Half a century on from Pele's infamous prophecy that an African nation would win the World Cup before the year 2000, could the continent finally deliver its first World Cup in 2026? In a special bonus episode from the More than the Score podcast, the BBC’s Lee James is joined by former Democratic Republic of Congo captain Gabriel Zakuani and former Sierra Leone captain Steven Caulker to discuss the hopes of the ten African sides competing in the tournament. They discuss the impact Morocco reaching the semi-finals in 2022 has had, the strength of Senegal and give their thoughts on when an African nation could win a World Cup.Senegal’s Iliman Ndiaye tells the podcast they’re going to the tournament with the aim of winning it and they never fear anyone. Former Nigeria captain Sunday Oliseh tells us it’s possible an African team could go one better than Morocco did in 2022 and that he wants to see an African team win the tournament in his lifetime. Plus, we also hear from Ghanian legend Micheal Essien. More than the Score brings you more than the men’s football World Cup - the new teams, standout stars, trends and fandoms shaping the tournament in ways the stats don’t show. With 48 teams competing across Mexico, the US and Canada, BBC World Service promises to take you deeper - from the group stages to the final. Search for More than the Score wherever you get your BBC podcasts.

The two remaining hosts of the men's football World Cup, Canada and the US, have joined Mexico in holding their opening ceremonies. They also played their first matches. Canada drew 1-1 with Bosnia-Herzegovina, and the US beat Paraguay 4-1. Also in this podcast: Elon Musk becomes the world's first trillionaire. Iran's foreign minister says his country and the US have never been closer to an agreement to pause fighting for a further 60 days and reopen the Strait of Hormuz. And the Chinese government has accused foreign spies of attaching sensors to turtles. The Global News Podcast brings you the breaking news you need to hear, as it happens. Listen for the latest headlines and current affairs from around the world. Politics, economics, climate, business, technology, health – we cover it all with expert analysis and insight. Get the news that matters, delivered twice a day on weekdays and daily at weekends, plus special bonus episodes reacting to urgent breaking stories. Follow or subscribe now and never miss a moment. Get in touch: globalpodcast@bbc.co.ukPhoto: Fans at the FIFA World Cup 2026 Fan Festival at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Credit: Reuters/Arafat Barbakh

We look back on the life of David Hockney - one of the world's most influential modern artists and one of the best-known British contributors to Pop Art. Unlike artists such as Andy Warhol or Roy Lichtenstein, David Hockney's art often focused more on personal experiences, portraits, landscapes and intimate scenes.Also: SpaceX is making its stock market debut in New York, setting Elon Musk on course to be the world's first trillionaire. Iran says major parts of an agreement to end the war with the US have almost been finalised after President Trump claimed a deal was ready to be signed. The UN's top official on HIV and AIDS says massive international aid cuts have left the world's response to the disease "in peril". The number of Palestinians forced from their homes in Occupied East Jerusalem is on the rise. And the American singer Taylor Swift has become the youngest woman ever to be inducted into the prestigious Songwriters Hall of Fame.The Global News Podcast brings you the breaking news you need to hear, as it happens. Listen for the latest headlines and current affairs from around the world. Politics, economics, climate, business, technology, health – we cover it all with expert analysis and insight. Get the news that matters, delivered twice a day on weekdays and daily at weekends, plus special bonus episodes reacting to urgent breaking stories. Follow or subscribe now and never miss a moment. Get in touch: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk Photo: David Hockney, in front of his own paintings at the Royal Academy's Summer Exhibition in Piccadilly, London in 2004. Credit: Fiona Hanson/PA Wire

