Young England side hopes to return to winning ways and advance to knockout stage

The 2018 FIFA World Cup begins on Thursday, June 14. Leading up to the tourney, we’ll offer our previews and predictions for each of the eight groups. Today, a look at Group G:

De Bruyne runs the midfield. He led the English Premier League in assists in 2017-18 with 16 as well he led Manchester City to a Premier League title. With a forward group as skilled as Belgium’s, De Bruyne will be the go-to in the attacking midfield.

The 25-year-old striker uses a combination of speed and physical play to get through defences. He has a deadly left-footed shot that produced 25 goals in the 2016-17 Premier League season for Everton.

In 1986, Belgium achieved fourth place for their best-ever finish at the World Cup. They have an unbelievably talented squad that has the ability to win the tournament. Anything short of the semifinals and it would be classified as a failure.

READ MORE: FIFA World Cup preview: Lionel Messi set to shine on the world stage in Group D

Torres is a rock at centre-back and was influential in helping the Sounders capture the MLS Cup in 2016, the first in Sounders history.

Tejada is tied for the most goals in Panama history with 43, along with teammate Blas Perez. He had a successful season in 2017 with Universitario with 18 goals.

A nation of roughly 4 million people, this is the first time Panama has appeared in a World Cup. They will enjoy every moment in Russia, however it is unlikely they will win a game.

Khazri is on loan from Sunderland to Rennes in the French Ligue 1.

It is likely that Tunisia will call upon the 23-year-old goalkeeper to start. Originally born in France, Hassen has represented the nation at every youth level from Under-16s through to Under-21s. In 2018 he decided to represent his parents’ native Tunisia.

This will be Tunisia’s fifth World Cup appearance and they have yet to make it past the group stage. A group that includes Belgium and England will likely mean an early exit for the African side.

READ MORE: FIFA World Cup preview: Whitecaps’ Kendall Waston hopes to repeat success of Costa Rica in 2014 in Group E

Kane will captain England side. Kane won the Premier League Golden Boot in back-to-back seasons (2015-16 and 2016-17), scoring 25 and 29 goals, respectively. He is a strong forward and one of the world’s best at finding ways to put the ball into the back of the net.

Alli is the third-youngest player on the roster yet his experience would say otherwise. He scored 18 goals in the Premier League in 2016-17 for the Spurs as a midfielder. Alli is a tall presence in the midfield and will be influential in controlling the play for England.

In 2014 England had a poor performance at the World Cup as they were unable to make it through the group stage. At the Euros in 2016, England fell to Iceland in the round of 16. Expectations are low for this squad, however they are virtually guaranteed to make it through the group stage this time around.

Group Winner: Belgium. They are talented, strong and fast and are a lock to make it to at least the quarter-finals.

Group Runner-up: England. Despite recent blunders in past tournaments, England has a capable side of making a run well into the knockout stage.

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kieran.oconnor@bpdigital.ca

Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.</s>Defending World Cup champion Germany coasted through qualifying with a perfect 10-0 mark and a European record 43 goals. Then came a reality check.

Germany drew friendlies against England, France and Spain, and Joachim Loew’s team lost 1-0 to Brazil to end a 22-game unbeaten run, and then came a defeat to Austria. The Germans didn’t win a game this year until last week’s 2-1 victory over Saudi Arabia in Leverkusen.

Now trying to become the first time since Brazil in 1962 to defend their World Cup title looks tricky for the Germans.

“We’re not as good as we’re made out to be, or as some think we are,” midfielder Toni Kroos said. “There’s huge room for improvement.”

The recent slump in friendly matches could snap any complacency among the Germans going into the World Cup, which needs to top Group F to avoid a likely second-round clash against Brazil.

Here’s a closer look at the Germany team:

Loew, assistant coach to Juergen Klinsmann during Germany’s “summer fairytale” hosting of the 2006 World Cup, was promoted to the top job after its third-place finish. He favors a fast-paced possession-based game, pressing opponents to recover the ball and switching quickly from defense to attack.

