World Cup 2026: Jordan fan dies in crowd crush; criticism of Ronaldo and Portugal 'unfair'; England face Ghana - live

Jordan fan dies in Amman crowd crush

A Jordan fan died and eight other people were injured in a crowd crush in Amman during a public viewing of Jordan's 2-1 defeat by Algeria at the World Cup.

The incident was reported in live coverage on June 23, 2026, as the tournament's latest matchday turned into a day of both celebration and tragedy for supporters. The viewing in the Jordanian capital became chaotic after Jordan's match ended, and the loss also brought Jordan's World Cup campaign to an end in the group stage.

Algeria came from behind to beat Jordan 2-1, with second-half goals from Nadhir Benbouali and Amine Gouiri.

The research packet does not yet identify which Jordanian authority first confirmed the death toll or whether the injured were treated locally or transferred elsewhere, so those details remain open.

Portugal and Ronaldo

Elsewhere in the same live update cycle, Portugal coach Roberto Martínez pushed back against criticism of Cristiano Ronaldo and the national team, saying it was unfair.

That row has grown after Portugal's opening draw with DR Congo, with scrutiny focused on Ronaldo's role and Martínez's team selection ahead of Portugal's next match against Uzbekistan later on June 23.

The debate has become one of the tournament's early talking points, with Portugal under pressure to respond on the pitch as attention builds around the squad's balance and attacking approach.

England's next test

The live blog also tracked England's build-up to facing Ghana later on June 23.

England entered that match after a 4-2 opening win over Croatia, adding to a packed World Cup day that mixed a major safety incident, on-field results and growing scrutiny around several leading teams.

Taken together, the updates underlined how quickly the World Cup narrative can shift between football, fan reaction and wider public-safety concerns. Further information is expected if Jordanian officials issue more details about the crush, and as Portugal and England move closer to kickoff.