Henry Bushnell
@henrybushnell.bsky.social
Senior ⚽ writer, The Athletic.
Tips, ideas, etc.:
hbushnell@theathletic.com
henrybushnell.03 on Signal
Tips, ideas, etc.:
hbushnell@theathletic.com
henrybushnell.03 on Signal
FIFA is selling parking at LA's World Cup games, more than a mile from SoFi Stadium, for $250-$300.
The latest on this World Cup's exorbitant price tag, @theathleticfc.bsky.social:
The latest on this World Cup's exorbitant price tag, @theathleticfc.bsky.social:
World Cup parking for $300? FIFA selling spots at L.A. games for more than tickets
There's plenty of focus on the price of 2026 World Cup match tickets, but simply driving to the stadium will come at significant cost, too
www.nytimes.com
February 2, 2026 at 2:56 PM
FIFA is selling parking at LA's World Cup games, more than a mile from SoFi Stadium, for $250-$300.
The latest on this World Cup's exorbitant price tag, @theathleticfc.bsky.social:
The latest on this World Cup's exorbitant price tag, @theathleticfc.bsky.social:
There's lots of noise, understandably, about a 2026 World Cup boycott.
Let's cut through the noise, dissect what a boycott would actually entail and why, at this stage, it's extremely unlikely.
@theathleticfc.bsky.social:
Let's cut through the noise, dissect what a boycott would actually entail and why, at this stage, it's extremely unlikely.
@theathleticfc.bsky.social:
Why a World Cup boycott is unlikely, and what it would take to organize one
Calls for a boycott of the U.S.-cohosted event are growing, but there's ample reason why anything materializing is a long shot
www.nytimes.com
January 28, 2026 at 6:06 PM
There's lots of noise, understandably, about a 2026 World Cup boycott.
Let's cut through the noise, dissect what a boycott would actually entail and why, at this stage, it's extremely unlikely.
@theathleticfc.bsky.social:
Let's cut through the noise, dissect what a boycott would actually entail and why, at this stage, it's extremely unlikely.
@theathleticfc.bsky.social:
Some U.S. Soccer news: USSF president Cindy Parlow Cone is running unopposed for re-election.
She'll win another four-year term next month, and serve until (at least) 2030.
She'll win another four-year term next month, and serve until (at least) 2030.
U.S. Soccer president Cindy Parlow Cone to run unopposed in bid for re-election
The incumbent U.S. Soccer president is poised to serve until 2030 while being eligible to run for re-election one more time.
www.nytimes.com
January 27, 2026 at 12:41 PM
Some U.S. Soccer news: USSF president Cindy Parlow Cone is running unopposed for re-election.
She'll win another four-year term next month, and serve until (at least) 2030.
She'll win another four-year term next month, and serve until (at least) 2030.
Reposted by Henry Bushnell
Videos verified by The New York Times show Alex Jeffrey Pretti, the man federal agents shot and killed in Minneapolis on Saturday, was holding a phone, not a gun, when the agents took him to the ground and shot him. In total, at least 10 shots appear to have been fired within five seconds.
Videos Show Moments in Which Agents Killed a Man in Minneapolis
Federal authorities said the slain man, Alex Pretti, had approached agents with a gun. But videos show Mr. Pretti was holding his phone, not a weapon, when they pulled him to the ground.
nyti.ms
January 25, 2026 at 12:05 AM
Videos verified by The New York Times show Alex Jeffrey Pretti, the man federal agents shot and killed in Minneapolis on Saturday, was holding a phone, not a gun, when the agents took him to the ground and shot him. In total, at least 10 shots appear to have been fired within five seconds.
Reposted by Henry Bushnell
Ex-MLS coach Adrian Heath thought the job interview might lead to the next part of the world football would take him.
Instead, it turned into a nightmare.
“I started thinking about all the good stuff about my life,” he said. “My wife. My children. My grandkids.”
www.nytimes.com/athletic/698...
Instead, it turned into a nightmare.
“I started thinking about all the good stuff about my life,” he said. “My wife. My children. My grandkids.”
www.nytimes.com/athletic/698...
