Government has commended Bafana Bafana for its "spirited performance" in the 2026 Fifa World Cup opener against Mexico on Thursday night.

Auckland Blues coach Vern Cotter is confident his side can upset the Wellington Hurricanes on Saturday and book a spot in the Super Rugby final, but the odds are stacked against them.

Japan captain Wataru Endo was ruled out of the World Cup with injury and announced his international retirement on Thursday, three days before his team's opener against the Netherlands.

South Korea got their World Cup campaign off to a winning start by beating the Czech Republic 2-1 Thursday after finally converting some of the many chances they created.

Mexico beat South Africa 2-0 in a drama-filled opening match of the World Cup at the Estadio Azteca Thursday, kicking off the biggest ever edition of the global footballing showpiece.