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Deadspin | Diamondbacks plate three in 10th, down Orioles 8-5  Apr 15, 2026; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez delivers a pitch against the Baltimore Orioles during the first inning at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images   Adrian Del Castillo drilled a two-run home run in the 10th inning as part of his five-RBI outing as the Arizona Diamondbacks beat the host Baltimore Orioles 8-5 on Wednesday afternoon.  Del Castillo’s one-out shot to center field was a rocket traveling an estimated 420 feet on the offering from Tyler Wells, a 94 mph fastball, and sparked the Diamondbacks to their second victory in a row as they claimed the rubber game of the three-game series.  Jeremiah Jackson homered and knocked in three runs for the Orioles.  There was never more than a one-run margin for either team until Del Castillo’s homer. Nolan Arenado singled in another run later in the 10th and Juan Morillo recorded his first save for Arizona.  Ryan Thompson (1-0) was the winning pitcher with one shutout inning in relief.   Del Castillo, who also had a two-run triple, matched his RBI total from his first six games of the season combined. Through nine innings, all nine players in Arizona’s batting order collected at least one hit, with Corbin Carroll singling twice.  Orioles starter Kyle Bradish lasted six innings. He was charged with four runs on eight hits in the longest of his four starts this season. Wells (0-1) had his first decision in eight outings this season.   Arizona starter Eduardo Rodriguez gave up four runs in five innings in his roughest outing this year. He allowed six hits and issued four walks as his pitch count climbed.  The Orioles opened the scoring with a second-inning run on Sam Huff’s double on his first big-league at-bat of the season.  Del Castillo’s two-out triple put the Diamondbacks ahead in the third inning. The Orioles pulled even on Jackson’s two-out single in the bottom of the inning.  Jorge Barrosa doubled in a run in the fourth. Jackson’s two-out blast provided the Orioles a 4-3 lead in the fifth.  The Diamondbacks were even again on Alek Thomas’ groundout in the sixth.  The Diamondbacks broke a 4-4 tie on Del Castillo’s groundout in the seventh inning. Pinch hitter Leondy Taveras singled to tie the game in the bottom of the inning.  –Field Level Media    #Deadspin #Diamondbacks #plate #10th #Orioles

Deadspin | Diamondbacks plate three in 10th, down Orioles 8-5
Deadspin | Diamondbacks plate three in 10th, down Orioles 8-5  Apr 15, 2026; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez delivers a pitch against the Baltimore Orioles during the first inning at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images   Adrian Del Castillo drilled a two-run home run in the 10th inning as part of his five-RBI outing as the Arizona Diamondbacks beat the host Baltimore Orioles 8-5 on Wednesday afternoon.  Del Castillo’s one-out shot to center field was a rocket traveling an estimated 420 feet on the offering from Tyler Wells, a 94 mph fastball, and sparked the Diamondbacks to their second victory in a row as they claimed the rubber game of the three-game series.  Jeremiah Jackson homered and knocked in three runs for the Orioles.  There was never more than a one-run margin for either team until Del Castillo’s homer. Nolan Arenado singled in another run later in the 10th and Juan Morillo recorded his first save for Arizona.  Ryan Thompson (1-0) was the winning pitcher with one shutout inning in relief.   Del Castillo, who also had a two-run triple, matched his RBI total from his first six games of the season combined. Through nine innings, all nine players in Arizona’s batting order collected at least one hit, with Corbin Carroll singling twice.  Orioles starter Kyle Bradish lasted six innings. He was charged with four runs on eight hits in the longest of his four starts this season. Wells (0-1) had his first decision in eight outings this season.   Arizona starter Eduardo Rodriguez gave up four runs in five innings in his roughest outing this year. He allowed six hits and issued four walks as his pitch count climbed.  The Orioles opened the scoring with a second-inning run on Sam Huff’s double on his first big-league at-bat of the season.  Del Castillo’s two-out triple put the Diamondbacks ahead in the third inning. The Orioles pulled even on Jackson’s two-out single in the bottom of the inning.  Jorge Barrosa doubled in a run in the fourth. Jackson’s two-out blast provided the Orioles a 4-3 lead in the fifth.  The Diamondbacks were even again on Alek Thomas’ groundout in the sixth.  The Diamondbacks broke a 4-4 tie on Del Castillo’s groundout in the seventh inning. Pinch hitter Leondy Taveras singled to tie the game in the bottom of the inning.  –Field Level Media    #Deadspin #Diamondbacks #plate #10th #OriolesApr 15, 2026; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez delivers a pitch against the Baltimore Orioles during the first inning at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

Adrian Del Castillo drilled a two-run home run in the 10th inning as part of his five-RBI outing as the Arizona Diamondbacks beat the host Baltimore Orioles 8-5 on Wednesday afternoon.

Del Castillo’s one-out shot to center field was a rocket traveling an estimated 420 feet on the offering from Tyler Wells, a 94 mph fastball, and sparked the Diamondbacks to their second victory in a row as they claimed the rubber game of the three-game series.

Jeremiah Jackson homered and knocked in three runs for the Orioles.

There was never more than a one-run margin for either team until Del Castillo’s homer. Nolan Arenado singled in another run later in the 10th and Juan Morillo recorded his first save for Arizona.

Ryan Thompson (1-0) was the winning pitcher with one shutout inning in relief.

Del Castillo, who also had a two-run triple, matched his RBI total from his first six games of the season combined. Through nine innings, all nine players in Arizona’s batting order collected at least one hit, with Corbin Carroll singling twice.


Orioles starter Kyle Bradish lasted six innings. He was charged with four runs on eight hits in the longest of his four starts this season. Wells (0-1) had his first decision in eight outings this season.

Arizona starter Eduardo Rodriguez gave up four runs in five innings in his roughest outing this year. He allowed six hits and issued four walks as his pitch count climbed.

The Orioles opened the scoring with a second-inning run on Sam Huff’s double on his first big-league at-bat of the season.

Del Castillo’s two-out triple put the Diamondbacks ahead in the third inning. The Orioles pulled even on Jackson’s two-out single in the bottom of the inning.

Jorge Barrosa doubled in a run in the fourth. Jackson’s two-out blast provided the Orioles a 4-3 lead in the fifth.

The Diamondbacks were even again on Alek Thomas’ groundout in the sixth.

The Diamondbacks broke a 4-4 tie on Del Castillo’s groundout in the seventh inning. Pinch hitter Leondy Taveras singled to tie the game in the bottom of the inning.


–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Diamondbacks #plate #10th #Orioles

Apr 15, 2026; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez delivers a pitch against the Baltimore Orioles during the first inning at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

Adrian Del Castillo drilled a two-run home run in the 10th inning as part of his five-RBI outing as the Arizona Diamondbacks beat the host Baltimore Orioles 8-5 on Wednesday afternoon.

Del Castillo’s one-out shot to center field was a rocket traveling an estimated 420 feet on the offering from Tyler Wells, a 94 mph fastball, and sparked the Diamondbacks to their second victory in a row as they claimed the rubber game of the three-game series.

Jeremiah Jackson homered and knocked in three runs for the Orioles.

There was never more than a one-run margin for either team until Del Castillo’s homer. Nolan Arenado singled in another run later in the 10th and Juan Morillo recorded his first save for Arizona.

Ryan Thompson (1-0) was the winning pitcher with one shutout inning in relief.

Del Castillo, who also had a two-run triple, matched his RBI total from his first six games of the season combined. Through nine innings, all nine players in Arizona’s batting order collected at least one hit, with Corbin Carroll singling twice.

Orioles starter Kyle Bradish lasted six innings. He was charged with four runs on eight hits in the longest of his four starts this season. Wells (0-1) had his first decision in eight outings this season.

Arizona starter Eduardo Rodriguez gave up four runs in five innings in his roughest outing this year. He allowed six hits and issued four walks as his pitch count climbed.

The Orioles opened the scoring with a second-inning run on Sam Huff’s double on his first big-league at-bat of the season.

