FIFA president Gianni Infantino is justifying World Cup ticket prices by claiming theyre cheaper than what it costs to see a college football game.Speaking at the Milken Institute Global Conference on Tuesday, Infantino said that 25% of group stage match tickets cost less than $300.You cannot go to watch in the U.S. a college game, not even speaking about a top professional game of a certain level, for less than $300, Infantino said. And this is the World Cup.A FIFA spokesperson tells Front Office Sports Infantino was referring to college football, not soccer, specifically the playoffs and championship games.College football tickets in the U.S. are widely available below the $300 mark, even in the postseason. Last season, resale tickets to first-round and quarterfinal games cost less than $300. One day before the Cotton Bowl, the get-in price was $28.The College Football Championship was more expensive. Resale tickets for the title game eclipsed $3,000.FIFA has been blasted for its high prices throughout the World Cup sales phase, which started last fall. While FIFA did respond to backlash with a supporters tier at $60, most tickets for fans in the U.S. cost hundreds or thousands of dollars. Tickets to the final in New Jersey on July 19 crossed $10,000 in early April.Infantino in his remarks also stressed that FIFA is a nonprofit, and the World Cup funds all other FIFA activities globally for the next four years.We are in a market in which entertainment is the most developed in the world. So we have to apply market rates, Infantino said. In the U.S., it is permitted to resell tickets as well. So if you were to sell tickets at the price which is too low, these tickets would be resold at a much higher price.Infantino addressed the high prices for resale tickets on FIFAs official platform, stressing that his organization does not control those prices. FIFA takes a 15% cut from both the buyer and seller of any transaction on the platform.If some people put on a secondary, on the resale market some tickets for the final at $2 million, number one, it doesnt mean that the tickets cost $2 million, number two, it doesnt mean that somebody will buy these tickets, Infantino said. Actually, if somebody buys a ticket for the final for $2 million, I will personally bring him a hot dog and a Coke to make sure that he has a great experience.The post FIFA President Defends High World Cup Prices With College Football Comparison appeared first on Front Office Sports.

Defending champion Paris Saint-Germain eliminated Bayern Munich to set up the Champions League final against Arsenal. Ousmane Dembl scored early and Paris Saint-Germain eliminated Bayern Munich with a 1-1 draw to reach the Champions League final again on Wednesday. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia raced clear after playing a simple one-two with Fabin Ruiz in midfield, then picked out the unmarked Dembl to sweep the ball in under the crossbar in the third minute of the semifinal second leg. By the time Harry Kane equalized in stoppage time it was too late to keep alive Bayerns dream of a Bundesliga, German Cup and Champions League treble. The draw gave PSG, the defending champion, a 6-5 win on aggregate after edging their encounter 5-4 in the first leg in Paris last week. The French league leader will face Arsenal in the final in Budapest, Hungary, on May 30, after the Gunners defeated Atltico Madrid 1-0 on Tuesday to progress 2-1 on aggregate. "Its magnificent, two finals," PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi said. "Now we will go there and try to fetch a second star. I said to the players we are warriors." PSGs defense breached four times in Paris last week kept Bayerns much vaunted attack of Kane, Luis Daz and Micheal Olise largely in check. "We know how to suffer and were ready for what we have to face," PSG midfielder Joo Neves said. "Were very proud of how far weve come." By the time Kane let fly for his 55th goal across all competitions, including the German Supercup for Bayern this season, PSGs substitutes were already lining up to celebrate. Real Madrid was the last team to achieve back-to-back titles. "Shoot us into the final," the Bayern fans had urged their team with a huge choreography as the combatants emerged on the field. Bayern only needed one goal to level the tie, but it soon turned to two after Fabin sent Kvaratskhelia on his way. If the Georgia star was surprised by how much space he was offered by the absent defense, he didnt stop to question it. Desir Dou was another option queuing beside Dembl to take a shot with Luis Daz the closest Bayern player back. Bayerns players complained the already-booked Nuno Mendes should have been booked again when the ball hit his arm in the first half, but referee Joo Pinheiro blew instead for a handball from Konrad Laimer. There were more protests shortly afterward when Vitinha struck teammate Joo Neves arm with the ball in the penalty area with a clearance. While Bayern dominated possession, PSG was more efficient, with Dou and Kvaratskhelia keeping Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer alert after the break. PSG already had good memories of Munich. The city was the scene of PSGs triumph in the final last season when it demolished Inter Milan 5-0 to fulfill its Qatari owners quest to become European champion for the first time. A relatively unchanged team is well-placed to deliver the second title. Reporting by The Associated Press.

