Parking lots may be a no-go zone for fans in World Cup host cities in the U.S. this summer.

The FIFA 2026 World Cup will see 11 U.S. cities host games, utilizing the plethora of professional-tier stadiums across the country. Several of these stadiums, however, will have a ban on the American tradition of tailgating.

'Site-specific restrictions may be imposed.'

Of the 11 cities, four are reportedly banning the pregame festivities that often enhance the fan experience ahead of events. Boston's host city committee has announced a ban at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, and a ban at New Jersey's MetLife Stadium was confirmed by local outlets.

Philadelphia's Lincoln Financial Field and Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri, will enforce bans, too, according to Bleacher Report and the Big Lead.

In response to the bans, a FIFA spokesman told Blaze News that the soccer organization has no formal prohibition on tailgating.

"FIFA does not have a formal policy that restricts tailgating (eating and drinking around parked cars in stadium areas)," the spokesman said.

"However, site-specific restrictions may be imposed in alignment with host city public safety authorities in certain venues based on local regulations," he added. "Additional fan information for all FIFA World Cup 2026 matches will be communicated in advance of the tournament."

Jim McIsaac/Getty Images

With seven other U.S. venues up in the air, FIFA did not respond to requests for an exhaustive list of which stadiums are enforcing a tailgate ban.

At the same time, the White House provided the following response when asked about the bans on the American tradition:

"The FIFA 2026 World Cup will no doubt be one of the greatest and most spectacular events in the history of mankind, attracting millions of fans from around the world to 11 host cities across America," White House spokesman Davis Ingle told Blaze News.

"This will be a monumental event that requires close coordination between the Trump administration, FIFA, and all of our great federal, state, and local partners. President Trump is focused on ensuring that this is not only an incredible experience for all fans and visitors, but also the safest and most secure in history."

Parking restrictions

Not only has tailgating been banned at Gillette Stadium, dubbed "Boston Stadium" for the purpose of the tournament, but parking will be severely limited. Radio station WRKO reported that stadium parking will be reduced to just 25% capacity at 5,000, while WBZ radio noted that round-trip train tickets to Foxborough will be $80, four times the typical $20 for NFL games.

The story is the same for MetLife Stadium, where the New Jersey hosting committee says parking will be prohibited. According to NJ.com, nearby parking is already sold out at $225 per space.

Understanding the parking restrictions appears to be a case of reading between the lines.

When asked about tailgating and parking enforcement around BC Place in Vancouver, Canada — one of two Canadian World Cup venues — a committee spokesman revealed that typical stadium parking will be taken up by FIFA.

"Many parking lots immediately adjacent to BC Place Vancouver will be occupied by FIFA for stadium-specific activities for the duration of the tournament," communications manager David Harrison told Blaze News.

Similarly, a New Jersey host committee spokeswoman told NJ.com that parking would be limited at MetLife because the lots will be in use for other functions, like enhanced security and portions "dedicated to fan engagement."

Barry Chin/The Boston Globe/Getty Images

Tailgating policy remains up in the air for the following U.S. venues: Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta; AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas; NRG Stadium in Houston; SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles; Hard Rock Stadium in Miami; Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California; and Lumen Field in Seattle.

Vancouver police told Blaze News that tailgating is not typical for their stadium, as it exists in their downtown area, but there is no designated place for fans to do so either.

Estadio Azteca, a host venue in Mexico City, did not respond to requests for comment.

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Faith, 'divine journey,' and Trump will ensure unforgettable World Cup, island nation's soccer president says

The soccer president from the tiny island nation of Curaçao says divine intervention has brought his team to the World Cup and, in turn, to the United States and in front of President Trump.

The executive's faith is also what has him confidently saying that everyone involved will lead with love, including the president.

'President Trump will make sure that this will be a World Cup that will not be [forgotten].'

Gilbert Martina, president of the Curaçao Football Federation, humbly avoided bragging about his hard work that turned his nation's soccer program around. Instead, he credited a long but fruitful "divine journey."

