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Cheering for the ‘home team’ during the World Cup gets complicated for Canadians

As Toronto prepares to welcome the 2026 FIFA World Cup’s opening group stage match between Canada and Bosnia and Herzegovina, the country’s long-celebrated multicultural identity has emerged as the defining narrative of the tournament for Canadian fans, turning a high-stakes athletic clash into a celebration of shared belonging across diverse communities.

For many residents with roots in both competing nations, the match poses a gentle, joyful dilemma that perfectly encapsulates Canada’s dual-heritage culture. Nikola Vukelic, a Toronto-based lifelong football fan who has lived in Canada since 1999 after growing up supporting Bosnian domestic clubs, says he still cannot pick a side to cheer for. He described Bosnia’s stunning qualifying victory over four-time World Cup champions Italy as a “surreal” moment he never expected to witness, but decades of calling Canada home have left him equally invested in the host nation’s campaign. Vukelic’s solution? A mixed uniform: his Bosnia national team jersey paired with Canada football shorts, to be worn while hosting a watch party with friends close to BMO Stadium, the venue for Friday’s opening match. For him, the final score is irrelevant. “I’m going to have fun either way,” he said.

Vukelic’s experience is far from unique. Canada’s most recent national census data shows more than 35% of the population – approximately 13 million people – identify with multiple ethnic and cultural origins, a demographic reality that has been on full display across host cities Toronto and Vancouver in the lead-up to the tournament. Across both cities, cross-cultural watch parties have popped up in unexpected, community-focused spaces: Turkish fans gathering to cheer on their team at an Australian-owned pub, Balkan supporters setting up screens outside a specialty food market, and football fans of all backgrounds meeting at an Iraqi-run hookah lounge.

This culture of inclusive diversity has become a core selling point for Canadian soccer organizers, who have framed the tournament as a counterpoint to growing global division. Speaking at the 2026 FIFA World Congress held in Vancouver earlier this year, Canada Soccer President Peter Augruso emphasized that the country’s multiculturalism is more than a policy – it is a lived experience. “Here, the world doesn’t just visit,” he said. “The world lives, works, learns, and thrives together.”

That ethos is clearly visible in the community-led celebrations being held across Greater Toronto. For Adis and Amir Mrakovic, Bosnian-Canadian brothers who own Mrakovic Fine Foods, a beloved Balkan specialty store in the Toronto suburb of Etobicoke, the opening match pairing their home country and their adopted nation is a once-in-a-lifetime moment. The pair arrived in Canada with their family in 1994, not long after their father launched the small business selling traditional smoked meats. Over nearly 30 years, the shop has grown into a community staple, famous across the city for its grilled ćevapi kebabs that serve the region’s large Balkan diaspora.

Like most fans, the brothers never expected Bosnia to qualify for the 2026 tournament. The side had not reached the World Cup since 2014, and faced a grueling qualifying draw that included tough competitors Austria and Italy. When Bosnia knocked Italy out via penalty shootout on March 31 to secure their spot and set up the opening match against Canada, the result was a shock to the entire global football community. “It was a shock for everybody,” Amir said.

Within days, the brothers planned a large public watch party outside their store, outfitting the space with a 26-foot big screen, a local DJ, and a full menu of grilled ćevapi for attendees. They expect hundreds of fans to attend, with some traveling more than 500 kilometers from Montreal to join the celebration. For the Mrakovics, the event is as much a celebration of their Canadian identity as it is their Bosnian roots. “We felt an obligation to bring people together,” Adis explained. When asked what final score they hope for, Amir laughed and summed up the mood of many dual-heritage fans: the best outcome is a tie.

Even for Canadian fans of Italy, who saw their ancestral nation fall just short of qualification, the moment has become a celebration of multiple belonging. In Toronto’s Little Italy neighborhood, the 2026 World Cup qualifying loss left many Italian-Canadian fans heartbroken, as many had dreamed of watching Italy face Canada in the opening match. To honor that disappointment, Canada Soccer organized a promotional event at Cafe Diplomatico, a historic Italian restaurant that has served as a gathering spot for Canadian soccer fans for decades, inviting fans to swap their Italy jerseys for new Canada kits. When fans reached the front of the line, organizers surprised them with a message: they did not have to give up their Italy jerseys after all. They could keep both, an announcement that moved some long-time fans to tears. “It’s very rare to be in a country like ours where you’re allowed to have multiple homes in your hearts,” said Canada Soccer spokesperson Paulo Senra.

The spirit of cross-cultural fan camaraderie extends across the country to Vancouver, the second Canadian host city that will welcome groups of fans from around the world for 13 total matches, including matchups between Australia and Turkey, New Zealand and Egypt, and Switzerland and Canada. Even when two rival nations face off, fans from both sides often gather to watch together: for the Australia-Turkey matchup, a local Turkish band is hosting a joint watch party at a Vancouver pub, where fans of both nations will cheer side by side. Ilyas Kayran, a member of the hosting band Istanbul the Band, says this inclusive dynamic is core to what it means to be Canadian. “This is Canadian identity,” he said.

Even Canada’s national men’s team itself reflects the country’s multicultural makeup. The squad’s captain and star player, Alphonso Davies, was born in a refugee camp in Ghana before his family resettled in Edmonton, Alberta, where he developed his skills and launched his professional career. This year marks only the third time Canada has qualified for the FIFA World Cup, and the first time the team has competed on home soil as a co-host of the 2026 North American tournament. Though the team faces long odds to advance, the squad is aiming to become the first Canadian men’s side to reach the tournament’s knockout round.

Of the three North American co-hosts, Canada holds the smallest hosting role for the 2026 tournament: while Mexico has three host cities and the United States is hosting 78 total matches, Canada only has two host cities – Toronto and Vancouver – each holding 13 matches. Despite the smaller footprint, the public cost of hosting remains steep: an independent estimate from Canada’s Parliamentary Budget Officer puts total taxpayer spending at just over C$1 billion, or roughly C$82 million per match.

