As the 48 teams gradually arrived in North America, every image further setting a grand stage, a thought struck managers like Thomas Tuchel and Carlo Ancelotti.
They were right to make the sheer scale of this World Cup more of a priority in planning. “United 2026” – as it is officially known – is enormous in every sense, from size to serious issues.
That only deepens the distinctive challenge a World Cup poses, and only elevates the meaning of victory.
A team can be brilliant and do everything possible to gear up for a four-year cycle over the long term, but the lifting of that great trophy really comes down to having everything – form, spirit, mood, fitness, tactics – just right for five weeks in one summer.
It’s really about a moment in time, and one that makes you immortal, although this time in a far greater space.
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If the classic line is that people measure their lives in World Cups, this one is so immense it’s almost impossible to quantify.
That could lead to a few other predictable lines about an American World Cup: that it was always going to be super-sized, that size will matter, that more may be less.
The most immediate numbers, at least, do illustrate this. This World Cup involves: the most ever teams, at 48; the most ever hosts, at three; the most ever venues, at 16; and the greatest ever distance between venues, at 4,780km, with all of this adding up to unprecedented astronomical cost for fans and even federations.
So much for this World Cup being a return to the familiar after the highly politicised police-state sportswashing spectacles of Russia and Qatar.
It has instead thrown up more unprecedented issues than ever before – another one for the scales; another illustration of bloated indulgence. Such issues have only been added to by another more familiar element, which is the promise of record revenue at $14bn.
And yet one of the great uncertainties about this World Cup, which is causing nervousness at the top of Fifa, is whether all this will mean there is nothing like the record attendances of USA ‘94.
The avaricious ticket pricing has been the main controversy in the build-up to the World Cup (AFP/Getty)
That competition will constantly offer a mirror to this one, especially when the memories remain so vivid due to its bright lights – in football and look.
There are instead so many shades to 2026, and a real darkness. For all Gianni Infantino’s vapid claims about the World Cup uniting the world, we here have a host at war with a participating nation for the first time.
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The Fifa president’s own relationship with Donald Trump, meanwhile, weighs over the entire competition, especially with how just one decision from the US president has the potential to cause chaos.
Trump’s putative lack of decisions have already created enough chaos, since Fifa has received almost no help on anything it actually needs. So we have the farce of a long-vetted referee denied entry, and Iran forced into constrained travel around their games.
That darkness has also served to obscure otherwise uplifting elements of this World Cup, like the return to perhaps the competition’s most historic stadium: the Azteca in Mexico City.
This tournament represents a host (USA) at war with a participating nation (Iran, pictured) for the first time (AFP/Getty)
It was the arena where Pele and Diego Maradona created their most lasting images. Now, 40 years after the “Hand of God” and the goal of the century, it isn’t considered worthy to host games after the last 16.
Canada has, meanwhile, been the forgotten host, and even the last games staged there and in Mexico will be overshadowed by the 250th anniversary of US independence – all amid a stilted embrace with the global game.
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We will at least have a sense of the atmosphere by then, and whether this World Cup’s many issues can really allow that sense of international festival around the stadiums.
And all of this is why size is so much more than a defining detail.
The expansion affects what the World Cup is – and how it will go.
That is true of the most elemental experience of a tournament: a child’s.
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THE SIZE OF THE 2026 WORLD CUP
Most ever teams: 48
Most ever hosts: 3
Most ever venues: 16
Greatest-ever distance between venues: 4,780km
Record revenue estimation: $14bn
Perhaps appropriately for a competition held in the commercial capital of the world, it is possible to paraphrase one of its culture’s most famous depictions of marketing. The World Cup isn’t just a football competition, as Mad Men’s Don Draper might have said; it’s a fountain of nostalgia. “It takes us to a place where we ache to go again” – to childhood memories.
The joy of that is memorising the groups, knowing exactly what teams are where and what games are when. It is actually no trivial thing that this World Cup is far too big to even do that, long before you get to Group L.
Similarly, there are almost too many games, and that’s in one day, as much as in the tournament’s total of 104. It’s impossible to take it all in, to consume every storyline. United 2026 instead has just a wall of football, where more very much means less.
The World Cup experience is directly diluted.
