FIFA World Cup

After decades of rooting for Brazil, many Haitian fans now face mixed loyalties as Haiti’s national team heads to its first World Cup in 52 years — where they will face the soccer powerhouse. At a time of chaos, tragedy and unrest in the nation, appearing on the biggest international sporting stage is a chance to show off its competitive and cultural spirit.

Curaçao has already crafted a story like none other in World Cup history. The tiny autonomous territory of about 156,000 residents is now the smallest, both in terms of population and land mass, to make it to soccer's biggest stage. And if that wasn't enough, it's doing so under a coach in Dick Advocaat who, at 78, is about to become the oldest the tournament has ever seen. They know what the world is probably thinking: Their country is too small, their coach is too old, they don't have a chance. They heard all that through the qualifying process as well — and here they are.

At soccer’s World Cup, the top scorer gets the “golden boot,” and the best goalkeeper is handed the “golden gloves.” This year’s tournament will also provide organizer FIFA with a golden opportunity to create billions in additional ticket revenues.

With the 2026 FIFA World Cup approaching, Mexico City's Benito Juárez International Airport is a chaotic construction site. Passengers are greeted by buzzing drills and unfinished flooring alongside posters promoting the tournament. Renovations have been ongoing for a year, with over 3,000 workers tackling the project. Airport authorities say the first phase is over 90% complete despite unexpected challenges from old infrastructure.

The Trump administration is suspending a requirement that foreign visitors from countries that have qualified for the World Cup and have bought tickets for the soccer tournament pay as much as $15,000 in bonds to enter the United States. The department imposed the bond requirement last year for countries that it said had high rates of people overstaying their visas and other security issues.

A panel of the Florida Legislature agreed Friday to distribute more than $105 million in federal dollars to shield FIFA World Cup matches in Miami from unmanned drones and other attacks.

“What we are seeing points to blatant violations and intentional efforts to circumvent the commitments and ethical processes that FIFA promised to South Florida taxpayers,” said South Florida AFL-CIO President Jeffrey Mitchell in a statement.

Lili Cantero, a Paraguayan artist, sees soccer as family. Her love for the game began with childhood memories of listening to matches with relatives. Known for her painted soccer balls, Cantero's work is admired by stars like Lionel Messi. Ahead of the World Cup, she's displaying her art in Miami's Wynwood neighborhood, a hub for creativity.

State budget leaders are being asked to let a pair of agencies distribute federal dollars for security around the seven FIFA World Cup matches that will be held in South Florida this summer.

The violence that followed the killing of a cartel leader in Mexico is fueling fears that the bloodshed could hurt tourism ahead of the FIFA World Cup later this year. The killing sparked a surge in violence and put the country on edge.

Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle, Florida’s Attorney General, James Uthmeier, and other local law enforcement officials are holding a news conference Friday afternoon in Miami to talk about their efforts to combat human trafficking.

Preparations for the 2026 World Cup in Mexico City are cutting into the livelihoods of sex workers and street vendors near Azteca Stadium. Workers along Calzada de Tlalpan say city projects aimed at sprucing up ahead of the soccer tournament have slashed their incomes.