The World Cup 2026 semifinals will feature four teams: France, Spain, England, and Argentina. The matches are scheduled for July 14 and 15 in the United States, with top players expected to compete for a spot in the final.
Key Facts
Four teams remain in the World Cup 2026: France, Spain, England, and Argentina.
France beat Morocco 2-0; Spain defeated Belgium 2-1; England overcame Norway 2-1; Argentina won against Switzerland 3-1.
Semifinal matches: France vs Spain on July 14 at Dallas Stadium; England vs Argentina on July 15 at Atlanta Stadium.
Key players include Kylian Mbappe (France), Lamine Yamal (Spain), Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham (England), and Lionel Messi (Argentina).
Predictions from Opta’s computer model favor France to win the tournament, followed by Spain, Argentina, and England.
The final is set for July 19, where the two semifinal winners will compete for the World Cup trophy.
US viewers can watch games on FOX, FS1, and streaming services like Fox One, FOX Sports app, Peacock, and others.
Spanish-language coverage is available on Telemundo and Universo with streaming on Peacock.
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Jude Bellingham scored two goals again to help England beat Norway and reach the World Cup semi-final. He is the first player since Diego Maradona in 1986 to score two or more goals in consecutive World Cup knockout games and is seen as a key player for England’s chance to win the tournament.
Key Facts
Jude Bellingham scored twice against Norway to help England reach the World Cup semi-finals.
England will face Lionel Messi’s Argentina team next in the semi-final.
Bellingham is the first player since Maradona in 1986 to score two or more goals in back-to-back World Cup knockout stage matches.
At 23 years old, Bellingham is the second youngest player to reach this milestone after Pele (17 years old in 1958).
Bellingham had 5 shots, most touches in the opposition box, won 8 duels, and earned 4 fouls against Norway.
He has scored 12 goals for England, with 9 of those coming in major tournaments.
Bellingham is known for scoring important goals when England need them most.
England has not won the World Cup since 1966.
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For the first time, the top four teams in FIFA's world rankings—Spain, Argentina, France, and England—have all reached the semi-finals of the World Cup. FIFA changed the tournament draw to keep these top teams apart until the later rounds, helping them avoid meeting before the semi-finals.
Key Facts
The top four ranked teams are Spain (1), Argentina (2), France (3), and England (4).
FIFA arranged the draw so these teams are in separate sections to avoid meeting early.
Each of the top four teams won their groups to advance to the knockout stage.
The semi-final matchups are France vs Spain and England vs Argentina.
This draw change is meant to keep games between top teams until late in the tournament.
Previous World Cups rarely had all top four ranked teams reach the semi-finals.
The draw adjustment was made because the World Cup is expanding to 48 teams in 2026.
Similar methods of keeping top teams apart are used in Wimbledon and the Champions League.
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Conor McGregor returned to UFC after five years but lost quickly to Max Holloway. McGregor hurt his right knee during the fight, which stopped the match early.
Key Facts
The fight took place at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
This was McGregor’s first UFC fight since 2021.
McGregor injured his right knee while attempting a kick.
The fight ended after one minute and nine seconds.
Max Holloway won by technical knockout (TKO).
The event was UFC 329.
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Argentina defeated Switzerland 3-1 in extra time to reach the World Cup semifinals. Julian Alvarez scored the winning goal in the 112th minute, and Argentina will face England next.
Key Facts
Julian Alvarez scored a long-range goal in extra time to send Argentina to the semifinals.
Lautaro Martinez added a goal near the end of extra time to make the score 3-1.
Alexis Mac Allister scored from a corner kick taken by Lionel Messi.
Switzerland tied the game at 1-1 during regular time with a goal by Dan Ndoye.
A controversial yellow card led to Switzerland playing with 10 men after Breel Embolo was sent off.
The video assistant referee system was used to reverse a mistaken yellow card during the match.
Argentina will play England, who beat Norway 2-1 in another quarterfinal match.
Lionel Messi’s streak of scoring in nine World Cup games ended in this match.
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Paddy Pimblett won his fight against Benoit Saint-Denis in just 52 seconds at UFC 329. This fast victory strengthens Pimblett’s case for a lightweight title shot and follows his first loss earlier this year to Justin Gaethje.
