Sports

CNN By Don Riddell, CNN (CNN) — You’d never guess it from her thick London accent, but Emma Hayes has spent a sizeable portion of her professional coaching career in the United States and the third time, she says, is the charm. Hayes believes that soccer “will become the number one sport in this country.”

By Mauricio Torres, CNN en Español (CNN) — Jorge Messi, father of Argentine football star Lionel Messi, “is going through a health situation,” his family said in a statement released Thursday. “At this time, he is under medical supervision, recovering and progressing favorably within the condition he presents,” the family stated, without providing details about

By Don Riddell, CNN (CNN) — You’d never guess it from her thick London accent, but Emma Hayes has spent a sizeable portion of her professional coaching career in the United States and the third time, she says, is the charm. Hayes believes that soccer “will become the number one sport in this country.” When

By Ben Church, CNN (CNN) — Note: This story first appeared in The Beautiful Game by CNN Sports, our daily newsletter on all things World Cup. To subscribe, click here. And just like that, we’re already a week into this summer’s World Cup. We’ve now had seven days of action, 24 group games and 75

By Ben Church, CNN (CNN) — Note: This is story first appeared in The Beautiful Game by CNN Sports, our daily newsletter on all things World Cup. To subscribe, click here. Take a bow Lionel Messi. A hat-trick from the greatest player in history is just what this World Cup needed and capped off a

By Jennifer Hansler, Kyle Feldscher, CNN (CNN) — The mother of Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha will be able to watch her son play in the World Cup this weekend after intervention from the US State Department and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. Jeffries said in a statement Wednesday that Vozinha’s mother will secure a visa

By Priscilla Alvarez, Kyle Feldscher, CNN (CNN) — The Iranian men’s soccer team’s quick departure from Los Angeles following its opening World Cup match was always the plan, according to the US government, despite complaints from the team. Iran’s coach and players made it clear they were upset with having to fly back to their

CNN By Ben Church, CNN (CNN) — Note: This is story first appeared in The Beautiful Game by CNN Sports, our daily newsletter on all things World Cup. To subscribe, click here. It’s a big day in North America It’s the day after the night before and, if you listen carefully, you can probably still

By Ben Church, CNN (CNN) — Note: This is story first appeared in The Beautiful Game by CNN Sports, our daily newsletter on all things World Cup. To subscribe, click here. It’s a big day in North America It’s the day after the night before and, if you listen carefully, you can probably still hear

By Ben Church, CNN (CNN) — Espen Undheim smiles as he recalls the early training sessions where he first met Erling Haaland. The superstar striker wasn’t anywhere near the physical specimen he is today, but his former coach remembers seeing flashes of potential in the “skinny” kid, who had such a burning passion for the

By Kyle Feldscher, Don Riddell, CNN Atlanta (CNN) — Cape Verde has just shocked the soccer world. In their first-ever World Cup match, the tiny island nation earned a hard-fought draw against Spain, the European champions who are one of the favorites to win the World Cup next month. After 90 grueling minutes of defending

By Ben Church, CNN (CNN) — Note: This is story first appeared in The Beautiful Game by CNN Sports, our daily newsletter on all things World Cup. To subscribe, click here. It was raining goals on Sunday with Germany and Sweden both impressing with big wins. Today, though, soccer takes somewhat of a backseat with

By Ben Church, Patrick Sung Cuadrado, CNN (CNN) — At just 19, soccer superstar Lamine Yamal has won more than most players ever do in their entire careers. He’s already a three-time La Liga winner for Barcelona, a European champion with Spain and now, he’s one game away from adding a World Cup to his

By Kathleen Magramo, Fred He, CNN (CNN) — World Cup team send-offs are usually a grand event. Rigorously selected players dressed in dapper suits, waving at fans before they board a plane to represent their countries at one of the biggest sporting events held every four years. But not for China this year. The country’s

By Hannah Keyser, CNN Brooklyn (CNN) — Early in the Eastern Conference Finals, as the New York Knicks pulled off miraculous comebacks and marched to unprecedented blowouts, I noticed that the official watch parties outside Madison Square Garden had become meta funhouse mirrors of phone screens. Semi-professional streamers encouraged antics for cameras suspended on gimbals,

By Ben Church, CNN (CNN) — Note: This is story first appeared in The Beautiful Game by CNN Sports, our daily newsletter on all things World Cup. To subscribe, click here. The first games of the World Cup always seem to have a little shock in them. On Saturday, Switzerland, Brazil and Turkey found that

