"Italy will miss its third consecutive World Cup."
World Cup Qualifiers Conclude
The final round of qualifying matches determined the remaining spots in the tournament field. Six matches were played, featuring penalty kicks, extra-time goals, and a red card.
Group D Finalized
Turkey qualified for the World Cup by defeating Kosovo 1-0. This is Turkey's first World Cup appearance since 2002. Turkey (FIFA ranking: 22) joins Group D and is scheduled to face the United States on June 25 in Inglewood, California. The U.S. had previously secured matches against Paraguay (June 12) and Australia (June 19) in the group stage.
Other Nations Qualify
Several nations secured their first World Cup berths in several decades:
- Congo: Qualified for the first time since 1974, defeating Jamaica with a goal in the 100th minute of extra time.
- Czechia: Qualified for the first time since 2006, winning on penalty kicks against Denmark.
- Sweden: Advanced past Poland with an 88th-minute goal, returning after missing the 2022 tournament.
- Iraq: Secured its first World Cup spot since 1986 by defeating Bolivia 2-1.
- Bosnia and Herzegovina: Qualified for the first time since 2014 by defeating Italy on penalty kicks.
Italy Eliminated
Italy, a four-time World Cup champion, was eliminated by Bosnia and Herzegovina on penalty kicks. Italy will miss its third consecutive World Cup. During the match, Italy played the second half with ten players after receiving a red card. Italian defender Leonardo Spinazzola was quoted by sources as expressing disbelief regarding the outcome.
World Cup Group Stage Results
The World Cup group stage is underway.
June 7, 2026 Results
- Australia 2-0 Turkey
- Germany 7-1 Curacao
- Japan 2-2 Netherlands
- Ivory Coast 1-0 Ecuador
- Sweden 5-1 Tunisia
June 8, 2026 Matches
All four matches on this day ended in draws, the first time this has occurred in 68 years.
Group G
- Iran 2-2 New Zealand: New Zealand led twice through goals by Elijah Just (7', 55'). Iran equalized both times, with goals by Ramin Rezaeian (32') and Mohammad Mohebi (64').
- Belgium 1-1 Egypt: Emam Ashour scored for Egypt. Romelu Lukaku forced an own goal by Mohamed Hany (65') to level the match.
Group H
- Spain 0-0 Cape Verde: Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha, aged 40, made multiple saves to secure a draw for the World Cup debutants.
- Saudi Arabia 1-1 Uruguay: Saudi Arabia took the lead through Abdulelah al-Amri (41'). Uruguay equalized through Maxi Araujo (80').
Following the first round of matches, all four teams in Group G (Belgium, Egypt, Iran, New Zealand) and Group H (Spain, Cape Verde, Saudi Arabia, Uruguay) each have one point.
Stanley Cup Final
The Carolina Hurricanes won the Stanley Cup, defeating the Vegas Golden Knights 3-0 in Game 6. The Hurricanes had entered the final with a 12-1 record in the playoffs, sweeping Ottawa and Philadelphia before defeating Montreal in six games. Goaltender Frederik Andersen recorded a 1.41 goals-against average and a .931 save percentage in the playoffs. The Vegas Golden Knights had acquired forward Mitch Marner in a sign-and-trade and hired coach John Tortorella earlier in the season. Marner led all players in playoff scoring with 21 points (7 goals, 14 assists).
Bam Adebayo Recalls Playoff Block
Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo discussed a defensive play during Game 1 of the 2020 Eastern Conference finals against the Boston Celtics. With 12 seconds remaining and the Heat leading 116-114, Celtics forward Jayson Tatum attempted a dunk, which Adebayo blocked at the rim.
"It happened so fast, but also like it was in slow motion."
Adebayo described the quiet environment of the NBA bubble amplifying the sound of the ball. He stated his immediate focus was on securing the ball. Heat coach Erik Spoelstra commented on the play, acknowledging Tatum had an open lane before Adebayo's defensive action. Miami won the game and subsequent series, advancing to the NBA Finals.