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“This is what happens when you apply these incredibly violent economic forces to these cities … it's happened at every World Cup I've been to,” explains our chief sports writer, Barney Ronay.Employees in Atlanta, Georgia, recently threw away tents, medication, identification and other belongings of unhoused people at a public park without warning. This led activists and a local official to point to an apparent violation of procedures created after a city employee ran over a tent with a front loader last year, killing a man. Cornelius Taylor was crushed inside his home as workers came to clear a homeless encampment.The sweep through the park occurred less than a mile from a popular spot for World Cup watch parties, drawing into focus ongoing tension over the treatment of the city’s several thousand unhoused people during the tournament. A city official said the park where about 15 people have gathered for months was “not an encampment” and that the incident was not a sweep.

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Brash midfielder has admirers in Madrid, though his World Cup displays illustrate what he can offer Xabi Alonso’s BluesEnzo Fernández was an unstoppable mix of style and spite during Argentina’s win over England. The midfielder’s first contribution during Wednesday’s semi-final in Atlanta was to plough into Elliot Anderson and clobber Manchester City’s new £116m signing round the head. He escaped without a booking, though, and made the most of some generous refereeing by showing the other side to his game when Argentina took control after going 1-0 down early in the second half.Much has already been said about England’s attempt to hold on to their lead. A particular frustration for fans who watch the Premier League every week was that not enough was done to disrupt Fernández. The Chelsea midfielder is a wonderful player in possession but can struggle when opponents run past him. That weakness has caused structural issues for Chelsea and will be a factor if they decide to sell the Argentinian this summer. Against England, though, Fernández was given space to do as he pleased during the second half. He pulled the strings next to Alexis Mac Allister and proved his big-game mentality by scoring the equaliser with a bending shot from 25 yards in the 85th minute.Fernández had clearly spotted a weakness in the England goal. He shot four times from long range and his final effort caught Jordan Pickford out. England never reacted to the danger. They stopped making Fernández look the other way. The statistics show Fernández won only three of his nine ground duels during the game. On the other hand he had more touches than anyone else on the pitch (104) and had a 98% pass completion rate.Fernández enjoyed it. On his Instagram stories he posted a picture of himself laughing with Lionel Messi and Leandro Paredes at Argentina’s training ground and used Wonderwall as the soundtrack. It will probably not endear Fernández to English crowds but he is unlikely to care. In case you haven’t noticed, he is pretty intrigued by the idea of living in Spain. There was a clash with Chelsea at the end of last season, resulting in the club banning Fernández for two games, and it will be interesting to see if the 25-year-old has done enough at the World Cup to convince Real Madrid to push for his signature.From a scouting perspective, Fernández could not have picked a better country to play against in Sunday’s final. Madrid, who have already signed Marc Cucurella from Chelsea this summer, will surely take note if Fernández stars against Spain. José Mourinho needs additions in midfield, which is where Madrid have suffered most in recent years. Luka Modric and Toni Kroos exiting left a creative vacuum and, although Madrid took the surprising step of issuing a public denial of any interest in Fernández this month, there are suggestions that they remain interested in signing the Argentinian.Chelsea’s asking price of £120m is too high. There is also an argument that Fernández’s displays on the international stage should make Chelsea think twice about agreeing to a sale if Madrid come calling. Xabi Alonso, the latest manager looking to usher in a sense of order at Stamford Bridge, needs fighters. Fernández has not always covered himself in glory but it is worth noting that he has experienced chaos with his club and stability with his country. He looks more at ease in an Argentina shirt. He has emerged as a leader for his national side and could be the same for Alonso at Chelsea.Fernández is a clutch player. He has become an expert box crasher for Chelsea and scored 12 goals last season. Fernández times his runs expertly and finishes well. He even offers a threat in the air, as Egypt discovered when he knocked them out in the last 16 with a beautiful header in added time.That was one of many examples of the former Benfica midfielder producing for Argentina in crucial moments. It was similar when they won the 2022 World Cup, although the difference then was that Fernández was not in the team at the start of the tournament. He was 21 and waited for Lionel Scaloni to give him a chance. It arrived with Argentina needing a win against Mexico in their second game. Fernández was sent on with the deadlock yet to be broken in the 57th minute. Messi scored seven minutes later and Fernández made it 2-0 with a lovely strike in the 87th minute.There was no looking back. Fernández became a fixture in midfield and was named young player of the tournament. He was catapulted into stardom and joined Chelsea for £106.7m a month after the World Cup final. It was not always easy. Fernández was rightly pilloried for being filmed taking part in a racist chant about the France team after Argentina’s triumph in the Copa América in 2024. Fences had to be mended with his Chelsea teammates that summer. Fernández apologised for the incident in an interview last year.Will it all be enough to earn Fernández a spot in the same Bernabéu dressing room as Kylian Mbappé? How he fares against the great Spanish midfield could have an impact. Fernández has worked towards this moment. He has honed his physique during his time in England. He is the Argentina player with the most sprints and high-speed running. Rodri, Dani Olmo and Fabián Ruiz will pose a tougher test than Anderson and Declan Rice, though. Fernández’s level will have to rise again if he is to become a world champion again.