CNN By Ben Church, CNN (CNN) — Note: This is story first appeared in The Beautiful Game by CNN Sports, our daily newsletter on all things World Cup. To subscribe, click here. The first games of the World Cup always seem to have a little shock in them. On Saturday, Switzerland, Brazil and Turkey found

By Don Riddell, CNN (CNN) — Nobody can predict how the 48 teams will do at the FIFA World Cup this summer, but if you wanted to gamble on Japan being the tidiest team, you’d surely clean up at the bookies. Thanks to a societal expectation of all Japanese people, you’d never know they were

By Julia Vargas Jones, CNN Moorpark, California (CNN) — The crest is red, white and green – the colors of the Iranian flag. Nader Adeli, the 65-year-old captain of Arya Football Club, holds up the jersey and laughs: “We are Iranian! We are Aryan, alright?” All 11 Arya FC players on the field are Iranian

By Kyle Feldscher, CNN (CNN) — The New York Knicks are NBA champions for the first time since 1973, using another epic fourth-quarter comeback to defeat the San Antonio Spurs in Game 5 of the NBA Finals and taking the series 4-1. The Knicks trailed by as much as 16 in the game and nine

By Ben Church, CNN (CNN) — Note: This is story first appeared in The Beautiful Game by CNN Sports, our daily newsletter on all things World Cup. To subscribe, click here. It now feels like we’re well underway in the World Cup with matches coming thick and fast. After the USA’s dominating win yesterday (more

By Hannah Keyser, CNN (CNN) — One time, before she met her now fiancé, Victoria Perry went on a first date with a man who said he wasn’t into the NBA. “I was not going on a second date,” she says now. And just think if she had – and they had hit it off

By Emile Nuh, CNN (CNN) — The quest for a sixth star begins again for Brazil. This storied, soccer-mad nation has lifted the World Cup five times – more than any other country – but its last triumph in 2002 is beginning to feel like a distant memory as over two decades of frustration have

By Alaa Elassar, CNN New York, New York (CNN) — On a warm May night in 1973, in a working-class New Jersey suburb just across the Hudson from Manhattan, 17-year-old Greg Hourdajian stood in front of a television set shouting himself hoarse alongside his mother. The New York Knicks had just put away the Los

By Ben Church, CNN (CNN) — Two goals, three red cards and players crying with pride and joy on the pitch – what else did you expect from the first game at this year’s World Cup? The Estadio Azteca proved the perfect place to kick-start the tournament and Mexico showed the other co-hosts how to

By Dana O’Neil, CNN Irvine, California (CNN) — The sofa cushions didn’t stand a chance. The last line of defense between native New Yorker Tyler Adams and a celebration that’s been waiting a lifetime to be born, the off-white pillows in the fancy team hotel turned into a trampoline as Adams and the US Men’s

By Glen Levy, Ben Church Mexico City (CNN) — In a game that saw more red cards than goals, Mexico has won the opening match of the 2026 World Cup with a 2-0 victory over South Africa. The goal from Julián Quiñones in the opening 10 minutes was more than enough, but Raúl Jiménez got

By Patrick Sung Cuadrado, CNN (CNN) — Real Madrid has signed José Mourinho to a three-year deal as its new manager until June 30, 2029, the club announced on Thursday, marking a sensational return for the two-time Champions League winner to the Spanish capital. Mourinho is set to join the club on July 13, when

CNN By Ben Church, CNN (CNN) — Note: This is story first appeared in The Beautiful Game by CNN Sports, our daily newsletter on all things World Cup. To subscribe, click here. We are finally here! After so many years of preparation, controversies and debates, the World Cup officially starts today. Millions around the world

By Kyle Feldscher, CNN (CNN) — When De’Aaron Fox pulled up at the free-throw line and sank a mid-range jumpshot with 9:40 to go in the third quarter, bringing the San Antonio Spurs’ lead to 29, he sent New York Knicks fans into the basketball version of Hell. Their team looked listless in the first

By Ben Church, CNN (CNN) — Note: This is story first appeared in The Beautiful Game by CNN Sports, our daily newsletter on all things World Cup. To subscribe, click here. We are finally here! After so many years of preparation, controversies and debates, the World Cup officially starts today. Millions around the world will

CNN By Dana O’Neil, CNN Irvine, California (CNN) — The sofa cushions didn’t stand a chance. The last line of defense between native New Yorker Tyler Adams and a celebration that’s been waiting a lifetime to be born, the off-white pillows in the fancy team hotel turned into a trampoline as Adams and the US

By Jacob Lev, CNN (CNN) — It’s a game that will go down in history. The New York Knicks pulled off the greatest comeback in NBA Finals history on Wednesday, rallying from a 29-point deficit to defeat the San Antonio Spurs in Game 4 by a score of 107-106. They now lead the best-of-seven NBA