The tournament has also faced criticism over ticket pricing, with the cheapest in-person tickets for Canadian-hosted matches running into the hundreds of dollars. Many fans have complained that the pricing locks out local supporters in a country where cost of living in major cities like Toronto and Vancouver is already extremely high. As of the lead-up to the opening match, hundreds of tickets remain unsold in both cities, and demand for hotel and short-term vacation rental accommodation has been lower than pre-tournament projections.

Despite these challenges, Canadian federal and provincial officials have framed hosting the 2026 World Cup as a transformative opportunity for the country. Adam van Koeverden, Canada’s FIFA Sherpa and Secretary of State for Sport, called it a “once-in-a-generation opportunity” to showcase the country to the world.

For fans like Vukelic, who says he cannot afford the high price of an in-person ticket to the opening match, the challenges have done little to dim the excitement of the tournament. Even watching from home, he is soaking up the atmosphere and the energy the World Cup has brought to his city. “The only thing we have to be careful about is the traffic here,” he joked. “Other than that, Toronto is ready for this.”

11 6 月, 2026
India’s ‘blue gold’ starts a new drinks industry

For generations of Indian farmers across the Deccan Plateau, the spiky, hardy agave Americana plant served only one purpose: a low-maintenance, impenetrable natural fence to keep wild animals away from valuable food crops. To them, it was nothing more than a stubborn, valueless weed growing along property lines. Today, this native desert plant is being rebranded as “blue gold,” unlocking unexpected new income streams for rural communities and laying the groundwork for India’s nascent homegrown agave spirits industry, tapping into a $15 billion global market long dominated by Mexico.

The turning point for many smallholder farmers like Masapalli Venkatesh came in 2010, when traders began approaching rural landholders seeking to source wild agave for spirit production. Venkatesh, who previously grew tomatoes, peanuts, and corn on his 10-acre Kandukur farm, quickly transformed into a regional agave aggregator, coordinating a network of villagers and farmers across a 100-kilometer range to meet growing demand from domestic distilleries. “By combining the yields of multiple small holdings, I ensure a steady, high-volume supply that distilleries are willing to pay a premium for,” Venkatesh explained, turning what was once unused plant life into a reliable source of supplementary income.

Harvesting agave for spirit production is a far more nuanced process than many outsiders realize. The critical component of the plant is its carbohydrate-dense core, called the piña for its resemblance to a large pineapple. Skilled harvesters must first strip away the plant’s sharp, spiky leaves to expose the core, but timing is everything: once the plant begins to bloom, it redirects all its stored sugar reserves to the flowering stalk in just a matter of days, leaving the piña completely depleted and useless for alcohol production. “Gatherers must accurately identify the exact pre-blooming window to harvest the plant at its absolute peak sugar capacity, making the timing of the harvest incredibly narrow,” noted Rakshay Dhariwal, founder of Indian craft distiller Maya Pistola Agavepura.

The clock does not stop once harvesting is complete. To preserve sugar content and flavor, piñas must reach a processing facility to undergo sugar extraction within 24 hours of harvest. Any longer delay triggers uncontrolled fermentation and sugar rot, ruining the delicate flavor profile required for premium spirits. This logistical challenge is particularly acute in India, where wild agave grows in scattered patches across four states: Karnataka, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, and Andhra Pradesh. Unlike Mexico’s centralized, large-scale agave plantations, Indian distillers rely on a decentralized network of local aggregators to source semi-wild plants growing on marginal lands and rural property boundaries.

Despite these logistical hurdles, demand for agave spirits is surging across India. Industry insiders report the domestic market is growing at an annual rate of 31%, as domestic consumers grow more open to exploring craft spirits beyond India’s long-standing favorite, whisky. “It’s only been a few years now that India’s finally caught the tequila bug,” said Vikram Achanta, co-founder of 30 Best Bars India. “Producers are beginning to experiment with it seriously, and there’s a consumer base today that is far more open to exploring new spirits than before.” While agave spirits are unlikely to displace whisky as India’s top-selling spirit, Achanta notes that domestic producers are already carving out a unique niche, building an emerging Indian agave identity around the Deccan Plateau’s wild plants that sets their products apart from imported Mexican offerings. “It’s still early days, but they’re helping move the category from curiosity to something more credible,” he added.

Desmond Nazareth, founder of Agave India, is widely recognized as the pioneer of India’s agave spirit sector, having launched the country’s first domestic agave spirit back in 2011, nearly a decade before the market began to develop. “What started as kitchen experiments eventually became India’s first craft agave distillery after nearly 12 years of research and experimentation,” Nazareth said. “We were making Indian agave spirit long before the market was ready for it. It was a craft business way ahead of its time.” Today, he is taking a data-driven approach to scaling the industry, using satellite imagery to map existing successful agave growing regions and identify new areas with matching environmental conditions. This careful planning is critical: agave takes between 9 and 13 years to mature, so a poor site selection can mean losing an entire decade of investment.

A common concern around the emerging industry is whether growing demand will deplete India’s wild agave supplies, but agricultural expert Miguel Braganza says there is little immediate risk. For one, India’s domestic processing capacity remains extremely small, with just one commercial processing plant currently operating, owned by Nazareth’s Agave India. Additionally, wild agave is an exceptionally effective self-propagator. Over its 10 to 20-year lifespan, a single mother plant sends out long underground root runners that sprout genetically identical baby agaves every few feet, slowly growing into large, self-sustaining colonies without any human intervention. “So one plant can naturally turn into dozens of plants across an area without any human help,” Braganza explained.

