England captain Harry Kane admitted he was "gutted" after the Three Lions suffered a heartbreaking 2-1 defeat to Argentina in the FIFA World Cup semifinal, ending their hopes of reaching the final. Kane praised his teammates' commitment, saying they gave "everything, sweat, blood and whatever it is," but acknowledged England struggled to cope after taking the lead as Argentina piled on relentless pressure. He said repeated waves of attacks eventually proved decisive despite England's defensive efforts. The defeat has reignited speculation over Kane's international future ahead of the 2030 World Cup. Meanwhile, criticism has mounted over Thomas Tuchel's tactics, although the England manager defended his approach after the semifinal loss. (PC: FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)

FIFA president Gianni Infantino is facing a complaint alleging breaches of political neutrality, with advocacy group FairSquare urging the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to investigate his ties to US President Donald Trump, Reuters reported. The complaint claims Infantino violated IOC rules on multiple occasions, including his alleged role in overturning a one-match suspension for US striker Folarin Balogun, enabling him to play against Belgium in the FIFA World Cup Round of 16 on July 6. Trump has publicly admitted intervening to help Balogun become eligible and said he contacted Infantino. While Infantino acknowledged receiving Trump's call, he denied influencing FIFA's disciplinary process or the decision regarding Balogun's suspension. (PC: AP)

Argentina could face FIFA disciplinary action after players displayed a banner reading “Las Malvinas son Argentinas” following their FIFA World Cup semi-final victory over England. Midfielder Giovani Lo Celso held the banner before defender Nicolas Otamendi laid it on the pitch. The slogan refers to the Falkland Islands, a British Overseas Territory claimed by Argentina as the Malvinas, making it a politically sensitive issue. FIFA and the International Football Association Board (IFAB) prohibit political messages, slogans and symbols during matches and official celebrations. If the banner is deemed a political statement under competition rules, Argentina and/or the players involved could face sanctions from FIFA.

Lionel Messi dismissed allegations that FIFA has favoured Argentina during the 2026 World Cup, insisting the reigning champions have earned their success through consistent performances. Responding to criticism over controversial refereeing and VAR decisions, Messi said Argentina’s second successive World Cup final proves their achievements are “not by chance” and that “nobody gave us anything.” The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner argued his side has been “the best for the last four years” regardless of outside opinions. Messi added that critics would have questioned Argentina regardless of the result against England. He also dedicated the semi-final victory to Diego Maradona, calling it a special tribute to the Argentine legend. (PC: Getty)

Argentina scored 2 dramatic late goals to beat England 2-1 and book their place in the FIFA World Cup 2026 final. Anthony Gordon gave England the lead in the 55th minute after a pass from Morgan Rogers. England looked set for victory before Enzo Fernández equalised in the 85th minute from a Lionel Messi assist. Deep into stoppage time, Messi created another chance and Lautaro Martínez scored the winner in the 90+2 minute. Argentina will now face Spain in Sunday's World Cup final, while England's wait for a first men's World Cup final since 1966 continues with another heartbreaking semi-final exit.

England and Argentina face off in a blockbuster FIFA World Cup 2026 semi-final in Atlanta, with the winner set to meet Spain in Sunday's final. Lionel Messi leads the defending champions against an England side captained by Harry Kane in one of football's biggest rivalries. England manager Thomas Tuchel has made 3 changes, bringing in Reece James, Djed Spence and Morgan Rogers. Argentina have made 1 change, with Giuliano Simeone replacing Rodrigo De Paul in the starting XI. Both former world champions are chasing a place in the final and another shot at football's biggest prize. (PC: X)

England and Argentina meet in a blockbuster FIFA World Cup 2026 semi-final in Atlanta, with the winner set to face Spain in Sunday's final. England manager Thomas Tuchel has made 3 changes from the side that beat Norway, bringing in Reece James, Djed Spence and Morgan Rogers for Ezri Konsa, Nico O'Reilly and Noni Madueke. Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni has made just 1 change, with Giuliano Simeone replacing Rodrigo De Paul in the starting XI alongside Lionel Messi and Julián Álvarez. The historic rivalry adds extra excitement as both former champions chase a place in the World Cup final.

Tensions rose before the FIFA World Cup 2026 semi-final as a group of Argentina fans were involved in a brawl outside the stadium in Atlanta less than an hour before kick-off against England. Security officials quickly stepped in to control the situation. On the field, Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni made a surprise decision by leaving midfielder Rodrigo De Paul on the bench and handing 23-year-old Giuliano Simeone only his second World Cup start. England made 3 changes to their lineup after defeating Norway. The winner of the match will face Spain in the FIFA World Cup 2026 final on Sunday.

Outgoing British Prime Minister Keir Starmer backed England ahead of their FIFA World Cup semi-final against Argentina during his final Prime Minister’s Questions. Addressing Parliament, Starmer said he had an “important” appointment with the television later in the day, referring to the high-stakes clash. He added that he was unconcerned about the margin of victory, joking that “I don’t care about the score as long as we win.” The light-hearted remark came during his final appearance at Prime Minister’s Questions before leaving office. England face Lionel Messi’s Argentina for a place in the FIFA World Cup 2026 final, with Starmer publicly expressing his support for the Three Lions before kickoff.

FIFA has appointed Moroccan-American referee Ismail Elfath to officiate Argentina's FIFA World Cup 2026 semi-final against England in Atlanta. The decision has drawn attention because Lionel Messi has won all 5 matches in which Elfath has served as referee or match official. While the statistic has sparked debate among fans, there is no evidence that the referee has influenced those results. Elfath, a FIFA referee since 2016, has already officiated 3 matches at the 2026 World Cup. He was also the fourth official during the 2022 World Cup final, which Argentina won against France. (PC: India Today)