All World Cup matches to break after 22 minutes of each half Adverts can be either normal breaks or split-screen version ITV is in talks with their commercial partners about showing adverts during the mid-half drinks stoppages that will take place in every match at this summer's World Cup. Global broadcasters have been briefed on Fifa's stipulations for the three-minute hydration breaks, which will take place after 22 minutes of each half irrespective of the temperature. A two-minutes-and-10-second commercial break will be permitted if TV companies opt to cut away from the on-field action although they can also choose to stay stick with the live pictures or adopt a hybrid approach using a split screen. ITV may resist the temptation to sell full commercial breaks in favour of continuing the so-called “pic-in-pic advertising” it utilised for the first time during this year's Six Nations Championship. ITV declined to comment, but sources at the commercial broadcaster indicated that its use of in-picture adverts whilst scrums are set in their Six Nations coverage had been well received by viewers, who they are wary of antagonising, particularly during such an important event as the World Cup. In-picture adverts are seen as less disruptive and enable commentary teams to continue their analysis of the match, as well as picking up details of any tactical instructions relayed by coaching staff to players during the break. ITV has joint live rights for the World Cup in the UK with the BBC, for whom adverts are not an issue, other than promoting its own programming. The World Cup will be the first major tournament to stop all matches midway through each half for three minutes, although hydration breaks were used at last summer's Club World Cup when the in-stadium temperature exceeded 32 degrees. Fifa announced in December that it would introduce the break in each of the 104 World Cup matches as a “player welfare” measure, but it will also bring significant commercial benefits, particularly in the long term.

Security Minister Omar García Harfuch announced on social media that federal authorities and authorities from the three Mexican entities that will host World Cup matches — Mexico City, Jalisco and Nuevo León — met with FIFA representatives to “coordinate the security actions” for the tournament, which Mexico will co-host with the United States and Canada. Junto con mis compañeros del Gabinete de Seguridad, nos reunimos con personal de @FIFAWorldCup para coordinar las acciones que permitan a los visitantes y al pueblo de #México disfrutar del #MundialFIFA2026. García Harfuch, Interior Minister Rosa Icela Rodríguez, Defense Minister Ricardo Trevilla, Foreign Affairs Minister Juan Ramón de la Fuente and the government's World Cup coordinator Gabriela Cuevas were among the federal officials in attendance. A total of 13 World Cup matches will be played in Mexico at stadiums in Mexico City, Guadalajara and Monterrey. Mexico and South Africa will play the opening match of the tournament at Mexico City's Estadio Azteca on June 11. At Wednesday's meeting, García Harfuch said that Mexican officials and FIFA representatives reviewed “the intelligence, prevention, and operational deployment protocols that will be implemented during this international event.” On Feb. 24 — two days after the violent cartel response to the killing of Nemesio Rubén “El Mencho” Oseguera in a military operation in Jalisco — a reporter asked Sheinbaum whether there are security guarantees that will allow FIFA World Cup matches to be played in Guadalajara later this year. The federal government conveyed a similar message after Wednesday's meeting with FIFA representatives. According to a statement issued by Mexico's Security Ministry (SSPC), García Harfuch said that “coordination” between federal authorities and the authorities in Mexico City, Jalisco and Nuevo León will allow “security conditions” to be guaranteed for Mexicans and international visitors during the World Cup. FIFA reaffirms support for Mexico as World Cup host: Thursday's mañanera recapped The meeting in Mexico City came a week after FIFA president Gianni Infantino said that the organization he leads has “full trust in the authorities in Mexico” and “full confidence” that the country will be a successful World Cup host. Those remarks came just three days after fiery narco-blockades appeared in states across the country and Jalisco New Generation Cartel members set banks and OXXO stores on fire and engaged in gunfights with National Guard officers.

Tickets for the 2026 FIFA World Cup are highly coveted. Admission to a game can cost thousands and most matches are already sold out. Here's what to know, and how much tickets are selling for. Alternatively, fans can buy premium admission that are available for upward of $1,000. For instance, the admission to the France vs Senegal game on June 16 ranges from $2,300 to $3,400. Admission for the Round of 16 match on July 5, costs between $2,800 and $6,000. Anyone interested in a luxury suite should be ready to pay roughly $200,000 for game at the New Jersey New York Stadium. Premium tickets for the final match are sold out. A Last-Minute Sales Phase for individual tickets opens on April 2 at 11 a.m. Tickets might sell out within minutes, given the high global demand for them. Price varies depending on the match. As an example the USA vs Paraguay match has seats available for $1,940 and $2,735, according to The Athletic. FIFA is selling Pavilion tickets for roughly $2,000. For the price, you get to tailgate a game three hours before the match and two hours after it finishes. Juan Carlos Castillo is a New Jersey-based trending reporter for the USA Today Network.

