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:Yet Another Coach Fired After World Cup ExitSenegal have terminated the contract of head coach Pape Thiaw after the country's elimination in the 2026 World Cup.The Senegalese Football Federation announced on Sunday that it had parted ways with the 45-year-old coach, who had been on the job since 2024."It was decided to initiate a procedure to terminate the functions of the national coach, Mr. Pape Thiaw, as well as his entire technical staff," the federation said in a news release."After a thorough evaluation of the sporting results and prospects of the national team, the Executive Committee deemed it necessary to initiate this procedure in the best interests of Senegalese football."On July 1 in Seattle, Senegal lost to Belgium 3-2 in the round of 32, considered a failure by the federation. Thiaw's side held a 2-0 lead in the 86th minute, then allowed two late goals and a penalty in extra time to be eliminated.In Group I action, Senegal defeated Iraq but lost to Norway and France. They advanced to the knockout stage as one of the eight third-place finishers, thanks to their five-goal win over Iraq.More than 25% of the World Cup coaches have been fired or resigned since the their teams were eliminated.In addition to Senegal, coaches from these countries are out of a job: Croatia, Czech Republic, Ecuador, Germany, Ghana, Mexico, Netherlands, Portugal, South Korea, Tunisia, Scotland and Uruguay.More departures could occur, as well.Latest Live UpdatesEngland World Cup Star Sparks Backlash With Trump ConfessionEngland men’s national soccer team captain Harry Kane has sparked backlash after revealing he’s played golf with Donald Trump.Read more here:Airline Loses World Cup Bet To Rival, Has To Make Awkward Social Media ChangeNorwegian Air has honoured its social media wager with British Airways and changed its Instagram profile picture to BA's logo for a day after England's 2-1 victory over Norway in their World Cup quarter-final on Saturday.Ahead of the match, the two carriers made a light-hearted bet: The one representing the losing country would swap its Instagram profile picture to that of the winner for 24 hours."While the tournament is over for us, this friendly bet will forever live in all our hearts," Norwegian wrote under the unfamiliar logo, adding a congratulatory message. "We wish England and British Airways all the best in the semi-final, and we sincerely hope you’ll get to bring football home!"England will face Argentina in the semi-final in Atlanta on Wednesday.Moment Of Tension In England's World Cup Camp After Quarter-Final WinThere was a brief moment of tension in the aftermath of England's 2-1 World Cup quarter-final win over Norway on Saturday when Jude Bellingham pushed back against criticism from manager Thomas Tuchel."Yeah, well, whatever," the midfielder said after learning that Tuchel had described England's performance as "sloppy" despite their extra-time victory.Bellingham, whose two goals sent England into the semi-finals, was quick to defend his team mates after another gruelling evening in punishing conditions.The exchange offered a glimpse of the differing perspectives of a demanding coach unwilling to overlook flaws in England's display and a star player focused on the resilience that carried the team into the last four.Tuchel surprised many with his blunt assessment after England battled past Norway in sweltering Miami conditions. While delighted to reach the semi-finals and full of praise for the players' mentality, the German said he was unhappy with almost every aspect of the performance."The result is fantastic. We are in the last four. It's amazing but I'm not happy with the performance," Tuchel said, describing England as sloppy, error-prone and fortunate to progress.Bellingham, however, viewed events through a different lens.The Real Madrid midfielder pointed to the draining heat and the quality of Norway's attacking threat, led by Erling Haaland and Martin Odegaard, suggesting the task had been tougher than Tuchel's post-match verdict implied."Maybe he doesn't know what it's like to play in those conditions against Erling Haaland, Odegaard, (Antonio) Nusa, (Alexander) Sorloth," Bellingham told reporters. "That's not an easy team to play against."It is not the first time friction between the pair has become public.Tuchel caused controversy just over a year ago when he described elements of Bellingham's on-field behaviour as potentially "repulsive" to some viewers while discussing the player's fiery temperament.The England manager later apologised, insisting the word had been used unintentionally and that there was no hidden criticism of the midfielder.Questions also surfaced before the World Cup over Bellingham's role after Tuchel suggested places in his starting lineup were not guaranteed, even for England's biggest names.Yet any debate over Bellingham's importance has been emphatically settled on the pitch, as England would not be preparing for a semi-final were it not for the 23-year-old.He