Latest news with #2026WorldCup
Time of India
3 days ago
- Sport
- Time of India
FIFA Club World Cup 2025: Full schedule, groups, and key fixtures unveiled for U.S. debut
The world's premier club football showdown, the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 , is all set to kick off in the United States, marking the tournament's largest-ever edition. For the first time in its history, the FIFA Club World Cup schedule features 32 elite teams from 20 countries, competing across American venues in what promises to be a landmark moment for global football on U.S. soil. The expanded format begins officially with a play-in fixture on May 31, featuring LAFC and Club América, vying for the final spot in the tournament's group stage. The main phase of the tournament begins on June 14, leading up to the grand final on July 13 at the iconic MetLife Stadium, New Jersey, as mentioned in a report by USA Today. Tournament Structure: Expanded Format Mirrors 2026 World Cup In a nod to the upcoming FIFA World Cup 2026 structure, the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup introduces eight groups with four clubs each. The top two from each group will progress to a traditional knockout format beginning with the Round of 16. Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Cadou Perfect pentru Copii sau Părinți - Tabletă Practică! LY Cumpără acum Undo Major clubs, including Real Madrid, Inter Milan, Bayern Munich, Manchester City, and Chelsea are among the confirmed participants. Lionel Messi's Inter Miami and the Seattle Sounders represent Major League Soccer. Notably, 12 clubs hail from Europe, with additional representation from South America, Asia, Africa, Oceania, and CONCACAF regions, as per a report by USA Today. Live Events Key Dates for FIFA Club World Cup 2025 Group Stage: June 14 – June 26 Round of 16: June 28 – July 1 Quarterfinals: July 4 – July 5 Semifinals: July 8 – July 9 Final: July 13 at MetLife Stadium, New Jersey Fixture Highlights: Messi, Ronaldo, and Global Icons on Display The group stage begins with a high-profile clash between Al Ahly and Inter Miami on June 14 in Miami. The very next day, Bayern Munich faces Auckland City, while Paris Saint-Germain meets Atlético Madrid in California. With speculation swirling around a potential transfer involving Cristiano Ronaldo, interest in the tournament continues to mount. Matches will take place in cities such as Seattle, Atlanta, Philadelphia, Orlando, and Washington, D.C., ensuring nationwide fan engagement. How to Watch the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup Every match of the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 will be streamed live and globally accessible via the tournament's official broadcasting partner. Group Stage Overview: A Diverse Slate Group A: Al Ahly, FC Porto, SE Palmeiras, Inter Miami Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atlético Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle Sounders Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, SL Benfica Group D: Chelsea, Flamengo, Espérance de Tunis, LAFC/Club América Group E: Inter Milan, River Plate, CF Monterrey, Urawa Red Diamonds Group F: Borussia Dortmund, Fluminense, Ulsan HD, Mamelodi Sundowns Group G: Manchester City, Juventus, Al Ain FC, Wydad AC Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, CF Pachuca, FC Salzburg American Audiences to Witness High-Stakes Club Football Unlike past summer exhibitions, this edition of the FIFA Club World Cup schedule features competitive fixtures with silverware at stake. With clubs arriving at full strength and national pride on the line, the 2025 tournament is expected to ignite fervour among U.S. fans and boost football's footprint in North America. As global titans take to American pitches this summer, the stage is set for a historic edition of club football's most prestigious global event. FAQs When and where will the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 take place? The tournament begins May 31 with a play-in match and officially runs from June 14 to July 13, 2025, across major U.S. cities. The final will be held at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. How many teams are competing? A record 32 clubs from 20 countries are participating in the expanded format.
