World Cup
Eliminated From World Cup By DR Congo, Nigeria and Jamaica Are United in Unity Cup Chase
By Kunle Solaja.
There is a certain irony surrounding the Unity Cup final in London as Nigeria and Jamaica, two nations whose dreams of reaching the FIFA World Cup were crushed by DR Congo, now find themselves united in the battle for silverware.
The Super Eagles and the Reggae Boyz will clash in the final of the invitational tournament after both sides came through their respective semi-final ties, setting up another intriguing encounter between two teams with a shared qualification heartbreak.
For Nigeria, the pain remains fresh. The Super Eagles were denied a place at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar after a dramatic playoff defeat to Ghana on the away-goal rule. But before that disappointment, Nigeria’s campaign at the 2026 World Cup qualifiers had already exposed vulnerabilities, including a damaging loss to DR Congo in an international friendly that raised questions about the team’s direction.
Jamaica, on the other hand, suffered a bitter setback on the road to the 2026 FIFA World Cup when DR Congo halted their ambitions during an international series that exposed weaknesses in the Caribbean side’s defence.
Now, fate has brought both wounded football nations together in London, not as victims of DR Congo’s growing football reputation, but as finalists chasing redemption and pride.
Nigeria secured their place in the final with a confident display in their semi-final clash, while Jamaica ended India’s hopes of reaching the title match with a composed 2-0 victory.
The final also renews a rivalry that has quietly grown in recent years, with both nations increasingly crossing paths in international competitions and friendly tournaments.
For Nigeria, the Unity Cup presents another opportunity to build momentum under a new era, while Jamaica see the tournament as a chance to prove they remain one of the Caribbean’s most dangerous football sides despite their World Cup frustrations.
Interestingly, the final has also rekindled conversations about the expanding global influence of African football, with DR Congo emerging as an unexpected link between the two finalists. The Congolese have steadily built a reputation as giant-killers capable of unsettling more established football nations.
As fans gather in London for the final, the match offers more than just a trophy. It is a meeting of two teams seeking healing after World Cup disappointments, determined to turn painful memories into a triumphant night at the Unity Cup.
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Football and music will collide spectacularly in Toronto on June 10 as FIFA launches its first-ever FIFA World Cup 2026™ Countdown Concert series across Canada, Mexico and the United States.
FIFA on Thursday announced the first lineup for the multi-city celebration, with Toronto set to host a star-studded concert featuring Canadian rock icon Bryan Adams, Nora Fatehi alongside producer Sanjoy, French-Congolese performer Vegedream, and a special collaboration between AHI and Wyclef Jean.
The concert will take place at the FIFA Fan Festival™ Toronto grounds at the historic Fort York site and The Bentway, serving as a major celebration on the eve of the FIFA World Cup 2026, which kicks off the following day.
Tickets for the event will go on sale on Friday at 10:00 a.m. EDT through Host City Toronto, with organisers urging fans to secure their places early.
The Toronto event is part of a synchronised celebration across the three host nations and marks another step in FIFA’s expanding integration of music and entertainment into its flagship competitions.
Speaking on the significance of the event, FIFA Canada Chief Tournament Officer Peter Montopoli said Toronto’s diversity made it an ideal venue for the inaugural countdown celebration.
“Toronto is one of the most diverse and culturally vibrant cities in the world, making it the perfect stage for this first-of-its-kind FIFA World Cup 2026 Countdown Concert,” Montopoli said.
“Bringing together globally recognised artists, football fans and communities from across the country is a powerful reflection of the energy, passion and multicultural spirit that Canada will showcase to the world throughout the tournament.”
Organisers said the concert will blend football, music and culture, reflecting the multicultural identity of Toronto while building excitement ahead of Canada’s role as one of the three host nations for the expanded 48-team World Cup.
FIFA also confirmed that similar Countdown Concert events will be staged in Mexico and the United States, with performer lineups and event details scheduled to be announced on June 1 and June 2, respectively.
The Countdown Concert series is being organised in collaboration with the GRAMMY Awards and will feature artists associated with the Official FIFA World Cup 2026 Album, as well as other internationally renowned performers and special guests.
Fans worldwide will be able to watch the Toronto concert live between 9:00 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. EDT through FIFA’s broadcast and digital platforms. The event will also be livestreamed globally via TikTok, FIFA’s exclusive social media livestream partner.
