“We joke on our shows that soccer is America’s sport of the future, as it has been since 1972,” Roger Bennett, one of the founders of the football-centric podcast-and-video network Men in Blazers, said. “It’s always perpetually about to be the next big thing.” Every headline about the 2026 World Cup is worse than the last: ticket prices are outrageous, far higher than for any previous World Cup. Cities—and their taxpayers—are on the hook for the lion’s share of expenses. New York and New Jersey are fighting over who goes first on signage. Hotels are reporting unexpected vacancies. There is an unmistakable feeling that a great mass of fans are priced out, or fenced out, while wealthy sponsors and venal bureaucrats get the benefits. It was hard to say who the World Cup was for, or where it was taking place, or what it was even supposed to represent. “And yet, when the World Cup gets going, the story could change,” Louisa Thomas writes. Read more about the first days of the games, and if now is when Americans finally embrace the sport: newyorkermag.visitlink.me/Df…

EXCLUSIVE: Trump is considering taking the inaugural flight of the new Air Force One jet, gifted to him from Qatar, when he travels to Mount Rushmore next month as part of celebrations for America’s 250th anniversary, sources said. nbcnews.com/politics/donald-…

BREAKING: French President Emmanuel Macron will host US President Donald Trump for dinner at the Palace of Versailles near Paris on Wednesday, following the G7 summit, according to Macron's office. 🔴 More on aljazeera.com

Today, I’m releasing never before seen intelligence revealing new evidence of past US government funding for more than 120 biolabs in over 30 countries, including Ukraine. In support of President Trump‘s Executive Order to end federal funding of dangerous gain of function research around the world, and increase transparency and accountability, ODNI will continue working with partners across the Administration to identify where these labs are, what pathogens they contain, and what “research” is being conducted. odni.gov/index.php/newsroom/…

Rubio: President Kennedy announced that we were going to put a man on the moon. We did it. We are a nation founded on doing what no one else dared to do. And at some level, that's what this whole company, what UFC has been

Trump says the US "will be taking Kharg Island" in "the not too distant future" -- a massive escalation should the military move forward with such plans The island handles roughly 90% of the country’s crude exports, and experts have argued that attempting to capture the Island would require a significant number of ground troops The U.S. military has conducted multiple air strikes on military installations on Kharg Island, but the attacks have so far deliberately avoided striking the island's critical energy infrastructure

My letter to the Prime Minister

FT Exclusive: France, Germany and other European nations are discussing proposals for a radical overhaul of the EU’s 15-year-old diplomatic service, including stripping powers from the bloc’s chief diplomat. ft.trib.al/Hskd8cT

I am deeply grateful for the overwhelming support, encouragement, and kind messages I have received from people around the world. Your solidarity has reminded me that football unites us beyond borders. Thank you to everyone.