Loew has taken Germany to the final of the 2008 European Championship, a third-place finish at the 2010 World Cup, then the semifinals at Euro 2012 before the 2014 World Cup title in Brazil.

Germany followed with a disappointing semifinal exit to France at Euro 2016, but Loew laid the groundwork for a successful World Cup title defense by winning the Confederations Cup last year in Russia with a young team of promising talent.

Loew hasn’t been afraid to test the younger players and Germany’s depth made for one his hardest tasks _ which players to leave off the final 23-man squad.

Leroy Sane, the Premier League’s young player of the year, was cut. Mario Goetze, who scored the tournament-winning goal in 2014, wasn’t even called up for the preliminary squad.

Loew also has the unfortunate tendency to become an internet sensation among fans because the 58-year-old coach has been caught on camera picking his nose and in other compromising positions during games.

Captain Manuel Neuer has proved his fitness just in time. The Bayern Munich goalkeeper missed most of the season with a second hairline fracture in his left foot, but he played the full game Saturday against Austria.

“I feel very good,” said Neuer, who isn’t worried about injuring his foot a third time. “The risk is exactly the same as with any other player.”

Marc-Andre ter Stegen is the reserve goalkeeper despite an excellent season with Barcelona.

Kevin Trapp of Paris Saint-Germain got the nod over Bernd Leno of Bayer Leverkusen as Germany’s third-choice keeper.

Bayern defender Jerome Boateng appears to have recovered from a thigh injury suffered April in the Champions League semifinals against Real Madrid. Bayern teammate Niklas Suele can also step in to partner Mats Hummels in the center. Joshua Kimmich, another Bayern player, has emerged to soften the blow of Philipp Lahm’s retirement at right back. The modest Jonas Hector will likely keep his place on the left despite Cologne’s relegation.

Toni Kroos will be among the first names on Loew’s team sheet. The Real Madrid midfielder is the driving force behind the side. He will likely be partnered by Juventus’ Sami Khedira, who provides more of a defensive presence, with Mesut Ozil in front, flanked on either side by Thomas Mueller and Marco Reus.

Germany has a wealth of options in midfield, with Ilkay Gundogan, Leon Goretzka, Julian Draxler and Julian Brandt all providing ample backup options.

Timo Werner seems assured of his starting place after another good season for Leipzig, albeit with most of his goals in the first half of the campaign. The 22-year-old Werner forward has seven goals in 12 international appearances, but it’s his runs into space and the problems he causes defenders that benefit the team.

Loew also has Mario Gomez as a more experienced option. The 32-year-old Stuttgart striker has played in big tournaments before _ at the World Cup in 2010 and three European Championships _ and will hope to add to his 31 goals. Loew also has the option of playing Mueller or Reus up front.

Germany kicks off its title defense near its tournament base in Moscow at the Luzhniki Stadium against Mexico on June 17. The side then faces a long trip south to Sochi for its second game against Sweden on June 23, before wrapping up Group F against South Korea in Kazan four days later.

For all the latest Fifa News, download Indian Express App</s>On Wednesday, FIFA will announce whether or not Canada will co-host the 2026 World Cup.

We would share the hosting duties with the U.S. and Mexico — if team North America wins, it would be the first time three countries host together.

The “United” North American bid was ratified by FIFA, and is favoured to win over competitor Morocco.

READ MORE: North American countries expected to top Moroccan bid to host 2026 World Cup

The announcement comes as the 2018 World Cup is set to start on Thursday in Russia.

WATCH: Fears of hooliganism before FIFA World Cup in Russia

Here’s five things you need to know about the vote:

When is the vote?

Voting takes place at the FIFA Congress on Wednesday at the Moscow Expocentre.

Both bids will be given one last chance to make their case with 15 minute presentations in front of congress.

The congress starts at 9 a.m. Moscow time (2 a.m. ET), but voting isn’t expected to begin until later in the proceedings. The vote is currently marked as the 13th item on the agenda.

