Latest news with #US-hosted
New Straits Times
13 hours ago
- Sport
- New Straits Times
A star is born: Gonzalo Garcia makes most of Club World Cup
EAST RUTHERFORD: Real Madrid's 21-year-old striker Gonzalo Garcia has gone from virtual unknown to a tournament sensation at the Club World Cup, netting his fourth goal in five games on Saturday to help send the La Liga side into the semi-final. At a tournament where organisers were banking on household names to build the excitement, the academy graduate has become the breakout star, seizing his chance to deputise for an ill Kylian Mbappe. "We've seen him play in the last few games and today he did it again," said manager Xabi Alonso. "He is making the most of this opportunity." Garcia's terrific run began in Real's opener against Al-Hilal last month, where he scored in a 1-1 draw, as Mbappe was sidelined with acute gastroenteritis. He recorded an assist in Real's second group-stage affair against Pachuca and added a bit of insurance in Real's 3-0 win over Salzburg to close out the group stage. He headed another in to clinch their round of 16 win over Juventus 1-0 on Tuesday, where Mbappe came in off the bench for Garcia. Mbappe was a second-half substitute again on Saturday at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, but this time came on as veteran forward Vinicius Jr. came off, a sign of just how high Garcia's stock has climbed. "I think that he is in the right place, right time, and we're very happy with the work he's doing - and he's also scoring goals," Alonso told reporters. It was hardly what fans expected from the homegrown talent who had made few starts in La Liga before the US-hosted tournament, but has become the bedrock of the Real attack under manager Alonso.
Time of India
16 hours ago
- Business
- Time of India
From $473 to $13: FIFA slashes Club World Cup ticket price ahead of Chelsea-Fluminense clash
In an unprecedented move aimed at boosting attendance, FIFA has slashed ticket prices for the Club World Cup semifinal between Chelsea and Fluminense to just $13.40 — down from a staggering $473.90 — for Tuesday's clash at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The drastic markdown comes amid widespread reports of sparse crowds across most fixtures in the expanded 32-team tournament. While FIFA has employed a dynamic pricing model throughout the competition, this marks the most significant price drop for a marquee knockout fixture yet. Standard tickets for Wednesday's other semifinal — a blockbuster between European giants Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid — remain far more expensive, starting at $199.60. But it's the Chelsea-Fluminense game that has raised eyebrows, not just for the pricing gap, but for what it reveals about demand and attendance patterns in the US-hosted event. Only Real Madrid drawing crowds; FIFA hopes cheaper tickets will help FIFA had earlier cut quarterfinal ticket prices to as low as $11.15, including Chelsea's win over Palmeiras in Philadelphia and Fluminense's victory over Al Hilal in Orlando. The Athletic was the first to report on the slashed rates for the semifinals. Live Events Despite its global brand, Chelsea has struggled to fill stadiums during the tournament. Real Madrid has been the lone exception, regularly drawing over 60,000 fans, including a tournament-high 76,611 for their quarterfinal clash with Borussia Dortmund. Chelsea edge Palmeiras to set up Brazil showdown Chelsea booked their place in the semifinal with a narrow 2-1 win over Palmeiras, thanks to an 83rd-minute own goal off a deflected Malo Gusto shot. Cole Palmer had earlier opened the scoring, while Estêvão — an 18-year-old Palmeiras prodigy set to join Chelsea this summer — briefly equalized. Tuesday's match against Fluminense now gives the London club a shot at reaching the final, although they'll be without key players Liam Delap and Levi Colwill due to suspension, and possibly captain Reece James, who missed the quarterfinal with injury. With ticket prices now more accessible, FIFA will be hoping for a stronger turnout at the 82,500-seat MetLife — and a semifinal that lives up to its billing.
Indian Express
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
WATCH: Trump dances after rally, kicking off America's 250th Independence Day celebrations
As fireworks lit up the Iowa sky and patriotic songs filled the air, President Donald Trump shook a leg at the launch of the United States' 250th Independence Day celebrations, promising a 'big, big celebration'. People circulated videos of him dancing at the rally on X. 'There has never been a more iconic dance move than President Trump's,' one social media user posted, calling it the 'Best. Dance. Ever.' Another added, 'President Trump's dance is truly iconic!' President Trump's dance is truly iconic! — Alex Stone (@StoneJAlex) July 4, 2025 The rally came hours after Congress passed Trump's sweeping tax and spending legislation, which he dubbed the 'one big beautiful bill.' 'There could be no better birthday present for America… when Congress passed the one big beautiful bill to make America great again,' Trump said, according to AP. He plans to sign the bill at a July 4 White House picnic, under a dramatic flyover of stealth bombers and jets. The Iowa rally featured patriotic entertainment, fireworks, and a preview of what Trump promised would be a yearlong celebration culminating in July 2026. 'We're planning parties. We are planning a national celebration to really unite the country… out of shared patriotism,' said Monica Crowley, White House ambassador for major US-hosted events, as per USA Today.
