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Messi has early exit as Argentina salvages draw vs. Colombia

Lionel Messi has a former Major League Soccer standout to thank for saving his return to Argentina on Thursday night. Now, Messi can focus on leading Inter Miami in the FIFA Club World Cup later this week.

Argentina’s Thiago Almada, who played with Atlanta United in 2022-24, scored the game-tying goal to salvage a 1-1 draw with Colombia at Mâs Monumental in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Almada scored in the 81st minute, roughly three minutes after Messi was substituted out of the match after receiving the start in his first match in his home country this year.

Messi hit the deck several times after tough challenges by defenders, but appeared to leave the match unscathed. Messi will likely return to South Florida on Wednesday, and fit some practice time in with Inter Miami on Thursday and Friday before the first of three-group stage matches in the Club World Cup.

Messi and Inter Miami play in the Club World Cup opener against Egyptian club Al Ahly on Saturday night at Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium.

Messi did not score in his two-match stint with the national team before the tournament – Argentina beat Chile 1-0 last Thursday – but he did get a chance to reunite and practice with old teammates for the first time this year. He was unable to join them for two matches in March due to injury.

Liverpool standout Luis Díaz scored for Colombia in the 24th minute, nearly spoiling Messi’s return and scoring their second victory over the World Cup champions since the 2024 Copa America final.

Almada scored roughly 11 minutes after Argentina was forced to play with 10 men to close the match. Enzo Fernandez received a red card in the 70th minute, trying to connect with an airborne ball but kicking Colombia’s Kevin Castaño on the left side of his forehead. 

Argentina beat Colombia 1-0 to win their second straight Copa America title on July 15, 2024. Colombia last beat Argentina 2-1 in a match where Messi did not play due to an ankle injury on Sept. 10, 2024.

Argentina already has qualified for the 2026 World Cup, co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico. But Messi has still yet to declare he will play in the tournament next year.

Argentina has three World Cup losses after Qatar World Cup

Argentina has lost twice in their last 10 matches, but have three losses in their last 36 matches dating back to their opening loss to Saudi Arabia at the Qatar World Cup in 2022. Overall, Argentina has just five losses in their last 74 matches.

  • Argentina lost 2-0 to Brazil in the 2019 Copa America semifinals.
  • Argentina opened the 2022 World Cup in Qatar with a 2-1 loss to Saudi Arabia on Nov. 22, 2022.
  • Argentina lost 2-0 to Uruguay in a World Cup qualifying match on Nov. 17, 2023.
  • Argentina lost 2-1 to Colombia in a Copa America final rematch on Sept. 10 in a game Messi did not play due to an ankle injury.
  • Argentina fell 2-1 to Paraguay in a World Cup qualifying match on Nov. 14, 2023.  

Thiago Almada goal: Argentina 1, Colombia 1

Thiago Almada dribbled past two defenders and fired a right boot into the back of the net in the 81st minute to tie this match against Colombia, roughly three minutes after Lionel Messi left the match as a substitute.

Messi leaves the match in 78th minute: Colombia 1, Argentina 0

Lionel Messi’s night is over after he was substituted off the pitch in the 78th minute.

Luis Díaz goal: Colombia 1, Argentina 0 

Luis Díaz dribbled past several defenders and scored in the 24th minute and Colombia leads Argentina 1-0. It was an impressive score from the Liverpool standout.

What time is the Argentina vs Colombia match? 

The match begins at 8 p.m. ET (9 p.m. in Argentina). 

How to watch Argentina vs Colombia on TV, live stream? 

The match will be broadcast by Telemundo in the U.S. Here’s a link to watch soccer on Fubo.

Is Messi playing in Argentina vs. Colombia match?

Yes, Messi is expected to play and will be in the starting lineup. 

Messi came off the bench in Argentina’s last match, playing nearly 40 minutes in their 1-0 win in Chile last Thursday. Julián Alvarez scored the only goal in the match. 

Before re-joining Argentina earlier this month, Messi played in all seven of Inter Miami’s matches in May. 

