There is a photograph from the night of 25 June 2002 that captures something essential about Michael Ballack. He is sitting in the locker room at Seoul World Cup Stadium, still in his Germany kit, and he is weeping. His team had just beaten…

The 2026 World Cup will not belong to one country. For the first time, three nations share it. The United States, Mexico and Canada will stage the tournament across 16 cities. Eleven sit in the USA, three in Mexico and two in Canada.…

For most of the World Cup's history, third place meant a flight home. In 2026, it might mean a place in the knockouts. Best Third-Placed Teams: The 2026 World Cup Rule Explained. The expanded 48-team format created an odd new problem.…

FIFA Chief Refereeing Officer Pierluigi Collina has confirmed that these regulations will be active starting from the next World Cup.