Canada vs Morocco LIVE: FIFA World Cup 2026 last 16
[unable to retrieve full-text content] Live coverage and text updates as cohosts Canada play Morocco in the round of 16 knockout stage.
Iran promotes message of continuity and revenge at Khamenei commemoration
Tehran, Iran – Large-scale public commemorations for former Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei have commenced in the capital, with authorities promoting a message of continuity for the Islamic Republic and vengeance for his killing. Khamenei, 86, was targeted in an airstrike at the start of the war with the United States and Israel on February 28, after ruling Iran with absolute power for nearly 37 years. Red flags, commonly associated with martyrdom but also viewed as a symbol of revenge in Shia Islam, were seen throughout the Grand Mosalla commemoration site in Tehran and other mass gatherings. “We must rise,” was the official slogan used for the ceremonies, accompanied by an image of Khamenei’s clenched fist on a red and black background. Thousands gathered inside the huge religious complex used for the funeral from the early hours of Saturday morning to pay their respects to the assassinated supreme leader. Khamenei’s coffin, carried to the funeral site by a lorry, was displayed at the centre of the stage and draped in flags. Positioned on an elevated platform in the central court, surrounded by glass and guarded by Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) personnel, authorities were ready to deal with crowds attempting to reach his coffin. Visiting men and women were separated by a large barrier to observe Islamic values. Religious chanting and slogans blasted from loudspeakers around the complex. Videos circulated by state media showed crowds chanting “Death to America” and “Death to Israel” at a number of metro stations. Advertisement “We are all here to seek blood vengeance for our leader,” Fatemeh, a 55-year-old woman travelling in a group of women clad in black chadors, told Al Jazeera while waiting to enter through a northern gate of the complex. “We will all listen to his son. He will guide the revolution forward,” she said, in reference to Mojtaba Khamenei, who was quickly selected as supreme leader by a clerical body in March following his father’s killing. The commemoration has attracted thousands of people from across Tehran to mourn Khamenei [Maziar Motamedi/Al Jazeera] Tight security A heavy security presence continues in the capital, with armoured vehicles, heavy machine guns and snipers visible throughout the areas surrounding the farewell ceremonies. Men were body searched as they entered the Mosalla, while electronic devices – such as power banks, earphones and lighters – were confiscated from the mourners by security. Mojtaba Khamenei, who has not been seen publicly since he took office, will not attend the funeral due to security concerns. State-affiliated newspapers and television reported that the supreme leader’s killing had rallied supporters of the Islamic Republic government, which has been in power since the 1979 revolution overthrew Iran’s last shah, Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi. Authorities are expecting similar huge numbers as attended the 1989 funeral of Ruhollah Khomeini, the founder of the Islamic Republic. At least eight mourners died in the crowds, forcing the military to evacuate his body by helicopter. Thousands of “mokebs”, or temporary religious service stations, were set up across Tehran, blasting out Islamic Shia chants and rhythmic eulogies to Khamenei. Government messages and images of Khamenei were plastered across Tehran during the commemoration [Maziar Motamedi/Al Jazeera] Some volunteers handed out flags, banners and images to the crowd. As temperatures rose to 36 degrees Celsius (97 degrees Fahrenheit), other mokebs were equipped with giant cooling fans and volunteers distributed free drinks to the thousands of mourners. Emergency services were stationed across the area to assist with any health problems due to the crowds or the heat, but so far authorities have reported no security incidents or medical emergencies. Large parts of Tehran have been cordoned off with barriers and non-official vehicles are barred from entering or exiting. The whole of Iran has been effectively shut down until the end of Monday, in an apparent effort to encourage public participation, with 10 million Iranians expected to take part in the proceedings across the country. Advertisement Funeral procession Khamenei’s remains are expected to be moved through Tehran during the funeral procession on Monday. It is then expected to pass through some of Shia’s holiest sites, including Qom, Najaf and Karbala, before burial in his hometown of Mashhad in northeastern Iran on Thursday. Some Iranians have used the public holiday to escape the