The United States of America will open their 2026 World Cup campaign with a clash against Paraguay at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles on Friday. However, Donald Trump will not be present for the match or the opening ceremony.

Mexico opened up the competition with a 2-0 victory against South Africa on Thursday night, holding their own opening ceremony before kick-off. Canada, the other co-hosts of the sporting pinnacle, will have the likes of Michael Buble and Alanis Morissette performing at their ceremony before they face Bosnia.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio will be in attendance for the United States’ first match at the 48-team tournament. While Paraguay president Santiago Pena will be at the event in California, his American counterpart won’t be there.

Donald Trump’s Reason For Missing US Match

There is a reason for the President’s absence. While football supporters will think the World Cup is the most important sporting event this weekend, UFC fans will strongly disagree.

UFC Freedom 250 will be held at the White House on Sunday 14 June, and Trump is expected to be in attendance. The event, which will take place on the South Lawn, will see championship fights mark 250 years of American independence.

Not only that, but it’s a big day for Trump personally, as he’ll be celebrating his 80th birthday. His responsibilities at the White House showcase are expected to keep him in Washington, D.C., according to The Athletic (per the Metro).

Run-throughs are set to begin on Friday, so the USA vs Paraguay fixture just happens to land on a bad day for the President. It remains to be seen if he will make an appearance in support of Mauricio Pochettino and his players further down the line.

Donald Trump to Present the World Cup Trophy

There appears to be no question about whether Trump will attend the World Cup final on July 19. FIFA boss Gianni Infantino handed out the role of co-presenting the winning team with the iconic trophy. He said (per USA Today):

He may not be showing up for the opening day in his country, but the 79-year-old has been heavily involved in the build-up to the sporting event. Trump has caused controversy with his travel ban list and war against Iran, who are participating in the competition. He’ll be keeping an eye out on how the on-pitch action unfolds as he claimed the USMNT can secure the trophy for the first time ever.

A damning report has revealed what happened inside the San Antonio Spurs’ locker room after their stunning Game 4 collapse against the New York Knicks in the NBA Finals on Wednesday night. Madison Square Garden had never witnessed a comeback quite like the Knicks’ 107-106 victory, and much of the attention since has centred on how the beaten Spurs have responded to such a crushing defeat.

Early in the contest, New York trailed San Antonio by 29 points before pulling off the largest comeback in NBA Finals history. Mike Brown’s side have made a habit of defying the odds, having already overturned double-digit deficits in each of the first three games of the series. They also erased a 22-point fourth-quarter deficit against the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals and battled back from multiple 20-point holes against the Boston Celtics in last year’s playoffs.

The Knicks are now just one win away from their first NBA title in 53 years, riding a wave of belief and momentum after an almost unimaginable victory. They will have the opportunity to wrap up the championship in San Antonio on Saturday night.

Inside Details of San Antonio Spurs’ Dressing Room After Game 4 Collapse

Brad Penner via IMAGN Images

For Spurs, however, the defeat was a bitter pill to swallow. Not only did they let a commanding lead slip through their fingers, but they also missed the chance to move within touching distance of winning a title on home court. Unsurprisingly, the fallout has been significant, with a new report from NBC News revealing what went down in the dressing room afterwards. It wrote:

The Spurs offense, as a reference point for the idea that they ‘gave up’, only mustered 30 points in the second half. “Stopped moving the ball,” San Antonio’s Victor Wembanyama said. “Stopped executing.” With 1:47 left, he had actually gone to the free throw line, with the Spurs clinging to a 1-point lead.

The crowd attempted to bother the 22-year-old. They had done the same thing in Game 3, with Stephon Castle at the line, and he had calmly sunk both free throws. This time, Wembanyama missed them both. “What was going through my mind? Same thing as always,” Wembanyama said. “It’s just a shot. You might work on your form for hours and hours. At the end of the day, it’s just a shot, so you need to shoot it the normal way.”

The Spurs still had a 1-point lead with 13.5 seconds left when Brunson missed a shot and the rebound happened to ricochet out to the Spurs’ De’Aaron Fox, who was ahead of the pack and racing the other way. Fox went for a layup, and was blocked by Anunoby, who had sprinted back into the play. “[We] hadn’t scored,” Fox said. “Tried to get a layup to get up three, force them to hit a three, and OG made a good block.”

Wembanyama Targeted For Intense Criticism As NYC Bedlam Ensues

A brutal night for Wembanyama continued even after he returned to his hotel on Wednesday, as he was pelted with boos from jeering Knicks fans and nearly struck by a flying egg, according to ESPN. A video shared online showed at least one egg tossed in the direction of the San Antonio Spurs superstar as he entered his hotel, flanked by security.

Meanwhile, the Knicks’ historic victory prompted scenes of bedlam and jubilation across New York City, as ecstatic fans packed the streets, set off fireworks, scaled lampposts and at times clashed with police. According to the New York Police Department, 56 people were taken into custody for charges that ranged from assault to disorderly conduct.

“Once again, there were large crowds of people who engaged in incredibly reckless and dangerous behavior last night both during and after the game,” the police department said in a statement.

Manchester United are leading the race for RB Leipzig defender Castello Lukeba, according to a report from Germany.

The Red Devils are poised for a busy summer as they look to strengthen their ranks after securing a return to the Champions League.

Last summer, the Old Trafford outfit spent around £200million on Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo, Senne Lammens and Benjamin Sesko. The quartet have all proved sound investments and the Red Devils will be keen to get it right in the transfer market again as they face a busier schedule next campaign.

Casemiro, Tyrell Malacia and Jadon Sancho – who spent last season on loan at Aston Villa – have all been released as Michael Carrick eyes new recruits.

Man Utd leading chase for Castello Lukeba

One player of interest to United is Lukeba from Bundesliga side RB Leipzig.

According to Fussball Daten in Germany, the Red Devils are the ‘leading suitors’ to sign the highly-rated centre-back. He has a reported release clause in his contract of around £77million.

His deal with Leipzig runs until 2029 but the report claims he is ‘ready for a new challenge’ after three years at the club.

The United hierarchy have already opened ‘concrete talks’ with the player’s agent as they look to win the race for the 23-year-old, who has been described as ‘one of the best young centre-backs in Europe’. The Red Devils already have several options in central defence.

Harry Maguire, Lisandro Martinez, Matthijs de Ligt, Leny Yoro and Ayden Heaven are the current players at Carrick’s disposal and it is unclear what Lukeba’s potential arrival would mean for the current crop of centre-backs.

Man Utd face competition for Castello Lukeba

United face a battle to sign Lukeba, however.

Spanish giants Barcelona – fresh off winning a second-straight La Liga title – want to bring the player to the Camp Nou.

They have reached out to the player’s agent to see how a deal could be structured as they are unlikely to pay his £77million release clause.

There is Premier League competition for the defender too.

Chelsea have been long-term admirers, along with Manchester City. Tottenham Hotspur also like the player but are only likely to attempt a move if Micky van de Ven departs the North London club this window.

United and City can offer the player Champions League football while Chelsea and Spurs are not in any European competitions next campaign.

Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich are also credited with an interest. It is claimed Leipzig could accept an offer below £77million but would still want at least £50million to part ways with Lukeba.