Who’s voting and how does it work?

Under FIFA’s new system, all eligible football federations who attend congress are entitled to an equal a vote.

So out of the 211 members, all but the competing nations get a vote.

The winning bid simply needs a majority of the votes.

The result has been a jet-setting campaign from both bids who have travelled the globe in an attempt to win over the worldwide electorate.

There is still a chance neither bid is accepted, which would restart the process, according to FIFA.com, but North America and Morocco wouldn’t be able to submit a new bid.

FIFA released a ranking based on things like stadiums, operating costs, fan zones and transportation; North America received a ranking of 4.0 out of 5, while Morocco received 2.7.

Countries are expected to factor the ranking into their vote.

WATCH: Should countries boycott the FIFA World Cup in Russia?

In late April, U.S. President Donald Trump tweeted out support of the “United” bid for the World Cup.

It’s not unusual for a head of state to talk up his country’s bid, but Trump took things a step further, seemingly threatening to withdraw support for countries that don’t vote for the so-called “United 2026” bid.

Soon after, FIFA issued a reminder that political interference in the World Cup bidding process is forbidden under its statutes.

READ MORE: FIFA reminds Trump that blackmailing countries into voting for U.S. World Cup bid is unethical

A win would mean Canada would play in the tournament for the first time since 1986

Since host countries are automatically in the tournament, a win for the “United” bid would ensure that the Canadian Men’s soccer team would be playing in the World Cup.

The last time they did that was in 1986 — in Mexico. The team didn’t make it past the group stage.

Canada’s Women’s team is another story. The women have been in every World Cup since 1995, only missing out on the first Women’s World Cup in 1991.

Toronto, Montreal and Edmonton are the three Canadian cities slated to host matches if the United 2026 bid prevails. The bulk of the matches — 60 in all — would be held in the U.S., with Canada and Mexico hosting 10 each.

READ MORE: Canadian soccer stalwarts say co-hosting 2026 World Cup could transform the sport in Canada

Soccer in Canada could be transformed forever due to investment in facilities for a World Cup.

“It would be incredible to have the games in Canada and have kids going to the stadiums and watching games and watching Canada play,” said Paul Stalteri, former Canada captain who played club soccer at the highest level in the German Bundesliga and English Premier League before retiring in 2013.

“Some great things can happen in the long term, not just playing the games at the World Cup but the seeds that can be planted leading all the way up to that World Cup and after for the next generation of players.”

The last time FIFA voted on a host nation was in 2010, which prompted a litany of corruption scandals related to the awarding of the 2018 and 2022 World Cups to Russia and Qatar, respectively.

That was with the old voting system, where the executive committee made the final decision about who would host.

Several members of that committee were later banned from the game after they were caught up in the corruption scandal that engulfed world football’s governing body in 2015.

Under FIFA’s new system for choosing the host nation for the lucrative tournament, all eligible football federations who attend congress will be given a vote.

WATCH: First person in FIFA bribery case sentenced to 8 months in prison</s>The United States will host the 2026 FIFA World Cup after its three-way bid – along with Mexico and Canada – was granted staging rights during a vote here on Wednesday.

The “United” bid, that will see 60 of the tournament’s games held in the U.S., with Canada and Mexico getting 10 each, beat out the underdog campaign of Morocco to bring soccer’s biggest show back to American soil.

The U.S. previously hosted in 1994 and the potential for a highly lucrative tournament, plus the existing stadiums and infrastructure, likely played a major role in swaying voters.

With the breakdown of voting results made public, the United bid claimed 134 votes, with 64 giving their support to Morocco and one country voting for neither bid.

The United 2026 bid (Canada-Mexico-US) officials react following the announcement that the United bid will host the 2026 World Cup during the 68th FIFA Congress at the Expocentre in Moscow on June 13, 2018.

