A group of Italian supporters staged a political protest before Italy’s 2026 FIFA World Cup European Qualifier against Israel, turning their backs to the pitch and holding “Stop” banners during the Israeli national anthem, “Hatikvah.”

The demonstration at Hungary’s Nagyerdei Stadium – a neutral site chosen for security reasons – underscored how global conflicts increasingly intersect with sport.

Approximately 50 fans dressed in black, a symbol of mourning, participated in the protest, which also included booing Israeli players.

The demonstration was peaceful but visible, drawing attention from broadcasters and officials before the match.

It reflected broader European concern over Israel’s military operations in Gaza, which have left tens of thousands dead, displaced populations and triggered a humanitarian crisis and echoed similar Italian protests during a UEFA Nations League match in Hungary in 2024.

Italy’s players responded on the field with a dramatic 5-4 win in a nine-goal thriller.

Israel struck first, but the Azzurri fought back, including a late stoppage-time equalizer that set the stage for the decisive goal.

The victory propelled Italy to second place in Group I with nine points, three behind Norway, while Israel fell to third with six points.

With the 48-team 2026 World Cup expanding the qualification field, every result carries significant weight and Italy remains firmly in contention for automatic qualification.

The protest reflects an ongoing trend in European football, where fans increasingly use matches to highlight humanitarian crises and push governing bodies to act.

In August 2025, the Italian Football Coaches’ Association (AIAC) formally called on UEFA and FIFA to suspend Israel from international competition, labeling its actions in Gaza as “genocidal” and arguing that football cannot remain neutral amid a humanitarian catastrophe.

Other UEFA nations have responded differently.

Norway, for example, announced it would donate all proceeds from its upcoming home qualifier against Israel to humanitarian aid in Gaza, a move publicly supported by captain Martin Odegaard.

The federation framed the initiative as a constructive alternative to boycotts, balancing football with activism.

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In professional sports, every second is precious, every move calculated and yet, sometimes the game is not decided by human skill but by Mother Nature herself.

In recent years, buzzing invasions have disrupted competitions worldwide, turning stadiums into chaotic arenas where athletes, officials and even cameras become unwitting participants in nature’s spectacle.

From football pitches to tennis courts, these swarms are more than oddities – they are emerging as a growing challenge, fueled by climate change, invasive species and the very design of modern sports venues.

Bees bring chaos to Tanzania

Last week, Kwaraa Stadium in Babati, Tanzania, became ground zero for one of the most surreal interruptions in sports history.

In a pre-season friendly between Nigeria’s City FC Abuja and Tanzania’s JKU FC, the match was poised at 1-1 in the 78th minute.

Suddenly, a massive swarm of bees descended onto the pitch, sending players diving to the ground and referees abandoning their posts.

Substitutes scrambled under dugout benches, while ball boys and even the broadcast cameraman sought cover.

In contrast, the spectators stayed largely composed, either familiar with wildlife encounters or simply unfazed by the spectacle unfolding below.

The game was suspended for roughly 90 minutes while grounds staff coaxed the bees away.

Social media exploded with speculation: some blamed recent heavy rains and unusual warmth; others pointed to vibrations from crowd cheers or stadium floodlights.

Some even went as far as to suggest ‘juju,’ a term widely recognized across Africa as a form of black magic.

Of course, that might come a bit far-fetched, but it is a possibility in Africa.

Miraculously, no one was stung.

When play resumed, City FC Abuja capitalized on the disruption, scoring a late winner for a 2-1 victory.

Video clips of players belly-flopping en masse circulated worldwide, generating millions of views and turning the match into an unexpected viral sensation.

The Tanzanian incident was part of a wider pattern.

Just two days later, a high school football match in South Texas had to be relocated after Africanized honeybees swarmed for the second time in a year, emphasizing the persistent challenge posed by aggressive insects in outdoor sports venues.

Stars under fire

Insect invasions are not limited to lower leagues or amateur play.

Some of the sport’s most memorable moments involve elite athletes confronting these tiny adversaries.

In 2019, Brazilian football legend Dani Alves was stung multiple times while taking a corner for Sao Paulo, halting the match briefly.

