World Cup updates: Team USA looks forward to 2026
The Americans lost 3-1 to the Netherlands in the knockout round.
After years of controversy around its location, the 2022 World Cup is underway in Qatar.
There have been allegations of payoffs to FIFA members to earn the bid, criticism of Qatar's laws against women and LGBTQ individuals, the deaths of migrants used to build the sparkling new stadiums and even last-second controversy over beer sales. The tournament was also moved from its usual summer timeframe to the holiday season to avoid Qatar's intensely hot weather.
But on the field, the best players in the world -- such as Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar -- are ready to go. And the U.S. is back with a hungry, young team after failing to qualify for the last World Cup.
Key headlines:
Croatia and Morocco draw 0-0
Croatia and Morocco failed to score in their match, which ended up being the third 0-0 draw in the 2022 World Cup so far.
The other two teams in the group, Canada and Belgium, will face off later today at Ahmad bin Ali Stadium -- popularly known as the Al-Rayyan Stadium -- in Al Rayyan, Qatar. It will be Canada's first World Cup match in 36 years and only their second ever appearance at the tournament.
Morocco and Croatia battle to 0-0 draw at halftime
Croatia controlled possession of the ball 51% of the time to Morocco's 36% in the first half of the Group F match at Al-Bayt Stadium in Al Khor, Qatar.
Croatia had two corner kick opportunities but were unable to capitalize on those opportunities to score while Morocco had one less foul in the first half than the European side.
Match between 2018 World Cup runners-up and Morocco kicks off
Croatia, runners-up to France in the 2018 World Cup, have taken the field against the second-best team in Africa, Morocco, in Group F's first match of the tournament.
Morocco have not won a World Cup match since 1998 and have only ever emerged from the qualifying rounds in the tournament once, 36 years ago in 1986.
Soccer powers take the stage on Wednesday
Germany, Spain and Belgium take to the field on Wednesday as they each look to open the tournament with a win -- and deliver a message that they are in World Cup-winning form. Germany and Spain won the World Cup in 2014 and 2010, respectively, while Belgium is No. 2 in the FIFA world rankings.
Our neighbors to the north, Canada, also get their World Cup underway. This is just the second time Canada has appeared in the World Cup and certainly want to do better than that appearance in 1986 when they went 0-3 in the group stage.
Here's the schedule for Wednesday:
Croatia beats Canada 4-1
Croatia handily beat Canada four goals to one. Croatia's goals were scored by Marko Livaja, Lovro Majer and Andrej Kramaric, who scored twice.
Canada's Alphonso Davies scored their sole point, the country's first in a men's FIFA World Cup, within the first three minutes of the match.
Croatia is now the top team in Group F, while Canada will not advance.