The Egyptian Football Association has approved a contract extension for head coach Hossam Hassan through 2030 following an impressive World Cup performance. Hassan, who took over the national team in February 2024, had been without a contract since February 2026.

Despite this, Hassan led Egypt to their first victory in the final World Cup tournament, defeating New Zealand 3-1 in Group G's group stage and advancing to the first knockout round. The team was eliminated in the Round of 16 after a 2-3 loss to defending champions Argentina.

Based on this recent performance, the Egyptian Football Association announced the contract extension with the 59-year-old head coach. Hani Abu Rida, president of the Egyptian Football Association, announced that the association's board approved the contract extension for Egypt's head coach Hossam Hassan and team director Ibrahim Hassan. Local media reports indicate that the new contract will remain in effect through 2030.

Norway captain Martin Ødegaard declared his team ready to face England in the 2026 World Cup semifinal on July 11, with the squad drawing confidence from their stunning victory over Brazil in the round of 16, where they defeated the five-time world champion 2-1 to reach the semifinal for the first time in Norwegian football history.

Acknowledging England's strength, Ødegaard said: "We certainly know their quality. I know them well. They have world-class players playing for one of the best national teams in the world right now. So it will be a big test for us. But I think it was the same when we faced Brazil. We were the underdogs then, and it turned out the way you saw. Anything can happen in football. So we'll try our best and see what we can do."

The Thai Meteorological Department warns of heavy rainfall across Thailand in the next 24 hours, affecting the Northern, Northeastern, and Eastern regions due to a low-pressure system covering northern Vietnam and the southwest monsoon blanketing the Andaman Sea and Gulf of Thailand. The public should prepare for sudden flash floods and flash flooding, especially in foothill areas and low-lying terrain near waterways. The northern Andaman Sea is expected to see waves around 2 meters high, with lower Andaman and upper Gulf of Thailand seeing 1-2 meter waves, and higher waves exceeding 2 meters in thunderstorm areas. Fishermen are urged to navigate carefully and avoid thunderstorm zones. Separately, Typhoon Bavi is expected to pass through Taiwan and make landfall on China's east coast around July 11-12, 2027, with no impact on Thailand. Regional weather forecasts include heavy thunderstorms at 60% coverage in the North, 40% in the Northeast, 20% in the Central Region, 30% in the East, and 30-40% in the South, with temperatures ranging from 23-38°C and southwest winds at 10-35 km/h depending on location.

Canadian pop star Justin Bieber has confirmed his participation as one of the headline performers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup final halftime show at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on July 19. Several major artists have been linked to the performance, including Madonna, Shakira, BTS, and Coldplay, with Bieber now officially joining the lineup. In a statement, Bieber expressed his enthusiasm: "I'm thrilled to be part of this halftime performance, and I'm even more grateful knowing it will help expand educational opportunities for children around the world." The show will support the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, an initiative dedicated to providing educational and soccer opportunities for children globally, with $1 from each ticket sold being donated to the fund. The 11-minute performance will be directed by Chris Martin of Coldplay and marks a historic first—the inaugural halftime show for a FIFA World Cup final.

Bruno Guimaraes has formally requested a transfer from Newcastle United as Arsenal reportedly considers signing the midfielder. According to BBC News, the Brazilian midfielder for Newcastle United in the English Premier League has submitted his transfer request amid reports that rival club Arsenal is interested in acquiring him.

Arsenal had previously been linked with either Guimaraes or Sandro Tonali from Newcastle, but Tonali has already completed a move to Tottenham Hotspur. This suggests Arsenal may now focus entirely on Guimaraes. Arsenal appears to have held preliminary discussions with Guimaraes' representatives, and his minimum transfer fee is estimated at around £60 million. However, a key consideration for Arsenal is Guimaraes' age—he is already 28 years old.

Newcastle is reluctant to sell Guimaraes following the departures of standout players Sandro Tonali and Anthony Gordon. However, Guimaraes has his own ambitions for his future beyond his current club, leading him to request a transfer.

Manchester United has struck a deal with Premier League rivals Chelsea to acquire Brazilian midfielder André Santos for 50 million pounds, BBC News reported. The agreement sees United pay 48 million pounds upfront with another 2 million in add-ons, while Chelsea will also receive a 10% sell-on fee if Santos is transferred in the future.

United is actively strengthening its midfield after Casemiro left the club and Manuel Ugarte suffered a long-term injury. Midfielder Kobbie Mainoo remains unavailable as he completes his involvement in 2026 World Cup qualifiers.

Santos, 22, joined Chelsea from Vasco da Gama in Brazil's Serie A in 2023 but spent much of his time on loan at other clubs. He only received regular playing time with Chelsea in the most recent season, making 43 appearances across all competitions and scoring 3 goals. Although Santos was included in Brazil's preliminary 55-man squad for the 2026 World Cup, he ultimately did not make the final 26-person roster.