European soccer fans descended upon Houston Saturday morning as the Netherlands and Sweden faced each other in the third World Cup match in Houston, but not before two enthusiastic crowds of marchers snaked their way through the city’s streets to Houston Stadium.
The Oranje Fanwalk brought one of the World Cup’s most viral moments to Rice University, while the Swedish fan march kicked off at Helix Park in the Texas Medical Center. The heat and humidity made headlines, closing down FIFA Fan Festival and affecting the morning marchers. At the end of the game, thunderstorms brought a shelter-in-place for the stadium crowd.
The teams met in a Group F match in which the Netherlands defeated Sweden 5 to 1.
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Andrew Guiliani, the executive director of the White House Task Force for the FIFA World Cup, said he’s been impressed with how Houston’s local agencies and host committee are handling crowds and visitors for the major soccer event, especially amid changing weather conditions.
Tasked with coordinating federal security during the tournament, Guiliani said he flew into Houston early Saturday morning for the match between Netherlands and Sweden.
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“The fan marches coming in, which I thought was managed so well in light of the heat that you get in Houston, and admittedly the Dutch and Swedes probably never felt heat like that in their lives,” Guiliani said. “I thought (they were) managed so well.”
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The World Cup has brought a large number of visitors from around the globe, with U.S. Customs and Border Protection processing more than 5 million visas from 19 countries, he said.
Guiliani also added that like all major events, Immigration and Customs Enforcement will continue to be present at World Cup events.
– Ashley Soebroto
As the match between the Netherlands and Sweden wrapped up, fans in the stadium were asked to shelter in place because of lightning near the stadium.
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Fans were asked to remain in their seats and follow instructions from stadium personnel. Weather maps showed thunderstorms in the vicinity of Houston Stadium.
Some fans were pushing to get out of the exits after the end of the game.
– Peter Warren
Crysencio Summerville’s goal in the 88th minute is the final nail in the coffin for Sweden.
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It’s 5-1 now — the same score Sweden beat Tunisia by Sunday — as the Netherlands will emerge from Houston with one of the most impressive victories of the World Cup so far.
– Peter Warren
The game between the Netherlands and Sweden brought the city’s second sellout during the FIFA World Cup for Houston Stadium, known locally as NRG Stadium. Wednesday’s match between Portugal and DR Congo was a sellout as well.
Today’s game brought 68,777 fans to the stadium.
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Upcoming matches are set for Tuesday with Portugal vs. Uzbekistan, Friday with Cabo Verde vs. Saudi Arabia and round matches June 29 and July 4.
– Peter Warren
Sweden got one back soon after, with substitute Anthony Elanga as the forward gets played through in behind the backline and connects with the shot.
– Peter Warren
A second goal for Cody Gakpo has turned this game into a blowout.
The forward dribbled into the Sweden defense from the left wing and beat Kristoffer Nordfeldt with a shot to the near post to make it 4-0.
Gakpo now has five goals in his World Cup career after scoring a goal in each of the group stage matches at the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
– Peter Warren
A third goal from the Netherlands started the second half, and in similar fashion to the first two.
The Netherlands played a low cross through the box, but this time Cody Gakpo gets on the end of the pass to slot home his first of the game.
Dumfries notched his second assist of the match as the Netherlands now holds a commanding 3-0 lead.
– Peter Warren
Sweden thought it had cut the deficit to one on a Gustaf Lagerbielke header off a free kick late in the first half but the goal was ruled out due to off-sides.
The referee’s decision drew boos from the Sweden supporters and the Netherlands entered the half holding on to to a 2-0 lead.
Outside of Brobbey, midfielder Frenkie de Jong is leading the way for the Oranje with five defensive contributions and a game-high 46 passes completed.
– Peter Warren
Brian Brobbey has his second goal within 16 minutes as the Dutch made it 2-0.
Denzel Dumfries played another low cross into the box, this time coming from the right side, and Brobbey stuck out his foot to redeflect it past Sweden’s goalie, Kristoffer Nordfeldt.
It was a nifty piece of attacking play from Brobbey, who is proving Ronald Koeman right for his decision to play Brobbey in the starting lineup.
