عربي English Türkçe اردو فارسى
Logo
Latest News
Sports

FIFA Gives Club World Cup New Opening Day for Inter Miami vs Al Ahly

(FILES) Inter Miami's Argentine forward #10 Lionel Messi celebrates his goal during the Major League Soccer (MLS) Eastern Conference semifinal second leg between Inter Miami CF and Atlanta United FC at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on November 9, 2024. Messi was named Major League Soccer's Most Valuable Player on December 6, 2024, after leading Inter Miami to a record-breaking regular season campaign. (Photo by Chris Arjoon / AFP) / ALTERNATE CROP
(FILES) Inter Miami's Argentine forward #10 Lionel Messi celebrates his goal during the Major League Soccer (MLS) Eastern Conference semifinal second leg between Inter Miami CF and Atlanta United FC at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on November 9, 2024. Messi was named Major League Soccer's Most Valuable Player on December 6, 2024, after leading Inter Miami to a record-breaking regular season campaign. (Photo by Chris Arjoon / AFP) / ALTERNATE CROP
TT
TT

FIFA Gives Club World Cup New Opening Day for Inter Miami vs Al Ahly

(FILES) Inter Miami's Argentine forward #10 Lionel Messi celebrates his goal during the Major League Soccer (MLS) Eastern Conference semifinal second leg between Inter Miami CF and Atlanta United FC at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on November 9, 2024. Messi was named Major League Soccer's Most Valuable Player on December 6, 2024, after leading Inter Miami to a record-breaking regular season campaign. (Photo by Chris Arjoon / AFP) / ALTERNATE CROP
(FILES) Inter Miami's Argentine forward #10 Lionel Messi celebrates his goal during the Major League Soccer (MLS) Eastern Conference semifinal second leg between Inter Miami CF and Atlanta United FC at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on November 9, 2024. Messi was named Major League Soccer's Most Valuable Player on December 6, 2024, after leading Inter Miami to a record-breaking regular season campaign. (Photo by Chris Arjoon / AFP) / ALTERNATE CROP

The 2025 Club World Cup will now kick off one day earlier with Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami opening the monthlong tournament on June 14, and ending with a week of games at MetLife Stadium near New York.

FIFA published the 63-game schedule Saturday for the first 32-team edition, two days after making the draw in Miami, The Associated Press reported. The draw ceremony involved Ivanka Trump on stage after President-elect Donald Trump sent a prerecorded video message to congratulate FIFA and its president Gianni Infantino.
FIFA has now brought forward the opening game to a Saturday, at an 8 p.m. local time start at Hard Rock Stadium for Messi and the hometown team to play Al Ahly of Egypt. The kickoff time is 3 a.m. in Cairo.
MetLife Stadium was already announced as hosting the final on Sunday, July 13 — at 3 p.m. local time (9 p.m. in central European prime time) — and FIFA said Saturday the venue also will stage the two semifinals on July 8-9 and the fourth quarterfinal on July 5.
A four-game Sunday for day two of the tournament starts at midday in Cincinnati for Bayern Munich vs. Auckland City and continues at midday in Pasadena for Paris Saint-Germain vs. Atletico Madrid at the Rose Bowl.
The other two games that Sunday are Palmeiras vs. Porto, at 6 p.m. local time at MetLife, and Seattle Sounders hosting Botafogo at 7.pm. local time.
Real Madrid starts on June 18 with a 3 p.m. local time start in Miami against Al Hilal and Manchester City starts earlier that day, at midday in Philadelphia against Wydad Casablanca.
Two of the biggest Europe vs. South America pairings have been given kickoff times that are 3 a.m. in central Europe: Bayern Munich vs. Boca Juniors in Miami on June 20 and Inter Milan vs River Plate in Seattle on June 25.
FIFA said its match schedule aimed to maximize rest and minimize travel for players and took forecast heat and weather into account.
The two West Coast locations — Pasadena and Seattle — stage only group-stage games with all round of 16 games being played in Atlanta, Charlotte, Miami, Orlando and Philadelphia. Quarterfinals also are in Atlanta, Orlando and Philadelphia.
Teams qualified for the Club World Cup by winning a continental title from 2021 through 2024, or being high ranked with consistent results over those four editions.
FIFA gifted Inter Miami a place in October for finishing top of the MLS regular season standings. The MLS Cup final is played Saturday with Los Angeles Galaxy hosting New York Red Bulls.