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As the full-time whistle blew in Atlanta on Wednesday, signalling England's exit from the World Cup, a wave of disappointment spread across the country. But for some, there was a very different emotion growing inside.Domestic abuse rises by 26% when England play and by 38% when they lose, according to research by Lancaster University.During a major football tournament such as the World Cup, some women and girls are constantly living in fear.Rebecca Goshawk, who works at domestic abuse charity Solace, was watching the semi-final against Argentina. "We know that there'll be survivors and victims frightened of their partners coming home and worried about what that might mean for them and their safety," she said."They're being shouted at. They're being belittled. They're being told they're useless. It can be as strong as physical violence against women, whether that's being hit or kicked."For very few women will this be a one-off experience, because of a football tournament. It'll be a pattern that they're used to."Violence towards women and girls after football matches is a recurring issue. The National Police Chiefs' Council released data showing that more than 300 domestic abuse offences were reported to police during Euro 2024, where victims believed the perpetrator's behaviour was linked to football.Statistics covering the period involving the 2026 World Cup will not be available for some time, but Goshawk says rates of misogyny and domestic abuse generally are not changing.She predicts the statistics for this World Cup will show similar numbers of domestic abuse in England.It is a dark side to a major sporting event, which should bring joy to everyone.Goshawk says Solace tries not to place the onus on the football itself, but on the perpetrators, who are - in the vast majority of cases - men.She explains that an increase in the consumption of alcohol can also have an impact, heightening the feeling of loss or disappointment, which can then lead to aggression.The charity's message to men is that this is behaviour that can change and that they can get help.She said: "There are advice lines out there for men who are worried about their own abusive behaviours."What we'd say to other men who may not be perpetrating this violence: You have a duty and a responsibility to understand and challenge it within your friendships and your family as well. We all do."The Crown Prosecution Service sees first-hand the impact that domestic abuse has on victims.It says that of every five cases the police refers to it, four result in charges being brought.Olivia Rose, the CPS's National Stalking Lead, says it does not just see physical abuse. There is coercive and controlling abuse too."It's crucial for victims to spot the signs early," Rose said. "What our prosecutors see can include monitoring of victims' phones and social media, often inundating them with dozens of messages."There's also emotional blackmail, such as threatening to kill themselves if their partner leaves."It's incredibly important that we get the message out to say that behaviour like this is not just unacceptable: it's illegal."The CPS, the government department responsible for prosecuting criminal cases, say it works closely with the police and women's charities to ensure that action is taken to stop such behaviour and to help victims to get away.It says it needs help from communities too. And it is urging people to look out for friends, family and neighbours who could be vulnerable during the World Cup."If you can step in to help, you could be making a life-changing difference," Rose said.She also wants to get the message to victims that they will be supported if they speak out."We understand how difficult it can be to report domestic abuse," she added. "But if you come forward, you will be taken seriously, and we will bring offenders to justice."The World Cup should bring communities together, and it should never be an excuse to fuel abusive behaviour."Anyone experiencing domestic abuse who is in immediate danger should always call 999. Victims can also report abuse to the police on 101.Confidential support services are available. Anyone affected can contact the National Domestic Abuse Helpline, external on 0808 2000 247 in England, or the Live Fear Free helpline on 0808 80 10 800 in Wales.

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After ending a 30-year wait for a trophy with May's Europa League triumph, Villa have broken their transfer record to sign the Switzerland midfielder in a deal worth more than £50m from Freiburg.Newcastle were close to signing Manzambi last week only for Villa to step in and snatch him.With Youri Tielemans joining Manchester United for £35m and Amadou Onana out with a knee injury until next year, Villa needed to bolster their midfield options.They are also due to seal a £38m move for Wolves' Joao Gomes - but it is 20-year-old Manzambi who represents the start of something different at Villa Park.While Newcastle were hopeful of landing one of their top targets, their interest was always laced with caution.Those close to the Magpies were surprised at why the confidence was not absolute - but after losing out to Liverpool for Víctor Munoz, having also seen Hugo Ekitike go to Anfield last year, Newcastle were nervous.Their fears proved well founded as Manzambi wavered and Villa pounced.He was being coveted by more than half of the Premier League and ⁠represents the start of a Villa refresh.Manzambi had been on Villa's watchlist since the start of last season, and there was always an expectation he would move this summer.It is believed that Manzambi's knee injury, which ruled him out of Switzerland's last-16 win over Colombia and quarter-final defeat by Argentina at the World Cup, gave him time to decide his future amid Newcastle's interest.There is also an acceptance it was now or never for Villa as he could have been out of their price range if he moved elsewhere and succeeded, especially given the sharp rise at international level - playing just twice for Switzerland Under-21s before his senior elevation.Having excelled in the Bundesliga and helped Freiburg to the Europa League final where they lost to Villa, the calculated risk to make him the club's record signing is seen as one which is worth it.His versatility - especially with Onana's serious knee injury - makes him even more important.Last term Manzambi - who won Europa League young player of the season - ranked first for 10-plus metre progressive carries (116) in the Bundesliga, shot-ending carries (13) and fouls won (78) as opponents tried to stop him.He was the most fouled player in the Bundesliga ⁠and only Yan Diomande, Bazoumana Toure and Can Uzun were younger with more goals and assists in the division.He was second for total take-ons (71), opposition half take-ons (52) and total carry progress (2,476 metres).Last term Tielemans averaged 10 metres for his progressive carries with a total of 109, with Onana making just 75, while just three of Tielemans' carries ended with a shot.This was always going to be a vital summer for Villa.After winning the Europa League and finishing fourth in the Premier League - securing Champions League football for the second time in three years - they should be in a position of strength.Instead, Villa must trade to ensure they are compliant with the financial rules they feel have held them back.In May they were fined 22.5m euros (£19.4m) by Uefa for a "significant breach" of its squad-cost rules for 2025 - although £12.9m is suspended.Villa also face a restriction on the registration of new players on their squad list for the Champions League next season.Their financial burden could be further eased by the sale of England's Morgan Rogers, who is valued at more than £100m amid interest from champions Arsenal.Villa will be able to sell but the financial rules make replacing their first-team stars harder.They had the second-oldest squad in the Premier League last season and wanted to lower the overall age. It was one of the key objectives for president of football operations Roberto Olabe when he replaced Monchi last September.Tielemans is 29 and moves to Old Trafford for pure profit after his free transfer from Leicester in 2023 while Lucas Digne, who turns 33 next week, is expected to return to Paris St-Germain.The pair were two of Villa's higher earners - and wages for loanees Douglas Luiz, Harvey Elliott and Jadon Sancho are also off the books.Evann Guessand and Leon Bailey are expected to leave and Lewis Dobbin has joined Southampton for £9m without making an appearance for the club.That makes it easier to spend the money on Manzambi and Gomes but Villa must still walk a financial tightrope.Emery has relied on trusted lieutenants but needs to refresh the squad, with at least one winger, two defenders and a striker wanted.Of those at the club who started the Europa League final in May only Pau Torres, Rogers and Victor Lindelof were signed by Emery in his transformative three and a half years in charge.There was the expectation the squad would evolve this summer - and players were braced for change - but while an extra midfield body would have been useful, Villa were not actively seeking big upheaval in the area.Onana's ACL injury while playing for Belgium against the USA this month shifted the plans and Tielemans' departure accelerated them.Villa wanted more physicality at left-back so the interest in AC Milan's Pervis Estupinan is obvious especially when he knows Emery's methods having played under him at Villarreal.Emery cannot afford to wait for new recruits to get up to speed.With a first trophy for three decades in the cabinet Villa have made the breakthrough - but they must still tread lightly.