Not all Indian agave spirit brands rely on domestic wild agave, however. Entrepreneur Sree Harsha Vadlamudi, co-founder of tequila brand Loca Loka, argues that wild agave has inherent limitations for large-scale, standardized production. Unlike selectively bred farmed agave in Mexico, wild Indian agave is genetically inconsistent, leading to fluctuating sugar yields that make consistent alcohol output difficult to achieve. To avoid this issue, Loca Loka sources its blue agave from established plantations in Jalisco, Mexico, the only region in the world legally allowed to produce tequila. “We wanted to leverage the rich, iron-heavy red soil left behind by ancient volcanic eruptions in Jalisco, Mexico,” Vadlamudi said. “This unique terroir imparts a distinct flavour profile to the agave that cannot be replicated by growing the same seeds in Indian soil.” Mexico’s large-scale commercial operations also benefit from modern technological investments, including drones and artificial intelligence systems that monitor crop health, track piña growth, and pinpoint the ideal harvest window – resources that remain out of reach for most emerging Indian producers.

While Nazareth acknowledges that building a competitive, large-scale agave industry in India will take decades of patient investment, he remains optimistic about the sector’s long-term potential. “India could absolutely become a major agave economy,” he said. “The Deccan Plateau alone has millions of acres suitable for cultivation. We could theoretically rival Mexico if there’s long-term vision and patience.”

11 6 月, 2026
‘Personal sledge’: Health Minister Mark Butler dismisses One Nation’s anti-Labor fundraiser

A fierce political clash has erupted between Australia’s ruling Labor Party and center-right Liberal opposition over a blockbuster anti-government fundraising campaign by far-right populist party One Nation, which has pulled in more than $2.5 million in less than 48 hours to oust sitting Labor MPs. Titled “FIRE THE LIAR!”, the campaign accuses Prime Minister Anthony Albanese of breaking campaign promises on three high-profile issues: the stage 3 income tax cuts, national energy prices, and the Indigenous Voice to Parliament referendum. Unlike most mainstream political fundraising platforms, the campaign does not publish public records of donor identities or individual contribution amounts, a lack of transparency that prompted Albanese to question the veracity of the posted fundraising totals just days after the campaign launched. To address these doubts, One Nation leader Pauline Hanson took to social media Wednesday to share what she called a “forensic audit” conducted by independent software developer Daryl Monnink, which she claimed confirmed the legitimacy of the fundraising haul. One Nation says more than 28,000 individual donors contributed to the campaign in its first 24 hours, with the largest single donation topping $15,000. The party plans to direct the full war chest to unseating Labor incumbents, starting with key seats in Western Australia – which Hanson called a top “hit list” target – and electorates held by high-profile Labor cabinet ministers including Tony Burke, Clare O’Neil and Madeleine King. Appearing on Seven Network’s morning current affairs program Sunrise Friday, federal Health Minister Mark Butler, a senior Labor figure, sought to downplay the significance of the large fundraising haul. He argued the amount raised would be far smaller than the six- and seven-figure donations One Nation has previously received from billionaire mining magnate Gina Rinehart. Butler framed the campaign as little more than a targeted personal attack on Albanese, which would quickly fade from public attention. “It’s not a big story beyond this week and maybe next week,” he said. Butler also pushed back against claims of a hidden ideological alignment between the Liberals and One Nation, arguing the partnership between the two right-wing parties represents a rebranded Coalition with the same conservative policy platform. “At the end of the day, what we’re seeing here is a remaking of the Coalition with some different faces but the same agenda,” Butler said. “Opposed to wage increases, we’ve heard that from the Liberal Party and One Nation, hostile to Medicare, determined to sow the politics of division and talk this country down.” Those remarks drew an immediate sharp response from Deputy Liberal Leader Jane Hume, who appeared alongside Butler on the same program. Hume accused the Labor government of panicking over the strong grassroots response to One Nation’s campaign, telling Butler: “You are rattled, aren’t you Mark? You are rattled.” She argued the massive donation total reflects widespread public anger at the current government’s performance, pointing out that a single Liberal colleague had raised more in donations in the month following Labor’s 2024 federal budget than he had in the entire preceding year. “Australians are angry, and that is playing out in our politics now,” she said. When pressed on whether the Liberals would negotiate a formal preference-sharing or non-compete agreement with One Nation ahead of the next federal election, scheduled for 2025, Hume ruled out any such deal for the immediate future. “That’s not on the cards. And an election is now 18 months to two years away,” she said. “To begin with, we never ever talk about preferences before an election is actually called because you don’t know what policies they have, you don’t know what candidates they have, you don’t know what One Nation are going to be doing in two years time.” The response from the junior Coalition partner, the National Party, was far more welcoming of One Nation’s anti-Labor campaign. Nationals leader Matt Canavan told Sky News that only a full Liberal-National government can deliver the stable economic plan Australian voters are demanding, but he praised One Nation’s efforts to target Labor incumbents. “I welcome everybody trying to take down this government, because that is the first step,” Canavan said. “So, good on One Nation for doing this. They’re saying that funding, now over $2 million, is going to be used to root out Labor members of parliament.” Canavan added that any efforts by One Nation to challenge sitting Nationals MPs would not help achieve the shared goal of removing the current Labor government, but emphasized that all anti-Labor forces are aligned on the immediate priority of defeating the ruling party. “We’re all on the same page here of getting rid of this government, it’ll be then up to the Australia people about what form of government they want,” he said.

11 6 月, 2026
World Cup 2026: Somali referee denied entry by US will officiate Uefa Super Cup final

A high-profile international football development has broken this week, as European football’s governing body UEFA has announced that Somali referee Omar Artan — who was barred from entering the United States ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, costing him a spot in the tournament’s officiating pool — will helm one of the sport’s biggest continental fixtures later this summer.

Artan, who was named the Confederation of African Football’s Men’s Referee of the Year for 2025, was denied entry by U.S. authorities at Miami International Airport earlier this month. FIFA, global football’s governing body, subsequently removed him from the roster of 52 officials selected to work the 2026 World Cup, which will be co-hosted by the U.S., Canada and Mexico from June 11 to July 19. The move ended Artan’s historic bid to become the first Somali match official ever to officiate at a men’s World Cup finals.

