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Jamie Carragher Predicts 2026 World Cup in Full

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With just over two months remaining until the start of the World Cup, former Liverpool and England defender Jamie Carragher has predicted how the tournament in Canada, Mexico and the United States will unfold.

The 2026 World Cup will feature 48 teams following its expansion and first major format change since 1998, with a total of 104 matches set to be played – up from 64 in Qatar 2022.

Carragher, who successfully predicted that Argentina would win the last World Cup, has made several bold calls in his latest tournament predictions, including one on the fate of Thomas Tuchel’s England.

The Three Lions are aiming to win their first major trophy since 1966 and completed a flawless qualifying campaign, winning all eight matches while conceding no goals.

Group Stage

Sweden's Viktor Gyokeres during the warm up before the match

In the group stage, 48 teams will be split into 12 groups of four. As in previous editions, the top two teams from each group will progress to the knockout stage, joined by the eight best third-placed sides following the tournament’s expansion.

Carragher believes the group stage is unlikely to produce many surprises, although the former defender has predicted that Sweden will fail to progress beyond the first phase.

Jamie Carragher’s 2026 World Cup Predictions: Eliminated in the Group Stage

Nation

Group

South Africa

A

Qatar

B

Haiti

C

Australia

D

Curacao

E

Tunisia

F

Sweden

F

New Zealand

G

Iran

G

Cape Verde

H

Saudi Arabia

H

Iraq

I

Jordan

J

DR Congo

K

Uzbekistan

K

Panama

L

Round of 32

Memphis Depay Netherlands

Instead of 16 teams advancing to the first knockout round, as had been the case since 1998, as many as 32 will progress from the group stage. The specific match-ups for the round of 32 will depend on which groups the eight third-placed teams emerge from.

Carragher predicts that the Netherlands, Scotland, Norway, Colombia and Uruguay, among others, will fail to advance beyond this stage, while England are tipped to knock out Erling Haaland’s Norway.

Jamie Carragher’s 2026 World Cup Predictions: Round of 32

South Korea

v

Switzerland

Germany

v

Scotland

Netherlands

v

Brazil

Morocco

v

Japan

France

v

Paraguay

Ecuador

v

Senegal

Mexico

v

Ivory Coast

England

v

Norway

USA

v

Bosnia

Belgium

v

Czech Republic

Colombia

v

Croatia

Spain

v

Algeria

Canada

v

Austria

Argentina

v

Uruguay

Portugal

v

Ghana

Turkey

v

Egypt

Round of 16

Germany's Nick Woltemade celebrates scoring their second goal with Leroy Sane and Florian Wirtz

The round of 16 promises a number of feisty encounters, and Carragher believes the likes of Germany, Croatia, Belgium, as well as hosts Canada and Mexico, will ultimately see their journeys end at this stage.

The former defender has predicted England to advance past Mexico to the quarter-finals, which would mark the Three Lions’ third consecutive appearance at this stage.

Jamie Carragher’s 2026 World Cup Predictions: Round of 16

Germany

v

France

Switzerland

v

Brazil

Morocco

v

Ecuardor

Mexico

v

England

Croatia

v

Spain

USA

v

Belgium

Argentina

v

Turkey

Canada

v

Portugal

Quarter-finals

lionel messi

Carragher has predicted France, Spain, England and Portugal to reach the semi-finals, with Portugal knocking out defending champions Argentina.

England are tipped to overcome Morocco in the quarter-finals, while Spain are predicted to eliminate the only remaining hosts, the United States.

Jamie Carragher’s 2026 World Cup Predictions: Quarter-finals

France

v

Brazil

Spain

v

USA

Morocco

v

England

Argentina

v

Portugal

Semi-finals

Harry Kane celebrates scoring for England vs Albania

In an all-European semi-final line-up, Carragher believes England will suffer further heartbreak in their quest to end a 60-year wait for World Cup glory.

The former Liverpool defender has predicted the Three Lions will be beaten by Portugal, who would then face France in the final.

Jamie Carragher’s 2026 World Cup Predictions: Semi-finals

France

v

Spain

England

v

Portugal

Final

Kylian Mbappe celebrates scoring a goal in France's victory against Ukraine

In a repeat of the Euro 2016 final, Carragher believes France, led by Kylian Mbappe, will emerge as winners and secure their third FIFA World Cup title.

