World Cup 2026 live: latest scores, team news, updates from day 15

Keep a close eye on Australia v Paraguay in group D (tonight/tomorrow morning at 3am) and Austria v Algeria in group J (Sunday morning at 3am) this week. All four teams sit on three points, and a draw would likely send both through to the knockout stages. Some bookmakers have cut the odds for a draw in both games to near evens.

Because these groups finish later, teams will know exactly what result they need — Scotland and Bosnia-Herzegovina didn’t have that luxury last night…

The format could also in theory allow for some manipulation of results. For instance, the runner-up in group J are quite likely to face Spain — so Austria or Algeria may actually conclude that drawing or even losing to finish third gives them a much easier path in the knockout rounds…

Was Fifa’s decision to expand to 48 teams shortsighted?

The expanded 48-team format is facing its first major integrity test this week and the “safety net” of third-place qualification is being criticised for having stripped the group stage of its jeopardy somewhat.

Under the new system, eight of the 12 third-placed teams progress to the last 32, meaning shock results, like South Africa’s 1-0 win over South Korea last night, no longer guarantee an early plane home. In years gone by, South Korea would be out; now, they’re still highly likely to go through in third.

Is it harder to get knocked out than to progress?

I was just looking at the highlights from South Africa’s game against South Korea last night and stumbled across these images of the stadium the game was played in… Wow.

This is the Monterrey Stadium in Guadalupe. It’s 11,740ft above sea level and has a capacity of 53,529, but I am just amazed by that view!

What an incredible result for South Africa too by the way. Very few would have given them a chance of getting out of group A with South Korea, Mexico and Czech Republic in there, but they’ve finished second on four points courtesy of their 1-0 win late last night and progress to the knockouts for the first time in their history.

While we’re on the subject of England, our man in Kansas City, Jonathan Northcroft, posed a good question to consider last night: Has Thomas Tuchel picked too many vibes men and not enough game-changers?

Having stuffed the squad with culture-setters like Jordan Henderson and Dan Burn, the England head coach seemed to lack the tools to deviate from Plan A in Boston. You would have thought that having the option of someone like Trent Alexander-Arnold to come on from the bench to try and unpick Ghana’s defence was exactly what he needed.

So while Ollie Watkins schlepps around in a Dallas Cowboys NFL shirt, Burn shops for cowboy boots and learns backgammon and players chill out in their hotel at Prairie Village, you can’t help but wonder if England have got enough players here for the football, or too many here for the vibes?

Read in full: Do England have too many vibes men and not enough game-changers?

If you missed this news last night, Matt Lawton reported from the US that Reece James will be assessed for a tight hamstring before England’s game against Panama on Saturday.

The Times understands that if the Chelsea captain is ruled out, then Thomas Tuchel may opt to play Ezri Konsa, who started England’s first two World Cup games at centre half, at right back.

The news certainly shines a spotlight on the England head coach’s decision to bring in Trevoh Chalobah (a centre back) as a replacement for the injured Tino Livramento (a right back) on the eve of the tournament.

Read in full: England sweat on fitness of Reece James for Panama clash

Rainbow flags in support of the LGBTQ+ community will be allowed inside the stadium during the game between Egypt and Iran on Friday, despite opposition to any “Pride Match” celebrations from both teams.

Seattle’s hosting committee picked its fourth World Cup fixture at Lumen Field to be a “Pride Match”, before Egypt and Iran — two countries where homosexuality is criminalised — were drawn to play each other in the group G fixture.

Iran and Egypt have both told Fifa they do not want any messages of support related to homosexuality to occur during the match. In December the Egyptian football federation said it had sent a letter to Fifa “categorically rejecting any activities related to supporting homosexuality during the match”.

Read in full: Fifa to allow rainbow flags at Egypt vs Iran despite teams’ objections

Anyway, that’s enough Scotland chat. One thing you may have missed last night is Wilson Isidor’s worldie for Haiti against Morocco. It was a goal befitting the game, which was eventually won by Morocco 4-2, but what a performance from Haiti to give the team ranking No6 in the world such a scare.

Here’s the goal from the Sunderland forward Isidor:

Goal of the tournament contender? You may also have missed another stunner by Kerim Alajbegovic for Bosnia-Herzegovina earlier on in the evening. His long-distance effort is surely giving Isidor’s a run for its money?

Bosnia ran out 3-1 winners against Qatar in that game in group B to all but ensure their progression to the next round.

Steve Clarke, the Scotland head coach, has come under fire somewhat for his post-match reaction on BBC One laste night.

The understandably downbeat Clarke pretty much walked away when he was asked about Scotland’s fate.

He later said: “For me, for sure I think we’re going home.

“Only Scotland can get a winnable first game and then get number five in the world and number six in the world for their next two games. That’s the level that we’re at.”

Do Scotland fans want to hear that? Cape Verde have been drawn in a group against Spain and Uruguay and taken points of both!

“Cape Verde, Curaçao, Haiti, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Ghana… they’ve all had their “moment”, the snapshot that will go down in the annals of their country’s football.

“But just like the Euros in 2021 and 2024, if this is indeed the end of the road, Scotland will head home with precisely nothing to show for their efforts and having made no meaningful impression. This time they have, of course, won a game, but a twice-deflected goal against Haiti does not a successful campaign make, even if it does end up being sufficient to smuggle them out of the section.”

Punchy stuff from Mark Palmer on Scotland’s defeat last night… Make sure to read his analysis of last night’s match too.

Read in full: Tartan Army have had ultimate party, but players gave them no big moment

Stupid question really isn’t it? But whatever version of dejection you’re experiencing, Michael Grant points out that it is all too familiar.

Last night certainly followed a familiar script for the Tartan Army: and 11th meeting with Brazil, and Scotland are still yet to come out on top. A ninth defeat, and this one could have been terminal for their dream of reaching the World Cup knockout stages. Will three points and -3 goal difference be enough? It doesn’t look likely, and the stats boffins at Opta give them a 42 per cent chance of progressing.

If you missed last night’s game, we’ve got you covered. Highlights are here:

And make sure you read Michael Grant’s searing verdict in his match report from Miami…

Read in full: Sorry Scotland suffer familiar World Cup trauma in flaying by Brazil

Hello all, and welcome along to day 15 of The Times’ live coverage of the 2026 World Cup. After a superb night of action last night (unless you’re from Scotland), it is fair to say we have well and truly entered the business end of the group stage.

Tonight, three more groups will come to their climaxes, starting with group E. Germany have all but topped the table already, barring a heavy defeat by Ecuador, who do in fact need a win to keep their hopes of progressing to the knockout stages alive. Curaçao also take on Ivory Coast in Philadelphia and will be optimistic they follow up their heroics against Ecuador last time out. A point should be enough for Ivory Coast to finish runners-up.

Let’s see where today take us…

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