In an interview with Blaze News, Martina spoke in detail about his many run-ins with divine intervention, including his trip to the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C., in December.

There, at the World Cup draw, he sat just a few yards away from Trump and came to believe that Trump will act with love and grace to make it the biggest World Cup in history.

"We are all spiritual beings, and we have to take care of each other, and we have to globalize love," Martina passionately decreed. "And football unites. That's the slogan of FIFA. So I'm sure all stakeholders and even President Trump will make sure that this will be a World Cup that will not be [forgotten], ever, because it's the biggest on this planet."

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Divine intervention

The former insurance director and CEO of a medical center attributed most of his accomplishments to his divine journey with spirituality and faith. This starts with daily gratefulness, prayer, and meditation before preparing for what is ahead, Martina said.

Persistently pointing to this divine journey, he said he always believed his country would qualify for the World Cup. He offered no other explanation as to how such a small nation could unite in under a year for "a greater purpose."

"With the universe, with God, with the cosmos, whatever name we want to give it," his team started "co-creating beauty," he explained. "Then the magic happens."

Martina also said there were too many instances and overlapping themes to ignore. On the very day he got the job as president of Curaçao Football Federation in April 2025, he predicted to his wife that his team would make the World Cup.

"There is no coincidence," Martina declared.

ANGEL BATTA/AFP/Getty Images

Putting in the work

What the executive also explained — without giving himself the proper credit — was how he brought his country out of the Stone Age in terms of organization and formalities.

Before his election as president of Curaçao's soccer federation, the tiny country of about 150,000 had a program that was in shambles. Hotels and travel were not organized, players were not paid on time, and soccer teams within the country were at odds.

"Too much distraction," Martina said, expressing the stress of the job. "There's so much things that we had to professionalize, and so that was the focus."

He continued, "Because if they're not focused [on qualifying] ... you will have too much distraction."

After Martina became president, Curaçao went undefeated in eight matches (five wins, three ties) and qualified for the World Cup. There, the team will share Group E with Germany, the Ivory Coast, and Ecuador, with its first game against Germany on June 14.

Message for others

Martina compared his approach to life, and to a successful nation, with a hummingbird.

"A hummingbird isn't going to a garbage nest at KFC or Pizza Hut. A hummingbird always goes for the best nectar, the best flowers, because that's the best of the best," he said, mirroring advice he gives in his book, "Healthy Minds, Healthy Nation."

Martina insisted that people should strive for the best, whether it is in performance, organization, or even nutrition.

"That's a powerful message. ... When we are able to convert that into our daily life, purpose, and intention, beautiful things happen."

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Australian PM Will Grant Iranian Women’s Soccer Players Asylum After Trump Mounts Pressure Campaign

President Donald Trump on Monday successfully urged Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese to grant the Iranian women’s soccer team diplomatic protection after the hardline regime branded them "wartime traitors" for refusing to sing the Islamic Republic’s national anthem during a game last week.

The post Australian PM Will Grant Iranian Women’s Soccer Players Asylum After Trump Mounts Pressure Campaign appeared first on .

Actor Ryan Reynolds' Wrexham AFC — the world's 3rd-oldest soccer team — to play its biggest game of all time

Ryan Reynolds has made an almost 50X return on a tiny Welsh soccer team.

When Reynolds and fellow actor Rob McElhenney, best known for "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia," bought Wrexham AFC in 2021 for about $2.6 million, it played in England's fifth-tier soccer league and placed eighth. Now, it is knocking on the door of the country's top league and is worth around $130 million.

'Home! Chelsea! Yes!'

It did not take long for the Hollywood owners to bring the team out of obscurity, even though Wrexham is known as being the third-oldest existing professional soccer team in the world. Wrexham was founded over 161 years ago, in October 1864.

Five years of success after success has brought the stars' team to the fifth round of the FA Cup, the final 16 teams of England's biggest tournament and the oldest national soccer competition in the world.

