Qatar has funded an all-expenses-paid World Cup trip for around 1,000 supporters to cheer on its national football team during the FIFA World Cup 2026. The initiative, backed by Qatar’s Social and Sport Contribution Fund and the Qatar Football Association, covers flights, hotels and local transportation for fans travelling to North America. Many supporters arrived in Vancouver ahead of Qatar’s Group B match against Canada. Qatar hopes the large fan presence will boost team morale and create a strong stadium atmosphere. The Gulf nation, playing in its first World Cup after qualifying through competition, drew 1-1 with Switzerland in its opening match. (PC: The Indian Express)

England captain Harry Kane made history as he scored twice in England's 4-2 victory over Croatia in their FIFA World Cup 2026 Group L opener in Dallas. Kane became only the second England player after David Beckham to score in three different World Cup tournaments.   The Bayern Munich striker also equalled Gary Lineker's record of 10 World Cup goals for England and set a new mark for the most non-shootout penalty goals in World Cup history with five. Jude Bellingham and Marcus Rashford added second-half goals as England overcame a spirited Croatia side to begin their campaign with an impressive win. (PC: NDTV)

Cristiano Ronaldo's dream of becoming the first player to score in six different FIFA World Cups remains on hold after Portugal were held to a 1-1 draw by DR Congo in their Group K opener in Houston.   Portugal took an early lead through Joao Neves, who headed home Pedro Neto's cross in the sixth minute. However, Yoane Wissa equalised before halftime to earn DR Congo a valuable point.   Ronaldo, 41, struggled to make an impact as Portugal's star-studded midfield failed to create enough clear chances. Despite dominating possession, Portugal lacked creativity and could not find a winning goal, raising concerns ahead of their remaining group-stage matches. (PC: India Today)

Smriti Mandhana created T20I history during India’s Women’s T20 World Cup match against the Netherlands by becoming the first player in men’s or women’s cricket to surpass 600 fours in T20 internationals. The left-hander scored a fluent 74 off 47 balls, including 11 boundaries and a six, taking her career tally to 604 fours in 168 T20Is. She and Shafali Verma added 115 runs for the opening wicket, powering India to 209/5, their highest total of the tournament. India then secured a commanding 95-run victory as Shree Charani starred with 4/19 and Shafali claimed three wickets. (PC: Prokerala)

Lionel Messi delivered a historic performance in Argentina’s 3-0 victory over Algeria at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, becoming the oldest player to score a World Cup hat-trick at 38 years and 357 days. The achievement surpassed the previous record held by Cristiano Ronaldo, who scored a hat-trick against Spain at the 2018 World Cup aged 33. In his 200th appearance for Argentina, Messi scored three distinct goals and also equalled Miroslav Klose’s all-time World Cup scoring record of 16 goals. The milestone came exactly 20 years after Messi scored his first World Cup goal, further cementing his legendary status in football history. (PC: Animalia.life)

Yoane Wissa authored one of the most inspiring stories of the 2026 FIFA World Cup by scoring DR Congo’s historic equaliser in a 1-1 draw against Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal, ending his nation’s 52-year World Cup goal drought. The moment carried extra significance because Wissa survived a life-threatening acid attack in 2021, when a woman posing as a fan allegedly threw a corrosive liquid at his face in an attempted kidnapping plot targeting his daughter. He underwent emergency eye surgery and battled severe trauma before rebuilding his career. After successful spells with Lorient, Brentford and Newcastle United, Wissa completed a remarkable comeback on football’s biggest stage.

The opening matchday of the 2026 FIFA World Cup was dominated by football’s biggest stars as Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappé and Erling Haaland delivered standout performances. Messi scored the first World Cup hat-trick of his career in Argentina’s 3-0 victory over Algeria, drawing level with Miroslav Klose on 16 World Cup goals. Mbappé netted twice in France’s 3-1 win over Senegal, becoming France’s all-time leading scorer with 58 goals, surpassing Olivier Giroud. Haaland struck twice as Norway defeated Iraq 4-1. Their performances silenced doubts over recent form and reinforced their status among football’s elite. (PC: Khelnow, teamtalk & talksport)

Despite a population of 1.4 billion and passionate football cultures in states like West Bengal, Kerala and Goa, India has never qualified for a FIFA World Cup. Former captain Baichung Bhutia believes qualification is possible but requires a strong grassroots system, long-term planning and better football infrastructure. Veteran footballer Shyam Thapa blames the lack of youth development and cricket’s financial dominance for limiting football participation. India has fallen to 136th in FIFA rankings and recently failed to qualify for both advanced World Cup qualifiers and the AFC Asian Cup. Proposed eligibility reforms for Overseas Citizen of India players could strengthen the national team. (PC: Getty Images)

Cristiano Ronaldo and Luka Modrić made FIFA World Cup history by becoming the first outfield players to start matches after turning 40. Ronaldo, aged 41 years and 4 months, set a new record while captaining Portugal against DR Congo, and Modrić, aged 40 years and 9 months, became second on the all-time list after starting for Croatia against England. Both former Real Madrid teammates and Ballon d'Or winners captained their nations but endured disappointing results, with Portugal drawing 1-1 and Croatia losing 4-2. They surpassed the previous record held by Atiba Hutchinson, who started at age 39 during the 2022 World Cup. (PC: ManagingMadrid & 4Kwallpapers)

Portugal were held to a 1-1 draw by DR Congo in their opening FIFA World Cup 2026 Group K match in Houston. Joao Neves gave Portugal an early lead with a sixth-minute header from Pedro Neto’s cross. However, Yoanne Wissa equalised for DR Congo in first-half stoppage time with a header of his own. Portugal dominated possession but struggled to create clear chances. Cristiano Ronaldo, who became the oldest outfield player to start a World Cup match, failed to make an impact and had two shots off target. The result earned DR Congo their first-ever point in FIFA World Cup history.