The Guardian
5 days ago
- Health
- The Guardian
USMNT greats Donovan, Howard criticize absence of top players from Gold Cup
Former US men's national team greats Landon Donovan and Tim Howard criticized some of the stars who asked to be left off the team's Gold Cup roster this summer, with Donovan saying he believes that the national team is 'not a priority' for them. The Gold Cup is the last international tournament the US men's national team will compete in before playing co-host for the 2026 World Cup next summer. Christian Pulisic, Antonee Robinson and Yunus Musah all asked to be left off of the team for various reasons, with Pulisic citing the workload of two straight 50-game campaigns with Milan, while Robinson was ruled out with a case of knee tendinopathy (an overuse injury that he had been managing for much of the second half of the Premier League season). Fulham announced on Wednesday that Robinson would undergo a 'minor' surgical procedure on his knee and would use the summer to recover. Musah, according to head coach Mauricio Pochettino, asked out of the team due to 'personal reasons'. In Wednesday's episode of Unfiltered Soccer, the podcast co-hosted by Donovan and Howard, Donovan decried the absences despite his own experience with experiencing burnout over the course of his playing career. 'I understand very clearly what it's like to need a break,' said Donovan, who took time away from soccer in 2013 – a decision that then-US head coach Jürgen Klinsmann said contributed to the decision to cut Donovan from the 2014 World Cup team. 'If there's something serious going on in your life, in your family, mentally, whatever, I get it. I'm going to assume for the sake of this conversation that's not going on. If they would actually come out and give reasons, it would help us, but none of them want to say anything publicly. I think it would help them publicly to say 'this is why.'' In an episode recorded before the announcement of Robinson's surgery, Donovan said that reasons related to fatigue and burnout fall flat when set against the players' performances for their club teams to end the season. Milan, home to Pulisic and Musah, was a focus given that the last game of their season was largely meaningless, with the team already mathematically out of European competition next season. 'The problem I have with Christian in the last few weeks is he's still playing for Milan,' Donovan said. So, if you're if you're tired and you're burned out and whatever [and] you guys are still playing for a Champions League spot, fine. I get it. They had nothing to play for this weekend. Zero.' In the case of Robinson, Donovan pointed out that the left-back withdrew from national team consideration ahead of this year's Nations League finals due to injury concerns, yet started for Fulham in games immediately before and after the international break. Sign up to Soccer with Jonathan Wilson Jonathan Wilson brings expert analysis on the biggest stories from European soccer after newsletter promotion 'He doesn't want to go to the Gold Cup. Fine. You've had a long season. You've performed great,' Donovan said. 'Why are you starting and playing 90 minutes the last two games for Fulham if your knee's so messed up?' What are you doing? What kind of message is that sending? If you are really injured and that's no problem, you're totally fine. We respect that. Everyone has to make the decision that's best for them.' Howard, along with Donovan, expressed dismay that Pochettino would not have a chance to have the full team together in a tournament setting before the World Cup, but that 'I'm putting a ton of this on US Soccer.' 'There needed to be people on planes in restaurants in Milan, at restaurants in London, buying bottles of red wine for sporting directors saying, 'Listen, I understand you have priorities. Let me tell you about my priorities,' Howard said, referring to the federation's relationship with the clubs where US players ply their trade. 'I don't necessarily know that dialogue has been had with sporting directors. And by the way, if it has, then it just shows that US Soccer has no gravitas and no power. [In that case] those sporting directors basically said, 'Who is this? I don't have time for this call. I'll speak to you never.' And hung up the phone.' US Soccer has been approached for comment.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Funding for L.A.'s emergency management unit, vital to Palisades recovery, remains static
Myriad calamities could hit the city of Los Angeles in coming years: Wildfires. Floods. Mudslides. Drought. And of course, the Big One. Yet this month, L.A. leaders once again balked at dramatically increasing the budget of the city's Emergency Management Department, even as the office coordinates recovery from the Palisades fire and is tasked with helping prepare for a variety of disasters and high-profile events, such as the 2028 Summer Olympics. Facing a nearly $1-billion budget shortfall, the L.A. City Council voted 12 to 3 last week to pass a budget that rejected the funding increases requested by EMD leaders to hire more staffers and fix broken security equipment around its facility. The only budgetary increase for EMD will come through bureaucratic restructuring. The department will absorb the