After months of waiting the World Cup is finally underway with the first match held in Mexico where the co-hosts played South Africa following an opening ceremony that featured a performance from Shakira. The United States and Canada will also be home to football's biggest competition which the organisers hope will be a focus for sport rather than politics and controversy. Also, President Trump cancels an attack on Iran and claims that a deal to end the war is not only imminent but has the backing of the Islamic Republic's Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei. But Tehran said this was all "speculation". One year on from the Air India crash in Ahmedabad our correspondent reports on the discovery that some human remains were wrongly identified. Thailand's Princess Bajrakitiyabha dies more than three years after she fell into a coma, Brussels will ban public e-scooters and the kill switch on iPhones which could deter thieves in London from stealing them.The Global News Podcast brings you the breaking news you need to hear, as it happens. Listen for the latest headlines and current affairs from around the world. Politics, economics, climate, business, technology, health – we cover it all with expert analysis and insight. Get the news that matters, delivered twice a day on weekdays and daily at weekends, plus special bonus episodes reacting to urgent breaking stories. Follow or subscribe now and never miss a moment. Get in touch: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk Photo: Mexico fans Caramelo and Caramelo Junior are seen inside the stadium before the match. Credit: REUTERS/Hannah Mckay

Britain's defence secretary, John Healey, has resigned, accusing Prime Minister Keir Starmer of failing to commit the resources needed to protect the nation from rising threats. Mr Healey said a long-delayed investment plan fell well short of what was required to bring defence spending to 3% of GDP by 2030 - a NATO target. He highlighted Mr Starmer's recent warning that Russia could attack the alliance as soon as that year.Also: Iran says its ceasefire with the US is now practically meaningless after a second night of airstrikes. Pope Leo is visiting the Canary Islands and meeting migrants who survived the Atlantic crossing to reach Spanish territory. With the World Cup about to kick off in Mexico City, we get a look behind the scenes at the Azteca Stadium. Australia begins a huge inquiry into unsolved murders and disappearances. New research reveals that people have a natural tendency to veer to the left when walking. And we hear about one woman’s mission to spot every butterfly species in Denmark - and what she discovered along the way.The Global News Podcast brings you the breaking news you need to hear, as it happens. Listen for the latest headlines and current affairs from around the world. Politics, economics, climate, business, technology, health – we cover it all with expert analysis and insight. Get the news that matters, delivered twice a day on weekdays and daily at weekends, plus special bonus episodes reacting to urgent breaking stories. Follow or subscribe now and never miss a moment.Get in touch: globalpodcast@bbc.co.ukPhoto: John Healey, who has resigned as Britain's defence secretary, delivering a speech at an event in MayCredit: PA

The United States says it's now completed the latest wave of airstrikes on Iran early Thursday morning local time. Iran says it responded with attacks of its own. Earlier on Wednesday, President Trump promised to keep up military pressure on Tehran because Iranian leaders were taking “too long to negotiate”. Also, on the eve of the men's football World Cup kicking off in Mexico the boss of FIFA, Gianni Infantino, has defended the handling of the event amid mounting criticism. Billionaire Microsoft founder, Bill Gates, has faced a US congressional committee keen to learn more about his relationship with the dead sex offender, Jeffery Epstein. In Northern Ireland, crowds gathered for a second night of anti-immigration unrest in parts of Belfast, following a stabbing in the city. And Nigeria is preparing to repatriate its citizens from South Africa following weeks of protests and attacks on illegal migrants across the country. The Global News Podcast brings you the breaking news you need to hear, as it happens. Listen for the latest headlines and current affairs from around the world. Politics, economics, climate, business, technology, health – we cover it all with expert analysis and insight. Get the news that matters, delivered twice a day on weekdays and daily at weekends, plus special bonus episodes reacting to urgent breaking stories. Follow or subscribe now and never miss a moment. Get in touch: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk Photo: USS Michael Murphy (DDG 112) launches Tomahawk cruise missiles against multiple targets in Iran. Credit: U.S. Central Command