Del Castillo’s two-out triple put the Diamondbacks ahead in the third inning. The Orioles pulled even on Jackson’s two-out single in the bottom of the inning.

Jorge Barrosa doubled in a run in the fourth. Jackson’s two-out blast provided the Orioles a 4-3 lead in the fifth.

The Diamondbacks were even again on Alek Thomas’ groundout in the sixth.

The Diamondbacks broke a 4-4 tie on Del Castillo’s groundout in the seventh inning. Pinch hitter Leondy Taveras singled to tie the game in the bottom of the inning.

–Field Level Media

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#Deadspin #Diamondbacks #plate #10th #Orioles

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Live Updates: Trump says Israel, Lebanon agree to ceasefire as Iran keeps Strait of Hormuz gridlocked<div> <p>Europe has “maybe 6 weeks or so (of) jet fuel left,” the head of the International Energy Agency said Thursday in an interview with The Associated Press, warning of possible flight cancellations “soon” if oil supplies remain blocked by the Iran war.</p><p>IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol painted a sobering picture of the global repercussions of what he called “the largest energy crisis we have ever faced” stemming from the pinch-off of oil, gas and other vital supplies through the Strait of Hormuz.</p><p>“In the past there was a group called ‘Dire Straits.’ It’s a dire strait now, and it is going to have major implications for the global economy. And the longer it goes, the worse it will be for the economic growth and inflation around the world,” he said.</p><p>The impact will be “higher petrol (gasoline) prices, higher gas prices, high electricity prices,” Birol told AP.</p><p>Economic pain will be felt unevenly, with some countries “hit worse than the others,” he said, naming Japan, Korea, India, China, Pakistan and Bangladesh as being on the front line of the energy crisis.</p><p>“The countries who will suffer the most will not be those whose voice are heard a lot. It will be mainly the developing countries. Poorer countries in Asia, in Africa, and in Latin America,” he said.</p><p>“Then it will come to Europe and the Americas,” he added, speaking from his Paris office looking out over the Eiffel Tower.</p><p>If the Strait of Hormuz isn’t reopened, he said that for Europe, “I can tell you soon we will hear the news that some of the flights from city A to city B might be canceled as a result of lack of jet fuel.”</p> </div>#Live #Updates #Trump #Israel #Lebanon #agree #ceasefire #Iran #Strait #Hormuz #gridlockedWar, Iran, Israel, Ceasefire, Donald Trump, Lebanon, Middle East, Oil and Gas, Benjamin Neta​nyahu, Strait of Hormuz

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Being Viktor: How Axelsen fashioned himself into a serial winner <div id="content-body-70870591" itemprop="articleBody"><p>The conqueror. Serial winner. Absolute champion.</p><p>Viktor Axelsen lived up to his name. In his career, starting from 2009, the Dane pretty much won it all.</p><p>And so, his retirement from professional badminton should have been an occasion to celebrate one of the legends of the game. In reality, it was a bittersweet moment.</p><p>Such is the cruel nature of the sporting world that even the best do not get to finish on their own terms. Just three weeks ago, Only last month, Carolina Marin officially bid farewell through a social media post, having never returned to the court since a knee injury during the Paris Olympics semifinals, which left the Spaniard in tears.</p><p>On Wednesday, it was Axelsen’s turn. At 32, perhaps, he had a few good years left in him. But due to recurrent back issues, the Dane had to make the unfortunate decision to say goodbye. “Today is not an easy day for me. Due to my recurrent back issues, I am no longer able to compete and train at the highest level,” he wrote.</p><p>“Accepting this situation has been incredibly difficult. But I have now reached a point where my body won’t allow me to continue.”</p><p>Axelsen had been out of action since the French Open in October last year after the loss to compatriot Anders Antonsen in the quarterfinals when hardly anyone could have predicted to never see him competing again.</p><p>But those who know him completely understand the decision. For Axelsen, it was always about being the best in the world ever since his dad introduced him to the sport when he was six.</p><p><b>Being Viktor</b></p><p>“Since the day I picked up a racket, I knew my dream was to become the best in the world. I have given everything to this sport. It has never been just a career to me. It has been my life and I have left no stone unturned,” he said.</p><p>A young Axelsen would reach the hall at the Odense Badminton Klub in his hometown earlier than the coaches and other players and would repeatedly hit the shuttle vertically in the air.</p><p>There was something about him that made him stand out from the rest of his peers and Peter Gade, his first hero, could see that. “He had a fire in his eyes that I haven’t seen in the same way in other Danish players. I recognised Viktor’s fire from myself,” Gade told Danish outlet <i>Ud&Se</i> in an interview in August 2018.</p><p>Axelsen got the chance to train with Gade and the rest of the national team when he moved alone to Copenhagen at the age of 17, a year after becoming the first non-Asian boy to win the World Junior Championship in 2010.</p><p>The transition to the senior circuit wasn’t easy. At 6’4” with a broad body structure, he didn’t necessarily have what was considered to be the ideal shape and size to be a solid shuttler. But Axelsen did his research and found out about Bao Chunlai, a former World No. 1 from China who was 6’3”.</p><p>He studied how a player as tall as Bao moved on the court, made use of his massive wingspan and bent to retrieve the shots closer to the ground before returning to a neutral position. The duo met once, at the Singapore Open in 2011, where the apprentice won the battle in straight games.</p><p>Such was his dedication that Axelsen even took the daunting task of learning Mandarin to understand the mentality of the Chinese school of badminton, the ultimate powerhouse in the sport. When this fact came to the limelight, the Chinese players became cautious about discussing any tactics around Axelsen but at the same time, he endeared himself to the Chinese fans. So much so that they named him An Sai Long – ‘calm, competitive dragon.’ No wonder then that he also had a Mandarin version of his retirement post on social media.</p><p>Axelsen’s progression coincided with the latter stages of the career of Lin Dan, another idol of the Dane. He also had to face Lee Chong Wei, the Malaysian arch-rival of five-time World Champion from China. From his own generation, he had fierce competitors in Chen Long, Anthony Ginting, Kento Momota, Son Wan-ho, Chou Tien-chen and Shi Yuqi.</p><p>Amidst such competition, Axelsen continued on his own path in the pursuit of perfection, trying every possible method to gain an advantage. Sometimes, it worked. On a few occasions, it backfired too. But he never stopped hustling.</p><p>While he had won a bronze at the World Championships in 2014, he truly arrived on the big stage in 2016.</p><p>After winning the first of his three European Championships, he and his compatriots created history as Denmark lifted its maiden Thomas Cup title with a 3-2 victory over Indonesia in the final. Axelsen registered crucial wins over Chinese Taipei’s Chou (group stage), Japan’s Sho Sasaki (quarterfinals) and Indonesian Tommy Sugiarto (final). At the Rio Olympics, he came from behind to beat Lin Dan in a generational battle in the bronze medal play-off. And he finished the season with the first of his five titles at the BWF World Tour Finals.</p><p>A year later, Axelsen defeated Lin Dan in another major event – the World Championship final – to become only the third Danish man to win the gold after Flemming Delfs (1977) and Peter Rasmussen (1997).</p><p>On September 28, 2017, Axelsen was the only European player in the top 10 of the men’s BWF World Rankings – as the new No. 1, ending a 20-year-wait for Denmark.</p><p>Another major milestone for Axelsen came in 2020 when he added the prestigious All England Open title to his collection.</p><p>The pinnacle arrived in 2021 at the Tokyo Olympics. Postponed by a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Summer Games in the Japanese capital took place with virtually no spectators in the arena. In the edition where top seed and home favourite Momota stunningly failed to make it past the group stage, and the No. 2 and 3 seeds fell in the quarterfinals, Axelsen avoided any such mishaps.</p><p>In the final, he avenged his loss from the Rio Olympics last-four battle as he took down Chen Long 21-15, 21-12, becoming the first non-Asian male Olympic champion since compatriot Poul-Erik Høyer Larsen (1996). Axelsen, who did not drop a single game in the entire tournament, burst into tears as Larsen, the then BWF President, watched from the stands. In a heartwarming gesture, Axelsen also exchanged jerseys with his Chinese opponent.</p><p>Soon after the Olympics, Axelsen left the national set up in Copenhagen and moved to Dubai. He had temporarily trained in Dubai earlier to alleviate his asthma and now, the plan was to set the base there permanently. He invited some of the world’s best upcoming shuttlers to train with him in camps at the NAS Sports Complex. Over the years, Indians such as Lakshya Sen and Ayush Shetty have got the opportunity to spar with the Dane.</p><div class="inline_embed article-block-item"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/ViktorAxelsen?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ViktorAxelsen</a> Badminton is blessed to have you and it will remember you as one of the greatest to ever play the game, but what truly sets you apart isn’t just the champion you are, it’s the person you are, that stays far beyond matches and medals.</p><p>To go from training with you… <a href="https://t.co/btT42AIHi0">pic.twitter.com/btT42AIHi0</a></p>— Lakshya Sen (@lakshya_sen) <a href="https://twitter.com/lakshya_sen/status/2044318206975000624?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 15, 2026</a></blockquote></div><p>In 2022, Axelsen made winning a habit. During that season – in which he lost just three matches – the World No. 1, who already had the Olympic gold, also won the World Championship, the All England Open, the European Championship and the BWF World Tour Finals.</p><p>Despite minor injury setbacks, Axelsen had another successful season in 2023. Even though he lost to India’s H.S. Prannoy in the World Championship quarterfinals, he finished the year with another BWF World Tour Finals trophy, his third in a row.</p><p>The root cause of what feels like an early retirement for him began in 2024. At the Singapore Open, a few weeks before the Paris Olympics, he experienced back pain so severe that he needed an injection for treatment. The pain subsided and he didn’t require another injection as he had originally planned before the Summer Games. He survived a scare in the semifinals against Lakshya, saved three game points in the opener and came back from a 0-7 start in the second game, to reach the summit clash where he dominated Thailand’s Kunlavut Vitidsarn to bag his second straight gold medal, emulating Lin Dan.</p><p>But the back pain didn’t leave him for good. Axelsen won the India Open in 2025 while being on heavy painkillers and injections. A few weeks after a shock round-of-32 loss at the All England Open, he took the call to deal with the issue through endoscopic surgery.</p><p>The return to the circuit in September wasn’t smooth as he could not meet his own lofty standards. He also had a severely heated Denmark Open semifinal against Yuqi in front of home fans in Odense where the Chinese, not the first shuttler to do so, complained about the delay caused by Axelsen’s swaying serve. The Dane, who lost the match, also drew heavy backlash from Chinese fans for his on-court behaviour. A week later, the French Open marked the end of his journey as a player.</p><p>In his extraordinary journey to become a towering figure on the court – both literally and metaphorically – Axelsen was duly supported by his parents, Henrik and Gitte, despite their divorce when he was a child. His father was also his manager while Gitte helped him loosen up before big fixtures. His sister, Johanne, was responsible for his cooler bag and always ensured he had enough snacks between matches. He has two daughters – Vega and Aya – with his ex-wife Natalia, who looked after them while he was away at tournaments.</p><p>Axelsen, the player, is done. But the Dane is not leaving badminton anytime soon. “While this is a goodbye to Viktor Axelsen the badminton player, I am not saying goodbye to the sport infinitely. I will always be around one way or the other,” he wrote.</p><p>Chen Long is mentoring the next generation of Chinese male shuttlers. Liu Yang Ming Yu, his ward, won the Junior World Championship last year in Guwahati. A similar role for Axelsen in Denmark cannot be ruled out. And as per the Chinese star’s comment under Axelsen’s post – “Life is better after retirement.”</p><p class="publish-time" id="end-of-article">Published on Apr 16, 2026</p></div><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> #Viktor #Axelsen #fashioned #serial #winner

