Refoulé par les USA, l'Europe accueille Omar Artan

Rassie Erasmus believes the Vodacom Bulls’ run to the URC final will strengthen the Springboks ahead of the international season. LINDIZ VAN ZILLA reports.

While the Bulls’ involvement in next Friday night’s showdown with Leinster in Dublin has meant their contingent of Boks have had limited engagement with the national camp, Erasmus sees more positives than negatives.

“If the Bulls had fallen out two weeks ago, we’d have had them for longer,” he said. “But sometimes playing in a final, carrying momentum and confidence, is actually better.”

The Bok coach said players returning from a title challenge arrive battle-hardened.

“Hopefully they beat Leinster, because that would be fantastic. But even if they don’t, they’ve played in a URC final and they’ll come back confident, fit and ready.”

ALSO: Polly resets after ‘terrible’ kicking

Erasmus said the situation was “not unique to us” as England – who the Boks face at Ellis Park on 4 July in their opening Nations Championship Test – have players involved in the Premiership playoffs.

Attention has also turned to the next generation of Springboks, with several Junior Boks and emerging stars training alongside the senior squad.

Erasmus has been impressed by how quickly they have adapted.

“When you look them in the eye and speak to them, you can see they understand professional rugby,” he said. “They’re well drilled and they’re ready.”

MORE: Rassie plays down Bok injury concerns

The coach credited the close alignment between the Springboks, URC clubs and the Junior Boks for preparing players for the step up.

“[SA Rugby high-performance GM] Dave Wessels, [Junior Boks coach] Kevin Foote and the Junior Boks management have done excellent work,” Erasmus said.

“The players coming through are physically ready and understand what is expected.”

MORE: Wessels on SA Rugby’s winning structures

Several youngsters are expected to feature for South Africa A against Zimbabwe next Saturday and potentially for the Boks against the Barbarians.

“We’ll give some of them opportunities,” Erasmus confirmed. “The challenge now is seeing how quickly they can transfer what they’ve learned into a senior international environment.”

Photo: Vodacom Bulls

The post Rassie: Bulls success a boost for Boks appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.

Co-hosts USA open their 2026 FIFA World Cup Group D campaign against Paraguay at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Los Angeles, on Saturday, 13 June 2026, with kick-off at 03:00 SAST. Here is a full look at the match details, team news, head-to-head record, key stats and the major talking points ahead of the game.

Match details

Field	Detail
Competition	2026 FIFA World Cup — Group D opener
Date & kick-off	Saturday, 13 June 2026, 03:00 SAST
Venue	SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, Los Angeles, USA
Group	Group D

America’s biggest football moment

For the United States, this is more than a group-stage opener. It is the start of a home World Cup campaign and a major moment for the growth of football in the country.

As co-hosts of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Mauricio Pochettino’s side carry serious expectations. The USA’s Round of 16 exit in 1994 remains their best performance at a home World Cup, and the pressure to deliver in front of packed stadiums will be immense.

The timing is not entirely comfortable. USA have lost three of their last four matches in 2026, including a 2-1 defeat to tournament favourites Germany in Chicago. Their recent form has raised fair questions about consistency, especially under the pressure of a home tournament.

Paraguay arrive as a dangerous and well-organised opponent. They qualified from CONMEBOL level on points with Brazil, Colombia and Uruguay, and finished with the second-best defensive record in the qualifying campaign.

Their final warm-up was a commanding 4-0 win over Nicaragua, which adds to the feeling that they are not arriving simply to make up the numbers. This is Paraguay’s first World Cup since the 2010 South Africa edition, where they reached the quarter-finals, and they will see this opener as a genuine opportunity.

Team news

The major positive for Mauricio Pochettino is the return of Christian Pulisic to full fitness. The AC Milan midfielder was central to the USA’s 2022 World Cup campaign and was involved in every goal the Americans scored at that tournament.

His return gives the hosts extra creativity, pace and composure in the final third. Bayer Leverkusen’s Malik Tillman is also expected to start, supporting Folarin Balogun as the lone striker.

The main fitness concerns are Chris Richards and Fulham left-back Antonee Robinson, who have both been assessed after minor injury issues. Their availability could shape the balance of the USA defence.

Paraguay coach Gustavo Alfaro has no major injury concerns and is expected to select his strongest available side. Miguel Almiron leads the attacking threat alongside Antonio Sanabria, while Andre Cubas, Gustavo Gomez and Omar Alderete provide experience and backbone through midfield and defence.