Rebels fighting the military government in Myanmar have told the BBC they're losing ground because of a shortage of manpower and equipment. Also: after exchanging attacks overnight, the US and Iran accuse each other of damaging negotiations; Afghanistan says Pakistan killed 13 civilians in cross-border air strikes; police in South Africa launch a manhunt after 12 people are shot dead; and how you can tell if your dog favours using one paw over another.The Global News Podcast brings you the breaking news you need to hear, as it happens. Listen for the latest headlines and current affairs from around the world. Politics, economics, climate, business, technology, health – we cover it all with expert analysis and insight. Get the news that matters, delivered twice a day on weekdays and daily at weekends, plus special bonus episodes reacting to urgent breaking stories. Follow or subscribe now and never miss a moment. Get in touch: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk Photo: Myanmar rebels in a pickup truck Credit: BBC/Darren Conway

The US has said that it's completed a series of strikes against Iran which targeted air defence systems, ground control stations and radar sites following the downing of an American helicopter. The Iranian Revolutionary Guards said they hit back with strikes on US bases in Bahrain, Jordan and Kuwait. Also, France has said that it will ban Israel's finance minister, Bezalel Smotrich, from entering the country because the far right politician has been actively promoting the annexation of Palestinian territories. Anti-immigration violence breaks out in Northern Ireland after a man from Sudan has been charged with attempted murder. Barcelona celebrates the life of the Sagrada Família architect, Antoni Gaudi, with events which include a mass and ceremonial blessing by Pope Leo. And scientists in Finland have discovered that bumblebees have impressive problem solving skills.The Global News Podcast brings you the breaking news you need to hear, as it happens. Listen for the latest headlines and current affairs from around the world. Politics, economics, climate, business, technology, health – we cover it all with expert analysis and insight. Get the news that matters, delivered twice a day on weekdays and daily at weekends, plus special bonus episodes reacting to urgent breaking stories. Follow or subscribe now and never miss a moment. Get in touch: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk Photo: Iranian missiles displayed at the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps(IRGC) Aerospace Force Museum in Tehran, Iran. Credit: Reuters

The Israeli military has carried out strikes on the southern Lebanese city of Tyre, a day after Iran called for attacks on Lebanon to stop. Thousands of people have fled the city. Also: medical sources say Taliban forces in western Afghanistan have killed two people demonstrating against the detention of women who'd ignored religious dress codes; Honduras approves a series of reforms to tackle the high rate of femicide in the country; rescuers in the Philippines are working to reach isolated areas after an earthquake struck Mindanao; a BBC investigation reveals hundreds of Iraqi migrants were kidnapped and threatened with forced organ removal in Libya; and Japanese wildlife officials have caught a bear that had been roaming a city, causing widespread school closures.The Global News Podcast brings you the breaking news you need to hear, as it happens. Listen for the latest headlines and current affairs from around the world. Politics, economics, climate, business, technology, health – we cover it all with expert analysis and insight. Get the news that matters, delivered twice a day on weekdays and daily at weekends, plus special bonus episodes reacting to urgent breaking stories. Follow or subscribe now and never miss a moment. Get in touch: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk Photo: Smoke billows following an Israeli strike in Tyre, Lebanon Credit: Reuters

Donald Trump has told the BBC that Benjamin Netanyahu did not defy his orders to stop attacking Iran; the Israeli missiles were already on their way to Iran when he spoke to the Israeli Prime Minister. Israel and Iran have agreed to halt strikes on each other, but Israeli attacks on southern Lebanon continued on Monday. Open AI, which makes ChatGPT, plans to sell shares through a stock listing in the US. Sudanese children return to school, despite four years of civil war. The Somalian football referee, Omar Artan is denied entry to the US for the World Cup, despite having valid paperwork. We hear from a Rwandan woman who's dedicated her life to giving a voice to women survivors of abuse. And we find out why record numbers of octopuses are appearing in the UK.The Global News Podcast brings you the breaking news you need to hear, as it happens. Listen for the latest headlines and current affairs from around the world. Politics, economics, climate, business, technology, health – we cover it all with expert analysis and insight. Get the news that matters, delivered twice a day on weekdays and daily at weekends, plus special bonus episodes reacting to urgent breaking stories. Follow or subscribe now and never miss a moment. Get in touch: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk Photo: U.S. President Trump meets Israeli PM Netanyahu at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club, in Palm Beach. Credit: Reuters