The United States and Iran continue to make competing claims about who has greater control of the critical Strait of Hormuz in the Gulf.
Washington claims the strait is open and that dozens of ships, carrying millions of barrels of oil, are passing through each day. US President Donald Trump claimed last month that the US was in “total control” of the waterway, through which one-fifth of the world’s oil and gas is shipped during peacetime, but which has been closed since the US-Israel war on Iran began six months ago.
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Iran, however, says the strait remains under its control and is closed except to pre-approved vessels using its designated channels. It has warned that other ships attempting to transit risk being targeted.
So what is really going on in the strait – and what explains the divergent accounts?
(Al Jazeera)
What are the latest US claims about the Strait of Hormuz?
The US says shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has significantly increased in recent weeks.
Two US officials told CNN that 40 commercial ships carrying some 18 million barrels of oil passed through the strait under US military escort on Tuesday, in what would be a new wartime record.
Trump gave a similar figure on Monday, saying the US Navy was helping some 30 ships pass through Hormuz every night. He later said the waterway was “under USA control”.
In terms of oil, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said that “at least 10 million barrels” were getting through the strait each day, with between 15 million and 17 million on Tuesday.
The assessment comes after US CENTCOM commander Brad Cooper claimed last week that the US military had cleared Hormuz’s transit lanes of sea mines.
Before the war began, an average of around 100 ships and 20 million barrels of oil are estimated to have passed through the waterway each day.
According to figures from PortWatch, this has fallen to an overall average of seven vessels since March.
(Al Jazeera)
What does Iran claim about the strait?
Iran has acknowledged that some vessels are getting through the strait, but insists it remains in control of the waterway.
Iran’s Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf on Tuesday said “the enemy managed to get some ships” through Hormuz, but stressed that Iranian forces remain “in complete control of the strait and will not allow it to be opened”.
Ghalibaf accused the US of giving ships “false guarantees” about their ability to cross a southern route in Hormuz, warning that ships that try to do so would be targeted.
The following day, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed two oil tankers had hit mines and were disabled while trying to cross an “illegal route” in the strait. Saudi Arabia, meanwhile, claimed an Iranian attack hit a Saudi oil tanker, killing two Filipino sailors.
What does shipping data show?
The latest ship-tracking data paints a different picture than the US claims, with far fewer vessels recorded as transiting the strait.
According to marine analytics firm Kpler, just six vessels crossed the strait on Wednesday, 11 on Tuesday and five on Monday. It put the 10-day average at 13 vessels per day.
Other ship-trafficking services show a similar pattern. Maritime data firm Lloyd’s List Intelligence recorded an average of around 12 transits per day from August 26 to September 1, though the latest data may be incomplete “due to a lag in identifying dark transits”, said the firm’s maritime intelligence and research director, Bridget Diakun. This means that some ships are switching off their tracking beacons.
From August 17-23, Lloyd’s List Intelligence recorded “about 14 non-Iranian-linked ships each day”, Diakun told Al Jazeera.
All these figures are far lower than the US claim that 40 ships transited the strait on Tuesday.
The Joint Maritime Information Center (JMIC), which monitors threats to shipping in the region, said in a September 1 advisory that commercial traffic through Hormuz was “far below baseline”, despite a “modest uptick from recent lows”.
The advisory put the risk level for Hormuz at “severe”, citing a “continued risk of drifting or uncharted mines”, despite US claims to have cleared the strait of mines.
What explains the discrepancy?
Diakun told Al Jazeera that it is difficult to explain the gap between US-claimed transit figures and those recorded by ship trackers without insight into how the US tallies its own figures.
She said it’s possible the US includes smaller or non-cargo-carrying ships in its total, unlike Lloyd’s, which only counts “cargo-carrying vessels over 10,000 dwt [deadweight tonnage]”.
Eirik Hooper, a senior associate covering the ports and terminals sector for maritime research consultancy Drewry, also pointed to possible differences in how the US counts vessel transits.
“A US operational count plausibly includes everything that moved under or near naval protection: naval auxiliaries, offshore support and tugs, coastal and small craft [and] dhows,” said Hooper, noting that ship-tracking firm Kpler filters out such vessels “on size or cargo grounds”.
Hooper also said the US has access to “satellite, airborne and other sensor coverage plus its own convoy manifests”, which enables it to see vessels not immediately picked up by the normal automatic identification system (AIS) tracking system.
“By late August, the majority of Hormuz crossings were classified ‘dark’ or unknown by route, and AIS data counts often need to be revised to include vessels that switch off their transponders, with confirmed movements backdated,” said Hooper.
More generally, both the US and Iran have an incentive to play up their influence in the strait, the status of which has become a major sticking point in their six-month conflict.
Former US Ambassador Henry Ensher recently told Al Jazeera that he believes the latest cycle of US-Iran confrontation was likely triggered by CENTCOM’s claims to have de-mined that strait, and said “both sides would be well served to stop talking quite so much”.
BBC Sport pundit Joe Hart believes Alexander Isak dropping deep to receive the ball instead of staying forward is a sign the striker is low in confidence, and isn’t having the ball played to him in areas where he can be most effective.
BBC Sport pundit Ashley Williams analyses Alex Scott’s “impressive” display, after the midfielder scored Bournemouth’s only goal in their 1-1 draw against Everton in the Premier League.
Harvard-Westlake and Sherman Oaks Notre Dame are teaming with Nike to hold a unique outdoor girls’ volleyball match on Sept. 12 at 7 p.m. on a custom outdoor court flown in by Nike. The match will be played on Notre Dame’s baseball diamond under the lights and celebrate volleyball and women’s sports.
It’s called Rally in The Valley Fanfest that will include food trucks, a DJ and Nike interactive activities.
Coming Sept. 12: Harvard-Westlake and Sherman Oaks Notre Dame will celebrate volleyball and women’s sports with a unique match at 7 p.m. on Notre Dame’s baseball diamond. Nike is flying in a special outside court. Food trucks. DJ. Party in Sherman Oaks.
Match of the Day’s Joe Hart discusses Manchester City’s Marc Guehi and his performance in midfield, with plenty of praise for the centre half in a different position against Bournemouth.
Match of the Day’s Mark Chapman, Alan Shearer and Wayne Rooney discuss Arsenal’s quality against Coventry City, praising the hosts but stressing that Frank Lampard’s side shouldn’t be judged.
A fresh wave of US tariffs on a wide array of Canadian goods has come into effect as of midnight on Saturday after a last minute break down in trade talks.
Announcing the suspension of negotiations shortly before the Friday night deadline, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said he would impose reciprocal tariffs on US goods “dollar for dollar”.
Carney said “last-minute changes in the US proposed terms were unfair, uneconomic, and called into question the reliability of any deal”.
