Sports

By Jack Bantock, CNN (CNN) — Though their eyes and ears will undoubtedly be fixed on the cacophony of sensations showering down from all storied corners of the Estadio Azteca, for many of the South African team walking out to face World Cup co-host Mexico on Thursday to kick off the tournament, there will be

By Kyle Feldscher, Priscilla Alvarez, Larry Madowo, CNN (CNN) — Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan will not take part in this summer’s World Cup after he was denied entry into the United States, FIFA confirmed on Monday. When asked about Artan’s case, a US Customs and Border Protection spokesperson told CNN that he underwent additional

By Ben Church, CNN (CNN) — Note: This is story first appeared in The Beautiful Game by CNN Sports, our daily newsletter on all things World Cup. To subscribe, click here. It’s almost here. After years of talk, preparation and anticipation, the 2026 World Cup is now just right around the corner. On Thursday, the

By Ben Church, CNN (CNN) — Denmark soccer star Christian Eriksen is in “good spirits” and is expected to leave hospital soon after collapsing on the pitch during his nation’s friendly against Ukraine on Sunday. Eriksen, who five years ago suffered a cardiac arrest on the field at Euro 2020, was seen clutching his chest

CNN By Hannah Keyser, CNN New York City (CNN) — Dan Klein went to bed at 9 p.m. and awoke at 1 a.m. local time in London. The 37-year-old wanted to watch Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals live, albeit alone and 3,400 miles away from a city celebrating the New York Knicks’ return

By Hannah Keyser, CNN New York City (CNN) — Dan Klein went to bed at 9 p.m. and awoke at 1 a.m. local time in London. The 37-year-old wanted to watch Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals live, albeit alone and 3,400 miles away from a city celebrating the New York Knicks’ return to

By Ainsley Flood and Jim Sciutto, CNN (CNN) — American soccer player Miles Robinson was one of the US men’s national team’s top prospects heading into the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. For him, the hard part was already over as he had earned a rare, highly coveted spot on the elite 26-man roster

By Billy Stockwell and Aida Karimi, CNN (CNN) — Iran’s soccer team touched down in Mexico’s northwestern city of Tijuana on Sunday – a stone’s throw from the United States border – as Tehran criticized Washington over its visa restrictions ahead of the World Cup this summer. The president of Iran’s football federation, Mehdi Taj,

By Emile Nuh, CNN (CNN) — With the World Cup kicking off on June 11, anticipation is building for what will be the biggest tournament in the competition’s history. A record 48 teams will compete across 104 matches in the United States, Canada and Mexico. Heavyweights such as France, Spain, England, and Argentina are among

By Esteban Campanela, CNN (CNN) — Predictions about who will be the next World Cup champion often miss the mark. The pressure at this tournament is as intense as it gets for any player, and the margins are so fine that even a powerhouse can be knocked out. Still, only eight countries in history have

By Kyle Feldscher, Dianne Gallagher, CNN Charlotte (CNN) — The World Cup officially kicks off in Mexico on Thursday, but thousands of fans across North America will have already gotten their opportunity to enjoy the world’s biggest sporting festival before a minute of the tournament is played. With ticket prices – not to mention travel

By Ben Church, Patrick Sung Cuadrado, Aleks Klosok, Emile Nuh, CNN (CNN) — With less than a week to go until this year’s World Cup, it’s time to start taking a closer look at those who are set to play. Each of the 48 teams can take a squad of up to 26 players with

By Jacob Lev, CNN (CNN) — The New York Knicks held off a furious fourth-quarter comeback from the San Antonio Spurs, winning 105-104 in Game 2 of the NBA Finals after Victor Wembanyama missed a last-second shot. The win extends the Knicks’ playoff win streak to 13, the second longest in NBA playoff history. With