With one day left before the World Cup opening ceremony on Thursday, buildup around the tournament on Wednesday mixed weather trouble in Orlando, a new Texas investigation into FIFA ticketing, Donald Trump confirming he will attend in some capacity, and a social media post from the Pope settling the soccer versus football debate for the United States.
Lightning and England's Orlando Friendly
England's friendly against Costa Rica faced a weather scare in Orlando on Wednesday. A torrential downpour hit the area, with a flash of lightning seen at 1:38 p.m. local time. The match was scheduled to kick off at 4 p.m. local time, 9 p.m. BST.
Under the stadium's safety protocols, if lightning is detected within eight miles, the referee can suspend the match, with play resuming no earlier than 45 minutes after the last strike. Weather was expected to clear before kickoff, though any further lightning would reset that 45 minute waiting clock.
Texas Investigation Into FIFA Ticketing
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton launched an investigation into FIFA on Tuesday over alleged deceptive ticketing practices for World Cup matches in his state. Paxton claimed FIFA misled fans about the location and quality of seats sold for upcoming matches.
I will work to ensure that Fifa is engaging in ethical and honest business practices so that Texas fans are treated fairly. Sports have a unique power to bring people together, and Fifa must understand that Texans take their competition and their consumer rights seriously.
Seven World Cup matches are set for Houston's NRG Stadium. Nine are scheduled for Arlington's AT&T Stadium, including a semi final on 14 July.
Paxton's office cited one example in which a fan purchased Category 1 seats expecting premium views of the field. Paxton's office said FIFA allegedly later adjusted the seat maps to move that fan's seats to Category 2, which have worse views of the action. FIFA did not respond to a request for comment. State attorneys general in California, New York, and New Jersey have launched similar investigations.
Trump Confirms World Cup Attendance
Donald Trump officially confirmed he will attend the World Cup in some capacity, though he did not provide details. FIFA president Gianni Infantino has said he expects Trump to present the trophy to the winning team at the final on 19 July.
Trump presented the trophy to Chelsea at last year's Club World Cup final in New Jersey, the same stadium that will host the World Cup final. He was booed by fans there, as he was at the NBA finals earlier in the week.
When asked in the Oval Office whether he planned to be at any World Cup matches, Trump replied:
I will, I will.
On Wednesday, Trump said he spoke to Gianni that morning and that Infantino told him there has never been anything close to the success of the coming tournament.
Asked about immigration problems suffered by some teams and officials in recent days, Trump said:
We're working on it very closely to ensure the right people come into our country.
Tournament preparations have been overshadowed by disputes over U.S. visas and excessive ticket prices, though the start of the football offers hope for a more positive stretch of the event.
Pope Calls It Soccer in U.S. World Cup Post
After long silence on the soccer versus football debate, the Pope weighed in through a social media post in the hour before Wednesday's updates, calling the sport soccer while it is being played in the United States.
The World Cup begins tomorrow, and many will watch the matches. Soccer reminds us of something we must not forget: life is not a race to show off on our own, but a path we learn to walk together. Anyone who does not know how to pass the ball, even if they
