This season’s FA Cup just keeps on delivering shocks.

Third-tier Port Vale pulled off a massive upset on Sunday by beating Premier League Sunderland 1-0 to advance to the quarterfinals of the historic competition. That was after Championship side Southampton knocked out another top-flight team with a 1-0 win against Fulham.

Port Vale is bottom of League One and 57 places below Sunderland. But the West Midlands team booked its place alongside giants Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester City and Chelsea in the last eight courtesy of Ben Waine’s looping first half header.

It was the latest giant-killing in a season that already saw sixth-tier Macclesfield eliminate titleholder Crystal Palace in what was officially the biggest upset in FA Cup history.

Port Vale – the lowest ranked team left in the competition – is situated less than 20 miles from Macclesfield and proved every bit as inhospitable for Premier League opposition.

“It probably hasn’t sunk in really. I’m in a little bit of shock about that result today,” Port Vale manager Jon Brady told TNT Sports. “Not that I didn’t believe we could do it, but you need a lot of things going your way.”

Brady and his players only secured their place in the fifth round by beating Championship side Bristol City five days earlier, with Waine scoring the winner in that match as well.

“I know it wasn’t pretty to watch, probably not the best game to watch, but we dug in so hard and I think we deserved it,” said Waine, who headed in from close range in the 28th minute. “We stuck to the game plan – as simple as that.”

The draw for the quarterfinals is on Monday.

Late drama for Southampton

Ross Stewart’s 91st-minute penalty sealed victory for Southampton at Craven Cottage.

The game was heading to extra time when Joachim Andersen brought down Finn Azaz in the box late on. Stewart stepped up and blasted past Fulham goalkeeper Benjamin Lecomte.

Fulham coach Marco Silva paid the price for making nine changes to his starting lineup and leaving out star players like Raul Jimenez, Antonee Robinson and Alex Iwobi.

Victory continues Southampton’s impressive surge under coach Tonda Eckert, who has transformed the club’s fortunes since taking charge in November.

The team, which was relegated from the Premier League last season, was battling for survival in the Championship when former coach Will Still was fired. Under Eckert it has risen up the standings and is competing for a place in the playoffs.

“Overall, in the 90 minutes it’s deserved that we go to the next round,“ he told the BBC. “(We) just need to use this game as fuel for the games coming up.”

Leeds advances

Leeds broke the sequence of upsets by beating Norwich 3-0 at Elland Road.

For Leeds coach Daniel Farke it was a reunion with his former club, which he twice led to promotion to the Premier League.

First-half goals from Sean Longstaff and Gabriel Gudmundsson put the home team in control by the break, with Joel Piroe adding a third in the 85th.

West Ham plays Brentford in the last match of the fifth round on Monday.

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James Robson is at https://x.com/jamesalanrobson

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

In search of an early present for his son Liam’s 14th birthday, the Timonium resident discovered tickets to the MLS game pitting Inter Miami and DC United at M&T Bank Stadium on Saturday afternoon. And as luck would have it, Liam’s favorite soccer player is Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi.

“I was so hyped,” Liam said of his reaction when his father surprised him. “I was like, ‘What time are we leaving? Where are we going?’”

Added Justin Weitzman: “We lucked out.”

The Weitzman pair were just two of an announced sold-out crowd of 72,026 — including Baltimore mayor Brandon Scott — who filled the stands for Saturday’s game and watched Inter Miami hold on for a 2-1 victory over D.C. United. And their primary reason for attending boiled down to a single name: Messi.

The 38-year-old Messi is widely regarded as one of the greatest players in soccer history after being named the world’s best player by FIFA eight times, winning 46 team trophies to become the most decorated player in professional football, and contributing to more than 1,300 goals (via goals and assists) for the highest total in the sport’s history.

Messi’s presence drew Julio Gonzalez of Lansdowne and two friends to the game.

“He is an amazing player,” said Gonzalez, who is Guatemalan. “And he is humble. He is the best in history.”

Messi’s popularity was evident from the outset. More than an hour before the gates to the stadium opened at 3 p.m. — 90 minutes before the game’s start — thousands of fans lined up early.

