The Belgian national team on Monday morning was granted the right to appeal FIFA&#8217;s last-minute decision to reverse a one-game suspension that had been imposed on U.S. soccer star Folarin Balogun after he received a phantom red card in America&#8217;s round of 32 victory.
FIFA&#8217;s decision to overturn Balogun&#8217;s suspension on Sunday, which came after a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-thanks-fifa-for-reversing-great-injustice-as-european-rivals-rage-at-world-cup?author=Virginia+Kruta&amp;category=undefined&amp;elementPosition=3&amp;row=3&amp;rowHeadline=Latest+News&amp;rowType=Vertical+Carousel&amp;title=Trump+Thanks+FIFA+For+Reversing+%E2%80%99Great+Injustice%E2%80%99+As+European+Rivals+Rage+At+World+Cup">phone call</a> between President Donald Trump and FIFA President Gianni Infantino, outraged the soccer elites of Belgium and other European nations. Belgium&#8217;s soccer officials <a href="https://www.foxsports.com/stories/soccer/belgium-astonished-folarin-balogun-ruling-investigating-potential-options">said</a> they were &#8220;astonished.&#8221; Belgium soccer coach Rudi Garcia also took a shot at FIFA after the reversal.
&#8220;I didn&#8217;t know that in the FIFA offices the 5th of July corresponded to the 1st of April &#8230; it was a discovery for me,&#8221; Garcia <a href="https://www.foxsports.com/watch-vertical/fmc-8t88x881kprva0ge">said</a>.
Belgium also <a href="https://x.com/BrentScher/status/2073898775257530664">reportedly</a> &#8220;lawyered up&#8221; to fight FIFA&#8217;s decision to overturn Balogun&#8217;s suspension. After the outrage, Belgium was granted an appeal, which will ultimately leave it up to one member of the FIFA appeals committee to decide whether Balogun&#8217;s suspension should be upheld. A decision on Belgium&#8217;s appeal could be handed down before the game between the United States and Belgium starts at 7:00 p.m. ET, but Belgium was not guaranteed that a ruling would come from FIFA before the game, The Athletic reported.
The appeals committee member selected to hear the appeal is not a member of the European soccer association, UEFA, or of the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football to ensure the appeals process is unbiased. The UEFA released a statement Monday morning, siding with Belgium, and blasting FIFA&#8217;s decision to allow Balogun to play Monday night.
&#8220;Yesterday’s decision to suspend for a probationary period of a year the implementation of the one-match automatic suspension following the red card issued to the player Folarin Balogun crossed a red line,&#8221; UEFA wrote in a statement, adding, &#8220;When the certainty of rules is no longer guaranteed by its guardians, the integrity of the game is at stake and the credibility of a competition is undermined. Equally, such decision creates a precedent in the ongoing tournament, where similar situations will now require an equal treatment, to the detriment of the competition.&#8221;
Norway&#8217;s coach Ståle Solbakken, whose team advanced to the quarterfinals on Sunday, also <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/07/05/sports/norway-coach-blasts-fifas-really-bad-folarin-balogun-decision/">ripped</a> FIFA over the decision.
“I think it is not a great conclusion. [Balogun] got a red card and the VAR concluded that it was a red card. He was sent off. That means you are suspended for one game,&#8221; Solbakken said. “I think what is really bad about that situation is it will be [hanging] over the United States now. Because if they beat Belgium, it will always have that extra thing about it. Maybe he scores a goal, maybe he plays a good game, and the Belgians will be furious.”
FIFA reversed Balogun&#8217;s suspension after the White House put together a team of elite lawyers to challenge soccer officials&#8217; use of replay review in determining Balogun&#8217;s red card last week, Outkick founder Clay Travis reported. Balogun&#8217;s was given a red card for his contact with a defender for Bosnia and Herzegovina after the referee used video replay to determine that the U.S. star&#8217;s cleat scraped the back of the defender&#8217;s ankle.
Trump also called FIFA&#8217;s president to better understand why a red card had been issued, but Trump did not push FIFA to overturn the suspension, according to Axios. During that phone call, Infantino informed Trump that a review of the red card had already begun.
America&#8217;s star player, who leads the team with three goals so far in the tournament, is preparing to play Monday night as the United States looks to advance to its second-ever quarterfinals. Team USA was <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/u-s-team-lit-after-red-card-reversal-news-thought-it-was-ai-at-first?author=Virginia+Kruta&amp;category=undefined&amp;elementPosition=1&amp;row=3&amp;rowHeadline=Latest+News&amp;rowType=Vertical+Carousel&amp;title=U.S.+Team+%E2%80%98Lit%E2%80%99+After+Red+Card+Reversal+News%3A+%E2%80%98Thought+It+Was+AI+At+First%E2%80%99">ecstatic</a> on Sunday after hearing the news that Balogun could play.

USA v Bosnia and Herzegovina: Round Of 32 – FIFA World Cup 2026

Seeing Red: Belgium Granted Appeal After Europe Cries Over American Suspension Reversal

Belgium

Donald Trump

Europe

Soccer

U.S.

