Global Pulse

分类： sports

  • Stokes facing uncertain future as England captain after nightclub incident ‘with rugby player’

    Stokes facing uncertain future as England captain after nightclub incident ‘with rugby player’

    England men’s cricket captain Ben Stokes is facing an uncertain future in his leadership role after the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) launched a formal investigation into a reported early-morning nightclub incident involving the star all-rounder, teammate Gus Atkinson, and a Saracens rugby union academy player, the governing body confirmed Monday.

    The probe was launched within 24 hours of England securing a dominant 115-run victory over New Zealand in the opening Test of their three-match series at Lord’s, a win that was meant to turn the page on the team’s humiliating 4-1 Ashes series defeat in Australia earlier this year. Atkinson, the young pace bowler who sealed the win with a match-winning second-innings haul of 5 wickets for 30 runs, is also under investigation alongside Stokes for violating team protocols.

    The incident unfolded in the early hours of Monday at a London nightclub, where Saracens were hosting an end-of-season party for their squad and staff. The Premiership rugby club later issued a statement confirming that one of their academy players was involved in the altercation, adding that club officials were working to gather full details and coordinating with relevant authorities before taking further action.

    For Stokes, the controversy represents the latest high-profile incident linked to nightclub behavior, marking a repeat of a 2017 incident outside a Bristol venue that saw him charged with affray. He was ultimately cleared of the charge in 2018 after a trial, but missed the entire 2017/18 Ashes tour as a result of the legal process. This new probe also comes against a backdrop of ongoing scrutiny of the England squad’s off-field culture, which first intensified during the January Ashes tour, when social media footage emerged of opening batsman Ben Duckett appearing visibly intoxicated during a mid-series break in Noosa. Though then-England cricket director Rob Key launched an investigation and rejected claims of a systemic drinking culture within the squad, the incident prompted the ECB to introduce a mandatory midnight curfew for all players and staff – a rule that remains in effect as of the New Zealand series.

    The current controversy also carries echoes of a 2023 incident involving Harry Brook, England’s current white-ball captain, who was fined and censured after a late-night nightclub clash with a bouncer ahead of a One Day International in Wellington. Brook had initially claimed he was alone at the venue, only for it to emerge he was accompanied by two teammates, leading directly to the introduction of the current curfew policy.

    If the ECB determines that Stokes violated team rules and strips him of the captaincy, Brook is widely tipped to step into the role for the second Test, scheduled to begin next week at The Oval in London. That would mark a dramatic turnaround for Brook, who only 10 months ago was disciplined for the same type of off-field behavior that now threatens Stokes’ leadership.

    In a post-victory interview after the Lord’s win, 35-year-old Stokes – who had celebrated his birthday during the Test – spoke openly of his desire to celebrate the win with his squad. “I’m not going to lie, I’m very, very happy that we’ve won this week. I knew how big this game was in terms of the result and how it was going to be perceived externally if it didn’t go well,” he said. “I won’t be really happy until I get to share a beer with the boys.”

    The ECB said in its official statement that it is still gathering information about the incident, and will announce the squad for the second Test in due course, leaving cricket fans and pundits waiting for clarity on the future of England’s red-ball cricket leadership.

  • Platini switches to French courts in long-running FIFA feud

    Platini switches to French courts in long-running FIFA feud

    Just four days before the kickoff of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, a long-simmering power struggle at the top of global football has erupted into a new legal battle. Seventy-year-old Michel Platini, the legendary French footballer who led the organization of the 1998 World Cup on home soil, announced Monday he has launched legal action against current FIFA president Gianni Infantino in French judicial system, marking the latest turn in a feud stretching back almost a decade.

    In an official statement shared with Agence France-Presse, Platini confirmed his legal team has submitted two separate court filings targeting the plot he claims was hatched to keep him from claiming the FIFA presidency he says was promised to him. The French legal system, the statement noted, is now charged with fully unravelling this conspiracy.

    The roots of the conflict stretch back to 2015, when long-time FIFA president Sepp Blatter was forced out of office amid a sweeping corruption scandal. At the time, Platini served as the head of UEFA, European football’s governing body, and was widely seen as the overwhelming favorite to succeed Blatter. But just as his campaign got underway, the former France captain and national team coach was pulled into the expanding scandal, derailing his bid entirely. In his place, Infantino — Platini’s own deputy at UEFA — stepped in and won the FIFA presidency, setting off a years-long bitter feud between the two men.

