Sports

SÉVERIN MILLET Whether it's football, tennis, basketball, boxing, mixed martial arts (MMA), or cycling, it's the bet that matters. It's also the adrenaline, the win and the status that comes with victory. And above all, the prospect of making a lot of money, very quickly. For Bilal (name changed), every sporting event, big or small, near or far, represents an opportunity to place an online bet. He gambles on the outcome, the number of fouls, how many times a player passes to another player, and the number of penalties. He bets on anything and dreams big. For two years, Bilal has been chasing that dream, and for two years, he has been losing. But the stakes keep growing. Read more Subscribers only Inside a major investigation into tennis m...

One of Gianni Infantino's greatest skills as president of the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) has been his ability to adapt to the host country of the World Cup. Many still remember his extended speech in November 2022 at the opening of the previous tournament in Qatar. Responding to widespread criticism of the host nation, particularly regarding its lack of tolerance and the working conditions of laborers on World Cup construction sites, the Swiss FIFA president declared in 2022, "Today I feel Arab. Today I feel African. Today I feel gay. Today I feel disabled. Today I feel a migrant worker," prompting widespread ridicule. On December 5 in Washington, during the draw for the next World Cup, to be held in the United States, Canada and Mexico from June 11 ...

Morocco's Nayef Aguerd, left, and Zambia's Benson Sakala compete for a header during the Africa Cup of Nations group A soccer match between Zambia and Morocco in Rabat, Morocco, on Monday, December 29, 2025. THEMBA HADEBE / AP Host nation Morocco and South Africa advanced to the Africa Cup of Nations’ knockout stage on Monday, December 29, when Egypt star Mohamed Salah got a rest with his team already qualified. Morocco made sure of its place in the last 16 with a 3-0 rout of Zambia. The hosts topped Group A to stay on course for having all their knockout games in Rabat’s near 70,000-capacity Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium, which will also stage the final on January 18. Results in Group A, where Comoros finished third with tw...

Lou Jeanmonnot during the mass start at the Grand-Bornand World Cup stage, December 21, 2025. OLIVIER CHASSIGNOLE / AFP For the French biathletes, the Grand-Bornand stage felt like a rock star tour date. They stayed at a hotel reserved exclusively for the team, moved about to the sound of cheering from fans of all ages and delivered a daily show in front of a stadium that welcomed more than 67,000 ecstatic spectators over four days – a record for the event. At the small Aravis resort, where nearly 1,000 volunteers in orange hats bustled about, the French biathletes achieved their sporting goals this week. With one victory and six additional podium finishes, they satisfied both their fans and their coaches. On Sunday, December 21, Lou Jeanmonnot, Justine Bra...

Monaco point guard Mike James during the Euroleague Final Four in Abu Dhabi on May 25, 2025. RULA ROUHANA / REUTERS France versus the United States – and a little bit of the rest of the world. That is the lineup for the French national basketball league's annual All-Star Game, whose 39th edition will take place on Sunday, December 28, at the Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy (Accor Arena). On the French side, the team is led by Paris 2024 Olympic silver medalist Matthew Strazel and national team members Nadir Hifi, Élie Okobo and Amath M'Baye. In contrast, with 10 out of its 12 players holding American nationality, the "World" team is far less cosmopolitan than its name suggests. This makeup has become the norm and reflects the overwhelming dom...

On Wednesday, December 17, members of the Assemblée Nationale voted to extend the algorithmic video surveillance trial – a controversial security technology tested during the Paris Olympic Games. Although the trial ended in March 2025, it is now set to resume and continue until December 31, 2027. The extension, long requested by various stakeholders, including the French government, was included in the bill on organizing the 2030 Winter Olympic Games, currently being debated in the Assemblée Nationale. A vote on the full bill is expected on January 6. Algorithmic video surveillance (VSA) is a technology that analyzes surveillance camera feeds to detect specific predefined events. Several technologies are currently being developed by French companies...

Confederation of African Football President Patrice Motsepe and Brazilian Fifa Deputy Secretary General Mattias Grafstrom (R) attend a press conference at Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat, Morocco on December 20, 2025, ahead of the start of the Africa Cup of Nations football tournament. SEBASTIEN BOZON / AFP The Africa Cup of Nations will be staged every four years following an edition planned for 2028 in a major change to what is currently a biennial showpiece, African football chief Patrice Motsepe announced on Saturday, January 20. The Confederation of African Football president revealed the change as part of a significant restructuring of the international game on the continent to help it fit better into a packed global calendar. An...

Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappé celebrates after scoring his side second goal from the penalty spot during the Spanish La Liga football match between Real Madrid and Sevilla in Madrid, Spain, December 20, 2025. MANU FERNANDEZ / AP Kylian Mbappé matched Cristiano Ronaldo's club record for goals in a calendar year and Jude Bellingham also scored as Real Madrid beat Sevilla 2-0 on Saturday, December 20, in La Liga. French superstar Mbappé leveled Ronaldo's tally of 59 goals in 2013 by stroking home a late penalty, after Bellingham sent Madrid ahead with a first-half header. The victory allowed Los Blancos, second, to cut the gap on leaders Barcelona to one point before the Catalans visit Villarreal on Sunday. "To do like Cristiano did, my idol, the b...

Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium, Rabat, Morocco, December 20, 2025. ABDELHAK BALHAKI / REUTERS Morocco carries a huge weight of expectation into their opening game at the Africa Cup of Nations on Sunday, December 21, as the hosts, with star man Achraf Hakimi returning from injury, aim to see off stiff competition to claim continental glory. Senegal, reigning champions Côte d'Ivoire, Mohamed Salah's Egypt and a Nigeria side led by Victor Osimhen are among the biggest rivals for Morocco at the AFCON, which runs into the New Year with the final on January 18. Morocco, Africa's best team in the FIFA rankings in 11th place, kick off the tournament on Sunday at 7 pm GMT against minnows Comoros at the new 69,000-seat Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in ...

On the streets of Rabat, the capital of Morocco, on December 20, 2025, the eve of the opening of the Africa Cup of Nations. ABDEL MAJID BZIOUAT / AFP For the past six weeks, one question has been on the mind of every Moroccan supporter: Will Achraf Hakimi, who injured his ankle on November 4 during a Champions League match between Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich, recover in time for the opening game of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) against Comoros on Sunday, December 21? "I feel ready, I did everything to be here," said the captain of the Atlas Lions, Morocco's national team, on the eve of the match at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Sports Complex in Rabat. "Whether I play or not, the most important thing is for Morocco to win." Seated next to him, he...