Thursday Results & Upcoming Mar 26-27, 2026
| COMPETITION | RESULT | NOTE |
|---|---|---|
| WC Repechage | Bolivia 2-1 Surinam | Paniagua 71′, Terceros 79’pen |
| Friendly | Brazil 1-2 France | Mbappe 32′, Ekitike 65′ |
| Friendly | Colombia 1-2 Croatia | Arias 3′; Matanovic winner |
| Miami Open ATP QF | Sinner d. Tiafoe 6-2 6-2 | 71 mins — into SF |
| Miami Open ATP QF | Zverev d. Cerundolo | Dominant — SF vs Sinner |
| Miami Open WTA SF | Gauff d. Muchova (straights) | First Miami final |
| Miami Open SF (Fri) | Lehecka vs Fils | Sinner vs Zverev |
| WC Repechage Final | Bolivia vs Iraq (Tue 31) | Monterrey — for Group I |
01
Bolivia Storm Back to Beat Surinam 2-1 and Reach World Cup Repechage Final
Football
Seven minutes that may have changed Bolivian football history. Trailing 1-0 to Surinam at the Estadio BBVA in Monterrey after Liam van Gelderen bundled home from close range on 48 minutes, Bolivia’s World Cup dream appeared to be slipping away against a well-drilled Dutch-heritage side that had smothered La Verde for most of the match. Then Oscar Villegas rolled the dice from the bench — and everything changed.
Substitute Moises Paniagua, barely on the pitch five minutes, struck a magnificent toe-poke from the edge of the box on 71 minutes to level the scores and ignite the near-6,000 Bolivian fans who had travelled to northern Mexico. Six minutes later, another substitute — Juan Godoy — was hauled down by Myenty Abena in the area, and teenage star Miguel Terceros stepped up to convert the penalty with ice-cold composure. Bolivia held on through eleven agonising minutes of stoppage time, with FIFA president Gianni Infantino watching from the stands.
The reward is a final against Iraq on Tuesday March 31, also in Monterrey. The winner enters Group I at the 2026 World Cup alongside France, Senegal and Norway. Bolivia have not appeared at a World Cup since USA 1994 — a 32-year wait that now stands at just 90 minutes from ending. As we previewed yesterday, the entire nation holds its breath.
02
Mbappe Lob Sinks Brazil as France Win 2-1 in World Cup Dress Rehearsal
Football
The first meeting between Brazil and France in eleven years exposed a stark gulf in World Cup readiness. At Gillette Stadium in Foxborough — the very venue where France will play their final group-stage match against Norway this summer — Kylian Mbappe announced his return to full fitness with a moment of pure class on 32 minutes, timing his run to split Brazil’s defence before lobbing Ederson with exquisite precision. It was his 56th international goal.
Hugo Ekitike doubled the lead on 65 minutes despite France already being reduced to ten men after Dayot Upamecano received a VAR-upgraded red card for denying a clear goal-scoring opportunity on 55 minutes. Bremer pulled one back for Brazil on 78 minutes, redirecting a Luiz Henrique cross, but Ancelotti’s side — booed off by the 66,215-strong crowd, the second-largest ever for football at Gillette — could not find an equaliser despite late pressure.
The result will intensify scrutiny of Ancelotti’s preparations. Brazil finished fifth in CONMEBOL qualifying and now have two friendly defeats, a draw and two wins from their last five outings. With the World Cup less than 80 days away, the defensive fragility and lack of midfield control remain urgent concerns. France, by contrast, looked every inch the tournament contenders Didier Deschamps insists they are.
Zverev Ends Cerundolo Dream Run as Sinner Crushes Tiafoe at Miami Open
Tennis
Zverev Ends Cerundolo Dream Run as Sinner Crushes Tiafoe at Miami Open
Tennis
Argentina’s Francisco Cerundolo saw his inspired Miami Open run come to an end in Thursday’s quarterfinals, as Alexander Zverev imposed himself from the very first game. The German broke early, raced to a 4-0 lead and never allowed the Argentine to establish any rhythm from the baseline. Zverev won 84% of first-serve points and 70% behind his second delivery — numbers that left Cerundolo holding just three service games across the match. After scalping Medvedev and Humbert earlier in the week, the 27-year-old exits with his ranking soaring and his reputation enhanced.
Earlier on Hard Rock Stadium, Jannik Sinner made history with a ruthless 6-2, 6-2 demolition of Frances Tiafoe in just 71 minutes. The world number two broke in the opening game and never looked back, winning 82% of first-serve points while Tiafoe — visibly fatigued after a gruelling week — managed just seven winners. Sinner became the first man to reach four Miami semifinals in his first five appearances at the tournament and now stands two wins from a Sunshine Double, last achieved by Roger Federer in 2017.
Friday’s semifinals are set: Sinner faces Zverev in a blockbuster clash of the world’s number two and three, while Jiri Lehecka meets Arthur Fils — guaranteeing a first-time Miami finalist from the top half. On the WTA side, Coco Gauff swept past Karolina Muchova in straight sets to reach her first Miami Open final, where she will face the winner of Sabalenka vs Rybakina.
