begun. With just four months remaining, anticipation is reaching fever pitch as Canada, Mexico, and the United States prepare to co-host what promises to be the biggest and most inclusive edition in the tournament’s history. For the first time ever, 48 teams will compete for football’s most prestigious prize, expanding the global stage and giving more nations the opportunity to chase World Cup glory. The tournament, that is set to kicked off on June 12, 2026, will feature 104 matches across 16 cities spread over three countries. Six teams yet to qualify for FIFA World Cup 2026 So far, 42 teams have secured their place, while six final spots are still up for grabs. Nations across every confederation continue their qualification campaigns, with dreams alive and hopes soaring. From traditional powerhouses to emerging football nations, the expanded format has already ensured greater global representation. Excitement is building steadily as fans eagerly await the final lineup. Group Stage Overview Group A Mexico South Africa Korea Republic DEN/MKD/CZE/IRL Group B Canada Qatar Switzerland ITA/NIR/WAL/BIH Group C Brazil Morocco Haiti Scotland Group D USA Paraguay Australia TUR/ROU/SVK/KOS Group E Germany Curacao Côte d'Ivoire Ecuador Group F Netherlands Japan Tunisia UKR/SWE/POL/ALB Group G Belgium Egypt IR Iran New Zealand Group H Spain Cabo Verde Saudi Arabia Uruguay Group I BOL/SUR/IRQ France Senegal Norway Group J Argentina Algeria Austria Jordan Group K NCL/JAM/COD Portugal Uzbekistan Colombia Group L England Croatia Ghana Panama Opening Fixtures The tournament will begin with a high-energy clash in Group A, as co-host Mexico takes on South Africa in the opening match. The second fixture will see Korea Republic face the winner of DEN/MKD/CZE/IRL, setting the tone for what promises to be an action-packed start to the competition. Trophy Tour: Bringing the world together Adding to the excitement, the FIFA World Cup Trophy Tour by Coca-Cola has already begun its global journey. The tour kicked off on January 3, 2026, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, marking the start of a worldwide celebration. The iconic FIFA World Cup Original Trophy will visit 30 FIFA Member Associations, covering 75 stops across more than 150 days. The initiative offers fans a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to witness football’s most coveted prize up close a powerful reminder of the unity and passion the sport inspires across continents. With expanded participation, multiple host nations, and a festival-like atmosphere expected across North America, the 2026 edition is shaping up to be historic in every sense. The wait is almost over. The world is ready. Football is coming home not to one nation, but to an entire continent.
12 February,2026 02:00 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentInter Miami's Lionel Messi has a strained left hamstring, an injury that could call into some doubt his availability for the reigning MLS Cup champions' regular-season opener at LAFC on Feb. 21. The team announced the injury on Wednesday. Messi, MLS' back-to-back reigning MVP, scored a goal in a preseason game in Ecuador last weekend but was subbed out about 12 minutes into the second half - presumably because of the hamstring issue. "His gradual return to training will depend on his clinical and functional progress in the coming days," Inter Miami said in a statement. The injury also means that what was supposed to be Inter Miami's preseason finale will now be played about a week after its MLS opener. Inter Miami will face Ecuadorian club Independiente del Valle at Bayamon, Puerto Rico on Feb. 26, with an open practice scheduled as part of that trip as well. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.
12 February,2026 12:48 PM IST | Fort Lauderdale (USA) | APHarry Kane scored again as Bayern Munich advanced to the semifinals of the German Cup for the first time in six years with a 2-0 win over RB Leipzig. Bayern outplayed Leipzig 6-0 and 5-1 in the Bundesliga this season but only got the breakthrough midway through the second half this time, with Kane and Luis Diaz scoring just three minutes apart. Kane scored his sixth in the cup, coolly converting from the penalty spot by sending goalkeeper Maarten Vandevoordt the wrong way in the 64th. Diaz capitalized on a through pass by Michael Olise to double the advantage, beating Vandevoordt one on one. Bayern is a 20 time cup champion but hasn't won the trophy since the 2019-20 season and had not been back to the semis since then. Defending champion Stuttgart, Bayer Leverkusen and Freiburg already advanced to the semifinals. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.
