Crowds dressed in Spain shirts and carrying Spanish flags gathered across the city in the early hours of Monday to celebrate the historic win. Cars and motorbikes formed long convoys through Ambon, while supporters waved flags as they crossed one of the city's main bridges.

For many fans, the victory ended a wait that had lasted more than a decade.

"Spain means everything to me. I love the way they play, calm, patient, and always effective. They build up their attacks slowly, making it difficult for opponents to read their game, but when the opportunity comes, they always find the goal. That's exactly what happened today," said supporter Esteren Apriyani.

She said Spain's latest success proved the team had built another championship-winning generation.

"We've waited 16 years for Spain to become world champions again. I think this generation is truly exceptional. Since winning in 2010, Spain has shown that they don't need a team full of legendary players to win the World Cup again," she added.

Another supporter, Lidya, credited Spain's defence for keeping Lionel Messi quiet during the final.

"Spain played brilliantly today. Even Lionel Messi couldn't break through their defence. He barely had any chances on the ball."

Spain defeated Argentina 1-0 after extra time at New York New Jersey Stadium, with Ferran Torres scoring the decisive goal in the 106th minute.

The result secured Spain's second men's FIFA World Cup title and ended Argentina's reign as defending champions.

Fans gathered around the Obelisk on Wednesday night as fireworks lit up the sky. Waving Argentine flags, singing and chanting, supporters celebrated a victory many described as even sweeter because it came against England .

"I'm happy, I'm glad. My heart is pounding, we beat England. I'm happy. I'm like everyone here. We're happy because Argentina is in the final," one supporter said.

"Beating England is everything. And if we don't win the final, it's okay, but we beat England. That's it."

Another fan said the result was one to savour before attention turned to Sunday's final.

"Today beating England was enormous satisfaction. And on Sunday, we'll think about the final. Today, let's celebrate the semifinal and how tough it was and keep moving forward."

England looked on course for victory after Anthony Gordon gave his side the lead in the 55th minute. Argentina responded late, with Enzo Fernandez equalising in the 85th minute before Lautaro Martinez completed the comeback in stoppage time.

The victory sends Argentina into a second consecutive World Cup final after lifting the trophy in Qatar in 2022. Lionel Scaloni's side will meet Spain at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on Sunday.

As celebrations continued into the night, Buenos Aires authorities deployed around 800 police officers alongside Urban Order personnel, Rapid Intervention Deployment units and investigative brigades to maintain security and prevent incidents.

Hundreds of thousands of supporters flooded the city centre on Tuesday following Mexico's Round of 32 win, with crowds stretching across Paseo de la Reforma and around the Angel of Independence. As more fans poured into the area, people became trapped in the crush while others pleaded for the pushing to stop.

One witness, who was caught in the crowd and emerged covered in dirt with one shoe missing, described the panic.

"No matter how much you tell them not to push, not to shove, they still move side to side. People who are trying to stand up get pushed and fall on top of others. What was experienced here was truly a tragedy," the witness said.

"The news won't say it. The news won't report any of this, obviously, much less will it appear on social media," he continued.

He also warned others to be cautious during future celebrations.

"There are things that make you trip: planters, trees that make you trip, and you fall there. And even if you try not to step on them, people push you. [...] It's your decision if you want to come. Just take many precautions," the witness added.

Mexico City Health Secretary Nadine Gasman Zylbermann confirmed that four people lost their lives during the celebrations.

"The four regrettable cases occurred in the vicinity of Paseo de la Reforma. Three, as has already been reported here, were due to asphyxia," she said.

The three victims were a 44-year-old man and two women aged 19 and 48. Gasman said paramedics performed advanced resuscitation at the scene before taking them to hospital, where they later died.

She added that the fourth victim, a man believed to be about 30 years old whose identity had not been confirmed, was treated for epileptic status, convulsive seizures and gastrointestinal bleeding before suffering cardiorespiratory arrest in hospital. He did not respond to resuscitation efforts.

Mexico City Head of Government Clara Brugada said the Attorney General's Office had opened investigations into each of the deaths.

"The Attorney General's Office has already opened investigation files in all cases regarding the events that led to the regrettable deaths of people. I urge that the investigation reach its ultimate conclusions and determine any responsibility involved," Brugada said.

City officials expressed condolences to the victims' families and said future mass celebrations must place greater emphasis on public safety.

Authorities said security had been reinforced before the celebrations, alcohol restrictions had been introduced in parts of the city and dozens of giant public screens had been installed to spread supporters across multiple locations. Despite those measures, officials estimated that between 800,000 and one million people gathered around the Angel of Independence.

Officials said crowd-control plans would be reviewed before Mexico's Round of 16 match against England on 5 July, when further large celebrations are expected.