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Infantino likened the tournament in the United States, Mexico and Canada to 104 Super Bowls in one month.It was a bold claim, so did it pan out like that?For the first time, the World Cup featured 48 teams, with Curacao, Cape Verde, Jordan and Uzbekistan making their debuts. But did this dilute the quality of the tournament?Then there is the mandatory, three-minute hydration breaks, regardless of conditions, which enabled broadcasters to cash in with commercials.High ticket prices brought great controversy, but did they keep fans away?The politicisation of the World Cup began before the tournament with visa issues and Iran's participation, then US President Donald Trump intervened to get Florian Balogun's red card overturned.Pierlugi Collina, Fifa's head of referees, waged war on time-wasting and pushed through a raft of law changes. But did this make a real difference?If you wanted great storylines and colour, then the group stage was a success.Watching debutants is always part of the allure of a World Cup, and Cape Verde brought it in spades.A tiny archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean with just 530,000 people, Cape Verde claimed incredible draws against Spain and Uruguay (and Saudi Arabia too) to finish second.Curacao shrugged off their 7-1 thrashing at the hands of Germany to claim a shock point against Ecuador, too. And DR Congo claimed a draw against Portugal and got out of their group.Without these stories, the group stage would have been pretty dull, with the major nations making light work of it.Seventy-two matches - more games than an entire World Cup used to have - to lose just 16 teams.It was made worse by Fifa using head to head over goal difference as the first tie-breaker.With eight third-placed teams going through, Australia-Paraguay and Austria-Algeria knew they could draw with each other and both teams would go through. And they did.The drama only really began in the knockout rounds, with Cape Verde taking Argentina to extra time before losing 3-2.It meant the African nation avoided defeat in 90 minutes against both World Cup finalists.Without the expanded tournament, Cape Verde would not be at this World Cup, and the story of Vozinha, the 40-year-old keeper who inspired Cape Verde's historic debut, would not have been told.So it gave Argentina, England, France and Spain special status to be drawn into separate quarters of the draw.Without this rule, there was the potential they could have met as early as the last 16.As it turned out, they landed into groups which kept them apart until the semi-finals anyway. It had no real influence on the top four ranked teams reaching the last four for the first time.To achieve this, Fifa had to swap Argentina into Group J, and put France into Group I.Without the swap, England should have played France in the semi-finals, with Argentina taking on Spain.An Argentina-Spain final would not have been possible.Hydration breaks were, Fifa said, introduced to benefit player welfare, and sporting integrity meant they must be used equally in every single match.Even in the air-conditioned stadiums of Atlanta, Dallas, Houston and Vancouver.TV companies outside the UK switched to ads, which were allowed to begin 20 seconds after the referee blew the whistle and must have end 30 seconds before the action started again.As the tournament went on, the boos from supporters got louder, such was the frustration at the stoppages.Experts told BBC Sport that an average 30-second World Cup ad slot on Fox Sports in the US costs between $200,000 (£152,000) and $300,000 (£227,000), rising to $750,000 (£567,000) during USA matches and the final stages.They were effectively tactical timeouts, with coaches getting devices out to run through tactical changes with the players. The course of several matches were altered.But it would be no surprise to see them return for the next World Cup.Collina's priority for this World Cup was improving the tempo of games.The Italian wanted his referees to make sure players were quicker on throw-ins, goal-kicks and substitutions. He also wanted to stop players going down with apparent injuries to cause delays.At the 2022 World Cup, Collina added time on for absolutely everything. That resulted in an average match length of 101 minutes 22 seconds for a ball-in-play time of 58 minutes three seconds.At this World Cup, and removing the time lost to hydration breaks, it is 96 minutes 24 seconds for a ball-in-play time of 58 minutes 15 seconds.Slightly more action, but much less time needed to achieve it.In 2022, the game was played for 57.4% of the match length, this year it is 60.4%.The game flows better, it causes fewer frustrations for supporters over player conduct, and they get more football.Let's see how this works out in domestic football next season, as the laws will apply there too.With sky-high ticket prices, there was a feeling that many games at the World Cup might have swathes of empty seats.After the quarter-finals, Fifa announced stadiums had operated at near-full capacity at 99.7% with a record 6,527,410 fans attending matches.So it seems people were prepared to pay Fifa's ticket prices.Then Fifa brought in even more cash through its secondary resale platform, from which it added 30% in fees to every sale.That does not mean there was no controversy.Supporters were initially banned from taking water bottles into grounds, until Fifa was forced into a U-turn.Plus there was the high cost of transportation to get to the games in New Jersey and Boston - which also had to be slashed after a backlash.The 2026 World Cup felt like it had been politicised from the start, with supporters of several nations unable to enter the country due to US immigration travel bans.The story took an unexpected twist before the tournament even kicked off as Somali referee Omar Artan was refused entry at Miami Airport.That led to an uncomfortable pre-tournament news conference for Infantino, in which he said people should just "chill, relax".Iran faced obstacles throughout, with the US administration only allowing the team into the country for 24 hours around each of their three fixtures.Markwayne Mullin, the United States' head of homeland security, said he "danced a happy dance" when Iran were eliminated.Perhaps the biggest political controversy came when Trump called Infantino to try to get Balogun's suspension overturned.One member of the Fifa disciplinary committee, Mohammad al-Kamali, then made a decision which had never been made before at a World Cup.Rather than automatically miss the last-16 game with Belgium, Balogun's ban was suspended for 12 months.Balogun played against Belgium, but a fired-up Belgium routed the co-hosts 4-1.It raised serious questions about political interference in the tournament.During the group stage, the video assistant referee (VAR) seemed to be running smoothly.Then the knockout stages brought a lot of inconsistencies.There has rarely been too much controversy with VAR at the World Cup in the past.The Egyptian Football Association (EFA) called for an investigation following their 3-2 loss to Argentina, in which they had a goal ruled out on a VAR review.Many other coaches complained about the standard of the refereeing, too.The more games you have, the more video match officials you use, so the harder it is to get consistency.There have been 37 VAR interventions so far at this World Cup, a frequency of 0.36 per game. That is about on par with the 0.37 in Qatar.It is higher than the Premier League's 0.29.On subjective interventions, when the referee goes to the monitor, this World Cup had a frequency of 0.27 per match - the Premier League is almost half this at 0.15.So why does it feel better in the World Cup? Speed.It is the biggest issue the game faces with video review in domestic football, but bar a couple of situations, the decisions were made very swiftly.Effort, spirit and moments - but do England lack all-round quality?Tuchel did not deliver, but his time with England is not up - Shearer'A true miracle of destiny' - Messi and Lamine Yamal's incredible first meetingHow to watch the World Cup on the BBC and ITV