Key Facts
Pimblett won by guillotine choke submission in the co-main event at UFC 329.
Saint-Denis did not tap out, causing the referee to stop the fight when he went unconscious.
The win improves Pimblett’s record to 24 wins and 4 losses, with 7 submission victories.
Pimblett lost to Justin Gaethje in January but is now calling for a rematch and other fights with top opponents.
UFC 329 took place at T-Mobile Arena with a sold-out crowd.
Luke Riley, training with Pimblett, also won his fight at UFC 329 by TKO.
Another British fighter, Lone’er Kavanagh, lost to Brandon Royval by submission.
Pimblett is currently ranked sixth in the lightweight division and declined earlier UFC offers before signing in 2021.
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Argentina won against Switzerland 3-1 in extra time to reach the semifinals of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. They will play against England next, while Spain and France compete in the other semifinal.
Key Facts
Argentina took the lead early with a goal by Alexis Mac Allister from a Lionel Messi assist.
Switzerland equalized in the 67th minute through Dan Ndoye.
Swiss player Breel Embolo was given a second yellow card and sent off after a VAR review showed he simulated a foul.
Julian Alvarez scored the winning goal in the 112th minute from long range.
Lautaro Martinez added a third goal for Argentina in stoppage time of extra time.
Argentina will face England in the semifinal on Wednesday in Atlanta.
The other semifinal between Spain and France will take place on Tuesday.
Only Italy and Brazil have previously defended a World Cup title successfully.
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Argentina won 3-1 against Switzerland after extra time in the World Cup 2026 quarter-finals, securing a spot in the semi-finals. Switzerland played with ten players after Embolo was sent off, but Argentina's experience helped them win in extra time.
Key Facts
Argentina beat Switzerland 3-1 in extra time to reach the World Cup semi-finals.
Switzerland had a player, Embolo, sent off (red card) after receiving two yellow cards.
Argentina scored first with a goal from Alexis Mac Allister, assisted by Lionel Messi.
Switzerland equalized with a goal from Dan Ndoye before being reduced to ten players.
Julian Alvarez scored the winning goal in the 112th minute of extra time.
Lautaro Martinez added a late third goal for Argentina.
The match took place at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City.
Argentina will face England in the semi-finals in Atlanta.
Lionel Messi is tied as the top scorer in the tournament with eight goals.
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England won against Norway 2-1 in the World Cup quarter-finals after extra time. Jude Bellingham scored both goals for England, and fans in London celebrated their team's win.
Key Facts
England played Norway in the World Cup quarter-finals.
The match went into extra time because the score was tied after regular time.
Jude Bellingham scored two goals for England during extra time.
England won the match 2-1.
Fans celebrated in London at a watch party.
Supporters sang the song "Hey Jude" during the celebration.
England advanced to the World Cup semi-finals.
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England reached the World Cup semi-finals after a tough match against Norway that went into extra time. England's coach, Thomas Tuchel, said the team was lucky to win and was unhappy with their sloppy performance, but he praised their mentality and character.
Key Facts
England won a quarter-final match against Norway in extra time to reach the World Cup semi-finals.
Norway scored first and missed scoring chances, including a disallowed goal and hitting the bar.
England’s coach, Thomas Tuchel, criticized the team’s performance as sloppy and full of mistakes.
Tuchel said England’s mental strength helped them win despite the difficulties.
Jude Bellingham scored twice for England and said the players worked hard in tough conditions.
England’s previous World Cup performances this year were mixed, with some narrow wins and draws.
Former England players praised Tuchel’s honest assessment and emphasis on mentality and character.
England faces a short recovery time before their next match after playing 122 minutes in hot weather.
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Norway was eliminated from the 2026 World Cup after losing 2-1 to England in extra time during the quarterfinals. The article gathered opinions from Norwegian fans about how they viewed their team's overall performance in the tournament.
Key Facts
Norway lost to England 2-1 in the quarterfinals of the 2026 World Cup.
The match was closely contested and was decided in additional (extra) time.
Norwegian fans shared their thoughts on the team's performance during the competition.
The article includes video content reporting on fan reactions.
The World Cup 2026 is ongoing, with other quarterfinal matches taking place.
