FIFA World Cup 2026

Eight teams remain in the hunt for glory

Published at : 08 July 2026, 01:32 pm
Eight teams remain in the hunt for glory

The World Cup is down to just eight teams, with a heavyweight line-up set to do battle in the quarter-finals from Thursday.

AFP Sport looks at the match-ups, all of which are taking place in the United States.

France v Morocco

Imperious France have lived up to their billing as World Cup favourites, sweeping through the group stage and swatting aside Sweden before edging past Paraguay in the last 16.

It is difficult to see any team keeping Didier Deschamps' men quiet, given their embarrassment of riches in attack, including Kylian Mbappe, Ousmane Dembele, Bradley Barcola and the wonderfully creative Michael Olise.

But unbeaten Morocco will not be fazed by facing the two-time world champions after seeing off the Netherlands on penalties and crushing co-hosts Canada 3-0 in the last 16.

The North African team will have revenge on their minds in Boston after they lost to France in the semi-finals four years ago in Qatar.

The Atlas Lions created history by becoming the first African team to progress to the last four in 2022 and will be keen to match that feat.

Spain v Belgium

In beating Portugal 1-0 on Monday, Spain became the first team in tournament history to record six consecutive World Cup clean sheets.

Luis de la Fuente's European champions do not always set pulses racing but they are strikingly efficient and comfortable on the ball.

Barcelona star Lamine Yamal has netted just once in five games but Mikel Oyarzabal has scored four times, including twice in a 3-0 win against Austria in the last 32.

Belgium go into the match in Los Angeles on the back of a 4-1 thumping of co-hosts the United States.

That came after they rallied from two goals down in the last 32 to beat Senegal 3-2 in extra-time.

The World Cup is likely the last hurrah for the remainder of the nation's so-called Golden Generation, including Kevin De Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku, who will be desperate to leave the stage on a high.

Norway v England

England's defenders are used to facing Norway hotshot Erling Haaland in the Premier League -- but whether they can handle him is another story.

Thomas Tuchel's men arrived in the United States among the favourites to win the tournament for just the second time in their history.

Captain Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham have been the standout players so far, scoring 10 of the team's 11 goals, including all three in a gripping 3-2 win against Mexico.

England, reduced to 10 men, had to dig deep to see off the co-hosts in a result that will infuse them with confidence ahead of their meeting with Norway.

But they will come up against a team in Miami led by the irrepressible Haaland, who has scored seven goals so far as he chases the Golden Boot.

The Manchester City man has netted in each of his past 14 competitive outings for Norway -- 27 goals in total -- and is bound to create problems for England's shaky defence.

Argentina v Switzerland

Lionel Messi's Argentina have come through two almighty scares to set up a quarter-final against Switzerland.

The defending champions were taken to extra-time by World Cup debutants Cape Verde before prevailing 3-2.

Then in the last 16 they looked down and out when trailing 2-0 against Egypt before an astonishing comeback, with Messi at the centre of the action.

Head coach Lionel Scaloni will know his team cannot keep testing fate as they chase a fourth World Cup crown, but they have shown they can never be counted out.

Now they face Switzerland in Kansas City, who beat Colombia on penalties in Vancouver after a goalless draw.

The Swiss, who are into the last eight for the first time since they hosted the tournament in 1954, are an organised outfit and will likely be tough to break down. 

END/AFP/ASA

Mushfiqur to play for Fortune Barishal in BPL 2024

Published at : 24 September 2023, 03:42 pm
Mushfiqur to play for Fortune Barishal in BPL 2024

Bangladeshi wicketkeeper-batter Mushfiqur Rahim is set to feature for Fortune Barishal in the forthcoming Bangladesh Premier League (BPL).

 

Mushfiqur had played for Sylhet Strikers in the last edition. His price was fixed at 80 lakhs in the players' draft according to the category. Which means he was in 'A' category.

The top category player will play along with other star players like Tamim Iqbal, Mahmudullah, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, and Khaled Ahmed in Fortune Barishal.

Neymar quits PSG to sign for Saudi Arabia’s Al-Hilal

Published at : 20 September 2023, 05:06 pm
Neymar quits PSG to sign for Saudi Arabia’s Al-Hilal

Neymar said he was relishing “new challenges and opportunities in new places” after he joined Saudi Arabia’s Al-Hilal from Paris Saint-Germain on a two-year deal Tuesday, becoming the latest big name lured to the oil-rich Gulf state.

The Brazil forward, 31, ends a six-year stay in the French capital and follows in the footsteps of Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema and Sadio Mane in swapping Europe for the Middle East.

“I have achieved a lot in Europe and enjoyed special times, but I have always wanted to be a global player and test myself with new challenges and opportunities in new places,” Neymar said in a statement from the Saudi Pro League.

“I want to write new sporting history, and the Saudi Pro League has tremendous energy and quality players at the moment,” he added.

Neymar ‘in negotiations’ over Saudi move as Mbappe returns to PSG good books

Published at : 20 September 2023, 05:05 pm
Neymar ‘in negotiations’ over Saudi move as Mbappe returns to PSG good books

Neymar was “in negotiations” on Sunday to become the latest football superstar to decamp for Saudi Arabia, leaving Paris Saint-Germain just as Kylian Mbappe was brought back in from the cold by the French champions.

A source close to PSG told AFP that 31-year-old Neymar “no longer figures in the club or manager’s plans” with the Brazilian immediately linked to Al-Hilal in the Gulf kingdom.

Another source in Saudi Arabia said that “direct negotiations” between Neymar’s agents and the Public Investment Fund (PIF) were ongoing.

PSG get better of Dortmund in Champions League opener

Published at : 20 September 2023, 05:03 pm
PSG get better of Dortmund in Champions League opener

Paris Saint-Germain got their Champions League campaign off to a winning start on Tuesday as a Kylian Mbappe penalty set them up for a 2-0 victory over Borussia Dortmund at the Parc des Princes.

The French champions had dominated the first half without overly troubling the Dortmund defence, but they went ahead four minutes after the break when Mbappe scored a spot-kick awarded for a Niklas Suele handball.

Achraf Hakimi added a memorable second, and PSG could have won the Group F encounter by a far more handsome margin in the end.

The result immediately puts them in control of the group, after AC Milan and Newcastle United drew 0-0 earlier, and coach Luis Enrique will hope they can build on this performance when they visit the English side next in a fortnight.

"It was an almost perfect evening," said Luis Enrique.