And the number of fans wearing pink Messi or blue-and-white Argentina jerseys dwarfed those donning D.C. United apparel. The Weitzmans wore the pink Messi jerseys, while Gonzalez and his friends mixed the Argentina and blue-and-red jerseys of FC Barcelona, Messi’s European club.

When D.C. United took the field for pregame warmups, hardly anyone could be enticed to move. But when Inter Miami ran out from the locker room, fans erupted in cheers and applause. That reaction only got louder when Messi was shown on the giant video screens behind both nets.

Santiago Correa of Woodbridge, Virginia, who said that he is half Argentinian, said that Messi’s appeal transcends many lines and grew in stature after he led Argentina to the World Cup title in 2022 and Copa America championships in 2021 and 2024.

“It means the world to see him play,” he said. “Soccer is the biggest thing in Argentina. They treat Messi like a god.”

Justin Weitzman said he appreciates Messi’s humility.

“As great as he is, he’s also very humble,” he said. “He’s a family man.”

Messi’s presence even drew supporters who weren’t necessarily there for the global superstar.

“Not that much,” Correa’s friend, Ronald Rocha of Woodbridge, Virginia, said of his fandom of Messi. “I’m a [Real] Madrid fan. But I respect him. He’s a good player, but all day [Cristiano] Ronaldo.”

The Loarte family of parents Luis and Silvia and sons Brandon and Ethan made the drive from Virginia. While Luis and the boys wore their DC United jerseys and scarves, Silvia unzipped her coat to reveal a pink Messi jersey.

“It’s an honor to see Messi play,” said Luis Loarte, who took Brandon to watch Messi and FC Barcelona edge Manchester United, 1-0, in the International Champions Cup in Landover in 2017 and Messi and Argentina nip Chile, 1-0, in a Copa America group match in East Rutherford, New Jersey, in 2024.

Asked what would be the best outcome, Silvia Loarte said that she was hoping for a 4-0 rout. “I’m from Miami,” she said proudly.

D.C. United fans were few and far between. Ben and Tyler Marcheski drove 80 minutes from Chantilly, Virginia, wishing for a D.C. United victory.

“It’s a little intimidating to play against a team with Messi,” Tyler Marcheski said. “But I’m excited to see Messi. Win or lose, it’s still Messi.”

Ben Marcheski said that he was keeping his expectations low against an Inter Miami team that also included defensive midfielder Rodrigo De Paul and striker Greman Berterame.

“This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see one of the greatest players alive and see the home team play against a dream team,” he said. “I don’t expect them to win. They’re like a super team.”

D.C. United fans might have been angered that the game in Baltimore sapped their team of the homefield advantage they would have enjoyed if the game was held at its usual home of Audi Field in Washington. But Messi’s six appearances last year at larger-venue stadiums drew an average of 47,583 fans — more than double the MLS average of 21,754.

There was some pregame consternation that Messi might not play as he has at times not suited up against inferior opponents. But he started Saturday and attracted the loudest cheers whenever he touched the ball.

Ten minutes after De Paul flicked home a clean cross-box pass from left midfielder Telasco Segovia in the 17th minute, Messi provided the fans what they wanted. Right midfielder Mateo Silvetti led Messi with a pass into the left side of the box, and he lofted the ball over the left shoulder of D.C. United goalkeeper Sean Johnson and into the back right post. In the 38th minute, Messi navigated right to left outside the box, and his left-footed boot just sailed wide of the right post.

SI CAPITÁN! Golazo de Leo Messi para duplicar el marcador pic.twitter.com/e5w7NBUS2b

— Inter Miami CF (@InterMiamiCF) March 7, 2026

In the 75th minute, D.C. United halved the deficit when forward Tai Baribo buried the ball after midfielder Jackson Hopkins’ initial shot was blocked away by Inter Miami goalie Dayne St. Clair, a Maryland graduate. But Inter Miami kept D.C. United at arm’s length the rest of the way.

Similarly, Inter Miami coach Javier Mascherano said the team tries to avoid putting too much on Messi’s plate.