The Trump administration announced Tuesday that the entry denial was rooted in unsubstantiated claims that Artan holds links to “suspected members of terror organisations”, offering no additional evidence to back up the assertion. Andrew Giuliani, who leads the White House Task Force on the World Cup, told BBC World Service that while he could not share sensitive derogatory information related to the case, he viewed U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s decision as correct and fully supported it. This stance aligns with comments Giuliani made in December, when he stated the Trump administration could not guarantee non-U.S. citizens would be safe from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids at World Cup venues.

Per BBC reporting, a senior advisor to Somalia’s Ministry of Youth and Sports confirmed the entry denial, noting that Artan was traveling with all required valid documentation. A Somali embassy official based in Nairobi added that Artan had even been issued a diplomatic passport to ease travel after previous visa-related difficulties, a step that ultimately failed to prevent the rejection. The Somali Football Federation has since contacted FIFA to request urgent clarification on the outcome of the incident.

After being turned away, Artan returned to Somalia Wednesday, where he received a hero’s welcome from supporters and officials. In public remarks following his arrival, the referee acknowledged the disappointment of the outcome while expressing gratitude for the backing he received from FIFA. “What happened has happened and it was unfortunate. I am grateful for the support Fifa gave me,” he said. Addressing young Somalis, he encouraged them to hold onto ambition, adding “I want to tell our youth not to lose hope in our country. I am now in my country, and there is no other place I want to be.” Artan also affirmed his intention to qualify for the next men’s World Cup, saying “I promise you, God willing, that I will attend the next one [World Cup]… I want the Somali public to take comfort in this and remain confident.”

In its official statement following the entry denial, FIFA noted that after consultations with U.S. authorities, it confirmed Artan could not participate in the 2026 tournament. The governing body clarified that it does not have any involvement in host country immigration processes, including visa adjudication decisions. A FIFA-listed referee since 2018, Artan has previously officiated at top-tier competitions including the Africa Cup of Nations, as well as domestic league matches in Somalia. Somalia is one of several countries impacted by broad travel restrictions implemented by the Trump administration.

Just days after Artan’s return to Somalia, UEFA stepped in to offer the respected referee a new high-profile assignment. The continental governing body announced Thursday that Artan will take charge of the 2026 UEFA Super Cup, scheduled for August 12 in Salzburg, Austria. The match pits Champions League winner Aston Villa against Europa League champion Paris Saint-Germain in the annual showpiece that opens the European club football season.

11 6 月, 2026
Trump cancels Iran strikes, touts imminent deal

On a Thursday that already carried high geopolitical and economic stakes, U.S. President Donald Trump upended global expectations with a sudden announcement: he had called off planned military strikes against Iran and claimed a historic peace deal to end the months-long U.S.-Iran war could be finalized and signed within days.

The announcement broke as the 2026 FIFA World Cup kicked off in Mexico, sending immediate ripples through global financial markets. Major stock indices rallied sharply, while international oil futures dropped more than 3% — a clear market signal that investors welcomed the de-escalation of a conflict that has roiled energy supplies for months.

In a social media post that quickly dominated global headlines, Trump stated that bilateral talks with Iranian officials had advanced to the highest levels of Iran’s leadership and received formal approval. “I have cancelled the scheduled strikes and bombings against Iran scheduled for this evening,” he wrote. “Time and place of the signing to be announced shortly.” He added that the core terms of the arrangement had already been signed off by the U.S. and its regional allies, most notably Israel, which joined Washington in launching the offensive against Iran back in February.

The conflict, which began with a massive wave of joint U.S.-Israeli airstrikes on February 28 that killed long-time Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, entered a paused state under a temporary truce brokered in April. But negotiations for a permanent ceasefire and peace agreement had appeared deadlocked in recent weeks, with both sides trading escalating threats in the days leading up to Trump’s announcement. Just 24 hours before his Thursday announcement, Trump had threatened to intensify U.S. airstrikes and seize control of Kharg Island, Iran’s critical oil export terminal in the Persian Gulf.

Iranian officials quickly pushed back against Trump’s claims of a finalized, approved deal. Hours after the U.S. president’s announcement, foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei stated that “Iran has not reached a final conclusion on the agreement.” Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency pointed out that Trump has now claimed an imminent deal 38 times over the past two months, advising that any statements from Trump on the topic should be treated as unsubstantiated until confirmed directly by Iranian authorities. When pressed by reporters on the Iranian pushback, Trump doubled down on his claim, saying “I understand the answer is yes” when asked if Iran’s new supreme leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei had personally approved the deal.

An official statement from the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed that Netanyahu had spoken with Trump following the announcement, and that Trump had committed any final agreement would require Iran to remove all existing enriched nuclear material and dismantle its entire ballistic missile infrastructure program. Tehran’s municipal government also confirmed Thursday that the delayed funeral for former supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei will be held no earlier than late June, further adding to the atmosphere of ongoing uncertainty.

Trump’s announcement suggests that months of quiet back-channel mediation led by U.S. partners Pakistan and Qatar may have produced tentative progress, despite the sharp public denial from Tehran. Even as hopes for peace rose, however, new reports of hostilities emerged: Kuwait announced Thursday that an Iranian strike targeted its territory, damaged an air defense radar installation, and forced a temporary closure of its airspace.

Domestically, hardline factions on both sides have continued to undermine progress toward a deal. Earlier Thursday, amid escalating U.S. threats of new strikes, senior Iranian General Ali Abdollahi warned that any new American attack would draw a far harsher response than previous exchanges, warning that a widening of the war would spread instability across the entire Middle East. For ordinary Iranian civilians already reeling from months of conflict, that instability is already a daily reality. Majid, a 35-year-old Tehran pharmacist, expressed deep pessimism about the prospects of a final deal. “I am absolutely not optimistic about the agreement being finalized, because the gap between the two countries is too wide,” he said, blaming the ongoing deadlock on both Israel — which has exchanged frequent cross-border fire with Iranian forces in recent days — and hardline Iranian factions opposed to any compromise.

