England 0-1 Japan: England player ratings from the Wembley friendly

England’s full-backs struggled to contain Japan on a night when nobody playing did their World Cup selection chances much good Jordan Pickford Had no chance with Kaoru Mitoma’s goal. Saved well from Ritsu Doan as Japan pressed. 6 Ben White Struggled to contain Keito Nakamura and was booed again. His return may well be shortlived. 4 Continue reading...

USMNT v Portugal live – Updates and analysis from international friendly

⚽️ US kick off v Portugal at 7pm ET in Atlanta, Georgia ⚽️ Final friendly before 2026 World Cup roster is named ⚽️ Questions? Thoughts? Email Alexander here ⚽️ Last time out: US 2-5 Belgium | Another lowlands debacle In Saturday’s game, the introduction of mandatory hydration breaks and a confusing light-on-light kit matchup created a difficult situation on and off the field: Full-time has been called on the Turkey v Kosovo playoff game in Kosovo, with Turkey winning 1-0. That places them as the final team in the United States’ World Cup group – the US will play Turkey on 25 June. Contin

Nwaneri scores twice as England U21s beat Moldova

Ethan Nwaneri's double helped England U21s get back to winning ways with an emphatic 4-1 home victory over Moldova at Carrow Road.

Scotland slip to friendly defeat to Ivory Coast

Scotland slipped a second friendly defeat of this international break, losing 1-0 to Ivory Coast in Liverpool.

Nicolas Pépé strikes for Côte d’Ivoire to worsen Scotland’s World Cup worries

The playing of a Scotland fixture on Merseyside provided a significant boost to the area’s ­hospitality sector. Questions remain over whether or not Scotland’s World Cup involvement this summer can deliver on‑field impact. Steve Clarke believes momentum is little more than a buzzword. There is an unavoidable sense, however, that Scotland are desperately in need of precisely that with North America calling. Supporters are edgy. Continue reading...

Mitoma pounces as Japan beat England to give Tuchel World Cup headache

It is not a question that Thomas Tuchel wants to entertain at the World Cup this summer but one he had a run at here in what was supposed to be England’s grand Wembley send-off. Can the team thrive against good opposition without Harry Kane? The answer was played out across an increasingly frustrating 90 minutes. It was no. It was not all about Kane, who missed out because of a sore foot. But it was easy to conflate England’s lack of cutting edge with his absence. Tuchel had highlighted the poor goal returns from his other attacking players before this friendly. They needed to bring more to th

Akturkoglu edges Turkey through to end Kosovo hopes of World Cup finals debut

It was a step too far for Kosovo, but only just. They could hardly have given more in running Turkey to the wire but it is Vincenzo Montella’s team, relieved and jubilant at the end, that will play at the World Cup in a little over two months’ time. Turkey make their return after 24 years away; Kosovo had been seeking the most unlikely of debuts and could have made that prospect real if Fisnik Asllani’s first-half effort had not come back off the bar. In the end, though, a scruffy and hotly contested finish by Kerem Akturkoglu settled things early in the second half and, via some minor scares,

Sweden qualify for World Cup after Viktor Gyökeres hits late winner against Poland

The Graham Potter magic knows no bounds. There will be those who wonder what right Sweden had to be in this playoff, but they will be in the World Cup after an extraordinarily dramatic victory secured by Viktor Gyökeres’s 89th-minute winner. A patchy, anxious game in which Poland had twice equalised, its shapelessness an apt reflection of the stakes, had seemed to be drifting towards extra-time when Sweden, in a rare forward sally, won a pair of corners in a row. Suddenly there was momentum and a mounting sense of anticipation. The second corner was half-cleared, Lucas Bergvall jabbed it goalw

Who is a certain starter at the World Cup? How England's players rated

Who impressed for England in Tuesday's friendly against Japan? Alex Howell rates the players.

Man City lead Man Utd in Anderson race - Wednesday's gossip

Manchester City lead Manchester United in the race for Elliot Anderson, the Red Devils receive a boost in their pursuit of Sandro Tonali, Liverpool want Francisco Conceicao to replace Mohamed Salah, plus more.

Eritrea advance after 19-year absence from Afcon qualifying

Eritrea are one of six nations to reach the group stage of qualification for Afcon 2027, having played their first games in the competition since 2007.

Republic of Ireland vs North Macedonia latest score