Spain manager Luis de la Fuente officially submitted the team's 55-man preliminary squad for the 2026 World Cup to FIFA on Monday, and once again, FC Barcelona feature heavily in the national team setup.
The way it looks to me, I would not be too concerned about the hype of the World Cup being sold out. I think prices will drop. That's my gut feeling. I think FIFA is struggling. Nearly 80% of hotel bookings across host cities are running below initial forecasts, likely due to a lack of international travelers.
"The influx of visitors will likely generate billions of dollars in economic activity, benefiting the hospitality, transportation, and retail sectors. Host city hotels anticipate record occupancy, and local businesses will benefit from increased visitor traffic."
Morocco goalkeeper Yassine Bounou stated, 'We're focused on what's to come and not getting into that [topic]. The answer from us would be what our federation said, and that's all we're looking forwards.'
Ticket prices have received the greatest attention, but that's just one piece of the puzzle: People are worried about the affordability of everything from hotels and transportation to concessions and even merchandise.
After more than a decade representing my country, I have decided to retire from international football. Playing for England has always been the biggest honour of my career and something I will always be proud of. Thank you to every team-mate, coach, manager, the 12th man, and everyone behind the scenes who has been part of the journey.
With the U.S. Denim jersey, we set out to capture the side of American soccer that has always been distinctive and original. This design leans into that spirit with bold graphics, fearless color and a belief that the game here should look and feel like it belongs to the people.
Featuring a washed-denim effect, scattered white stars and sharp red detailing at the collar and sleeves, the adidas U.S. Denim Jersey blends 90s-inspired aesthetics with modern streetwear influence. The jersey preserves a bold visual language from the 90s, now engineered in lightweight performance fabric to elevate comfort, movement and versatility for today's athlete and fan.
Wales boss Craig Bellamy's employers at the Football Association of Wales (FAW) are negotiating for their national team's training base to be in the city which hosts MLS side Real Salt Lake. Anthony Pulis - son of former Stoke and West Brom boss Tony Pulis and an ex-Wales Under-21s cap - is Real Salt Lake assistant manager and has advised the FAW on options in the United States.
The three main outcomes for countries hosting the World Cup, as I saw time and again, was debt, displacement, and the militarization of public space. The main differences—whether we were talking about Durban or Rio—were the languages used to dissemble and explain the ensuing corruption scandals.
Even amid grave geopolitical developments, modern football offered a sense of the absurd. As drones and missiles continued to be launched around the Gulf, and headlines began to relay the reported death of Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Khamenei, Fifa's hierarchy were desperate for details given the potential ramifications for the 2026 World Cup.
