Sports
Türkiye ramp up 2026 World Cup preparations at Istanbul’s Riva camp
Türkiye’s preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup are entering a more detailed and controlled phase as Vincenzo Montella begins shaping both the tactical identity and physical readiness of his squad at the Turkish Football Federation’s Hasan Doğan National Teams Camp in Riva, Istanbul.
The latest session, held on Saturday behind closed doors, reflected a clear shift toward tournament-level structure rather than general conditioning.
Training opened with coordinated warm-up routines, followed by high-tempo passing circuits designed to accelerate ball circulation under pressure.
Montella’s staff then moved into positional and shape-based tactical work, focusing on compact defensive spacing, midfield connections, and transition triggers.
The session concluded with a full-pitch scrimmage to replicate match intensity and evaluate decision-making in real time.
The camp is built around a provisional 35-player pool, but attendance has been uneven as the squad transitions from club football to international duty.
Only around 25 players were available for this phase due to recovery schedules and ongoing club commitments across Europe’s top leagues.
Several high-profile absentees underline the late-season management approach.
Manchester United goalkeeper Altay Bayındır, Fulham fullback Ferdi Kadıoğlu and AS Roma defender Zeki Çelik are still completing club obligations or easing through post-season recovery protocols after demanding campaigns.
A second group of players, including Atakan Karazor, Arda Güler of Real Madrid, Kenan Yıldız of Juventus, Merih Demiral and Mustafa Eskihellaç, have been granted structured rest periods as part of workload management plans agreed between clubs and the national setup.
Fitness management remains a key concern for Montella, particularly around captain Hakan Çalhanoğlu of Inter Milan, who is continuing a tailored recovery program for recurring muscular issues, including calf strain problems.
Kerem Aktürkoğlu is also training under individual supervision as staff monitor his physical condition closely ahead of a compressed international window.
There was, however, a positive note in defense, with Ahmetcan Kaplan of Ajax fully integrated into team training, adding depth to Montella’s defensive options as selection decisions begin to tighten.
The Turkish Football Federation maintained close oversight of the session, with general secretary Abdullah Ayaz observing from the stands, reflecting the institutional focus on ensuring stability and continuity in the final buildup phase.
Türkiye secured qualification for the 2026 tournament through a pressure-filled European play-off campaign in March 2026. A narrow 1-0 win over Romania in the semi-final, followed by another 1-0 victory against Kosovo in the final, confirmed their return to football’s biggest stage after a 24-year absence.
Drawn into Group D alongside the United States, Paraguay and Australia, Montella’s side faces a varied test of physicality, structure and tactical adaptability. The coaching staff has emphasized intensity, quick ball progression and midfield control as core principles, with the current Riva camp serving as the first step toward locking in those patterns under competitive conditions.
More players are expected to join as club seasons conclude across Europe, with the next phase of training set to increase in intensity and tactical specificity as Türkiye moves closer to its World Cup return.
Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City era came to a deeply emotional close on Sunday, ending a 10-year reign that reshaped English football as his side fell 2-1 to Aston Villa at the Etihad Stadium.
The result barely registered in a night defined by farewell and reflection. Guardiola stood on the touchline visibly emotional, at times wiping away tears as the reality of his final match in charge set in. Around him, City’s decade of success seemed to weigh heavily on every moment, every substitution, every chant from the stands.
“I never could have imagined the amount of love I’ve found,” he said from the center of the pitch, addressing supporters who filled the stadium that has defined his modern legacy. “It is an incredible honor, a tremendous honor to be your manager and to be here for 10 years.”
The emotion had been building well before full time. When Bernardo Silva and John Stones, two of his most trusted figures, were withdrawn in the second half, both received prolonged ovations and guards of honor from teammates and staff. Guardiola watched on, visibly moved, as another layer of his long-standing core stepped away from the stage with him.
Then came the moment the stadium turned fully toward its manager.
“This is the man who changed everything,” the announcer said as Guardiola stepped out in khakis and a cream T-shirt, greeted by a wall of noise. The Etihad rose as one, chants of “10 more years” echoing across the stands. Guardiola acknowledged it with a small smile and a shake of the head, a gesture that carried both gratitude and finality.
On Friday, he had already confirmed what had long been building beneath the surface. After 17 major trophies, countless records and a sustained era of dominance, he said the cycle had reached its natural end.
“I will not miss it for a while,” he said Sunday, speaking with a quiet clarity. “I feel deeply it is the right decision.”
His departure closes one of the most dominant managerial spells in modern football. Since arriving in 2016, Guardiola guided City to six Premier League titles and the club’s first Champions League crown in 2023, completing a treble that season with the FA Cup and league title. It placed City alongside the elite of European football and cemented Guardiola’s reputation as one of the defining coaches of his generation.
