Exclusive @TheAthleticFC Democrat Rep. Jamie Raskin writes to FIFA’s Infantino to request he appear before the House Judiciary Committee & provide all of his and FIFA’s records of contacts with Trump, his administration and Trump family business by Aug 9. www.nytimes.com/athletic/747...

Infantino requested to appear before House committee over Trump relationship

nytimes.com

NEW What really went on: Rather than weather….FIFA nearly rescheduled England v Mexico due to primary concerns raised around safety of supporters for evening kick off, giving fears to earlier runway for pre-match drinking & post-match late night gatherings www.nytimes.com/athletic/742...

Mexico vs. England rescheduling talks centred on fan safety, security concerns

nytimes.com

Exclusive US Soccer has made Pochettino an offer to extend contract by four years & lead USMNT at 2030 World Cup. Proposal made pre-tournament to signpost interest in keeping Poch. All parties agreed to make final decision after ‘26 WC www.nytimes.com/athletic/739...

Mauricio Pochettino offered contract extension to lead USMNT for second World Cup cycle (Gift Article)

Any decisions will be deferred until after the 2026 tournament, where the USMNT is into the knockout stage.

nytimes.com

“Every team can have their people, so I don’t understand why people from Africa cannot.” Senegal captain Koulibaly speaks out on travel bans limiting travel from his country for fans for World Cup. www.nytimes.com/athletic/736...

Senegal’s Kalidou Koulibaly questions World Cup travel ban for fans: ‘Africans can’t have their people’ (Gift Article)

Senegal, Ivory Coast, Iran and Haiti are the nations at the World Cup subject to travel bans imposed by the Trump administration.

nytimes.com

“Every team can have their people, so I don’t understand why people from Africa cannot.” Senegal captain Koulibaly speaks out on Trump/Miller regime’s travel bans in the #WorldCup. @adamcrafton.bsky.social @david-ornstein.bsky.social

Senegal’s Kalidou Koulibaly questions World Cup travel ban for fans: ‘Africans can’t have their people’

Senegal, Ivory Coast, Iran and Haiti are the nations at the World Cup subject to travel bans imposed by the Trump administration.

nytimes.com

Exclusive Unionized workers in SoFI stadium today handed “Kick Ice Out” buttons to wear by union shop stewards inside the venue (and some are wearing them) Workers been fighting in recent months for protections against ICE at the venue. www.nytimes.com/athletic/735...

'Kick ICE Out' buttons given to SoFi Stadium workers before USMNT-Paraguay

nytimes.com

NEW @theathleticfc.bsky.social President Trump not currently planning to attend USMNT opening FIFA World Cup match against Paraguay on Friday night at SoFi Stadium, per four people familiar with match planning or his plans. He has walkthroughs of White House UFC event on Friday.

President Trump not planning on attending United States’ opening World Cup game

The State Department has issued a release to say Secretary of State Marco Rubio will lead a U.S. government delegation at the game.

nytimes.com

NEW: Democrat Rep. Rick Larsen tells @theathleticfc.bsky.social his info is ref Artan faced “legitimate” scrutiny "CBP decision probably the right one. CBP has authority to look at devices & seems they determined some communications concerning enough to deny entry” www.nytimes.com/athletic/734...

Trump administration claim Somali World Cup referee denied U.S. entry had suspected 'terror' ties

nytimes.com

💰 Missouri, Georgia and Florida waived sales tax on ticket sales to entice FIFA to give games to Kansas City, Atlanta and Miami. An analysis by The Athletic now shows this will cost at least $57m in lost tax revenue for the U.S. tax payer www.nytimes.com/athletic/732...

Three U.S. states waived at least $57.8m in taxes to host World Cup games

nytimes.com

NEW Infantino floats in & out of the Oval Office, hangs out with Trump officials, squeezes host cities for cash & cloaks FIFA in MAGA. Now, FIFA wants to be considered powerless. Free to read column on Gianni’s visa disasterclass www.nytimes.com/athletic/734...

The World Cup visa mess has its roots in Gianni Infantino's cosiness to President Trump

nytimes.com

New Workers at SoFi stadium strike deal to become highest paid at NFL venues after threatening strike before World Cup 40% uplift for concession stand workers & clause allows them to walk off if “reasonable fear” of safety risk from ICE www.nytimes.com/athletic/734...