World Cup

Members of the U.S. Men&#8217;s National Team were quick to celebrate the news that star striker Folarin Balogun would be available for Monday&#8217;s match against Belgium — once they realized the story wasn&#8217;t a fake-out created using Artificial Intelligence.
As The New York Post <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/07/05/sports/how-usmnt-players-reacted-to-folarin-balogun-news-on-bus-to-practice/">reported</a>, defender Chris Richards said that the team was heading to Husky Soccer Stadium on the bus when they got the news — and that at first, they were not at all sure what to make of it.
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Chris Richards tells <a href="https://x.com/JennyTaft?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JennyTaft</a> the vibes are up for the USMNT after hearing about Flo Balogun&#8217;s suspension being lifted <a href="https://t.co/WeCcD1wATY">pic.twitter.com/WeCcD1wATY</a>
— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) <a href="https://x.com/FOXSports/status/2073884412228649218?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 5, 2026</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;To be fair, we were lit on the bus regardless. We had our speaker in the back listening to music,&#8221; he added. &#8220;Then one person said something, another person said the same thing and nobody wanted to confirm it. It was pretty much right when we got here that we found out it was true &#8230; a lot of us thought it was AI at first.&#8221;
But then Balogun boarded the bus — all smiles because he&#8217;d already been told that his one-match suspension had been suspended in favor of a probationary period — and it became apparent that he was going to be allowed to play.
Midfield and forward Christian Pulisic also reacted to the good news, saying, &#8220;I just saw a big smile on his face. I got to see him and dap him up after that. Knowing we’re gonna have him around tomorrow, it helps so much. It’s a big boost.&#8221;
Pulisic also noted that the lineup for Monday&#8217;s game against Belgium had not yet been adjusted to accommodate Balogun&#8217;s expected absence, explaining that the team would not be scrambling to rearrange things now that he could play.
&#8220;Of course you have other guys filling in and trying to figure out what the lineup could look like, but we didn’t have anything set. It’s not like some crazy adjustment we need to make,&#8221; he said.
The United States is set to play Belgium in the Round of 16 on Monday, July 6.

USA v Paraguay: Group D – FIFA World Cup 2026

U.S. Team ‘Lit’ After Red Card Reversal News: ‘Thought It Was AI At First’

U.S. Team 'Lit' After Red Card Reversal News: 'Thought It Was AI At First'

FIFA

Sports

President Donald Trump offered his thanks to FIFA — while Belgian officials fume and vow to evaluate &#8220;all potential options&#8221; — after the organization lifted a one-game suspension for U.S. star-striker Folarin Balogun.
Trump took to his Truth Social platform to express his thanks, saying, &#8220;Thank you to FIFA for doing what was right, and reversing a great injustice!&#8221;
A White House source confirmed to The Daily Wire that the president had made a call to FIFA President Gianni Infantino regarding the red card. Multiple reports suggested that during that call, Trump had informed Infantino that attorneys were preparing to challenge the use of slow-motion instant replay — which he said violated FIFA rules — and that the red card had been excessive.
Outkick founder Clay Travis said sources had told him that &#8220;President Trump, commerce secretary Howard Lutnick, and White House task force head Andrew Giuliani put together a team of elite lawyers — from outside the government — to challenge the Flo Balogun red card.&#8221;
&#8220;Specifically they challenged the use of slow motion instant replay to give the red card, which they argued violated FIFA rules. The president also conveyed to Gianni Infantino, FIFA’s president, that the appeal had been filed and he believed the red card penalty was excessive,&#8221; he added. &#8220;FIFA’s independent committee reviewed the decision and agreed the penalty was incorrectly given, rescinding it under their rule 27 authority.&#8221;
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Sources: President Trump, commerce secretary Howard Lutnick, and White House task force head Andrew Giuliani put together a team of elite lawyers — from outside the government — to challenge the Flo Balogun red card. Specifically they challenged the use of slow motion instant…
— Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) <a href="https://x.com/ClayTravis/status/2073851719297945674?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 5, 2026</a></blockquote>
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The rule in question states that the slow-motion replay is only to be used to determine facts — where players were at the time of the offense or how contact occurred — and not to judge the severity of the offense. That, the rule states, should be determined by a replay at normal speed.
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I am not entirely convinced this part of the VAR protocols was followed here. <a href="https://t.co/W3GI2h3gxC">pic.twitter.com/W3GI2h3gxC</a>
— Lars Sivertsen (@larssivertsen) <a href="https://x.com/larssivertsen/status/2072496315913675189?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 2, 2026</a></blockquote>
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The Royal Belgian Football Association registered its displeasure with the decision in a statement published on Sunday: &#8221;
FIFA bases its decision on Article 27 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code. This provision states that the FIFA Disciplinary Committee may decide to suspend the enforcement of a previously imposed disciplinary sanction.&#8221;
&#8220;However, Article 66.4 of the same FIFA Disciplinary Code clearly provides that a red card (sending-off) automatically results in a suspension for the team’s next match, as has been the case for all previous red cards issued during this FIFA World Cup,&#8221; the statement continued.
The precedent was already set at the beginning of World Cup play, when Portugal&#8217;s star player <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/07/05/sports/the-cristiano-ronaldo-precedent-that-changed-folarin-baloguns-red-card-fortunes/">Cristiano Ronaldo</a> had a suspension overturned in favor of a probationary period. Ronald, who was shown a red card and given a three-match suspension last November, only missed one match before FIFA suspended the remaining two-match ban, placing him on probation but allowing him to play in his team&#8217;s opening World Cup match.
The United States is set to play Belgium on Monday, July 6, in the Round of 16.

