IJR News

Mbappé Targets 2026 Ballon d’Or for Madrid — 6dMbappé says the Ballon d’Or should return to Real Madrid and stresses that winning individual honours is secondary to helping the club win titles, while underscoring Madrid as his preferred home; he also revealed a decade-long relationship with Florentino Pérez that culminated in his 2024 move to the Bernabéu. He has floated signing Madrid icons Cristiano Ronaldo, Zinedine Zidane, and Ronaldo Nazário, reaffirmed his focus on Real Madrid’s success, and highlighted Pérez’s role in shaping his transfer, as he eyes the 2026 Ballon d’Or.

Texas Democrats Plan 2026 Challenge to GOP Control — Sep 17, 2026Democrats in Texas are mounting what could be their best statewide challenge in years, with a full slate including Gina Hinojosa for governor and James Talarico for the U.S. Senate as Paxton and Abbott face stiff headwinds amid economic strains and shifting Latino politics, while polls show a near deadlock in the Senate race and Hinojosa trailing in the governor’s contest. In the Legislature, candidates for House District 94 push pro-public-education and affordability platforms, highlighting concerns over school funding and inflation as both parties vie for seats in a historically Republican stronghold.

Pulisic Out, 13 Newcomers Join USMNT Roster — Sep 16, 2026Mauricio Pochettino’s first USMNT camp for the 2030 cycle omits Christian Pulisic, instead highlighting 16-year-old Cavan Sullivan and other teenagers as the squad prepares for friendlies against Peru, Chile, Mexico and Canada, with Yunus Musah recalled. The move signals a youth-forward rebuild for the program and comes amid talk of a strained Pulisic-Pochettino relationship after Pulisic’s 2025 Gold Cup absence and limited club playing time.

Elena Vasquez Sullivan getting a look at 16 is bold but the lack of experience on this roster could hurt in those friendlies.

UEFA Vice President Says Challenger to Infantino Need Not Be European — Sep 16, 2026UEFA is actively seeking a credible challenger to FIFA President Gianni Infantino ahead of the 2027 election, even as Infantino confirms he will seek re-election in March 2027. The campaign centers on governance reforms and opposition to Infantino's plan to sell a stake in FIFA to a private investment group led by Joshua Kushner, with UEFA and its member associations united in driving change.

Marcus Bell A non-European challenger makes sense if the goal is real reform instead of more of the same leadership.

Dortmund Teen Karetsas Returns to Training After Scare — Sep 16, 2026Borussia Dortmund midfielder Konstantinos Karetsas has returned to team training after a medical incident on his Champions League debut with suspected circulatory problems, with the club calling his first group session an important step toward his full return. Dortmund had previously described a period of individual sessions as he recovers, with no immediate indication of a return date.

Tarantino sets Cliff Booth novel for December 2026 release — Sep 15, 2026Tarantino’s The Adventures of Cliff Booth novel publishes Dec. 8, 2026—Booth as war hero offering “clandestine services”—before Fincher and Pitt’s IMAX bow Nov. 25 and Netflix Dec. 23.

Maya Lindstrom Brad Pitt back as Cliff Booth is the main draw here. The book release date feels like a smart way to build extra interest before the film.

Roman Roads Map Shows Network Was Neither Straight Nor Rome-Centered — Sep 15, 2026THE LEAD FACT: A 2026 Nature Communications study of ~300,000 km of Roman roads finds Rome was not the center; Constantinople was more central overland, and roads bent to terrain.

Derek Foss Those roads bending around hills and rivers instead of cutting straight through shows the engineers cared more about keeping wagons moving than drawing lines on a map.

9/11 Anniversary Honors Victims, Health Toll — Sep 8, 2026Twenty-five years after 9/11, the dead include thousands of immigrants and diaspora communities—from South Asian workers and Jamaicans to Latino employees and undocumented migrants—whose lives and memories are kept alive by families, memorials, and national reckonings. Meanwhile, authorities have struggled to identify all remains, with more than 1,100 still officially unidentified after two decades, spurring advances in DNA techniques and ongoing efforts to restore names to the victims.

