Sports
Mbappe shrugs off injury scare as he hits 20-goal World Cup mark
Kylian Mbappe eased fears over his fitness after leaving France’s World Cup quarterfinal victory early Thursday, insisting he is “completely fine” after scoring his 20th career World Cup goal in a 2-0 win over Morocco that sent the defending champions into a third consecutive semifinal.
The French superstar was substituted in the 77th minute, prompting concern among supporters, but quickly downplayed the issue after the match, saying the decision was purely precautionary.
“I have a minor ankle injury, but I’m completely fine,” Mbappe said after the final whistle. “(Jean-Philippe) Mateta was in a better position to play the remaining minutes of the match and was fitter at that moment. That’s all that happened.”
Mbappe walked off under his own power and waved to the crowd with both arms before taking his place on the bench, easing fears that France could be without its biggest star for next week’s semifinal.
Before his exit, the 27-year-old delivered another milestone performance, breaking the deadlock in the 60th minute with his eighth goal of the tournament and the 20th of his World Cup career. The strike kept him level with Argentina’s Lionel Messi in the race for the tournament’s Golden Boot, while Messi still holds a one-goal advantage in the all-time World Cup scoring charts.
After missing a first-half penalty that was saved by Morocco goalkeeper Yassine Bounou, Mbappe responded in trademark fashion. A deflected ball fell kindly to him just outside the penalty area, and he curled a precise right-footed shot around defender Issa Diop and inside the left post to give France the breakthrough.
Ousmane Dembele doubled France’s advantage six minutes later, capping a swift counterattack after Morocco pushed numbers forward in search of an equalizer. Mbappe’s run to the left created space for Dembele, who fired a low right-footed effort from about 20 yards. Although Bounou got a hand to the shot, he could not keep it out.
Dembele’s goal continued his impressive turnaround after failing to score in his first 12 World Cup appearances. The reigning Ballon d’Or winner has now found the net five times in his last five matches at the tournament.
France’s victory secured a place in the semifinals for the third consecutive World Cup, keeping alive its bid to become only the third nation to reach three straight finals. Les Bleus will face the winner of Friday’s quarterfinal between Spain and Belgium on Tuesday in Arlington, Texas.
“I want them to continue watching the games, giving us the strength,” Mbappe said of the French supporters. “Even though they’re not in the stadium, we feel their energy. And we will try to gather the masses for the next matches.”
France largely controlled the match against a Morocco side missing injured forward Ismael Saibari. The Atlas Lions were held scoreless for the first time in the tournament and were eliminated by France for the second straight World Cup after also losing 2-0 in the 2022 semifinals.
Morocco, the final African nation remaining in the competition after nine of the continent’s 10 qualifiers reached the knockout stage, struggled to create clear opportunities. Goalkeeper Mike Maignan was rarely troubled, making his only significant save in the 83rd minute when he comfortably stopped a long-range effort from Azzedine Ounahi.
“Of course we need to take stock of the situation if we want to progress; it’s essential,” Morocco coach Mohamed Ouahbi said. “We cannot just say that we’re happy and proud of what we’ve done. We need to move forward, and in order to do so, we have to be objective and to do some self-criticism.”
France manager Didier Deschamps praised his side for overcoming another difficult knockout test while immediately turning his attention to the semifinal.
“We are exactly where we wanted to be,” Deschamps said. “We will recover well and see who our opponent will be. I imagine there’s a lot of excitement and passion in France. Here, we are in our own bubble, and I am even more so. That’s what we’re here for, and the players have a duty to do everything they can to go as far as possible. We’ve cleared a major hurdle.”
The expanded 2026 FIFA World Cup has become the most-attended tournament in history, smashing the overall attendance record with games still to play, although its average crowd per match will remain below the benchmark established by the 1994 World Cup in the United States.
With 96 of the tournament’s 104 matches completed, FIFA said total attendance has reached 6,259,589 spectators, nearly doubling the previous record of 3,587,538 set during the 1994 World Cup.
