World

The country is ready to blow away decades of dashed hopes and celebrate, with marching bands and all-night partiesScotland is leaning into one its most treasured traditions: embracing the hope and anxiety of a football World Cup, with a healthy dose of self-deprecating style.There are brash new tartans, an Edinburgh bar offering free Irn-Bru-infused “fiery ginger” beers for patrons with red hair, a collaboration between Scottish whisky firms and a Brazilian distiller, and all-night parties in nightclubs repurposed as fanzones. Continue reading...

• Day 3 of the World Cup is underway, featuring the USA facing off against Paraguay in Inglewood following the tournament's opening ceremony. • The Democratic Republic of Congo, nicknamed 'The Leopards', are making their first World Cup appearance in 52 years and prepare to play Portugal this Wednesday. • Fans are celebrating the tournament globally, including a high-energy watch party hosted by the Oakland Ballers in California.

• The 2026 World Cup kicks off tonight, Sunday, June 14, featuring an opening ceremony performance by Katy Perry. • The initial schedule includes five matches on Sunday, starting with Australia vs. Türkiye at 12 a.m. on FS1, followed by games in Houston, Arlington, Philadelphia, and Guadalupe. • Broadcasts will be split between FOX and FS1, with subsequent matches scheduled through Tuesday, June 16, across venues like Atlanta, Seattle, Miami, and Inglewood.

• The first weekend of the World Cup features a dense schedule of matches, including Qatar vs Switzerland, Australia vs Turkey, and Sweden vs Tunisia. • In the U.K., ITV has assembled a diverse broadcast team featuring Mark Pougatch, Gary Neville, Duncan Ferguson, Juan Mata, and Ange Postecoglou. • The coverage emphasizes expert analysis from former internationals and managers to provide viewers with deep tactical insights into the opening fixtures.

• The 2026 World Cup will feature an expanded format, welcoming 48 nations for the first time in the tournament's history. • The participating teams will be divided into 12 groups to determine who advances to the knockout stages. • This structural change significantly increases the scale of the competition and the number of matches played.

Change in viewing habits offered by match times at 2026 tournament could mean using cheaper off-peak powerWatching late-night or early hours football could provide UK households with a practical opportunity to cut their energy bills, as even just doing the washing when cheaper electricity rates apply can net a decent saving.At a time when energy costs are back at worrying highs, research by E.ON Next shows the potential to save money on a time-of-use tariff – in this case, its Next Smart Saver deal, which has three rates: peak, off-peak and super off-peak. Continue reading...

• The USA World Cup opening ceremony will feature musical performances from major stars, including Katy Perry, preceding the United States' opening match against Paraguay. • The 2026 World Cup is being co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, with the U.S. having automatically qualified as a host nation. • Because the tournament spans multiple time zones across three countries, fans are advised to consult the official match schedule for local start times.