Union for SoFi Stadium workers reaches agreement with operators after previously authorizing strike (Gift Article)

The high-stake negotiations by the union have earned a 40 per cent increase in pay for attendants at concessions stands

nytimes.com

Report There’s been a lot of public money spent in the US towards this World Cup. Here’s a mad one: the $25.8m spent by Kansas City to get a jail ready for the World Cup, only for it not to be ready by the World Cup… www.nytimes.com/athletic/730...

The $25.8m Kansas City ‘World Cup jail’ that isn’t ready for the World Cup (Gift Article)

The anticipated influx of World Cup fans was often cited as motivation for a temporary jail facility in Kansas City

nytimes.com

Exclusive Chicago said NO to hosting World Cup Former mayor Rahm Emanuel tells @theathleticfc.bsky.social how FIFA wanted contract that could have forced Chicago taxpayers to pay for a dome on Soldier Field… & how FIFA claimed Chicago needed them for “marketing” www.nytimes.com/athletic/731...

The Chicago mayor who said 'no' to the World Cup: 'The numbers don't work'

nytimes.com

Exclusive Chicago said NO to hosting World Cup Former mayor Rahm Emanuel tells @theathleticfc.bsky.social how FIFA wanted contract that could have forced Chicago taxpayers to pay for a dome on Soldier Field… & how FIFA claimed Chicago needed them for “marketing” www.nytimes.com/athletic/731...

The Chicago mayor who said 'no' to the World Cup: 'The numbers don't work'

nytimes.com

The International Sports Press Association (AIPS) has written to FIFA claiming that “many” Iranian and African journalists have been denied the necessary visas to cover the World Cup in the United States. www.nytimes.com/athletic/733...

Iranian and African journalists denied necessary World Cup visas, sports press association says (Gift Article)

AIPS president Gianni Merlo said in a letter to FIFA that the cases are "countless and unacceptable" and part of a "long-standing" problem.

nytimes.com

New: FIFA crisis….the union which represents more than 2,000 workers at SoFi Stadium has voted 96 per cent in favor of authorizing a strike - one week before the U.S. men’s national team open their World Cup campaign at the venue. Free to read! www.nytimes.com/athletic/733...

A week before USMNT World Cup opener, union for SoFi Stadium workers vote to authorize strike

nytimes.com

NEW: After backlash from politicians, media and fans, FIFA u-turn on a u-turn: Now FIFA say that fans can bring a water bottle to World Cup stadiums this summer – but the new rules do not yet apply to venues in Mexico. www.nytimes.com/athletic/733...

FIFA will now allow water bottles in World Cup venues after backlash - but not yet in Mexico

nytimes.com

NEW @theathleticfc.bsky.social Members of FIFA’s security & safety team internally raised concerns over FIFA water bottle ban Staff members believe ban influenced by commercial interests (FIFA say it about safety) Coca-Cola sources insist not involved in decision www.nytimes.com/athletic/733...

FIFA staff concerned water-bottle ban for fans was influenced by commercial considerations

nytimes.com

Exclusive: FIFA make last-gasp change to World Cup stadium rules: BANNING fans from bringing refillable plastic bottles, so fans must buy water in stadia As of May, empty bottles permitted so fans could refill amid heat concerns. Not now www.nytimes.com/athletic/733...

FIFA will no longer allow fans to bring water bottles into World Cup stadiums (Gift Article)

The code of conduct has been altered so fans will no longer be able to take in, or refill, water bottles.

nytimes.com

NEW @theathleticfc.bsky.social Union representing over 2,000 workers at SoFi Stadium has broken off negotiations with the stadium operators and plans to hold a strike vote next week - just a week before the venue hosts the opening USMNT match of the World Cup. www.nytimes.com/athletic/731...

FIFA facing ‘significant’ World Cup problem as SoFi Stadium workers set for strike vote (Gift Article)

SoFi will host eight World Cup games, including the USA's opener against Paraguay on June 12.

nytimes.com

Story: A Vancouver-based non-profit which assists people recovering from serious spinal injuries organized a raffle of two World Cup tickets. Then the cease-and-desist letters came from FIFA. Free to read www.nytimes.com/athletic/730...