After the U.S. men's national team missed out on qualifying for this summer’s tournament, which kicks off at Moscow’s Luzhniki Stadium on Thursday, the news of the successful bid was a boost to frustrated American soccer fans.

Following allegations of corruption regarding the 2018 and 2022 voting process back in 2010, more than 200 member nations took part in the decision this time around, instead of a 24-person committee.

While Morocco, as expected, obtained strong support in Africa, the United bid’s power base in Central and South America, plus some welcome backing from parts of Europe and Asia, made the difference.

There had been concerns that political factors, such as the United States’ waning popularity overseas and what was perceived as an interfering tweet about the bid from President Donald Trump, would count against it.

However, the strong marks the United bid received from FIFA evaluators boosted its prospects. It is expected that both semifinals and the final will all be held in U.S. venues.

Indeed, Trump's behind-the-scenes actions may even have helped sway some key votes. The White House provided U.S. Soccer president Carlos Cordeiro with three separate letters that Cordeiro showed to delegates, containing guarantees from Trump that any immigration policies relating to predominantly Muslim countries would impose no restriction affecting the tournament.

The United2026 bid (Canada-Mexico-US) leader Carlos Cordeiro, president of the United States Football Association, gives a speech during the 68th FIFA Congress at the Expocentre in Moscow on June 13, 2018.

Both bids were permitted 15 minutes to make a presentation to the FIFA members immediately before the vote. The United Bid featured a youth team player from each of the three nations, beginning with a moving tale by 17-year-old Canadian Alphonso Davies, the current Major League Soccer player of the week, about how his family had been welcomed after fleeing civil war in Africa.

The three federation chiefs also spoke, with Cordeiro strongly emphasizing the profitability of a North American tournament, promising $11 billion in revenues.

Morocco's presentation took some not-so-subtle shots at the U.S., highlighting the fact that guns are banned in Morocco and stating that during the 1994 World Cup even world-renowned soccer stars were unknown in America.

It was a solid performance by Morocco, which entered bidding late and was always going to be up against the odds. In the end it wasn't enough, and Americans fans can look forward to the return of soccer's greatest event in what can only be seen as a massive boost for the domestic game.</s>SBS is bringing the World Cup to Australian viewers like never before after dipping their toes into the new frontier of sports broadcasting.

The official free-to-air broadcaster of the Russia 2018 FIFA World Cup has unveiled its full guide for the world's biggest sporting event - and the "cutting edge" technology that will show the event like never before.

SBS on Wednesday launched its FIFA World Cup VR App in association with FIFA and Optus Sport, giving Aussie viewers the opportunity to watch games live through a virtual reality experience from within the event's Russian stadiums.

It all kicks off on Thursday night with the opening ceremony to be screened from 10.30pm before Russia takes on Saudi Arabia in the tournament opener from 1am on Friday morning at Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow.

SBS will also show every Socceroos' game as part of their 25-match broadcast schedule throughout the month-long tournament.

Optus Sports has the rights to screen all 64 matches live through its streaming services.

SBS World Cup 2018 executive producer Stu Randall says its "cutting edge" app is following in the footsteps of the NBA's pursuit of new experiences for viewers.

The free app - which will be separate to the 2018 FIFA World Cup app - incorporates dedicated VR match content created at the venues, inviting viewers to experience the action from various positions inside stadiums with the ability to change between camera angles during live matches.

"This is a bit of a toe in the water for us, but it is very cutting edge technology, similar to what's been done in the NBA," Randall told news.com.au.

"We're excited to see how it goes. We think it will be a really nice screening addition to the World Cup."

He said the service isn't a gamble, because it is provided to official broadcasters in a partnership with the FIFA World Cup broadcasting service.

He also believes the technology has been refined to improve the reliability and quality for users.

"There's not a huge amount that's been done in that space," Randall said of VR.

"Obviously the issue in this country has always been our bandwidth available for these things - our excellent internet system in this country. There are some examples around the world that we've been able to look at and we're going to have some pretty cutting edge stuff in sports VR broadcasting.

