Manchester United's antics abroad raise questions about Asia tours
SEOUL -- The practice of famous European soccer clubs playing summer exhibition matches in Asia is showing no signs of slowing as the promise of new revenue streams, new fans and sponsors outstrip the potential pitfalls that exist in changing markets.
Less than 72 hours after finishing the English Premier League season on May 25, Manchester United, 20-time national champion, was in Kuala Lumpur, losing 1-0 to an ASEAN All-Stars team in front of 72,550 fans. A tired United was reportedly paid an appearance fee of around $13 million for two games, the first in Malaysia and then Hong Kong two days later.
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Japan Today
2 days ago
- Japan Today
More than 1 million empty seats for Club World Cup group stage. Knockout rounds up next
Seats are empty during the Club World Cup Group F soccer match between Mamelodi Sundowns and Fluminense in Miami Gardens, Fla., Wednesday, June 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky) soccer By RONALD BLUM and JAMES ROBSON After a group stage played in front of more than 1 million empty seats, the Club World Cup moves on to knockout rounds that could soon resemble a Champions League clone. Nine teams that advanced to the round of 16 are from Europe along with four from Brazil and one each from Major League Soccer, Mexico and Saudi Arabia. About 56.7% of publicly listed capacity was filled for the 48 group stage matches, which included crowds of 3,412 and 6,730 in Orlando, Florida; 5,282 and 8,239 in Cincinnati. FIFA did not provide specific capacities for the tournament despite repeated requests from The Associated Press. Total announced attendance was 1.67 million from 2.95 million capacity, an average of 34,759. Just 44.9% was filled for five matches at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, the site of next year's World Cup final, and 50% at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, where the 1994 championship game was played. Among other 2026 sites, 81.8% of capacity was filled in Miami Gardens, Florida, 61.6% in Philadelphia, 52% in Seattle and 44.3% in Atlanta. FIFA spokesman Bryan Swanson did not respond to a request for FIFA President Gianni Infantino to discuss the tournament and attendance. FIFA issued a statement that said: 'The appetite of the tournament speaks for itself: fans from 168 countries have already purchased tickets ... a clear sign of global anticipation and reach.' The 12 games televised with English commentary on TNT, TBS and truTV averaged 360,000 viewers through Monday, including 409,000 for seven matches on nights and weekends. The second round opens Saturday with an all-Brazilian matchup of Palmeiras and Botafogo, followed by Chelsea-Benfica later in the day. Sunday starts with the high-profile meeting of Inter Miami and Lionel Messi against European champion Paris Saint-Germain and is followed by Bayern Munich-Flamengo. Inter Milan-Fluminese and Manchester City-Al Hilal are on Monday, and Real Madrid-Juventus and Borussia Dortmund-Monterrey on Tuesday. European teams won 16 of the 17 previous editions of an eight-team Club World Cup, the lone exception a 2012 victory by Brazil's Corinthians over Chelsea. Manchester City is the only team that went 3-0 in the group stage. Five of the 12 stadiums being used are sites for next year's World Cup, which will have 104 matches instead of 64 and many more games lacking prestigious teams and players. There were five weather delays in the Club World Cup group stage and temperatures at times rose well over 90 degrees (32 Celsius), a sign that climate change could impact next year's World Cup. However, four of the stadiums for next year's tournament have roofs and climate control. Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe, among soccer's top stars, didn't play a minute of the group stage, having been hospitalized and treated for acute gastroenteritis. He drew attention this week when the Paris prosecutor's office said he filed a moral harassment case against PSG, his former club. 'I don't want to be optimistic and get ahead of myself, but we need him because he's a top player, one of the best in the world. We hope he's back soon,' Real Madrid coach Xabi Alonso said Thursday. Messi, the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner who turned 38 on Tuesday, has helped Miami reach the knockout phase with moments of brilliance. He hit the goal frame twice in the opening draw against Al Ahly, then scored his 68th free kick goal for club and country in the 2-1 win over Porto. Next up is the game against PSG, Messi's team from 2021-23. All four entrants from Brazil have advanced to the round of 16, with Botafogo beating PSG 1-0 in a matchup of current European and South American champions. Flamengo, Palmeiras and Fluminense are also through to the next stage. © Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Kyodo News
2 days ago
- Kyodo News
NATO leaders agree to raise defense spending to 5% of GDP by 2035
