The 2026 FIFA World Cup is deep into the knock-out stages — and HuffPost is live-blogging every twist and turn as the final looms at New York/New Jersey Stadium on July 19.Even before a ball was kicked, the 23rd edition of the tournament was engulfed in controversy: from Iran’s tough journey to the competition amid Donald Trump’s war, to the president’s close relationship with FIFA’s Peace Prize-awarding President Gianni Infantino. That’s not to mention Trump’s travel bans keeping some fans and officials out and the fury over soaring ticket prices. Once the soccer actually began, much of the concern was eased — at least for a short while. But the introduction of hydration breaks, seen as a vehicle for TV advertising, prompted booing from fans and questions about the fundamentals of the game being undermined. And Trump’s intervention in an effort to get a red card reversed for U.S. forward Folarin Balogun, which was fruitless, as the Americans were soundly defeated by Belgium, will likely leave a stain on this World Cup.Check out the full games schedule on the FIFA website.Follow along with our coverage below:Belgium Coach Fires Warning To Spain Ahead Of World Cup ShowdownBelgium are embracing their underdog status ahead of Friday's World Cup quarter-final against Spain, with coach Rudi Garcia confident they have the attacking quality and belief to upset the European champions.Spain entered the tournament as one of the favourites and after a slow start found their swagger with a 3-0 win over Austria in the round of 32.While Spain coach Luis de la Fuente struck a philosophical tone in his own pre-match media conference, quoting Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius, Garcia leaned instead on analytics and squad management."We know we are playing one of the favourites. Spain are probably the best at ball possession and they have been playing in a recognisable way for 15 or 20 years," he said. "But we have a great team. We are the second-highest scorers in the World Cup and we are facing the team with the highest expected goals. We think we can do it."Belgium, with 13 goals, are the third-highest scorers behind France (16) and Argentina (14).Veteran forward Romelu Lukaku, whose workload has been managed during the tournament, said Belgium would need the perfect game to progress."If you get this far, you don't play just to go home," the 33-year-old said."Spain are an excellent team. They look for the third man, they have speed on the sides and they provide depth. But we are well prepared and we have assets that can make life difficult for them."Lukaku said his role had been agreed after a long conversation with Garcia in April and that his focus was not on individual accolades."It's about the team," he said. "I try to help on the pitch and off the pitch. At this stage of my career, you have to play with your head as well."Belgium are also prepared for a potentially hostile crowd at Los Angeles Stadium after they eliminated the United States 4-1 in Seattle on Monday.Garcia said it would take more than an unfriendly atmosphere to unsettle his players."We just beat the U.S. in a stadium where everyone was against us," he said."It's not the crowd that scores the goals. We will focus on what we can do. We have enough on our plate with Spain, who are a wonderful footballing team."Even if we are the underdogs, we will do everything we can to give them a run for their money."Latest Live UpdatesPolice Officer Hospitalized In London Amid Violence Following France-Morocco World Cup ClashA police officer was hospitalized with a head injury and multiple arrests were made in London on Thursday night after violence erupted following France’s 2-0 quarterfinal defeat of Morocco in the World Cup.Read more at The Guardian:Teen Dies In Tragic Accident During France World Cup CelebrationsA 17-year-old girl died in northern France on Thursday night after she reportedly fell from a truck and was then struck by the vehicle during celebrations of the French men’s national soccer team’s 2-0 quarterfinal World Cup win over Morocco, reported local media.Megan Rapinoe Explains Why U.S. Women’s Team Was Better Prepared For Trump DramaFormer U.S. women’s national team star Megan Rapinoe explained on Thursday how the “circus” surrounding the men’s World Cup team after Donald Trump’s intervention with FIFA may have contributed to its crushing 4-1 Round of 16 defeat to Belgium.Read more here:Pele's Daughter Delivers Blistering Verdict On Brazilian Soccer After World Cup FlopBrazil's football system is broken, with a lack of transparency and accountability in its administration reflected in the national team's performances, Kely Nascimento, activist filmmaker and eldest daughter of former Brazil great Pele, told Reuters in an interview."Brazilian football is broken. Whether it is corruption ... it's like a closed, very incestuous ecosystem where no one can see inside, and everybody knows why it is not working, but nobody can fix it," Nascimento said.She said the