Trade negotiators had been engaged in intense talks since July, after President Donald Trump threatened to impose a 50% levy on nearly $20bn (C$28bn) of Canadian imports by 19 August.
Trump had temporarily paused those tariffs earlier in the week, saying the two sides were close to signing a trade deal that was “very good” for both countries.
But minutes before a deadline for a deal, Carney said that while “important progress” had been made in the talks it was “not enough to meet our objectives for Canadians”.
“As a result, this evening, I have decided to suspend trade negotiations with the U.S. and have directed negotiators to return to Ottawa,” he said.
“Last-minute changes in the US proposed terms were unfair, uneconomic, and called into question the reliability of any deal.”
After Carney’s announcement US trade representative Jamieson Greer said in a statement: “Tonight, Canada declined to finalize the trade deal under the terms agreed earlier this week.
“Despite the US offer to Canada to receive the best treatment of any major exporter to our market, new demands and walk backs of other commitments by Canada have upended the careful balance reached in the past days,” the statement on X said.
The breakdown in talks marks a significant shift in tone from earlier in the week, when both US and Canadian officials sounded optimistic that a trade deal beneficial for both countries was within reach.
Negotiators were reportedly discussing a deal that would reduce US tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminium from 50% to 25%, and on Canadian autos from 25% to 15%.
In exchange, Carney had asked Canadian provinces to restore US alcohol to store shelves.
Tensions between the two major trading partners have been simmering since Trump returned to office in January last year and unleashed a wide-ranging global programme of tariffs, upending decades of free trade between Canada and the US.
Now that talks have broken down, Canada will be hit with new 50% US tariffs imposed by Trump using a Depression-era law called the Tariff Act of 1930.
They will be applied on a range of goods, including wine, dairy, cement, clothing and hockey equipment.
They are in addition to existing tariffs the US had already imposed on Canadian steel and aluminium, autos and lumber.
Doug Ford, the traditionally outspoken premier of Canada’s largest province Ontario, said “the prime minister has my full support for a strong response—tariff for tariff, dollar for dollar,” following Carney’s announcement.
Canada has been engaged in on-again, off-again trade negotiations with the US for over a year in pursuit of a deal that would see the US drop or reduce tariffs on these key sectors.
The US, meanwhile, has been asking for a number of concessions from Canada, including removing its remaining retaliatory tariffs on American autos and adjusting its dairy quotas to allow greater access for US cheese producers.
It has also asked for the ban on US alcohol sales, imposed last year by most Canadian provinces in retaliation to Trump’s tariffs, be removed.
Businesses and stakeholders on both sides of the border had pushed for a deal to be reached, arguing that the new US tariffs on Canada will be harmful to both countries.
The US Chamber of Commerce said earlier in the week in a statement that “higher tariffs would damage both economies, drive up costs for US families, further disrupt critical supply chains, and risk the 13 million American jobs that depend on trade under the US-Mexico-Canada Trade Agreement”.
A recent poll by Canadian firm Abacus Data suggested that around 36% of Canadian would support retaliating to US tariffs, while another 30% would want the Carney government to continue negotiating.
Retaliation risks upsetting the Trump administration, with trade representative Jamieson Greer saying the US is “not going to tolerate” counter-tariffs.
Footballers Toby Alderweireld, Robbie Keane, Ashley Young, and former Tottenham manager Thomas Frank will join Match of the Day as pundits and BBC Sport will launch four new YouTube formats for the new men’s football season.
The BBC Football YouTube channel will house the quartet of new shows including FANS², The Truth About Football, Golden Goal and Football Hub.
There will be a focus on fan experience with the addition of the BBC Sport Fan Collective, which will bring together supporters representing all 20 Premier League clubs.
“Football means something different to every fan, and this season BBC Sport is putting those fans even more firmly at the heart of the game,” said BBC director of Sport Alex Kay-Jelski.
“We’re bringing together the unrivalled expertise of former players and managers with the passion, personality and perspectives of supporters to create a richer football experience wherever and however audiences follow the game.”
BBC Radio 5 Live will broadcast live commentary of 209 Premier League matches this season, as well as coverage from the Champions League, Scottish Premiership, FA Cup, men’s League Cup and international matches.
As well as Match of the Day’s Premier League coverage, BBC will broadcast two matches from each round of the FA Cup as well as one Bundesliga match every week on BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website and app.
Highlights and clips will also be available from La Liga, Serie A, the Europa League and Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland’s international games.
Kelly Somer’s The Football Interview will continue on BBC iPlayer, BBC Football YouTube and the BBC Sport website and app, as well as on BBC One every Saturday from 12:45 BST.
Bayern Munich midfielder Jamal Musiala says he is being treated for a “neurological dysfunction” after collapsing during a match for the second time in a four-day period.
On Tuesday, Musiala collapsed six minutes after coming off the bench in Bayern’s 4-2 friendly victory at Heidenheim.
The 23-year-old appeared dazed as he received medical treatment and was helped off the pitch.
The incident occurred after he collapsed during Saturday’s 3-1 friendly win over RB Leipzig in Munich.
Musiala later posted a statement on Instagram to ease fears about the situation.
“I’ve been diagnosed with temporary, brief, but easily treatable absence seizures, which are due to a neurological dysfunction,” he explained.
“These can lead to the recent episodes, like the one against Leipzig or now in Heidenheim. I know they seem scary at first glance – but for me, they’re currently just part of my everyday life.
“I’m receiving excellent medical treatment and am very optimistic. FC Bayern and my family and friends are always by my side and supporting me on this journey.”
Following Tuesday’s game, Bayern sporting director Max Eberl had said the player would be speaking about the matter later, adding: “We knew about it and we are aware of the situation.
“Jamal will speak out. He’s in the dressing room, getting changed and taking a shower.”
Musiala missed the first six months of last season after breaking his ankle at the 2025 Club World Cup, but returned in the second half of the campaign and started three of Germany’s four games at the 2026 World Cup.
HOUSTON — Guilherme Santos scored on a first-half penalty kick and Jonathan Bond posted his fourth clean sheet in a row to help the Houston Dynamo beat the Galaxy 1-0 on Saturday night.
Bond did not need to make a save in running his scoreless streak to 372 minutes as Houston upped its unbeaten run to seven at 5-0-2. The 33-year-old notched his seventh shutout this season, matching his total from last year — his first with the Dynamo. Bond had four clean sheets in 89 starts with the Galaxy from 2021-23.
The Dynamo (11-6-2) are the hottest team in the Western Conference with a 9-2-2 record over their last 13 matches.
Santos scored his 12th goal this season — in the 21st minute — to put Houston in front for good. The PK was awarded after Galaxy defender John Nelson fouled Lawrence Ennali.