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The Fifa president sought influence with the US leader. Instead, Fifa’s president has entangled football in politics and wounded the game’s credibilityEver since the United States won the rights to co-host the 2026 World Cup, Fifa president Gianni Infantino has worked to ingratiate himself with Donald Trump at all costs, supposedly to secure preferential treatment for Fifa from the American government. Predictably, he suffered the same fate as everyone who has made a Faustian bargain with the US president: he learned that cozying up to Trump always backfires, tarnishing the entire sport along the way.I love soccer because, at its best, it is inclusive, democratic and accessible to everyone. So do billions of other people; the sport’s universal cultural impact truly lends it the potential to be a force for good that “unites the world”, as Fifa loves to say. We saw this force in action at the start of the World Cup when, despite Trump’s hardline anti-immigrant and anti-foreigner policies, the prevailing sentiment showed that visiting teams and fans found most Americans really are warm and welcoming people.But for years now, Infantino has betrayed those values by aligning Fifa, the organization that represents the people’s game, with Trump, whose political project is openly rooted in division, selfishness and violence. Because Infantino’s actions harm soccer in a way I cannot condone, and especially because he’s doing so by inserting himself in my own country’s domestic politics, I feel compelled to denounce them publicly.For nearly as long as the World Cup has existed, politicians have co-opted it to legitimize their nationalistic projects on the world stage at Fifa’s expense; in 1934 it was Italy’s Mussolini, and in 1978 it was Argentina’s military junta. But this time, it’s the Fifa president himself who is willingly damaging the sport’s reputation. Last week, it was allowing his personal relationship with Trump to muddle the outcome of USMNT striker Folarin Balogun’s red card suspension; last year, it was single-handedly creating and conferring a “peace prize” to a man who brazenly revels in military intimidation.Within only a few months of receiving the award conceived specifically for him, Trump set about effectuating a regime change in Venezuela, threatening armed conflict against Nato allies, and launching an unlawful war with Iran, leading to months of uncertainty about their team’s World Cup participation and the compulsory relocation of their base camp to Mexico. With the prize, Infantino put Fifa’s already threadbare reputation on the line by tying himself to Trump’s erratic and belligerent foreign policy. And while the World Cup will go down as a massive commercial success, no amount of revenue will ever erase the moral stain of blessing Trump’s wars in the name of soccer.Yes, it’s important for Fifa to foster a good working relationship with any host country’s government, but Infantino has repeatedly crossed the line between professionalism and groveling. Beyond frequent White House appearances, Infantino allowed his proximity to Trump to overshadow Chelsea’s championship moment at the Club World Cup, interfere with the agenda at last year’s Fifa Congress, and politicize Fifa in a way that undermines its mission statement through recurring, implicit endorsements of Trump, as detailed in the FairSquare ethics complaint against him. Infantino is even channeling some of Fifa’s wealth, meant to spur development of the sport globally, to Trump’s pocket by renting office space in Trump Tower despite already operating a permanent Fifa office in Miami.Even those who would defend “all that Trump bootlicking” as a matter of pragmatism need to contend with what Infantino actually got in return: boasts of intervening in Fifa’s disciplinary review process during the World Cup and threats of annexing Canada and launching strikes on Mexico, our co-hosts, in the lead-up. Looking ahead to the 2031 Women’s World Cup, Trump is reportedly holding hostage the governmental guarantees required to confirm the US hosting bid in an attempt to strongarm Fifa into adopting the policies he demands.And when it comes to Trump’s meddling in the Balogun case, the biggest casualty was soccer’s integrity. Sure, in a narrow sense, US Soccer benefitted from having a star player back from suspension. But in a more meaningful sense, US Soccer was also a victim: our players were swept up in a political firestorm before the most important game of their lives, and our biggest chance to showcase American soccer to the world will now for ever be tainted by accusations of favoritism at best and corruption at worst, unfairly clouding US Soccer’s credibility and reputation around the world. To boot, in return for debasing our sport again and again, Infantino plans to reward Trump with the honor of handing out the World Cup trophy on Sunday.The fact that Infantino has faced little accountability for dragging soccer through the mud reflects a battle for the soul of the sport – about whether its future will be autocratic and hyper-commercialized, rather than a force for good. I say no: soccer leaders must reject Infantino’s egotistical and transactional view of the beautiful game.I find growing comfort in the fact that others have started to speak out, and not only as a reaction to Fifa’s Disciplinary Committee decisions. Uefa, the European continental subdivision of Fifa, had already called Infantino’s behavior a pursuit of “private political interests” that “does the game no service,” and the former chair of Fifa’s governance committee called it a “clear violation” of Fifa’s code of ethics. Senior staff at Fifa have pushed back on Infantino’s attempts to pander to Trump; one of Fifa’s vice-presidents did rebuke Trump’s politically motivated threats against certain host cities; and the president of the Norwegian Football Federation called for the abolition of the “peace prize” while supporting an ethics investigation against Infantino. Despite the sizable public backing from Fifa members for Infantino’s reelection, many of them privately vent their frustration about his “level of vanity” to reporters; Uefa may even be looking for a candidate to challenge him.All of Fifa’s members have a duty to protect the integrity of the sport and save Fifa from itself, even at the risk of retaliation. In the short term, I hope federations around the world find the courage to oppose Infantino’s vision for the sport; in the long term, I urge them to pursue structural governance reforms that take power away from the role of the Fifa president and shift it toward the Council, the Congress, and the Secretary General, so that no single individual can ever act unilaterally to soccer’s detriment again. Perhaps then the greatest legacy of this World Cup will be that it spurred us to speak up for and defend the values that make soccer the people’s game.Nathán Goldberg Crenier serves as the elected vice-president of the US Soccer Federation. This editorial represents his personal opinions and does not necessarily reflect the positions or views of US Soccer.