Most Viewed

 
 
Sports

Tudor Sees Harsh Reality of Tottenham’s Plight 

Tottenham's head coach Igor Tudor reacts during the English Premier League soccer match between Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal in London, Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026.(AP)
Tottenham's head coach Igor Tudor reacts during the English Premier League soccer match between Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal in London, Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026.(AP)
TT
TT

Tudor Sees Harsh Reality of Tottenham’s Plight 

Tottenham's head coach Igor Tudor reacts during the English Premier League soccer match between Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal in London, Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026.(AP)
Tottenham's head coach Igor Tudor reacts during the English Premier League soccer match between Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal in London, Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026.(AP)

If Igor Tudor needed hard evidence as to the size of his task at Tottenham Hotspur, he got a filing cabinet's worth in Sunday's 4-1 home defeat by Arsenal in the north London derby.

There had been a slight lift in the mood amongst Tottenham fans ahead of the game, a feeling that Tudor might be able to initiate a "new manager bounce" against an Arsenal side showing signs of nerves in the Premier League title race.

Instead, a dominant Arsenal strolled to three points with their biggest league win at their arch-rivals since 1978.

Tudor was left in no doubt that his side are in a relegation battle that ‌could see them ‌drop out of the top flight for the first time ‌since ⁠1977.

"Where is the ⁠goal? What is the level? So today, totally different worlds. I need to be honest. Two totally different psychological and physical worlds," the straight-talking Croatian said of the contrast between the two sides.

"A lack of confidence is very evident in the team. I'm very sad and very angry and everything but in one way it is also good to understand where is our goal. What is the goal of this club?

"What is the goal of this team? What ⁠is this goal of this coach, these players, this staff? To ‌become serious. Serious, not just a group of ‌20 players.

"Each of us look in the mirror and really try, really start to change the habits. ‌Working hard is the only way."

With 11 games remaining, Tottenham are in 16th place, ‌four points above the relegation zone. But their form is shocking, even compared to the two clubs directly below them, Nottingham Forest and West Ham United.

They have not won a Premier League game in 2026 and have only won twice at home in the league this season.

Based on the ‌last 12 games, Tottenham are bottom of the table -- five points worse off than West Ham and Forest, who both look ⁠better-equipped for a relegation ⁠scrap.

Apart from a brief spell when Randal Kolo Muani equalized on Sunday, Arsenal toyed with Tottenham and could have won by an even larger margin.

Former Juventus and Lazio coach Tudor, who replaced Thomas Frank this month, was correct to point to the crippling injury list that left him with 13 senior outfield players on Sunday while suspended captain Cristian Romero will complete his ban at Fulham next weekend.

That is a match Tottenham dare not lose.

"It was too much Arsenal for us in this moment with the problems we have," Tudor said. "Also it's nice to understand where we are because you prepare in the best possible way then there is the game to show you reality.

"I said to the players, stay quiet, come on Tuesday and restart after these three or four training sessions to work harder than we did until now. To change our habits, to change the state of mind which is now as a team."

Sports

Liverpool Boss Slot Encouraged by Mac Allister’s Return to Form 

Liverpool's manager Arne Slot reacts during the English Premier League soccer match between Nottingham Forest and Liverpool in Nottingham, Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026.(AP)
Liverpool's manager Arne Slot reacts during the English Premier League soccer match between Nottingham Forest and Liverpool in Nottingham, Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026.(AP)
TT
TT

Liverpool Boss Slot Encouraged by Mac Allister’s Return to Form 

Liverpool's manager Arne Slot reacts during the English Premier League soccer match between Nottingham Forest and Liverpool in Nottingham, Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026.(AP)
Liverpool's manager Arne Slot reacts during the English Premier League soccer match between Nottingham Forest and Liverpool in Nottingham, Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026.(AP)

Liverpool manager Arne Slot believes Alexis Mac Allister is regaining his best form following the attacking midfielder's last-gasp winning goal at Nottingham Forest.