But let's be honest: There won't be much suspense over what the jerseys will look like. We've already seen them, and now even a random grocery store accidentally displayed the jersey ahead of the USMNT's kit reveal. Just a couple days after the official USMNT account seemingly confirmed the earlier leaked jerseys with a teaser photo, a fan on Twitter/X spotted the jersey on display for a Michelob ULTRA promotion. The jerseys were reportedly going to be inspired by the fan-favorite "Waldo" kit from 2012. And that's exactly what we got in this latest look at the jersey. Compared to what the USMNT wore at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, Nike came up with a considerable improvement. As for the away kit, it has also been spotted on display before an official reveal. U.S. Soccer will largely ignore the leaks and go forward with the planned unveiling. But really, the surprise is gone. The secret has been out for months.

As Seattle gears up for the FIFA World Cup matches, so are short-term rentals. Airbnb is offering a major financial incentive to any first-time hosts, but there are some hoops to jump through. Her Seattle house is your classic character-filled short-term rental listing. Soon, it will be listed on Airbnb for renting during the World Cup matches this summer. “I'm a 20-minute walk or six-minute taxi to Northgate Station, I have two or three beds, and a dog door,” Romano said. Airbnb Senior Communications Lead Matt McNama tells us they are doing this in every World Cup host city. “We found there's a big surge in searches on Airbnb across all the host cities and that tells us there's a big demand,” McNama said. This means Romano is spending her days doing the ultimate spring cleaning in an effort to make her home ready for renters. “I don't ever want my son to have to go through my things later on, especially the box of all my journals, like oh no they won't go through that,” Romano said. With her permit already in hand, Romano tells us the city's legal checklist is easy to navigate. Beth Gappart with the City of Seattle tells us they have one major requirement to become a host. She said you have to have the proper permitting and license to rent out your home, or you could be investigated and fined. This station is part of Cox Media Group Television. By using this website, you accept the terms of our Visitor Agreement and Privacy Policy, and understand your options regarding Ad Choices.

GOAL continues its Meet the USMNT series by examining the defender's path to becoming such a key player for club and country If there's a word to describe Antonee Robinson's career with the U.S. men's national team, it would be consistent. While things often changed around him, Robinson has always been a safe pair of hands and a player who greatly lifts both the USMNT's ceiling and floor. Injury issues have limited him and, with the World Cup looming, uncertainty remains. It's one of the questions that will define their World Cup run. Even if he's not 100 percent, they'll still have a pretty damn good defender. What should we expect from them next summer? Previous Meet the USMNT: Christian Pulisic | Folarin Balogun| Chris Richards | Tim Ream Robinson speaks with an English accent, and it's no surprise why. He was born and raised in Milton Keynes before rising through the ranks at the Everton academy to begin his professional career. Robinson's father, Marlon, grew up in New York and went on to be a soccer star at Duke, helping the Blue Devils reach an NCAA Final in 1982. From a young age, Robinson has felt that American connection, which was strengthened during his time with the U.S. youth teams. While emerging in the Championship through a series of loans and a permanent move to Wigan Athletic, Robinson was also breaking through with U.S. Soccer. He earned his first cap in 2018 during the program's post-missed World Cup rebuild and hasn't looked back, proving himself as an integral piece of the team ever since. It's safe to say that Robinson has established himself as one of the Premier League's best left backs, which, by proxy, makes him one of the best left backs in the world. The road there was bumpy, though, to put it lightly. Following loan spells with Bolton and Wigan, the latter signed Robinson permanently in 2019. After getting proper medical care, Robinson then moved to Fulham that summer, where he's remained ever since, despite reported overtures from some of the Premier League's best teams over the last few years. Then the injury issues piled up, essentially derailing his spring. The fullback is getting closer to being his old self, though. He's played in 13 matches so far this season, starting 10, as he's pushed to regain form and fitness ahead of the World Cup. There has been some drop off, as his assists aren't where they were last year, but it's easy to see Robinson's impact when he is on the field. Fulham, though, are continuing to ease Robinson in, particularly as he seemingly builds back the pace and athleticism that made him so dynamic pre-injury. There's still ground to make up, but there's no denying that he's a bit closer than he was just a few short months ago. Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting It might be easy to forget, simply but it has been so long since Robinson last appeared in a USMNT shirt, but the defender is an integral piece of the national team puzzle. His status didn't really chance in the years after until his injury issues robbed him of 2025, leaving him without an appearance throughout that calendar year. Throughout his USMNT tenure, he's been the go-to left back in key games, from World Cup and Copa America clashes to vital matches in qualifying. No matter the game, big or small, the U.S. has relied on Robinson, and in turn, he's proven to be a player who can always be relied on. It all centers around one question: Is he fit or not? If he is, the USMNT have a top-tier left back, one who has shown that he's capable of playing against the world's best for several years. He's a player who can defend and attack in equal measure and one who would head into this summer's World Cup already possessing the experience of playing in the world's biggest tournament. Tim Weah and Sergino Dest could both play on that right-hand side. The U.S. may just survive, even if Robinson isn't quite himself. With him, though, they're more likely to thrive, which is why Pochettino will hope Robinson is fit and in form this summer.

