06/07/2026

SPORTS MONDAY | JULY 6, 2026

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2026 WORLD CUP

‘Let’s go win a World Cup’ Dest says United States feel fans’ belief ahead of Belgium battle

Football’s ugly side, abuse epidemic grows PLAYERS at the World Cup are enduring a “growing pattern of abuse” that includes racist and discrimi natory attacks both online and in person, global play ers’ union FIFPro said on Saturday as they demanded urgent action. With the tournament entering the last 16, FIFPro called for collective action to protect players from increasing abuse linked to media scrutiny and the fallout from matches as teams get eliminated. “In recent weeks, players have faced abuse online and in person, much of it racist and discriminatory,” FIFPro said in a statement. “There has been intimida tion and hostility beyond the pitch. These incidents are not isolated; they point to a sys temic pattern that cannot remain an accepted part of football or society. “Players shoulder the expectations of a nation, but this must never come at the cost of their safety, dignity or wellbeing, nor should abuse be dismissed as part of the game.” Global football body Fifa said their Social Media Protection Service had seen a 13-fold surge in online abuse during the group stage of the World Cup, with 11% of it being racially moti vated. In the knockout stage, Netherlands players Justin Kluivert, Quinten Timber and Crysencio Summerville suf fered racist abuse online after missing penalty kicks in the shootout defeat by Morocco in the last 32. “The national team is an extension of the players’ workplace, and they must be protected as such,” FIFPro added. “While important steps have been taken, FIFPro calls on football stakeholders, and public and private actors, to increase their efforts as monitoring and reporting alone cannot change behav iour or prevent harm. “There must be meaning ful consequences for those responsible and a collective commitment from groups, including law enforcement, social media platforms, media, fans and the public, to reverse this trend.” – Reuters

T HE United States squad will look to har ness their fans’ growing belief in their World Cup chances when they take on Belgium for a place in the quarterfinals after the July 4 weekend, defender Sergino Dest said. The US team celebrate the country’s 250th anniversary in time-honoured fashion by watch ing fireworks with family and friends, after a relaxed training session yesterday. Weston McKennie and Folarin Balogun, who is suspended after a straight red in the win over Bosnia and Herzegovina, tossed a baseball around and coach Mauricio Pochettino wished reporters a happy holiday before the players got to work. The squad attended Friday night’s (Saturday in Malaysia) Seattle Mariners baseball game and midfielder Cristian Roldan whipped up the crowd with a cry of “let’s go win a World Cup”, reflecting the co-hosts’ increasing confidence. Dest said they are aiming to use that energy in front of a full house in Seattle tomorrow (8am in Malaysia) for what he accepted could be the big gest game in US football history – so far. “At the moment, maybe yes,” he told reporters. “Hopefully we will win this game and then we can even play more games in this tournament. Because we have an amazing group at the moment. “We play really well and we’re all just so moti vated and the country believes – everybody believes at the moment … the support is huge.”

despite playing the final 36 minutes with 10 men, have raised hopes that Pochettino’s side can make a deeper run on home soil. Belgium, by contrast, have yet to fully convince. The European side needed a late escape against Senegal, trailing for the majority of the match before scoring twice to level and then advancing after a VAR-assisted penalty decision in extra time that left Senegal frustrated. For Belgium, the tournament may represent the final World Cup act for the country’s so-called “Golden Generation,” led by Kevin De Bruyne, Romelu Lukaku and Thibaut Courtois. The US defence, regarded as a potential weak ness before the tournament but impressive against Bosnia, will also likely have to contain Jeremy Doku, who is due for a breakout perform ance after a subdued display so far in the tourna ment. The meeting carries echoes of 2014, when Belgium knocked the US out in the last 16 after extra time in Brazil, a match remembered for Tim Howard’s record-setting goalkeeping perform ance, making 16 saves, and a late American rally that fell just short.

Belgium, though, are on a high themselves fol lowing a remarkable comeback against Senegal and Dest said they were dangerous despite a shaky start to the World Cup. “They are inconsistent this tournament, but we still know that they have qualities,” he said. Fellow defender Tim Ream said he hoped con tinuing their run could also boost the popularity of football in the US. “We’re not fully thinking about that at the min ute. We’re thinking about playing games and put ting in performances,” Ream said. “But we are … very aware of the impact that we’re having around the country and the impact we’re having on generations of people and fans.” Balogun’s suspension removes the focal point of their attack, but Ream said the US could take heart from how they managed with 10 men against Bosnia. “When teams can win in different ways, when teams have to win in different ways, it gives you that mental boost,” Ream said. “Sometimes the game’s not going to be nice, it’s not going to be pretty, you’re not going to have everything go your way, but you find ways to finish games out,” he added. Before the World Cup, many US support ers viewed a place in the last 16 as a rea sonable target. However, wins over Paraguay and Australia in the group stage, fol lowed by a 2-0 victory over Bosnia

“As a team we want to leave our mark on the game and a legacy behind,” US mid fielder Tyler Adams said. “We know that the further we go, the more the game is going to grow.” – Reuters

BELGIUM winger Jeremy Doku deserves more support at the World Cup if he is going to prove decisive for his country, teammate Dodi Lukebakio said yester day. Doku had been touted as a potential talisman for Belgium before the tournament but has been largely ineffective despite their progress to the last 16, where they will meet co-hosts the United States in Seattle tomorrow (8am). The 24-year-old Doku was taken off in the last game against Senegal, along with Kevin De Bruyne, when the side were 2-0 down to Senegal and the change helped spark an improbable comeback with Belgium triumphing 3-2 in the last minute of extra time. “Jeremy is like a brother to me. It’s understandable that things have been difficult for him so far,” Lukebakio told a press conference at the training base. “He became a father, and he was also very ill. I know how ambitious he is and how hard he works. “Jeremy is a very good player. I think he deserves more support from everyone because when he’s fit and playing well, you all know how much damage he can do to the opposition.” Doku missed Belgium’s second group game against Iran when he flew to London for the birth of his first child but did start the other three games at the tournament. Lukebakio delivered a convincing performance when Belgium last met the US in a friendly in Atlanta in March, scoring the last two goals in a 5-2 triumph. “But they’re a completely different team now,” the winger said. “At a World Cup, everything is different, and this time they’ll certainly have all of their fans behind them. It’ll be a 50-50 contest.” – Reuters ‘Doku needs more support if he is to perform for Belgium’

Jeremy

Doku

Ticket prices plunge for US vs Belgium match

somewhat surprising considering the Red Devils’ base camp is located just 16km south of Seattle Stadium at the Sounders FC Performance Center. Canada was the first team elimi nated from the round of 16 with their 3 0 loss to Morocco yesterday. The get-in price for that match dropped 14% from US$838 (RM3,411) over the final 72 hours. – Field Level Media

Saturday at 6pm ET (Sun, 6am Malaysian time). That late boost pushed the US vs Belgium game from the fourth-highest get-in price to the second-highest price among the eight round of 16 matches. Mexico’s game against England in Mexico City this morning sits at US$3,574 (RM14,549). The significant drop in the get-in price for the US vs Belgium game is

(RM6,305) last Tuesday, the get-in price spiked to US$2,836 (RM11,545) after the USMNT solidified their spot in the round of 16 with a 2-0 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina. However, the get-in price has steadily declined in the days since. It dropped to US$1,423 (RM5,793) yester day – a 32% decrease over the past three days – but the get-in price rebounded to US$1,635 (RM6,656) on

TICKET prices for the United States’ highly anticipated round of 16 game against Belgium tomorrow plunged by more than 30% before rebounding slightly yesterday. The get-in price for the final 2026 World Cup match in Seattle hit nearly US$4,000 (RM16,284) on June 1, accord ing to ticket-tracking service TicketData.com . After dipping to as low as US$1,549