Soccer

12/4/2025 |  Trump’s immigration message is colliding with his welcome to World Cup fans (Associated Press (AP)) WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump will take center stage at Friday’s World Cup draw in Washington, rolling out the welcome mat for teams and fans from around the globe at a time when his administration is expanding restrictions on travel to the United States for people from 19 countries and he has hardened his rhetoric against immigrants.

12/4/2025 |  When FIFA chose Robin Williams over Pelé: Behind the scenes of the wild 1994 World Cup draw in Las Vegas (CBS Sports) The World Cup was coming to America. The year was 1993, and FIFA was placing soccer's crown jewel event in a country where the sport was not king for the first time in history. The goal was clear: to make the U.S. audience fall in love with the sport through a warm embrace of star power, scale and spectacle. 

12/4/2025 |  Fanatics lands retail and merchandising deal for 2026 FIFA World Cup (CNBC Sports)

• Sports merchandise giant Fanatics has landed the rights to be the official on-site retail licensee for the FIFA World Cup 2026.
• Fanatics has overseen retail operations at international sporting events like MLB’s Tokyo Series, the NFL’s slate of international games, the NHL’s Four Nations tournament and UEFA’s Euro 2024.
• Andrew Low Ah Kee, CEO of Fanatics Commerce, said the company is ready to capitalize on matchups and moments to create quick-strike products and other limited merchandise.

12/4/2025 |  CNBC Sport: U.S. men’s soccer is sick of losing the World Cup — and now it has a plan (CNBC Sports)

• The U.S. men’s national soccer team has never won a World Cup.
• The 2026 World Cup is coming to the U.S., Mexico and Canada. The draw for the World Cup will be held Friday in Washington, D.C., sorting 48 teams into groups.
• The U.S. Soccer Federation hopes the spectacle of next year’s event will be a catalyst to change the trajectory of men’s soccer forever. 

12/3/2025 |  Mexican President Sheinbaum to attend World Cup draw in Washington (Associated Press (AP)) MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has confirmed she will attend the draw for the 2026 World Cup at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.
Friday’s event will also include U.S. President Donald Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney as the three countries are co-hosting next summer’s tournament. On Wednesday, Sheinbaum said she spoke to FIFA president Gianni Infantino and confirmed her attendance.