"I don't think it's too much of a gamble. We already have 360 degree video products added to SBS. We've done augmented reality projects in the past. This is one of the services that we can actually pick up through the World Cup app. We're always trying to think about our audience first and think about ways that we can give them as good an experience as we possibly can."

THE virtual reality product is just one of many new offerings that SBS will give viewers this World Cup.

In a bid to meet the changing demands from Aussie fans for World Cup content, SBS has outlined plans to offer extensive content on social media and new timeslots to meet the demand for instant World Cup information.

Along with its two apps, SBS has also committed to an SBS Radio daily podcast series, to be hosted by star presenters Lucy Zelic and Craig Foster which will be available for Aussie fans every morning to re-cap the overnight action from Russia.

SBS has also intensified its Facebook and Twitter strategy, with plans to hold regular Facebook live broadcasts and Twitter Live segments from its Red Square studio in Moscow.

The big change from previous World Cups is the decision to scrap its light-entertainment panel program.

Instead of the light-hearted nightly comedy shows of previous tournaments, including The Full Brazilian at the 2014 tournament in Brazil, SBS has focused on an extended matchday production to be based out if its Moscow studio.

SBS will also screen a daily highlights show from 5.30pm (AEST).

DESPITE the increased presence of Optus Sport, SBS has retained its core on-camera talent for the 2018 World Cup.

Randall said there will be just one less broadcast team on the ground in Russia than Brazil four years ago - despite SBS only broadcasting 25 matches this time.

SBS has been able to deliver a very similar line-up to the one that broadcast the Rio event.

The lead commentary duo for all Socceroos games will again be SBS veteran commentator David Basheer and Socceroos great Craig Moore.

SBS has also been able to secure the exclusive commentary services of English commentary superstar Martin Tyler, who returns to SBS following Sky Sport UK's failure to secure the World Cup rights.

Tyler will be the sole front-man in SBS's secondary broadcast team.

Between the two teams, Randall anticipates SBS will be able to cover around 22 World Cup matches - and will rely on the World Cup's Home Broadcast Service for the three or four games it is unable to cover because of the logistical headaches presented by Russia's vast expanse.

SBS has also picked up Socceroos great David Zdrilic as a roving reporter.

Football commentator Sebastian Hassett will also feature on the sidelines and as the official interviewer of Aussie coaches and players before and after games.

SBS's coverage of the Round of 16 and quarter-finals will be announced throughout the tournament.

Here is the preliminary schedule:</s>How far will Argentina go? Who win the Golden Boot? Here a 5 bold predictions for the 2018 FIFA World Cup!

After a long four year gap, the lovers of the beautiful game finally get to see 32 top teams compete for one of the most prestigious trophies in football. Flights carrying the different teams taking part in this year's World Cup have already landed in Russia and it is just a matter of time for the festival to kick-off.

There are several teams that have been labeled as the favorites to take home the trophy, but it in the end only one will take home the cup. Throughout the tournament, there are going to be a lot of surprises, upsets and what not. In other words, the FIFA World Cup is unpredictable and to foretell what is going to happen is almost impossible.

But against all that, here are 5 bold predictions for the event in Russia:

Africa has given some amazing players like Didier Drogba, Samuel Eto'o, George Weah, Yaya Toure, etc. to football, but never have any team from the continent reached the semi-finals of the World Cup. However, this year in Russia we could witness the writing of a new story when an African team overcomes the odds and becomes one of the last four squads in the competition.

There are five nations representing Africa at the World Cup and they are - Nigeria, Senegal, Egypt, Morocco, and Tunisia. These five teams are placed 48th, 27th, 45th, 41st, and 21st on the FIFA World ranking respectively.

As we know, Nigeria is the lowest ranked team out of the five and yet they have a strong enough squad to surprise the world. The Super Eagles have already attracted lots of people even before kicking the ball with their striking kits.

