Sports
World Cup host cities warn Congress over security concerns
Local officials representing World Cup host cities warned Congress on Tuesday that security concerns, coordination problems and inadequate federal funding are risking catastrophe with little more than 100 days remaining before the games begin.
Witnesses joined members of the House Homeland Security Committee in citing the urgent need to unfreeze FEMA money earmarked for the host cities’ security needs.
Officials testified before the committee that local agencies have failed to coordinate adequately with each other and the federal government as they work out complex security details on transportation, hotels, fan events and practice locations, as well as the stadiums themselves.
Drone threats, human trafficking, the presence of ICE agents at games and the recent cartel violence in Mexico are adding to the troubled picture provided not only by the witnesses but also by committee members themselves.
They registered their concerns on the 11th day of a freeze on Homeland Security Department funding following deadly shootings of U.S. citizens by ICE officers in Minneapolis. The department also dispenses the Federal Emergency Management Agency funds required for World Cup security.
The federal government had previously earmarked $625 million for the 11 U.S. host cities “to enhance security and preparedness” and $250 million “to strengthen their ability to detect, identify, track, or mitigate” drone threats, FEMA states on its website. Security planning is heavily impacted by the government’s inability to dispense the funds.
The FIFA World Cup kicks off on June 11 in Mexico City, with Los Angeles hosting the opening U.S. game on June 12 and New York and New Jersey hosting the final on July 19. Recent drug cartel violence near host city Guadalajara has heightened concerns about Mexico’s ability to secure its venues.
“I feel that if we’d been having this conversation two years ago, we’d be in better shape,” Mike Sena, president of the National Fusion Center Association, testified. “… But today, as we’re approaching these games, we’re nowhere near the capability we need.”
Events such as the World Cup and the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles will test homeland security more than it has been in decades, Sena said, adding that a lack of coordination between local agencies has added to the security headaches.
“For events of this scale, that approach means serious risks may go unaddressed,” Sena said.
Ray Martinez, the chief operating officer for the Miami World Cup host committee, said that without the roughly $70 million in federal funds that Miami has applied for, the end of March would mark a “drop dead date” to start canceling plans due to inadequate security, starting with the Fan Fest concert events planned around the games.
“We’re 107 days out from the tournament but, more importantly, we’re about 70-something days out from starting to build the Fan Fest. These decisions have to be made,” Martinez said. “…Without receiving this money, it could be catastrophic for our planning and coordination.”
Rep. Carlos Gimenez (R-Florida) said that FEMA staffers who process grants are not working during the partial shutdown and that the funding is “not coming till the government reopens.”
Republicans chided their Democratic colleagues on the committee for withholding the votes required to unfreeze the funds.
Joseph Mabin, the deputy chief for Kansas City police, said release of the funding is “critical” for his city to hire additional personnel ahead of the World Cup, and that his local department did not have enough staff to cover all security threats. Kansas City will host six games and serve as base camp for four teams.
Salaries for many of those working on the planning and coordination are also “contingent” on the frozen funds, said Travis Nelson, deputy chief of staff and homeland security adviser to the Maryland governor.
Nelson described this moment as “pivotal,” and compared it to a Jenga game where one wrong move “is going to cause the whole thing to come down.”
Recently, town officials in Foxborough, Massachusetts, sought clarity on the source of around $8 million they say is needed to fund public safety for this summer’s World Cup games at Gillette Stadium, the home of the New England Patriots.
The White House World Cup Task Force headed by Andrew Giuliani did not immediately respond to ESPN’s request for comment.
KANDY: Two-time champions England registered a hard-earned two-wicket victory over Pakistan in the high-stakes Super Eights match of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 here at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium on Tuesday.
Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha’s decision to bat first backfired as the 2009 champions only managed 164/9 in their 20 overs, courtesy of a half-century by in-form opener Sahibzada Farhan.
Farhan top-scored for the Green Shirts with a brisk 63 off 45 deliveries with the help of seven fours and two sixes. He was supported by Babar Azam and Fakhar Zaman, 25 each, besides all-rounder Shadab Khan, who contributed with an 11-ball 23 at the backend.
