Argentina defender Nicolas Otamendi and Ecuador midfielder Moises Caicedo will not have to serve one-game bans at the World Cup despite being sent off in their last qualifying games. The unprecedented decisions on Friday are part of an amnesty of all but the most severe disciplinary sanctions stemming from World Cup qualifiers instigated by the … Read more
As one of the United States’ most consistent leaders at 38 years old, U.S. national team defender Tim Ream is expected to be at the World Cup as one of the many veterans carried over from the 2022 squad. Ream joined First Things First on Wednesday to discuss everything from USA’s tournament outlook and the … Read more
Cristiano Ronaldo scored his 100th Saudi Pro League goal on Thursday as Al-Nassr beat Al-Shabab 4-2 to move five points clear at the top of the table. The 41-year-old forward converted a Sadio Mané cross at the near post with 15 minutes remaining to record the 971st goal of his career. It was also his … Read more
Antonio Cassano has revealed Lionel Messi’s retirement timeline after meeting the Argentina icon in Florida. Despite approaching his 39th birthday, the Inter Miami superstar appears to have no immediate intention of hanging up his boots as he eyes further success in MLS and potentially on the international stage. A private meeting in Miami Former Italy … Read more
Back in March, on the day Mauricio Pochettino named the United Sates’ penultimate roster before this summer’s FIFA World Cup, I asked the U.S. men’s national team coach how he’d weigh the more consequential decisions looming two months later: if making his 26-player World Cup squad would depend more on their form and fitness in … Read more
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is closer than you think, and the betting markets are already shaping up for what could become one of the biggest sporting events in history. After 103 matches across North America take place, the tournament will officially culminate on July 19 at MetLife Stadium in Rutherford, New Jersey in what … Read more
Barring a catastrophic injury, the Oklahoma City Thunder will hoist the Larry O’Brien Trophy for a second straight season. The reigning champions have breezed through the first five games of this year’s NBA postseason with victories by 9, 12, 13, 18 and 35 points. And you could make the case they didn’t play well in … Read more
The Mexican Football Federation has officially threatened to exclude any Liga MX-based player from the World Cup roster if they fail to report for national team duty by Wednesday night. On Tuesday, Aguirre revealed his 20-player squad for a pre-World Cup training camp, with all players remaining in camp through the competition. The Mexican Football … Read more
In 1994, the United States proved global critics wrong as hosts of the World Cup. Skeptics in Europe and South America argued that a country without a top-tier professional league, paired with a population that supposedly didn’t “understand” the game, was a questionable choice for the world’s biggest sporting event. But what unfolded over the … Read more
The beauty of each World Cup is the attention to detail and how each edition weaves in the traditions and characteristics of the host nations. And that’s especially true with the official match ball. Take for instance the recently released TRIONDA ball, which all eyes will be on next year at the 2026 FIFA World … Read more