Egypt will be relieved after their star man Mohamed Salah, who got injured in the UEFA Champions League final against Real Madrid, returned to training just in time for the World Cup. The Pharaoh's hopes lay on the Liverpool winger and will want him to hit the ground running in order to qualify for further rounds.

Morocco is a young and exciting team, but they face tough competition in the group stage from Iran, Spain, and Portugal. Qualifying from the group itself would be a great achievement for the Atlas Lions. Tunisia looks like the weakest team of the bunch and would find it difficult to get past the group stages.

Senegal is a really balanced team and has got quality throughout the squad. Sadio Mane will be their key man in the attack, but they also have the likes of Kalidou Koulibaly, Idrissa Gueye, Keita Balde, etc in the side. Placed in group H along with Poland, Colombia, and Japan, qualifications to further stages is a real possibility for the side.

Nigeria and Senegal could be the ones to create history at this year's World Cup.</s>Indian soccer fans followed the just-concluded FIFA World Cup not just on television but also on the mobile and laptop. A study by Vdopia on the impact of online and mobile devices on fan interaction with the World Cup says that it is increasingly clear that dual screening on television and mobile devices has arrived. A typical consumer is watching the match, checking FIFA updates and sharing highlights of his favourite match on his mobile, updating them on Facebook, looking up for some information on their tablet or just sending an email— all during the same time. Mobile has become the second most preferred medium in Asia Pacific after television with 80 per cent respondents looking forward to multiscreen entertainment. The World Cup has been regarded as the ‘most social event ever’ with 250,000 Indian unique viewers visiting football sites everyday via the mobile.

Fun Cinemas in Mumbai has undergone a makeover promising the audience a high-end viewing experience. The renovated multiplex is equipped with state-of-the-art Dolby ATMOS technology that offers a life-like three-dimensional sound for an immersive movie experience. The Barco B series 2K projectors and high-gain silver-screen have been introduced to ensure a superior 3D visual experience. Besides, technological upgradation, the multiplex has reduced the seating capacity in its auditoriums.

For all the latest Entertainment News, download Indian Express App</s>SUMMARY Meems have already started doing rounds on the internet hours before the FIFA World Cup starts Here are some of the top meems doing rounds on social media and I must say, they're incredibly funny

Ladies and Gentlemen, fans and followers, the FIFA World Cup Russia 2018 is finally upon us.

Hosts Russia will kick off the tournament with a match against Saudi Arabia in what is expected to be a pulsating start to the tournament. ​

As this happens, netizens have already begun creating memes which even add more spice to the already much-hyped tournament.

Here are some memes seen by Ureport that have taken the internet by storm:

One ridicules the fact that America, hosts of the 2026 World Cup, will not be in this year's tournament.

Remember when Brazil shocked everyone by losing 7-1 to eventual champions Germany in the semi-final?

Nigeria's kit just got everyone on the internet talking...

Here's a funny one. Cleveland Cavaliers' Lebron James gesturing to a teammate looks exactly how a footballer complains to a teammate on the pitch...

People just can't let go of Liverpool's goalkeeper Karius after that Champions League final howler...

Here's another showing how men get irritated easily when watching football with women around.

Lately, England has failed to mesmerise fans in the World Cup. So fans expect a quick exit.

2006 champions Italy did not qualify for the 2018 World Cup, guess who eliminated them....Sweden.

Another funny one shows former FIFA president Sepp Blatter giving Russia President Vladimir Putin money.

Do you have more World Cup memes? Please share them with us.</s>All the spots for FIFA World Cup 2018 have been filled, with Peru taking the final spot on Thursday. While Panama and Iceland created history by qualifying for their first-ever World Cup, football power Italy had a heartbreak by failing to secure a spot in the Russia World Cup for the first time in 60 years.

Here are the 32 teams that have qualified for the 2018 Russia World Cup:

RUSSIA: Russia gets automatic qualification for being the host country. The team needs to put their best foot forward after getting knocked out in the group stage Confederations Cup.

