"world-cup"

Major cultural events are giving older video games unexpected second lives. From the 2026 World Cup boosting football games to Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey reviving Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, these player surges show how real-world events can extend gaming’s longevity.

Real Madrid striker Kylian Mbappe is confident the club can return to winning ways under Jose Mourinho this season. Mbappe said the squad is motivated, focused and determined to win titles after two seasons without major silverware.

Spain's World Cup-winning squad returns to Madrid for a royal reception and open-top bus parade ending at Cibeles Square. Following their 1-0 win over Argentina, Spain becomes the first nation to hold both men's and women's World Cup titles simultaneously

Bukayo Saka expressed pride after joining England's elite list of World Cup hat-trick scorers with a brilliant treble against France. The Arsenal forward said the achievement was special, while Thomas Tuchel praised his decisive display in England's third-place victory.

India head coach Manolo Márquez believes Spain's systemic continuity makes them favourites to beat Argentina in the World Cup final. Márquez praised Spain's developmental structure under Luis de la Fuente while marveling at the enduring brilliance of Lionel Messi

The ICC Board has announced a drastic structural overhaul of its flagship tournaments. The 14-team ODI World Cup will adopt a three-stage format featuring a "Super 7" round, while the T20 World Cup expands to a "Super 10" stage with knockout eliminators

The final eight teams are locked in for the World Cup quarterfinals. Betting favorites France face Morocco, while tournament sensation Erling Haaland looks to guide underdog Norway past England. Defending champions Argentina clash with a defensive Switzerland squad

France captain Kylian Mbappé condemned racist remarks by Paraguayan senator Celeste Amarilla after France's World Cup win over Paraguay. French authorities and officials denounced the comments, while Paraguay's government distanced itself from the senator's statements

India ended the FIH Hockey Pro League 2025–26 with impressive wins over Germany and the Netherlands, building valuable momentum ahead of the World Cup and Asian Games. Coach Craig Fulton and captain Harmanpreet Singh praised the team's growing confidence, defensive solidity and improved attacking versatility.

Lionel Messi scored his 20th World Cup goal against Cape Verde, extending his scoring streak to eight consecutive World Cup matches. The Argentina captain also moved ahead in the Golden Boot race as Argentina edged closer to securing a Round of 16 place

Colombia clinched the top spot in Group K following a scoreless draw against favorites Portugal in front of a star-studded, sellout Miami crowd. Both teams advance to the knockout stage, with Colombia set to face Ghana and Portugal drawing Croatia

The 2026 FIFA World Cup has become the highest-scoring edition in history, surpassing the 172-goal record set in Qatar 2022. The tournament has also broken the all-time attendance record, highlighting the success of the expanded 48-team format.

India spinner Shree Charani said her focus remains on helping the team win the ICC Women's T20 World Cup rather than individual rankings. She also expressed confidence in India's simple, process-driven approach ahead of the crucial group-stage clash against Australia.

Bosnia and Herzegovina defeated Qatar 3-1 in Seattle to register their first FIFA World Cup victory in 12 years. The result kept their hopes of reaching the Round of 32 alive, while Qatar exited the tournament after finishing bottom of Group B.

Paraguay's Miguel Almiron made unwanted World Cup history, receiving a straight red card against Turkey for covering his mouth during an argument. Despite playing a man down, Paraguay held onto a 1-0 win but faces an upcoming battle without their star

Lionel Messi swept aside injury concerns with an emotional hat trick in Argentina’s 3-0 World Cup opening victory over Algeria, tying Germany's Miroslav Klose for the most career goals scored in men's World Cup history

Kylian Mbappe scored twice as France defeated Senegal 3-1 in their FIFA World Cup 2026 opener. Michael Olise and Bradley Barcola also played key roles as Les Bleus overcame a strong Senegal challenge to begin their campaign with a victory.

Lionel Messi scored against Algeria in his record sixth World Cup appearance, becoming only the second player after Cristiano Ronaldo to score in five World Cups. The goal was Messi’s 14th World Cup strike and 200th international appearance

Player of the Match Deepti Sharma said her five-wicket haul against Pakistan was the highlight of India's World Cup opener. The all-rounder credited team positivity, self-belief and improved fielding standards for India's successful start to the tournament.

John McGinn’s first-half strike gave Scotland a 1-0 win over Haiti in Boston, ending a 36-year wait for a World Cup victory. The Group C encounter saw Scotland dominate spells while Haiti missed key chances to equalise.