Fifa has been blamed for the travel chaos afflicting World Cup 2026, with Uruguay slating the governing body after they experienced trouble arriving in Miami for their opening game against Saudi Arabia this evening.
On the eve of the game, the Uruguayan plane didn’t have clearance to fly from Cancun, where the team have been based, to the US, which left the squad stuck at the hotel until a solution was found, with the Uruguayan FA pinning the blame on Fifa, who in turn claimed it was an issue with the airline.
Iran captain Mehdi Taremi has also criticised Fifa for the impact that his nation’s war with the US has had on preparations for their first game against New Zealand tonight, having been forced to move their base to Mexico, visa issues plaguing members of their delegation and travelling fans being stripped of match tickets. “I have felt the tension from the first moment we arrived at this World Cup,” said Taremi. “This kind of tension, it undermines that joy and it undermines the message of Fifa and our people, which is that football brings about peace. I feel like this World Cup could have provided a better atmosphere than it has.”
As England continue to build up to Wednesday’s game with Croatia, Jordan Henderson has leapt to the defence of teammate Jude Bellingham, claiming external criticism is way off the mark. “I know a lot gets written in the media and I really find it hard to read sometimes because I just know how big an influence he is on this team, how good a teammate he is off the field,” said Henderson. “And what he gives us is just something really special, he really gives us the X-factor in our team. We all know what he can do, and how much we all love him inside the camp, and I suppose that’s the main thing.”
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Read MoreFifa releases statement over Uruguay travel chaos before World Cup 2026 match
Iran captain Mehdi Taremi criticises Fifa over impact of USA war at World Cup 2026
World Cup 2026 - live updates
- Uruguay blame Fifa for delays getting to Miami for World Cup 2026 opener
- Iran kick off their tournament this evening after litany of issues
- Mohamed Salah and Kevin De Bruyne to go head to head for final time as Egypt face Belgium
- Jordan Henderson defends England teammate Jude Bellingham, saying 'we all love him'
Nico O'Reilly wants England to start 'all guns blazing'
11:00 , Luke BakerSpeaking of Nico O’Reilly, he wants England to start their World Cup campaign “all guns blazing” against Croatia.
Thomas Tuchel’s men are stepping up preparations for Wednesday’s Group L opener in Dallas having arrived at their Kansas City base following a warm-weather camp in Florida.
England are among the favourites for glory this summer and O’Reilly wants them to kick off their World Cup campaign with a statement win against 2018 World Cup semi-final foes Croatia on Wednesday.
“We’ve been acclimatising to the heat, a lot of training and then with the two games where everyone got some minutes,” the Manchester City player said.
“In a way (it’s been like a pre-season) but it’s been intense. Obviously, we need to get ready for the tournament, and it’s been good. I think we just need to go out there all guns blazing and show them what we’re made of.”
How will England line up against Croatia in their 2026 World Cup opener?
10:46 , Luke BakerIs Nico O’Reilly a certain starter for England? Lawrence Ostlere has predicted the team.
How will England line up against Croatia in their 2026 World Cup opener?
Is Kai Havertz the answer to Germany’s biggest World Cup question?
10:33 , Luke BakerThere are a raft of reasons why Germany have been so disappointing at recent World Cups, but sometimes the most obvious is the most telling. Germany haven’t had an elite striker since Miroslav Klose, and it has shown.
Arguably, they still don’t. Most football fans probably couldn’t name the player wearing Germany’s No 9 at this World Cup, someone with five caps and one international goal, Stuttgart’s attacking midfielder Jamie Leweling. The question is, can Germany go deep in the World Cup without one of the tournament’s leading strikers?
Lawrence Ostlere suggests that Kai Havertz might just be the solution to their ills:
Is Kai Havertz the answer to Germany’s biggest World Cup question?
Why did Yasin Ayari refuse to celebrate his goal in Sweden’s World Cup win over Tunisia?
10:20 , Luke BakerYasin Ayari played a key role in Sweden’s 5-1 rout of Tunisia in their opening game of the World Cup - but after scoring the first goal he chose not to celebrate.
The Brighton star latched onto the rebound after Viktor Gyokeres had an early attempt blocked and volleyed past Tunisia keeper Abdelmouhib Chamakh in the seventh minute at the Estadio Monterrey.
But having enjoyed a dream start to his World Cup debut, the 22-year-old did not celebrate, instead raising his hands in apology to the opposition fans.
Find out why:
Why did Sweden’s World Cup goalscorer refuse to celebrate against Tunisia?