The last time the US hosted Men’s World Cup games was in 1994, when Alexi Lalas was out on the pitch. The USMNT’s talent pool and profile have continued to grow steadily over the last couple of decades, but they haven’t found the signature breakout performance to transform their international reputation.

The Americans enter the 2026 tournament ranked 17 in FIFA’s World Rankings, after watching World Cup co-host Mexico take home the last two Gold Cups. Their recent World Cup record has been consistently competent – they’ve made it out of Group Stage in three of the last five Cups, but they haven’t advanced through a knockout game since 2002 (when they lost to Germany 1-0).

FanDuel’s World Cup odds foretell a similar pattern this year. The Americans are -135 favorites to reach the sweet 16, but +260 underdogs to reach the quarterfinals (tied with Colombia for 13th). They lag far behind France, Spain, England, and other leading favorites to win the tournament.

Here’s a list of all 26 players who’ll be looking to change the USMNT’s fortunes and make the leap to international stardom.

LAGUNA NIGUEL, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 08: (EXCLUSIVE COVERAGE) (EDITOR’S NOTE: This image has been digitally altered.) Folarin Balogun #20 of the United States poses for a portrait during the official FIFA World Cup 2026 portrait session on June 08, 2026 in Laguna Niguel, California. (Photo by Richard Heathcote - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)

LAGUNA NIGUEL, CALIFORNIA – JUNE 08: (EXCLUSIVE COVERAGE) (EDITOR’S NOTE: This image has been digitally altered.) Folarin Balogun #20 of the United States poses for a portrait during the official FIFA World Cup 2026 portrait session on June 08, 2026 in Laguna Niguel, California. (Photo by Richard Heathcote – FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)
FIFA via Getty Images

#20 Folarin Balogun led AS Monaco in goals scored last season, and he’s entering the World Cup as the betting favorite to be the US’s top goalscorer. He averaged about 0.5 goals + assists per 90 minutes in Ligue 1 play.

#9 Ricardo Pepi broke his forearm in January, but he used his feet to establish himself as a high scoring option for PSV Eindhoven in Dutch Eredivisie.

#19 Haji Wright was the lead goalscorer (17 goals) for the Coventry City club that earned promotion to the Premier League after winning the English League Championship in April.

#21 Timothy Weah comes from Ballon d’Or lineage (his father, George Weah, won in 1995), and he helped Olympique Marseille to a fifth place finish in Ligue 1.

#26 Alejandro Zendejas has scored nine or more goals in each of the last three seasons for Club América in Liga MX.

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - JUNE 06: Christian Pulisic of United States reacts during the international friendly match between United States and Germany at Soldier Field on June 06, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Omar Vega/USSF/Getty Images)

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – JUNE 06: Christian Pulisic of United States reacts during the international friendly match between United States and Germany at Soldier Field on June 06, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Omar Vega/USSF/Getty Images)
Getty Images

#10 Christian Pulisic is eight years removed from being named the youngest-ever USMNT captain, and he’s now an experienced veteran entering his physical prime at 27. He went through an extended scoring drought but still netted eight goals overall for AC Milan, and he enters the tournament as the market’s second-best bet for top US goalscorer.

#4 Tyler Adams was playing well for AFC Bournemouth before suffering a torn MCL in December 2025. He’s had about four months to work himself back into form, and will be an important defensive presence.

#8 Weston McKennie might still line up at midfield for the US, but he has stepped up to start at forward for Juventus, and put away five goals and five assists in Serie A.

#7 Gio Reyna played primarily as a sub last year for Borussia Mönchengladbach after spending the previous six seasons with Borussia Dortmund. His father, Claudio Reyna, was on the 2002 USMNT squad that made it to the quarterfinals.

#17 Malik Tillman established himself as a starter with Bayer Leverkusen, scoring six goals in the Bundesliga last year.

#11 Brenden Aaronson took a step forward with Leeds United this year, logging 4 goals and a team-high 5 assists.

#14 Sebastian Berhalter has helped lead the Vancouver Whitecaps FC to four straight Canadian Cups. His father is former USMNT coach Gregg Berhalter.

