Brazil's FIFA World Cup 2026 group-stage match against Haiti has generated the biggest surge in Google searches worldwide since the tournament kicked off on June 11, according to Google Trends' global Rising Queries.

The match ranked first among football fixtures experiencing the fastest growth in search interest, ahead of Portugal versus Uzbekistan and France versus Iraq. Every fixture in the top 10 achieved Google's "Breakout" status, indicating search interest rose by more than 5,000% compared with the previous measurement period.

Google Trends' Rising Queries measures the fastest-growing searches rather than the highest total search volume. A "Breakout" label is assigned when search interest increases by more than 5,000%, highlighting topics experiencing exceptional spikes in public attention.

The rankings underscore the global appeal of traditional football powerhouses such as Brazil, Portugal and France, while also showing that matches involving emerging football nations can capture worldwide curiosity.

Brazil tops the list

Brazil's clash with Haiti led the rankings, reflecting intense international interest in one of football's most successful national teams.

Portugal featured twice in the top 10, with matches against Uzbekistan and DR Congo placing second and sixth, respectively. France's encounter with Iraq ranked third, while Algeria appeared twice through fixtures against Austria and Jordan.

The complete top 10 Rising Queries were:

According to Google Trends, these rankings reflect the fastest-growing searches globally since June 11 rather than the tournament's most-watched or highest-attended matches.

The expanded 2026 FIFA World Cup features 48 teams competing across Canada, Mexico and the United States , making it the largest edition in the tournament's history. The increased number of participating nations has introduced new matchups, helping drive online interest beyond traditional football rivalries.

Indonesia has been ranked the world's friendliest country for local friendliness, according to the Expat Insider 2026 survey by InterNations, with Colombia and Mexico completing the top three, as expatriates highlighted warm welcomes and the ease of building relationships with residents.

The annual survey, one of the world's largest studies of expatriate experiences, asked thousands of people living abroad to rate various aspects of life in their host countries, including how friendly local people are, how easy it is to make local friends and whether expats feel welcome.

Indonesia claimed the top position in the Local Friendliness category, ahead of Colombia, Mexico, the Philippines and Brazil. Completing the top ten were Panama, Oman, Thailand, Kenya and Vietnam, reflecting strong performances across Southeast Asia, Latin America , the Middle East and parts of Africa.

According to InterNations, the Local Friendliness ranking measures expatriates' perceptions of how welcoming residents are toward foreigners and how comfortable newcomers feel interacting with local communities. The rankings are based on personal experiences rather than tourism reviews or public opinion polls.

Indonesia has consistently performed well in recent editions of Expat Insider. Respondents frequently cite the country's welcoming culture, community-oriented society and everyday hospitality as reasons they feel accepted. Many also report that locals are approachable and willing to help newcomers adjust to daily life.

Latin America also stood out in the 2026 results. Colombia ranked second, while Mexico and Brazil placed third and fifth, respectively. Panama finished sixth, reinforcing the region's reputation for openness and strong social connections between expatriates and residents.

Southeast Asia dominated the upper end of the rankings, with Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam all securing places in the top ten. InterNations has previously noted that countries in the region often receive high scores for friendliness, personal interactions and the ease with which expatriates integrate into local communities.

Outside Asia and Latin America, Oman ranked seventh and Kenya ninth. Oman has regularly been recognised by InterNations for its welcoming atmosphere and high quality of life for expatriates, while Kenya's appearance in the top ten highlights positive experiences reported by foreign residents living in East Africa.

InterNations conducts its Expat Insider survey annually, drawing on responses from thousands of expatriates representing numerous nationalities and destinations worldwide. The rankings evaluate countries across multiple dimensions, including quality of life, working abroad, personal finance, ease of settling in and local friendliness.

The Local Friendliness ranking focuses specifically on expatriates' day-to-day interactions with residents rather than broader measures such as safety, infrastructure or economic performance, making it a snapshot of where newcomers feel most welcomed by local communities.

The court's decision closes every outstanding civil and criminal matter linked to the case after negotiations between the parties resulted in an agreement.

Speaking after the proceedings, counsel to the Federal Inland Revenue Service, Senior Advocate of Nigeria Godson Ugochukwu, said the settlement had been formally accepted by the court.

"The terms of settlement were filed this morning after protracted negotiations <...> They have been adopted as a judgement of the Honourable Court, and it resolves all the issues, both civil and criminal," he said.

Ugochukwu explained that the court's ruling makes the agreement part of the public record and available to anyone who wishes to obtain it.

"The court really has nothing to write beyond what is involved in those terms," he added. "They are public documents now. Anybody can apply to the court to get those terms."

The dispute centred on allegations that Saipem Contracting Nigeria Limited failed to deduct and remit statutory taxes between 2014 and 2019. Nigerian authorities said the alleged failure cost the government more than 49 million USD (43 million EUR).

As part of the settlement, the company reportedly agreed to pay a financial package, including an additional 938,080 USD (823,418 EUR), to resolve its historical tax obligations.

The case formed part of Nigeria's broader push to improve tax compliance and accountability across the oil and gas sector.