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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
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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.

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Morocco Captain Saiss Announces International Retirement 

Romain Saiss. (Getty Images file)
Romain Saiss. (Getty Images file)
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Morocco Captain Saiss Announces International Retirement 

Romain Saiss. (Getty Images file)
Romain Saiss. (Getty Images file)

Veteran Morocco captain Romain Saiss announced on Tuesday his retirement from international football, bringing to a close what he called "the most beautiful chapter of my life".

Saiss's decision comes after repeated injuries, including in the last Africa Cup of Nations, where he only played 18 minutes in the opening match against Comoros before he was substituted due to an issue with his left thigh.

The 35-year-old former Angers and Wolverhampton Wanderers center-back said on social media the decision followed "careful reflection" and was made with "immense emotion".

"Wearing the colors of Morocco and becoming their captain will remain the greatest honor of my career," he wrote.

"Every time I wore it, I felt the weight of responsibility, but above all an indescribable pride."

His brief AFCON return in December had followed an 18-month absence, also due to injury, having skippered the side to the 2022 World Cup semi-final.

Saiss's retirement comes just three months ahead of this year's World Cup, in which Morocco are set to face Brazil, Scotland and Haiti.

"I will now be your number one supporter," he said.

"I am leaving the national team, but I will forever remain a Lion."

Saiss will still play for Qatar Stars League club Al Sadd.

Sports

Champions League Playoffs: Bodø/Glimt on the Verge of Big Upset Against Inter Milan

Inter's head coach Cristian Chivu gestures during the UEFA Champions League play-offs 1st leg soccer match between Bodø/Glimt and Inter Milan, in Bodø, Norway, 18 February 2026. (EPA)
Inter's head coach Cristian Chivu gestures during the UEFA Champions League play-offs 1st leg soccer match between Bodø/Glimt and Inter Milan, in Bodø, Norway, 18 February 2026. (EPA)
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Champions League Playoffs: Bodø/Glimt on the Verge of Big Upset Against Inter Milan

Inter's head coach Cristian Chivu gestures during the UEFA Champions League play-offs 1st leg soccer match between Bodø/Glimt and Inter Milan, in Bodø, Norway, 18 February 2026. (EPA)
Inter's head coach Cristian Chivu gestures during the UEFA Champions League play-offs 1st leg soccer match between Bodø/Glimt and Inter Milan, in Bodø, Norway, 18 February 2026. (EPA)

Inter Milan must overturn a two-goal deficit against Bodø/Glimt in Tuesday's Champions League playoffs if it is to avoid becoming the latest giant to be cut down by the tiny Norwegian team.

Bodø/Glimt leads 3-1 after the first leg and has its sights on the round of 16.

Inter — the beaten finalist in two of the last three seasons — plays the second leg at home but is in danger of suffering one of the biggest upsets in the competition's history.

“We should have done better, and there’s a lot of disappointment,” Inter coach Cristian Chivu said. “But we’ve reset and I’m now interested in our approach and our confidence, being the best version of ourselves and knowing we can turn it around.”

Bodø/Glimt's victory last week in Norway saw it follow up back-to-back wins against Manchester City and Atletico Madrid at the end of the league phase.

“We feel we can compete with most teams but at the same time we have nothing to lose,” Bodø/Glimt midfielder Patrick Berg said.

Atletico has work to do after drawing at Club Brugge 3-3.

Newcastle appears to be cruising into the next round after a 6-1 win in Qarabag, while Bayer Leverkusen is in control against Olympiakos following a 2-0 win in the first leg.

Sports

Mexico's Violence-hit Guadalajara to Host World Cup Games

Guadalajara is looking ahead nervously to the World Cup this summer, in which it will host four games. Ulises Ruiz / AFP
Guadalajara is looking ahead nervously to the World Cup this summer, in which it will host four games. Ulises Ruiz / AFP
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Mexico's Violence-hit Guadalajara to Host World Cup Games

Guadalajara is looking ahead nervously to the World Cup this summer, in which it will host four games. Ulises Ruiz / AFP
Guadalajara is looking ahead nervously to the World Cup this summer, in which it will host four games. Ulises Ruiz / AFP

The city of Guadalajara erupted with cartel violence this past weekend, alongside other parts of Mexico, after an army raid left a notorious drug lord dead.

Now, Guadalajara is looking ahead nervously to the World Cup this summer, in which it will host four games, AFP said.

Authorities are turning to technology to keep its slice of the planet's premier sporting event safe, as Mexico is co-hosting the tournament with the United States and Canada.

Drones, anti-drone equipment and AI-driven video surveillance systems are some of the tools the state government of Jalisco -- of which Guadalajara is the capital -- will deploy to provide security.

The preparations come as Jalisco endures an epidemic of disappearances and the discoveries of clandestine graves, with Guadalajara having more of its residents go missing due to brutal drug-related violence than any other city in Mexico.

On Sunday, Nemesio "El Mencho" Oseguera, leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel and one of the most wanted men in Mexico and the United States, was killed in a military operation some 130 kilometers (80 miles) from Guadalajara.

The cartel reacted with fury, triggering gunfire with security forces that left at least 57 people dead across Mexico -- both soldiers and cartel members -- as well as highway blockades in 20 states.

Following the burning of buses and businesses, authorities suspended football games in Guadalajara and the central state of Queretaro.

Football's world governing body FIFA declined to comment on the violence in one of the cup's host cities.

On Monday, the streets of Guadalajara remained semi-empty, as businesses stayed shut as classes were suspended in Jalisco. Schools also shut down in a dozen other states.

Days before, state security officials had reported that Guadalajara was "peaceful."

- 'Grotesque situation' -

Jalisco is one of the states with the most disappeared people in all of Mexico, with 12,575 reported missing, according to official statistics. More than half of the cases come from Guadalajara's metropolitan area.

Disappearances are driven by forced recruitment for criminal groups, said Carmen Chinas, an academic at the University of Guadalajara.

Family members of disappeared people have unearthed hundreds of clandestine graves as they look for their loved ones.

Some activists have expressed dismay over Guadalajara's hosting of the World Cup.

"I don't think there is anything to celebrate. It seems like a pretty grotesque situation to me," said 26-year-old Carmen Ponce, whose brother Victor Hugo disappeared in 2020.

"The country celebrates goals while we are here searching," she said at a field where last September she and her mother found buried plastic bags containing the remains of five people.

People are also jittery about hosting World Cup games in a city that has been through so much.

Juan Carlos Contreras, who oversees the city's security camera network, told AFP there could be protests by residents furious with the government as they search for their missing loved ones.

- 'Economic blow' -

Missael Robles, a 31-year-old tour guide from Guadalajara, told AFP that he's cancelled as many as 25 tours since the Oseguera violence exploded on Sunday.

"The economic blow is a big deal," he added.

Authorities have discovered properties used by criminal groups just a few kilometers from the Akron stadium which is due to host World Cup games.

Less than two kilometers (one mile) from the sporting complex, the state prosecutor's office raided a house and arrested two people accused of kidnapping.

AFP saw chains wrapped around metal bars in the abandoned building, with the Akron stadium visible in the distance.

Jose Raul Servin, who has been looking for his son Raul since he disappeared in April of 2018, fears that tourists coming for the World Cup could be preyed on by crime gangs.

"We don't want anything to happen," he said, "like what's happened to us."

Servin remembers with nostalgia that his son was a football fan. "If he were here, he would be happy about the World Cup," he said.