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Saudi Arabia's Al-Hilal Fly Asian Standard at Club World Cup 

Football - Saudi Pro League – Al-Hilal v Al Qadsiah - Kingdom Arena, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - May 26, 2025 Al-Hilal's Aleksandar Mitrovic celebrates scoring their first goa. (Reuters)
Football - Saudi Pro League – Al-Hilal v Al Qadsiah - Kingdom Arena, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - May 26, 2025 Al-Hilal's Aleksandar Mitrovic celebrates scoring their first goa. (Reuters)
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Saudi Arabia's Al-Hilal Fly Asian Standard at Club World Cup 

Football - Saudi Pro League – Al-Hilal v Al Qadsiah - Kingdom Arena, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - May 26, 2025 Al-Hilal's Aleksandar Mitrovic celebrates scoring their first goa. (Reuters)
Football - Saudi Pro League – Al-Hilal v Al Qadsiah - Kingdom Arena, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - May 26, 2025 Al-Hilal's Aleksandar Mitrovic celebrates scoring their first goa. (Reuters)

Saudi Arabia's Al-Hilal will be the standard bearers for Asian football at the revamped Club World Cup after appointing Simone Inzaghi to coach a squad bristling with playing talent from the Kingdom and around the world.

Ruben Neves, Joao Cancelo, Aleksandar Mitrovic and Sergej Milinkovic-Savic have all joined Saudi captain Salem Al-Dawsari at the Riyadh-based club since it received major investment from the nation's Public Investment Fund.

Former Inter Milan coach Inzaghi takes over a squad that fell short of their lofty standards by failing to win a fifth Asian Champions League title in May, a misstep that cost Jorge Jesus the chance to lead the team to the Club World Cup.

While Al-Hilal head to the tournament with ambitions of making a big impact in a group also featuring Real Madrid, Pachuca and Red Bull Salzburg, the expectations for Asia's three other clubs are likely to be more modest.

Emirati side Al-Ain won the 2024 Asian Champions League to secure their berth but have endured a dismal 13 months since, and the defense of their continental title ended in ignominy with no wins from eight matches.

Hernan Crespo, who had led the club to their second Asian title, paid the price in November but his replacement Leonardo Jardim lasted only two months before Serbian Vladimir Ivic was drafted in to try to stop the rot.

Togolese striker Kodjo Laba, who was top scorer in the UAE Pro League last season, and Moroccan winger Soufiane Rahimi will be Al-Ain's biggest attacking threats when they take on Manchester City, Juventus and Wydad in the group stage.

At least one Asian team will go into the competition in decent form with Japanese outfit Urawa Red Diamonds showing improved domestic performances under Maciej Skorza.

The Pole led Urawa to the Asian Champions League title in 2023, five months after replacing Ricardo Rodriguez, only to leave at the end of that season for personal reasons.

He returned in late 2024 and has developed a side that are contenders to win the J.League for the first time since their sole title in 2006.

Former Japan midfielder Genki Haraguchi has returned to Urawa after a decade in Germany to lead the club's resurgence alongside the experienced Takahiro Sekine, who was instrumental in the club's Asian Champions League wins in 2017 and 2022.

Urawa have been drawn with River Plate, Inter Milan and Monterrey at the Club World Cup.

South Korea's Ulsan HD will be playing in the competition for the third time after featuring in the earlier iteration in 2012 and 2020.

Kim Pan-gon's side qualified due to the club's record in Asian competition over the last four years, during which Ulsan reach the semi-finals of the Asian Champions League in 2021 and 2023.

Both of those runs, though, were achieved under former coach Hong Myung-bo, now the South Korea national team boss, with the team's performances becoming more inconsistent after Kim's arrival last summer.

The former Malaysia coach took over with minimal exposure to top-level club football and his side, who will play Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund and Mamelodi Sundowns in Group F, face a stiff challenge to make a positive impact in the United States.

Jung Woo-young played at the 2018 and 2022 World Cups and brings stability to the Ulsan midfield, while goalkeeper Jo Hyeon-woo played a key role as South Korea eliminated world champions Germany in 2018.

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Mexico, Portugal Draw 0-0 as Azteca Stadium Reopens After World Cup Renovations

Mexican fans cheer for their team during a friendly football match between Mexico and Portugal at the Banorte (formerly known as Azteca) Stadium in Mexico City on March 28, 2026. (AFP)
Mexican fans cheer for their team during a friendly football match between Mexico and Portugal at the Banorte (formerly known as Azteca) Stadium in Mexico City on March 28, 2026. (AFP)
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Mexico, Portugal Draw 0-0 as Azteca Stadium Reopens After World Cup Renovations

Mexican fans cheer for their team during a friendly football match between Mexico and Portugal at the Banorte (formerly known as Azteca) Stadium in Mexico City on March 28, 2026. (AFP)
Mexican fans cheer for their team during a friendly football match between Mexico and Portugal at the Banorte (formerly known as Azteca) Stadium in Mexico City on March 28, 2026. (AFP)

Mexico and Portugal played to a scoreless draw on Saturday night in a warm-up match that marked the reopening of the Azteca Stadium after nearly two years of renovations for the 2026 World Cup.

Goncalo Ramos had the best scoring chance in the match when he rattled the goalpost in the 26th minute.

The iconic Azteca stadium, which hosted the finals of the 1970 and 1986 World Cup tournaments, has been closed since May 2024 for renovations for the upcoming World Cup, where it will host five matches: three first-round matches and two for the knockout stages.