What are the CONMEBOL standings for World Cup 2026 qualifying? 

Argentina has already qualified for the next World Cup, sitting atop the CONMEBOL standings with 34 points. Ecuador (24 points), Paraguay (24), Brazil (22), Uruguay (21) and Colombia (21) round out the top 6 from South America – all of which would qualify for the World Cup. 

When does Messi play in the FIFA Club World Cup? 

Messi and Inter Miami will play in the Club World Cup opener on Saturday against Egyptian side Al Ahly at 8 p.m. ET inside Hard Rock Stadium in Miami. Inter Miami will also play FC Porto (Portugal) on June 19 in Atlanta and SE Palmeiras (Brazil) on June 23 in Miami to conclude the group stage.

Will Lionel Messi play in World Cup 2026? 

Messi has yet to declare whether he will play in the next World Cup with Argentina, the defending champions.

The biggest stories, every morning. Stay up-to-date on all the key sports developments by subscribing to USA TODAY Sports’ newsletter.

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Business

Walmart is using its own fintech firm to provide credit cards after dumping Capital One

Walmart’s majority-owned fintech startup OnePay said Monday it was launching a pair of credit cards with a bank partner for customers of the world’s biggest retailer.

OnePay is partnering with Synchrony, a major behind-the-scenes player in retail cards, which will issue the cards and handle underwriting decisions starting in the fall, the companies said.

OnePay, which was created by Walmart in 2021 with venture firm Ribbit Capital, will handle the customer experience for the card program through its mobile app.

Walmart had leaned on Capital One as the exclusive provider of its credit cards since 2018, but sued the bank in 2023 so that it could exit the relationship years ahead of schedule. At the time, Capital One accused Walmart of seeking to end its partnership so that it could move transactions to OnePay.

The Walmart card program had 10 million customers and roughly $8.5 billion in loans outstanding last year, when the partnership with Capital One ended, according to Fitch Ratings.

For Walmart and its fintech firm, the arrangement shows that, in seeking to quickly scale up in financial services, OnePay is opting to partner with established players rather than going it alone.

In March, OnePay announced that it was tapping Swedish fintech firm Klarna to handle buy now, pay later loans at the retailer, even after testing its own installment loan program.

In its quest to become a one-stop shop for Americans underserved by traditional banks, OnePay has methodically built out its offerings, which now include debit cards, high-yield savings accounts and a digital wallet with peer-to-peer payments.

OnePay is rolling out two options: a general purpose credit card that can be used anywhere Mastercard is accepted and a store card that will only allow Walmart purchases.

Customers whose credit profiles don’t allow them to qualify for the general purpose card will be offered the store card, according to a person with knowledge of the program.

OnePay hasn’t yet disclosed the rewards expected for making purchases with the cards. The Synchrony partnership was reported earlier by Bloomberg.

“Our goal with this credit card program is to deliver an experience for consumers that’s transparent, rewarding, and easy to use,” OnePay CEO Omer Ismail said in the Monday release.

“We’re excited to be partnering with Synchrony to launch a program at Walmart that checks each of those boxes and will help serve millions of people,” Ismail said.

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‘Love Nick’: Browns say they will miss Nick Chubb

BEREA, Ohio — Few players in Cleveland Browns history became beloved to the level Nick Chubb did.

His departure after seven years in northern Ohio, formalized by Chubb signing a one-year deal with the Houston Texans this week, was equally felt by the fan base and inside the Browns’ locker room.

‘Love Nick,’ defensive end Myles Garrett said. ‘A lot of people in this locker room still feel the same way as I do.

‘We want the best for him.’

Chubb made four consecutive Pro Bowls from 2019-22 and rushed for 1,525 yards, a career best, in 2022. At 80.5 rushing yards per game, he trails only Jim Brown in franchise history, while his 51 touchdowns ranks third behind Brown and Leroy Kelly on the all-time team list.

