The ball has been rolling since June 11th: the new world champion will be played for 38 days in the USA, Mexico and Canada. For the first time there are twelve preliminary round groups with 48 teams. On Saturday evening, the German national team wants to make it into the round of 16 against Ivory Coast. In the World Cup blog we will keep you up to date about national coach Julian Nagelsmann’s DFB team and all other topics relating to the XXL tournament.
7:05 p.m
Real Madrid releases statement about Olise
Real Madrid made a surprising statement on Saturday evening and rejected approaches to Michael Olise.
“In view of reports in various media about our club’s alleged interest in the FC Bayern Munich player Michael Olise, Real Madrid would like to make it clear that there has been no contact – neither direct nor indirect – with the player in question, his representatives or his entourage,” said the Whites.
➜ Read now: The complete statement from Real Madrid!
6:45 p.m
Canada’s national team celebrates Koné on his return
After Ismaël Koné’s World Cup injury drama, the Canadian midfielder was welcomed like a hero by his team. The 24-year-old returned from the hospital to applause from his teammates, as seen in a video on the Canadian national team’s social media channels. The team also celebrated the Sassuolo professional with shouts of “Ismaël”.
Koné suffered a broken leg during the World Cup co-hosts’ furious 6-0 win against Qatar in Vancouver. He has already undergone surgery and will no longer be available to the team for the rest of the tournament.
➜ To the Canadian national team’s World Cup squad!
4:31 p.m
Rule change: Why Turkey is already 100 percent out
The young Turkish star Arda Güler was heartbroken: “We are really, really sad,” he said when he had to comment on his team’s exit from the World Cup after zero points and zero goals from the first two games. The Turks can theoretically still draw level with a group opponent on points. But even with a big win at the end of the preliminary round against the USA, they will still be bottom of the group. A new rule at this World Cup is responsible for this: Unlike the World Cup in Qatar in 2022, if there is a tie on points, the direct comparison counts first and then the goal difference. And Turkey lost the two direct comparisons concerned.
Turkey and Haiti are already bottom of the group, although 32 teams reach the knockout round in the World Cup, which is being held for the first time with 48 teams, including the eight best of the twelve third-placed teams. Other teams face a similar fate. If the regulation was based on a tie on points from previous World Championships, they would still have had a chance to advance. The Turks and Haiti could have jumped to third place with big victories at the end of the preliminary round and then hoped that they would be among the best third in the group.
The idea behind the adjustment: Whoever beats their direct competitor should also be ahead of them. This regulation is often perceived as fairer. In addition, individual victories by teams against outsiders are not overrated. UEFA applies the rule at the European Championships, among other things.
➜ To the overview: All groups and game days the 2026 World Cup!
2:45 p.m
Bizarre advertising rules at the World Cup – This is how FIFA is tricked
Ralf Rangnick was very amused by a little PR coup, while Jamal Musiala will probably always have to have a roll of adhesive tape with him for the next few weeks. Because the Bayern star’s headphones are not manufactured by a World Cup sponsor, he had to cover the clearly visible logo with tape. The zeal with which the world association FIFA protects the exclusivity of its sponsors at the World Cup is not only surprising. It incites companies that are not official donors to carry out funny activities.
➜ For the complete news: What makes ÖFB coach Rangnick laugh!
11:28 a.m
Press comments on the exit from Turkey: “The world is collapsing for us”
For Turkey, their first participation in the World Cup since 2002 ended with a big disappointment: their early exit from the preliminary round. The players around Arda Güler (“That’s also shameful, we apologize to our people”) criticized themselves harshly immediately after the game, and there was also criticism of the team around coach Vincenzo Montella in the Turkish media. The press reviews:
Türkiye
Hürriyet: “Bitter farewell to the World Cup. Zero goals, zero points.”
Habertürk: “A world is collapsing for us. The defeat against Paraguay, even though the opponent only had ten players on the pitch for more than half, is one of the most painful disappointments in our country’s World Cup history.”
Milliyet: “No smiles on the faces. Families and children gathered in front of large screens before dawn, waving Turkish flags and hoping for a football festival – only to see the national team’s World Cup trip come to an early end.”
Fanatik: “Although our national team was considered the favorite to advance in their group, they were eliminated without scoring a single goal. […] Turkey also became the first team since at least 1966 to record more than 77 percent ball possession in a World Cup game and still not score a goal.”
Fotomaç: “Our national team hit the woodwork several times: In the game against Paraguay, we were repeatedly stopped by the post and the crossbar. Several promising chances ended up on the bars and ultimately contributed to the defeat.”
Sözcü: “The worst team in the tournament. Turkey was eliminated after losing to Paraguay – despite playing in the majority for 52 minutes after being sent off. A heartbreaking end to their first World Cup appearance since 2002.”
