The UK Government has announced that it will join the boycott of the Winter Paralympics opening and closing ceremonies. They are not the only nation to have taken this stance ahead of the games, either.
The opening ceremony for the 2026 Winter Paralympics in Milan-Cortina will take place on Friday (6 March). But it has already sparked controversy as it will mark the return of Russian and Belarusian flags on the sporting stage for the first time since the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Indeed, the International Olympic Committee approved the decision of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) to allow athletes from Russia and Belarus to compete under their own flags rather than as neutrals. As a result, seven countries will not attend the opening ceremony.
UK Government Statement on Winter Paralympics Opening and Closing Ceremonies
“We strongly oppose the decision of the International Paralympic Committee to allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete under their own flags at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games
“We have been clear that the Russian and Belarusian states should not be represented in international sport while the barbaric full-scale invasion of Ukraine is ongoing.
“Therefore, no Government Ministers or officials will attend the Opening or Closing Ceremonies of the Paralympics.”
Adding to this, a UK Government spokesperson said: “The Minister for Sport [Stephanie Peacock] will be in Cortina purely to support our inspirational ParalympicsGB athletes, as she was there to support TeamGB at the Winter Olympics last month.
“They have worked tirelessly over the last four years to be ready for the biggest moment of their sporting lives and deserve to have the nation behind them.”
It comes as a response after six athletes from Russia and four athletes from Belarus will now be allowed to compete in the Games by the IPC. It will be the first time athletes have competed under the Russian flag at the Paralympics since the 2014 Games in Sochi.
“Our clear focus remains on supporting all stakeholders arriving and preparing to deliver the best Paralympic Winter Games. We are collaborating with Milano Cortina and ensuring this event continues to serve as a platform to drive social change for the world’s 1.3 billion persons with disability.”
“I acknowledge this decision has not been well received in some parts of the world,” Parsons added. “But I want to stress that the IPC is a democratic global organisation whose decisions on member suspension are determined by its members.
“Last September was the third time the general assembly voted on this topic. In 2022, [the result was] full suspension. In 2023, partial suspension, 2025, no suspension. Each time the IPC respected and implemented the decision of our member organisations, as we are bound by our constitution to do so. We cannot pick and choose when to be democratic.”
Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Alexi Lalas’ interactions have been a highlight of the 2026 World Cup, but not necessarily for the reasons many would’ve expected.
The pair’s time on FOX Sports’ coverage of the major sporting event has led to several viral clips already, with Thierry Henry often looking shocked at what his co-hosts say to each other. But it’s not simply a tension-filled relationship for the cameras, according to an inside source.
It has been claimed there is a real ‘hatred’ between the two, who are known to be outspoken and egotistical. They both got the better of one another at different moments, leading to huge entertainment for fans watching on.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Alexi Lalas’ Rivalry
Zlatan Ibrahimovic via REUTERS/Stephane Mahe
Lalas landed the first viral clip of the World Cup as he labelled British comedian and TV personality James Corden a ‘full kit w*****’, leaving Ibrahimovic and Henry shocked.
Thierry Henry is left in stitches as Alexi Lalas gets revenge on fellow pundit Zlatan Ibrahimovic at the 2026 World Cup
“It’s not arrogance, it’s confidence. Ignorant people will say it’s arrogance, intelligent people will say it’s confidence,” he said. The former AC Milan and Barcelona star was then delighted when Lalas missed a show, excitedly putting across the message: “America, you’re welcome.”
Zlatan’s ‘Vendetta’ Amid Off-Screen Tensions With Lalas
A source has now told the Daily Mail that things aren’t much different when the cameras stop rolling. It has been claimed Ibrahimovic and Lalas ‘definitely don’t click’. Conversation off-camera is kept to a minimum and the pair don’t seem to get along. The source said:
“When they’re together off camera or during commercial breaks, conversation is usually limited to a little small talk, if that. More often than not, they’re buried in their notes or glued to their phones, scrolling through messages instead of interacting with one another.
“Zlatan and Alexi definitely don’t click. Zlatan gets under Alexi’s skin, and Alexi isn’t exactly a fan of his, but he’ll keep things professional and do what needs to be done.”