‘I got time to grow and mature’: Shedeur Sanders battling at Browns camp

‘You guys know how I feel about him,’ head coach Kevin Stefanski said. ‘Huge part of our success here and a huge part of our franchise.’

Disaster struck two weeks into the 2023 season, when he suffered a devastating knee injury that ended his year and required an extensive recovery. The way he battled back further endeared him to his teammates and fans. But he broke his foot with three games to play last season, with the Browns well removed from the playoff race.

To see Chubb go through all of that broke Garrett’s heart. But Chubb passed his physical with Houston, and Garrett is happy he can still play and wants to see him return to form with a smile on his face.

“Continue to ball out,” as Garrett put it.

As he negotiated his record-setting (at the time) contract extension amid an offseason trade request, Garrett said he made it clear during his conversations with the front office that he also wanted Chubb back. Instead, the Browns went younger at the position and drafted Quinshon Judkins out of Ohio State in the second round and Dylan Sampson from Tennessee in the fourth.

Garrett’s like what he’s seen thus far from the backs in general but he called it “an emotional blow” to not have Chubb around any longer.

“He’s broken through all the ceilings that we set for him while recovering from injuries he’s had, as extensive those have been,” Garrett said. “He’s special.” 

This post appeared first on USA TODAY
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Argentina vs Colombia: How to watch Lionel Messi play Tuesday

Lionel Messi will play with the Argentine national team in front of his beloved Argentinian fans in a World Cup qualifier against Colombia on Tuesday night. 

The match will be Messi’s first match in his home country this year, and his last before re-joining Inter Miami to participate in the FIFA Club World Cup later this week. It’s also a rematch of the 2024 Copa America final, which Argentina won last July.

Messi will start the match at Mâs Monumental in Buenos Aires, Argentine coach Lionel Scaloni said on Monday. 

‘Leo will play from the start. Let’s hope people enjoy him and the team,’ Scaloni said. 

Here’s everything you need to know about the Argentina vs. Colombia match: 

Luis Díaz goal: Colombia 1, Argentina 0 

Luis Díaz dribbled past several defenders and scored in the 24th minute and Colombia leads Argentina 1-0. It was an impressive score from the Liverpool standout.

What time is the Argentina vs Colombia match? 

The match begins at 8 p.m. ET (9 p.m. in Argentina). 

How to watch Argentina vs Colombia on TV, live stream? 

The match will be broadcast by Telemundo in the U.S. Here’s a link to watch soccer on Fubo.

Is Messi playing in Argentina vs. Colombia match?

Yes, Messi is expected to play and will be in the starting lineup. 

Messi came off the bench in Argentina’s last match, playing nearly 40 minutes in their 1-0 win in Chile last Thursday. Julián Alvarez scored the only goal in the match. 

Before re-joining Argentina earlier this month, Messi played in all seven of Inter Miami’s matches in May. 

What are the CONMEBOL standings for World Cup 2026 qualifying? 

Argentina has already qualified for the next World Cup, sitting atop the CONMEBOL standings with 34 points. Ecuador (24 points), Paraguay (24), Brazil (22), Uruguay (21) and Colombia (21) round out the top 6 from South America – all of which would qualify for the World Cup. 

When does Messi play in the FIFA Club World Cup? 

Messi and Inter Miami will play in the Club World Cup opener on Saturday against Egyptian side Al Ahly at 8 p.m. ET inside Hard Rock Stadium in Miami. Inter Miami will also play FC Porto (Portugal) on June 19 in Atlanta and SE Palmeiras (Brazil) on June 23 in Miami to conclude the group stage.

Will Lionel Messi play in World Cup 2026? 

Messi has yet to declare whether he will play in the next World Cup with Argentina, the defending champions.

The biggest stories, every morning. Stay up-to-date on all the key sports developments by subscribing to USA TODAY Sports’ newsletter.

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Noem takes aim at Tim Walz for letting his ‘city burn’ in 2020 as she justifies Trump’s LA riot response

Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem took a shot at Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz for how he handled the 2020 riots in his state, claiming that the Trump administration wouldn’t let history repeat itself in Los Angeles amid immigration protests. 

