ARLINGTON (Realist English). The 2026 FIFA World Cup, being held across the United States, Canada and Mexico, continues to delight fans not only with on‑pitch action but also with events off the pitch.
From gifts to the US president to historic victories and major scandals, the tournament has already added several memorable chapters to world football history.
Infantino Gives Trump World Cup Tickets
FIFA President Gianni Infantino made a generous gift to US President Donald Trump. According to the US leader’s financial disclosure, Infantino gave Trump ten tickets to the 2026 World Cup final worth a total of $15,000. The most expensive ticket to World Cup matches, according to the report, costs $42,000.
In addition, Trump received tickets to a dozen other sporting events from various people and companies. The most expensive among them were ten tickets to the Super Bowl, worth $50,000.
Trump himself compared the World Cup to the Super Bowl, saying: “The World Cup is setting attendance records, television records. And I want to congratulate FIFA President Infantino. He’s very pleased, as if every day is a Super Bowl.”
It was previously reported that FIFA had approved the US leader’s request to personally present the World Cup trophy to the captain of the winning team.
Egypt Reach Round of 16 for First Time
On July 4, the Egyptian national team wrote its name into world football history. In a Round of 32 match held in Arlington, Texas, the Egyptians defeated Australia 4‑2 in a penalty shootout after a 1‑1 draw in regular and extra time.
Egypt opened the scoring in the 13th minute through a precise strike from Emam Ashour. In the second half, Australia equalised after an own goal by Egyptian defender Mohamed Hani in the 55th minute.
In the shootout, the Egyptians were more accurate, converting all four of their attempts, including a cool Panenka‑style penalty from Mohamed Salah, who took the field despite an injury. For Australia, this defeat marked their third consecutive World Cup knockout‑stage loss.
The “Pharaohs” played in the World Cup knockout rounds for the first time since 1934 and reached the Round of 16 for the first time in their history. In the next round, Egypt will face the winner of the Argentina — Cape Verde match.
Ticket Scandal: Texas Investigates StubHub
Meanwhile, authorities in the US state of Texas have launched an investigation into StubHub, the largest ticket resale platform. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced the probe following numerous complaints from fans who had purchased tickets to World Cup 2026 matches but never received them.
Since the start of the tournament, fans across the country, including in the Texas host cities of Dallas and Houston, have reported that StubHub cancelled their orders days or even hours before kick‑off. The company blamed the cancellations on “ticket transfer issues” related to FIFA’s ticketing system.
However, consumer complaints point to a broader problem known as “ghost ticketing,” where sellers list tickets they do not actually possess, collect payment, and then cancel the order when they cannot deliver.
“My office is investigating reports that StubHub is failing to deliver tickets that Texas fans lawfully purchased,” Paxton said. “Attending a World Cup match is a once‑in‑a‑lifetime experience. If StubHub is denying Texans that experience, my office will use every available tool to hold them accountable and help affected fans.”
StubHub said it is “working tirelessly to resolve ticket transfer issues” and reminded fans of its FanProtect guarantee, which provides replacement tickets or a full refund. FIFA, for its part, rejected the allegations, stating that its system had been operating reliably.
Germany Seek New Coach: Klopp Ready to Take Over
Following Germany’s sensational elimination from the World Cup, a major coaching departure followed. Julian Nagelsmann, who had led the team since 2023, resigned after the loss to Paraguay in the Round of 32. Under his leadership, Germany reached the quarter‑finals of Euro 2024 on home soil, but at the World Cup the team failed to win a single knockout match since lifting the trophy in 2014.
The German Football Association (DFB) immediately began searching for a successor. The leading candidate is Jürgen Klopp, who left Liverpool in 2024 and has been head of global football at Red Bull since January 2025. On July 3, the DFB confirmed that it would begin talks with the 59‑year‑old, who has already expressed his “basic willingness” to take on the role.
“I still have a contract with Red Bull and I’m used to fulfilling my contractual obligations. But I am interested in negotiations,” Klopp said. He also noted that German football is at a “turning point” and that “fundamentally changing many things” is necessary to overcome the accumulated problems. Nagelsmann himself admitted that the decision to leave was not easy, but the team needs a fresh start. “After such a bitter disappointment, they deserve a chance for a fresh start,” he said.
The 2026 World Cup continues to delight and disappoint fans not only on the pitch but also beyond it. Egypt have written their name into history, Germany are embarking on a new era with Klopp, and Texas authorities are fighting for the rights of deceived fans. And all this in the midst of the largest football tournament in history, which will run until July 19.