Sports
ICE to anchor security core for 2026 World Cup: Director Lyons
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement will serve as a key pillar of security for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, a role that places the agency at the heart of the largest tournament in the sport’s history and at the center of an ongoing political storm.
Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons told the House Committee on Homeland Security that Homeland Security Investigations, the agency’s investigative arm, will be fully integrated into World Cup operations.
“HSI is a key part of the overall security apparatus for the World Cup,” Lyons said, responding to Rep. Nellie Pou of New Jersey, whose district includes MetLife Stadium, the scheduled site of the final. He made clear the agency does not plan to pause enforcement actions around matches or FIFA events, adding that ICE is “dedicated to securing that operation” and to protecting “participants as well as visitors.”
The expanded 48 team tournament begins June 11 and runs through July 19 across 16 cities in the United States, Mexico and Canada. With 104 matches and millions of expected visitors, it will be the largest World Cup ever staged, requiring coordination across federal, state and international agencies under the Department of Homeland Security.
HSI typically handles counterterrorism intelligence, visa security, human trafficking investigations, financial crimes and cross border threats. At global sporting events, its focus includes intelligence sharing, fraud investigations, smuggling networks and potential risks to venues and teams. Deportations and detention operations fall under a separate ICE division.
( Celal Güneş – Anadolu Ajansı )
Still, the agency’s expanded visibility comes during a period of heightened criticism. ICE has drawn backlash over aggressive street level arrests and allegations of wrongful detentions. Recent incidents, including a fatal encounter involving federal agents in Minnesota, have intensified scrutiny, though administration officials have rejected claims of misconduct tied to broader policy.
Abroad, ICE’s presence at the Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo has sparked protests. Demonstrations in Milan turned violent, leading to arrests, as activists objected to the deployment of ICE officers assigned to protect senior U.S. officials including Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
For the World Cup, federal officials frame ICE’s involvement as standard protocol for a major global event. Critics argue the agency’s reputation could shape how international fans view the United States as a host.
Lionel Messi will play his final match for Argentina Tuesday in a farewell friendly against Benin, marking the end of his international career for the South American champions.
After more than two decades of service to his country, the 39-year-old superstar will hand over the captain’s armband for good as he makes his final appearance in the Albiceleste jersey at the Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires.
Messi will be joined for his international swansong by 85,000 spectators and several of the teammates with whom he reached the pinnacle of football at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, alongside members of Argentina’s emerging generation.
The friendly marks a symbolic passing of the torch for a player whose international legacy includes a World Cup title, two Copa America crowns and the Finalissima.
Messi also bows out as Argentina’s record appearance-maker and leading scorer, with 125 goals in 207 games, as well as a record 68 assists.
His farewell comes two and a half months after Argentina’s ill-tempered World Cup final defeat to Spain in New Jersey, where Messi exited in tears after making little impression.
“I gave it my all; I have nothing left to give, and besides, there are great young players coming up who deserve their chance,” Messi wrote when announcing his international retirement in August.
Messi remains under contract with Inter Miami until 2028, although following the death of his father, Jorge, two months ago, he revealed he may hang up his boots for good sooner than anticipated.
Friends reunited
Members of Argentina’s 2022 World Cup-winning squad – the players who delivered the country’s third star – and their families will join Messi for Tuesday’s farewell against Benin, ranked 93rd in the world.
Veterans of that Doha triumph such as Angel Di Maria, who retired from international football in 2024, will be there to witness the passing of the torch to a new generation charged with extending the Albiceleste’s golden era.
Several of the newcomers, including Franco Mastantuono and Leonel Flores, were not even born when “La Pulga” (“The Flea”) made his Argentina debut in 2005 for a team whose history had for so long been dominated by Diego Maradona.
“It’s going to be an unforgettable day for everyone. Everyone wants to be at this match, and now it’s just about enjoying it,” Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni said.
Argentina’s new generation has already shown what it can do without its captain, although nobody is pretending replacing a man regarded by many as the greatest footballer in history will be straightforward.
“Collectively, we will try to fill the void left by Leo,” said Scaloni, who is negotiating a contract extension after leaving his future unresolved following the World Cup defeat in July.
Scaloni, who mastered the art of building the right supporting cast around Messi, will also say goodbye on Tuesday to 38-year-old vice-captain Nicolas Otamendi.
Like Messi and Otamendi, midfielders Rodrigo De Paul and Giovani Lo Celso were called up solely for the Benin game, raising the possibility that neither will represent Argentina again.
New generation
Those certain to be involved, at least from the bench, include other veterans of the 2022 World Cup who will be the standard-bearers for Argentina after Messi: defender Cristian Romero, midfielders Alexis Mac Allister and Enzo Fernandez, and forwards Julian Alvarez and Lautaro Martinez.
Tenacious center-back Romero is set to inherit the captain’s armband, first worn by Messi at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
Goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez and Lautaro Martinez are next in the captaincy hierarchy.
They have already begun to rally around Messi’s heirs, who showed their appetite for success in Argentina’s first game since the World Cup final, against Bolivia in Cordoba Wednesday.
Argentina swept the Bolivians aside 4-0, with young talents Nico Paz and Jose Manuel Lopez among the scorers.
They followed that victory with a 7-0 rout of Burkina Faso at the Monumental on Saturday, with Mastantuono and Gianluca Prestianni scoring their first international goals.
While Argentina’s future is beginning to take shape, one small but symbolically significant question remains: who inherits Messi’s No. 10 shirt?
“We won’t give the No. 10 to anyone until Leo’s match takes place,” Scaloni said. “After that, we’ll see.”
Carlos Alcaraz overcame serving struggles to defeat fellow Spaniard Jaume Munar 5-7, 6-3, 6-1 Monday, reaching the Japan Open final as he seeks his first singles title since returning from a wrist injury.
He will face Czech Jiri Lehecka in Tuesday’s final.
Defending champion Alcaraz completed the career Grand Slam by capturing the Australian Open title in February but suffered the injury two months later and only came back at the U.S. Open, where a quarterfinal run hinted at a swift return to form.
The 23-year-old, who moved through the gears during Team Europe’s triumphant Laver Cup campaign last month, looked comfortable against qualifier Munar in Tokyo at 5-4 before gifting him the opening set with two shaky service games.
“I don’t know what happened in the first set,” said top seed Alcaraz, who dropped 16 consecutive points at the end of it.
“I started the match well, got a break and was serving for the set, but I don’t know what happened. It seems like I’m struggling every first set.
“But the way that I come back every time, I think I’m just really happy about it. Jaume’s a pretty tough player and these conditions suit him pretty well. I just tried to stay there as much as I could.
“I made a couple of breaks that helped a lot to get a bit of confidence, then I started to play more aggressively.”
After a sluggish start to the second set, Alcaraz raised his level to force a decider and the seven-times major champion wore world number 49 Munar down with stunning shot-making to book a title clash with Lehecka Tuesday.
Lehecka beat eighth seed Valentin Vacherot 6-4 6-2 to make the final and stay on course for his first trophy of the season.
Portugal became the first team to reach the Nations League quarterfinals with a 2-1 win over Norway Sunday, while Jürgen Klopp’s Germany was held to a draw by Greece.
The Portuguese showed they did not need Cristiano Ronaldo, who walked out of the camp Wednesday when coach Jorge Jesus relegated him to the bench.
Goncalo Ramos secured victory in the 86th minute after Joao Cancelo’s powerful finish had leveled Kristoffer Ajer’s stunning opener from outside the penalty area for World Cup quarterfinalists Norway.
After the game, Jesus said he was prepared to allow 41-year-old Ronaldo to return to the national team – but that it would have to be the player’s decision.
“If he wants to, he’ll return to the national team … we can talk before the next call-up, but Cris is the one who’s going to decide,” Jesus told reporters.
Klopp’s Germany failed to break down a resolute Greek side in a goalless stalemate in Thessaloniki.
Germany had the ball in the net through Eintracht Frankfurt forward Jonathan Burkardt in the first half but his effort was disallowed.
Klopp’s record as new German boss now reads: lost one, won one, drawn one.
The Netherlands beat Serbia 2-1 thanks to Joshua Zirkzee’s winner to move top of their Nations League group.
The Manchester United forward was a second-half substitute in Eindhoven and applied the decisive touch with a tap-in from Tijjani Reijnders’ cross.
The match also marked Virgil van Dijk’s 100th international appearance.
New Netherlands coach Xavi is unbeaten after four games, with two wins and two draws.
Israel’s players wore black armbands in their 1-1 draw against Ireland to commemorate Oct. 7, after Irish players had worn them in the previous match in Hungary to protest the genocidal war on Gaza.
The simple black armbands worn by the Israelis were inscribed with the numbers “7.10” to mark the date of the attack.
Just as in last week’s first match which Ireland won 3-0, the Irish players again bowed their heads during the Israeli anthem and the teams refused to shake hands before the match in the small Serbian town of Backa Topola.
The Football Association of Ireland (FAI) had refused to host Israel on Irish soil for security reasons, following boycott calls.
On Sunday, Troy Parrott put Ireland ahead from the penalty spot after 39 minutes after Dor Peretz fouled Jimmy Dunne.
But Peretz stabbed in an equalizer two minutes after half time, sending in from close range after a shot deflected off Ireland defender Liam Scales and into his path.
The result complicates Ireland’s qualification task as they now lie third in Group 3 of League B behind Austria and Kosovo. Israel are bottom with two points.
Wales lost again, as Rasmus Hojlund slotted in a 75th minute penalty to earn Denmark a 1-0 win in Cardiff.
Welsh goalkeeper Danny Ward had kept the Danes at bay with a string of saves but he conceded the penalty when he fouled Denmark midfielder Gustav Isaksen.
Whether navigating turbulent ocean currents or analyzing the intricacies of global power grids, Turkish engineer and open-water swimmer Nazife İdil Özkol relies on a unified philosophy: read the data accurately, adapt to changing conditions and persevere.
Özkol’s dual career path recently gained international recognition when she received the “Future Leader” award at the Talented Woman in Modern Industry 2026 awards in Russia.
Her athletic pursuits matched her professional achievements as she earned a third-place podium finish at the X-Waters open-water swimming race in Moscow.
Educated in electrical engineering and energy at Technical University of Sofia and Bauman Moscow State Technical University, Özkol focuses on the intersection of energy economics, artificial intelligence and infrastructure.
“Engineering taught me how to think and sports taught me how to apply that thinking under uncertainty and pressure,” Özkol said.
“Engineering taught me how to build a system, and sports taught me how to adapt when the system doesn’t work as expected,” she added.
Özkol’s journey in athletics began in her youth after a diagnosis of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) prompted her to channel her energy into structured discipline.
Moving from modern pentathlon and biathlon into open-water swimming, she competed in major domestic events, including the Iznik and Bosporus races.
“In the pool, everything is controlled,” Özkol said. “In open water, waves, currents, temperature, and wind change. You continuously read the environment and re-evaluate your direction and pace.”
That analytical approach proved decisive during the X-Waters competition in Moscow, where Özkol represented Türkiye among competitors from around 12 countries in what organizers dubbed a world championship event.
“When I finished the race, I didn’t even know I had finished third,” Özkol said. “Long-distance racing is primarily a mental battle. Reaching the podium in an international event as a Turkish female athlete was a source of great pride.”
Beyond athletics, Özkol’s professional research concentrates on industrial energy efficiency and the dual nature of emerging digital infrastructure.
She noted that while artificial intelligence offers optimization and grid management solutions, its operation generates substantial energy demand.
Looking ahead, Özkol anticipates a fundamental shift in global energy dynamics over the next two decades toward real-time data analysis, smart grids and demand-side management.
“The question of the future will not be ‘How much energy do we produce?’ but ‘How smartly can we manage the energy we produce and consume?'” Özkol said.
Özkol also emphasized the necessity of systemic equity for women across science, technology, engineering and sports, arguing that institutional backing must precede athletic or professional milestones.
“Support for women should not be given after success, but right at the beginning,” she said.
“Training, financial support, sponsorship and visibility are not favors; they are conditions for equality. The presence of women in science, engineering and sports is not an ‘inspirational story,’ but a matter of rights,” said Özkol.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s international future with Portugal has been thrown into doubt after the veteran forward left the team’s training camp after learning he would not start against Denmark for a second straight Nations League match.
The 41-year-old announced his departure late Wednesday, shortly after coach Jorge Jesus confirmed that Gonçalo Ramos would again lead the attack.
Ronaldo had been expected to train with his teammates at Copenhagen’s Parken Stadium ahead of Thursday’s match but instead left the camp following a conversation with Portuguese Football Federation president Pedro Proença.
“Following the national team coach’s press conference, and after having a conversation with the Portuguese Football Federation president, I decided to leave the national team’s training camp,” Ronaldo wrote on Instagram.
Portugal went on to beat Denmark 4-2 without its captain, producing an emphatic attacking display that added another layer to the growing debate over Ronaldo’s role with the national team.
Ronaldo had remained on the bench for the entirety of Portugal’s 2-1 Nations League victory over Norway on Sunday. It was the first time since November 2024 that he had failed to appear for Portugal without being injured or suspended.
Jesus, who coached Ronaldo at Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr for a year before taking charge of Portugal in July, had insisted there was no serious disagreement between them. He acknowledged, however, that Ronaldo was unhappy after being left out against Norway.
“There was no incident whatsoever,” Jesus said after the Norway match.
The coach later explained that Ronaldo had warmed up for 20 to 30 minutes but was ultimately not brought onto the field.
“Any player, and I was a player myself, when you spend 20 or 30 minutes warming up and then don’t get on, no one is happy about that,” Jesus said.
Jesus said he had informed Ronaldo before the Norway match that he could be used as a substitute but ultimately decided against making the change.
“Afterwards, as coach, I decided not to bring him on. It’s nothing to make a fuss about,” Jesus said.
The situation escalated after Jesus confirmed Wednesday that Ramos would start again against Denmark.
“If I need him, he’ll come on. If I don’t need him, he won’t,” Jesus said of Ronaldo.
Ronaldo’s decision to leave the camp suggested that his frustration went beyond a single omission from the starting lineup. The Portugal captain also hinted that he could eventually reveal more about what prompted his departure.
“In due course, I will tell the truth to all the Portuguese people about my reasons for leaving the national team, to which I have always been dedicated,” Ronaldo wrote.
“Now is time to wish good luck to Portugal and to all my teammates, without exception.”
Spanish sports newspaper Marca reported that Jesus and Proença followed Ronaldo to Copenhagen airport in an attempt to persuade him to remain with the squad before the forward boarded his private jet.
The episode also prompted an angry response from Ronaldo’s sister, Elma Aveiro, who criticized the Portuguese public in a post on Instagram.
“They don’t deserve to have the best of anything,” she wrote, adding that Portugal had become “envious, scornful, and ignorant” and deserved to return to the period before Ronaldo’s emergence.
The dispute has also spilled into the streets of Lisbon.
A Portugal fan sponsored a large billboard outside the Portuguese Football Federation headquarters expressing support for Ronaldo while criticizing Jesus. The artificial intelligence-generated billboard featured images of Ronaldo and the coach.
“Thank you, Cristiano Ronaldo, for all you have done for Portugal. You’re forever our captain,” the message next to Ronaldo read.
The section aimed at Jesus said the coach “wasn’t up to the task” and accused him of having an “inflated ego.” The billboard was quickly removed.
Fernando Maia, the fan who paid for the display, said he had no personal connection to Ronaldo or his representatives. Maia owns a billboard company and said his decision was motivated by gratitude for what Ronaldo has contributed to Portuguese football.
“I don’t know Ronaldo, I don’t know anyone on Ronaldo’s entourage,” Maia said in comments reported by Portuguese media. “I know myself, and I know something called gratitude.”
Maia also suggested that the dispute involved more than Jesus.
“Jorge Jesus was just the means for this to have happened, but there are more culprits,” he said.
He said he planned to display the same billboard outside the Estádio do Dragão when Portugal play their next Nations League match.
Jesus, meanwhile, sought to shift attention back to Portugal’s performance after the 4-2 victory over Denmark, stressing that the team’s result mattered more than the controversy surrounding its captain.
“This Portugal team scored four goals and put in a performance which, in my opinion, was of a very high standard,” Jesus said. “Of course, this is more important than anything else that has happened.”
But he also made clear that Ronaldo’s reputation would not exempt him from selection decisions.
“There are players with status. That much is crystal clear,” Jesus said. “But I’ll say it again: The rules are the same for everyone.”
The comments underline the difficult balance facing Jesus as he manages a player who has been central to Portugal’s identity for more than two decades.
Ronaldo recently indicated that this could be his final year in professional football. He is Portugal’s all-time leading scorer and most-capped player, with 146 goals in 234 international appearances.
His international career began in 2003, when he made his debut at 18. He subsequently played in the Euro 2004 final on home soil, reached the 2006 World Cup semifinals and captained Portugal to its first major international title at Euro 2016.
He has also represented Sporting, Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus at club level while establishing himself as one of the most prolific scorers in football history.
Now, with Ronaldo approaching the end of his career, his relationship with Portugal has entered an uncertain chapter.
His decision to leave the training camp, followed by his promise to eventually explain his reasons, has raised questions over whether Thursday’s absence was simply a protest over his role or the beginning of a much larger break with the national team.
The Asian Games in Japan closed Sunday after two weeks marked by record-setting young stars but marred by mishaps, mediocre crowds and accusations of mismanagement.
More than 17,000 athletes and officials, a number exceeding that of the Olympics, descended on Nagoya and Aichi prefecture for the continent’s premier sporting event.
Yu Zidi, a 13-year-old Chinese swimming sensation, impressed with three gold medals, all in Games-record times. She is expected to be a major medal threat at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
The young swimmer was named a Games MVP to cap an extraordinary showing that saw her win gold in the 200-meter butterfly and complete the 200-meter and 400-meter individual medley double.
Despite her success, the shy teenager said: “I don’t think I am what people describe as a prodigy.”
Also in the pool, Shin Ohashi, a 17-year-old Japanese swimmer, set a men’s 200-meter breaststroke world record to delight the home crowd.
In athletics, where rain fell over several days, 20-year-old Thai sprinter Puripol Boonson won the 100-meter and 200-meter double and was named men’s MVP.
On a dry evening, a colorful closing ceremony saw Japan hand over hosting duties to Doha, Qatar, for the 2030 Games.
“Tonight we close the Games that will shape the next generation of Asian sport,” said Sheikh Joaan Bin Hamad Al Thani, president of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA).
‘Failure grade’
Top officials were on the defensive up until the last minute.
Husain al-Musallam, OCA director-general, said “numbers are facts,” pointing to 50 world records at the Games after they opened Sept. 19.
“Athletes cannot perform if they do not sleep well or have adequate transportation,” he said.
This 20th edition of the Games, first contested in 1951, lacked a traditional athletes’ village to save money. Instead, participants were housed in wooden temporary units, on the cruise ship Costa Serena and in hotels.
Organizers said this was a template for future multi-sports events. But problems arose, with some teams complaining units were too cramped and beds too short. The ballooning number of athletes and officials resulted in a shortage of beds for everyone.
A Thai Olympic official said it was “like musical chairs” to find a place to sleep.
The sport, including a popular cricket final won by India against archrival Pakistan, sometimes shone through.
North Korean weightlifter Ri Song Gum, 140 centimeters (4 feet, 7 inches), set three world records in one day to win gold.
But problems persisted, including organizers playing North Korea’s national anthem for the South Korean hockey team. Buses for athletes did not arrive as scheduled, or did not arrive at all.
Two teams were sent to the wrong venue, delaying a volleyball match.
Ryu Seung-min, president of the Korean Sport and Olympic Committee, said, “If I were to give them a grade, it would be an F.”
Games organizers also faced scrutiny over attendances, as the opening ceremony drew thousands of empty seats. Only 998 spectators attended a women’s soccer semifinal between host Japan and South Korea in a 50,000-seat stadium.
Boy history-maker
Seiko Hashimoto, president of the Japanese Olympic Committee, admitted “many problems” and said the country wants to host more international events and will learn from the experience.
She said bad weather had deterred some spectators but emphasized that some sports drew large crowds.
About 30,000 saw South Korea beat Japan 1-0 to clinch men’s soccer gold, although the occasion was tarnished when the South Korean flag was not raised in the victory ceremony.
The hosts finished with 83 golds, a distant second in the medal standings behind China with 169.
Japan’s tally included gold for Yuki Kurihara, who won in esports at 11 years old, making him the youngest Games champion in history.
Several sports hoping to be included in the Olympics made their debut, including padel, mixed martial arts (MMA) and virtual taekwondo.
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