FC Cincinnati will host Liga MX clubs CF Pachuca, Pumas and Atlas FC this summer in the Leagues Cup 2026 Phase One, as the Leagues Cup Organizing Committee announced the official 2026 schedule today. The Orange and Blue's Phase One matchups against Pachuca, Pumas and Atlas will mark FC Cincinnati's first-ever meetings against each of the three Liga MX clubs. FC Cincinnati will begin Leagues Cup 2026 competition on the opening day of the tournament on Tuesday, August 4 against CF Pachuca. Pachuca, winners of the 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup to qualify for the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, will make their second trip to TQL Stadium where they faced Austrian club FC Red Bull Salzburg in the Club World Cup last summer. By finishing in second place in the 2025 Supporters' Shield standings, the Orange and Blue enter Leagues Cup 2026 as a Tier One MLS club and will play all Phase One matches at TQL Stadium. Kickoff times will be announced at a later date. FC Cincinnati Season Ticket Members have the Pachuca match included in their package and single-match tickets will go on sale in early April. Running from August 4 through September 6, Leagues Cup 2026 will feature 36 clubs – all 18 Liga MX teams and 18 qualified MLS clubs. All 54 matches during Phase One along with the Quarterfinals will deliver Liga MX vs. MLS matchups. The top four clubs from MLS and Liga MX based on Phase One results will advance to the Knockout Rounds.

U.S. men's national team legend Tim Howard called on Alex Henderson to apologize for calling him a "weirdo" on "Love is Blind." It did not take Henderson long to oblige. Henderson released an apology through a video on his Instagram Stories, quickly complying with Howard's demand. "Tim Howard, first and foremost, I apologize. Candidly, that is one of my lowest moments on this show is calling that out," Henderson said. As a goalkeeper, I understand our culture. It's an egregious mistake and I think you're handling with class.” He's a weirdo," Henderson says of Howard, who earned 121 USMNT caps during his career. On his "Unfiltered Soccer" show, Howard issued an angry response to Henderson's comment. "So all I'll say is, we can make everything right with the world, and you just issue a public apology on whatever platform you're on. "You can issue a public apology and I'll accept it in advance. If not, then I'll have more things to say about you. Minnesota United selected him in the second round of the 2017 MLS SuperDraft, but he never played in MLS. He also said longtime England star David Beckham was "not even good." In contrast to his approach on Howard, Henderson wasn't as apologetic when it came to Beckham.

The Big Apple may soon be making some pour changes to its outdoor drinking policies. There's hardly a better combo than catching a game of ball and publicly guzzling booze, so suggests a newly introduced bill aimed at implementing “entertainment zones” — designated hotspots where soccer buffs can freely consume alcohol on NYC streets — during the 2026 FIFA World Cup this summer. “This bill would allow municipalities to better accommodate these tourists, spur economic development, and enhance this once in a lifetime experience for New Yorkers and visitors from around the world, just as other host states have done,” the document insists. Proposals to permit al fresco imbibing have previously been nixed by the powers-that-be of NYC. In fact, during former Mayor Eric Adams' tenure (2022-2025), NYPD officers issued nearly 10,000 fines to street drinkers in 2023 alone, enforcing efforts to enhance the quality of life for the community at-large. But rather than granting revelers an open-ended pass to publicly partake in perpetuity, Simone's bill, predicated on legislation recently passed in Washington state, comes with specific parameters. The doc argues that outdoor liquor service would take effect from “June 1st, 2026 and [end] July 31st, 2026 while setting requirements for enclosures, sharing of spaces, safety, sanitation and worker operations.” During the submitted timeframe, a total of eight soccer matches will be held at New Jersey's MetLife Stadium, located just minutes outside of midtown. “It actually is a more controlled way of ensuring that small businesses can take advantage of the World Cup coming to New York City.” “At this late stage, [it's] not realistic that it will be passed by both houses, signed by the governor and then implemented where NYC could request a special outdoor area to be reviewed by the [State Liquor Authority], all in the next three months,” said Robert Bookman, the alliance's lawyer. A spokesperson for the governor declined to comment on Simone's bill, per Gothamist, but confirmed that, “Gov. Hochul will review any bill that passes both houses of the Legislature.” Hochul's administration is sponsoring two free watch parties for key World Cup matches — including a viewing of the US' first game at Stony Brook University in Long Island on June 12, and a July 19 showing at Kensico Dam Plaza in Westchester County. FIFA is, too, hosting outdoor “fan zones” from June 17 to June 28 at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Queens, and from July 4 to July 19 at Rockefeller Center. Kevin Dugan, of the New York State Restaurant Association — which backs Simone's bill — noted that Hochul recently let bars sell liquor during the Olympic men's hockey gold medal game, which took place in the morning hours, when alcohol sales are normally prohibited. ”The governor has shown a willingness to recognize these opportunities when they come along,” Dugan said.