– Peter Warren
For the third-straight game in Houston, a team has found the back of the net in less than six minutes.
The Netherlands, in their highlighter-orange uniforms, gets on the board thanks to a finish from Brian Brobbey, who earned the start today at the center forward spot.
Cody Gakpo provided the assist by playing a low cross from the left side across the box.
– Peter Warren
The neon orange of the Netherlands’ World Cup uniforms is lighting up significant portions of the Houston Stadium crowd before the start of Saturday’s match with Sweden, who also has a fair share of fans behind the south goal.
Both of the first two games of the World Cup in Houston have been well attended, with Wednesday’s match between Portugal and DR Congo being an announced sellout.
Saturday’s crowd seems to be near a packed house, with a majority of the seats occupied just before the start of the match.
– Peter Warren
About 30 minutes after the doors to Houston’s 2026 FIFA Fan Festival opened, a speaker announced to the hundreds of people there that the event would close due to a heat advisory.
“Severe weather requires immediate action,” the announcement said. “Exit the grounds now and move to a safe location.”
On the Houston 2026 World Cup Facebook page, a post noted the event is temporarily paused.
“Gates will reopen as conditions permit, according to the post. ‘Visit Football Fiesta locations in East Downtown and support our local businesses for additional match viewing, dining and entertainment opportunities.’
– Ashley Soebroto
Chris Canetti, president of Houston’s World Cup host committee, rode on top of one of the buses leading the Netherlands fan march wearing a custom “Canetti No. 10” orange jersey.
Over his three decades in sports, Canetti said, he has been able to go to a lot of great events, from Super Bowls to World Series games. The fan march on Saturday, he said, sits above them all.
“That was incredible. I don’t know if you can top that in terms of an experience. It’s one of the greatest things I’ve ever done in my life,” Canetti said.
He added that he thinks the walk is one of the greatest moments in Houston history.
– Peter Warren
With a sprinkle of rain, Swedish fans completed their march to Houston Stadium at about 10:40 a.m.
Along the route, Houstonians watched from their balconies, windows and driveways with their phones focused on the yellow and blue sea of people walking by. On Naomi Street, Swedish fans handed many onlookers small flags and hats.
“What country is this?” asked resident Vera Ekeada as fans passed by. “Sweden!” The fans yelled back.
Ekeada ran out to her driveway to get video after she heard the noise of the oncoming crowd.
“I didn’t think it was going to be this many people, but it’s beautiful,” Ekeada said.
– Kathleen Ortiz
At the first cooling station 25 minutes into Sweden’s march, fans crowded the Houston MetroLift area, where water bottles were distributed. Once the cooler ran out of water, fans grabbed handfuls of ice to cool off.
Elsewhere along the route, A Harris County Fire Marshal truck provided relief to hot Swedish fans, spraying them with water. Other marchers took a break in the air conditioning on a Metro bus.
Fire trucks along the route of the Netherlands march also doused those fans with water as the “feels-like” temperature rose to near 90 by late morning.
– Kathleen Ortiz and Naina Srivastava
Viral German soccer fan Freddy (@freddyLA7 on X) nearly didn’t make it to Toronto for Germany’s next match against Côte d’Ivoire this afternoon after his flight was canceled due to weather.
It seems J.J. Watt, who had previously sent restaurant recommendations to Freddy for his time in Houston, teamed up with American Airlines to save the day. Freddy reported that he and his group got on a flight to Buffalo, N.Y., and drove across the Canadian border.
“We’re on the plane to Buffalo!!! American Airlines was incredibly helpful and made it possible for us to get on this flight. A special thank you to
@JJWatt for organizing it while we were in the air to Dallas. Big thanks as well to everyone else who offered their help,” he said on X.
– Dana Burke
As Swedish music blasted from a speaker, an estimated 4,000 to 6,000 fans dressed in yellow and blue gathered at TMC Helix Park before their pregame trek to Houston Stadium.
Supporters were treated to a menu of smoked brisket breakfast bake and Jāgermeister. Some pressed cold water bottles to their foreheads in the 89% humidity.
The march left the park at 9:30 a.m. to arrive at the stadium before the noon kickoff against the Netherlands. Just before 10 a.m., Sweden’s fan march made it to the first checkpoint on the way to Houston Stadium.