Blow Out Named Among Greatest Thrillers — Sep 12, 2026Critics celebrate thrillers as a timeless force, from The Third Man and Charade to modern showcases like The Raid, Shutter Island, and Blow Out, highlighting how paranoia, conspiracy, and high-stakes tension keep the genre alive across decades. Tarantino cites The Thing as a personal influence on his work, and Blow Out’s enduring critical reevaluation underscores Brian De Palma’s impact on political and psychological thrillers.

Dana Whitfield Tarantino picking The Thing makes sense, those practical effects keep it ahead of a lot of newer horror.

Belgian FA withholds Infantino re-election support over unresolved FIFA issues — Sep 7, 2026The Royal Belgian Football Association said it will not support Gianni Infantino’s reelection as FIFA president, citing two transparency and governance concerns: the shelved FIFA Forward Enterprise project and the Balogun World Cup red-card episode, which included Trump’s involvement. The RBFA, aligning with UEFA, seeks clear explanations and considers CAS as a possible recourse while continuing to press FIFA for accountability.

Rachel Meyers Good on Belgium for actually asking questions instead of just rubber-stamping everything like usual.

Pochettino says Tottenham should receive 2016-17 Premier League title — Sep 10, 2026Mauricio Pochettino insists Chelsea should be stripped of the 2016-17 Premier League title and that Tottenham should be retrospectively awarded the trophy after Chelsea self-reported 74 FA rule breaches, arguing that the winner must be determined under uniform rules and stronger sanctions for rule-breaking. He has reiterated this stance across multiple outlets, maintaining Spurs finished second and deserved the title if Chelsea’s breaches are acknowledged as legitimate grounds for revisiting the award.

Marcus Bell Pochettino is right that titles need consistent rules, but retroactively handing Spurs the 2017 one after all this time feels like rewriting history.

Infantino Attendance Uncertain at Poland U-20 World Cup — Sep 4, 2026FIFA President Gianni Infantino’s attendance at the U-20 Women’s World Cup opening in Katowice remains uncertain as governance backlash continues over the abandoned Forward Enterprise plan to privatize World Cup rights, drawing criticism from UEFA, AFC and CONCACAF. The tournament is set to begin with about 15,000 spectators, and Infantino has signaled plans to seek a fourth term in 2027, with no challenger yet declared.

Nicole Hardy Funny how he's "uncertain" about showing up now that three confederations are pushing back on him.

Messi leads Inter Miami against struggling Atlanta as coach admits he's unstoppable — Sep 4, 2026Messi’s record-setting 7-1 performance has re-energized Inter Miami ahead of a key MLS clash with Atlanta United, with Atlanta eyeing Embolo’s pending debut as a potential boost and Miami aiming to sustain its title challenge. Miami will be without Reguilon, Lujan and Micael in defense, while interim coach Guillermo Hoyos must rely on depth as Atlanta's Tata Martino, now back with the rival, stresses Messi's decisive influence and the need to contain him.

Marcus Bell Embolo debuting against this Miami side is rough timing, Atlanta needs a spark but the schedule isn't kind.

Infantino Plans 2027 FIFA Re-Election Bid Amid Backlash — Sep 6, 2026FIFA President Gianni Infantino confirmed he will seek a fourth term in the March 2027 presidential election in Rabat, despite ongoing backlash over his plan to privatize FIFA’s commercial rights. European and regional bodies such as UEFA, CONCACAF and the Asian Confederation have pressured for accountability and even threatened actions like no-confidence votes or boycotts, though FIFA supporters frame the bid as a reform-driven continuation of his leadership.

Chris Dalton Reform-driven continuation is a funny way to describe clinging to power while your own regional bodies talk about no-confidence votes. Read the room, Gianni.