    Platini’s new legal action names three key figures as defendants: 56-year-old Infantino, and former FIFA officials Marco Villiger and Domenico Scala. He is also calling on French prosecutors to open investigations into former Swiss Attorney General Michael Lauber and other officials from his department. The first filing is a civil lawsuit, which seeks full financial compensation for all harms Platini has endured since the alleged conspiracy blocked his 2015 presidential run. The second is a criminal complaint that pushes for a formal investigation into charges of criminal conspiracy, false accusations, influence peddling, and aiding and abetting influence peddling, all aimed at removing Platini from the 2015 presidential race.

    This is not the first time Platini has turned to the courts to seek redress. He previously filed two separate legal complaints in Switzerland, but neither case ever proceeded to a public trial. For their part, Swiss prosecutors spent years pursuing criminal action against Platini over a $2 million 2011 payment he received from FIFA, but three separate attempts to secure a conviction all ended in failure. Swiss authorities have also opened investigations into Infantino over his use of private jets and three undisclosed closed-door meetings he held with Lauber between 2016 and 2017.

    In his statement Monday, Platini doubled down on his claim that he was the victim of a coordinated unjust plot. “The Parisian investigating judge, along with investigative agencies, police, and gendarmerie, are tasked with uncovering and exposing the internal manoeuvres within FIFA, with the possible complicity of Swiss magistrates, to block the path of the three-time Ballon d’Or winner to the helm of world soccer,” the statement read.

  • FIFA settles $75M transfer claim from former France player Lassana Diarra with no payment

    FIFA settles $75M transfer claim from former France player Lassana Diarra with no payment

    CORAL GABLES, Fla. – Global soccer governing body FIFA announced on Monday that former French international midfielder Lassana Diarra has ended his 65 million euro ($75 million) damages claim against the organization through a settlement that requires no financial payment from FIFA.

    Diarra, who has played for top European clubs including Arsenal, Real Madrid, and Paris Saint-Germain, originally launched the damages lawsuit against FIFA and the Belgian Football Association last year. The legal action followed a landmark 2024 ruling from the European Union’s highest court that struck down key parts of FIFA’s global transfer regulations.

    In an official public statement, FIFA confirmed that the two sides have reached a global agreement that dismisses all ongoing legal proceedings between Diarra and the organization. The statement also clarified that “FIFA has not made any admission of liability nor payment by way of compensation” as part of the settlement deal.

    As of Monday, it remains uncertain whether this resolution will impact the separate class-action lawsuit that Diarra’s legal team has brought against FIFA growing out of the earlier Luxembourg-based European Court of Justice case. Representatives from Dupont Hissel, the Belgian law firm representing Diarra, have been contacted for additional comment on the settlement terms and the status of the class-action suit.

    This recent legal resolution brings an end to one chapter of a decade-long dispute between Diarra and international soccer’s governing body. The conflict first erupted back in 2014, when Diarra’s contract with Russian top-flight club Lokomotiv Moscow broke down acrimoniously. Following the split, FIFA and the Court of Arbitration for Sport ruled in favor of the Russian side, finding that Diarra had terminated his contract without valid just cause. The ruling imposed a 10.5 million euro ($12.1 million) liability that fell on both Diarra and any new club that sought to sign him after the split.

    That original dispute pushed Diarra to challenge the legality of FIFA’s centralized global transfer system, a fight that ultimately led to his case being heard by the European Court of Justice. In the 2024 landmark decision, judges ruled that core elements of FIFA’s transfer rules violated both European Union competition legislation and the EU’s principle of free movement for workers.

  • England says alleged protocol breach after Stokes and Atkinson at nightclub incident

    England says alleged protocol breach after Stokes and Atkinson at nightclub incident

    The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has launched an official investigation into a potential violation of internal team rules, just days after England’s opening Test match victory over New Zealand at Lord’s Cricket Ground.

    In an official statement confirming the inquiry, the ECB revealed that Ben Stokes, the team’s star captain, and fast bowler Gus Atkinson attended a central London nightclub in the early hours of Monday, where an alleged incident occurred that may have breached the squad’s code of conduct. The governing body noted that it has already notified the UK’s national cricket regulator of the ongoing investigation and is working to gather additional details from all involved parties before moving forward with any decisions.

