FIFA sells the grass for the 2026 World Cup final for $450

New Zealander Ryan Fox won his first major title by winning the British Open at Royal Birkdale. At 39 years old, the son of a former All Blacks rugby player, he holed a 12-foot birdie on the final hole for a round of 68 strokes, two under par.

Four players shared the lead during the final day. Cameron Young posted a spectacular round of 64, six under par, and was on top for two hours without hitting a ball. But Fox never gave up hope, even after some bogeys on the back nine.

On the 16th hole, a 10-foot birdie tied him with Young. Then, in the 18th, the most difficult on the field, he sealed the victory. Fox raised his arms and called out to his family. He was heard saying:

“I was asked to bring home a trophy, and I’m doing it, right?”

His name joins that of Bob Charles, the only New Zealander who had won this major, in 1963.

Young was once again one shot away from the title, as happened in St. Andrews four years ago. Sam Burns, who led after 54 holes and barely planned to play because his wife gave birth early, did not birdie the last 12 holes and finished within two shots.

Scottie Scheffler, defending champion, shot 67 and tied for fourth place with Tommy Fleetwood, who closed with birdie-birdie to thrill the home crowd. Bryson DeChambeau was out of the fight after a triple bogey on the 11th hole; He signed 72 and finished in 14th place.

Fox finished with a 10-under 270. He is the oldest debuting champion since Henrik Stenson ten years ago.

“I’m not entirely sure how I made that putt on 18. It’s a dream come true,” Fox declared upon receiving the jug of claret.

Si Woo Kim led early on the back nine, but made bogeys at 11 and 12, and a 40 in that half for a 72. Fox, two strokes behind Young after missing a putt at 11, responded with birdies at 13 and 14 to tie. A bogey on 15 complicated it, but his birdie on 16 and the final putt defined the story.

Historic gold at home

The 15-year-old twins from Guadalajara, Mia and Lia Cueva, took the gold medal in the three-meter springboard during the Mexico Diving Cup in Guadalajara. With 298.65 points they surpassed the Chinese duo, which took silver after 282.57 units. In front of their family and fans, they could not hold back their tears.

First victory against China

This victory has a special weight: it is the first time that the sisters beat the Asian representatives in an international competition. “I am very happy, it is the first time that we beat the Chinese and that is a great motivation to do it also in the Olympic Games. We have to work hard so that results like this are repeated,” said Mia Cueva after the competition.

Heading to Los Angeles 2028

The young women assured that this result is just the beginning. His goal is to repeat the feat in the next Olympic event. The Cueva Lobato family has a bigger dream: that Suri, the older sister, also classifies. “They are a great motivation, I like to see them fulfill their dreams. It makes me very happy and I can’t hold back my tears. The dream is to be in Los Angeles with the three of us,” Suri said.

A milestone in football history

The World Cup final between Spain and Argentina set a precedent: for the first time, halftime included a great spectacle, similar to that of the Super Bowl. The setting was the New Jersey/New York stadium.

Madonna opened the presentation by leaving the tunnel in a vehicle, accompanied by two Brazilian figures: Ronaldinho and Ronaldo. Both world champions wore personalized uniforms that evoked the Brazilian flag. Ronaldinho wore a yellow outfit with green and blue details; Ronaldo wore a blue one with green and yellow touches.

The show, unprecedented in a World Cup final, sought to replicate the entertainment format popularized by the NFL in its grand finale. The combination of music and soccer stars generated a unique moment for fans.

The presence of Madonna, pop icon, along with two football legends, raised the expectations of the event. The World Cup organization surprised with this novel bet, which could set a trend in future editions.