First impressions can mislead, but Kirsty Coventry has already proven she’s more than just a friendly face.

When she takes over from Thomas Bach as president of the International Olympic Committee on Monday, the 41-year-old Zimbabwean, set to become the first woman and first African to lead the world’s most powerful sporting body, will step into a role requiring serious grit.

And one name already looms large: Donald Trump.

With Los Angeles set to host the 2028 Olympics, the former U.S. president is expected to become a recurring figure on Coventry’s radar.

Trump, never one to mince words, has famously lashed out at world leaders – including Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy and South Africa’s Cyril Ramaphosa.

Coventry’s test will be navigating those political ripples while keeping the Olympic flame steady.

Judging by her initial response, after a commanding first-round victory in the presidential election in March, she may have Trump’s measure.

“I have been dealing with, let’s say, difficult men in high positions since I was 20 years old,” she said, adding, “Communication will be key.”

Unlike Trump, though, Coventry embraces the word “failure,” for it helped forge her stellar career.

“Everything’s scary. Embrace that. You have to fail,” Coventry told the swimming team at her American alma mater, Auburn University, last year.

“I’ve learned the best lessons by failing, and I have failed at many things. Life has a really good way of humbling you.”

At the same time, a steely resolve surfaces when winning is at stake.

“I was banned from playing card games with the family because they didn’t like to deal with me when I lost,” she said.

A glance at Coventry’s resume suggests failure in her life has been relative.

Coventry, who had the Olympic rings tattooed on a leg after her first Games in 2000, is a two-time Olympic gold medalist and has contributed seven of Zimbabwe’s overall Games medal tally of eight.

She has accrued domestic political experience, serving as Zimbabwe’s minister of youth, sport, arts and recreation from 2019 to this year.

That drew some flak, as she served in a government whose 2023 election was declared “neither free nor fair” by the International Commission of Jurists.

“I don’t think you can stand on the sidelines and scream and shout for change,” she said in her defense.

“I believe you have to be seated at the table to try and create it.”

Her record as a minister has been heavily criticized by Zimbabwe’s arts community in particular.

Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa – whose predecessor, Robert Mugabe, labeled Coventry “a golden girl” and awarded her $100,000 after she brought home gold from Beijing in 2008 – hit back.

“Whoever was not impressed by her can appoint someone else when they become president,” said the 82-year-old.

‘Very hard times’

In 2004, Coventry gave insight into why she would later accept such a poisoned chalice and how white Zimbabweans often must strike a delicate balance.

“Zimbabwe is my home,” she said after returning to a heroine’s parade following her first Olympic gold at the Athens Games.

“It’s where I was born. It’s my culture. I will always represent Zimbabwe. Color doesn’t matter to me.

“I think every country goes through bad years and good years.”

Coventry had a largely urban upbringing. Her parents, Rob and Linn, owned a chemical company in a suburb of Harare. But the farming evictions – in which predominantly white farm owners were forced off their land in the early 2000s – affected her too.

“I have had very close family members and friends on farms who have gone through very hard times,” Coventry said.

Away from controversy, she has shown decisive leadership in dealing with Zimbabwean football officials and FIFA.

She backed the government body, the Sports and Recreation Commission, when it suspended the Zimbabwe Football Association over allegations of fraud and the sexual harassment of referees.

FIFA has a zero-tolerance policy for political interference in its associations and barred Zimbabwe from international football in February 2022.

By September that year, however, the country was reinstated. A ZIFA official was later banned for five years for sexually harassing three female referees.

Coventry said in 2023 that the process had been “hard, but it was worth it, to have a way forward that’s going to benefit us as a country.”

Those tempted to underestimate Coventry in the years ahead have been duly warned.

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As FIFA rolled out its most ambitious reinvention yet – a monthlong Club World Cup in the U.S. – it promised big crowds, global stars, and a taste of the beautiful game ahead of the 2026 Men’s World Cup.

What it got instead, in places like Orlando and Atlanta, were echoes.

Tuesday night at Inter&Co Stadium in Orlando was supposed to be a celebration of global football. Instead, it turned into a cautionary tale.

As Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa faced South Korea’s Ulsan Hyundai, swaths of yellow seats spelling “ORLANDO” went almost entirely unobstructed.

FIFA initially declined to publish the official attendance, but several days later reported 3,412. Eyewitness estimates put it closer to 1,000.

“It’s like playing football during lockdown,” one fan posted on social media.

Even with ticket prices slashed to $23 and a stadium seating just 25,500 – one of the smallest tournament venues – the turnout barely registered. A thunderstorm delayed kickoff by over an hour, possibly discouraging late arrivals.

But realistically, the matchup itself was a hard sell for a local crowd more familiar with American football than CAF Champions League narratives.