Key stats

• USA have not lost a World Cup opening group-stage match since 2010.
• USA’s record in World Cup openers since 2010 is one win and two draws.
• USA’s current form is LWLLW.
• USA have lost three of their last four competitive outings.
• Paraguay qualified from CONMEBOL level on points with Brazil, Colombia and Uruguay.
• Paraguay had the second-best defensive record in CONMEBOL qualifying.
• USA have won their last three meetings against Paraguay.
• The most recent head-to-head meeting was USA 2-1 Paraguay in November 2025.
• Paraguay’s final pre-tournament result was a 4-0 win over Nicaragua.

Head-to-head

USA hold the recent advantage in this fixture, having won the last three meetings against Paraguay.

Recent meetings:

Date	Result
16 November 2025	USA 2-1 Paraguay
28 March 2018	USA 1-0 Paraguay
12 June 2016	USA 1-0 Paraguay
30 March 2011	USA 0-1 Paraguay
3 July 2007	USA 1-3 Paraguay

While the recent record favours USA, the margins have been narrow. Paraguay have repeatedly made this a difficult fixture, and their current defensive strength suggests another tight contest could be on the cards.

Our prediction

This Group D opener should be intense, physical and emotionally charged. USA will have the crowd, the venue and the urgency of a home World Cup behind them, but their recent form suggests this is unlikely to be straightforward.

Pulisic’s return is a major boost. He gives the USA attack a clear focal point and should help connect midfield to the front line, especially with Balogun providing movement ahead of him.

Paraguay, however, are organised, defensively solid and dangerous on the break. Almiron and Sanabria give them enough attacking quality to trouble the hosts, while their qualifying campaign showed they can compete with South America’s strongest sides.

USA may have the home advantage, but Paraguay’s defensive discipline and recent momentum make this a tricky opener.

Prediction: Both Teams To Score at 5.00

Frequently asked questions

What time does USA vs Paraguay kick off in South Africa?

USA vs Paraguay kicks off at 03:00 SAST on Saturday, 13 June 2026, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Los Angeles.

What is the USA vs Paraguay head-to-head record?

USA have won their last three meetings with Paraguay, most recently a 2-1 victory in November 2025. Paraguay’s last win over USA came in March 2011.

What group are USA and Paraguay in at the 2026 World Cup?

USA and Paraguay are in Group D alongside Turkey and Australia.

Where is USA vs Paraguay being played?

The match is being played at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Los Angeles.

Who are the key players for USA vs Paraguay?

Christian Pulisic and Folarin Balogun are key players for USA, while Miguel Almiron, Antonio Sanabria and Gustavo Gomez are central to Paraguay’s chances.

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La FIFA a officialisé la désignation des arbitres pour la rencontre entre la Côte d’Ivoire et l’Équateur, comptant pour la phase de groupes de la Coupe du Monde 2026. Ce match du groupe E se disputera le lundi 15 juin 2026 à 23h GMT et sera dirigé par l’expérimenté arbitre anglais Michael Oliver.

Considéré comme l’un des meilleurs arbitres de sa génération, Michael Oliver possède une solide expérience des grands rendez-vous internationaux. Arbitre FIFA depuis 2012, il a officié lors de nombreuses affiches prestigieuses en Ligue des champions de l’UEFA ainsi que dans les compétitions internationales majeures.

Un arbitre habitué aux grands événements

Le natif d’Ashington a notamment dirigé la finale de la Supercoupe de l’UEFA 2022 entre le Real Madrid et l’Eintracht Francfort. Il a également été au centre de plusieurs rencontres de très haut niveau en Ligue des champions impliquant des géants européens comme le Real Madrid, le Bayern Munich ou encore la Juventus.

Sur la scène internationale, Michael Oliver faisait partie des arbitres retenus pour la Coupe du Monde 2022 au Qatar, où il a notamment officié lors des rencontres Allemagne – Japon, Brésil – Suisse et Sénégal – Angleterre.

Une équipe arbitrale anglo-saoudienne

Pour cette affiche entre les Éléphants et la Tri, Michael Oliver sera assisté de ses compatriotes Stuart Burt et James Mainwaring. Le quatrième arbitre sera le Saoudien Khalid Alturais, tandis que Mohammed Alabakry occupera le rôle d’arbitre assistant remplaçant.

Cette désignation témoigne de l’importance accordée par la FIFA à cette confrontation entre deux sélections ambitieuses. Les supporters ivoiriens espèrent désormais que l’attention se portera davantage sur les performances des joueurs que sur les décisions arbitrales lors de ce rendez-vous mondial très attendu.

Les officiels du match Côte d’Ivoire – Équateur sont :

Arbitre central : Michael Oliver (Angleterre)

Arbitre assistant 1 : Stuart Burt (Angleterre)

Arbitre assistant 2 : James Mainwaring (Angleterre)

Quatrième arbitre : Khalid Alturais (Arabie saoudite)

Arbitre assistant remplaçant : Mohammed Alabakry (Arabie saoudite)

The post Coupe du Monde 2026 : Michael Oliver au sifflet du match Côte d’Ivoire – Équateur appeared first on AfricaFootUnited.

