LAS VEGAS — Conor McGregor’s return against Max Holloway at UFC 329 ended at just 1:09 of the first round Saturday night because of a knee injury.
Fighting for the first time in more than five years, McGregor flew across the ring with a flying left roundhouse kick when the match started and landed awkwardly on his right knee.
After attempting to kick and strike Holloway (28-9-0) two more times, it was clear McGregor (22-7-0) couldn’t finish the scheduled five-round welterweight bout.
“Five years off in this sport is rough,” UFC president Dana White said. “We’re assuming a blown ACL. That’s what I assumed when I saw it, and that’s what the doctors think too.”
Holloway closed a -300 favorite at Bet MGM Sportsbook, which means a bettor would have to lay $300 to win $100. McGregor was a +240 underdog, which means a bettor would win $240 with a $100 wager on the Irishman.
Conor McGregor reacts after losing to Max Holloway in a welterweight fight at UFC 329 on Saturday.
(John Locher / Associated Press)
McGregor, who strolled to the ring to the sounds of Notorious B.I.G.’s “Hypnotize” and the roar of the sold-out crowd, last fought exactly five years and a day ago before Saturday night.
To the delight of a frenzied audience just hours after his home country of England won its quarterfinal match over Norway in the World Cup, Liverpool’s Paddy Pimblett (24-4-0) made quick work of Benoit Saint Denis (17-4-0) with a first-round TKO. Pimblett, who closed a +120 underdog, blocked a roundkick, shot in and quickly applied a front headlock to put Saint Denis to sleep for the win in 52 seconds.
In a bantamweight battle, Mario Bautista (18-3-0) defeated Cory Sandhagen (18-7-0) by unanimous decision, after taking advantage of a first-round leg kick and applying pressure in each round after. A flurry of punches in the third round secured the decision.
In a scheduled three-round flyweight bout, Brandon Royval (18-9-0) applied a rear-naked choke on Lone’er Kavanagh (10-2-0) to win by submission at the 3:40 mark of the final round.
In an absolute shocker to start the main card, a bloodied King Green (36-17-0) overcame a beating for nearly the entire first round before landing a right hand to the jaw of Terrance McKinney (18-9-0) with roughly 20 seconds left, and then finished him off for a TKO at the 4:59 mark.
World Cup tourists are coming to L.A. for the soccer, but they’re staying for the $21 smoothies and Double-Doubles.
As the last Los Angeles FIFA World Cup event ended Friday, soccer fans were eating like locals and famous chains from the region were cashing in.
In the weeks that L.A. has hosted the World Cup, international soccer enthusiasts have flocked to big brands from the area, often in large groups wearing their countries’ jerseys.
It is a phenomenon seen at many of the host cities. In Dallas, giant gas station Buc-ee’s is the main attraction. For people visiting New Jersey, deli shops have been a hot ticket. In L.A., the place to be between matches was Erewhon.
Thirsty international sports fans gathered for pictures outside different Erewhons, wandered their aisles smiling, and, of course, picked up pricey smoothies.
While Erewhon would not comment on its business, mobility data company Arity, which uses phone data to track consumers, said Erewhon visits at the outlets around SoFi Stadium were quadruple what they were a week earlier on June 12, the day of the U.S. national soccer team’s opening match there.
Arity looked at what stores people visited within a 10-mile radius of SoFi that day and also found surges in visitors to nearby El Pollo Loco and Trader Joe’s.
Locals have spotted groups of people in Korea jerseys huddled together, trying to decide what to order at In-N-Out.
Some complained on social media that international tourists at Trader Joe’s were buying up all the mini canvas tote bags.
Soon after the Belgium vs. Spain quarterfinal ended Friday, the In-N-Out near SoFi had a long line of soccer fans stretching out the door in bright red and yellow and black jerseys and matching striped hats and scarves.
One of the workers said he had to explain “spread” and “animal style” to foreign football fans.
“I didn’t know this place existed,” a fan from Romania said while waiting in line.
Los Angeles and other cities and states that have hosted the event need the soccer fans to spend money to make the event worth all the time, effort and money it requires.
A rosy 2024 report projected the World Cup could bring more than $800 million to the L.A. region as 180,000 people converge on the area to sleep, eat and spend.
There were early concerns people weren’t turning up for the event because of the high ticket prices and the difficulty of obtaining visas for citizens of some countries.
However, at least for some L.A. hotels, there was a surge of last-minute visitors which pushed up occupancy and room rates.
While sports fans are not in the region to shop, they do make time for it.
World Cup customer spending is also apparent in beer sales. Andrew Heritage, the chief economist at the Beer Institute said beer purchases at entertainment and attractions in L.A. – outside of World Cup spaces – were up around 10% from normal.
“That tells me that fans in the L.A. area have decided to extend their stay and take in all the other things that the area has to offer, rather than just the match itself,” he said.
On social media, the purpose of these shoppers is clear: grab a quick souvenir or local specialty and take a selfie.
The data from Arity suggests that fans are very efficient when they spend at local spots, diving in, getting what they want and getting out as soon as possible, said Jeff Schlitt, a director at the company.
“Normally you’re there for an hour. They’re going to be there for 15, 18 minutes,” he said. “Why is that? Because they were purpose-driven shoppers.”
For some travelers, the more popular American chains aren’t unfamiliar. But some of the native L.A. fare still comes as a surprise.
As one Belgium-Spain matchgoer from the Netherlands stood taking a picture of the In-N-Out sign after the game, he said he’d never had a burger like the one he’d just tried.
“We only have McDonald’s and Burger King,” he said. “It’s way better.”
LONDON — A local boy sleeps in his own bed, plays in front of a king and queen and makes a Cinderella run to the Wimbledon semifinals. Sounds like a Hollywood script that might never see the silver screen.
But it’s no fairy tale — it’s Arthur Fery’s out-of-nowhere performance over the last 10 days.
Fery, a virtually unknown British wild card with a triple-digit ranking, has become the emotional heartbeat of Wimbledon while legitimately diverting some national attention from England’s World Cup quest.
The royal treatment at his matches across the All England Club has come in more ways than one.
Fery, who grew up five minutes from Wimbledon and is staying at home during the tournament, first played before grass-court king Roger Federer, Wimbledon’s eight-time singles champion, during Monday’s fourth-round victory. Two days later, he beat No. 9 seed and French Open runner-up Flavio Cobolli of Italy in the quarterfinals 6-4, 7-6 (4), 6-0 in front of Queen Camilla.
Ranked 114th, Fery had never reached the semifinals of an ATP Tour event, let alone a major, before his brief chat with the queen following the match.
“She just said, ‘Congratulations, keep going,’” 23-year-old Fery told reporters later. “I told her it was my birthday on Sunday, so it would be great to play the Wimbledon final on my birthday.”
That’s still a match away. To get there, Fery will have to get past one of the hottest players on tour: No. 2 seed Alexander Zverev, who is fresh off his first Grand Slam title at the French Open. Looming on the other side of the draw is a highly anticipated showdown between defending champion Jannik Sinner against 24-time major winner Novak Djokovic.
If Fery can continue his magical run to the end, he would become the first British wild card to win a Wimbledon title.
Arthur Fery reacts after defeating Flavio Cobolli in the Wimbledon quarterfinals on Wednesday.
(Maja Smiejkowska / Associated Press)
Born in France, Fery’s family moved to Wimbledon when he was an infant. His mother played professional tennis. He was a top British junior but chose to sharpen his game for three years in the U.S. collegiate system at Stanford, as many of his compatriots have done.
“I came out with a lot of hunger coming out of that, and I was ready to attack the pro circuit,” Fery said.
After struggling with bone bruising in his arm that limited him to playing mostly on the lower-tier Challenger circuit in recent years, Fery is finally healthy and playing consistently.
His path to the last four in London has been a masterclass in clutch come-from-behind performances. The Brit has stared down near-certain elimination in multiple matches, repeatedly breaking his opponents’ momentum with Houdini-like on-court acts.