Miami bubble

Meanwhile, the tournament’s pulse could be heard loud and clear in Miami.

Inter Miami’s opener against Egyptian giant Al Ahly drew nearly 61,000 to Hard Rock Stadium – a number that might look even more impressive when you consider the ticket prices once floated at $349 during presales.

Every game in Miami since has drawn more than 55,000. Bayern Munich vs. Boca Juniors, a clash of continental champions, saw a near-capacity 63,587 fans.

Boca supporters dominated the energy, creating what Bayern striker Harry Kane described as a “hostile” atmosphere.

And while the Florida Panthers were battling for the Stanley Cup nearby, Boca and Real Madrid fans queued under a blazing sun for hours, eager to soak in the spectacle.

L.A. lights, Atlanta lows

The week’s biggest number came from Los Angeles, where 80,619 turned out to watch Paris Saint-Germain face Atletico Madrid at the iconic Rose Bowl – the highest crowd of the opening week and one of the largest ever for a Club World Cup match.

But it hasn’t all been glitter and flash.

Chelsea, a club with global pull, could only draw 22,000 to Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta for a midweek game against LAFC – barely filling a third of the 71,000-seat venue.

Even Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami couldn’t pack the house for their second game in the same stadium, managing 31,783 fans.

“The environment was a bit strange… the stadium was almost empty,” Chelsea coach Enzo Maresca admitted.

Mixed numbers, Murky takeaways

Through the first eight matches, FIFA reported more than 340,000 in attendance and 1.5 million tickets sold overall.

Ten of the first 24 matches cleared 40,000 attendees.

The average sits around 36,000 – respectable, but still short of the Champions League’s 46,000 average.

The Champions League final this year drew 64,327. England’s FA Cup final had 84,163 fans.

The biggest game of FIFA’s tournament so far – PSG vs. Atletico – was only slightly behind, signaling potential if marquee matches are marketed effectively.

Still, these mixed results raise red flags for Infantino’s grand vision.

The Club World Cup is meant to be the crown jewel of global club competition. Infantino has called it “the undisputed pinnacle of global club football.” But Tuesday’s ghost game in Orlando – and the swathes of empty seats across several fixtures – suggest the crown may still need polishing.

World Cup warm-up?

The Club World Cup is more than a competition – it’s a trial balloon for 2026.

As FIFA prepares to host the Men’s World Cup in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, it’s counting on surging fan interest and booming ticket sales to justify its American bet.

The Club World Cup serves as a litmus test: will American fans embrace a new global football tradition?

According to FIFA, international ticket demand has come mainly from Brazil, Argentina, and Mexico.

European fans appear less eager to travel. That’s not surprising, but it puts pressure on local markets to fill seats, especially for mid-level games.

And that’s where the challenge lies. For every blockbuster in Miami or Los Angeles, there’s been a ghost game in Orlando or a patchy crowd in Atlanta.

Optics matter

In football, numbers count – but optics matter more. Sparse crowds for high-level games don’t just impact atmosphere.

They threaten the credibility of the tournament itself, especially as FIFA tries to pitch it as a staple of the global sports calendar.

The question is no longer whether the Club World Cup can deliver big nights – it already has. It’s whether it can deliver them consistently, across cities, across matchups, and across cultures.

For now, FIFA will hope the low points fade into the background, and the sound of 80,000 fans in L.A. or 60,000 in Miami becomes the soundtrack of a tournament still finding its voice.

Defending champion Jannik Sinner suffered a surprise second-round exit at the Halle Open on Thursday, falling 6-3, 3-6, 6-4 to Kazakhstan’s Alexander Bublik in his first tournament since losing the French Open final.

The Italian world No. 1, who had beaten Bublik comfortably just weeks ago in the Roland Garros quarterfinals, was handed his first loss to a player ranked outside the top 20 since mid-2023.

With Wimbledon just 10 days away, Bublik – ranked No. 45 – earned only his second win in six meetings against Sinner, flipping the script on their Paris showdown and dealing a rare grass-court blow to the 23-year-old.

“We are tennis players and we try to win every match we play, but it is a special one,” Bublik said. “I had never beaten a No. 1 in the world. It is an accomplishment.”

Sinner, who had beaten Yannick Hanfmann in straight sets in the first round, cruised through the opening set against Bublik without facing a break point.

The Italian had three break points early in the second set, but Bublik held and then went on the attack, hitting 20 winners and securing the crucial break in the sixth game.

The 28-year-old broke Sinner’s serve in the deciding set with a flashing forehand.

“I had an amazing forehand to break in the third set and then I kept serving,” Bublik said. “On grass, if you lose your serve, it is maybe tough, and I am a guy who doesn’t lose a lot of serves. I just kept serving and putting him in uncomfortable positions and it worked well.”