    The announcement comes on the heels of a landmark 115-run win for England over New Zealand in the first Test, which wrapped up at the iconic Lord’s venue on Sunday. This match marked England’s first Test appearance since January’s devastating 4-1 Ashes series defeat in Australia, making the opening victory a much-welcome boost for the side. Both Stokes and Atkinson played critical roles in securing the win: Atkinson delivered a career-best five-wicket haul for just 30 runs on the fourth and final day of play, while captain Stokes also picked up a wicket to help consolidate England’s dominant position.

    Fans and analysts will have to wait for further clarity on the outcome of the investigation, as the ECB confirmed that any updates, including the official announcement of the squad for the second Test, will be released in due course. The upcoming second match of the two-Test series is not scheduled to begin until June 17 at London’s Oval, leaving the governing body several weeks to complete its inquiry before the next fixture gets underway.

  • Somali referee Artan barred from entering USA

    Somali referee Artan barred from entering USA

    A historic milestone for Somali football has hit an unexpected hurdle, as Omar Artan, the first referee from the East African nation ever selected to officiate at a FIFA World Cup finals, has been denied entry into the United States ahead of the 2026 tri-nation tournament. Artan, who was named the 2025 Confederation of African Football Men’s Referee of the Year, was turned away by border officials upon arrival at Miami International Airport and has since traveled to Turkey, where he remains in temporary residence as of this reporting. As of the latest update, U.S. immigration authorities have not released any official explanation for the decision to bar Artan’s entry. However, the East African country has been included on the U.S. travel ban list first introduced during former President Donald Trump’s administration, a policy that has remained in place in subsequent years and restricted entry for citizens of several Muslim-majority nations. Artan was one of 52 match officials selected by FIFA last year to officiate across the 2026 World Cup, which is being co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico from June 12 to July 19 this year. A long-time senior official with the Somali national football league championships, Artan worked his way up the global officiating ranks after earning his FIFA referee badge in 2018, and has already gained high-profile experience officiating matches at the 2023 African Cup of Nations, earning praise for his consistent performance on the continental stage. The incident has renewed long-simmering criticism of U.S. travel restrictions and visa requirements tied to the 2026 World Cup, with many football fans across affected nations already voicing frustration that widespread barriers are putting the tournament out of reach for supporters and officials from the Global South, contradicting FIFA’s public framing of the 2026 event as a truly inclusive, global competition.

  • Lockdown in New York as Trump to attend NBA Finals

    Lockdown in New York as Trump to attend NBA Finals

    As the NBA Finals shifts to New York for its third matchup on Monday, Manhattan’s iconic Madison Square Garden is under unprecedented security restrictions, with law enforcement establishing a rigid protective perimeter around the arena ahead of President Donald Trump’s attendance at the game featuring his long-time favorite team, the hometown New York Knicks.

    Security officials have implemented sweeping restrictions that bar non-ticket holding fans from approaching within several city blocks of the venue, and have prohibited public watch parties immediately outside the Garden — a sharp shift from the first two games of the series, which drew large, celebratory crowds of Knicks supporters. Authorities are urging all ticket holders to plan ahead, arriving no less than two hours before the 8:30 p.m. tip-off (0030 GMT Tuesday) to clear rigorous, airport-style security screenings, and have enacted a full ban on all bags inside the arena.

    “The message is simple: celebrate the Knicks, but avoid the MSG area tonight if you do not have tickets for the game,” New York Police Department (NYPD) Commissioner Jessica Tisch stated during a pre-game press briefing.

    The enhanced security measures come on the heels of two recent events that have factored into planning: a late-night stabbing at Penn Station — the transit hub located directly beneath Madison Square Garden — that left six people injured Sunday, and three alleged assassination attempts targeting President Trump over the past 18 months. Law enforcement has emphasized that the stabbing suspect, a male offender described by U.S. media as emotionally disturbed, has no confirmed ties to terrorist organizations, and downplayed broader public safety risks connected to the incident.

    On Monday, an Agence France-Presse (AFP) reporter on the ground observed 10-foot-tall security fencing erected around portions of Madison Square Garden, alongside a heavy deployment of Secret Service personnel tasked with protecting the sitting U.S. president. Counter-drone technology will also be deployed as part of the Secret Service’s protective operation, a security official confirmed.

