FIFA dismisses Belgium appeal over Folarin Balogun ban decision
The Athletic has live coverage of USMNT vs Belgium in the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Folarin Balogun has…
Do hydrated players play better football? We asked an expert about this World Cup
Get free access to the most comprehensive World Cup coverage in The Athletic app. The hydration breaks that…
Argentina keep winning World Cup games but why do they make it such a struggle?
Argentina have a game-state problem. It seems strange to be saying “they never make it easy for themselves”…
Croatia lost to Portugal because of hair. Plus: An NHL legend returns
The Pulse Newsletter 📣 | This is The Athletic’s daily sports newsletter. Sign up here to receive The…
Folarin Balogun’s World Cup red card: Was decision right? Can it be overturned?
Folarin Balogun was sent off in the only blot on an otherwise dream night for the United States…
Mexico into the top six: Re-ranking the 48 World Cup teams after day 20
With just under half of the matches in the round of 32 now completed, the last 16 is…
Are England’s key players finding form? Re-ranking the 48 World Cup teams after day 17
The conclusion of the group stages brought some late drama, with Austria equalising in the last seconds to…
Does Algeria 3-3 Austria take top spot? Ranking every match at the 2026 World Cup
Do you have a favourite match of the World Cup? Could you order all of them? Well, that’s…
How does Ronaldo turning up change things? Re-ranking the 48 World Cup teams after day 13
Cristiano Ronaldo announced himself at the World Cup party with a double in Portugal’s thrashing of Uzbekistan, while…
The Transfer DealSheet: Latest on Man Utd, Arsenal, Liverpool, Real Madrid and more
Welcome to the fourth 2026 summer window edition of The Transfer DealSheet. Our team of dedicated writers, including…
Harry Kane is the World Cup star with a Tom Brady obsession and a dream of playing in the NFL
When Harry Kane leads England out against Ghana on Tuesday, there will be an extra edge of emotion,…
Norway beat Senegal to reach knockout stage. Is Erling Haaland the scariest thing in football?
After 28 years away, Norway, led by the irrepressible Erling Haaland, have started this World Cup with a…