#15 Cristian Roldan plays for Seattle Sounders FC, and helped them win the 2025 Leagues Cup.

#18 Max Arfsten plays for the Columbus Crew in league play, and he started all but one game in the USMNT’s runner-up finish in the 2025 Gold Cup.

LAGUNA NIGUEL, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 08: (EXCLUSIVE COVERAGE) (EDITOR’S NOTE: This image has been digitally altered.) Tim Ream #13 of the United States poses for a portrait during the official FIFA World Cup 2026 portrait session on June 08, 2026 in Laguna Niguel, California. (Photo by Richard Heathcote - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)

LAGUNA NIGUEL, CALIFORNIA – JUNE 08: (EXCLUSIVE COVERAGE) (EDITOR’S NOTE: This image has been digitally altered.) Tim Ream #13 of the United States poses for a portrait during the official FIFA World Cup 2026 portrait session on June 08, 2026 in Laguna Niguel, California. (Photo by Richard Heathcote – FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)
FIFA via Getty Images

#13 Tim Ream is captain of this year’s squad, and an experienced vet with 82 caps under his belt. He’s been a steady defensive presence for Charlotte FC.

#16 Alex Freeman is enjoying his first season with Villarreal CF after a breakout 2025 in which he scored six goals for Orlando FC. He came up with two goals in USMNT 2025 friendlies.

#12 Miles Robinson helped FC Cincinnati pull within one point of the top of the MLS table last year.

#2 Sergino Dest has had two years to recover from an ACL injury, and has played both offense and defense for a PSV Eindhoven team that ran away with the Dutch Eredivisie title.

#3 Chris Richards started 31 games for Crystal Palace, serving as a constant presence and helping the club avoid relegation from the Premier League.

#5 Antonee Robinson just finished his fifth season playing with Fulham FC.

#23 Joe Scally earned appearances in 32 out of 34 matches for Borussia Mönchengladbach.

#6 Auston Trusty helped Celtic FC secure first place in the Scottish Premiership.

#22 Mark McKenzie played on a Toulouse team that finished in the middle of the pack of France’s Ligue 1.

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - JUNE 06: Matt Freese of United States looks on during the international friendly match between United States and Germany at Soldier Field on June 06, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Daniel Bartel/USSF/Getty Images)

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – JUNE 06: Matt Freese of United States looks on during the international friendly match between United States and Germany at Soldier Field on June 06, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Daniel Bartel/USSF/Getty Images)
Getty Images

#24 Matt Freese, the likely starter, went to Harvard before turning pro after two years. He now plays for New York City FC.

#1 Matt Turner brings World Cup experience, and holds down the nets for New England Revolution in MLS play.

#25 Chris Brady is a homegrown product of Chicago Fire FC, and likely the third option in net for this year’s Cup.

#USMNT #World #Cup #roster #Meet #players #representing #United #States">USMNT World Cup roster 2026: Meet all 26 players representing the United States  The last time the US hosted Men’s World Cup games was in 1994, when Alexi Lalas was out on the pitch. The USMNT’s talent pool and profile have continued to grow steadily over the last couple of decades, but they haven’t found the signature breakout performance to transform their international reputation.The Americans enter the 2026 tournament ranked 17 in FIFA’s World Rankings, after watching World Cup co-host Mexico take home the last two Gold Cups. Their recent World Cup record has been consistently competent – they’ve made it out of Group Stage in three of the last five Cups, but they haven’t advanced through a knockout game since 2002 (when they lost to Germany 1-0).FanDuel’s World Cup odds foretell a similar pattern this year. The Americans are -135 favorites to reach the sweet 16, but +260 underdogs to reach the quarterfinals (tied with Colombia for 13th). They lag far behind France, Spain, England, and other leading favorites to win the tournament.Here’s a list of all 26 players who’ll be looking to change the USMNT’s fortunes and make the leap to international stardom.LAGUNA NIGUEL, CALIFORNIA – JUNE 08: (EXCLUSIVE COVERAGE) (EDITOR’S NOTE: This image has been digitally altered.) Folarin Balogun #20 of the United States poses for a portrait during the official FIFA World Cup 2026 portrait session on June 08, 2026 in Laguna Niguel, California. (Photo by Richard Heathcote – FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images) FIFA via Getty Images#20 Folarin Balogun led AS Monaco in goals scored last season, and he’s entering the World Cup as the betting favorite to be the US’s top goalscorer. He averaged about 0.5 goals + assists per 90 minutes in Ligue 1 play.#9 Ricardo Pepi broke his forearm in January, but he used his feet to establish himself as a high scoring option for PSV Eindhoven in Dutch Eredivisie.#19 Haji Wright was the lead goalscorer (17 goals) for the Coventry City club that earned promotion to the Premier League after winning the English League Championship in April.#21 Timothy Weah comes from Ballon d’Or lineage (his father, George Weah, won in 1995), and he helped Olympique Marseille to a fifth place finish in Ligue 1.#26 Alejandro Zendejas has scored nine or more goals in each of the last three seasons for Club América in Liga MX.CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – JUNE 06: Christian Pulisic of United States reacts during the international friendly match between United States and Germany at Soldier Field on June 06, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Omar Vega/USSF/Getty Images) Getty Images#10 Christian Pulisic is eight years removed from being named the youngest-ever USMNT captain, and he’s now an experienced veteran entering his physical prime at 27. He went through an extended scoring drought but still netted eight goals overall for AC Milan, and he enters the tournament as the market’s second-best bet for top US goalscorer.#4 Tyler Adams was playing well for AFC Bournemouth before suffering a torn MCL in December 2025. He’s had about four months to work himself back into form, and will be an important defensive presence.#8 Weston McKennie might still line up at midfield for the US, but he has stepped up to start at forward for Juventus, and put away five goals and five assists in Serie A.#7 Gio Reyna played primarily as a sub last year for Borussia Mönchengladbach after spending the previous six seasons with Borussia Dortmund. His father, Claudio Reyna, was on the 2002 USMNT squad that made it to the quarterfinals.#17 Malik Tillman established himself as a starter with Bayer Leverkusen, scoring six goals in the Bundesliga last year.#11 Brenden Aaronson took a step forward with Leeds United this year, logging 4 goals and a team-high 5 assists.#14 Sebastian Berhalter has helped lead the Vancouver Whitecaps FC to four straight Canadian Cups. His father is former USMNT coach Gregg Berhalter.#15 Cristian Roldan plays for Seattle Sounders FC, and helped them win the 2025 Leagues Cup.#18 Max Arfsten plays for the Columbus Crew in league play, and he started all but one game in the USMNT’s runner-up finish in the 2025 Gold Cup.LAGUNA NIGUEL, CALIFORNIA – JUNE 08: (EXCLUSIVE COVERAGE) (EDITOR’S NOTE: This image has been digitally altered.) Tim Ream #13 of the United States poses for a portrait during the official FIFA World Cup 2026 portrait session on June 08, 2026 in Laguna Niguel, California. (Photo by Richard Heathcote – FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images) FIFA via Getty Images#13 Tim Ream is captain of this year’s squad, and an experienced vet with 82 caps under his belt. He’s been a steady defensive presence for Charlotte FC.#16 Alex Freeman is enjoying his first season with Villarreal CF after a breakout 2025 in which he scored six goals for Orlando FC. He came up with two goals in USMNT 2025 friendlies.#12 Miles Robinson helped FC Cincinnati pull within one point of the top of the MLS table last year.#2 Sergino Dest has had two years to recover from an ACL injury, and has played both offense and defense for a PSV Eindhoven team that ran away with the Dutch Eredivisie title.#3 Chris Richards started 31 games for Crystal Palace, serving as a constant presence and helping the club avoid relegation from the Premier League.#5 Antonee Robinson just finished his fifth season playing with Fulham FC.#23 Joe Scally earned appearances in 32 out of 34 matches for Borussia Mönchengladbach.#6 Auston Trusty helped Celtic FC secure first place in the Scottish Premiership.#22 Mark McKenzie played on a Toulouse team that finished in the middle of the pack of France’s Ligue 1.CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – JUNE 06: Matt Freese of United States looks on during the international friendly match between United States and Germany at Soldier Field on June 06, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Daniel Bartel/USSF/Getty Images) Getty Images#24 Matt Freese, the likely starter, went to Harvard before turning pro after two years. He now plays for New York City FC.#1 Matt Turner brings World Cup experience, and holds down the nets for New England Revolution in MLS play.#25 Chris Brady is a homegrown product of Chicago Fire FC, and likely the third option in net for this year’s Cup.  #USMNT #World #Cup #roster #Meet #players #representing #United #States

FanDuel’s World Cup odds foretell a similar pattern this year. The Americans are -135 favorites to reach the sweet 16, but +260 underdogs to reach the quarterfinals (tied with Colombia for 13th). They lag far behind France, Spain, England, and other leading favorites to win the tournament.