In a move that will see soccer become like the NFL and NBA, FIFA is reported to have granted broadcasters permission to cut to commercials during mandated World Cup hydration breaks. Although TV advertisements are a longstanding part of a typical NFL or NBA broadcast, during specific breaks in play such as timeouts, it's not the done-thing in soccer matches. It means that players will be able to properly stop—including halftime—to take on fluids every 20–25 minutes. The hydration breaks, which will happen without exception in every match regardless of in-game weather conditions to ensure fairness across the tournament, are to last three minutes. The breaks have been established as a ‘player welfare' measure and certainly are more than justifiable as such. But, on top of the enormity of some ticket prices, it has only fueled opinion that this World Cup is serving corporate greed over the sport and its fans more than any other before. “The use of hydration breaks is part of a focused attempt to ensure the best possible conditions for players, drawing upon the experiences of previous tournaments,” FIFA say. There will still be some protection for the soccer itself and The Athletic reports that it isn't open-season for broadcasters to do as they please. Firstly, there is no obligation to run any commercials at all. Networks could choose to stay with the match feed, or return to a studio for analysis, or even just show commercials in a portion of the screen—in that scenario, slots can only be sold to FIFA sponsors. With a full cut away from the match broadcast, advertising slots can be sold to anyone, which could cause conflict if rivals to FIFA-partnered brands are awarded them. There are also strict timings which must be adhered to. That leaves up to 130 seconds for commercials out of the three-minute pause. Jamie Spencer is a freelance editor and writer for Sports Illustrated FC. The content on this site is for entertainment and educational purposes only. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER.

Basketball fans will be able to see Caitlin Clark's first game with the U.S. women's national team next week in Puerto Rico thanks to a new deal between TNT Sports and FIBA, the international governing body for the sport. Beginning with a 2026 women's World Cup qualifying tournament March 11 that includes the star-studded U.S. team, TNT Sports networks, which include TNT, TBS, TruTV, as well as streaming service HBO Max, will show FIBA's “most prestigious international basketball competitions and marquee events” through 2029, according to a news release. The women's World Cup is scheduled for September, in Berlin, and the men's 2027 World Cup is in Qatar. Both tournaments will be shown in full on TNT Sports properties. “This deal is one that we can proudly say will take the profile of international basketball to a whole new level in (America), and we are certainly excited to be partnering with TNT Sports,” said Frank Leenders, head of FIBA's media and marketing division, in the news release. “It's important that in a nation like (the) USA which is so synonymous with basketball, we have as many top-quality international games broadcast in the market as possible. The U.S. women's team — coached by Kara Lawson and already qualified for the World Cup — opens qualifier play against Senegal at 5 p.m. on March 11, with the game to be shown on truTV and HBO Max. Also starring for the U.S. team are Kelsey Plum, Kahleah Copper, Chelsea Gray and Jackie Young. The same news release suggests that those qualifying games will also be broadcast on a TNT Sports property. The American men, a team of former NBA players and current G Leaguers, including 2020 No. 2 pick James Wiseman, were beaten by the Dominican Republic last week and rebounded with a win over Mexico. Joe Vardon is a senior NBA writer for The Athletic, based in Cleveland.

Football's global governing body, Fifa, has given broadcasters the green light to air advertisements during the mandatory water breaks at this summer's World Cup, a decision that marries player welfare with commercial opportunity. This measure is a direct response to anticipated high temperatures across North America, prioritising player welfare. Commercial broadcasters will be presented with two options for utilising these pauses. They can opt for a split-screen format, which limits advertising to Fifa's official partner sponsors, or choose a full cut-away, allowing for any commercial content. Strict guidelines dictate that advertisements must not commence within 20 seconds of the referee signalling the break, and broadcasters must revert to live action more than 30 seconds before play resumes. While previous FIFA tournaments, such as last summer's Club World Cup in the United States, saw water breaks triggered only when specific heat thresholds were exceeded, this summer's World Cup will feature them uniformly across all games. This ensures consistency throughout the tournament, according to FIFA. ITV, which is set to share live coverage of the finals with the BBC, has been approached for comment regarding its strategy for these new commercial opportunities. England have been placed in Group L at this summer's tournament alongside Croatia, Ghana and Panama. They will face Croatia first on 17 June in a repeat of the 2018 World Cup semi-final.

