Today20:22 BSTWeather warning forces closure of fan zoneA World Cup fanzone has been closed after thunder and lightning was forecast in the area. Inclement weather has been predicted to land in Kansas City this evening.This could be a huge threat and disruption to the Netherlands' final group match against Tunisia. Play will be halted if lightning strikes within eight miles of the stadium, even if the match is ongoing at the time.The forecast has already resulted in a Kansas City fanzone being closed down. It could prove to be another day disrupted by the USA's weather.Content cannot be displayed without consentToday20:09 BSTEcuador release starting XI before must win clash with GermanyEcuador need to win and win well if they have any chance of progressing against the Germans. This is the team who will try and do that.Today20:07 BSTGermany's starting XI is inHere is how Germany will line-up for their final group match against Ecuador.Today19:51 BSTStarting XI's revealed for 9pm gamesThe starting XI's for all four teams in action this evening have been revealed.The big news appears to be Julian Nagelsmann sticking to his word that Germany would go strong despite having already qualified. He has made just two changes for the clash against Ecuador.Elsewhere, Ivory Coast will be hoping to join them in the round of 32 as they face Curacao following their heroic point against Ecuador.The big change for them sees former Arsenal star Nicolas Pepe come back into the team with Amad and Yan Diomande on the flanks.Today19:25 BSTFIFA make huge World Cup decision with RussiaRussia look set to be allowed to compete in the inaugural U15 Youth World Cup. They have been banned from competing in FIFA conditions ever since their invasion of Ukraine.However, the tournament in Azerbaijan looks set to allow Russia into the competition. In the wording, FIFA state "teams of all member associations” will be allowed to take part.This suggests Russia will be able to compete in the competition. If they are, it will be the first time since February 2022 that they will compete in an official competition under FIFA's umbrella.Today19:07 BSTWhere does Scotland rank in the World Cup third place table?Today18:48 BSTWhat Scotland need to avoid World Cup eliminationScotland are still in the World Cup - but they are hanging on by their fingernails. Their 3-0 loss to Brazil has come close to putting them on the plane back home.However, all is not lost just yet. There is a sequence of results which need to happen for them to stay in the competition.In Group E, they need Ecuador and Curacao to not win against Germany and Ivory Coast respectively.In Group F, they will need Japan to beat Sweden by a four-goal margin. This then brings us to Group D. Australia and Paraguay face each other and the Scots need either of those teams to finish on three points, but a two-goal Aussie win would be the best result.Looking into Group G, Steve Clarke's side would also have a chance if Spain overcome Uruguay and Egypt overcome Iran. This would edge Scotland ahead of the teams who can finish third in the group.Finally, in Group I, a narrow Iraq win over Senegal or a draw would do them the world of good.Elsewhere, they will also need Ghana to beat Croatia by three goals and DR Congo to fail to overcome Uzbekistan, as well as hoping Austria overcome Algeria by two goals.Steve ClarkeToday18:32 BSTHere is how Group D looksGroup D will be concluded today.Here is how it looks heading into USA's clash against Turkey and Australia's battle with Paraguay.Today18:17 BSTGary Neville makes England World Cup demand ahead of Panama battleGary Neville has urged Thomas Tuchel to drop Anthony Gordon and deploy Morgan Rogers instead. Gordon has struggled in England's opening World Cup matches and has been substituted in both.After he, once again, found life difficult in England's last match, Neville admitted he would like to see Rogers be given the nod instead.The ex-Manchester United defender said: "I do not want to pile in on Anthony Gordon because he is a really good player and, to be fair, he has had two difficult games. But I did not think that Marcus Rashford should have come on."I actually thought it should be Morgan Rogers. We are talking about this Rogers or Jude Bellingham debate about who plays there. Well, Bellingham's going to play number 10."I actually like the idea of Rogers coming off that left-hand side. I think he's just got a little bit more. I don't mind [Eberechi] Eze there either, but I prefer Rogers just because he has got a little bit more legs in him."But I think someone who maybe can just sort of connect on that left-hand side a little bit better for us, someone with a little more game intelligence. Rashford and Gordon are explosive. They're the players that, really, if you're counter-attacking, you'd want them on the pitch."But if Panama are going to be very difficult to break down, you are going to need players with a little bit more invention, a little bit more subtlety in the game. I think that is Rogers or Eze on that left-hand side. I don't think it's a Gordon or Rashford argument."