The United States’ 250th-anniversary will coincide with the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will see the majority of matches take place in the U.S. beginning in June. President Donald Trump has played a significant role in the early preparations for the tournament, launching a White House task force to focus on all aspects of organizing the global event, with a central focus on security for U.S. citizens and international visitors.   

The president announced last month a new initiative aimed at allowing foreign visitors traveling to the U.S. to receive priority visa appointments. The “FIFA Pass,” as the initiative is being called, is expected to launch early next year, but the State Department is already working to accommodate the influx of travelers. 

Matt Pierce, the acting principal deputy assistant secretary in the Bureau of Consular Affairs, spoke to Fox News Digital ahead of Friday’s draw in Washington, D.C., to discuss the visa process and the State Department’s focus on welcoming international visitors while also ensuring the Trump administration’s emphasis on national security.   

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“As the president has mentioned, this is going to be the best World Cup, the most successful World Cup in history. And the State Department is assisting with that by ensuring appointment availability for those who want to apply for a visa to come to the United States for the World Cup while not sacrificing at all the equity of our visa process and the protection of our homeland through the visa process.”

According to Pierce, the State Department is already at work to accommodate the demand of travelers to the U.S. next year. More appointments have been made available globally and wait times for appointments have been brought to fewer than sixty days in 80% of the world. That sentiment echoed Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s remarks from last month where he said that the administration has dispatched more than 400 additional consular officers around the world. 

Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the State Department will halt all Afghan passport visas. (Getty Images)

“We’ve surged resources to the key posts to ensure that we have the capacity to handle those ticketed fans while still maintaining that rigorous vetting of visa applicants with that national security angle,” Pierce noted. 

TRUMP ANNOUNCES ‘FIFA PASS’ VISA SYSTEM FOR MILLIONS OF WORLD CUP FANS HEADING TO AMERICA IN 2026

While much of the focus is on accommodating ticket holders, Pierce added that the primary concern is ensuring those visitors meet the criteria to enter the U.S. 

“This is something that we take very, very seriously because the visa process, that’s the front door to the United States.”

“The State Department works with our partners across the government involved in the visa process to ensure that we vet anybody who’s applying for a visa and that these are folks that are eligible for visas, that we want to have these folks in our country,” he said. “And so we’re confident in our systems and tools that we put in place. And this is a huge focus of the Trump administration and we’ve really devoted a lot of resources to ensuring that that process is secure.” 

U.S. President Donald Trump, joined by FIFA President Gianni Infantino, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Carlos Cordeiro Senior Advisor to FIFA for Global Strategy and Governance, and Rep. Darin LaHood (R-Ill.), delivers remarks during a meeting of the White House Task Force on the FIFA World Cup 2026 in the Oval Office of the White House on November 17, 2025, in Washington, D.C. (Win McNamee/Getty Images)

FIFA announced in October that 1 million tickets had already been sold since the official start of sales began earlier in the month. Buyers from the U.S., Canada and Mexico – the host nations of the tournament – topped purchase totals.

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The State Department is encouraging travelers who need visas to apply right away. 

“This is a really great opportunity under President Trump’s leadership to showcase American greatness to the world,” Pierce told Fox News Digital. “And I think that this is a great opportunity for folks to come to the country during our historic anniversary for what will be the greatest World Cup in history. I hope the fans who come here will be able to see some of the sites across the country and to really experience all our country has to offer.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

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Arsenal on Thursday officially signed Ecuadorian twins Edwin and Holger Quintero from Independiente Del Valle in a deal that becomes official when they turn 18 in August 2027, the club announced.

The 16-year-olds were in London this week to complete the deal that was first reported by ESPN.

The fee involved is currently unclear but the move continues Arsenal’s drive to recruit the best talent of the next generation, which included confirmation in October that another 16-year-old, Victor Ozhianvuna, will join the Gunners from Shamrock Rovers in January 2027 when he turns 18.

Independiente, an Ecuadorian Serie A side, is considered a hotbed of Ecuadorian talent having produced Chelsea’s Moisés Caicedo and Piero Hincapié, who joined Arsenal from Bayer Leverkusen in September on a season-long loan with an option to make the move permanent.

Chelsea have also agreed deals to sign teenagers Kendry Páez and Deinner Ordonez from Independiente but Arsenal beat off competition from a host of top clubs across Europe to land the Quintero twins.

Sources have told ESPN that the Gunners have been tracking the pair for well over a year. Edwin Quintero is a pacy right winger who has reportedly drawn comparisons with a young Neymar while Holger is viewed as an attacking midfielder.