FIFA blocks charity’s World Cup raffle for ‘violating trademark and ticketing policy’ (Gift Article)

The Vancouver-based non-profit received a cease-and-desist letter from a law firm representing the World Cup organizer

nytimes.com

The latest U.S. lawsuit threat against FIFA: A non-profit group demanding FIFA reverse its current policy of prohibiting the pre-revolutionary “Lion & Sun” Iran flag from venues in North America this summer. Free to read: www.nytimes.com/athletic/730...

FIFA threatened with U.S. lawsuit over World Cup ban on pre-revolutionary Iran flag

nytimes.com

NEW @theathleticfc.bsky.social New Jersey governor Mikie Sherrill requested New York New Jersey World Cup host committee CHANGE signage at MetLife Stadium: Was gonna be “New York New Jersey stadium” at WC, but one major sign to now read New Jersey New York Stadium www.nytimes.com/athletic/730...

MetLife stadium signage brings tension in New York and New Jersey’s World Cup partnership

A joint host-city partnership between New York and New Jersey was established in 2018 to host World Cup games at the stadium.

nytimes.com

Exclusive @theathleticfc.bsky.social NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani secures 1,000 World Cup tickets at $50 to be balloted for New Yorkers (the cheapest at the WC) Inside the meeting with Infantino (& Wenger on FaceTime) & how Mamdani negotiated a rare FIFA concession. www.nytimes.com/athletic/729...

Mayor Mamdani secures $50 World Cup tickets for New Yorkers after negotiations with Infantino

nytimes.com

NEW FIFA plan to prohibit the pre-revolutionary Iran flag - often used as a statement of identity and protest by Iranian diaspora against the theocratic Iranian regime - in their venues at World Cup this summer. Free to read www.nytimes.com/athletic/728...

FIFA will again prohibit the pre-revolutionary Iran flag in World Cup stadiums (Gift Article)

Members of the Iranian diaspora have in the past displayed the flag at sporting events as a means to protest the regime in Tehran

nytimes.com

NEW @theathleticfc.bsky.social Yesterday: excited headlines about how $15k visa bonds are waived by the U.S. State Department for World Cup fans. The truth? Much more complicated l. The reality: most fans from impacted countries will not benefit. Explained: www.nytimes.com/athletic/727...

U.S. State Dept. to waive $10k visa bond for World Cup. But will it really help players and fans?

nytimes.com

Exclusive (and free!) interview with Carlo Ancelotti. We discussed Brazil, the big Neymar decision and why involving players in strategy is the key to success - “I don’t want soldiers” And why it’s “bullshit” to say Real Madrid players do as they want www.nytimes.com/athletic/726...

Carlo Ancelotti exclusive: 'Players at Real Madrid do what they want? Absolutely bulls***!'

nytimes.com

Exclusive: FIFA to have opening ceremonies at all three host nation openers, plus USA 250 ceremonies at two July 4 games. FIFA acts lined up: Katy Perry, Alanis Morissette, Michael Buble, LISA, Future, and many more…. Free to read @theathleticfc.bsky.social www.nytimes.com/athletic/726...

FIFA to hold three World Cup opening ceremonies and two marking America 250, artists revealed (Gift Article)

Katy Perry, Future and Sanjoy are lined up at SoFi Stadium, Michael Buble and Alanis Morissette in Toronto, and Mana will play at the Azteca

nytimes.com

NEW: A complaint has been filed to the attorney general of California alleging that the data sharing in FIFA’s accreditation process for workers at SoFi Stadium represents a “serious intrusion” into the right to privacy and violates worker rights. www.nytimes.com/athletic/726...

SoFi Stadium workers’ union complains about FIFA to California attorney general (Gift Article)

The complaint alleges "serious intrusion" into the right to privacy for those working at the World Cup venue

nytimes.com

Exclusive: Rodney Barreto, chair of Miami World Cup host committee, tells me that he received personal assurances from Marco Rubio that ICE will not be at World Cup venues “This is not going to turn into some ’round them up’ type of thing,” Barreto says…. www.nytimes.com/athletic/726...

Miami host committee: 'Rubio told us ICE will not be at World Cup stadiums'

nytimes.com