– Kathleen Ortiz and Naina Srivastava
The king and queen of the Netherlands will be at Houston Stadium for the Dutch team’s match at noon against Sweden.
King Willem-Alexander, Queen Máxima and the youngest of their three daughters, 19-year-old Princess Ariane, are set to cheer on the Oranje in the Group F battle. Willem-Alexander has been king since 2013.
Willem-Alexander is the second major political figure to visit Houston for a World Cup. Felix Tshisekedi, president of the Democratic Republic of the Congo attended the national team’s match Wednesday against Portugal.
– Peter Warren
Fans of all kinds dressed in orange are walking across Rice University’s campus Saturday morning, toward the back of Rice Stadium in preparation of the Netherlands’ fan walk.
There are fans wearing the Netherlands’ jersey and merch but also Astros and Dynamo gear and plain orange T-shirts. A few stragglers are wearing other colors but nearly all fans got the memo about the event’s color scheme.
The march is set to leave campus around 8:45 a.m. to head towards the stadium.
– Peter Warren
Time: Noon, Saturday
Where: Reliant Stadium (or Houston Stadium in FIFA-speak)
TV: Fox, FS1 and Telemundo
Streaming: Peacock
In person: If you don’t have tickets to the match, Fan Fest in EaDo opens at 10:30 a.m.
Here’s everything you need to know about the matchup.
– Reid Laymance
Thousands of Dutch soccer fans and their supporters will turn Houston’s streets into a sea of orange Saturday morning as they set off on the famous Oranje Fanwalk ahead of the Netherlands’ World Cup game against Sweden at NRG Stadium.
The Fanwalk, led by the Netherlands’ iconic Oranje Bus, promises to be one of the highlights of Houston’s World Cup experience. It’s a Dutch tradition that brings thousands of supporters together for a march to each of the Netherlands’ World Cup games.
The superfans, all clad in orange, march behind a double-decker bus known as the “Oranje Bus,” turning pregame festivities into a giant parade.
The 2.5-mile march will start at the Rice University stadium at 8:45 a.m. after and 8 a.m. meetup and head south to NRG Stadium. The exact route has not been made public, but the giant orange bus and thousands of exuberant Dutch fans should be pretty hard to miss. Find more details on the march here.
– Sam Kelly
Sweden will hold a fan march Saturday at 9:30 a.m. at Helix Park in the Medical Center ahead of the team’s FIFA World Cup match with the Netherlands.
“We sing a lot of songs, of course. We have a drum in front and a big banner,” said Johnny Persson, the vice president of Camp Sweden, a Swedish soccer fan group.
He said the organization expects 5,000 to 7,000 people in their march. Here’s everything you need to know.

Washington — The Trump administration told a federal judge late Friday that the Kennedy Center is still weighing whether to offer a full slate of performances or more limited programming over the coming months, as the government grapples with a court order requiring the institution to stay open.
U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper last month blocked the Trump administration from closing the Kennedy Center until 2028 for renovations, following a lawsuit from Democratic Rep. Joyce Beatty of Ohio. He also reversed an attempt to rename the center to add President Trump’s name.
Cooper had directed the administration to detail the status of plans for its construction project, board actions related to the renovations and other “pertinent” developments by Friday. The judge also said the Trump administration had to explain plans for public access and ongoing programming, activities and operations after July 5, the start date of its previously planned closure.
In a filing on Friday, Kennedy Center Executive Director Matt Floca said the center’s board plans to meet in mid-July to decide between three options: a “full closure” with no public programs so the organization can complete repairs, a “partial closure” with “some continued public access and limited programming,” or a “coordinated series of phased closures” with more programming.
Attorneys for the Justice Department asked Cooper for more time to respond to Beatty, saying the Kennedy Center is still deciding how to proceed. They also suggested that both parties file a joint status report two weeks after the Kennedy Center’s next board meeting.
The government’s lawyers wrote that the center is still planning to carry out capital repairs on the building. They said Cooper’s order “did not affirmatively require the Board to reschedule programming that had previously been cancelled or to seek new programming,” and noted that Cooper did not necessarily block the center from closing for renovations altogether.
