What Japan’s blueprint to win the World Cup by 2050 tells us about football’s future

June 25, 2026 · The Independent

Merlín the duck takes a trip to the stadium, but FIFA rules keep him out of Mexico match
A viral sensation from this World Cup, Merlín the duck was at Mexico City's stadium before the national team's match aga
‘Gigflation’ costing concert-goers with 212% price surge since 2000, says bank
More than half of people said they enjoy the bands their parents saw when they were younger, Santander UK said.
Four out of five Australian children still using social media despite ban, study finds amid fears over UK crackdown
Early evidence from Australia suggests 80 per cent of young people are still accessing social media despite the country’
What Bosnia’s confident Qatar win means for their hopes of reaching World Cup last 32
What Bosnia’s confident Qatar win means for their hopes of reaching World Cup last 32
Can Scotland still qualify for the knockout rounds and who will they play?
Steve Clarke’s men finished third in Group C with three points and face an agonising wait to determine if they’ll make i