Les Bleus have reached the final in each of the last two tournaments, including winning the 2018 World Cup with a 4-2 victory over Croatia.

Jamie Carragher’s 2026 World Cup Predictions: Final

France

v

Portugal

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Ruben Dias Wants to Leave Man City After Pep Guardiola Exit Confirmed

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Manchester City are now in line for a summer of change, with Pep Guardiola on his way out after ten years, following John Stones and Bernardo Silva in looking for a new challenge.

The Cityzens have gone two seasons without a Premier League title after falling behind Arsenal this season, and are now set to enter a new era at the club as a result, as they look to get back to the top of English football and compete in Europe once again.

But it has now emerged that Guardiola, Stones, and Silva may not be the only players who are on the move out of the City dynasty, after it emerged that another key star has told his agent to secure him a move away.

Ruben Dias Wants to Leave Man City

ruben dias

According to CaughtOffside, Man City star Ruben Dias is keen to leave Man City this summer for a new challenge after Guardiola’s exit was confirmed.

Dias, who currently earns £220,000-a-week, is under contract until 2029 with the option of a further 12 months, and has been a regular in the centre of defence ever since joining from Benfica in a £65m deal back in 2020.

But after Guardiola announced his exit, the Portugal international has reportedly become unsettled and has instructed his agent to explore the opportunity for a move away – igniting interest from the likes of Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain, and Real Madrid.

Real Madrid are believed to be the most interested club, with David Alaba being allowed to leave on a free transfer, while Antonio Rudiger’s contract situation remains unresolved.

Dias is reportedly valued at around £50m, which would represent a major bargain in the current market, but it remains to be seen if City would be willing to allow him to move on, with incoming manager Maresca understood to be keen to keep his best players at the club for the new season.

Dias Exit Would Be Major Blow to Man City

Manchester City's Ruben Dias
Premier League – Fulham v Manchester City – Craven Cottage, London, Britain – December 2, 2025 Manchester City’s Ruben Dias reacts REUTERS/David Klein

With some top players already confirmed to be on the way out, Dias looks to be the heir apparent to the captain’s armband at the club.

That would make any potential exit away absolutely huge for City, because replacing Dias would be almost impossible to do without forking out huge money, and they are already making plans to upgrade other areas of the squad.

Nathan Ake, Josko Gvardiol, Marc Guehi, and Abdukodir Khusanov are the other options currently in the squad, but Dias stands above them, and Maresca is likely to want to do everything in his power to keep him at the club and keep things stable.


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Key Details About the Adidas Trionda

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The 2026 World Cup is poised to be the biggest yet, with even more nations taking place in an expanded format, while being hosted by three of them at once.

Canada, Mexico, and the United States of America will play host to 48 nations, all of which will be hoping to win the grand prize at the end of it.

As with every World Cup, there are iconic traditions in place that will represent the tournament. The World Cup logo is front and centre, along with the mascots that will often tie into the national pride of whichever nation will host it, as well as the respective World Cup kits.

Then there’s the ball, where the magic happens. Each World Cup ball has a different design, feel, and story to tell, which can seal its place in the memory of those who watch on.

Here’s a look at everything you need to know about “Trionda“, the 2026 World Cup ball.

What does ‘Trionda’ stand for?

The Trionda ball for the World Cup

The Trionda ball for the 2026 World Cup pays homage to all of the host nations, Canada, Mexico, and the United States of America.

The “Tri” stands for three, and “Onda” means waves in Spanish, hinting at all three waves in the design of the ball, with three different colours representing each nation.

Adidas Trionda Design and Colourway Explained

Trionda Adidas World Cup ball Adidas

Trionda’s design shows off all three host nations in different ways, using both colours and patterns on the ball itself to represent each host in a clear way.

The red part of the ball represents Canada, with the country’s famous maple leaf dotted within each of the red waves to clearly show their part in hosting the tournament.

The green is used to show off Mexico, hinting at the unmistakable green home kit that the national team wears, along with an eagle pattern that is seen in the country’s coat of arms.

Then there’s the blue, which represents the United States of America, and includes the stars that show off each of the states included in the famous American flag.

