SAN DIEGO — A roster loaded with generational talent, a lengthy unbeaten streak, a successful qualification run highlighted by a convincing win against Argentina, a World Cup in the United States, a sexy pick to win in it all, belief, hope, dreams, aspirations, expectations.

It all seems so familiar.

It all seems so frightening.

Colombia’...Read more

LOS ANGELES — More men have been elected president of the United States than have played for the U.S. in a World Cup game on home soil.

It is among the rarest of achievements in a country that has achieved so much.

Two dozen Americans have flown to the moon, 116 have sat on the Supreme Court, 25 have run a mile in under 3:51 and 76 have won ...Read more

SEATTLE — The sale of the Seattle Seahawks — expected to happen over the next few months — will bring to an end the almost 30-year involvement of Paul and Jody Allen with major professional sports in this city.

It’s a three-decade run that could hardly be ending on a higher note with the Seahawks winning their second Super Bowl in ...Read more

NEW YORK — New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani slammed President Donald Trump’s role in the World Cup as players, coaches and fans arriving for the FIFA World Cup come up against the president’s hardline immigration agenda.

The mayor voiced concerns about the denial of visas for journalists from tournament-qualifying countries on the ...Read more

My first soccer World Cup memory was watching Argentina’s Diego Maradona arrogantly juggling the ball on his shoulders, before the opening game of the Italia 1990 World Cup.

I watched the grainy television in Ghana, as star-studded Argentina suffered a shocking defeat to underdog Cameroon but still went to the final, eventually losing to ...Read more

Christian Pulisic looked exhausted as he stepped from a yellow cab on the edge of Manhattan's financial district for a promotional event arranged by his shoe sponsor.

A day earlier, he had been booed off the field after going scoreless in his final 17 games with AC Milan. And as Pulisic's private jet made its way from Italy to New York, the ...Read more

Here are two words for anyone in America still complaining — on the verge of the World Cup — about stratospheric ticket prices or get-off-my-lawn dismissing a sport where 1-0 can be framed an insurmountable lead:

Stop it.

Here are two more words:

Enjoy it.

The World Cup an event to binge watch starting with Thursday’s opening game. ...Read more

CHICAGO — The big crowd was buzzing, the fireworks were rising and local legend Jim Cornelison was belting out the national anthem in his famous way.

But the mood lasted barely 43 seconds after the U.S. men’s soccer team’s last World Cup tuneup kicked off.

That’s what the clock read when midfielder and longtime locker room leader Tyler...Read more

MINNEAPOLIS — There already was plenty for Americans to digest as July 4, 1994, approached.

The nation was still reeling from watching O.J. Simpson’s white Ford Bronco charging down California highways with officers in pursuit.

Tonya Harding was being banned from the U.S. Figure Skating Association for her role in the attack on Nancy ...Read more

A few hours after Lionel Messi and the Argentine World Cup team checked into their training base in Kansas City, Mo., a series of thunderstorms pounded the area, knocking out power, felling trees and bringing flood and tornado warnings.

Hardly ideal conditions for the world's biggest soccer tournament. Yet that's likely just the opening salvo ...Read more

SAN DIEGO — Tijuana, Mexico, is set to become the Iran national soccer team’s base camp for the next several days, with the delegation expected to arrive on Sunday.

Iran is one of 48 teams competing in the quadrennial FIFA World Cup 2026, which will be co-hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada from June 11 to July 19. The team was ...Read more

CHICAGO — The U.S. men’s soccer team gave perennial power Germany a good game on Saturday in both squads’ last contest before the World Cup. But the four-time champions prevailed, 2-1, before a festive crowd of 63,636 that endured an early rainstorm before enjoying the rest of the day in the sunshine.

Kai Havertz and Leroy Sané scored ...Read more

CHICAGO — The crowd packed into Soldier Field. Chicago icon Jim Cornelison finished revving up the fans with his signature rendition of the national anthem. The stage was set for a wild send-off for the U.S. men’s national team before the FIFA World Cup begins next week.

And then Germany’s Kai Havertz scored a goal in the second minute.

...Read more

LOS ANGELES — Nearly 2,000 food and beverage workers at SoFi Stadium voted overwhelmingly Friday to authorize a strike just a week before the venue will stage the first World Cup game on U.S. soil in more than three decades.

Negotiations on a labor contract between Unite Here Local 11, the union representing the cooks, dishwashers, concession...Read more

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — When the South American icon widely believed to be the best soccer player who ever lived disembarked from his plane in Kansas City, he promptly was swarmed on the tarmac on his way to conducting a news conference.

“He is engulfed,” as one observer described it. “Up come the cheerleading people, the press people, the ...Read more

MIAMI — The official start of the 2026 World Cup is six days away in Mexico City, but for the Haitian fans who sold out and electrified Nu Stadium in Miami Friday night for a warmup match against Peru, their World Cup had already begun.

Many of the fans cannot travel to Boston, Philadelphia or Atlanta for Haiti’s World Cup matches, so this ...Read more

PHILADELPHIA — Drink up, FIFA World Cup fans — it looks like you’ll be able to bring a water bottle to games this year, after all.

Now, FIFA said in a social media post Friday, fans going to World Cup 2026 matches in the U.S. and Canada will be allowed to bring “one, soft, plastic, 20 ounce (590ml), factory sealed disposable water ...Read more

MIAMI — When Haiti’s Les Grenadiers qualified for the country’s first FIFA World Cup in more than half a century, national team co-captain and center-back Ricardo Adé didn’t just limit his celebration to the field.

As he and his teammates headed back to their hotel in Curaçao after defeating Nicaragua in a World Cup home qualifier ...Read more