Gyeongju HNP · Attacker · #29 · Brazil · 26 yrs
Canada and Bosnia and Herzegovina will face against each other in the Matchday 1 of the FIFA World Cup group-stage. Here’s everything you need to know to watch the action live in the United States. Here are all of the details of where you can watch Canada vs Bosnia & Herzegovina on US television and via legal streaming: WHO Canada vs Bosnia & Herzegovina WHAT 2026 World Cup WHEN 3:00pm ET / 12:00pm PT • Friday, June 12, 2026 WHERE Fubo, DirecTV Stream, Sling, Peacock Premium, FOX, Telemundo and Hulu + Live TV STREAM WATCH NOW Match Overview As one of the host nations, Canada enters the 2026 tournament with the full force of home support behind them. However, their history in the competition is modest, having lost all six of their previous matches across two appearances in 1986 and 2022. Under the guidance of Jesse Marsch, the Canadians will be desperate to secure a historic first win on opening day and set a positive tone for their campaign. Bosnia & Herzegovina arrive in North America as the underdogs, but they are a battle-hardened squad. Their path to the finals was forged through grueling playoff encounters against Wales and Italy, where they demonstrated immense grit and tactical discipline to advance. Unfazed by hostile crowds, the Bosnians possess the experience and resilience to spoil the party for the hosts in what projects to be a pivotal clash for knockout stage qualification. Tactical Analysis & Match Context The two nations enter this opening fixture from vastly different preparatory paths. Canada, having qualified automatically as hosts, has lacked competitive fixtures for over a year, relying on friendlies to implement Jesse Marsch’s high-energy system. In contrast, Bosnia & Herzegovina are sharp from a demanding European qualifying campaign that saw them overcome significant odds, building a cohesive and resilient unit along the way. The tactical battle promises a fascinating clash of styles. Marsch’s Canada will look to press aggressively and win the ball high up the pitch. However, Bosnia & Herzegovina’s direct approach is the perfect antidote. Averaging 65 long balls per game in qualifying, they will aim to bypass the Canadian press entirely, targeting their physical forwards. The game could be decided in the wide areas, where Canada’s wingers will attempt to pin back the Bosnian full-backs and starve their strikers of service. With Switzerland favored to top the group, this match carries immense weight. For both teams, it represents the most direct path to securing second place and advancing to the Round of 32. The urgency will be palpable from the first whistle, as neither side can afford to settle for a draw. A victory here would provide a massive boost and put the winner in a commanding position to make a deep run in the tournament. Head-to-Head Record & Historic Trends This match will mark the first-ever meeting between Canada and Bosnia & Herzegovina, adding a layer of unpredictability to the encounter. With no historical data to draw from, both teams will be entering uncharted territory. This lack of familiarity could lead to a cagey opening as they feel each other out. While they haven’t faced Bosnia, Canada has historically struggled against European opposition at the global showpiece. In five previous matches against UEFA teams, they have lost every single one, posting a dismal goal difference of one scored and ten conceded. This trend underscores the challenge ahead for the host nation as they look to reverse their fortunes. Bosnia & Herzegovina have proven to be a formidable opponent when cast as the underdog. In their decisive playoff matches against both Wales and Italy, they were unfavored but managed to secure draws in regular time before advancing on penalties. This resilience against stronger teams suggests they are well-equipped to handle the pressure of an opening match away from home and could prove tougher to break down than their odds suggest. Squad News & Projected Lineups Canada ente
A dramatic late winner from Oh Hyeon-gyu has propelled South Korea to a crucial 2-1 victory over the Czech Republic, shaking up the early dynamics of Group A. The opening round of fixtures for Group A of the 2026 World Cup is officially in the books, and the landscape is already proving to be incredibly compelling. Following Mexico’s 2-0 victory over nine-man South Africa at the Estadio Azteca, the action shifted to Guadalajara, where South Korea secured a hard-fought 2-1 victory over the Czech Republic. The European side struck first in the 58th minute when towering defender Ladislav Krejci found the back of the net, silencing the energetic South Korean contingent at the Guadalajara Stadium However, the Asian powerhouse refused to back down; midfielder Hwang In-beom leveled the score with a clinical 66th-minute strike, setting the stage for a grandstand finish. The decisive blow came in the 80th minute when substitute forward Oh Hyeon-gyu turned his marker inside the box and slotted home a dramatic late winner to secure all 3 points for his country. This result fundamentally alters the early balance of power in the group. While co-hosts Mexico still command first place on goal difference (+2), South Korea sits right alongside them at the top of the table with 3 points (+1). Group A standings Meanwhile, the Czech Republic and South Africa find themselves anchored to the bottom of Group A after matchday one, both facing a steep uphill battle to keep their knockout stage dreams alive. What’s next for Group A? With Matchday 1 officially in the books, the focus immediately shifts to a high-stakes second round of group fixtures, which will take place entirely on Thursday, June 18. Kickstarting the action, South Africa and the Czech Republic will square off at the Atlanta Stadium. Both nations are desperately hunting for points after dropping their openers, making this a must-win scenario to keep their World Cup knockout stage hopes alive. Later that evening, the two group leaders will go head-to-head as co-hosts Mexico take on South Korea at the Guadalajara Stadium. It’s an early battle for supremacy in Group A, and with both teams sitting on 3 points, a victory for either side could mathematically punch their ticket to the Round of 32.
