Sports
Trump Says Iran ‘Welcome’ at World Cup Despite Ongoing Conflict
United States President Donald Trump has said Iran would still be welcome to participate in this summer’s FIFA World Cup despite escalating hostilities involving the country, according to FIFA president Gianni Infantino.
Infantino revealed the comments in a post on Instagram after meeting Trump on Tuesday to discuss preparations for the tournament, which will be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico. The competition is scheduled to begin on 11 June.
The FIFA president said the pair discussed the ongoing situation in Iran during their meeting.
“During the discussions, President Trump reiterated that the Iranian team is, of course, welcome to compete in the tournament in the United States,” Infantino wrote.
“We all need an event like the FIFA World Cup to bring people together now more than ever, and I sincerely thank the president of the United States for his support, as it shows once again that football unites the world.”
Iran’s participation in the tournament had been uncertain following recent military escalation involving the United States and Israel. Strikes carried out earlier this month reportedly killed Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
Iran later responded by launching missiles and drones toward Israel and several Gulf Arab countries that host US military bases, including Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.
Despite the tensions, Iran’s national team is currently scheduled to play three group-stage matches in the United States. They are set to face New Zealand and Belgium in Los Angeles on 15 and 21 June respectively, before meeting Egypt in Seattle on 26 June.
Last week, Trump told Politico that he did not consider Iran’s participation a major issue, saying: “I really don’t care” if the team takes part.
However, concerns remain within Iran’s football community. Mehdi Taj, president of the Iran Football Federation, was quoted as saying that the recent attacks have made it difficult to approach the World Cup with optimism.
Meanwhile, Australia has granted humanitarian visas to several members of Iran’s women’s national football team due to concerns about their safety.
Australia’s Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said seven people were initially granted asylum, although one later chose to return home.
The rest of the Iranian players departed Australia on Tuesday after the team was eliminated from the AFC Asian Cup.
Sports
Injured Lamine Yamal ‘expected to be fit’ for World Cup
Lamine Yamal will miss the remainder of FC Barcelona’s season due to injury, but there is growing confidence that the young forward will be ready in time to represent Spain at the upcoming FIFA World Cup.
The 18-year-old attacker suffered a hamstring injury in his left leg during Wednesday’s narrow 1–0 victory over Celta Vigo. Yamal had put Barcelona ahead from the penalty spot in the 40th minute, showing composure under pressure before immediately signalling to the bench and going down, holding his left hamstring.
Medical staff assisted him off the pitch, and he went straight down the tunnel for further assessment. The following day, Barcelona confirmed that Yamal will undergo a conservative treatment plan. While this rules him out for the rest of the league campaign, the club remains optimistic about his recovery timeline, indicating he should return in time for international duty this summer.
Despite the setback, Yamal expressed determination and positivity in a message shared on Instagram. He acknowledged the emotional difficulty of being sidelined at such a crucial stage of the season but reaffirmed his belief in his teammates and their ability to continue delivering strong performances.
Barcelona, the reigning La Liga champions, currently sit at the top of the table with a nine-point lead over Real Madrid. The two sides are set to meet on 10 May in one of the six remaining fixtures, as Barcelona aim to maintain their commanding position.
On the international stage, Spain are preparing for their World Cup campaign in Group H. They will open against Cape Verde on 15 June, followed by matches against Saudi Arabia on 21 June and Uruguay on 27 June. With recovery progressing as expected, Yamal remains firmly in contention to play a key role in Spain’s tournament ambitions.
Sports
Manchester City Go Top as Burnley Relegated After Turf Moor Defeat
Manchester City surged to the top of the Premier League table with a crucial victory at Turf Moor, a result that also confirmed Burnley’s relegation to the Championship.
Manager Pep Guardiola has seen his side hit peak form at a decisive stage of the season, overturning a nine-point gap on Arsenal in less than two weeks. An 11-game unbeaten run has propelled City to the summit with just five matches remaining.
Top scorer Erling Haaland set the tone early, opening the scoring after just five minutes with a composed finish over goalkeeper Martin Dubravka following a precise assist from Jeremy Doku. Haaland later struck the post as City pushed for a second goal.
Despite their dominance, City were unable to fully capitalise on their chances. Rayan Cherki came close with a powerful effort that Dubravka tipped onto the crossbar, while Nico O’Reilly saw his header saved and Rayan Ait-Nouri fired over after a slick team move.
Burnley, managed by Scott Parker, created opportunities of their own. Jaidon Anthony tested Gianluigi Donnarumma with a curling effort, while Zian Flemming missed from a promising position.
However, the defeat seals Burnley’s fate, confirming their return to the Championship for the second time in three years. The result also strengthens City’s title charge, with momentum firmly on their side as the season enters its final stretch.
Sports
Prograis announces retirement after Benn Defeat in Emotional Farewell
Former world champion Regis Prograis has officially announced his retirement from boxing at the age of 37, following a decisive defeat to Conor Benn on Saturday night.
The bout, held at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, marked the end of Prograis’ distinguished career, with the American revealing afterward that he had already made the decision to retire well before stepping into the ring.
Speaking to Ring Magazine, Prograis disclosed that the fight had long been planned as his farewell appearance. “Going in, I knew I was going to retire. This is my last fight. I knew this months ago – I just didn’t tell anybody but I was terrified going into this,” he said.
Despite the loss, Prograis reflected positively on his final outing, highlighting the scale of the event and the calibre of his opponent. Facing Benn in front of a crowd of around 70,000 provided what he described as the perfect stage to conclude his career. “It’s a great fight to be my last against someone like Conor Benn, someone that was strong – an arena like this with 70,000 in a stadium. I couldn’t ask for a better going away party, perfect end to my story,” he added.
In a candid admission, Prograis also confirmed pre-fight concerns about his physical condition. Reports suggesting he had been dealing with an injury were accurate, he said, revealing that he had seriously considered withdrawing from the contest as recently as 24 hours before fight night.
“The rumours about me being hurt were true. I wanted to pull out of this fight so bad a month ago but kept pushing. I was terrified and thinking about pulling out even yesterday,” Prograis explained.
The former two-time super-lightweight world champion retires with a professional record of 30 wins and four losses, including 24 victories by knockout. Over the course of his career, he captured the WBA super-lightweight title in 2019 and later added the WBC version of the belt, cementing his place among the division’s elite fighters.
-
News7 days agoOil Prices Tumble as Iran Reopens Strait of Hormuz During Ceasefire
-
General1 week agoIsrael-Lebanon talks will happen today as Leaders Signal Possible Direct Contact
-
Entertainment1 week ago‘Cool Hand Luke’ Actress Joy Harmon Dies Aged 87
-
News7 days agoStrait of Hormuz ‘completely open’ to commercial ships
-
News1 week agoSouth African opposition figure Malema sentenced to five years in prison
-
Entertainment7 days agoUS Singer D4vd Arrested on suspicion Over Teen Girl’s Death
-
Business1 week agoIMF Warns Prolonged Iran Conflict Could Push Global Economy Toward Recession
-
Entertainment1 week agoSouth Korea Jails American YouTuber Johnny Somali for Public Nuisance
