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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Arsenal fell agonisingly short, was there anything they could have done differently or did they just come up against a generational team in PSG?

What if anything could Mikel Arteta have changed, or was focusing on defensive organisation always going to be their best route to success? 

Who do Arsenal need to sign to get better?

In the second half Slot out and potentially Iraola in at Liverpool. Why was Slot sacked and is Iraola what Liverpool need? If the spaniard does come in will there be signings and if so who will be sanctioning the signings...Richard Hughes or the new manager? 

 Tom Clarke is joined by Gregor Robertson, Tony Cascarino and Alyson Rudd

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This is a one off special from our colleagues in Scotland who join former player and national team manager Craig Levein. 

They look at what reaching a World Cup means to Scotland, and how the team might fare.

Scotland correspondent Michael Grant is joined by Mark Palmer and former Scotland international Craig Levein

In the run up to World Cup 2026 we will be releasing a series of specials.

Join us next week for our regular shows plus a special England preview with Jonny Northcroft, Martin Samuel and Hamzah Khalique-Loonat

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Arsenal have a chance to do the double on Saturday evening, but they have to face a PSG team which many believe are the best of their generation.

Can they beat them and if so how? There are intriguing one v one battles all over the pitch, from Rice v Vitinha to Saka v Mendes and who plays right back against Kvaratskhelia? what will be the keys to Arsenal lifting the Champions League for the rest time?

Before the big preview Gregor Robertson, Tom Clarke and Tony Cascarino look back at a huge win for Oliver Glasner and Crystal Palace, why Adam Wharton didn't make the England squad and Anthony Gordon moving to Barcelona.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.