In the same Friday night filing, Beatty’s lawyers pushed back against the Justice Department, accusing government officials of “implementing their shutdown decision by inertia” and seeking to “turn the Kennedy Center into a lifeless husk.”
The government, the lawmaker’s attorneys argued, had “gutted” the Kennedy Center’s programming and is now failing to take “obvious steps” to restore it. One example they cited is “Shear Madness,” a popular interactive play that ended its decades-long run at the Kennedy Center earlier this month, even though the center “could have potentially attempted to ensure” it stuck around.
“To be clear, again, Plaintiff is not asking the Court to pick and choose what programming Defendants present, or to micromanage operations,” Beatty’s lawyers wrote. “Defendants must do something, however, to ensure there are meaningful operations come July 5, 2026, in order to comply with the plain terms of the preliminary injunction, and they must do so in good faith.”
Beatty’s lawyers asked Cooper to order the government to provide weekly updates about “the concrete steps taken to resume programming.” They also suggested the parties begin discussing a schedule for discovery in the lawsuit.
Beyond the center’s programming, the name of the Kennedy Center has drawn scrutiny over the last week. Mr. Trump’s name was removed from the facade of the Kennedy Center last week to comply with Cooper’s order, after federal courts rejected 11th-hour efforts to allow it to remain affixed to the building while legal proceedings continued.
The Trump administration confirmed in a court filing on June 13 that it had taken down signage bearing the president’s name, updated the Kennedy Center’s website to remove references to Mr. Trump, and had withdrawn relevant trademark applications that included the joint name. References to the president were also stripped from email signatures and communications, as well as papers like brochures, press releases and contracts.
Still, the bulk of the building’s name remained blocked from public view, as photos taken Friday show a tarp concealing the area of the facade where Mr. Trump’s name was.
Beatty’s legal team on Friday castigated the Kennedy Center for leaving the tarp up.
“In addition to raising concerns about compliance, willfully sabotaging Kennedy Center’s iconic façade to assuage Defendants’ vanity or massage broken egos is a clear breach of fiduciary duty,” they wrote.
The changes to the Kennedy Center came in response to a decision late last month from Cooper that blocked the performing arts center’s temporary closure and ordered Mr. Trump’s name to be removed from its title, physical and digital signage, and official materials.
Cooper found that the Kennedy Center’s Board of Trustees, composed largely of administration officials and allies of Mr. Trump, overstepped its authority when it unilaterally renamed the institute after the president.
The judge also said that when the board ratified Mr. Trump’s decision to close the Kennedy Center for two years for renovations, it was “derelict in discharging the full range of its responsibilities to the center.”
Cooper said planned repair work on the institute can continue, and he did not foreclose the Kennedy Center’s closure in the future. Instead, he said any decision by the board should come after “independent balancing” of its “multiple obligations to the center in a prudent fashion.”
Mr. Trump’s focus on the Kennedy Center began shortly after he took office for his second administration. The president replaced several members of the board with White House advisers, family members of administration officials, donors and longtime supporters.
The board then unanimously elected Mr. Trump as its new chair. It voted to change the institution’s name to The Donald J. Trump and The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts in December.
But legal scholars said any change to the center’s name could not be done unilaterally by the board and instead required congressional action. Cooper, in his decision, agreed, writing: “Congress gave the Kennedy Center its name, and only Congress can change it.”
Mr. Trump initially indicated he would adhere to Cooper’s decision, writing on Truth Social late last month that he would work “with Congress to transfer this failing Institution back to them so they can make a determination as to what to do with it.” But as Cooper’s deadline for his name to be stripped from the building neared, the Justice Department asked the federal appeals court in Washington to pause the district court’s order.
A panel of judges on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit denied the request, clearing the way for the president’s name to be taken down.

SEATTLE (AP) — Christian Pulisic’s injury absence didn’t hurt the Americans one bit.
The U.S. national soccer team found a way to advance to the knockout round without the injured forward on the field, beating Australia 2-0 Friday for its second straight victory at the largest World Cup in history.
“C.P. is a fantastic player — the quality and the leadership that he gives us,” said Folarin Balogun, who scored two goals in the 4-1 victory over Paraguay on June 12. “We didn’t have him today, but I think you saw we’re still capable to go out there and get a result and put up a performance.”