“He is an unbelievable player and I was not thinking that I could beat him,” Bublik added. “But I had a few chances and executed them well.”

The Kazakh will face Tomas Machac in the quarterfinals after the Czech defeated Hungarian Fabian Marozsan 6-2, 6-3.

Earlier, world No. 3 Alexander Zverev rallied from a set down to defeat Italy’s Lorenzo Sonego.

The 28-year-old German won 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (2) against the 46th-ranked Sonego and will next face another Italian, Flavio Cobolli, for a place in the semifinals.

A finalist in Halle in 2016 and 2017, Zverev notched his fifth victory in as many meetings with Sonego, a year after beating him at the same stage of the same tournament.

Sonego took advantage of his only break opportunity in the first set at 4-3. Zverev struggled to break serve throughout but dug deep in the second, taking it 6-4, and dominated the final tiebreak.

Argentina’s 63rd-ranked Tomás Martín Etcheverry also reached the quarterfinals after a three-hour duel against fourth seed Andrey Rublev, winning 6-3, 6-7 (4), 7-6 (6).

Etcheverry saved two match points in the deciding-set tiebreak to set up a clash with Russia’s Karen Khachanov.

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Lionel Messi delivered another moment of brilliance with a trademark free kick to lift Inter Miami to a stunning 2-1 comeback win over Porto in the Club World Cup on Thursday.

The Argentine icon curled a pinpoint second-half set piece into the top corner, capping a dramatic turnaround that leaves the MLS side in strong contention to advance from Group A.

Inter Miami and Palmeiras now sit level with four points apiece after the Brazilian champions defeated Al Ahly 2-0 earlier in the day. Porto and the Egyptian club trail with one point each.

Porto dominated the first half and took the lead through Samu Aghehowa’s early penalty, creating several chances to extend their advantage. But Telasco Segovia brought Miami back into the match with a thunderous equalizer before Messi’s moment of magic sealed the upset.

Founded in 2020 and co-owned by former England star David Beckham, Inter Miami’s global profile soared with Messi’s arrival in 2023, and on Thursday, the club delivered a result to match the hype.

It marked the first competitive victory by an MLS side over European opposition in the Club World Cup, following Chelsea’s win over Los Angeles FC earlier in the week.

“It’s a huge joy. The whole team made a big effort; we worked really well,” Messi told DAZN.

“It’s a really important win for us, and we have to enjoy it.

You can see that we want to compete, and today we competed against a really good European team. We knew that today we were weaker, but we had our strengths.”

Even with Messi – arguably the face of the tournament – the Mercedes-Benz Stadium was under half full at kickoff, hindered by a 3 p.m. start time on a weekday, just as it had been for Chelsea’s opener at the venue.

More fans streamed in throughout the match, eager to glimpse the 37-year-old widely regarded as the greatest player of all time. By full-time, attendance had climbed to nearly 32,000.

Messi didn’t disappoint, standing out as the game’s most influential player from the opening whistle.

The former Barcelona great clipped a dipping ball in behind the defense for veteran striker Luis Suarez, who could only prod it at the goalkeeper.

Porto struck in the eighth minute after being awarded a soft penalty via VAR review, with Miami defender Noah Allen making light contact with João Mario in the box.

Spain international Aghehowa beat Oscar Ustari, who had saved a penalty in the goalless draw against Al Ahly, despite the Miami goalkeeper getting a hand to the low effort.

Uruguayan striker Suarez, 38, nearly equalized after Messi threaded him through on goal, but forced onto his weaker left foot, he was denied by Porto goalkeeper Claudio Ramos.

Javier Mascherano’s side almost drew level through U.S. international Benjamin Cremaschi, after a charging run from Suarez split Porto’s back line, but Ramos made a smart near-post save.

Maximiliano Falcon made a brilliant header off his own goal line after Ustari was beaten by Rodrigo Mora’s effort, keeping Inter Miami’s hopes alive.

Ustari denied Aghehowa again, then scrambled to clear after a powerful Alan Varela shot ricocheted off the post and struck the back of his head – another moment of chaos in a dominant Porto spell before the break.

‘Clutch moment’

Inter Miami equalized just after halftime, with Segovia smashing home Marcelo Weigandt’s low cutback to stun the Portuguese side.

Then came Messi’s signature moment in the 54th minute.

The playmaker was brought down just outside the area and, after dusting himself off, curled a classic left-footed free kick into the top right corner.

“(Messi) is a leader. He’s the player he is – the greatest player in the world,” Inter Miami forward Fafa Picault told DAZN.

“I had a feeling (the free kick) was going in. That was a great goal, a great show of leadership, and it came in a clutch moment for us.”