World Cup News

How did the United States do in its second swing at hosting the men’s showpiece event? The stadiums were mostly received well. The accessibility, less soCome rain or smokescreen, Sunday will bring the 2026 World Cup to its bombastic end. The load-bearer of the co-hosting North American trio, the United States held 78 of the tournament’s matches across its 11 host cities. Only two contests remain: the third-place game in Miami, and the big one in East Rutherford, New Jersey.Before the dust truly settles and focus shifts to the six-nation, three-continent centennial in 2030, how did the United States fare in its second swing at hosting a men’s World Cup?Depending on what you’re looking for, best in class. Few venues have “charm” in the traditional sense, but these sprawling NFL venues packed in plenty of fans, with many designed to retain sound to harness atmosphere. That said, none seem to have figured out how to adequately keep a concourse congregation flowing, with those corridors hardly expanded to account for so many people in one building. B+This was an anticipated drawback of holding this tournament in the US, as the nation rebuilt itself throughout the 20th century with clear priorities for the automobile. Some cities stepped up their public transportation options with ad-hoc buses; others used those initiatives to further eat into riders’ spending budgets. Hours spent slowly progressing to venues, and even more slowly when leaving, were equally costly. D+Do we even need to explain this one? The expectations for ticket pricing made public in United 26’s bid book were in line with what we’ve come to expect for World Cups, with inflation largely justifying modest increases from tournament to tournament. Instead, the 2026 World Cup became an outlier for event pricing of nearly any kind – the first that most of the world could never afford to attend.On the one hand, the displays of community were incredibly touching. No matter how overpriced the lager was, it was common to see traveling fans from all over the world clinking cups before and after the match. Fifa’s legion of volunteers were smiling faces in neon tracksuits, awfully helpful and welcoming at every turn.On the other hand, not all fans were quite so well accommodated. Referees and team staffers among those turned away by Trump administration decisions. That precedent also left the general fan from a Trump-banned nation without a chance of getting around policies. The rationale for those rejections was incredibly flimsy, yet Fifa stood beside the man in the White House.It will be impossible not to wonder how different the support of Côte d’Ivoire, Haiti, Iran and Senegal could have been had the tourist accessibility of the 1994 World Cup been replicated. A for the spirit fostered by those who could make it, but an F for the unprecedented barriers set before qualifiers and customers alikeThe category with the biggest discrepancies between the best-in-class and the rest. Some – Seattle, Philadelphia and Kansas City – cemented an identity of being organic and sustainable soccer cities. The “World Cup village” atmosphere so many fans covet was alive and well, with accessible public watch parties, signage and flags lining streets, and a constant buzz of excitement that the world’s eyes found their neck of the woods. Others, like Boston – the second capital of Scotland – and the Bay Area either embraced their temporary occupants or had plenty of space and opportunities for locals to keep the party going between matchdays.Others, especially those whose stadiums weren’t in or adjacent to the city center, really struggled to harness the tournament’s potential. It turns out being an hour or two away from the action feels just as invigorating to some as watching a game from their sofa. Texas seemed especially agnostic to the tournament despite being one of two states with multiple host cities, with dispatches from Dallas and Houston reading equally blase. The roadshow has already packed up, and many in some of these cities will hardly recognize what came through. B-

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12 CommentsArgentina captain Lionel Messi says it is "crazy" to be facing Spain's Lamine Yamal in Sunday's World Cup final after being photographed with him as a baby.In 2007 Lamine Yamal's parents won a charity photoshoot at Barcelona in which 20-year-old Messi held their five-month-old baby.Speaking to Messi during a news conference in New York, NFL legend Tom Brady called the photos "very prophetic".Messi said: "That photo is incredible. The fact that we're both playing in the World Cup now is crazy."Lamine Yamal made his Barcelona debut at 15 and has inherited the number 10 shirt from Messi.He helped Spain win Euro 2024 and, now aged 19, could become the youngest player to win the European Championships and the World Cup."He's one of the best in the world right now," said 39-year-old Messi."I wish him luck because his success will be Barcelona's success."We'll try to keep him from playing at his best. Spain has a great team, not just him."He's a tremendous player - a global star. He's 19 years old and has his whole career ahead of him. I wish him the best, but we'll give it our all to ensure he doesn't become champion this time."Messi attended a fans' event on Friday with Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez and Spain captain Rodri.After the news conference, Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni hugged Spain counterpart Luis de la Fuente, who was one of the instructors when Scaloni gained his Uefa Pro coaching licence in Spain.Former England defender Rio Ferdinand and actor Kevin Hart hosted the event, while tennis legend Novak Djokovic and NBA star Kevin Durant joined Brady in asking questions.Brady continued his ongoing feud with Logan Paul as they argued on stage before the record seven-time Super Bowl winner slapped the YouTuber turned WWE star, with New York Knicks player Karl-Anthony Towns splitting them up.'A true miracle of destiny' - Messi and Lamine Yamal's incredible first meeting

