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The man who ran security at 1984 Los Angeles Olympics and the 1996 Atlanta Games — where a bomber killed two and wounded more than 100 — warns that Iranian “sleeper cells” are likely plotting attacks during next month’s World Cup, as federal officials race to secure the 39-day competition. “I’m fairly confident there are Iranian sleeper cells or surrogate sleeper cells, and this would be an incredible opportunity for sleeper cells to attack,” Former LAPD Deputy Chief Bill Rathburn told The Post. His comments came after the feds warned about Iranian “prepositioned sleeper assets” in the US while the...

With Iran qualifying for the World Cup , Arad Ershad had visions of splurging on flights and tickets to attend one of the team’s upcoming first-round matches in Los Angeles. That changed when Ershad, a New York graduate student who grew up in Tehran, saw how many of the players he had adored since childhood failed to speak out following its theocratic leadership’s deadly crackdown on protesters in January. “It feels so bad that I do not want them to succeed. They were like my icons, my legends,” he lamented during a recent pickup soccer game on Long Island. “I...

The University of Washington's women's soccer team were humiliated last week after losing to a group of 14-year-old boys. Last season the Washington Huskies finished as the sixth-ranked team in women's college soccer following an impressive run to the Elite Eight stage of the playoffs, with their 15-3-7 record going down as the best in program history. Yet despite their incredible year in 2025, the Huskies were brought crashing down to earth after suffering an embarrassing defeat to Crossfire under-14 boys last Thursday. The scrimmage took place in Seattle on April 30, and ended in a 2-1 victory for Crossfire...

THE 2026 FIFA World Cup is posing a threat to the United States’ expected $30 billion boom. Hotel and flight sales have proven lacklustre with one million tickets still unsold ahead of the World Cup. Overseas soccer fans appear uninterested in attending the upcoming World Cup in the USA. International fans are choosing to boycott the tournament, according to the American Hotel & Lodging Association’s US Hotel Outlook Report. Nearly 80 percent of hotels in nine American host cities claim that they are operating behind initial projections. It has been suggested that FIFA releasing 70 percent of its room blocks...

The delay in Dick Advocaat becoming Curaçao’s head coach might have been ominous but instead it was the foundation for glory. Frustrated by the national federation’s financial problems, he deferred starting until January 2024, when the problems were resolved and players paid, paving the way for a historic World Cup qualifying campaign. Curaçao will be the smallest nation – by land area and population – to play at the World Cup after their 0-0 draw in Jamaica on Wednesday. The Caribbean island has a population of 156,000, sinking the previous record holders, Iceland, which has about 400,000 inhabitants. Last month...

FIFA president Gianni Infantino affirmed on Thursday that Iran will take part in this summer’s World Cup despite the country’s current conflict with the United States. "Of course, Iran will be participating at the FIFA World Cup 2026, and of course Iran will play in the United States of America," Infantino said during his opening remarks of the FIFA Congress in Vancouver. "The reason for that is very simple, dear friends, is because we have to unite. We have to bring people together. It is my responsibility." Among the 211-member FIFA congress, Iran was the only absentee. DOOCY: The president...

THE 2026 World Cup is shaping up to be expensive for fans. Depending on what stadium your ticket is for — if you even got one due to exorbitant prices — transit and lodging costs are cripplingly high. This year’s World Cup was marketed as a tournament to get Americans excited about soccer and be a place where all fans could come and watch their countries compete. Instead, it has become a bidding war with both Fifa and local governments setting incredibly high prices. The cheapest tickets for less favorable games start at around $140 for a seat, but can...

Sometimes, doing what you believe is right comes with a cost. For former National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) midfielder Elizabeth Eddy Biggs, she knew that long before she ever hit "post." Mrs. Biggs officially announced her retirement Tuesday after an 11-year professional career. "I'm deeply thankful to God, my family, friends, teammates, staff, coaches and fans for this wild, wonderful journey, both full of blessing and growth," Mrs. Biggs said in a video posted to her social media. (Video: https://x.com/elizabetheddy2/status/2036553794373210317) And, in a conversation with OutKick on Monday, she said she's at peace with how everything unfolded — even if...

An athlete’s silent act of dissent can turn both her and her family into targets of intimidation under the rule of Iran’s radical Islamist regime. After refusing to sing the Islamic Republic’s anthem before a match in Australia, seven members of Iran’s women’s national soccer team sought asylum there, making a desperate choice no athlete should ever face. After the regime issued threats against the seven and jailed their families, five later withdrew their claims and left. And yet from the global capital of women’s soccer, there has been no public solidarity.

1 min video at link: FOX & Friends@foxandfriends“I know that families have even been detained. I know family members are missing.”An Australian official sounds the alarm for Iranian female soccer stars as more players reportedly pull asylum bids after reportedly facing heavy intimidation.“When you do break a contract as an athlete in Iran you can face the death penalty.”