has repeatedly delivered in decisive moments, rescuing his side with two goals against both Norway and Mexico, and producing the kind of performances that have underlined his status as one of the tournament's outstanding players.And Tuchel, despite his frustration with England's overall display, was unequivocal in his praise of Bellingham after the match."Enough said. He does it every single match," the coach said. "World class."England's World Cup campaign continues with a heavyweight semi-final against champions Argentina on Wednesday in Atlanta.Successful tournament teams do not always need perfect harmony. They do, however, need players capable of deciding matches when everything else breaks down.England have one in Bellingham, and as they move into the final four, that will matter more than any disagreement with his manager.Fiction Becomes Reality: 'Ted Lasso' Star Makes Professional Soccer DebutCristo Fernandez, an actor best known for playing a professional soccer player on "Ted Lasso," officially took his first stab at the real thing this weekend.Fernandez, who appeared as recurring character Danny Rojas on the hit streaming series, made his USL debut for El Paso in its USL Cup match against New Mexico United on Saturday night. He subbed into the game in the 79th minute for Locomotive, picking up a yellow card during a 2-0 defeat.The 35-year-old was an accomplished youth player, competing with Tecos FC in Liga MX, before injuries derailed his career and led him to acting.He first tried out for the Chicago Fire's reserve squad earlier this year, which led to another tryout with El Paso and an eventual contract."Football is life!" was the catchphrase of his "Ted Lasso" character, and he revisited his most famous words in an ESPN interview in May."Football has given me both the best moments, the sad moments," he said. "I guess that's why, for me, football is life."Iran's World Cup Heartbreak Won't End Coach's RunJuly 12 (Reuters) - Coach Amir Ghalenoei has extended his contract with the Iran national team until the Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia in January, the country’s football federation confirmed on Sunday.Ghalenoei, who led his nation to three consecutive draws during the World Cup to narrowly miss out on a place in the knockout rounds, has been in charge of the team since 2023.“Mr Ghalenoei will remain the head coach of the national team,” the Tehran Times quoted Iran football federation president Mehdi Taj as saying. “We have already received his plans for the AFC Asian Cup. The national team’s training camp for the upcoming FIFA international window will start soon. There are also several developments planned for our national teams.”Read more here:World Cup Boss Teases Idea For Expanding Tournament After 2026 EditionATLANTA, July 12 (Reuters) - Any further expansion of the World Cup, increasing the number of teams participating at the finals to 64, will be discussed after this year’s edition, FIFA President Gianni Infantino said without providing any details.The 2026 finals in Canada, Mexico and the United States have seen 48 teams for the first time, a decision that was heavily criticized but which has not provoked much debate since the tournament kicked off on June 11.“These are all issues that we will be examining after the World Cup,” Infantino, who successfully pushed for the expansion of the finals from 32 teams, told Swiss television outlet Blue Sport.Read more here:World Cup Weather Watch: Norway vs. EnglandHere's what fans can expect in Miami Gardens, Florida for the 2026 FIFA World Cup game between Norway and England on Saturday, including temperatures, the Fan Comfort Index (FCI) level and any weather concerns.See more World Cup weather news on The Weather Channel.1/22/2World Cup Weather Watch: Argentina vs. SwitzerlandHere's what fans can expect in Kansas City, Missouri, for the 2026 FIFA World Cup game between Argentina and Switzerland on Saturday, including temperatures, the Fan Comfort Index (FCI) level and any weather concerns.See more World Cup weather news on The Weather Channel.1/22/2South Africa Midfielder Jayden Adams Dead At 25 Weeks After World Cup RunSouth Africa international midfielder Jayden Adams, who featured in all three of his side’s group stage games at the 2026 World Cup, has died, the country’s sports ministry said on Saturday.Read more from Reuters:Spain Scores Late Winner Against Belgium, Advances To World Cup SemifinalsINGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Mikel Merino scored in the 88th minute on a rebound yielded by backup Belgium goalkeeper Senne Lammens, and Spain advanced to the World Cup semifinals with a 2-1 victory on Friday.Merino was the late hero for the second straight match for Spain, which will face tournament favorite France in the semifinals on Tuesday in the Dallas area.Merino came on in the 86th minute and scored on his second touch of the match, charging into the box and pouncing after Lammens spilled a rebound of Pau Cubarsí’s long shot.Read more:See All Updates