Noem, who previously served as governor of South Dakota, defended the Trump administration’s decision to deploy thousands of National Guard troops and hundreds of Marines to address the protests in Los Angeles, using Minnesota as an example of what happens when a ‘bad governor’ is in charge. 

‘I was a governor of a neighboring state to Tim Walz and watched him let his city burn,’ Noem told reporters Tuesday. ‘And the president and I have talked about this in the past, and he was not going to let that happen to another city and to another community where a bad governor made a bad decision.’ 

Walz was first elected governor of Minnesota in 2019, leading the state as protests broke out after the death of Black man George Floyd at the hands of a White police officer in 2020. While Walz has said he takes the blame for a delayed response activating the National Guard in his state, he has also said he is proud of how Minnesota reacted. 

‘I’m proud of Minnesota’s response. I’m proud of Minnesota’s first responders who were out there, from firefighters to police to the National Guard to citizens that were out there,’ Walz said in a 2022 gubernatorial debate. 

Walz’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital. 

Meanwhile, the Trump administration is dispatching a total of 4,000 National Guard troops and 700 Marines to Los Angeles after protests broke out Friday stemming from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrests in the city. 

President Donald Trump has gone head-to-head with California’s governor, Democrat Gavin Newsom, over the activation of the troops. While Trump has argued the National Guard troops are necessary to prevent destruction in Los Angeles, Newsom said most of the troops ‘are sitting, unused, in federal buildings without orders.’ 

Additionally, Newsom argued that the move violates state sovereignty because state governors typically oversee National Guard troops. However, Trump invoked a law to place the troops under federal command to bypass Newsom. 

‘This isn’t about public safety,’ Newsom said in a post on X on Monday. ‘It’s about stroking a dangerous President’s ego.’

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

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148 Democrats back noncitizen voting in DC as GOP raises alarm about foreign agents

The majority of House Democrats voted in favor of allowing non-citizens to participate in Washington, D.C. elections on Tuesday.

The House of Representatives passed a bill led by Rep. August Pfluger, R-Texas, to prohibit non-U.S. citizens from voting in elections in the nation’s capital.

It passed 266 to 148, with 56 Democrats joining Republicans in passing the measure. One Democrat voted ‘present,’ while 148 voted against the bill.

‘I believe strongly in not having federal overreach, but we have jurisdiction, Congress has jurisdiction over Washington, District of Columbia…and we don’t like to utilize our jurisdiction and our authority, but in this case, they’ve gone too far,’ Pfluger told Fox News Digital in an interview before the vote.

D.C.’s progressive city council passed the Local Resident Voting Rights Amendment Act in 2022, granting non-U.S. citizens the ability to vote in local elections if they’ve lived in the district for at least 30 days.

Noncitizens can also hold local elected office in the D.C. government.

The local measure has been a frequent target of GOP attacks, with Republican national security hawks raising alarms about the possibility of hostile foreign agents participating in D.C. elections.

But progressive Democrats like Rep. Maxwell Frost, D-Fla., who spoke out against the bill on Tuesday afternoon, have dismissed that as an implausible scenario. 

‘Republicans claim that Congress has a constitutional duty to legislate on local D.C. matters, but this is historically and legally incorrect. Republicans legislate on local D.C. matters only when they think they can score political points, such as by demonizing immigrants,’ Frost said during debate on the House floor.

‘They only bring it up to the floor when they think they can score political points, taking away the democratic rights of people here in D.C. and home rule.’

Frost also argued that it was ‘highly unlikely’ foreign officials would vote in those elections, claiming they would have to ‘renounce their right to vote in their home country’ and because ‘D.C. has no authority in federal matters.’

But Pfluger, who spoke with Fox News Digital before the vote, was optimistic that it would get at least some Democratic support.

He noted that 52 Democrats voted for the bill when it passed the House in the previous Congress. It was never taken up in the formerly Democrat-controlled Senate, however.