The extraordinary story of a soccer coach, a kidnapping and a Saudi job that didn’t exist
Adrian Heath was duped into thinking he was on the verge of a new job – only to be held at knifepoint in Morocco. Turns out he's not alone
www.nytimes.com
January 21, 2026 at 12:54 PM
Ex-MLS coach Adrian Heath thought the job interview might lead to the next part of the world football would take him.
Instead, it turned into a nightmare.
“I started thinking about all the good stuff about my life,” he said. “My wife. My children. My grandkids.”
www.nytimes.com/athletic/698...
Instead, it turned into a nightmare.
“I started thinking about all the good stuff about my life,” he said. “My wife. My children. My grandkids.”
www.nytimes.com/athletic/698...
News: U.S. Soccer has finalized the allocation/lottery process for its USMNT World Cup tickets.
Three distinct, weighted random draws, with all the $60 tickets going to members of supporters groups — but with "a huge catch."
Details:
Three distinct, weighted random draws, with all the $60 tickets going to members of supporters groups — but with "a huge catch."
Details:
How U.S. Soccer is allocating World Cup tickets – to USA supporters, but mostly paying members
U.S. Soccer has informed fans of the process to secure World Cup tickets through the federation, and it comes with plenty of caveats
www.nytimes.com
January 8, 2026 at 6:14 PM
News: U.S. Soccer has finalized the allocation/lottery process for its USMNT World Cup tickets.
Three distinct, weighted random draws, with all the $60 tickets going to members of supporters groups — but with "a huge catch."
Details:
Three distinct, weighted random draws, with all the $60 tickets going to members of supporters groups — but with "a huge catch."
Details:
The furor over 2026 World Cup ticket prices raised a fascinating question:
How did sports tickets get so expensive in the United States — all while remaining relatively modest in the UK, Europe & elsewhere?
Spoke to economists, sports execs, etc. for answers @theathletic.com:
How did sports tickets get so expensive in the United States — all while remaining relatively modest in the UK, Europe & elsewhere?
Spoke to economists, sports execs, etc. for answers @theathletic.com:
How U.S. sports tickets got so expensive – and why it shocks the rest of the world
World Cup ticket prices are symptomatic of a greater issue across sports in America, where enough people have proven they'll pay in excess
www.nytimes.com
December 19, 2025 at 2:01 PM
The furor over 2026 World Cup ticket prices raised a fascinating question:
How did sports tickets get so expensive in the United States — all while remaining relatively modest in the UK, Europe & elsewhere?
Spoke to economists, sports execs, etc. for answers @theathletic.com:
How did sports tickets get so expensive in the United States — all while remaining relatively modest in the UK, Europe & elsewhere?
Spoke to economists, sports execs, etc. for answers @theathletic.com:
Reposted by Henry Bushnell
New @theathleticfc.bsky.social
New travel bans by Trump administration threaten to exclude fans of Senegal and Ivory Coast from World Cup next summer, with each team having two games in the U.S.
Up to four qualified nations impacted now along with Haiti & Iran.
www.nytimes.com/athletic/689...
New travel bans by Trump administration threaten to exclude fans of Senegal and Ivory Coast from World Cup next summer, with each team having two games in the U.S.
Up to four qualified nations impacted now along with Haiti & Iran.
www.nytimes.com/athletic/689...
New Trump travel ban could exclude fans of Senegal and Ivory Coast from World Cup
Senegal and Ivory Coast are both scheduled to play two of their group games in the U.S. and one in Toronto, Canada.
www.nytimes.com
December 16, 2025 at 9:31 PM
New @theathleticfc.bsky.social
New travel bans by Trump administration threaten to exclude fans of Senegal and Ivory Coast from World Cup next summer, with each team having two games in the U.S.
Up to four qualified nations impacted now along with Haiti & Iran.
www.nytimes.com/athletic/689...
New travel bans by Trump administration threaten to exclude fans of Senegal and Ivory Coast from World Cup next summer, with each team having two games in the U.S.
Up to four qualified nations impacted now along with Haiti & Iran.
www.nytimes.com/athletic/689...