The article mentions other related World Cup news involving teams like France, Morocco, Spain, and Belgium.
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Norway lost to England 2-1 in the World Cup quarter-final and raised concerns about one of England’s goals, claiming the ball hit a spidercam wire before the equalizer. FIFA reviewed the incident using ball sensor data and found no evidence the ball touched the wire, so the goal stood.
Key Facts
Norway was defeated by England with a score of 2-1 in the World Cup quarter-final.
Norway argued Jude Bellingham’s equalizing goal should have been disallowed because the ball hit a spidercam wire.
If the ball had touched the wire, the goal would have been canceled and the game restarted with a dropped ball.
FIFA checked the ball’s sensors and found no sign that the ball touched the wire.
The referee did not see the ball hit the wire and received no signal to stop the goal.
Norway had another goal disallowed after a VAR review that penalized Erling Haaland for a shove.
Norway’s captain and players expressed frustration about refereeing decisions during the match.
The spidercam system suspended above the field is designed to capture TV footage but can sometimes interfere with play.
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The Milwaukee Bucks re-signed guard Gary Trent Jr. to a four-year contract worth $64 million. This makes Trent the fifth-highest paid player on the team for the 2025-2026 season, despite mixed performance in recent years and a crowded backcourt.
Key Facts
Gary Trent Jr. signed a four-year, $64 million contract with the Milwaukee Bucks.
Trent averaged 8.1 points, 1.2 assists, and 1 rebound per game last season in 65 games.
He had a better season the year before, averaging 11.1 points and 2.3 rebounds over 74 games.
Trent will be the fifth-highest paid player on the Bucks roster for 2025-2026.
Tyler Herro is the Bucks’ highest-paid player, averaging 20.5 points last season.
Other top earners include Myles Turner and Kyle Kuzma, who also posted solid stats in recent seasons.
The Bucks have many players in the guard position, including Caris LeVert, Kevin Porter Jr., Ryan Rollins, and A.J. Green.
It is uncertain how much playing time Trent will receive due to this competition for minutes.
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Bob Ptacek, a versatile football player from Cleveland, died at 89 in Dayton, Ohio. He played college football at the University of Michigan, spent a season with the Cleveland Browns in the NFL, and had a successful career in the Canadian Football League with the Saskatchewan Roughriders.
Key Facts
Bob Ptacek was born in Cleveland and attended Holy Name High School.
He played halfback and quarterback at the University of Michigan from 1956 to 1958.
Ptacek led Michigan in total offense in 1956 and 1958 and set a Big Ten record for pass completions in a game.
The Cleveland Browns picked him in the eighth round of the 1959 NFL Draft.
He played one NFL season with the Browns, appearing in 12 games.
Ptacek played multiple positions in the Canadian Football League from 1960 to 1965.
He was a two-time Western Conference All-Star and a CFL All-Star in 1964.
Ptacek retired after an Achilles tendon injury and later worked in transportation sales.
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England won 2-1 against Norway in the FIFA World Cup quarterfinals and advanced to the semifinals. The match included a controversy about whether the ball touched an overhead wire before England’s first goal, but FIFA said their sensors showed no contact, so the goal stood.
Key Facts
Norway scored first at 36 minutes with Andreas Schjelderup’s goal.
England’s Jude Bellingham scored an equalizer during stoppage time in the first half.
Some people argued the ball hit an overhead wire before England’s goal, which should have stopped play.
FIFA said their ball sensor showed no evidence of the ball touching the wire or changing its movement.
Fans and commentators criticized FIFA’s explanation, comparing it to a previous controversial sensor ruling involving Croatia.
Bellingham scored again in the 93rd minute, leading to England’s 2-1 win.
England will face the winner of the Argentina vs. Switzerland match in the semifinals.
The incident added to ongoing debates about VAR and technology use in the World Cup.
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England’s soccer team won 2-1 against Norway in the 2026 FIFA World Cup quarterfinal in Miami. England’s manager Thomas Tuchel criticized the team’s performance, but England player Jude Bellingham dismissed the criticism. England captain Harry Kane acknowledged room for improvement but praised the team’s effort and work.
Key Facts
England beat Norway 2-1 in extra time to reach the World Cup semifinal.