The list of absentees at the 2026 World Cup includes Victor Osimhen. Among the list of great players missing the 2026 World Cup are some forwards, with the name of Victor Osimhen ranking high on it, as the goalscorer will not take part in the tournament. Like with some other absences, Osimhen’s omission is directly related to his country failing to qualify. Nigeria are not going to be featured in the competition after falling short in the road to the World Cup. The expansion to 48 teams made it easier for most nations to make history, but that was not the case for Nigeria. They finished second behind South Africa, which sent them into the playoff route. With a semifinal and final for an inter-confederation spot, they beat Gabon before losing to DR Congo in a close penalty shootout. Nigeria’s World Cup history It is normal to see that African teams have far fewer World Cup appearances than others because they were not allocated as many slots. That is why Nigeria have only six participations. Okocha was the most iconic name (Stu Forster/Getty Images) What has been positive for them is that they became a regular presence from the 1990s onward, with a golden generation of players that put them on the map for many, led by Jay-Jay Okocha as their main name. Even though they have kept producing talent for some of the best teams in the world, they have lost a step as a collective in recent years. This missed qualification also adds to their absence in Qatar, leaving them out of the World Cup for eight years. Their best performance In their six appearances, Nigeria advanced past the group stage three times. In all of those years, they were eliminated in the round of 16. Their best performance came in 1994, when they lost to eventual finalists Italy in extra time. In 1998, they fell 4-1 to Denmark in that round, while France beat them 2-0 in 2014.
According to AS, Newcastle United has sent an official bid to Osasuna for Victor Muñoz. The 22-year-old winger has emerged as one of Newcastle’s top attacking targets, with negotiations now ongoing on both the club and player side. Reportedly, Newcastle is close to signing Muñoz in a deal worth €35 million plus €5m in add-ons. […] The post Newcastle eyes Victor Muñoz appeared first on SoccerNews.
The reigning world champion arrives in North America as one of the leading contenders for the trophy, but there is an intriguing statistic hanging over the tournament that has captured the attention of supporters across the globe. Lionel Messi and Argentina find themselves carrying both enormous expectations and a unique piece of soccer history at the 2026 World Cup. The reigning world champion arrives in North America as one of the leading contenders for the trophy. However, there is an intriguing statistic hanging over the tournament that has captured the attention of supporters across the globe. Argentina enters the competition in outstanding form after years of consistency under coach Lionel Scaloni. The national team has already enjoyed remarkable success during the current cycle, yet a historical trend suggests that one particular achievement before a World Cup has rarely been a blessing. La Albiceleste arrives in Kansas City, Missouri, aiming to defend the title won in Qatar four years ago. Having built a squad that combines experienced leaders with emerging talent, the South American giant is widely considered among the strongest teams in the tournament. Recent performances have only reinforced that reputation. Victories in competitive matches and impressive results in friendlies have helped Argentina climb to the summit of international soccer, while Messi continues to inspire, approaching the final stages of his legendary career. Lionel Messi of Argentina celebrates after scoring A convincing 3-0 friendly victory over Iceland helped Argentina secure its place at the top of the FIFA rankings ahead of the tournament. The result confirmed the country’s rise above several other elite nations and strengthened the belief that another deep World Cup run could be possible. The curious World Cup ‘curse’ In the middle of all the optimism surrounding Argentina lies a remarkable statistic that has persisted for decades. According to FIFA’s statistics, no country has ever won the World Cup while entering the tournament ranked No. 1 in the FIFA World Ranking system. The ranking system was introduced by FIFA in 1992, and since then, every nation that arrived at a World Cup as the world’s highest-ranked side ultimately failed to lift the trophy. That trend has survived numerous tournaments despite several dominant teams appearing capable of breaking it. The statistic has become one of soccer’s most fascinating modern curses. While rankings are designed to reward consistency and excellence, history suggests that being the top-ranked side entering a World Cup may bring added pressure rather than a competitive advantage. Paulo Dybala of Argentina lifts the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022. How all previous No. 1-ranked teams fell short Several giants have attempted to overcome the trend, only to fall short when the tournament began. Brazil entered the 1998 World Cup as the top-ranked nation but lost in the final to France. Four years later, France arrived at the 2002 tournament as both defending champion and the highest-ranked side, only to suffer a shocking group-stage elimination. Brazil once again topped the rankings before both the 2006 and 2010 editions. Despite possessing squads filled with world-class talent, the South American powerhouse failed to progress beyond the quarter-finals on both occasions. The pattern became even more surprising in 2014 when Spain arrived in Brazil after dominating international soccer for years. The European champion was expected to challenge for another title but was eliminated in the group stage in one of the tournament’s biggest shocks. World CupFIFA No. 1 Ranked TeamExpected OutcomeActual Result1998BrazilFavorites to win the tournamentLost the final to France2002FranceDefend its world titleEliminated in the group stage2006BrazilWin the World Cup with a star-studded squadEliminated in the quarter-finals2010BrazilEnd the tournament as championsEliminated in the quarter-finals2014SpainContinue its era of
The mayor of Toulouse in southwest France has announced a curfew for youths aged under 16 during "high-risk" World Cup matches, following a similar move by authorities in Clermont-Ferrand. It follows widespread anger at the violence that plagued celebrations of PSG's Champions League victory last month.
