Key events3d agoTeam guide: England3d agoBeyond the World Cup3d agoMcTominay misses Scotland training3d agoWest Ham women's team not told of Sullivan's restricted access3d agoEarps to leave Paris Saint-Germain3d agoOmar Artan picked to referee Uefa Super Cup3d agoFrench city announces curfew for under-16s during World Cup3d agoCôte d'Ivoire fans barred from US entry3d agoO'Neill confirmed as Celtic manager3d agoTuchel says England on 'right way' as Bellingham call looms3d agoWolves target Peixoto after sacking Edwards3d agoPreambleProceed to the buildup to the big kickoff. The news blog will return on Friday morning.Before we close out, some Reuters quotes from those in Mexico City, ahead of the opening match:On Thursday, tents lined the streets for multiple blocks surrounding the square but authorities confirmed the fan zone would be open.Mario Martinez, 30, from Tijuana, was one of the first fans to enter the fan zone with his girlfriend. He said they had come to the fan zone because stadium tickets were too expensive and had been worried the event would be cancelled. “Thank God it all worked out.“Thursday was declared an official holiday in Mexico City, in part to alleviate transport concerns. Other Chilangos, as Mexico City locals are known, complained of prohibitively high ticket prices that had kept them from seeing the spectacle live in their home town.For the opening match between Mexico and South Africa some fans interviewed by Reuters said they had paid $3,000 or more, way out of reach for most Mexicans. Fifa has defended its pricing saying the cost of tickets is on a par with other major sporting events.“Fifa is only interested in profit,” said Jonathan Cordoba, 33, as he stood in a long queue to enter the stadium. But he said he had no regrets: “It’s the passion!“More on Turkey, their coach, Vincenzo Montella talking about star man, Real Madrid’s Arda Guler: “He has talent, intuition, reading of the game; he knows when to slow down, when to go vertical, and he knows how to score. He has an innocent face, but he is very clever. He has talent, plays at a high level, and handles a lot of pressure.“They face Australia in Vancouver on Sunday, 5am UK time.Mark Dawson joins in the nostalgia trip: “I was 11, and because my parents had signed me up for boarding school indulged like a prince. Staying up late. The strange shimmering heat colour, the exoticism, Banks’ save, Jairzinho, Rivelino, Pele. That extraordinary Italy v W Germany semi final (I think still the best match I’ve ever watched). Uwe Seeler’s back-header. Misery and glory. Carlos Alberto’s utterly majestic final goal: the best goal ever scored. And I watched it live.”Andrew Schultz gets in touch: “Is it cheating to say I had several firsts?My first World Cup memory is watching the Mexico-Germany clash in ‘86 on a Spanish local access channel in Chicago. What a crowd. In ‘90 I was at camp and we followed the papers and had a wall chart in the hallway. We pulled for Cameroon but thought the recent Soviet emigre was pranking us when they filled in the USSR’s 4-0 win. I also remember hearing the US trailed Czechoslovakia 4-1 and thought, can’t get worse, then I heard the final was 5-1. Seeing the high/lowlights years later brought good memories though.“In ‘94 I watched the whole thing. There were two Spanish channels then that rebroadcast day games in the evenings so people could watch the best ones. In ‘98 the Internet made following the World Cup extra cool. Shot-on-goal graphics and everything.”Peter Oh gets in touch: “The first World Cup I remember watching was España 1982. I was especially fascinated by goalkeepers at the time, and recall asking my parents for goalie gloves and a Belgium shirt after watching Jean-Marie Pfaff keep Diego Maradona at bay in the opening match. Argentina 0:1 Belgium. I also recall being impressed by Italia’s Dino Zoff. I guess I’ve got a weakness for keepers whose names end in -ff!”Laundry latest