At 5-foot-9, Fery possesses a skill set perfectly suited for low-bounding grass.
His compact strokes, low center of gravity, and elite movement allow him to hug the baseline, take time away from opponents, and confidently execute delicate volleys at the net, according to ESPN analyst Chris Eubanks.
“He defends well,” said Eubanks, a 2023 Wimbledon quarterfinalist. “He can scrap. He can claw. He can dig his way back into points. And when he ventures forward, he’s very, very comfortable at the net. This is a picture-perfect example of someone whose game is built for the surface.”
Still, it’s hard to fathom the multitude of milestones for Fery, who briefly reached the No. 1 ranking in college and earned 2023 Pac-12 Singles Player of the Year honors before leaving early to pursue a pro career.
He arrived at Wimbledon with just one main-draw victory at a major, a losing record as a professional, and only one previous ATP quarterfinal, at Queen’s Club last month. He’s now 11-8, won his first two five-set matches, and is the first British wild card to reach the Wimbledon men’s semifinals in the Open Era. The only other men’s wild-card semifinalist was Goran Ivanisevic, who won the title as a wild card in 2001.
Fery, who started the season ranked No. 185 and will climb to at least No. 36 after the tournament, said there were a “lot of first times” as he reflected on his unprecedented run. “First five-setter, longest match that I’ve ever played, first time breaking into the top 100, first second week in a slam, all at home, five minutes from where I grew up. It’s a great story for me,” he said.
The gap with his fellow semifinalists is understandably massive.
Entering Wimbledon, Djokovic, Sinner and Zverev’s combined records include 29 Grand Slam titles, 2,088 match wins and 155 tour-level titles. Fery was 6-8 in tour-level matches with zero titles.
But he has singlehandedly lifted the tournament for locals. With top hopes Jack Draper and Emma Raducanu withdrawing before the tournament and the rest of Britain’s singles prospects falling one by one — 18 men and women were eliminated by the third round — Fery became the nation’s last knight standing.
If his first name inevitably evokes Arthurian legend, Fery’s march through the draw gave Britain reason to believe again. No sword, no Round Table, just world-class shot-making, a lion’s heart and a Centre Court crowd thrilled to rally behind him.
“This is really quite something to see on home soil,” said Russell Fuller, the BBC’s tennis correspondent, who compared it with Raducanu’s stunning U.S. Open win in 2021 as a qualifier.
Fery earned every bit of it.
In the first round against Damir Dzumhur, Fery dropped the opening set and trailed by a break in the second before surging back. Against Zizou Bergs in the third round, he faced a 4-1 deficit with a double break in the fourth set, and again fell behind 4-1 in the fifth, before somehow surviving.
Then, stepping onto Centre Court for the first time against former top-10 stalwart Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria in the fourth round, Fery clawed out of a 2-sets-to-1 hole and a break down in the fourth set to clinch the victory in a fifth-set tiebreak.
“He carries himself with humility, but he’s a fierce competitor, and he’s got a ton of belief in himself,” said Stanford men’s coach and former top-60 player Paul Goldstein, who flew to England Tuesday to see his former charge compete against Cobolli.
While Fery attempts to outmaneuver Zverev on Friday, the other semifinal features a 2025 Wimbledon semifinal rematch between seven-time Wimbledon winner Djokovic and top-ranked Sinner, who defeated the Serb in straight sets on his way to the title. It’s also their second Grand Slam semifinal meeting in 2026. At January’s Australian Open on hard courts, Djokovic bested 24-year-old Sinner in five sets before falling to now-injured Carlos Alcaraz in the Melbourne final.
Arthur Fery hits a return during his Wimbledon quarterfinal win over Flavio Cobolli on Wednesday.
(Clive Brunskill / Getty Images)
Djokovic, 39, enters the match after surviving a grueling five-set, 5-hour-plus quarterfinal slugfest against No. 3 Félix Auger-Aliassime that concluded just minutes before Wimbledon’s 11 p.m. curfew. But the seventh-seeded Serb has a way of defying Father Time and he has had two days to recover on a surface where points are shorter and generally less taxing on the body.
Italy’s Sinner, who defeated Alcaraz in last year’s Wimbledon final, has been efficient if not at the level that saw him capture five consecutive titles before crashing out in the second round at the French Open. After a first-round scare here, the four-time Grand Slam champion has dominated opponents behind his improving serve, winning 80% of his first-serve points. He hasn’t dropped a set since the opening round. Sinner leads the head-to-head with Djokovic 6-5.
According to Eubanks, Djokovic must disrupt Sinner’s movement to break his rhythm, and take his chances.
“He’s got to play similar to how he played in Australia, where it was just all-out aggression,” Eubanks said.
For Sinner, he added: “His serve can be a neutralizing force for what Novak is going to try to do.”
On the other side of the ledger, Fery’s poise under pressure and deft use of the home crowd will be paramount to continue his surprise run against Germany’s Zverev, whom he called a “step up again” from his last five matches. Zverev, 29, is seeking his fifth major final and first at Wimbledon.
“I’m ready for it,” Fery said. “I have nothing to lose. I’m just going to go out there and … put my game on the court, do what I’ve done, believe in myself. We’ll see where that takes me.”
Home has never been closer to Centre Court. Nor has Arthur Fery ever been closer to tennis history.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup quarterfinals are set to begin Thursday when Kylian Mbappé and France take on an upset-minded Morocco team.
World Cup co-hosts U.S., Canada and Mexico will be watching from the sideline after being eliminated in the round of 16.
Here’s everything you need to know about the World Cup matches being played Thursday, Friday and Saturday across the U.S., Mexico and Canada (all times Pacific).
Thursday’s quarterfinal match
France vs. Morocco
France’s Kylian Mbappé jogs on the field during a win over Iraq in the World Cup on June 22.
The buzz: France, bidding to make its third consecutive World Cup final, needed a penalty kick from Kylian Mbappé to dispatch stubborn Paraguay, a third-place team, in the round of 16. France has scored 16 times — Mbappé has seven of them, giving him 19 career World Cup goals — while goalkeeper Mike Maignan has conceded just two goals in five matches. Morocco, a semifinalist four years ago, advanced with a 3-0 win over Canada that ran its unbeaten streak to 34 games. Azzedine Ounahi scored twice in that game and is one of three Moroccan players with multiple goals. Morocco, a former French colony, has almost as many French-born players on its roster, six, as it does native Moroccans, seven.
Friday’s quarterfinal match
Spain vs. Belgium
Spain goalkeeper Unai Simón catches the ball in front of Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo during Spain’s round-of-16 win on July 6.
The buzz: Spain is the first team in World Cup history to record six consecutive shutouts and goalkeeper Unai Simón has gone 609 minutes without allowing a World Cup goal, a streak that dates to group play of the last tournament four years ago. Spain, however, has struggled to score consistently, collecting a goal or less in three of its five games, including a round-of-16 win over Portugal on Mikel Merino’s goal in stoppage time. Mikel Oyarzabal is Spain’s leading scorer with four goals. Belgium earned its place in the quarterfinals by thumping the U.S. 4-1 in Seattle in its most complete game of the tournament. Belgium outshot the Americans 15-7, putting seven on target. Charles De Ketelaere had a brace in the first half and Belgium never looked back. For an aging golden generation of Belgian players, including Kevin De Bruyne, Romelu Lukaku, Thibaut Courtois and Axel Witsel, this might be the final chance to grab a title.
Saturday’s quarterfinal matches
Norway vs. England
England’s Harry Kane celebrates after scoring during a win over Mexico on July 5.