Defender Emiro Garces subbed in for Maya Yoshida to begin the second half and was tagged with a red card in the 58th minute, leaving the Galaxy a man down.
JT Marcinkowski had one save for the Galaxy (5-8-7), who dropped to 0-3-2 in their past five matches.
Houston’s Ibrahim Aliyu picked up two yellow cards in second-half stoppage time, leading to a red-card exit.
Hirving “Chucky” Lozano subbed into the match in the second half in his first appearance with the Galaxy after posting nine goals and 10 assists in 27 appearances with San Diego FC last season.
Galaxy midfielder Elijah Wynder left with an injury in the 54th minute and was replaced by Isaiah Parente.
Up next for the Galaxy: vs. San José Earthquakes at Dignity Health Sports Park on Wednesday.
That’s how Iván Barton described the moment he heard his last name called during the 2026 World Cup referee assignment meeting. It wasn’t to ask a question or to correct some administrative detail.
The next sentence changed his career forever: “Barton, your match is France vs. Spain. … After that, I didn’t hear anything else. I didn’t even know who my assistant referees would be.” The World Cup semifinal — one of the biggest matches a referee can officiate — had just been entrusted to the Salvadoran.
“It’s like going into shock, but a good kind of shock. ‘This is happening — it’s really happening.’ Reaching a semifinal is coming within a hair’s breadth of glory, because after a World Cup final, there’s nothing left,” Barton said.
Referee Iván Barton issues a yellow card to France’s Adrien Rabiot during a World Cup semifinal match against Spain on July 14 in Arlington, Texas.
(Lars Baron / Getty Images)
There’s one detail in that scene that captures the magnitude of the moment. While waiting for the meeting to begin, Barton was checking the airline’s app on his phone. His ticket was still scheduled for a return flight to El Salvador the next day. He had already started packing, convinced that his World Cup was over.
“I was already mentally preparing to fly back to El Salvador the next day,” Barton recalled. “When I heard ‘Barton,’ I thought, ‘What happened?’ Then they said, ‘Spain vs. France, semifinal.’ I didn’t even hear the names of my assistants.”
The first thing he did after that was call his wife.
“That’s when the tears of joy came,” he said. “It was also a moment to thank God for what was happening and immediately start preparing for the match.”
For the first time, both World Cup semifinal matches were officiated by CONCACAF referees. Barton officiated the France-Spain match, while American Ismail Elfath refereed the England-Argentina match. The confederation described both appointments as an unprecedented event for the region.
Barton said he fulfilled a dream working during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, but he and other CONCACAF referees were determined to show their ability to call the most important games.
“Qatar meant making a dream come true. Making it to 2026 was a huge challenge because the bar had been set very high,” Barton said. “There were high expectations. We approached it with a great sense of responsibility and humility.”
When the tournament ended, the feeling was different from that of his first World Cup.
“I feel happy, very proud to have placed our little El Salvador flag practically at the very top of world soccer,” he said. “That’s what fills me with the most pride. We continue to open doors not only for my country, but also for the entire region and for CONCACAF refereeing.”
The red card that made history
Among the four matches Barton officiated, the Turkey-Paraguay game went down in history at the 45+3-minute mark.
During a confrontation between Miguel Almirón and Turkey’s Mert Muldur, the Paraguayan star covered his mouth while speaking aggressively to his opponent.
Barton had to review the play via VAR, and as stipulated by the new amendment to Law 12, the incident resulted in a red card, since the situation had elements of confrontation and the gesture served to conceal provocative, derogatory or inflammatory communication.
The review confirmed his interpretation.
Referee Iván Barton issues a red card to Miguel Almirón for covering his mouth while confronting another player during a World Cup match.
(Dean Mouhtaropoulos / Getty Images)
Almirón became the first player sent off in a World Cup under this new provision.
For Barton, however, the story isn’t simply about a player covering his mouth.
“People get confused. It’s not just the act of doing it; it’s doing it in a confrontational situation against an opponent. That’s what changes the picture,” Barton explained.
Clarity is important.
The amendment aims to prevent players from hiding insults or other abuse — including discriminatory remarks — behind their hand, arm or jersey.
In Almirón’s case, Barton believed the conditions were met.
“In that match, it was clear that it had occurred during a confrontational situation in which the players were facing off,” Barton explained. “Seeing it on the VAR footage was clear. It was evident, and at no point was there any doubt about the decision that had to be made.”
The incident occurred shortly before halftime, when Paraguay was leading 1-0. The red card left Paraguay with 10 players for the entire second half, but the team went on to win the match 1-0.
For Barton, the red card illustrates something he believes the public still misunderstands: VAR does not eliminate the need for the referee to interpret the rules.
“VAR isn’t there to eliminate 100% of errors,” he said. “Errors will always be part of soccer because there are many issues open to interpretation, and that’s what the referee is there for — to interpret them.”
Breaks that changed the pace of the matches
There was another major change fans protested during the World Cup — the hydration breaks.
FIFA decided that during the 2026 World Cup, there would be a three-minute break midway through each half, regardless of the temperature or stadium conditions. The referee was required to stop the match around the 22nd minute of each half.
The decision was motivated by concerns about player welfare in some of the hottest venues and a committee agreed it would be best to use the breaks universally rather than whenever the weather conditions required it to assure no teams were hampered by not getting breaks, but the debate did not go away.
In some cases, the breaks interrupted the flow of the game just as a team was starting to take control.
Barton understands that criticism, but he also doesn’t believe the break necessarily has a favorable or unfavorable effect on a team.
“Team A is attacking, attacking, attacking Team B. Obviously, it won’t be beneficial for Team A because they’re at their peak. For Team B, it will be,” he said.
The scenario can change in the second half.
“And what if, in the second half, the roles are reversed and it’s Team B that’s attacking Team A? For Team A, it’ll be beneficial. It’s very relative. I don’t think you can generalize whether it’s positive or not because it depends on the circumstances of the game.”
There’s also a difference between analyzing the break from the spectator’s perspective and doing so from the field.
As a referee, Barton found an immediate benefit.
“For us as referees, it’s beneficial because having a break to rest a bit, regain our strength and get feedback from our colleagues to see if anything needs adjusting — well, of course that’s positive,” said Barton. “In the United States, summers are extreme and it often becomes very difficult to say, ‘In this game, yes; in this game, no,’ because that undermines the consistency that the application of a rule must have.”
The stars’ last names don’t change the rule
What happens when the player who needs to be disciplined is named Kylian Mbappé, Lionel Messi, Lamine Yamal or James Rodríguez?
In a stadium, those names carry weight. On the lineup sheet, according to Barton, they don’t.
“As a referee — contrary to what many people might think — you detach yourself from many situations, from the noise, from the pressure,” he said.
That doesn’t mean the referee is unaware of who’s on the field. According to him, it means he can’t let a player’s name influence his decision.