– AFCON 2025: How many players from your Premier League team are going?
– VAR Review: Caicedo red card vs. Arsenal, Mateta’s penalty retake
– Enzo Maresca: Moisés Caicedo deserved red but referees are inconsistent

The deal is viewed as something of a coup of for the club’s academy recruitment team and sources say a key factor was the clear pathway to the first team identified by the recent progress of Myles Lewis-Skelly, Ethan Nwaneri and most recently Max Dowman.

Dowman, who turns 16 in December, signed a scholarship deal with the club in October and has already made both his Premier League and Champions League debuts this season.

His substitute appearance against Slavia Prague last month made him the youngest player ever to appear in the Champions League.

Information from James Olley was used in this report.

It’s been a revolving door at No. 1 the past couple of weeks. Purdue opened the 2025-26 season in the top spot but got replaced by Arizona after the Wildcats won at UConn in mid-November — arguably the single most impressive victory of the season thus far. If not for a Power Rankings hiatus for Thanksgiving, the Boilermakers would have taken the No. 1 spot back just a couple days later when they blew out Texas Tech in the Bahamas.

Instead of a debate between the Wildcats and Boilermakers, though, a third team emerged during Feast Week — and ultimately jumped both teams to rise to No. 1.

Michigan‘s performance at the Players Era Championship in Las Vegas was perhaps the best Feast Week run we’ve ever seen. Three wins over potential NCAA tournament teams — San Diego State, Auburn and Gonzaga, the last of which looked like a No. 1 candidate before the loss — by a combined 110 points. The Wolverines rose to No. 1 in nearly every metric, from KenPom to Bart Torvik to the NET.

Some of the stats were simply eye-popping, with this one standing out:

Michigan is the first team in the AP Poll era (since 1948-49) with consecutive 30-point wins, both coming against ranked opponents 🤯 pic.twitter.com/6YRG6siO1s

— ESPN Insights (@ESPNInsights) November 27, 2025

Dusty May has the best defense in the country and a team that’s huge, deep, old and can win playing different ways. Entering the second quarter of the regular season, Michigan is the national title favorite — and No. 1 this week.

Previous ranking: 13

In terms of individual performances from Vegas, UAB transfer Yaxel Lendeborg was, frankly, mildly disappointing through the first couple games of the season, averaging 10.5 points and 4.5 rebounds and not looking like the first-round draft pick Michigan thought it was getting out of the portal. That’s changed quickly, and Lendeborg has played himself into the Player of the Year discussion. Over the past five games, he’s averaging 18.2 points, 8.8 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 1.6 blocks and 1.6 steals — while shooting 43.5% from 3.

Next seven days: vs. Rutgers (Dec. 6), vs. Villanova (Dec. 9)

Previous ranking: 2

Saturday’s matchup against Iowa State will feature the nation’s best offense against one of the nation’s elite defenses. The Cyclones thrive off defensive pressure, forcing turnovers at a higher clip than anyone in college basketball. Braden Smith should be up to the task, although a head-to-head matchup between Smith and Tamin Lipsey — should the latter play, having missed three straight games with a lower-body injury and likely a game-time decision — could be special. Don’t ignore Trey Kaufman-Renn vs. Joshua Jefferson, two of the best power forwards in the country, either.

Next seven days: vs. Iowa State (Dec. 6), vs. Minnesota (Dec. 10)

Previous ranking: 1

Can Arizona continue to win at a high level while still shooting — or not shooting — the way it does? The Wildcats have made just two 3s in three of the first seven games, including the wins over Florida and UConn. Through one month, they rank 359th in 3-point attempt rate (26.8%), even though they’re making triples at a 37.2% clip. For some historical context, only seven NCAA tournament teams ranked in the bottom 50 in 3-point attempts last season, including Michigan State and St. John’s. Two seasons ago, nine tournament teams ranked in the bottom 50, but none advanced to the second weekend.

Next seven days: vs. Auburn (Dec. 6)

Previous ranking: 5

We’ve still yet to see a fully healthy UConn, but the version we’ve gotten through the first month of the season is good enough to compete for a third title in four years. Braylon Mullins made his debut against Illinois last week and didn’t take long to show why the Huskies have been so eager to get him on the floor. He was a key catalyst in the win at Kansas, finishing with 17 points and three 3-pointers. Meanwhile, Tarris Reed Jr. returned against the Illini but played only 15 minutes, then sat against Kansas. Freshman Eric Reibe has provided a huge lift in Reed’s absence, averaging 12.8 points and 6.3 boards over the past four games.

