Lionel Messi’s global tour with Inter Miami has been very messy and a PR nightmare

TOKYO — It’s all been very messy. We’re talking about Lionel Messi and Inter Miami’s global tour of exhibition games where the main show has been Argentina’s 2022 World Cup-winning captain The matches are about promotion and marketing, hoping to build a new brand by using stars like Messi and Uruguayan Luis Suarez. Instead, the … Read more

Canada to stage 13 games at 2026 FIFA World Cup between Toronto and Vancouver

Canada will host 13 of the 104 games at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with seven in Vancouver and six in Toronto. As expected, the U.S. will stage the lion’s share of the action — with 78 games — at the expanded 48-team soccer showcase. Like Canada, Mexico will host 13 games. The 2026 tournament will … Read more

SoFi Stadium to install retractable corner seats this spring, increasing field size for soccer

LOS ANGELES — SoFi Stadium will begin work Monday on renovations to increase the size of its playing field area in preparation for hosting eight matches during the 2026 World Cup. Los Angeles Rams chief operating officer Kevin Demoff says the construction involves replacing concrete in the corners of the lower bowl with bleacher risers … Read more

Canada to stage 13 games at 2026 FIFA World Cup between Toronto and Vancouver

Canada will host 13 of the 104 games at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with seven in Vancouver and six in Toronto. As expected, the U.S. will stage the lion’s share of the action — with 78 games — at the expanded 48-team soccer showcase. Like Canada, Mexico will host 13 games. The 2026 tournament will … Read more

Franz Beckenbauer, who won World Cup both as player and coach for Germany, dies at 78

BERLIN — Franz Beckenbauer, who won the World Cup both as player and coach and became one of Germany’s most beloved personalities with his easygoing charm, has died. He was 78. Beckenbauer’s death was first announced through a statement from his family to German news agency dpa and then confirmed by the German soccer federation. … Read more

Pack your jerseys. The era of ‘sports tourism’ is here

Start your engines. From Formula One races to the Summer Olympic Games, traveling to attend major sporting events is on the rise. Sports tourism, as it’s called, is one of the fastest-growing sectors in the travel industry, according to the United Nations World Tourism Organization.   The market is massive, and only stands to grow, … Read more