Trump Thanks FIFA For Reversing ’Great Injustice’ As European Rivals Rage At World Cup

Cristiano Ronaldo

White House

A red card ban suspension freed star forward Folarin Balogun to play in the U.S. Men&#8217;s National Team&#8217;s next World Cup match against Belgium.
Balogun, 25, was initially supposed to sit out the 16th-round match due to a red card he received in the match against Bosnia and Herzegovina for a foul on defender Tarik Muharemovic. FIFA&#8217;s tournament rules (Article 10.5) state that a one-game suspension would automatically come with the red card — and the team was not allowed to appeal that decision.
<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7423410/2026/07/05/usmnt-folarin-balogun-red-card-available/?eafs_enabled=false">The Athletic</a> reported on Sunday that Balogun may yet be allowed to play due to a provision in Article 27 of FIFA&#8217;s disciplinary code — a provision that states &#8220;the judicial body may decide to fully or partially suspend the implementation of a disciplinary measure.&#8221;
The one-game suspension that should have accompanied Balogun&#8217;s red card has been suspended — with one caveat: he risks not only the original suspension but also any sanctions that might be added onto that if he commits another similar infraction during the next match.
&#8220;If the person benefiting from a suspended sanction commits another infringement of a similar nature and gravity during the probationary period, the suspension shall be revoked by the judicial body and the sanction enforced without prejudice to any additional sanction imposed for the new infringement,&#8221; the regulation states.
U.S. Soccer released a statement reacting to the news, saying, &#8220;We accept the decision of the Disciplinary Committee and are pleased that Folarin Balogun is eligible to compete tomorrow. Our full attention is focused on the Round of 16 match against Belgium in Seattle, and we look forward to the continued support of our amazing fans.&#8221;
Up to the current match, Balogun has started in all but one and has scored at least one goal in each match. He scored twice in the opening game against Paraguay.
Balogun is not the only World Cup star facing disciplinary issues, however. Portugal&#8217;s captain Cristiano Ronaldo was handed a three-match ban, but FIFA suspended the final two games of his suspension.

FIFA Overturns Ban On U.S. Soccer Star In Massive World Cup Boost For America

America&#8217;s star soccer player Folarin Balogun went from World Cup hero to a man watching from the locker room in the span of 20 minutes Wednesday night — and soccer fans everywhere are still arguing about whether it was even his fault.
The Brooklyn-born, London-raised striker had <a href="https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/49243502/usa-bosnia-herzegovina-2026-fifa-world-cup-knockout-round-32">just given</a> the United States a 1-0 lead right before halftime, banging home his third goal of the tournament and looking every bit the breakout star this team desperately needed. Then came the gut-punch: in the second half, referee Raphael Claus was sent to the sideline monitor after a VAR review flagged Balogun&#8217;s follow-through on Bosnian defender Tarik Muharemovic when the American star&#8217;s cleats caught Muharemovic&#8217;s ankle.
The review resulted in a red card.
Balogun barely reacted at first — he looked like a guy who genuinely didn&#8217;t know what hit him. And plenty of experts think he had every right to be confused.
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More angles of the red card shown to Balogun and the US 🟥 <a href="https://t.co/Rh4zjoJTHI">pic.twitter.com/Rh4zjoJTHI</a>
&mdash; FOX Sports (@FOXSports) <a href="https://x.com/FOXSports/status/2072495187893641312?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 2, 2026</a></blockquote>
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FOLARIN BALOGUN SEES RED FOR SERIOUS FOUL PLAY 🟥
He will miss the USMNT&#39;s next match if they were to advance 🫠 <a href="https://t.co/53yiGdM5TH">pic.twitter.com/53yiGdM5TH</a>
&mdash; Golazo America (@GolazoAmerica) <a href="https://x.com/GolazoAmerica/status/2072494117037248779?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 2, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Former referee Andy Davies, who has over 12 seasons of experience working across the Premier League and Championship, <a href="https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/49244156/world-cup-var-review-misapplied-protocols-leave-usmnt-folarin-balogun-wrongly-red-carded-world-cup-vs-bosnia-herzegovina">didn&#8217;t hold back</a>, arguing the ejection was not a red-card offense and calling the contact purely accidental — just two players tangling for the ball, the kind of thing that happens a thousand times a match. Davies went further, suggesting VAR officials leaned too heavily on slow-motion replays that made a routine coming-together look far more sinister than it was.
U.S. coach Mauricio Pochettino fumed postgame, <a href="https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/49243703/usa-folarin-balogun-red-card-bosnia-herzegovina-world-cup-2026">insisting</a> there was zero intent to hurt anyone and comparing it to a nearly identical, uncarded incident involving Argentina star Lionel Messi earlier in the tournament. Midfielder Weston McKennie piled on too, griping that similar plays had gone unpunished all tournament long and blasting the fact that the United States couldn&#8217;t even appeal the call.
Now, Balogun is forced to sit out the team&#8217;s round of 16 match against Belgium. FIFA rules mean a red card automatically triggers a one-match ban — no appeals process, no second chances.
Pochettino will have to figure out life without his hottest scorer for the biggest game in a generation, likely leaning on Ricardo Pepi, Haji Wright or Christian Pulisic to fill the void.
Fair or foul, the red card is official — and the Americans will have to defeat Belgium without their best weapon.