That isn’t to discount the exhilaration that debutants like Curacao, Jordan and Uzbekistan will feel, or the release Haiti, Democratic Republic of Congo or Iraq will enjoy, but there is a serious point amid that romance.
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This World Cup articulates the disconcerting sense of a sport becoming so big you can’t get a feel for it, of a game being taken away from its community, of an elitist event where parts continue to be sold off without anyone who actually cares able to do anything about it.
Welcome to the “Trumpification” of Fifa.
The expansion may also dictate this World Cup as much as dilute it. A number like 48 just isn’t right for the tournament, because it doesn’t evenly split into an eventual two. That needlessly brings back distorting third-place group qualifiers, a convolution that Infantino was forced into after he somehow realised four-team groups were exciting as late as Qatar 2022. United 2026 was initially supposed to have groups of three.
Donald Trump holds the World Cup trophy in the Oval Office last summer (AFP/Getty)
And yet it speaks to so many of these wider themes that Infantino realised it was more exciting, but evidently didn’t understand this was because of the competitive intensity that came from two going through out of four, as well as a 32-team tournament just creating the right balance between quality and novelty.
The man overseeing all of this didn’t truly get the game he was overseeing.
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It could yet create results that go against World Cup logic, too.
As an example, Argentina have been talked up as potentially winning again due to the 2022 World Cup victory coming in a run of three successive trophies. They are the only team to do that outside Spain 2008-12, but that also gives them the jaded feel of Spain 2014. Most of the team is still the same, and they won’t have the same lightning-in-a-bottle energy of 2022.
These are ingredients that leave champions ripe for a classic first-round exit… except the stage is so forgiving. Argentina may go into their last group game badly needing a win, but that comes against Jordan. The debutants are one of five sides considered forgiving opposition, and the presence of any one in a group gives the other three in it a huge advantage in this system.
One win and you’re likely through.
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To go with that expanded schedule, since it takes eight games to win it rather than seven, this is the first major tournament happening after two seasons of expanded European football. More, more, more.
Lionel Messi will lead title contenders Argentina at this summer’s World Cup (Reuters)
Players, especially the quantity in the major teams, are exhausted.
That could restore some romance by favouring the “dark horses” like Japan, Ecuador, Morocco, Norway, Austria and Senegal.
Except, just like with Iran’s constraints, Senegal has already faced the disadvantage of being subjected to a humiliating tarmac security search.
It is just one of many ways the non-football elements shape the football.
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The favourites, Spain, almost illustrate the difficulty of getting your head around this as well as the bodies.
The European champions have the best team at the tournament, but have also had the most fitness issues and major injuries.
The biggest of those is Lamine Yamal. He may be the mere 18-year-old anticipated to crown his rise to the best player in the world by seizing this tournament, but he’s also hoping to recover from a hamstring injury for the first game.
Lamine Yamal is hoping to recover from a hamstring injury for Spain’s first game (Reuters)
That can nevertheless work both ways, especially in a World Cup this long. Spain and Yamal might be stiff at the start, but then evolve into the best possible condition for the most important stages.
That is exactly what happened with Andres Iniesta in 2010. Their possession game may also prove decisive in a tournament that is going to be dictated by punishingly hot conditions. In the same way that United 2026 has more unprecedented controversies, it also has more variables.
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Tuchel is one of many coaches who have been deeply considering how to work around all this.
France, who have faced a lot of concerns about the Didier Deschamps era going stale, may now find his stultifying medium block suits the conditions.
They do have the best array of attacking stars just waiting to be released, with Kylian Mbappe badly needing a big World Cup.
France captain Kylian Mbappe needs a big World Cup (Reuters)
England are up there, especially with the differential of a goalscorer like Harry Kane. They may not have a perfect squad, but no one does.
That points to how this World Cup is nowhere near as strong a field as in 1998, where at least eight teams looked truly elite. The offset is that this “second tier” of outsiders is stronger than ever, offering the potential for something else a World Cup has never had: a winner like a Denmark 1992 or Greece 2004.
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That’s where the competition comes down to more elemental qualities, the glorious intangibles, the very emotion the trophy inspires.
For all that everything about a World Cup changes, the meaning doesn’t.
It will still offer countries some of the greatest days in their national histories, with the very awareness of this global importance affording it a cultural significance beyond anything else in the planet’s history.
