Sports

FIFA president Gianni Infantino and US President Donald Trump at the 2026 FIFA World Cup draw in Washington, December 5, 2025. EVELYN HOCKSTEIN/REUTERS It was a moment so far beyond parody or satire that it was impossible to laugh. FIFA president Gianni Infantino and US President Donald Trump turned the 2026 World Cup draw, held in Washington, DC on Friday, December 4, into a spectacle for their own glorification. More than the make-up of the tournament's 12 groups, what stood out was Infantino presenting Trump with a "peace prize" – a staggering display of servility from the head of world football toward a head of state. On social media, Infantino wrote that Trump was being awarded "for his unwavering commitment to advancing peace and unity throughout the ...

US President Donald Trump receives the inaugural 'FIFA Peace Prize' from FIFA president Gianni Infantino on December 5, 2025, in Washington. SAUL LOEB / AFP The "FIFA Peace Prize" the football organization's president Gianni Infantino awarded to US President Donald Trump on Friday, December 5, in Washington, during the final phase draw for the 2026 World Cup, continues to fuel controversy. FairSquare, the British NGO long critical of FIFA's governance, has filed a complaint on December 8 against the head of the international body with FIFA's so-called "independent" ethics committee. Read more Subscribers only 'The Trump-Infantino farce shows how FIFA debases football' According to the NGO, Infantino repeatedly violated...

"Vitinha! Vitinha!" Usually the one helping his teammates shine, Paris Saint-Germain's quiet star took center stage for once: On November 26, after PSG's 5-3 victory over Tottenham in the Champions League, the Parc des Princes gave the Portuguese midfielder a massive ovation. That night, the footballer did more than just shine in his usual role as the metronome of PSG's offense – he also scored the first hat trick of his career. Above all, he carried his team nearly single-handedly, proving decisive at key moments and demonstrating leadership qualities that had not previously been associated with him. "Wow, what a player!" said Tottenham manager Thomas Frank after the match. Vitinha, 25, suddenly found himself in the spotlight. It was a new experience for this modest player...

After several years of unsuccessful talks with City Hall regarding the purchase of the Parc des Princes, the club is conducting in-depth studies in Massy and Poissy, two cities in the Paris region, for the construction of a new home ground.

Quentin Folliot at the Iris-Lambersart Open tennis tournament, in Lambersart, France, November 13, 2022. STEPHANE MORTAGNE / PHOTOPQR/« VOIX DU NORD »/MAXPPP The International Tennis Integrity Agency announced onThursday, December 11, that French tennis player Quentin Folliot has been suspended for 20 years and fined $70,000 for match-fixing. The ITIA said Folliot has also been ordered to repay "corrupt payments" totaling more than $44,000 for "committing 27 breaches of the Tennis Anti-Corruption Program (TACP)." Folliot's suspension will end in May 2044, "subject to repayment of outstanding fines." Time served under a provisional suspension in May 2024 will be credited against the player's period of ineligibility. During the period of ineligi...

Alice Tubello during the Roland-Garros qualifiers in Paris, May 22, 2024. VICTOR JOLY/PRESSE SPORTS On an August 2024 evening, on the clay courts of Arequipa, Peru, perched 2,300 meters above sea level, Alice Tubello, then ranked 219th in the Women's Tennis Association (WTA), lost after three hours of a fierce battle, in a third-set tie-break, against a local player with no global ranking but well-versed in extreme conditions. Still reeling from the effort, the 23-year-old Frenchwoman collapsed onto a bench and let her tears flow. When she instinctively turned on her phone to book her return flight to France, the device started to vibrate incessantly. Instagram messages in every language flooded her screen. "Pathetic whore," "I hope your arms get broken," "...

ADRIÀ FRUITÓS On social media, BabylioPronos follows a very particular daily routine. Every day, he posts stories on his Instagram account flaunting bundles of cash, ranging from €50 to €200, spread out across a desk. The aim: to persuade his 146,000 followers to buy VIP access to his services. BabylioPronos, who regularly appears at lavish parties in Bali and Dubai or behind the wheel of luxury cars, is what is known as a "tipster": a specialist selling sports betting advice to other gamblers. Some of these so-called experts share their opinions on upcoming sporting events for free, but many sell monthly subscriptions, dangling the promise of huge profits for those who follow their tips. Navigating this galaxy of influencers and specialized sites...

ADRIÀ FRUITÓS How much to lose a set? And how much to throw a match? When questioned by investigators while in police custody in mid-October, a French tennis player explained he was first approached to lose a match for €500. He flatly refused. But the offer increased: €700, €1,000, €2,000. At €5,000, the player accepted. Ranked outside the top 100 on the ATP Tour, the male professional circuit, he was among the three French tennis players charged on October 18 in a match-fixing case that continues to grow in scope. So far, Marseille prosecutors have confirmed that seven people, including players, former players, accomplices and intermediaries, have been charged with organized fraud, corruption of a participant in a sporting event, participation in a criminal...

Paris Saint-Germain coach Luis Enrique and Warren Zaïre-Emery during a match in Paris, November 4, 2025. THIBAULT CAMUS / AP At the PSG Campus in Poissy, near Paris, there are brand-new buildings, 17 immaculate training pitches – pristine even in November's winter weather – and all the perks you'd expect from a European champion, made possible by a €350 million investment. And then there is the staircase, seemingly ordinary but symbolically far more significant, that splits the facility into two distinct worlds: On one side, the professional players; on the other, those who hope to become them. Along the steps, plaques commemorate the names of 142 players who came through the Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) youth academy since its founding in 1975 before making i...

South Africa face New Zealand in a scrum in the final of the Rugby World Cup 2023, in Paris, October 28, 2023. GONZALO FUENTES / REUTERS Hosts Australia face a blockbuster group clash with New Zealand at the 2027 Rugby World Cup as holders South Africa were pitted with Italy in the draw in Sydney on Wednesday, December 3. The four-time champion Springboks will also play Georgia and Romania in Pool B at the six-week global showpiece from October 1-November 13 featuring a bumper 24 teams and 52 games. Rassie Erasmus' all-conquering side are favorites to win a third straight title after an exceptional 2025. They completed an Autumn Nations Series clean sweep after retaining their Rugby Championship crown, taking an eight-match u...