Alves, the ever-funny, later joked that the swarm “added some extra adrenaline” to the game.

Tennis has seen its share of dramatic swarms.

At the 2024 BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, world No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz was stung on the forehead by bees during a quarterfinal against Alexander Zverev.

The incident caused a 100-minute delay while a local beekeeper vacuumed over 40,000 bees from the stadium.

Alcaraz went on to win 6-3, 4-6, 7-6(7), later laughing off the ordeal.

He even reunited with the beekeeper in 2025, highlighting the event’s enduring place in tennis lore.

Science behind swarms

Besides ‘juju’ speculations, of course, these bizarre interruptions are more than random bad luck – they reflect global environmental trends.

Climate change alters insect behavior, prompting swarms during unseasonal warmth or erratic weather.

In Africa and South America, many outdoor stadiums lack advanced pest barriers, making bees and wasps drawn to lights, loud crowd noise and even the scent of player sweat.

In the U.S., invasive species such as the spotted lanternfly compound the issue, leaving sticky “honeydew” residues that attract ants, wasps and bees, particularly in areas like New York State, where the pest has spread rapidly.

Stadium design also plays a role.

Bright lights, open architecture and proximity to natural habitats make sports venues prime targets for insects, while large crowds generate heat and vibrations that further lure them.

Studies from the Entomological Society of America underscore that urban expansion and global warming are increasingly pushing insects into human spaces, with sporting events particularly vulnerable.

Past examples include a 2024 U.S. Open quarterfinal between Frances Tiafoe and Grigor Dimitrov interrupted by a rogue insect and the infamous moth swarms during the 2016 European Championship final in France.

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The U.S. Open men’s final on Sunday was delayed, and thousands of seats remained empty at Arthur Ashe Stadium as heightened security measures tied to President Donald Trump’s attendance slowed fan entry.

Spectators faced long lines outside the Queens stadium, which holds nearly 24,000, with U.S. Secret Service and other federal officers conducting bag checks and guiding fans through metal detectors.

Some attendees waited more than an hour, and a few booed as the match between rivals Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner finally began just before 3 p.m. EDT (7:00 p.m. GMT).

Inside the arena, Trump drew a mixed reaction, receiving both cheers and boos as he appeared on the stadium’s big screens.

Kevin, a Brooklyn resident who works in private equity, said he had waited an hour and 15 minutes and still had not reached the entrance, blaming the delay on Trump’s visit.

“One hundred percent him. Very selfish. I would expect someone like that to have a little more grace to know that an event like this would be held up for him being here, especially in a city that hates him,” he said.

A Secret Service spokesperson said in a statement, “We recognize that enhanced security for the president’s visit to the U.S. Open may have contributed to delays for attendees. We sincerely thank every fan for their patience and understanding.”

Strict security measures are standard for any public event attended by the president, regardless of party affiliation or popularity.

The match start time, originally set for 2 p.m. EDT, was pushed back 30 minutes due to security checks, U.S. Open organizers said shortly before it was set to begin.

A spokesperson for the United States Tennis Association, which runs the event, said the tournament had taken steps to mitigate delays, including sending messages to ticket holders over the weekend urging them to arrive early and use mass transit if possible.

“We understand the frustration of fans that were delayed in their entrance to Arthur Ashe Stadium,” the spokesperson, Brendan McIntyre, said in a statement. “The added security protocols were put in place by the United States Secret Service.” Almost all attendees had reached their seats about an hour into the match as Sinner and Alcaraz battled in the second set. Alcaraz clinched victory in the fourth set.

Mixed reaction

Speaking to reporters after flying back to Washington from New York on Sunday, Trump said he “loved” attending the match and praised both players’ “unbelievable talent.”

“The fans were really nice. I didn’t know what to expect,” Trump added. “Usually you would say that would be a somewhat ‘progressive,’ as they say nowadays, crowd.”

Trump, a Republican, is a sports fan who has regularly voiced opinions about athletics in ways similar to his broader attempts to influence institutions in U.S. society. He has pushed to restrict transgender women from participating in women’s sports and called for the Washington Commanders football team to revert to its former name, the Redskins, a moniker critics view as a racist portrayal of Native Americans.

