Football

Canada midfielder Stephen Eustaquio scored a 92nd-minute winner when a headed clearance fell nicely to him on the edge of the box, hitting his shot first-time into the bottom corner.

Introduced just after the hour mark, Messi received the loudest ovation of the evening before producing another piece of footballing magic.

With Uzbekistan pushing for an equaliser, Wissa produced the final flourish in stoppage time, curling a superb effort into the far corner from the edge of the penalty area to seal a memorable 3-1 victory

Croatia secured second place with a dramatic 2-1 victory over Ghana in a day filled with milestones, records and knockout qualification.

Although the draw benefited Senegal, Iran remains in contention to reach the World Cup knockout stage for the first time in their history.

Messi, who turned 39 on Wednesday, has scored all five of Argentina's goals this tournament and has shown no sign of a hamstring strain he suffered while playing for Inter Miami in May.

Jubilant celebrations erupted when Álex Baena's winner confirmed Uruguay's elimination and Cape Verde's historic passage into the Round of 32.

Knowing only a convincing victory would realistically preserve their chances after defeats to France and Norway, the Lions of Teranga made the perfect start.

The documentary, released a year before the AFCON 2027, focuses on the severe floods that swept through Nairobi's Mathare community in 2024 that damaged homes, claimed lives, and left one of the area's most important football pitches underwater. 

This year's championship marks a historic chapter for African women's football as the tournament expands from 12 to 16 teams for the first time.

With four places already secured by Ecuador, Bosnia, Sweden and Paraguay, only four of the best third-place tickets remain available. Every goal in the remaining group matches could prove decisive as teams fight to extend their World Cup dream into the Round of 32.

The holiday will apply to both the public and private sectors and will not be recoverable, meaning employees will not be required to make up the missed working day.

The victory lifted Ecuador to four points in Group E, enough to guarantee qualification among the best eight third-placed teams while simultaneously denting Scotland's hopes of progressing.

Kenya returns to WAFCON after 10 years as Odemba names a 29-player provisional squad blending experienced players and emerging talent ahead of Morocco 2026.

By reaching the Round of 32 in North America after their famous run in Qatar in 2022, Morocco has become only the third African nation to qualify for the World Cup knockout stage in consecutive tournaments. The other two are Nigeria and Ghana.

South Africa found the decisive moment just after the hour mark. Teshpang Moremi burst down the left and fizzed a pass across the edge of the box for Maseko, who controlled neatly before steering his finish in at the near post.

It was a result Colombia deserved on the balance of chances, but one that owed plenty to the resilience of DR Congo goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi, who produced a string of fine saves to keep the Leopards in the contest for long periods.

After a season defined by uncertainty and a battle for survival, the Slum Boys will hope the former Starlets tactician can provide the structure, identity and consistency needed to push the club back toward the upper end of the FKF Premier League table.

Asare has helped Ghana move to the brink of the knockouts. Vozinha turned Cabo Verde from debutants into believers. Mpasi gave DR Congo a chance in a game they spent most of the night defending. Room made history, leading Curaçao to their first-ever World Cup point.

In a goalless draw at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Ghana did more than take a point off England. They strengthened the feeling that they may be building something dangerous at this World Cup.

Soccer’s language is unique and provides fans, coaches and players with a collective understanding of what is happening on the pitch. It may be a casual description of a player’s tactic or technique, or team strategy.

Rice, who helped Arsenal win its first league title in 22 years this season, said he is not worried about tiredness after coming off in the second half in Dallas.

Uganda produced a dominant display at KMC Stadium, defeating Kenya 3-0 in the semi-finals to end the Junior Starlets' hopes of a maiden CECAFA U-17 Women's Championship title and book their place in the final.

FIFA confirmed that Artan would receive the compensation allocated to referees selected for the tournament, recognising the work he had completed during the preparation period before the competition began.

The win means Germany now sit in a strong position to qualify for the next round, while the Ivory Coast will be left to rue missed opportunities after a spirited display ultimately ended in defeat.