BELGIUM: Belgium has been the first nation to get selected after they defeated Bosnia-Herzegovina and Greece in the qualifying stage.

ENGLAND: Gareth Southgate’s side booked their spot in the World Cup following a 1-0 win over Slovenia at Wembley on October 5.

GERMANY: Germany sealed qualification for World Cup with a game to spare after Joachim Löw’s side beat Northern Ireland 3-1 in Belfast in early October.

ICELAND: Iceland sealed a place in Russia with a 2-0 victory against Kosovo in Reykjavik, becoming the smallest nation ever to qualify for a World Cup finals.

POLAND: Poland secured its spot in next year’s World Cup in Russia with a 4-2 win over Montenegro in European qualifying on October 8.

SPAIN: Spain sealed their place in next year’s World Cup with a comfortable 3-0 victory over Albania on October 6.

SERBIA: Aleksandar Prijovic scored after coming on as a second-half substitute to cement Serbia’s place in Russia with a 1-0 win over Georgia.

PORTUGAL: The European champions Portugal qualified for next year’s World Cup with a convincing 2-0 win over Switzerland.

FRANCE: France qualified for next year’s World Cup finals in Russia with a 2-1 home victory over Belarus on October 10 to finish top of Group A.

SWITZERLAND: Switzerland are heading to their 11th World Cup and their fourth consecutive world finals, their best run of appearances since stringing four together between 1934-54.

CROATIA: Croatia are in the World Cup finals after a 0-0 away draw on Sunday night put them through with a 4-1 aggregate across the two legs of their qualifying play-off with Greece.

SWEDEN: Sweden battled their way to the 2018 World Cup at the expense of Italy after hammering out a 0-0 draw in the second leg of their playoff.

DENMARK: Christian Eriksen hat-trick helped Denmark secure Europe’s final qualification spot for the Russia World Cup with a 5-1 victory away to Republic of Ireland on Tuesday.

BRAZIL: The 2014 World Cup semifinalists booked their place in the next World Cup back in March. They stand at the top of the table, after drawing 1-1 to Columbia on Tuesday.

URUGUAY: Uruguay finished second in the 10-team group behind five-time World Cup winners Brazil.

ARGENTINA: Lionel Messi hat-trick guarantteed last World Cup finalists Argentina, who came from behind, to book their World Cup spot.

COLOMBIA: Colombia, who produced their best ever performance at a World Cup in Brazil in 2014, booked a spot in next year’s tournament.

PERU: Peru beat New Zealand 2-0 to book the final World Cup 2018 spot. They last reached the World Cup in 1982.

MEXICO: Mexico have remained unbeaten in their qualifying round and booked their spot for the World Cup by beating Panama 1-0.

COSTA RICA: Costa Rica qualified for the 2018 World Cup finals after drawing 1-1 against Honduras in early October.



PANAMA: Panama defeated already qualified Costa Rica 2-1 to secure a place at the 2018 World Cup in Russia for the first time in the country’s history. 



NIGERIA: Nigeria beat a stubborn Zambia 1-0 to become the first African side to seal a place at next year’s World Cup in Russia.

EGYPT: Egypt’s 27-year wait came to an end as Mohammad Salah scored a brace against Comgo to help his side qualify for World Cup.



SENEGAL: Senegal qualify for next year’s World Cupwith a 2-0 away win over South Africa that gave them an unassailable lead at the top of Group D.

MOROCCO: Morocco stunned Ivory Coast 2-0 to qualify for the 2018 World Cup. Morocco is returning to World Cup after 20 years.

TUNISIA: For Tunisia, the barren draw against Libya was enough to get them another World Cup ticket.

IRAN: Iran, who drew against Syria 2-2 last night, made it to their fifth yet second consecutive World Cup. They have, however, only managed one win in the tournament so far.

SOUTH KOREA: This is going to be South Korea’s ninth successive appearance at the World Cup, having qualified after winning four out of ten games.