Speaking from Horta Seca on Thursday, his brother David Evora reflected on the attention Vozinha received following his display against Spain, where a series of crucial saves helped Cape Verde secure a point against one of the tournament favourites.

"I can say that on June 15 and 16, 2026, my brother was the most famous person in the world," he enthused.

"I truly believe that. São Vicente is an island of only 227 square kilometers. The land is so small that even and don't always make it out here."

The goalkeeper's rise has been closely followed by supporters in Cape Verde, particularly after a visa-related issue prevented their mother, Ana Candida Evora, from travelling to watch the team's opening match.

"What happened was that the deposit requirement killed the motivation of many Cape Verdeans to go," David Evora added.

"It really affected people's ability to travel because coming up with 1,500 Cape Verdean escudos is a lot of money for a Cape Verdean."

According to Evora, the requirement discouraged many fans from making the trip.

"As a result, my mom stayed behind, and we all lost our motivation. It just didn't feel worth handing over 1,500 Cape Verdean escudos to someone just to enter your own country. Given our simple nature , it just doesn't make sense to a Cape Verdean.” 

The situation later changed after Vozinha's emotional reaction to his mother's absence drew widespread attention. Following intervention from the Cape Verde Football Federation and FIFA, Ana Cândida Évora's visa fees were waived and her travel documents were expedited.

She has now officially arrived in Miami, United States , and was able to watch her son play against Uruguay, where Cape Verde secured another draw to remain unbeaten at the tournament.

Cape Verde remain unbeaten at the World Cup after drawing against Spain and Uruguay. Vozinha's performances, particularly against Spain, have made him one of the standout goalkeepers of the tournament.

The team now turns its attention to its final Group H match against Saudi Arabia on June 27 as it looks to secure a place in the next round.

Fans wearing Argentina's blue-and-white colours packed a public viewing area in the Bangladeshi capital, turning the city into a sea of flags and chants as Messi scored twice in a 2-0 victory over Austria.

The celebrations spread across the University of Dhaka area, where some supporters climbed onto the Anti-Terrorism Raju Memorial Sculpture and waved Argentinian flags above the crowd.

For many fans, Messi remained the centre of attention despite an early missed penalty.

"Argentine players put on a great display," one supporter said. "When they play, they play really well. Besides, Messi is there in our Argentina, who doesn't like him? I really liked Di Maria. I like Martinez a lot as a goalkeeper."

Argentina secured victory through goals from Messi in the 38th minute and again deep into stoppage time, sealing qualification from Group J.

Supporters said the match was not without tension after Argentina missed several chances early on.

"Argentina will win the World Cup this time too. Although we missed several opportunities today. The first penalty was missed. We were very tense about whether we would score a goal. Then Messi brought back our hope," another fan said.

Bangladesh has developed one of the largest overseas followings for Argentina despite never qualifying for a World Cup.

Throughout major tournaments, Argentina and Brazil flags can be seen across neighbourhoods, university campuses, markets and rooftops, while public screenings and fan gatherings have become a regular feature of football culture in the country.

Cape Verde took the lead through Kevin Pina’s stunning long-range free kick, marking the country’s first-ever World Cup goal. Uruguay responded before half-time with strikes from Maxi Araújo and Agustín Canobbio, but Cape Verde showed resilience as Hélio Varela equalised in the second half. With the group still open, Cape Verde now heads into its final match against Saudi Arabia with a realistic chance of reaching the knockout stage.

The gathering brought together football officials, diplomats and fans, who followed every moment of the Group G clash that ended in a 2-2 draw.

The event took place after Nabi was among 15 members of Iran's delegation denied entry to the United States, forcing the team to relocate its World Cup base from Tucson, Arizona, to Tijuana, Mexico.

“From the day we arrived here, we feel like we are in the same country,” Nabi stated, adding, “We have found a very deep friendship in the hearts of Mexicans and Iranians.”

Footage showed supporters reacting emotionally throughout the match, celebrating Iran's goals and responding to the twists and turns of a closely contested encounter.

New Zealand took an early lead through winger Elijah Just before Iran fought back twice to level the score. Mohammad Mohebi scored Iran's second goal in the 64th minute to secure a point.

“Unfortunately, our team, our national team, has had many obstacles along the way. It has faced several challenges, but we are a very experienced team; we are professionals,” Nabi said. “We, on behalf of the team, let's say the management, are going to do everything possible to ensure the players aren't distracted and that they fully concentrate on the game.”

The draw left all four teams in Group G level on one point after Belgium and Egypt also shared the points in their opening fixture.

Pasandideh also thanked residents of Tijuana for their hospitality.

