0:08
‘It had no impact’: USMNT insist Balogun political circus did not affect World Cup exit
Mauricio Pochettino made it clear the drama around Folarin Balogun’s red‑card ban never touched the game. The United States fell 4‑1 to Belgium, and the forward’s contribution was modest. He helped win the foul that led to the lone American goal, a deflected free‑kick off Malik Tillman’s foot, but he never sparked the attack the team needed.
Balogun’s presence on the pitch didn’t change the flow. Belgium played with precision, breaking the U.S. rhythm at every turn. The Americans looked disjointed, unable to match the Belgian technical edge.
Pochettino and his staff insist the political circus was a background story, not a factor in the loss. The defeat was about tactics, execution, and a gap in quality that Belgium exploited.
0:58
A shambolic end for the American dream - did Balogun saga play a part?
Mauricio Pochettino sounded weary after the United States bowed out of the World Cup. He said he’s disappointed that too many voices dragged politics and manipulation into the sport. The exit itself was already tough, but the conversation quickly shifted to Folarin Balogna’s eligibility. Coaches, officials and pundits spent hours debating his availability instead of dissecting the play on the field. That off‑court chatter left the coach feeling let down, as the team left the tournament without a win. The focus on controversy, rather than performance, turned a hard‑fought goodbye into a shambolic ending for the American dream.
1:42
Silverstone anticlimax threatens to send F1 back to the drawing board on rules
The British Grand Prix wrapped up behind the safety car, handing Charles Leclerc the win but leaving fans craving a proper finish. Leclerc admitted he’d have liked a flashier victory, and most viewers felt the anticlimax dulled what could have been a thrilling showdown.
The ending sparked a fresh round of debate about how the sport handles safety‑car periods. Officials, teams and drivers all pointed to past incidents that left similar questions unanswered. The conversation now centers on whether the current rules give enough clarity to avoid these stalled conclusions.
If the criticism sticks, the FIA may be forced to tweak the safety‑car protocol. A clearer framework could keep races exciting right to the checkered flag, and prevent another Silverstone finish that feels more like a footnote than a finale.
2:36
Belgium brutally trolls U.S., Trump’s FIFA intervention, following 4-1 World Cup win
If there is such a thing as the Trump Curse, it received one of its strongest pieces of evidence yet on Monday night.
After President Trump intervened (by his own account) to get FIFA to suspend American star Folarin Balogun’s one-game ban so that he could play in the Round of 16, the USMNT promptly laid a giant egg in primetime, getting blown out by the Belgians.
Adding insult to injury, with the game already well in hand, Belgium went up 4-1 in the 93rd minute thanks to a strike from Romelu Lukaku. As he celebrated, Lukaku gestured to the pro-American crowd at Seattle Stadium, as if to say he couldn’t hear them anymore.
After the match, the official X account of the Belgian men’s national team shared those images, capping them with a two-word caption: “Overturn this.”
Overturn this. #USABEL pic.twitter.com/KcBAJp3Z7d
— Belgian Red Devils (@BelRedDevils) July 7, 2026
It was icing on the cake for Belgian fans and the Royal Belgian Football Association, which made its feelings known about FIFA’s shocking reversal of the one-game ban and appealed the decision (which was denied).
“To date, the RBFA has still not received any grounds for this decision, nor has it received the information it has been requesting since the start of this procedure for a copy of this decision and the motivation declaring the player eligible as well as the referee’s report,” the Belgian body said in a statement. “Which is a breach of FIFA regulations.
“The RBFA has informed the United States Soccer Federation that it contests the eligibility of the player, should the player be listed on the referee’s team sheet. This leaves all further actions open.”
Turns out, the only action needed took place on the pitch. Belgium took a 1-0 lead on a goal by Charles De Ketelaere nine minutes into the match. USMNT’s Malik Tillman tied things up at the 31-minute mark, but De Ketelaere quickly gave the Red Devils the lead once more. They never looked back, extending it to a 3-1 lead following a monumental gaffe by American goalie Matt Freese in the second half before Lukaku iced things in stoppage time.
“Some will dance around it. I’ll say it. The intervention of the president in the suspension of U.S. striker Flo Balogun’s suspension for the game killed the vibe,” wrote PFT’s Mike Florio. “It removed the justifiable chip on the U.S. team’s shoulder arising from an unwarranted red card on Balogun and shifted it to Belgium’s squad. The Belgian players had something extra. The U.S. team simply couldn’t match it.”
While the Trump administration and the U.S. pulled every lever to regain the advantage, it was Belgium that came away with the last laugh.
The post Belgium brutally trolls U.S., Trump’s FIFA intervention, following 4-1 World Cup win appeared first on Awful Announcing.
Source:
5:24
Carli Lloyd critical of USMNT, Christian Pulisic following World Cup exit: ‘They lost the game before they even stepped out onto the pitch’
In what many considered the biggest USMNT match in history, the Americans simply fell apart, eventually losing 4-1 to Belgium in the 2026 FIFA World Cup Round of 16.