(Image: Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)Today18:01 BSTEngland's potential double injury blowDeclan Rice and Reece James will have late fitness tests to ascertain their fitness before the final group match against Panama.The England duo were both injury worries after the draw with Ghana. Rice's calf was heavily strapped while it was reported James felt tightness in his hamstring after the stalemate.Both will be assessed by England's medical staff ahead of the game.(Image: Getty Images)Today17:40 BSTStorms threaten to cause trouble in the World CupWeather experts have warned "isolated tornadoes" could disrupt Tunisia's World Cup clash with the Netherlands. The Group F clash is expected to kick off at midnight.However, the recent weather forcast suggests there is a chance it could be disrupted. AccuWeather Meteorologist Adam Douty said: "The most significant risk for severe thunderstorms appears to pass just to the south of Kansas City on Thursday afternoon and evening."That being said, it looks like there will at least be areas of rain and thunderstorms moving through Kansas City Thursday evening that can bring impacts to the game. The field can be wet and lightning could lead to delays. Delays could be lengthy as rain and storms could be around the area for several hours."(Image: Andrea Renault/ZUMA Press Wire/Shutterstock)Today17:26 BSTCole Palmer breaks World Cup silenceCole Palmer has made it clear he is "not crying" over his omission from England's World Cup squad. The Chelsea midfielder was shockingly left out by Thomas Tuchel, one year after he scored the equaliser against Spain in the Euro 2024 final.Speaking in an interview with i-D, he said: "I'm going to relax this summer, rest for the first time in three or four years, before getting back to what I love."This season hasn't been the best, but it is what it is. I'm not crying over a decision you can't change, and I hope the lads make it all the way."Cole Palmer interview(Image: Sky Sports)Today17:07 BSTHere are this evening's fixturesToday16:39 BSTLionel Messi's offered fascinating invitationLionel Messi is so good he doesn't need some divine intervention.But the Argentine icon has been offered some nonetheless - by a local priest in Dallas.Father Luis Prado has extended an invitation to Messi and the rest of the Argentina squad to attend Mass at his local parish.Father Prado, who was born in Argentina, is priest of St. Bernard of Clairvaux Church in the Casa Linda neighborhood of Dallas.He arrived in Dallas in 2020 as part of missionary work.The invitation to Messi & Co was extended after the Diocese of Dallas encouraged parishes to welcome the thousands of visitors who have come to the city for the World Cup.Prado holds out little hope of the most famous footballer on the planet walking through his doors.But at least the episode has made him a social media sensation.He said: "I invited them, but it's not like they're actually going to be here."Everyone was asking which Mass Messi and the national team would attend. If that had been the case, the church would have been packed."Prado, 34, even recorded a video of himself wearing the Argentine strip under his cassock, and kicking a ball about.To also invite fans and players to visit the parish, where there is an image of 'Our Lady of Lujan' - one of the most beloved religious figures in Argentina.He added: "I want to meet him (Messi), because he’s a star and the greatest player of all time."But my dream would be to help Messi or any player receive the sacraments while they are here."If they are good examples in matters of faith as well, imagine how many more people can find that peace by following their example."Today16:22 BSTWorld Cup sparks interesting opportunitiesThe reach of the World Cup knows no bounds. It might be a celebration of football on the biggest ever stage. But it is also a chance for people to cash in.And one of the local newspapers in Dallas is attempting to do just that. The Dallas Morning News has launched its own line of apparel and accessories. Inspired by the World Cup, the slogan is ‘The World Meets Dallas’.As if supporters travelling to Texas haven’t got enough to go at down at the Dallas Fan