World Cup 2026: Haaland v Mbappé; Schweinsteiger’s ‘African football’ comments criticised; Ecuador’s national holiday – live

June 26, 2026
6:24 pm

Key events

Just for clarity, this is the correct email to send us your World Cup-related musings.

Thank you in advance. You can of course comment BTL, too.

Chris has emailed to tell us where he’s going to watch Uruguay v Spain later:

“Near Hammerfest, on board a ship with many very happy Norwegians.”

Well, that sounds like fun. Enjoy.

An entirely inappropriate photo of the aurora borealis near Hammerfest, Norway. Photograph: LOOK Die Bildagentur der Fotografen GmbH/Alamy

What is the point of the Scotland team’s existence in its current form, wonders Valdarez in the comments, getting all philosophical.

I am reaching out here to existentialist scholars btl. Obviously Heidegger would say that the essence of the Scottish national team‘s Dasein is ungrounded – it can be what it wants to be. What is the point of its existence in this form?

Sticking with the Uruguay v Spain vibe:

Spain coach Luis de la Fuente has told his players they must take another step forward as they aim for top spot in Group H against Uruguay.

After a 0-0 draw against Cape Verde in their opener, Spain delivered a convincing 4-0 win over Saudi Arabia, but Uruguay will provide a tougher test.

“We need to be the best version of ourselves with every passing game,” De la Fuente said. “Every time our opponents become harder to defeat. Our purpose is to get to the final on 19 July and to do that we need to continue improving with each passing game.

“We had a very good match the last time but that is not enough. We need better performances, better concentration and more assurance because our opponent will be harder to defeat.”

‘We need to be the best version of ourselves with every passing game,’ said Luis de la Fuente, partly referring to Spain’s passing game. Photograph: Alfredo Estrella/AFP/Getty Images

Spain top the group with four points and do not necessarily need to win – a draw would be enough for top spot if Cape Verde do not beat Saudi Arabia by five or more goals.

Lamine Yamal is expected to start again as the Barcelona youngster, who scored the opener against Saudi Arabia, continues to build fitness.

“The performance we delivered in the last match does not call for us to make changes, but I am very pleased with what the players who came on as substitutes produced and with what I see in training,” De la Fuente added.

“Whoever plays will put in a good performance. We will carry out a final review but I already know who will play.”

Uruguay are under pressure after two underwhelming draws have left them at risk elimination.

While a win would see them go through, a draw would only be enough to get a top-two finish if the other group fixture also ends all square. Their path to advance as a third-placed side is narrow.

“We are approaching tomorrow’s match as a final,” coach Marcelo Bielsa said. “One of the best ways to defend is to make sure the opponent has ⁠the ball for less time.”

Uruguay will be without the Barcelona defender Ronald Araújo, sidelined with a calf injury, as is Giorgian de Arrascaeta. PA Media

“True story,” emails Tom Kenny.

“After Scotland’s heroic draw with world champions in 1974, Rivellino approached Billy Bremner in the tunnel full of admiration exclaiming ‘Bremner Primo!! Bremner Primo!!’ In reply, Bremner grabbed him by the shirt and in the spirit of these great occasions screamed: ‘Who the #### are you to call me a Primo?!! Happy days.”

Here’s Ewan Murray on the contrast between Scotland’s disappointing on-pitch efforts and their superb fans:

Scotland line up at Waldstadion in Frankfurt before a goalless draw with Brazil in 1970. Photograph: Colorsport/Shutterstock

As Sarah mentioned, Sid Lowe on Uruguay is a fascinating read, on Marcelo Biela’s mentality – and the well-documented problems that have existed within the national team camp.

“The first thing Bielsa did when he turned up in the press room in Guadalajara was position the mic and say good afternoon, which was a start. After the 2024 Copa América Luis Suárez left the national team and one of the many things he revealed was that the players had asked for a meeting to request that Bielsa at least say buen dia when he saw them. He painted a bleak portrait from inside the national team, a cold, dysfunctional place where the manager barely talked to his players and they – and the staff – didn’t want to be there.”

Uruguay v Spain is a mouthwatering clash indeed, but what are the chances of me being awake here in London? Very slim indeed – but let’s see how it goes.

Where are you watching Uruguay v Spain? Mail us.

Thank you Sarah, hello everyone.

With that I am going to hand over to Luke McLaughlin for the next few hours, over to you.

A good read here:

A stat that no Scotland fan will enjoy now. The team still have a chance of going through to the knockout stages but after yesterday’s results it has fallen from a 42% chance to just 5.26%.

