France and Portugal have emerged as early frontrunners to win the 2026 Fifa World Cup as 48 nations prepare to battle for the ultimate prize across North America this summer.

The expanded tournament begins on 11 June, culminating in the final at New York’s MetLife Stadium on 19 July.

Holders Argentina, led by Lionel Messi, will defend their crown alongside traditional heavyweights including Brazil, Spain and Thomas Tuchel’s England.

Ronaldo seeks ultimate prize with Portugal

Cristiano Ronaldo arrives in the United States, Canada and Mexico with a final opportunity to secure the only major trophy missing from his glittering resume.

The 41-year-old forward hopes to emulate his long-time rival Messi, who cemented his legacy with a historic victory in Qatar four years ago.

Roberto Martinez’s squad boasts formidable depth following their recent 2025 Nations League triumph over European champions Spain.

The Iberian nation features world-class talent including Premier League standout Bruno Fernandes and a strong Paris St-Germain contingent.

A mouth-watering quarter-final clash between Ronaldo’s side and Argentina remains a distinct possibility if both nations navigate their respective groups successfully.

Deschamps bids farewell with frightening French attack

The 2018 champions remain formidable contenders in what is widely expected to be Didier Deschamps’ final tournament as national team manager.

The European heavyweights possess an intimidating forward line spearheaded by lightning-fast Real Madrid striker Kylian Mbappe.

He is supported by exceptional attacking depth, with Michael Olise and Ousmane Dembele offering devastating pace on the flanks.

Defensively, Les Bleus can rely on the formidable central partnership of William Saliba and Dayot Upamecano to stifle opposition threats.

If the two-time winners can find the right tactical balance, they possess the necessary experience to banish the heartbreak of their 2022 final defeat.

Australian sprint sensation Gout Gout will make his senior 200m debut at the Oslo Diamond League on Wednesday, 10 June.

The 18-year-old has been widely tipped to challenge long-standing world records in the future and faces an immediate test at the Bislett Games.

He will line up alongside Letsile Tebogo, the reigning Olympic champion over the distance following his triumph at Paris 2024.

Warholm renews Dos Santos rivalry

Norwegian home favourite Karsten Warholm headlines the men’s 400m hurdles in front of a passionate Oslo crowd.

The world record holder is set to resume his enduring track rivalry with Brazilian competitor Alison dos Santos.

Elsewhere, Julien Alfred will be the star attraction in the women’s sprinting field.

How to watch and event schedule

Domestic viewers can watch the Bislett Games live on BBC Three, with coverage starting at 19:00 BST.

A live stream will simultaneously be available via BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website.

The scheduled track and field times for the meeting are as follows:

Chelsea have been tipped to sign Liverpool defender Jeremie Frimpong this summer to reunite the Dutchman with new head coach Xabi Alonso at Stamford Bridge.

Frimpong joined the Merseyside club for £29.5m under former manager Arne Slot but has endured a deeply frustrating debut campaign.

The lightning-fast wing-back suffered a hamstring strain on his Premier League debut and has struggled to recapture his best form since returning to fitness.

Reuniting a title-winning partnership

The 23-year-old previously excelled under Alonso during Bayer Leverkusen’s historic domestic double-winning season.

Former Spain midfielder Gaizka Mendieta believes a move to west London would be a logical step to benefit both the player and the new manager.

Jeremie Frimpong could be a good asset for Xabi Alonso at Chelsea.

Managers have players they trust from previous clubs and there will be a belief from the player that they can find that form again.

We often see players reuniting with former coaches for that reason, especially if things aren’t going well for those players like Frimpong at Liverpool.

A potential arrival for the former Bundesliga star would create fierce competition with club captain Reece James on the right flank.

Cucurella expected to remain at Stamford Bridge

Fellow full-back Marc Cucurella has also attracted persistent interest from Barcelona and Real Madrid following a season without European football for the Blues.

However, Mendieta expects the Spanish international to stay and thrive in Alonso’s notoriously demanding tactical system.

Cucurella will be a key player under Xabi Alonso.

He plays with fullbacks quite offensively, it’s very demanding physically because you have to support the midfield.

The tactical setup at Leverkusen relied heavily on prolific attacking wing-backs, a specialized role seemingly tailored to the former Brighton defender.