News: FIFA, amid backlash to World Cup ticket prices, has carved out ~1,000 tickets per game to sell for $60 to supporters.
More details and context @theathleticfc.bsky.social:
More details and context @theathleticfc.bsky.social:
FIFA, after backlash to World Cup ticket prices, creates new $60 category for small number of supporters
One thousand of the cheaper tickets will be available for each team per game after outrage over historically high prices this month.
www.nytimes.com
December 16, 2025 at 6:15 PM
News: FIFA, amid backlash to World Cup ticket prices, has carved out ~1,000 tickets per game to sell for $60 to supporters.
More details and context @theathleticfc.bsky.social:
More details and context @theathleticfc.bsky.social:
Reposted by Henry Bushnell
“Going to the World Cup” used to be something normal people did.
Not with these ticket prices.
@theathleticfc.bsky.social
www.nytimes.com/athletic/688...
Not with these ticket prices.
@theathleticfc.bsky.social
www.nytimes.com/athletic/688...
‘Going to the World Cup’ used to be something ordinary people did. Not with these ticket prices
The World Cup is about so much more than just the football. FIFA's pricing structure for next summer's tournament ignores that
www.nytimes.com
December 11, 2025 at 10:09 PM
“Going to the World Cup” used to be something normal people did.
Not with these ticket prices.
@theathleticfc.bsky.social
www.nytimes.com/athletic/688...
Not with these ticket prices.
@theathleticfc.bsky.social
www.nytimes.com/athletic/688...
FIFA has hiked World Cup ticket prices yet again.
It's now...
💵 $700 for some standard group stage tickets
💵 $140 *at minimum* — no more Category 4
💵 $8,680 for a Category 1 ticket to the final
@theathleticfc.bsky.social has published a full list of prices here:
It's now...
💵 $700 for some standard group stage tickets
💵 $140 *at minimum* — no more Category 4
💵 $8,680 for a Category 1 ticket to the final
@theathleticfc.bsky.social has published a full list of prices here:
World Cup ticket prices rise again after draw; What each match costs to attend
For the first time, tickets are available to specific World Cup games, and the prices are largely on a significant rise
www.nytimes.com
December 11, 2025 at 6:39 PM
FIFA has hiked World Cup ticket prices yet again.
It's now...
💵 $700 for some standard group stage tickets
💵 $140 *at minimum* — no more Category 4
💵 $8,680 for a Category 1 ticket to the final
@theathleticfc.bsky.social has published a full list of prices here:
It's now...
💵 $700 for some standard group stage tickets
💵 $140 *at minimum* — no more Category 4
💵 $8,680 for a Category 1 ticket to the final
@theathleticfc.bsky.social has published a full list of prices here:
Reposted by Henry Bushnell
FIFA’s pricing for the tickets available to supporters of teams at the World Cup has been criticised by the leading European soccer fans’ group.
Full story from @mjslater.bsky.social ⬇️
🔗 www.nytimes.com/athletic/688...
Full story from @mjslater.bsky.social ⬇️
🔗 www.nytimes.com/athletic/688...
December 11, 2025 at 3:18 PM
FIFA’s pricing for the tickets available to supporters of teams at the World Cup has been criticised by the leading European soccer fans’ group.
Full story from @mjslater.bsky.social ⬇️
🔗 www.nytimes.com/athletic/688...
Full story from @mjslater.bsky.social ⬇️
🔗 www.nytimes.com/athletic/688...
Reposted by Henry Bushnell
NEW:
Hotels across US, Canada & Mexico hiked prices during the FIFA World Cup in 2026, with an analysis by The Athletic revealing average increase of over 300 per cent per night around opening matches in the 16 host cities.
Report: nytimes.com/athletic/68757…
Hotels across US, Canada & Mexico hiked prices during the FIFA World Cup in 2026, with an analysis by The Athletic revealing average increase of over 300 per cent per night around opening matches in the 16 host cities.
Report: nytimes.com/athletic/68757…
December 10, 2025 at 6:23 AM
NEW:
Hotels across US, Canada & Mexico hiked prices during the FIFA World Cup in 2026, with an analysis by The Athletic revealing average increase of over 300 per cent per night around opening matches in the 16 host cities.