Fans Erupt After Team USA’s Star Player Ejected On Controversial Call

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The nation&#8217;s capital turned into one giant soccer party Wednesday night as thousands of red-white-and-blue-clad fans packed the National Mall&#8217;s Freedom 250 Fan Zone, roaring beneath a Jumbotron with the U.S. Capitol as a backdrop, as the United States knocked off Bosnia-Herzegovina 2-0 to punch its ticket to the World Cup round of 16.
From D.C. to <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tkuA3TFiGnA">Old Town Scottsdale</a>, Arizona, fans erupted in celebration — some even declaring this the greatest American soccer squad ever assembled.
The good vibes came with an asterisk. Folarin Balogun <a href="https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/49243502/usa-bosnia-herzegovina-2026-fifa-world-cup-knockout-round-32">buried</a> the game&#8217;s opening goal right before the half — his third of the tournament — but was tossed just past the hour mark after replay showed he&#8217;d raked his cleats down a Bosnian defender&#8217;s leg. The red card leaves the Americans without their leading scorer for Monday&#8217;s showdown against Belgium. Balogun becomes just the fifth American ever ejected at a World Cup, and the first player anywhere to score and get sent off in the same knockout match since Zinedine Zidane&#8217;s infamous 2006 final meltdown.
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Down a man, the Americans didn&#8217;t blink. Malik Tillman curled a stunning free kick past the wall in the 82nd minute to seal the game — his first World Cup goal — while <a href="https://www.philadelphiaunion.com/news/freese-usmnt-advance-to-round-of-16-with-win-over-bosnia-and-herzegovina">Union Homegrown Matt Freese</a> anchored the back line with a clean sheet. The win snapped a lengthy losing skid against European sides and marked just the United States&#8217; second knockout victory in tournament history. Now it&#8217;s on to Seattle, where the Americans get a shot at payback against the same Belgian team that eliminated the United States in 2014.
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As for that <a href="https://discoverdcnow.com/freedom-250-fifa-fan-zone-2026.html#:~:text=Even%20though%20Washington%20DC%20is,viewing%20screen%20on%20the%20grass.">Fan Zone</a> lighting up D.C., even without a host stadium, Washington built its own World Cup showcase, transforming the Mall between 3rd and 4th Streets into a free, open-air viewing hub running through July 19 — timed to coincide with America&#8217;s 250th birthday celebrations.
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More scenes from the National Mall.
Last few world cups the watch party was in dumpy DuPont Circle. Trump putting it on the National Mall is incredible.
And good to see the youth loving America instead of trashing a Chipotle! <a href="https://t.co/5iqrqH1kib">pic.twitter.com/5iqrqH1kib</a>
— Brent Scher (@BrentScher) <a href="https://x.com/BrentScher/status/2072514665398100039?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 2, 2026</a></blockquote>
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For anyone still catching up on the new format: this year&#8217;s tournament ballooned to 48 teams across the U.S., Canada and Mexico, split into 12 groups of four. The top two from each group move on automatically, joined by the eight best third-place finishers, for a 32-team knockout bracket. From there, it&#8217;s pure sudden-death — Round of 32, Round of 16, quarters, semis, and the final on July 19 in New Jersey. Ties after regulation mean extra time, and if that doesn&#8217;t settle it, penalty kicks decide who goes home and who keeps dreaming.
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For the United States, the dream stays alive — for now.
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USA vs Bosnia and Herzegovina – FIFA World Cup 2026 – Round 32

WATCH: Americans Go Wild As U.S. Storms To Next Round Of World Cup

Washington D.C.