In retrospect, it might have been smart to predict that the U.S. wasn’t likely to go much further than this point; the hype and excitement around this squad, coupled with a home-field advantage, led to a massive sense of disappointment.
That disappointment wasn’t just for fans, but also for those who cover U.S. soccer for a living.
Fox Sports analyst Carli Lloyd, who knows a thing or two about what it takes to win a World Cup, didn’t pull any punches following the match, saying that it felt like the American side lost the game before it even began.
@CarliLloyd shares her thoughts after the USA exited the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the Round of 16 pic.twitter.com/AiXMZCNn9P
— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) July 7, 2026
“It’s a bit of a downer for us being out here now after this loss, but I felt like they lost the game before they even stepped out onto the pitch,” said Lloyd. “I’m not sure why, and I don’t know the reasons, but just from the beginning, just chasing, tentative, scared, just not confident on the ball. And I think big-time players— you wanted some of those big-time players to step up in big moments.”
Lloyd then zeroed in on one big-time player in particular, saying she was especially disappointed in Christian Pulisic, who failed to be a difference-maker before he was removed in the 59th minute due to an injury.
“I gotta be honest, I was a bit disappointed with Christian Pulisic,” she continued. “I think whether he wants to be the star of this team or not, we didn’t see enough from him in this particular game and really the whole World Cup. Little glimpses here and there.”
Lloyd did note that it was a great World Cup for the U.S., which won its group and reached the Round of 16 for only the second time, even if it all came crashing down in the end.
“There is a bright future, but this is just a real disappointing loss to go out on,” she ended.
The post Carli Lloyd critical of USMNT, Christian Pulisic following World Cup exit: ‘They lost the game before they even stepped out onto the pitch’ appeared first on Awful Announcing.
7:43
‘Overturn this’: victorious Belgium throw barb after Balogun red-card controversy
Belgium ran past the United States 4‑1, sealing a spot in the World Cup quarter‑finals. The victory felt sweeter because it capped a match clouded by off‑field drama.
FIFA lifted the red card given to US striker Folarin Balogun in the previous round, letting him line up against the Red Devils. Reports said former President Donald Trump pushed for the reversal, a move UEFA slammed as incomprehensible and unjustifiable.
The Belgians celebrated
8:16
Fox’s desperate plea to Americans to keep watching soccer reminds us fear is the mind-killer
If there was a sensation that became obvious in the final minutes of Belgium’s 4-1 victory over the USMNT on Monday night, it was fear.
Not that the U.S. side would lose; that was a foregone conclusion even before Romelu Lukaku’s soul-crusher of a goal in the 93rd minute.
It was fear that this was it. That for all the hype, all the pomp, and all the circumstance, the love affair that America had kindled with soccer these past few weeks would fizzle out now that the USMNT had been revealed to be good, but not the great squad some had propped them up to be.
It was fear that this might be the best American soccer can hope for, making a run into the knockout stages but never getting over the hump, even with home-field (and presidential) advantage.
And it was fear that the firehose of money — all that sweet, sweet, delicious money — was about to dry up for Fox now that the Americans were out of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
That fear was crystallized by Fox announcer John Strong, who offered a desperate plea in the match’s waning moments for those watching at home to continue watching soccer despite where all of this ended.
“If you’ve enjoyed what you’re seeing, well, support your local team,” said Strong. “This doesn’t have to be the last soccer you watch for the next four years. It’s a beautiful sport…”
Whatever the intention, it landed with the kind of thud that can only come from fearful insistences during moments of hard truths.
OMG the “please keep watching soccer” message as the U.S. is getting waffle-stomped is NOT HELPING …
— Greg Wyshynski (@wyshynski) July 7, 2026
The announcers begging US viewers to not stop watching the World Cup now that we’ve lost is the depressing cherry on top
— Sam Stein (@samstein) July 7, 2026
Hilarious plea there to America to not stop watching soccer.
— Bryan Curtis (@bryancurtis) July 7, 2026
Love the Fox announcer panicking to remind American fans they can keep watching soccer
— Sean Keeley (@seankeeley.bsky.social) July 6, 2026 at 6:59 PM
He sounded like me podcasting about judo or fencing on the last day of the Olympics https://t.co/E8Yb1v9cJ8
— Mitch Goldich (@mitchgoldich) July 7, 2026
The comments retroactively reveal just how much that fear has been here the entire time. From Fox, from the USMNT, from long-suffering fans, and from casual audiences at home. The fear that this was a little bit of fun, but now it’s over, and we’ll all have forgotten about it by August.
That fear won’t be reconciled by attempting to strong-arm Americans into caring more about soccer; it’ll only be extinguished by true passion and a men’s soccer team that elevates itself beyond what feels possible in this moment.
It can happen, but fear won’t get anyone there.
The post Fox’s desperate plea to Americans to keep watching soccer reminds us fear is the mind-killer appeared first on Awful Announcing.