Report: nytimes.com/athletic/68757…
Hotels across US, Canada & Mexico hiked prices during the FIFA World Cup in 2026, with an analysis by The Athletic revealing average increase of over 300 per cent per night around opening matches in the 16 host cities.
Report: nytimes.com/athletic/68757…
News: Every 2026 World Cup match will feature two "hydration breaks," no matter the weather.
Each half will pause for exactly three minutes midway through.
It's a player welfare measure. It also has sporting & commercial implications.
More @theathleticfc.bsky.social:
Each half will pause for exactly three minutes midway through.
It's a player welfare measure. It also has sporting & commercial implications.
More @theathleticfc.bsky.social:
2026 World Cup to feature three-minute hydration breaks in every half throughout tournament
Every game will pause for three minutes in the middle of each half, which will essentially split the match into quarters.
www.nytimes.com
December 8, 2025 at 12:57 PM
News: Every 2026 World Cup match will feature two "hydration breaks," no matter the weather.
Each half will pause for exactly three minutes midway through.
It's a player welfare measure. It also has sporting & commercial implications.
More @theathleticfc.bsky.social:
Each half will pause for exactly three minutes midway through.
It's a player welfare measure. It also has sporting & commercial implications.
More @theathleticfc.bsky.social:
Inside the making of the 2026 World Cup schedule, the most complex ever...
⚽ a years-long process, then a 12-hour sprint in the Kennedy Center's River Pavilion
⚽ simulations, weather data, countless variables
It all came together in the wee hours of Saturday morning. Here's how:
⚽ a years-long process, then a 12-hour sprint in the Kennedy Center's River Pavilion
⚽ simulations, weather data, countless variables
It all came together in the wee hours of Saturday morning. Here's how:
The making of the 2026 World Cup schedule: Simulations, an all-nighter and a giant ‘puzzle’
There was a myriad of issues for the World Cup schedulers to cope with - The Athletic was given an insight into how fixtures were confirmed
www.nytimes.com
December 7, 2025 at 4:08 PM
Inside the making of the 2026 World Cup schedule, the most complex ever...
⚽ a years-long process, then a 12-hour sprint in the Kennedy Center's River Pavilion
⚽ simulations, weather data, countless variables
It all came together in the wee hours of Saturday morning. Here's how:
⚽ a years-long process, then a 12-hour sprint in the Kennedy Center's River Pavilion
⚽ simulations, weather data, countless variables
It all came together in the wee hours of Saturday morning. Here's how:
Reposted by Henry Bushnell
Lionel Messi's MLS Cup ended one era at Inter Miami and ushered in a new future for the club, which will open its new stadium with a star above its crest.
Can it also will MLS into a new future?
As Jorge Mas told me on the field after the win: "It ain't over."
www.nytimes.com/athletic/686...
Can it also will MLS into a new future?
As Jorge Mas told me on the field after the win: "It ain't over."
www.nytimes.com/athletic/686...
Messi, Inter Miami’s MLS Cup title ends one era, ushers in a more ambitious future
An MLS Cup title shuts the door on the first iteration of Messi in Miami. With a new stadium and running mates beckoning, what comes next?
www.nytimes.com
December 7, 2025 at 12:42 PM
Lionel Messi's MLS Cup ended one era at Inter Miami and ushered in a new future for the club, which will open its new stadium with a star above its crest.
Can it also will MLS into a new future?
As Jorge Mas told me on the field after the win: "It ain't over."
www.nytimes.com/athletic/686...
Can it also will MLS into a new future?
As Jorge Mas told me on the field after the win: "It ain't over."
www.nytimes.com/athletic/686...
Reposted by Henry Bushnell
Lionel Messi's win yesterday cemented his on-field legacy in MLS. He's delivered on nearly every level from the sporting and commercial side.
But my book, The Messi Effect, dives deeper into what his lasting legacy will be in American soccer.
Preorder it now!
read.macmillan.com/lp/the-messi...