The current average attendance stands at 65,204 fans per match.
Even if every remaining quarterfinal, semifinal, third-place playoff and final is played before a capacity crowd, the tournament cannot mathematically surpass the 1994 competition’s record average of 68,991 spectators per game.
The contrast largely reflects the evolution of the tournament. The 1994 World Cup featured just 24 teams playing 52 matches, while the 2026 edition is the first to include 48 teams competing across 104 games in the United States, Mexico and Canada.
The expanded format has dramatically increased the total number of spectators but also spread attendance across twice as many fixtures.
Despite occasional television images showing empty seats, FIFA said the tournament has achieved an extraordinary 99.7% stadium occupancy rate, indicating that virtually every available ticket has been sold.
Visible gaps have generally been attributed to ticket holders arriving late, security procedures or spectators choosing not to attend after purchasing tickets.
One of the tournament’s biggest attendance successes has been Mexico City’s iconic Estadio Azteca, where five matches attracted a combined crowd of 404,120 fans.
With a capacity exceeding 80,000, the historic stadium once again proved one of the competition’s premier venues, continuing its legacy after hosting the World Cup finals in 1970 and 1986.
The attendance record was officially broken during the group stage, well before the knockout rounds began, highlighting the enormous demand generated by football’s first 48-team World Cup.
The expanded tournament drew more than 4.6 million fans during the group stage alone, reflecting strong ticket sales across all three host nations.
Large-capacity stadiums throughout North America, combined with easy travel links and significant support from immigrant and diaspora communities, have fueled the tournament’s remarkable numbers.
Fans from more than 210 countries and territories have attended matches, underscoring the sport’s growing global appeal.
Although some lower-profile group-stage matches attracted smaller crowds than marquee fixtures, attendance remained consistently strong throughout the competition.
FIFA credited modern ticketing systems, fan festivals, improved infrastructure and widespread international interest for sustaining near-capacity crowds across the tournament.
The World Cup is now entering its final stages, with Mexico and Canada no longer represented after their eliminatio
The 2026 FIFA World Cup has delivered more than memorable moments on the field, with supporters transforming stadiums and fan zones across the United States, Canada and Mexico into spectacular showcases of national pride through vibrant costumes, elaborate face paint and a sea of waving flags.
As the tournament heads toward its crescendo on July 19, fans from every corner of the globe have become part of the spectacle, creating an atmosphere that extends far beyond the action on the pitch.
Every matchday has evolved into a celebration of culture, identity and football, with supporters turning host cities into lively festivals that highlight the diversity and unity of the world’s most popular sport.
Heart of the celebration
Official FIFA Fan Festivals and fan zones have emerged as gathering places for thousands of supporters, offering an immersive experience for those without match tickets while serving as meeting points for fans from different nations.
Host cities including Los Angeles, New York/New Jersey and Houston have welcomed crowds with giant viewing screens, live entertainment, concerts, food vendors, cultural exhibitions and interactive activities that keep the festivities going throughout the day.
Long before kickoff, supporters have flooded these venues draped in national colors, singing anthems, exchanging scarves and taking photographs with rival fans. The atmosphere often resembles an international street festival, where football becomes the common language among strangers from every continent.
Inside stadiums, the celebrations intensify.
Hours before matches begin, supporters fill the stands with coordinated chants, colorful banners and synchronized displays that create breathtaking scenes visible across the arena.
Face paint
Among the tournament’s most recognizable traditions is face painting, which has become an essential part of the World Cup experience.
Professional artists and volunteers at fan zones spend hours creating everything from simple flag designs to intricate portraits of star players, mascots and national emblems. The artwork allows supporters to wear their country’s identity proudly throughout the tournament.
Brazilian fans remain among the most recognizable, covering their faces in green and yellow while celebrating football as an integral part of their national identity. Supporters from across the world have embraced similarly elaborate designs, with many dedicating hours to creating detailed artwork before entering stadiums.
The tradition has grown into one of the tournament’s defining visual features, turning crowds into colorful displays of patriotism and creativity.