Here’s a list of all 26 players who’ll be looking to change the USMNT’s fortunes and make the leap to international stardom.

LAGUNA NIGUEL, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 08: (EXCLUSIVE COVERAGE) (EDITOR’S NOTE: This image has been digitally altered.) Folarin Balogun #20 of the United States poses for a portrait during the official FIFA World Cup 2026 portrait session on June 08, 2026 in Laguna Niguel, California. (Photo by Richard Heathcote - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)

LAGUNA NIGUEL, CALIFORNIA – JUNE 08: (EXCLUSIVE COVERAGE) (EDITOR’S NOTE: This image has been digitally altered.) Folarin Balogun #20 of the United States poses for a portrait during the official FIFA World Cup 2026 portrait session on June 08, 2026 in Laguna Niguel, California. (Photo by Richard Heathcote – FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)
FIFA via Getty Images

#20 Folarin Balogun led AS Monaco in goals scored last season, and he’s entering the World Cup as the betting favorite to be the US’s top goalscorer. He averaged about 0.5 goals + assists per 90 minutes in Ligue 1 play.

#9 Ricardo Pepi broke his forearm in January, but he used his feet to establish himself as a high scoring option for PSV Eindhoven in Dutch Eredivisie.

#19 Haji Wright was the lead goalscorer (17 goals) for the Coventry City club that earned promotion to the Premier League after winning the English League Championship in April.

#21 Timothy Weah comes from Ballon d’Or lineage (his father, George Weah, won in 1995), and he helped Olympique Marseille to a fifth place finish in Ligue 1.

#26 Alejandro Zendejas has scored nine or more goals in each of the last three seasons for Club América in Liga MX.

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - JUNE 06: Christian Pulisic of United States reacts during the international friendly match between United States and Germany at Soldier Field on June 06, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Omar Vega/USSF/Getty Images)

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – JUNE 06: Christian Pulisic of United States reacts during the international friendly match between United States and Germany at Soldier Field on June 06, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Omar Vega/USSF/Getty Images)
Getty Images

#10 Christian Pulisic is eight years removed from being named the youngest-ever USMNT captain, and he’s now an experienced veteran entering his physical prime at 27. He went through an extended scoring drought but still netted eight goals overall for AC Milan, and he enters the tournament as the market’s second-best bet for top US goalscorer.

#4 Tyler Adams was playing well for AFC Bournemouth before suffering a torn MCL in December 2025. He’s had about four months to work himself back into form, and will be an important defensive presence.

#8 Weston McKennie might still line up at midfield for the US, but he has stepped up to start at forward for Juventus, and put away five goals and five assists in Serie A.

#7 Gio Reyna played primarily as a sub last year for Borussia Mönchengladbach after spending the previous six seasons with Borussia Dortmund. His father, Claudio Reyna, was on the 2002 USMNT squad that made it to the quarterfinals.

#17 Malik Tillman established himself as a starter with Bayer Leverkusen, scoring six goals in the Bundesliga last year.

#11 Brenden Aaronson took a step forward with Leeds United this year, logging 4 goals and a team-high 5 assists.

#14 Sebastian Berhalter has helped lead the Vancouver Whitecaps FC to four straight Canadian Cups. His father is former USMNT coach Gregg Berhalter.

#15 Cristian Roldan plays for Seattle Sounders FC, and helped them win the 2025 Leagues Cup.

#18 Max Arfsten plays for the Columbus Crew in league play, and he started all but one game in the USMNT’s runner-up finish in the 2025 Gold Cup.

LAGUNA NIGUEL, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 08: (EXCLUSIVE COVERAGE) (EDITOR’S NOTE: This image has been digitally altered.) Tim Ream #13 of the United States poses for a portrait during the official FIFA World Cup 2026 portrait session on June 08, 2026 in Laguna Niguel, California. (Photo by Richard Heathcote - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)

LAGUNA NIGUEL, CALIFORNIA – JUNE 08: (EXCLUSIVE COVERAGE) (EDITOR’S NOTE: This image has been digitally altered.) Tim Ream #13 of the United States poses for a portrait during the official FIFA World Cup 2026 portrait session on June 08, 2026 in Laguna Niguel, California. (Photo by Richard Heathcote – FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)
FIFA via Getty Images

#13 Tim Ream is captain of this year’s squad, and an experienced vet with 82 caps under his belt. He’s been a steady defensive presence for Charlotte FC.

#16 Alex Freeman is enjoying his first season with Villarreal CF after a breakout 2025 in which he scored six goals for Orlando FC. He came up with two goals in USMNT 2025 friendlies.

#12 Miles Robinson helped FC Cincinnati pull within one point of the top of the MLS table last year.

#2 Sergino Dest has had two years to recover from an ACL injury, and has played both offense and defense for a PSV Eindhoven team that ran away with the Dutch Eredivisie title.

#3 Chris Richards started 31 games for Crystal Palace, serving as a constant presence and helping the club avoid relegation from the Premier League.

#5 Antonee Robinson just finished his fifth season playing with Fulham FC.

#23 Joe Scally earned appearances in 32 out of 34 matches for Borussia Mönchengladbach.

#6 Auston Trusty helped Celtic FC secure first place in the Scottish Premiership.

#22 Mark McKenzie played on a Toulouse team that finished in the middle of the pack of France’s Ligue 1.

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - JUNE 06: Matt Freese of United States looks on during the international friendly match between United States and Germany at Soldier Field on June 06, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Daniel Bartel/USSF/Getty Images)

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – JUNE 06: Matt Freese of United States looks on during the international friendly match between United States and Germany at Soldier Field on June 06, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Daniel Bartel/USSF/Getty Images)
Getty Images

#24 Matt Freese, the likely starter, went to Harvard before turning pro after two years. He now plays for New York City FC.

#1 Matt Turner brings World Cup experience, and holds down the nets for New England Revolution in MLS play.

#25 Chris Brady is a homegrown product of Chicago Fire FC, and likely the third option in net for this year’s Cup.

#USMNT #World #Cup #roster #Meet #players #representing #United #States">USMNT World Cup roster 2026: Meet all 26 players representing the United States

The last time the US hosted Men’s World Cup games was in 1994, when Alexi Lalas was out on the pitch. The USMNT’s talent pool and profile have continued to grow steadily over the last couple of decades, but they haven’t found the signature breakout performance to transform their international reputation.

The Americans enter the 2026 tournament ranked 17 in FIFA’s World Rankings, after watching World Cup co-host Mexico take home the last two Gold Cups. Their recent World Cup record has been consistently competent – they’ve made it out of Group Stage in three of the last five Cups, but they haven’t advanced through a knockout game since 2002 (when they lost to Germany 1-0).

FanDuel’s World Cup odds foretell a similar pattern this year. The Americans are -135 favorites to reach the sweet 16, but +260 underdogs to reach the quarterfinals (tied with Colombia for 13th). They lag far behind France, Spain, England, and other leading favorites to win the tournament.

Here’s a list of all 26 players who’ll be looking to change the USMNT’s fortunes and make the leap to international stardom.