“On the field, there are no big names, no big teams. You see 11 players against 11 players,” Barton said.
The Salvadoran had already officiated games featuring Messi during his career in various tournaments and at the 2026 World Cup, he faced some of the most renowned soccer players on the planet.
“At no point do we think, ‘I’m not going to speak to him firmly or show him a card because it’s this player.’ No, absolutely not,” Barton stated.
The rules must apply equally to everyone.
“If you see an incident, a foul or something someone did, you make a decision regardless of who it is,” Barton said.
Barton explains the relationship in a way that makes it clear it’s not about ignoring the players’ status in the sport. It’s about understanding that, for those 90 minutes, roles are clearly defined.
“Obviously, we respect them for what they’ve achieved, for what they represent in soccer, but when it comes to applying the rules of the game, we see 11 players against 11 players — and that’s it,” he said.
Taking El Salvador to the biggest stage
Barton speaks little about himself and a lot about his country. Every assignment, he explains, ceases to be an individual endeavor.
“The higher you climb a mountain, the stronger the wind blows. The harder it is to maintain your balance,” he said.
His philosophy has changed little since he began his career.
“I haven’t achieved these things on my own. There’s a huge team behind me. … My family, CONCACAF, FIFA, the people who have always supported me,” Barton said.
The Salvadoran acknowledges that, during international competitions, he often finds that there are still people who don’t even know where El Salvador is located.
“When you get to competitions at this level, there are people who can’t even locate our country on a map,” Barton noted. “Serving as a means for others to learn about El Salvador and ensuring that representation is dignified is one of my greatest responsibilities.”
There’s a common perception among fans that FIFA assigns the matches each referee will officiate from the very beginning of the tournament.
Instead, each assignment depends on the performance shown during the previous match.
France captain Kylian Mbappe and Spain captain Rodri pose with referee Iván Barton and match officials before a World Cup semifinal.
(Florencia Tan Jun / Getty Images)
“First, you have to earn a spot in the World Cup. Then you have to earn the privilege of officiating a match. And after that, it depends entirely on how you perform in that match,” Barton said. “It’s just like the teams. No one is guaranteed to advance. Game by game, you prove whether you deserve to stay in the competition.”
After each match, there are technical sessions during which every major match decision is analyzed.
“We have debriefing sessions to review what we did well and what we need to improve,” he said. “We also work with a technical staff that conducts tactical analyses of the teams to prepare for the different scenarios a match might present.”
Although the semifinal against France and Spain holds a special place in his heart, Barton recalls other World Cup moments that will likely stay with him forever.
“The four walkouts before the matches were impressive. Hearing the World Cup anthem and walking out of the tunnel was always special,” he said.
“When the final whistle blew in the semifinal, I felt like I’d written my name into soccer history by representing my country. It was one of the most sublime moments of my career.”
Unlike many public figures, Barton decided to stay virtually off social media before and during the World Cup.
“Our minds are what we choose to feed them. If we feed them garbage, we’ll end up thinking that way,” he said.
Barton only opened official accounts after the tournament — and, according to him, not out of personal interest.
“There were too many fake profiles impersonating me,” Barton said. “I’m not swayed by flattery, just as I’m not affected by insults. … I’ve faced the most attacks in my own country, not abroad,” Barton confessed.
Even so, he insists on always responding with the same message.
“Behind the referee is a human being. There’s a father, a husband, a son,” he said. “It’s fine to criticize the work, but don’t cross the line into personal attacks.”
Footage shows the moment a lightning strike hit a football player in southern Thailand, during a semi-final match, killing him instantly. The strike injured 12 others as a monsoon storm swept through the area. Warning: video shows graphic footage.
The World Cup was a riveting first chapter. The 39-day tournament brought more than 560,000 fans to SoFi Stadium for eight matches, 250,000 fans to 10 official fan zones and a projected $892 million in economic impact across L.A. County, according to LASEC.
The expanded World Cup, with 48 teams and 104 matches over 16 venues in three countries, is only a logistical qualifying match compared to the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The first Olympics in L.A. in 44 years will welcome 11,198 athletes across 51 sports from more than 200 countries competing over 20 days. The 2028 Paralympics will come to L.A. for the first time with a 23-para sport schedule that will begin competition before the opening ceremony for the first time.
Despite the difference in scale, John Harper, chief operating officer of LA28, called the successful World Cup’s local matches “an immense learning opportunity for us in a lot of ways.”
Attending World Cup matches as a fan and behind-the-scenes observer, Harper was impressed by the transportation services provided by L.A. Metro. The agency said it provided more than 212,000 rides directly to and from SoFi Stadium and 15 parking and transit hubs in L.A. and Orange counties through an enhanced service. Harper was encouraged by the interagency work between different public partners that helped the eight matches go off without a major hitch.
But the biggest lesson was in the spirit of the fans who packed watch parties, streets and bars.
“It really demonstrated the power of sport,” Harper said. “Not only the energy in the stadium, but the energy in the city and L.A. being such a diverse city, you really saw the world come to life on the streets of L.A.”
The World Cup exceeded expectations, Schloessman said, delivering economic effects, local supplier opportunity and community engagement. LASEC hosted fan areas at 10 different locations, highlighted by the tournament-opening festival at the Coliseum. The City of L.A. hosted seven free “Kick It In the Park” watch parties. Sports bars and restaurants overflowed with customers who drank beer taps dry.
“It was just this six-week interlude of time when people liked each other and people were having fun together,” Schloessman said.
LA28 hopes to create a similar, harmonious energy during the Games with sports parks at major sports zones. Areas where multiple venues are clustered together, such as L.A. Live, Exposition Park, Long Beach, Inglewood and Carson, will have dedicated areas for pin trading, sport trials, entertainment zones and sponsorship activations.
Fans cheer during a watch party at LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes during a World Cup match between Mexico and Ecuador on June 30.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
While LA28 will be responsible for hosting official live sites for the Games, local communities can organize their own Games-time activities. LASEC worked with local organizations and businesses leading up to the World Cup to promote opportunities, including watch parties, meetups or themed decorations while still adhering to strict rules regarding FIFA broadcasts and logos. LA28 will provide similar guidance leading up to the Olympic and Paralympics Games.
“It is our responsibility, with the organizers, with the authorities, to create an Olympic experience for as many people as possible,” said Pierre Ducrey, International Olympic Committee sports director, who was impressed by the atmosphere of a FIFA fan event in Kansas City where he attended a match featuring his native Switzerland facing off against Argentina. “Whether they have a ticket to be in the stadium or they don’t, we want to create special moments for them that they can remember.”