Next seven days: vs. East Texas A&M (Dec. 5), vs. Florida in the Jimmy V Classic in New York (Dec. 9)

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Mullins’ breakout performance lifts UConn over KU

Mullins’ breakout performance lifts UConn over KU

Previous ranking: 7

Cameron Boozer continues to establish himself as the most productive player in college basketball, and the front-runner for both Freshman of the Year and Player of the Year. After a couple of “down” games against Kansas and Niagara, his past three games, against Howard, Arkansas and Florida, have resulted in averages of 30.0 points, 9.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists, shooting nearly 65% from the field and 44% from 3. Boozer’s 90 points in three games is the most by a Duke player in a three-game span since JJ Redick in 2006 and the most by a Duke freshman in program history, according to ESPN Research.

Next seven days: @ Michigan State (Dec. 6)

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Cameron Boozer leads Duke to victory

Jeff Borzello recaps Duke’s win over Florida and Cameron Boozer’s performance.

Previous ranking: 8

The consistent dominance with which Michigan State is playing right now is incredibly impressive. The Spartans have scored between 1.21 and 1.24 points per possession in four straight games, and they’ve yet to allow a single opponent to reach 1.00 points per possession. Jeremy Fears Jr. is also playing the best basketball of his career, leading the nation in assists and becoming a more reliable threat as a scorer. He has hit double figures in scoring five times so far this season, including 19 points against North Carolina and 14 points against Iowa.

Next seven days: vs. Duke (Dec. 6)

Previous ranking: 17

Joshua Jefferson has quietly played himself into the National Player of the Year discussion, averaging career highs — 18.4 points, 7.3 rebounds, 5.6 assists — across the board. What makes his season even more impressive, though, is how much his game has developed over the course of his career. The 6-foot-9 senior has become one of the elite playmaking bigs in the country, dishing out 10 assists in each of his past two games. This is a player who had 76 assists total in 60 games at Saint Mary’s. If Iowa State is without Lipsey against Purdue, Jefferson will again be the offensive fulcrum.

Next seven days: @ Purdue (Dec. 6)

Previous ranking: 12

Gonzaga looked like one of the elite teams in college basketball prior to its 40-point loss to Michigan in the Players Era title game. Despite the lopsided defeat, the Zags are still likely in that conversation. Mark Few made a lineup change after the first four games of the season, inserting Mario Saint-Supery at the point guard spot and Tyon Grant-Foster on the wing. According to BartTorvik.com, Gonzaga was No. 52 in offense and No. 2 in defense in its first four games; that has flipped to No. 25 in offense and No. 45 in defense since the lineup change. If you remove the Michigan game, it’s No. 3 on offense and No. 23 on defense.

Next seven days: @ Kentucky (Dec. 5), vs. North Florida (Dec. 7)

Previous ranking: 11

Coach Kevin Young has singled out Robert Wright III as the primary reason for BYU’s improved play over the past couple of weeks. The Baylor transfer was at it again against California Baptist on Wednesday night, finishing with 15 points, 11 assists, three steals and just one turnover, going 3-for-5 from 3-point range. Over his past four games, Wright is averaging 16.3 points, 8.0 assists, 2.3 steals and shooting 9-for-15 from 3-point range — while turning it over just eight times.

Next seven days: vs. Clemson in the Jimmy V Classic in New York (Dec. 9)

Previous ranking: 4

We’re still waiting for Nate Oats to have his full allotment of players, but the Crimson Tide continue to find impactful players on their bench. Aden Holloway was the latest addition to the injury report Wednesday, joining Latrell Wrightsell and Keitenn Bristow. And while Miami transfer Jalil Bethea made his debut against Clemson, it was freshmen Amari Allen and London Jemison and sophomore big man Aiden Sherrell who stepped up against the Tigers. Allen had his fourth straight double-figure scoring game and first career double-double; Jemison scored in double figures for his third straight game; and Sherrell posted 10 boards and eight blocks.

Next seven days: vs. UTSA (Dec. 7)

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Clemson Tigers vs. Alabama Crimson Tide: Game Highlights

Clemson Tigers vs. Alabama Crimson Tide: Game Highlights

Previous ranking: 16

Hubert Davis might have found something late in the win over Kentucky: Freshman guard Derek Dixon hit the go-ahead 3 with just under a minute to go and then drove for the eventual game-winning layup with 16 seconds to go. Dixon played a season-high 24 minutes against the Wildcats, with starting point guard Kyan Evans playing a season-low 16. Dixon provides extra physicality and athleticism in the backcourt, and he clearly has the moxie to take — and make — big shots late in games. It’s a position battle to monitor.

Next seven days: vs. Georgetown (Dec. 7)

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Tar Heels get statement win over Kentucky

Jeff Borzello recaps the blue-blood matchup between North Carolina and Kentucky.

