FIFA World Cup 2026 LIVE scores: Ivory Coast take on Ecuador, Netherlands and Japan in 2-all draw as Germany smash Curacao 7-1, Sweden set to face Tunisia

The match between the Ivory Coast and Ecuador has begun at the Philadelphia stadium. While you watch, why not have a go at predicting the World Cup winner. Our experts – including five-time Women’s World Cup player Lydia Williams – have predicted their own brackets to help you:

The Ivory Coast are returning to their first World Cup in 12 years against Ecuador at 9am AEST. Ecuador shouldn’t be an easy opponent for the small African nation after they qualified second in the South American football confederation, CONMEBOL, just behind Argentina.

The squad lists are out for each side with the Ivory Coast opting for a 4-4-2 formation to Ecuador’s 3-4-3.

Also, rapper Jay-Z is in attendance at the Philadelphia Stadium.

Kansas City, England’s base for the World Cup, was hit with a tornado warning just hours after the team arrived, as the weather service told residents to take shelter to avoid a severe thunderstorm.

The weather service said the storm could cause winds as fast as 129 km/h, and tornado sirens could be heard on Saturday evening.

“Take shelter in a sturdy building, away from windows. Flying debris may be deadly to those caught without shelter,” a weather alert told residents.

British media reports said the England players were also instructed to stay indoors, and a fan festival in the city closed early to ensure safety. The English side had a community training session in the afternoon before the tornado warnings took effect. England will face Croatia in their first Group L match on Wednesday in Arlington, Virginia.

Lima, Peru: Two Peruvian police officers disguised as World Cup mascots Clutch and Maple helped to arrest a suspected drug dealer in Lima.

Colonel Carlos Alcantara, head of the Green Squadron – a unit that combats common crime – said they captured Carlos Cabrera, 48, with the help of the two undercover agents on Thursday during the opening match of the World Cup between Mexico and South Africa.

“Thanks to intelligence work, we realised that this person was a diehard football fan and was caught up in World Cup fever,” Alcantara said. “Therefore, we decided to disguise personnel as World Cup mascots so we could approach him without raising suspicion and apprehend him.”

The officers as mascots used a metal sledgehammer to break down a door to enter with colleagues.

The match in Dallas has ended with Japan and the Netherlands earning a point each to top Group F. The 2-2 draw was headlined with four second-half goals and a late equaliser from Daichi Kamada in the 88th minute.

This is how Group F looks now before Sweden and Tunisia play at midday AEST:

Japan have scored a second goal in the final minutes of regular time to level 2-2 against the Netherlands. The goal came from a textbook corner kick taken by Koki Ogawa, who found Daichi Kamada’s head in the box. It’s deflected off a Dutch defender and keeper Bart Verbruggen, who gets his fingertips to the ball but can’t keep it out.

There will be six minutes of stoppage time.

Netherlands 2-2 Japan, 90 minutes

Japan’s Keito Nakamura has struck the ball from range to equalise with the Netherlands less than 10 minutes after the Oranje scored the first point of the match.

Nakamura struck the ball from outside the box in the 57th minute, with an assist from Takefusa Kubo. But not long after Japan finish celebrating getting back in the game, the Netherlands get a second goal in the 64th minute.

It’s another shot from outside the box, this time from Crysencio Summerville. It doesn’t look to have too much power behind it, but the angle is perfect, sweeping past three Japanese defenders and their keeper.

Netherlands 2-1 Japan, 65 minutes

The Netherlands have scored after winning a free kick high in their attacking third.

It was a foul by Ritsu Doan of Japan that gave the Oranje the opportunity. The first cross in was cleared, but a subsequent cross from the other side from Ryan Gravenberch gave Virgi Van Dijk a chance to head the ball into the back right of the net.

That puts the Netherlands up 1-0 against Japan after 51 minutes.

It’s all square at the break between Japan and the Netherlands in Dallas. The Netherlands have seen more of the ball, maintaining 69 per cent of possession, and unlike Japan they have at least made three shots on target.

But it’s been an underwhelming match from both sides, with only one real near miss when Dutch forward Donyell Malen struck the ball in the third minute, forcing Japan’s keeper Zion Suzuki into a dive to save it.