⚽️ Latest news and discussion as tournament continues
⚽️ USA 4-1 Paraguay | Scotland become faithfuls or traitors
⚽️ Player guide | Bracketology | Wallchart | Mail Rob

Looking for some extra reading? Jacob Steinberg and David Hytner have delved into the making of Declan Rice, England’s midfield powerhouse, whose performances could feasibly be the difference between success and failure at this tournament.

An optimistic prediction for Scotland here. While Haiti thrashing New Zealand 4-0 raised a few worried eyebrows, it should be noted that they lost 2-1 to Peru three days later. It’s always hard to judge a team by their warm-up matches given the wholesale changes, and Haiti do have some danger men like Duckens Nazon and Sunderland’s Wilson Isidor, but Steve Clarke’s side are still favourites.

All the latest Premier League, La Liga, Bundesliga, Ligue 1 and Serie A deals and a club-by-club guide

• ‘We cannot look forward with hope,’ says FFIRI president

• England Lions match in Abu Dhabi cancelled due to war

The president of Iran’s football federation says he does not know if the national team can play World Cup matches in the US after the US and Israeli bombardment of the country.

“What is certain is that after this attack, we cannot be expected to look forward to the World Cup with hope,” Mehdi Taj said to the sports portal Varzesh3 as Iran traded strikes with Israel as part of a widening war prompted by the bombardment.

⚽ Scottish Premiership news from the 12pm GMT kick-off
⚽ Live scores | Tables | Follow us on Bluesky | Email Will

We’re under way at Ibrox amid a deafening roar, Rangers getting us started.

The teams are in the tunnel. We’re about to get up and running.

All the latest Premier League, La Liga, Bundesliga, Ligue 1 and Serie A deals and a club-by-club guide

• Women’s transfer interactive – all the January deals

⚽ Updates from the 5.30pm Premier League kick-off
⚽ Scores | Table | Follow us on Bluesky | Mail Will here

The teams are in the tunnel at Stamford Bridge. The Liquidator is blasting out over the sound system. It’s almost time. Everyone ready?

Here are the match reports from the 3pm kick-offs, in no particular order:

Not long ago the Norwegian giants were relegated and almost bankrupt – now a first title in 34 years is in reach

There were moments last weekend when Viking’s latest must-win game at Fredrikstad seemed to turn on a coin toss. The chances came thick and fast; both goalkeepers were forced into acrobatic saves; on the stroke of half-time, the Fredrikstad forward Henrik Skogvold unleashed a shot that cracked the underside of the bar and seemed to defy the laws of physics by spinning away.

Viking knew anything other than a win would allow Bodø/Glimt, Norwegian champions in four of the past five seasons, to dethrone them at the top. In the 71st minute, as the massed ranks of away fans in dark blue held their breath, the odds finally went in their favour: Zlatko Tripic, the captain, arced an inch-perfect cross to the back post, where Henrik Falchener, Viking’s towering centre-back, nodded in to set off an explosion of noise and send thousands of fists into the air in unison.