“First of all, we don’t usually put too much pressure on him,” he said in Spanish. “Maybe because we have already naturalized everything that Leo generates. So sometimes when you naturalize things, they seem normal to you.”

The pro-Inter Miami crowd in Baltimore surprised St. Clair, who said that some Terps coaches and players attended the game.

“It’s definitely nice to be able to kind of go to away stadiums and know that you probably have more supporters than the actual home team, which is nice,” he said. “Obviously, that won’t be the case in every single stadium, but I think it was definitely the case tonight.”

Messi did not play in front of D.C. United fans when Inter Miami visited Audi Field in 2024 and 2025. So Saturday was a treat for Correa.

“I would have been disappointed a little bit,” he said about Messi sitting out. “I’m just glad I came to see him play.”

Have a news tip? Contact Edward Lee at eklee@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/EdwardLeeSun.

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) — Assisted by a glittering, pink soccer ball, Lionel Messi crossed yet another frontier with his visit to the White House.

Until Thursday, the global soccer superstar had been equally adept at dodging defenders on the field and political leaders, especially those in his own country of Argentina. There were questions about whether he would even appear with the rest of Inter Miami to celebrate their MLS Cup win at the White House.

As the team assembled in the room, he wasn’t among their ranks; instead, he walked in alongside U.S. President Donald Trump and team owner Jorge Mas Santos and later presented Trump with the bedazzled ball.

Although Messi was silent throughout, his appearance seemed to speak volumes for a player whose politics have largely been shrouded in mystery.

When Argentina, captained by Messi, won the World Cup in 2022, the team declined to go to then-President Alberto Fernández’s Casa Rosada, or Pink House. Argentina’s current president — and Trump ally — Javier Milei has vocally praised Messi, but has yet to secure a public appearance or even photo together. A year ago, Messi was invited by then-U.S. President Joe Biden’s administration to be presented with the Presidential Medal of Freedom but could not attend because of a scheduling conflict.

Messi’s visit surprises some

In Argentina, the visit caused surprise and even dismay, particularly among those who appreciated the national team captain for not getting involved in politics, a trait that had distinguished him from his predecessor, Diego Maradona. (Some, though, thought his appearance could benefit Argentina as it gears up for its World Cup matches in the U.S.)

Kirk Bowman, a professor at Georgia Tech’s Sam Nunn School of International Affairs who studies soccer and politics in Latin America, isn’t surprised by Messi’s visit, though.

“He is very ‘long-termism’ in his career, both as a player but also as someone who has a very strong team building long-term wealth,” Bowman said, pointing to his myriad investments — including his equity in Inter Miami itself.

“He’s also embedded very strongly in Miami as a community, which is far more conservative as a soccer community than other parts of the United States,” Bowman added.

Messi stood to the side of Trump as the president offered comments on Iran, Cuba and Venezuela. At the end, the soccer star offered some applause. Messi’s supporters have defended him by saying he isn’t fluent in English, a perception Bowman says serves as “an extra layer of brand protection.”

Representatives for Inter Miami and Messi did not respond to The Associated Press’ requests for comment on the visit, though Inter Miami head coach Javier Mascherano was asked about it during a media availability Friday.

“I thought we would talk about football but I guess I’m not lucky. We were following the protocol that is practically a tradition for a team to visit the White House when it becomes champion,” Mascherano said.

He said the team spent a couple hours at the White House and that the “contact with Trump was what you saw on TV and not much more than that.”

Maradona, Barcelona, La Garganta Poderosa and … Saudi Arabia

The image of Messi with Trump led some fans to invoke the anti-American stance of the late Maradona, Argentina’s other great football idol. The captain of the 1986 World Cup-winning team was an active supporter of leaders like Fidel Castro and Hugo Chávez. He even had an image of the guerrilla fighter Ernesto “Che” Guevara tattooed on one of his arms.

Messi, by contrast, has stayed largely silent on issues in the various countries he’s lived in, whether Argentina, Spain, France or the United States. His career at FC Barcelona, spanning from his teen years to his exit in 2021, coincided with a politically charged period in Spain when Catalonia’s separatist movement seriously threatened to break off the northeastern region from the rest of the nation. Messi, however, steered clear of any political statements either for or against the independence push, which at its height divided Catalonia’s 5 million voters in half.