FIFA has given commercial broadcasters the green light to show adverts during World Cup water breaks this summer. The expected high temperatures in North America prompted FIFA to announce last December it would introduce the three-minute breaks midway through each half at all 104 matches this summer as a player welfare measure. It is understood commercial broadcasters will have the option to go to a split screen, where they would be limited to adverts for FIFA partner sponsors only, or a full cut-away where they could show any advert as normal. Ads should not start within 20 seconds of the referee blowing for the start of the hydration break, broadcasters have been advised, and they must return to the action more than 30 seconds before play resumes. - Judging new rule changes ahead of World Cup: Is more VAR a good thing? - Mexican authorities meet FIFA to review World Cup security - Iraq facing World Cup playoffs travel issues amid Iran war ITV, which will share live coverage of the finals with the BBC, has been contacted by the Press Association for comment on how it plans to approach the breaks. Water breaks in previous FIFA competitions, such as last summer's Club World Cup in the United States, were triggered by heat thresholds being exceeded, but FIFA says the decision to apply it across all matches at this summer's finals is designed to ensure uniformity and consistency across the tournament. The World Cup kicks off with the match between Mexico and South Africa on June 11 in Mexico City, with the final taking place in New York/New Jersey on July 19.

On Wednesday (4 March), Sentnor's game-winning goal in the SheBelieves cup against Canada saw her take a huge step forward to doing just that, with Emma Hayes determined to develop the depth in this position. While it isn't her natural role for club, the versatile nature of the 22-year-old footballer means that she finds it seamless to slot in as a striker for country. “I actually grew up playing the 9, so it almost feels like I'm back at home in my club team,” she told TNT Sports after the game. “I'm just really enjoying playing with the players here at camp, it's so incredible. I'm working on my runs, on [playing with] my back to goal like Emma has been talking about, and I'm excited to evolve as a 9 and not be a generic [striker].” For a squad that has undergone so much change, even since winning gold at Paris 2024, they still boast one of the best rosters on the women's international scene. “I don't think it surprises me about the quality we have on this team,” Sentnor continued. “I just love showing up to training every day, these girls are amazing on and off the field, and they make me a better player, a better person every day. This team has endless depth, and I am just so grateful to be a part of it.” Relive the magic ❄️⛷️ Sign up free for full replays, highlights, and medal moments - anytime. Coming into Wednesday's all-North American affair, Sentnor and the U.S. knew exactly what to expect from their rivals. “It's a huge focus point, and I think our forwards are the people that start that so our defenders can push up with us and [allow us] to play in their half.” Despite their shutout victories, both Argentina and Canada have shown they can push the SheBelieves Cup hosts to be at their best - or to win even when they're not. The U.S. will have another chance to put this game plan to the test on Saturday (7 March) when they face Colombia in their final game of this competition.

There have been suggestions that Iran could pull out of the tournament, with the president of Iran's football federation saying: “What is certain is that after this attack, we cannot be expected to look forward to the World Cup with hope," earlier this week. All of Iran's group matches – against New Zealand, Belgium and Egypt – are set to take place in the US, which could lead to security concerns given the political situation. At this time, there is no suggestion from FIFA that Iran will be stripped of the opportunity to compete or voluntarily pull out. On 3 March, US Soccer CEO JT Batson told Sky News: “FIFA president Gianni Infantino shared over the weekend the intention of a safe and secure World Cup where all teams are participating. For this to happen, attacks would likely have to occur in the US and Europe, according to Professor Simon Chadwick, who has previously served as director of research for the organisers of the 2022 FIFA World Cup and has also advised global sporting organisations. Logistically, economically and politically, it would be a major challenge to reschedule the mega-event. So long as conflict remains contained within the Middle East, it would be hard to justify or explain postponement. “However, if attacks spill over into Europe and North America, the matter would escalate and become much more serious. Furthermore, if air travel is disrupted or oil supplies are significantly affected, practical considerations might force FIFA and the US to think about alternative arrangements for the competition. “One nevertheless suspects that Donald Trump and his administration would strongly oppose rescheduling, as they would likely see it as capitulation. Postponement has to be a possibility, although for the time being at least, the tournament seems more likely to go ahead as planned.” Topics: Football, FIFA World Cup, Donald Trump, Spotlight Journalist with expertise covering football, cricket, boxing and MMA.

