World Cup Daily—Day 37: The End Is in Sight

This weekend brings the conclusion to a dramatic World Cup tournament.

⚽ World Cup Daily: Day 37 Preparations for the World Cup final are underway. | Pablo Garcia/Soccrates/Getty Images We’re at the business end of the 2026 World Cup. Today is the final rest day before the action reignites this weekend, starting with the third-place fixture between France and England on Saturday. England has spent the past 24 hours reflecting on the crushing defeat to Argentina, with questions raised over the futures of both striker Harry Kane and manager Thomas Tuchel in the process. It’s the game nobody really wants to play in, although Kylian Mbappé might argue otherwise. He’s now behind Lionel Messi in the Golden Boot race and may sense the chance to add to his tally against a rotated, unmotivated English outfit. As we all know, Sunday brings with it the World Cup final between Spain and Argentina.  For Argentina, the next two days could be particularly nervous as FIFA begins an investigation into a politically charged banner held up in the celebrations of the win over England. We’ve seen players banned for this sort of thing before—could history repeat itself in the worst way for La Albiceleste? WORLD CUP NEWS    Recommended by  VISIT OUR WORLD CUP FAN ZONE  France and England meet on Saturday. | FIFA/Getty Images UPCOMING MATCHES France vs. England (Sat, 18 July) - Miami, 5 p.m. ET - Fox Spain vs. Argentina (Sun, 19 July) - New Jersey, 3 p.m. ET - Fox SEE FULL SCHEDULE AND STANDINGS  ⚽ Biggest World Cup Stories Erick W. Rasco/Sports Illustrated The Best Performance of the 2026 World Cup Semifinals READ MORE Ulrik Pedersen/NurPhoto/Getty Images The Curious Case of Mainoo at the World Cup READ MORE Sebastian Frej/Getty Images Argentina’s Falklands Banner: The Likely Punishments As FIFA Prepare Investigation READ MORE John Dorton/USSF/Getty Images, Ulrik Pedersen/NurPhoto/Getty Images, Rico Brouwer/Soccrates/Getty Images 11 Players Who Play Better for Their Country Than Club READ MORE ⚽ Away from the World Cup  Daniel Kopatsch/Getty Images ‘His Wish’—Conflicting Olise Reports Fuel Massive Transfer Saga READ MORE JASPER JACOBS /BELGA MAG/ Belga/AFP//Getty Images (Tzolis), Stuart Macfarlane/Arsenal/Getty Images (Arsenal badge) What Arsenal Will Get by Signing Club Brugge Star Tzolis READ MORE Get the print edition of Sports Illustrated delivered to your door. Click to subscribe! 📽 World Cup Today: SI FC Show Join the SI FC crew in New York City as they discuss the biggest World Cup talking points.  ⚽ The Great 48 The 2026 World Cup will be bigger than ever, thanks to an expanded field that will bring 48 teams (split into a dozen groups of four) to the festivities. With the help of an artist connected to each nation who was asked to capture the spirit of the game in their homeland, we’ve got what you need to know about all of the competitors. CHECK OUT ALL 48 WORLD CUP COVERS Join SI The Post-Up A weekly spotlight on the biggest stories and in-depth reporting of women’s basketball—from compelling athlete features to sharp commentary on the latest news and scores. CLICK TO SUBSCRIBE 💬 Chat with us ... Join the conversation. Share your thoughts, story ideas and feedback with us at newsletters@si.com We may receive compensation for some links to products and services included in this email. Sports Publishing Solutions Inc. 625 Broadway, 10th floor New York, NY. 10012 You are receiving this email because you are subscribed to the SI FC newsletter. You can unsubscribe here . Privacy Policy – Terms & Conditions © 2026 Sports Publishing Solutions Inc. All rights reserved. SPORTS ILLUSTRATED IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF ABG-SI LLC. All betting and gambling content included in the SI FC newsletter is intended for individuals 21+ (18+ in DC, KY, NH, RI, and WY). Betting and gambling content, including picks and predictions, are based on individual commentators' opinions and we do not guarantee any success or profits. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER or texting 800GAM. Click this link to view the newsletter in your browser.