Pulisic, who plays for AC Milan and has 33 goals in 87 international appearances, missed Friday’s match because of a calf injury.
To play without a superstar like Pulisic could have derailed previous American teams in World Cup play. But much has changed since the last time they served as World Cup hosts in 1994, when they advanced by being one of the best third-place teams. They then lost to eventual champion Brazil in their next match, which was in the round of 16.
At this year’s 48-team tournament, the U.S. has won consecutive games for the first time at a World Cup since 1930. The Americans have scored six goals, one off their record for most in a single World Cup, and received contributions throughout their roster.
Alex Freeman, the youngest player on the team at 21 and son of Super Bowl champion Antonio Freeman, gave the Americans a 2-0 lead in the 43rd minute off a set piece. Freeman headed in a deflected shot by Sergiño Dest for his first career World Cup goal. The goal was confirmed after a video review.
“(He) is doing a fantastic job,” coach Mauricio Pochettino said of Freeman. “The evolution is massive. He’s so humble. He wants to learn. He always listens. He’s a player that you really enjoy being with him. Not only coaching, but being with him.”
The U.S. took a 1-0 lead in the 11th minute after a run down the left sideline by Balogun.
He directed a centering pass towards striker Ricardo Pepi, who started in place of Pulisic. The ball never reached Pepi, deflecting off Australia defender Cameron Burgess and into the Socceroos’ net for an own-goal.
“I want to be dangerous, I want to create opportunities,” Balogun said. “It might not always be myself that scores, but if I can force an error that gives us the lead, then for me it’s like a goal as well. It was a special start to the game to give us the momentum.”
The Americans did not score again after halftime, but the manner with which they so thoroughly dominated Australia in the opening 45 minutes left a lasting impression on Socceroos coach Tony Popovic.
“It did not surprise us because their quality is clear,” Popovic said. “Their power is clear. Their athleticism is clear. They are not surprising in what they did.”
Expectations will only increase for the U.S. as they rack up more victories and momentum builds around the team. The way the Americans have started the tournament in dominant fashion has not changed Pochettino’s perception of the team and what it is capable of, though.
“I think it’s much better when you show good performances and win the games,” Pochettino said. “I think that makes it easier, everything. But, at the same time, it’s (important) to keep believing.”
Still, the U.S. learned it can get out of the group stage without Pulisic. And, they have the roster to make a deep run in the tournament.
“We know how vital Christian is to the team and how much he can contribute in the game,” Freeman said. “For us it was, we have Ricardo Pepi, who came in and had an amazing game. I think that just shows how (good) our roster is.”
___

Note: This story first appeared in The Beautiful Game by CNN Sports, our daily newsletter on all things World Cup. To subscribe, click here.
It was a brilliant day for two of this year’s co-hosts with Canada recording its first ever World Cup win and Mexico becoming the first team to qualify for the knockout rounds this summer. Attention now naturally turns to the US Men’s National Team (USMNT) ahead of its second game of the tournament.
We’ll bring you everything you need to know about the match, including the thoughts of a US soccer legend. In addition, we’ll have all the latest news from another action-packed 24 hours, while looking ahead to matches involving Brazil and everyone’s favorite nation, Scotland.
The Main Thing: US manager Mauricio Pochettino wants the nation to “believe”
The start to Mauricio Pochettino’s life as USA manager wasn’t smooth sailing. From the very moment his position was announced, he had critics wondering whether he was the right man for the job, even questioning if an Argentinian should be managing the American team at a home World Cup.
The team’s form wasn’t great either. Rewind a year and the squad seemed to be in disarray: unhappy, fractured and in need of a total reset.
But while others started to panic, Pochettino remained calm. And now, heading into the team’s second match of the World Cup against Australia, he has some believing the US might go very deep in this tournament.
“All my conversations with the team over the past few weeks have been about what it means for us to be here, especially in terms of changing the team’s mindset,” Pochettino told reporters on the eve of the Australia clash. “We have to let people and fans believe in us, that’s the most important thing.”
