Sports
Ebola risk to World Cup fans low despite strained logistics: Experts
The risk of Ebola affecting fans at the 2026 FIFA World Cup is low, according to Dr. Oliver Johnson of King’s College London. However, he cautioned that tighter screening measures and possible travel restrictions could create logistical challenges.
The expanded 48-team tournament, co-hosted by the U.S., Canada and Mexico, runs from June 11 to July 19.
An Ebola outbreak in eastern DRC has recorded about 600 suspected cases and more than 130 deaths, prompting the World Health Organization to declare a public health emergency of international concern. The disease is Ebola virus disease.
The situation has already disrupted DR Congo’s World Cup preparations. The team canceled pre-tournament events in Kinshasa and relocated plans to Belgium.
U.S. authorities have also barred entry to non-U.S. passport holders who have been in the DRC, Uganda or South Sudan in the past 21 days, forcing Congo-based staff to depart early.
The squad is due to arrive in the U.S. on June 10 or 11 and will be based in Houston.
“If you are a casual visitor to the World Cup from around the world, I think there is a very low risk that you would be at risk of Ebola,” Johnson told Reuters. “Ebola has never really caused transmission in high-income country settings, where there have been very occasional cases.
“That is because it is not airborne. You would normally need direct contact with someone who is quite sick, and there is usually good contact tracing. If a case does occur, it is identified quickly.”
Johnson said the outbreak could still have broader implications.
U.S. authorities have introduced enhanced screening for travelers arriving at Washington Dulles International Airport who have recently been in affected countries, while health agencies are working with FIFA and local officials to manage potential risks.
“It will affect things like airport queues and screening, which will slow things down,” Johnson said. “It is going to add a little extra stress and it is going to cost money for the U.S. to try to organize.
“I think the other possibility is that we hope this outbreak is not going to spread beyond the DRC. That could cause a knock-on effect of travel bans or extra screening, and it could happen quite last minute.”
Fans traveling to the tournament should follow basic precautions such as good hand hygiene and avoiding close contact if unwell, Johnson added. He advised supporters to respect others and avoid stigma, helping preserve the inclusive spirit of the World Cup.
The DRC open their campaign against Portugal in Houston before facing Colombia in Guadalajara and Uzbekistan in Atlanta.
Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic will not meet before the final of the French Open after being placed in opposite halves of the draw on Thursday, while Coco Gauff is on course for a potential semifinal clash with Aryna Sabalenka.
Sinner, the leading men’s favorite in the absence of the injured Carlos Alcaraz, begins his bid for a first Roland Garros title against French wildcard Clément Tabur, ranked 165th.
In the women’s draw, Sabalenka faces a demanding route to the final, with former U.S. Open champion Naomi Osaka, rising Canadian talent Victoria Mboko and defending champion Gauff all potential obstacles.
The tournament, which begins Sunday, has been overshadowed by tensions between players and organizers over a pay dispute that has prompted threats of a media boycott.
“We are not going to budge,” tournament director Amélie Mauresmo told reporters at the draw in Paris, adding she was “a little saddened” by the situation.
“We have prize money that has doubled in 10 years and has also increased significantly recently.”
World No. 1 Sinner is slated to meet big-hitting American fifth seed Ben Shelton in the quarterfinals.
Daniil Medvedev is a possible semifinal opponent for the Italian.
The Russian gave Sinner a rare scare in the Italian Open semifinals earlier this month before eventually losing in three sets.
Sinner won his sixth consecutive Masters 1000 title by beating Casper Ruud in the Rome final.
That made the four-time Grand Slam champion only the second man to complete the set of all nine Masters 1000 titles, after Djokovic.
Third seed Djokovic will open his latest bid for a record 25th Grand Slam title against home player Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard.
Second seed Alexander Zverev is a potential semifinal opponent for Djokovic, who turns 39 on Friday.
The German has played Djokovic twice at Roland Garros, losing in the quarterfinals in 2019 and last year.
Djokovic is hoping to break his tie with Margaret Court on 24 major titles, with his most recent Grand Slam triumph coming at the 2023 U.S. Open.
Zverev, still without a Grand Slam title after several near misses, opens against Frenchman Benjamin Bonzi.
The standout first-round match sees in-form French No. 1 Arthur Fils face 41-year-old former champion Stan Wawrinka, who is appearing at the tournament for the final time before retirement.
Home favorite Gael Monfils, a semifinalist in 2008, begins his farewell French Open against fellow Frenchman Hugo Gaston.