KYODO NEWS - Jun 26, 2025 - 05:43 | World, All NATO allies agreed Wednesday to more than double their respective defense spending to 5 percent of gross domestic product by 2035, in step with U.S. President Donald Trump's demand. The agreement reached in The Hague at a summit of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, the world's largest military alliance, is likely to lead the Trump administration to dial up pressure on Japan and other allies to take similar action. Under a major overhaul of their defense spending targets that hikes the figure from its current level of 2 percent of GDP, the leaders agreed that their 5 percent commitment comprises two categories of investment. NATO members pledged to increase spending over the next 10 years to at least 3.5 percent of their respective GDPs on "core defense," and another 1.5 percent on related critical infrastructure that supports militaries, such as upgrading ports, airfields and bridges. In a joint declaration, they reaffirmed their "ironclad commitment" to collective defense, such that "an attack on one is an attack on all." The 32-member transatlantic alliance, which last year marked the 75th anniversary of its foundation, will review "the trajectory and balance" of spending under the new plan in 2029. Trump has repeatedly complained that the United States has paid more than its fair share defending European countries. He has also raised doubts about whether he would honor a key clause of the alliance's treaty which requires all NATO members to come to the aid of any member under attack. On Wednesday, however, Trump eased such concerns, saying he "stands with" NATO's mutual defense. At a press conference, he called the security alliance's 5 percent spending deal a "big win." Related coverage: Trump likens U.S. strikes on Iran to bombings of Hiroshima, Nagasaki
Yomiuri Shimbun
2 days ago
- Yomiuri Shimbun
NATO Summit: Western Nations Barely Maintained Their ‘Unity'
At a time when the international situation is extremely tense, it is praiseworthy for the moment that the United States and European countries have placed the highest priority on confirming their unity. However, it remains to be seen whether their strong alliance can be maintained in the future. At the North Atlantic Treaty Organization summit held in The Hague, the Netherlands, the 32 member nations agreed on a new target to increase defense spending from 2% of gross domestic product to 5%. They aim to achieve the target by 2035. Of the 5%, 3.5% will be allocated to 'core defense requirements,' such as equipment procurement, while 1.5% will be assigned to strengthening defense-related infrastructure, such as ports and roads, and investing in the defense industry, among other purposes. The 5% target was demanded by U.S. President Donald Trump, who has criticized Europe for its low share of defense spending. European countries have agreed to this despite their difficult fiscal conditions only because they are taking the threat of Russia, which is engaged in aggression against Ukraine, more seriously. Russia and Ukraine are engaging in a new form of warfare, in which, for example, they are attacking each other with drones that can fly long distances at low altitudes. Further strengthening of defense and deterrence capabilities is essential to protect their sovereignty and territorial integrity, and it is significant that NATO has agreed to increase its defense budget. The leaders' declaration clearly stated that NATO would reaffirm its commitment to collective defense based on Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty, which treats an armed attack on an allied member as an attack on the alliance as a whole. But until immediately before the start of the summit, Trump had said that whether he would support this 'depends on your definition.' In his first-term administration, Trump had also mentioned withdrawing the United States from NATO. It seems unlikely that he has changed his mind about leaving Europe's problems to Europe. The latest agreement can be said to have been reached on thin ice, with Europe making major concessions in order to keep the United States in the alliance. As a result, discussions on support for Ukraine, which was supposed to be the main topic on the agenda, did not go deeper. In consideration of Trump's emphasis on Russia, the leaders' declaration did not even include words that criticize Russian's aggression against Ukraine. The raison d'etre of NATO could be called into question. Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba was invited to the NATO summit but did not attend. Japan had attended the summit for three consecutive years until last year, during which then Prime Minister Fumio Kishida worked hard to increase interest in the Indo-Pacific region, which is geographically distant from Europe. The decision not to attend is hard to understand. Some believe that Ishiba was absent because he was wary of the United States asking Japan to raise its defense spending to 5% of GDP. However, strengthening Japan's defense capabilities is a pressing issue that must be promptly addressed, and is a problem that should be decided by Japan on its own. (From The Yomiuri Shimbun, June 27, 2025)