12 February,2026 12:47 PM IST | Munich | APMichael Carrick admitted he was frustrated by his Manchester United side’s lack of cutting edge in their 1-1 draw at West Ham (in 18th place) on Tuesday. The Red Devils were well below their best for long periods, and trailed to Tomas Soucek’s 50th minute strike. United needed Benjamin Sesko’s equaliser deep into stoppage-time to avoid the first defeat of Carrick’s five-match reign as interim boss. Although United retained fourth place in the English Premier League thanks to Sesko’s dramatic leveller, Carrick conceded there was a lack of cohesive play in the final third from his team. A dejected Man Utd skipper Bruno Fernandes after the loss to West Ham on Tuesday. Pic/Getty Images “I think we were a little disappointed and we were definitely not at our best. I’m a little frustrated at that,” he said. “It is a tough place to come and we didn’t have that sharpness to find the answers. [But] great spirit again and we will take the point and move on. It didn’t come easy and we found a way, so we will take some positives from it,” added the English manager. He also reserved special praise for striker Sesko, who scored his fifth goal in the last six games after a woeful start to the season, following his move from RB Leipzig. “Fantastic finish. He has done it again. It is important. It is a great finish. Delighted for him. Another big goal and a good step,” Carrick said. NineNo. of shots taken by Man Utd vs West Ham; their second lowest in an EPL game in ’25-26 This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
12 February,2026 09:52 AM IST | Manchester | AFPTottenham Hotspur have sacked coach Thomas Frank after less than eight months in charge following a 1-2 loss at home to Newcastle on Tuesday, which left them a mere five points above the English Premier League relegation zone. Spurs are 16th in the table and without a win in their past eight EPL ties — their worst run since October 2008. Spurs have won just two of their past 17 league games and collected only 12 points in that time. The club’s statement on Wednesday said: “The club has taken the decision to make a change in the head coach position and Frank will leave today. We have been determined to give him the time and support needed to build for the future together. However, results and performances have led the board to conclude that a change at this point in the season is necessary.” TwoNo. of EPL wins for Spurs in their last 17 matches This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
12 February,2026 08:17 AM IST | London | AFPManchester Utd legend Rio Ferdinand has revealed that he attempted to turn into a professional boxer following his retirement from football in 2015. Ferdinand, 47, a centre-back, who also played 81 games for England, told Men’s Health magazine recently: “I trained for six months. Sparring at the gym in Olympic Legacy Park in Sheffield. I’d drive for five hours in the car on a Monday to train. I was serious, but they didn’t give me a license. Someone died the weekend that my license went in. I could have been fighting Anthony Joshua [two-time unified heavyweight champion] for a hundred mil! I can’t wait around. It was either now or never,” said Ferdinand, who won six English Premier League titles.
12 February,2026 08:16 AM IST | Mumbai | A CorrespondentManager Arne Slot admitted this has been his toughest season to date as a coach, with his inconsistent Liverpool side battling to seal UEFA Champions League qualification less than a year after coasting to the English Premier League (EPL) title. The Reds lost their most recent EPL encounter 1-2 to rivals Manchester City, further ramping up the pressure on the Dutch coach, who is hoping they can rebound from that result in style when they host Sunderland on Wednesday. Arne Slot When asked by a reporter if this was his toughest season as a coach, Slot replied: “Yeah, that’s fair to say. By a mile! Because all the other seasons there was only positives. The reality is we haven’t performed to Liverpool’s standards” said the Dutchman. The Reds have won just one of their last seven EPL games, and find themselves in sixth place (39 points), a situation that Slot thinks is unacceptable come the end of the season. “If we don’t have Champions League football [secured] it has not been an acceptable season. It has an enormous impact on how this club is run. I am completely aware of that.” Slot admitted. 01No. of EPL wins for Liverpool in their last seven games This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