country's wealth of talent continued to produce top players, but that their struggles on the international stage were symptomatic of deeper structural problems.Brazil were eliminated from this year's World Cup following a 2-1 defeat by Norway on Sunday, the first time they have failed to reach the quarter-finals since 1990. They won the last of their record five World Cups in 2002.Nascimento said her late father had long voiced concerns about the state of Brazilian football and contrasted the country's decline with nations such as France, which she said appeared to have built more effective systems.One encouraging development, she said, was the revival of traditional clubs through foreign investment, citing Botafogo's resurgence under U.S. businessman John Textor. Since acquiring a controlling stake in the Rio de Janeiro club in 2022, Textor has overseen a steady turnaround in the fortunes of the former Brazilian champions."There's a lot of criticism about how he's handling it, but, again, there's good and bad to everything," Nascimento said. "What he's also bringing is transparency ... he has accountability to a foreign body. To me, that's a positive, regardless of everything he's being blamed for."Lionel Messi's World Cup Message Gets Unexpected Spotlight At National MassLionel Messi's words echoed through Buenos Aires Cathedral on Thursday as Archbishop Jorge Garcia Cuerva quoted Argentina's captain during a Mass marking the country's Independence Day with the national team preparing for a World Cup quarter-final against Switzerland.Garcia Cuerva used Messi's message after the team's 2022 World Cup triumph in Qatar as a call for unity in a ceremony also attended by Argentine President Javier Milei."Let us keep our shirts on, and with passion, let us bring to life the message that Lionel Messi once posted on his social media," García Cuerva said during the service before reading the words the talismanic forward wrote four years ago."When we Argentines fight together and stand united, we are capable of achieving whatever we set our minds to," Messi said.The reference came two days after Argentina beat Egypt 3-2 in a dramatic comeback, having trailed 2-0, to reach the last eight of the tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico.Messi, 39, is playing in his sixth consecutive World Cup and has scored in each of Argentina's five matches, leading the tournament scoring charts with eight goals.Injury Update On France World Cup Superstar MbappeThe nation of France can relax. Kylian Mbappe is fine.After Mbappe scored his eighth goal of this World Cup and the 20th of his tournament career Thursday, he departed early from France's 2-0 quarterfinal victory over Morocco but insisted that he will be ready for next week's semifinal."I have a minor ankle injury, but I'm completely fine," Mbappe said shortly after the final whistle sealed France's third consecutive semifinal appearance. "(Jean-Philippe) Mateta was in a better position to play the remaining minutes of the match and was fitter at that moment. That's all that happened."Mbappe left in the 77th minute under his own power, waving with two arms to the crowd in a familiar manner. Only 17 minutes earlier, the 27-year-old superstar scored to keep pace with Argentina's Lionel Messi once again.The duo is tied for the tournament lead, and the 39-year-old Messi -- for now -- has a one-goal advantage for the career World Cup scoring record.Ousmane Dembele followed six minutes after Mbappe to double the lead. The reigning Ballon d'Or holder had been scoreless in his first 12 career World Cup appearances, but now has five goals in his last five.Les Bleus will next play on Tuesday in Arlington, Texas, against the winner of Friday's quarterfinal between Spain and Belgium.A nation will be on the edge of their seats, likely believing that France can become the third to reach three consecutive World Cup finals."I want them to continue watching the games, giving us the strength," Mbappe said of French fans. "Even though they're not in the stadium, we feel their energy. And we will try to gather the masses for the next matches."Morocco were shut out for the first time this tournament and eliminated by France for a second consecutive World Cup, having also lost 2-0 in the 2022 semifinals. They're the last African team to exit after nine of 10 qualifiers reached the knockout phase, but only two advanced past the round of 32.Playing without injured forward Ismael Saibari, the Atlas Lions were second-best for most of the afternoon, only forcing France goalkeeper Mike Maignan into a save from Azzedine Ounahi's effort from distance in the 83rd minute."Of course we need to take stock of the situation if we want to progress; it's essential," Morocco manager Mohamed Ouahbi said. "We cannot just say that we're happy and proud of what we've done. We need to move forward, and in order to do so, we have to be objective and to do some self-criticism."Mbappe's 60th-minute strike from the left side of the penalty arc