The game was played in hot and humid conditions in Miami.
England manager Thomas Tuchel called the team’s play "sloppy" and said they “got lucky.”
Jude Bellingham responded to Tuchel’s criticism with a shrug and said, "Whatever."
Harry Kane said the team has strong effort and desire but needs to improve attacking skills.
Bellingham and Kane have scored 12 of England’s 13 World Cup goals combined.
England will face the winner between Argentina and Switzerland in the semifinal on July 15 in Atlanta.
Argentina seeks to become the first team since Brazil in 1962 to win back-to-back World Cups.
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Jude Bellingham scored important goals for England in the 2026 FIFA World Cup knockout rounds, becoming the second-youngest player since Pelé in 1958 to score two or more goals in back-to-back knockout games. England defeated Mexico and Norway to reach the semifinals, with Bellingham and teammate Harry Kane each scoring six goals so far.
Key Facts
Jude Bellingham is 23 years and 12 days old.
Bellingham scored two goals in two minutes against Mexico in the Round of 16.
He scored the winning goal against Norway in the quarterfinal during extra time on July 11.
Bellingham is the second-youngest player since Pelé (1958) to score two or more goals in consecutive World Cup knockout games.
England’s captain Harry Kane also scored six goals in the tournament.
England will play the semifinal match against either Argentina or Switzerland on July 15 in Atlanta.
England has not reached a World Cup final since winning the tournament in 1966.
If Argentina reaches the semifinal, England could prevent them from becoming the first repeat World Cup champion since Brazil in 1958 and 1962.
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Trent Taylor, a wide receiver who played for the San Francisco 49ers and other NFL teams, announced his retirement just before the start of training camp. Taylor had a seven-year career in the NFL, playing for the 49ers, Cincinnati Bengals, and Chicago Bears.
Key Facts
Trent Taylor was a wide receiver who played for the 49ers from 2017 to 2020 and again from 2024 to 2025.
He was drafted in the fifth round by the 49ers in 2017 after playing college football at Louisiana Tech.
Taylor also played for the Cincinnati Bengals (2021-2022) and Chicago Bears (2023).
Over his career, Taylor made 88 catches for 845 yards and scored 3 touchdowns.
He contributed 1,157 yards on special teams returns.
His wife announced his retirement on Instagram.
Taylor played in 78 NFL games during his career.
Another 2017 fifth-round pick by the 49ers was tight end George Kittle, who became a major player for the team.
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Justin Verlander, a Major League Baseball pitcher, is retiring after 21 seasons. A former teammate praised Verlander for his perfect pitching mechanics, which helped him keep his speed and avoid injury, making him a model for other pitchers.
Key Facts
Justin Verlander will retire at the end of this MLB season.
He threw three no-hitters over his 21-year career.
Verlander improved his fastball speed by 2 mph between 2008 and 2009 by adjusting his pitching mechanics.
His perfect mechanics involve the timing of his body movements, especially his hips.
These mechanics helped him avoid injuries and maintain velocity into his 40s.
Verlander had Tommy John surgery at age 37 and missed the 2021 season.
He won an MVP award, was selected for eight All-Star teams, and helped the Houston Astros win a World Series.
His pitching style has influenced many younger pitchers and baseball coaching methods.
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England won 2-1 against Norway in the 2026 FIFA World Cup quarterfinals, moving to the semifinals for the first time since 1966. After the game, England’s manager Thomas Tuchel expressed frustration about the team’s performance despite the win.
Key Facts
England beat Norway 2-1 in extra time in the quarterfinals held in Miami on July 11, 2026.
England is now in the World Cup semifinals for the first time since 1966.
Manager Thomas Tuchel criticized England’s sloppy play and technical mistakes but praised the team’s effort.
Tuchel rejected the idea that the team’s problems were about mentality, insisting it was about the quality of their play.
Midfielder Jude Bellingham has been a standout player, scoring multiple goals in recent matches.
England will face the winner of Argentina vs. Switzerland in the semifinal on July 15 in Atlanta.
Thierry Henry supported Tuchel’s comments, emphasizing the team’s strong mentality and effort.
England previously made history by beating Mexico at the Azteca Stadium, a very difficult place to win.
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