Wrexham plays Chelsea FC, a team from England's top-flight English Premier League, on Saturday at 12:45 p.m. ET. Chelsea is one of the wealthiest teams in the world and would typically crush lower-tiered teams. However, Wrexham has had magic surrounding it lately.

Photo by Oli SCARFF / AFP via Getty Images

It already defeated Premier League team Nottingham Forest in the third round of the FA Cup (3-3, won on penalties) and Ipswich Town, a team ahead of Wrexham in its own division, in the fourth round (1-0).

"Home! Chelsea! Yes!" Reynolds said in an X video after learning about his team's opponent.

While Wrexham has played both Chelsea and world-famous Manchester United in exhibition games, this is by far the biggest team it has played in real competition since Reynolds took the helm. His time as owner has been nothing short of a fairy tale for supporters over the last five years.

In 2022-2023, Wrexham won the National League, gaining promotion to the fourth tier, English League Two. Finishing in second place in consecutive years has garnered Wrexham a promotion to the EFL Championship, England's second-highest league, where the team currently sits.

Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images

After Saturday's match, Wrexham will continue its push to make the Premier League. As it stands, the team is in sixth place with 11 games remaining. The top two teams in the league will gain automatic promotion to the Premier League, while third through sixth will play in a four-team, single-elimination tournament with the winner getting promoted.

Wrexham would likely have to beat other giant clubs after Chelsea to win the FA Cup, though, which seems an unlikely outcome.

However, a win against the Blues would still be the biggest in its history in a year in which bigger upsets have happened. In January, Macclesfield FC shocked Crystal Palace 2-1. Macclesfield is a sixth-tier team with part-time players, while Crystal Palace was the defending champion and is in the Premier League.

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Unpaid bill has Foxboro refusing to grant license for World Cup games at Gillette Stadium

The home of the New England Patriots is standing strong until it gets paid.

Foxboro, Massachusetts, is set to host seven World Cup matches this summer at Gillette Stadium, where the Patriots play. However, the Boston-area organizing committee for the World Cup has not come up with the money yet.

'All we're trying to do is protect our citizens.'

Representatives from Boston 26, the host city initiative for the World Cup, met in Foxboro this week, where they received a lashing from city officials over the mysteriously absent funding.

"I'm shocked you're not sitting here in front of us right now saying, 'We got the money for ya,'" Foxboro Select Board Member Mark Elfman told the soccer officials on Tuesday.

Board members said they would not grant an entertainment license for the World Cup games until the organizers could put up the money needed for event and security fees, which is a reported $7 million, according to WHDH- TV.

The host committee says it is not at fault, but rather the federal government has simply yet to pay.

"This task force is working on a daily basis to work with DHS and FEMA on that," Mike Loynd, CEO of Boston 26, told reporters. "I don't think I can say anything more about that. We're being told that it's, you know, it's expected any day now."

Select Board Member Bill Yukna described the World Cup games as the "equivalent of seven Super Bowls" over 39 days, requiring security for the stadium every single day throughout the event.

"All we're trying to do is protect our citizens," Yukna added.

Select Board Vice Chair Stephanie McGowan was more direct with the soccer officials, saying the small city of about 18,000 cannot simply front the millions of dollars required.

"We're not prepared to issue this license unless everything is in place," McGowan said, per WHDH. "I've seen people saying, 'Oh, there’s no way, they won't.' I’m going to tell you, this board will not issue this license," she affirmed.

Photo by Kirby Lee/Getty Images

Sixteen venues are scheduled to host games for the 2026 World Cup, the most ever for a single tournament, according to Fox Sports.

Along with two venues in Canada and three in Mexico, 10 other U.S. stadiums are scheduled to host games: Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta; AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas; NRG Stadium in Houston; SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles; Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri; Hard Rock Stadium in Miami; MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey; Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia; Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California; and Lumen Field in Seattle.

The select board will meet again on March 3, and the deadline to issue the license is March 17.

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Seattle plans World Cup 'Pride match' — then schedules two countries that prosecute gays to play in it

The city of Seattle's progressive ideology is set to clash with Islam during the FIFA World Cup next June.