LA28 sold more than 4 million tickets in its first ticket drop, and after last week’s presale, the second drop will resume Aug. 10. With 14 million tickets available, the 2028 Games could break the sales record set by Paris 2024, which sold 12 million tickets between the Olympics and Paralympics.
The biggest World Cup ever also boasted the highest attendance, but some of the tournament’s best parties came outside of stadiums.
Santa Monica put screens on every block of the Third Street Promenade for World Cup watch parties where patrons were allowed to carry alcoholic beverages within a specific area of the open-air mall. More than 40,000 people walked through a fan hub on the Santa Monica Pier. The city closed down more than a mile of downtown Santa Monica during the World Cup final for a block party that attracted 20,000 people.
And, Santa Monica Mayor Caroline Torosis proudly emphasized, it was free.
“I think major global events have an extractive history,” Torosis said. “We are trying to change that. We are also trying to use it as an opportunity to showcase the city itself. So how do we benefit our local community but also reintroduce Santa Monica to the region?”
Santa Monica balked at the chance to host competitions for the 2028 Games. Talks to host beach volleyball near the iconic pier broke down in 2025, six months after a study indicated that being a venue city could result in a net loss of $1.45 million, while not hosting the competition could still generate $10.65 million in profit because of the city’s status as a popular tourist destination.
Santa Monica already has deals in place to host hospitality houses for several countries in 2028, including France and Switzerland. Broadcast partners will set up studios on the city’s iconic pier. With plans for watch parties and other accessible celebrations for fans, Torosis envisions Santa Monica being “the place to be” during the Games.
“We are prepared for the influx of people that are going to be in the city,” Torosis said. “I think that FIFA was a great dry run.”
Inglewood was at the center of the World Cup with eight matches at SoFi Stadium. The city got an economic boost from an estimated 625,000 fans, including thousands who traveled to support their national teams without a match ticket, Inglewood Mayor James T. Butts Jr. said.
Fans from all over the world, sporting their country’s colors, flooded Market Street for the city-hosted Wood Cup festival to begin the tournament. Packed prematch marches stunned organizers who were unfamiliar with the tradition. While SoFi Stadium’s name was changed to “Los Angeles Stadium” per FIFA’s sponsorship rules, broadcasters still emphasized they were in Inglewood.
“It really gave a boost to community pride that Inglewood is now an international city,” Butts said.
Inglewood will remain the setting for the mega-event story. SoFi Stadium, in addition to hosting a second Super Bowl in five years, is the scene for the 2028 Olympic opening ceremony — which will be shared with the Coliseum — as well as Olympic swimming and the Paralympic opening ceremony. Neighboring Intuit Dome will host the Olympic basketball tournament.
The consistent stream of global events doesn’t faze Butts. In a city that will have hosted an NBA All-Star Game, eight World Cup matches and another Super Bowl in less than a calendar year, the Olympic chapter is already written.
“We do it time and time again,” Butts said. “This is what we do.”
Coverage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Fox and Telemundo became the ratings smash of the summer.
Fox TV executives knew their telecast of Sunday’s 2026 FIFA World Cup Final would be big.
But bigger than every NFL game outside of the Super Bowl, the perennial ratings blockbuster, was not on their radar.
“I have to admit that I didn’t see it coming, that we and Telemundo would combine for almost 65 million viewers for the final,” Mike Mulvihill, executive vice president and head of strategy and analytics for Fox Sports. “That’s beyond what we could have hoped for.”
Spain’s World Cup victory over Argentina by a 1-0 score attracted the largest audience for any sports telecast outside of the Super Bowl since the 1994 Winter Olympics when Nancy Kerrigan and Tonya Harding competed in the women’s figure skating short program.
The 38.9 million viewers who tuned in on Fox was enough to make the final the most-watched soccer telecast in history. Telemundo’s coverage set the record for a Spanish language soccer telecast with 23.9 million viewers.
It capped a month of massive viewing for the quadrennial tournament. In the United States,128.4 million people watched some portion of the World Cup across Fox’s broadcast network, its cable outlet FS1 and streaming platform Tubi. The 104 matches averaged a record high 7.7 million viewers, a 116% increase over the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
Spanish language coverage on NBCUniversal’s Telemundo and the Peacock streaming platform combined to average 6.3 million viewers across the 104 matches, up 143% over the 2022 tournament.
Ad revenues for the tournament topped $1.2 billion, according to data from Guideline, which tracks media spending.
Having the tournament in the U.S. with games airing in daytime and prime time helped. Mulvihill noted the tournament came up at a fortunate time on the sports viewing calendar. The NBA Finals were over and Major League Baseball’s post-season and the NFL season are months away.
But even with that soft competition for sports fans’ attention, the World Cup demonstrated an ability to bring in viewers who don’t follow the sport. Fox data showed 53% of viewers who tuned into its coverage had not watched any soccer in the past year. The network’s research found that a majority of U.S. sports fans could name only two stars, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, and their home countries.
What brought the audience in? Mulvihill credits social media, which tends to be an angry place during big sporting events. The lead up to the World Cup was no different, but the doom and gloom went away once the action began.
“There was a lot of negativity around this tournament on social as there always is about everything related to the cost of tickets and related to challenges that foreign visitors might face coming to the U.S.,” Mulvihill noted. “As soon as the ball was kicked, and the matches were in progress, that just completely pivoted to overwhelming positivity.”
Patrick Rishe, director of the sports business program at Washington University in St. Louis, said the global reach of social media made the international stars accessible to U.S. fans and created a “fear of missing out” effect that likely drove them to watch.
“There is a communal aspect of soccer, in particular, where you can be in a room with people wearing 10 different colored jerseys, and they all just kind of get into the camaraderie of it, and the highs and lows of it, and the drama of it,” Rishe said. “So even if you don’t have rooting interests, it’s just fun to be a part of it.”
The appeal of communal viewing showed up in the Nielsen data. Out-of-home viewing accounted for 27% of the audience. For Sunday’s final, the figure was 35%
People were having viewing parties or gatherings at home as well. An average of 1.955 viewers per home watched the World Cup. The figure for last year’s regular season NFL games was 1.685 viewers.
The question going forward is whether the World Cup will spur more interest in soccer in the U.S. Major League Soccer has reportedly seen significant increases in ticket sales. The league, which has most of its matches on Apple TV, launched an ad campaign with the tagline, “Thanks World, We’ll Take It From Here.”
Versant acquired the rights to carry 300 Bundesliga matches. The company’s USA Network will carry at least 30 matches from the German domestic league, with the rest streaming on the company’s free Fandango platform. The league was previously available on ESPN’s streaming service, which required a subscription.
Telemundo acquired the Spanish-language TV rights to the Union of European Football Assns. men’s club competitions, including the Champions League.
Fox paid $485 million for the rights to the 2026 World Cup, while Telemundo shelled out $600 million for the Spanish-language telecasts.