The United States Men’s National Team takes on Turkey Thursday night in its final group stage game of the 2026 World Cup. While America has clinched its spot in the round of 32, there are still many things to look for as the red, white, and blue takes the field.
The result on Thursday won&#8217;t affect potential future opponents for the United States, but the match is still very important. Between staying perfect, resting starters, and preventing more yellow cards, manager Mauricio Pochettino has important duties in the final game before the knockout round begins.
The United States will attempt to accomplish a feat it has never done in its World Cup history: win all three games of a group stage. America will attempt to do so against a hungry Turkey roster that has not met expectations.
Turkey is widely regarded as one of the more disappointing teams of this year’s World Cup. Heading into the tournament, FIFA ranked the country as the 22nd best national team in the world, a ranking that put it only five spots behind the United States, and above the other Group D competitors Australia and Paraguay. 
After losing their first two group games, Turkey was eliminated from a potential knockout round appearance. Despite creating 62 shots in the first two games, Turkey has been held scoreless. 
While dominating the first two games, the roster that starts tonight for the United States will not be the same as the previous victories, making the group stage sweep even harder against a team that wants to end on a high note.
Pochettino will test the depth of his roster in tonight’s game as he works around yellow cards and rest for his stars.
After being injured against Paraguay, star forward Christian Pulisic did not play in the 2-0 Group D-clinching win against Australia. While it is reported that he is healthy and conditioned enough to start, Pochettino is expected to have him come off the bench late if he were to see playing time.
Pochettino also confirmed that the team&#8217;s leading goal scorer Folarin Balogun, along with Tyler Adams, Chris Richards, and Antonee Robinson, will not play against Turkey due to all of them having a yellow card. If any of the players were to receive another yellow, they would be suspended from America’s first knockout stage game. Assessed yellow cards reset after the group stages.
Coming away with a win will continue the momentum the United States needs to advance past the round of 16 for the first time since 2002.

USA v Australia: Group D – FIFA World Cup 2026

America Takes The Field For The Last Time In The Group Stages — Here’s What To Watch For

Turkey

While the U.S. Men&#8217;s National Team doesn&#8217;t play on Wednesday, there are multiple outcomes that Americans should be cheering for during the remaining group stage games to clear the way for a deep U.S. run in the 2026 World Cup.
The United States officially clinched Group D after its 2-0 victory over Australia last week, securing a spot in the knockout round. However, America&#8217;s opponent in the Round of 32 is still uncertain. With 24 games remaining in the opening round of tournament play, the potential bracket is changing with every match result.
The United States finishes its group stage on Thursday night against Turkey, but the outcome will not affect the team&#8217;s standing or path in the knockout round. In the next round, America will take on the 3rd place finisher in Group B, E, F, I, or J, which will be decided in the coming days. 
If America wins in the Round of 32, it would face Egypt or Belgium. While all of this is subject to change, the route to America&#8217;s first quarterfinals since 2002 has never looked easier.
Games starting as early as Wednesday have major implications for who the United States will face in the next round.
The first and arguably most important match is Bosnia and Herzegovina vs. Qatar. The main thing to root for is that the match does not end in a draw. Both teams sit at one point apiece in Group B after a draw and a loss in their first two games. If either team comes away as a winner, it would set them up to play the United States in the following round. If they draw, however, both teams will likely be eliminated, and the most likely opponent for Team USA would become Senegal, a much stronger competitor.
If there is a draw, Americans should pull for Czechia or South Africa to win later on Wednesday to decrease the odds of playing Senegal. 
Moving onto a potential Round of 16 opponent, the United States would play the winner of Group G or a handful of third place teams. As it stands, the current matchup between Egypt and Czechia is the most likely and still very favorable for America.
Another scenario to keep an eye on is Uruguay vs. Spain on Friday night. If Uruguay were to beat Spain, Spain would move to the other side of the bracket and America would have an even easier potential quarterfinal matchup against Uruguay.

America Doesn’t Play Today – But Here’s Who You Need To Root For In The World Cup

