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Madonna, Shakira and BTS will headline the first-ever half-time show at the FIFA World Cup Final, organizers announced. The final of the 2026 World Cup, which will be hosted by United States, Canada and Mexico, is scheduled to take place on July 19 in New Jersey. While opening and pre-match performances are common at major sporting events, this will be the first time a Super Bowl-style half-time show is held during a World Cup final. Shakira is set to release the official World Cup song, Dai Dai, featuring Burna Boy. She previously recorded Waka Waka (This Time for Africa) for the 2010 tournament in South Africa. Madonna, widely known as the “Queen of Pop,” is preparing to release her 15th studio album, Confessions II, on July 3. She recently appeared with Sabrina Carpenter at the Coachella, performing Vogue and Like a Prayer. BTS, the best-selling music act in South Korean history, has sold more than 45 million albums. The group is returning to music after completing mandatory military service and is currently on a global tour. In 2021, BTS and Coldplay scored a hit with My Universe. Gianni Infantino said the show would be a historic moment for the World Cup and fit for the world’s biggest sporting event. The half-time show is being curated by Chris Martin and will raise funds for the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, which aims to collect $100 million to support children around the world. Source: BBC

Cristiano Ronaldo’s quest for a maiden Saudi Pro League title was put on hold in dramatic fashion on Tuesday after a late own-goal saw Al-Nassr settle for a 1-1 draw against rivals Al-Hilal. Al-Nassr appeared to have the victory secured, holding a 1-0 lead into the eighth minute of stoppage time. However, in the final seconds of the match, Al-Nassr goalkeeper Bento fumbled a long throw-in, inadvertently sending the ball into his own net. Ronaldo, who had already been substituted and was watching from the bench, appeared visibly distraught as the final whistle blew. Despite the setback, the 41-year-old superstar remained optimistic, posting on X (formerly Twitter) that the "dream is close" and urging his team to take the final step. Al-Nassr, seeking their first league title since 2019, currently holds a five-point lead over second-placed Al-Hilal. They can clinch the championship with a victory over Damac in the final round on May 21. Al-Hilal, meanwhile, must win their remaining two matches and hope for an Al-Nassr slip-up to stay in contention. Before the league finale, Ronaldo has the opportunity to secure his first major trophy with the club this Sunday, when Al-Nassr faces Japan’s Gamba Osaka in the Champions League Two final in Riyadh. The veteran striker, who is approaching 1,000 career goals, is also preparing for his sixth World Cup with Portugal. FIFA recently deferred a portion of a match ban, ensuring he is eligible for Portugal's opening game in what he has confirmed will be his final attempt at winning the World Cup.  

Barcelona secured their second consecutive La Liga title and 29th overall with a comfortable 2-0 victory over rivals Real Madrid at Camp Nou on Sunday, in a match overshadowed by the bereavement of coach Hansi Flick. Goals from Marcus Rashford in the ninth minute and Ferran Torres in the 18th sealed the win, giving Barcelona an unassailable 14-point lead with three matches remaining. A draw would have been enough for the Catalan club to clinch their third title in four seasons. Messi wants Neymar at World Cup despite injury concerns Flick, whose father died hours before kickoff, was on the bench for the clasico. Players observed a moment of silence and wore black armbands. “It was a tough day… this team is like a family,” Flick said. Real Madrid, record 36-time champions, are set to finish a second straight season without a major trophy. The defeat capped a turbulent week marked by training-ground altercations, with Federico Valverde and Aurélien Tchouaméni fined 500,000 euros each. Jude Bellingham had a goal ruled out for offside, while Raphinha returned from injury. Madrid missed top scorer Kylian Mbappé due to a hamstring issue, and Valverde was also absent following a head injury. Barcelona have now won 11 straight league matches and also lifted the Spanish Super Cup this season. Elsewhere, Mallorca drew 1-1 with Villarreal, while Real Oviedo were held 0-0 by Getafe.

Lionel Messi has said Neymar remains among football’s elite and expressed hope that the Brazil forward will recover in time for next month’s FIFA World Cup. Neymar, Brazil’s all-time leading scorer, has been sidelined from international duty since October 2023 after suffering a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament during a World Cup qualifier against Uruguay. His injury troubles have persisted since returning to his boyhood club Santos, restricting him to 12 appearances across all competitions this year, following 28 matches in 2025. What to know about the 2026 Champions League final “We want the best players to be there [at the World Cup], and Neymar, regardless of his form, will always be one of them,” Messi said on the Lo Del Pollo show. “It would be wonderful to see him at the World Cup because of what he represents for Brazil and for football. I hope he can be there, though I can’t be objective - for me, he always has to be there.” Messi and Neymar were teammates at FC Barcelona from 2013 to 2017 and later reunited at Paris Saint-Germain between 2021 and 2023. Messi acknowledged that their close friendship affects his neutrality. “I can’t be objective. Neymar is a friend. Obviously, I would love for him to be at the World Cup and for good things to happen to him because he deserves it as a person. I hope he can make it,” he added. Messi also praised Neymar’s personality, saying: “He has a very special charisma. He doesn’t pretend - he lives his life according to how he feels, without worrying about the consequences. He’s happy and very natural.” The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner noted that Argentina will face a tough challenge defending its 2022 World Cup title, identifying Spain, France and Brazil as leading contenders. “We know the World Cup is always very difficult because of the quality of the teams involved,” the 38-year-old said. “We have to remain hopeful, as Argentines always are in official competitions like the Copa America or the World Cup, but we must also recognise that there are other teams ahead of us who are currently in better form,” he added.