The conflict has already hit the global economy hard. Earlier on Thursday, the World Bank downgraded its global growth forecast to its lowest level since the height of the coronavirus pandemic, explicitly citing the expanding economic fallout from the Iran war as a key driver of the downgrade. One of the most damaging ongoing economic impacts stems from Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz, the critical global chokepoint through which roughly 20% of the world’s daily oil and gas supplies pass. Iran’s newly established strait oversight body reaffirmed Thursday that the waterway “will be closed until further notice”, keeping ongoing pressure on global energy markets despite the post-announcement drop in oil prices.

11 6 月, 2026
Christian Pulisic is ready to shoulder the burden of US hopes in home World Cup opener vs Paraguay

IRVINE, Calif. — As the United States prepares to host the 2026 FIFA World Cup and kicks off its tournament campaign against Paraguay this Friday, Christian Pulisic finds himself in a rare, pressure-filled position: he is the undisputed generational star of the host nation’s men’s national team, carrying the expectations of an entire soccer-crazed country on his shoulders.

Pulisic joins an exclusive, shortlist of elite global talents who have landed this exact confluence of skill, stardom, and timing when their home country hosts soccer’s biggest tournament. Past names on that list read like a who’s who of modern soccer royalty: Zinedine Zidane, who led France to a 1998 World Cup title on home soil; Michael Ballack, who anchored host Germany’s 2006 squad; and Neymar, who carried Brazil’s hopes as the home nation in 2014.

Pulisic’s teammates and coaching staff are acutely aware of the massive burden he carries. For nearly a decade, he has been framed as the face of American men’s soccer, the groundbreaking talent that turned a historically middling soccer nation into a growing competitor on the global stage. Teammates across the roster openly acknowledge that all eyes — from the pitch to the sold-out stands — will remain fixed on Pulisic, with fans and peers alike hoping his decade of proven success at top European clubs will lift the U.S. to unprecedented heights on home soil.

“I can’t even imagine the weight that’s on his shoulders,” said 27-year-old Bournemouth midfielder Tyler Adams, Pulisic’s long-time midfield partner. “From such a young age, he was the hope of American soccer.”

Now 27, Pulisic refuses to shrink from the bright spotlight that will burn brighter than ever across the tournament’s coming weeks. In comments Thursday at the U.S. national team’s Orange County training base, he reaffirmed that this high-stakes moment is exactly what he has spent his entire career working toward.

Unlike his early years in the national program, when he was the lone elite talent carrying the team’s aspirations, Pulisic says he feels no extra pressure heading into the World Cup. In fact, he argues the weight on his shoulders may even be lighter than it has been in years past, thanks to the depth of talent that has emerged around him in recent seasons.

“I don’t feel a difference in weight. I’m not sure. Maybe less,” Pulisic said. “I just feel like there’s so many good players around me. I genuinely don’t feel like I have to do anything on my own. I’m going to give it the best I can. I want to help the team, and they expect a lot out of me, but with the guys I have around me, it makes it a lot easier for me.”

Pulisic’s status as the center of U.S. World Cup hopes dates back longer than this tournament cycle. When the World Cup was first awarded to the North American bloc of the U.S., Canada, and Mexico eight years ago, Pulisic was already the rising star of American soccer. A native of Hershey, Pennsylvania, he broke into the senior national team as a 17-year-old prodigy, becoming the first homegrown U.S. talent to earn consistent playing time and stardom at Europe’s top clubs.

Over the past 10 years, he has built a resume unrivaled by any active American player: after cutting his teeth at Borussia Dortmund, he transferred to Chelsea in 2019, where he became just the second American to win the UEFA Champions League in 2021. He moved to Serie A’s AC Milan in 2023, where he remains a key contributor for one of Europe’s top clubs. While the U.S. national program has struggled for consistent progress through his career, and Pulisic even endured an 18-month goal drought with the national team that only ended in late May, he still stands as the Americans’ most consistently dynamic playmaker.

Adams, who has shared the pitch with Pulisic since the winger’s 2016 senior debut, recalled watching the teenage prospect immediately become the team’s most irreplaceable player. Even after that 2016 campaign ended in devastating failure — the U.S. failed to qualify for the 2018 World Cup — Pulisic quickly emerged as the foundation of the program’s rebuild.

“(Pulisic was) the best player on the field at 17 years old, and the person that they rely on, (and) it’s been since then that they’ve relied on him,” Adams said. “Now, we have weapons around him to kind of relieve that, but he’s a star. Not just for the U.S. national team, but in world football. He’s that good. We rely on him in big moments, but that being said, I hope he doesn’t feel the pressure to carry it all. Just to be himself and grow into each game.”

Pulisic made his first World Cup appearance in Qatar four years ago, where he notched one goal and one assist as the U.S. exited in the knockout round after scoring just three total goals across four matches. This time around, he says the home-field advantage brings a unique sense of comfort, with family and fans able to cheer the team on close to home.

“It feels similar, but with a bit of that comfort of being in America,” Pulisic said. “It feels great having the people you love around you. It makes it that much more special.”

New U.S. head coach Mauricio Pochettino, who took over the program in late 2024, has worked to build an aggressive, attack-minded squad centered around Pulisic’s creative strengths, while intentionally spreading responsibility across the roster to reduce reliance on the star. Two prolific Europe-based strikers, Folarin Balogun and Ricardo Pepi, will make their World Cup debuts this tournament, with the expectation that they will share the scoring load that once fell entirely to Pulisic.

Pochettino emphasized that while Pulisic will play a critical role for the U.S., the team’s collective culture and identity matters more than any individual star.

“Of course he needs to be an important player for us in the competition,” Pochettino said. “(But) I think what we’ve learned after a year and a half is that the badge of the national team and the culture with this country is more important than any name, any player or any coach. That is a principal thing that we (believe), and from there, if you have talent and quality, you can perform on that platform.”