(Eduardo Verdugo / Associated Press)
Where: Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, Fla. Time: 2 p.m. TV: Fox, Telemundo | Streaming: Fox One, Peacock
The buzz: The forecast calls for temperatures in the high 80s, humidity at 77% and a chance of rain, challenging conditions for two teams from northern Europe. Norway, which knocked off Brazil to reach the quarterfinals for the first time, has scored 12 times in five games — Erling Haaland has seven of those, including both against Brazil — but has conceded nine, winning just once by more than a goal. Haaland’s 39% shot-conversation rate is the best in a World Cup since 1986. Unbeaten England had to gut out a tough win in the rare air of Mexico City with just 10 men to reach the quarterfinals for a third straight time. Captain Harry Kane is fourth in the Golden Boot race with six goals.
Argentina vs. Switzerland
Argentina’s Lionel Messi celebrates after scoring against Egypt on July 7 at the World Cup.
(Associated Press)
Where: Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Mo. Time: 6 p.m. TV: Fox, Telemundo | Streaming: Fox One, Peacock
The buzz: Unbeaten Argentina needed three goals in 13 minutes to stay that way, barely escaping its round-of-16 game with Egypt on Enzo Fernández’s goal in stoppage time. Lionel Messi’s tying goal in the 83rd minute extended his World Cup scoring streak to nine games. He entered the quarterfinals leading the tournament with eight goals. Switzerland, also unbeaten, eliminated Colombia on penalties to reach the quarterfinals for the first time since 1954. The Swiss have nine goals, three of those coming from 20-year-old Johan Manzambi, the youngest player on the team.
StubHub is getting a red card from some World Cup fans
Two World Cup customers are suing the New York-based ticket-selling company, alleging “false and misleading” advertising that left them without tickets or a refund for the World Cup games they paid to attend.
In federal court in New York last week, two Californians — Julia Reeker Moghal and Reuben Renteria — sued StubHub seeking monetary damages and a ban on the company selling World Cup tickets. The lawsuit aims to become a class action and comes after weeks of fierce criticism and complaints from customers regarding the company’s practices.
Throughout the World Cup, videos have emerged on Instagram and TikTok of StubHub customers describing their nightmare experiences with the ticket-selling platform.
Some said they had purchased tickets to World Cup games as early as November of last year, booked flights and hotels and arranged travel plans, then StubHub notified them days to weeks before the match of a refund for their tickets, which they never requested.
There were similar complaints about last-minute cancellations from people who bought Coachella tickets on StubHub.
In the lawsuit, Moghal said she had purchased three tickets for nearly $2,000 for the June 18 match between Switzerland and Bosnia-Herzegovina at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, which were then canceled by StubHub. Moghal said she was contacted by StubHub and told her tickets would remain canceled, then was later told the tickets would be available one hour before the game.
When the match began, Moghal said she was at SoFi Stadium, but the tickets never came.
Renteria said he paid around $2,300 for the June 18 Mexico versus South Korea match in Guadalajara, Mexico, but they were canceled
“Devoted soccer fans have traveled from around the world to attend World Cup matches — and they reasonably relied on StubHub to provide the tickets they paid for as well as on StubHub’s warranty,” Blake Hunter Yagman, the attorney representing the two, said in a statement. “Instead of rewarding their business, StubHub sold them World Cup tickets that they either could not provide or on speculation, only to be stranded, in many cases, at the stadium gates without any recourse.”
According to StubHub’s website, its Fan Protect Guarantee states the platform will deliver valid tickets or refund in the event of a ticket issue, and that it will “go out of our way to find replacement tickets” of a comparable value. The lawsuit alleges the replacement tickets many fans were given by StubHub were worse than their original tickets.
FIFA, the World Cup organizer, states in its terms and conditions that the FIFA Marketplace, its own ticket-selling platform, is the only authorized platform for World Cup tickets, and that only tickets purchased through it are guaranteed by FIFA to be valid.
Despite the risk of purchasing through a third-party platform such as StubHub, many fans opted to do so to avoid the 30% FIFA resale tax, believing that the Fan Protect Guarantee would safeguard their order.
Since World Cup tickets began selling on FIFA Marketplace last September, fans have expressed disappointment in the expensive price tag. FIFA utilized a dynamic pricing system for the sale, and as sales phases progressed leading up to the games, the cost of tickets increased tremendously. In March, the extreme cost of tickets prompted 69 members of Congress to write a letter to FIFA urging them to lower their prices.
Tickets for the upcoming Friday match between Spain and Belgium in Los Angeles are selling on StubHub for over $1,300.
StubHub said in various statements to the news and in legal proceedings that ticket cancellations were a result of transfer problems and issues with FIFA’s ticketing infrastructure.
StubHub did not respond to requests for comment.
A FIFA spokesperson responded to this accusation in a statement, saying, “FIFA has no visibility over, or control of, secondary market ticket transactions carried out on third-party platforms. The transactions facilitated on these platforms occur entirely independently of FIFA’s official ticketing platform. With reference to the reliability of the services available to fans on FIFA’s official ticket platform, FIFA rejects any suggestion that the functional issues being experienced by users of third-party platforms with respect to FIFA World Cup 2026 tickets are the result of FIFA’s ticketing infrastructure.”
An Argentina fan waves the Israeli flag during his team’s Round of 16 match against Egypt. Some viewed it as a provocation towards Egypt’s coach, Hossam Hassan, who dedicated Egypt’s first-ever World Cup knockout victory to the people of Gaza.
Belgium’s football federation (RBFA) says it is “astonished” by FIFA’s controversial decision to suspend the one-match red card ban on USA striker Folarin Balogun and is “investigating all potential options” to uphold integrity in the sport.
The World Cup was plunged into uproar on Sunday after FIFA suspended a red card given to Balogun ahead of the host nation’s clash with Belgium, in a bombshell move welcomed by US President Donald Trump but slammed by Belgian officials.
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The extraordinary FIFA ruling means that Balogun is now free to play for the USA against Belgium on Monday in Seattle, with a place in the quarterfinals at stake.
The Royal Belgian Football Association said it is “investigating all potential options” to “safeguard the legitimate rights of all participating teams and to protect the fundamental principles of fair play in our sport”.
“I didn’t know that at the FIFA World Cup, the 5th of July is now the 1st of April, and that it’s April Fool’s Day,” added Belgium coach Rudi Garcia at a news conference.
“A lot of our thoughts and opinions are in the release,” Garcia said.
“We’re not defending the national team or the federation, we are defending football.”
Balogun had been set to miss Monday’s last-16 knockout clash with the Belgians after receiving a straight red card following a video review for stepping on the foot of a Bosnian defender in a round-of-32 clash that the US won 2-0.
Under FIFA rules, a straight red card automatically triggers a one-game ban, which cannot be appealed by the player’s team.
But FIFA said on Sunday that the ban will now be suspended for a year, in a stunning move for which no specific explanation was offered.
It is the first instance of a red-carded player being allowed to play in his team’s subsequent match since the introduction of the yellow and red card rules at the 1970 edition of the World Cup.
‘We are not the bad men’
Top scorer Balogun has been key to the USA’s progress in the tournament, netting three times, and his absence against Belgium would have been a blow to the team in Seattle.
The stakes are huge for the cohosts, whose strong start to the tournament has raised expectations to fever-pitch levels among the American public, and they are targeting a run to at least the quarterfinals. The last time the USA reached the quarters was in 2002.
Balogun himself had said on Friday that the red card ban was “something I have to just accept”.
However, the 25-year-old celebrated FIFA’s U-turn with an Instagram post of himself in the US team jersey and Michael Jackson’s Bad attached as the audio.
USA players and officials welcomed the news, which they received on their way to training on Sunday morning.
“I think a lot of us thought it was AI at first,” defender Chris Richards said. “I think we were really excited because we found out through social media; it was cool. It was a lot of question marks, but just very, very happy and excited overall.”
“It feels right,” forward Christian Pulisic added. “Really excited for him to have this opportunity. To see the smile on his face and to be able to give us a boost tomorrow is great.”
Head coach Mauricio Pochettino said that “it’s a fair decision because it should have never been a red card”, calling the punishment “too big” for an unintentional foul.
“It’s not that we are victims, but we are not the bad men, the mean ones here,” he said.
