June 2026 - Soccer Wiretap

Colombia secured top spot in Group K following a 0-0 draw with Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal on Saturday, a result that sends the South Americans into a round of 32 matchup with Ghana.

The match, the most in-demand fixture of the group stage, produced 37 total shots in front of a sellout crowd of 64,478 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami. Colombia controlled play throughout, finishing with a 1.63-to-0.70 edge in xG (expected goals).

Colombia appeared to have won the match in stoppage time when Davinson Sanchez headed in a cross from Juan Quintero, but the goal was disallowed after semi-automated offside technology determined Sanchez's toe had been marginally offside.

Goalkeeper Camilo Vargas produced one of the saves of the tournament late in the match, parrying a close-range effort from Bruno Fernandes after Joao Cancelo's cutback found the Portugal midfielder unmarked. Ronaldo failed to convert the ensuing rebound on an overhead attempt.

The point gave Colombia seven points in the group, only the third time in the country's history it has topped a World Cup group. Colombia will face Ghana in Kansas City on July 3, with a likely round of 16 matchup against Switzerland to follow. The result also eliminated the possibility of a quarterfinal meeting between Ronaldo and Lionel Messi's Argentina, a pairing that can now only occur in the final.

Portugal advances to a more difficult path, facing Croatia in Toronto on July 2 before a potential clash with European champion Spain in the round of 16.

In the group's other match, Congo DR defeated Uzbekistan 3-1 to advance and will face England in the round of 32.

Congo DR advanced to the World Cup knockout stage for the first time in program history Saturday, rallying for a 3-1 victory over Uzbekistan behind two goals from Yoane Wissa and one from Fiston Mayele.

The African nation, playing in its second World Cup after a 52-year absence, trailed early after Eldor Shomurodov's lobbed strike in the 10th minute. Congo DR dominated the match statistically, finishing with a commanding 2.35-to-0.20 edge in expected goals.

Wissa converted a penalty in the 68th minute to level the score, sending goalkeeper Abduvohid Nematov the wrong way after being fouled in the box by Abdukodir Khusanov. Mayele put Congo DR ahead 10 minutes later, flicking the ball past Nematov at the near post off a deflected shot from Meschack Elia. Wissa sealed the result in stoppage time with a curling finish into the bottom corner.

Coach Sebastien Desabre's team had already produced one of the tournament's most surprising results, holding Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal to a 1-1 draw in the group opener. The win Saturday makes Congo DR the second surprise qualifier for the round of 32, joining Cape Verde among the tournament's unexpected knockout-stage entrants.

Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane scored early in the second half Saturday, lifting England past Panama 2-0 and securing top spot in Group L heading into a favorable knockout bracket. England finished with a 1.40-to-0.59 edge in expected goals.

Panama held England scoreless through a tense first half, with Kane managing just 10 touches, the fewest of any player on the pitch, in front of a vocal pro-England crowd at MetLife Stadium. Bellingham broke through in the 62nd minute, stabbing in a corner from Bukayo Saka despite being held by Jorge Gutierrez near the six-yard box. Five minutes later, Bellingham crossed from the left and Kane outjumped Andres Andrade to head home his 82nd international goal, becoming England's all-time leading World Cup scorer with 11 goals, one ahead of Gary Lineker.

England finished the group stage with two wins and a draw for seven points, avoiding a path that would have included Colombia or Portugal followed by a likely meeting with Spain. The team instead advances to face Senegal or Congo DR in Atlanta on Wednesday, with the winner meeting Mexico or Ecuador in Mexico City.

Panama finished 0-3 for the second time in tournament history, joining a list of mostly CONCACAF nations to lose their opening six all-time World Cup matches. Jose Fajardo had a stoppage-time goal disallowed for offside.

Coach Thomas Tuchel made several changes for the match, starting Saka, Morgan Rogers and Marcus Rashford in place of Declan Rice, Noni Madueke and Anthony Gordon. Jarell Quansah filled in at right back for the injured Reece James before exiting himself with an apparent injury. Goalkeeper Jordan Pickford made his 15th World Cup appearance, second among English players behind Peter Shilton's 17.

Assistant manager Anthony Barry said England's fast start created early risk.

"Our guys wanted to start the game fast. The stadium was amazing, it felt like a home game," said Barry. "But all of this energy, it almost skewed our risk management. We had too many ball losses, too many central ball losses, and that opened up to counter-attacks against a dangerous team."

England, the 1966 champions, reached the knockout round for the seventh time in eight World Cup appearances.

Croatia secured a spot in the World Cup knockout stage Saturday, defeating Ghana 2-1 behind goals from Luka Sucic and Nikola Vlasic, with the latter scoring the late winner.