Harry Kane leads England at his third World Cup (PA)
This is the emotional pinnacle, the peak of sport because the massif is so wide. It can be seen in the expressions of players, and even the great trophy itself. Those two arms “stretching out to receive the world… at the stirring moment of victory” – in the words of designer Silvio Gazzinaga – are representative of what everyone in football is reaching for.
Hence Infantino’s desperation for this to start amid so much controversy. The football still perseveres. The spirit perseveres. The competition is still, at its core, a global cultural good, no matter how it’s used.
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As Maradona once said, “the ball never stains”. The World Cup retains a purity.
Duly, even a 48-team competition will evolve – as the writer Duncan Hamilton put it – “like a theatrical play”. While the numbers are gradually winnowed to two and then one, the drama, emotion and suspense only become more intense. Such feelings enrich the moments that really create World Cup legacies, but they are ultimately fostered by narrative, by stories.
This tournament has so many, even if it does not have many great teams.
Can Brazil somehow rise to that level under Ancelotti, and end a 24-year wait in the way they did for the last World Cup in the USA? Can a new band of successful club coaches show their acumen by showing everyone else what’s what, or will the different contours of international football embarrass them?
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Can Carlo Ancelotti and Vinicius Jr guide Brazil to a first World Cup in 24 years? (Getty)
Will a surprisingly deep elder generation led by Leo Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo finally cede ground to a new era of Yamal, Jamal Musiala and Erling Haaland, or will a slower tournament allow for those who can still produce individual moments?
Can any of the hosts make an impression? Can Mauricio Pochettino avoid a furious social media post from Trump? Can Canada do “a Korea 2002”, in the way they are privately talking about? Can Mexico finally get past a quarter-final?
Can Germany finally get past a group stage again, to prove maybe the darkest horse of all? Can the fancied Netherlands at last win it after three lost finals?
Amid all of the challenges, Tuchel and his players should perhaps be mindful of something that Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni said at the draw back in December.
“Every day you are a world champion you feel younger.”
The sentiment, and the aspiration, may never be more important amid a World Cup so exhausting in so many senses. It’s an achievement of scale beyond anything else.
At the hallowed Azteca Stadium, Shakira and Nigerian singer Burna Boy had the spectators out of their seats in the opening ceremony for the 2026 World Cup on Thursday ahead of the opening match between co-hosts Mexico and South Africa. The 48-team tournament is also being hosted by the United States and Canada and will feature 104 games, culminating in the final in New Jersey on July 19. Dancers twirled around a giant model of the World Cup trophy while fireworks went off in the historic 80,000-capacity stadium which hosted the 1970 and 1986 World Cup finals and has been renovated for this year’s tournament.
In the highlight of the ceremony, Colombian star Shakira and Burna Boy performed “Dai Dai”, the official song of the tournament, bringing roars from the crowd.
J Balvin and Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli were among the other performers before kickoff as the noise levels ramped up.
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“It’s already a party in Mexico,” Ingrid Orozco, a 40-year-old supporter, told AFP. “It’s amazing,” said Gustavo Ramírez, 19.
While there was a festive atmosphere inside the stadium, there were chaotic scenes in the centre of Mexico City where thousands of fans pushed and shoved as they attempted to enter the official World Cup fan zone shortly before the 1800 GMT kickoff.
Access to the fan zone in Zocala plaza was hampered by metal barriers erected in recent days to prevent protesting teachers reaching the area.
“Stop pushing and shoving, there are children here, you’re like animals!” a city official shouted through a megaphone as he tried to control access to the venue where the opening game was to be shown on a giant screen.
Some fans threw water bottles and hurled insults at police as well as chanting in support of the Mexican team.
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“It’s crazy,” said Javier Maciel, a 25-year-old fan. “There could have been better organization.”
The local government announced on social media that the site was “full” and suggested fans go to other plazas.
President Claudia Sheinbaum had been expected to watch the game at the fan zone but cast doubt on her presence following days of protests in the area by teachers demanding pay rises.
