In a World Cup-fueled union win, concessions workers at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles have won the right to walk off the job, should ICE pose a threat to their safety. The stadium’s 2,000 cooks, bartenders, dishwashers, servers, and attendants had a major piece of leverage this summer: eight scheduled World Cup matches. Their victory came days after a 96 percent vote to authorize a strike.
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It’s hard to say for sure because of the wizardry involved. But Egyptian forward Haissem Hassan took what looked like eight touches of the ball on every part of his left foot imaginable, dancing in between and around two Argentine defenders, before ever putting it on his right. One touch on that right foot, followed by a final move from his left, and the Egyptian forward had done most of the…
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On June 13, at Qatar’s World Cup match in Santa Clara, California, Dr. Nas Mohamed — a physician and the first openly gay Qatari to seek asylum in the U.S. after fleeing state persecution –– stood in the stands alongside California State Sen. Scott Wiener. That day, the two posted a joint statement to Instagram, calling on FIFA and sponsors to “stop looking away” from the persecution of LGBTQ…
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Thousands of soccer fans gathered in my hometown of Pasadena, California, on June 24, 2026, to watch Mexico’s World Cup win against the Czech Republic. City officials erected a large TV screen outside the Civic Auditorium in the heart of the commercial district. Fans wore green jerseys, the signature color of Mexico’s men’s soccer team. Several people waved Mexican flags and danced and hugged when…
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FIFA, the international soccer organization that governs the World Cup, lifted a red card suspension for U.S. star player Folarin Balogun on Sunday after President Donald Trump intervened through an intense lobbying effort. Balogun’s red card penalty against Bosnia and Herzegovina last week was itself questionable, with some commentators stating that the infraction he was called for did not…
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As the 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off across North America, millions of soccer fans around the world are gathering in stadiums, homes, and cafés to watch the tournament. In Gaza, however, where war and its aftermath continue to shape daily life, the World Cup feels distant for many residents. Some are unable to watch matches due to electricity and internet outages, while others have lost the…
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