Beyond the trophies, his teams redefined standards in England. City became the first side to reach 100 points in a Premier League season, the first to win four consecutive league titles, and among the few to complete a domestic treble in the modern era. Even in his final campaign, he added further silverware with the League Cup and FA Cup, underlining the consistency of his tenure.
Supporters who lived through the transformation struggled to compress its meaning.
“He means everything to me and this club,” said Fred Taylor, 82, a long-time City fan. “I can’t think of another manager that’s done what he’s done in 10 years.”
For others, Guardiola’s presence became part of personal history as much as football history.
“It’s hard to describe,” said Richard Wilbourn. “You feel like you know him even though you don’t. What he’s done for this club is unreal.”
Amid the emotion, Guardiola also looked ahead briefly, offering a message for whoever follows him into one of football’s most demanding roles. He said he would reach out to his successor to help ease the transition.
“Be yourself. Be free with your ideas and work a lot. Everything will be fine,” he said.
Former Chelsea coach Enzo Maresca is widely regarded as the frontrunner to take over, with an announcement expected soon, though City have not confirmed a replacement.
City has already honored Guardiola’s influence by naming its newly developed north stand after him, while he is set to continue in a global ambassadorial role.
Novak Djokovic will resume his pursuit of a record-extending 25th Grand Slam title when he meets France’s Valentin Royer in the second round of the 2026 French Open at Roland Garros in Paris, a clash that blends championship expectation with rising home ambition.
The 39-year-old Novak Djokovic arrives into the match having already absorbed an early test of both nerve and rhythm in the opening round.
Under the lights on Court Philippe-Chatrier, Djokovic was pushed to four sets by France’s Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard, eventually prevailing 5-7, 7-5, 6-1, 6-4 after a match that exposed early rust but also reaffirmed his ability to adjust midstream.
The opening set was a rare warning sign. Djokovic struggled to read one of the most powerful serves in the draw and dropped a Roland Garros opener set for only the second time in his career.
The French crowd added to the tension, sensing an opportunity as the underdog briefly controlled the tempo.
But once Djokovic found timing on return and began extending rallies, the match shifted decisively. His return position deepened, errors dropped, and the baseline exchanges began tilting toward the Serb.
By the third set, control was fully restored. Djokovic’s movement through clay court angles and his ability to absorb pace turned the contest into a test of patience rather than power. It was also a reminder of his durability at Roland Garros, where he has now extended an unbeaten streak in first round matches that spans more than a decade.
The win also carried historical weight. Djokovic made his 82nd Grand Slam appearance, the most in men’s tennis history, and continues to stretch records even while navigating the physical demands of competing at 39. He remains one of the central figures in a men’s draw that is increasingly shaped by younger champions, yet still features his presence deep into major tournaments.
Next comes Valentin Royer, a 24-year-old French player who has quietly climbed into the top tier of the sport’s second wave. Royer, currently ranked in the 70s after reaching a career-high around No. 54 earlier in 2026, advanced with a composed opening win over Hugo Dellien.
It marked his first appearance in the second round at Roland Garros in the main draw, a milestone in front of a supportive Paris crowd.
Valentin Royer brings a profile built on steady progression rather than breakthrough stardom.
At 6-foot-2, he offers a solid serve and an increasingly reliable baseline game, shaped through Challenger-level consistency and gradual adaptation to ATP-level intensity. His game is not defined by explosive shot-making but by structure, court discipline, and patience in longer exchanges.
The challenge against Djokovic, however, represents a sharp step up. The matchup is built on contrast. Royer will look to use home support and early aggression to keep points short, while Djokovic thrives in the opposite environment, extending rallies and dismantling rhythm through return pressure. Few players in the sport have matched Djokovic’s ability to turn neutral exchanges into sustained control on clay.
Physically, the match also carries narrative weight. Djokovic’s recent preparation on clay has been limited due to injury management earlier in the season, which contributed to early-match inconsistency in round one. That pattern often produces a narrow opening for opponents, particularly younger players willing to attack early service games. Royer’s best path likely depends on exactly that, capitalizing before Djokovic fully settles.
Historically, Djokovic has handled this type of matchup with efficiency. Emerging French players in front of home crowds have frequently been absorbed by his return game and mental control, particularly in best-of-five settings where pressure compounds over time. Once matches extend past the early phase, Djokovic’s endurance and tactical adjustments typically become decisive.
The broader draw context adds further weight. Djokovic remains positioned in a section that could require progressively tougher tests in the third round and beyond, with rising talents and established seeds waiting deeper in the tournament.