Some non-World Cup news but it could be big for the Premier League season next campaign:

These are the teams who have qualified for the last 32:

Argentina
France
Germany
Mexico
Norway
USA
Colombia
Canada
Switzerland
Brazil
Morocco
South Africa
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Côte d’Ivoire
Ecuador
Netherlands
Japan
Sweden
Australia

The US team may have topped the group but they lost their final group match 3-2 against Turkey. Mauricio Pochettino pushed back against criticism levelled at him in the press conference:

A new edition of the Football Daily is here and ready for you to consume the reaction to the latest twists and turns at the tournament:

‘We could call it racist’, Fae on Schweinsteiger’s comments

Côte d’Ivoire qualified for the World Cup knockout stage for the first time yesterday after a brilliant 2-0 performance against Curaçao. In the press conference after the achievement though, manager Emerse Fae was asked about comments made by former German player Bastian Schweinsteiger.

Schweinsteiger spoke about Côte d’Ivoire before Germany’s win over them in the group stage and said on their style of play:

“A bit African football, a bit unorthodox, a bit wild, a bit perhaps also not so conditioned by tactics. We must be prepared for it to be unpredictable.

Fae said in response to the comments:

I think it’s sad. Schweinsteiger was a very good player; I have always loved him as a midfielder and the way he understood football. When I heard his comments, I was disappointed in the man.
It is odd he would speak that way. We could call it racist, if we were calling a spade a spade. I don’t agree with him, but I have no other solution other than to work with things as they are. All I can show is that on the pitch African teams are not just physical, we are technical and tactical.
I can only hope it is a clumsy statement, rather than something going on in his mind. If that’s what he thinks, he is free to do so.

Schweinsteiger has not addressed the backlash over his comments publicly, according to reports.

Senegal need a big win over Iraq to ensure they are through to the knockout stage with their tournament not going quite to plan yet. The two will play later on with a kick-off of 8pm BST/3pm ET/7pm GMT.

Goal celebrations are also individual to the player so if you were to be in a World Cup squad and scored for your country, what celebration would you do? Email me and let me know.

Australia are also through to the last 32 and here is how some of their fans have been supporting them:

Kylian Mbappé and Erling Haaland will go head-to-head later on as France take on Norway and they have both scored the same amount of goals so far this tournament with four. They could go top of the Golden Boot standings this evening but who is currently there? Have a look:

Ecuador fans’ nerves will be eased for now but that is not the case for all the nations yet as all of the knockout spots have not been allocated. Here is how the third-place spots are shaking out:

Ecuador’s national holiday for reaching last 32

Ecuador fans were celebrating their team’s emphatic win over Germany to secure a spot in the last 32 anyway but they have been given an added sweetner of a national holiday.

The country’s president Daniel Noboa said on X: “Thanks to the players and the ⁠coach who, despite the criticism, the insults, and the tough moments they ⁠went through, managed to recover and give this immense joy ‌to the entire ‌country. Tomorrow, a holiday!”

Ecuador have qualified as one of the best eight third-placed teams, reaching the World Cup ‌knockout stages for only the second time. They last reached the stage at the 2006 tournament in Germany.

England fans, this may bring back some painful memories. Thirty years ago England were knocked out of Euros 96, relive it if you dare:

Ben Fisher

Iran and Egypt attempted to sidestep questions about their reluctance to take part in the designated “Pride Match” celebrating the LGBTQ+ community in Seattle, as Fifa confirmed it will permit rainbow flags to be displayed inside the stadium.

Fifa’s president, Gianni Infantino, has been at pains to make clear planned festivities are being arranged by Seattle’s organising committee to coincide with the annual Pride weekend and that they have “nothing to do with the match itself”.

Barney Ronay

Thank goodness this is Dallas and not Gijon. There was ultimately no disgrace in a draw that served everyone, even if one might have forgiven Graham Potter and Hajime Moriyasu for shaking hands at half-time. At that point most onlookers may have fancied calling it all off too but a much sparkier second half served up two moments to cherish and left Sweden, who had risked throwing such a promising campaign away, certain of a spot in the last 32.

Sweden secured their place in the last 32 but Anthony Elanga, who scored against Japan, forgot a draw would see them through. Cameras caught him looking sad after the final whistle and manager Graham Potter explained:

It couldn’t have been any clearer for him, so he’s obviously thinking about something else. Bless him.

So yesterday’s results saw five more teams qualify for the knockout stage and you can catch up on all of the action across the reports:

Here is that piece for you now:

Preamble

Hello and welcome to today’s World Cup news blog where we will recap yesterday’s action, as well as teeing up today’s games and any news that drops in between.

Several teams qualified for the knockout stage yesterday including Sweden and Côte d’Ivoire. The implications of those has seen teams like Scotland are hanging on by a thread to remain in the competition.

Côte d’Ivoire will play either Norway or France as they finished runner-up in their group and their opponent will be decided later on as the two teams go head-to-head. The match up all eyes will be on though is between Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappé.

The two strikers will want to make the difference for their squads and there is a great piece on that which I will share with you soon. Let’s go.