“The ball does not roll”.
The World Cup kicks off today… but in Mexico City there are fears that the opening game could be disrupted by fierce protests between the teachers’ union and the government.
Reporting with @felipecardenas.bsky.social:
The Czech Republic were physical, they clogged it up, they put set-pieces on a pedestal.
It raised a fear: will this World Cup reflect the negativity of last season’s Premier League?
Their game with South Korea was a battle for the tournament’s soul.
Hello from Guadalajara, Jalisco 🇲🇽
It's South Korea vs Czech Republic in the second game of this World Cup — and the volcano-like Estadio Akron is a real doozy.
Play our free prediction game on @theathleticfc.bsky.social — I've gone for a draw tonight...
Japan captain Wataru Endo ruled out of World Cup after failing to recover from ankle injury. Promptly retired from intl football.
Leaves Japan short in central midfield - Moriyasu calls up a fifth striker instead.
Two months ago, Kamilla Aasebø rode her first Paris-Roubaix.
A crash with 50km remaining left the 19yo with a broken jaw, fractured elbow — and a catastrophic brain bleed.
Now after relearning to move her right leg, she is back on her bike. Exclusive interview, free to read ⬇️
Football, fixing, and organised crime.
Phil Buckingham visited Europol to report on the deepening links between cartels, gangs, triads, and corrupted matches.
Part five of @theathleticfc.bsky.social’s match-fixing series, free to read ⬇️
After sitting back and absorbing pressure, the Czechs scored a goal almost a satire of how the Premier League looked last season
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See my picks and play along at The Athletic Soccer Pick'em
The Athletic went to Europol headquarters in the Hague to learn about the fight with organised crime groups targeting football
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Jacob Whitehead
Jacob Whitehead
Jacob Whitehead
Jacob Whitehead
Jacob Whitehead
Jacob Whitehead
Full explanation of the issues at play here from Adam Crafton:
Reflections from South Korea 2-1 Czech Republic, with Hwang In-beom the star.
Plainly more than 700 empty seats in the stadium amidst pricing complaints - FIFA were unable to provide an immediate explanation.
NEW: A lawsuit has been filed against FIFA over the governing body’s ban on supporters bringing the pre-revolutionary Iranian flag into stadiums at this summer’s World Cup.
Anti-regime group claims fans have “protected symbolic and political speech”.
Exclusive: The ITIA investigated one of tennis’ top stars over suspicious betting patterns in a match during the past two years.
It shows the sport’s reality - and why tennis is uniquely vulnerable to fixing.
Part six of @theathletic.com’s fixing series ⬇️
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The Athletic's eight-month investigation explains why tennis remains so vulnerable to fixers.
Jacob Whitehead
The Institute for Voices of Liberty has sent a letter to FIFA outlining its concerns and plans to follow up with legal action