A clean, controlled win against Royer would serve not only as progression but as a stabilizing performance in a tournament where momentum is critical.
The New York Knicks extended their playoff winning streak to 10 games with a 121-108 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Saturday, moving within one win of their first NBA Finals appearance since 1999.
Jalen Brunson scored a game-high 30 points, O.G. Anunoby added 21 and Mikal Bridges contributed 22 on 11-of-15 shooting as New York pushed the Cavaliers to the edge of elimination.
“I’m at a loss for words,” Brunson said. “I thought we fought, most importantly.”
The Knicks seized a commanding 3-0 lead in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference finals and could complete a sweep in game four Monday in Cleveland.
No team in NBA history has recovered from a 3-0 deficit to win a playoff series.
“The series isn’t over,” Anunoby said. “Just keep our foot on their necks and just try to win the game.”
Brunson said the Knicks must continue to concentrate.
“Just focus on one possession at a time,” Brunson said.
“The way we’ve been having that mindset these past couple weeks, we have to continue it, if not actually better.”
The Knicks last reached the NBA Finals 27 years ago when they lost to San Antonio. They have not won the NBA championship since 1973.
New York’s Karl-Anthony Towns had 13 points, eight rebounds, seven assists and three steals while Josh Hart added 12 points, nine rebounds, five assists and four steals for a Knicks team that has not been beaten in a month.
“Our mindset hasn’t changed,” Brunson said.
“We’re trying to get better every single day. We’re trying to learn from winning.
“There’s a lot of things we can get better at. There’s a lot of things we can control, a lot of mental errors that we need to clean up, but we’re always just looking for ways to try and get better.”
Evan Mobley led Cleveland with 24 points, while Donovan Mitchell added 23 and James Harden scored 19 points.
The Cavaliers, who squandered a 22-point lead to lose the series opener, never led as New York seized command early and dominated.
“I guess you could say momentum carried over (from game one),” Anunoby said.
“We try to play the right way every game, but maybe that momentum carried over a little bit.”
New York started the game 10-of-13 from the floor to seize a 29-19 lead only 8:29 into the contest, Towns delivering 11 points in the run on the way to a 37-27 lead after the first quarter.
Cleveland trimmed New York’s halftime edge to 60-54, but the Cavs committed six turnovers in the first six minutes of the third quarter.
The Knicks were at 91-82 entering the fourth quarter and stretched it to 110-93 in the closing minutes before completing their fifth road triumph in a row.
“It’s just executing the game plan on both sides of the floor, playing the right way, moving the ball, then getting stops on defense,” Anunoby said of New York’s secret to success.
Just hours after a Russian missile struck near her family home in Kyiv, Ukrainian tennis player Marta Kostyuk took to the French Open clay Sunday with images of the nearby destruction fresh in her mind.
The 23-year-old, who advanced to the second round at Roland Garros, said she was overwhelmed with anxiety after receiving pictures of the damage close to the house where her mother, sister and aunt were staying.
“I felt sick just for the thought that if it was 100 meters closer, I probably wouldn’t have a mum and a sister today,” Kostyuk told reporters after beating Oksana Selekhmeteva 6-2, 6-3.
“Tennis is a mental game, but today it was something completely different. I didn’t know how my focus was going to be or if I would even be able to control my thoughts.” Kostyuk said the strike came during a night of attacks that lasted several hours and left people exhausted and shaken.
Kyiv and surrounding areas were hit with hundreds of drones and missiles in one of the heaviest bombardments of the Ukrainian capital since Russia’s invasion four years ago.
“It was really difficult to process it so quickly and then go out and play,” said Kostyuk. “That’s why I’m happy I played the first match of the day. I don’t know what the outcome would have been if I had played later.”
Emotional strain
Despite the emotional strain, Kostyuk produced an assured display to move into the next round and even found the composure to attempt an underarm serve during the second set.
“When I have space in the match, I love to do it. It always surprises players,” she said with a smile.
Kostyuk said withdrawing from the tournament never crossed her mind because her family had survived unharmed.
“Everyone is alive. Everything is good,” she said. “If something worse had happened, of course, it would have been much more difficult, but today I knew I had to go out and play.”
The Ukrainian said the latest attack ranked among the hardest moments she had endured since Russia’s full-scale invasion began in 2022.
“The beginning of the war was probably the most difficult because of the unknown,” she said. “But this was the closest it has ever been to my house. That’s what makes it so emotional. This was definitely one of the top three worst ones.”
Kostyuk also suggested that support for Ukraine on the tennis circuit had faded as the war dragged on into its fifth year.