‘It’s hard to go back to your district as a Democrat and say, yeah, I want foreign agents to be able to vote in our elections – ‘Oh yeah, it’s not federal elections,’ some may say. But it has an impact on the way the city is run,’ Pfluger said.

‘This could be Russian embassy personnel, they could be Chinese embassy personnel – a number of folks. It’s just wrong. It goes against the fabric of our society,’ he added.

Another bill receiving a vote on Tuesday is legislation that would grant D.C. police the ability to negotiate punishments via collective bargaining, and would help shield the capital’s police force from at least some liability by installing a statute of limitations against the Metropolitan Police Department. 

That legislation was introduced by New York Republican Rep. Andrew Garbarino.

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NCAA implements coach’s challenge in men’s college basketball

If there were a defining image of the 2024-25 men’s college basketball season, it wasn’t a buzzer-beater, a stunning upset or even the Final Four itself, when Florida completed a frantic comeback to defeat Houston in an instant classic of an NCAA championship game.

It was officials gathering around a monitor to review a call at a late stage in the game.

Two months after the season ended, the powers that be in the sport are looking to remedy the issue.

The NCAA’s playing rules oversight panel approved several changes on June 10 that will aim to “help enhance the flow of the game,” the organization announced Tuesday.

Most notable among them is the introduction of a coach’s challenge, which can be used at any point during a game to review out-of-bounds calls, basket interference and goaltending, and whether a secondary defender was in the restricted arc area underneath the basket. 

Teams must have a timeout in order to use a challenge. If the challenge is successful, the team will be permitted one additional video review request for the rest of the game, including overtime. If the contested call isn’t overturned, a team can’t bring forth a challenge for the rest of the game.

The NBA has employed a similar challenge system since 2019.

Referee-initiated video reviews on out-of-bounds calls in the final minutes of games were a constant source of frustration for fans in recent years, with the deliberations regularly interrupting close, exciting games and extending the game well beyond its allotted broadcast window.

Even with the coach’s challenge, officials can still decide to turn to instant replay for timing mistakes, scoring errors, shot-clock violations, flagrant fouls and whether a shot is a 2-pointer or a 3-pointer, among other things. They can also initiate reviews for restricted-arc plays and goaltending/basket interference in the final two minutes of a game and overtime.

The advent of the coach’s challenge was one of several measures that was approved Tuesday.

The continuous motion rule has been tweaked so that a player driving with the ball who has absorbed contact can complete their step and attempt a field goal, another step that brings the college rules closer to their NBA counterparts. Players are currently only awarded free throws if they’re fouled while shooting.

Under new rules, officials will also have the option to call a Flagrant 1 foul if a player has been contacted in the groin. Previously, they could only rule it a common foul or a Flagrant 2 foul, the latter of which results in an ejection.

Perhaps the biggest change is one the NCAA ultimately didn’t implement.

In its release, the organization noted that the NCAA men’s basketball committee had conversations and “positive momentum” to move men’s games from halves to quarters. While there are logistical challenges — namely, how media timeouts would be structured during a game — the committee has recommended that Division I conferences form a joint working group to offer feedback on the potential halves-to-quarters move.

Halves are largely a relic of the men’s college game, as women’s college basketball, the NBA and international basketball all use quarters.

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2025 U.S. Open picks, odds: Scottie Scheffler is the favorite

The first two golf majors of the year have been claimed, with Rory McIlroy winning the Masters Tournament in April and Scottie Scheffler taking the PGA Championship last month. Who will win the 2025 U.S. Open?

The third major of the year is set to tee off at Oakmont Country Club in Oakmont, Pennsylvania, on Thursday for a record 10th time. Scheffler (+275) and McIlroy (+1400) are among the favorites to win the 2025 U.S. Open, along with reigning U.S. Open champion Bryson DeChambeau (+750), who is looking to become the eighth golfer to win back-to-back U.S. Open titles and the first since Brooks Koepka repeated in 2018.