That dynamic has now been continued on screen, as the insider continued: “They’ll all get through it, but the tension isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. At the same time, everyone has started to lean into the friction because, whether they like it or not, it makes for pretty entertaining TV.”
It’s said to be an ‘awkward and uncomfortable’ environment. Ibrahimovic appears to be the driving force behind that, with his desire to always be right being mentioned.
The source continued: “Imagine being stuck in a room with your ex and the person they left you for. That’s pretty much the vibe whenever they’re all together. There’s an underlying tension that everyone can feel, making things awkward and uncomfortable no matter how hard they try to keep it professional.
“Zlatan is the oil in the water of it all, where everyone else is trying to get through it.
“But it seems Zlatan has a vendetta to have it be known that he is right when he makes his points and that he is the best in the room. It goes further than competition for him and he doesn’t really care if the rest doesn’t like him or not for it.”
Both Senegal and Iraq head into their final World Cup group-stage fixture this week with qualification for the knockout stages still a strong possibility, despite both nations having lost their opening two games. It has been a massively disappointing summer so far, especially for the Lions of Teranga, who arrived in the USA, Canada and Mexico with a dark-horse reputation.
Having proved their credentials by going all the way to win the Africa Cup of Nations earlier this year (before a ruling later handed Morocco the title after Sadio Mane’s teammates broke a major rule by protesting the referee’s decisions during the final), many onlookers would have expected more than 3-1 and 3-2 defeats to France and Norway.
Meanwhile, Iraq’s 3-0 and 4-1 losses against the same opposition have cast even more doubt over their ability to mount a comeback.
Despite that, an explanation has emerged as to how both nations can still rescue their campaigns and reach the knockout stages from zero points.
How Senegal and Iraq Can Still Qualify for Knockouts from Zero Points
Given the scale of their defeats, many would assume Senegal and Iraq’s hopes of reaching the round of 32 are already over. In most other World Cup groups, that would be true, with Haiti, Turkey, Tunisia and Jordan all eliminated after losing their opening two matches. However, Group I presents a different scenario.
Despite their difficult starts, both Senegal and Iraq still have a pathway to the knockout stages heading into Friday night’s final round of fixtures. The reason is simple: the two sides face each other in their final group-stage match, creating what could effectively become a knockout game depending on results elsewhere in the tournament.
Under the expanded 2026 World Cup format, eight of the 12 teams that finish third in their groups will advance to the round of 32. According to FIFA, those teams are ranked first by points earned during the group stage. If teams are level on points, goal difference is used as the first tiebreaker, followed by goals scored if necessary.
As a result, both Senegal and Iraq remain firmly in contention. Victory in their final group match – particularly by a convincing margin – would improve their goal difference and strengthen their chances of claiming one of the tournament’s eight best third-placed spots.
Who They Could Face in Last 32
REUTERS/Mike Segar
As things stand, Senegal are the clear favourites to beat Iraq in their final Group I fixture, keeping alive their hopes of reaching the knockout stages. Should they secure progression to the round of 32, their potential opponents are not yet confirmed.
However, based on the tournament bracket, a third-placed Senegal side would face one of the teams that finishes top of Groups A, B, D, G, K or L. At present, the leaders of those groups are Mexico (Group A), Canada (Group B), the United States (Group D), Egypt (Group G), Colombia (Group K) and England (Group L).
Just days before the knockout rounds of the 2026 World Cup, FIFA have launched a mission to change a significant rule for penalty shootouts.
The first post-group-stage matches will take place on Sunday, so a final decision will need to be made before then. It’s a significant development considering the 2022 version of the tournament was decided by spot kicks.
Argentina defeated France in that Qatar showdown, with Lionel Messi’s side also similarly getting past the Netherlands.
FIFA’s Proposed Penalty Shootout Change
It seems a rather simple alteration to the current rules, but could prove to make things fairer. FIFA have asked the International Football Association Board (IFAB) to change the pre-penalty routine according to The Times.
The governing body of world football want to remove one of the two coin tosses that currently take place. These are used to decide which goal is used for the shootout, and which team takes the first spot kick.
Under the new rule, there would only be one. The winner would choose whether they want to take the first kick or decide the goal.