Costumes celebrate culture as much as football
Supporters have once again demonstrated that World Cup fashion extends far beyond jerseys.
Fans frequently combine traditional clothing with football-themed accessories, producing elaborate outfits that celebrate both their heritage and their teams.
Japanese fans have blended traditional kimonos with modern football apparel and cosplay-inspired costumes while continuing their well-known tradition of helping clean stadiums after matches.
DR Congo supporters have attracted worldwide attention through Michel Kuka Mboladinga, better known as Lumumba Vea, whose unique “living statue” performance has become one of the tournament’s most recognizable fan displays.
Standing motionless on a pedestal with his right arm raised in tribute to Patrice Lumumba, the Democratic Republic of Congo’s assassinated independence leader and national hero, the superfan first gained international acclaim during the Africa Cup of Nations before bringing the tradition to the World Cup in Guadalajara, Mexico, for DR Congo’s match against Colombia.
Despite visa challenges preventing him from attending some matches in the United States, Lumumba, and at times fellow supporters who have continued the symbolic pose, has turned the tribute into a powerful expression of resilience, historical remembrance and unwavering national pride.
Elsewhere, South Korean supporters have worn hanbok-inspired outfits, Norwegian fans have embraced Viking helmets, Colombian supporters have appeared in tiger costumes and lucha libre masks, Scottish fans have showcased tartan attire and their famous traffic cone hats, England supporters have dressed as medieval knights carrying St. George’s flags, Moroccan fans have adopted lion-inspired themes and Dutch supporters have once again filled stadiums with their trademark sea of orange.
Many groups have spent months planning matching outfits, handcrafting accessories and organizing elaborate displays that have become attractions in their own right.
Flags remain football’s universal language
No symbol defines the World Cup more than the national flag.
Supporters wave them from the stands, wear them as capes and display massive coordinated banners that transform stadiums into colorful mosaics before kickoff.
With the expanded 48-team tournament bringing together a record number of nations, flags have become powerful symbols of identity while also encouraging friendly exchanges between rival supporters sharing the same venues and fan festivals.
Scarves, jerseys and coordinated chants amplify the atmosphere, with traditions such as the United States supporters’ “I Believe That We Will Win!” chant joining long-standing fan rituals from around the football world.
While the competition will ultimately crown football’s next world champion on July 19, the fans have already created a tournament that celebrates something even broader.
The multicultural backdrop of North America has amplified the festival atmosphere, allowing supporters from different backgrounds to share traditions, music and customs while celebrating the sport together.
Karolina Muchova was ready to put her body on the line for a place in the Wimbledon final. A maiden Grand Slam title could heal all past wounds when she takes on Czech compatriot Linda Noskova on Saturday.
Even as Muchova’s surgically patched-up body went hurtling toward the turf after conjuring a showstopping dive volley to catch Coco Gauff off guard in their semifinal, she never lost sight of the ball.
So what if the shot had taken the racket out of her hands, or that the fall could once again damage a body that had already been put through the wringer with an assortment of ankle, abdominal, and wrist injuries?
That single-minded focus allowed Muchova to end Gauff’s incredible run of living dangerously at this year’s Wimbledon as she saved a match point in the third-set tiebreak to topple the American in a nerve-shredding 6-2, 1-6, 7-6 (12-10) thriller.
All-Czech final
With compatriot and ninth-seed Noskova beating Marta Kostyuk 6-4, 6-4 in Thursday’s second semifinal, a subdued contest by comparison, the duo set up an all-Czech women’s final at a Grand Slam for the first time.
It also meant that for the third time in four years, a Czech will hold aloft the Venus Rosewater Dish, following the triumphs of Marketa Vondrousova in 2023 and Barbora Krejcikova in 2024.
“It was such a big fight. It was a rollercoaster, you’re up and down,” a beaming 29-year-old, still trying to catch her breath, told the crowd.
“In 10 seconds, you have a match point, then you’re match point down. There’s no time to think, but very nerve-racking. I don’t even know what I’m saying.
