England fans are full of expectation that Thomas Tuchel’s team can win the 2026 FIFA World Cup and end decades of hurt this month.

The Three Lions headed into the tournament on the back of defeats in the last two UEFA European Championship finals, against Italy and Spain, plus a quarterfinal World Cup loss to France in 2022.

Ahead of facing Norway in a Miami quarterfinal, reports from The Guardian have claimed the squad may have an extra incentive to push for global glory, with FA set to split the potential prize money 50-50 with Tuchel and his squad.

FIFA will give the winning association approximately £38M after the final, and £15M of that could be split between England’s 26-man squad, with £3M for Tuchel and £1M for his backroom staff.

This is part of a rumoured agreement made before the tournament and the player bonuses would total at more than double what they would have received for winning the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

The negotiations come following criticism of the FA for their handling of England’s women’s team at the 2023 World Cup, after a pre-agreement was not reached, with the FA eventually relenting on their position to issue larger bonuses after the Lionesses reached the final.

If England progress past Norway and into the semi-finals, they will take on either defending champions Argentina or Switzerland on July 15 in Atlanta.

The final is set for the MetLife Stadiium in New Jersey on July 19 where England’s opponents would be France or Spain – if they make it that far.

On Saturday in Kansas City, Switzerland will take on Argentina in the World Cup quarter-finals. For Zeki Amdouni, this historic clash has a special flavour: the Geneva-born striker is about to cross paths with Lionel Messi, the player who inspired his career. It’s a twist of fate for the man nicknamed the ‘Swiss Messi’ because of his playing style.

“I’m going to play against Messi. Wallah, that’s it, I could quit football now.” The message, posted on Snapchat in the privacy of the Swiss dressing room after qualifying against Colombia, sums up nearly twenty years of fascination.

On Saturday in Kansas City, Zeki Amdouni will face, in the World Cup quarter-finals, the man who shaped his footballing destiny: Lionel Messi.

This post, half-serious and half-ironic, reveals a long-standing and genuine admiration. Asked by Blick last January about his role model, the Geneva striker recalled the turning point in his teenage years.

As a child, he idolised Cristiano Ronaldo, “for his hairstyle, his boots, his style”.

Then, at 13, everything changed: “When I really understood football, there was only one player for me: Lionel Messi.”

When asked if he could ever meet his idol at a World Cup, he replied without hesitation: “That would be a dream.”

South Africa international and Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder Jayden Adams has died at the age of 25, just weeks after representing his country at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The cause of his death has not been confirmed.

South Africa’s Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Gayton McKenzie, announced Adams’ death on Saturday in a statement, describing it as a huge loss to the country’s football community.

The statement read, “It is with profound shock and a heavy heart that I have learnt of the passing of Jayden Adams.

“South African football has lost one of its brightest young talents, and our nation mourns alongside his family, his team-mates and the millions of supporters who watched him grow from a promising academy prospect into a full Bafana Bafana international.”

BBC reports that police in South Africa said an investigation had been launched after the body of a 25-year-old man was found at a house in Schotschekloof, a suburb in central Cape Town, on Saturday morning.

McKenzie appealed for restraint, urging the public and the media to avoid speculation while authorities investigate the circumstances surrounding Adams’ death.

“The cause of Jayden’s passing has not yet been confirmed, and I wish to appeal to members of the media and the public to exercise restraint and compassion, and to refrain from speculation, while his family and Mamelodi Sundowns are given the space and privacy they need at this incredibly difficult time.

“Any official information will be communicated by the appropriate parties in due course,” the statement added.

Adams featured in all three of South Africa’s group-stage matches at the 2026 World Cup, helping Bafana Bafana reach the knockout stage for the first time before they were eliminated by co-hosts Canada in the round of 32.

He also made headlines during the tournament after starting South Africa’s 1-1 draw against the Czech Republic just hours after learning of his grandmother’s death.

The South African Football Players Union described Adams’ death as an immeasurable loss.

Adams made his senior international debut in 2022 and was also part of the South African squad that reached the semi-finals of the 2024 Africa Cup of Nations.

He began his professional career at Stellenbosch FC before joining Mamelodi Sundowns in January 2025, where he won the South African league title and the CAF Champions League.