But the real prize is the rights for the 2030 World Cup, which both TV networks and streamers are expected to vigorously pursue, even though the time zones will not be as hospitable to the U.S. (The host countries are Morocco, Portugal, and Spain.)
During a recent appearance at the CNBC Sport x Boardroom Game Plan Summit in New York, ESPN Chairman Jimmy Pitaro made it clear where he stands.
“Of course we’re interested,” Pitaro said. “This has been a juggernaut. We’re not at all surprised by it.”
The final weekend of the 2026 FIFA World Cup is here, with France and England playing for third place on Saturday before defending champion Argentina takes on 2010 winner Spain for the title on Sunday.
Here’s everything you need to know about the last two matches of the 39-day, 48-team tournament in North America (all times Pacific).
Saturday’s third-place game
France vs. England
France star Kylian Mbappé smiles during a World Cup semifinal match against Spain on Tuesday.
(David Ramos / Getty Images)
Where: Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, Fla. Time: 2 p.m. TV: Fox, Telemundo | Streaming:Fox One, Peacock
The buzz: This is a game neither team really wants to play. The disappointment of missing the final is fresh and the weather report calls for temperatures in the high 80s with 68% humidity and a chance of thundershowers — a brutal South Florida summer day. The $2-million difference in prize money between third and fourth place isn’t likely to make any of that more palatable. Still, the game will have meaning for France since it will be the final match for coach Didier Deschamps, the winningest World Cup manager in history. And captain Kylian Mbappé, tied with Argentina’s Lionel Messi for most goals in the tournament (8), has a chance to become the first player to win consecutive Golden Boots. England is playing in the consolation final for the second time in three World Cups; it lost to Belgium 2-1 in 2018. But this one will probably sting even more since the Three Lions were five minutes away from their first final in six decades before collapsing against Argentina. This could be the last World Cup game for England’s Golden Generation of Harry Kane, Jordan Pickford, John Stones and Jordan Henderson.
Sunday’s championship game
Spain vs. Argentina
Argentina star Lionel Messi celebrates after a win over England in the World Cup semifinals on Wednesday.
The buzz: Argentina has a chance to become the first repeat World Cup champion since Brazil in 1962, which would give Messi another grand achievement in his sixth and likely final World Cup. Messi enters the weekend as the all-time leader in goals, assists and games played in tournament history. But unbeaten Argentina hasn’t made things easy, with its winning goals in the four knockout-round games coming in the 92nd minute or later. Spain, the reigning European champion, will be playing to put a second star on its jersey to match the one it won in 2010. La Roja, with the sixth-youngest roster in the World Cup, got to the final on the strength of spectacular defense led by Unai Simón, who has six clean sheets in seven games. Mikel Oyarzabal is the team’s leading scorer with five World Cup goals. The teams had one common opponent in this tournament, tiny Cape Verde, a World Cup debutante. It played Spain to a scoreless draw in its opener, then held Argentina to a 1-1 standoff into extra time before falling.
Erling Haaland and SoFi Stadium, ladies and gentlemen. Your breakout stars of the World Cup.
We’ve all fallen for the blond forward who has rowed Norway to its first World Cup quarterfinal berth — and also for SoFi Stadium.
Or “Los Angeles Stadium,” FIFA’s designation for the $5.5-billion architectural masterpiece that welcomed the world to Inglewood.
I cover Rams and Chargers games there regularly, but the World Cup changed how I feel about the place. It has more soul now, more character.
There is more history attached, “core memories,” as Kevin Demoff, president of parent company Kroenke Sports & Entertainment, put it.
The exultation when the United States went up 1-0 in the seventh minute of its tournament-opening, 4-1 victory over Paraguay? “That’s now a core memory of this stadium,” Demoff said.
So is the proud Iranian diaspora showing up en masse to mostly support Team Melli twice, in draws with New Zealand and Belgium.
And the goal by LAFC’s Stephen Eustáquio in the second minute of second-half stoppage time to lead Canada to a 1-0 victory over South Africa in its first knockout game.
And Spain’s taut, 2-1 victory over Belgium in Friday’s high-stakes quarterfinals match.
FIFA might say these sensational scenes put L.A. — our tiny hamlet of more than 18 million people — “on the map.”
What they did was put SoFi Stadium on everyone’s radar as one of the world’s foremost football stadiums.
Jose Ovalle, a 34-year-old from Reynosa, Mexico, has watched matches at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City and Estadio BBVA in Monterey, both sites of World Cup action this summer.
“They’re amazing stadiums — a lot of history, so much history,” Ovalle said Friday. “But [SoFi Stadium] is one of the top stadiums in the world.”
Spain midfielder Fabián Ruiz, left, celebrates after scoring past Belgium goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, right, in the World Cup quarterfinals at SoFi Stadium on Friday.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Nah, said New Zealand coach Darren Bazeley: “This is the best football stadium I’ve ever been in.”
Swiss center back Manuel Akanji plays for Inter Milan and roots for the Atlanta Falcons. It was a big deal for him to play at their home field, Mercedes-Benz Stadium, in last year’s FIFA Club World Cup.
“It’s really nice, but this is the best,” Akanji said after Switzerland defeated Bosnia-Herzegovina in group play at Sofi Stadium. “This is the best I’ve seen overall among all the stadiums I’ve ever been to. It’s amazing.”
Eight matches, five group stage games, two round-of-32 knockout affairs, Friday’s quarterfinal and a partridge in a pear tree — it was a monthlong run that was everything SoFi Stadium’s team could have wished for when it began preparing to host eight years ago. And more.
“I don’t think you can envision the passion of national team fans,” Demoff said. “We’ve seen so many great events here, NFL games, concerts, but the pride of a national event and seeing people come to Los Angeles and the U.S. for the first time, and seeing this building for the first time…
“There’s something magical about 30,000 Bosnians in blue singing, marching from the airport to here. You can’t properly envision that, no matter how many times you’ve been here.”
People raved about sight lines and sound. They admired the architecture and the infinity screen and the way the canopy kept things cool. In line to buy merchandise Friday, Orange County’s Nick Valencia looked around and mused: “Wow, humans made this.”
Players had the run of the place on real grass, not the artificial turf in place for NFL games. (Don’t expect that to change, Demoff said, noting that upkeep would be doubly challenging at SoFi Stadium with two NFL teams using the field.)
Soccer fans amplified their positive reviews online, where the only complaint having to do with SoFi Stadium was that FIFA decided to give the World Cup final to the archaic-by-comparison MetLife Stadium — a.k.a. “New York/New Jersey Stadium” — instead.
The stadium popped in person and on TV, its distinctive, futuristic shape making it immediately recognizable in a way that not every stadium is.