Arsenal have secured a place in the 2026 UEFA Champions League final after defeating Atletico Madrid in their semifinal clash on Tuesday. The Premier League side will face either Paris Saint-Germain or Bayern Munich in the final, scheduled to be held at Puskas Arena in Budapest, Hungary, on May 30. PSG, the defending champions, hold a 5-4 advantage over Bayern following a high-scoring first leg in Paris, with the return match set to take place in Munich on Wednesday. The final will kick off at 1800 CET, earlier than the traditional 2100 CET start time. UEFA said the change aims to improve the overall matchday experience for fans and ease logistical arrangements, including transport. Who is headlining the pre-match show? Rock band The Killers will headline the pre-match entertainment. Previous performers have included Linkin Park and Lenny Kravitz. About the finalists Arsenal will be playing only their second Champions League final, having lost their sole previous appearance in 2006 to Barcelona. They were eliminated in last season’s semifinals by eventual winners PSG. PSG are aiming to win back-to-back titles after lifting their first Champions League trophy last year. Since the competition was rebranded in 1992-93, only Real Madrid have successfully defended the title, winning three consecutive titles between 2016 and 2018. Bayern Munich, six-time European champions, last won the competition in 2020. A victory this season would see them equal AC Milan’s tally of seven titles, making them joint second in the all-time list behind Real Madrid, who have won the trophy 15 times. The 67,000-capacity Puskas Arena, opened in 2019, was built on the site of the former Ferenc Puskas Stadium, named after Hungarian football legend Ferenc Puskas. Recent winners Recent Champions League winners include PSG (2025), Real Madrid (2024 and 2022), Manchester City (2023) and Chelsea (2021). Most Successful Clubs in Champions League/European Cup History Real Madrid hold the record with 15 titles. AC Milan follow with seven trophies. Bayern Munich and Liverpool have each won six titles, while Barcelona have secured five. Ajax have four titles, and Manchester United along with Inter Milan have won the competition three times each. Where is the 2026-27 Champions League final? Looking ahead, the 2027 Champions League final will be held at Estadio Metropolitano, home of Atletico Madrid, which previously hosted the 2019 final between Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur.

Arsenal booked a place in the UEFA Champions League final for the first time in two decades after edging Atletico Madrid 2-1 on aggregate, thanks to a decisive goal from Bukayo Saka. Mikel Arteta’s side, who were knocked out in last season’s semi-finals by eventual winners Paris Saint-Germain, avoided a repeat exit as Saka’s strike kept alive their hopes of a Champions League and Premier League double. With the tie level at 1-1 after the first leg, the return match at Emirates Stadium began cautiously, with both sides creating few clear chances early on. Saka made the breakthrough in the 44th minute, tapping in after goalkeeper Jan Oblak parried Leandro Trossard’s shot following a well-built move involving Viktor Gyokeres. Atletico Madrid had their moments, with Declan Rice making a crucial last-ditch tackle to deny Giuliano Simeone in the first half. After the break, Gabriel also stepped in to stop Simeone from equalising after he had rounded David Raya. Arsenal had an opportunity to extend their lead when Gyokeres fired over from close range after meeting a cross from substitute Piero Hincapie. However, the missed chance proved costly for Atletico as Arsenal held on to secure their place in the final, their first since losing to Barcelona in 2006. They will face either Bayern Munich or Paris Saint-Germain in the final on May 30 in Budapest as they aim to win Europe’s top club competition for the first time. #From BBC