Trump’s approval rating stood at 40% in late July and mid-August, according to Reuters/Ipsos polls—the lowest of his presidency. On all policies, his support came overwhelmingly from Republicans, raising questions about how he would be received in New York, a Democratic stronghold.

Maribeth Lodes, from New York City, said her ticket to Sunday’s match cost $350. She was in line at 1:30 p.m. and still had not entered an hour and a half later.

“It’s ridiculous. I think it’s totally unreasonable that they do this. It makes me even more infuriated because, like, you know, we spent all of this money,” she said.

Some attendees, however, were unbothered by Trump’s presence. “He can go wherever he wants and attend a match if he wants to,” said Karen Stark, a retired tennis fan who traveled to the final from Michigan.

Resale tickets ranged from hundreds of dollars to more than $20,000, according to SeatGeek.

Trump, a regular weekend golfer in the Washington area and at his properties in New Jersey and Florida, has attended multiple sporting events since returning to the White House in January. He attended the Super Bowl in February, receiving both cheers and boos, and has gone to Ultimate Fighting Championship bouts.

The USTA had asked broadcasters to remove any reaction to Trump, McIntyre said. ABC showed Trump stepping out of a box seat and waving to the still-sparse crowd, without including crowd audio. Cheers and boos were audible during ESPN’s later coverage of Trump’s appearance before the start of the event.

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The Parc des Princes should still be basking in champagne and confetti.

Paris Saint-Germain, the club that for a decade symbolized European underachievement, finally conquered its demons on June 1, with a 5-0 hammering of Inter Milan in Munich.

Their first Champions League title was not just a trophy; it was supposed to be the dawn of a dynasty.

Instead, barely three months later, Paris has been plunged into chaos.

Key stars are injured, their manager is sidelined, and whispers of football’s most bizarre superstition – the so-called “Champions League curse” – have returned with vengeance.

The triumph in Munich had been emphatic, a coronation years in the making.

Goals from Achraf Hakimi, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, teenager Senny Mayulu and a brace from 20-year-old sensation Desire Doue shredded Inter.

Doue, electric on the left wing, capped his night with a thunderous strike from distance that bent under the bar and froze Yann Sommer.

His brilliance earned him UEFA’s Man of the Match award, a medal of honor that in recent years has come with a grim reputation.

Paris initially brushed off the superstition.

This was their time, and with Kylian Mbappe gone to Madrid, Dembele reborn, and Doue emerging as France’s next jewel, there was no sense that history would interfere.

It’s deep

But the history of this so-called curse runs deep, and in Paris it suddenly feels impossible to ignore.

Since 2020, each Champions League final MVP has suffered a devastating injury within a year.

Kingsley Coman’s winning goal for Bayern against PSG was followed by a ruptured ACL.

N’Golo Kante, the heartbeat of Chelsea’s midfield in 2021, was undone by recurring hamstring tears.

Thibaut Courtois, the wall behind Madrid’s triumph in 2022, spent most of the following campaign sidelined with a ligament rupture.

Manchester City’s Rodri, match-winner in 2023, met the same cruel fate.

Dani Carvajal, the unlikely hero for Madrid in 2024, fractured his leg before the autumn leaves had fallen.

Five years, five stars, five injuries.

What started as coincidence hardened into folklore, a ghost story that now stalks Europe’s elite.

When Doue limped off during France’s Nations League tie with Ukraine this September, the fear turned real.

A calf strain will sideline him for a month, not career-ending but ominously on trend.

His absence came at the very moment PSG lost Dembele to a torn hamstring, stripping them of their most dangerous weapon for six weeks.

Then, as if the curse had widened its reach, coach Luis Enrique fractured his collarbone in a nasty cycling accident.

The man who masterminded Paris’s long-awaited triumph will now miss critical weeks on the touchline. “It feels supernatural,” wrote L’Equipe. “From Munich to mayhem in three months – PSG have become prisoners of the curse.”

The timing could hardly be crueler.

The revamped Champions League format handed Paris a brutal draw: Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Arsenal, Bayer Leverkusen, and Atalanta.