Sucic opened the scoring in the 31st minute with a long-range strike for his second career international goal. Ghana, which had already clinched advancement from the group stage for the first time since 2010, finished with a 0.73-to-0.42 edge in xG (expected goals) despite the result.

Derrick Luckassen equalized for Ghana in the 73rd minute, finding the bottom corner after a brief video review. Vlasic responded just minutes later, heading home a Luka Modric corner in the 83rd minute to restore Croatia's lead for good. Ghana goalkeeper Benjamin Asare had briefly denied Vlasic with a diving stop moments earlier.

The result puts Croatia second in Group L behind England, with Ghana finishing third. Croatia had been eliminated in the semifinals in 2022 before reaching the final in 2018, and the win returns the team to contention this tournament.

Ghana forward Antoine Semenyo, who finished third in the Premier League with 17 goals last season, remained without a goal through the group stage after a near-miss late in the first half. Croatia also had earlier chances, with Vlasic striking the post and Marin Pongracic heading a free kick over the bar.

The United States men's national team's potential path through the 2026 FIFA World Cup knockout rounds came into clear focus Friday, with Belgium and Spain emerging as the most likely opponents in the round of 16 and quarterfinals respectively. A potential final matchup with Lionel Messi and Argentina also looms on the horizon.

The Americans already know their round of 32 opponent: Bosnia and Herzegovina on July 1 in Santa Clara, California (8 p.m. ET, Fox).

"We're not looking past Bosnia," said U.S. captain Tim Ream Thursday. "We're not looking past the round of 32."

Belgium topped Group G with a 5-1 victory over New Zealand on Friday, making the Belgians the most likely U.S. opponent in the round of 16 at Lumen Field in Seattle on July 6. A third-place qualifier from Groups A, I or J could also emerge as an alternative. South Korea is the most probable third-place contender, followed by Senegal, Algeria or Austria.

Despite a 5-2 loss to Belgium in March, the Americans would enter that potential matchup as favorites on home soil. Belgium have looked blunt at this World Cup, particularly with winger Jeremy Doku still recovering from illness.

Spain, the defending European champions, clinched Group H with a win over Uruguay on Friday and would be the likely quarterfinal opponent for the U.S. on July 10 at SoFi Stadium near Los Angeles. Colombia or Portugal could also emerge from that portion of the bracket as alternative quarterfinal opponents.

In the bottom half of the bracket, Argentina have drawn one of the tournament's most favorable paths to the final. The defending champions face Cape Verde in the round of 32 before potential matchups with Australia or Belgium. A final at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey on July 19 could set up a historic showdown between the USMNT and Messi's Argentina, who have yet to be seriously tested through two group stage matches.

France, which routed its way through Group I, remains the tournament betting favorite and sits on a potential semifinal collision course with the United States at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas on July 1

AC Milan have agreed a club-record fee to sign Paris Saint-Germain striker Goncalo Ramos, sources briefed on the deal told The Athletic. The transfer surpasses Milan's previous record outlay for Rafael Leao from Lille in 2019 and represents the most expensive deal in Serie A since Inter Milan signed Romelu Lukaku from Manchester United for €74 million that same year.

Ramos, 25, becomes the first signing of the Ruben Amorim era at Milan. The new head coach knows Ramos personally and identified him as his top target for the No. 9 position. The Portugal international's desire to work under Amorim was a significant factor in accelerating negotiations.

Milan beat out competition from several top European clubs to land Ramos, with owner Gerry Cardinale's relationship with PSG chairman Nasser Al-Khelaifi playing a pivotal role in securing the deal.

Ramos completed his medical while on international duty with Portugal in Florida, where he is preparing for the country's final group-stage match against Colombia in Miami on Saturday. He has appeared once at the 2026 World Cup, coming off the bench late in Portugal's opening draw with DR Congo on June 17.

The announcement coincides with Milan confirming Massimo Calvelli as their new chief executive officer as part of a broader restructuring of the club's leadership this summer.

Egypt advanced to the World Cup knockout round for the first time in program history after a 1-1 draw with Iran on Friday, securing second place in Group G.

Mahmoud Saber gave Egypt an early lead in the fifth minute, firing between the legs of goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand after strong buildup play from Mohamed Salah. Ramin Rezaeian equalized for Iran nine minutes later. Iran finished with a commanding 1.97-to-0.84 edge in expected goals despite the result.

Iran nearly secured a dramatic win in stoppage time when Shoja Khalilzadeh fired past Beiranvand in the 93rd minute, but the goal was overturned after a video review for offside. A successful goal would have clinched a knockout round berth for Iran outright.