FIFA decision ‘a bit of a surprise’
In its statement, FIFA pointed to “article 27 of the FIFA disciplinary code”, which allows the suspension to be “suspended for a probationary period of one year”.
Balogun would serve the ban only if he commits another similar foul in the next year, it said.
There is some precedent for the decision.
Portugal superstar Cristiano Ronaldo earned a three-game ban for an elbow during qualifying last year, but had two matches of his ban suspended.
The move, which allowed Ronaldo to play in Portugal’s World Cup opener, drew criticism at the time.
Belgium goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois said it was “a bit of a surprise” that Balogun was cleared to play just a day before the match.
“Had it been done earlier, we’d have been able to be mentally more prepared, perhaps,” he said.
FIFA’s decision has stirred up a social media storm, with mixed reactions to the suspension.
DR Congo footballer Yannick Bolasie expressed his dismay at the decision by saying the reaction to FIFA’s U-turn would have been quite different had it been taken in the Africa Cup of Nations.
England’s World Cup last-16 match with Mexico has been delayed by one hour because of severe weather and is set to kick off at 02:00 BST on Monday (Sunday, 19:00 local time).
There has been heavy rain in Mexico City during the day and reports of lightning above the Azteca Stadium, which is staging the match.
Play cannot begin until 30 minutes have passed since lightning was last detected within an eight-mile radius of the stadium.
Fifa held talks with the English and Mexican football associations on Friday after proposing the match be moved to 19:00 BST on Sunday (12:00 local time) before a U-turn resulted in the kick-off time remaining unchanged.
The game will be broadcast live on BBC One, BBC iPlayer, BBC Radio 5 Live and the BBC Sport website and app.
SEATTLE — Folarin Balogun will be able to play for the U.S. in Monday’s World Cup elimination game with Belgium after FIFA rescinded the one-game suspension it handed down when Balogun drew a red card in the second half of the team’s round of 32 match against Bosnia and Herzegovina last week.
In a statement released Sunday morning, FIFA said “In line with article 27 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code, the implementation of the match suspension is suspended for a probationary period of one year. If Folarin Balogun commits another infringement of a similar nature and gravity during the probationary period, the suspension shall be revoked and the sanction enforced without prejudice to any additional sanction imposed for the new infringement.”
Balogun leads the U.S. with three goals in as many games. He is the first American to score three times in a World Cup since 1930.
Balogun got the red card after colliding with Bosnia’s Tarik Muharemovic 16 minutes into the second half when the Bosnian defender planted his right leg below Balogun’s right foot, the American inadvertently stomped on his right ankle, twisting it awkwardly.
Both players went down and referee Raphael Claus did not signal a foul or pull a card. But after the video assistant referee urged him to watch a replay, Claus walked away from the monitor and flashed the red card.
After the game Balogun shook Claus’ hand on the pitch. And on Friday, in his first public comments, he spoke respectfully of the decision to give him a red card.
U.S. Soccer also released a statement Sunday.
“We accept the decision of the Disciplinary Committee and are pleased that Folarin Balogun is eligible to compete tomorrow,” the statement said. ”Our full attention is focused on the Round of 16 match against Belgium in Seattle, and we look forward to the continued support of our amazing fans.”
A U.S. Soccer spokesman said the team was informed of FIFA’s decision Sunday morning and Balogun was told the suspension had been lifted during a bus ride to training.
England famously found itself on the wrong side of World Cup history at Azteca Stadium, surrendering Diego Maradona’s iconic “Hand of God” goal and another strike known as the tournament’s “most beautiful goal.”
Maradona and eventual champion Argentina eliminated England 2-1 in the quarterfinals of the 1986 World Cup, leaving the Brits to stew over their link to a soccer legend.
England will return to Azteca Stadium on Sunday to take on World Cup co-host Mexico in a round-of-16 match kicking off at 5 p.m. PDT and airing on Fox and Telemundo.
England coach Thomas Tuchel said during interviews before their departure for Mexico that this will be a way to “make amends” with the stadium that hosted a goal Maradona punched in with his fist, and “karma will come back for us.”
Argentina’s Diego Maradona punches the ball past England goalkeeper Peter Shilton to score his “Hand of God” goal during a 1986 World Cup match at Azteca Stadium.
(Getty Images / Getty Images)
“It’s one of the most beautiful, most exciting matchups you can have — playing Mexico at the Azteca,” Tuchel said during a news conference after defeating the Democratic Republic of the Congo in the round of 32.
But the road to Azteca Stadium hasn’t been easy for England.
England enters this matchup after a hard-fought victory over Congo. The African team took the lead and had chances to extend it, but ultimately paid dearly for squandering those opportunities. Top England scorer Harry Kane stepped up with two decisive goals that helped his team advance. It was England’s first World Cup victory after trailing 1-0 since the 1966 final, which the English team won as a tournament host.
The English have to contend with not only the ghost of Maradona’s two goals, but also the altitude in Mexico City, which is about 7,350 feet above sea level.
Mexico has lost only two of 89 matches at Azteca Stadium, winning 70 and tying 17. The last time it lost an official match there was a 2-1 defeat to Honduras in a 2013 World Cup qualifier.
“There will be many obstacles — the altitude will be a major disadvantage because we can’t acclimate to it,” Tuchel said. “Let’s hope that when we face difficulties along the way, we’ll find the answers.”
Mexico players celebrate after the team’s World Cup win over Ecuador at Azteca Stadium on Tuesday.
(Luke Hales/Getty Images)
Tuchel noted his team got accustomed to heat and humidity while training in the United States.
“At the end of the day, it’s a soccer game,” said England’s Marcus Rashford, who also plays for Manchester United. “We’ve all been playing soccer since we were kids, and we’ve played in different environments and under different conditions — some more difficult than others, some in terrible places. But it’s up to us to find a way to win and to work as a team.”
England expects to face an intense atmosphere, with the majority of more than 80,000 fans backing Mexico.
“It’s one of the great stadiums in soccer. Playing there is a blessing. Mexico is probably the favorite. They’re at home, playing on their home turf; it will be a big challenge for us, but we’ll be ready,” England’s Marc Guehi told the BBC.
The match also will pose a significant challenge for the Mexican team, which has not conceded a goal during the World Cup but will face an English side that excels in aerial play, with lethal scorers like Kane and Jude Bellingham. Mexico’s defensive performance has been credited to the direction of Rafa Márquez, a former Barcelona player who is one of Mexico’s assistant coaches.
“They’re high-caliber players who can make a difference at any moment, and we have to take advantage of playing at home and maintain our current level of play because no one has given us anything for free,” said veteran backup goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa, another key voice supporting Mexico’s defensive effort.
Less than 72 hours before the game, FIFA explored moving the evening kickoff to noon local time — a change that would have completely disrupted the sporting, logistical and emotional planning of both teams.
FIFA first weighed the unprecedented change reportedly because of the threat of thunderstorms. The Athletic and media outlets covering both teams later reported security concerns after the death of four Mexico fans during round-of-32 postgame celebrations triggered the potential change, but both team pushed back, and Mexico’s security officials assured FIFA they could keep fans safe. FIFA relented and did not change the start time.
Mexico’s Álvaro Fidalgo celebrates after scoring against Czechia during a World Cup match at Azteca Stadium on June 24.
(Silvia Izquierdo / Ap Photo/silvia Izquierdo)
“No one wants a celebration — such an important moment, a once-in-a-lifetime moment — to turn into a sad occasion because of certain things. We don’t want anyone to lose a loved one,” Mexico midfielder Álvaro Fidalgo said.
Contrary to what many experts expected, Mexico has breezed through the group stage and the second round at home. Coach Javier Aguirre has eased some of the pressure on himself by leading the team to its fifth World Cup match — a feat Mexico had not achieved in eight consecutive World Cups. Two of those failed attempts came under Aguirre’s leadership: in 2002, when Mexico lost to the United States, and in 2010, when it lost to Argentina — both in the round of 16.
