3 h. ago FA chief makes bullish World Cup promise with honest appraisal of Thomas Tuchel

England head to the USA, Canada and Mexico next summer as one of the World Cup favourites and, ahead of Friday's draw, FA chief Mark Bullingham is relishing the opportunity

Politics

3 h. ago A supersized World Cup field begins taking shape at Friday's draw

The World Cup draw takes place Friday, featuring four debuting teams: Cape Verde, Curaçao, Jordan and Uzbekistan

Politics

7 h. ago McFly star to perform on Strictly with Paddington Bear for ‘musicals week’

The remaining five contestants will also take part in a dance relay in what is a first for the show

Politics

8 h. ago Noise around Donald Trump an unwanted distraction to World Cup draw of dreams

Amid all the hoopla circling its Washington backdrop, Friday’s event must be all about firing the starting gun on football’s biggest showWhen the sculptor Joel Shapiro created Blue, the piece that stands around the back of the John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, looking out over the Potomac River in Washington, he wanted to tap into a number of elements. The giant matchstick figure denotes movement and energy, risk and possibility. As Shapiro himself has said, it is supposed to “reconfigure depending on how you look at it”.It has the perfect home at the Kennedy Center, the vast cultural hub for ballet and opera, stage productions and concerts. And it resonates on a new level now as the venue prepares to host Friday’s World Cup draw, at which the competing nations at next summer’s extravaganza in the United States, Canada and Mexico will discover their group opponents and knockout round pathways. Because from one angle it is plain that Blue is executing a raking pass. From...

Politics

9 h. ago World Cup 2026: Pubs to stay open until 1am for tournament as England set to discover fate

England and Scotland will learn their World Cup opponents on Friday, with the UK economy expected to benefit.

Politics

9 h. ago Rio Ferdinand's 'man of the people' claim amid new life in Dubai and World Cup draw role

The Manchester United icon will oversee the World Cup draw on Friday, when England learn their opponents for next summer's tournament

Politics

10 h. ago Report takes aim at Fifa and IOC over policies for athletes convicted of sexual assault

The collaborative report said a lack of clear standards across borders creates confusion for big events like the World Cup and OlympicsWith the draw for the 2026 Fifa World Cup set to take place on Friday, a report examining the participation of athletes convicted of sexual offences at major sporting events has highlighted significant distrust of international sports governing bodies in how they deal with these situations.The report, titled No One Wants to Talk About It, is the result of interviews with elite athletes directly affected by sexual abuse and is intended to gauge attitudes around the eligibility and accreditation criteria for athletes with prior criminal sexual convictions and their participation at mega sporting events. Continue reading...

Events

11 h. ago World Cup 2026 draw: Arsene Wenger's promise and decision that could cost UK millions

Here's all you need to know about the World Cup draw ahead of Friday - and Saturday's - big event in Washington DC

Economics

11 h. ago World Cup draw so complicated it will take two DAYS for England and Scotland to get schedule

England and Scotland will discover their World Cup opponents on Friday - but fans wanting to finalise their itinerary next summer will have to wait another 24 hours for the fixtures to be confirmed

Politics

30 h. ago ‘Fifa cannot be silent’: human rights groups speak out over 2026 World Cup concerns

Sport and Rights Alliance has made seven requests for actionAmnesty International USA also worried by US government’s roleFifa risks becoming “a public relations tool of an increasingly authoritarian US government,” human rights organisations have warned as they call on football’s international governing body to do more to protect the rights of residents and supporters at next summer’s World Cup.With concerns rising over the possibility of local communities and travelling fans being subjected to immigration raids or arbitrary detention during the tournament, the Sport and Rights Alliance has made seven requests for action from Fifa before Friday’s World Cup draw in Washington. The key demand is that Fifa “commit to ensuring effective protections against racial profiling, arbitrary detention, and unlawful immigration enforcement during the tournament”. Continue reading...

Politics

31 h. ago The World Cup draw is usually a spectacle. This time, FIFA hopes bigger is better

A record 64 nations will be in Friday's World Cup draw as FIFA expands the tournament from 32 to 48 teams

Politics

33 h. ago BBC Match of the Day host's brutal take ahead of 2026 World Cup draw – 'It's s***'

Mark Chapman has slammed FIFA's 2026 World Cup seeding system ahead of Friday's draw, claiming football fans want to see big games early in the tournament

Politics

34 h. ago How does the World Cup draw work? The AP explains FIFA's process for dividing teams into groups

The draw for the 2026 World Cup takes place Friday at the Kennedy Center

Politics

38 h. ago Donald Trump's favourite band to play for him at World Cup draw with Heidi Klum

Donald Trump's favourite band will play at the 2026 World Cup draw - which is set to be held on Friday ahead of the festival of football next summer

Politics

41 h. ago Village People among stars to perform at Friday’s World Cup draw

Star-studded event will be hosted by supermodel Heidi Klum and comedian Kevin Hart

Politics

3 d. ago World Cup draw 2026: When Scotland will discover fixtures, venues and times for group games plus how to live stream it

THE excitement is building as Scotland get set to find out who we will face at next summer's World Cup. All eyes will be on Washington DC on Friday when the draw for the group stages are made in the Kennedy Center. But Fifa revealed on Monday that won't give us the full picture. Steve...

Sport

5 d. ago Strictly staff forced to perform the Heimlich manoeuvre on Shirley Ballas after she started choking moments before show begins

With a kick of her leg and flick of her skirt, Shirley Ballas made her way over to the Strictly Come Dancing judges' desk where she took her seat and threw her head back in laughter.

Politics

6 d. ago Death toll reaches 69 as Sri Lanka is hit by rising flood waters

Heavy rain from Cyclone Ditwah has left people stranded, with more than 18,000 evacuated to temporary sheltersTroops in Sri Lanka were racing to rescue hundreds of people marooned by rising flood waters on Friday as weather-related deaths rose to 69, with another 34 people declared missing.Helicopters and navy boats carried out rescue operations, plucking people from treetops, roofs and villages cut off by flood waters. Continue reading...

Events

7 d. ago All the top Black Friday offers 2025 including £10 Bailey’s and cheap Stanley cup

BLACK Friday is here! With thousands discounts it's hard to break through the sales noise and work out which deals are worth buying. That's why Sun Savers Editor Lana Clements has pulled together a list of deals which ARE worth buying - with everything from Jo Malone candles to Apple Airpods. Today. is expected to...

Economics

7 d. ago Flash flooding in Sumatra kills 69 as rescue crews search rivers for survivors

Monsoon rains cause devastation on Indonesian island, sparking landslides and flash floodingFlash floods and landslides on Indonesia’s Sumatra island have killed 69 people, with 59 missing as emergency workers search in rivers and the rubble of villages for bodies and possible survivors.Monsoon rains over the past week caused rivers to burst their banks in North Sumatra province on Tuesday. The deluge tore through mountainside villages, swept away people and submerged more than 2,000 houses and buildings, the National Disaster Management Agency said. Nearly 5,000 residents fled to government shelters. Continue reading...

Events