“I’m really shaking and trying to let it sink in, but the atmosphere here, indescribable.”
Many of the fans who had sweltered on the edge of their seats as Muchova and Gauff went toe-to-toe were slow to return for the second semifinal.
Kostyuk, trying to become the first Ukrainian woman in the professional era to reach a Grand Slam final, struggled to fire herself up as the 21-year-old Noskova navigated her first major semifinal in calm fashion.
Only when Kostyuk blazed a forehand into the tramlines on the second match point did Noskova let her guard slip.
“I couldn’t really believe it. You always want to be in those moments. You always want to win these big matches. But when it actually happens, you don’t know how to react,” ninth seed Noskova said.
“I always realise any success… or a good tournament after it’s all done. Right now, I feel like I’m already focusing on the final.”
Gauff left to rue match point
Gauff had never flourished on Wimbledon’s lawns before this year, but after surviving several tough contests, looked set to make the final with Muchova struggling physically in the deciding set of an absorbing contest.
Her moment seemed to have arrived at 9-8 in the tiebreak as Muchova could only spoon back a serve. With the court at her mercy, Gauff had countless options but attempted a drop shot that finished in the bottom of the net.
“At the end of the day, that’s the choice I made. Was it the right one in that moment? Maybe not,” Gauff said later.
“I just panicked a little bit.”
Electrifying tiebreak
Muchova was among those who could scarcely believe the drama that was unfolding during an electrifying tiebreak where she had surged to a 4-1 lead, extended that to 6-3, before Gauff battled back to reach match point first.
Muchova then slipped at the net as Gauff saved one match point, but the Czech made no mistake at the second time of asking, running Gauff side to side before the American missed.
“In my head, I was thinking just like I have to keep hitting. I was telling myself if I’m going to lose this, I want to lose on my own terms,” said the former French Open finalist.
Furnace on Centre Court
No one would have guessed that Muchova is allergic to grass and requires “a lot of pills, sprays, eyedrops” just to step onto the most famous patch of turf in tennis.
While spectators struggled to stay cool in the furnace-like atmosphere on Centre Court, Muchova’s pick-and-mix variety of grasscourt craft shone brightly as she broke Gauff in the third and fifth games. A 111 mph ace sealed the set for Muchova and put her within touching distance of a first Wimbledon final.
However, no one can accuse Gauff of holding up the white flag when the going gets tough, and for the fifth round in succession, she was ready to go the distance.
Muchova played audacious tennis
After squandering her first eight break point opportunities, the American seventh seed finally got the breakthrough on her ninth to take a 3-1 lead before breaking again at 5-1 to send her mother into raptures in the player’s box.
After two one-sided sets, both protagonists displayed their incredible ball-striking ability in a captivating decider.
Gauff had two chances to break for a 5-4 lead , but once the 10th seed Muchova used her get-out-of-jail-free card to wriggle out of that spot of bother, there was no stopping her.
Despite holding her side at times, she played some audacious tennis in the tiebreak, including the dive volley and a topspin lob to earn her first match point.
While that one went begging, she was soon holding her arms aloft after a 2-hour, 35-minute spectacle.
“Obviously got super close,” Gauff said. “A match for sure to remember. It’s tough to digest. I left it all out there.”
Kylian Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele were on target as France surged past Morocco 2-0 to book their place in the World Cup semifinals on Thursday.
Mbappe curled in his eighth goal of the tournament on 60 minutes before Dembele doubled Les Bleus’ lead six minutes later to settle a clinical victory at the Gillette Stadium outside Boston.
The win sends the 2018 champions into a last-four showdown against either Spain or Belgium in Arlington, Texas, on Tuesday.
African champions Morocco had been tipped to pose a serious threat to France’s hopes of reaching a third consecutive World Cup final.
But Didier Deschamps’ men were always in control against a limited Morocco side who failed to register a single shot on goal until an 83rd-minute free kick by Azzedine Ounahi was parried away by France goalkeeper Mike Maignan.