By Ben Church, CNN (CNN) — Note: This is story first appeared in The Beautiful Game by CNN Sports, our daily newsletter on all things World Cup. To subscribe, click here. Happy World Cup Eve all! We’re just one day away from action getting underway and I personally can’t wait until the soccer takes center

CNN By Ben Church, CNN (CNN) — Note: This is story first appeared in The Beautiful Game by CNN Sports, our daily newsletter on all things World Cup. To subscribe, click here. Happy World Cup Eve all! We’re just one day away from action getting underway and I personally can’t wait until the soccer takes

CNN By Ben Church, CNN London (CNN) — It’s hard to have much rock ‘n roll in tennis. The sport just doesn’t lend itself to such, especially during prestigious grass-court tournaments in leafy London suburbs such as this year’s Queen’s Club Championships. But when Serena Williams walked out on court for her first tennis match

By Ben Church, CNN London (CNN) — It’s hard to have much rock ‘n roll in tennis. The sport just doesn’t lend itself to such, especially during prestigious grass-court tournaments in leafy London suburbs such as this year’s Queen’s Club Championships. But when Serena Williams walked out on court for her first tennis match in

By Leah Asmelash, CNN (CNN) — Factually, Victor Wembanyama could have sent New York Knicks fans into fits of loathing. As the Knicks return to the Finals for the first time since 1999, when they were summarily dismissed by the San Antonio Spurs and the towering young superstar Tim Duncan, they find themselves facing the

By Ben Church, CNN (CNN) — Note: This is story first appeared in The Beautiful Game by CNN Sports, our daily newsletter on all things World Cup. To subscribe, click here. It’s now just two days to go until the start of the World Cup and it’s safe to say that things are heating up

By Jack Bantock, CNN (CNN) — Though their eyes and ears will undoubtedly be fixed on the cacophony of sensations showering down from all storied corners of the Estadio Azteca, for many of the South African team walking out to face World Cup co-host Mexico on Thursday to kick off the tournament, there will be

By Patrick Sung Cuadrado, CNN (CNN) — The 2026 World Cup is almost here in all its glory and that means non-stop action for fans to watch during a newly expanded tournament. A record 48 teams will be playing a total of 104 matches across three countries for the most prized trophy in world soccer.

By Kyle Feldscher, Priscilla Alvarez, Larry Madowo, CNN (CNN) — Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan will not take part in this summer’s World Cup after he was denied entry into the United States, FIFA confirmed on Monday. When asked about Artan’s case, a US Customs and Border Protection spokesperson told CNN that he underwent additional

By Ben Church, CNN (CNN) — Note: This is story first appeared in The Beautiful Game by CNN Sports, our daily newsletter on all things World Cup. To subscribe, click here. It’s almost here. After years of talk, preparation and anticipation, the 2026 World Cup is now just right around the corner. On Thursday, the

By Ben Church, CNN (CNN) — Denmark soccer star Christian Eriksen is in “good spirits” and is expected to leave hospital soon after collapsing on the pitch during his nation’s friendly against Ukraine on Sunday. Eriksen, who five years ago suffered a cardiac arrest on the field at Euro 2020, was seen clutching his chest

By Hannah Keyser, CNN New York City (CNN) — Dan Klein went to bed at 9 p.m. and awoke at 1 a.m. local time in London. The 37-year-old wanted to watch Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals live, albeit alone and 3,400 miles away from a city celebrating the New York Knicks’ return to

CNN By Hannah Keyser, CNN New York City (CNN) — Dan Klein went to bed at 9 p.m. and awoke at 1 a.m. local time in London. The 37-year-old wanted to watch Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals live, albeit alone and 3,400 miles away from a city celebrating the New York Knicks’ return

By Ainsley Flood and Jim Sciutto, CNN (CNN) — American soccer player Miles Robinson was one of the US men’s national team’s top prospects heading into the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. For him, the hard part was already over as he had earned a rare, highly coveted spot on the elite 26-man roster

By Billy Stockwell and Aida Karimi, CNN (CNN) — Iran’s soccer team touched down in Mexico’s northwestern city of Tijuana on Sunday – a stone’s throw from the United States border – as Tehran criticized Washington over its visa restrictions ahead of the World Cup this summer. The president of Iran’s football federation, Mehdi Taj,

By Emile Nuh, CNN (CNN) — With the World Cup kicking off on June 11, anticipation is building for what will be the biggest tournament in the competition’s history. A record 48 teams will compete across 104 matches in the United States, Canada and Mexico. Heavyweights such as France, Spain, England, and Argentina are among