Still, with his first World Cup knockout round exit behind him, Pulisic understands the U.S. needs to hit the ground running on home soil, starting with Friday’s opener against a tough Paraguay side. For the veteran star, past tournament experience has helped calm his nerves, even as the spotlight grows larger than ever.

“It has that big-game feel, for sure,” Pulisic said. “But in some ways, I feel a little bit more relaxed because I’ve been there before. We’ve played in a match like this. I think the experience has calmed me down a little bit.”

11 6 月, 2026
‘Once in a lifetime’ – Mexico fans share excitement as World Cup kicks off

As the 2026 FIFA World Cup kicked off its opening match for the Mexican national team at the iconic Azteca Stadium, thousands of elated supporters filled the streets surrounding the venue, describing the electric atmosphere as a ‘once in a lifetime’ experience they would never forget. The BBC caught up with dozens of ticket-holding fans moments after the final whistle, where Mexico secured a dominant 2-0 victory over South Africa to launch their tournament campaign on a high note.

Supporters clad in the team’s signature green, white, and red jerseys packed the plazas and sidewalks outside the stadium, waving flags, singing traditional chants, and embracing one another in celebration. Many fans traveled hundreds of miles from across Mexico to attend the opening match, with some telling reporters they had saved for years to secure their spot at the legendary venue, which has hosted two World Cup finals in its history.

Azteca Stadium, one of the most recognizable soccer stadiums in the world, provided a dramatic backdrop for the opening clash. From the opening kickoff, the crowd roared nonstop, creating a wall of noise that pushed Mexico’s players to secure the two-goal advantage. Even after the match ended, fans lingered outside the stadium to share their joy with friends, family, and reporters, emphasizing that the combination of hosting a World Cup match at Azteca and opening with a win made the moment unforgettable.

For Mexican soccer, this opening victory marks a promising start to what fans hope will be a deep tournament run. The energy outside the stadium reflected the widespread optimism across the country, as supporters turn their attention to the nation’s next group stage match, with hopes of continuing their winning momentum.

11 6 月, 2026
The parents whose boys play in two World Cup teams

For football fans across Scotland, picking a team to cheer on at the 2026 FIFA World Cup is a straightforward choice. But for one Aberdeenshire family, the tournament brings a once-in-a-lifetime joyous dilemma: two sons, wearing the jerseys of two different nations, both competing on soccer’s biggest global stage.

Jack and Heather Souttar, lifelong football lovers from the small village of Luthermuir, are packing their bags this week to travel across the Atlantic to the United States, where their middle son John will make his World Cup debut starting for Scotland, while their youngest son Harry lines up for Australia. The unique situation is a dream come true for the proud parents, even as it requires careful logistics to pull off.

John and Harry are both professional centre-backs, who cut their teeth in the Scottish football system before moving to top clubs across the United Kingdom. John, who earned his first Scotland cap in 2018, currently plays for Glasgow Rangers after previous stints at Dundee United and Heart of Midlothian. Harry, who got his Australian eligibility through Heather, who was born in the country, has been a mainstay of the Socceroos squad since 2019, and currently plies his trade at Leicester City following spells at Stoke City and Dundee United. What makes the 2026 tournament extra special is that it marks John’s first appearance at a World Cup, while Harry already featured for Australia at the 2022 Qatar edition.

The logistical challenge for Jack and Heather is significant: their sons’ two opening round group stage matches are separated by 3,000 miles and six days of travel across the U.S. The couple have already planned for the first two matches, but say they are keeping their plans flexible, holding out hope that both Scotland and Australia advance deep into the tournament, requiring them to travel further to continue cheering on both boys.

Far from the family being torn between loyalties, the Souttars say their support for both sons is equal. “It’s a big thing, I suppose. We want to support both kids and both countries. Then the ball’s in the air for the rest of it,” Jack said in an interview, adding that the brothers share a warm, friendly rivalry rather than any bitter competition. Though they occasionally scrapped as children, the pair are close, regularly discussing matches and supporting one another through the ups and downs of professional football.

Football has been woven into the Souttar family’s life for generations. Jack himself played for Brechin City in his youth, and all five of his children – oldest son Aaron, followed by Mhiran, John, Ailsa and Harry – grew up playing the game and following it closely. Over decades, Jack and Heather logged thousands of miles driving across the UK to watch their sons play at youth and professional levels, a commitment they never saw as a burden.

“I think the big thing is that it was never a task for us,” Jack said. “We trained at Dundee twice a week. Then we were going down to Glasgow twice a week and training down there… We were all over the country supporting them and, to be fair, we both really enjoy football. It was excellent. We didn’t want to be grumpy parents. We treated it as a holiday.”

This World Cup is not the first time the Souttar family has had a chance to watch Scotland compete at the tournament. In 1998, the last time Scotland qualified for the World Cup before 2026, Jack traveled to France with 10-year-old Aaron, while a toddler-aged John stayed home with Heather, who was heavily pregnant with Harry. Heather never got to make that 1998 trip, and joked that she has waited 28 years for her turn to attend a World Cup with her family. “I never made it. I was very pleased that they went and I said ‘well, I’ll go to the next one’,” she said. “But here we are, 28 years later for the next one. I’ve waited a while.”

This year, a group of four generations of extended Souttar family and friends will travel to the U.S. with Jack and Heather, who has organized the entire trip. The only absence will be Aaron, the oldest brother, who passed away in July 2022 at the age of 42 after a multi-year battle with motor neurone disease. Both John and Harry have spoken publicly about how Aaron shaped their careers and served as a role model for them growing up.

One of the biggest questions the Souttars have been asked is what will happen if Scotland and Australia both advance far enough to face each other in a knockout match, pitting brother against brother on the world stage. But Jack says the family’s love for both sons will not change, no matter the outcome. “I don’t think, because we’re from Scotland, our feelings for Harry are any less. We’re just so proud – as any parent would be – for their kids doing well. In any sport or any walk of life,” he said.

