US gets 2 goals from Folarin Balogun and matches biggest World Cup win, beating Paraguay 4-1 in opener.
Around the world, soccer fans are gathering in homes, stadium plazas, and public viewing venues to watch the World Cup and share in the excite…
Canada settled for a draw in its World Cup opener against Bosnia-Herzegovina in front of a raucous crowd in Toronto. Considering how things started for the Canadians on Friday, it wasn’t the worst outcome. Cyle Larin — who had just entered the game — scored in the 78th minute to make it 1-1 after Canada fought from behind for the majority of the afternoon. Bosnia’s Jovo Lukic scored in the 21st minute with a nifty header off a corner kick. The United States plays Friday’s nightcap against Paraguay in Inglewood, California.
UMM AL-KHAIR, West Bank (AP) — As the FIFA World Cup gets underway on June 11, with Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Qatar and Saudi Arabia among the Arab…
The World Cup is offering the 16 host cities a chance to take action against one of the biggest problems they face — homelessness. Some, like Atlanta and Dallas, have embarked on ambitious plans to house people living on their downtown streets. But a survey by The Associated Press found most host cities are relying on existing services — without any fresh funding — to address homelessness. Advocates worry some cities will rely on a strategy of temporarily removing the homeless from areas where fans gather and games are played, rather than providing them with long-term housing. Such tactics have been seen in the past at large sports and political events worldwide.
The World Cup referee from Somalia who was denied entry to the United States after arriving in Miami and subsequently dropped from the tournament by FIFA had been set to make history for his country. Omar Artan was due to be the first referee from Somalia to officiate at the World Cup. He is one of Africa's top referees. U.S. Customs and Border Protection say in a statement he was denied entry at Miami International Airport on Saturday over “vetting concerns.” It didn't give details of those concerns. Somalia was one of the countries subjected to new travel restrictions last year under the Trump administration’s crackdown on immigration.
Some North American cities are using the upcoming World Cup as a catalyst to address homelessness. Atlanta launched a downtown program that has housed nearly 500 people. Dallas spent $10 million to reduce downtown street sleeping by 87%. Seattle is opening 75 tiny homes just before the tournament. However, an Associated Press survey found that most host cities are not adding new funding. Instead, officials in places like New York and Toronto say they are relying on existing programs. Meanwhile, activists report that some cities are still clearing encampments. They accuse officials of trying to hide the problem before tourists arrive.
Iran’s soccer team arrives in Mexico for training ahead of the World Cup.
Pleasant Plains girls' soccer finishes as 1A state runners-up, best finish as program
Most of the stadiums for this year's FIFA World Cup are now considered green buildings and the majority earned their certification in the run-up to the tournament. As the tournament opens, the U.S. Green Building Council says 13 of the 16 stadiums have earned their LEED certification, the world’s most widely used green building rating system. It’s a rigorous process to ensure buildings meet strict sustainability standards. The oldest of the venues, the 60-year-old Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, reached the highest tier. Together, the LEED-certified stadiums have installed over 11,500 solar panels to generate clean electricity. They're saving water and reducing waste, too.