    For non-ticket holding Knicks faithful like 45-year-old Eric Velez, the restrictions mean adjusting long-held plans to gather near the arena to support the team. Velez told reporters he would instead watch the game at a Manhattan bar, acknowledging he could not get close to MSG due to the security cordon. Even with the change of plans, he remained optimistic about the team’s historic run: “It’s looking good so far. I’m nervous. Hopefully they do it this time,” Velez said ahead of tip-off.

    The Knicks enter Monday’s matchup holding a commanding 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven finals series against the San Antonio Spurs, with the next two games scheduled to take place on New York home turf. The franchise has not claimed an NBA championship since 1973, a 52-year drought that has sparked unprecedented frenzy among fans across the five boroughs of America’s largest city.

    While average ticket prices for Monday’s game far outpace the budget of most New Yorkers, Madison Square Garden — long billed as the “World’s Most Famous Arena” — is set to host a sold-out crowd, with a roster of high-profile celebrity fans expected to fill courtside seats. New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani is also among the attendees; he confirmed to reporters he paid roughly $1,000 for his ticket, and that he will not sit alongside Trump during the game.

    Trump, a self-identified lifelong Knicks fan, last visited Madison Square Garden in November 2024 to watch a UFC fight, shortly after his election victory. He previously held a high-profile campaign rally at the venue ahead of the 2024 vote.

    “We all know what tonight means to New Yorkers who have been waiting a long time for an opportunity like this,” Secret Service Special Agent Matt McCool told reporters ahead of the game. “The Secret Service’s focus is straightforward: to ensure everyone attending the game can enjoy the game and have a safe experience, while we carry out our responsibility to protect the President of the United States.”

    NYPD officials confirmed they would not be increasing the existing security deployment at Penn Station specifically in response to Sunday’s stabbing. NYPD Chief Michael LiPetri noted that hundreds of officers are already permanently assigned to the busy transit hub, and that existing staffing levels “will not change in light of the incident yesterday.”

  • Iran’s World Cup football team arrives in Mexico amid US visa row

    Iran’s World Cup football team arrives in Mexico amid US visa row

    Iran’s men’s national World Cup football team has completed its arrival in Mexico, touching down in the North American nation against a backdrop of escalating diplomatic tension over United States entry requirements. The dispute has created an extraordinary logistical challenge for the squad, which will be forced to make repeated cross-border trips for its group-stage matches. Because of unresolved visa issues affecting team members, every group-stage fixture that Iran contests will require the entire delegation to fly out of Mexico, enter US territory to compete, then return to their base in Mexico after the match concludes. This unusual arrangement adds an extra layer of stress and disruption to the team’s preparation, at a time when squads around the globe are focused on fine-tuning tactics and building match fitness ahead of the tournament. The visa row comes amid long-standing geopolitical friction between Iran and the United States, which has spilled over into the sporting arena in the lead-up to the international competition. Football officials and fans have raised concerns that the repeated travel will impact the team’s on-pitch performance, draining players’ energy before they even step onto the field.

  • Alexander Zverev’s French Open title receives a muted reception in France following off-court issues

    Alexander Zverev’s French Open title receives a muted reception in France following off-court issues

    Alexander Zverev’s career-defining first Grand Slam men’s singles title at the 2025 French Open has failed to capture the prominent front-page coverage that usually greets a major tennis champion in France, with the country’s leading sports daily opting to downplay the German’s historic victory to highlight long-standing domestic violence allegations against him.

    Zverev secured his breakthrough major crown on Sunday in Paris after a grueling five-set battle against Italian rising star Flavio Cobolli, becoming just the third German man to claim a Grand Slam singles trophy in the professional era (post-1968) and the first since Boris Becker won the 1996 Australian Open. But the milestone win did not resonate across French media the way most major championship victories do. Most strikingly, leading French sports newspaper L’Équipe relegated Zverev’s achievement to a tiny, off-center mention on its Monday front page, choosing instead to lead with Metz Handball’s historic win as the first French club to claim the Women’s Champions League title. Only a small photo of Zverev in the top-left corner of the front page, paired with the brief headline “Zverev, major at last,” acknowledged the tennis champion’s win.

