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The men's World Cup trophy
Image: Mike Egerton/empics/picture alliance

FIFA World Cup

The 2026 men's World Cup will be held in the USA, Mexico and Canada from June 11 to July 19. It will be the biggest World Cup of all time with 48 teams. Lionel Messi's Argentina are the defending champions.

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All Content on this topic

German fans celebrate their team's success in 2006

FIFA World Cup Group D

Standing in Germany's way in Group D are Australia, Serbia and Ghana.
May 25, 2010
England striker Wayne Rooney

FIFA World Cup Group C

USA, Algeria and Slovenia will be trying to make life difficult for England in Group C.
May 25, 2010
Diego Maradona, the Argentinian national coach

FIFA World Cup Group B

Group B sees Greece, Nigeria and South Korea try to stop the best player on the planet.
May 25, 2010
Soccer City Stadium, where South Africa play Mexico on June 11

FIFA World Cup Group A

Group A pits hosts South Africa against cup winners France and Uruguay, along with regulars Mexico.
May 25, 2010
Michael Ballack grabs his ankle after Boateng's hard foul

Boateng in court?

DW spoke to a lawyer who thinks hard fouls in soccer should have criminal penalties.
May 20, 2010
Cacau celebrates after a Germany-Malta friendly

Brazilian connection

DW speaks to the Brazilian-born Cacau, the striker who plans to make an impact for Germany.
May 19, 2010
Ballack

Injury shock

Germany coach Joachim Loew will have to rethink his plans with captain Michael Ballack sidelined.
May 17, 2010
Michael Ballack in Chelsea jersey

Ballack out

German national team captain Michael Ballack has been ruled out of World Cup due to an injury.
May 17, 2010
David Beckham and Sepp Blatter

World Cup 2018

Four European bids hope to host the 2018 or 2022 Soccer World Cup with Beckham backing England.
May 14, 2010
Germany's Cacau celebrates after scoring

World Cup tune-up

Striker Cacau led the Germany to victory with two goals in an international friendly.
May 13, 2010
Joachim Löw

South Africa calling

There were few surprises as Germany coach Joachim Loew announced his provisional World Cup squad.
May 6, 2010
German goalkeeper Rene Adler

Adler out

Germany's first-choice goalkeeper is ruled out of the World Cup due to a rib injury.
May 4, 2010
Schalke's Kevin Kuranyi, left, and Bremen's Per Mertesacker challenge for the ball

Not invited

Germany coach Joachim Loew has ruled out taking striker Kevin Kuranyi to the World Cup.
May 3, 2010
Four men push a giant keg of beer at the Oktoberfest

Down the hatch!

German brewers say they aren't worried by last year's renewed drop in national beer consumption.
April 23, 2010
Rene Adler leaps to make a save

Broken rib

A broken rib could prevent German goalkeeper Rene Adler from taking part in the World Cup.
April 20, 2010
Schalke's Kevin Kuranyi and Stuttgart's Georg Niedermeier challenge for the ball

Kuranyi controversy

A black-sheep striker may be set to make a return to Germany's national squad.
April 19, 2010
The German squad

Limping to South Africa

To outsiders, Germany's team is full of stars. That may be true, but are they ready to shine?
April 15, 2010
Right-wing Afrikaner leader Eugene Terre'blanche being led away

Racial tensions

After the death of right-wing leader Eugene Terre'Blanche, racial tension in South Africa is rising.
April 7, 2010
Image of South African fans cheering their national team.

Beneficial for all?

Billions have been spent in preparing for the World Cup in soccer. But the event will exclude many.
April 6, 2010
A grpahic showing a pen and the word "opinion"

Black sheep

DW’s Jefferson Chase says it’s time for Joachim Loew to give Kevin Kuranyi another chance.
March 17, 2010

40,000 foreign sex workers expected in South Africa for World Cup

Domestic sex workers say their foreign counterparts are welcome as long as they only come to South Africa as tourists. The authorities are concerned that more prostitution could boost the drugs trade.
March 11, 2010
Rene Adler and Argentinian striker Gonzalo Higuain

Slack soccer

Germany delivered a poor performance as they slumped to defeat against Argentina in Munich.
March 4, 2010
Adidas CEO Herbert Hainer joins in the presentation of the new soccer ball for South Africa

Profit drop

After posting a profit drop in 2009 of 62 percent, Adidas is hoping the World Cup will boost sales.
March 3, 2010
Leverkusen's goalkeeper Rene Adler

Manning the posts

Germany's goalkeeping coach says Rene Adler is number one for the World Cup in South Africa.
March 1, 2010
Germany's national soccer goalkeeper Tim Wiese is watched by head coach Joachim Loew

Goalkeeping dilemma

Germany coach Loew has picked three keepers for a friendly but none stand out as a No. 1.
February 28, 2010
An Olympic torch in Vancouver.