Liam Dawson spearheaded England’s bowling charge with three wickets for just 24 runs in his four overs, while Adil Rashid and Jofra Archer bagged two each.
In turn, England chased down the 165-run target on the first delivery of the final over for the loss of eight wickets after captain Harry Brook’s blazing century.
Brook spearheaded England’s successful pursuit with a 51-ball 100, studded with 10 fours and four sixes, while Will Jacks (28) and Sam Curran (16) made notable contributions.
Shaheen was the pick of the bowlers for Pakistan as he picked up four wickets for just 30 runs in his four overs, while Usman Tariq Nawaz could claim two each.
The victory, which marked England’s second in as many matches in the Super Eights, helped them become the first team to qualify for the semi-finals of the ongoing 20-team tournament as they consolidated top spot in Group 2 with four points.
Pakistan, on the other hand, slipped to third spot behind New Zealand, with whom their Super Eights opener was washed out due to incessant rain in Colombo last week.
The defeat further made the 2009 champions dependent on the outcome of the remaining Group 2 matches, as they would now need New Zealand to lose both their remaining matches against Sri Lanka and England, besides beating the co-hosts to qualify for the semi-finals.
However, if New Zealand managed to win one out of their remaining two matches, the Green Shirts would then need to beat Sri Lanka by a significant margin to better the Blackcaps’ net run rate and clinch the second spot.
For the unversed, Pakistan’s remaining Super Eights fixture is scheduled against Sri Lanka at the same venue on Saturday.
Sports
Hockey officials reject Canadian coach’s complaints of 3-on-3 overtime rules after Olympic loss
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Team Canada men’s hockey coach Jon Cooper may not like the Olympics’ three-on-three overtime format, but it doesn’t matter at all.
It’s staying in place.
The International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) president Luc Tardif told The Athletic that, despite Cooper’s complaints following his team’s gold-medal loss to Team USA on Sunday, they will continue using the format in future tournaments.
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Canada coach Jon Cooper answers to the media during a press conference following the Ice Hockey Men Final between United States and Canada on day sixteen of the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena on Feb. 22, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Jean Catuffe/Getty Images)
“It’s the best rules to fit in a tight schedule,” Tardif told the outlet. “We have to figure out 30 games in 11 days for men and for the women 28 games in 13 days – 58 all together in 16 days.
“Huge challenge.”
The IIHF wanted to introduce the three-on-three format the NHL uses during its regular season to prevent the use of the shootout. However, the NHL does make the change to five-on-five hockey during the playoffs with no shootouts – only the game-winning goal.
Cooper, though, couldn’t help himself when he ripped into the overtime format after watching Jack Hughes snipe the gold-medal goal past his goalie, Jordan Binnington.
“You take four players off the ice, now hockey’s not hockey anymore,” Cooper said, per the New York Post. “There’s a reason overtime and shootouts are in play – it’s all TV-driven to end games, so it’s not a long time. There’s a reason why it’s not in the Stanley Cup Final or playoffs.”
Head coach Jon Cooper of Team Canada speaks to his players after the team’s 3-2 victory in the Men’s Semifinals Playoff match between Canada and Finland on day fourteen of the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena on Feb. 20, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
Overtime in the preliminary rounds of the Olympics lasted five minutes, with a five-round shootout transpiring if a game-winning goal wasn’t scored in that time. For the quarterfinals and semifinals, the overtime was boosted to 10 minutes, followed by 20 minutes in the gold-medal games.
Canada didn’t get as clean a look at the net as Hughes did on his game-winning shot, but they did have tons of chances during the three periods. In the end, the U.S. was able to keep the game notched at one apiece through 60 minutes, with tremendous saves by goaltender Connor Hellebuyck, who was dubbed the “Secretary of Defense” by Secretary of War Pete Hegseth for his performance.