Canada open their 2026 FIFA World Cup Group B campaign at home against Bosnia & Herzegovina at BMO Field in Toronto on Friday, 12 June 2026, with kick-off at midnight SAST. Here is a full look at the match details, team news, head-to-head record, key stats and the major talking points ahead of the Group B opener.

Match details

Field	Detail
Competition	2026 FIFA World Cup — Group B opener
Date & kick-off	Friday, 12 June 2026, 00:00 SAST
Venue	BMO Field, Toronto, Canada
Group	Group B

The story so far

Canada begin their 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign with the pressure and privilege of playing on home soil. As co-hosts alongside the United States and Mexico, they will be eager to make a strong early statement in front of a Toronto crowd expecting a competitive performance.

This is Canada’s second successive World Cup appearance and their first in front of home support. Their World Cup record remains a major motivation: across Mexico 1986 and Qatar 2022, Canada lost all six matches and scored only twice. Jesse Marsch’s side will know that a positive result in their opener could change the tone of the entire group.

Bosnia & Herzegovina arrive with momentum after a remarkable UEFA play-off run, including a dramatic penalty shootout victory over Italy. That result secured only their second World Cup appearance and confirmed them as a dangerous opponent with confidence, structure and belief.

Switzerland and Qatar complete Group B, which makes this opener particularly important. With the group expected to be competitive, both Canada and Bosnia & Herzegovina will see the first match as a major opportunity to take early control of their tournament path.

Team news

Canada captain Alphonso Davies is carrying a minor knock and may miss the opener, with Richie Laryea expected to provide cover if required. Jonathan David, Canada’s all-time leading scorer, is set to lead the attack and could captain the side if Davies is unavailable.

In midfield, Ismaila Kone and Stephen Eustaquio give Canada balance, control and ball-winning ability, while Tanitoluwa Oluwaseyi offers another attacking option in the final third.

Bosnia & Herzegovina are expected to lean on the core of the side that delivered their play-off success. Ermedin Demirovic is set to lead the line, with Sead Kolasinac bringing experience and authority in defence. Teenage defender Nidal Celik adds another intriguing storyline, while Nikola Vasilj is expected to start in goal.

Key stats

• Canada have lost all six of their previous World Cup matches across Mexico 1986 and Qatar 2022.
• Canada have scored twice in World Cup history.
• Bosnia & Herzegovina are unbeaten in their last eight matches.
• Bosnia & Herzegovina reached the 2026 World Cup after beating Italy on penalties in the UEFA play-offs.
• Both sides drew their final pre-tournament matches: Canada 1-1 against Ireland and Bosnia & Herzegovina 1-1 against Panama.
• This is the first competitive meeting between Canada and Bosnia & Herzegovina.
• Current form: Canada — DWDDW.
• Current form: Bosnia & Herzegovina — DDWWD.

Head-to-head

Canada and Bosnia & Herzegovina have never met before in a competitive fixture. Their 2026 FIFA World Cup Group B opener will be the first official meeting between the two nations.

That adds an interesting tactical layer to the contest. Canada will have the home advantage and attacking threat of Jonathan David, while Bosnia & Herzegovina bring organisation, defensive discipline and the confidence of an unbeaten run.

Our prediction

Canada’s home advantage should matter, especially in a World Cup opener where energy, crowd support and early momentum can shape the match. Marsch’s side have attacking quality and will be eager to show that this tournament can be different from their previous World Cup campaigns.

Bosnia & Herzegovina, however, are unlikely to be easy to break down. Their recent form suggests a side with resilience, structure and enough experience to frustrate Canada for long spells.

This could be a tight, tactical contest rather than a high-scoring match. Canada may have the edge because of home conditions and attacking quality, but Bosnia & Herzegovina’s recent unbeaten run makes them a serious threat.

Prediction: Canada to win or draw (1X)

Frequently asked questions

What time does Canada vs Bosnia & Herzegovina kick off in South Africa?

Canada vs Bosnia & Herzegovina kicks off at 00:00 SAST on Friday, 12 June 2026, at BMO Field in Toronto.

Have Canada and Bosnia & Herzegovina played each other before?

No. This 2026 FIFA World Cup Group B match is the first competitive meeting between Canada and Bosnia & Herzegovina.

What group are Canada and Bosnia & Herzegovina in at the 2026 World Cup?

Canada and Bosnia & Herzegovina are in Group B alongside Switzerland and Qatar.

Where is Canada vs Bosnia & Herzegovina being played?

The match is being played at BMO Field in Toronto, Canada.

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