^
+ Follow fifa Tag
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                    [ArticleID] => 2535611
                    [Title] => Iran opens World Cup campaign with 2-2 New Zealand draw
                    [Summary] => 

Iran twice battled back for a 2-2 draw with New Zealand in their frenetic opening match of a World Cup campaign that has been utterly overshadowed by war, politics and protests.

[DatePublished] => 2026-06-16 11:14:00 [ColumnID] => 0 [Focus] => 1 [AuthorID] => [AuthorName] => [SectionName] => Sports [SectionUrl] => sports [URL] => https://media.philstar.com/photos/2026/06/16/iran-vs-new-zealand-fifa-world-cup-football-2026_2026-06-16_11-14-48517_thumbnail.jpg ) [1] => Array ( [ArticleID] => 2535606 [Title] => 'Competitive animal' Messi set for sixth World Cup [Summary] =>

The whole world is waiting to see Lionel Messi, said Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni, when the defending champion begin its World Cup campaign against Algeria on Tuesday (Wednesday Manila time).

[DatePublished] => 2026-06-16 10:20:00 [ColumnID] => 0 [Focus] => 1 [AuthorID] => [AuthorName] => [SectionName] => Sports [SectionUrl] => sports [URL] => https://media.philstar.com/photos/2026/06/16/lionel-messi_2026-06-16_10-20-43558_thumbnail.jpg ) [2] => Array ( [ArticleID] => 2535602 [Title] => Iran braces for tense World Cup opener; Spain stunned by Cape Verde [Summary] =>

ran was poised to make a tension-filled entrance at the World Cup, as European heavyweight Spain was held to a shock 0-0 draw by tiny tournament debutants Cape Verde.

[DatePublished] => 2026-06-16 09:58:00 [ColumnID] => 0 [Focus] => 1 [AuthorID] => [AuthorName] => [SectionName] => Sports [SectionUrl] => sports [URL] => https://media.philstar.com/photos/2025/12/06/untitled-design_2025-12-06_09-30-50327_thumbnail.jpg ) [3] => Array ( [ArticleID] => 2535393 [Title] => Sweden demolishes Tunisia 5-1 to seize control of World Cup group [Summary] =>

Sweden crushed Tunisia, 5-1, to leave the North African nation's defensive reputation in tatters and seize control of World Cup Group F.

[DatePublished] => 2026-06-15 12:37:00 [ColumnID] => 0 [Focus] => 1 [AuthorID] => [AuthorName] => [SectionName] => Sports [SectionUrl] => sports [URL] => https://media.philstar.com/photos/2026/06/15/sweden-vs-tunisia-fifa-world-cup-2026-football_2026-06-15_12-37-56753_thumbnail.jpg ) [4] => Array ( [ArticleID] => 2535382 [Title] => 'This is our culture': Japan fans clean up World Cup stadium [Summary] =>

 Japan fans left the stands spotless after their World Cup opener against the Netherlands in Texas, saying it was "Japanese culture" to tidy up after themselves.

[DatePublished] => 2026-06-15 10:46:00 [ColumnID] => 0 [Focus] => 1 [AuthorID] => [AuthorName] => [SectionName] => Sports [SectionUrl] => sports [URL] => https://media.philstar.com/photos/2026/06/15/japan-fans-fifa-world-cup_2026-06-15_10-47-03673_thumbnail.jpg ) [5] => Array ( [ArticleID] => 2535381 [Title] => World Cup: Germany crushes Curacao, Japan thwarts Dutch as Iran arrives [Summary] =>

Germany thrashed World Cup debutant Curacao, 7-1, while Japan fought back to grab a 2-2 draw with the Netherlands as Iran made its long-awaited arrival in the United States with a call for unity.

[DatePublished] => 2026-06-15 10:24:00 [ColumnID] => 0 [Focus] => 1 [AuthorID] => [AuthorName] => [SectionName] => Sports [SectionUrl] => sports [URL] => https://media.philstar.com/photos/2026/06/15/germany-vs-curacao-fifa-world-cup-2026-football_2026-06-15_10-24-22612_thumbnail.jpg ) [6] => Array ( [ArticleID] => 2535378 [Title] => World Cup history beckons for ageless Messi [Summary] =>

 Lionel Messi could have signed off from World Cup football on the ultimate high in 2022, but he is back and poised to become the first man to play in six tournaments.