ended what had been an exasperating hour after seeing his poorly struck first-half penalty saved by Yassine Bounou.But when he found himself as the recipient of a deflected ball at the top of the 18, he showed no timidity, curling a perfect right-footed effort around defender Issa Diop and narrowly inside Bounou's left post.Dembele tacked on six minutes later on a counterattack as Morocco had no choice but to try and send numbers forward.This time it was Mbappe making a run to the left to clear space. Instead, Dembele unleashed his own right-footed shot from about 20 yards out, and while Bounou got a hand to it, he could not keep it from nestling in the bottom right corner."We are exactly where we wanted to be," France manager Didier Deschamps said. "We will recover well and see who our opponent will be. I imagine there's a lot of excitement and passion in France. Here, we are in our own bubble, and I am even more so. That's what we're here for, and the players have a duty to do everything they can to go as far as possible. We've cleared a major hurdle."Former Referee Spots The Big Problem With FIFA's Two World Cup DecisionsFIFA's handling of two World Cup red-card cases came under renewed scrutiny on Thursday after England defender Jarell Quansah got a two-match suspension while U.S. striker Folarin Balogun avoided an immediate ban for a similar challenge.That has left former international referees unable to reconcile the two decisions.Quansah was sent off in England’s last-16 victory over Mexico after a video review deemed his sliding studs-up challenge serious foul play. He was later handed a two-match ban that England’s Football Association said it could not appeal.Balogun, by contrast, was sent off during the United States’ round-of-32 win over Bosnia but received a one-match suspension that world soccer's governing body FIFA later suspended.Balogun's ban was suspended on probation for one year under Article 27 of the disciplinary code, FIFA said, although it has not publicly explained why it considered that sanction appropriate in his case.The fact that U.S. President Donald Trump had personally urged FIFA President Gianni Infantino to review Balogun’s case only intensified the controversy, even though FIFA insisted the conversation played no part in its decision."FIFA have failed in their duty towards the game after they delayed the ban for Balogun. They allowed outside interference by the president," former referee Keith Hackett wrote on social media on Thursday."FIFA the major lawmaker are at fault. But both players committed Serious Foul Play challenges sanctioned by a red card."ROUGHLY EQUAL OFFENCESJonas Eriksson, who was a FIFA referee for 16 years from 2002, said if Balogun got a one-match suspension, Quansah should have as well, seeing their two on-field incidents were roughly equal in terms of intensity and aggression."What everyone wants from referees, they want the correct decisions, yes, but more important always is consistency," Eriksson told Reuters."That you identify, okay, player A gets the same sanction as player B. Team A gets the same sanction as team B. You know, that's what you expect. And this is not the case when it comes to Quansah and Balogun."British media quickly drew comparisons between the two cases, with The Independent running the headline: “FIFA confirms Jarell Quansah ban just days after Folarin Balogun reprieve.”Eriksson said the subsequent suspension of Balogun's match ban was never adequately explained, contributing to the furore.Belgium unsuccessfully challenged Balogun’s eligibility before their round-of-16 victory over the United States, but FIFA has still not publicly explained why it decided to suspend the striker’s ban under Article 27."If you're not able to communicate how they interpret the situation - was it an incorrect decision of the referee or was it the wrong application of the laws of the game - we don't know," said Eriksson, whose book "House of Cards" explores the "dirty game behind the game" for FIFA referees."It's just for you and me and for everybody else to guess. But with that in mind, the red card for Quansah and the suspension is for me, just, it's a mystery."Mbappe Strikes Again After Missing Penalty As France Outclass Morocco To Reach Semi-FinalsFrance captain Kylian Mbappe missed a penalty but curled in a superb goal on the hour as France struck twice in six minutes to brush aside Morocco 2-0 on Thursday and book their spot in the World Cup semi-finals.Mbappe, who at 27 became the youngest player to rack up 20 World Cup appearances, also bagged his 20th World Cup goal with a curling shot from just inside the box before Ousmane Dembele added another six minutes later with a low drive to set up a last-four meeting with Belgium or Spain.Mbappe is the tournament's joint top scorer with eight goals, level with Lionel Messi, and he trails the Argentine by one goal in the World Cup all-time scoring list."That’s three (semi-finals) in a row — it’s good," France coach Didier Deschamps