“Our team is going to miss the good people of Tijuana a lot.”

The ambassador also welcomed the recently announced agreement to halt hostilities between Tehran and Washington, saying that “in a war , nobody wins”.

“Obviously one of the benefits will be that they will commit to not attacking Iran again. For that same reason, the US military bases around Iran will also be evacuated, which could also be a gain. And we've also realised that having access to nuclear science and enrichment is legitimate, it's a legitimate right of Iran that is already being recognised,” he claimed.

"It's supposed to be training tomorrow morning, recovery, then we leave Tijuana, but we have to leave Los Angeles right now. And it's not good for us, you know. You have to preparation good for the next game because which is a lot of stress for the players and staffs and everyone," he said.

Taremi also called on FIFA to provide greater assistance to the team, saying several key members of the Iranian delegation had been unable to travel .

"But we don't have that support. And I think FIFA can have to help us more than this. As we don't have our media , we don't have our president of federation, we don't have vice president, and no one," he stated.

The striker said the absence of important staff members was creating additional challenges for the squad during the competition.

"Some staff also and which is so important for us. It doesn't have any communication with the FIFA and for the players. As you see, our analyser for example have to come here doing the job of the media and you know everything is like disaster," Taremi added.

Iran opened its World Cup campaign with a 2-2 draw against New Zealand as the team continues its preparations for its next group-stage fixture.

Fans waving Ghanaian flags lined the entrance of the team's hotel on Tuesday, cheering, applauding and filming the arrival of players and coaching staff as excitement built ahead of Wednesday's Group L clash.

"It's very nice to see everybody come together as a community. It's very nice seeing a lot of Ghanaians in one spot. You know, it's very good that we stand together," one supporter said.

The warm reception came as Ghana prepared to begin its fifth FIFA World Cup appearance under veteran Portuguese coach Carlos Queiroz.

The Black Stars will, however, start the tournament without midfielder Thomas Partey after Canadian authorities refused his visa application.

FIFA confirmed that Partey was unable to travel from Ghana's base in Boston to Canada but stated that immigration decisions were the responsibility of the host country's authorities.

Partey faces seven rape charges and one sexual assault charge in Britain over alleged offences between 2020 and 2022. He has pleaded not guilty. His trial, originally scheduled for November 2026, has been postponed until June 2027.

The former Arsenal midfielder, now with Villarreal, remains eligible to join the squad when Ghana returns to the United States for group-stage matches against England and Croatia.

Ghana's best World Cup performance came in 2010 when the team reached the quarter-finals before losing to Uruguay in a penalty shootout.

Queiroz, appointed in April, is taking charge of his fifth consecutive FIFA World Cup, matching the record held by Bora Milutinovic.

Few gave Cape Verde a chance against the 2010 world champions before kick-off, with the match widely viewed as one of the biggest mismatches of the tournament. However, the African nation produced a disciplined defensive display to deny Spain and earn a point that supporters described as historic.

Spain dominated possession and created several opportunities, but Cape Verde remained organised throughout the match to secure a result that could prove important in Group H, which also includes Uruguay and Saudi Arabia.

Speaking after the match, one supporter praised the team's effort against one of the tournament's strongest sides.

"It was a very defensive game on our part. We knew the difficulty we would face against Spain, but with the team's unity, we did very well, getting a result that nobody expected. For us, that was a victory and because of that we can only thank our players for what they did on the pitch, and that's it. Now we are here celebrating because of them. Thank you very much to my players. We're in this together."

For many supporters, the result was also a proud moment for African football, with Cape Verde becoming one of the continent's representatives on the world stage.

"This far on its own merit, a country from the Africa n continent, all of Africa, is representing all of Africa in this World Cup. I am very proud of Cape Verde. Congratulations, Cape Verde! This is the end."

The draw has also boosted belief among fans that Cape Verde can compete in the group and challenge for a place in the knockout rounds.

"It was a good debut for us. We played a good game, we showed that just one percent was what we needed, and the players put on a good game. I think we have the quality and capability to go further. We'll see how it goes."

Around the city, supporters gathered near the Monument to the Revolution wearing Mexico jerseys and waving national flags. Others purchased team shirts from street vendors despite growing concerns over merchandise restrictions.

For some fans, access to the tournament has become increasingly difficult.

"It's a World Cup that Mexico isn’t really invited to, mainly because of the restrictions. As Mexicans, we try to express our identity and show our pride, but unfortunately, right now the only ways to watch are through paid television," said Mexico City resident Aldo Nunez.

At Estadio Azteca, where Mexico is scheduled to face South Africa in the opening match on Thursday, average ticket prices have reportedly climbed to around $1,300.

Street vendors also voiced frustration over FIFA's rules on merchandise sales.

