Football/Soccer 3 Hours

Last updated: June 9, 2026, 11:45 PM ET

International Updates

The U.S. women’s national team held on for a contentious win in a late‑night friendly, preserving momentum ahead of the Olympic qualifiers, while the FIFA ticket revocation affected Iran fans by stripping their allocation for all three World Cup matches scheduled in the United States. The simultaneous loss of fan support underscores growing security concerns as the tournament approaches.

World Cup Preview

With the 2026 FIFA World Cup imminent, ESPN’s experts outlined all 48 participating nations, highlighting debutants such as Morocco and the expanded CONCACAF slots, and noting that the expanded format adds 16 more matches compared with previous editions. The comprehensive guide offers broadcasters and sponsors a roadmap for the unprecedented scale of the event.

Transfer Market Moves

In the Premier League, Tottenham Hotspur are negotiating an $80M Savinho transfer, a fee that would rank among the club’s highest expenditures this season and signal a shift toward younger talent. Across the women’s game, the London City Lionesses lead the chase for Alexia Putellas, with the Spanish midfielder weighing three offers after confirming her departure from Barcelona, a move that could reshape the competitive balance in the Women's Super League.

Pre‑season Planning

Manchester United have announced a summer friendly against AC Milan as part of a broader tour that also includes fixtures with Wrexham, Atlético Madrid and Paris Saint‑Germain, providing the squad with high‑level opposition to fine‑tune tactics before the Premier League campaign begins.