World Cup final ball, halftime show outfits to be auctioned

New York: A sale of World Cup memorabilia, including a ball used in the final and outfits worn by performers at the halftime show, was announced yesterday by New York auction house Christie’s. forestarrow.rest

The week-long online auction begins on July 22 and raises funds for the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, an initiative working to generate $100m for children worldwide during the World Cup.

Top items include a yellow crop top and trousers worn by Colombian pop singer Shakira in her music video for Dai Dai, the official song of the 2026 football tournament.

The outfit she will wear during her performance at the first-ever World Cup final halftime show -- an 11-minute musical extravaganza also featuring Madonna, Justin Bieber and BTS - will also be auctioned.

Several soccer balls will go on sale including one from the July 19 final at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey and another from the opening match in Mexico last month.

A 2022 Argentina jersey signed by star player Lionel Messi is being auctioned too, as well as a US jersey signed by the United States’ men’s team.

Tokyo: Indian badminton star Pusarla Venkata Sindhu said Wednesday that "everybody is beatable" as she targets a medal at the world championships on home soil in New Delhi next month.

Sindhu won the world title in 2019 and also captured Olympic silver in Rio in 2016 and bronze in Tokyo five years later.

The 31-year-old is a massive star in her home country and will be the focus of attention at the world championships from August 17 to 23.

She told AFP in Tokyo, where she is playing at the Japan Open, that she expects to be in the mix for a medal.

"Right now, with the game I'm playing, I think I just need to do a little bit of small tweaks and stick to my game plan, irrespective of who the other player is," said the world number 10.

"Just keep fighting for every point. I feel that everybody is beatable."

Sindhu arrives in Tokyo after reaching the semi-finals of the Australian Open last month.

Her last title came in December 2024 at the Syed Modi India International in Lucknow.

She believes playing at home will help her again at the world championships.

"There will be pressure, I will not deny that, but at the same time it's a kind of confidence when you play in your home court," she said.

"I think it's really good and I feel confident having it in our country."

Sindhu is not the only Indian player in contention for a medal next month.

Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty are number four in the men's doubles world rankings, while Lakshya Sen is number 14 in men's singles.

"In India, I think after cricket, badminton is the next big sport," said Sindhu.

"In the last few years it's become a lot more, and we have a lot of athletes who are doing really well.

"It is quite popular and I feel that there will be a lot of crowds supporting India this time."

The last time the world championships were held in India was in 2009 in Hyderabad, Sindhu's home city.

She is hoping her country makes the most of the opportunity.

"For the youngsters, it will be a good thing to see top athletes who are coming to Delhi and playing at the top level," she said.

"It's a very good experience for the youngsters to see and learn a lot more."

حرص رجال الشرطة في مدينة دالاس بولاية تكساس الأمريكية، على توديع بعثة منتخب مصر الأول، قبل التوجه لمدينة أتلانتا، طبقا لما نشرة موقع الاتحاد المصري لكرة القدم، حيث صافحوا حسام حسن، المدير الفني لمنتخب مصر وإبراهيم حسن، مدير المنتخب، وتبادلا التحية قبل تحرك البعثة.
كما أهدى رجال الشرطة في دالاس، شارة الشرطة، المخصصة لتأمين بطولة كأس العالم، لحسام وإبراهيم حسن، تعبيراً عن تقديرهم للتوأم، وهي شارات أمنية ذهبية، مصممة خصيصاً للاحتفال بمشاركة رجال الشرطة في تأمين هذا الحدث العالمي.