Lumen Field in Seattle is scheduled to host six World Cup games in 2026, and the city's organizing committee is planning a special gay-pride game for June 26.

'The match-up of two countries where it is illegal to be gay is actually a "good thing" for the Pride Match.'

Announced in October, the committee is dubbing the game the "Seattle Pride Match" and has even procured gay art from fans through a contest meant to be used in Seattle's "citywide celebration."

However, after the World Cup draw finally happened on Friday to determine the tournament groups, the gay game is likely to run into ethical problems after it was decided who the two combatants will be.

The June 26 game will showcase a Group G matchup between two Muslim nations where homosexuality is prosecuted: The Islamic Republic of Iran and Egypt.

Photograph by Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

In Iran, same-sex relations are criminalized, with punishments ranging from flogging to the death penalty, according to Amnesty International.

Egypt is known to use its "debauchery" laws to prosecute gay acts, and while homosexuality is not explicitly illegal, the country used anti-prostitution laws to convict a man for sending nude photos to another man on the gay-dating app Grindr in 2017, according to the Guardian.

The Seattle organizers, who are not affiliated with FIFA, said they are already preparing the area's gay businesses to prepare for the influx of fans.

"We're working with small businesses so the region's LGBTQ+-owned enterprises are ready to benefit from the tournament's unprecedented visitor surge," said Hedda McLendon, the committee's senior vice president of legacy, according to Newsweek.

Seattle also organized a committee specifically for the Pride match, calling it the Seattle Pride Match Advisory Committee. A member of that of that group, Eric Wahl, reportedly stated on social media that "the match-up of two countries where it is illegal to be gay is actually a 'good thing' for the Pride Match."

Photo by Majid Saeedi/Getty images

The activism does not stop at gay pride for the Seattle group. It will also celebrate Juneteenth for one of the games. Juneteenth was first recognized by President Biden to celebrate the end of slavery annually on June 19.

A Group D match between the United States and Australia will take place in Seattle that day.

"Having the U.S. Team playing in Seattle on Juneteenth creates a high-visibility, high-responsibility moment to introduce hundreds of millions of viewers worldwide to Juneteenth and to create benefit for local Black-owned businesses and arts and cultural organizations," the organizers said on their website.

For that match, the group created another committee called the Juneteenth Advisory Committee.

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Female soccer player called 'racist' and 'transphobic' after call for gender testing

The National Women's Soccer League has entered crisis mode at the end of its season.

With the playoffs set to start, a recent opinion article sent shockwaves through the league because it mentions one simple issue: that men should not play in women's sports.

'That article does not speak for this team in this locker room.'

Elizabeth Eddy, a 34-year-old who plays for Angel City FC in Los Angeles, penned an article for the New York Post recently asking for the league to adopt gender testing in order to maintain an even playing field.

Eddy suggested one-time genetic testing through either blood sample or cheek swab, which would be kept confidential to protect player privacy.

The American's level-headed essay even included the idea of "creating pathways for athletes traditionally excluded from competing at the highest level" in order to demonstrate "inclusion."

Still, the vary notion of screening men out of the NWSL was met with heavy criticisms from Eddy's teammates.

Angel City captain Sarah Gorden and vice captain Angelina Anderson held a press conference a few days later to publicly condemn Eddy's comments, shockingly accusing her of racism and bigotry.

Barbra Banda of Orlando Pride was removed from a Zambian roster over alleged elevated testosterone levels. Photo by Eakin Howard/NWSL via Getty Images

"That article does not speak for this team in this locker room," Gorden stated vehemently. The captain said her teammates were "hurt," "harmed," and "disgusted" by some of the things that Eddy wrote.

Gorden went on to claim that Eddy's essay had "undertones that come across as transphobic and racist as well," but fell short of providing any quotes or specific details that fit her description.

However, Gorden did specify that she found it "inherently racist" for the article to feature a photo of Orlando Pride player Barbra Banda, claiming that it was likely because Banda looks different or is different.

However, Banda has been surrounded by controversy for years since being pulled from the 2022 Women's Africa Cup of Nations.

As previously reported by Blaze News, Banda — along with teammate Racheal Kundananji — both allegedly had tested positive for impermissibly high levels of testosterone. An investigative report by the Telegraph stated that the players were removed from the Zambian women's team because they did not want to take hormone suppressants, citing possible side effects.

Zambian officials told the outlet that Banda had abnormally high testosterone levels, and so did at least two other players, including Kundananji.

Banda has been praised through the controversy and was even named the BBC's female footballer of the year in 2024. The award drew mass criticism, including from beloved writer J.K. Rowling, who called the award "more time efficient than going door to door to spit directly in women's faces."

Gorden added during the recent press conference that since she is a "mixed woman" with a black family, she was "devastated by the undertones" of Eddy's article.

Anderson further cemented the team's position and reinforced that Angel City was "founded upon inclusivity and love" for all.

The NWSL itself supported Banda's recent selection to the FIFPRO World XI, which names the best female players in the world, annually.

The league said Banda is an "extraordinary talent" and that any "harassment or hateful attacks" have no place in the sport or its "communities."

Kundananji was transferred to NWSL team Bay FC (San Francisco) in 2024. Banda missed a chunk of the 2025 season with a hip abductor injury.

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Trump supporter booted from soccer game over 'MAGA' hat — but exposes glaring hypocrisy before leaving

A Trump supporter was escorted out of a professional soccer game in St. Louis over his "Make America Great Again" baseball cap.

A video with over one million views on X showed a man, who identified himself as Michael Weitzel, filming his interaction with stadium security and police at Energizer Park, home of St. Louis City SC, a Major League Soccer team.

'Are these rules equally enforced on everybody?'

Weitzel is seen telling a security guard that he is recording for his own safety when he is approached by a police officer who places a hand on his shoulder.

"I'm being asked to leave by police because of a Donald Trump [hat]," Weitzel says into the camera.

"I'm a Donald Trumper," the officer replied, seemingly stating his political views align with the fan's.

The officer then claimed the venue considers itself "nonpolitical" and, therefore, does not want any political messaging present at its games.

At that point, Weitzel panned the camera to a section across the stadium where gay pride flags were being flown.

"So those flags over there," Weitzel began, before being interrupted by the officer who told him the flags had been "preapproved."

Weitzel pressed on, "So my question to you guys is: Are these rules equally enforced on everybody?"

"Yes," the officer and a security guard told him, adding that in order to enforce the rules, they had to apply to him and his "MAGA" hat, as well.

Although he seemed to accept his fate and agreed to leave, Weitzel soon had a change of heart.

According to the Post Millennial, Weitzel later tried to comply with the request to remove his hat and stay at the game, but security told him they were "already past that" before requiring him to leave.

Additionally, OutKick reported that Weitzel is actually a season-ticket holder, which could further complicate matters for the organization and its rules.

St. Louis City, staff, and the police officer were seemingly following MLS policy, though. The league states in its Fan Code of Conduct that "displaying signs, symbols or images" for the purposes of advocating for or against any "candidate, political party, legislative issue, or government action" is prohibited.

Energizer Park in St. Louis, MO, March 25, 2025. Photo by Rick Ulreich/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Reporter Gregg Keller, who originally shared Weitzel's video, claimed that the Department of Justice's Civil Rights Division is investigating the video. The Justice Department told Blaze News it had no comment on the matter.

Blaze News has also contacted St. Louis City SC regarding the pride flags, whether or not the fan has been banned from future games, and if the organization is open to flying pro-Donald Trump or "MAGA" flags at any of its games.

This story will be updated with any applicable responses.

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Who's to blame for the un-American ban on tailgating at the World Cup?

Parking restrictions

Faith, 'divine journey,' and Trump will ensure unforgettable World Cup, island nation's soccer president says

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Trump supporter booted from soccer game over 'MAGA' hat — but exposes glaring hypocrisy before leaving

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Parking restrictions

Divine intervention

Putting in the work

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