crowds and the heat of Tehran for the cooler northern provinces by the Caspian Sea, as they regularly do on multi-day public events in the capital. Long lines of traffic were seen on the Tehran-Shomal Freeway leading to the provinces, with travellers stuck for hours in jams. IRGC commander-in-chief Ahmad Vahidi, who made his first appearance since the start of the war, told state TV during an event on Friday to grieve Khamenei so that “enemies will take their wish for our surrender to the grave”. “The enemies must know that the pure blood of our martyred imam was another turning point in the victories of dear Islam against the global infidel front,” he said. Red flags, associated with martyrdom in Shia Islam and carrying religious messages, were carried by mourners [Maziar Motamedi/Al Jazeera] IRGC aerospace chief Majid Mousavi, responsible for launching ballistic missiles and drones across the region during the war, also made a public appearance. The central headquarters of armed forces issued a statement to warn against any military action during the ceremonies, after Israel’s Defence Minister, Israel Katz, said Mojtaba Khamenei was “marked for death”. Representatives from dozens of countries were in Tehran on Friday to pay their respects to Khamenei and speak with Iranian officials during televised state ceremonies. Pakistan’s Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif, who helped mediate talks between Iran and the US, was among the most senior officials present. Other countries sent lower-level dignitaries, while European countries were reportedly not invited. Among the most prominent attendees on Friday were members of the IRGC-backed “Axis of Resistance”, including members of Hamas, the Houthis in Yemen and Hezbollah in Lebanon. The Hezbollah delegation included members of Hassan Nasrallah’s family, the long-time head of the
‘El Obeid crisis could be worse than El Fasher,’ warns ex-UN official
NewsFeed Dr. Mukesh Kapila, former UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Sudan, warns the current crisis in El Obeid, Sudan could be even worse than what unfolded in El Fasher in 2024-2025. However, he says sustained international attention and Al Jazeera’s continued coverage could help deter the RSF. Published On 4 Jul 20264 Jul 2026 Click here to share on social media share-nodes Share googleAdd Al Jazeera on Googleinfo Adblock test (Why?)
Arias sends Colombia into World Cup last-16 with 1-0 win over Ghana
The World Cup Round of 32 ends with Colombia beating Ghana 1-0, as Jhon Arias sends the South Americans through. By Reuters Published On 4 Jul 20264 Jul 2026 Colombia beat Ghana 1-0 on Friday to reach the World Cup Round of 16, as Jhon Arias scored the only goal and set up a clash with Switzerland. Arias struck in the 14th minute from close range after a cross from Luis Suarez, who had just come on as a substitute for the injured Jhon Cordoba. Luis Diaz thought he had doubled Colombia’s advantage in the 56th minute, but the goal was ruled out for offside. Colombia dominated much of the match, with Ghana goalkeeper Lawrence Ati Zigi making three notable saves. The South Americans will face Switzerland in the last-16 on Tuesday in Vancouver. More to follow… Adblock test (Why?)
Ahead of Morocco vs Canada at the World Cup, comparisons arise with the 2022 team
Morocco’s historic run at the Qatar World Cup 2022 is remembered by some poignant, powerful and indelible images from their quarterfinal win over Portugal: a towering header – the match-winning goal by Youssef En-Nesyri – against Cristiano Ronaldo’s side, Hakim Ziyech’s mazy dribbles that put the 2016 European champions in a spin, and Soufiane Boufal’s dance with his mother on the pitch in the heartwarming post-match celebrations. Four years on, none of those players have made the trip to the World Cup in North America. In fact, the only holdovers from that memorable tournament are Achraf Hakimi, Noussair Mazraoui, Azzedine Ounahi, Bilal El-Khanouss and the goalkeepers. The then-celebrated manager, Walid Regragui, has been cast aside, too. Despite the radical changes, Morocco are yet to lose a match and have advanced to the Round of 16 after dispatching the Netherlands in a nervy penalty shootout on Monday. Comparisons between the classes of 2022 and 2026 were inevitable. They began at the end of the group stage, when it was pointed out that the Moroccan team of four years ago topped their group while this one failed to beat Haiti and Scotland by big enough margins to leapfrog Brazil in Group C. In order to truly impress the critics, the current generation may need to match or improve the semifinal run of 2022. Morocco of 2022: Experience and defensive tactics In 2022, the tactical plan was simple yet effective. Head coach Regragui was an emergency appointment following Bosnian manager Vahid Halilhodzic falling out with several players. Advertisement Regragui had less than three months before the start of the World Cup to select his players and implement a tactical plan. Realising that time was not on his side, he kept things simple. “Regragui’s team was more defensive,” Mohammad Alrfae, an analyst for Jordanian Premier League side Al Ahli SC, told Al Jazeera. “He had older, more experienced players from big European sides at his disposal.” In spite of their technical ability, the team showed no interest in dominating possession under Regragui during Qatar 2022. In fact, their highest possession percentage came in the only match they lost – against France in the semifinal. Morocco, under Regragui, were not as negative as some other sides employing the same tactics. They set their backline midway between their goal and midfield, as opposed to clustering deep in what is referred to as a low block but ceded possession in order to lure the opposition into their traps. En-Nesyri, the striker of the 2022 team won plaudits for his relentless work rate in preventing the opposition centre-backs from making easy passes to the midfield and forcing opposing teams into wide areas. Wider areas of the pitch were packed with standout players. The full-backs, who are still part of the 2026 team, Noussair Mazraoui and Hakimi teamed up with wingers and aimed to win the ball and launch dangerous counter-attacks. So effective were Morocco in blocking service to the middle areas of the pitch that opponents – particularly Portugal in the 1-0 quarterfinal loss – dropped deep to receive the ball, inhibiting their ability to attack. But what happened when Morocco faced lower-ranked teams? At two successive Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournaments, Morocco failed to lift the trophy, with an exit in the Round of 16 (2023) and a 1-0 loss in the 2025 edition, which they hosted. The final was a particularly testy affair, with Senegal seeing a goal ruled out in the dying moments of the match before Morocco were awarded a penalty. Incensed, the Senegalese marched off the pitch. Although Morocco missed the penalty and lost the match 1-0, they were declared AFCON champions after the on-field result was declared void and Morocco were handed a 3-0 forfeit by CAF. The result was later reversed and Morocco were declared champions under contentious circumstances. To make matters worse, Morocco faced a tournament-long allegation that the referees favoured Morocco. The hosts did not help their cause by requesting and receiving a change of referee before their quarterfinal encounter against Cameroon. Morocco of 2026: Faith in youth and offence Despite the controversial AFCON win, pressure kept mounting on Regragui with fans comparing the senior team with younger, more successful Moroccan sides. Advertisement Under the junior team manager Tarek Sektioui, Morocco bagged a bronze-medal finish at the Paris Olympics 2024, as well as lifting the winners’ trophies at the African Nations Championship 2024 and the FIFA Arab Cup 2025 with completely different squads. Similarly, Mohammed Ouhabi enjoyed success with the youth team by winning the FIFA Under-20 World Cup 2025. In a moment of deja vu, a last-minute coaching change was made in the lead-up to the World Cup. Regragui was out and Ouhabi was in with the aim of playing an expansive, rather than defensive, brand of football. According to Alrfae, squad selection has been the biggest indicator of change. “Ouhabi has picked a lot of young players,” adding: “Partially because he knows them but also because they fit his tactical approach.” Ouhabi relies on mobile players, all with lower profiles, who constantly switch positions and rotate around the pitch. The younger squad, with their nimble movements, made an instant impact in the World Cup, recording an impressive 1-1 draw against Brazil in their opening game. Experts believe it’s all part of a long-term plan. “I think Morocco made this change with an eye on the World Cup they will be hosting in 2030,” North African football journalist Maher Mezahi told Al Jazeera. Indeed, the average age of Morocco’s starting XI has hovered just below 26 years of age. None of the outfield starters are over 30 and half of them are 25 or younger. In their Round of 32 match, Morocco forced the Dutch to abandon their style of play and field five defenders to neutralise Morocco’s fluid movements. The change, according to Mezahi, was “an implicit admission” that Morocco were the stronger team. “The result proves that the 2022 World Cup was not a fluke
‘They gave their best’: Congolese reflect on historic World Cup run
