Fort York and The Bentway to host Toronto FIFA fans during World Cup 2026
The City of Toronto has announced that Fort York and The Bentway will be the official venues for the local FIFA Fan Festival, which will be a free space celebrating Toronto's culture through art, music and food as the World Cup takes place in the city for the first time in 2026.
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Winnipeg Free Press
2 days ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
LA sports celebrities anticipate World Cup's arrival, hope political climate has cooled by then
LOS ANGELES (AP) — When the 2026 World Cup begins across North America one year from this week, sports figures from across Los Angeles are hoping the global soccer community will find the U.S. both inspiring and welcoming. The Fox network marked the one-year milestone Wednesday night with a big party at its studio lot in Century City. Attendees included everyone from 'Ted Lasso' star Jason Sudeikis to luminaries from every corner of the sports world in the nation's second-largest metropolitan area, including Los Angeles Lakers owner Jeanie Buss and Los Angeles Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh. 'I remember when the World Cup was here in the '90s, and then obviously what our American women's team did to win the World Cup (in 1999),' Harbaugh said. 'So yeah, I love sports, I love competition, and I think it's going to be incredible for our state, our city, our country. The vibe is going to be incredible to just have everybody here. I'm looking for another explosion of soccer — football — in America.' The attendees all expressed excitement about the return of the world's premier soccer tournament to the U.S. while acknowledging the uncertainty of whether the nation's fraught political climate could present significant challenges to the teams, the World Cup organizers and even the network that will broadcast the tournament domestically. 'I'm hoping this game can bring people together,' said former LA Galaxy midfielder Cobi Jones, a three-time World Cup veteran and the U.S. men's career leader in appearances. 'That's what we really want. We're talking about the travel bans and all that, I'm hoping that FIFA can work together with our government to find a way that everyone can be here, everyone can enjoy this sport, because it's a cultural event that's happening here in a year. I expect everyone from around the world to be able to come here and enjoy it.' Los Angeles is in the midst of several days of protests against intensified immigration raids across the nation that could cause international fans to wonder whether they can travel to the tournament safely. President Donald Trump's latest expansive travel ban has raised questions about whether some soccer fans will be able to visit at all. Thursdays Keep up to date on sports with Mike McIntyre's weekly newsletter. 'I think it will get figured out,' Harbaugh said. 'To quote the late, great Tom Petty, most things I worry about don't end up happening anyway.' Jones also preached caution for U.S. fans already fretting about the dismal state of their national team. Coach Mauricio Pochettino's squad is on its first four-game losing streak since 2007 after getting thrashed 4-0 by Switzerland on Tuesday in its final tune-up for the CONCACAF Gold Cup. 'We don't panic right now,' Jones said. 'Talk to me when we're a month out. I've seen from experience that with a year out from the World Cup, the team is going to completely change (in the interim). So for me, it's all about a general sense of whether they can come together as a team, because it's not about the individuals. We've seen it so many times.' ___ AP soccer:
Winnipeg Free Press
22-05-2025
- Winnipeg Free Press
Messi's favorite goal, a header for Barcelona in 2009 Champions League final, to become work of art
Lionel Messi has revealed his favorite goal, and it wasn't one of the hundreds he has scored with his legendary left foot. It was a header — one that sealed Barcelona's 2009 Champions League final win over Manchester United. The Inter Miami star, World Cup champion for Argentina and eight-time Ballon d'Or winner made the announcement on Thursday, saying that goal from 16 years ago stands above the many he has logged for club and country over his unparalleled career. 'I've scored many goals that might have been even more beautiful and valuable — also because of their importance — but the header in the Champions League final against Manchester United has always been my favorite,' Messi said. Messi had plenty of options to choose from: He's scored more than 800 goals for Argentina, Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain and Inter Miami. The reason that he picked one to stand out is for charity. A depiction of that goal is being turned into a work of art, one that will be auctioned off to raise money for various causes. Messi and the artist, Refik Anadol, will both sign the art piece, which will be unveiled by auction house Christie's on June 11. There will be a public exhibition period, along with an auction from July 15-22. A statement from Inter Miami on Thursday said that people within Christie's 'suggest this one-of-a-kind work has all the makings of a record-breaking sale.' 'Leo Messi's goal is more than a defining moment in sport — it is a complex expression of human intent, memory, and motion,' Anadol said. 'By integrating biosensing technologies and advanced AI systems trained on data from that singular event, we are exploring a new frontier in AI art — one in which data becomes emotion, and memory becomes form.' The goal put Barcelona up 2-0 in the 70th minute, and that was the final score of the match. It was like few others in Messi's career. Barcelona's Xavi Hernández came down the right side of the field and lofted a chip into the penalty box. Messi — not known for headers — leaped to reach the ball that was estimated to be nearly 9 feet (2.70 meters) in the air, redirecting it with his head past Manchester United goalkeeper Edwin van de Sar. Thursdays Keep up to date on sports with Mike McIntyre's weekly newsletter. Messi tumbled to the ground, losing one of his cleats in the process. He picked up the shoe and took off in celebration. 'I already knew how special Refik Anadol's work is, and after we had the chance to meet in Miami, it's going to be exciting to see how he can transform a goal — a moment in sports — into a unique piece of art, like the ones he creates,' Messi said. Proceeds from the sale will benefit multiple nonprofits, the team said, including the Inter Miami CF Foundation's global partnership with UNICEF. ___ AP MLS:
National Post
19-05-2025
- National Post
Gary Lineker will step down from the BBC after sharing social media post on Zionism
LONDON (AP) — Gary Lineker, the former England soccer player and now a media celebrity, will step down from his role as a presenter for the BBC after facing criticism for reposting an Instagram story about Zionism which featured a picture of a rat. Article content The 64-year-old Lineker, who is the BBC's highest-paid presenter on about 1.3 million pounds ($1.7 million) a year, was set to leave flagship soccer highlights show 'Match of the Day' at the end of this season but remain with the corporation to front other soccer coverage, including next year's men's World Cup. Article content However, he said Monday he will leave the BBC after the final Match of the Day next weekend in the wake of his decision to share a post from the group, Palestine Lobby, illustrated with a picture of a rat, titled: 'Zionism explained in two minutes.' Article content