“We’ll try to keep this momentum going at home,” Aguirre said. “We’ll try to play a complete game.”
With the support of its fans and a sense of hope that grows with every game, the Mexican team will seek to match its best performances from 1986 and 1970 — World Cups it hosted, though with fewer participating teams.
Mexico’s Raúl Jiménez celebrates after scoring against South Africa during a World Cup match at Azteca Stadium on June 11.
(Carl Recine / Getty Images)
“We have to let them know that we’re just as good,” said Raúl Jiménez, Mexico’s leading scorer. “That we can compete on equal terms, we can play a good game, and we have the support of the fans. It doesn’t matter which goalkeeper is in front of us — if we put it in the corner, no goalkeeper can stop it.”
Advancing past England would mark the first time Mexico defeated a past champion in a knockout round, and it also would be the first time the team strung together two knockout-round victories in a World Cup, after beating Ecuador in the round of 32.
Mexico defeated past champions France and Germany in 2010 and 2018, respectively, but those wins came in the group stage.
“It’s a match everyone always dreams of. Being in the round of 16 at the Azteca — not just saying it, but even thinking about it — is incredible,” Fidalgo said. “We have to rise to the occasion.”
A post-game fireworks show went awry at BMO Stadium on Friday night, when fireworks set off on the playing pitch sent flares streaming into the stands, forcing fans to scatter to safety.
Angel City FC played the Orlando Pride at BMO Stadium, coming back from a month-long break to win the match 2-0. But it was the promised post-game fireworks celebration that made the biggest splash.
Videos of the pyrotechnics display show the pitch filling with tall showers of sparks and dense smoke as dozens of fireworks launched upward. At what was to be the climactic finale of the show, however, fireworks began to take off horizontally, headed into the half-filled stands.
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From her club seat with her friends, season ticket-holder Jade Greenhut captured the center circle spectacle. She said she took out her phone and started recording after the first errant missile from the fusillade sped directly toward the Angel City team bench.
“Oh my god!” a woman’s voice on Greenhut’s video screams as at least two fireworks launched into the stands nearby, sending fans scrambling to get clear. Two more fireworks bounded across the field and into the stands. Off-camera, a man says, “Everybody’s running!”
A spokesperson for the soccer club said the organization had no information “of any serious injury” from the wayward pyrotechnics.
“A third party vendor was hired to facilitate the pyrotechnics,” said Stephanie Rudnick, head of communications for the Angel City Football Club, from her home in Australia.
“A fireworks malfunction did occur during last night’s post-match celebration at Angel City FC’s game vs. Orlando at BMO Stadium,” the team said in a statement to The Times. “Our medical and safety teams were on site and ready to respond. Stadium operations confirmed the venue was secure and guests, staff, players, and crew were able to depart safely.
“We are working closely with our pyrotechnics vendor to review the incident and evaluating appropriate next steps.”
Greenhut was nonplussed about the post-match mayhem. She said many fans had already left in the 20-minute interlude between the end of the game and the fireworks show, leaving the stands relatively empty and reducing the likelihood of injuries.
The air was already clearing by the time the stadium was evacuated. Her ticket ambassador approached her afterward to apologize. “He was like, ‘We did this for the [Los Angeles Football Club], and everything was fine,’” she said. “I don’t blame them at all.
“Honestly, the game was great. We played phenomenal,” Greenhut said.
But perhaps next time, she said, Angel City could go with drones.
Thomas Tuchel has dismissed concerns over England’s treatment in Mexico as they prepare to face the World Cup co-hosts – saying it had been “nicer than I expected” and that home fans were “friendly and respectful”.
Tuchel’s side take on Mexico in a last-16 match that kicks off at 18:00 local time on Sunday (Monday 01:00 BST, live on BBC One, iPlayer and Radio 5 Live).
On Saturday, the team were met with a mixture of cheers and jeers from fans as they left their hotel for training under enhanced security measures in Mexico City.
Ecuador – beaten 2-0 by Mexico in the World Cup last 32 – lodged a noise complaint with Fifa after fans with loudspeakers, motorbikes and horns disrupted their sleep last week.
As a result, members of Mexico’s National Guard lined the entrance to England’s hotel, while police officers in riot gear stood next to barriers on the road outside.
“We had no issues tonight and I think Fifa took care of the situation,” head coach Tuchel said. “We have security around the hotel so we expect a good night’s sleep.
“I don’t want to talk about problems that don’t exist yet. If they come, we will accept them. The best way to approach is to be relaxed and calm.
“We have a six o’clock kick-off, so if we miss some hours of sleep we will have time to get some other hours in the late morning.
“What I experienced until now was very respectful and emotional and very supportive to towards our teams so are very respectful towards everyone. We expect to be treated with respect and that was the case.
“It was even nicer than I expected.”
Tuchel said he had felt the energy in Mexico City.
“It just catches you straight away once you land here and saw the excitement and the emotions,” he said.
“This will be a proper World Cup match. We are in an iconic place, an iconic stadium and a massive knockout game.
“It is a big stage and we feel it. It makes you sharper and brings the best out of you. It makes you feel alive.”
The price for the final 2026 World Cup match in Seattle hit nearly $4,000 but dipped as low as $1,549 on Tuesday.
Published On 4 Jul 20264 Jul 2026
Ticket prices for the United States’ highly anticipated round of 16 game against Belgium on Monday plunged by more than 30 percent before rebounding slightly early Saturday evening.
The get-in price for the final 2026 World Cup match in Seattle hit nearly $4,000 on June 1, according to ticket-tracking service TicketData.com. After dipping to as low as $1,549 on Tuesday, the get-in price spiked to $2,836 after the USA solidified their spot in the round of 16 with a 2-0 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina.
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However, the get-in price has steadily declined in the days since. It dropped to $1,423 on Saturday afternoon – a 32 percent decrease over the past three days – but the get-in price rebounded to $1,635 at 6pm Eastern Time (23:00 GMT).
That late boost pushed the USA-Belgium game from the fourth-highest get-in price to the second-highest price among the eight round of 16 matches. Mexico’s game against England in Mexico City on Sunday sits at $3,574.
ROUND OF 16 TICKET PRICES*:
Mexico-England, 7/5 (Houston): $3,574
USA-Belgium: 7/6 (Seattle): $1,635
Argentina-Egypt: 7/7 (Atlanta): $1,599
Brazil-Norway: 7/5 (New Jersey): $1,537
Portugal-Spain: 7/6 (Dallas): $1,367
Switzerland-Colombia: $959 (Vancouver): $972
Paraguay-France: 7/4 (Philadelphia): $914
Canada-Morocco: 7/4 (Houston): $721
*TicketData.com as of 6 p.m. ET on July 4.
The significant drop in the get-in price for the US-Belgium game is somewhat surprising considering the Red Devils’ base camp is located just 16 kilometres (10 miles) south of Seattle Stadium at the Sounders FC Performance Center. Monday will mark Belgium’s third match in Seattle following a 1-1 draw with Egypt in the group stage and a dramatic 3-2 comeback victory over Senegal in the round of 32.
Canada was the first team eliminated from the round of 16 with their 3-0 loss to Morocco on Saturday. The get-in price for that match dropped 14 percent from $838 over the final 72 hours.
Maiara Niehues extended her scoring streak to three games, and Sveindís Jónsdóttir scored in her return from injury to give Angel City FC a 2-0 win over the Orlando Pride on Friday night at BMO Stadium.
Niehues fired home the rebound for the opening goal in the 36th minute. Jónsdóttir forced a turnover in the 56th minute, dribbled and scored from a tight angle to double the lead for Angel City (5-6-1).
Jónsdóttir returned to the starting lineup after missing the last four games because of a foot injury.
Goalkeeper Angelina Anderson recorded one save for her third shutout of the season.
Interim head coach Leif Gunnar Smerud led Angel City in the first match since the firing of Alex Straus.
NWSL Golden Boot leader Barbra Banda was unavailable for Orlando (5-6-2) because of a thigh injury.