After the game, Cooper wasn’t the only Canadian showing some bitterness about the result. Assistant captain Nathan MacKinnon, who missed a wide-open net in the third period that could’ve been the game-winner for Team Canada, made an interesting comment to the press.
“You be the judge of who was the better team today,” he said.
Head coach Jon Cooper of Team Canada takes part during training on day two of the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena on Feb. 8, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
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While Cooper, MacKinnon, and the rest of Team Canada think about the what-ifs, Team USA took Air Force One to visit President Donald Trump on Tuesday prior to his State of the Union Address. The team was spotted in the Oval Office, where Trump congratulated every player in person on their tremendous accomplishment.
The United States won its most golds in a single Winter Olympics (12), which included the women’s ice hockey team also beating Team Canada in overtime thanks to the heroics of Megan Keller.
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Sports
Olympic gold medalist US men’s hockey team visits White House to celebrate historic win over Canada
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Team USA’s Olympic gold medal-winning men’s hockey team arrived at the White House for their meeting with President Donald Trump on Tuesday, as the players are also expected to attend Trump’s State of the Union address.
The team made history with its 2-1 overtime win over Team Canada at the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics in the gold medal game on Sunday. New Jersey Devils star Jack Hughes hit the golden goal to deliver the U.S. its first men’s hockey gold medal since the 1980 Miracle on Ice team.
Canada has historically been the most dominant Olympic hockey team in history, with a world-best nine gold medals. Sunday’s win also avenged a loss to Canada in the NHL’s 4 Nations Face Off exhibition in early 2025, which came amid heightened tensions between the two countries over Trump’s tariff policy.
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Trump called the players after Sunday’s win, congratulating and thanking them during the locker room celebration.
Trump told the men’s team after inviting them to Tuesday’s State of the Union that he’d “have” to invite the women’s team, otherwise “I probably would be impeached.” The players laughed in response to Trump’s joke.
Video of the exchange has since gone viral, with some women’s hockey fans criticizing Trump and the men’s players for making light of the women’s team’s gold medal victory, which also came against Canada. The women’s team has since declined Trump’s invitation to Washington, citing scheduling conflicts.
Dylan Larkin and Zach Werenski opened up about where their American pride came from as they celebrated their Olympic accomplishment.
President Donald Trump talks to members of the United States men’s hockey team at the White House in Washington, District of Columbia, on Feb. 24, 2026. (Dan Scavino via X)
Larkin and Werenski appeared on Fox News Channel’s “Fox & Friends” on Tuesday morning, hours after celebrating their gold medal victory against Canada in Miami. The two opened up on what it meant to them to represent the Stars and Stripes.
“I think a lot of us played at the U.S. National Team Development Program … When we were there, you get to put the jersey on every day for two years, before you’re drafted. We go through training. We’re not military by any means but they put us through some training, and they really instill in you some pride,” Larkin said. “Once you go through that, you take the jersey off … and every time you take it off, for me at least, I don’t know the next time I’m going to put it on.
“So, every time I get the chance to represent the United States of America, I put that jersey on, I’m all in. I love doing it, and it’s just something special. I could go on all day about how great our country is. Just being home and seeing our friends and family, it’s just special.”
Werenski was asked whether playing in other countries made him more proud to be an American.
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United States’ Jack Hughes (86), who scored the winning overtime goal, celebrates after defeating Canada in the men’s ice hockey gold medal game at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy, Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
“I think you’re spot on. I remember my first World Championships with him was in Slovakia. I’ve been to Denmark, I’ve been to Czech (Republic) – these are all great countries, and you play in them, and it’s a ton of fun. The Olympics were in Italy were in Italy, which is an unbelievable country,” he said. “You get reminded of how great the United States of America is when you get back here. And we love representing our country, we love wearing those colors.
“Like Dylan said, we learn about it from a young age. We’re allowed to live out our dream because of the military – the people that serve, the first responders. It’s just an incredible country. It’s the best country in the world, and we love wearing these colors, and you definitely get an appreciation for it when you go overseas and play.”
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