At full strength, it was a daunting gauntlet.

Now, with Doue, Dembele, and Enrique all unavailable, survival feels less like a campaign for glory and more like a desperate scramble to stay afloat.

Skeptics might dismiss the curse as media theater, a superstition stitched together from coincidence and the natural risk of injury in grueling seasons.

Yet its consistency unnerves even hardened professionals.

Players admit, in quieter moments, that the pattern lingers in their thoughts.

And it isn’t confined to Paris. Japan’s Kaoru Mitoma and Takehiro Tomiyasu, both standouts in Europe last season, have also been sidelined long-term. Italian media have even tied Atalanta’s spate of injuries to the same mysterious shadow. The folklore, it seems, has traveled.

For PSG supporters, the sting is sharper because the fall cuts through joy.

After years of collapses, of Neymar’s injuries and Mbappe’s drama, after infamous exits to Barcelona, Manchester United, and Bayern, the Champions League was supposed to be the trophy that exorcised all ghosts. Instead, it has ushered them back in a stranger, crueler form.

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Carlos Alcaraz reached tennis perfection with his U.S. Open final triumph over Jannik Sinner, reclaiming the world No. 1 ranking and asserting dominance in their burgeoning rivalry.

For an unprecedented third time this season in the Open Era, the same two players faced off in a Grand Slam final, and it was Alcaraz who added to his French Open crown, defeating the Italian 6-2, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 to claim a second New York title.

At just 22, Alcaraz now boasts six Grand Slam trophies, becoming the youngest man since Bjorn Borg to reach that mark, complementing his French Open and Wimbledon victories.

Coach Juan Carlos Ferrero hailed Alcaraz’s performance as flawless, and the Spaniard could not disagree.

“It’s great when you make your coach feel that way,” Alcaraz said with a smile. “He has a big status. He always wants me to play my best, and not too often does he say I played perfectly. So for me, it’s a great win. But he’s right – I think I played perfect.”

Though he narrowly missed becoming the first man in the Open Era to win the U.S. Open without dropping a set, Alcaraz’s display over Sinner was one of their most commanding encounters yet.

Sinner converted his only break point, while Alcaraz converted five of 11. The Spaniard hit twice as many winners and made fewer errors, clinching victory with his 10th ace.

“From the first rounds to the end of the tournament, it was the best tournament I have ever played,” Alcaraz said. “The consistency of my level during the whole tournament has been really, really high, which I’m really proud of, because it’s something I’ve been working on.”

Sinner’s two-year unbeaten run at hard-court Slams is now over. The 24-year-old Italian has also been deposed at the top of the rankings after 65 weeks, with Alcaraz returning to No. 1 for the first time since 2023.

“When you achieve the goals you set at the beginning of the year, it feels amazing,” Alcaraz added, who first became world No. 1 after winning his maiden title in New York three years ago. “It was one of the first goals I had during the season, just to try to recover the No. 1 as soon as possible or end the year as No. 1. For me, to achieve that once again, it is a dream. Doing it on the same day as winning another Grand Slam feels even better.”

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola was among the celebrities in attendance, but the visit of U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to overshadow the stars on the court.

Airport-style security checks were installed overnight around Arthur Ashe Stadium, causing long lines for fans, some of whom had paid thousands of dollars for tickets. Organizers delayed the start of the match by 30 minutes. Even then, the stadium was half empty when the players walked out and did not fill up until midway through the second set.

A United States Tennis Association spokesman said: “We understand the frustration of fans who were delayed in their entrance to Arthur Ashe Stadium. The added security protocols were put in place by the U.S. Secret Service. We took several steps to make this process as seamless as possible and educate attendees on potential delays in advance of their arrival.”

Trump drew a mixed reaction when he was shown on screen during the national anthem, while loud booing followed when he appeared again at the end of the first set.

Neither player appeared affected by the sideshow. A magnanimous Sinner admitted he was simply outplayed by his rival, who reclaimed supremacy after the Italian had beaten him at Wimbledon.