For Heather, the 2026 World Cup is about more than just football: it is a chance to build new, lasting memories for the whole family, after 28 years of waiting. “On the football side we’ll have new stories, because we’ve heard the France ’98 stories for years, so we’ll have lots of new stories and new memories for all the family,” she said. “Memories and stories forever and that’s all you can want for families, isn’t it?”

11 6 月, 2026
World Cup 2026: Tournament kicks off under shadow of politics and restrictions

The 2026 FIFA World Cup, the most prestigious tournament in global football, kicked off Thursday amid a wave of controversy that has pitted the joy of the world’s game against systemic issues ranging from harsh visa restrictions and exploitative dynamic pricing to overt political interference from the Trump administration. What was billed as a historic first tri-nation co-hosting effort between the United States, Mexico and Canada has instead been defined by barriers for teams, officials and fans, particularly those from Global South nations. Play opened with the host Mexico facing 2010 World Cup winner South Africa in Mexico City, followed by a Group Stage clash between South Korea and Czechia. The North American leg of the tournament gets underway on Friday, with Canada’s opening match against Bosnia and Herzegovina in the afternoon and the United States taking on Paraguay in the evening. Of the tournament’s 104 total matches, 78 will be held across the U.S., while Canada and Mexico will host 15 matches apiece.

Even before the opening kickoff, political tensions spilled onto the pitch. Thousands of protesters gathered at Mexico City’s Estadio Ciudad de Mexico ahead of the opening ceremony, drawing attention to the politicized landscape surrounding the event. But the most high-profile controversy has centered on actions by the Trump administration, which has enacted sweeping entry restrictions and targeted vetting that has disrupted teams and officials across the globe. Just days before the tournament began, U.S. border officials barred entry to Somali referee Omar Artan, one of 52 officials selected to officiate matches, who was stopped during a so-called “routine inspection” at Miami International Airport despite holding a valid U.S. visa. Artan, who would have made history as the first Somali referee at a men’s World Cup and was named 2025 Confederation of African Football Referee of the Year, was held for 11 hours of intensive questioning where he provided all required FIFA and supporting documentation before being detained and deported back to Somalia via Istanbul. The U.S. currently enforces a near-total travel ban on Somalia.

Artan’s exclusion is not an isolated case. Iran, which is also under a full Trump-era travel ban, requested that all of its team’s matches held on U.S. soil be relocated to Mexico amid heightened security tensions tied to the U.S.-Israeli campaign against Iran. The request was initially rejected, before officials eventually allowed Iran to base its team in Mexico – but imposed a punishing requirement that the entire squad enter and exit the U.S. on the same day as each of their fixtures, eliminating any chance for proper pre-match acclimatization and preparation. Multiple members of Iran’s support staff were also denied visas entirely. U.S. officials publicly stated the restrictions were intended to prevent Iran from “abusing this system to sneak terrorists into the United States under false pretences.”

Teams from other nations that fall under U.S. travel restrictions have also faced heightened, discriminatory security measures. Senegal’s national team underwent extensive baggage inspections directly on the airport tarmac upon arrival, while the Uzbek squad was greeted at their U.S. training facility by drug-sniffing dogs and mandatory security screenings. Senegal is subject to a partial U.S. travel ban. An Iraqi player was detained at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport, and the Iraqi team’s official photographer was barred from entering the country entirely.

On the eve of the tournament opening, U.S. President Donald Trump – who has previously been awarded the FIFA Peace Prize – made a stunning announcement that the U.S. would launch military strikes against Iran and invade its territory, amplifying global security fears just as the tournament got underway. When asked about the ongoing visa disputes impacting World Cup participants, Trump only stated that the cases were under review, adding “We’re working on it very closely to make sure the right people come into our country.”

Beyond political and visa chaos, the 2026 tournament has been marred by exorbitant ticket pricing that has priced out all but the wealthiest fans, a crisis amplified by the introduction of “dynamic pricing” for the first time in World Cup history. The new model allows ticket platform algorithms to adjust prices in real time based on consumer demand, pushing costs to unprecedented levels. As of the tournament’s opening day, the cheapest available ticket for the U.S.’s opening match in Los Angeles stood at $1,183, while the next U.S.-based fixture between Qatar and Switzerland carries a minimum entry price of roughly $614. Even for a lower-demand Group Stage match between Haiti and Scotland in Massachusetts, the cheapest available seat costs just under $650. A high-profile clash between top-ranked Brazil and Morocco in New Jersey will see fans pay a minimum of $1,633 just to attend.

Unlike past World Cups held in South Africa, Brazil, Russia and Qatar – which offered subsidized ticket rates for local residents – the U.S. has implemented no federal program to make tickets affordable for average fans. While prices in the U.S. are the highest across the three host nations, even opening match tickets in Mexico during the second round of sales in April 2026 ranged from $3,000 to $10,000, according to CNN reporting. Minor price cuts have emerged in the days leading up to kickoff, but volatile price fluctuations have left costs far out of reach for most casual fans. Leading U.S. sports outlet The Athletic has labeled the 2026 ticket pricing structure an outright “rip-off.”

Visa restrictions have created additional layers of barriers for international fans hoping to attend. The U.S. already maintains one of the strictest visa application regimes in the world, requiring visitors from Global South nations to disclose extensive financial records, full employment histories, next-of-kin details, attend mandatory in-person interviews and pay hundreds of dollars in application fees just to be considered. The Trump administration has added a new requirement for extensive social media vetting of all non-immigrant visa applicants, ostensibly to screen for national security threats, but critics argue the process is used to exclude applicants with political views that conflict with the administration’s agenda.