    Beyond its limited match coverage, L’Équipe published a full op-ed titled “To live with” that centered entirely on the past domestic abuse accusations against Zverev. The allegations date back two years, when Zverev’s former partner Brenda Patea brought an assault claim against him that led to a criminal trial in a Berlin district court. The case concluded with an out-of-court settlement between all parties, with the court dismissing proceedings after Zverev agreed to pay 150,000 euros ($162,000) in fines to the German state and an additional 50,000 euros ($54,000) to domestic violence-focused charities. Under German law, the financial settlement does not count as a formal admission of guilt, and Zverev retains presumption of innocence with no criminal record from the case.

    In the op-ed, L’Équipe acknowledged this legal context but noted that the unresolved public perception of the accusations complicates how Zverev’s victory is received. “The context complicates the reception of his success,” the paper wrote. “He remains presumed innocent in a case that the courts will no longer adjudicate. Everyone will have to live with that. Her, him, you, us.”

    When contacted by the Associated Press, L’Équipe officials framed the editorial decision as partially driven by a crowded weekend of elite sports action: the event slate included the Monaco Formula 1 Grand Prix, key pre-Tour de France cycling developments, and the landmark handball title win by a French club. The paper’s handling of Zverev’s victory also mirrors its choice earlier in the tournament, when it did not feature women’s singles champion Mirra Andreeva’s win on the front page, opting instead to highlight a breakthrough by young French cycling star Paul Seixas. This stands in sharp contrast to past coverage of French Open champions: last year, L’Équipe dedicated its full front page to a photo of Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner after their iconic five-set men’s final, and gave prominent front-page billing to women’s champion Coco Gauff the day before.

    Reception of Zverev’s win has been split in his home country of Germany. Leading tabloid Bild featured Zverev posing with the Roland Garros trophy under the playful headline “Alexander The Great,” though the story shared front-page space with other news, including updates on the national men’s football World Cup campaign. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz offered an unreserved celebration of Zverev’s achievement in a social media post, writing that the champion’s “magnificent victory” had “inspired and thrilled an entire nation.”

    This is not the first time Zverev has faced public scrutiny over abuse allegations: he has also previously denied an assault claim made by a different woman, which was investigated by the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP), the governing body for men’s professional tennis. The ATP closed the investigation in January 2023, concluding there was insufficient evidence to uphold the allegation.

  • Knicks’ long-awaited NBA run electrifies NYC, with Trump set to attend key game

    Knicks’ long-awaited NBA run electrifies NYC, with Trump set to attend key game

    New York City is bracing for an unprecedented collision of sports, politics and celebrity on Monday, as the New York Knicks take the Madison Square Garden court for their first home NBA Finals game in 27 years, with former U.S. President and current sitting President Donald Trump set to be in attendance. The historic matchup, Game 3 of the best-of-seven championship series against the San Antonio Spurs, comes as the Cinderella-story Knicks hold a commanding 2-0 series lead, one win away from their first NBA title since 1973 after decades of league-wide futility.

    Trump’s attendance marks a landmark moment: it is the first time a sitting U.S. president has attended an NBA Finals game, and the first presidential appearance at any NBA matchup since former President Barack Obama watched his hometown Chicago Bulls tip off the 2015 regular season. The former real estate developer and lifelong New Yorker accepted an official invitation from Knicks owner James Dolan to attend Monday’s game, with hints he may also return for Game 3 on Wednesday. When asked by reporters Friday about the sky-high resale ticket prices for the sold-out game, Trump downplayed the sticker shock, noting “It’s sort of semi-free to watch it on television.”

    Trump’s high-profile visit has triggered sweeping security measures across the iconic Manhattan arena and surrounding areas. Organizers have implemented a strict no-bag policy, requiring all attendees to reduce personal items to an absolute minimum, and all fans must pass through airport-style screening before entering. Fans have been urged to arrive at least two hours before tip-off to accommodate the enhanced checks.

    Thousands of New York Police Department officers and hundreds of U.S. Secret Service agents have been deployed to secure the event, a step that comes amid heightened concern following a random stabbing incident at Penn Station — located directly beneath Madison Square Garden — Sunday evening that left five people injured, one critically, with a suspect taken into custody immediately. As a result of the security coordination between NYPD and the Secret Service, a planned public watch party outside the arena has been canceled, though organizers note alternate watch party locations are being finalized for fans without tickets.