The Daily Mail says the family of the late Bobby Moore have launched a High Court “crusade” to get back the red football jersey he wore, external when he led England to their 1966 World Cup victory. According to the paper, his former wife, Tina Moore, has lodged a case against a businessman she believes either “has or has had possession of the shirt, or can help her recover it.” He denies having the garment.
The Guardian has a double-page spread on Taylor Swift’s wedding to Travis Kelce., external It notes the celebration “caused the closure of 11 streets” in Midtown New York – and says that on Friday the “first class lounges of Heathrow and JFK airports were crawling with celebrities” who were on their way to to the event.
The FT Weekend reports that two World War II foes have united, external, after a German defence company bought a firm that supplied gears for Spitfires. The paper says Huddersfield-based David Brown has been purchased by Renk, which created gearboxes for tanks in Nazi Germany.
Police have criticised the timing of the government’s decision to let pubs stay open until 05:00 BST on Monday for England’s World Cup match against Mexico.
The National Police Chiefs’ Council said the “late announcement” meant officers would have to be taken away from other duties and work longer hours, even though the team’s likely route through the tournament “has been known for a considerable time”.
It asked fans to be “considerate” and “drink within sensible limits” while watching the crucial last-16 match in which the losing team will be eliminated.
The government has said a previous relaxing of licensing laws for the tournament had not covered the eventuality of England playing so late.
A Downing Street spokeswoman said that after England’s progression was confirmed on Wednesday evening, the government “announced plans as quickly as possible following this”.
The spokeswoman added: “And more broadly, we have engaged with policing partners throughout preparations for the World Cup and we are grateful for their flexibility and professionalism throughout.”
Kick-off for the knock-out game is not until 01:00 in the UK and the match is not expected to end until at least 03:00. It could finish even later if it goes to penalties.
Knock-out games in previous tournaments have led to an increase in violent incidents and domestic abuse, the policing body said.
“This is directly linked to alcohol consumption,” the NPCC’s football and alcohol policing leads said in a joint statement.
“We will continue to work with partners and venues to support a safe and enjoyable evening for everyone.”
Licensing hours had already been extended for the international football tournament and the government had initially said it would not relax the laws further.
But late on Thursday, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said pubs could remain open until the end of the game.
Local Government Secretary Steve Reed told broadcasters the previous measures “hadn’t covered the eventuality of England playing so late in the night”, adding it was “one of the fastest changes in the law that we’ve seen”.
England was not guaranteed to play in Monday’s match, only earning a place in the round of 16 after beating DR Congo 2-1 on Wednesday.
The hospitality sector welcomed the government’s decision. Emma McClarkin, chief executive of the British Beer and Pub Association, said: “We all know the best place to watch the match is down the local.”
Michael Kill, chief executive of the Night Time Industries Association, said it was “fantastic news” that would be “hugely welcomed by operators”.
Pub chain Greene King has said more than 600 pubs across England will be staying open late to show the match, while Marston’s has said more than 400 of its pubs will also be open.
Priyesh Bathia, who runs the Elephant and Barrel pub in Stockwell, south London, and said he is “so thankful” for the late licensing on Monday.
“I’m really excited,” he added, and said so far they have had between 100-150 people book tables for the game.
Miami, United States – Singing to the beat of the drum, jumping and dancing with joyful abandon, sporting their famous light blue and white shirts, and waving large flags bearing images of their heroes, Argentinian football fans have announced their team’s arrival in Miami in grand fashion.
A day before Argentina’s first knockout match of the FIFA World Cup 2026 – and their first fixture in the Sunshine State – the portion of Miami Beach known as Little Buenos Aires came to life as close to a thousand revellers geared up for Lionel Messi’s “homecoming” on Friday.
The defending champions and one of the pre-tournament favourites will take on the fairytale team of the World Cup – the small African island nation of Cape Verde.
The match at Miami Stadium will pit a team supported by one of the largest travelling fan bases of the tournament against an outfit that may not have strong backing in the stands but has endeared itself to the neutrals with its heroic performances.
Among Argentinian supporters, though, there’s no room for sympathy for the team punching above its weight.
For Adrian Elizondo, the logic is simple: “Messi deserves to win another World Cup.”
“It’s Messi’s last World Cup and since he’s the greatest player of all time, he deserves to walk away with another trophy,” Elizondo told Al Jazeera.
Elizondo believes there’s more to Argentina’s success than Messi.
“We have good players, a great coach and tens of thousands of people supporting the team. We make a big difference.”
A quick glance at the party-like atmosphere in Miami Beach reinforced Elizondo’s claim.
Miami, where Messi has been playing his club football since 2023, is home to at least 30,000 Argentinians, according to local census data.
Add to this mix another 20,000 fans following the team on their quest to defend the title in the United States and it becomes evident that Miami is “Messi Country”.
Argentina fans gather in Miami before their team’s World Cup match against Cape Verde, on July 2, 2026 [Hafsa Adil/Al Jazeera]
The crowd in North Beach, which is home to several decades-old Argentinian restaurants and cafes, started building more than 24 hours before kickoff and showed no sign of letting up as the evening went on.
Fans, from toddlers to supporters in their 70s, were seen walking towards the central area in Little Buenos Aires.
A small pocket of enthusiasts would begin singing “Muchachos” – the famous Argentinian football anthem – and hundreds of others would soon join in.
While the lyrics speak to the heartbreak of lost World Cup finals and past heroes, the mood among fans was festive, especially as Messi and Co broke a 36-year title drought four years ago in Qatar and emulated his hero Diego Maradona in leading them to a World Cup trophy.
For Argentina fans, Maradona and Messi are commonly considered the master and the protege. It’s part of their footballing folklore which is reinforced at every opportunity.
In Miami, as men, women and children danced on the streets, a group of supporters dressed in the shirts of Argentinian football club Newell’s Old Boys proudly stood in front of a banner connecting the two national heroes with the club.
Jorge Martinelli, second left, and other Argentina fans from Newell’s Old Boys club [Hafsa Adil/Al Jazeera]
Jorge Martinelli travelled to Miami from Rosario, the club’s base, with his friends and proudly shared some facts about his hometown.
“Messi was born in Rosario and played in Newell’s youth teams before joining Barcelona, while Maradona came to the club in 1993,” he tells Al Jazeera.
Is there any other connection between the two iconic captains? Martinelli said: “Yes, it’s a cosmic connection.
“Many here believe Maradona is guiding the team from the heavens above,” he quipped.
Amid Martinelli’s explanation of the spiritual connection between the two, fans let off crackers to celebrate Miami’s favourite footballing son’s return to his adopted home.
The Rosario resident said he does not want to contemplate a future after Messi retires from international football.
“It will create a big hole in the national team, the same as what happened after Maradona,” he said.
For now, though, he believes Messi is the favourite to do what even the great Maradona couldn’t achieve: successfully defend the title.
“He [Messi] is here. He’s playing. Maradona is watching.”
Spain achieved its primary goal at SoFi Stadium on Thursday, defeating Austria 3-0 and advancing to the World Cup round of 16 in front of a pro-Spain announced crowd of 70,492.
The Spaniards extended their unbeaten match streak to 34 games and their win streak over European teams to 35 dating back to 2023. They have yet to concede a goal this tournament, tying the record for most consecutive men’s World Cup clean sheets with five.
By every metric, Spain controlled the match and won decisively in its best performance of the tournament.
But Spain coach Luis de la Fuente said his team still has room to improve and has yet to play its best soccer.
The team favored to win the World Cup before matches kicked off last month is still ramping up and working to championship standards.
While France’s fearsome foursome led by the electric Kylian Mbappé has bulldozed opponents, Norway’s Erling Haaland is scoring at a rapid pace and Lionel Messi is dancing his way to immortality, Spain superstar Lamine Yamal is still waiting to deliver a multi-goal dominant World Cup performance.
