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The teams emerging for the 2026 FIFA World Cup Final (Credit: Robin Clifford)

An International Fan’s World Cup Final Experience: An “Extraordinary” End to the Tournament

When the FIFA World Cup reached its conclusion last month, it went down as a tournament that delivered record numbers of goals and unprecedented attendance. It also served as a milestone for the competition, with three host nations and 48 competing national teams for the first time. However, it was also a World Cup that […]

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FIFA President Gianni Infantino (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo)

Analysis: Why Selling Stakes Would Be Disastrous for FIFA — and Gianni Infantino

When British newspaper The Times reported on July 28 that FIFA was exploring a new structure that would allow it to sell stakes in its prime assets (including media contracts, sponsorships, events) to private investors, few could have imagined the seismic repercussions it would have across the global soccer landscape. The news led to a swift […]

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Jeremy Bloom became X Games CEO in December 2024. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Q&A: X Games CEO Jeremy Bloom

In December 2024, Jeremy Bloom was named CEO of the X Games. It was a return to the action sports world for Bloom, now 44, who had been a U.S. Olympian in skiing and starred in college football at Colorado. Bloom never got the chance to compete in X Games as an athlete, but now […]

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The X Games held its first League Championship at the Caesars Superdome in late July. (Photo by Ted Keith)

How X Games Flipped the Script

An 11-year-old girl stood poised on her skateboard on top of a ramp inside a cavernous venue known for hosting Super Bowls and Final Fours, one member of a mixed-gender team representing a single city at a season-ending championship event. Then she dropped in, made history, won a gold medal, and helped further the evolution […]

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The Colts have been regulars for almost a decade at Grand Park in Westfield, Indiana. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

NFL Training Camp: Where All 32 Teams Will Prepare for the 20206 Season

The NFL is back. By Tuesday, about a week after players began arriving, all 32 of the league’s teams will have fully opened training camp for both rookies and veterans. (Two teams — the Arizona Cardinals and Carolina Panthers — officially started training camp last week because they will play in the Hall of Fame […]

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Jason Siegel marks his 10th anniversary as President and CEO of the Greater Orlando Sports Commission this month. (Courtesy GO Sports!)

Q&A: Jason Siegel, CEO of the Greater Orlando Sports Commission

The opening ceremony for the 2028 Olympic Summer Games are two years away, but the Olympic experience will not be confined just to Los Angeles. Oklahoma City will be hosting multiple events during the Games themselves, cities (including Louisville for USA Gymnastics) across the U.S. will host Olympic Trials in the run-up to the Games […]

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Norway's fans turned out en masse at New York New Jersey Stadium, site of this year's World Cup final. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)

2026 FIFA World Cup: Lodging Hits and Misses

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is the largest in the history of the competition, with 16 host cities in three countries — Canada, Mexico and the United States — hosting 104 matches involving 48 teams. Despite FIFA President Gianni Infantino‘s promise to deliver “the greatest World Cup ever” with more than 6 million fans converging […]

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Political tensions between the U.S. and Iran caused the latter to move its base camp to Mexico just weeks before the tournament began. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)

Inside the ‘Missed Opportunity’ for Tucson Hosting Iran’s World Cup Base Camp

Iran’s stay at the 2026 FIFA World Cup ended quietly last week with a 3-3 draw against Egypt in Seattle. Despite the knockout stage expanding to 32 teams for the first time this year, Team Melli was still unable to advance past the group stage for the first time, finishing with 0 wins, 0 losses […]

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England defeated Croatia in the World Cup before more than 70,000 fans at Dallas Stadium. (Photo by Ted Keith)

Scenes from the World Cup: Four Days in Dallas

DALLAS — Of all the many blessings sports can provide, this one is not to be overlooked: it creates a passport full of memories, where places and experiences blend together. Houston, then, is where I witnessed superstar athletes reduced to gawking fans in the presence of Muhammad Ali. Atlanta is where I watched the blur of […]

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Norwegian fans celebrate in Foxborough, Massachusetts (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly at the 2026 FIFA World Cup So Far

Amidst all of the logistical issues, outcry over ticket prices and controversy over travel bans, the 2026 FIFA World Cup is finally underway. The 23rd edition of the global soccer showpiece, which was awarded to North America back in 2018, was already due to be a milestone event before a ball was even kicked. The […]

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