Monday&#8217;s World Cup matches featured the biggest names in the sport scoring multiple goals each for their second consecutive group stage games.
Argentina, France, and Norway all took the field Monday in hopes of clinching their spot in the round of 32. Their superstars did all the work in pushing their countries to victory, creating an exciting race for the Golden Boot, the award given to the leading goal scorer in the tournament.
Argentina started the action off with a 2-0 win over Austria, and Argentine star Lionel Messi <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/watch-messi-sets-all-time-record-for-world-cup-goals">made history</a> by scoring his 17th career World Cup goal, tying the all-time record. The goal came in the 38th minute after he missed a penalty kick earlier in the first half.
Messi added to the all-time total when Argentina made the best of a chance late in the second half, resulting in Messi putting the ball into the back of the net following chaos in front of the goal. His second goal also pushed him past Brazilian female star Marta Vieira da Silva, who held the record for World Cup goals for the women at 17.
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MESSI WITH THE BRACE TO PASS MARTA FOR THE MOST-EVER GOALS, MAN OR WOMAN, IN A FIFA WORLD CUP 🇦🇷 <a href="https://t.co/Ww5Wz9FnHk">pic.twitter.com/Ww5Wz9FnHk</a>
— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) <a href="https://x.com/FOXSports/status/2069133596292427842?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 22, 2026</a></blockquote>
France took on Iraq in the second game of Monday’s action, as it looked to build off its dominant opening-game victory over Senegal. Just 14 minutes into the game, France’s Kylian Mbappé picked up where he left off, scoring from 26 yards out. 
This game also featured the first weather delay, as lightning and wind in the area delayed the second half by an hour after France took a 1-0 lead into the break when the rain started to pour in.
When play finally resumed, France and Mbappé did not seem fazed by the long wait. After a miscommunication and a massive mistake by Iraq, Mbappé scored his 16th career World Cup goal and fourth this tournament. Another goal from fellow star Ousmane Dembélé secured the win for France.
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A MASSIVE mistake at the back for Iraq and Mbappé capitalizes 🇫🇷
France lead 2-0! <a href="https://t.co/8sf1hwd6mD">pic.twitter.com/8sf1hwd6mD</a>
— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) <a href="https://x.com/FOXSports/status/2069211684862890253?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 23, 2026</a></blockquote>
The goal ties former all-time leader Germany’s Miroslav Klose, whom Messi passed just a few hours prior. Mbappé and Messi are battling for that top goal scorer spot in tournament history, but Norway’s Erling Haaland is right with them in the race for this year&#8217;s Golden Boot.
The Norwegians took down Senegal’s national team 3-2. Marcus Holmgren Pedersen started things off for Norway, scoring just two minutes before the first half ended to take the 1-0 lead.
Haaland came to play in the second half, scoring both of his goals within 10 minutes of each other at the 48th and 58th minutes.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
ERLING HAALAND BAGS A BRACE TO MAKE IT 3-1 NORWAY! 🇳🇴
Truly unreal goalscoring prowess from the Norwegian striker <a href="https://t.co/WEWtTWdmtr">pic.twitter.com/WEWtTWdmtr</a>
— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) <a href="https://x.com/FOXSports/status/2069228658246463587?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 23, 2026</a></blockquote>
Despite two goals on the other side from Ismaïla Sarr, Senegal lost its second straight group stage match, putting its hopes of advancing on life support.
After the domination from the stars, Algeria and Jordan took the pitch in the final game of the day in a back-and-forth affair. Jordan took a surprising lead after Nizar Al-Rashdan scored in the 36th minute. Algeria finally responded late in the second half, thanks to Nadhir Benbouali netting one in during the 69th minute, and Amine Gouiri scoring the game-winning goal for Algeria in the 82nd minute.
This loss eliminates Jordan from advancing to the knockout stage, but keeps Algeria alive as it is now tied with Austria in second place in Group J.
Groups L and K take the field later today with Colombia and England looking to continue their winning ways against the Democratic Republic of Congo and Ghana. Portugal will look to rebound against Uzbekistan, and Croatia seeks its first win of this year’s tournament against Panama.

France v Iraq: Group I – FIFA World Cup 2026

Soccer’s Biggest Stars Steal The Show In Latest World Cup Action

Argentina

France

Lionel Messi

Norway

Argentina’s Lionel Messi became the all-time leading World Cup goal scorer on Monday, passing Germany’s Miroslav Klose as the new record holder with 17 goals. 
Messi scored in the 38th minute in his second game of the group stages against Austria with an assist from Facundo Medina. In the opening minutes of the game, Messi missed an opportunity for the record after he was awarded a penalty kick, which went wide right.  
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
The GOAT stands alone.
MESSI BECOMES THE ALL-TIME LEADING GOALSCORER IN MEN’S FIFA WORLD CUP HISTORY 🇦🇷 <a href="https://t.co/aWY9thIuUG">pic.twitter.com/aWY9thIuUG</a>
— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) <a href="https://x.com/FOXSports/status/2069113349954998775?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 22, 2026</a></blockquote>
After securing a hat-trick in his country’s opening group stage match against Algeria last week, Messi skyrocketed from fourth place to a first-place tie for most career goals in the tournament’s history. He also became the first player to appear in six different World Cups for his country, with his first coming in 2006.
The greatest of all time, as some declare him, also has the most Ballon d’Or trophies and Golden Ball trophies. He also holds the most goal contributions during the World Cup, and most goals with a single club.
With four goals and counting through two games, Messi is also on pace to win his first ever World Cup Golden Boot, which is awarded to the highest goal scorer during the tournament. In 2022, Messi finished as the runner-up behind France’s Kylian Mbappé.
Later in the match, Messi scored his second goal in the fifth minute of injury time of the second half, increasing the record to 18.
Messi will look to increase the record as Argentina aims to win back-to-back World Cups, a feat that hasn’t been done since Brazil accomplished it in 1958 and 1962. Argentina will take on Jordan in their final match of the opening round of the tournament.

