The Independent Football

• Premier League relaxes hair pulling rules as new guidelines unveiled for next season

  12-6-2026 Football The Independent Football

  Three players were sent off for hair pulling in the Premier League last season

• Robbie Williams strikes dream deal to sponsor hometown club Port Vale: ‘It’s a match made in heaven’

  12-6-2026 Football The Independent Football

  Robbie Williams is set to sponsor Port Vale for the next two seasons

• Thomas Partey denied entry to Canada for World Cup over rape allegations

  12-6-2026 Football The Independent Football

  The Ghana midfielder will miss his country’s opening World Cup match against Panama next week

• World Cup 2026 – Group B guide: Switzerland to dominate as co-hosts Canada aim to progress

  12-6-2026 Football The Independent Football

  Bosnia & Herzegovina also return to the World Cup stage for the first time in over a decade

• World Cup 2026 – Group D guide: Hosts USA face Turkey, Australia and Paraguay in open group

  12-6-2026 Football The Independent Football

  Mauricio Pochettino leads the co-hosts United States this summer in an intriguing group alongside Turkey, Australia and Paraguay

• Fifa release statement after World Cup match sees thousands of empty seats

  12-6-2026 Football The Independent Football

  South Korea vs Czech Republic in Guadalajara saw thousands of empty seats and Fifa have now officially responded

• Ousmane Dembele says criticism of Kylian Mbappe has gone ‘too far’ ahead of France’s bid for World Cup glory

  12-6-2026 Football The Independent Football

  Ousmane Dembele has defended Kylian Mbappe ahead of France’s first World Cup game

• Scotland handed major World Cup boost as Scott McTominay returns to training after illness

  12-6-2026 Football The Independent Football

  Scott McTominay trained with the rest of the Scotland squad on Friday

• Bosnian band’s American Dream satire song becomes viral World Cup anthem

  12-6-2026 Football The Independent Football

  A Bosnian song first released 15 years ago has become a major hit as the World Cup has got underway

• World Cup 2026 opening ceremony LIVE: Michael Buble and Alanis Morissette set to perform before co-hosts Canada kick off

  12-6-2026 Football The Independent Football

  A star-studded event in Toronto will raise the curtain on Canada’s campaign

• Who will win the 2026 World Cup? Vote in our poll

  12-6-2026 Football The Independent Football

  The World Cup is under way, with England, Spain, France, Argentina, Brazil and Portugal among the favourites to lift football's biggest prize. But...

• Experts warn these infectious diseases could spread at the World Cup 2026

  12-6-2026 Football The Independent Football

  The World Cup will be weeks-long experiment in global mixing that creates a perfect environment for infectious diseases to spread