World Cup

• La canzone auto-ironica "It Only Takes One Lion" del cantante Stuart Murdoch è ispirata al brano attuale della squadra, "Yes Sir, I Can Boogie". • I testi sono venuti in mente a Stuart Murdoch nel torbido entusiasmo seguito alla drammatica qualificazione della Scozia per la Coppa del Mondo. • Il frontman dei Belle and Sebastian aveva guardato la vittoria della sua squadra negli spareggi contro la Danimarca con estrema tensione, prima di decidere di scrivere il proprio inno per una squadra che segue da più di 50 anni.

• Le CommBank Junior Matildas dell'Australia hanno battuto il Vietnam per 2-0 nei quarti di finale dell'AFC U-17 Women’s Asian Cup 2026, assicurandosi per la prima volta un posto alla FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup. • Football Australia ha riferito che Frida Karaberis e Leyla Hussein hanno segnato i gol che hanno permesso alla squadra di avanzare alle semifinali e di eguagliare il suo miglior piazzamento continentale. • Il risultato è significativo poiché concede all'Australia un posto storico al torneo Morocco 2026 e sottolinea la crescente pipeline di giovani talenti del paese.

• Le CommBank Junior Matildas hanno battuto il Vietnam 2-0 nei quarti di finale dell'AFC U-17 Women's Asian Cup, assicurandosi la loro prima qualificazione in assoluto per la Coppa del Mondo FIFA U-17 femminile 2026. • La vittoria storica porta l'Australia alle semifinali contro il Giappone il 14 maggio. • Questo traguardo rappresenta una svolta per il calcio femminile giovanile australiano sulla scena mondiale.

• I CommBank Joeys dell'Australia hanno assicurato la qualificazione per la FIFA U-17 World Cup Qatar 2026 con una vittoria per 4-0 contro l'India nell'AFC U17 Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2026. • La successiva sconfitta dell'India contro l'Uzbekistan ha confermato l'avanzamento dell'Australia sotto la guida dell'allenatore Carl Veart. • Questo risultato rappresenta un traguardo significativo per il calcio giovanile australiano, guadagnando un posto nel torneo globale.

• Gli esperti avvertono delle vulnerabilità dei 'bersagli facili' e delle lacune nei servizi di intelligence mentre le agenzie federali si preparano a mettere in sicurezza 78 partite in 11 città. • Le partite della Fifa World Cup che si terranno negli Stati Uniti affrontano rischi terroristici accresciuti, con esperti che avvertono che le vulnerabilità sono amplificate dal conflitto tra Stati Uniti e Israele con l'Iran e da un impoverimento delle competenze antiterrorismo all'interno delle forze dell'ordine federali. • La minaccia maggiore proviene da estremisti violenti interni, spesso attori singoli che potrebbero essere stati radicalizzati online da visioni politiche estreme o jihadisti come lo Stato Islamico (Isis), hanno dichiarato quattro esperti di contrasto al terrorismo intervistati. Continua a leggere...

• La cantante colombiana Shakira ha presentato 'Dai Dai', il brano ufficiale per la FIFA World Cup 2026, giovedì 8 maggio 2026. • Il brano presenta ritmi energici che fondono influenze latine e globali, con l'obiettivo di unire i tifosi in vista del torneo ospitato da USA, Canada e Messico. • Questo segna il ritorno di Shakira agli inni dei Mondiali dopo l'iconica 'Waka Waka' del 2010, e si prevede che accrescerà l'attesa internazionale.

• La nazionale maschile di hockey del Pakistan ha ottenuto una vittoria per 5-4 contro la Cina nella partita d'apertura delle Qualificazioni per la Coppa del Mondo 2026, svoltasi a Islamabad. • Sufyan Khan ha segnato il primo gol all'8° minuto con un drag flick di pura potenza, portando il Pakistan in vantaggio dopo aver dominato l'iniziale quarto di gara ad alto ritmo. • La vittoria è arrivata dopo che il Pakistan ha minacciato di staccarsi all'intervallo, resistendo poi in un match combattuto e dimostrando una forte capacità di creazione di occasioni.

• Shakira ha annunciato una nuova collaborazione con la star dell'Afrobeats Burna Boy intitolata 'Dai Dai' per la FIFA World Cup 2026, anticipandola da New York. • Il brano è posizionato come un collegamento ufficiale per il torneo mondiale di calcio previsto per il 2026 in diverse nazioni ospitanti, tra cui gli Stati Uniti. • Questo segna il ritorno di Shakira a progetti musicali di alto profilo dopo le sue passate esibizioni ai Mondiali, fondendo il pop con influenze Afrobeats.

• India clinched their first-ever ICC Women's ODI World Cup title on Sunday in Navi Mumbai, defeating South Africa by 52 runs after posting 299 runs. • Shafali Verma starred with 87 runs off 78 balls and took 2 wickets, while Deepti Sharma claimed a five-wicket haul to bowl out South Africa for 246 in 45.3 overs. • The historic victory marks a milestone for Indian women's cricket, boosting its global profile amid growing investments in the sport.

• Security measures have been significantly ramped up across the United States, Canada, and Mexico ahead of the upcoming World Cup tournament scheduled to take place across the three nations. • Law enforcement agencies are coordinating multijurisdictional efforts to address potential security threats, including counter-terrorism operations and border security enhancements. • The heightened security reflects concerns about large-scale public events and cross-border movement during the tournament, with particular focus on protecting stadiums and fan zones.