Bunia, Democratic Republic of the Congo – DR Congo’s remarkable World Cup journey may have ended with defeat to England in the last 16, but for many Congolese, the Leopards have rewritten the country’s World Cup story. More than five decades after their only previous World Cup appearance, the Leopards united a country scarred by conflict, disease outbreaks and political uncertainty, mounting a fearless campaign that gave millions of Congolese a rare sense of unity. “It’s rare that I feel proud to be Congolese. During this World Cup, our national team made us proud, as if nothing were wrong. I believe I am witnessing the greatest generation in the history of the DRC,” Héritier Muyisa, a 28-year-old student in Bunia, told Al Jazeera. From Zaire in 1974 The contrast with 1974 could hardly have been sharper. Then playing as Zaire, the Leopards lost all three matches without scoring, suffering heavy defeats to Scotland, Yugoslavia and Brazil. “We were a great nation back then. Losing by such heavy score lines without scoring a single goal felt like a curse,” Lukambila Jacques, 65, who watched the Leopards’ first World Cup campaign, told Al Jazeera. No player embodied the Leopards’ revival more than Yoane Wissa. His three goals made him DR Congo’s first World Cup scorer and the country’s leading scorer in the tournament’s history. His towering header against Portugal ended a 52-year wait for a World Cup goal and convinced many supporters that the Leopards belonged on football’s biggest stage. Advertisement “I didn’t expect young people like them – like us – to make more than 100 million people proud,” Dorcas Mudimo, a 26-year-old resident of Bunia, told Al Jazeera after the defeat to England. “It’s a source of pride for the whole of Central Africa.” Making history The Leopards’ run was built on a series of milestones that steadily transformed hope into belief. The breakthrough against Portugal earned DR Congo a draw and sparked celebrations from Kinshasa and Goma to Bunia. In Bunia, since the start of the World Cup, many fans had been celebrating after every DR Congo match, but the game against England brought many streets to a standstill [Prosper Heri/Al Jazeera] “I thought we’d be content just to qualify for the World Cup. But our players showed we could compete with Portugal, Spain and other major nations,” Manassé Limbaya told Al Jazeera, describing the campaign as “stellar” from the qualifiers onwards. “We beat Cameroon and Nigeria before overcoming Jamaica in the intercontinental playoffs. That’s when we knew this team was capable of something special.” The Leopards drew with Portugal, beat Uzbekistan, and narrowly lost to Colombia before their dream ended against England in the round of 16. “My heart was racing throughout the match against England. They have world-class stars, but I knew we would give them a hard time,” Cephas Agbwabe, a resident of Bunia, told Al Jazeera. Final whistle Every DR Congo match drew packed crowds to Bunia’s viewing centres, where celebrations often spilled into the streets long after the final whistle. Against England, however, the mood shifted. As the match slipped away, the cheers faded. When the final whistle blew, many supporters stood silently, while others quietly walked home in their Leopards shirts, trying to absorb the end of a campaign that had exceeded almost every expectation. Despite ending the Leopards’ dream, England captain Harry Kane acknowledged the challenge posed by the Congolese side. “We spoke before about pounding the rock. That was our motto before the game. We knew there was going to be a tough rock to break down, and they proved it,” Kane said afterwards. DR Congo coach Sebastien Desabre focused less on the result and more on what his players had achieved. Every DR Congo match drew packed crowds to Bunia’s viewing centres, where celebrations often spilled into the streets long after the final whistle [Prosper Heri/Al Jazeera] “It’s true that we’re disappointed, because we believed we could do it,” the Frenchman told reporters. Advertisement “I think we played a good match. In the end, we conceded a few chances. One of the best players in the world scored two goals against us.” Desabre said the defeat reflected fine margins rather than a gulf in quality. “It’s time to give the players credit for what they’ve shown. We were perhaps beaten by a little bit of experience in the closing stages. That’s the nature of football. We learn, and we keep improving.” Pride endures For supporters in Bunia, elimination did little to diminish what the Leopards had achieved. Fifty-two years after leaving their only previous World Cup without a point or a goal, they returned to football’s biggest stage and showed they could compete with some of the world’s most established teams. “It was the first time I’d heard my country’s national anthem at a World Cup finals,” Agbwabe told Al Jazeera. “I hope, one day, I’ll tell my children I witnessed these glorious moments.” Adblock test (Why?)
Who are the rogue bishops defying Pope Leo XIV?