[DatePublished] => 2026-06-15 09:43:00 [ColumnID] => 0 [Focus] => 1 [AuthorID] => [AuthorName] => [SectionName] => Sports [SectionUrl] => sports [URL] => https://media.philstar.com/photos/2026/06/15/lionel-messi-argentina_2026-06-15_09-43-19926_thumbnail.jpg ) [7] => Array ( [ArticleID] => 2535025 [Title] => World Cup fever in ‘Pinoy Fiesta’ [Summary] =>

FIFA World Cup fever hit Manila via the “Pinoy Football Fiesta” staged by the embassies of co-hosts Canada, Mexico and the United States at MOA Sky yesterday.

[DatePublished] => 2026-06-14 00:00:00 [ColumnID] => 0 [Focus] => 1 [AuthorID] => 1804775 [AuthorName] => Olmin Leyba [SectionName] => Sports [SectionUrl] => sports [URL] => https://media.philstar.com/photos/2026/06/13/5_2026-06-13_21-14-48632_thumbnail.jpg ) [8] => Array ( [ArticleID] => 2535024 [Title] => FIFA World Cup craze hits Philippines [Summary] =>

FIFA World Cup fever hit Manila via the “Pinoy Football Fiesta” staged by the embassies of co-hosts Canada, Mexico and the United States at MOA Sky on Saturday.

[DatePublished] => 2026-06-13 21:15:00 [ColumnID] => 0 [Focus] => 1 [AuthorID] => 1804775 [AuthorName] => Olmin Leyba [SectionName] => Sports [SectionUrl] => sports [URL] => https://media.philstar.com/photos/2026/06/13/untitled-design_2026-06-13_21-14-2781_thumbnail.jpg ) [9] => Array ( [ArticleID] => 2534952 [Title] => US beat Paraguay 4-1 in dream start for World Cup co-hosts [Summary] =>

The United States could scarcely have scripted a better start to their World Cup as a Folarin Balogun brace and Gio Reyna curler fired the co-hosts to a 4-1 drubbing of Paraguay in front of Hollywood royalty in Los Angeles on Friday (Saturday, Manila time.) 

[DatePublished] => 2026-06-13 13:03:00 [ColumnID] => 0 [Focus] => 1 [AuthorID] => [AuthorName] => [SectionName] => Sports [SectionUrl] => sports [URL] => https://media.philstar.com/photos/2026/06/13/untitled-design_2026-06-13_13-02-11997_thumbnail.jpg ) ) )
fifa
Array
(
    [results] => Array
        (
            [0] => Array
                (
                    [ArticleID] => 2535611
                    [Title] => Iran opens World Cup campaign with 2-2 New Zealand draw
                    [Summary] => 

Iran twice battled back for a 2-2 draw with New Zealand in their frenetic opening match of a World Cup campaign that has been utterly overshadowed by war, politics and protests.

[DatePublished] => 2026-06-16 11:14:00 [ColumnID] => 0 [Focus] => 1 [AuthorID] => [AuthorName] => [SectionName] => Sports [SectionUrl] => sports [URL] => https://media.philstar.com/photos/2026/06/16/iran-vs-new-zealand-fifa-world-cup-football-2026_2026-06-16_11-14-48517_thumbnail.jpg ) [1] => Array ( [ArticleID] => 2535606 [Title] => 'Competitive animal' Messi set for sixth World Cup [Summary] =>

The whole world is waiting to see Lionel Messi, said Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni, when the defending champion begin its World Cup campaign against Algeria on Tuesday (Wednesday Manila time).

[DatePublished] => 2026-06-16 10:20:00 [ColumnID] => 0 [Focus] => 1 [AuthorID] => [AuthorName] => [SectionName] => Sports [SectionUrl] => sports [URL] => https://media.philstar.com/photos/2026/06/16/lionel-messi_2026-06-16_10-20-43558_thumbnail.jpg ) [2] => Array ( [ArticleID] => 2535602 [Title] => Iran braces for tense World Cup opener; Spain stunned by Cape Verde [Summary] =>

ran was poised to make a tension-filled entrance at the World Cup, as European heavyweight Spain was held to a shock 0-0 draw by tiny tournament debutants Cape Verde.

[DatePublished] => 2026-06-16 09:58:00 [ColumnID] => 0 [Focus] => 1 [AuthorID] => [AuthorName] => [SectionName] => Sports [SectionUrl] => sports [URL] => https://media.philstar.com/photos/2025/12/06/untitled-design_2025-12-06_09-30-50327_thumbnail.jpg ) [3] => Array ( [ArticleID] => 2535393 [Title] => Sweden demolishes Tunisia 5-1 to seize control of World Cup group [Summary] =>

Sweden crushed Tunisia, 5-1, to leave the North African nation's defensive reputation in tatters and seize control of World Cup Group F.