But my book, The Messi Effect, dives deeper into what his lasting legacy will be in American soccer.
Preorder it now!
read.macmillan.com/lp/the-messi...
The Messi Effect 9781250364173 - Macmillan
In The Messi Effect, Paul Tenorio, national soccer writer for The Athletic, draws on coveted insider access to bring readers behind Lionel MessiR...
read.macmillan.com
December 7, 2025 at 12:47 PM
Lionel Messi's win yesterday cemented his on-field legacy in MLS. He's delivered on nearly every level from the sporting and commercial side.
But my book, The Messi Effect, dives deeper into what his lasting legacy will be in American soccer.
Preorder it now!
read.macmillan.com/lp/the-messi...
But my book, The Messi Effect, dives deeper into what his lasting legacy will be in American soccer.
Preorder it now!
read.macmillan.com/lp/the-messi...
Hello from the Capital Hilton in DC, site of the 2026 World Cup schedule reveal.
Yesterday was what teams and the world were waiting for. Today is what host cities and early ticket buyers are waiting for.
Follow along here starting at noon ET: www.nytimes.com/athletic/liv...
Yesterday was what teams and the world were waiting for. Today is what host cities and early ticket buyers are waiting for.
Follow along here starting at noon ET: www.nytimes.com/athletic/liv...
December 6, 2025 at 4:30 PM
Hello from the Capital Hilton in DC, site of the 2026 World Cup schedule reveal.
Yesterday was what teams and the world were waiting for. Today is what host cities and early ticket buyers are waiting for.
Follow along here starting at noon ET: www.nytimes.com/athletic/liv...
Yesterday was what teams and the world were waiting for. Today is what host cities and early ticket buyers are waiting for.
Follow along here starting at noon ET: www.nytimes.com/athletic/liv...
Reposted by Henry Bushnell
#USMNT coach Mauricio Pochettino’s own World Cup scars from 2002 failure colors what he preaches to this team.
“This is the most unbelievable event and the most unbelievable feeling that you can have. Put everything.”
www.nytimes.com/athletic/686...
“This is the most unbelievable event and the most unbelievable feeling that you can have. Put everything.”
www.nytimes.com/athletic/686...
Pochettino’s own World Cup scars fuel his passion for USA’s 2026 approach
The U.S. manager knows just how quickly the fire of a World Cup dream can be extinguished. He wants his players to never know that feeling
www.nytimes.com
December 6, 2025 at 3:01 PM
#USMNT coach Mauricio Pochettino’s own World Cup scars from 2002 failure colors what he preaches to this team.
“This is the most unbelievable event and the most unbelievable feeling that you can have. Put everything.”
www.nytimes.com/athletic/686...
“This is the most unbelievable event and the most unbelievable feeling that you can have. Put everything.”
www.nytimes.com/athletic/686...
Blown away by the scale, breadth and quality of @theathletic.com's World Cup draw coverage.
Team guides, host city guides, group analysis, live reporting, scene, so much more.
(And @tombogert.bsky.social, @paultenorio.bsky.social + others somehow still managed to set the stage for MLS Cup today!)
Team guides, host city guides, group analysis, live reporting, scene, so much more.
(And @tombogert.bsky.social, @paultenorio.bsky.social + others somehow still managed to set the stage for MLS Cup today!)
December 6, 2025 at 2:50 PM
Blown away by the scale, breadth and quality of @theathletic.com's World Cup draw coverage.
Team guides, host city guides, group analysis, live reporting, scene, so much more.
(And @tombogert.bsky.social, @paultenorio.bsky.social + others somehow still managed to set the stage for MLS Cup today!)
Team guides, host city guides, group analysis, live reporting, scene, so much more.
(And @tombogert.bsky.social, @paultenorio.bsky.social + others somehow still managed to set the stage for MLS Cup today!)
The 2026 World Cup draw in five words?
Bizarre Trump-Infantino love child.
Full piece from the Kennedy Center yesterday, @theathleticfc.bsky.social...
Bizarre Trump-Infantino love child.
Full piece from the Kennedy Center yesterday, @theathleticfc.bsky.social...