Zone? And what FIFA president Gianni Infantino would make of it, is anyone’s guess. Let’s just hope the prices are cheaper than the ones FIFA charge for merchandise.Today16:10 BSTScotland superfan flew 4,000 to the World Cup - but couldn't get a ticket! The Scotland superfan who flew 4,000 miles to the United States to watch his team lose 3-0 on a TV screen insists the trip was worth “every penny”Neil McKnight couldn’t get a ticket for the game against Brazil.But he was so desperate to be part of the Tartan Army he forked out over £1000 to fly to Miami in a gruelling 70 hour trip.The Ayr United fanatic said: “I’ve had a fantastic time. It’s really been worth every penny. We may have lost 3-0 but it’s been a great experience. Both sets of fans were amazing and to be part of the Tartan Army for a World Cup was brilliant.“It didn’t really matter that I didn’t get a ticket for the game. The atmosphere in the Fanfest, the bars and throughout the city was something I will always remember.“But it’s back home now and by early next week I’ll be watching the World Cup back in my local - The Bull in Sawbridgeworth but it won’t quite be the same.”Neil, 62, from Ayr, now lives in Sawbridgeworth, Herts.The retired programme manager saw his first Ayr United game against Morton in 1969 and Scotland in 1982 He has seen Scotland play at Hampden Park many times but has never travelled to watch them overseas.He stayed in an AirBnB in the Miami suburb Little Havana. And to keep costs down he is flying back to London via Charlotte rather than direct.Before the match Neil said: “I’ve had a dream of watching Scotland in the World Cup ever since the Argentina tournament back in 1978.“But tickets are so expensive and difficult to get so I decided to take the plunge and just head over. My wife Alison thinks it’s great I’m going.His close friend England and QPR fan Andy Clayden laughed: “It was a long way to go and a lot of money to watch Scotland lose 3-0.”Today15:53 BSTThe Third Place tableThe new format means many nations' World Cup flame still flickers.The best eight side who finish third will go through to the round of 32 - with Scotland one of the teams left praying to the football gods.Here's our interactive table with three more groups concluding either tonight or tomorrow morning.Today15:33 BSTAll the games coming up..There's six matches coming this evening and tomorrow morning with some important matters to settle.Curacao vs Ivory Coast (Group E) – 9pm BSTEcuador vs Germany (Group E) – 9pm BSTJapan vs Sweden (Group F) - 12am BSTTunisia vs Netherlands (Group F) - 12am BSTParaguay vs Australia (Group D) - 3am BSTTurkey vs USA (Group D) - 3am BSTToday15:23 BSTHow hot will it be when England meet Panama on Saturday? England will have little excuse if they fail to defeat Panama and don't top the group on Saturday.The weather in New Jersey will cool to around 22c in time for kick-off - some 5c colder than it currently is.The Three Lions are as good as through, but need to finish in first place if they want to avoid big hitters France and Spain until the final.The venue for England's final World Cup group-stage match against Panama has received fresh criticism, with Simon Jordan suggesting the MetLife Stadium not fit for use in a brutal attack.It will be cooler for England's players on Saturday(Image: Getty Images)Today15:03 BSTTeam leave dressing room in astonishing state after World Cup eliminationJordan have left a lasting impression on football fans globally for leaving their dressing room in an astonishingly spotless condition after exiting the World Cup.The nation are taking part in the tournament for the first time in their history. Drawn in Group J, Jordan lost their opening match to Austria and headed into their second game against Algeria needing a positive result to avoid elimination.Manager Jamal Sellami’s side took the lead in the first-half through Nizar Al-Rashdan. Algeria responded after the interval, with Nadhir Benbouali getting the equaliser and Amine Gouiri completing the comeback in the 82nd minute.The result meant Jordan were knocked out of the World Cup as, even with a shock win over reigning champions Argentina in their next game, the team would be unable to overtake Austria or Algeria based on their head-to-head record.Despite experiencing an early World Cup exit, Jordan earned a place in the hearts of many fans after footage of their post-Algeria dressing room was shared on social media.The team ensured the room at the San Francisco Bay Area Stadium was pristine and left sweets and other gifts behind for stadium staff, along with a heartwarming note.READ THE FULL STORY HERE.Today14:45 BSTSuperstars Ronaldo and Messi show the human touch with fansFans paid tribute to World Cup superstars Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi as they made history in the US.The X site 'Restoring Your Faith in Humanity' posted images of Ronaldo meeting Celine Dept, a Belgian football content creator. She broke down in tears when she met her hero, and he gave her a hug after training with Portugal.The post adds: "The happiness and joy on her face say it all." Ronaldo became the first player to score in six World Cups this week, while Messi is now the tournament's all-time top scorer with 18 goals.England fans Mark and Michelle Lynch, from Fort Lauderdale, told how their son Finley plays for Inter Miami under-eights, alongside Messi's son, Ciro. The star happily poses for photos with other dads and fans at their training sessions.The star showed great humility when he posted a message to his team to thank them for their birthday wishes as he turned 39 on Wednesday.Michelle, 41, said: "Lionel Messi's wife, Antonella, speaks excellent English. They are a lovely family and Lionel comes along to training every week to see his son. He is a very good dad."Content cannot be displayed without consentToday14:41 BSTCraig Burley claims 'mediocre' Scotland squad don't deserve to progressFormer Scotland midfielder Craig Burley claims Steve Clarke’s side do not deserve to qualify for the World Cup knockout stage.Burley was the last man to score at a World Cup for Scotland before John McGinn netted the only goal of Scotland’s Group C campaign in the narrow win over Haiti.But the former Celtic player said on ESPN in the United States: "I'm sorry, I know this is the way it works with 48 teams, but we are just rewarding complete mediocrity here, and they don’t really deserve to go through, if we’re being honest. And I don’t think they will, barring getting lucky."In fact, if they do go through, it's just going to continue the embarrassment of looking like what Scotland are. And it's kind of second rate, isn't it?"They just don't have the players. They've got a couple. But they just don't have the players of yesteryear and I'm not talking about the team I played in, although it had some very good players."The team (fellow pundit) Stevie (Nicol) played in had world-class players. Guys at the back like (Alan) Hansen, who couldn’t even get a game at times, but could pass the ball for fun, with anybody. They just don’t have that."If they go through, fine, but there should be no celebration if this is the first ever Scotland team to qualify through the group stage."Today14:27 BSTThird-place table as it standsThird-place table(Image: Mirror)Today14:09 BSTEngland fan uses his £10,000 house deposit to take grandad to watch World CupAn England fan has sacrificed the £10,000 he saved for a house deposit — to spend it on taking his grandad on a dream World Cup trip.Jacob Allmendinger, 21, said he has "no regrets" spending his life savings on the trip of a lifetime with grandad Geoff Golliker, 80.Jacob saved for five years with the dream of one day owning a home. But he decided to delay getting on the property ladder and is due to fly out to the US with his grandad later this week.Jacob said: "I can always make money back, I'm at the age where I can afford to miss out on a house for two or three years. But I won't ever get to go to the World Cup with my grandad again."The pair, from North Ferriby, East Yorkshire, fly out on Friday and are planning a whirlwind tour of North America centred around England's World Cup campaign. Jacob added: "Inviting my grandad was a no-brainer. He agreed straight away."The pair will watch England's clash with Panama and hope to follow the Three Lions through the tournament should they progress.READ THE FULL STORY HERE.Today13:50 BSTWorld Cup team cause uproar with behaviour as FIFA step in and player shouts 'show respect'South Africa's celebrations following their win over South Korea were overshadowed by a tense behind-the-scenes meeting between the sides.The Bafana Bafana were told to "please show some respect" as they disrupted interviews that South Korea's stars were conducting in the mixed zone.The African side progress as one of the best third-place finishers of the World Cup, thanks to Thapelo Maseko's goal. The victory saw them leapfrog South Korea into second place, and Son Heung-min's side must now wait to see if they progress as one of the best third-place finishers.South Africa's stars pushed through the mixed zone, singing loudly in celebration of their achievement, making enough noise to drown out the interviews that South Korea's stars were conducting. Reporters and national