Scotland manager Steve Clarke is targeting a historic place in the World Cup knockout stages as his side prepare to end a 28-year absence from the global stage against Haiti on Sunday.

The 62-year-old recently signed a new four-year contract after successfully guiding the national side to consecutive European Championships.

However, the former Chelsea defender admits he did not enjoy those previous campaigns.

“I’ve not really enjoyed the previous two tournaments if I’m being honest,” Clarke tells BBC Scotland.

Learning from previous tournament failures

The Ayrshireman feels the Covid-impacted Euro 2020 lacked a true tournament atmosphere due to reduced crowds and home fixtures.

He also acknowledges the squad fell short of their own high standards during their recent appearance in Germany.

“We let ourselves down. We didn’t play as well as we should have done and I probably didn’t make the decisions that I should have,” he added.

Now entering his third major finals at the helm, the veteran coach believes those harsh lessons have forged a more resilient group.

The immediate aim is to finally shatter the barrier that has traditionally prevented the Scots from advancing past the group stages.

Cautious optimism follows impressive warm-up form

A sensational qualification-clinching victory over Denmark last November initially secured their ticket to the showpiece event.

Moods temporarily dampened following underwhelming friendly defeats against Japan and Ivory Coast earlier this year.

However, recent dominant victories over Curacao and Bolivia have restored confidence among the travelling Tartan Army.

“What we’ve achieved up to now is great. Let’s see if we can achieve a little bit more,” says the head coach.

Embracing the ultimate footballing stage

Sunday’s 02:00 BST kick-off against the Caribbean nation marks a monumental milestone for Scottish football.

A significant portion of the current squad now boasts the vital experience of playing in multiple international competitions.

“Now we have to show that tournament experience in a tournament,” he says.

Despite the quiet confidence radiating through the camp, the management team remains acutely aware of the tactical challenges ahead.

For the man in the dugout, reaching this ultimate competition represents the fulfillment of a lifelong ambition.

“I wanted to go to a World Cup as a player. I didn’t manage to do that. It’s taken me 62 years to achieve what I wanted to achieve, so I’m going to try to enjoy it.”

Didier Deschamps will step down as manager of the French national team following the 2026 World Cup, bringing an end to a historic 14-year tenure in charge of Les Bleus.

The 55-year-old tactician has overseen 188 matches since taking the helm in 2012, restoring pride to a nation previously fractured by a mutinous 2010 campaign in South Africa.

If he successfully navigates the upcoming tournament in North America, he will fall just short of Joachim Low’s European record of 198 games managing Germany.

Chasing historical greatness

Victory in the New York final on 19 July 2026 would solidify his status as arguably the greatest international manager of the modern era.

The former Juventus midfielder has already joined Franz Beckenbauer in the exclusive club of individuals to win football’s ultimate prize as both captain and coach.

However, pressure is mounting with former teammate Zinedine Zidane having spent years patiently waiting to inherit the prestigious managerial role.

Balancing generational attacking talent

The outgoing boss possesses a formidable attacking arsenal, blending the elite pace of Kylian Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele with emerging stars like Desire Doue and Michael Olise.

Despite this immense firepower, his pragmatic approach has sometimes drawn fierce criticism for failing to maximize the squad’s offensive potential.

During their run to the Euro 2024 semi-finals, the European heavyweights astonishingly failed to score a single goal from open play.

A legacy of tactical pragmatism

Defenders of his methods point to his masterful team-building, such as utilizing an unselfish Olivier Giroud during their victorious 2018 campaign in Russia.

That tactical tweak perfectly balanced the side, allowing his superstar forwards the freedom to dismantle opposition defences.

Now, as the curtain begins to fall on a defining era of international football, the ultimate puzzle remains whether he can bow out with a third consecutive global final.

Bayern Munich are in advanced talks to sign Eintracht Frankfurt left-back Nathaniel Brown, dealing a major blow to Arsenal’s summer transfer plans.

The Gunners had identified the Germany international as a key target to bolster their defensive options following their recent Premier League title success.

However, the Bundesliga champions have progressed rapidly in their pursuit of the highly-rated full-back.

Medical planned during World Cup

Negotiations between Bayern and Frankfurt have been widely reported as overwhelmingly positive.