Gareth Southgate turned down TV work to ‘keep out of the way’
10:11 , Luke BakerFormer England manager Gareth Southgate has revealed he turned down offers for World Cup television work, opting instead to “keep out of the way” to avoid distracting the national team.
This summer's 48-team competition in North America marks the first World Cup since 1994 that Southgate will not be directly involved, following his successful tenure which saw England reach a World Cup semi-final and quarter-final, alongside back-to-back European Championship finals before his departure after Euro 2024.
Explaining his decision in an Instagram video, Southgate highlighted his extensive history with the tournament. “This is obviously a very different tournament for me this one, I have been at the last seven World Cups as a player, as a broadcaster, as a scout and then as a manager,” he said.
“This time I took a conscious decision not to do the TV. I didn’t think it would be helpful for me to be talking about the team.”
He further elaborated on his desire to prevent any potential misinterpretations. "I don’t want anything to be misconstrued or thrown at them in press conferences. So, best for me to keep out of the way.”
How Spain have developed ‘tiki-taka 2.0’ in pursuit of World Cup glory
09:59 , Luke BakerLamine Yamal’s potential absence from Spain’s opener would be a blow – but, as Chris Wilson writes, there are plenty of interchangeable pieces within the European champions’ squad.
How Spain have developed ‘tiki-taka 2.0’ in pursuit of World Cup glory
Lamine Yamal faces fitness race for Spain opener
09:50 , Luke BakerLamine Yamal is touch-and-go to be fit for Spain’s World Cup opener against Cape Verde this evening.
The 18-year-old superstar has been out since late April due to a left hamstring injury but is now back in full squad training.
Boss Luis de la Fuente has suggested he is ready to play some minutes but may be cautious with the teenager, who lit up the Euros as a 16-year-old two years ago.
“The good news is that Lamine is in perfect condition,” De la Fuente said in a pre-match press conference on Sunday. “He's arrived at this point in the state in which we wanted him to be. He’s fine, just like Nico [Williams] and Victor [Munoz]. They're all available, although some won't play the entire game.
“The doctors say Lamine can play tomorrow without any issues. Not to play 90 minutes, but to play some minutes, yes... The process [with Williams] is similar. They've been working together a lot of days, a lot of hours, and with the relationship they have, they've been happy. They could play, if we think the game demands it.”
Tornado hits Kansas City hours after England arrive at World Cup base with players told to shelter
09:42 , Luke BakerIt seems like everyone was alright – but it was a pretty hairy welcome to Kansas City for England over the weekend
Tornado hits Kansas City hours after England arrive at World Cup base
Germany hit seven but Curacao’s moment justifies new format
09:30 , Luke BakerKai Havertz scored a brace as Germany opened their World Cup campaign with a dominant 7-1 victory over debutants Curacao in Houston.
Felix Nmecha opened the scoring just six minutes in, but Germany were slightly stunned when Livano Comenencia levelled for minnows Curacao, making their maiden appearance at a World Cup, suggesting that the expanded new format is worthwhile when nations can produce moments that inspire generations.
However, a Nico Schlotterbeck header and Havertz penalty soon restored Germany’s advantage at half-time. A comfortable display saw further goals in the second half from Jamal Musiala, Nathaniel Brown, Deniz Undav and Havertz as Germany wrapped up three points in their first Group E game.
Curacao’s historic moment vindicates Fifa’s bloated 48-nation World Cup
Japanese fans leave their mark off the pitch at World Cup
09:21 , Luke BakerJapanese fans had plenty to celebrate after their 2-2 draw with the Netherlands at the Dallas Stadium in Texas but once again they will make headlines for an incredible gesture after the full-time whistle of the World Cup 2026 clash.
As usual in sporting events of this size, the stands of the stadium became littered with rubbish, such as food trays and empty drinks cups, but Japan’s supporters remained behind and cleaned up before departing the stadium.
Experts in Japanese culture cite a proverb: "tatsu tori ato wo nigosazu" which, when translated into English, means "stand up, take care of it, without leaving any traces behind" as one reason why Japan supporters tidy up after themselves.
Japanese fans deliver incredible gesture after World Cup clash with Netherlands
Sweden’s deadly duo Isak and Gyokeres both off the mark in win over Tunisia
09:11 , Luke BakerOne of the big challenges for successive Sweden managers has been how to get the best out of Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyokeres on the same pitch, at the same time. Graham Potter’s solution against Tunisia was to play a 3-5-2 formation in which his star strikers were paired together, and it paid off with a 5-1 win in which both players got on the scoresheet – as Brighton’s Yasin Ayari scored two belters from range against his mother’s country.