Watch enough sports reporting, and you'll be certain to notice a recurring cliche: The winning team simply “wanted it more.” Who went onto the pitch with more drive and hunger? Who ignored the odds against them and was able to manifest victory, however improbable, into existence? If “hosting the 2026 FIFA World Cup” were a sport in and of itself, these past few months have shown that perhaps Kansas City wants this more than other cities. Even diehard locals know the challenges in selling Kansas City as a destination — until you convince someone to visit once, and they're dying to come back. This summer, with six World Cup matches set, Kansas City is now guaranteed as much gametime as Philadelphia, Seattle and the San Francisco Bay Area, and more than any of the individual Mexican cities. That's despite being smaller than all of them in both population and media market size, with less experience than most with hosting events of this scale. Plus, no other city is playing host to three different teams in FIFA's Pot 1, AKA the very top tier of competitors (Argentina, the Netherlands and England, for those keeping track at home). “Teams don't choose base camps lightly,” said KC2026 CEO Pam Kramer in a news release. “When they come to Kansas City, they're choosing world-class training environments and a region with deep soccer roots and an authentic, knowledgeable culture of hospitality. Hosting four national teams isn't symbolic — it's confirmation that our region stands among the best in the world to prepare for, support and inspire elite competition.” Kansas City leaders were aggressively welcoming to teams, coordinating with Sporting KC and the Current to roll out the welcome wagon — even opening up a fourth base camp location, which wasn't previously on the table, in order to accommodate Team England. Either way, KC2026 built the city an enormous stage, where in less than 100 days it hopes to show off Kansas City to its biggest audience yet. As you know from reading this newsletter, it'll take a lot more than burnt ends to nail the delivery – although those certainly won't hurt. Kansas City is supposed to receive nearly $80 million in federal funding for public safety measures before the World Cup, which would help pay for officer overtime, buy more cruisers and security upgrades. FEMA has not yet distributed a combined $625 million to World Cup host cities that it had promised, due to a nearly monthlong shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security. That money was part of President Donald Trump's “One Big Beautiful Bill” passed by Congress last year, but it was supposed to be awarded by the end of January. Now, local officials are warning that events like fan festivals will need to be scaled back or even canceled if that money isn't in hand yet. We need commitments from partners to help supplement our officers just because of the scope, scale and duration of the games,” Kansas City Deputy Police Chief Joe Mabin testified recently at a U.S. House Homeland Security committee hearing on Capitol Hill. Find out about other big challenges facing the World Cup, from NPR. Tuesday marked 100 days before the World Cup comes to Kansas City. “This is our tryout,” said The Combine owner Alan Kneeland in an interview with KCUR's Up To Date. His pizza and pub on Troost Avenue is planning to show matches on its 14 TV screens, and Kneeland says he's doing staff stress tests, updating the restaurant's social media strategy and thinking about menu changes to cater to an international audience. For Dulcinea Herrera of Cafe Corazon, which offers Argentine food and drinks like yerba mate at three locations around town, the World Cup crowds will be a chance to show off and share their culture even more widely. Kansas City's Northland is planning its own series of World Cup watch parties, sprinkled across North Kansas City, Liberty and other areas north of the river. Who's excited to shell out more than $100 for the joy of parking at Arrowhead Stadium? For some of Kansas City's World Cup matches, a single parking pass tends to sit around $125, including for spots compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act. That will also be better than asking a friend to help with drop-off and pickup. You may have noticed this email is now rocking a new name and branding.

The Iraqis ⁠are scheduled to play the winners of an earlier tie between Bolivia and Suriname in Monterrey on March 31 for a ⁠spot at the World Cup, but are concerned they might not be able to get everyone to Mexico. Iraqi airspace has been closed since the United States and Israel launched air attacks on Iran last ‌weekend. Tehran responded by launching waves of missiles and drones at Israel and towards several military bases in the Middle East where US forces operate. “FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation are fully aware of every development regarding our team's situation,” the Iraq national team said in a statement on Wednesday. “Because of airspace closures, our head coach Graham Arnold is unable to ⁠leave the United Arab Emirates. In addition, several ⁠embassies remain closed at the present time, preventing several players, technical and medical staff from obtaining entry visas to Mexico. “We assure our loyal supporters that we remain ⁠in close contact with both FIFA and the AFC, who are keeping tabs on the situation.” Iraq have made one previous appearance at the World Cup, in 1986, when they failed to progress from the group stage. Iran, who were the first team to qualify for the World Cup, find themselves in a precarious position with their participation threatened as Tehran remains under attack from Washington. The World Cup will be co-hosted by Canada, Mexico and the US, where Iran is scheduled to play all its group games. But if there is no letup in the conflict, the tournament's logistics and Iran's role in it have come under question. Iran is in Group G of the tournament with Belgium, Egypt and New Zealand and is scheduled to play all of its games on the US West Coast.