“He has improved,” Sinner said. “I felt like he was a bit cleaner today. The things I did well in London, he did better today. I felt like he was doing everything slightly better today, especially serving, both sides, both swings, very clean. I give lots of credit to him because he handled the situation better than I did. He raised his level when he had to. I’m still proud of myself, about the season I’m playing and making. But he played better than me today.”

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Türkiye’s 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign lurched into crisis Sunday night after the Crescent-Stars were dismantled 6-0 by Spain in Konya, their heaviest competitive defeat in six decades.

In a stadium packed with over 40,000 hopeful supporters, what began as a test of Türkiye’s progress under Italian coach Vincenzo Montella turned into a sobering reminder of the gulf between Europe’s elite and its hopefuls.

Spain, the reigning world and European champions, imposed their rhythm from the opening whistle, suffocating Türkiye with their high press and punishing every lapse.

Real Sociedad midfielder Mikel Merino was the night’s star, firing a stunning hat trick that showcased his versatility: a composed finish in the 12th minute, a thumping header early in the second half, and a clinical tap-in for his third.

Barcelona’s Pedri, pulling the strings in midfield, struck twice – including a trademark curling drive in stoppage time – while Ferran Torres added a fourth to complete Türkiye’s torment.

Spain finished with 68% possession, 22 shots (12 on target) and a clinical edge that highlighted their resurgence under Luis de la Fuente, extending their unbeaten streak to 28 matches.

For Türkiye, the statistics were brutal: four shots on target, 14 of 22 duels lost, and a defense that looked lost without injured stalwart Çağlar Söyüncü.

Montella’s men had brief glimmers. Captain Hakan Çalhanoğlu rattled the post in the 18th minute, while 20-year-old Arda Güler showed flashes of his Real Madrid quality.

But as fatigue set in, Spain swarmed, and Trabzonspor goalkeeper Uğurcan Çakır, despite seven saves, could do little to prevent the avalanche.

Echoes of old scars

The defeat reopened painful chapters in Turkish football history.

Not since 1965, when Czechoslovakia thrashed Türkiye 6-0 in Istanbul, had the Crescent-Stars been beaten so heavily in official competition.

The margin surpassed Spain’s previous best against Türkiye – 3-0 wins in Euro 2016 and World Cup qualifying – and underlined a grim record: in 12 meetings, Türkiye have won just once, a 2-0 success in 1954.

For Montella, who had lifted Türkiye to FIFA’s top 30 and overseen a Euro 2024 run to the round of 16, the result was a shattering reality check.

His side, heralded for blending veterans like Çalhanoğlu with rising talents like Güler, remains plagued by defensive frailties.

The friendly 6-1 collapse to Austria in March looked like a warning; this was confirmation.

Group picture

The rout leaves Spain top of Group E with six points and a +7 goal difference after two matches.

Türkiye sit second on three points, level on games played but carrying a -5 differential that could prove costly in a tight race. Georgia and Bulgaria remain winless, though both could complicate Türkiye’s path.

With the expanded 48-team World Cup offering more slots, Türkiye’s hopes are not extinguished.

But the road is steep: automatic qualification demands near perfection from here, while even the playoffs could slip away if form doesn’t improve.

Their next test, away to Bulgaria in October, already looms as a must-win.

Spain’s coach de la Fuente struck a measured tone. “This might look easy on paper, but it’s the product of years of work,” he said, praising Merino’s “extraordinary” performance. “Our players are grounded and hungry. This group can achieve great things.”

Montella, meanwhile, accepted full responsibility. “We’re devastated – for the players, the fans, the federation,” he said. “Spain punished us ruthlessly, but our goal remains: we will qualify. This was a harsh lesson, and the blame is mine.”

Despite the defeat, Türkiye seem to be on an upward trajectory for the past five years.

The Turkish Football Federation has poured millions into youth academies, banking on the rise of players like Can Uzun, the Eintracht Frankfurt forward who broke into the senior setup last year.

This gives hope for the team to compete on the big stage.

Spain, meanwhile, look every bit a dynasty in the making.

With Pedri, Merino, Rodri, and teenage prodigy Lamine Yamal forming the spine, de la Fuente’s side has married tiki-taka control with ruthless efficiency.

Their 18 goals in the last five matches suggest a team peaking at the right time.

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