أكد صالح صقرالبوعينين أحد الرموز التاريخية للكرة القطرية، أنه برحيل صاحب السمو الأمير الوالد الشيخ حمد بن خليفة آل ثاني، رحمه الله، فقدت الأسرة الرياضية الأب الروحي والداعم الأول للحركة الرياضية والشبابية في قطر، مشيراً إلى أن سموه كان صاحب نظرة أبوية ورؤية ثاقبة تحولت بفضلها الرياضة القطرية من بداياتها البسيطة إلى منظومة عالمية يُشار إليها بالبنان.
وقال صقر: «إن الأجيال الرياضية المتعاقبة التي عاصرت نهضة قطر تدرك جيداً حجم العطاء والجهد الذي بذله الأمير الوالد لتطوير الرياضة من القواعد والأحياء والفرجان وحتى المنتخبات الوطنية، حيث كان سموه قريباً من الجميع وحريصاً على تشجيع المواهب الوطنية وتذليل كافة العقبات أمامهم، مما قاد كرتنا ورياضتنا لمنصات التتويج القارية والدولية، ومهد الطريق لتنظيم بطولات ومحافل عملاقة توجت بالحدث التاريخي الأبرز وهو كأس العالم قطر 2022».
وأضاف: «إن الإرث الحقيقي الذي تركه لنا الأمير الوالد، طيب الله ثراه، هو الإيمان بالقدرات الوطنية والعمل بروح الفريق الواحد من أجل رفعة هذا الوطن الغالي، ونحن كرياضيين تقع على عاتقنا مسؤولية كبيرة لنقل هذه القيم والمبادئ السامية إلى الأجيال القادمة، لتبقى راية قطر خفاقة دائماً في جميع الميادين الرياضية».

Stourbridge, United Kingdom: As England gears up for the World Cup semi-final Wednesday, there will be one name on everyone's lips: Jude Bellingham, the star midfielder who powered the Three Lions through to the marquee clash against Argentina.

In packed stadiums in North America and pubs back home, people belt out the Beatles' "Hey Jude" and don t-shirts with slogans like "Bend it like Bellingham" -- a play on the iconic 2000s film "Bend it like Beckham".

But nowhere is the 23-year-old midfielder more feted than his hometown of Stourbridge, a quiet market town in central England, west of Birmingham.

Wheeling his bike past the town's shopping centre, retiree Keith Hall blows a kiss towards a superhero comic-style mural of Bellingham.

"He's a local lad," Hall told AFP, adding Bellingham "keeps in touch with his roots" despite now playing for Real Madrid.

Bellingham launched his football career playing for the Stourbridge Juniors, before joining Birmingham City's youth side and becoming the club's youngest first-team player.

"It doesn't surprise me that he's become an international sensation because he's the coolest man currently living," gushed grocery store worker Sam Holden, 21.

"Harry Kane obviously can kind of save us in our time of need, but Jude Bellingham can just take us to the heights that England absolutely are capable of reaching."

A regional railway company is offering passengers named "Jude" free travel in Stourbridge this week.

"We look forward to inviting Judes from across the region for a free ride on the Stourbridge Shuttle," said Jonny Wiseman from the West Midlands Railway.

الأخبارفي بطولة آسيا لرفع الأثقال.. المانع يكرم البطل الأولمبي القرغيزي كانيبكحرص سعادة محمد بن يوسف المانع، النائب الأول لرئيس اللجنة الأولمبية القطرية، ورئيس الاتحادات القطري والعربي والآسيوي والأفروآسيوي لرفع الأثقال، على تكريم البطل الأولمبي القرغيزي ...فتح →

The fever has spread beyond the area, known as Black Country, with a railway station in southeast London briefly renamed to "Jude Bellingham" station.

'King Jude'

In a pub in the village of Hagley near Stourbridge, Vienna Letts recalls the incredible atmosphere when Bellingham and England take to the field.

"Hagley is quite a niche, quiet community normally, but it's like we've all come into one space to just support Jude," said Letts.

"No one would have thought that a boy from Stourbridge could be the top scorer and England could be in the semifinals."

After two stunning goals against Norway on Saturday that fired England into the semis, Bellingham is tied with team captain Kane on six goals in the tournament.

A local shop displays a portrait of Bellingham in its window, and during an interview, a man walks past yelling "hail king Jude!"

In Birmingham, a mural has popped up showing the 23-year-old and teammate and fellow local Morgan Rogers eating local delicacy battered chips -- dipped in an orange batter and deep-fried.

"He's like a hero for other local people, local children, knowing (if) you work hard, you can meet your dreams," said Harpreet Basin, a 40-year-old teacher, visiting the mural.

Back in Stourbridge, tanning salon manager Jessica said she'd been hearing chants of "Hey Jude" around town during the World Cup.

"My children, they've now learned what that song is from it being sung at the football matches," said Jessica. "They (go) round the house singing it as well."

Bellingham appeared moved to tears after the England versus Norway game, when even football legend David Beckham joined the huge crowds serenading him with "Hey Jude" on Saturday in the Miami Stadium.