Indian Express
3 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Trump kicks off America's Independence Day celebration with Iowa rally, reveals plan of UFC fight at White House
As America celebrates its Independence Day on July 4, US President Donald Trump has a 'spectacular' plan for it: a championship UFC fight at the White House lawn, fireworks lighting up the sky, patriotic songs echoing across the nation. On Thursday, Trump launched a yearlong celebration marking the 250th anniversary with a rally at the Iowa State Fairgrounds, where he also announced plans to host a UFC championship fight at the White House as part of the festivities. The kickoff event in Iowa included patriotic entertainment and fireworks. The event comes ahead of the July 4 holiday and marks the beginning of the America250 campaign, which will culminate on July 4, 2026, exactly 250 years after the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Trump said Thursday's rally was the beginning of a national birthday celebration. 'We're gonna have a big, big celebration, as you know — 250 years,' he said, as per USA Today. During his speech, Trump added, 'We're going to have a UFC fight, think of this, on the grounds of the White House.' According to USA Today, Monica Crowley, White House ambassador for major US-hosted events, said, 'We are planning parties. We are planning a national celebration to really unite the country. Bring the country together out of shared patriotism, shared values and a renewed sense of civic pride.' Trump, often dubbed the 'Combatant in Chief' in mixed martial arts circles, has been a visible presence at UFC events and sees the sport's fanbase as part of his political coalition. He most recently attended a UFC bout in New Jersey in June. The proposed event would accommodate 20,000 to 25,000 spectators and be built in collaboration with UFC President Dana White, a longtime Trump ally. According to Reuters, UFC and its parent company, TKO Group Holdings, have not yet responded to the proposal. Hours before the event, Congress passed a major tax-and-spending bill backed by Trump. 'There could be no better birthday present for America than the phenomenal victory we achieved just hours ago, when Congress passed the one big beautiful bill to make America great again,' Trump said, as per AP. He plans to sign the legislation during a picnic at the White House on Friday, while stealth bombers and fighter jets that participated in recent airstrikes in Iran fly overhead. The America250 initiative was created by Congress in 2016 through the US Semiquincentennial Commission and is being led by a nonprofit of the same name, as per USA Today. Among the activities announced or proposed are: A Great American State Fair, described by Trump as a 'unique, one-year exhibition featuring pavilions from all 50 states.' A National Garden of American Heroes, reinstated by Trump via executive order. A Great American Road Trip, announced by Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, that will highlight popular travel routes, historic landmarks and scenic destinations in all 50 states. The Patriot Games, a sports competition for high school athletes. A student writing and art contest asking 'What does America mean to you?' In addition to this, a nationwide storytelling project, a volunteerism initiative, and a traveling tech expo are also planned or proposed. A full calendar of the events has not yet been released. (With inputs from USA Today, Reuters, AP)
Daily Maverick
25-06-2025
- Sport
- Daily Maverick
Mamelodi Sundowns aiming to be only African team in the Club World Cup knockout stage
South Africa's Mamelodi Sundowns will battle against Brazilian side Fluminense during a 'winner-takes-all' final game in Group F. The clash kicks off at 9pm on Wednesday. Of the four African teams who qualified for the Club World Cup, only South Africa's Mamelodi Sundowns have won the Champions League fewer than three times. Despite this, Masandawana carry the hopes of the continent as the group stage nears its conclusion. Sundowns went to the controversial US-hosted tournament alongside fellow African heavyweights Al Ahly (Egypt), Tunisia's Espérance and Morocco's Wydad Casablanca. Despite displaying some exciting soccer during the group phase, none of the three teams qualified for the round of 16. Serial South African champions Sundowns, on the other hand, are in with a great chance to be the only African team in the knockout phase. The task is simple: they must beat Fluminense. The Brazilian team occupies the driver's seat in Group F, leading the mini-league via goal difference; they are tied on four points apiece with Germany's Borussia Dortmund. This means that for Masandawana (who are on three points after their 1-0 win over South Korea's Ulsan), anything other than a victory in Wednesday night's tussle will condemn them to the same fate as their fellow African clubs. The only other hope for Sundowns would be Ulsan somehow trouncing Dortmund, while the African side draws against Fluminense. This would place Masandawana and Dortmund on four points each, but Sundowns would advance to the knockout stage on goal difference. Take control Despite being aware of the threat posed by Fluminense, Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso wants his team to take control of their own destiny. This entails Masandawana eliminating the frantic pace from their second group game – when they lost 4-3 to Dortmund. 'It's not normal to concede four goals for Sundowns. With me at the helm, it's never happened. The maximum goals we suffered since I arrived at the club [in December 2024] was two, which is very rare as well. So, we played that Dortmund game in a very uncomfortable zone. But it's also not normal for any team to score three goals against Dortmund,' reasoned Cardoso. Sundowns and Fluminense play a similar style of soccer, where they love to hog the ball and make their rivals chase it around. With kick-off scheduled for 3pm at Miami's Hard Rock Stadium, the heat will be a major factor. A maximum of 31°C is predicted. Cardoso said there's nothing much they can do about that, they just have to focus on what they can control. 'We know that if we concede four goals against Fluminense, we will lose the match for sure. So, we have to be more complete… We have to try to manage the game as much as possible in the moments when we have the ball, also the rhythm of the game,' Cardoso stated. 'When there's chaos in the game, it's not easy to control. I don't like chaos in games, it's not the way we like to play,' the 53-year-old added. Last African team standing Cardoso also defended the showings of African teams at the revamped World Cup, saying there are a number of factors to consider when judging the three teams that have already bowed out, particularly Al Ahly and Wydad. 'It's important to understand that the four African teams that are in the competition are in different moments… Ahly has a strong identity, but they changed their coach one month ago. Wydad also changed the coach one month ago. So those teams are still adapting to new ideas,' he said. Sundowns' Brazilian striker Arthur Sales – who Masandawana made the most expensive signing in the history of the Premier Soccer League a year ago (with a transfer of R63-million) – is looking forward to doing battle against some of his compatriots. Sales said Fluminense will not disrespect Sundowns after seeing what they are capable of doing. 'When Fluminense watched our game against Dortmund, they saw the quality we will bring to the pitch against them. It's going to be a good game because both teams play the same kind of football,' Sales said. 'All their players are good players and they are fit to play for a team as good as Fluminense. We know that the likes of Jhon Arias, Thiago Silva and Matheus Martinelli will give us a tough time, but we are ready and excited to take them on, hoping for a positive result.' The decisive tie takes place at 9pm South African time on 25 June and will be broadcast live on SuperSport 204. DM