Pochettino has instilled a real sense of unity within his squad. The star players seem happy, and everyone appears to be singing from the same hymn sheet.
For once, the pressure to help develop soccer in the country doesn’t appear to be weighing the players down. Their new manager has found a way of harnessing it and, if the first group game is anything to go by, using it to boost performance.
“There were lots of people at the stadium during the first match – some were there because they love football, but for others, it was their first time at a match. I hope that what we showed on the pitch with our performance really moved people,” winger Weston McKennie said.
“And I hope the same will happen tomorrow. We know that we are responsible for the growth of this sport here in America. The fans who come to the stadium to watch the team, hearing the national anthem, knowing you have people on your side supporting you – all of it inspires us.”
That team spirit will be tested against the Socceroos later today in what is expected to be a feisty, physical affair after what went down the last time these two teams played. Read more about that here.
USMNT vs. Australia
When? 3 p.m. ET
Where? Seattle Stadium (Lumen Field), Seattle, Washington, USA
It was a dream start for the USA last week, and the team will want to keep riding this wave of positivity. It was the forward play that caught the eye most in the first game, with the likes of Christian Pulisic and Folarin Balogun linking with so much speed and precision.
The co-host will be confident of putting in a repeat performance against an Australian side that is a bit of an unknown quantity. The Socceroos (great name) surprised many with their 2-0 win against Turkey in their opener but will have to deal with the US’ home support in Seattle – though they are inspired by the comments of a CBS Sports commentator named Mike Grella, an American who has infuriated all of Australia with his predictions of an easy USA victory.
The one fear for the Americans will be the fitness of star man Pulisic who picked up a minor injury in the first game. Pochettino told reporters yesterday that the winger was “much better” but said it would be a late call as to whether or not he can play against Australia.
We have a CNN Sports team in Seattle for the second match, and my colleague David Close describes what the atmosphere has been like in the buildup as he traveled from Atlanta.
On our five-hour flight from the southeast to the northwest of the US, there is more than a smattering of individuals wearing various US kits and hats, but the plane carrying us across about 10 state lines was far from the hyped scenes seen on social media posts over the last week.
No obvious Socceroo fans on this airborne vessel either, but hordes of inflatable kangaroo-carrying fanatics no doubt await us on the other side, as supporters only needed to make the short trip down to Seattle from neighboring Vancouver following the Aussies’ surprise upset win over Turkey last Friday.
We see a fan carrying an oversized marsupial as we arrive within the downtown area at our crew hotel – he’s getting berated by three card-carrying Americans shouting, “U-S-A!” on repeat.
That kind of noise and overt national pride will no doubt permeate throughout Lumen Field during Friday’s tilt. If the US wins this match, it will automatically qualify for the Round of 32. If it wins, coupled with Turkey failing to beat Paraguay in the other Group D clash, it will win the group. A draw or a loss here in Seattle will pile on the stress when the final group games play out next week.
Scotland vs. Morocco
When? 6 p.m. ET
Where? Boston Stadium (Gillette Stadium), Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA
Scotland has quickly become everyone’s second favorite team at this year’s World Cup, and that’s all to do with the team’s passionate supporters. The “Tartan Army,” as they’re called, has taken over Boston since the first match and videos of the fans’ street parties have been going viral all over social media.
Having held out to beat Haiti 1-0 in its first game, another win against Morocco would practically guarantee Scotland’s passage through to the knockout rounds. But the Europeans will face a far tougher test today and will need to drastically improve their performance.
The Atlas Lions outplayed Brazil for long passages in their first game but came away with a 1-1 draw. The African side likely settled for a point knowing Scotland and Haiti would be slightly easier fixtures on paper.
Quote of the Day
The words from Canada manager Jesse Marsch after his player Ismaël Koné suffered a horrendous injury in the co-host’s 6-0 win against Qatar yesterday.
The historic victory, the nation’s first ever in the World Cup, was overshadowed when the midfielder injured his leg in gruesome fashion following a clumsy challenge from Qatar’s Assim Madibo.
The look of shock on Koné’s face when he looked down at his leg showed the true extent of the injury. Marsch said he had heard the “bones snap” from where he was standing on the touchline.
Koné is set to undergo surgery after being taken to a nearby hospital.