He deftly knew how to preserve his status as an idol of Barça’s divided fans, sticking to scoring goals and winning titles. He could be heard chanting “Visca Barça y visca Catalunya!” (“Long live Barça and long live Catalonia”) while celebrating a title, but the rallying cry was fairly standard for players and largely lacked political overtones.

He otherwise did not speak the local Catalan language but he only had nice things to say about the city he moved to when he was 13. In an interview with Catalan television channel Tv3 in 2024, Messi said that his “children are Catalans” and that “I feel like I am from Barcelona.”

Glimpses of some political leanings came in 2011 and 2020 interviews with La Garganta Poderosa, an Argentine magazine on the left. In the first interview, Messi spoke positively of Guevara, and in the latter, amid the coronavirus pandemic, he called inequality one of society’s most pressing problems.

Overall, though, it’s unlikely Messi will edge further into politics, Bowman says.

“I don’t think he’s really comfortable being political, but he’s not uncomfortable being used in politics as long as the net benefit is positive,” he said.

Bowman pointed to Messi’s commercial contract with Saudi Arabia’s tourism board and the “sportswashing” allegations that have followed. He also compared Messi’s approach with the kingdom’s typical “tarnish clause.”

“I think Messi is seen in the same way,” Bowman said. “He will participate in things as long as it doesn’t tarnish Brand Messi.”

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Sen reported from New York. Associated Press journalists Joseph Wilson in Barcelona; Anne M. Peterson in Portland, Oregon; Davidde Corran in New York and Carlos Rodriguez in Mexico City contributed reporting.

Miami beat the Vancouver Whitecaps in December for the Major League Soccer title, and the Argentinian superstar was named the league’s MVP for the second consecutive season.

“Leo, you came in and you won, and that’s something very hard to do, very, very unusual and frankly, there’s a lot more pressure put on you than anyone would know, because you sort of expected to win, but almost nobody wins,” Trump said.

Messi, who entered the ceremony alongside Trump, joined Inter Miami in 2023. He did not speak during the event.

Among the other Inter Miami stars in attendance were Luis Suárez, Tadeo Allende and Rodrigo De Paul. MLS Commissioner Don Garber sat next to Andrew Giuliani, head of the White House’s World Cup task force. Also attending were retired baseball star Alex Rodriguez and members of Trump’s cabinet.

Inter Miami was the first MLS team to be invited to the White House during Trump’s two terms in office.

Messi, an eight-time Ballon d’Or winner, led Argentina to the World Cup title in 2022. The 38-year-old is expected to play again for Argentina this summer when the tournament is hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Soccer’s global showcase has been clouded by recent events, including the war with Iran and turmoil in Mexico following the death of cartel leader Nemesio Oseguera in a military operation.

Iran is part of the World Cup field of 48 teams and is set to play a pair of games at SoFi Stadium in Southern California and another in Seattle during the group stage.

Trump opened the ceremony with comments about the conflict with Iran but did not mention the World Cup.

Following military action by the United States and Israel last week, Iran’s top soccer official, Mehdi Taj, said the country could not look to playing in the World Cup with “hope.”

“I really don’t care” if Iran participates, Trump told Politico this week. “I think Iran is a very badly defeated country. They’re running on fumes.”

It’s not clear what would happen if Iran pulled out of the World Cup. No team that has qualified for the tournament has withdrawn in the past 75 years.

The World Cup kicks off on June 11 when Mexico plays South Africa in Mexico City.

During the ceremony, Trump spoke about how he saw Brazilian great Pele play with the New York Cosmos. He looked to Messi: “You may be better than Pele,” then asked the crowd, “Who’s better?”

Inter Miami owner Jorge Mas said his team has “changed the culture of football in the United States of America forever.”

“We can play with the big boys, we can play with the heavyweights. Our league can be one of the top leagues in the world,” Mas said. “And it is this ability to dream, to persevere, to have no obstacles ahead of us, that we will continue to be successful. And hopefully, Mr. President, this is not our only visit here celebrating an MLS Cup championship.”