Argentina v Algeria: Group J – FIFA World Cup 2026

WATCH: Messi Sets All-Time Record For World Cup Goals

The second weekend of the 2026 World Cup saw the tournament favorites get back on track and set themselves apart from the rest of the field, while Cape Verde continued its fairytale run.  
Friday afternoon was also highlighted by the United States <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/team-usa-takes-major-step-forward-in-home-field-world-cup-run?author=Drew+Berkemeyer&amp;category=undefined&amp;elementPosition=25&amp;row=3&amp;rowHeadline=Latest+News&amp;rowType=Vertical+Carousel&amp;title=Team+USA+Takes+Major+Step+Forward+In+Home-Field+World+Cup+Run">securing</a> Group D and advancing to the knockout round after its 2-0 win against Australia. America&#8217;s opponent in the following round has yet to be determined. 
After surprising draws in their opening matches, Brazil, the Netherlands, and Spain proved why many predict them to win the tournament. 
Brazil followed its disappointing 1-1 tie against Morocco in its opening game with a hot first half against Haiti. Matheus Cunha scored the first two goals at the 23rd and 36th minutes, setting the tone for what would be a dominant first half. Brazil’s star Vinícius Júnior scored in the third minute of injury time in the first half for his second goal of the young tournament, and Brazil defeated Haiti 3-0.
The Dutch have not lost in regulation or extra time since the 2010 World Cup final against Spain. On Saturday, the Netherlands continued its record of consecutive World Cup matches without a loss by picking up its 14th straight against Sweden in a commanding way. 
Led by two goals in the first 20 minutes of the first half from Brian Brobbey and two in the first 10 minutes of the second half by Cody Gakpo, Netherlands won 5-1, propelling them to the top of Group F with Japan.
Coming off a 7-1 win, Germany struggled against Ivory Coast, who led the powerhouse 1-0 at the end of the first half following Franck Kessié’s goal in the 30th minute. The German national team was saved when Deniz Undav was substituted into the game with 30 minutes remaining in regulation. 
Undav, who came off the bench and scored in their last game, scored two goals to pull off the comeback against Ivory Coast, one of them coming in the fourth of six minutes of stoppage time in the second half.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
WOULD YOU BELIEVE IT? 🤯
GERMANY TAKES THE LEAD IN STOPPAGE TIME! <a href="https://t.co/hVrMbRwxFx">pic.twitter.com/hVrMbRwxFx</a>
— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) <a href="https://x.com/FOXSports/status/2068453457523032554?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 20, 2026</a></blockquote>
Sunday’s slate started off with Spain’s dominance. After tying 0-0 against Cape Verde and Vozinha’s heroics in goal, the Spaniards got back on track against Saudi Arabia.
The 18-year-old phenom Lamine Yamal made his presence felt in his first career World Cup start, scoring just 10 minutes into the game for his first goal of what is presumed to be many for Spain.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
LAMINE YAMAL MAKES HISTORY WITH HIS FIRST-EVER FIFA WORLD CUP GOAL! 🇪🇸
In just the 10th minute of his first start, the 18-year-old finds the scoresheet for Spain <a href="https://t.co/lCRbt56lo5">pic.twitter.com/lCRbt56lo5</a>
— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) <a href="https://x.com/FOXSports/status/2068728884355289195?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 21, 2026</a></blockquote>
Spain’s Mikel Oyarzabal kept the scoring going with two goals in three minutes to give them a 3-0 lead at halftime, and the Spaniards eventually won 4-0.
Fan-favorite Cape Verde continued its magical run in arguably the best game of the weekend against Uruguay. After putting up a clean sheet in its last time out, Cape Verde got on the board quickly thanks to a deep free kick from Kevin Pina for the country’s first-ever World Cup goal.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
ABSOLUTE GOLAZO FOR CAPE VERDE&#8217;S FIRST-EVER FIFA WORLD CUP GOAL 🇨🇻
Kevin Pina with a historic moment for his country! <a href="https://t.co/yHUEczi56z">pic.twitter.com/yHUEczi56z</a>
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) <a href="https://x.com/FOXSoccer/status/2068822091885883586?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 21, 2026</a></blockquote>
Uruguay responded at the end of the first half, with Maxi Araujo and Agustín Canobbio each scoring within seven minutes of each other to take a 2-1 lead heading into the half. Cape Verde’s Helio Varela miraculously tied things up after goalkeeper Fernando Muslera left the goal in a disastrous moment for Uruguay.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
EMPTY NET GOAL 🚨
Cape Verde equalizes after Muslera gets caught in no man&#8217;s land! <a href="https://t.co/wI6Y4iRAbf">pic.twitter.com/wI6Y4iRAbf</a>
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) <a href="https://x.com/FOXSoccer/status/2068838395829276922?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 21, 2026</a></blockquote>
This tie keeps Cape Verde alive in the group stage with one game remaining. If Cape Verde wins its final game against Saudi Arabia and Spain beats Uruguay, it will advance to the knockout stages for the first time in World Cup history.
With a ton of action this past weekend, Monday’s matches feature potential historic moments and offensive powerhouses on display.
Argentina takes on Austria in their second game of group play. Lionel Messi, coming off his first career hat-trick during this tournament, will look to become the all-time leading goal scorer in World Cup history with his next goal. France’s Kylian Mbappé, who is quickly rising up the same list, and Norway’s Erling Haaland will look to build on their two-goal performances.