After having few answers at a Foxborough Select Board meeting two weeks ago, Boston FIFA World Cup 2026 host committee President Mike Loynd appeared before the board again Tuesday night. This time, he was accompanied by two attorneys, who said the committee will cover public safety costs, but not up front. Foxborough officials have threatened to withhold the entertainment license needed to host the World Cup games taking place in June and July. “The thing that rings loud and clear is you all wanted an answer to a very simple question, which is, ‘where's the money coming from? '” attorney Gary Ronan said about the previous meeting. “Who is going to make sure that the town is not left holding the bag if you pay for police and fire and this equipment, and for whatever reason, the federal grant money doesn't come through.” Ronan, of law firm Goulston and Storrs, said Boston Soccer 2026 “actually has a substantial amount of money in the bank right now” and would also provide a commitment letter from Kraft Sports and Entertainment “to fund any shortfalls.” Typically, as we understand it, some in this room may know better than I, it takes up to 30 days for a stadium event for processing,” lawyer Peter Tamm said. This is supposed to eliminate any concern about liquidity, and that can be reflected in the license.” Many of the 11 World Cup host cities are scrambling as their shares of $625 million in federal security funding remains in limbo, POLITICO reported last week. Massachusetts is eligible for just over $46 million of the federal money, which the Federal Emergency Management Agency was originally supposed to award by “no later than” Jan. 30. Governor Maura Healey told reporters Wednesday that she's confident the games will happen, while Rep. Stephen Lynch said he's backing Foxborough “100 percent.” FIFA is going to be in Massachusetts,” Healey said. The Foxborough public safety chiefs put together a safety plan with FIFA, including appropriate staffing protocols and equipment needed before the games in June. They need it now,” Select Board member Mark Elfman said. While acknowledging the situation is unsolved, Tamm said that “when we propose to backstop and ensure the staffing, that is going above and beyond.” That cannot be a basis for denial of the license,” Tamm said. “If payments come due and are not paid in accordance with the license terms, you can suspend, rescind, modify.” “We are 99 or 100 days away from hosting the largest sporting event in the world, and we can't seem to find necessary funding for necessary equipment that's been identified in over a year and a half of planning,” Foxborough Police Chief Michael Grace said. Molly Farrar is a general assignment reporter for Boston.com, focusing on education, politics, crime, and more. Receive the latest news and breaking updates, straight from our newsroom to your inbox.