LAGUNA NIGUEL, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 08: (EXCLUSIVE COVERAGE) (EDITOR’S NOTE: This image has been digitally altered.) Folarin Balogun #20 of the United States poses for a portrait during the official FIFA World Cup 2026 portrait session on June 08, 2026 in Laguna Niguel, California. (Photo by Richard Heathcote - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)

LAGUNA NIGUEL, CALIFORNIA – JUNE 08: (EXCLUSIVE COVERAGE) (EDITOR’S NOTE: This image has been digitally altered.) Folarin Balogun #20 of the United States poses for a portrait during the official FIFA World Cup 2026 portrait session on June 08, 2026 in Laguna Niguel, California. (Photo by Richard Heathcote – FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)
FIFA via Getty Images

#20 Folarin Balogun led AS Monaco in goals scored last season, and he’s entering the World Cup as the betting favorite to be the US’s top goalscorer. He averaged about 0.5 goals + assists per 90 minutes in Ligue 1 play.

#9 Ricardo Pepi broke his forearm in January, but he used his feet to establish himself as a high scoring option for PSV Eindhoven in Dutch Eredivisie.

#19 Haji Wright was the lead goalscorer (17 goals) for the Coventry City club that earned promotion to the Premier League after winning the English League Championship in April.

#21 Timothy Weah comes from Ballon d’Or lineage (his father, George Weah, won in 1995), and he helped Olympique Marseille to a fifth place finish in Ligue 1.

#26 Alejandro Zendejas has scored nine or more goals in each of the last three seasons for Club América in Liga MX.

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - JUNE 06: Christian Pulisic of United States reacts during the international friendly match between United States and Germany at Soldier Field on June 06, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Omar Vega/USSF/Getty Images)

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – JUNE 06: Christian Pulisic of United States reacts during the international friendly match between United States and Germany at Soldier Field on June 06, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Omar Vega/USSF/Getty Images)
Getty Images

#10 Christian Pulisic is eight years removed from being named the youngest-ever USMNT captain, and he’s now an experienced veteran entering his physical prime at 27. He went through an extended scoring drought but still netted eight goals overall for AC Milan, and he enters the tournament as the market’s second-best bet for top US goalscorer.

#4 Tyler Adams was playing well for AFC Bournemouth before suffering a torn MCL in December 2025. He’s had about four months to work himself back into form, and will be an important defensive presence.

#8 Weston McKennie might still line up at midfield for the US, but he has stepped up to start at forward for Juventus, and put away five goals and five assists in Serie A.

#7 Gio Reyna played primarily as a sub last year for Borussia Mönchengladbach after spending the previous six seasons with Borussia Dortmund. His father, Claudio Reyna, was on the 2002 USMNT squad that made it to the quarterfinals.

#17 Malik Tillman established himself as a starter with Bayer Leverkusen, scoring six goals in the Bundesliga last year.

#11 Brenden Aaronson took a step forward with Leeds United this year, logging 4 goals and a team-high 5 assists.

#14 Sebastian Berhalter has helped lead the Vancouver Whitecaps FC to four straight Canadian Cups. His father is former USMNT coach Gregg Berhalter.

#15 Cristian Roldan plays for Seattle Sounders FC, and helped them win the 2025 Leagues Cup.

#18 Max Arfsten plays for the Columbus Crew in league play, and he started all but one game in the USMNT’s runner-up finish in the 2025 Gold Cup.

LAGUNA NIGUEL, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 08: (EXCLUSIVE COVERAGE) (EDITOR’S NOTE: This image has been digitally altered.) Tim Ream #13 of the United States poses for a portrait during the official FIFA World Cup 2026 portrait session on June 08, 2026 in Laguna Niguel, California. (Photo by Richard Heathcote - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)

LAGUNA NIGUEL, CALIFORNIA – JUNE 08: (EXCLUSIVE COVERAGE) (EDITOR’S NOTE: This image has been digitally altered.) Tim Ream #13 of the United States poses for a portrait during the official FIFA World Cup 2026 portrait session on June 08, 2026 in Laguna Niguel, California. (Photo by Richard Heathcote – FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)
FIFA via Getty Images

#13 Tim Ream is captain of this year’s squad, and an experienced vet with 82 caps under his belt. He’s been a steady defensive presence for Charlotte FC.

#16 Alex Freeman is enjoying his first season with Villarreal CF after a breakout 2025 in which he scored six goals for Orlando FC. He came up with two goals in USMNT 2025 friendlies.

#12 Miles Robinson helped FC Cincinnati pull within one point of the top of the MLS table last year.

#2 Sergino Dest has had two years to recover from an ACL injury, and has played both offense and defense for a PSV Eindhoven team that ran away with the Dutch Eredivisie title.

#3 Chris Richards started 31 games for Crystal Palace, serving as a constant presence and helping the club avoid relegation from the Premier League.

#5 Antonee Robinson just finished his fifth season playing with Fulham FC.

#23 Joe Scally earned appearances in 32 out of 34 matches for Borussia Mönchengladbach.

#6 Auston Trusty helped Celtic FC secure first place in the Scottish Premiership.

#22 Mark McKenzie played on a Toulouse team that finished in the middle of the pack of France’s Ligue 1.

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - JUNE 06: Matt Freese of United States looks on during the international friendly match between United States and Germany at Soldier Field on June 06, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Daniel Bartel/USSF/Getty Images)

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – JUNE 06: Matt Freese of United States looks on during the international friendly match between United States and Germany at Soldier Field on June 06, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Daniel Bartel/USSF/Getty Images)
Getty Images

#24 Matt Freese, the likely starter, went to Harvard before turning pro after two years. He now plays for New York City FC.

#1 Matt Turner brings World Cup experience, and holds down the nets for New England Revolution in MLS play.

#25 Chris Brady is a homegrown product of Chicago Fire FC, and likely the third option in net for this year’s Cup.

#USMNT #World #Cup #roster #Meet #players #representing #United #States

FIFA reported an attendance ‌of 44,985 for Thursday’s World Cup match between South Korea and the Czech ​Republic (Czechia) in Guadalajara, but swathes of empty seats around the stadium renewed concerns ⁠over ticket pricing and demand for the expanded tournament.

While more than 80,000 squeezed into the Mexico City stadium to watch the opening game between co-hosts Mexico and South Africa, the optics of unoccupied rows at the 46,000-seat stadium in ‌Guadalajara, a city with a deep-rooted football culture, have intensified criticism of FIFA’s commercial strategy for the first 48-team World Cup.

Fans at the stadium blamed the high ticket ‌prices for the rows of empty seats and criticised FIFA for its pricing model.

“Official attendance ‌figures ⁠reflect the number of tickets scanned and spectators present within the stadium footprint, ⁠rather than visual assessments of seating occupancy at any given moment during the match,” FIFA said in a statement to Reuters.

FIFA’S PRICING STRATEGY

With Mexico’s game at the Azteca always expected ​to sell out, South Korea’s meeting with the Czech Republic — ranked 25th and 37th respectively — at the tournament’s second-smallest stadium, provided the first genuine test of FIFA’s ⁠pricing strategy.

The crowd was dominated by Mexican fans in home colours, alongside a noticeable South Korean contingent, but only a limited Czech presence.

ALSO READ: FIFA World Cup 2026 has finally arrived, but does it really matter to the USA?

The Czechs qualified late in March and faced demanding travel schedules in ‌the group stage.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino on Wednesday defended FIFA’s ticket pricing following criticism from supporters who argued the cost of attending matches had become prohibitive.