France though struggled to find a breakthrough, and missed the opportunity to take the lead on 28 minutes when Mbappe saw a penalty saved by Morocco goalkeeper Yassine Bounou.
Mbappe had won the penalty after being brought down by Noussair Mazraoui, but was forced to wait several minutes before being allowed to take the kick after a protracted VAR check.
Morocco managed to hold out to half-time, but it was always only a matter of time before France’s relentless pressure paid off.
The breakthrough came on the hour mark, with Mbappe bending a brilliant right-foot shot past Bounou from the edge of the area.
Paris Saint-Germain star Dembele made the game safe in the 66th minute, striding forward menacingly from midfield before steering a low finish into the bottom corner.
France now await the winner of Friday’s quarterfinal in Los Angeles between European champions Spain and Belgium.
Referee chief hits back
Spain, who have not conceded a single goal so far, eliminated Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal in the last 16 and will fancy their chances of overcoming Belgium, who thrashed the United States 4-1 to reach the last eight.
On the other side of the draw, holders Argentina face Switzerland in Kansas City on Saturday after staggering into the quarterfinals.
The South Americans, aiming to become the first back-to-back champions since Brazil in 1962, advanced to the quarterfinals after an incredible escape against Egypt in the previous round, recovering from a 2-0 deficit to win 3-2.
The victory saw a string of refereeing decisions go in Argentina’s favor, prompting claims from Egypt coach Hossam Hassan that World Cup referees were unfairly backing the South Americans due to “external” pressure.
Those claims were shot down by FIFA referees’ chief Pierluigi Collina on Thursday.
“Nobody can question the integrity of the FIFA World Cup match officials,” Collina said. “Nobody can claim that FIFA Refereeing can be influenced by anyone…”
The winner of the Argentina-Switzerland clash will take on either Norway or England, who clash in Miami on Saturday.
England’s defense faces the unenviable task of having to contain Norway’s irrepressible striker Erling Haaland, who has been in blistering form on his team’s run to the last eight.
A relaxed Haaland said Thursday the pressure would be on England when the teams meet at the Hard Rock Stadium.
“I think there’s some clear favorites out there, England’s one of them,” Haaland told reporters.
“I think all of you should put every single pressure on the English lads.”
FIFA refereeing chief Pierluigi Collina has defended the officiating in Argentina’s 3-2 World Cup round-of-16 victory over Egypt, rejecting allegations of bias and insisting match officials carried out their duties with complete independence.
Speaking in an interview published Thursday on FIFA’s website, Collina acknowledged that refereeing decisions will always be debated but strongly criticized attacks on officials’ integrity after Egypt questioned the officiating following its defeat.
“Constructive discussion about decisions will always be part of football, but unfounded allegations have no place in our sport,” Collina said.
“Nobody can question the integrity of the FIFA World Cup match officials. Nobody can claim that FIFA refereeing can be influenced by anyone, not even by the FIFA president (Gianni Infantino).”
Collina warned that baseless accusations against referees can have serious consequences, saying they risk fueling threats and abuse directed at officials and their families.
Egypt exited the tournament but claimed it had been treated unfairly after Argentina overturned a 2-0 deficit to snatch victory with a stoppage-time winner from Enzo Fernandez.
Coach Hossam Hassan alleged after the match that there may have been pressure on the referee to keep Argentina in the tournament. The Egyptian Football Association said “several key incidents raised serious concerns and left profound questions about the consistency and fairness of decisions that directly influenced the course of the game.”
Egypt argued that Mostafa Zico’s second-half strike was incorrectly ruled out for what it described as a nonexistent foul in the buildup. Egypt was also incensed that a challenge on Mohamed Salah was not penalized moments before Argentina launched the move that produced the winning goal.
Collina said VAR correctly recommended overturning Zico’s goal after identifying a foul by Marwan Attia on Argentina defender Lisandro Martinez during the attacking possession phase.