11:09
NRL announce record-breaking $5.3bn broadcast deal with Nine and Foxtel
Nine Entertainment and Foxtel have locked in the NRL’s media rights for the next seven years. The package totals $5.3 billion and runs through 2034, with games staying on free‑to‑air TV and streaming on DAZN.
The agreement kicks in from 2028 and carries an annual price tag of about $750 million. That level of cash flow marks a major boost for the league’s revenue stream.
Both broadcasters will keep the same mix of live matches, highlights and analysis that fans expect. The deal also secures a stable platform for the sport’s growth across Australia and overseas.
The Australian Rugby League Commission calls the pact a defining moment for rugby league, underscoring how the new partnership will shape the game’s future.
11:58
Belgium beats, then trolls, U.S. team on Monday night
Even though it was tied, 1-1, after Malik Tillman scored another goal on a free kick just outside the penalty area, it never felt close.
Belgium beat the U.S. in the Round of 16 in the 2026 World Cup on Monday night, 4-1, ending the dream of winning the tournament on American soil.
The excitement from the equalizer evaporated a minute later, when Charles De Ketelaere scored his second goal of the first half for Belgium.
Throughout the night, the U.S. team seemed flat, lifeless. Low energy, as some would say. Chances started to materialize, inevitable close calls happened, but nothing made it into the goal.
And an awkward play by U.S. goalkeeper Matt Freese early in the second half resulted in Belgium's third goal. After that, even though there was plenty of time to play, it felt like it was over.
After it ended, the Belgian team's social media account had a message to the U.S. on Twitter: "Overturn this."
Some will dance around it. I'll say it. The intervention of the president in the suspension of U.S. striker Flo Balogun's suspension for the game killed the vibe. It removed the justifiable chip on the U.S. team's shoulder arising from an unwarranted red card on Balogun and shifted it to Belgium's squad. The Belgian players had something extra. The U.S. team simply couldn't match it.
Would it have been any different if the Commander-in-Chief hadn't tried to twist the arm of FIFA president Gianni Infantino? There's no way to know. But it couldn't have been any worse than it was tonight for the U.S. team.
And so the man who would have claimed full credit if the U.S. had won deserves at least some of the blame for the loss. He lit a fire for the Belgian team that it otherwise wouldn't have had.
There's no way to prove it objectively. But if you followed the story and watched all of the game, it's a conclusion that is hard not to reach.
13:50
World Cup 2026: Quarterfinals matches, potential Semifinal fixtures
The Round of 16 is well underway at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, and the Quarterfinals are taking shape.
Which means we can even start thinking about potential matchups in the Semifinals.
Here are the Quarterfinals matchups, which will be updated as matches are set, as well as a look ahead to what we could see in the Semifinals.
Here is the World Cup bracket, courtesy of The Sporting News:
Now let’s work through the bracket, first by looking at the Quarterfinals matchups, and then at the potential Semifinals pairings.
Here are the matchups for the Quarterfinals at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, both confirmed and potential.
The first quarterfinal match to be set? That came on Saturday, when Morocco knocked off Canada 3-0, and France outlasted Paraguay by a final score of 1-0, thanks to a penalty shot from Kylian Mbappé.
Now two teams that met in the Semifinals during the 2022 FIFA World Cup will meet a round earlier, this time with a spot in the Semifinals on the line. In that match back in Qatar, France took an early 1-0 lead on a goal from Theo Hernández in the fifth minute, and salted away the match when Randal Kolo Muani slotted home in the 79th minute.
Time to break out all the historical analogies you can muster!
Norway is moving on to the Quarterfinals for the first time in history, following Sunday’s 2-1 win over Brazil. Erling Haaland continued his Golden Boot campaign with a brace, bringing his total to seven goals at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
They will take on England, after the Three Lions survived everything that was thrown at them on Sunday night in Mexico City. England’s 3-2 win over Mexico pushed them through to the Quarterfinals.
The third Quarterfinals matchup was determined Monday.
Tournament favorite Spain eliminated Portugal with a late winner from Mikel Merino. The USMNT followed suit with the rest of the host nations going out in the Round of 16 after a 1-4 loss to Belgium.
The fourth and final Quarterfinals matchup will be set on Tuesday.
Lionel Messi and Argentina will hope to return to the Semifinals when they take on Mohamed Salah and Egypt at noon Eastern in Atlanta. The winner of that match will meet the winner of Tuesday evening’s tilt between Switzerland and Colombia.
Now let’s take a quick peek ahead at what we could see in the Semifinals.
On the left side of the bracket, the winner of Thursday’s match between France and Morocco in Boston will take on the team that emerges from the bottom-left quadrant. As of publication, Spain and Portugal are the two teams vying for that spot.
Then on the right side of the bracket, the winner of Saturday’s tilt between England and Norway will take on the team that emerges from the bottom-right quadrant. As of publication Argentina, Egypt, Colombia, and Switzerland are the four teams fighting for that spot.
On the markets — Kalshi traders have been actively repricing this story in the last day.
