The Game

As part of our build up to World Cup 2026 we hosted a live event at The Times building in London.

Tom Clarke hosts the event with Martin Samuel, Jonathan Northcroft, Hamzah Khalique-Loonat and World Cup veteran and former Republic of Ireland forward Tony Cascarino.
The team discuss England and Scotland's chances and what to expect from the other tournament contenders.
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It is World Cup week!
England treated their friendly against New Zealand as a training session...can we learn anything? Does Thomas Tuchel already know his line up to face Croatia or is it still in doubt? How worried should England fans be that three of England's team are already in the red zone, prone to injury or burn out?
Scotland are looking confident with eight goals in their last two games. If they can beat Haiti in their opening game could that be enough for them to qualify for the knockout stages for the first time?
Tom clarke is joined by Gregor Robertson and
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If England don't win it who will?
France, Spain, Portugal are all among the favourites, but only one European team has ever won in the Americas...can they change that?
Lionel Messi will be at his sixth World Cup, can he lead Argentina to defend their crown?
Brazil have gone twenty four years without a World Cup, can ageing talisman Neymar and the experience of manager Carlo Ancelotti guide them to the final?
Who are the dark horses - Senegal, Japan, Norway, Ecuador...
And lastly what of the rest, the first timers, the romantics choice and the rank outsiders.

Tom Allnutt, James Gheerbrant and Paul Hirst join Tom Clarke to asses the best of the rest.

We're here with our daily update show from Friday 12th June and we'll have a USA and the hosts special next week.
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All the latest from a busy domestic scene. Silva leaves Fulham...is he Benfica bound? Crystal Palace look set to appoint the former Lens coach Iraola to Liverpool, Ederson to Man Utd and Nottingham Forest are asking for £120m for Elliot Anderson...is that value for money?
After the break an update from the England camp in Miami - who is training, who looks good, who looks knackered and has Anthony Gordon nicked Marcus Rashford's girlfriend?
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World Cup 2026 is nearly here! Can England win it?
Has Tuchel picked the right squad, what is England's base camp like and what will be England's biggest challenge?
With inside knowledge from within the England camp our team cover it all - from which players will be most affected by the heat and who can cover at number six to secret England tactics and who starts at number ten.

Join Times Sports Editor Tom Clarke, and the Times Sport team who will be with England throughout the tournament: Matt Lawton, Jonathan Northcroft and Hamzah Khalique-Loonat as they discuss England's starting IX, how far they'll go and the choices facing Thomas Tuchel.

We'll be here every single day throughout the tournament with your essential World Cup daily briefing - please do join us.
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