“We believe that a foul is a foul,” Collina said. “Regardless of whether the foul appears ‘obvious,’ if the referee did not see it on the field of play, the VAR can intervene.”
Collina also defended the decision not to award Egypt a penalty before Argentina’s winner, saying both the referee and VAR judged the contact between Salah and Julian Alvarez to be “normal football contact.”
“Stepping on an opponent’s foot is a foul, whereas a defender who touches the ball first and then makes normal football contact has not committed a foul,” he said.
While acknowledging that some decisions would always involve an element of subjectivity, Collina said FIFA was satisfied with how VAR principles had been applied throughout the tournament.
Cristiano Ronaldo built one of football’s greatest careers over more than two decades, deciding matches, inspiring teammates and defying age to remain among the sport’s elite long after his celebrated spells at Real Madrid, Manchester United and Juventus.
But the one trophy that always eluded him remained out of reach on Monday, as the 41-year-old saw his sixth and final World Cup end in heartbreak. Portugal was eliminated 1-0 by Spain in the round of 16, leaving Ronaldo in tears at the final whistle.
Portugal’s campaign came to a crushing end when Mikel Merino scored in the 91st minute to seal Spain’s victory in Arlington, one day after Ronaldo calmly confirmed that this tournament would be his last World Cup.
As he walked out of his final prematch news conference to applause from reporters on Sunday, Ronaldo said he had no regrets about a career that pushed the limits of excellence and endurance for more than two decades.
Portugal coach Roberto Martinez praised Ronaldo’s commitment after the match, describing him as an icon of the sport.
“We will always be grateful for what he tried to do at this World Cup because the dream was to win the World Cup, and he led by an incredible example as captain,” Martinez said.
“This is not the moment to look beyond what we’re talking about: a football icon. There are not many Cristiano Ronaldos.”
27 matches, 11 goals
Ronaldo’s World Cup record includes 27 appearances and 11 goals. Fittingly, his only knockout-stage goal came last week to help Portugal eliminate Croatia, briefly keeping alive the dream that had accompanied him since his debut in 2006.
That first World Cup also produced his deepest run. At 21, Ronaldo was part of the Portugal team that reached the semifinals before losing to France.
In the quarterfinals, he calmly converted the decisive penalty in a shootout victory over England, a moment that still lives in Portuguese memory and seemed at the time to foreshadow greater triumphs. They never came.
For much of his international career, Ronaldo appeared to carry the weight of Portugal’s ambitions on his shoulders.
But the landscape changed as a new generation of talent emerged, and by this tournament, questions persisted over whether he should still be a guaranteed starter.
Against Spain, the veteran played the full 90 minutes and had three shots but was unable to make the decisive breakthrough.
Opponents paid tribute to one of the game’s greats, who against Spain produced what was arguably his finest World Cup performance in 2018, scoring a hat trick in a 3-3 group-stage draw that included a stunning free kick in the 88th minute.
“I’m a great admirer of him, of his values, of what he stands for, of how he approaches the sport, and I think he’s a role model for young people,” Spain coach Luis de la Fuente said after the game.
“Whenever we have the chance to be together, we acknowledge our mutual admiration and the pride we feel at knowing him.”
Messi rivalry
Ronaldo largely avoided questions throughout the tournament about comparisons with Lionel Messi. Still, as his World Cup story comes to an end, the contrast is difficult to ignore. Their rivalry defined an era but never fully extended to the World Cup stage.
Messi guided Argentina to the 2014 final before winning the title in 2022, while Ronaldo’s World Cup campaigns repeatedly ended in disappointment.
There was, however, the possibility of a World Cup meeting.
Had Portugal topped its group instead of finishing behind Colombia, and had both teams continued advancing, Ronaldo and Messi could have met in the quarterfinals.
“It would be top,” Ronaldo said of the potential showdown after scoring twice in Portugal’s 5-0 rout of Uzbekistan in the group stage, his best performance of the tournament in North America.
For a player who conquered nearly every other challenge the sport had to offer, that sense of what might have been will accompany Ronaldo’s World Cup farewell.
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