With AFP inputs
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South Africa have never qualified to the knockout stage of a FIFA World Cup. ‘Bafana Bafana’ came very close in both the 2002 and 2010 editions, but narrowly missed out. This time, though, they will fancy their chances. With the World Cup expanded to 48 teams, the knockout stage will now begin with the Round of 32. This means that not just the top two of each group, but also the eight best third-placed teams will qualify.
With Mexico, Czechia and South Korea in Group A, it is certainly not an impossible task for South Africa.
IRVINE, Calif. – “Anything could’ve happened in that moment, to be honest,” U.S. men’s national team midfielder Tyler Adams acknowledged.
Two nights before the team’s all-encompassing, high-stakes World Cup journey on home soil would begin, Adams was glued to a big screen at the team’s hotel near the southern California coastline. He was surrounded by a group of his teammates, each of whom erupted as the New York Knicks completed a 29-game comeback against the San Antonio Spurs and put themselves one game away from winning the NBA Finals for the first time in more than five decades. No one celebrated harder than Adams, though.
“I blacked out within it all,” he recalled the next morning.
Amidst the joyous chaos was a hint of worry – much like the USMNT faithful watching the video, his teammates were hoping one of the team’s most vital players did not get injured during the sequence. He arrived for Thursday’s training, their final one before Friday’s World Cup opener against Paraguay at SoFi Stadium, in one piece and took part in a full training session.
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The New York state native has been vocally following the Knicks’ run as early as the USMNT’s World Cup roster reveal event on May 26, the day after they swept the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Finals. He said, though, he’s been a part of the Knicks’ long-suffering fanbase for some time.
“I have group chats with me and my boys from back home growing up and we’ve always been Knicks fans and we’ve never been this close, so it’s exciting,” he said.
The length of time that Adams has been a Knicks fan, though, is possibly up for debate – his teammate Weston McKennie said at the roster reveal that “behind closed doors, he’s not a Knicks fan,” something Adams called a “wild statement” at the time. Though several members of the U.S. team hail from the New York area or are rooting for the Knicks without geographical ties, Adams said there are a handful of haters in the group – not that he minds.
“Brenden Aaronson. The worst,” Adams said of the Philadelphia Union academy product and local sports fan. “He’s a Sixers fan. He can’t say anything. Haji Wright, big hater right now but I love all that energy. It’s good.”
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Adams, though, is hoping the Knicks’ impressive run offers a bit of inspiration for a U.S. team hoping to capture the nation’s attention in the same way.
“It’s pretty captivating,” he said. “I think them kind of being the underdog coming out of the east and doing something special as they’re doing right now, I mean, I take inspiration, but I’m a New York Knicks fan, not everyone’s a New York Knicks fans.”
The USMNT open their World Cup on Friday against Paraguay and will continue group stage play against Australia on June 19 and Turkiye on June 25.
Japan international Wataru Endo has announced his retirement from international football, with a persistent foot injury ruling the Liverpool midfielder out of the World Cup.
The problem first emerged during a match against Sunderland on 11 February, marking his final club appearance of the season.
Despite playing 45 minutes in a 1-0 World Cup warm-up victory over Iceland, his recovery has not progressed as hoped.
Writing on X, Endo conveyed his mixed emotions.
“I will be leaving the World Cup squad. Since my injury, I’ve done everything I could, so I have no regrets,” he stated. “Of course I’m frustrated at not being able to participate in this World Cup.”
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Endo has not played for Liverpool since February (Getty)
He added: “But more than that, I’m proud to have led this team as captain since the Qatar World Cup and to see it grow into a group that can naturally talk about the goal of winning the World Cup.”
Concluding, Endo confirmed: “With this action, I will be retiring from the national team. From now on, I’ll continue to support the Japan national team as a fan alone.”
Japan are due to play their first match of the tournament when they face the Netherlands on Sunday.
They will be hoping to make a positive start without Endo, and showed their undoubted quality by beating England 1-0 in a friendly at Wembley back in March.
Japan are also in the same group as Sweden and Tunisia as they set their sights on reaching the knockout stages.
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They have reached the round of 16 in the last two editions of the World Cup, and came through a difficult group four years ago that contained Spain and Germany.
Japan are yet to make it to the quarter-finals of the World Cup.