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Here's where all 20 teams will travel to on their pre-season tours and who they will face ahead of the return of the English top flight on August 21.August 1: Girona vs Arsenal - Girona, 7pmAugust 5: Arsenal vs Real Betis - Dublin, 7.30pmAugust 9: Arsenal vs Borussia Dortmund - Emirates Stadium, 2pmAugust 12: Arsenal vs Como - Emirates Stadium, 7.30pmAugust 16: Community Shield - Arsenal vs Man City, Cardiff, 3pmJuly 21: Walsall vs Aston Villa - Pallet-Track Bescot Stadium, 7.30pmJuly 25: Porto vs Aston Villa - Estadio Do Dragao, 7pmJuly 28: Aston Villa vs Real Sociedad - Pallet-Track Bescot Stadium, 7.30pmAugust 1: Indonesia All-Stars vs Aston Villa - Jakarta, 1pmAugust 4: BG Pathum United vs Aston Villa - Pathum Thani, 1.30pmAugust 7: Aston Villa vs Bayern Munich, Hong Kong, 1pmAugust 12: UEFA Super Cup - PSG vs Aston Villa, Salzburg, 8pmAugust 15: Borussia Monchengladbach vs Aston Villa - Borussia-Park, 2.30pmJuly 24: St Pauli vs Bournemouth - Saalfelden, 4pmJuly 30: Augsburg vs Bournemouth - Saalfelden, 4pmAugust 4: Genoa vs Bournemouth - Bournemouth training ground (behind closed doors)August 8: Real Betis vs Bournemouth - Seville, 7.30pmAugust 15: Mainz vs Bournemouth - Mewa Arena, 2.30pmAugust 8: Rennes vs Brentford - Stade Rennais, 5pmAugust 15: Brentford vs Eintracht Frankfurt - Gtech Community Stadium, 3pmJuly 25: Annecy vs Brighton - France (behind closed doors)August 1: Strasbourg vs Brighton - France (behind closed doors)August 8: Brighton vs Roma - The Amex, 3pmAugust 15: Brighton vs Bologna - The Amex, 3pmJuly 28: Chelsea vs Western Sydney Wanderers - Sydney, 10.45amAugust 1: Chelsea vs Tottenham, Sydney, 10.45amAugust 5: Chelsea vs Juventus, Hong Kong, 12.30pmAugust 8: Chelsea vs AC Milan - Jakarta, 1pmAugust 9: Johor Darul Ta'zim vs Chelsea - Johor, 1pmJuly 11: AFC Wimbledon 3-2 Coventry - behind closed doorsJuly 18: Northampton vs Coventry - Sixfields, 2pmAugust 8: Coventry vs Espanyol - Coventry Building Society Arena, 5.30pmJuly 18: Palace vs Swindon - Palace training ground (behind closed doors), 12.30pmJuly 25: Bromley vs Palace - Hayes Lane, 3pmJuly 28: Palace vs Lens (6pm - 45-minute match)July 28: Palace vs Famalicao (7.30pm - 45-minute matchJuly 31 or August 1: Palace v TBC, (5pm or 7.45pm)August 15: Freiburg v Crystal Palace - Europa-Park Stadion, 1pmJuly 18: Dundee v Everton - Dens Park, 2pmJuly 25: Bolton vs Everton - Toughsheet Community Stadium, 3pmJuly 28: Stoke vs Everton - bet365 Stadium, 7.45pmAugust 1: Hamburg vs Everton - Volksparkstadion, 4pmAugust 8: Stuttgart vs Everton - MHP Arena, 4pmAugust 12: Everton vs Newcastle - Murrayfield, 5.15pmAugust 15: Everton vs Lille - Hill Dickinson Stadium, 3pmAugust 15: Fulham vs Stuttgart - Craven Cottage, 4pmJuly 25: Hull vs Konyaspor - Slovenia, KO TBCJuly 28: Hull vs Caykur Rizespor - Slovenia, KO TBCAugust 1: Hull vs Kasımpasa - Istanbul, KO TBCAugust 8: Eintracht Frankfurt vs Hull - Germany, 2pmAugust 15: Hull vs Nice - MKM Stadium (3pm)July 29: Ipswich v Osasuna - Colchester, 7.45pmAugust 1: Oxford vs Ipswich - Kassam Stadium, 12pmAugust 1: Wycombe vs Ipswich - Adams Park, 4pmAugust 4: Ipswich vs Le Havre - Portman Road, 7.45pmAugust 8: Ipswich vs Rayo Vallecano - Portman Road, 3pmAugust 15: Union Berlin vs Ipswich - Stadion An der Alten Forsterei, 2.30pmJuly 26: Leeds vs Wrexham - Tampa, 12.30amJuly 31: Leeds vs Sunderland - New Jersey, 12.30amAugust 2: Leeds vs Liverpool - Chicago, 9pmAugust 8: Leeds vs RB Leipzig - Elland Road, 2pmAugust 12: Leeds vs Man Utd - Dublin, 7.30pmJuly 25: Liverpool vs Sunderland - Nashville, 11pmJuly 30: Liverpool vs Wrexham - New York, 12.30amAugust 2: Liverpool vs Leeds - Chicago, 9pmAugust 9: Liverpool vs Monaco - Anfield, 2.30pmAugust 16: Liverpool vs Como - Anfield, 6pmAugust 1: Man City vs Inter Milan - Hong Kong,12.30pmAugust 5: K-League All Stars vs Man City - Seoul, 12pmAugust 9: Man City vs Atletico Madrid - Seoul, 12pmAugust 16: Community Shield - Arsenal vs Man City - Cardiff, 3pmJuly 18: Man Utd vs Wrexham - Helsinki, 4pmJuly 24: Man Utd vs Rosenborg - Trondheim, 5pmAugust 1: Man Utd vs Atletico Madrid - Stockholm, 2pmAugust 8: Man Utd vs PSG - Gothenburg, 4pmAugust 12: Man Utd vs Leeds - Dublin, 7.30pmAugust 15: Man Utd vs AC Milan - Wroclaw, 3.45pmJuly 18: Newcastle vs Darlington - Newcastle training ground (behind closed doors)July 25: Gateshead vs Newcastle - Gateshead International Stadium, 12.30pmJuly 29: Bristol City vs Newcastle - Ashton Gate, 7.30pmAugust 8: Valencia vs Newcastle - Mestalla, 8pmAugust 12: Everton vs Newcastle - Murrayfield, 5.15pmAugust 15: Newcastle vs Bayer Leverkusen - St James' Park, 3pmAugust 16: Newcastle vs Strasbourg - St James' Park, 4pmJuly 18: Notts County vs Forest - Meadow Lane, 3pmJuly 22: Forest vs Blackburn - Estadio da Nora (Portugal), 11amJuly 26: Vitoria vs Forest - Portugal (behind closed doors)July 31: Sporting vs Forest - Estadio Algarve, 7.45pmAugust 12: Forest vs Bayer Leverkusen - City Ground, 7.45pmAugust 16: Forest vs Brest - City Ground, 2pmJuly 18: York City vs Sunderland - LNER Community Stadium, 3pmJuly 25: Sunderland vs Liverpool - Nashville, 11pmJuly 31: Sunderland vs Leeds - New Jersey, 12.30amAugust 2: Sunderland vs Wrexham - Philadelphia, 6pmAugust 8: Lens vs Sunderland - Lens training ground (behind closed doors), 11amAugust 8: Lens vs Sunderland - Stade Bollaert-Delelis, 4pmAugust 15: Sunderland vs Rennes - Stadium of Light, 3pmJuly 22: Tottenham vs MK Dons - Spurs training ground (behind closed doors), 4pmJuly 26: Tottenham vs Auckland FC - Auckland, 4.30amJuly 29: Tottenham vs Sydney FC - Sydney, 10.45amAugust 1: Tottenham vs Chelsea - Sydney, 10.45amAugust 8: Tottenham vs Getafe - Spurs training ground (behind closed doors), 3pmAugust 15: Tottenham vs Hoffenheim - Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, 3pmAugust 16: Tottenham vs Hoffenheim - Spurs training ground (behind closed doors), 3pmNot got Sky Sports? Upgrade to Sky Sports if you're already a Sky customer, or check out our latest offers.Want even more flexibility? Check out NOW TV, which offers day or month membership options contract-free so customers can cancel anytime.August 21: Premier League campaign startsAugust 27: Champions League league phase drawSeptember 8-10: Champions League league phase startsJanuary 27: Champions League league phase endsFebruary 16: Champions League knockout phase beginsJune 5: Champions League final, Wanda Metropolitano Stadium, Madrid