WATCH: Merlin the Duck is Mexico’s unofficial World Cup mascot
A pet duck named Merlin has waddled his way into the hearts of soccer fans, becoming an unlikely unofficial mascot for Mexico at this year’s World Cup. CNN’s Valeria Leon speaks with his owners.
Brandi Chastain on USA’s “phenomenal” World Cup start
US soccer legend Brandi Chastain spoke to CNN Sports’ Don Riddell about the USMNT’s brilliant start to the tournament. Here’s Don with more:
The US team made a dream start to its World Cup campaign and Brandi Chastain will never forget it.
“I was at the men’s opener down in Los Angeles,” she told CNN Sports. “I think I lost my mind. So, if anyone finds it, send it to me please. It was phenomenal, this World Cup has been phenomenal.”
Chastain knows a thing or two about winning World Cups. It was her decisive penalty in a shootout to win the 1999 final against China that secured the second of four world titles for the US Women’s National Team and, thanks to her iconic celebration, nobody has ever forgotten that.
How often is she reminded of it?
“If only I had a dollar for every time,” she said of her spontaneous decision to rip off her jersey.
“It was completely organic,” she said. “I started my career as a striker; all I wanted to do was score goals. After getting cut from the national team for four years, I started as a defender. It was never in my mind that I would be the game-winning goal. I think when people see that picture, it conjures up some call to action or a reminder of how much fun it is, it makes them feel good.”
Chastain’s iconic celebration and the success of her team is being given a new lease of life in a Netflix dramatization called “The 99’ers,” but in the meantime, she’s hoping the men’s team can follow in their footsteps with a first world title this summer.
“Three teams from groups can move forward, and then it becomes a one-game tournament,” she said. “Anything is possible.”
After years of disappointment, this is why Scotland’s campaign means so much
It’s sometimes hard for soccer fans to express why the sport means so much to them, but Don Riddell tries to put pen to paper about Scotland’s World Cup journey.
You can’t get truly excited about a World Cup unless you’ve already experienced at least one of them before, and the more the merrier.
A tournament like this always triggers waves of nostalgia, often going all the way back to childhood. I was born in Edinburgh, and Scotland’s first World Cup appearance in 28 years has taken me all the way back to 1978 and 1982, the days when Scotland used dream of bringing home the trophy, instead always returning before the knockout stage; the Scots have never made it out of the groups.
I will always remember my dad leaping off the couch when David Narey scored against Brazil in ’82, screaming “GOAL!” clapping twice and turning up the volume. I’d never seen him show that kind of emotion, and although we settled back into the couch to see our team thrashed 4-1, a lifelong love affair was born.
Following Scotland at the World Cup is to dream an impossible dream. It’s been 28 years since their last appearance, but the older fans remember the feeling of heady optimism, an occasional tease of excitement and then crushing disappointment.
After a win against Haiti last week, the Scots face off against Morocco today and then have mighty Brazil on Wednesday in Miami – both of which they faced 28 years ago in France.
Three times in my childhood, from 1978 to 1986, Scotland were knocked out of the World Cup on goal difference alone. The wee boy inside me, and millions of other Scottish fans, are hoping that this time the game they love will not be so cruel.
Brazil vs. Haiti
When? 8:30 p.m. ET
Where? Philadelphia Stadium (Lincoln Financial Field), Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
So much is expected of Brazil ahead of every World Cup, but the vibe just feels a little off with the current generation.
It really struggled in its first game and lacked any sense of the flair and dynamism that the Seleção has become known for. But while the team isn’t clicking, the squad still possesses enough individual talent to dig it out of tough situations. Vinícius Júnior did exactly that against Morocco, scoring with a wonderful shot that rescued at least a point.
It should have more joy against Haiti which, on paper at least, might struggle to hold Brazil’s attackers back. But evidence taken from its first match against Scotland suggests Les Grenadiers have weapons to hurt anyone. Another defeat, though, and they’re staring down the face of elimination.
Turkey vs. Paraguay
When? 11 p.m. ET
Where? San Francisco Bay Area Stadium (Levi’s Stadium), Santa Clara, California, USA
Paraguay got absolutely torn apart by the USA in the first game and will need to seriously improve its performance to stand any chance against Turkey.
