Ciara recently discussed what her ideal World Cup match day in Atlanta will look like, as well as the places traveling sports fans should visit when they’re in her city.
Eric Mastrota is a Contributing Editor at The National Digest based in New York. A graduate of SUNY New Paltz, he reports on world news, culture, and lifestyle. You can reach him at eric.mastrota@thenationaldigest.com.
A number of American cities that are in the running to host games for the 2031 Women’s World Cup are now considering withdrawing their bids over concerns regarding Fifa’s recent handling of this summer’s World Cup.
Reports indicate that several cities are now primarily focusing on whether or not they want to host matches at the men’s 2031 Rugby World Cup exclusively while the US is already set to stage the women’s rugby tournament two years after.
There are currently 40 stadiums on the US Soccer Federation’s longlist for potential 2031 venues. World Rugby has expressions of interest from 27 cities that include 33 stadiums.
Notably, Chicago and Pittsburgh both declined to enter the running for the Women’s World Cup hosting rights due to concerns over Fifa’s financial demands, with other cities debating pulling out for the same reason.
The Guardian reported that a source working with one of the cities said that World Rugby was offering far greater commercial freedom and fewer demands regarding access to stadiums compared to Fifa and their requests.
Fifa also announced last month that they pulled back confirmation of the 2031 World Cup hosts from the end of this month to another undisclosed date this year.
Other reports show that the US government has yet to provide Fifa with mandatory guarantees for 2031 regarding obligations on visas, tax, safety, and security. Those obligations are typically met before the bidding process is complete.
Last year, US Soccer highlighted 14 US stadiums as preferred venues on a 20-strong shortlist for the 48-team tournament with another 26 stadiums endorsed as potential venues. Seven of the 40 stadiums are hosting matches at this summer’s men’s World Cup.
Fifa has insisted that the host cities take on the cost of safety and security while they get to keep the income from broadcasting, sponsorship, and ticket sales. This “agreement” has led to a lot of tension.
Public transportation to many of the venues within several cities have also been facing conflict in terms of funding and convenience.
World Rugby announced their stadium shortlist before a New Zealand vs Ireland match in Chicago last November. The list itself will be reduced to be between 10 and 15 stadiums.
World Rugby has said that they will finance the event and share profits or losses with US Rugby, as opposed to requiring the hosts to underwrite the tournament.
The US Soccer chief executive, JT Batson, told the Guardian that “the federation had incredible demand to host in 2031.”
Fifa released a statement regarding the bidding processes last month:
“Fifa will convene an extraordinary congress before the end of 2026. This extraordinary congress will be a standalone event dedicated to the presentation of the bids, which will highlight the growing power and influence of women’s football and Fifa’s flagship women’s tournament.”
Eric Mastrota is a Contributing Editor at The National Digest based in New York. A graduate of SUNY New Paltz, he reports on world news, culture, and lifestyle. You can reach him at eric.mastrota@thenationaldigest.com.
This summer, every player at the World Cup will have their own physically accurate “AI avatar” that will be utilized to make video assistant referee (VAR) decisions.
Fifa’s president, Gianni Infantino, announced the innovation which is part of new technological measures announced for the event. The avatars will involve every player being digitally scanned and will leave the possibility of size mattering in offside calls, Infantino said during a keynote appearance at the Consumer Electronic Show in Law Vegas.
He also described the upcoming World Cup as “the greatest show ever on planet Earth,” with 104 matches across the US, Canada, and Mexico. The AI avatars will “ensure” that more accurate offside decisions will be made, according to Infantino.
“AI-enabled 3D avatars will ensure precise player identification and tracking. This is a big advancement in semi-automated offside technology, providing great images, faster decisions, and a clear understanding by everyone.”
Semi-automated offside technology (SAOT) is an extension of the protocols that automate key elements of the offside decision-making process for the VAR, according to the Guardian.
Within the Premier League, SAOT involves 30 cameras that identify the position of the ball and can track up to 10,000 data points on a player’s location. Within that technology, the graphical models used to reach those decisions don’t match with a player’s actual size.
Now, the addition of the personalized avatars will provide a higher level of precision and speed when it comes to decision making. Fifa believes that the avatars will allow “the system to track players reliably during fast or obstructed movements.”
The player-specific dimensions will allow for personalized offside decisions. On the other end, some experts worry about the accuracy, and if a taller player would be more likely to be caught offside over their shorter counterparts.
According to Fifa, however, every single player will be scanned before the World Cup to create the 3D models. Each scan will take only about one second to “capture highly accurate body-part dimensions.”
Paul MacInnes wrote that “these models will then be used by VAR in calculating offside via SAOT and Fifa intends that the models be incorporated into TV coverage.”
This way, decisions can be “displayed more realistically and in a more engaging way to fans at stadiums and to viewers around the world.”
Infantino concluded:
“The Fifa World Cup in 2026 is going to be the greatest show ever on planet Earth. Seven million people will attend the 104 matches – 104 Super Bowls – dozens of millions of fans will travel to North America to feel the Fifa World Cup vibe, six billion people will watch it from home, and the world will stand still.”
Eric Mastrota is a Contributing Editor at The National Digest based in New York. A graduate of SUNY New Paltz, he reports on world news, culture, and lifestyle. You can reach him at eric.mastrota@thenationaldigest.com.
Fan representatives have accused FIFA of a “monumental betrayal” after it was revealed that the cheapest tickets for next summer’s World Cup final will cost over $4,000.