McIlroy won the U.S. Open in 2011, while Scheffler’s best result at the tournament came in 2022 when he was the runner-up behind champion Matt Fitzpatrick.

Here’s everything you need to know about the 2025 U.S. Open:

Predictions for 2025 U.S. Open Championship

Dylan Dethier, Golf.com: Xander Schauffele always shows up at U.S. Open

‘Don’t let him throw you off the scent with his first non-top-20 major finish in three-plus years or a surprisingly poor putting performance at the Memorial. If Xander can find the groove with his driver, he has as good a chance as anybody to win this thing. Don’t forget: He’s played eight U.S. Opens in his life, he’s never finished worse than 14th, and he has six top-7s. Book this man for a win, cover your bases with a top 10.’

Jessica Marksbury, Golf.com: Scottie Scheffler continues to dominate

‘How can I go with any other player? Scottie is back in alpha mode, and a U.S. Open at Oakmont — golf’s toughest test on the game’s toughest course — will identify the most complete player as champion. That’s Scottie. Third leg of the career grand slam comin’ up!’

Nick Piastowski, Golf.com: Bryson DeChambeau repeats

‘With high rough, give me the guy who’s hitting wedges into the greens. It’s hard to bet against Scottie Scheffler, but I’m predicting a DeChambeau repeat.’

Iain MacMillan, Sports Illustrated: Scottie Scheffler is running a one-man race

‘If you aren’t going to bet on Scottie Scheffler, you should stick to betting the ‘without Scheffler’ market. We haven’t seen a golfer listed with as short of odds as +280 to win a major since Tiger Woods in his prime, but in my opinion, his odds should be even shorter.

‘He has won three of his last four starts, including running away with the PGA Championship at Quail Hollow. Over the last six months, Scheffler has gained 0.73 true strokes per round more than any other golfer in the world. The 0.73 strokes per round gap between Scheffler and the second-ranked golfer, Bryson DeChambeau, is the same as the gap between DeChambeau and Sepp Straka.’

Odds for 2025 U.S. Open Championship

*All odds via BetMGM, as of Tuesday, June 10

  • Scottie Scheffler (+275)
  • Bryson DeChambeau (+750)
  • Jon Rahm (+1200)
  • Rory McIlroy (+1400)
  • Ludvig Aberg (+2200)
  • Xander Schauffele (+2200)
  • Collin Morikawa (+2500)
  • Joaquin Niemann (+3000)
  • Shane Lowry (+3300)

How to watch 2025 U.S. Open Championship

The 2025 U.S. Open will be broadcast on NBC and the USA Network.

*All times Eastern Time.

  • Date: Thursday, June 12 — Sunday, June 15
  • Location: Oakmont Country Club (Oakmont, Pennsylvania)
  • TV Channel: NBC, USA Network
    • Round 1, Thursday: 6 a.m.-5 p.m. (USA), 5-8 p.m. (Peacock)
    • Round 2, Friday: 6:30 a.m.-1 p.m. (Peacock), 1-7 p.m. (NBC), 7-8 p.m. (Peacock)
    • Round 3, Saturday: 10 a.m.-noon (USA), noon-8 p.m. (NBC)
    • Round 4, Sunday: 9 a.m.-noon (USA), noon-7 p.m. (NBC)
  • Streaming: Peacock, usopen.com, USGA App, DirecTV or YouTube TV

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FIFA to Club World Cup ticket buyers: Be part of soccer history

CORAL GABLES, FL — FIFA president Gianni Infantino believes the Club World Cup opener with Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami and Egpytian side Al Ahly at Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium on Saturday, June 14 will be “full” and “packed” with fans.

Infantino didn’t quite say sell out. But he’s taking news of slow ticket sales in stride.

Although ticket sales have not met FIFA’s expectations in the final week before the new tournament begins, Infantino thinks soccer fans in the United States should take advantage of the opportunity to watch 32 of the best soccer club teams in the world in the 11 cities where matches will be played this summer.

“I think this is the important element that people have to really capture now – be part of history,” Infantino said during a Club World Cup event at FIFA’s headquarters near Miami on May 10.