Previous ranking: 3

Through one month of the season, Houston is clearly not what people expected entering the campaign. But there’s no need to sound any alarm bells or sell all your Houston stock. Exiting the Players Era Festival last year, Kelvin Sampson’s team was 4-3 with losses to Auburn, Alabama and San Diego State. The Cougars had allowed at least 1.12 points per possession in all three games. They lost just one game the rest of the regular season, allowing only two teams to hit that points per possession mark.

Next seven days: vs. Florida State (Dec. 6), vs. Jackson State (Dec. 10)

Previous ranking: 6

Louisville’s success on the offensive end is predicated on a few different things: pace, points off turnovers and volume 3-point shooting. The Cardinals struggled with all three against Arkansas on Wednesday. They didn’t have a single fast-break point or a single point off turnovers in the first half and had their worst 3-point shooting performance since Dec. 11 of last season (8-for-37). Despite all of that, they were in the game late — but then also happened to have their worst defensive performance of the season and couldn’t get crucial stops. They’ll have chances to bounce back with Indiana, Memphis and Tennessee up next.

Next seven days: vs. Indiana in Indianapolis (Dec. 6)

Previous ranking: 10

Kylan Boswell is having by far the best season of his career, but it’s not just the numbers — career highs across the board — that are jumping out. It’s the way he has performed in the Illini’s biggest games. He had 22 points and three 3s in the big win over Texas Tech in early November, 22 points and seven assists in the loss to Alabama, and he was Brad Underwood’s best player in the defeat to UConn. He went for 25 points and nine rebounds against the Huskies, carrying the rest of the team for stretches.

Next seven days: vs. Tennessee in Nashville (Dec. 6), @ Ohio State (Dec. 9)

Previous ranking: Unranked

The Commodores might be the biggest surprise of the first month of the season. They’re pummeling teams right now, and not just the cupcakes on their schedule. They beat a good VCU team by 15 points on Nov. 27, destroyed a previously unbeaten Saint Mary’s team by 25 on Nov. 28 and then dominated a previously unbeaten SMU team by 19 on Dec. 3. They have one of the elite offenses in college basketball and Tyler Tanner is perhaps the most underrated point guard in the country. He had 26 points and six assists in the win over SMU.

Next seven days: No games

Previous ranking: 19

Arkansas lost narrowly to Michigan State and Duke in its two previous marquee nonconference matchups but set the tone early in Wednesday’s win over Louisville. The Razorbacks kept the Cardinals at arm’s length for most of the game and led by as many as 20 points in the second half. The freshman guard duo of Darius Acuff Jr. and Meleek Thomas are getting much of the attention, but Trevon Brazile is playing arguably his best basketball since the 2022 Maui Invitational. He had 21 points and five boards against Louisville and is now averaging nearly 14 and eight over his past five games, shooting 40% from 3.

Next seven days: vs. Fresno State in North Little Rock (Dec. 6)

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Highlight: No. 25 Arkansas fends off No. 6 Louisville in ACC/SEC Challenge

Trevon Brazile puts up 21 points and snags five rebounds while Darius Acuff Jr. and Meleek Thomas pour in 17 each in the Razorbacks’ 88-80 victory over the Cardinals.

Previous ranking: 23

Auburn’s offense is clicking right now. At the Players Era Championship in Las Vegas, star point guard Tahaad Pettiford snapped out of a slump, averaging 22.3 points and shooting 42.1% from 3. He did struggle against NC State (six points), but the Tigers got huge shotmaking performances from Kevin Overton (29 points, six 3s) and Keyshawn Hall (28 points, five 3s). Steven Pearl’s team has responded well to the blowout loss to Michigan. Over their past three halves — a 55-point second half against St. John’s and Wednesday’s 83-73 win over the Wolfpack — the Tigers are shooting 60.8% from the field and 56.7% from 3.

Next seven days: @ Arizona (Dec. 6)

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NC State Wolfpack vs. Auburn Tigers: Game Highlights

NC State Wolfpack vs. Auburn Tigers: Game Highlights

Previous ranking: Unranked

USC avoided a letdown after winning the Maui Invitational by getting a solid road win at Oregon despite the absence of Rodney Rice due to injury. Chad Baker-Mazara has been terrific for the Trojans, scoring at least 23 points on four occasions — including averaging 24.0 points over his past two games. He came up huge late against the Ducks, getting three straight USC baskets in the final minutes while it was a one-possession game. The Trojans’ schedule the rest of 2025 looks fairly manageable, so it wouldn’t be a surprise to see them head into their Jan. 2 visit at Michigan undefeated.