Sales boost

The Winter Olympics have helped to boost sports merchandise sales despite the poor economic climate.
February 12, 2010

Contract talks

Coach Joachim Loew and the German Football Association have agreed to postpone contract talks.
February 9, 2010
German national soccer team coach Joachim Loew reacts during a news conference

Loew's future

Germany's soccer body will decide the fate of the national team coach after the World Cup.
February 4, 2010
Germany's Torsten Frings behind a football

Frings cut loose

Germany's youth policy and spats with Jogi Loew combine to end Torsten Frings' international career.
January 21, 2010
Frings in action

World Cup 2010

Germany's national coach announced veteran Torsten Frings won't be playing in South Africa.
January 20, 2010
Hannover supporters show a banner commemorating late goalkeeper Robert Enke.

Depression research

The wife of late goalie Robert Enke will head a new foundation researching depression.
January 16, 2010

South Africa: Reporting the World Cup

Preparations for the Football 2010 World Cup in South Africa are going at full speed. And not just for the organisers - for participants of a DW-AKADEMIE project, too.
January 12, 2010
Angolan police at the entrance of the compound where the soccer teams are based

Africa Cup Attack

The European football world has been rocked by the deadly assault on the Togo delegation.
January 11, 2010
German national soccer team coach Joachim Loew

World Cup squad

Germany coach Joachim Loew is still deliberating over who to take to South Africa this summer.
January 7, 2010
Lionel Messi with his player of the year award

Lionel Messi

FC Barcelona's star striker has been named Argentina's first FIFA player of the year.
December 22, 2009
Paul Biedermann and Steffi Nerius

Athletes of the year

A javelin thrower, a swimmer, and the women's national soccer team are Germany's best in 2009.
December 21, 2009
Joachim Loew

Extended contract

Joachim Loew will remain the coach of Germany's national soccer side until 2012.
December 17, 2009
Logo for World Cup South Africa 2010

World Cup draw

World Cup 2010 match table
December 5, 2009
German coach Joachim Loew, center, and team manager Oliver Bierhoff, left, look on during the draw

World Cup draw

Germany's national side will face worthy adversaries in next summer's World Cup in South Africa.
December 4, 2009
The chancellor and Brazilian president standing at their microphones

Brazilian visit

Brazil's president has been in Germany to talk about climate change and the Olympic games
December 3, 2009
Germany's coach Joachim Loew reacts during a World Cup group 4 qualifying soccer match between Finland and Germany in Helsinki

World Cup draw

Germany will discover who will be their World Cup group opponents in South Africa on Friday.
December 3, 2009

Latest Question

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December 1, 2009
Uli Hoeness

Bavarian stalwart

As Bayern's Ulrich Hoeness leaves his role as manager we look back at a successful career.
November 27, 2009
Michael Ballack places a Robert Enke jersey on the German bench Ivory Coast player Yaya Toure wearing a memorial T-shirt dedicated to Robert Enke

Honors even

Germany scraped a 2-2 draw against the Ivory Coast on Wedensday, thanks to a late Podolski goal.
November 19, 2009
Official World Cup soccer ball from Adidas

Profit goals

Adidas is 'cautiously optimistic' that the next soccer World Cup will boost flagging sales.
November 7, 2009

Latest Question

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November 2, 2009
An armed policeman appeals for calm during a march in downtown Johannesburg

Securing Germany

German soccer chiefs say that a World Cup security plan for South Africa has yet to be finalized.
November 1, 2009
The first delivery of the two component vaccine Pandemrix against swine flu is seen at the pharmacy of the university hospital in Essen, Germany, Friday, Oct, 23, 2009.

Swine flu hits Ukraine

The country has adopted some of Europe’s toughest measures to keep the virus in check.
October 30, 2009
Kiessling

Sterfan Kiessling

Deutsche Welle talks to the top striker on the league's top team about the past, present and future.
October 26, 2009
Estonia's Ragnar Klavan (R)and Bosnia and Herzegovina national football team player Safet Nadarevic (L)

Bosnia Soccer

Bosnia-Herzegovina's World Cup progress is being helped by faces familiar to German league fans.
October 16, 2009