The regulation, introduced earlier this year, was designed to prevent players from hiding potentially abusive, discriminatory or offensive language by covering their mouths while speaking during matches.

The victory gave the Americans six points from their opening two matches, ensuring qualification for the round of 32 with one group fixture remaining.

According to FIFA, the milestone illustrates the growth of both the World Cup and international football. The first tournament in 1930 featured 13 teams, while the current edition has expanded to 48.

The World Cup does not resolve the world's quarrels. It briefly suspends them, and in that suspension, we glimpse what we so easily forget: that the things dividing us are smaller than the game we all agreed to love.

FKF has urged all clubs to adhere to the stipulated registration timelines and ensure compliance with competition and licensing requirements ahead of the set deadlines.

Current efforts are focused on finalizing ICT systems, broadcast infrastructure and spectator facilities as preparations intensify for AFCON 2027.

CAF estimates that more than 1.5 million fans will travel across the three host nations during the competition, with the tournament expected to reach a global television audience exceeding 3.2 billion viewers.

TikTok users are increasingly posting reactions, tactical analysis, memes, and commentary, turning football into an ongoing online conversation rather than a 90-minute event.

As preparations continue across the three host nations, Wanyama remains optimistic that AFCON 2027 will not only deliver a memorable tournament but also help transform the future of football in Kenya and the wider East African region.

At 34 years old, he became the first Somali referee ever chosen to officiate at football's greatest tournament. It was a landmark achievement not only for him personally but also for Somalia and African football.

Having already defeated South Africa 2-0 in their opening fixture, Javier Aguirre's side knew another victory would secure qualification, but they were made to work hard by a disciplined South Korean team.

The development comes amid an ongoing investigation in France into alleged match-fixing and suspicious betting activity involving Wahi.

Kenya had already raced into a remarkable 16-0 lead when the contest was halted after Sudan were reduced to fewer than the minimum seven players required under the Laws of the Game.

The match offers a rare meeting between the two nations. Their only previous encounter came at the 1997 FIFA Confederations Cup in Saudi Arabia, where they shared the spoils in an entertaining 2-2 draw.

Bafana Bafana looked destined for a second successive defeat after conceding an early goal, but captain Teboho Mokoena held his nerve from the penalty spot late in the second half to rescue a valuable point

Ronaldo, 41, played the full 90 minutes but delivered a relatively subdued performance and was unable to make a decisive impact in front of goal.

The late breakthrough capped a frustrating evening for Ghana, who struggled to break down a resilient Panama side that came within seconds of claiming their first-ever World Cup point.

For many, the 2025/26 season will be remembered as another title-winning campaign for Gor Mahia. For Shariff, however, it will forever be remembered as the year he honoured a promise, carried his grief onto the football pitch and finally delivered a medal to the brother who never got the chance to see him lift it.

The legal battle stems from a June 10 letter in which Sports Registrar Rose Wasike instructed Gor Mahia to immediately begin the process of electing new officials.

Sudan's goals came through Nashwa Abbas and Fatin Fadol, but they were unable to stop Somalia from claiming a convincing victory in the final group-stage encounter.

President William Ruto noted that Arsenal’s immense popularity in Kenya makes the country an ideal destination for the club should the visit materialise.

While Croatia showed flashes of quality and twice fought back from behind in the first half, they were unable to match England's intensity after the interval as the Three Lions took firm control of proceedings.

The Leopards produced a disciplined and spirited display to claim their first-ever point at a World Cup finals tournament, marking a memorable return to football's biggest stage after a 52-year absence.

The result saw both sides finish the group stage unbeaten on seven points, but Kenya advanced as group winners thanks to a superior goal difference after their emphatic victories over Sudan and Somalia.

The strong attendance, FIFA added, has pushed the total number of fans at the tournament to 1,309,652 so far, with an average of 65,483 per match.

The former Kenyan international is expected to play a key role in the club's revamped technical bench as Nairobi United seeks to build on an impressive first season in the FKF Premier League.