On Saturday, the Mexicans were without 12 players through injury, including six starters that helped the team win the CONCACAF Nations League and the Gold Cup last year.

The Portuguese also faced the match with absences, most notably those of forwards Cristiano Ronaldo and Rafael Leão.

Mexico opens its tournament June 11 in Mexico City against South Africa in the opening match of the tournament.

The Mexicans will play against Belgium next Tuesday at Soldier Field in Chicago, while Portugal face the United States at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.

Portugal will make its debut in the World Cup on June 17 against the winner of the intercontinental playoffs match between Jamaica and Congo.

Sports

Kit Confusion: US and Belgian Players Can’t Tell Which Team’s Jersey Is Which from Distance

Alexis Saelemaekers #22 of Belgium is challenged by Christian Pulisic #10 of the United States during the International Friendly match between United States and Belgium at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on March 28, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Getty Images/AFP)
Alexis Saelemaekers #22 of Belgium is challenged by Christian Pulisic #10 of the United States during the International Friendly match between United States and Belgium at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on March 28, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Getty Images/AFP)
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Kit Confusion: US and Belgian Players Can’t Tell Which Team’s Jersey Is Which from Distance

Alexis Saelemaekers #22 of Belgium is challenged by Christian Pulisic #10 of the United States during the International Friendly match between United States and Belgium at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on March 28, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Getty Images/AFP)
Alexis Saelemaekers #22 of Belgium is challenged by Christian Pulisic #10 of the United States during the International Friendly match between United States and Belgium at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on March 28, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Getty Images/AFP)

Christian Pulisic couldn't figure out teammates from opposing Belgians in a friendly with kit confusion.

“That can’t happen. It was a bit strange,” the US star said after Saturday's 5-2 loss to Belgium.

The US wore its new Nike jerseys with red and white horizontal stripes that resemble a waving flag, an apparent homage to American jerseys at the 1994 World Cup with vertical red-and-white stripes.

Belgium had on its new Adidas road jerseys with a background of a light color called Frozen Blue mixed with pink and black trim, a tribute to surrealist artist René Magritte.

“It definitely was a little bit difficult whenever you do like a quick glance to tell which was which. It was almost like a 50-50 thing,” American midfielder Weston McKennie said. “So you definitely have to maybe take a little more time on the ball before you made a decision or play one touch to a player.”

Both teams exchanged uniform plans well ahead of the match, according to the US Soccer Federation, and the outfits were cleared before the game by the match officials.

Belgium’s home jersey in a solid red while the US’s other is dark blue with a subtle star pattern and red trim, which it plans to wear for Tuesday’s friendly against Portugal.

While the flawed fashions became apparent during the first half, neither team had different sets of jerseys on site they could switch to at the break.

Decisions could depend on shorts — the US wore blue and Belgium white. The Americans had white socks and the Belgians blue.

Players hadn't been concerned about the game's sartorial aspects.

“I didn’t know until we took off the pre-match, whatever, shirts and then saw it and I was like — everyone was a bit shocked,” Pulisic said. “A lot of times you get the ball, you look up, you can’t really lock in on something. You only can base it off the color of the shirt. That’s how it works. And when it’s very similar, it's difficult.”

Sports

Moriyasu Hails Japan’s Late Tactical Switch as Ito Sinks Scotland 1-0 Amid Hampden Boos

Hajime Moriyasu head coach of Japan gestures during the international friendly soccer match between Scotland and Japan in Glasgow, Britain, 28 March 2026. (EPA)
Hajime Moriyasu head coach of Japan gestures during the international friendly soccer match between Scotland and Japan in Glasgow, Britain, 28 March 2026. (EPA)
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Moriyasu Hails Japan’s Late Tactical Switch as Ito Sinks Scotland 1-0 Amid Hampden Boos

Hajime Moriyasu head coach of Japan gestures during the international friendly soccer match between Scotland and Japan in Glasgow, Britain, 28 March 2026. (EPA)
Hajime Moriyasu head coach of Japan gestures during the international friendly soccer match between Scotland and Japan in Glasgow, Britain, 28 March 2026. (EPA)

Japan coach Hajime Moriyasu hailed his team's tactical flexibility after a late Junya Ito strike secured a 1-0 victory over Scotland in a pre- World Cup friendly at Hampden Park, leaving the home side facing a chorus of boos.

In a key warm-up for their eighth successive World Cup appearance, the Samurai Blue overcame a bright Scotland start to dominate the second half. Substitute Ito proved the difference in the 84th minute with a clinical finish from 12 yards to settle a tight contest.

While Scotland manager Steve Clarke admitted he was “surprised and disappointed” by the negative reaction from the Tartan Army, Moriyasu focused on his side’s defensive discipline and late clinical edge.

“I am very pleased to play in such a fantastic atmosphere,” Moriyasu said. “It was a tough game and we managed to keep a clean sheet. Toward the end, we changed the setup to get the goal. It was great for building confidence.”

The visitors survived an early scare when Zion Suzuki pushed a Scott McTominay effort onto the post, but Japan gradually asserted control. Kodai Sano clipped the bar before the break, and the pressure eventually told when Ito got the breakthrough.

The result leaves Scotland winless in four meetings against Japan as both sides prepare for the World Cup in North America starting in June.

Japan plays England at Wembley Stadium in London on Tuesday.