Spain v Saudi Arabia: Group H – FIFA World Cup 2026

World Cup Favorites Bounce Back, And The Magic Continues For Cape Verde

Brazil

Netherlands

Spain

Wednesday’s slate of World Cup games saw more shocking outcomes and dominant performances.
One of the tournament favorites stumbled in a game many expected to be a blowout, while a second contender put on an offensive clinic. Elsewhere on the slate, a West African team snatched a win in stoppage time, and a South American team pulled away late after a tight first half.
In the first match of the day, Portugal took on the Democratic Republic of the Congo in the country’s first World Cup appearance in 52 years. Portugal, on the other hand, has competed in the tournament every year since 2002 and is still attempting to bring home the one trophy that star forward Cristiano Ronaldo is missing from his case.
Portugal scored the opening goal of the game thanks to a header from João Neves in the sixth minute, leading fans to think this might be a similar game to Germany’s 7-1 win over Curaçao. The result ended up being more comparable to the improbable result <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/the-goalkeeper-who-shocked-the-world-had-one-wish-after-the-match">seen</a> in Spain vs. Cape Verde.
Yoane Wissa of the DR Congo scored in the fifth minute of first-half added time for the country’s first-ever World Cup goal, leaving Portugal fans stunned and sending DR Congo fans into a frenzy, including the few watching the game in enemy territory in Lisbon, Portugal.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Look at these DR Congo fans celebrating in the middle of thousands of Portugal fans 🇨🇩 <a href="https://t.co/WtMzcBJJvw">pic.twitter.com/WtMzcBJJvw</a>
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) <a href="https://x.com/FOXSoccer/status/2067319362432930179?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 17, 2026</a></blockquote>
These were the only two goals of the match, as both defenses stood strong, resulting in both countries only receiving one point in Group K for the tie, 1-1. Many viewers began questioning whether or not Ronaldo should continue starting for Portugal, as he has been goalless in his last 10 games in major tournaments.
“This may be the deepest Portuguese team they’ve ever had at a World Cup, but I think they’re better if Ronaldo comes off the bench,” Taylor Twellman <a href="https://x.com/SportsCenter/status/2067448681054208178">told</a> ESPN during his appearance on the Scott Van Pelt Show.
England vs. Croatia was a much higher-scoring affair, with the stars of England showing up in a 4-2 victory. 
Harry Kane, the country’s captain, started things off for England with a penalty kick goal in the 12th minute after being granted a re-kick due to the goalie jumping before Kane kicked the ball. The final 10 minutes of the first half were a back-and-forth affair. 
Croatia’s Martin Baturina tied the game up at the 36-minute mark, which was followed up by Kane’s second goal of the first 45. As the half came to an end, Petar Musa made it 2-2 right before the break.
England’s Jude Bellingham and Marcus Rashford helped the Three Lions pull away in the second half, scoring at the 47th and 85th minutes, respectively. The offense proved ready to potentially win England its second-ever World Cup, with the first being 60 years ago.
The most exciting moment of yesterday’s slate came in the 95th minute of the Ghana and Panama game. After a rainy, defensive game for both halves of regulation, Caleb Yirenkyi of Ghana broke the tie in stoppage time and gave them three points in Group L, putting them in first place along with England.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
GHANA SCORES ITS FIRST GOAL OF THE 2026 FIFA WORLD CUP IN STOPPAGE TIME! 🇬🇭
Caleb Yirenkyi puts it in the back of the net! <a href="https://t.co/CucTJ9UYjM">pic.twitter.com/CucTJ9UYjM</a>
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) <a href="https://x.com/FOXSoccer/status/2067413485072593118?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 18, 2026</a></blockquote>
Colombia pulled away from Uzbekistan late in last night’s match, helping them take sole possession of Group K with three points and a two-goal differential to put Portugal on the ropes early in group play.
Following Wednesday’s results, the second weekend of the 2026 World Cup has plenty of matches to look forward to. Tonight, the other two host countries for this tournament will play in their second group stage game, with Canada taking on Qatar and Mexico squaring off against South Korea.
Friday, the USMNT takes on Australia in a pivotal game to determine who will gain sole possession of the Group D lead. A win would give the United States six total points and a commanding lead to advance to the knockout stages. Scotland will likely continue to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/boston-has-fully-embraced-the-tartan-army-takeover">drink Boston dry</a> as they face off against Morocco, and Brazil will attempt to bounce back against Haiti after their draw with Morocco.
Saturday features powerhouses Spain and Belgium looking to avenge their surprising ties in their opening matches, while Vozinha looks to lead Cape Verde to another impressive result after his seven-save performance against Spain. Sunday’s games look to make history, as Lionel Messi is one goal away from breaking the all-time World Cup record, and France’s Kylian Mbappé is not far behind after his recent two-goal performance.

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