Possible Sabalenka vs. Osaka matchup
American fourth seed Gauff, who beat Sabalenka in last year’s final, begins her title defense against compatriot Taylor Townsend.
Sabalenka, who has never won Roland Garros, was handed a difficult draw.
Four-time Grand Slam champion Osaka is a potential fourth-round opponent for Sabalenka, although she has never reached the second week in Paris.
Rising Canadian prospect Mboko or fifth seed Jessica Pegula could await in the quarterfinals.
Sabalenka opens against Spain’s Jessica Bouzas Maneiro.
Gauff may need to get past fellow American Amanda Anisimova, a finalist at Wimbledon and the U.S. Open last year, in the quarterfinals.
Four-time French Open champion Iga Swiatek, seeded third, could meet Italian Open winner Elina Svitolina in the quarterfinals.
Second seed Elena Rybakina, who won the Australian Open earlier this year, is projected to meet Swiatek in the semifinals.
Swiatek opens against 17-year-old Australian wildcard Emerson Jones, while Rybakina plays Slovenia’s Veronika Erjavec.
There is a possible all-Southeast Asian clash in the second round between Indonesia’s Janice Tjen and the Philippines’ Alexandra Eala. If that match happens, it could lead to a third-round meeting with Osaka.
Seven-time Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton arrived in Montreal chasing pace at the Canadian Grand Prix, but it was football, not Ferrari, that stirred the deepest emotions on Thursday.
The Ferrari driver revealed Arsenal’s long-awaited Premier League title triumph left him in tears, ending more than two decades of waiting for supporters of the North London club.
For Hamilton, the moment carried far more weight than silverware. It took him back to childhood memories in Stevenage, where he said his sister pushed him into becoming an Arsenal fan while most children around him supported rival clubs.
“I shed a tear, to be honest,” Hamilton said, smiling as he recalled the moment. The Briton described growing up as the only Black child in his neighborhood football circle, surrounded by fans of West Ham, Tottenham and Manchester United, before his sister jokingly insisted he back Arsenal instead. Years later, that decision finally delivered a reward.
Arsenal were crowned Premier League champions after Manchester City’s draw with Bournemouth confirmed the title race outcome, ending a 22-year drought and sparking celebrations across English football.
The football conversation quickly spread across the Formula One paddock.
Pierre Gasly, proudly flying the flag for Paris Saint-Germain, wasted little time turning the rivalry toward Europe. The Alpine driver joked that the media session had finally shifted to “real stuff” before backing PSG ahead of their upcoming Champions League showdown with Arsenal. Fresh off another Ligue 1 title, Gasly said he expected a “fantastic game of football” and made it clear he would be fully behind the French giants.
Elsewhere in the paddock, Sergio Perez had international football on his mind. The Mexican driver said he is determined to return home during the season to watch Mexico compete at the World Cup, with matches scheduled in Guadalajara.
Perez admitted the travel schedule would be demanding, requiring a rapid turnaround back to Europe, but insisted the occasion was too important to miss. Hosting a World Cup on home soil, he said, creates belief that anything is possible for Mexico.
Young Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli also joined the discussion, though with mixed emotions. Italy’s absence from the World Cup left the teenager disappointed, but he admitted he still has a soft spot for Brazil and longtime football idol Lionel Messi.
Antonelli described Messi as one of his favorite players growing up and recalled meeting the Argentine star in Miami. While disappointed Italy failed to qualify once again, he tried to laugh off the frustration, calling the situation “a disaster” before saying Italians may simply have to wait another four years.
Hamilton, meanwhile, used the opportunity to shut down growing speculation surrounding his Formula One future.
The Ferrari driver insisted retirement is nowhere near his thinking despite ongoing questions about his form and age. Hamilton, who joined Ferrari from Mercedes last season, has yet to win a race with the Italian team and turns 42 in January. Still, he made it clear he remains fully committed to the sport and to Ferrari’s long-term project.
“I’m still under contract, so everything’s 100% clear to me,” Hamilton said. “I’m still focused, motivated and I still love what I do with all my heart.”
The Briton also pushed back against repeated discussions about his future, saying too many people are attempting to “retire” him from the outside. Hamilton remains Formula One’s most successful driver, owning a record 105 race wins and 104 pole positions.
Montreal also holds special significance in his career. His first Formula One victory came at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve during his rookie season with McLaren in 2007. His latest triumph arrived in Belgium in 2024.
Hamilton insisted he no longer measures success solely through trophies and records, instead focusing on personal and technical progress inside the team.