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Sunday's World Cup final pits holders Argentina against Spain. The South American champions against the European champions. How do they compare? This is the story of the numbers.Since two of their games went to extra time, Argentina have played an hour of football more than Spain at this tournament - so we have taken that into account by including the 'per 90 minutes' version of each statistic.With 19 goals, Argentina side have scored the most at the tournament, thanks mainly to some clinical finishing. They have now scored at least two goals in each of their past 13 World Cup games, since losing 2-1 to Saudi Arabia in their opening fixture four years ago.Despite taking more shots, Spain have scored six goals fewer - as they have been average finishers so far, simply scoring as many goals as expected given the number and quality of their chances (13 scored, against an xG rating of 13.3).Argentina have actually only scored one more goal from inside the box but have been far more dangerous outside it, scoring five times while Spain are yet to score from distance.Spain may have scored six goals fewer than Argentina but have conceded six goals fewer too, letting in just one so far - in their 2-1 quarter-final victory against Belgium.The South Americans can perhaps consider themselves unlucky to have conceded seven, as only three sides have given up shots less often and only Spain have a lower xG against them per 90 minutes.But even if Argentina's defence has been better than it looks, Spain's has been in a league of its own.Incredibly, despite playing more games than 44 of the other teams, Spain still have the lowest defensive xG overall at this World Cup (2.1), with Uruguay the second-lowest after going out in the group stage (2.4).Keep calm and carry on - Spain trust team identity to deliver World CupPublished17 hours ago'Chaos v calm' - Sutton's World Cup final and third-place predictionsPublished16 hours agoFrance's formidable front four had been in fine form before their semi-final - but Spain have barely allowed opposition attackers to breathe.Below is a map of the shots faced by Luis de la Fuente's side so far - the bigger the dot, the better the chance. As you can see, there are no big dots as Spain have given up the hardest chances to score.A big reason is that, for all the praise they get for their technical ability, Spain work hard too. While Argentina have covered 13.5 m more overall because of those two stints of extra time, Spain have run and sprinted more per 90 minutes, while only Marcelo Bielsa's Uruguay (7.7) have won possession in the final third more frequently.In contrast, Argentina have been outrun by all of their opponents at this World Cup – totalling 17km overall – but emerged victorious each time. Their less intense approach means that while they have played 60 more minutes than Spain, they should not have a big disadvantage when it comes to fitness in the final, having also rested many of their players in their final group stage win against Jordan.Both sides have dominated possession in the majority of their games so far, although Spain had only 51% in their semi-final win against France and Argentina just 48% in their 3-0 group stage win over Algeria, so neither have to dominate the ball in order to win.While Spain have whipped in crosses far more often overall, it is something Argentina have done more as the tournament has gone on. After only putting in 13 crosses in open play in their first four games, the World Cup holders have attempted 51 across their past three games, with Lautaro Martinez most recently scoring the winner from one against England.Spain have the best aerial duel success rate at the World Cup, so should have an advantage in the air - though given the two finalists' overall duel success rates are very similar, that naturally means Argentina have been slightly more dominant on the ground.Neither side have been huge dribblers at the tournament, with 25 teams attempting more per 90 minutes than Spain. Argentina have tried to dribble past their opponents even less often, although only Croatia (63%) have a better success rate when they have.However, while the vast majority of Spain and Argentina's players have not dribbled very often at this World Cup, two most certainly have: Lamine Yamal and Lionel Messi.The two teams in the final have attempted 209 dribbles between them and their respective star forwards account for 90 of those (43%). Spain's teenage winger has attempted the most dribbles at this World Cup and only he and Brazil's Vinicius Jr (42) have run at opponents with the ball more than Argentina's talisman.When the World Cup finishes, the football continues on BBC SportHow to watch the World Cup on the BBC and ITV

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Turn the clock back to the last 16 of the World Cup, when the former England striker pledged to row down the River Mersey if Norway beat Brazil.Norway did exactly that, beating the five-time champions 2-1, so BBC Sport pundit Rooney confirmed live on air that he would take on the challenge in the US.He and fellow pundits Joe Hart and Micah Richards swapped their microphones for oars and took to the Hudson River in New York."I loved it," Rooney said. "The fans were brilliant. So we've done it out of respect for the fans."Norway fans' viking row became a sensation at the World Cup, and even Norway striker Erling Haaland was keen to see Rooney in action."Wayne, I expect you to go out on a rowing trip," he said.Norway were knocked out by England in the quarter-finals.Rooney, Hart and Richards will be back on dry land alongside Gabby Logan for Sunday's World Cup final (20:00 BST), which will be available to watch live on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.England play France in the World Cup third-place match on Saturday at 22:00, also live on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.When the World Cup finishes, the football continues on BBC Sport