Vibes were good among volunteers and visitors from around the world and every corner of the United States — and among stadium staffers, who won raises in a late-breaking contract agreement that resulted in increases to more than $30 per hour.
The Rams’ house — and Chargers’ — was full almost every match, with four sold-out crowds of 70,492 and an eight-game total of 561,656.
People paid thousands of dollars for tickets and got their money’s worth at the world’s most-expensive stadium, a modern marvel that’s only getting better with age.
Dodger Stadium is dripping in lore, from Kirk Gibson’s legendary walk-off home run in 1988 to more history, like Shohei Ohtani playing perhaps the greatest game ever last postseason.
Staples — er, Crypto.com Arena — is where Kobe Bryant dropped 81. Decathlete Rafer Johnson lit the Olympic flame in 1984 at the Los Angeles Coliseum. And we all can picture Brandi Chastain ripping off her top in her iconic celebration after scoring the game-winning penalty kick in the 1999 Women’s World Cup at the Rose Bowl.
“We may not have the Brandi Chastain moment from ‘99,” Demoff said. “But we’ve had so many great moments off this tournament that I think will be replayed over and over and over again.”
There are more moments to come, with SoFi Stadium slated to host Super Bowl LXI in February and then, in 2028, to stage the Olympic Opening Ceremony and the Olympic swimming competition.
“Where the U.S. scored the opening goal,” Demoff said, “is going to be the middle of the Olympic swimming pool. I think that contrast blows people’s minds. It certainly blows mine.”
And for the past month, Los Angeles’ stadium blew the world’s mind.
Thousands of Argentina fans held a banderazo in the streets of Atlanta ahead of their World Cup semi-final against England. The fan tradition transforms public spaces into celebrations before a major match.
The 14-team 2027 ODI tournament in Africa will have a Super Seven stage but no quarterfinals.
Published On 15 Jul 202615 Jul 2026
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced a revamped format for the men’s 2027 one-day international World Cup that could lead to an additional fixture between India and Pakistan.
The restructure, revealed on Wednesday, comes after concerns were expressed about the prospect of too many dead rubbers, which in turn would lead to sparse crowds at venues, and the number of foregone conclusions at the recent T20 World Cup.
While next year’s edition in Southern Africa remains a 14-team competition, the three lowest-ranked qualifiers will now take part in a preliminary round, and just one of them will progress to a 12-team main group stage.
That will now feature just two pools of six teams with a new “Super Seven” stage replacing the previous “Super Six” round robin.
Significantly, there will be no quarterfinals with the 50-over tournament denied the further jeopardy and interest that comes with an extra round of clear-cut knockout matches.
The ICC, however, insisted in a statement that the new ODI World Cup structure “creates greater context, competitiveness and consequence during the event”.
An additional team in the round-robin phase also increases the prospects of an extra match between India and Pakistan, who share a bitter rivalry that has been soured further in recent years.
The passion for cricket on the subcontinent, which in turn generates lucrative broadcast rights and huge commercial revenues for the ICC, makes a match between India and Pakistan the most valuable in the sport.
But India and Pakistan no longer meet outside ICC events as political tensions between the border nations mean they are in effect barred by their own governments from facing each other.
The last bilateral series India played in Pakistan was in 2006 (Test and ODI series).
Another change approved last week at the ICC’s annual board meeting in Edinburgh will see the next men’s T20 World Cup in 2028 remain a 20-team competition but with 10 sides qualifying from the group stage rather than eight.
The two best-performing teams in the “Super 10” will automatically secure a semifinal spot with a new eliminator stage to decide their opponents.
ICC loans Cricket West Indies $12.82m
In a separate announcement, the ICC said it had approved a $12.82m loan to Cricket West Indies (CWI) “to support the member board”.
Unlike other leading international cricket teams, the West Indies are a regional side, and the relative economic weakness of its constituent Caribbean islands and territories along with the travel distances involved puts the CWI at a considerable financial disadvantage compared with the “Big Three” of India, England and Australia.
During the recent women’s T20 World Cup in England, West Indies captain Hayley Matthews lamented an “unfair” funding ecosystem after her cash-strapped side’s eight-wicket semifinal thrashing by Australia.
“The reason we were so successful back in 2012 to 2016 is because women’s cricket was based off pure talent at that time,” Matthews said.
“The minute that investment comes into the picture, we’ve seen the gap widen a lot. … I feel like it’s a bit unfair sometimes.”
England and Argentina met in another quarter-final in Mexico City’s Azteca Stadium at the 1986 World Cup, with the Falklands War four years earlier providing the backdrop.
It was the day of Diego Maradona’s infamous “Hand Of God” – as well as his brilliant second goal – as Argentina won 2-1, and then went on to lift the World Cup.
France ’98 delivered a classic last-16 game best remembered for a wound-up David Beckham being sent off for kicking out at Diego Simeone, and the solo goal that brought an 18-year-old Michael Owen to global superstar status.
Argentina prevailed on penalties to provide yet more World Cup heartache for the Three Lions.
There was still lingering ill-feeling between the two teams when they met again four years later in a World Cup group game under Sapporo’s dome in Japan.
This time it was redemption for Beckham, who scored the winner with a first-half penalty, but Argentina complained long and loud – insisting Owen had dived amid a challenge from future Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino.
Tuchel said: “It is a very big rivalry between two big footballing nations.
“I could say the history is irrelevant but I’m not sure. The players are aware of it. When a fixture provides so many iconic moments, you can’t say it is just another football match.”
Argentina boss Lionel Scaloni – who represented his nation at the 2006 World Cup – added: “We all have stories from that past time and history and it all makes it very emotional.”
It is this backdrop, this history of acrimony, that elevates this encounter above those other semi-finals.
England have had many memorable games in the past six decades – but winning this match would outstrip them all and offer the chance for a historic triumph in Sunday’s World Cup final against Spain.
Millions of England supporters up and down the country are gearing up for the big match tonight, but what happens if you are due to be flying while the match is being aired?
Passengers are asking the all important World Cup question(Image: Bloomberg via Getty Images)
British Airways has issued an improtant update for passengers hoping to watch the World Cup match tonight.
England will take on Argentina in the semi-finals with a place in the World Cup up for grabs. England supporters up and down the country are gearing up for the big match tonight, with a number of celebrities looking forward to backing their country – incluidng Joe Wickes.
Joe Wickes, widely known as “The Body Coach,” is a British fitness expert, author, and television presenter famous for his high-intensity interval training (HIIT) workouts and recipe books. He gained international prominence as the “PE teacher to the nation” by hosting free daily online exercise classes for children and families during the global pandemic lockdown.
But, now Joe is asking the all important question. Will British Airways passengers be able to watch the match? He took to X yesterday to ask the airline. He asked: “Hey @British_Airways will I be able to watch the @England match on my flight tomorrow?”