Paraguay
ABC: “The Paraguayan national team has once again demonstrated its true essence – the essence that has earned it historical respect in world football, the essence that comes to the fore in the most difficult moments.”
VS Sports: “Heroic! Paraguay defeats Turkey.”
➜ The highlights of the game in the video!
10:57 am
“Shameful”: Türkiye in the Valley of Tears after early World Cup exit
Kenan Yıldız buried his face in his jersey, Mert Müldür cried uncontrollably on the pitch. Despite being in the majority for an entire half, Turkey lost the second group game against Paraguay 0-1 (0-1) and is already bottom of the group before the duel with co-hosts USA. Turkey’s first World Cup participation since 2002 was a huge disappointment. Previously, only the small island state of Haiti had to plan the return journey for this XXL World Cup.
➜ Further reactions from the Turks!
10:33 am
Change perfect? Saibari blocks Bayern question
Ismael Saibari shot himself further into the international spotlight with his next goal at the World Cup, but avoided the question about Bayern’s future. “It’s the best time of my career because ever since I was little I’ve dreamed of playing with my country at a World Cup. I’ve done that. Now I’ve scored two goals for my country. I’m just happy,” said the goalscorer after the 1-0 win against Scotland.
➜ For the complete news!
07:06 am
Despite the majority after the red premiere: Türkiye is eliminated
Despite a long majority after a red premiere, Turkey lost against Paraguay and was eliminated after the preliminary round of the World Cup. Arda Güler’s team from Real Madrid lost 0-1 (0-1) to the South Americans. After two defeats, coach Vincenzo Montella’s team is already bottom of the table in Group D before the last preliminary round game against co-hosts USA, who are now group winners. Their first participation in the World Cup since 2002 is a huge disappointment.
➜ Go to the match report including all the highlights in the video!
6:10 a.m
Hand over mouth: Paraguay’s Almirón sees red card
Paraguay national player Miguel Almirón was the first professional footballer to be shown a red card at the World Cup because he held his hand over his mouth in a dispute with his opponent. The 32-year-old from Atlanta United had to leave the field in stoppage time in the first half of the game against Turkey due to a new rule.
During a break in the game, Almirón said something to his Turkish opponent Mert Müldür with his hand held in front of him. Referee Iván Barton from El Salvador made the decision after a tip from the video referee. “Number ten Paraguay, hand over his mouth,” Barton said during the announcement in the stadium and shouted: “Red card.”
➜ The scene in the video!
04:31am
Ex-Bundesliga professional scores twice: Brazil beats Haiti
Brazil is dancing again – and a former Leipzig and Hertha player is right in the middle of it. Led by ex-Bundesliga professional Matheus Cunha and offensive superstar Vinicius Junior, the Seleção celebrated their first victory at this World Cup. After the 1-1 draw at the start against Morocco, the Brazilians defeated Caribbean outsiders Haiti 3-0 (3-0).
Cunha (23rd and 36th minutes) scored twice for the five-time world champion, Vinicius Junior (45th + 3) added in the first half. The only downer for coach Carlo Ancelotti’s team: offensive ace Raphinha from FC Barcelona had to go out shortly before half-time.
➜ Go to the match report including all the highlights in the video!
02:35am
Tah on Diomande letter to dead sister: “Very moving”
Jonathan Tah was deeply impressed by the published letter from the young Leipzig star Yan Diomande to his sister, who died at the age of 15. “It was very moving,” said the 30-year-old Tah of the 19-year-old Ivory Coast winger’s words in The Players’ Tribune magazine.
Diomande commented on the painful loss in a letter because he could not talk about the stroke of fate. “It is often said that we are just the footballers,” said Tah at the press conference before the game in Toronto that evening between the DFB selection and the team from Africa, in which Diomande is one of the key players.
02:11 am
Nagelsmann’s plea for Sané: “Psychological phenomenon”
Julian Nagelsmann has given Leroy Sané a starting eleven guarantee for the German national team’s second World Cup game against Ivory Coast. At the same time, the national coach harshly criticized the public treatment of the offensive player even after the 7-1 win in the World Cup opener against Curaçao.
“I don’t know why I shouldn’t let him play. I’m not one to be driven by outside opinions. Rather, we have an opinion in the coaching team, an opinion in the team and we also saw things on the field that were very good,” said Nagelsmann before today’s game (10 p.m. / ZDF and MagentaTV) in Toronto.
➜ The Ivory Coast in portrait!
01:59 am
Saibari scores: Morocco beats Scotland
Led by Bayern’s dream player Ismael Saibari, Morocco has thwarted the big Scottish party and is almost certain to reach the round of 16 of the World Cup. The 2022 semi-finalists won the second group game in Boston 1-0 (1-0) and are now one point ahead of the Scots in the table. They missed the chance to make it into the knockout phase for the first time.