Every World Cup Ball In History

Date

Name

Manufacturer

1930

Tiento/T-Model

N/A

1934

Federale 102

ECAS, Rome

1938

Allen

Allen, Paris

1950

Duplo T

Superball

1954

Swiss World Champion

Kost Sport, Basel

1958

Top Star

Remmen

1962

Crack

Señor Custodio Zamora H.,

San Miguel, Chile Remmen

1966

Challenge 4-Star

Slazenger

1970

Telstar

Adidas

1974

Telstar Durlast

Adidas

1978

Tango

Adidas

1982

Tango Espana

Adidas

1986

Azteca

Adidas

1990

Etrusco Unico

Adidas

1994

Questra

Adidas

1998

Tricolore

Adidas

2002

Fevernova

Adidas

2006

Teamgeist/Teamgeist Berlin

Adidas

2010

Jabulani/Jo’bulani

Adidas

2014

Brazuca/Brazuca Final Rio

Adidas

2018

Telstar 18/Telstar Mechta

Adidas

2022

Al Rihla/Al Hilm

Adidas

2026

Trionda

Adidas


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What is the ‘Smart Technology’ and Does The Ball Need to be Charged?

A close-up of the Trionda World Cup ball Adidas

The Trionda World Cup ball for 2026 will need to be charged before every use, due to the “smart technology” inside that will help assist the officials during the game.

There is an in-built motion sensor that can track the ball’s rotation, position on the pitch, and every single touch along the way, sending that data back to the Video Assistant Referee.

That information should help the VAR make quicker decisions, particularly when it comes to an offside call, as they will be able to tell the exact moment the ball was struck, and can then begin to work out the offside line with a 3D model of the game picked up by cameras around the stadium.

It will also be useful for tracking data used by national teams, with even more data allowing them to look underneath the hood of football into some of the things that make teams tick.

The ball has a battery life of roughly six hours, meaning it should comfortably last a full game, barring any technological issues that could occur.

Where to Buy the World Cup 2026 Ball

The official World Cup 2026 ball, the Trionda, is available to buy in several different sizes and with some different impact to each one that is available.

Adidas are retailing six variations of the Trionda, from the Pro version at £130, to the Mini version at £13. There is the competition version for £50, the League version for £35, the Training version for £25, and the Club version for £23.

The Trionda is also available to buy from high street stores such as Sports Direct, which is running an offer on the League version of the ball, as well as JD Sports.

Online retailers such as Amazon and Kitbag are also selling the ball, along with a host of other online stores.

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Former WWE Superstar Curtis Axel Has Been Arrested

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Former WWE Superstar Curtis Axel, real name Joseph Hennig, was arrested in Minnesota earlier this month, according to reports.

The son of WWE icon Mr Perfect, Curt Hennig, was reportedly arrested in Anoka County, Minnesota, on May 17, 2026. That’s according to PWInsider’s Mike Johnson. The 46-year-old was later charged with DUI.

Curtis Axel’s Charges After Arrest

WWE logo

Per the report, Axel was released from prison two days after his arrest and his charges include third-degree driving while impaired, refusing to give a chemical test, obstructing the lawful execution of a legal process, possessing an open bottle of alcohol in the car, and failing to stop after an accident to property that did not involve any injuries.

According to Cultaholic Wrestling, police were called to a McDonald’s in St. Francis at around 9pm following a report of a vehicle reversing into another in the drive-thru, causing damage. Axel was found driving around the car park, and police noticed the smell of alcohol when speaking to him.


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I don’t give a sh**” and “f*** you, you f*****,” were what the wrestler reportedly shouted at officers while refusing to do chemical testing after having to be physically removed from his car.

An employee at the McDonald’s told police that Axel had sworn at staff before reversing into another vehicle. He then got out of his car and yelled at the female whose car he’d just backed into, calling her a ‘b****” and a ‘p****’.

This isn’t the first time Joseph Hennig has had a brush with the law. American Express received a judgment of $21,357.94 they were owed by Henning for a credit card in 2024. He has since paid $5,936.79, but the remaining $16,774.26 payment is still outstanding.

A further judgment from a housing estate, Estates of Silver Oaks Association, was granted against him and his partner, Brooke Hennig, in 2025 for $4,989.40. That case was reported as closed in early 2026.

More to follow.

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