“At the start, we had fundraisers and a lot of support. I think people on the tour have adapted and moved on,” she said.
“But I still use my platform whenever I can to remind people of the horror of everyday life in Ukraine. People forget, people adapt, but for us it’s still reality every single day.”
The 15th seed’s opponent, Selekhmeteva, was born in Russia but switched allegiance to Spain ahead of Roland Garros.
Kostyuk faces Katie Volynets of the U.S. next.
Turkish-owned Hull City celebrated a dramatic promotion to the Premier League on Saturday, capping a turbulent Championship campaign that manager Sergej Jakirovic described as an “incredible journey.”
Oli McBurnie clinched Hull’s 1-0 win over Middlesbrough in the play-off final at Wembley, scoring the 205 million pounds ($275 million) tap-in with just seconds left in world football’s richest match.
The Tigers are back in the Premier League for the first time since 2017 after a remarkable renaissance over the last 12 months.
Hull only avoided relegation to the third tier on the final day of last season, with goal difference saving them from the drop, before the club was hit with a damaging transfer embargo.
Jakirovic’s sixth-placed team sneaked into the Championship play-offs on the last day this season before beating third-placed Millwall in the semifinals.
For nearly two weeks, Hull’s final opponent was shrouded in mystery after Southampton, who had beaten Middlesbrough to reach Wembley, were charged with sending a member of staff to spy on their semifinal opponents by filming a training session prior to the first leg.
Southampton were kicked out of the play-off final Tuesday, leaving Jakirovic with just days to prepare his players to face Middlesbrough instead of the Saints.
Jakirovic had claimed Hull were “collateral damage” from the Southampton scandal, while the club’s owner, Turkish media mogul Acun Ilıcalı, threatened to take legal action if his team were beaten by Middlesbrough.
The prospect of an ugly battle in the courts was the last thing Football League chiefs wanted.
In the circumstances, the burly McBurnie’s close-range finish after an error from Middlesbrough keeper Sol Brynn was the ideal conclusion for both the Tigers and the sport’s authorities.
For Hull’s Bosnian manager and his squad, it was just reward for their refusal to be distracted by the Southampton controversy.
“A lot of players were crying with happiness at the final whistle. It’s incredible,” Jakirovic said.
“An unbelievable journey, so many problems, so to achieve the Premier League is incredible.”
‘It was written for me’
Ilıcalı no longer needed to think about calling in the lawyers as he celebrated at Wembley.
Instead, he was planning to send his players on a trip to Las Vegas to mark their triumph.
Scotland striker McBurnie, in his first season at the club after arriving from Las Palmas, said: “I’m speechless for the first time ever.”
“That game summed us up, we knew we weren’t going to have all the ball. It was tough out there with the heat,” he said.
“Middlesbrough are a top team, we knew we’d be up against it, but we felt we’d have one chance and I felt like it was written for me to get it.”
Having been reinstated to the play-offs after Southampton’s punishment, Middlesbrough blew their third chance for promotion this season.
Kim Hellberg’s team were unable to secure automatic promotion despite holding a top-two place for much of the campaign.
They eventually finished fifth and lost to Southampton 2-1 on aggregate before their reprieve ended in heartache at Wembley, where the club is still to win a single match in their history.
“It was the toughest two weeks I’ve been through. Back and forth, back and forth. A very weird situation,” Hellberg said.
“It’s been a roller coaster, a lot of emotions, for everyone at the club.
“Today is disappointing, of course. I think in general, the performance was quite good. You know these games will be tight.
“We stopped them creating almost anything. It felt like we were going into extra-time but they scored from a cross. That’s football.”
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.
-
Daily Agenda2 days agoScandalous statement from TBB President Erinç Sağkan, who visited Özgür Özel! He targeted the judiciary and pretended to be the spokesperson of the CHP
-
Economy3 days agoTürkiye proved reliable energy transit partner amid crises: Erdoğan
-
Daily Agenda2 days agoKılıçdaroğlu’s Press Advisor Atakan Sönmez spoke to A Haber: Kılıçdaroğlu conveyed his congress intention to Özgür Özel
-
Politics3 days agoGaza aid flotilla activists detained by Israel arrive in Türkiye
-
Refugees3 days agoStandoff in Turkey’s main opposition party escalates
-
Daily Agenda2 days agoBREAKING NEWS… First statement from Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu: We will bring CHP back to its moral codes
-
Daily Agenda2 days agoBREAKING NEWS… Özgür Özel: We do not recognize the absolute nullity decision, there is no consensus!
-
Politics3 days agoTurkish election board weighs CHP objection on ‘nullity’ ruling