Delhi Capitals head coach Hemang Badani wants premier spinner Kuldeep Yadav to rediscover his best form with the franchise's IPL 2026 playoff hopes hanging by a thread following the loss to Chennai Super Kings.

A deep Chicago rotation is slowly thinning out

Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Matthew Boyd is set to miss the foreseeable future due to a freak injury. Boyd, 35, needs meniscus surgery on his knee, per ESPNs Jesse Rogers, and reportedly suffered the injury while sitting down to play with his kids. There is currently no timetable for Boyds return; the assumption is that if he is able to return this season, it would be after the All-Star break. Boyd has started five games this season, working to a 2-1 record with a 6.00 ERA. He last pitched on May 3, earning his second win after six strong innings of two-run ball against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Boyd walked one and struck out five in the victory. The Cubs are currently 24-12, atop the NL Central, but the injuries are mounting. Starter Justin Steele suffered a setback at the end of April with his elbow injury and is now not expected back until after the All-Star break. As of May 6, Chicago has 10 pitchers in its organization listed on the injured list, with Boyd soon to be the 11th. Boyd, who suffered the injury while sitting down to play with his children, is the latest freak accident that has caused a player to hit the IL.Here's a limited sampling of freak accidents to baseball players over the past decade and a half:slicing a thumb on a knife washing the dishesbreaking an elbow by getting startled by a bullhurting a finger while putting on pantsbreaking a nose because a barbell fell on itbreaking a finger while playing a video gamecutting a thumb after holding a wine glass too stronglyfracturing an ankle after falling off a horsebreaking a rib during a massagefracturing a hand while taking a shirt offcutting a pinky while repairing a dronespraining a shoulder in a dirt bike accidentcutting a hand with a knife while trying to separate frozen hamburger pattiesbreaking a hand when a suitcase fell on itcutting a thumb while slicing a sandwich into "fancy triangles"dislocating a shoulder while celebrating a World Series home runinfection from a leg tattoodropping a piano bench on his big toestraining his hand trying to hold a case of water at TargetKnowing baseball, there will certainly be more down the line.Yahoo Sports Jack Baer contributed to this article

Real Madrid's season has taken another disastrous turn after Federico Valverde and Aurelien Tchouamni were reportedly involved in a violent altercation during training. The two midfielders had to be separated as tensions boiled over, highlighting the growing fractures within a divided dressing room right before a crucial Clasico clash where Barcelona can win the league. Training ground chaos at Valdebebas According to MARCA, the atmosphere at Real Madrid has reached a critical breaking point. Valverde and Tchouamni nearly came to blows following a fierce argument that perfectly illustrates the internal decay currently plaguing the squad. The incident began with a routine challenge during a training drill, but a foul sparked one of the most aggressive confrontations witnessed at the clubs training ground. The players squared up to each other, exchanged shoves, and continued their verbal battle in the dressing room. This unpleasant episode quickly became the talk of Valdebebas, leaving staff and teammates stunned by the anger on display. Growing divisions in a frustrated squad This latest bust-up is a symptom of a squad that is increasingly divided. Madrid finds itself in a delicate position, sitting second in the Liga table with 77 points after 34 matches. They trail league leaders Barcelona, who have 88 points, by an insurmountable 11-point gap. The lack of competitive stakes appears to have allowed long-standing frustrations to bubble over. Relationships between several key figures have deteriorated drastically, with certain players no longer on speaking terms. Emotional fatigue has created a toxic environment where even simple training sessions turn volatile, and the coaching staff face an uphill battle. Arbeloa disconnect and recent dressing room spats The rift within the squad reportedly extends beyond the players, as the relationship with Alvaro Arbeloa has become increasingly strained. Reports suggest up to six players are currently not speaking to him. Furthermore, another conflict surfaced earlier this week involving Antonio Rudiger and Alvaro Carreras. Although the Spanish defender attempted to downplay the situation publicly, stating: "The incident with a teammate is a one-off, without relevance and it is settled," the reality behind closed doors tells a different story. The cumulative effect of these spats suggests a squad that is completely fraying at the edges. Clsico looms as the season reaches its breaking point The timing of this row could not be worse as Madrid prepare for Sundays Clsico. Defeat would be the ultimate insult, as Barcelona need just one point to officially crown themselves champions. Unless the squad can unite overnight, these internal fractures threaten to completely derail whatever pride remains in this miserable campaign.

