Joachim Klement’s World Cup prediction streak ends after Netherlands exit
Economist Joachim Klement has failed to predict the World Cup winner for the first time in four tournaments after the Netherlands crashed out to Morocco.
FIFA World Cup
World Cup returns to USA: Comparing the style of 1994 and 2026
Thirty-two years after Diego Maradona’s infamous celebration and Roberto Baggio’s penalty miss, the tournament heads back to the United States. We examine how football’s visual style has evolved since 1994.
Mexico bid to end decades-old knockout curse against Ecuador
El Tri face Ecuador on Tuesday seeking a first World Cup quarter-final since 1986. Javier Aguirre’s side won all three group games without conceding, but history weighs heavy at the Azteca.
Kimmich vows to continue with Germany after World Cup exit to Paraguay
Germany captain Joshua Kimmich has pledged to continue his international career despite the pain of another World Cup elimination, insisting he will “never give up” on the national team.
Nagelsmann faces DFB crisis talks after Germany’s World Cup exit
German Football Association president Bernd Neuendorf will meet Julian Nagelsmann to examine the team’s World Cup failure, though the under-fire coach insists he will not resign.
Shaun Botterill: 40 years of World Cup photography and the viral Messi shot
Legendary photographer Shaun Botterill has captured football’s biggest moments for four decades, from developing film in stadium toilets to taking the Lionel Messi photograph that became Instagram’s most-liked post.
Tillman free-kick sends USA past Bosnia into World Cup Round of 16
Malik Tillman’s late free-kick sealed victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina, though Folarin Balogun’s second-half dismissal clouds USA preparations for their clash with Belgium.
DR Congo’s World Cup run unites divided nation ahead of England clash
The Leopards’ historic qualification for the World Cup last 32 has united a fractured country, with a diaspora-heavy squad set to face England including former Three Lions youth internationals.
How Many Knockout Matches Must a Team Win to Become World Champion?
A team entering the Round of 32 must win five consecutive knockout matches to lift the 2026 FIFA World Cup trophy. The five single-elimination rounds are the Round of 32, Round of 16, quarter-final, semi-final, and final. Advancing via penalty shootout counts as a tournament win for progression purposes.
How Did the Expanded World Cup Format Affect African Teams?
The 2026 FIFA World Cup expansion increases Confederation of African Football (CAF) representation from 5 slots to 9 direct qualifiers plus 1 potential intercontinental playoff spot, while the new 48-team format introduces a 32-team knockout stage where 8 best third-placed group finishers advance. This structural change creates additional pathways for African teams to reach the Round of 32 compared to previous tournaments, though qualification depends entirely on group-stage performance rather than format alone. Kenyan viewers will track these developments across North American venues using East Africa Time (UTC+3) throughout the tournament.