Are ticket prices causing empty stadiums at FIFA World Cup 2026? World football body clarifies  FIFA reported an attendance ‌of 44,985 for Thursday’s World Cup match between South Korea and the Czech ​Republic (Czechia) in Guadalajara, but swathes of empty seats around the stadium renewed concerns ⁠over ticket pricing and demand for the expanded tournament.While more than 80,000 squeezed into the Mexico City stadium to watch the opening game between co-hosts Mexico and South Africa, the optics of unoccupied rows at the 46,000-seat stadium in ‌Guadalajara, a city with a deep-rooted football culture, have intensified criticism of FIFA’s commercial strategy for the first 48-team World Cup.Fans at the stadium blamed the high ticket ‌prices for the rows of empty seats and criticised FIFA for its pricing model.“Official attendance ‌figures ⁠reflect the number of tickets scanned and spectators present within the stadium footprint, ⁠rather than visual assessments of seating occupancy at any given moment during the match,” FIFA said in a statement to Reuters.Official attendance figures reflect the number of tickets scanned and spectators present within the stadium footprint, rather than visual assessments of seating occupancy at any given moment during the match. FIFA works closely with stadium authorities and ticketing teams to… pic.twitter.com/UIJ0y9xTFp— FIFA Media (@fifamedia) June 12, 2026FIFA’S PRICING STRATEGYWith Mexico’s game at the Azteca always expected ​to sell out, South Korea’s meeting with the Czech Republic — ranked 25th and 37th respectively — at the tournament’s second-smallest stadium, provided the first genuine test of FIFA’s ⁠pricing strategy.The crowd was dominated by Mexican fans in home colours, alongside a noticeable South Korean contingent, but only a limited Czech presence.ALSO READ: FIFA World Cup 2026 has finally arrived, but does it really matter to the USA?The Czechs qualified late in March and faced demanding travel schedules in ‌the group stage.FIFA President Gianni Infantino on Wednesday defended FIFA’s ticket pricing following criticism from supporters who argued the cost of attending matches had become prohibitive. FIFA President Gianni Infantino has argued that the ticket prices have followed the industry standard for global sporting events.
                                                            | Photo Credit: 
                                AP
                            

                            FIFA President Gianni Infantino has argued that the ticket prices have followed the industry standard for global sporting events.
                                                            | Photo Credit: 
                                AP
                                                    He said ticket prices were on a par with other major sporting events.FIFA has sold more than six million tickets for the tournament and previously highlighted strong interest from across the Americas, with Infantino saying demand had exceeded expectations by “a factor of 10 or more”.However, groups such as Football Supporters Europe (FSE) had warned that “extortionate” pricing would exclude ordinary ‌fans. According to FSE, ticket prices for this tournament have jumped five-fold compared to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.(With inputs from Reuters)Published on Jun 13, 2026  #ticket #prices #causing #empty #stadiums #FIFA #World #Cup #World #football #body #clarifies

FIFA President Gianni Infantino has argued that the ticket prices have followed the industry standard for global sporting events. | Photo Credit: AP

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FIFA President Gianni Infantino has argued that the ticket prices have followed the industry standard for global sporting events. | Photo Credit: AP

He said ticket prices were on a par with other major sporting events.

FIFA has sold more than six million tickets for the tournament and previously highlighted strong interest from across the Americas, with Infantino saying demand had exceeded expectations by “a factor of 10 or more”.

However, groups such as Football Supporters Europe (FSE) had warned that “extortionate” pricing would exclude ordinary ‌fans. According to FSE, ticket prices for this tournament have jumped five-fold compared to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

(With inputs from Reuters)

Published on Jun 13, 2026

#ticket #prices #causing #empty #stadiums #FIFA #World #Cup #World #football #body #clarifies">Are ticket prices causing empty stadiums at FIFA World Cup 2026? World football body clarifies  FIFA reported an attendance ‌of 44,985 for Thursday’s World Cup match between South Korea and the Czech ​Republic (Czechia) in Guadalajara, but swathes of empty seats around the stadium renewed concerns ⁠over ticket pricing and demand for the expanded tournament.While more than 80,000 squeezed into the Mexico City stadium to watch the opening game between co-hosts Mexico and South Africa, the optics of unoccupied rows at the 46,000-seat stadium in ‌Guadalajara, a city with a deep-rooted football culture, have intensified criticism of FIFA’s commercial strategy for the first 48-team World Cup.Fans at the stadium blamed the high ticket ‌prices for the rows of empty seats and criticised FIFA for its pricing model.“Official attendance ‌figures ⁠reflect the number of tickets scanned and spectators present within the stadium footprint, ⁠rather than visual assessments of seating occupancy at any given moment during the match,” FIFA said in a statement to Reuters.Official attendance figures reflect the number of tickets scanned and spectators present within the stadium footprint, rather than visual assessments of seating occupancy at any given moment during the match. FIFA works closely with stadium authorities and ticketing teams to… pic.twitter.com/UIJ0y9xTFp— FIFA Media (@fifamedia) June 12, 2026FIFA’S PRICING STRATEGYWith Mexico’s game at the Azteca always expected ​to sell out, South Korea’s meeting with the Czech Republic — ranked 25th and 37th respectively — at the tournament’s second-smallest stadium, provided the first genuine test of FIFA’s ⁠pricing strategy.The crowd was dominated by Mexican fans in home colours, alongside a noticeable South Korean contingent, but only a limited Czech presence.ALSO READ: FIFA World Cup 2026 has finally arrived, but does it really matter to the USA?The Czechs qualified late in March and faced demanding travel schedules in ‌the group stage.FIFA President Gianni Infantino on Wednesday defended FIFA’s ticket pricing following criticism from supporters who argued the cost of attending matches had become prohibitive. FIFA President Gianni Infantino has argued that the ticket prices have followed the industry standard for global sporting events.
                                                            | Photo Credit: 
                                AP
                            

                            FIFA President Gianni Infantino has argued that the ticket prices have followed the industry standard for global sporting events.
                                                            | Photo Credit: 
                                AP
                                                    He said ticket prices were on a par with other major sporting events.FIFA has sold more than six million tickets for the tournament and previously highlighted strong interest from across the Americas, with Infantino saying demand had exceeded expectations by “a factor of 10 or more”.However, groups such as Football Supporters Europe (FSE) had warned that “extortionate” pricing would exclude ordinary ‌fans. According to FSE, ticket prices for this tournament have jumped five-fold compared to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.(With inputs from Reuters)Published on Jun 13, 2026  #ticket #prices #causing #empty #stadiums #FIFA #World #Cup #World #football #body #clarifies

FIFA’S PRICING STRATEGY

With Mexico’s game at the Azteca always expected ​to sell out, South Korea’s meeting with the Czech Republic — ranked 25th and 37th respectively — at the tournament’s second-smallest stadium, provided the first genuine test of FIFA’s ⁠pricing strategy.

The crowd was dominated by Mexican fans in home colours, alongside a noticeable South Korean contingent, but only a limited Czech presence.

ALSO READ: FIFA World Cup 2026 has finally arrived, but does it really matter to the USA?

The Czechs qualified late in March and faced demanding travel schedules in ‌the group stage.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino on Wednesday defended FIFA’s ticket pricing following criticism from supporters who argued the cost of attending matches had become prohibitive.