The World Cup draw was big and brash – and a taste of what’s to come next summer
The draw for the 2026 men's World Cup was, in the words of one coach, 'very American' - just like the tournament itself is set to be
www.nytimes.com
December 6, 2025 at 12:41 PM
The 2026 World Cup draw in five words?
Bizarre Trump-Infantino love child.
Full piece from the Kennedy Center yesterday, @theathleticfc.bsky.social...
Bizarre Trump-Infantino love child.
Full piece from the Kennedy Center yesterday, @theathleticfc.bsky.social...
Reposted by Henry Bushnell
The #USMNT got a best-case draw. It should build a bonfire under the belief Mauricio Pochettino has tried to foster over the last year.
Fans should be excited. But the U.S. has to go live up to it now.
www.nytimes.com/athletic/686...
Fans should be excited. But the U.S. has to go live up to it now.
www.nytimes.com/athletic/686...
USA’s 2026 World Cup group draw a best-case scenario full of possibility
The U.S. drew familiar opponents and ones it just beat as part of World Cup prep. The expectations for next summer are now on the rise
www.nytimes.com
December 5, 2025 at 9:58 PM
The #USMNT got a best-case draw. It should build a bonfire under the belief Mauricio Pochettino has tried to foster over the last year.
Fans should be excited. But the U.S. has to go live up to it now.
www.nytimes.com/athletic/686...
Fans should be excited. But the U.S. has to go live up to it now.
www.nytimes.com/athletic/686...
Reposted by Henry Bushnell
The waiting is over and the day has finally arrived!
Who would you like to see in your FIFA World Cup group in 2026?
Follow live coverage as the draw takes place at Kennedy Center in Washington D.C here ⬇️
🔗 nyti.ms/48k9S10
Who would you like to see in your FIFA World Cup group in 2026?
Follow live coverage as the draw takes place at Kennedy Center in Washington D.C here ⬇️
🔗 nyti.ms/48k9S10
December 5, 2025 at 10:02 AM
The waiting is over and the day has finally arrived!
Who would you like to see in your FIFA World Cup group in 2026?
Follow live coverage as the draw takes place at Kennedy Center in Washington D.C here ⬇️
🔗 nyti.ms/48k9S10
Who would you like to see in your FIFA World Cup group in 2026?
Follow live coverage as the draw takes place at Kennedy Center in Washington D.C here ⬇️
🔗 nyti.ms/48k9S10
New explainer on how to get your hands on 2026 World Cup tickets.
It's still complicated, but less complicated than before.
Info and tips on the December-January "Random Selection Draw," plus resale and more, @theathletic.com:
It's still complicated, but less complicated than before.
Info and tips on the December-January "Random Selection Draw," plus resale and more, @theathletic.com:
How to buy 2026 World Cup tickets after the draw: Key dates, prices and more
Getting your hands on 2026 World Cup tickets can get a little complex, but we're here to answer any and all questions about the process
www.nytimes.com
December 5, 2025 at 4:26 PM
New explainer on how to get your hands on 2026 World Cup tickets.
It's still complicated, but less complicated than before.
Info and tips on the December-January "Random Selection Draw," plus resale and more, @theathletic.com:
It's still complicated, but less complicated than before.
Info and tips on the December-January "Random Selection Draw," plus resale and more, @theathletic.com:
Happy World Cup draw day from snowy Washington D.C.
You could spend two hours cringing at your TV... or you could follow along with @theathleticfc.bsky.social here:
You could spend two hours cringing at your TV... or you could follow along with @theathleticfc.bsky.social here:
World Cup 2026 draw live updates: Latest news and everything you need to know about today’s ceremony
Follow live coverage today as the draw for the 2026 FIFA World Cup takes place at Kennedy Center in Washington D.C.
www.nytimes.com
December 5, 2025 at 1:24 PM
Happy World Cup draw day from snowy Washington D.C.
You could spend two hours cringing at your TV... or you could follow along with @theathleticfc.bsky.social here:
You could spend two hours cringing at your TV... or you could follow along with @theathleticfc.bsky.social here: