The Guardian · US news⚽ News and previews before the final last-16 match-ups
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Let’s talk about everyone’s favourite subject: England!
What a game that was against Mexico, by the way. I feel asleep about 1am (BST), woke up with England winning 2-1, just before Quansah got sent off and all hell broke loose. England’s defending in the final 20 minutes or so was an absolute work of art (thank you Dan Burn), even if Mexico’s attacking play lacked a certain amount of imagination. A magnificent performance by the players, not to mention Thomas Tuchel, who I feared had gone too early with the: ‘Play a back five, and just hack the ball anywhere’ strategy.
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Luke McLaughlin · Tue, Jul 7, 2026, 1:18 AM
The Guardian · US newsRed Devils beat USA to advance to World Cup last-eight
Team had been angered by suspension of red card
For Belgium, Monday’s 4-1 victory over the United States was doubly sweet. They advanced to the World Cup quarter-finals, as well as overcoming what they saw as injustice off the field.
The buildup to the match had been tinged with controversy after Fifa had suspended the red card US striker Folarin Balogun was given in the last 32 against Bosnia and Herzegovina. That meant Balogun was free to play against Belgium instead of serving a one-match ban. When it emerged that Donald Trump had lobbied for Balogun’s red card to be overturned, Belgium – and other nations – were outraged: Uefa called the decision “incomprehensible and unjustifiable”.
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Tom Lutz · Mon, Jul 6, 2026, 8:10 PM
The Guardian · US newsThe tournament co-hosts crashed out with a disappointing display as Belgium proved too strong an opponent
Through four games, Belgium have retained 57% of possession with a 65% field tilt – a possession metric weighing only final-third touches – but haven’t found a way to maximize that advantage.
While possession can be a noisy statistic, viewing it in stylistic terms can be informative. So far at this World Cup, Belgium have won the possession battle in all four of their games, with Senegal playing them closest in a 52-48 split. The United States have maintained a 58% share of the ball in their four games, neck-and-neck with Garcia’s Belgium. If Mauricio Pochettino’s side can keep the ball off Belgian feet more often than not, it could unsettle the Red Devils.
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Beau Dure · Mon, Jul 6, 2026, 7:37 PM
The Guardian · US newsThis live blog is now closed.
Woman accuses Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner of sexual assault
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Cruz just thanked Donald Trump for “getting rid of that ridiculous red card” – apparently in reference to Folarin Balogun. The US striker received a straight red card from referee Raphael Claus after a video review, but Fifa have now lifted Bolagun’s one-match ban, making him now available to play for the USA in their knockout match against Belgium on Monday.
As my colleagues covering the World Cup note, despite the move being considered excessively harsh, Fifa’s disciplinary code does not permit appeals against straight red cards, with officials from the world governing body and US Soccer confirming after the game that the sanction could not be challenged.
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Coral Murphy Marcos, Shrai Popat, Lucy Campbell and Tom Ambrose · Mon, Jul 6, 2026, 7:11 PM
The Guardian · US newsThe United States’ quest to get Folarin Balogun’s red card overturned may have opened a Pandora’s box – one specifically designed to contain the national team’s worst nightmares.
With a country on the verge of falling in love with this team, and tens of millions eager for a reason to embrace the glory and pride this sport can provide, there were instead questions of fairness and propriety. A star striker, who made an honest, unintentional mistake – and said and did all the right things – became a talking point. And a day later, on an otherwise beautiful Monday evening in the Pacific north-west, the United States’ World Cup dream ended with a thud.
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Alexander Abnos at Seattle Stadium · Mon, Jul 6, 2026, 6:59 PM
The Guardian · US newsStaff decline to give updates on senator’s health and whether he will be at Capitol when Senate returns
Staff for Mitch McConnell said last week that the Kentucky senator was “continuing his recovery” in a hospital while the Senate is out of session. But his office has released no details about the former Republican leader’s condition during his weeks-long hospitalization or whether he will be at the Capitol when the Senate returns next week.
McConnell was admitted to the hospital on 14 June, according to a statement from his office that only said he was “receiving excellent care”. A statement a week later said that he would not be voting that week. And on Thursday, a new statement said that he “continues to improve” and ”appreciates the outpouring of support he’s receiving while he continues his recovery in the hospital”.
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Associated Press in Washington · Mon, Jul 6, 2026, 6:09 PM
The Guardian · US newsSeveral top Democratic figures call on beleaguered Maine Senate candidate, who denies accusation, to step down
Calls for Graham Platner, the Democratic candidate for US Senate in Maine, to withdraw his candidacy intensified Monday after a woman accused him of sexual assault in an exclusive report by Politico.
While Platner denied the claims, many top Democratic figures quickly called on the beleaguered nominee to step down.
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Shrai Popat , Rachel Leingang and Lucy Campbell · Mon, Jul 6, 2026, 5:12 PM
The Guardian · US newsWe try to teach our children to follow the rules. Now an American president has chosen the opposite tack
I’m rooting for the US as we take on Belgium today in Seattle for a place in the World Cup quarterfinals.
But the game isn’t what it was – before Trump asked the Fifa president, Gianni Infantino, to review the suspension of the US’s top scorer, striker Folarin Balogun, who got a red card in a match against Bosnia and Herzegovina and would otherwise have been suspended from Monday’s match.
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Robert Reich · Mon, Jul 6, 2026, 12:57 PM
The Guardian · US newsAndrea Shaw and husband appeared on RFK Jr-linked podcast after deaths in May last year of 18-month-olds
An Idaho mother who said her 18-month-old twins died last year after receiving three vaccines has been charged with murder in their deaths, officials said last week.
Andrea Shaw, 23, was indicted on two counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of her toddlers, Tyson and Dallas, who were found dead in a shared bed on 1 May last year.
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Lucy Campbell · Mon, Jul 6, 2026, 12:35 PM
The Guardian · US newsAt least 43 killed and many wounded, including woman and child hurt at World Cup gathering in Los Angeles
A weekend of celebrations as the US marked its semiquincentennial was marred by outbreaks of gun violence that claimed dozens of lives and left multiple other people wounded.
Those hurt included a woman and a child among four shot during a gathering of Mexico soccer supporters in Los Angeles following their team’s World Cup elimination on Sunday night.
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Richard Luscombe · Mon, Jul 6, 2026, 10:55 AM
The Guardian · US newsYears of unremitting disasters have convinced me not to go to sleep with hope in your heart. But that footballing victory took me back to more innocent times
When I went to bed on Sunday, football commentators were killing time waiting for the England match by talking about Donald Trump, Fifa president Gianni Infantino and Folarin Balogun’s red card, waived for the US because of reasons. None of the available words – “unacceptable”, “cheaty”, “absolutely stinks” – covered it. There’s no chance of Trump’s US playing nicely in an international tournament, especially when it’s hosting most of it. Does the US just get the trophy, whatever happens? Do they fashion two trophies, one for the winner and one for most winning host?
It was all a big deal for geopolitics, but for the more immediate matter of how to take seriously a competition in which there were no longer rules, it wasn’t the end of the world. Whatever happened, it definitely wouldn’t end in a showdown between the US and the UK, fixed in advance by a president determined to celebrate 250 years in style. Because, by tomorrow, I thought, England would be out. If we’ve learned anything from the past decade, it’s not to go to sleep waiting for news. Whatever the dawn breaks over will be bad.
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Zoe Williams · Mon, Jul 6, 2026, 8:54 AM
The Guardian · US newsSeaplane carrying eight people made ‘hard landing’ and was towed back to dock, according to the fire department
A seaplane made a rough landing in New York City’s East River on Sunday, alarming bystanders and resulting in two minor injuries, according to city authorities.
The seaplane carrying eight people made a “hard landing” at about noon, according to the New York City fire department. The plane made it upright and was towed back to dock, the department said.
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Associated Press and Guardian staff · Mon, Jul 6, 2026, 8:10 AM