five-person Climate Emergency Mobilization Office, which Mayor Karen Bass had slated for elimination in her initial proposal to trim the budget deficit. The funding allotment for EMD — with an operating budget of about $4.5 million — puts the department short of similar big cities in California and beyond. Read more: As L.A. rebuilds from the Palisades fire, residents ask: What's the plan? As a 2022 audit by then-City Controller Ron Galperin noted, San Diego ($2.46), Long Beach ($2.26) and San Francisco ($7.59) all spent more per capita on emergency management than L.A., which then spent $1.56 per resident. Whereas L.A. has a staff of roughly 30, New York, with more than double the population of L.A., has 200 people in its emergency management team, and Philadelphia, with a population less than half of L.A.'s, has 53. The current leaders of EMD, General Manager Carol Parks and Assistant General Manager Jim Featherstone, had specifically requested funding this spring to build an in-house recovery team to better equip the city for the Palisades recovery as well as future disasters. "We are one of the most populous and at-risk jurisdictions in the nation, if not in the world," Featherstone told the L.A. City Council's budget committee April 30. "I won't say negligent, but it's really not in the city's best interest to [not] have a recovery capability for a disaster similar to the one we just experienced.' Zach Seidl, a spokesperson for Bass, pushed back against the idea that EMD's funding level would hamper the Palisades fire recovery or preparation for the Olympic Games and 2026 World Cup. "During a difficult budget year, Mayor Bass focused on emergency management to keep Angelenos safe — that absolutely includes ensuring EMD has continued staffing and resources," Seidl said in a statement. "We will continue to push forward with one of the fastest recovery efforts in state history." Councilmember Traci Park — who represents the Palisades — was among the trio on the City Council who opposed the budget that passed last week, citing insufficient funding for public safety as one of her main objections. Read more: With PCH reopening this weekend, state and city tussle over Palisades security plans "It's inevitable that we are going to have another disaster, and we still won't be prepared. We'll be in the same position we were before," said Pete Brown, a spokesperson for Park, who decried cuts to EMD and a lack of resources for the Police and Fire departments. "We got a horrible taste of what it's like when we are not prepared," Brown said, "and despite all of that, we haven't learned a lesson from it, and we are doing the same thing." Rick Caruso, the developer whom Bass defeated in the 2022 mayoral race, called both the budget proposal put forward by Bass and the spending plan approved by the City Council "a blatant display of mismanagement and bad judgment," expressing incredulity over the rationale for EMD's funding level. "We are in an earthquake zone. We are in a fire zone. Come on," Caruso said in an interview. Seidl, Bass' spokesperson, disputed that L.A. had not learned from the Palisades fire and emphasized that the spending on emergency management included "continued and new investments" in EMD as well as the city's police and fire agencies. Emergency management experts, audits commissioned by the city and EMD's current leadership have warned that the department lacked the staff and funding to accomplish its mandate in one of the nation's most disaster-prone regions. 'That department could be the world leader in emergency management, and it could be the standard for the rest of the country, but with a third of the staff and a tenth of the budget that they need, that's not possible,' said Nick Lowe, an independent emergency management consultant and the president and chief executive of CPARS Consulting. The general manager of EMD and an agency spokesperson did not respond to written questions last week about the approved budget. In recent public statements, Parks disclosed that her budget requests this year received opposition and appeared to have been whittled down. She told the Ad Hoc Committee for L.A. Recovery in March that she had sought 24 more staffers at EMD, but that officials under the city administrative officer balked at her request. Read more: The L.A. wildfires left lead and other toxic material in the soil of burn zones. Here are their health risks Featherstone, who is now coordinating the Palisades fire recovery, said Parks' requests received "a qualitative negative response," and suggested that there was a lack of understanding or appreciation of the import of EMD's role. "There was a qualitative opinion not in favor of Ms. Parks having these positions and people who aren't emergency managers opined about the value or the worth of these positions," Featherstone said. Parks said she scaled her request down "given the city's current fiscal situation," adding, "I need a minimum of 10" more positions. In a memo, Parks said these 10 positions would cost about $1.1 million per year. When Bass unveiled her budget proposal, those 10 additional positions were not included; EMD remained at roughly 30 positions, similar to previous years, which costs about $7.5 million when pensions, healthcare and other