04
Colombia Fall 2-1 to Croatia in Orlando as FIFA Window Exposes Vulnerabilities
Football
Colombia’s impressive unbeaten run under Nestor Lorenzo came to an abrupt end at Camping World Stadium in Orlando as Croatia secured a 2-1 victory in the first-ever meeting between the two nations. Jhon Arias gave Los Cafeteros a dream start, finishing from close range inside three minutes after Jhon Lucumi’s cross was flicked on by Luis Suarez. But the lead lasted barely 180 seconds — Croatia equalised in the sixth minute through a deflected effort, and Igor Matanovic struck the winner before half-time.
The defeat is a reality check for Lorenzo’s side ahead of the World Cup this summer. Suarez squandered a glaring chance to restore parity, and Colombia’s defence looked vulnerable to Croatia’s movement through midfield, where Petar Sucic and Nikola Vlasic controlled the tempo. James Rodriguez started but faded after a bright opening spell, and Lorenzo will have questions to answer about his squad depth with Colombia facing France on Sunday in the second FIFA Series fixture.
The result was a small consolation for South American pride on a night where both Brazil and Colombia fell to European opposition. With the World Cup drawing closer, the continent’s pre-tournament form reads poorly: Bolivia’s repechage heroics aside, the established LATAM powers look some distance from their best.
05
Gauff Reaches First Miami Final as WTA Draw Takes Shape
Tennis
American Coco Gauff continued her dominant run through the Miami Open by beating Karolina Muchova in straight sets in Thursday’s semifinal to book her place in Sunday’s final — her first at her home tournament. Gauff, who had already saved multiple match points earlier in the event, showed no signs of fatigue as she dictated rallies with her speed and athleticism, maintaining her perfect 6-0 head-to-head record against the Czech.
Gauff will face either top seed Aryna Sabalenka or third seed Elena Rybakina in what promises to be a blockbuster final at Hard Rock Stadium. Rybakina produced a gutsy comeback to beat Jessica Pegula in Wednesday’s quarterfinal, winning five straight victories over the American in seven months, while Sabalenka has been dominant throughout the fortnight without dropping a set until her semifinal assignment. Their semifinal on Friday night shapes up as one of the matches of the year.
The WTA calendar is reaching its critical pre-clay stretch, and the Miami result will carry significant ranking implications heading into the European spring. Gauff’s growing maturity in high-pressure moments — she announced her departure from social platform X during the tournament, citing toxicity — suggests she is finding the mental clarity to match her physical talents at the biggest events.
06
UEFA Repechage Thursday: Turkey, Denmark, Italy Through; Wales Need Extra Time
Football
While Bolivia’s drama unfolded in Mexico, eight UEFA playoff semifinal ties also took place on Thursday, determining which European nations advance to Tuesday’s finals for the remaining World Cup spots. Turkey edged Romania 1-0 thanks to an Arda Guler-orchestrated move, Denmark dispatched North Macedonia, Italy beat Northern Ireland, and Poland overcame Albania. Ukraine defeated Sweden in another tight encounter, while Czechia eliminated Ireland and Slovakia progressed past Kosovo.
The most dramatic European fixture saw Wales and Bosnia and Herzegovina locked at 1-1 after 90 minutes, requiring extra time to separate them. These results set up Tuesday’s one-off finals across the continent, running in parallel with Bolivia’s clash against Iraq in Monterrey — making March 31 the single most consequential day of qualifying for the 2026 World Cup. In the other intercontinental bracket, New Caledonia played Jamaica in Guadalajara on Thursday evening.
For Latin America markets and investors tracking FIFA’s commercial ecosystem, the completion of all 48 World Cup berths by the end of next week will trigger the final wave of sponsorship activations, broadcast confirmations and ticket allocations ahead of the June 11 opening ceremony.
07
Weekend Preview: Miami Semifinals, Copa Argentina, and Argentina’s FIFA Friendlies
Preview
Friday’s Miami Open card is stacked: Sinner vs Zverev and Lehecka vs Fils on the men’s side, plus Sabalenka vs Rybakina in the WTA, with Sunday’s finals rounding out a sensational fortnight. Copa Argentina continues through the weekend with Racing vs San Martin de Formosa on Saturday and Huracan vs Olimpo plus Newell’s vs Acassuso on Sunday — all first-round ties where Primera Division clubs face lower-league opposition.
Argentina’s senior national team, led by Lionel Scaloni, will face Mauritania in their first FIFA window friendly, with Lionel Messi expected to start. The match forms part of Argentina’s World Cup preparation as defending champions, though the choice of opposition has drawn criticism for lacking the intensity South American sides will face at the tournament. A second friendly follows later in the window.
The Brasileirao remains paused until April 1 (Rodada 9), with Palmeiras leading on 19 points. Uruguay’s Apertura Fecha 8 wraps up Thursday with Racing vs Progreso — a potential co-leader clash — while Chile’s Copa de la Liga group stage continues with midweek fixtures. The Latin America sports calendar enters a critical stretch as domestic leagues pause for the final FIFA window before the World Cup.