That mindset has also influenced his preparation for the Canadian Grand Prix weekend. Hamilton revealed he deliberately avoided Ferrari’s simulator at Maranello before traveling to Montreal, believing too much simulator work can sometimes mislead drivers once they reach the actual circuit.
Interestingly, he noted he had skipped simulator preparation before the Chinese Grand Prix earlier this season as well, which produced his strongest Ferrari weekend so far and his first podium finish with the team.
Manchester City, Friday, confirmed Pep Guardiola will step down as manager at the end of the 2025-26 season, bringing a defining era in modern football to a close after a decade that reshaped the club’s identity, standards and global standing.
In an official club statement, City announced that Guardiola will depart following the final Premier League match of the campaign against Aston Villa.
The decision ends months of speculation over his long-term future and closes a tenure that began in the summer of 2016, when he arrived from Bayern Munich after already establishing himself as one of football’s most influential coaches at Barcelona and in Germany.
City described his spell as transformative, and the numbers underline that assessment. Guardiola leaves as the most successful manager in the club’s history, having delivered sustained dominance across domestic and European competitions while overseeing one of the most consistent teams English football has ever seen.
His first season at the Etihad was a period of adjustment. Despite high expectations and significant investment, City finished without a trophy in 2016-17. However, that year became the foundation for what followed, as Guardiola reshaped the squad, refined its structure and embedded a positional style built on control, pressing and technical precision.
From 2017-18 onward, the transformation was immediate and sustained. City won six Premier League titles under his leadership, including a record-breaking 100-point campaign and a historic run of four consecutive league titles between 2020-21 and 2023-24. That stretch of dominance effectively reset competitive benchmarks in English football, with City consistently setting standards in points totals, goal scoring and defensive control.
Domestic success extended beyond the league. Guardiola’s City lifted multiple FA Cups and League Cups, regularly reaching the latter stages of competitions even amid congested schedules and squad rotation. The club also secured Community Shield victories that reflected their consistency across seasons.
The defining breakthrough came in the 2022-23 campaign, when City finally captured the UEFA Champions League, defeating Inter Milan in the final to complete a historic treble alongside the Premier League and FA Cup. That achievement placed Guardiola’s side among an elite group in European football history and ended the club’s long pursuit of continental glory.
Momentum did not fade after that landmark season. City added the UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cup in 2023, becoming one of the few English clubs to achieve global dominance in a single calendar year. Across his tenure, Guardiola is expected to leave with approximately 20 major trophies.
Beyond silverware, his influence is deeply embedded in the modern game. Guardiola redefined positional play in the Premier League, introducing tactical ideas that became widely adopted across Europe. His use of inverted full-backs, flexible midfield structures and positional rotations changed how teams build attacks and control space.
He also elevated a generation of players into world-class status. Kevin De Bruyne became one of the most complete midfielders in the world, while Erling Haaland’s arrival added a new dimension to City’s attack. Phil Foden emerged as a key figure from the academy, and Rodri became central to the team’s control in midfield. Bernardo Silva, among others, thrived in multiple roles under Guardiola’s tactical system.
The decision to step down comes after years in which Guardiola has spoken about the intensity of elite management and the need for breaks between long cycles. While he signed an extension in November 2024 running until 2027, sources indicate both parties agreed to an early exit, allowing for a clean transition at the end of this season.
Attention now turns to succession. Enzo Maresca is widely reported as the leading candidate to take over. A former assistant under Guardiola, Maresca is seen as a continuity choice, offering familiarity with the club’s structure and playing philosophy while also bringing his own managerial identity.
Austrian Grand Prix organizers will honor Toprak Razgatlıoğlu with a dedicated grandstand at the Red Bull Ring, turning this year’s MotoGP round into a landmark moment for Turkish motorsport as he continues his breakthrough at the sport’s highest level.
The announcement came during a media event in Spielberg ahead of the Sept. 18-20 MotoGP Austrian Grand Prix, where key figures from the paddock gathered alongside Razgatlıoğlu.
The lineup included Pedro Acosta, Brad Binder, Enea Bastianini, and Austrian Moto3 prospect Leo Rammerstorfer.
The session was moderated by Alina Marzi and hosted by Thomas Überall, underscoring the growing promotional push around the Austrian round.
For Razgatlıoğlu, the return to Spielberg carries added significance.
He last competed at the circuit during his Red Bull junior development years, long before stepping onto MotoGP machinery.
Now racing in the premier class with Pramac Yamaha, he described the comeback as both emotional and demanding, noting that adapting to MotoGP pace remains a steep challenge but one he is determined to meet head-on.
He also highlighted the importance of fan presence, expressing hope that Turkish supporters will travel in large numbers. Organisers are reinforcing that vision with the new “Toprak Razgatlıoğlu Grandstand,” which will feature dedicated seating for Turkish fans and themed hospitality elements, including Turkish cuisine, designed to build a home-style atmosphere within the Austrian venue.
Tickets for the grandstand are available through the official Red Bull Ring platform at Red Bull Ring, with the “Toprak Ticket Grandstand T10” option specifically allocated for supporters wishing to sit within the dedicated section during race weekend.
Razgatlıoğlu arrives in MotoGP with a heavyweight resume from the World Superbike Championship, where he claimed world titles in 2021, 2024 and 2025.
His dominance in superbikes established him as one of the most successful riders of his generation before making the leap to MotoGP, becoming the first Turkish rider ever to compete in the series.
The 8th Ethnosport Culture Festival opened in Istanbul on Thursday at the Atatürk Airport National Garden, launching a four-day international gathering that places traditional sports, cultural heritage and cross-cultural exchange at the center of a vast public program running through May 24.
Organized by the World Ethnosport Union (WEU), the festival has evolved into a major cultural platform aimed at preserving and revitalizing traditional games and heritage practices that are increasingly overshadowed by modern, commercial sport systems.
This year’s edition reinforces Istanbul’s position as a meeting point between regions and traditions stretching from Central Asia to Europe, East Asia and North Africa.
The opening ceremony brought together senior Turkish officials, including WEU President Bilal Erdoğan, Health Minister Kemal Memişoğlu, Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy, Youth and Sports Minister Osman Aşkın Bak and Istanbul Governor Davut Gül, underscoring the state-level backing behind the event and its expanding cultural footprint.
Ceremonial elements opened the festival with a staged performance in front of the Han Tent area, where students performed the Gülbank tradition, followed by a mehter band performance from the Istanbul Historical Turkish Music Ensemble.
The sequence blended ritual, music and symbolic heritage presentation, setting a formal tone before the start of competitions and exhibitions.
Bilal Erdoğan said this year’s theme, “The world is here,” reflects the presence of athletes, artists and cultural representatives from a wide range of countries, including Japan, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Lithuania, Russia and Kyrgyzstan.
He said the festival is designed as a shared cultural space where traditional sports and games act as a bridge between generations, with children positioned at the center of participation and learning.
He emphasized that many of the activities are structured to allow young visitors to experience traditional games directly, arguing that early exposure to culturally rooted sports helps preserve identity and strengthens intergenerational continuity.
He also described the festival as a “family structure” where cultural diversity is brought together in a shared environment rather than separated by geography.
Kemal Memişoğlu focused on the health and social dimensions of traditional sports, highlighting disciplines such as archery, oil wrestling, javelin and horseback games.
He said these activities build discipline, coordination, courage and endurance while also serving as a response to what he described as one of the most pressing modern health issues, physical inactivity.
He added that traditional sports can counter the growing pull of digital environments, particularly for younger generations, arguing that cultural athletic practices keep children connected to both physical activity and historical identity. He said a generation rooted in its own history is less vulnerable to social and cultural instability.
Mehmet Nuri Ersoy described culture as a continuous link between past and future, stating that this year’s festival is built around four core principles: peace, solidarity, love and tradition. He said these values are intended to shape not only the festival experience but also broader social awareness.
Ersoy also pointed to social responsibility initiatives within the festival grounds, including programs led with civil society groups. These include efforts to highlight humanitarian concerns in conflict-affected regions, with specific attention drawn to crises affecting civilians in places such as Gaza.
Osman Aşkın Bak emphasized Türkiye’s growing investment in sports infrastructure and its increasing role in hosting international competitions. He referenced recent major sporting events and upcoming tournaments, including the UEFA Europa League final held in Istanbul and future events such as the 2032 European Championship and the 2027 European Games.
He said these developments reflect Türkiye’s ambition to position itself as a global sports hub, while also crediting athletes who have brought international success to the country.
Davut Gül linked the festival to Istanbul’s historical identity, noting its timing during a culturally significant period in the city’s calendar as it approaches the anniversary of the conquest of Istanbul.
Across the Atatürk Airport National Garden, the festival site has been transformed into a multi-layered cultural landscape.