“Football is such an important sport all over the world. We’ll have billions of people watching this Club World Cup from home, who would love to come and to attend. And we’ll have millions who are here, and who will be able to be part of this very first FIFA Club World Cup, which will enter into history. So, I think it’s great.”

Some Club World Cup ticket prices have been lowered significantly thanks to dynamic pricing – a mechanism used to lower or raise ticket prices based on demand. The cheapest tickets to half of the Club World Cup group stage matches (24 of 48) are under $36 all-in with fees before taxes.

FIFA has a $2 billion revenue target it expects to generate from the Club World Cup – which includes $1 billion already paid by DAZN to live stream all 63 matches for free on their website and app, and another $500 million in marketing rights. The other $500 million will come from hospitality rights and ticket sales.

Along with the $1 billion prize pool that will be paid by FIFA and divided among the 32 Club World Cup teams, FIFA is targeting to make $250 million in solidarity payments to other clubs and leagues around the world to further the game. FIFA also plans to pay each host city $1 million to support community soccer projects in the future.

When FIFA announced its unprecedented prize pool for the Club World Cup in March, it also said it will not retain any profits from the tournament.

While previous editions of the Club World Cup predominantly featured seven teams, FIFA hopes the expanded 2025 Club World Cup sets a new standard for club soccer globally and can become a tournament held every four years one year before World Cups.

“As for every new venture that anyone tries to create in the world, there are always discussions that you never really know what will happen. … For us, the important element is to fill the stadiums, to give opportunities to people to come,” Infantino said.

“We were lucky enough – and this is also something that we did not expect in that measure – that we got great attention from sponsors and brokers broadcasters so that when it comes to revenues, everything is perfectly secured.”

The Club World Cup will host matches in Atlanta, Charlotte, Cincinnati, Los Angeles, Miami, Orlando, Nashville, New Jersey, Philadelphia, Seattle and Washington D.C. The final is July 13 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

Wednesday marks one year until the next World Cup begins on June 11, 2026. That event will be co-hosted by the U.S., Canada and Mexico.

The biggest stories, every morning. Stay up-to-date on all the key sports developments by subscribing to USA TODAY Sports’ newsletter.

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Mike Tomlin and Aaron Rodgers are desperate to win big again

PITTSBURGH – Aaron Rodgers is here. Finally.

No, there’s no pressure (yeah, right) as the Hall of Fame-credentialed icon makes his “offseason debut” for the Pittsburgh Steelers at a not-so-ho-hum minicamp on Tuesday. All Rodgers needs to do is turn a storied NFL franchise into a championship contender again.

And the same can be said for Mike Tomlin.

Yep, Rodgers and Tomlin are joined at the hip for this mission to roll back the clock and pursue championship glory – and are also two desperate reasons why this has a chance.

Hey, they both need each other like crazy…enough to try.

Go ahead, fire away. It’s fair game. Rodgers is 41 and hasn’t won a playoff game since the 2020 campaign, way back in his Green Bay Packers life. Tomlin has never had a losing season in 18 years but hasn’t sniffed a playoff victory since 2016.

As they stand now, doubted and embattled, embattled and doubted, the setbacks both endured in recent years have provided quite the common denominator to fuel a bond.

Having once sat atop the NFL mountaintop, it has undoubtedly eaten at Rodgers and Tomlin that over so many years they have been unable reach that height again. Rodgers won a Super Bowl before he earned any of his four NFL MVP awards and that’s been that. Tomlin took the Steelers to two Super Bowls in his first four seasons, winning the crown in his second year, and that’s been that.

It’s been a minute since the 2010 season when, ironically, Rodgers led the Pack over the Steelers in Super Bowl 45. Back then, who knew (besides Tom Brady and Patrick Mahomes) that it would be the last time we’d see either of these alpha males on a Super Bowl stage.

So, look at them now. Together they can dream of chasing confetti again.