expenses are included. Bass' budget proposal touted that she was able to preserve all of EMD's positions while other departments faced steep staff and funding cuts. Both Parks and Featherstone had argued for the creation of a designated, in-house recovery team, which EMD has lacked. When the Palisades fire broke out in January, EMD had no person assigned full-time to recovery and instead had to move its limited staff onto a recovery unit. Bass also retained Hagerty Consulting, a private firm, to boost EMD and provide instant expertise on a yearlong contract for up to $10 million, much of which Bass' spokesperson said is reimbursable by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Still, Featherstone has told the City Council that, since L.A. had no in-house recovery expertise, the need to train and create an in-house team has occupied much of the initial Palisades fire recovery effort. Phasing in an in-house recovery and reconstruction division with 10 staffers would cost an additional $1.5 million next year, according to a memo prepared by the city administrative officer. Hiring an additional 21 staffers to prepare for the Olympics and other major events would cost nearly $3 million. Parks also requested $209,000 to repair the video system at the emergency operations center, saying the lack of surveillance cameras posed a threat to city employees. "Multiple incidents have occurred where the safety and security of the facility have been compromised without resolution due to the failing camera system," Parks wrote in a budget memo submitted this spring. The request for funding for replacement cameras was also denied. L.A. officials have long been warned that EMD lacks resources. The 2022 audit by Galperin, the former city controller, found that L.A. provided less emergency management funding than peer cities, and that the COVID-19 pandemic "strained EMD resources and staffing, causing several existing preparedness programs to lag behind, likely impacting the City's readiness for future emergencies." An after-action report on EMD's handling of COVID-19, authored by Lowe, the emergency management consultant, found that the agency was 'undervalued and misunderstood, underfunded, and demoralized.' Parks took over as general manager after the time period covered by Lowe's report. Read more: Trump's FCC delays multilingual emergency alerts for natural disasters, sparking concern in L.A. The lack of training and funding became apparent at a budget hearing in April 2024. Councilmember Katy Yaroslavsky asked Parks directly at the meeting: 'With your current budget, are you able to staff your [emergency] response centers 24/7 during emergencies?' 'The answer is no,' Parks said. "If there are multiple days that the emergency operations center needs to be activated, we do not have enough staff.' During the Palisades fire, EMD said it had to bring in additional emergency management officials from other cities to sustain the emergency operations center around the clock. Lowe said L.A. leaders had failed to recognize EMD's role within the broader public safety infrastructure of the city. "I'm not sure at a political level that the city understands and appreciates emergency management and the purpose of the department, and that trickles down to the budget and the size of the department," Lowe said. Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Edinburgh Live
25-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Edinburgh Live
Gary Lineker's true nature perfectly summed up by refugee who stayed at his home
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info Gary Lineker is set to bid farewell to the BBC after his final Match of the Day stint this Sunday, and among the memorable moments from his career that fans recall, is when he opened his home to a refugee in 2020. The ex-England and Barcelona forward has signalled his departure from Match of the Day come November 2024; however, he promises to continue gracing the BBC as he leads their FA Cup and 2026 World Cup coverage. Yet, following a contentious social media update and allegations of anti-Semitism, this upcoming Sunday's Match of the Day will mark the 64 year old Lineker's swansong on the BBC. READ MORE - Queen's favourite sandwich she had 'for every afternoon tea' since she was a girl READ MORE - EastEnders' Molly Rainford has a very famous dad and fans are only just realising In a revealing testimony from 2023, Pakistani refugee Rasheed Baluch reflected on Lineker's "sympathetic and human-loving" nature, expressing boundless appreciation for the hospitality shown by inviting him into his home back in 2020. "He is friendly and open-minded," stated Baluch, who escaped the Pakistani region of Balochistan due to threats against his life as a result of his work in human rights advocacy, reports Wales Online. "He loved to listen to me when I shared my story about the situation in my country and the plight of my people. Gary was comfortable with my company and conversation. That's why he listened to me attentively. "Although Gary is a star, he leads a simple life. He is never proud of his status. He is a very sympathetic, caring and human-loving man. He gave me an Oyster card which contained a £100 top-up for my transport to university." Baluch praised the departing