In addition, the full concert and behind-the-scenes content will be made available the following day on FIFA’s video-on-demand partner platform, VuMe Live.
With celebrations planned across all three host countries, FIFA says the Countdown Concert series will unite fans through music, football and culture as anticipation builds for what is expected to be the biggest FIFA World Cup in history.
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Argentina named their 26-man squad for the World Cup on Thursday, with Lionel Messi set to lead the defending champions at the tournament in the United States, Mexico and Canada.
The 38-year-old Inter Miami forward will play in his sixth World Cup, extending his national record, while Emiliano Martinez, Nicolas Otamendi, Rodrigo De Paul, Alexis Mac Allister, Enzo Fernandez, Julian Alvarez and Lautaro Martinez are among 17 players returning from the squad that lifted the trophy in Qatar in 2022.
Coach Lionel Scaloni retained the core of the side that won Argentina’s third World Cup title, although veteran winger Angel Di Maria was not considered after retiring from international football following the 2024 Copa America.
Midfielder Giovani Lo Celso, who missed the 2022 World Cup through injury, returned for his second finals after being part of Argentina’s squad in Russia in 2018 without making an appearance.
Argentina also included several younger players expected to lead the team’s next generation, including Valentin Barco, Nicolas Paz and Giuliano Simeone, while forwards Jose Manuel Lopez and Thiago Almada are among those set for their first World Cup appearances.
Local media reports said left back Marcos Acuna, part of the 2022 title-winning squad, missed out because of fitness concerns.
Argentina will open their Group J campaign against Algeria on June 16 before facing Jordan and Austria.
Squad:
Goalkeepers: Emiliano Martinez, Geronimo Rulli, Juan Musso.
Defenders: Leonardo Balerdi, Gonzalo Montiel, Nicolas Tagliafico, Lisandro Martinez, Cristian Romero, Nicolas Otamendi, Facundo Medina, Nahuel Molina.
Midfielders: Leandro Paredes, Rodrigo De Paul, Valentín Barco, Giovani Lo Celso, Exequiel Palacios, Alexis Mac Allister, Enzo Fernández.
Forwards: Julian Alvarez, Lionel Messi, Nicolas Gonzalez, Thiago Almada, Giuliano Simeone, Nicolas Paz, Jose Manuel Lopez, Lautaro Martinez.
-Reuters
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Auckland FC goalkeeper Michael Woud has had to put his wedding plans on hold after being selected in New Zealand’s squad for the World Cup, but he says taking part in soccer’s biggest tournament is not a bad reason to cancel.
Woud got engaged a year ago when he had little inkling he would be in coach Darren Bazeley’s World Cup plans and had intended to wed fiancée Zana Renton around the time of the June 11 to July 19 finals in North America.
Bazeley confirmed six-cap Woud as his third goalkeeper in the 26-man squad behind Max Crocombe and Alex Paulsen this month. And while Woud might not get to play a minute at the World Cup, he said Renton had signed off on it.
“My fiancée was really supportive about it. It’s not a bad thing to cancel your wedding for – it only happens every four years,” the 27-year-old keeper told New Zealand media.
“We’ll just do it next year.”
Woud takes his place in New Zealand’s squad after a mid-season wobble saw him dropped as starting goalkeeper for Auckland.
He was reinstated almost immediately when the man who replaced him, Oliver Sail, suffered a knee injury in January and was ruled out of the rest of the A-League season as well as World Cup contention.
Woud grabbed his second chance with both hands and ended up playing a key role in Auckland winning their first A-League championship.
After making the only save in a penalty shootout in a playoff win over Melbourne City, Woud kept a clean sheet in the 1-0 Grand Final victory over Sydney FC last weekend to help Auckland become the first New Zealand team to win the Australian top flight.
Woud is comfortable with his task at the World Cup, where he will more than likely be the goalkeeping equivalent of a bridesmaid.
“I think my role is quite clear,” he said.
“Being the number three goalkeeper and being a support for the other goalkeepers and, if I was called upon, to do my best.”
New Zealand, the lowest-ranked team among 48 nations at the World Cup, play Iran, Egypt and Belgium in the group stage.
-Reuters
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