World Cup updates: Team USA looks forward to 2026

The Americans lost 3-1 to the Netherlands in the knockout round.

ByMark Osborne, Jon Haworth, Nadine El-Bawab, Patricio Chile, Kevin Shalvey, Alexandra Svokos, and Kiara Alfonseca
Last Updated: January 20, 2023, 10:53 AM EST

After years of controversy around its location, the 2022 World Cup is underway in Qatar.

There have been allegations of payoffs to FIFA members to earn the bid, criticism of Qatar's laws against women and LGBTQ individuals, the deaths of migrants used to build the sparkling new stadiums and even last-second controversy over beer sales. The tournament was also moved from its usual summer timeframe to the holiday season to avoid Qatar's intensely hot weather.

But on the field, the best players in the world -- such as Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar -- are ready to go. And the U.S. is back with a hungry, young team after failing to qualify for the last World Cup.

Key headlines:

Here's how the news is developing. All times Eastern.
Nov 25, 2022, 12:47 PM EST

China gifts Qatar two pandas tasked with predicting game winners

Thuraya and Suhail are two pandas gifted to Qatar from China to celebrate their hosting the World Cup. Every day, they are tasked with predicting which countries will win that day's matchups.

Qatari Pandas choose England to win the World Cup game on Nov. 25, 2022.
beIN Sports

Unfortunately, they are not given the opportunity to choose if the game will end in a draw. Their success rate so far stands at 33%.

Fans of the U.S. men's soccer team may hope this less-than-stellar rate holds as the pandas predicted this morning that England wins in the team's group stage match.

Nov 25, 2022, 12:37 PM EST

Senegal beats Qatar 3-1

Senegal beat World Cup host Qatar 3-1, in what was the host's first appearance in the tournament ever.

The two other Group A members, the Netherlands and Ecuador, are set to face off on Friday.

Nov 25, 2022, 7:30 AM EST

Wales suffers defeat at the hands of Iran

With two goals allowed in added time, Wales lost a tight match to Iran 2-0.

In the defeat, Wales has one point in Group B and Iran now has three. The United States will play England later today to wrap up the second games for each team in the group at the 2022 Qatar World Cup.

Nov 25, 2022, 6:00 AM EST

Wales and Iran battle to 0-0 at halftime in each squad's second match

In a closely fought match between the two teams, Wales and Iran have played a tight match so far at halftime at Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium in Ar-Rayyan.

Wales has had possession 54% of the time to Iran's 30% with the ball contested 16% of the time.

England is leading Group B with three points and they will play the United States who garnered point against Wales in their first match. Wales is tied with the U.S. with one point and Iran yet to put points on the table.

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