It was the first White House visit for Messi. He was invited by the Biden administration to be presented with the Presidential Medal of Freedom last year but could not attend because of a scheduling conflict.

Inter Miami will remain in the area to play D.C. United on Saturday.

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Messi, 38, is entering the twilight of his historic career, but remains one of the most popular athletes in the world — just ask his 511 million Instagram followers. His presence in Baltimore has already triggered increased security and will likely generate plenty of buzz inside M&T Bank Stadium in what is slated as a home game for D.C. United.

The arrival of Messi in Baltimore spurred a discussion within The Baltimore Sun newsroom: Who are the greatest athletes to visit this city? What sports legends made surprise appearances?

We’ve compiled a list of athletes, some among the greatest in their sports’ histories, but we want to hear from you.

Who should comprise the Mount Rushmore of athletes to compete in Baltimore, outside of those who played for the city’s two professional teams? If there’s a name you want added, select “other” and list your entry in the comments.

We want to know your thoughts.

Can’t see the poll? Vote here

The Baltimore Sun reader poll is an unscientific survey in which website users volunteer their opinions on the subject of the poll.

To read the results of previous reader polls, click here.

Brooks Rosser, 22, works as a dementia care medication technician at Hart Heritage Assisted Living in Forest Hill. During Hollywood week, Rosser sang “Drowning” by Sam Barber, performing for the first time on the “Idol” stage.

Hollywood week on the television show is a bootcamp-style round where contestants perform in front of an audience in hopes of securing one of 30 spots in the next round of the reality show competition. This year, the round was hosted in Nashville.

The next round, the “Ohana Round” will take place in Hawaii, where judges will provide critiques and insight to contestants then select the group that will move on to the next round.

During a pre-performance segment of the show that aired on March 2, Rosser said he comes from a musical family. His dad plays the harmonica and his mother sings. But he said he never took music seriously because he had a dream of playing soccer professionally. The passion for soccer faded his freshman year of high school, when he experienced a gruesome injury.

“I went for a free kick, and I planted my left foot to kick it, and I felt like a gear switch in my lower left back and I couldn’t feel my legs,” he said. “I snapped my back in half, and that changed everything.”

Rosser said he was lost for a long time, then he picked up a guitar and “didn’t want to put it down.”

“I’ve never been willing to take chances and opportunities, but this holds a future that I want,” he said.

He said his grandmother was his biggest fan and once she started showing dementia symptoms, he picked up his guitar and that was “one way we could both practice speaking from the heart.” He added after taking care of his grandmother, he realized taking care of other people who had experienced symptoms like hers was his newfound passion.

“To be there for people, even if they don’t remember me,” he said. “Music is one thing that you can’t forget.”

Following Rosser’s Hollywood week performance, celebrity judge Luke Bryan said Rosser’s voice “will become so recognizable in years to come.”

“To be some of the first ears to ever hear it is pretty special,” Bryan added. “When you have this unique voice, paired with these songs that are going to happen in your life, it’s going to be really really special.”

New episodes of “American Idol” air Mondays at 8 p.m. on ABC and are available to stream on Hulu the next day.

Have a news tip? Contact Shaela Foster at sfoster@baltsun.com or 443-826-5894.

Next up for Wrexham is world champion Chelsea.

While a place in the quarterfinals of the FA Cup is at stake when the teams face off at the Racecourse Ground on Saturday, for Wrexham it will be a timely gauge of just how “Premier League-ready” it is.

Speaking to industry experts last week, Wrexham CEO Michael Williamson said the Welsh club — owned by actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob Mac — would be ready for the top flight of English soccer when the time comes. Even as soon as next season, just three years after it was playing non-league.

“What we’ve proven is that with our culture we’re pretty damn good at being ready,” Williamson told the FT Business of Football Summit.

Even with celebrity owners, huge financial backing and a global reach through the fly-on-the-wall documentary series “Welcome to Wrexham,” it cannot be overstated just how remarkable the club’s rise has been.

Back-to-back-to-back promotions have taken it from playing non-league games in a crumbling stadium to the second-tier Championship and in contention for the playoffs to the Premier League.