• Jemimah Rodrigues stated, 'We are more hungry to win again,' targeting the Women's T20 World Cup starting June 12, 2026. • Indian women's team builds on ODI World Cup victory with intensified preparations. • Focus on securing second major title underscores team ambition.

The earnings from the tournament in the US, Mexico and Canada will make it the most lucrative competition in the history of sport, even if some of the 48 competing countries say they are struggling to make ends meetA World Cup that Fifa’s president, Gianni Infantino, billed at the draw last December as “the greatest event that humanity has ever seen” will certainly be the most lucrative competition in sporting history.Fifa has spent the last few years upgrading its revenue projections, with the most recent financial report stating that the world governing body will make $13bn (£9.6bn) from the four-year cycle culminating in this summer’s tournament, almost $9bn of which will be brought in this year. Continue reading...

The 2026 FIFA World Cup’s expanded 48-team format has reopened the possibility of a historic Lionel Messi vs Cristiano Ronaldo clash, something never seen in tournament play. With Argentina and Portugal drawn into separate groups, any meeting depends entirely on knockout progression. Depending on results, they could meet in the Round of 16, quarter-finals, or even the final.

Special envoy to Donald Trump suggested the idea‘Firstly not possible … secondly not appropriate’The Italian sports minister, Andrea Abodi, has described a proposal for his country to replace Iran at the World Cup as “not appropriate”, rejecting any idea that the Azzurri will be granted a last-minute berth at this summer’s tournament.On Wednesday it emerged that Paolo Zampolli, a special envoy to Donald Trump, had suggested Italy should be fast-tracked to the World Cup despite their shock defeat by Bosnia & Herzegovina in last month’s playoffs. Zampolli proposed the four-time winners Italy replace Iran and said they would “have the pedigree to justify their inclusion”. But Abodi said that football’s showpiece tournament should remain meritocratic. Continue reading...

US special envoy Zampolli hopes for Italy involvementDoubts remain over Iran’s participationAn envoy to the US President Donald Trump has asked Fifa to replace Iran with Italy in the upcoming World Cup, the Financial Times reported on Wednesday.The plan is an effort to repair ties between Trump and Italy’s prime minister Giorgia Meloni after the two fell out amid the American president’s attacks against Pope Leo XIV over the Iran war, the FT reported, citing people familiar with the matter. Continue reading...

Mikie Sherrill says taxpayers should not carry burdenCosts at World Cup have come under increased scrutinyNew Jersey’s governor, Mikie Sherrill, has hit out at Fifa after reports her state’s transport system will charge $100 for a return ticket to World Cup matches this summer.New Jersey Transit lists the price for a round-trip ticket from New York’s Penn Station to MetLife Stadium, which will host eight World Cup matches this summer, including the final, as $12.90. The new pricing, reported by The Athletic earlier this week, puts the return ticket at more than $100 with no reductions for children, seniors or people with disabilities. NJ Transit told Fox 5 New York that the price has not been finalized. A decision is expected in the coming days. Continue reading...

Unite Here co-president demands improvement in working conditions and urges Fifa to keep ICE away from matchesA hospitality union that represents about 2,000 workers at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles has threatened to strike during the World Cup if Fifa leaders do not heed their concerns about working conditions and the presence of Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE).This summer, SoFi Stadium will be thrust into the national spotlight as it hosts eight World Cup matches. Between June and July, Los Angeles is estimated to see 150,000 more out-of-town visitors than typical for the time period. Continue reading...

Human rights group says US is facing an ‘emergency’ICE director said agency will play ‘key part’ at tournamentAmnesty International has warned that the World Cup, spread across three North American countries, risks becoming a “stage for repression”. The human rights organisation published a report on Monday – “Humanity Must Win” – calling on Fifa and the host countries, the US, Canada and Mexico, to take urgent action to protect fans, players and other communities.Fifa has promised a tournament where everyone “feels safe, included and free to exercise their rights”. But Amnesty said that pledge sat in “stark contrast” to conditions in all three host nations, especially the US, which hosts three-quarters of the 104 matches. Continue reading...

Ha Nguyen McNeill testified before House committee about airport wait times amid DHS funding shutdownThe acting head of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) said on Wednesday that airports across the country are experiencing the “highest wait times in TSA history”, as the partial shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) enters its sixth week.At a House homeland security committee hearing, Ha Nguyen McNeill said her agency has been shut down for 50% of the fiscal year so far – a stretch that includes last year’s record-breaking 43‑day lapse in federal funding. She told lawmakers that by Friday, TSA employees will have missed $1bn in paychecks as a result of the closures. Continue reading...

Nellie Pou’s bill follows ICE chief, Todd Lyons, refusing to rule out enforcement near stadiums and fan festivalsA New Jersey congresswoman introduced legislation on Thursday to block immigration enforcement from conducting raids within a mile of a Fifa World Cup soccer match or fan festival in the US this summer.The Save the World Cup act, introduced by Nellie Pou, a Democrat, is meant to assure visitors that they will not be detained and to remove the chilling effect of ICE enforcement on the events, she said in a release. The World Cup’s first US match begins on 12 June. Continue reading...

The U.S. women's national basketball team plays Italy in FIBA World Cup Qualifying at 4:45 p.m. ET from San Juan, Puerto Rico, broadcast on TRUTV. This international matchup tests USA Basketball's depth ahead of future global competitions. It adds to Saturday's diverse sports slate including NWSL and NBA games. Qualifying success bolsters U.S. preparations for upcoming tournaments.