"We've been saving money so we could invest in merchandise. And now FIFA is saying that we can't sell anything from Mexico [...] Most of us don't agree with it," said vendor Jazmin.

"They're fining businesses for showing the matches in restaurants, and that’s not fair. People go out to dinner so they can enjoy a game," she continued.

Questions also remain over fan events planned around the tournament.

Due to ongoing blockades by the teachers' union CNTE near Estadio Azteca and the Zócalo, President Claudia Sheinbaum said it remains unclear whether the World Cup opening fan festival can be held in the city's main square.

The union is demanding higher wages and changes to pension policies , demands the government says are financially unworkable.

Visitors arriving for the tournament have also expressed concern.

"I just found out that a police officer said everything may be canceled tomorrow," said Deyanira, a Mexican resident of Germany who travelled to Mexico City for the World Cup.

"So I don’t know. I am a bit disappointed and surprised by the organisation."

"Now I arrive in my country and see a bit of chaos: marches, protests , restrictions, and everything is extremely expensive. So it's definitely a different World Cup," she added.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup begins on June 11 in Mexico City and will be hosted across Mexico, the United States and Canada in an expanded 48-team tournament.

Speaking to reporters at the White House on Wednesday, Trump was asked whether growing concerns over visa approvals could affect attendance at the FIFA World Cup.

A reporter pointed to fears that it could become increasingly difficult for people travelling from abroad to enter the United States for the tournament.

Trump began by praising ticket sales for the competition.

"The most successful World Cup they've ever had. They've never sold tickets at that level. They've never sold that many tickets so quickly," he said.

Asked whether he could reassure fans worried about visa access, Trump said the administration was closely monitoring the process.

"Well, we're working on it very closely to make sure the right people come into our country," Trump replied.

The comments come as questions grow over visa decisions involving individuals linked to the World Cup.

Earlier this week, Iran said 15 officials and support staff members connected to its national team had been denied visas to enter the United States.

Separately, Somali referee Omar Artan, one of Africa's leading football officials, was also denied entry. US authorities suggested the decision was linked to "vetting concerns."

The cases have raised concerns about whether visa restrictions could affect participation in the tournament as preparations continue.

The Art & Cask exhibition brings together dozens of artists who have transformed traditional wooden tequila casks into works inspired by sport, heritage and community.

Painted barrels decorated with football imagery, cultural references and colourful designs were on display at the event.

For sculptor Edgar Orozco, the barrel became the starting point for a story rooted in local traditions.

"I am telling a story about a creature that is born inside the barrel," he said, describing a work inspired by regional materials and agave fibre.

Other artists used the exhibition to create more personal interpretations of World Cup excitement.

"I wanted her to have a spectacular smile, as if she were right in the middle of the 2026 World Cup,” said artist Cecilia Adonaegui, referring to her Frida Kahlo-inspired piece.

The exhibition also encourages visitors to engage directly with the artworks.

"People will be able to touch it, hug it, take photos and selfies with it," Adonaegui added.

Participants said the project is about more than football, offering a way to share local identity with visitors expected to arrive during the tournament.

"It is wonderful to be able to share what you do and what you feel," said Fernanda Quinones, describing the exhibition as a celebration of unity through sport .

Jose Luis Malo said hosting World Cup events gives Guadalajara an opportunity to present itself to an international audience.

"It is a showcase. The whole world looks at the cities hosting the World Cup," he said.

The Art & Cask exhibition is one of several cultural initiatives taking place across Mexico ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be jointly hosted by Mexico, the United States and Canada.

Ahead of next week's competition, locals transformed streets into a colourful display of football pride, painting the flags of participating nations and images of international stars across walls and public spaces.

Footage showed children playing football among the murals as residents prepared for the tournament atmosphere.

For many, the celebrations are also a reminder of Pakistan's continued absence from football's biggest stage.

"We wished that Pakistan had been part of the World Cup, and as Pakistanis, we would have loved to see our flag among the teams competing on the world stage," said football fan Qadir Baloch.

Despite that disappointment, residents said their passion for the sport remains strong.

"Lyari is widely known as 'Mini Brazil' because of its deep passion for football and the immense talent that has emerged from the area over the years," said Noman Baloch.

"As for Pakistan's national football team, we remain hopeful that positive developments will come in the future."

The preparations were led by local artists and volunteers working together to decorate the neighbourhood.

"All the work we have done in the streets is the result of a collective effort. It is because of this teamwork and dedication that our work is receiving recognition," said artist Mohammed Wali.

Pakistan has never qualified for a FIFA World Cup finals tournament, but in Lyari, residents are determined to remain part of the global football celebration as the 2026 competition approaches.