Next seven days: vs. Washington (Dec. 6), @ San Diego (Dec. 9)

Previous ranking: Unranked

Kansas went 3-0 in Las Vegas at the Players Era Championship, getting improved play from Bryson Tiller and Jamari McDowell and looking like it had the chops to survive without Darryn Peterson. And through one half against UConn on Tuesday, it was more of the same. But down the stretch, the Jayhawks really struggled to find any consistent offense. That said, there should be more optimism about this team once Peterson returns. Veterans like Melvin Council Jr. and Tre White can fill roles, Flory Bidunga has really emerged and Elmarko Jackson is playing better, too.

Next seven days: vs. Missouri in Kansas City (Dec. 7)

Previous ranking: 18

After the Volunteers looked like a potential top-10 team again by beating Houston in their second Players Era Championship game, they’ve now lost back-to-back games to Kansas and Syracuse. Against the Jayhawks, they simply couldn’t get stops when they needed, but it was the offense that really struggled against Syracuse. Ja’Kobi Gillespie had 10 points, his fewest since the season opener, while Nate Ament went 2-for-10 from the field. Tennessee doesn’t have the firepower to survive when its top two shotmakers aren’t scoring.

Next seven days: vs. Illinois in Nashville (Dec. 6)

Previous ranking: 9

Florida’s new-look backcourt has been a work in progress, though one half of the transfer tandem seems to be finding his way. Boogie Fland had 17 points against Providence out in San Diego, then had 16 points in the one-point loss to Duke — including the go-ahead 3-pointer in the final minute. He turned it over on the final possession, but his aggressiveness and confidence are back. Now, can Todd Golden coax the same jump from Xaivian Lee? It was notable he opted to play Urban Klavzar more in the second half against Duke, and Klavzar responded with a pair of 3s.

Next seven days: vs. UConn in New York (Dec. 9)

Previous ranking: 15

Texas Tech has yet to fully hit its stride, with concerns on both ends of the court. Offensively, the Red Raiders are struggling to make shots from the perimeter against capable opponents. In two losses to Illinois and Purdue, they went a combined 14-for-56 from 3. It was only marginally better (16-for-52) in narrow wins over Wake Forest and Wyoming. Defensively, they’ve allowed at least 1.06 points per possession in five of their eight games. Upcoming contests against LSU, Arkansas and Duke will test them further.

Next seven days: vs. LSU in Forth Worth (Dec. 7)

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Wyoming Cowboys vs. Texas Tech Red Raiders: Game Highlights

Wyoming Cowboys vs. Texas Tech Red Raiders: Game Highlights

Previous ranking: Unranked

Another new addition to the rankings, the Cornhuskers actually own the nation’s longest win streak dating back to last season, winning four games to take the inaugural College Basketball Crown and then ripping off eight straight to open this 2025-26 campaign. The victory over Oklahoma looks better, too, after the Sooners won at Wake Forest. Rienk Mast has been awesome after missing all of last season with a knee injury; he’s averaging 17.9 points, 6.3 rebounds and 3.4 assists.

Next seven days: vs. Creighton (Dec. 7), vs. Wisconsin (Dec. 10)

Previous ranking: Unranked

TCU might have had the most highs and lows of any team in these rankings over the first month of the season. The Horned Frogs opened the campaign with a home loss to New Orleans — which won four games last season and has won one game since beating TCU. They fell late to Michigan, which looks even better in retrospect. They then went to San Diego and had one of the best Feast Weeks in the country, beating Florida and Wisconsin on back-to-back nights. It’s an uneven résumé, but they’re exceeding expectations and Brock Harding (17.5 PPG, 8.5 APG last two games) is a fun watch.

Next seven days: vs. Notre Dame (Dec. 5), vs. North Texas in Forth Worth (Dec. 7)

Previous ranking: 14

St. John’s edged out another team in the midst of a tailspin, Kentucky, for the final spot in this week’s rankings. The Red Storm did not have a great time in Las Vegas, losing by one to Iowa State before bouncing back to beat Baylor — and then allowing 55 points in the second half in a loss to Auburn. They now need to take advantage of their remaining nonconference tests, given the way the Big East is shaping up. Ole Miss visits Madison Square Garden this weekend, and Kentucky awaits in Atlanta on Dec. 20.

Next seven days: vs. Ole Miss (Dec. 6)

Dropped out: UCLA Bruins (No. 20), Wisconsin Badgers (No. 21), NC State Wolfpack (No. 22), Kentucky Wildcats (No. 24), Georgetown Hoyas (No. 25)