The United States women asserted their dominance over their northern neighbors, putting themselves in pole position atop the SheBelieves Cup standings with a calm and collected 1-0 victory, led by a goal from Ally Sentnor. Sentnor scored off a corner 10 minutes after halftime to secure the victory, but the three points for Emma Hayes came just as much from the possessional control as it did from the lone attacking moment. It could have been more for the U.S. had they profited from their best chance in the first half, but Sentnor missed a point-blank opportunity just before the break. In the end, it was far from an explosive victory, but it certainly was comfortable. Having broken their 450+ minute goalless streak last time out against Colombia, Canada's stifled attack returned in this match, failing to provide any kind of threat whatsoever in the final third. 10 side could hardly get control of possession let alone have a go on goal, as they were completely dominated in midfield. Canada, meanwhile, need to beat Argentina in their last game, have the U.S. lose to Colombia, and make up the goal differential. The Sporting News followed the USA vs. Canada match live, providing score updates, commentary, and analysis. Location: ScottsMiracle-Gro Field (Columbus, OH)Referee: Katia Itzel Garcia The USWNT completely dominated the match from start to finish, never threatened a single time by their northern neighbors. 78th min: Marie Alidou, who came on for a Simi Awujo in the first half, picks up a booking for grabbing the shirt of a U.S. player, which is her second booking of the tournament, leaving her suspended for the final match. That's a brainless moment for the Canadian midfielder, knowing that Jessie Fleming is sick and Awujo has just come off injured. Lindsey Heaps is brought in for the U.S. as part of a double substitution along with Lily Yohannes. Claire Hutton and Rose Lavelle are brought off. 69th min: Trinity Rodman, who was dealing with an injury from late in the opening match of this tournament, is withdrawn. Hometown product and Ohio State grad Emma Sears is brought on in her place. ALLY SENTNOR ATONES FOR HER EARLIER MISS WITH THE OPENING GOAL! It comes off a USWNT corner, as the ball squirts through the trees and reaches Sentnor about 10 yards from goal, where she pops it up to herself with the first touch, and then buries it with a stretch on her second. Ally Sentnor breaks the deadlock against Canada 🔓 pic.twitter.com/LbtZB1KfsC Ally Sentnor strikes for USA and it's a 1-0 game.#SheBelievesCup pic.twitter.com/1igvcC0hur 2nd half kickoff: We're back under way in the SheBelieves Cup, with the U.S. hoping their first-half wastefulness won't come back to bite them. Can they find the magic moment to take the lead, or will Canada establish themselves in this match? Unfortunately for the hosts, they missed two glorious chances in front of goal to take the lead, most notably the Ally Sentnor miss from moments ago where she only had the goalkeeper to beat from four yards out and somehow failed to hit the target. Will they rue their missed opportunities? How has she failed to hit the target from just four yards out???? 37th min: You don't see this too often, as Simi Awujo is substituted off for Canada. It must be injury-related, because she goes straight down the tunnel into the dressing room. It's hard to know what exactly was the issue, because there weren't any signs of an injury, but the Manchester United midfielder is replaced by Marie Alidou. It's a big loss with Jessie Fleming already unavailable. A shot from the United States about 12 yards out is deflected off the foot of Jade Rose and flies just clear of the woodwork! 22nd min: Neither side has sniffed the opposition goal, but the foul count is starting to rise as Canada have been whistled for four fouls to this point. Both sides have been unable to play through the opponent, even if the intent has been there, although neither team has attempted to press the opponent hard and cause some chaos. Kickoff: Here we go from Columbus! Trinity Rodman starts for the USWNT, as do Naomi Girma, Rose Lavelle, Sam Coffey, and the Thompson sisters. Girma wears the captain's armband, with Lindsey Heaps rotated out of midfield. Canada bring Julia Grosso, Cloe Lacasse, Evelyn Viens into the starting XI, with Jessie Fleming swapped out due to illness. Simi Awujo will run point at the No. 10 position in a very attacking lineup for Les Rouges. Prematch: Emma Hayes has rotated her squad considerably throughout the last two years, calling in young players to give them experience in the national team setup. Now, with the 2027 FIFA World Cup just over a year away, she has called in nearly all her big guns for the 2026 SheBelieves Cup, looking to solidify the first-choice group and get them firing on the field together. Still, there are plenty of places to be won. She told the media before this match, for example, that Emma Sears would be a choice off the bench if they needed to win a big competitive match right now. Yet it's important to remember that Catarina Macario, Sophia Smith, and Mallory Swanson are also factors once healthy. On developing her game as a striker with the USWNT "I actually grew up playing the No. 9, so it feels like I'm back at home in my club team playing the nine. I definitely have to evolve and work on things going forward as I play more international opponents and learn more tools to put in my tool box. But I've really just enjoyed playing with the players here in camp, it's been so incredible working on my runs, on my back to goal like Emma's been talking about, and I'm really excited to evolve as a nine and not be your generic post-up nine." On winning a close, low-scoring match with control "There are so many different ways to win a football match. I love winning football matches like this where it's a bit on a knife edge at one-nil. "It's important for a team that's so accustomed to 'I want a goal, the next action' that sometimes it doesn't come. But what you mustn't do is seek that so much that you give up something else, and I thought our control the last 10 minutes of the game, that for me is indicative of maturity in the performance. It was one of my favorite performances because they're growing up." I always want more goals, but sometimes not. Sometimes I think it's a good place to be in where you're winning one-nil, how do you manage this part of the game when maybe the second goal doesn't come but you can cough up a corner and *claps* all of a sudden it's a one-one game and going to penalties. So it was on enough of a knife edge for the tension, but we didn't get into the emotional side of the game because we controlled it." On Ally Sentnor's performance in the win "She was menacing all evening, pressing, she made it really difficult for them to settle on the ball. "Bear in mind that you need a lot of experience to play the No. 9 on the U.S. women's national team, and I thought she did a bloody good job of doing that." On Rose Lavelle in a veteran leadership role "Rose has a lot of quiet leadership, she's our cookie crumble queen. I love that she's leaning into this too, because the team needs it. If you think about the younger players...they are developing a maturity because of players like Rose. "These players value so much the legacy of those that came before them." Canada have not yet announced their next fixtures following the March international break. Kyle Bonn is a Syracuse University broadcast journalism graduate with over a decade of experience covering soccer globally. Kyle also does TV broadcasts for Wake Forest soccer, and has had previous stops with NBC Soccer and IMG College. When not covering the game, he has long enjoyed loyalty to the New York Giants, Yankees, and Fulham. Kyle enjoys playing racquetball and video games when not watching or covering sports.