team officials asked the side to quieten down, but it is claimed this only emboldened the victors.It is reported that one South African team official slowed his pace while passing through the area and displayed a "confrontational attitude" when a South Korean counterpart gestured for them to hurry up.Feyenoord star Hwang In-beom was unable to hold his tongue at this point and stared at the official and shouted: "Hurry up and move." He added: "Please show some respect."READ THE FULL STORY HERE.Today13:37 BSTScotland odds after 'disaster' against BrazilScotland to qualify for the knockout stages - 2/1Scotland NOT to qualify for the knockout stages - 4/11Lewis Knowles, Betway's spokesperson, said: ''Hopes were high after Scotland's win over Haiti in their opening game, but last night really was a disaster for Steve Clarke's men, and they are now odds on at 4/11 to exit at the group stage once again.''Visit Betway’s World Cup betting page for all the latest odds, markets and specials18+ | UK only | begambleaware.orgToday13:27 BSTScotland fan has 'absolutely no hope whatsoever' of getting into knockout stage after Brazil lossSome Scotland fans have been sharing their despair following their 3-0 loss to Brazil last night.Allan Potts, 68, of Edinburgh, said he went to bed at 12.30am when the third goal went in, and he had found the game "hugely disappointing".He said: "I don't know where we got the idea that we would get something from the game. I was really disappointed in the performance."Potts said he has "absolutely no hope whatsoever" of getting through to the next stage. He added: "I'm a realist. I've been a Scotland fan all my life, going back as far as 1974."I think we were unlucky drawing both Morocco and Brazil in the same group – two teams who were in the top 10 – it was always going to be a hard task."Today13:00 BSTHeartbroken Scotland fans in MiamiScotland fans react as they watch Scotland v Brazil at a FIFA Fan Festival in Miami(Image: AFP via Getty Images)Two Scotland fans in the stadium after Scotland's loss(Image: Martin Rickett/PA Wire)Today12:39 BSTDavid Beckham's nine-word comment at England game leaked as he sums up World Cup frustrationEngland icon David Beckham foresaw Ghana frustrating the Three Lions in their tepid 0-0 draw.The stage was seemingly set for Thomas Tuchel's side to kick on from their 4-2 win over Croatia and secure a spot in the last 32 of the World Cup. However, a resilient Ghana team all but shut down England on Tuesday. Beckham's succinct nine-word remark ended up summing the game up rather well.Jeremy Clarkson, writing in The Sun, claimed Beckham said: "They didn’t want to win, only to not lose." The former Three Lions captain looked as classy as ever as he stood beside son Cruz in a private box for the game, which was held in Foxborough, Massachusetts.Clarkson wrote: "They didn’t want to win, only to not lose. That may sound like a curiously expert opinion from someone who isn’t one, so I should explain I didn’t think of it. David Beckham did."The presenter continued that the former Real Madrid star arrived in his box before kick-off and the ex-Top Gear presenter overheared him telling actor Kit Harrington "it would be a tough game" because Ghana were playing for the point that kept their qualification hopes very much alive.READ THE FULL STORY HERE.Today12:18 BSTScotland clash was a 'hard watch', Lorraine Kelly saysLorraine Kelly has described Scotland’s performance against Brazil during the World Cup as a "hard watch".The Glasgow-born broadcaster, 66, reflected on the team’s final group game in Miami on Wednesday night which resulted in a 3-0 defeat.Kelly continues to support her home country in the competition, and said she has her “fingers crossed” for Scotland in the upcoming matches. Appearing on ITV’s This Morning, she said: "Last night, oh, that was a hard watch. It was a hard, hard watch."Scotland must wait until the last group games conclude to see whether they make it to the knockout stage, with only the top eight teams who placed third in their group advancing.Kelly described the anticipation as a "horrible thing", adding: "We might get through, we might not get through. Who knows? Fingers crossed."She also opened up on her trip to the US last week for Scotland's match against Morocco in Boston on June 19 – which ended in a 1-0 defeat.Kelly told hosts Ben Shepherd and Cat Deeley: "The trip was great. It was fantastic from start to finish. I couldn't believe it. I've never seen so many men in kilts – it was a joy. It was an absolute joy. The community just took everybody into their hearts. It was incredible. I've never seen anything like it."‌