Closing Bell

Fans aiming to attend the Canada vs. Bosnia-Herzegovina World Cup match began to “filter in” to Toronto Stadium with “just over two hours to go.” Both fan bases marched to the stadium early on Friday, with The Voyageurs fan group (Canada) marching “from Trinity Bellwoods Park to Toronto Stadium,” with smoke from red and white flares filling the air and chants rolling up through the crowds. It was not the only fanbase to start the celebration early, however as “hundreds of Bosnia-Herzegovina fans” awaited the arrival of the national team’s supporter group, BH Fanaticos. Some Canada fans “watched in amazement” as the Bosnia-Herzegovina fans “stopped near the Strachan bridge.” Toronto Fan Fest lines had “significant” wait times. One security guard said it would take fans “at least an hour” to get in. The pre-game concert, which featured a performance from Alessia Cara, among others, “lasted all but 15 minutes.” Before kickoff, Michael Buble gave a “stirring and soulful rendition of ‘Bring it On Home to Me,’” followed by Alanis Morissette singing “O Canada” (TORONTO STAR, 6/12).

Fox Sports’ Katie Shanahan said she has been hearing there will be around 30,000 Bosnia-Herzegovina fans, so “half the stadium you might see will be blue and the other half red” (“FIFA World Cup Live,” Fox, 6/12).

Ghana MF Thomas Partey will “play no part” in Ghana’s first World Cup game in Toronto as he has been “denied entry to Canada.” He was charged with five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault in July 2025 by London’s Metropolitan Police and pleaded “not guilty” in September 2025. He was “charged with two new counts of rape” in February this year, to which he “pleaded not guilty” in April (THE ATHLETIC, 6/12).

VENICE BEACH - The first fan arrived at 4:45am on Thursday morning ahead of the opening of the U.S. Soccer House.

The footprint, a minute’s walk from the Pacific Ocean, will be U.S. Soccer’s commercial and fan hub throughout the World Cup’s group stage. On Thursday, dozens of Team USA’s most ardent fans had lined up for the official opening, welcomed by U.S. Soccer Chief Commercial Officer David Wright, Bank of America’s Michele Barlow and Fox broadcaster Stu Holden, a former member of the men’s national team.

Fox broadcast live from the venue on Thursday, and by 10am fans were cracking open $9 Michelob Ultras and getting ready to watch the tournament’s opening match between Mexico and South Africa.

The space requires a free registration to enter. Bank of America, the presenting sponsor, is giving away customizable, soccer-themed bracelets and is behind “The Vault,” a VIP area. Other U.S. Soccer sponsors activating on site include Chobani, Google, Jim Beam, New York Life, Purina, Truly and Visa. The U.S. Soccer House will be open throughout the group stage, with plans for player appearances, fan giveaways, live music and other activities.

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A federal judge on Friday “refused” to stop the White House from staging a UFC event this weekend on the South Lawn following a lawsuit aimed at halting it from going forward. U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta‘s ruling allows organizers to “use the White House lawn as the venue” for the card. Mehta concluded that the plaintiffs “likely don’t have legal standing to challenge the event and have failed to prove that they would suffer irreparable harm by the event going forward as planned.” The judge also “cited the plaintiffs’ ‘unreasonable delay’ in suing to challenge an event that’s been in the works for months” (AP, 6/12).

Oklahoma AG Gentner Drummond sent the Big 12 a “letter recommending that action be taken against Texas Tech” over QB Brendan Sorsby‘s gambling violations. Drummond also “responded” to Texas AG Ken Paxton, who “said sanctions against Texas Tech would violate antitrust laws, saying his claim is meritless.” Drummond noted that Sorsby “broke NCAA rules by wagering roughly $90,000 on sports across four years.” Drummond said that his office has a “direct interest in the integrity of the conference,” which includes Oklahoma State as a member (OKLAHOMAN, 6/12).

A group of top tennis players are “considering boycotting the US Open’s mixed doubles event this year amid the prize money dispute.” Players, including ATP No. 1 Jannik Sinner, may “threaten to skip the event to pressurise organisers into boosting the prize pot,” along with “making substantial improvements to player welfare and affording them greater say in decision-making.” It is the “latest threat” by top players demanding that grand-slam events increase the prize money on offer (London TIMES, 6/12).

Manchester United have “taken out a further” $125M in long-term debt “following a refinancing of borrowings” related to the Glazer family’s 2005 takeover. A filing to the U.S. Securities and Exchange confirmed that ManU has “restructured” its $425M senior secured notes, which were due for repayment next year, moving the refinanced debt to $550M, at a higher interest rate of 5.36%. In the SEC filing, United said “borrowings would be used to pay the $425M due to expire next year and for ‘general corporate purposes’” (THE ATHLETIC, 6/12).