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A lot of baseball talent has come out of local high schools, not just in recent years but stretching back decades.As part of USA Today Sports' commemoration of the country's 250th anniversary, we're asking readers to vote on who was the best of the best to play local high school baseball.This poll, which will run until 8 p.m. on May 27 contains only 12 names when it could easily include 20 or more. Readers may also write in their own choices.Capsule writeups below vary with statistics more easily available for players who played high school ball in more recent years. The poll is grounded in players' high school performances. Because of this, some players who went on to big league careers are not on the list. Not on the list is Ken Singleton, the former first round Mets draft choice (No. 3 overall in 1967), Orioles star and former Yankees announcer.Playing for Mount Vernon, he launched a ball off the clock tower that's behind the centerfield fence at Mamaroneck. That's a 450-foot shot and he did this with a wooden bat. But, according to Singleton, who starred in basketball at Mount Vernon (Class of 1965), he didn't get much playing time on the school baseball team. The three-time MLB all-star, who had more than 2,000 hits in the majors, received an athletic scholarship to Hofstra for basketball and also played baseball there. But he explained he was seen by pro scouts and drafted largely because of his play in a high-level baseball league in the Bronx. Thus, his absence.Note: If you want to write someone in, please note what school he attended.The choicesChris Algozzino, North Rockland His glory years were largely limited to high school, but Algozzino's time on the diamond for North Rockland was, indeed, special. The southpaw finished his Red Raiders career a perfect 24-0. As a junior in 1992, he pitched a complete game as North Rockland claimed its first ever state championship in any sport in an 11-3 win over Lockport. The next year, he went 8-0 with an ERA under 1.. Batters hit just .190 off him and he struck out better than one per inning. Algozzino, who also hit .353 that final season, while also playing center field, picked up the win in the state semifinals. The Red Raiders went on to win their second straight state title. Twice named All-State, he was also 1993 NYSPHSAA Baseball Player of the Year and 1993 USA Today New York State High School Baseball Player of the Year.Robbie Aviles, SuffernAviles, who suffered a serious arm injury his senior year at Suffern, was, nevertheless, drafted out of high school in the seventh round by the Cleveland Indians that's just how good he'd been. His senior year, the 2010 Suffern grad went 8-0 with an 0.68 ERA. He was Section 1 Pitcher of the Year and was also an All-American. He finished his Suffern career 25-3 with a 1.26 ERA, a perfect game, three other no-hitters and three one-hitters. Oh, and he struck out 275.Ralph Branca, A.B. Davis High School, Mount VernonThe high school may no longer exist but Branca's photo now hangs inside Mount Vernon High School, the school into which A.B. Davis was folded. Stats are sparse on Branca but he pitched for Davis, then only for a year at NYU before making his Major League debut, so his success on the mound for Davis is undeniable. The righty pitched for 12 years in the majors. While his career was largely successful (he made three all-star teams), Branca's best known for giving up Bobby Thomson's Shot Heard 'Round the World National League Pennant-winning home run in 1951.Will Cunnane, Clarkstown NorthWill Cunnanes senior year of baseball in 1992 was a special one. The righty went 6-2 with a microscopic 0.38 ERA on the hill for Rams. But his entire time at North was pretty special. He graduated with school records in ERA (1.36), shutouts (five) and strikeouts (195) Undrafted, he was signed by the Florida Marlins as a free agent a couple of months after he graduated. He passed up an offer from NCAA baseball power Clemson. Cunnane went on to play for four Major League teams and had an eight-year MLB career.Henry Davis, Fox LaneNow, 26, the catcher was the first player taken in the 2021 MLB draft. He'd played for three years for the University of Louisville and, before that, was a standout at Fox Lane. The 2018 Fox Lane graduate was Section 1 Player of the Year as a junior and as a senior.. His senior year he hit .441 with seven homers, 32 RBI and 27 runs scored. He was first-team All-State both years.Dave Fleming, MahopacThe lefty hurler was regarded as a star even when pitching in local youth tournaments. He dominated on the mound at Mahopac and then at the University of Georgia before being selected by the Seattle Mariners in the third round of the 1990 MLB draft. As a senior in high school, Fleming was second-team ABCA/Rawlings High School