All parties involved are now increasingly optimistic that a final agreement will be reached shortly.

Contingency plans are already being established for a medical examination to take place in North America.

The lightning-fast defender is currently stationed there while representing his country at the World Cup.

Arsenal face defensive dilemma

Missing out on the Frankfurt star will force Mikel Arteta to rapidly reassess his recruitment strategy.

Sporting director Andrea Berta must now decide whether to pursue alternative left-back targets or shift focus entirely to the opposite flank.

The North London club have struggled extensively to manage recurring injury problems at right-back.

Ben White and Jurrien Timber have both endured significant spells on the sidelines over the past two seasons.

Arteta’s tactical shuffling

These persistent fitness issues have forced the Arsenal manager into several unconventional tactical adjustments.

Cristhian Mosquera has frequently been deployed out of position on the right side of the backline.

Arteta has even experimented with anchoring midfielder Declan Rice in the right-back role to navigate severe injury crises.

With a demanding campaign ahead, securing durable defensive reinforcements remains an urgent priority at Emirates Stadium.

Newly crowned WBA regular welterweight champion Jack Catterall has set his sights on division unification amid delays over a mandatory bout with Rolando Romero.

The British fighter secured his piece of the world title puzzle by defeating Shakhram Giyasov via unanimous decision in Egypt last month.

Romero, the WBA’s designated super champion, was given a 180-day window from May to face the new titleholder.

However, reports suggest the American might take an interim bout this summer before fulfilling his mandatory unification obligations.

Alternative targets await

Speaking to the media, the Chorley-born boxer expressed frustration at the potential delay but remains open to other high-profile matchups.

“News is circulating now that he’s going to take a fight, an interim fight or a keep busy fight in August, which is not ideal.”
“There’s potential for him to get cuts, but either way I’m going to fight for that ‘super’ title.”

If a clash with the super champion fails to materialise, the southpaw is eager to explore alternative blockbuster bouts in a deeply talented weight class.

He highlighted the winner of Lewis Crocker’s upcoming fight with Liam Paro, alongside Conor Benn, Devin Haney, and Ryan Garcia as potential opponents.

Career resurgence

The 33-year-old has experienced a significant career resurgence since a highly controversial defeat to Josh Taylor in 2022.

Winning seven of his subsequent eight contests, including a long-awaited rematch victory over Taylor, has propelled the athlete back to the summit of the sport.

Reflecting on his recent triumph over undefeated Olympic medallist Giyasov, he admitted revelling in his underdog status.

“I never really get emotional but after the fight the emotions were shown.”

Feeling better than ever, the world titleholder is determined to capitalise on his current momentum and secure further career-defining showdowns.

Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton believes his first grand prix victory for Ferrari is imminent after securing consecutive second-place finishes to move up to second in the 2026 Drivers’ Championship.

The 41-year-old endured a difficult debut campaign with the Scuderia in 2025 but has experienced a remarkable resurgence this season.

Following a maiden podium in red in China, the British driver has claimed back-to-back runner-up spots in Canada and Monaco.

These impressive results leave the Formula 1 veteran trailing championship leader Kimi Antonelli by 66 points.

“I mean, it couldn’t be closer,” he admitted following the Monaco Grand Prix.

“But it’s still 66 points. I can’t believe that I’m second in the championship and I’m really happy and thankful for that.”

Praise for Mercedes successor Antonelli

Antonelli replaced the sport’s most successful driver at Mercedes last year and has dominated the early stages of the current campaign.

The 19-year-old Italian has secured victory in the last five consecutive races for the Silver Arrows.

He is currently thriving under the guidance of Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff and former race engineer Peter Bonnington.

“He is doing a phenomenal job,” stated Hamilton.

“He’s got an amazing team around him with Bono, with Toto and the whole team. And I’m really happy to see them doing what they do best.”

Chasing down the championship leader

Despite the significant points deficit, the record-breaking centurion remains highly motivated by his younger rival.

“It just encourages me to want to level up, and I think encourages everybody wanting to level up,” he explained.

“I’m going to do my best to try and chase him down for the rest of the year.”

The former McLaren star likened Antonelli’s meteoric rise to his own breakout rookie season in 2007.

“It’s a real privilege to witness it, be on the podium with two of the youngest guys here,” he added.