Unlike the 2018 World Cup in Russia and the 2022 tournament in Qatar, both of which implemented simplified special entry processes for ticket holders, the U.S. has created new hurdles that disproportionately impact fans from lower-income countries. In December 2025, Trump added 39 nations to the U.S. travel ban, including four participating World Cup nations: Haiti and Iran were placed under full entry bans, while Senegal and Ivory Coast face partial restrictions. The administration also imposed a mandatory visa bond scheme requiring travelers from 50 nations to pay deposits ranging from $5,000 to $15,000 to the State Department before receiving a visa, though the rule was partially rolled back in mid-May to exempt ticket holders and team staff from participating nations including Algeria, Cape Verde, Ivory Coast, Senegal and Tunisia.

Advocates and rights groups have criticized FIFA for failing to push back against these discriminatory restrictions, arguing the global governing body has effectively legitimized the U.S.’s policies. Even FIFA’s much-promoted “once-in-a-lifetime 2026 World Cup Final experience” package, which includes tickets and accommodation, is only open to legal residents of 16 countries – explicitly excluding residents of co-host Mexico from entering.

Andrew Giuliani, executive director of the White House Task Force on the 2026 FIFA World Cup, defended the administration’s policies in December 2025, telling reporters “I’ve known the president for 25 years. The president does not rule out anything that will help make American citizens safer.”

Tensions extend far beyond entry restrictions, with rights groups warning that even fans and officials with valid visas face risks of detention, invasive questioning and aggressive immigration enforcement during their stay. The issue gained attention after a father of two was arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) during a FIFA Club World Cup match in New Jersey in July 2025. In late April 2026, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) issued an official national travel advisory warning foreign visitors of the risks of entering the U.S., including arbitrary detention and deportation, invasive social media screening, racial profiling, suppression of free speech, widespread surveillance, and even the risk of inhumane treatment or death in U.S. detention facilities.

The ACLU has also raised concerns about the rights of people already residing in the U.S., particularly those protesting the Trump administration’s immigration policies. In late May, workers at Inglewood, California’s SoFi Stadium – which will host multiple World Cup matches – publicly demanded that ICE have no involvement in the tournament. Workers raised alarms that FIFA may be sharing personal data of staff and attendees with ICE and foreign intelligence agencies. “We cannot celebrate the World Cup while workers, tourists, immigrant families, and local communities are made to feel unsafe. Los Angeles should be a city of welcome – not fear,” Yolanda Fierro, a SoFi Stadium worker and member of Unite Here Local 11 trade union, said in a statement.

Activists stress they are not calling for a boycott of the tournament, but rather for all visitors to prepare for the risks they may face. “It is a call for precaution – for awareness of risks, for preparation, and for safety planning,” explained Jamil Dakwar, director of the ACLU’s human rights program.

11 6 月, 2026
Argentina’s inflation slows to 8-month low in a boost for President Milei

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina — Fresh economic data released Thursday has delivered a rare glimmer of good news for Argentine President Javier Milei, as the country’s inflation rate cooled for the second straight month in May, following nearly a year of unrelenting price hikes that threatened to erode the libertarian leader’s core policy progress.

Government statistics agency INDEC reported that consumer prices climbed 2.1% in May compared to April, a figure that Economy Minister Luis Caputo celebrated as the lowest monthly inflation rate recorded in eight months. However, the annual inflation rate ticked upward slightly to 33.2% this May, a statistical shift driven by an unusually low 1.5% monthly inflation reading in May 2025, which marked a seven-year low at the time.

Since that 2025 low, prices have remained persistently high, squeezing household budgets across the country and stoking widespread public discontent with Milei’s administration. The government is already grappling with overlapping crises: a string of high-profile corruption scandals, and a deep economic downturn hitting labor-heavy sectors including retail and manufacturing.

Breaking down May’s price movements, communications services saw the steepest increase at 3.4%, driven by rising phone and internet bills. Education costs followed close behind, while food prices accelerated 2.5% year-over-year, continuing to put pressure on low- and middle-income households.

Beyond the inflation data, the Milei administration secured another vote of confidence from global markets this week: major credit ratings agency S&P Global announced late Wednesday it had upgraded Argentina’s sovereign credit rating to stable B-, up from the CCC tier widely considered to signal high risk of sovereign default. The upgrade cited the government’s consistent track record of meeting debt repayment obligations.

Milei publicly celebrated the dual wins on social media, sharing the INDEC inflation report and praising Caputo — who goes by the nickname “Toto” — with the enthusiastic comment, “Let’s goooooo Toto!”

While the credit upgrade still leaves Argentina well below investment grade status, it marks a key step forward for Milei’s long-term policy goal of restoring the crisis-prone Argentine economy’s access to global capital markets. It has been six years since Argentina defaulted on its foreign debt for the ninth time in the country’s modern history.

Milei took office in late 2023 on a promise to crush Argentina’s long-running sky-high inflation and reverse decades of chronic fiscal deficits. More than two years into his term, his sweeping austerity and deregulation agenda has delivered tangible progress: the country has posted a rare budget surplus, won over skeptical international investors, and brought annual inflation down from the 200% peak it hit when he first took office to the current 33% reading.

Yet significant headwinds remain that threaten to undermine Milei’s agenda. Even with slowing inflation, the cost of living in the capital Buenos Aires is now comparable to major European capitals, and price growth continues to outpace real wage gains for most workers. Unemployment has crept upward as thousands of workers have been laid off from domestic industries that cannot compete with a flood of cheap imported goods.

Compounding economic pressures, corruption scandals — which Milei vowed to eliminate when he campaigned for office — have eroded public support even as the administration cuts funding for core public services including education, health care and social assistance.

The most recent controversy involves Milei’s top aide and cabinet chief Manuel Adorni, who is currently under investigation for alleged illicit enrichment. Investigators are probing Adorni’s lavish travel, including an all-cash luxury trip to Aruba, and high-value real estate purchases that appear out of line with his modest public salary. On Wednesday, Adorni admitted to hiding $500,000 in undeclared savings and unreported cryptocurrency investments, deepening the political scandal.

11 6 月, 2026