Arsenal will look to end a 20-year wait for a UEFA Champions League final appearance when they host Atletico Madrid in the second leg of their semifinal on Tuesday. The tie remains finely poised after a 1-1 draw in Madrid last week, with both sides scoring from penalties as they chase a first European Cup title. Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said, "After 20 years to be in this position again, We are so hungry to get the game that we want (Tuesday) and go through to that final.” Arsenal had earlier beaten Atletico 4-0 at home during the league phase in October, though Atletico coach Diego Simeone expects a more disciplined performance from his side. “I’m going to try to tell the team to play like they did in the second half (in Madrid)," Simeone said. "If it’s that easy it would be great. We have a lot of faith in what we’re doing.” Both teams have received boosts with key players returning from injury. Forward Julian Alvarez is expected to play for Atletico, while Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard and forward Kai Havertz are available. Atletico have reached the Champions League final twice under Simeone, in 2014 and 2016, losing both times to Real Madrid. Arsenal’s only final appearance came in 2006, when they were beaten by Barcelona. The winner will face either Paris Saint-Germain or Bayern Munich in the final. PSG lead 5-4 from the first leg ahead of Wednesday’s return match. Arsenal’s pursuit of their first Premier League title in 22 years also received a boost after Manchester City drew 3-3 with Everton. Arsenal can secure the title by winning their remaining three matches. Atletico are currently fourth in La Liga, trailing leaders Barcelona by 25 points.

Arsenal moved six points clear at the top of the table after a convincing 3-0 home victory over Fulham on Saturday, intensifying the title pressure on Manchester City. According to Premier League, two goals from Viktor Gyökeres and one from Bukayo Saka secured the win for Arsenal by halftime, as the Gunners extended their lead in the title race. Manager Mikel Arteta rotated his squad following a 1-1 draw in Madrid in the Champions League semifinal first leg against Atletico Madrid, with Saka particularly impressing on his return to the starting lineup. FIFA updates red card rules after recent controversies Manchester City, who have two games in hand, must win both fixtures to stay in control of the title race. Their next challenge comes with an away match against Everton on Monday. At the bottom of the table, Tottenham Hotspur could move out of the relegation zone on Sunday if they beat Aston Villa away, after West Ham United suffered a 3-0 defeat at Brentford. Brentford’s win included an own goal from Konstantinos Mavropanos as well as strikes from Igor Thiago and Mikkel Damsgaard, lifting them to sixth place. Newcastle United ended a poor run of form with a 3-1 home win over Brighton & Hove Albion. Goals from William Osula, Dan Burn and Harvey Barnes secured the victory, while Jack Hinshelwood scored a consolation for Brighton. Wolverhampton Wanderers and Sunderland played out a 1-1 draw in a match with no competitive significance. Wolves, already relegated, earned a point through Santiago Bueno after Nordi Mukiele had given Sunderland the lead. Sunderland were reduced to 10 men following Dan Ballard’s 24th-minute red card. On Friday, Leeds United moved close to securing survival in the top flight after a 3-1 home win over Burnley, reaching 43 points. Anton Stach, Noah Okafor and Dominic Calvert-Lewin put Leeds 3-0 ahead against the already-relegated visitors, who recently dismissed coach Scott Parker, before Loum Tchaouna scored a late consolation.

Palestine Football Association (FA) President Jibril Rajoub on Thursday criticised the Israeli federation during a tense moment at the 76th FIFA Congress, where he refused to stand alongside Israeli FA vice president Basim Sheikh Suliman. Both officials were invited to the stand by FIFA President Gianni Infantino during the event, but Rajoub declined to move closer to Suliman, who is a Palestinian citizen of Israel. Infantino placed his hand on Rajoub’s arm and gestured for him to step forward, but Rajoub did not comply. FIFA raises World Cup prize money by 15 percent Palestine FA Vice President Susan Shalabi, who was present at the scene, quoted Rajoub as saying, “I cannot shake the hand of someone the Israelis have brought to whitewash their fascism and genocide! We are suffering, says report” Source: Al Jazeera

Liverpool are hopeful that forward Mohamed Salah will return from injury before the end of the season after being forced off during Saturday’s match against Crystal Palace. There were initial fears that the 33-year-old might have played his final game for the club after leaving the field in the second half with a suspected hamstring problem. Such an exit would have been a disappointing end for Salah, who confirmed last month that he will leave Liverpool following a remarkable nine-year spell at Anfield, where he has scored 257 goals in 435 appearances. However, the club said on Wednesday that the injury is a “minor muscle injury” and it is “anticipated” that the Egypt international will recover in time to play again before his departure. Liverpool’s final match of the season is scheduled against Brentford at Anfield on May 24. The expected recovery timeline also keeps Salah on course to captain Egypt at this summer’s World Cup. Since joining the club in 2017, Salah has enjoyed a highly successful career, winning two Premier League titles, the UEFA Champions League, FIFA Club World Cup, UEFA Super Cup, the FA Cup, two EFL Cup titles and the FA Community Shield. Only Ian Rush with 346 goals and Roger Hunt with 285 have scored more for Liverpool. Salah’s gesture of applauding the Anfield crowd when he was substituted against Palace suggested uncertainty over whether he would be able to add to his tally. While a return in Sunday’s clash against Manchester United at Old Trafford appears unlikely, the latest update has raised hopes that he will feature again before the season concludes. Liverpool will host Chelsea on May 9 and travel to face Aston Villa on May 17 before wrapping up their campaign against Brentford.  #By BBC