All-American. His MLB career was little more than four seasons long, in part due to injuries. But he was third in 1992 in the Rookie of the Year voting. He won 17 games that season.George Kirby, RyeThe 28-year-old lanky righty is in his sixth season in the big leagues and is a starting pitcher for the Seattle Mariners, who drafted him 20th overall in 2019 out of Elon University. His selection was no surprise. The Mets had drafted him out of Rye but Kirby, who didn't lose a game from his sophomore through senior seasons as a Garnet, opted to play in college. He was named All-State three times in high school twice first team. He was 7-0 as a junior and 6-0 as a senior. His senior year, he struck out 73 in just 43.1 innings and his ERA was 0.32.Rick O'Keeffe, YorktownO'Keeffe owns a true might-have-been story with injuries derailing a very promising pro career, But people in Yorktown and neighboring towns still remember the big fireballer for his high school feats. O'Keefe was a 6-foot-6 lefty with a blazing fastball throwing harder as a Yorktown senior in 1975 than many Major Leaguers were throwing. If he were on the mound for the Huskers, the stands were sure to include multiple MLB team scouts. He had a 27-7 record for the Huskers that included five no-hitters one being a perfect game. Three of those no-hitters were in his senior season of 1975, when he struck out more than half the batters he faced and had an ERA of 0.40. He also hit. .426 with five home runs. Drafted straight out of high school, he was the 1975 No. 5 overall pick, going to the Milwaukee Brewers.Sammy Stafura, Walter PanasThe 2023 lohud Westchester/Putnam Baseball Player of the Year was also New York Gatorade Player of the Year that season, which was his last at Panas. The Panther shortstop hit .516 in 2023 with 14 doubles, four triples, 11 home runs, 38 RBI and 50 runs scored. Besides power, he was also recognized for his speed and exceptional glove. Instead of going to Clemson out of high school, he signed with the Cincinnati Reds, who drafted him in the second round. The 21-year-old is currently playing High-A ball in the Pittsburgh Pirates organization. B.J. Surhoff, RyeIf things had played out a little differently, Surhoff might have been a star for the Yankees. Surhoff, whose left-handed swing probably would have garnered him many more home runs than the 188 he totaled in the Majors had he played in the Bronx, was drafted by the Yankees in the the fifth round in 1982. The was after the Rye catcher hit .520 and was named All-State after receiving the same honor in football and basketball. But Surhoff decided to go to the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill for baseball, where he was All-ACC for three years and All-American for two. The Milwaukee Brewers drafted him with MLB's first overall pick in 1985. Surhoff enjoyed a 19-year MLB career, during which while best known behind the plate, he also played outfield and first base. He finished with more than 2,300 hits.Joey Vetrano, LakelandThe 2019 New York Gatorade Player of the Year, who missed playing his senior year of high school due to the COVID-19 shutdown, was named Journal News/lohud Westchester/Putnam Player of the Year as both a sophomore and junior and might have done the unthinkable and three-peated if not for the shutdown. As a sophomore, he opened eyes both on the mound and at the plate. Pitching and playing first, the lefty was 9-0 on the mound with a 1.48 ERA and 88 strikeouts in 66 innings. He also hit 462 with nine doubles, nine home runs, 22 RBI and 29 runs scored. As a junior , Vetrano threw a no-hitter and went 9-2 with an 0.74 ERA and 93 strikeouts in 66.2 innings. He batted .442 with eight doubles, five triples, 11 homers, 34 RBI and 42 runs scored. Vetrano went on to Boston College, where he starred at first base and was taken by the LA Dodgers in the fifth round of the 2023 MLB draft. He currently plays with the Dodgers Double A Tulsa Drillers.Walt Weiss, SuffernThe current Atlanta Braves manager and holder of a World Series ring from his playing time with the Oakland A's, starred at shortstop for the Suffern Mounties. In honor of his contributions to that program and in honor of what he did post-high school in baseball, Suffern's baseball field bears his name. Weiss, who was Rockland Player of the Year in 1982, was drafted out of high school in the 10th round by Baltimore that year but instead decided to go the the University of North Carolina. After a strong, three-year career there, he was again drafted, this time in the first round by the Oakland A's. He was 1989 AL Rookie of the year and played for 14 seasons, winning the World Series with Oakland in 1989.Nancy Haggerty covers sports for The Journal News/lohud.This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Best all-time lohud high school baseball player poll