By Esteban Campanela, CNN (CNN) — Predictions about who will be the next World Cup champion often miss the mark. The pressure at this tournament is as intense as it gets for any player, and the margins are so fine that even a powerhouse can be knocked out. Still, only eight countries in history have

By Kyle Feldscher, Dianne Gallagher, CNN Charlotte (CNN) — The World Cup officially kicks off in Mexico on Thursday, but thousands of fans across North America will have already gotten their opportunity to enjoy the world’s biggest sporting festival before a minute of the tournament is played. With ticket prices – not to mention travel

By Ben Church, Patrick Sung Cuadrado, Aleks Klosok, Emile Nuh, CNN (CNN) — With less than a week to go until this year’s World Cup, it’s time to start taking a closer look at those who are set to play. Each of the 48 teams can take a squad of up to 26 players with

By Jacob Lev, CNN (CNN) — The New York Knicks held off a furious fourth-quarter comeback from the San Antonio Spurs, winning 105-104 in Game 2 of the NBA Finals after Victor Wembanyama missed a last-second shot. The win extends the Knicks’ playoff win streak to 13, the second longest in NBA playoff history. With

CNN By Emile Nuh, CNN (CNN) — With the World Cup kicking off on June 11, anticipation is building for what will be the biggest tournament in the competition’s history. A record 48 teams will compete across 104 matches in the United States, Canada and Mexico. Heavyweights such as France, Spain, England, and Argentina are

By Patrick Snell, CNN Chattanooga, Tennessee (CNN) — Spain’s World Cup stars – led by teenage phenom Lamine Yamal – are coming to town, and for one city in Tennessee, life is about to change very dramatically indeed. Chattanooga – nestled on the banks of the Tennessee River with a population of under 200,000 people

By Dana O’Neil, CNN (CNN) — On Saturday afternoon, the rich and the rarefied will gather in Saratoga Springs, New York, a quaint Victorian Era throwback town where the horses who visit for races often cross the streets like pedestrians. Belmont Park is still putting the finishing touches on its $455 million renovations and so,

By Ben Church, CNN (CNN) — A fan was arrested and banned for life after running onto the court and taking a selfie video with Victor Wembanyama during Game 1 of the NBA Finals on Wednesday. The bizarre moment occurred nearly midway through the fourth quarter, with the New York Knicks leading 92-86. The fan

CNN By Jacob Lev, CNN (CNN) — Game 1 of the NBA Finals lived up to all the hype with the New York Knicks outlasting the San Antonio Spurs 105-95 at the Frost Bank Center on Wednesday. The victory extends the Knicks’ playoff win streak to 12 games, becoming the seventh team in NBA history

By Jacob Lev, CNN (CNN) — Game 1 of the NBA Finals lived up to all the hype with the New York Knicks outlasting the San Antonio Spurs 105-95 at the Frost Bank Center on Wednesday. The victory extends the Knicks’ playoff win streak to 12 games, becoming the seventh team in NBA history to

By Ben Church, CNN (CNN) — It’s fair to say that even the most specialized tennis expert would have struggled to predict the semifinalists for this year’s French Open. For so many years, it’s been the same old faces playing each other in these latter stages of grand slams. But not this year. Through a

By Dana O’Neil, CNN (CNN) — When the play ends, as Kris Jenkins bends over a bit at the waist to watch his work of art swish its way into history, Mikal Bridges dashes onto the court and Josh Hart full scale piggy backs onto Phil Booth. Somehow, Jalen Brunson ends up on the floor,

By Reagan Yip, CNN (CNN) — As the World Cup grips North America this summer, China will again watch from the sidelines. But an unlikely story is bubbling up in the nation as Chinese fans cheer on unlikely amateur soccer players – from delivery drivers to villagers – now playing in packed stadiums back home

By Ben Church, CNN (CNN) — After beating compatriot Elina Svitolina in an all-Ukrainian quarterfinal at Roland Garros 6-3, 2-6, 6-2 on Tuesday, tennis player Marta Kostyuk was overcome with emotion. With tears rolling down her face, the 23-year-old addressed the French Open crowd after reaching the first grand slam semifinal of her career, dedicating

By Don Riddell, CNN (CNN) — The US Men’s National Team (USMNT) won’t be able to use magic to win the FIFA World Cup, but if they could, Weston McKennie says he’s got a couple of tricks up his sleeve. “Avada Kedavra – because there would be no more opponents,” McKennie told CNN Sports, referencing

By John Liu, Fred He, CNN Hong Kong/Hangzhou (CNN) — Stephen Curry announced a partnership for his signature brand with Li-Ning on Monday, ending his sneaker free agency in a major win for the Chinese sportswear giant. The four-time NBA champion had partnered with Under Armour for 13 years before splitting in November last year.

