Inside Penn State’s ‘organized chaos’ of switching from Nike to Adidas after 30 years
State College, Pennsylvania — The FedEx driver rolled up to campus and realized he had a problem, a delivery man’s version of Chief Brody realizing he was going to need a bigger boat in “Jaws.” He called Ben Herman, the Penn State assistant athletic director for equipment operations, and shared his lament. “Uh, we’ve got truckloads […]
After a tragic plane crash killed the entire US figure skating team, Peggy Fleming carried a nation’s hopes
Watch the CNN Original Series “Decades in Sports,” which will be premiering on August 2 and available to stream on the CNN app the next day. Across six episodes, the series explores the defining moments, athletes and cultural shifts that shaped sports over the past six decades, from the television revolution and Civil Rights Movement […]
Ferran Torres on World Cup-winning goal: ‘It was the best moment in my life’
More than 1,200 players represented their countries at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, and among those, perhaps none will remember the tournament more fondly than Spain forward Ferran Torres. Every kid who falls in love with the Beautiful Game dreams of scoring the winning goal in a World Cup final when kicking a ball around […]
FIFA scraps controversial $20 billion World Cup investment plan
FIFA’s proposed plan to sell private stakes in upcoming World Cup tournaments that sparked backlash from fans and soccer associations around the world has been scrapped, FIFA president Gianni Infantino said in a statement Friday. “Having listened carefully to all the views, it has become clear that the project has created divisions of a nature […]
European soccer declares loss of confidence in FIFA chief over ’shabby’ private financing plan
European soccer’s governing body UEFA declared it has lost confidence in FIFA president Gianni Infantino, piling pressure on the beleaguered sporting chief despite the organization dropping a hugely controversial plan to sell private stakes in the World Cup and other top tournaments. In a blistering statement released Saturday morning, UEFA welcomed the decision by FIFA […]
FIFA studying impact of expanding men’s World Cup to 64 teams for 2030 edition
Reuters — FIFA is studying the impact of expanding the World Cup from 48 to 64 teams for the 2030 edition, according to a document seen by Reuters. The 2026 edition was expanded from 32 to 48 teams, adding four more groups and an extra knockout round in the process. South American confederation CONMEBOL had officially […]
FIFA President Gianni Infantino further isolated following senior advisor resignation and confederation revolts
FIFA President Gianni Infantino is finding himself increasingly isolated as pressure and opposition build against the world soccer governing body’s plan to inject private money into its competitions. European soccer’s governing body UEFA threatened Thursday to boycott future men’s and women’s World Cups in reaction to the proposal. North and Central America and Caribbean governing […]
AC Milan and Italy legend Franco Baresi dies at 66
Rome, ItalyReuters — Former AC Milan and Italy defender Franco Baresi, one of the most recognizable players of the golden era of Italian soccer in the 1980s and 1990s, has died at the age of 66, his former club said on Friday. “The entire history of AC Milan is in tears following the passing of Franco […]
European soccer teams vote to boycott World Cups over FIFA investment plan
In a rebuke of FIFA and its president, Gianni Infantino, UEFA’s 55 member associations voted unanimously today to boycott future competitions by soccer’s global governing body, including the World Cup. The decision came in response to FIFA’s plan to sell private stakes in upcoming World Cup tournaments that sparked backlash from fans and soccer associations […]
The Protect College Sports Act faces critical deadline
Chicago — Tony Petitti chuckled at the question, clearly amused at its bluntness if not the essence of the query. “I was wondering, Tony,’’ the reporter asked the Big Ten commissioner at his annual football media day, “is it a little bit sad that y’all have had to turn college athletics over to the federal government […]