Match of the Day star as a "fantastic cook who served mindblowing meals" during his stay at Lineker's £4million Surrey residence. Lineker once shared a heartfelt letter from Baluch, where the law student wrote: "I can never forget your hospitality, love and company that you and your lovely, respectful children gave to me." (Image: PA) (Image: Rasheed Baluch) The 64 year old broadcaster himself reflected on the experience, which was facilitated by UK charity Refugees at Home, calling it "hugely positive" and crediting it with providing him "such a different perspective on life." In 2023, Lineker faced a temporary suspension from the BBC following an impartiality controversy sparked by his social media comments criticising the then-government's asylum policy. Upon his return to television, Baluch defended Lineker's right to speak out: "He has been given the right of freedom, thought and expression." Baluch also criticised the negative institutional response to Lineker's statements, saying: "So if the institutions react so negatively against the statement of Gary, it is undemocratic and unfair. Gary has come forward to defend humanity. It should be a point of pride for the British public." Now, as Lineker prepares to present his final Match of the Day show of this Premier League season on Sunday, it comes after the announcement earlier this month that he will cut all ties with the BBC, following his involvement in an anti-Semitism row. The row erupted after the English pundit shared a controversial post on Zionism from group Palestine Lobby, which used a rat emoji - a symbol historically offensive towards Jews. Following the ensuing outcry, Lineker is now set for a change of scene. He remarked: "Hi everyone, some personal news. Last week, I shared a post here on Instagram that contained an emoji that has awful connotations. Unfortunately, I did not see the emoji. "If I had, I would never, ever have shared it. The minute I was made aware, I quickly deleted the post and went on to make an apology. I would like once again to say I'm sorry unreservedly for the hurt and the upset caused. It was a genuine mistake and oversight, but I should have been more diligent. I know that." He continued: "So I think it's best for all concerned that I step down from BBC presenting duties altogether and not do next season's FA Cup or World Cup. The final day of the Premier League season on Sunday will be my last show."
BreakingNews.ie
25-05-2025
- Entertainment
- BreakingNews.ie
Gary Lineker to present last Match Of The Day as he exits BBC
Sports pundit Gary Lineker will present his last Match Of The Day as he makes an early exit from the BBC. The former England striker, 64, confirmed last week that he would be leaving the corporation after Sunday's episode, following controversy over a social media post. Advertisement He will no longer front BBC coverage of the 2026 World Cup, or coverage of the FA Cup next season, as had been previously announced. Lineker's departure will be marked with a tribute similar to the one given to Ian Wright when he left last year, it is understood. Presenter Gary Lineker who will leave the BBC after this weekend's Match Of The Day, it has been confirmed (Nick Potts/PA) A video montage was played for Wright which featured highlights from his career and tributes from Lineker, Alan Shearer, England player Bukayo Saka and his family. Lineker, who has hosted Match of the Day since 1999, attracted criticism after sharing a social media post about Zionism which featured an emoji of a rat, historically used as an antisemitic trope. Advertisement He issued an unreserved apology for the 'hurt and upset caused' by the video, stating it was a 'genuine mistake'. Lineker, the BBC's highest-paid presenter, said in an Instagram video that it was 'best for all concerned that I step down from BBC presenting duties altogether'. 'It's been a pleasure and a huge privilege working with the BBC for 30 years, especially hosting Match of the Day, a programme that is so close to my heart and an integral part of my life,' he added. Lineker joined the programme after starting out as a BBC Radio Five Live presenter, also working on Grandstand during his early years in broadcasting. Advertisement He is the co-founder of Goalhanger Podcasts which makes The Rest Is History series and its spin-offs about politics, football, entertainment and money. Gary Lineker takes part in The Rest Is Football live show, at the Audley Public House in Mayfair, central London (Ben Whitley/PA) His podcast, The Rest Is Football, which he co-hosts alongside Match Of The Day pundits Shearer and Micah Richards, will have its last episode on BBC Sounds this week, but The Rest Is History will continue on BBC Sounds, PA understands. The presenter was temporarily suspended from the BBC in March 2023 over an impartiality row about comments he made criticising the then-government's new asylum policy. In February of this year he was also among 500 other high-profile figures who signed an open letter calling on the BBC to rebroadcast a documentary, Gaza: How To Survive A War Zone, to BBC iPlayer. Advertisement Gabby Logan, Kelly Cates and Mark Chapman will replace the Leicester-born star and share the presenting role on Match Of The Day from the next Premier League season.