Mac Allister struck deep in added time at the City Ground on Sunday to secure a 1-0 win for the Premier League champions.

The Argentina international sealed victory by pouncing on a loose ball from close range just minutes after he had a goal ruled out by VAR.

"I think what he needed is what he showed in the last six, seven or eight games - a run of games where he's getting back to his usual level that he showed so many times last season," said Slot.

"And he had that level also in the first half of the season but it went a bit with ups and downs, as the team went in terms of performances with ups and downs.

"But I see much more consistency recently -- not only in Macca's performance but in the team performance and many individual performances.

"But I think it's always nice for a player to score, especially if it's in extra time of extra time."

The Dutch boss, whose side are now just outside the Champions League places on goal difference alone following a run of poor results, added: "We needed this goal, we needed that win to be on the right side of things once in a while because we've been so, so unlucky this season.

"And for the first time, at least it felt to me for the first time, we've been a bit lucky this season."

Sports

Wolves, Sunderland Condemn Racist Abuse Directed at Players

22 February 2026, United Kingdom, London: Crystal Palace's Chris Richards and Wolverhampton Wanderers' Tolu Arokodare battle for the ball during the English Premier League soccer match between Crystal Palace and Wolverhampton Wanderers at Selhurst Park. Photo: Jordan Pettitt/PA Wire/dpa
22 February 2026, United Kingdom, London: Crystal Palace's Chris Richards and Wolverhampton Wanderers' Tolu Arokodare battle for the ball during the English Premier League soccer match between Crystal Palace and Wolverhampton Wanderers at Selhurst Park. Photo: Jordan Pettitt/PA Wire/dpa
TT
TT

Wolves, Sunderland Condemn Racist Abuse Directed at Players

22 February 2026, United Kingdom, London: Crystal Palace's Chris Richards and Wolverhampton Wanderers' Tolu Arokodare battle for the ball during the English Premier League soccer match between Crystal Palace and Wolverhampton Wanderers at Selhurst Park. Photo: Jordan Pettitt/PA Wire/dpa
22 February 2026, United Kingdom, London: Crystal Palace's Chris Richards and Wolverhampton Wanderers' Tolu Arokodare battle for the ball during the English Premier League soccer match between Crystal Palace and Wolverhampton Wanderers at Selhurst Park. Photo: Jordan Pettitt/PA Wire/dpa

Wolverhampton Wanderers ‌and Sunderland said they were appalled by the racial abuse directed at their players on social media on Sunday following defeats in the Premier League.

Wolves striker Tolu Arokodare and Sunderland winger Romaine Mundle both received online abuse, ‌with the ‌incidents coming less than ‌24 ⁠hours after Wesley ⁠Fofana and Hannibal Mejbri were racially abused following Chelsea's draw with Burnley.

Wolves said they were disgusted by the multiple instances of abuse ⁠received by Arokodare following ‌their 1-0 ‌defeat by Crystal Palace.

"We stand ‌firmly alongside him, and alongside ‌all footballers who are forced to endure this abuse from anonymous accounts acting with apparent impunity," Reuters quoted ‌the club as saying in a statement.

Soccer Football - Premier League - Sunderland v Fulham - Stadium of Light, Sunderland, Britain - February 22, 2026 Sunderland's Romaine Mundle reacts Action Images via Reuters/Lee Smith

Sunderland, who lost 3-1 ⁠to ⁠Fulham, said they were working with the authorities to identify those responsible for the messages targeting Mundle.

"The abhorrent behavior displayed by multiple individuals is unacceptable and will not be tolerated by the Club under any circumstances," Sunderland wrote on their website.