NEW DELHI: Olympic medallist Manu Bhaker will compete in two events at the upcoming Asian Games after being named in India’s 30-member shooting squad announced by the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) on Thursday.The Asian Games will be held in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, from September 19 to October 4, with India aiming to build on its strong showing at the previous edition in Hangzhou.Manu secured her place in the women’s 25m pistol event by finishing second in the selection trials. She was also included in the women’s 10m air pistol event despite finishing seventh in the latest trials, with selectors backing her experience and proven ability to perform on the biggest stages.Besides Manu, three other shooters have been selected for two events — Vidarsa K. Vinod (women’s 10m air rifle and 50m rifle 3 positions), former world champion Rudrankksh Patil (men’s 10m air rifle and 50m rifle 3 positions), and Esha Singh (women’s 10m air pistol and 25m pistol).A notable decision by the NRAI was to field only one shooter, Anish Bhanwala, in the men’s 25m rapid-fire pistol event. While most events will feature three Indian shooters competing for both individual and team medals, the federation decided against filling all available spots in rapid-fire pistol.“While all selected athletes successfully cleared the stringent qualification slots laid down by the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports, the final roster stands at 30 athletes (15 Men and 15 Women) due to strict dynamic quota caps enforced by the Games’ Organising Committee,” said an NRAI statement.The Sports Ministry’s guidelines state that only athletes with realistic medal prospects should be selected for the Asian Games.“Following extensive deliberations and a detailed event-wise assessment, the Committee identified a select group of athletes capable of competing across multiple disciplines. This strategic approach enables India to maximise participation across all available events while maintaining the strongest possible medal prospects in both individual and team competitions,” the NRAI statement added.NRAI secretary general Pawankumar Singh said the federation had chosen the strongest squad possible.“We have selected the best team possible,” Singh told PTI.“The most significant decision was in the men’s 25m rapid-fire pistol event, where we have chosen not to send a full team. We are targeting only the individual medal event because we could not identify enough shooters with realistic medal prospects to field a team,” he said.Explaining Manu’s inclusion in two events, Singh added: “We could select only 30 shooters — 15 men and 15 women. Yes, Manu is currently ranked seventh after the recent 10m air pistol trials, but considering her experience and ability to perform in finals, she was the best option for inclusion in both the 10m and 25m pistol events.”“Her (Manu’s) ranking may be seventh in the 10m air pistol, but the gap in scores between her and those ranked above her is not significant,” he said.The squad was finalised during a selection committee meeting in Dehradun on June 8.NRAI president Kalikesh Singh Deo said the depth of talent in Indian shooting made the selection process particularly challenging.“Selecting this team was a challenging task given the exceptional depth and quality of talent in Indian shooting today. The final squad reflects the strength, depth and versatility of Indian shooting. We are confident that this team will represent India with distinction and make the nation proud in Aichi-Nagoya.”Squad: Rifle (Men) — 10m air rifle: Parth Rakesh Mane, Himanshu Dhillon, Rudrankksh Patil. 50m rifle 3-positions: Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar, Niraj Kumar, Rudrankksh Patil. (Women) 10m air rifle: Elavenil Valarivan, Sonam Uttam Maskar, Vidarsa K Vinod. 50m rifle 3-positions: Ashi Chouksey, Vidarsa K Vinod, Tilottama Sen. (10m air rifle mixed team) Parth Rakesh Mane and Elavenil Valarivan.Pistol (Men) — 10m air pistol: Kedarling B. Uchaganve, Gaurav, Kamaljeet. 25m rapid fire: Anish Bhanwala. (Women) 10m air pistol: Suruchi, Esha Singh, Manu Bhaker. 25m sports pistol: Esha Singh, Manu Bhaker, Rahi Sarnobat. (10m air pistol mixed team) Kedarling B. Uchaganve and Suruchi.Shotgun: (Men) — Trap: Kynan Chenai, Ahvar Rizvi, Shapath Bharadwaj. (Women) Neeru, Manisha Keer, Aashima Ahlawat. Skeet (Men) Anantjeet Singh Naruka, Bhavtegh Singh Gill, Mairaj Ahmad Khan. (Women) Parinaaz Dhaliwal, Raiza Dhillon, Maheshwari Chauhan.
Just weeks after overcoming Junto Nakatani in a historic all-Japanese showdown, Naoya Inoue is being strongly linked with another ‘inevitable’ rivalry.