NewsFeed A rebel group of Roman Catholics has ordained its own bishops in direct defiance of Pope Leo XIV and the Vatican order. The Society of Saint Pius crisis has caused fears the Church could rupture. Soraya Lennie breaks it down. Published On 3 Jul 20263 Jul 2026 Click here to share on social media share-nodes Share googleAdd Al Jazeera on Googleinfo Adblock test (Why?)
Iran warns ships against using unapproved routes in Strait of Hormuz
Military command issues threat a day after Qatari mediators hailed ‘positive progress’ in indirect US-Iranian talks. Published On 3 Jul 20263 Jul 2026 Iran’s military command has threatened ships that attempt to cross the Strait of Hormuz using unapproved routes with a “forceful response,” casting new doubt over trade flows in the critical conduit for global energy supplies. Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters issued the threat on Thursday, a day after Qatari mediators hailed indirect negotiations between US and Iranian officials as making “positive progress” towards a peace deal. Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of list “Any failure to comply with and depart from the designated route or disregard for the navigation protocols of the Islamic Republic of Iran in the Strait of Hormuz will be met with an immediate and forceful response from the armed forces, and will endanger the security of the offending vessels,” the military command said in a statement carried by the country’s semi-official Tasnim news agency. While Tehran did not specify what prompted the warning, it came after US Central Command (CENTCOM) on Wednesday said it had presided over a security dialogue in Bahrain during which regional leaders expressed their commitment to the “free flow of commerce” in the strait. Iranian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Kazem Gharibabadi hit out at CENTCOM’s statement on Thursday, saying the forum “cannot establish legal order and security for the Persian Gulf”. “The region’s security will be ensured through the end of interventions and the US withdrawal from the area, respect for countries’ sovereignty, and acceptance of new geopolitical realities – not under the military umbrella of America,” Gharibabadi said in a post on X. Advertisement The Strait of Hormuz, which facilitated about one-fifth of the global trade in oil and liquefied natural gas before the US-Israel war on Iran began in late February, has become a major sticking point in Washington and Tehran’s talks aimed at turning their fragile ceasefire into a lasting peace. While Iran agreed to make its “best efforts” to arrange the safe passage of ships in the strait in the memorandum of understanding it signed with the US on June 17, Tehran has repeatedly threatened to attack ships that do not use its preferred route close to the Iranian shoreline. At least 49 attacks on commercial vessels have been recorded in the strait since the start of the war on February 28, according to MarineTraffic. Most of those incidents, including drone attacks on a Singapore-flagged cargo ship and Panama-flagged merchant vessel on Thursday and Saturday, respectively, have been blamed on Tehran. While transits through the waterway have risen since US President Donald Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian signed their MoU on June 17, they remain far below the roughly 130 daily crossings that took place before the conflict. At least 45 vessels crossed the strait on Wednesday, up from 34 on Tuesday, according to MarineTraffic data. After dropping to pre-war levels on Thursday on reports of productive talks in Doha, oil prices largely held steady as markets opened in Asia on Friday. Brent futures for August delivery stood at $72.07 per barrel as of 02:30 GMT, after dropping below $71 for the first time since the war the previous day. Adblock test (Why?)
Spain vs Austria LIVE: FIFA World Cup 2026
[unable to retrieve full-text content] Live coverage and text updates as Spain play Austria in Los Angeles in the Round of 32 knockout stage.
Into the Darkness
Fault Lines investigates allegations of systematic torture of Palestinian prisoners and detainees in Israeli custody. Into the Darkness investigates allegations that torture is used systematically against Palestinians held in the Israeli prison system and military detention facilities. Through powerful firsthand testimony, former detainees recount beatings, starvation, sexual violence, medical neglect and psychological abuse. The film follows the stories of Mohammad Ibrahim, a Palestinian American arrested at the age of 15 for throwing stones, and a former detainee from Gaza whose harrowing testimony details extreme sexual violence. Their accounts reveal the human cost of a detention system that rights groups and former prisoners say operates with impunity. Filmed across Gaza, the occupied West Bank, Tel Aviv, Florida and London, the documentary examines allegations that these practices are carried out under the authority of the Israeli military and Israeli officials, including National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir. Published On 2 Jul 20262 Jul 2026 Click here to share on social media share-nodes Share googleAdd Al Jazeera on Googleinfo Adblock test (Why?)