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Chelsea reporterPublished1 hour ago10 CommentsChelsea's newest goalkeeping prospect, Mike Penders, comes from the same production line that produced the legendary Thibaut Courtois.Like Courtois, Chelsea signed Penders from Belgian top-flight club Genk as a teenager.A deal for the then-19-year-old was agreed in 2024 and he officially joined the following summer, before spending a season on loan with Strasbourg.Genk's goalkeeper coach at the time, Gilbert Roex, told BBC Sport "we thought it was crazy" that Chelsea paid £17m for Penders, who had not yet played for their first team.However, Roex also praised Chelsea for scouting his youth appearances, influenced by head of goalkeeping Ben Roberts, adding: "He was still playing for Jong Genk in the second division when Chelsea's scouts became convinced."It was similar to Courtois. He had only spent one season in the first team when he won the title and was still only 18. Maybe Chelsea's video scouts have identified a player who could be worth much more in the future."Indeed, this summer Penders trained with the long-time Belgium number one at the World Cup and those close to Courtois told BBC Sport that the 115-cap goalkeeper was very impressed with his understudy as both a player and a person.For now, Chelsea's plan is to keep Robert Sanchez as their number one option while under serious competition from Penders.It's a similar dynamic that played out when Filip Jorgensen challenged the Spain international, but he has not been able to unseat him as a regular starter despite spells in the first team and is now seeking his exit.Penders is effectively drafted in to replace Jorgensen with a third option also being sought either internally or in the transfer market, as one-time United States international Gabriel Slonina trials with partner club Strasbourg.It's Strasbourg where Penders made a name for himself on loan and leaves a gap for the French club - under the same American ownership as Chelsea - to fill.At Genk, Penders made 26 appearances in his final season knowing he would join Chelsea, where he featured as an unused substitute at the Club World Cup, before joining Strasbourg in Ligue 1.There he played almost every game during a demanding 52-match season that included runs to the semi-finals of both the Coupe de France and the Conference League.It was there that Penders stood out under former Strasbourg manager Liam Rosenior, who employed an extreme tactical approach before later joining Chelsea.Among goalkeepers in Europe's top five leagues, no one had a higher average position from goal, underlining Penders' importance in Strasbourg's build-up play and how frequently he operated outside his penalty area.The approach produced some impressive football but also, on occasion, some high-profile mistakes.It's remarkable that Penders has become a specialist with his feet given it used to be his weakness.When Genk first scouted Penders from Sint-Jan Berchmans College, alongside his games for grassroots club Bregel Sport, his ability on the ball was his Achilles' heel."One of the teachers recommended him to me," Roex, who recently left Genk, added. "When I saw him, he had a great profile, he played well and he had a great mentality. But technically, he needed a lot of work."At that time, his feet were terrible because he was so tall. But he passed the trial for our under-14s when he was 13."Roex says he has "never seen a player improve so quickly between the ages of 13 and 18" because of Penders' "unbelievable mentality" and his "inability to feel pressure" - qualities he insists remain evident today.He added: "In the beginning he struggled a lot, but he worked very hard. We did footwork for at least 20 minutes in every session with our goalkeepers."He reads the game very well, which is essential because playing out from the back is not just about technique, but decision-making - understanding space, pressure and timing."Nearly 20 years after helping develop the 6ft 7in Courtois along with fellow Genk goalkeeping coach Guy Martens, Roex said that Penders - who is the same height as Courtois - bears similarities to the former Chelsea goalkeeper, now a Real Madrid and Belgium great."Guy and I shared the same vision," Roex explained. "We believed football was changing and that goalkeepers needed to be comfortable with their feet. We implemented that philosophy throughout the academy, although there was initially some resistance from coaches."Part of our vision came from Ajax and Johan Cruyff's goalkeeping coach, Frans Hoek. He was a visionary who later worked with Barcelona and the Dutch national team."We were also early adopters of filming goalkeeping sessions, using tapes and simple editing software. We wanted to expose goalkeepers as young as 16 to the first-team environment."We produced Courtois and Penders, but also Koen Casteels, Martin van der Voordt at RB Leipzig, Kiaba Brughmans and Nordin Jackers, who is now at Club Brugge."Roex believes Penders' calm demeanour comes from his close, stable family unit and having grown up in the small village of Maasmechelen just outside of Genk."We have produced a lot of great goalkeepers, but Mike is the one with the potential to reach the same level as Thibaut, his sense of calmness is gold in goalkeeping."When the World Cup finishes, the football continues on BBC SportSecret friendlies and promoting youngsters - Alonso's first week at ChelseaAlonso wants to keep Fernandez at Chelsea