[DatePublished] => 2026-06-15 12:37:00 [ColumnID] => 0 [Focus] => 1 [AuthorID] => [AuthorName] => [SectionName] => Sports [SectionUrl] => sports [URL] => https://media.philstar.com/photos/2026/06/15/sweden-vs-tunisia-fifa-world-cup-2026-football_2026-06-15_12-37-56753_thumbnail.jpg ) [4] => Array ( [ArticleID] => 2535382 [Title] => 'This is our culture': Japan fans clean up World Cup stadium [Summary] =>

 Japan fans left the stands spotless after their World Cup opener against the Netherlands in Texas, saying it was "Japanese culture" to tidy up after themselves.

[DatePublished] => 2026-06-15 10:46:00 [ColumnID] => 0 [Focus] => 1 [AuthorID] => [AuthorName] => [SectionName] => Sports [SectionUrl] => sports [URL] => https://media.philstar.com/photos/2026/06/15/japan-fans-fifa-world-cup_2026-06-15_10-47-03673_thumbnail.jpg ) [5] => Array ( [ArticleID] => 2535381 [Title] => World Cup: Germany crushes Curacao, Japan thwarts Dutch as Iran arrives [Summary] =>

Germany thrashed World Cup debutant Curacao, 7-1, while Japan fought back to grab a 2-2 draw with the Netherlands as Iran made its long-awaited arrival in the United States with a call for unity.

[DatePublished] => 2026-06-15 10:24:00 [ColumnID] => 0 [Focus] => 1 [AuthorID] => [AuthorName] => [SectionName] => Sports [SectionUrl] => sports [URL] => https://media.philstar.com/photos/2026/06/15/germany-vs-curacao-fifa-world-cup-2026-football_2026-06-15_10-24-22612_thumbnail.jpg ) [6] => Array ( [ArticleID] => 2535378 [Title] => World Cup history beckons for ageless Messi [Summary] =>

 Lionel Messi could have signed off from World Cup football on the ultimate high in 2022, but he is back and poised to become the first man to play in six tournaments.

[DatePublished] => 2026-06-15 09:43:00 [ColumnID] => 0 [Focus] => 1 [AuthorID] => [AuthorName] => [SectionName] => Sports [SectionUrl] => sports [URL] => https://media.philstar.com/photos/2026/06/15/lionel-messi-argentina_2026-06-15_09-43-19926_thumbnail.jpg ) [7] => Array ( [ArticleID] => 2535025 [Title] => World Cup fever in ‘Pinoy Fiesta’ [Summary] =>

FIFA World Cup fever hit Manila via the “Pinoy Football Fiesta” staged by the embassies of co-hosts Canada, Mexico and the United States at MOA Sky yesterday.

[DatePublished] => 2026-06-14 00:00:00 [ColumnID] => 0 [Focus] => 1 [AuthorID] => 1804775 [AuthorName] => Olmin Leyba [SectionName] => Sports [SectionUrl] => sports [URL] => https://media.philstar.com/photos/2026/06/13/5_2026-06-13_21-14-48632_thumbnail.jpg ) [8] => Array ( [ArticleID] => 2535024 [Title] => FIFA World Cup craze hits Philippines [Summary] =>

FIFA World Cup fever hit Manila via the “Pinoy Football Fiesta” staged by the embassies of co-hosts Canada, Mexico and the United States at MOA Sky on Saturday.

[DatePublished] => 2026-06-13 21:15:00 [ColumnID] => 0 [Focus] => 1 [AuthorID] => 1804775 [AuthorName] => Olmin Leyba [SectionName] => Sports [SectionUrl] => sports [URL] => https://media.philstar.com/photos/2026/06/13/untitled-design_2026-06-13_21-14-2781_thumbnail.jpg ) [9] => Array ( [ArticleID] => 2534952 [Title] => US beat Paraguay 4-1 in dream start for World Cup co-hosts [Summary] =>

The United States could scarcely have scripted a better start to their World Cup as a Folarin Balogun brace and Gio Reyna curler fired the co-hosts to a 4-1 drubbing of Paraguay in front of Hollywood royalty in Los Angeles on Friday (Saturday, Manila time.) 

[DatePublished] => 2026-06-13 13:03:00 [ColumnID] => 0 [Focus] => 1 [AuthorID] => [AuthorName] => [SectionName] => Sports [SectionUrl] => sports [URL] => https://media.philstar.com/photos/2026/06/13/untitled-design_2026-06-13_13-02-11997_thumbnail.jpg ) ) )
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