Of course, it’s a huge dream that will take much more than determined synergy from the two most crucial pieces for any NFL team – the quarterback and head coach. And that’s even before considering a treacherous AFC field that includes Mahomes and Andy Reid, Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson. And then some.

Yet at least Rodgers and Tomlin have a boost of hope in each other. And a connection that has been built over years with mutual respect.

The connection, too, has been strengthened in recent months as Rodgers contemplated his future and the outside noise swirled. They talked at least once a week.

Winners and losers of Aaron Rodgers’ deal with Steelers? Oh so many questions

Rodgers, after two disastrous seasons with the New York Jets, doesn’t sign up for the one-year hitch with the Steelers unless he felt it was possible they could position themselves as a contender, of which he can have much influence. If Brady, then 43, can win a Super Bowl in his first season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2020), then maybe…

The Steelers have significant pieces in place, including new big-play wideout DK Metcalf, star edge rusher T.J. Watt (pending contract) and all-pro D-tackle Cam Heyward. Tomlin’s presence, which includes tapping into the locker room pulse on a Bill Parcells level, may have been the clincher for Rodgers wanting to come aboard.

Tomlin, who struck out with Russell Wilson (and Justin Fields) last season, sees Rodgers as the fiery competitor eager to win now – at least for now as the one-year commitment indicates. Add a below-market contract that would still pay less than $20 million if all incentives are met and GM Omar Khan gets a bit more salary cap flexibility to stay aggressive with a talent hunt that could, well, strengthen the cast around Rodgers.

Sure, Rodgers will drill down with O-coordinator Arthur Smith to craft a system that increases chances to succeed. No negative there. In fact, it may do wonders for Smith’s rep, too, given the struggles with Pittsburgh’s offense in 2024. Rodgers has long been regarded as having one of the NFL’s sharpest minds, having deciphered virtually every blitz and coverage imaginable over two decades. That expertise matters.

Never mind the narrative that they’ve lost too many offseason practice reps. Remember, Brett Favre came out of retirement in 2009 and joined the Minnesota Vikings on August 18…and led them to the NFC title game.

Here’s to patience. For much of the offseason, as the NFL universe waited on Rodgers to commit to a 21st season, Tomlin showed no hint of frustration that a deal wasn’t struck months ago. The noise from critics was persistent, with suggestions that Rodgers was stringing the Steelers along balanced by suggestions that Pittsburgh should have dropped its pursuit.

Pressed by reporters this spring about needing a hard deadline for a decision by Rodgers, Tomlin on multiple occasions said something about training camp. It sounded witty, like a good one-liner that left ‘em laughing.

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Turns out, this week’s three-day minicamp represents the last organized activity until Steelers players report for training camp in Latrobe, Penn. on July 23. Tomlin’s training camp reference wasn’t far off.

Yet it’s deeper than that. Although Rodgers reportedly had interest in the Vikings, Tomlin knew, too, that he needed time. In addition to weighing retirement, Rodgers has dealt with personal matters that included illnesses of people in his inner circle.

Football aside, Tomlin understood. While Tomlin, like many coaches, can be brash, direct and boisterous – and loaded with catchy slogans – that persona may eclipse his gift for connecting with his players as people. And that will include the eccentric Rodgers.

That’s essential to the rich culture that Tomlin has developed. Of course, there’s a Tomlin mantra that sums it up: “We want volunteers, not hostages.”

The Steelers have had their share of malcontents, yet personnel decisions over the years (as in move on) illustrate how serious they are in protecting a no-nonsense environment.

After two years with the Jets, Rodgers is one high-profile volunteer. You can’t blame him if he feels relieved. He was cut from the franchise that owns the NFL’s longest playoff drought at 14 seasons, the futility wrapped with instability. They’re on their eighth coach in 25 years.

Tomlin, meanwhile, is Pittsburgh’s third coach in 56 years. Yet all that stability comes with a different type of pressure, which Rodgers eagerly accepts in joining forces. Finally.

Follow Jarrett Bell on social media: @JarrettBell

This post appeared first on USA TODAY
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