Eric Mastrota is a Contributing Editor at The National Digest based in New York. A graduate of SUNY New Paltz, he reports on world news, culture, and lifestyle. You can reach him at eric.mastrota@thenationaldigest.com.
Plans for a World Cup game in Seattle to double as an LGBTQ+ Pride celebration have sparked diplomatic pushback from Egypt and Iran, whose football federations have formally complained to FIFA about the June 26 event.
Seattle organizers had already designated the match part of the city’s annual PrideFest, arranged by a nonprofit that has hosted festivities since 2007. Local planners have promoted the day as a “once-in-a-lifetime moment to showcase and celebrate LGBTQIA+ communities in Washington,” with everything from an art contest to rainbow-themed promotional materials. One artwork features a rainbow sun rising above Mount Rainier while a coffee-sipping crab goalie stretches for a ball.
Seattle’s mayor-elect, Kate Wilson, celebrated the matchup on social media.
“With matches on Juneteenth and pride, we get to show the world that in Seattle, everyone is welcome. What an incredible honor!”
The reaction in Cairo and Tehran, however, was immediate and severe. Egypt’s federation said late Tuesday that it had sent a letter to FIFA “categorically rejecting any activities related to supporting homosexuality during the match.”
The statement added that it “completely rejects such activities, which directly contradict the cultural, religious and social values in the region, especially in Arab and Islamic societies.”
The federation urged FIFA to intervene, warning the event could “trigger cultural and religious sensitivity between the presented spectators of both countries, Egypt and Iran, especially as such activities contradict the cultures and religions of the two countries.”
In Iran, where LGBTQ+ people face harsh persecution, including potential death sentences, federation president Mehdi Taj criticized the decision on state TV. Taj said Iran would raise the matter at next week’s FIFA Council meeting in Qatar.
“Both Egypt and we have objected, because this is an unreasonable and illogical move that essentially signals support for a particular group, and we must definitely address this point.”
State TV later confirmed a formal complaint would be filed with FIFA.
The match was assigned to Seattle only after FIFA’s Saturday venue allocation, which placed simultaneously played group games, Belgium vs. New Zealand in Vancouver and Egypt vs. Iran in Seattle, on opposite sides of the border.
Iran’s frustrations come after a separate dispute over U.S. visa denials. The nation had previously threatened to boycott the World Cup draw in Washington, D.C., after five members of its nine-person delegation, including Taj, were denied entry. U.S. law restricts visas for individuals with ties to the Revolutionary Guard, including Taj.
Relations between Washington and Tehran remain strained, particularly after U.S. airstrikes earlier this year on nuclear sites in Iran during Israel’s 12-day conflict with the Islamic Republic. Unlike in the 2022 Qatar World Cup, Iran is not slated to face the United States in the opening rounds this time.
Asked about the complaints, Seattle’s host committee emphasized that local programming is outside FIFA’s authority. While FIFA controls stadium grounds and official fan zones, it has no jurisdiction over community events such as PrideFest.
Hana Tadesse, spokesperson for Seattle’s organizing committee, said Wednesday that it intends to continue as planned.
“The Pacific Northwest is home to one of the nation’s largest Iranian-American communities, a thriving Egyptian diaspora and rich communities representing all nations we’re hosting in Seattle. We’re committed to ensuring all residents and visitors experience the warmth, respect and dignity that defines our region.”
FIFA declined to comment when contacted by the Associated Press and did not say whether it would consider shifting the Belgium–New Zealand match to Seattle to avoid overlap with the Pride-related events outside the stadium.
If FIFA were to side with Egypt and Iran, critics note that the governing body would risk appearing inconsistent. During the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, FIFA strongly defended the host nation’s right to enforce its cultural norms, blocking “One Love” rainbow armbands and allowing security to confiscate rainbow hats from Wales fans.
Qatar will also play in Seattle during the upcoming tournament, facing a European opponent, either Italy or Wales, on June 24.
Although Egypt does not explicitly outlaw homosexuality, its government frequently prosecutes LGBTQ+ people under charges such as “debauchery” or “violating public decency.” Iran’s record is even harsher; thousands of people are believed to have been executed for same-sex relations since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
Former hardline president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad infamously claimed during a 2007 U.S. visit: “We don’t have homosexuals like in your country.” His remark was met with laughter and jeers from the Columbia University audience.
For now, Seattle’s Pride-themed celebrations remain on track. At the same time, Egypt and Iran await a response from FIFA that could set a precedent for how host cities balance community expression with the sensitivities of visiting teams.
Moumita Basuroychowdhury is a Contributing Reporter at The National Digest. After earning an economics degree at Cornell University, she moved to NYC to pursue her MFA in creative writing. She enjoys reporting on science, business and culture news. You can reach her at moumita.b@thenationaldigest.com.
East Rutherford, New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium officials are planning to remove 1,740 seats to widen their field for World Cup matches, as the stadium places their bid to host the 2026 final.
Eric Mastrota is a Contributing Editor at The National Digest based in New York. A graduate of SUNY New Paltz, he reports on world news, culture, and lifestyle. You can reach him at eric.mastrota@thenationaldigest.com.
Saudi Arabia is officially set to host the 2034 men’s FIFA World Cup after Australia withdrew its interest in hosting before the bid deadline on Tuesday.
Eric Mastrota is a Contributing Editor at The National Digest based in New York. A graduate of SUNY New Paltz, he reports on world news, culture, and lifestyle. You can reach him at eric.mastrota@thenationaldigest.com.