By Ben Church, Jill Martin, CNN (CNN) — Tennis great Serena Williams is set to return to the court in the doubles competition at the HSBC Championships next week, Queen’s Club has confirmed. Williams, 44, never officially announced her retirement, but it’s been almost four years since her last match. Late last year, though, the

By Don Riddell, CNN (CNN) — 104 games, 48 teams and 1,248 players. The soccer stars taking to the pitch will have plenty of opportunities to shine during the World Cup in the US, Canada and Mexico this summer. In the meantime, it’s the creative types behind the squad reveal videos who can take a

By Jhasua Razo, CNN (CNN) — The 2026 FIFA World Cup is upon us and fans around the world are set for more than a month of soccer action. Hosted in the United States, Mexico and Canada, this will be the first edition with 48 teams, broken down into 12 groups of four teams and

By Jacob Lev, CNN (CNN) — The San Antonio Spurs went into Oklahoma City and knocked off the defending champs on their home court in Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals on Saturday. They’ll play the New York Knicks in the NBA Finals, which begin on Wednesday, a rematch of the 1999 Finals –

By Kyle Feldscher, CNN (CNN) — Defending champion Coco Gauff is out of Roland Garros after a stunning upset loss to Austria’s Anastasia Potapova in the third round. Potapoval, seeded 28th in the tournament, took down the fourth-seeded Gauff 4-6, 7-6, 6-4. It’s the worst result for Gauff at Roland Garros since her debut in

By Ben Church, CNN Budapest, Hungary (CNN) — It’s been a non-stop party at Arsenal Football Club over the last two weeks, so no wonder its following faithful are still beaming from ear to ear. The celebrations all began on May 19, when the team became Premier League champion for the first time in 22

By Kyle Feldscher, CNN (CNN) — Roland Garros is planning to impose a significant fine on Paraguayan player Adolfo Daniel Vallejo after he made a sexist remark about the female chair umpire following his second-round loss to Moise Kouame. “Matches like this have to be umpired by a man; it’s very difficult for a woman

By Thomas Schlachter, CNN (CNN) — Novak Djokovic has failed in his quest to win a record-breaking 25th grand slam title after losing to João Fonseca at Roland Garros. Djokovic held a 2-0 set lead, but the 19-year-old Brazilian bounced back to win the next three sets – producing the stunning victory against the Serbian

By Aleks Klosok, Amanda Davies, CNN London (CNN) — When David Raya steps out onto the pristinely manicured grass of Budapest’s Puskás Aréna for Saturday’s Champions League Final, he’ll do so to the soundtrack of nearly 70,000 boisterous spectators. The sparkling pinnacle of European soccer’s elite club competition will be a far cry from the

By Rosa de Acosta, Matias Grez, Patrick Sung Cuadrado, CNN (CNN) — It’s late spring, heading into the summer and that can only mean one thing: the French Open is back and tennis fans around the world rejoice at the news of the return of the iconic clay court grand slam. Heading into the 125th

By Ben Church, CNN London (CNN) — On a boiling hot day in England, Jordan Dawson walks into a London pub with a tote bag by his side. He plonks it on the floor, its contents rattling around inside, before he digs inside and places a pair of soccer cleats (or boots in the UK)

By Dana O’Neil, CNN (CNN) — The World Cup in the US is a once-in-a-generation moment, a chance for the country to welcome the world to its shores for the greatest spectacle in sports. Try selling that line to a New York Knicks fan trying to make it into the city from New Jersey on

By Ben Church, CNN (CNN) — It may be cliché, but it doesn’t make it untrue – there’s nothing quite like the World Cup. As is true for over a billion fans around the world, my life has been punctuated every four years by the tournament. It evokes memories of pure elation and takes you

By Emile Nuh, CNN (CNN) — Four-time grand slam winner Naomi Osaka dazzled the Roland Garros crowd with an eye-catching, two-part outfit ahead of her first-round French Open win over Germany’s Laura Siegemund. Osaka walked out at Court Suzanne-Lenglen wearing a black corset and matching pleated cascading skirt that skimmed over the red clay. Her

By Emile Nuh, CNN (CNN) — Two-time French Open finalist Casper Ruud overcame extreme heat – and a defiant Russian qualifier Roman Safiullin – to advance to the second round at Roland Garros. The 15th-seeded Ruud was up two sets and leading 5-2 against Safiullin in the third set, but the 27-year-old Norweigan failed to