The prospect of playing the likes of Chelsea every week is not just the hope for Wrexham’s owners but the mission.

“They said that from day one and everyone laughed at them,” Williamson said. “We know what we have to do. It’ll be really difficult but we can do it because we’ve proven that we can, not just survive when we get promoted, but that we can actually thrive.”

Wrexham’s meteoric rise has meant it has constantly played catchup to try to keep pace with its on-field success. More than 60 players have been signed since the takeover was completed in 2021, with 16 joining last summer to build a squad capable of competing in a division with former Premier League champion Leicester and a host of clubs with very recent top flight experience.

Even still, the spending is nothing like that of England’s top flight. Nathan Broadhead became Wrexham’s record signing in August for a reported $10 million. Before him, Sam Smith cost a reported $2.7 million.

Compare that to Chelsea, which has spent close to $2 billion under American owners Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital since buying the club in 2022. That money helped Chelsea win the Club World Cup last year — but it has not come close to winning the Premier League and it could miss out on qualification to the Champions League this season.

Strive to survive

Wrexham’s spending is likely to have to increase significantly again to bridge the widening gap between the Premier League and the Championship, with promoted teams increasingly struggling to make the step up.

Last season, all three promoted teams — Leicester, Ipswich, Southampton — were relegated. The year before, Sheffield United, Burnley and Luton all failed to survive in their first season in the top flight.

“We’d have to look at a squad change and we’re definitely planning that,” Williamson said in the event of Wrexham securing a fourth straight promotion.

While player changes have been frequent, manager Phil Parkinson has been a constant and was recently told by Mac — formerly known as McElhenney — that he has a job for life.

His immediate focus is on an FA Cup upset against Chelsea.

“You’ve got to go into every game believing and if not you may as well not turn up,” Parkinson said Thursday. “We’ve got to go in with belief but also an understanding of the underdog mentality and what boxes we’ve got to tick to make this evening as difficult as possible for Chelsea.”

Wrexham pulled off one of the most famous cup shocks when, as a fourth-tier team, it beat then-league champion Arsenal in 1992.

This season it has already knocked out Premier League club Nottingham Forest in the third round.

“All through the divisions we’ve had cup ties, like when we played Coventry and Sheffield United, and we’ve spoken to the players about having that test against better quality players, tactically and their physical power, of the next level,” Parkinson said. “This is the next stage for us against a team of Chelsea’s quality.”

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James Robson is at https://x.com/jamesalanrobson

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Sentnor scored her seventh international goal off a corner from Rose Lavelle, gathering the ball on a bounce before punching it past two defenders and Canada goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan.

The U.S. hasn’t allowed a goal since a 3-1 win over Portugal last October, a stretch of 714 minutes.

“Honestly, our goal was just to win the game,” Sentnor said. “I think going into a rivalry game, we knew what was going to happen. It was going to be on the line and Canada gave us an incredible performance, and we really had to work for this win.”

The United States sat atop the SheBelieves table with two wins, ahead of Canada and Colombia with one each. The Colombians defeated Argentina 1-0 in the early match Wednesday at ScottsMiracle-Gro Stadium.

The United States is 55-4-9 against Canada since their first meeting in 1986. The U.S. won the last meeting 3-0 in July.

The Canadians’ last win in the series came at the Tokyo Olympics. Jessie Fleming converted a penalty in a 1-0 semifinal victory. Canada went on to win the gold medal.

U.S. coach Emma Hayes included Trinity Rodman in the starting lineup despite Rodman taking a hit in the back late in Sunday’s 2-0 SheBelieves victory over Argentina in Nashville. Rodman struggled with a nagging back injury last year.

Canada, which defeated Colombia 4-1 in the tournament opener, was without captain Fleming because of an illness.

The game was scoreless after the first half despite the United States dominating possession by nearly 70%.

Sentnor, who plays professionally for the Kansas City Current, broke the stalemate with her third goal of the year. The 22-year-old was named U.S. Soccer’s young player of the year in 2024.

Canada coach Casey Stoney felt her team showed “huge progress” from the last time the Canadians faced the United States, but was disappointed about conceding on a set piece.