Are ticket prices causing empty stadiums at FIFA World Cup 2026? World football body clarifies  FIFA reported an attendance ‌of 44,985 for Thursday’s World Cup match between South Korea and the Czech ​Republic (Czechia) in Guadalajara, but swathes of empty seats around the stadium renewed concerns ⁠over ticket pricing and demand for the expanded tournament.While more than 80,000 squeezed into the Mexico City stadium to watch the opening game between co-hosts Mexico and South Africa, the optics of unoccupied rows at the 46,000-seat stadium in ‌Guadalajara, a city with a deep-rooted football culture, have intensified criticism of FIFA’s commercial strategy for the first 48-team World Cup.Fans at the stadium blamed the high ticket ‌prices for the rows of empty seats and criticised FIFA for its pricing model.“Official attendance ‌figures ⁠reflect the number of tickets scanned and spectators present within the stadium footprint, ⁠rather than visual assessments of seating occupancy at any given moment during the match,” FIFA said in a statement to Reuters.Official attendance figures reflect the number of tickets scanned and spectators present within the stadium footprint, rather than visual assessments of seating occupancy at any given moment during the match. FIFA works closely with stadium authorities and ticketing teams to… pic.twitter.com/UIJ0y9xTFp— FIFA Media (@fifamedia) June 12, 2026FIFA’S PRICING STRATEGYWith Mexico’s game at the Azteca always expected ​to sell out, South Korea’s meeting with the Czech Republic — ranked 25th and 37th respectively — at the tournament’s second-smallest stadium, provided the first genuine test of FIFA’s ⁠pricing strategy.The crowd was dominated by Mexican fans in home colours, alongside a noticeable South Korean contingent, but only a limited Czech presence.ALSO READ: FIFA World Cup 2026 has finally arrived, but does it really matter to the USA?The Czechs qualified late in March and faced demanding travel schedules in ‌the group stage.FIFA President Gianni Infantino on Wednesday defended FIFA’s ticket pricing following criticism from supporters who argued the cost of attending matches had become prohibitive. FIFA President Gianni Infantino has argued that the ticket prices have followed the industry standard for global sporting events.
                                                            | Photo Credit: 
                                AP
                            

                            FIFA President Gianni Infantino has argued that the ticket prices have followed the industry standard for global sporting events.
                                                            | Photo Credit: 
                                AP
                                                    He said ticket prices were on a par with other major sporting events.FIFA has sold more than six million tickets for the tournament and previously highlighted strong interest from across the Americas, with Infantino saying demand had exceeded expectations by “a factor of 10 or more”.However, groups such as Football Supporters Europe (FSE) had warned that “extortionate” pricing would exclude ordinary ‌fans. According to FSE, ticket prices for this tournament have jumped five-fold compared to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.(With inputs from Reuters)Published on Jun 13, 2026  #ticket #prices #causing #empty #stadiums #FIFA #World #Cup #World #football #body #clarifies

FIFA President Gianni Infantino has argued that the ticket prices have followed the industry standard for global sporting events. | Photo Credit: AP

lightbox-info

FIFA President Gianni Infantino has argued that the ticket prices have followed the industry standard for global sporting events. | Photo Credit: AP

He said ticket prices were on a par with other major sporting events.

FIFA has sold more than six million tickets for the tournament and previously highlighted strong interest from across the Americas, with Infantino saying demand had exceeded expectations by “a factor of 10 or more”.

However, groups such as Football Supporters Europe (FSE) had warned that “extortionate” pricing would exclude ordinary ‌fans. According to FSE, ticket prices for this tournament have jumped five-fold compared to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

(With inputs from Reuters)

Published on Jun 13, 2026

#ticket #prices #causing #empty #stadiums #FIFA #World #Cup #World #football #body #clarifies">Are ticket prices causing empty stadiums at FIFA World Cup 2026? World football body clarifies

FIFA reported an attendance ‌of 44,985 for Thursday’s World Cup match between South Korea and the Czech ​Republic (Czechia) in Guadalajara, but swathes of empty seats around the stadium renewed concerns ⁠over ticket pricing and demand for the expanded tournament.

While more than 80,000 squeezed into the Mexico City stadium to watch the opening game between co-hosts Mexico and South Africa, the optics of unoccupied rows at the 46,000-seat stadium in ‌Guadalajara, a city with a deep-rooted football culture, have intensified criticism of FIFA’s commercial strategy for the first 48-team World Cup.

Fans at the stadium blamed the high ticket ‌prices for the rows of empty seats and criticised FIFA for its pricing model.

“Official attendance ‌figures ⁠reflect the number of tickets scanned and spectators present within the stadium footprint, ⁠rather than visual assessments of seating occupancy at any given moment during the match,” FIFA said in a statement to Reuters.

FIFA’S PRICING STRATEGY

With Mexico’s game at the Azteca always expected ​to sell out, South Korea’s meeting with the Czech Republic — ranked 25th and 37th respectively — at the tournament’s second-smallest stadium, provided the first genuine test of FIFA’s ⁠pricing strategy.

The crowd was dominated by Mexican fans in home colours, alongside a noticeable South Korean contingent, but only a limited Czech presence.

ALSO READ: FIFA World Cup 2026 has finally arrived, but does it really matter to the USA?

The Czechs qualified late in March and faced demanding travel schedules in ‌the group stage.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino on Wednesday defended FIFA’s ticket pricing following criticism from supporters who argued the cost of attending matches had become prohibitive.

Are ticket prices causing empty stadiums at FIFA World Cup 2026? World football body clarifies  FIFA reported an attendance ‌of 44,985 for Thursday’s World Cup match between South Korea and the Czech ​Republic (Czechia) in Guadalajara, but swathes of empty seats around the stadium renewed concerns ⁠over ticket pricing and demand for the expanded tournament.While more than 80,000 squeezed into the Mexico City stadium to watch the opening game between co-hosts Mexico and South Africa, the optics of unoccupied rows at the 46,000-seat stadium in ‌Guadalajara, a city with a deep-rooted football culture, have intensified criticism of FIFA’s commercial strategy for the first 48-team World Cup.Fans at the stadium blamed the high ticket ‌prices for the rows of empty seats and criticised FIFA for its pricing model.“Official attendance ‌figures ⁠reflect the number of tickets scanned and spectators present within the stadium footprint, ⁠rather than visual assessments of seating occupancy at any given moment during the match,” FIFA said in a statement to Reuters.Official attendance figures reflect the number of tickets scanned and spectators present within the stadium footprint, rather than visual assessments of seating occupancy at any given moment during the match. FIFA works closely with stadium authorities and ticketing teams to… pic.twitter.com/UIJ0y9xTFp— FIFA Media (@fifamedia) June 12, 2026FIFA’S PRICING STRATEGYWith Mexico’s game at the Azteca always expected ​to sell out, South Korea’s meeting with the Czech Republic — ranked 25th and 37th respectively — at the tournament’s second-smallest stadium, provided the first genuine test of FIFA’s ⁠pricing strategy.The crowd was dominated by Mexican fans in home colours, alongside a noticeable South Korean contingent, but only a limited Czech presence.ALSO READ: FIFA World Cup 2026 has finally arrived, but does it really matter to the USA?The Czechs qualified late in March and faced demanding travel schedules in ‌the group stage.FIFA President Gianni Infantino on Wednesday defended FIFA’s ticket pricing following criticism from supporters who argued the cost of attending matches had become prohibitive. FIFA President Gianni Infantino has argued that the ticket prices have followed the industry standard for global sporting events.
                                                            | Photo Credit: 
                                AP
                            

                            FIFA President Gianni Infantino has argued that the ticket prices have followed the industry standard for global sporting events.
                                                            | Photo Credit: 
                                AP
                                                    He said ticket prices were on a par with other major sporting events.FIFA has sold more than six million tickets for the tournament and previously highlighted strong interest from across the Americas, with Infantino saying demand had exceeded expectations by “a factor of 10 or more”.However, groups such as Football Supporters Europe (FSE) had warned that “extortionate” pricing would exclude ordinary ‌fans. According to FSE, ticket prices for this tournament have jumped five-fold compared to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.(With inputs from Reuters)Published on Jun 13, 2026  #ticket #prices #causing #empty #stadiums #FIFA #World #Cup #World #football #body #clarifies

FIFA President Gianni Infantino has argued that the ticket prices have followed the industry standard for global sporting events. | Photo Credit: AP

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FIFA President Gianni Infantino has argued that the ticket prices have followed the industry standard for global sporting events. | Photo Credit: AP

He said ticket prices were on a par with other major sporting events.

FIFA has sold more than six million tickets for the tournament and previously highlighted strong interest from across the Americas, with Infantino saying demand had exceeded expectations by “a factor of 10 or more”.

However, groups such as Football Supporters Europe (FSE) had warned that “extortionate” pricing would exclude ordinary ‌fans. According to FSE, ticket prices for this tournament have jumped five-fold compared to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

(With inputs from Reuters)

Published on Jun 13, 2026

#ticket #prices #causing #empty #stadiums #FIFA #World #Cup #World #football #body #clarifies

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