In the friendly game between Argentina and Iceland, Lionel Messi had a warm reunion with Daniel Gudjohnsen. Lionel Messi made his highly anticipated return to the pitch in a friendly against Iceland, finding the back of the net in Argentina’s final tune-up before the 2026 World Cup kicks off. However, the biggest highlight came after the final whistle blew, when the Argentine maestro shared a heartwarming post-match exchange with Iceland‘s Daniel Gudjohnsen. As players from both sides began exchanging handshakes at midfield, cameras caught Messi locked in a lively conversation with the young Icelandic attacker. Initially caught off guard, Messi’s face instantly lit up with a massive smile the second he realized he was speaking to the son of his former FC Barcelona teammate, Eidur Gudjohnsen. When asked about the viral moment in the mixed zone, Messi happily shared details of their brief interaction. “He told me, ‘do you remember who I am?’. Truthfully, it surprised me at that moment. Then he told me he was Gudjohnsen’s son. I don’t really remember, to be honest, he was very small. I remember seeing him, being with his father at some training session. But I didn’t remember him, he was too young.” Daniel Gudjohnsen was born in London in March 2006 during his father’s stint at Chelsea, just months before the family relocated to Catalonia. Now playing his club soccer for Malmo, the young forward originally crossed paths with Messi as a baby; fast forward nearly 20 years, and the historic playmaker has now gone from sharing a locker room with the father to competing against the son. Messi’s face when he realized he was talking to Daníel Guðjohnsen, son of his former Barcelona teammate Eiður Guðjohnsen 😂Messi and Eiður played together and won a treble in 2009. Now, Messi is about to play in his sixth World Cup 🤯 pic.twitter.com/9T8NQzkqcn— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) June 10, 2026 Messi and Gudjohnsen’s father at Barcelona Arriving at the Camp Nou in 2006, Eidur Gudjohnsen spent four incredibly successful seasons with FC Barcelona before departing in 2010. During that golden era, the versatile forward helped the Blaugrana capture a La Liga title, a Copa del Rey, two Spanish Super Cups, a UEFA Champions League trophy, and a UEFA Super Cup. Throughout those formative years, Gudjohnsen had a front-row seat as Lionel Messi skyrocketed from a promising young talent to the best player on the planet. From his vantage point on the bench, the Icelandic striker watched Messi execute his iconic, gravity-defying header against Manchester United to seal a 2-0 victory in the 2009 Champions League final. By lifting that trophy, Gudjohnsen became the first player in Iceland’s history to win a Champions League title, ultimately tallying 19 goals and 10 assists across 114 appearances for Barcelona. He later anchored the legendary Iceland squad that shocked Europe by reaching the Euro 2016 quarterfinals before hanging up his boots in 2017, a retirement that narrowly denied him a pitchside reunion with Messi at the 2018 World Cup where Iceland faced Argentina.
Stefan Ortega heads the departure list at Nottingham Forest. The goalkeeper joined Forest from Manchester City in February and made 10 appearances, seven in the club's run to the Europa League semi-finals. John Victor is expected to be fit for the start of the season after suffering a serious knee injury in January, with Matz Sels Forest's No.1.
Among the surprising teams that did not qualify for the 2026 World Cup can be Cameroon as they failed their task. There will be some notable absences at the 2026 World Cup, and Cameroon are one of the surprises missing from the tournament. Even with all the history Cameroon have in this competition, they failed to qualify. The national team that represents Cameroon finished second in their final-round group. Only the winners of each of the nine groups qualified directly, with the best four runners-up heading to a playoff for a place in the intercontinental matches. Their 19 points in 10 matches were behind Cape Verde’s 23, but enough for the next round. This brief playoff of four teams saw them eliminated in the semifinals against DR Congo, who ended up qualifying after an extra-time victory over Jamaica in the interconfederation playoff. Cameroon’s World Cup history This country has mostly been seen as a tough rival for anyone, as it is the African team with the most World Cup participations. Their total of eight appearances began in 1982 and gave them the record. Milla remains an icon of the sport beyond just Cameroon (Tullio M. Puglia/Getty Images for Golden Foot) In the last editions, they have been plagued by inconsistency after qualifying, which can be seen in how early they returned from the competition, with only one run beyond the group stage. They were especially notable in 1990, not just because of the presence of Roger Milla, who was 38 years old and had his famous celebrations, but also for defeating the defending champions Argentina in their opening match and putting themselves on the map for casual fans. The best performance Getting out of the group only once means that is their best performance, but it was not just a good one. Cameroon’s run in 1990 should remain in the history books for everything they did after their first match. They were able to reach the round of 16, where they beat Colombia with two Milla goals in extra time. This was followed by a 3-2 defeat to England in the quarterfinals also after extra time.