A four-division world champion, Inoue is currently considered to be boxing’s pound-for-pound number one, with last month’s triumph over Nakatani regarded as a career-best win that cements his position in the top spot.
Whilst many fans have want to see ‘The Monster’ move up in weight once more in an attempt to conquer as many divisions as possible, plenty are now instead hoping that he pumps the brakes and sticks around at 122lbs for a while longer.
Speaking to Ring Magazine, Rodriguez maintained that he is focused on this weekend’s clash with WBA bantamweight world champion Antonio Vargas, but admitted that a meeting with Inoue feels ‘inevitable’.
“To be honest, no [I am not thinking about the Naoya Inoue fight]. Like I say, one fight at a time. I am staying focussed on Antonio Vargas but I know that, when that Inoue fight does happen, the fans are in for a great night of boxing.
“People are already talking about that fight so much that it is inevitable at this point and I feel like, when the time comes, it is going to be a great fight – probably one of the best fights in all of boxing history.”
Vargas vs. Rodriguez takes place at the Desert Diamond Arena on June 13, as ‘Bam’ seeks to capture world honours in a third division and tee up one of the biggest bouts in boxing.
Nigerian music icon Davido used one of football’s biggest global platforms to shine a spotlight on a national tragedy during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Countdown Concert in Los Angeles.
While fans at the event celebrated performances from some of the world’s biggest music stars ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Davido’s appearance carried a message far beyond entertainment.
The Grammy-nominated Afrobeats star performed wearing a custom black leather jacket bearing the names of 39 abducted schoolchildren and seven teachers from Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, Nigeria.
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On the back of the jacket was a simple but powerful message:
“Bring Them Home.”
The gesture immediately attracted attention across social media, with many Nigerians praising Davido for using a global stage to raise awareness about the victims.
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A message beyond music
Davido thrilled the crowd with performances of some of his biggest hits, including fan favourites Fall and Unavailable, during the FIFA event.
Yet it was the jacket—not the music—that became one of the biggest talking points of the night.
Images from the concert quickly spread online, revealing dozens of green badges attached to the jacket, each representing one of the abducted pupils and teachers.
Many observers described the move as a reminder that the victims’ stories should not be forgotten despite the passage of time.
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At a moment when the world’s attention is turning toward the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Davido used that spotlight to highlight an issue affecting families thousands of miles away in Nigeria.
Bringing a local tragedy to a global audience
The FIFA World Cup Countdown Concert was held as part of celebrations marking one year until the start of the 2026 World Cup, which will be hosted jointly by the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Performing alongside international acts, Davido was one of the headline attractions representing Africa on the global stage.
Rather than simply delivering a musical performance, the Nigerian star chose to turn the occasion into an opportunity for advocacy.
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For many Nigerians, the jacket served as a reminder of the pain endured by families whose children and loved ones remain victims of abduction and insecurity.
Why the gesture resonated
Football and music have long been powerful tools for raising awareness about social issues.
From anti-racism campaigns to humanitarian causes, major sporting events often provide a platform for messages that extend beyond the game itself.
Davido’s decision to wear the jacket at a FIFA event followed that tradition.
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The gesture was particularly significant because it came in front of an international audience at an event designed to celebrate the world’s most popular sporting competition.
Instead of allowing the countdown to the World Cup to be solely about football, Davido ensured that millions of people were also reminded of a humanitarian issue affecting families in Nigeria.
A moment that transcended entertainment
As anticipation builds for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Davido’s performance will be remembered not only for the music but also for the message.
The singer had the opportunity to entertain a global audience.
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Instead, he chose to do more.
By wearing the names of 39 abducted schoolchildren and seven teachers on his jacket and carrying the message “Bring Them Home,” Davido transformed a World Cup celebration into a call for awareness, compassion and action.
And for many Nigerians watching around the world, that may have been the most powerful performance of the night.
JJ Gabriel is putting in the work ahead of his anticipated Manchester United senior bow under Michael Carrick
Manchester United youngster JJ Gabriel could have a big part to play in pre-season and is trying to give Michael Carrick no choice but to give him minutes.
United manager Carrick will be without a number of senior stars in July thanks to World Cup commitments. The first pre-season friendly will take place in Helsinki on July 18, with Wrexham the opposition.