Dedicated arenas host traditional sports including oil wrestling, horseback archery, belt wrestling, aba wrestling and kok boru, alongside equestrian events such as mounted javelin and other horseback disciplines that emphasize coordination, strength and endurance.
Beyond competition, the festival functions as an open cultural exhibition space.
Country pavilions and nomadic-style tents present traditional clothing, crafts and daily life practices from participating nations, allowing visitors to move through distinct cultural environments within a single venue.
Artisans demonstrate techniques in weaving, metalwork, woodcraft and other heritage skills passed through generations.
Food culture forms a major part of the experience, with regional culinary zones offering traditional dishes that reflect the identity and history of participating countries.
These areas are designed as integrated cultural spaces rather than separate attractions, linking cuisine directly to heritage and community memory.
Family-oriented workshops and interactive zones are spread throughout the grounds, with a strong focus on children. These areas introduce traditional games and crafts in hands-on formats, aligning with the festival’s stated goal of transferring cultural knowledge through experience rather than observation.
A broad program of music and performance runs across multiple stages, featuring folk ensembles, dance groups and contemporary interpretations of traditional forms.
Participation from countries such as Spain, Palestine, Morocco and Bosnia and Herzegovina, alongside Central Asian and East Asian delegations, highlights the festival’s widening international scope.
Free and open to the public, the festival is expected to draw large crowds throughout its run, with peak attendance anticipated over the weekend as visitors move between sporting arenas, cultural villages and performance spaces spread across the extensive site.
In front of England’s future king, Unai Emery once again proved himself the undisputed king of the Europa League.
Aston Villa swept aside Freiburg 3-0 in Istanbul on Wednesday, handing Emery a record-extending fifth title in Europe’s second-tier competition and ending the club’s 30-year wait for major silverware.
Among the jubilant Villa supporters inside Tüpraş Stadium was lifelong fan Prince William, who watched his beloved club complete a remarkable revival under the Spanish manager.
“Amazing night!! Huge congratulations to all the players, team, staff and everyone connected to the club!” the prince wrote on X.
William joined the celebrations at full time, pulling out his phone to capture the moment captain John McGinn hoisted the trophy as confetti rained down across the stadium.
“He’s a classy guy. He was in the dressing room before the game and he’s a massive Villa fan, so he was never going to miss it,” McGinn told TNT Sports.
It was Villa’s first major piece of silverware since the English League Cup in 1996 and its first continental title since the European Cup and Super Cup in 1982.
Was the outcome ever in doubt with the Europa League specialist Emery on the sideline?
The Spanish coach has enjoyed remarkable success in Europe’s second-tier competition, winning it three straight seasons with Sevilla from 2014-16 and again with Villarreal in 2021.
Now he has led a third team with “Villa” in its name to the title.
“I am always very grateful for Europe, for every competition, Conference League, Champions League, Europa League, but especially the Europa League,” Emery said. “We fought strongly in this competition and tried to give it our best. We played in a very serious way this year.”
Two first-half goals from Youri Tielemans and Emiliano Buendia put Villa into a 2-0 lead at the break. Morgan Rogers added a third in the second half.
German club Freiburg, which was playing in the second division 10 years ago, was outclassed in its first European final.
Villa was in England’s second tier as recently as 2019. And while it was the overwhelming favorite going into Wednesday’s match, occasions like this looked a long way off when Emery was hired in 2022.
Back then, Villa was one place above the relegation zone and in danger of going down again.
The transformation he has overseen has been remarkable, leading the team into the Champions League last season and qualifying for European club soccer’s top competition again next term.
“With this manager in charge, anything is possible,” said McGinn, a Scotland international. “Tonight was just everything we have built coming together, and the pride I felt at 3-0 with 10 minutes to go, thinking we’re European champions, was something I can’t even describe.
“It’s the proudest moment and night of my career so far.”
Tielemans put Villa ahead with a controlled volley from Rogers’ cross in the 41st minute, driving his shot past Freiburg goalkeeper Noah Atubolu.
Three minutes into first-half stoppage time, Buendia doubled the lead with a curling left-footed shot from outside the box that flew into the top corner.
Rogers scored in the 58th minute when he slid in at the near post to turn Buendia’s cross over the line.
“We had a great season and to top it off with this is amazing,” Tielemans said.
The victory was further personal redemption for Emery, who was fired by Arsenal in November 2019 despite having led the team to the Europa League final earlier that year, which it lost to Chelsea.
A serial winner, he has now lifted trophies with clubs in three countries, including domestic honors with Paris Saint-Germain.
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