Iran cannot participate in the 2026 World Cup following airstrikes against the country by the United States and Israel, the Iranian sports minister said Wednesday. "Given that this corrupt government assassinated our leader, under no circumstances can we participate in the World Cup," Ahmad Donyamali reportedly told Iranian state television. - President Trump says Iran 'welcome' at World Cup, says Infantino - Iraq coach Arnold asks FIFA to reschedule its WC playoff Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was killed in the first day of attacks. He has since been succeeded by his son, Mojtaba Khamenei. Iran was due to...

Five members of Iran's women's national team are seeking asylum in Australia following the team's participation at the AFC Asian Cup, and are currently safe and being cared for by local authorities. The players defected on Monday, a day after a 2-0 defeat to the Philippines, which would ensure the team would be eliminated in the group stage. The team was scheduled to depart Gold Coast, Australia, on Monday despite airspace restrictions in the Middle East because of the Iran War, which began on Feb. 28, after the team traveled to take part in the Asian Cup. The Iran War...

New York City doesn’t have enough hotel rooms for hordes of visitors coming to this summer’s FIFA World Cup and should suspend the current restrictions on Airbnb and other short-term rental platforms, business leaders told Mayor Zohran Mamdani and City Council Speaker Julie Menin on Friday. Groups including the Partnership for New York City and chambers of commerce for all five boroughs say the city must pause its short-term rental laws from June 1 to July 31 so more people can stay in the Big Apple during the games — along with celebrations for the country’s 250th anniversary and Fleet...

The Iranian women’s national soccer team made quite the statement on Monday night during the opening match of the Women’s Asian Cup, as they refused to sing while their national anthem played over the speakers at Cbus Super Stadium on the Gold Coast. The players were in their customary line before their match against South Korea, when the Iranian national anthem began to play. The women, looking straight ahead and barely moving, were stoic as it appeared there were jeers from the crowd. Later, applause erupted from those in attendance following the 3-0 South Korea victory. Iran’s manager, Marziyeh Jafari,...

Saturday’s major military attack on Iran by U.S. and Israeli forces is impacting everything from international diplomacy to the game of soccer. The move by President Trump to strike multiple targets in Iran comes just months before the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be hosted by the U.S., Canada and Mexico. All three nations automatically qualify as hosts. Iran also qualified for the World Cup. One of the best teams in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), the Iran National Team finished atop Group A in the AFC World Cup Qualifying competition, sending them through at the first time of...

The 40-year-old man was stabbed by his wife after a misunderstanding while watching a Napoli game at their home, according to Italian media. A Napoli supporter was allegedly stabbed by his wife at their home after an argument broke out when he lost his temper while watching a match on TV, Italian media reported. The 40-year-old became frustrated as his side lost 2-1 to Atalanta in Serie A on Sunday, according to L'Unione Sarda daily newspaper. He reportedly shouted insults at the TV after a controversial VAR decision overturned a penalty that had been awarded to Napoli. The man's 35-year-old...

@MarioNawfal SICK OF STARMER'S DYSTOPIAN NIGHTMARE? HERE COMES RESTORE BRITAIN Britain is being run into the ground, and now a new party is saying it out loud. Restore Britain is calling out weak leadership, broken institutions, and a political class that looks after itself while everyone else pays the price. They’re pushing low taxes, small government, secure borders, national pride, traditional Christian principles, free speech, and direct democracy. Source: @RupertLowe10

Israeli journalist Rina Mazliah set off a firestorm on Thursday when she said during an Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation-Kan Reshet Bet broadcast that she was "disgusted" by a soccer player who recited "Shema Yisrael" (Hear o' Israel - Deuteronomy 6:4) verse while taking the field. "I see at soccer games, every player that takes the field goes 'Shema Yisrael'... It's disgusting. I mean, why 'Shema Yisrael' when you take the field? It's disgusting, Akiva, disgusting. Go in, play, why 'Shema Yisrael' in the middle of a soccer game?" Matzliah said. The remarks garnered fierce reactions on the net, with many...

Calls are growing on social media for international soccer fans to boycott the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which is being hosted across the United States, Canada and Mexico. Newsweek reached out to FIFA for comment via email. Why It Matters While there have been some World Cup boycott pushes in recent months, some over the cost of tickets, there are now renewed calls due to growing unrest, immigration fears, and the Trump administration's moves on the international stage—including President Donald Trump saying on Thursday night that the U.S. is “going to start now hitting land” and targeting drug cartels "running...

VIDEOIn 2026 the FIFA World Cup Soccer arrives in the USA. That will be the time when native born Americans PRETEND (if they are polite) to be interested in Soccer or what the rest of the world calls Football. Watching these Brits suffering extreme meltdowns over absurdly (and typically) low scoring soccer games is amusing to watch. It has convinced me that growing up watching either American football vs soccer somehow wires your brain differently. The way soccer flows with its absurdly low scores just does NOT appeal to Americans who expect higher scores in a game that flows entirely...