Yamal, an 18-year-old prodigy, showed flashes of his talent and set up his teammates well en route to winning man of the match honors that more than a few Spanish media members questioned. But his efficient teammates carried the scoring load Thursday, with Mikel Oyarzabal scoring two goals and Pedro Porro adding another for La Roja.
Spain has been managing Yamal’s minutes while he recovers from injury, but Thursday was supposed to be an opportunity to unleash his dominance.
“I think we need to keep improving our game, our intensity — everything — but obviously we know the quality we have, and we know we’re not afraid of any team,” Yamal said after the match. “We’re Spain, and we have to prove it on the field, but we believe in ourselves.”
Spain still advanced with ease and will face the winner of the Portugal-Croatia match to be played later Thursday. Their round of 16 match will be played Monday in Arlington, Texas. On July 10, the winner of that contest will face the winner of Monday’s U.S.-Belgium match at SoFi Stadium.
Austria coach Ralf Rangnick is convinced Spain, the European champions, easily could become World Cup champions.
“If you watched the game today, you would recognize it is really difficult to play against this opponent,” Rangnick said of Spain. “… I cannot remember any unforced error they made.”
Spain’s de la Fuente shook his head when he heard Rangnick’s praise, saying he was happy for his players and loves his team but saw many areas that could be improved.
“There’s much to do,” de la Fuente said, noting the competition will only grow tougher. “The defense can still be improved. There have been some situations when we lacked high pressure. … Prior to the first hydration break, the team was still trying to evolve.
”… You need to keep improving all the time.”
Spain forward Lamine Yamal falls after Austria midfielder Florian Grillitsch kicks the ball away from him during the second half Thursday.
(Kelvin Kuo / Los Angeles Times)
During its round of 32 match on Thursday, Spain handled Austria’s high press and attacked spaces behind the defense.
The Spanish team capitalized on its opponent’s defensive misalignments, found depth down the wings and consistently exposed the Austrians’ defensive weaknesses.
Austria came out quickly looking to pull off an upset, but it ran into a Spain team that was well-organized defensively. The counterattack ended with Yamal firing a shot straight at Austria goalkeeper Alex Schlager one minute into the game.
The Austrians tried to get behind the Spanish defense, but their attacking creativity was limited and they never managed to turn their promising opportunities into goals. One of Austria’s clearest chances came on a play by Marcel Sabitzer, who sent a cross from the left flank to forward Michael Gregoritsch, who wasn’t fast enough to put a head or foot on the well-placed ball before it sailed out of bounds.
The pace of the game favored Spain, as Austria took risks on the attack and left spaces open.
In the 29th minute, Yamal’s corner kick pinballed in the penalty area before falling to Marc Cucurella, who appeared to score. The goal was erased, however, because Spain tackled Austria’s goalkeeper before Cucurella took his shot.
Yamal was dynamic early and a run into the box nearly resulted in another clear scoring opportunity. Schlager barely had time to react and prevented another Spanish celebration in the 32nd minute.
Four minutes later, Cucurella sent a pass to Oyarzabal, who was left unmarked because David Alaba had left a large gap between himself and the forward. Oyarzabal connected with the cross and easily scored to give Spain a 1-0 lead.
Spain had two great chances to extend its lead during first-half stoppage time. The first was a long-range shot by Álex Baena that hit the crossbar; on the rebound, Yamal fired the ball straight into the Austria goalkeeper’s body.
In the second half, Yamal continued to pressure the Spanish defenders and set up Oyarzabal for a shot caught by the Austrian goalkeeper.
Rodri’s dribbling opened more space for Spain, allowing him to create a shooting opportunity that grazed the post in the 54th minute.
Austria was looking to attack more and brought on Sasa Kalajdzic, who responded quickly with a header that sailed over the crossbar.
Spain responded by scoring a few minutes later.
In the 66th minute, Baena won the ball back on the left and sent in a cross for Porro, who headed in his team’s second goal. It was Porro’s first goal for Spain during international competition.
In his final play before being replaced in the 85th minute, Yamal received a pass inside the penalty area and although he struck the ball well to beat the Austrian goalkeeper, another Austrian defender managed to block his shot.
When it seemed both teams were content with the result, Cucurella once again linked up with Oyarzabal off a deep pass into the center of the penalty area. Oyarzabal got behind two defenders and scored, sealing Spain’s 3-0 win.
“The game kind of tells you what you need — whether the team needs more on offense or more on defense,” Porro said. “It’s about staying more focused on that, and surely when you’re more confident in what you have to do, you perform better.”
That was England coach Thomas Tuchel’s advice for parents on whether children should be allowed to stay up to support England in their early morning World Cup match against Mexico on Monday.
The time difference means the round of 16 clash against the co-hosts in Mexico City will not kick off until 01:00 BST – and would not finish until closer to 04:00 should it go to penalties.
Speaking to the media after the Three Lions’ victory over DR Congo on Wednesday, a smiling Tuchel said: “There’s so much school to go to, but the World Cup is every four years. Let them watch.”
But some parents and teachers are concerned about the knock-on impact.
In the past, some schools have suspended lessons to allow children to watch games in the knockout stages of tournaments – but the awkward timing of the Mexico match poses some tricky logistical questions.
Let children stay up and risk a wasted school day on Monday – or force young fans to miss what could be a vital victory on the way to World Cup glory?
Unsurprisingly, parents are divided.
One mum, from Epping in Essex, said of the prospect of her two young children staying up: “They couldn’t even if they wanted to.
“They struggled to make it to the 21:00 kick off for the Ghana match.”
Another parent said they would allow the kids to watch the match live, but expected them to be ready for school the next morning.
They wrote on X: “Mine will be watching and still going into the school the next day.
“What’s the big deal? The recent thunderstorms woke then up at 2am and kept them awake for hours and they were fine the next day going to school.”
A third parent praised Tuchel’s comments and called for every pupil to be given Monday off of school.
LONDON — Claire Liu packed her bags and checked out of her London hotel room on Wednesday morning before heading to the All England Club.
It was more pragmatism than pessimism — a reality of a qualifier navigating her Wimbledon journey one day at a time.
But as her boyfriend reminded her while organizing her luggage: “Just because you’re packing doesn’t mean you’re leaving,” Liu recalled with a laugh.
He was right.
The Thousand Oaks native went on to win her second-round match against 51st-ranked Zeynep Sonmez of Turkey 7-5, 6-3, advancing to the third round of a Grand Slam for the first time in her professional career. She had tried 29 previous times at majors, including qualifying rounds, since 2015.
“I was just super relieved to get through that,” said Liu, noting she had blown a set and a break lead in the French Open’s second round last month.
For Liu, who turned 26 in May, returning to the manicured lawns of SW19 brings her tennis journey full circle. Nine years ago, she captured the 2017 Wimbledon girls’ singles title — the first American to do so since Chanda Rubin in 1992 — and was the No. 1 junior in the world. She still holds fond memories of that heady achievement, including chatting with her idol, Roger Federer, at the Wimbledon Champions Ball.
Yet, the transition from teenage phenom to professional mainstay has been anything but a linear ascent. When asked if she expected to be in the third round of a major this late in her career given her junior success, Liu was candid.
“Younger me would have believed it more than now,” she said.
That shift in perspective comes after weathering some brutal setbacks.
Liu climbed as high as No. 52 in early 2023 but then endured a wrist injury and took a months-long mental health hiatus in 2024 that eventually saw her ranking plummet outside the top 400 last year.
Currently sitting at No. 146, she’s been rebuilding her standing by playing a mix of WTA 125 events and ITF tournaments before returning to the main WTA Tour, with 2026 stops in far-flung places from Bahrain to Boca Raton and plenty of places in between.
“My goals haven’t changed, but I think the stress of how I got there really took a toll on me,” said Liu.
To navigate the darkness, Liu leaned heavily into both sports psychology and traditional therapy, including EMDR, a technique that helps people process traumatic experiences. She also started a Substack newsletter called “Finding Claire-ity,” where she openly chronicles her life and struggles on the tour.