11 February,2026 09:19 AM IST | Liverpool | AgenciesManchester City captain Bernardo Silva said anything other than victory at Liverpool would have meant that the Premier League title race was all but over after Pep Guardiola’s men snatched a dramatic 2-1 win at Anfield. The visitors were set to fall nine points behind leaders Arsenal as they trailed to Dominik Szoboszlai’s stunning free-kick late on. Silva’s equaliser on 84 minutes sparked a crazy finale. Erling Haaland put City in front three minutes into stoppage time, but there was still more chaos and controversy to come. Rayan Cherki thought he had sealed victory by rolling into an empty net from the halfway line as Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson Becker went forward chasing a leveller. However, the goal was ruled out after Szoboszlai pulled Haaland back before the Norwegian retaliated in similar fashion. Szoboszlai was instead shown a red card for committing the first offence. “For the distance that we have to Arsenal, coming here, it is the toughest place in the League by far. I feel the whole team knew before the game, if we lost it then the title race was probably over. We felt we needed to win. The hope is there and we are going to fight until the end. We need to keep doing our job that we haven’t lately,” said Silva. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
10 February,2026 09:18 AM IST | Liverpool | AFPBrooklyn Beckham, son of Manchester United great David Beckham and former Spice Girls star Victoria, has quietly removed a tattoo on his arm that was dedicated to his father amid a worsening family feud. David Beckham The 26-year-old has reportedly replaced the word ‘Dad’ on his arm — part of a larger tattoo depicting an anchor — with small symbols. Brooklyn had recently posted a six-page comment on Instagram, slamming his parents’s behaviour towards his wife Nicola Peltz ever since their 2022 marriage. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
09 February,2026 09:57 AM IST | Mumbai | AgenciesMikel Arteta said Viktor Gyokeres has raised his game to the “highest level” after the striker’s brace in a 3-0 win over Sunderland on Saturday. Victory took the Gunners nine points clear at the top of the English Premier League. Martin Zubimendi scored the other goal. “Confidence is the magic word. When you feel confident, that’s when you can take your game to the highest level, which he has,” said Arteta. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
09 February,2026 09:50 AM IST | London | AFPPep Guardiola insisted Erling Haaland is the “best striker in the world” despite refusing to confirm if the misfiring Manchester City star will start Sunday’s crucial English Premier League (EPL) clash with Liverpool. Haaland has scored just twice in his last 12 appearances, and Guardiola elected to drop him to the bench for City’s 3-1 win over Newcastle in the EFL semi-final second leg on Wednesday. He has suffered a significant loss of form after scoring 19 goals in 14 games in all competitions in a blistering start to the season that included become the fastest player to reach 100 EPL goals. Haaland’s form, a concern City have subsequently struggled during Haaland’s dip, falling six points behind league-leaders Arsenal. The Norwegian scored when City beat Liverpool 3-0 earlier this season, but Guardiola would not reveal if he will feature against Arne Slot’s side this weekend. “I don’t know until tomorrow. But all I say is Erling is the best. Erling is the best striker in the world,” Guardiola told reporters on Friday. Pep Guardiola City have won just once at Liverpool since Guardiola’s arrival as manager in 2016, with that fixture in February 2021 played behind closed doors due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Guardiola was asked whether Anfield is the hardest fixture on the Premier League calendar. “Yep. Always a tough opponent and a difficult place and stadium, especially with the quality of the players and the managers. Yes, it’s been tough,” he said. Guardiola coy about future Guardiola side-stepped a question about his own future as speculation mounts that this will be his last season at City, saying: “I have one more year on my contract. It is the same answer I answered two months ago.” The Spaniard signed a two-year contract extension in November 2024 and the deal is due to expire in June 2027. The 55-year-old also doubled down on his comments about the “hurt” he feels for victims of conflicts in Palestine, Ukraine and Sudan after Jewish community leaders told him to “focus on football”. “To be honest I didn’t say anything special. I think why should I not express how I feel just because I am a manager? So I do not agree but I respect absolutely all opinions,” he said. OneNo. of times Man City have won vs Liverpool at Anfield since 2016 — in 2021 ZeroNo. of goals for Man City’s Erling Haaland in three appearances at Anfield This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
08 February,2026 09:11 AM IST | London | AgenciesADVERTISEMENT