British Airways responded: “Hi Joe, for legal reasons we’re unable to stream live sporting events, unfortunately. However, I’m sure the crew will keep you informed of the score throughout your flight.” They added: “We’re sure the crew will be just as eager to keep an eye on events. Have a safe flight.”
Around 30,000 Three Lions supporters will pack in to the 67,382-capacity Mercedes-Benz stadium in Atlanta, US, hoping to see Thomas Tuchel’s boys win one of the nation’s biggest games in recent memory. Back home, an audience of up to 25 million will tune in on TV, and thousands more will flock to hospitality venues or join crowds across the country for the potential grudge match.
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The match has been classed as the “highest risk in the tournament” by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. They issued their warning fearing trouble between the set two sets of fans in one of the biggest rivalries in world football.
Hundreds of extra police were drafted in to Atlanta on Monday and there will be a much bigger presence inside the stadium and at the sold-out fanzone. Police have designated some bars as “England only” or “Argentina only” to try to prevent any confrontations.
Michael Owen has explained why he believes both England and Argentina will find it tough to beat Spain should they reach the World Cup final. In a post on X he wrote: “Brilliant performance from Spain. France had the individual stars but this Spanish team never looked like getting beat.England or Argentina will have to up their game massively to beat this lot.”
Follow our live blog for all the latest World Cup updates by clicking here.
The buzz: This game would be far better suited as a final than a semifinal. Both are unbeaten — in fact, Spain is unbeaten in its last 36 games, one shy of the all-time record. For France, a win would put it in the final for a third straight World Cup while Spain is hoping to get back for the first time since 2010, when it won its only title. The teams got here in different ways. Spain has walked a razor’s edge, giving up just a single goal in the tournament and winning its last two games on late goals from substitute Mikel Merino. France has bludgeoned the opposition, scoring 16 goals while conceding just two. Kylian Mbappé has scored eight times and has 20 goals in 20 World Cup games, leaving him one back of Lionel Messi’s all-time record. It seems unjust that one of these teams will finish its World Cup in the third-place game.
Wednesday’s semifinal
England vs. Argentina
England’s (from left to right) Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham, and Morgan Rogers celebrate after defeating Norway in the World Cup quarterfinals on Saturday.
The buzz: Both teams are unbeaten and each survived scares in the quarterfinals, with England outlasting Norway in extra time in brutal weather in Miami and Argentina beating Switzerland in extra time in Kansas City. Jude Bellingham had a brace in each of England’s last two games to match teammate Harry Kane’s six goals in the tournament. Bellingham is the first player to score at least two goals in consecutive World Cup knockout matches since Diego Maradona in 1986. Argentina, the reigning champion, is unbeaten in its last 12 World Cup games, but four of its last six knockout-stage games have gone to extra time or penalties. Argentina has gotten eight goals and two assists from Messi in this World Cup.
LONDON — Jannik Sinner is starting to make a habit of responding to adversity in Paris with titles at Wimbledon.
The top-ranked Sinner beat Alexander Zverev 6-7 (7), 7-6 (2), 6-3, 6-4 Sunday for his second consecutive title at the All England Club after his German opponent appeared bothered by a knee injury following a slip to the grass on a key point in the third set.
Sinner’s fifth Grand Slam title came in his first tournament since a second-round meltdown at the French Open, when he wilted in a Paris heat wave.
When Sinner ripped a forehand winner up the line on his first match point, the Italian dropped to the grass on his back in celebration.
Jannik Sinner celebrates after winning a point against Alexander Zverev during the men’s singles Wimbledon final in London on Sunday.
(Kin Cheung / Associated Press)
A year ago, Sinner beat Carlos Alcaraz in the final at the All England Club after wasting three match points against his rival in the Roland Garros final.
It was Sinner’s 10th straight victory over Zverev, who was coming off his first Grand Slam title at the French Open.
Linda Noskova beat Karolina Muchova in an all-Czech women’s final on Saturday for her first Grand Slam title.
Prince William joined his wife Kate and two of their children for the final in a star-studded Royal Box that also included actors Dustin Hoffman, Nicole Kidman and Ben Stiller.
Zverev slips
The top two seeds appeared perfectly matched until Zverev earned his first break point of the match at 3-3 in the third set — 2 hours and 42 minutes in. Sinner produced a drop shot and Zverev slipped and appeared to hyperextend his right knee as he attempted to change directions behind the baseline.
Zverev grasped his knee in apparent discomfort and Sinner went around the net and helped his opponent up off the grass. Zverev quickly resumed playing but he appeared slightly hampered and slung his racket across the baseline in frustration when he missed a forehand and handed Sinner the first break of the match and a 5-3 lead in the third. Sinner then served it out.
Zverev had also lost 14 straight sets to Sinner and when he claimed the opening set of the final with a forehand winner up the line to conclude a tight tiebreaker, he let out a loud roar toward his box as he bent over in celebration.
Zverev continually cranked out serves at up to 139 mph, while Sinner produced a series of well-placed aces at a slightly lower speed.
But Sinner began to read Zverev’s serve better in the second-set tiebreaker and Zverev started to miss forehands.
Jannik Sinner kisses his trophy after defeating Alexander Zverev to win the men’s singles Wimbledon title in London on Sunday.
(Kirsty Wigglesworth / Ap Photo/kirsty Wigglesworth)
Paris meltdown
Amid stifling heat and humidity in Paris in late May, Sinner had his 30-match winning streak ended after coming within one game of a straight-set victory over Juan Manuel Cerundolo, who was ranked No. 56.
Conditions were cooler in southwest London for the final, with clear skies and a temperature of 82 degrees but it was also breezy — which led to a series of shanked shots from both players.
Sinner went in for medical exams in Milan after the Paris defeat and didn’t play an official match again until he arrived at Wimbledon, where he twice had to come back from a set down in a five-set marathon against Miomir Kecmanovic in the first round.
Sinner then didn’t drop a set the rest of the way until the final, having dominated against Novak Djokovic in the semifinals.
Despite the defeat in the final, Zverev will leapfrog Alcaraz into the No. 2 spot in the rankings on Monday.
Alcaraz missed both the French Open and Wimbledon this year because of a right wrist injury.
Women’s doubles
Kristina Mladenovic won a seventh career Grand Slam women’s doubles title by teaming up with Guo Hanyu to defeat Gabriela Dabrowski and Luisa Stefani 6-3, 7-5 in the final Sunday.
Mladenovic has won the French Open doubles tournament four times and the Australian Open twice with different partners but lost her only previous Wimbledon final in 2014.
“It’s really a dream,” said the French player, who missed much of last year with an injury. “I definitely cannot believe what just happened now.”
Mattias Karén contributed to this report. Dampf and Karén write for the Associated Press.