The Southern California native, who has trained at the USTA facility in Carson since she was 9 years old and resides in Redondo Beach, also split with her longtime coach last season, a difficult decision, and hired Clemens Wagner.
The switch following the U.S. Open last year is clicking.
“I saw in her someone who fought a lot of battles inside herself,” says Austrian-born Wagner, who has a background in tennis analytics.
Together, they have focused on keeping an “aggressive undertone” on the grass, emphasizing coming to the net and squeezing the most out of her game.
Wagner notes that the 5-foot-7 player’s game isn’t the flashiest, but describes her as a “silent killer” who excels at “redirecting pace, standing close to the baseline, constantly putting pressure on her opponents.”
The reboot is starting to pay significant dividends.
Liu put together her best stretch in years this spring, winning a lower-tier title in Trnava, Slovakia, her first professional title since 2024, and then qualifying for the French Open.
Having again successfully navigated three rounds of qualifying to reach the main draw here, Liu has now won five consecutive matches at Wimbledon. Not surprisingly, she currently has no sponsors, just equipment support from Head Sport and Asics Corp., making her Wimbledon run particularly lucrative. By reaching the third round, Liu achieved her highest career payday: around $250,000. A victory Friday would boost that to nearly $400,000.
First, she faces her biggest test yet: a third-round contest against two-time major champion Coco Gauff on No. 1 Court, which perhaps fittingly is the same show court where Liu won the girls’ title almost a decade ago.
Gauff, 22, noted that she and Liu haven’t crossed paths much since Liu is older, but expects a serious battle. Gauff won both of their previous meetings on hard courts.
“I feel like anytime you’re playing a qualifier, it’s always tough because they have three matches already,” the seventh-seeded American said.
Liu, who didn’t even know she was playing Gauff until a reporter told her after her match, is purposefully keeping her focus narrow.
“I will just take today to be happy for winning, and then tomorrow I’ll think about it,” Liu said. “Obviously she’s one of the best players in the world right now, so that’ll be a good experience.”
Veteran Jessica Pegula, 32, the top-ranked American who also toiled away on the sport’s lower tier before becoming a top-10 mainstay, appreciates Liu’s resolve.
“It’s always nice to see girls that are figuring it out slowly but surely,” the No. 4 seed said. “I think I can relate to that.”
Liu’s accommodations? Fortunately, her mother was able to rebook the same hotel after the match, which eased some of the logistical issues for her unexpectedly extended stay in London.
“It definitely makes me stay in the moment, like, day by day,” Liu smiled of her lodging limbo.
On Wednesday morning, Liu packed her bags expecting she might leave Wimbledon. Instead, she emptied them one more time, with the biggest match of her career still waiting.
Pubs in England and Wales will now be allowed to stay open until 5am on Monday, allowing football fans to watch the Three Lions’ World Cup clash with Mexico to the final whistle.
The round-of-16 match in Mexico City kicks off at 1am UK time.
The government had initially said it would not relax licensing laws further than they already have been for the World Cup.
But Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Thursday afternoon that pubs could stay open until the final whistle.
Monday’s match is not expected to finish until after 3am.
The government had initially decided not to extend licencing hours further, but u-turned on Thursday evening.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer that the decision was good news for both supporters and pubs.
“Football might be coming home but we’re making sure fans don’t have to,” he said.
Publicans and businesses welcomed the change. Emma McClarkin, chief executive of the British Beer and Pub Association, said: “We all know the best place to watch the match is down the local.”
Licensing hours had already been extended for the World Cup from 11pm to 1am for games with kick-offs from 5pm up to 9pm and up until 2am for kick-offs after 9pm.
Individual pubs normally have to apply to their local council for extended opening hours, at least five working days in advance.
SANTA CLARA, Calif. — What do you mean U.S. forward Folarin Balogun got red-carded? For that?
As a nation, we’re pretty new to all this. And this VAR abomination we’ve all now been introduced to? Thanks, we hate it.
Soccer’s video assistant referee system is worse than the NBA’s tedious in-game reviews. Worse than the existential NFL question of whether it is or is not a catch. Dumber than not being able to argue obvious balls and strikes in a pre-ABS baseball world.
Worse than all those things put together.
And now that we witnessed it burn the U.S. men’s soccer team in its rousing 2-0 round of 32 World Cup victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina on Wednesday, all of us newly accredited soccer experts in America are ready to declare war on VAR.
In a physical fixture filled with shoving and shouldering, pushing and pummeling, blood and guts, after 60-plus minutes of letting ’em play, Balogun’s off-balance misstep got him kicked off the pitch.
A match of no-calls — including, initially, this gnarly moment of incidental contact between Balogun and Tarik Muharemovic — and the United States found itself down a man for most of the second half at Levi’s Stadium.
The unfortunate accident will rob Americans — both those on the pitch and those glued to screens at home or at a watch party — of their top scorer (Balogun has three goals in three matches) in a round of 16 showdown with Belgium on Monday in Seattle.
The young man was doing LeBron James’ silencer celebration after scoring a goal one moment and being tagged with soccer’s equivalent of a Flagrant 2 the next — because of how one moment was assessed on tape delay.
Delay being the operative phrase. No one loves late calls, but soccer has some late calls. Examined in super-slow motion. And, as the United States’ Tyler Adams pointed out: “When you slow everything down, it’s only going to look worse.”
And Balogun didn’t mean it! That’s a better defense in some situations than others — including this one. Per letter of the law.
ESPN’s resident refereeing expert, Andy Davies, a former Select Group referee with more 12 seasons on the elite list provided this summary judgment: “With both players challenging for ball, the contact from Balogun on Muharemovic, while it looked bad in slow motion, was purely accidental and an unfortunate result from two players challenging for possession of the ball in a normal football movement.”
Also, Davies: “VAR made their recommendation to the referee based on slow-motion and still replays, which is not aligned with VAR protocols, as these should be used for only point-of-contact purposes in a red card tackle situation.”
Let me tell you something you already knew: FIFA is inconsistent.
Malik Tillman’s exquisitely placed, curving free kick for a goal in the 82nd minute might have been Messi-esque, but the call on Balogun? Not Messi-esque.
In a group play match against Algeria, Lionel Messi, the Argentine superstar, seemed to rake his studs along Aïssa Mandi’s right calf and ankle. That time, a foul was called. VAR had a look. And despite the rules stating that a challenge from behind with studs-on-calf contact and a level of force should be a red card — no card was administered. Can’t have Messi missing games.
“For me, never is this red card,” Pochettino said. “Watching after on TV, never was [it] intention[al] to step up on the player. That was a normal action in football that happened by accident.
“That is why for me it’s never a red card.”
But you don’t have to take his word for it.
On Fox, former French footballing legend Thierry Henry said: “You need to adopt some type of common sense. He never went to hurt nobody. He went to get the ball, and where do you land after? You have to land somewhere.”
Commentator Ian Darke weighed in with a post on X: “Reckless and yellow would have covered it.”
Trust your own eyes.
In an attempt to eliminate human error, this great sport has introduced human error. But it feels more egregious than a bad call in the run of play because it’s justice — or injustice — meted out arbitrarily, unevenly and after the fact.
Look, I’m sure the world doesn’t want to hear any of our star-spangled opinions about how to improve the beautiful game — but in this, we’re united.
There’s a universal sentiment: Give VAR the red card.
![Argentina fans gather in Miami before their team's World Cup match against Cape Verde, on July 2 [Hafsa Adil/Al Jazeera]](https://i0.wp.com/occasionaldigest.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/argentina-fans-in-miami-world-cup-1783064472.jpeg?w=640&ssl=1)
![Argentina fans gather in Miami before their team's World Cup match against Cape Verde, on July 2 [Hafsa Adil/Al Jazeera]](https://i0.wp.com/occasionaldigest.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/20260702_201113-1-1783064477.jpg?w=640&ssl=1)