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Gabriel’s father Joe O’Cearuill shared a number of videos on social media, showing the teenager doing strength and speed work at the gym and on the training ground. “JJ 12min kick ups with tennis ball walk to gym,” the caption read, with one of a collage of four videos showing the kick-ups in question.
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Manchester United have launched their new home kit for the 2026/27 season, inspired by the club’s heritage and featuring a classic polo collar with iconic adidas details.
Fans seemed impressed upon watching the footage. “What a player he’s going to be for United, hopefully he will have a statue one day,” one wrote in reply to O’Cearuill’s post.
“I don’t care about the packaging, just work ethic that makes me say this. If he has good people around him who value privacy, he’ll go on to challenge for Ballon d’Or,” wrote another.
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Gabriel isn’t the only United academy talent putting in work this summer. Kai Rooney saw his 2025/26 season disrupted by injury but is doing what he can to be ready to get going again next term, sharing a gym photo which indicated he has been adding muscle ahead of pre-season.
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Carrick will have plenty of time to watch United’s youngsters in action as he prepares for his first pre-season campaign as manager. The Wrexham friendly is the first of six pre-season games over the course of a month before last season’s third-place finishers kick off their 2026/27 campaign.
None of those six matches will take place at Old Trafford. After the trip to Helsinki there’s an away game against Rosenborg in Norway, followed by matches on neutral territory against Atletico Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain, Leeds United and AC Milan.
Real Madrid have confirmed the reappointment of Jose Mourinho as head coach.
The 63-year-old has agreed a three-year deal and will begin work when the club returns for pre-season training on 13 July.
Real Madrid have paid Benfica £13m (15m euros) in compensation to bring the Portuguese head coach back to the Bernabeu – more than a decade after his first stint at the club came to an end.
Florentino Perez had vowed to reappoint Mourinho as head coach if he was re-elected as club president earlier this month.
It is the second time Mourinho has taken charge of Real Madrid, with his previous spell, which began in 2010 and lasted three seasons, yielding a La Liga title, a Copa del Rey and a Spanish Super Cup.
Mourinho has since taken charge of Premier League clubs Chelsea, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur and had stints at Roma, Fenerbahce and Benfica in more recent years.
During his one and only season at Benfica, Mourinho led the two-time European Cup winners to an unbeaten Liga Portugal campaign, though it was only enough to secure a third place finish.
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Earlier this week, Benfica agreed a deal to appoint former Fulham manager Marco Silva as Mourinho’s replacement.
Mourinho, meanwhile, heads back to Real Madrid with the club having failed to win a trophy in the last two seasons.
Somali referee Omar Artan has been appointed to officiate the 2026 UEFA Super Cup between Paris Saint-Germain and Aston Villa in Salzburg on August 12.
UEFA announced the appointment on Thursday following discussions with the Confederation of African Football (CAF).
Artan, 34, is regarded as one of Africa’s leading referees. He has been a FIFA-listed international referee since 2018 and was named CAF Men’s Referee of the Year in 2025 after a series of impressive performances.
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One of the biggest matches he handled was the second leg of the 2025/26 CAF Champions League final, which further strengthened his reputation on the continent.
The appointment comes after Artan missed the opportunity to officiate at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Although FIFA selected him among the tournament’s match officials, he was unable to take part after being denied entry into the United States.
UEFA said the decision to appoint Artan was made under its recently signed Memorandum of Understanding with CAF, which aims to strengthen cooperation between both football bodies, including in refereeing development.
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UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin praised the Somali official, describing him as a talented referee who has already shown his quality at the highest level of African football.
“Football is made to connect people, and UEFA wants to show its respect to Omar and his outstanding officiating skills, which had earned him such a prestigious nomination,” Čeferin said.
CAF President Patrice Motsepe also welcomed the appointment, saying Artan has made Somalia and Africa proud through his achievements.
“His receipt of the CAF Men’s Referee of the Year Award 2025 and his appointment as a referee of the FIFA World Cup 2026 are a recognition of his world-class refereeing ability and the international respect that he enjoys,” Motsepe said.
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The CAF President added that Artan’s selection for the UEFA Super Cup is a great honour for African referees and an example of football’s ability to unite people across continents.
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