Football/Soccer 24 Hours

Last updated: June 26, 2026, 8:30 PM ET

International Football

France comfortably secured a 4-1 victory over Norway, with Ousmane Dembélé’s stunning first-half hat-trick proving decisive. Dembélé’s performance, which included an assist from Kylian Mbappé, marked the first hat-trick for France since 1994 as the team completed a perfect Group I campaign. Norway’s coach, Ståle Solbakken, defended his decision to rest ten players, including star striker Erling Haaland, citing medical tests that revealed fatigue affecting multiple squad members. Solbakken described resting Haaland against France as a "no-brainer" given the circumstances and the squad's condition. Manager Didier Deschamps is expected to rejoin the French squad after attending his mother's funeral following the match.

Senegal strengthened their bid for a World Cup knockout stage berth by thrashing ten-man Iraq 5-0. This commanding win positions them favorably to finish as one of the top eight third-placed teams. Meanwhile, Ecuador achieved a historic comeback win against Germany, prompting President Daniel Noboa to declare a national public holiday in celebration of the victory. Coach Sebastian Beccacece, who was reportedly on the verge of dismissal, now leads Ecuador into the last-32 after this crucial win.

Japan and Sweden both advanced to the knockout stages of the World Cup following a 1-1 draw. Daizen Maeda opened the scoring for Japan, but Anthony Elanga quickly equalized for Sweden, securing their progression as group runners-up while Japan also qualified as the second-placed team. The Netherlands claimed the top spot in Group F with a decisive 3-1 win over Tunisia to cap their group stage.

World Cup Standings & Knockout Stages

The United States Men's National Team (USMNT) will face Bosnia-Herzegovina in the first knockout round of the World Cup. This comes after a late 3-2 defeat to Türkiye in their final group game, a match where Christian Pulisic started on the bench with Turner in goal. Coach Mauricio Pochettino, despite the loss, indicated he learned valuable lessons about his squad from the final group match. The USMNT's path forward involves navigating a Bosnia-Herzegovina side that secured qualification after a dramatic 3-2 victory over the co-hosts, a result that saw eliminated Türkiye restore pride with their win.

Australia and Paraguay both progressed to the round of 32 after a goalless draw that satisfied the requirements for both nations. The draw in San Francisco ensures Australia's continued participation, while Paraguay is well-positioned to join them. In other tournament news, fans visiting the US for the World Cup have expressed frustration with the tipping culture, citing it as confusing and expensive.

Club Transfers & Management

Arsenal appears to be actively pursuing Newcastle United midfielder Bruno Guimarães, having reportedly had a £55 million ($73m) offer rejected by Newcastle. The North London club has also held exploratory talks regarding a move for another Newcastle player, Sandro Tonali as part of their midfield reinforcement plans. Meanwhile, Chelsea is reportedly close to signing Crystal Palace centre-back Maxence Lacroix, and Newcastle United has added Borussia Dortmund's Felix Nmecha to their shortlist of potential midfield targets.

AC Milan has appointed Massimo Calvelli as CEO with the stated aim of "bringing a winning culture" back to the club following a recent approach. Separately, Real Madrid is prepared to hold off on further midfield signings until one of their current midfielders departs. In the Championship, striker Paul Mullin has departed Wrexham by mutual consent after a five-year spell with the club ending his notable tenure.

European Football

Brentford is in discussions to potentially host Champions League matches next season, despite not qualifying for the competition themselves amid discussions to sign Burnley forward Jaidon Anthony. The Bees are also reportedly in talks to sign Anthony from Burnley as they look to strengthen their squad. Celtic has confirmed that Shaun Maloney, Mark Fotheringham, and Stephen McManus will continue working under manager Martin O'Neill for the upcoming season as part of the coaching staff.

Women's Football & Youth

Sri Lanka kept their hopes alive for a Women's T20 World Cup semi-final berth after a dramatic last-over victory against Scotland. England all-rounder Alice Capsey has urged her team to maintain their winning momentum heading into their next match. Ipswich Town Women has secured forward Kit Graham on a two-year contract following a successful loan spell. Poppy Pattinson, an England defender, has extended her contract with London City Lionesses until the summer of 2029 committing her future to the club.

Other Football News

Former West Ham defender Anton Ferdinand has taken his first coaching role with National League side Hornchurch, joining Robert Lee on the club's staff. The Football Association of Wales chief executive expects Craig Bellamy to remain as Wales head coach, despite his proposed move to Burnley collapsing, which has reportedly caused tension with club and player relationships.

Motorsport

Kimi Antonelli dominated practice at the Austrian Grand Prix, setting the fastest time in both sessions. Red Bull has reportedly brought significant upgrades to their cars for the event as they look to improve performance. Red Bull team boss Laurent Mekies acknowledged uncertainty regarding Max Verstappen's future with the team for the upcoming season.

Golf

Scottie Scheffler narrowly missed out on a sub-60 round at the Travelers Championship, failing to convert a birdie putt on the 18th hole. The PGA Tour commissioner, Brian Rolapp, has compared the circuit's new promotion and relegation system to that of the English Premier League to illustrate its structure.

Boxing

Promoter Eddie Hearn expressed unprecedented confidence that Anthony Joshua will defeat Tyson Fury in their upcoming heavyweight bout. Oleksandr Usyk has vacated his world heavyweight titles but has not announced his retirement.

Rugby League

Leeds Rhinos strengthened their position at the top of the Betfred Super League with a commanding victory over defending champions Hull KR. St Helens have reported Wakefield Trinity to the RFL over an alleged offer for centre Harry Robertson, denying Wakefield's claims.

Tennis

Jack Draper's run at the Lexus Eastbourne Open concluded in the semi-finals following a defeat to Ugo Humbert. Emma Raducanu faces a potentially challenging draw at Wimbledon, with a third-round match against world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka a possibility following the tournament draw. Serena Williams is reportedly considering a singles comeback at Wimbledon at the age of 44 after focusing on doubles.

Cricket

Ben Duckett and Ben Stokes were instrumental in England's fightback on day two of the Test series against New Zealand at Trent Bridge. Broad commented on Ben Stokes's ability to deliver "magical" moments that command respect.

Other Sports

Ireland secured their first-ever victory against India in any format of cricket, with captain Lorcan Tucker leading the team to a 34-run win. Luke Littler advanced to the quarter-finals of the US Darts Masters, while Josh Rock was eliminated in a surprising upset.