“I think we were competitive throughout the game. I think we kept our distances better, we had good discipline,” Stoney said. “I think we had moments in their box where we can have a little bit more composure.”

Colombia will play the United States on Saturday in the tournament finale in Harrison, New Jersey. Canada plays Argentina in the early game.

It is the 11th annual SheBelieves Cup hosted by the United States. Canada was making its fourth appearance in the tournament.

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

GENEVA (AP) — With 100 days to go until the World Cup, the Iran war has added a new layer of complexity to the tournament co-hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada.

How the conflict will affect the world’s most watched sporting event is the latest issue facing organizers already grappling with cartel violence in one of Mexico’s host cities, scaled-back plans for fan festivals in the U.S. and criticism from fans against soaring ticket prices.

Officials of the qualified teams are meeting with FIFA staff in Atlanta this week. The tournament kicks off on June 11 when Mexico plays South Africa in Mexico City. It will be the biggest World Cup ever with 48 participating teams, up from 32 at the previous tournament in Qatar.

Here’s a look at some of the issues drawing scrutiny as the countdown began.

A backdrop of geopolitical tension

It’s not unusual for international politics to overshadow a global sports event like the World Cup — at least in the early stages before the soccer action takes over the headlines.

In 2022, Qatar’s treatment of migrant workers and the LGBTQ+ community drew headlines off the field. LGBTQ+ rights, the annexation of Crimea and the poisoning of a spy in Britain were in focus when Russia hosted the tournament in 2018.

In Brazil in 2014 and South Africa in 2010 there were concerns about crime and security.

The 2026 tournament looks set to kick off amid a backdrop of political tensions involving the U.S. and the participating nations.

Many have been hit by tariffs. Some are facing travel restrictions. Denmark, which can still qualify through playoffs in March, has been shaken by President Donald Trump’s calls for the U.S. to take over Greenland. And with 100 days to go, the U.S. was in a military conflict with Iran, one of the first teams to qualify.

Iran’s status at the World Cup is unclear

Iran is set to play two group stage games in Inglewood, California, and one in Seattle.

However, whether the Iranian team will come to the U.S. is uncertain.

“What is certain is that after this attack, we cannot be expected to look forward to the World Cup with hope,” Iran’s top soccer official, Mehdi Taj, said last weekend as the U.S. and Israel launched coordinated attacks that killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and dozens more senior officials.

Still, Iran has not announced it is withdrawing from the tournament, which no team that qualified has done in the past 75 years. Iran, the second-highest ranked team in Asia, was drawn in a group with Belgium, Egypt and New Zealand.

“I really don’t care,” if Iran participates, Trump told Politico on Tuesday. “I think Iran is a very badly defeated country. They’re running on fumes.”

FIFA did not immediately respond to a request on whether Iran federation officials attended the Atlanta workshop.

Fan festivals are being slimmed down

Fan festivals have been a key part of the World Cup experience in the past two decades. They offer a chance for thousands of fans without match tickets to take part in the World Cup atmosphere by coming together to watch games on a big screen.

Some of those plans are now being scaled back in the U.S.

New York/New Jersey eliminated its Fan Fest in Jersey City, New Jersey, even though it had started selling tickets for an event scheduled to be open every day of the tournament.

Planning to sell tickets was itself unprecedented for World Cup fan zones, which were free to enter since being launched at the 2006 edition in Germany.

Seattle cut down its original plan and rescheduled it for smaller venues and Boston trimmed its event to 16 days.

The chief operating officer of Miami’s FIFA World Cup host committee said during a congressional hearing on Feb. 24 that it might cancel its event if it did not receive federal funding within 30 days. Kansas City, Missouri, Police Deputy Chief Joseph Maybin said the city had an immediate need for federal funds to prepare security.

House Republicans said federal money may be held up by the partial government shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security, caused by Democrats insisting restrictions be placed on Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents.

Foxborough games threatened

The New England Patriots’ stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, is due to host seven World Cup games, starting with Haiti-Scotland on June 13 and ending with a quarterfinal on July 9. That is FIFA’s plan.

