Football/Soccer 24 Hours

Last updated: June 13, 2026, 5:43 PM ET

Managerial Moves

Fulham held talks with representatives of former Real Madrid coach Álvaro Arbeloa as the Championship side explores potential managerial candidates, while Ruben Amorim emerged as a leading contender for the AC Milan vacancy following Massimiliano Allegri's departure. In Scotland, Rangers identified Derek McInnes as a potential target should Danny Rohl depart for RB Salzburg, though the Hearts manager remains under contract at Tynecastle.

Transfer Market

Arsenal intensified their pursuit of attacking reinforcements by tracking both Christos Tzolis and Bradley Barcola, with Liverpool also monitoring the Lyon forward. Barcelona neared agreement on a season-long loan deal for American goalkeeper Diego Kochen to Denmark's Lyngby Boldklub, while Manchester City, Manchester United and Bayern Munich expressed interest in Everton defender Jarrad Branthwaite. Chicago's reported interest in Germany internationals Leon Goretzka and Robert Lewandowski signals intent to build a World Cup-caliber roster beyond their tournament opener against Curacao.

World Cup Results

The United States opened their campaign in style with a 4-1 victory over Paraguay in Los Angeles, as Folarin Balogun and Giovanni Reyna found the net in a dominant first-half performance that saw Christian Pulisic substituted after 45 minutes. Canada earned their first-ever World Cup point through substitute Cyle Larin's 78th-minute equalizer against Bosnia-Herzegovina, salvaging a 1-1 draw on home soil in Toronto. South Korea secured their first opening-match win since 2010, defeating the Czech Republic 2-0 at Geodis Park in Nashville.

Team News & Selection

Brazil named Neymar on the bench for Saturday's clash with Morocco but confirmed the veteran forward would not feature, leaving Vinicius Junior to lead the attack in his absence. Morocco's Achraf Hakimi declared readiness to neutralize Vinicius Junior's threat in their Group B encounter at Met Life Stadium. Germany welcomed back Manuel Neuer as captain, though questions linger about whether the 38-year-old can still deliver at the highest level. The United States started Chris Richards in defense against Paraguay after the Crystal Palace center-back recovered from an ankle injury, while Olivier Giroud praised Pulisic's ability to elevate the Americans to elite status.

Officiating & Rules Controversy

VAR generated confusion during the United States' victory when mistaken identity led to a booking that left fans and pundits alike scratching their heads. BBC analysts Wayne Rooney and Darren Cann disagreed publicly over whether Bosnia-Herzegovina should have been reduced to ten men in their draw with Canada, highlighting ongoing debate about new officiating protocols. FIFA defended attendance figures