Belgium won Group G with a 5-1 victory over New Zealand in Vancouver, leaving Egypt in second place. Egypt will face Australia in the round of 32 on July 3 in Arlington, Texas.

Iran can still reach the knockout round for the first time in the tournament's expanded 48-team format, but the team no longer controls its own fate and must wait for other results to determine its status. 

Leandro Trossard scored twice as Belgium defeated New Zealand 5-1 on Friday, securing top spot in Group G after a slow start to the tournament.

Belgium entered the match third in the group following a 1-1 draw with Egypt and a scoreless draw with Iran, but the team overwhelmed New Zealand statistically, finishing with a commanding 3.65-to-0.25 edge in xG (expected goals). Trossard broke through in the 28th minute, firing into the net during a goalmouth scramble off a corner, after an earlier effort was ruled not to have crossed the line by goal-line technology.

Kevin De Bruyne, Romelu Lukaku and Alexis Saelemaekers also scored for Belgium, which had been eliminated in the group stage in Qatar four years ago. Trossard's opener marked Belgium's first non-own-goal at this tournament, while De Bruyne added a long-range strike in the 66th minute that he celebrated by forming a heart with his hands for the Vancouver crowd.

Elijah Just scored for New Zealand in the 84th minute to avoid a shutout, but the All Whites needed an outright win to have any chance of advancing and head home without a first-ever World Cup victory. Lukaku and Saelemaekers added late goals for Belgium in the final minutes.

Goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois made his 18th World Cup appearance, setting a new Belgian record, surpassing the mark previously held by Enzo Scifo. Winger Jeremy Doku started after missing the Iran match due to illness and a brief trip home for the birth of his son.

Belgium will face a third-place finisher in the round of 32 on Wednesday in Seattle. A win would set up a potential meeting with the winner of the United States-Bosnia-Herzegovina match in the round of 16.

Spain eliminated Uruguay from the World Cup with a 1-0 victory Friday, capitalizing on another goalkeeping error by Fernando Muslera to secure top spot in Group H.

Alex Baena scored the decisive goal in the 42nd minute after Muslera could not fully clear his shot from inside the area. Spain dominated the match statistically, finishing with a 0.86-to-0.20 edge in expected goals. The blunder marked the third by the 40-year-old Muslera at this tournament, prompting coach Marcelo Bielsa to substitute him at halftime.

Uruguay finishes the group stage without a win across three matches, exiting as the highest-ranked team eliminated so far at 19th in the FIFA standings. Cape Verde claimed second place in the group with a scoreless draw against Saudi Arabia earlier Friday, edging both Uruguay and Saudi Arabia by a single point and denying Uruguay a path to advance as one of the best third-place finishers.

Tension marked the closing stages, with Uruguay's Agustin Canobbio sent off in stoppage time for a tackle on Spain defender Pau Cubarsi. Several Uruguay players cried on the field after the final whistle, and fans booed the team as it departed. Uruguay also lost midfielder Manuel Ugarte to an apparent knee injury late in the first half, with the player eventually stretchered off.

Spain, the reigning European champion, opened the tournament with a stunning scoreless draw against Cape Verde before rebounding with a 4-0 win over Saudi Arabia. The team has not advanced past the round of 16 since winning its only World Cup title in 2010.

Spain will face the second-place finisher from Group J, either Austria or Algeria, on Thursday in Inglewood, California.

Cape Verde secured a spot in the World Cup knockout round Friday with a third consecutive draw, a 0-0 result against Saudi Arabia that made the island nation the smallest country ever to reach the tournament's last 32.

Cape Verde, making its World Cup debut, finished second in the group behind Spain, who clinched first place with a win over Uruguay later Friday. The country, with a population just over 500,000, had already held 2010 champion Spain scoreless before fighting back for a 2-2 draw against Uruguay. Cape Verde finished with a commanding 1.52-to-0.40 edge in xG (expected goals) against Saudi Arabia.

Goalkeeper Vozinha, 40, anchored the result with a series of key saves, denying Mohamed Kanno's header in first-half stoppage time, leaping to stop a shot from Mohammed Abu Al-Shamat in the 66th minute, and making a final save against Abdullah Al-Hamdan in the 92nd minute.

Cape Verde had its own chances to win the match outright. Kevin Pina's long-range effort sailed just over the crossbar in the 50th minute, and goalkeeper Mohammed Al-Owais denied Laros Duarte in the 74th. Nuno da Costa's attempt in the final seconds went wide left.

"Everyone is entitled to dream and nothing is impossible," Cape Verde coach Bubista had said on the eve of the match.

Celebrations broke out among Cape Verde's players and supporters once Spain's win over Uruguay was confirmed, securing the team's place in the knockout stage. Cape Verde will face defending champion Argentina in Miami on July 3.