The Select Board of Foxborough has refused to issue a permit for World Cup matches at the stadium and set a March 17 deadline to be paid $7.8 million — what the town estimates will be the cost of police and other expenses. Foxborough said it was not part of FIFA’s hosting agreement with Boston.

Pushback against FIFA’s ticket prices

FIFA has about 7 million seats to fill for the World Cup matches and said last month it received 500 million ticket requests. FIFA president Gianni Infantino has proclaimed all 104 games are sold out and yet some fans received emails last week offering an extra 48-hour window for tickets sales.

FIFA’s prices in December ranged up to $8,680 per ticket. After criticism, FIFA said it will offer a few hundred $60 tickets for every game to the 48 national federations in the tournament. Those federations will decide how to distribute them to their most loyal fans who attended previous games.

Most seats on FIFA’s ticket resale platform — seeking to cut out the secondary market and earn FIFA extra 15% fees from buyers and sellers — are well past the $1,000 mark.

Cartel violence in Mexico

Mexico’s ability to co-host the World Cup has been under scrutiny after a surge in violence last week in the state of Jalisco following the military’s killing of a powerful cartel boss.

The state’s capital, Guadalajara, is set to host four matches during the group stage.

Mexico’s government insists the World Cup won’t be affected and President Claudia Sheinbaum said there’s no risk for fans coming to the tournament.

Infantino told Sheinbaum that he has full confidence in Mexico as a World Cup host.

The FIFA leader has repeatedly promised the 2026 World Cup will be the greatest and most inclusive.

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AP Sports Writers Ronald Blum in New York and Tim Reynolds in Miami contributed to this report.

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Major League Soccer’s D.C. United will face Inter Miami CF on Saturday at M&T Bank Stadium, a high-profile match expected to draw one of the largest soccer crowds of the year. The game comes amid heightened international tensions involving Iran, prompting the Maryland Stadium Authority to emphasize that security plans are fluid and informed by real-time intelligence.

“We don’t publicly disclose specifics of our security plan,” said Vernon J. Conaway Jr., the authority’s vice president for public safety and security. “But we do talk with our federal, state and local partners, as well as the intelligence community, to monitor threats nationally and internationally and adjust our security protocols according to the environment in which we operate.”

Conaway described the authority’s approach as “dynamic” and “comprehensive,” shaped by collaboration with law enforcement and public safety agencies at every level. Safety, he said, remains the top priority for fans, players and staff.

While Messi’s presence adds global attention to the match, Conaway said each event at the Camden Yards sports complex is evaluated individually. Messi has won the Ballon d’Or, awarded to the world’s best player, a record eight times.

“No two events are the same,” Conaway said. “The security protocols and protective measures we put in place are based on the risk identified for that specific event.”

Fans may or may not notice changes, he added, depending on the assessment. Officials declined to detail any additional measures for Saturday’s match.

The soccer game is one of several major events on the horizon. Conaway told stadium authority board members that the complex’s risk profile “has not substantially changed,” but officials remain in constant communication with partners as they monitor national and international developments.

On the baseball side, the authority is preparing for opening day for the Orioles with a tabletop emergency preparedness exercise scheduled next week involving police, fire, EMS and emergency management agencies. Similar coordination will accompany games for the Ravens later this year.

Conaway also noted that recent snow has been cleared from stadium parking lots following weeks of winter weather, leaving the complex ready for Saturday’s match.

“Our security measures adapt to the ever-changing environment that we’re in,” he said. “We’re prepared and ready.”

Officials said lingering snow from last week’s winter storm has been cleared from parking lots in time for Saturday’s match.

The city deployed a snow-melting machine — nicknamed “Snowtorious B.I.G.” by Maryland Stadium Authority officials — in Lot O at M&T Bank Stadium. Powered by Baltimore’s underground steam system, the machine converts snow into water that drains into the city’s stormwater system.

Crews trucked snow from roughly a dozen dumping sites across the city to the stadium complex, where front-end loaders fed the piles into the melter. Officials said the lot is now free of snow and ready for fans.

Have a news tip? Contact Todd Karpovich at tkarpovich@baltsun.com or on X as @ToddKarpovich.