World Cup build up LIVE – latest news ahead of the tournament’s start

Apparently there is a terrible downpour in Orlando – with a flash of lightning seen not long ago. According to the stadium’s safety protocols, if “lighting is detected within eight miles, the referee can suspend the match with play resuming no earlier than 45 minutes after the last strike.”

Aitor Karanka, Spain’s technical director, has just spoken on Lamine Yamal’s fitness.

Yamal has not played since suffering a hamstring injury on 22 April. Spain coach Luis de la Fuente said earlier this week he is hopeful Yamal will be fit for his side’s opening World Cup game against Cape Verde on Monday. However, he is unlikely to start in Atlanta.

Karanka said: “Obviously players always want to play and the player we are talking about, you can just imagine how desperate he is to return. It is his World Cup and everyone wants to help. But it is Luis and the medical team that will decide the timescales.”

The Pope has posted this to his social media.

“The World Cup begins tomorrow, and many will watch the matches. Soccer reminds us of something we must not forget: life is not a race to show off on our own, but a path we learn to walk together. Anyone who does not know how to pass the ball, even if they have talent, has not yet understood the game. Anyone who does not know how to live with and for others has not yet understood life.”

Fifa has introduced 11 law changes specifically for the World Cup, according to the BBC.

Here are some of the main ones:

Time-limited substitutions (10 seconds): Substituted players have 10 seconds to leave the field at the nearest point. If they fail to do so, the substitute cannot enter the field for at least one minute and the team must play with 10 players.

Players will be stopped from going to the technical area when goalkeepers are ‘injured’.

Check that a corner is correct: The VAR will make sure that a corner has been correctly awarded. But they won’t do the same for goal-kicks which should be corners.

“I’ve been enjoying it from the start… I’m happy, savouring every moment and excited as ever.

“I felt great. I’d been keen to play for a while, having been carrying that niggle [muscle fatigue] since I arrived. I was eager to get going and shake off the lingering fears you have when you’re carrying an injury, so I could play freely. We’ve got a week left to get everyone fit and ready for the opener.”

Iran national team forward Mehdi Taremi said that steps the U.S. government has taken regarding the denial of visas and preventing a Somali referee from entering the country are creating a “lot of tension” around the World Cup, according to ESPN.

“I’ve been to three World Cups and they always say once you get off the plane and you enter the host country, there’s just a unique atmosphere of friendliness and global-ness.

“Unfortunately, I’m not feeling it right now. There’s a lot of tension right now in this World Cup. You feel it in the atmosphere and unfortunately, it’s because of actions like [visa denials]. Maybe that’s just my personal feeling.”

England face Costa Rica in a few hours, in their final warm up game in front of a crowd before the World Cup starts.

Here’s everything you need to know ahead of tonight’s clash.

A security oversight accidentally leaked the passport details of every player in Lionel Scaloni’s squad that faced Iceland, according to Reuters.

The passport numbers, listed on the official team sheet, should have been blurred before being released to the media and the public. But in Alabama’s Jordan-Hare Stadium, they were circulated without redaction.

Erling Haaland, Kylian Mbappe and Lamine Yamal are the three most expensive players at this year’s World Cup each worth around £174 million according to Transfermrkt.

England’s two most expensive stars are Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka at £164 million each.

𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲’𝘀 𝗔 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗦𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗳𝗳 𝗜𝗻 𝗧𝗼𝘄𝗻 👮‍♂️ pic.twitter.com/6Fpmlu052v

— Svensk Fotboll (@svenskfotboll) June 9, 2026

Referee Omar Artan has vowed to officiate at the 2030 World Cup after arriving home in Somalia following his ban from entering the United States.

He thanked CAF and FIFA despite not being able to referee at this year’s tournament.

Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan thanks FIFA and CAF after being denied entry to the USA for the World Cup pic.twitter.com/rCUbmWsU23

— Hayters TV (@HaytersTV) June 10, 2026

Now 41-years-old, this tournament will almost certainly be Cristiano Ronaldo’s last World Cup.

Much has been made of how big his role will be this summer, but Portugal boss Roberto Martinez suggested he will continue to lead the team as he has done in previous tournaments.

“Our captain sets an example in everything he does,” Martinez said. “He gives his all, 24 hours a day, to help the national team. Our captain and the rest of the players are not thinking about the future. We don’t know what can happen in the future because they can get injured and there are decisions that are out of their hands.”

Martinez’s side take on Nigeria in a friendly tonight.

Somalian referee Omar Artan, who was due to officiate at the World Cup before being denied entry to the USA, was given a warm welcome on his return to his home country.

The Trump administration said on Tuesday that the US had denied Artan entry for the World Cup because of his links to “suspected members of terror organisations”.

“I promise you, God willing, that I will attend the next one,” Artan told a crowd. 

England will take on Costa Rica tonight in their final friendly in front of a crowd, but will also face local side Miami United behind closed doors before moving to their base camp in Kansas City later this week.

Encouragins signs for Argentina last night, who thrashed Iceland 3-0 with Lionel Messi scoring one of the goals from the penalty spot.

The Inter Miami star had been nursing a muscle issue but looks set to be fit for the start of the World Cup.

Messi literally 45 seconds after subbing on 🔥 pic.twitter.com/bTI3gv3mB4

— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) June 10, 2026

England boss Thomas Tuchel revealed some concerns over the fitness of Bukayo Saka ahead of the World Cup.

Speaking in his press conference ahead of the friendly against Costa Rica yesterday, Tuchel said: “We still have to take care a little bit with Bukayo who had an injury in the March camp and carried it through to his club campaign,” Tuchel explained.

“He was available and made himself available at the end of the season and did brilliantly, but he was managed in between matches and that continues a little bit at the moment. We’re building him up.”

Saka has been managing an Achilles issue for some time.

Good morning and welcome to today’s live blog as preparations continue for the start of the World Cup.

We’ll have all the big news ahead of the tournament, with England set to face Costa Rica tonight in another warm up game.