However, star player Julio Enciso showed glimpses of his talent even in the heavy defeat, and his nation will once again rely on him in its second match of the tournament.
Turkey also suffered in its first match, losing 2-0 to Australia in a shock result. The world No. 26 was considered one of the dark horses in the competition but now desperately needs to beat La Albirroja to start building momentum.
The Final Whistle: Fight for the right to Wave
We let our very own CNN Sports supervising editor Kyle Feldscher out on a day trip yesterday to watch South Africa draw 1-1 against the Czech Republic. And while the game served up some drama with a late equalizer from Bafana Bafana, something else caught his eye the most.
To Wave or not to Wave? That is the question facing many fans attending World Cup games this year on the continent from which the movement was born.
Here in Atlanta on Thursday, the first appearance of the Wave – called “The Mexican Wave” in lots of the rest of the world thanks to its global spread during the 1986 World Cup – came in the opening minutes, despite a hot start to the match thanks to an early goal from the Czech Republic.
Then it popped up again. And again. And again…
The Wave is usually a sign of crowd restlessness, a move for fans to entertain themselves when they aren’t being entertained by the event in front of them. In fairness, there were long stretches of South Africa-Czech Republic that were not entirely enthralling.
As the game headed into the final 15 minutes with Bafana Bafana chasing a desperately needed goal, that restlessness eased. When South Africa’s Teboho Mokoena blasted home a penalty that leveled things in the 83rd minute and Mercedes-Benz Stadium erupted at an ear-splitting decibel level, any thoughts of The Wave were well and truly forgotten.
Given the pretty penny that many spectators paid to be at the match – the get-in price was north of $500 a day before and the best seats were two or three times that – one might have expected the focus to be on the soccer.
But one could also argue that if you pay that much to get into an event, you can focus on whatever you want. And if that means standing and yelling “ooooOOOOOOoooo” with your hands in the air every few minutes, well, the World Cup is supposed to be a party, right?

Oliver Tree’s mom has paid a moving tribute days after her son was killed in a helicopter crash — while sharing a throwback photo of the “Alien Boy” singer looking dramatically different.
“Our dear son Oliver, you made this world a better place,” Christine Begin Nickell wrote on Facebook Thursday, after Tree was killed in a helicopter crash in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
“We are so proud of you. RIP,” she wrote along with three heart emojis, the middle one broken.
The proud mom shared the post along with a photo of the singer — best known for his quirky bowl-cut mullet hairstyle — as a fresh-faced youngster with a Justin Bieber-style haircut under a baseball cap, while holding a small dog.
The 32-year-old singer was one of six people killed Sunday when a Bell 206B JetRanger III helicopter collided with another aircraft about 300 feet above the Rio neighborhood of Recreio dos Bandeirantes.
Also killed were YouTube star Gaspar “Gaspi” Prim, 23, director and screenwriter Lucas Vignale, 29, music producer Lucas Brito Chaves, 21, and pilots Charles Marsillac and Alexandre Souza.
The crash sparked a fire at an electric vehicle dealership below, setting about 20 cars ablaze.
Tree’s girlfriend, fashion photographer Fiona Chernavskaya, also paid tribute this week while asking fans to stop speculating about their relationship.
“Right now im mourning my partner and best friend, anything else is unimportant. please have some respect,” she wrote on Instagram Wednesday.
“I don’t want to see gossip about other women that Oliver may have been seeing. We were monogamous,” she added.
The singer’s death also renewed attention on a recent interview in which he said he wouldn’t leave his family “a f–king penny” if he died.
“I don’t believe that any of the wealth, or the things that get made from it, is mine. So when I die, my will is set up that when I pass, my family, no one’s going to get a penny,” Tree said on the April 24 episode of “The Zach Sang Show.”
“If I have a wife or kids or anything, they’re not getting a f–king penny,” he added.
“I’ll get my kids through college. That’s the agreement. But there’s not going to be a silver spoon.”
“The idea is, when I die, all the money is going to go back to artists.”
Tree, who had more than 11 million monthly Spotify listeners, had completed four dates on his global “World’s First World Tour” before the fatal crash.