Messi also overtook Pele's World Cup record as ESPN's By The Numbers brings you best stats from the World Cup.

Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal were held to a 1-1 draw with DR Congo in their opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Wednesday.

The World Cup’s hydration breaks were introduced as a player-safety measure, but the early evidence suggests they are also changing the tactical balance of matches. FIFA has brought in mandatory three-minute stoppages around the middle of each half during a summer tournament across North America.

ESPN's By The Numbers brings you best stats from the 2026 FIFA World Cup games on June 15.

Messi and Rolando have defined an era in football history, and this is their last World Cup, so obviously fans are expecting a clash between both of them. Let's check possible scenarios in which they can play against each other.

Rachael Davies has spent six years reporting on tech and entertainment, writing for publications like the Evening Standard, Huffington Post, Dazed, and more. From niche… FIFA has signed the exclusive World Cup 2026 streaming and data rights to Stats ...

ESPN's By The Numbers brings you best stats from the 2026 FIFA World Cup games on June 14.

UK fans who did not stay up overnight to watch the World Cup missed out on history and, arguably, the best individual performance of the tournament so far. How would Messi respond? By scoring a hat-trick as Argentina began the defence of their crown with a 3-0 win over Algeria.