First Touch

Lionel Messi and Inter Miami were honored at the White House for winning the 2025 MLS Cup 🏆

(Via @benblack)

Portugal are scheduled to face the Mexico national football team on March 28 in Mexico City before taking on the United States men's national soccer team on March 31 in Atlanta. ⚽

Cristiano Ronaldo’s status for Portugal’s upcoming friendlies in North America is in jeopardy after the forward suffered a hamstring injury 🤕

According to Fabrizio Romano, the Portuguese star could be sidelined two to four weeks, putting his availability for Portugal’s March matches in doubt. ⏳

🚨 FIFA will allow broadcasters to run advertisements during hydration breaks that will split each half of every 2026 World Cup match 📺

A three minute break is set to be introduced midway through each 45 minute half, with FIFA promoting it as a measure to improve player welfare 🔄

(Via The Athletic)

World Cup talk starts here 🌎🏆

Our First Touch Weekly Pod is OUT NOW, bringing you topical deep dives and all the storylines from the road to 2026⚽️🎙️🔥

🎧You can listen to the full episode of our new weekly show: First Touch Weekly wherever you get your podcasts!

First Touch Weekly episode two is LIVE!

💸 What's the deal with $625 million in #WorldCup security funding for local markets?
🇨🇼 Dive in on #Curaçao with the one and only @jonarnoldfc.bsky.social and what the departure of head coach Dick Advocaat means for the debutants

🎧: linktr.ee/firsttouchksm

Iconic or updated? 🏆

Choose your favorite Spanish football badge 🇪🇸

🗣️ “In the final minutes I couldn’t feel anything. I had to dig deep to keep going. What I learned is simple, my body and mind are far stronger than I ever imagined.”- André Schürrle

But just nine years later, at only 29, he walked away from it all. And he didn’t just retire… he reinvented himself 💪

Schürrle has tackled insane endurance feats using the Wim Hof Method — like climbing the Sněžka Mountains (5,348 ft) wearing just shorts, facing -2°F temps, 62 mph winds heavy snow🗻

From World Cup glory to extreme mind-body challenges!🔥

In 2014, André Schürrle reached the peak of soccer , winning the World Cup with Germany 🇩🇪, scoring three goals along the way, and setting up the game-winning goal in the final. Millions dream of that… he lived it 🏆

FIFA has unveiled the official 2026 World Cup poster,a collage celebrating the three host nations: Canada, the U.S., and Mexico 🇨🇦🇺🇸🇲🇽

With red, blue, and green tones and created by artists from each country, the poster highlights North American unity ahead of the tournament⚽

Only eight nations in history have ever lifted the FIFA World Cup trophy 🌎🏆

Will one of these giants add another star to their badge 👀Or will a brand-new nation rise and be crowned champions of the world for the first time? 🌟🔥

(Via FIFA)

Here’s a look at the USMNT Starting XIs in their World Cup openers dating back to 2006 🔥🏆

#usmnt #worldcup #fifa #usa #soccer

Different generations. Same badge. 🇺🇸❤️

100 DAYS OUT FROM THE WORLD CUP 🤩🌎

We can’t wait to welcome the World Cup to USA and hit up watch parties all across the country! ✈️

(Via TT/4KSoccer)

Five World Cups deep… and still chasing the ultimate prize 🏆🇵🇹

One last dance for Cristiano Ronaldo? 🔜

Rodrygo makes it clear, they want Neymar leading the charge 🇧🇷🔥

🗣️ Rodrygo: “Neymar Jr. going to the World Cup? In my opinion, there’s no debate. We know he needs to be fit, and he’s preparing. But there’s no way you can leave him out. It wouldn’t be as fun to win without him. We need him.”

Their scheduled group stage matches on U.S. soil:
• June 15, 2026 vs. New Zealand — SoFi Stadium
• June 21, 2026 vs. Belgium — SoFi Stadium
• June 26, 2026 vs. Egypt — Lumen Field

Iran’s World Cup Status in Doubt 🇮🇷

Rising geopolitical tensions have put Iran’s participation at the FIFA World Cup 2026 in serious question.

FIFA is monitoring the situation closely, but no final call has been made yet.

(via Marca)

A resolution is expected in the coming days but as of now, there’s a strong chance it won’t be played on March 27 in Qatar ❌

Still no final decision. (via Gastón Edul and Sudalantics)

UEFA, CONMEBOL and FIFA are in wait-and-see mode ⏳

La Finalissima has NOT been officially suspended. FIFA says no decision has been made beyond Qatar’s statement on the temporary suspension of sporting events.

France national team career only 🇫🇷

Who are you taking:Thierry Henry or Kylian Mbappé? 👀

From Santa Barbara, California to Boca Raton, Florida, here’s a look at where several 2026 World Cup teams will be setting up their training bases during the tournament 🗺️📍

The money, over $800M earmarked for security and drone monitoring, is currently frozen as FEMA operations are impacted by the partial government shutdown. 🚫

With the tournament kicking off June 11, cities like Miami say they’re running out of time ⏳

According to Front Office Sports, hundreds of millions in federal security funding for the 2026 World Cup still hasn’t reached U.S. host cities because of the DHS funding standoff in Congress 💰⚖️

He’s the kind of warrior that can carry the United States men's national soccer team deep into the 2026 FIFA World Cup 🇺🇸🔥

(Via CBSGolazo)

It’s wild to think Weston McKennie has played almost every single position for Juventus over the last two seasons, everything except left wing and goalkeeper 😭

And honestly? He’d probably boss those too 😳

In a recent chat with L’Equipe, Karim Benzema said he’d be open to rejoining Les Bleus for one last World Cup run ⚽🇫🇷

Benzema has been a key figure for France for over a decade, scoring big goals and leading the attack 🔥

Do you want to Benzema back one last time with the French Nation team?✨

With construction set to begin in just over two months and more than 100 days until kickoff, officials say the “drop-dead date” to make major decisions is fast approaching 📅

(Via The Athletic)

Miami could be forced to cancel its official FIFA World Cup Fan Fest this summer if federal funding doesn’t arrive within the next 30 days 😳

Host cities are still waiting on $625 million in approved security funds, with Miami requesting around $70 million to help stage a 23-day Fan Fest💰