JAPAN: Japan is going to make its sixth consecutive appearance at the World Cup

SAUDI ARABIA: Saudi Arabia will be making an appearance at the World Cup for the first time since 2006.

AUSTRALIA: Australia qualified for their fourth successive World Cup by beating a physical Honduras 3-1 at Stadium Australia in Sydney.



For all the latest Sports News, download Indian Express App</s>North America will host the 2026 World Cup after FIFA voters overwhelmingly opted for the financial and logistical certainty of a United States-led bid over a risky Moroccan proposal for the first 48-team tournament.

The soccer showpiece will return to the U.S. for the first time since 1994 after gaining 134 votes, while Morocco got 65 at the FIFA Congress in Moscow on Wednesday.

The vote by football federations was public, in contrast to secrecy surrounding the ballot by FIFA’s elected board members for the 2018 and 2022 hosts, Russia and Qatar, in 2010.

The U.S. proposed staging 60 out of the 80 games in 2026, when 16 teams will be added to the finals, leaving Canada and Mexico with ten fixtures each. North America will host the 2026 World Cup after FIFA voters overwhelmingly opted for the financial and logistical certainty of a United States-led bid over risky Moroccan proposals for the first 48-team tournament.

The soccer showpiece will return to the U.S. for the first time since 1994 after gaining 134 votes, while Morocco got 65 at the FIFA Congress in Moscow on Wednesday.

The vote by football federations was public, in contrast to secrecy surrounding the ballot by FIFA’s elected board members for the 2018 and 2022 hosts, Russia and Qatar, in 2010.

The U.S. proposed staging 60 out of the 80 games in 2026, when 16 teams will be added to the finals, leaving Canada and Mexico with ten fixtures each. The U.S. is set to host all games from the quarterfinals onward.

An optimistic promise of delivering $14 billion in revenue helped sway voters, along with the lack of major construction work required on the 16 planned stadiums, all of which already exist.

By contrast, Morocco appeared too hazardous as a potential host when all 14 venues had to be built or renovated as part of a $16 billion investment in new infrastructure. The vote leaves Morocco reeling from a fifth failure in a World Cup hosting vote, with the continent’s sole tournament coming in 2010 in South Africa.

While Morocco’s combined tickets and hospitality revenue would be $1.07 billion, according to FIFA analysis, North America would generate $2 billion additional income.

Canada will host men’s World Cup matches for the first time, while Mexico gets its first taste of the event since staging the entire event in 1986.

The 87,000-capacity MetLife Stadium outside New York is proposed for the final. It’s just miles from where federal prosecutors spearheaded an ongoing investigation into FIFA corruption. More than 40 soccer officials and businesses indicted, convicted or pleaded guilty.

The bribery scandal put the governing body on the brink, FIFA President Gianni Infantino told the congress ahead of Wednesday’s vote.

“FIFA was clinically dead as an organization,” Infantino said, reflecting on his election in 2016. “Two years later, FIFA is alive and well, full of joy and passion and with a vision for its future.”

The North American victory suggests football officials are ready to gather for a World Cup in a country whose government has demonstrated its willingness to jail corrupt sports leaders through undercover investigations.

The North America bid also had to overcome concerns about the impact of policies from the Trump administration, including attempts to implement a ban on travel by residents of six majority-Muslim countries.

The main intervention by President Donald Trump was a warning in a White House news conference, discussing the FIFA vote, that he would be “watching very closely.” It was a veiled threat to withhold U.S. support from countries opposing the bid.

FIFA now has the final say on which cities are selected to host games and whether all three countries are guaranteed a place at the tournament. Victor Montagliani, the Canadian who leads CONCACAF, wants them to take three of the six qualification slots reserved for the region.

There is also a chance to send a seventh team via an inter-continental playoff. North America will host the six-team playoff tournament in November 2025 to decide the last two places in the 48-team lineup.
The FIFA Congress votes to hold the 2026 World Cup in Canada, Mexico, and the United States, with Morocco's World Cup bid coming in second.