Miami dug deep to defend their lead, and groans echoed around the stadium when seven minutes of stoppage time were announced.

Mascherano’s players threw themselves in front of every shot – in a manner reminiscent of the Argentine defensive midfielder himself – and Inter Miami ultimately secured a landmark win.

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Turkish motorsport is gearing up for a landmark weekend as Deniz Öncü returns to the track following his historic Moto2 win, and Kadir Erbay readies for his international debut in the Spanish Superbike Championship.

Öncü, 21, heads to Italy’s legendary Mugello Circuit looking to back up his groundbreaking victory at the Aragon Grand Prix earlier this month, where he edged out the win by a mere 0.003 seconds – the closest finish in Moto2 history. It was a watershed moment for Turkish motorcycling, and the Red Bull KTM Ajo rider now aims to prove it wasn’t a one-off.

“I’ve got good memories here,” Öncü said ahead of Sunday’s 19-lap race. “We’ve been working on setup since Barcelona and feel confident heading into Mugello.”

Racing on a Boscoscuro chassis with a Triumph 765cc triple, Öncü enters the ninth round of the Moto2 World Championship with growing momentum, bolstered by recent test data and a chassis setup focused on late-race tire management.

The Mugello circuit, known for its 1.1-kilometer straight and punishing elevation shifts, promises a stiff challenge – but also a chance for Öncü to cement his place among the class’s elite.

His 2025 season marks a breakout campaign after years of grinding in Moto3, where he earned respect but never cracked the top step.

Mentored by Turkish racing legends Kenan Sofuoğlu and Toprak Razgatlıoğlu, Öncü’s trajectory is now closely watched across the paddock.

Turkish fans, still buzzing from his Aragon triumph, will again tune in via S Sport for Sunday’s race, scheduled for 1:15 p.m. local time.

Meanwhile, Kadir Erbay, another product of Türkiye’s fast-growing motorsport system, is set to make his mark in Spain.

The 600cc Supersport rider will line up at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya in the ESBK’s Next Generation category, riding for Spain’s I+DENT Racing team in what will be his debut in the series.

A relative newcomer to the international scene, Erbay has climbed through domestic championships and now faces a double-header weekend – Race 1 on Saturday at 4:40 p.m., Race 2 on Sunday at 1:30 p.m. (local times).

His Yamaha R6 will go toe-to-toe with a competitive grid featuring top Spanish and European talent.

Though his racing resume remains modest, the TMF sees Erbay as a rider with potential.

With strong performances in Barcelona, he could stake a claim for further international starts, joining the growing wave of Turkish riders moving beyond national borders.

Öncü and Erbay are part of a generation shaped by Sofuoğlu’s Supersport dynasty and Razgatlıoğlu’s Superbike reign.

That legacy now fuels Türkiye’s presence across racing classes – from grassroots circuits to MotoGP-bound stars.

With TMF support and growing visibility, the country’s footprint in two-wheeled motorsport has never been larger.

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After a decade of success in para-swimming, 22-year-old Turkish athlete Esra Nisa Özkılsız is making a name for herself in powerlifting, with her sights now firmly set on qualifying for the 2028 Paralympic Games.

Özkılsız, who began swimming at age 10 and amassed 90 medals – including multiple national titles – made the switch to powerlifting two years ago on her coach’s recommendation.

Since then, she has added two more national medals to her tally and quickly established herself as one of Türkiye’s rising stars in the sport.

At the Turkish National Championships for Physically Disabled Youth and Seniors held in Kırıkkale on Tuesday, Özkılsız claimed silver in the 41 kg. weight class after lifting 77 kg.

The performance marked her 92nd career medal and highlighted her rapid progression in a new discipline.

“I’ve been told I couldn’t succeed, but I’ve always turned those words into motivation,” Özkılsız told Anadolu Agency (AA). “I want to represent Türkiye at the 2028 Olympics and raise our flag high.”

She initially took up swimming after being advised by another disabled female athlete to strengthen her bones and improve her posture. For 10 years, she dominated national competitions but was unable to gather enough international points to qualify for global events.

Recognizing her physical potential for lifting, her coach recommended a switch to powerlifting. The results came fast: in 2023, she won the national title in Ankara by lifting 65 kg.

This year, she added 12 kg. to her best to take second in Kırıkkale.

“I believe the best is yet to come,” she said. “I train three hours a day and I’m fully focused on qualifying for international championships.”

Coach Ali İhsan Güneş praised her commitment and discipline, describing her as a “positive and promising athlete” with the potential to shine on the world stage.

“She’s consistent, never misses training, and has the mindset of a champion,” Güneş said. “We’re confident she can earn a spot at the Paralympics by collecting the necessary international points.”

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