    City officials have also prepared for crowd control after unplanned street celebrations following the Knicks’ Game 2 win in Texas left dozens of arrested, with 17 people taken into custody and one NYPD officer assaulted during a prior outdoor gathering near MSG. Thousands of fans flooded Manhattan and Brooklyn streets even for the away game in San Antonio, climbing lampposts, jumping onto food carts and blocking traffic to celebrate the underdog team’s historic run.

    The matchup has also sparked widespread speculation over how the heavily Democratic New York City crowd will react to Trump’s presence. New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani, a self-identified democratic socialist who has been an outspoken Trump critic, confirmed he will also attend Monday’s game, but noted he will be seated “in a very different section of the stadium” from the president. Mamdani struck a unifying tone around the game, however, saying “We look forward to welcoming any New Yorker who is excited for the Knicks to have that chance to win that championship.”

    For ordinary fans, accessing the sold-out game comes at a extraordinary cost: the cheapest resale tickets currently list for more than $10,000, with premium courtside seats topping $100,000. Even in regular season play, Knicks tickets rank among the most expensive in the NBA, a price point amplified by the once-in-a-generation stakes of the 2026 Finals.

    Across New York’s five boroughs, the city has been swept up in unprecedented Knicks championship fever. Iconic skyline landmarks from the Empire State Building to One World Trade Center have been lit up in the team’s signature orange and blue each night, a nearby subway station has gotten a full Knicks-themed makeover, and local businesses have rolled out special orange-and-blue themed menu items from ice cream to bagels to capitalize on the hype. On game nights, thousands of fans in orange and blue gear pack local bars, host impromptu street watch parties with outdoor projectors that project games onto building exteriors, and fill neighborhood blocks to share in the historic moment.

    Monday’s game is also set to be one of the biggest celebrity events of the year, continuing a Knicks tradition that turns home playoff games into A-list spectacles. This postseason has already seen a who’s who of global celebrities in the MSG stands, including actors Timothée Chalamet and Ben Stiller, legendary New York filmmaker and lifelong Knicks fan Spike Lee, and media mogul and reality star Kylie Jenner. After the Knicks’ Game 2 win Friday, Lee was captured on camera high-fiving crowds of ecstatic fans celebrating across Brooklyn.

  • Eriksen ‘doing well’ and expected to leave the hospital after on-field collapse, Denmark team says

    Eriksen ‘doing well’ and expected to leave the hospital after on-field collapse, Denmark team says

    ODENSE, Denmark — Less than 24 hours after experiencing a second on-field collapse during an international friendly against Ukraine, Danish star midfielder Christian Eriksen is recovering well and on track to be released from hospital imminently, according to the Danish men’s national football team’s chief physician.

    The 34-year-old veteran collapsed to the turf in the 65th minute of Sunday’s match hosted in Odense, after grabbing his chest with both hands while not in possession of the ball. Contrary to initial concerns sparked by his 2021 life-threatening incident, Eriksen was able to leave the pitch unassisted following on-site evaluation from medical teams, the Danish Football Association confirmed after the final whistle. He was transferred to Odense University Hospital for further observation and diagnostic testing.

    In an official health update shared Monday morning, Denmark team physician Morten Boesen shared encouraging news about Eriksen’s condition. “I spoke with Christian this morning, and he is doing well,” Boesen said in the statement. “He is with his family and is in good spirits. The expectation is that he will be discharged soon and can return home.” Boesen added that the football association is prioritizing support for all players and staff connected to the incident, maintaining regular check-ins with the group.

    This collapse marks the second time Eriksen has been taken to hospital after falling unconscious during a match, three and a half years after his widely publicized cardiac arrest during Denmark’s opening group stage match at UEFA Euro 2020. Following that 2021 incident, Eriksen received an implantable cardioverter defibrillator to regulate his heart rhythm. In a remarkable comeback, he returned to top-flight professional football less than a year after the near-fatal event.

    Currently, Eriksen plies his trade with German Bundesliga side VfL Wolfsburg, where he is under contract through the 2026-27 season. Denmark failed to secure qualification for the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup, ending the nation’s campaign early ahead of this summer’s tournament in North America.