The forward pair were helped by some poor Tunisian defending and goalkeeping, and there remain some question marks over their link-up play. At one point during the second half, Gyokeres should have played Isak through on goal but the Arsenal striker dallied and when he eventually passed, Isak was offside. Gyokeres’s goal might technically have been an Isak assist, but Isak was trying to score himself and the ball only ran to his strike partner when he lost control under pressure.
So perhaps there is still something to work on to develop a thriving partnership in which they are as happy to pass to one another as to take on the shot. But for Potter and Sweden, just seeing their star duo play together is a huge boost after Isak’s season of injuries. Group F rivals Netherlands and Japan will be wary of the threat Sweden pose.
Jordan Henderson defends England teammate Jude Bellingham: 'We all love him'
08:58 , Luke BakerAs England continue to build up to Wednesday’s game with Croatia, Jordan Henderson has leapt to the defence of teammate Jude Bellingham, claiming external criticism of the Real Madrid midfielder is way off the mark.
It has been suggested that one of the reasons Thomas Tuchel wanted veteran Henderson in his World Cup squad was his good relationship with Bellingham, who has developed a reputation externally as something of a tricky character.
“I know a lot gets written in the media and I really find it hard to read sometimes because I just know how big an influence Jude is on this team, how good a teammate he is off the field,” said Henderson.
“And what he gives us is just something really special, he really gives us the X-factor in our team.
“I do think a lot of the media and the stuff that gets written isn’t all true to be honest, or a lot of it is actually untrue. But we all know what he can do, and how much we all love him inside the camp, and I suppose that’s the main thing.”
The unwanted Premier League reality exposed by Mohamed Salah and Kevin De Bruyne’s World Cup showdown
08:54 , Luke BakerFor two ageing greats who contested an epic rivalry over years, the World Cup could provide a last duel. Not Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi – or not definitely, anyway, given the number of results required to ensure that Portugal actually do meet Argentina in the Kansas City quarter-final – but Kevin De Bruyne and Mohamed Salah.
They have met in the Community Shield, the Champions League and the Carabao Cup but theirs is primarily a Premier League battle. Now for the north-west of the United States not the north-west of England. They meet in Seattle as captains of Belgium and Egypt and arguably the Premier League’s two best players of the last decade.
There are cases for Harry Kane and Virgil van Dijk, one for Erling Haaland that is based on a much briefer stay in the division, but De Bruyne and Salah allied creativity with class, assists with goals, medals with magnificence, individual exploits with collective achievement.
Richard Jolly analyses a final showdown between two Premier League greats:
The unwanted Premier League reality exposed by Belgium v Egypt at World Cup
Iran captain Mehdi Taremi criticises Fifa over impact of USA war at World Cup
08:50 , Luke BakerIran captain Mehdi Taremi has criticised Fifa, with his team is having a challenging World Cup experience amid the multifold disruptions created by their nation's war with the US.
The Iranians arrived in the Los Angeles area on Sunday from their training base in Tijuana, Mexico, ahead of their clash with New Zealand this evening, while visa issues have plagued members of their delegation and travelling fans have been stripped of match tickets.
“I have felt the tension from the first moment we arrived at this World Cup,” said Taremi. “This kind of tension, it undermines that joy and it undermines the message of Fifa and our people, which is that football brings about peace. I feel like this World Cup could have provided a better atmosphere than it has.”
Uruguay blame Fifa after flight chaos hurts plans for World Cup opener
08:38 , Luke BakerUruguay’s national team have blamed Fifa after a chaotic start to their World Cup campaign following the delay to their travel from their Mexico base to Miami for their first match.
Marcelo Bielsa’s side have travelled to Cancun for final preparations before getting their World Cup underway against Saudi Arabia on Monday but the squad were left waiting as their prepared plane didn’t have clearance to fly to the US. The problem facing the team was reportedly due to issues with paperwork for the aircraft which meant it had not been approved to take the route from Cancun to Miami.
The Uruguayan FA maintained Fifa was responsible, while adding in a statement: “Due to problems beyond the control of the AUF, the departure from Mexico has been delayed. The squad is resting at the hotel. The new departure time set by FIFA is 4.15pm.”
A Fifa statement read: “Due to an airline permitting error in Mexico, the Uruguay national team’s departure from Cancun to Miami was delayed. The airline has apologised for the inconvenience caused.”
World Cup 2026 - live updates
08:36 , Luke BakerWelcome to The Independent’s live coverage of the 2026 World Cup.
The tournament rolls on after a goalfest on Sunday, with Uruguay’s travel chaos and Iran’s litany of issues dominating the news