said. "It seems logical and natural, but you still have to get the job done. It was tricky, the penalty... when it’s Kylian. He never has any doubts."But we’re exactly where we wanted to be," said Deschamps, who substituted Mbappe late in the game after a knock to his ankle. "We’re taking another step forward today, finding ourselves in the final four once again. It shows we’re right there in the mix."In a repeat of the 2022 World Cup semi-final, France, who have now kept clean sheets in all three knockout matches, looked the hungrier throughout with Morocco, aiming for a second straight last-four spot, badly missing injured forward Ismael Saibari, and failing to get a shot on target until the 84th minute.The French, bidding to become only the third nation to reach three consecutive World Cup finals, started strongly with a couple of early chances.Mbappe Equals Lloris RecordMbappe, who also equalled the all-time French record held by Hugo Lloris for World Cup matches, had an early opportunity with a low drive that Morocco keeper Yassine Bounou managed to tip wide.France earned a 28th-minute penalty through Mbappe but Bounou calmly stood his ground, picked the correct side and smothered the France forward's low effort. It was Mbappe's first penalty miss for the national team since Euro 2020.The title favourites also hit the crossbar in first-half stoppage time through Lucas Digne's powerful 30-meter drive, as defensive-minded Morocco struggled to reach their opponents' box and did not have an effort on or off target in the entire first half, with Brahim Diaz as the lone striker.Mbappe made amends for his miss on the hour mark with a quick look up and superb finish, and before Morocco had time to recover the twice world champions struck again through Dembele.The forward, who forms a formidable frontline with Mbappe and Michael Olise, made use of the space opened up by Mbappe's run to rifle in the second goal and his fifth of the tournament."A mission? I don't know but we can't afford to let up," Mbappe said. "There's still a long way to go, and what lies ahead is even tougher, but we'll recover well."(Reporting by Karolos Grohmann, editing by Ed Osmond)England Player Suspended For Two World Cup Games Amid Balogun ReprieveATLANTA (AP) — England defender Jarell Quansah was handed a two-match suspension on Thursday for his red card offense against Mexico in the World Cup round of 16.That means Quansah will miss England's quarterfinal match against Norway in Miami Gardens on Saturday and also the semifinals if Thomas Tuchel's team advances.Quansah was sent off in the second half of England's 3-2 victory against Mexico on Sunday for a dangerous foul on Jesus Gallardo.FIFA confirmed the two-match suspension for serious foul play.FIFA’s handling of red card punishments has come under intense scrutiny after its disciplinary committee suspended the one-game penalty of star United States striker Folarin Balogun after President Donald Trump intervened and contacted FIFA President Gianni Infantino.Infantino defended the independence of FIFA’s disciplinary committee and insisted the Balogun case was properly handled.Right Back Saga ContinuesQuansah’s prolonged extension is the latest issue for Tuchel to contend with at right back.First choice Reece James has not played since England’s second game of the tournament against Ghana due to a hamstring injury.His backup Tino Livramento was sent home before England even kicked off its campaign after injuring his calf. Tuchel opted to call up a center back in Trevoh Chalobah as his replacement, rather than going for a specialist right back.It meant Quansah, who usually plays in central defense, has taken on the role of deputy to James.Tuchel faced questions before the World Cup for leaving out Real Madrid right back Trent Alexander-Arnold, who is widely regarded as one of the top players in Europe.Christian Pulisic Fractured Leg In World Cup Loss To BelgiumU.S. star Christian Pulisic fractured his right leg during the Americans' World Cup loss to Belgium and will be sidelined for several weeks, a person familiar with the injury said Thursday.The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the diagnosis, first reported by The Athletic, had not yet been announced by the U.S. Soccer Federation.Pulisic has a bone bruise and a microfracture of his tibia and fibula, the person said.He is expected to be able to resume training before AC Milan's Serie A opener at Torino on Aug. 23, the person added.Pulisic hit a leg of Belgium captain Youri Tielemans while attempting a shot in the 52nd minute of Monday's 4-1 round-of-16 loss at Seattle. He remained in the game but was hobbling and Sebastian Berhalter replaced him in the 59th minute.Pulisic failed to score in the World Cup, missing one of the Americans' five matches because of a calf injury and leaving two other games early. He has 30 goals in 90 international appearances.Pulisic, who turns 28 in September, is entering his fourth season with Milan.See All Updates