UN sanctions brother of Sudan's RSF leader, Colombian mercenaries

April 28 (Reuters) - The United Nations on Tuesday imposed sanctions on Algoney Hamdan Daglo Musa, younger brother of the head ‌of Sudan's Rapid Support Forces (RSF), and three Colombian mercenaries accused ‌of recruiting former Colombian personnel to fight in the country.

A statement from Britain's mission to ​the United Nations said the sanctions were imposed by the U.N. Security Council at the proposal of the United States, Britain and France:

• Those designated included Algoney Hamdan Daglo Musa, brother of RSF leader Mohamed Hamdan ‌Dagalo. It said he ⁠led RSF efforts to procure weapons and military equipment.

• Also sanctioned were Alvaro Andres Quijano Becerra, Claudia Viviana Oliveros Forero, and Mateo ⁠Andres Duque Botero. It said they played a central role in recruiting former Colombian military personnel.

• Video and photographic evidence showed the three Colombians "providing ​the RSF ​with tactical and technical expertise, serving ​as infantry and artillery men, ‌drone pilots, vehicle operators, and instructors, with some even training children to fight in the RSF."

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• In February, Britain, again alongside France and the U.S., secured the sanctioning of four RSF commanders for atrocities committed in RSF's siege of El Fasher.

• Colombian mercenaries have participated in ‌numerous battles across Sudan, including in the ​capital, Khartoum, in Omdurman, Kordofan, and El ​Fasher.

The three-year war between the ​Sudanese army and RSF has created what aid groups ‌say is now the world's worst ​humanitarian crisis.

Earlier in ​April, the United States imposed sanctions on five companies and individuals it said were involved in recruiting former Colombian military personnel ​to fight on behalf ‌of the RSF. It said hundreds of former Colombian military ​personnel had gone to Sudan to support the RSF.

(Reporting by ​David Brunnstrom; Editing by Daniel Wallis)

byDaniel Coleman

in

April 30, 2026

UN sanctions brother of Sudan's RSF leader, Colombian mercenaries

April 28 (Reuters) - The United Nations on Tuesday imposed sanctions on Algoney Hamdan Daglo Musa, younger brother of the head ‌of Suda...

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Gianni Infantino affirms at the FIFA Congress that Iran will participate in the World Cup

VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) —FIFA President Gianni Infantinoopened his address at Thursday's FIFA Congress by affirming that Iran will participate in the World Cup and that the team will play in the United States despite the conflict between the two nations.

“And the reason for that is very simple, dear friends, is because we have to unite. We have to bring people together. It is my responsibility. It is our responsibility,” Infantino said. “Football unites the world. FIFA unites the world. You unite the world. We unite the world.”

In an indication of how fraught the situation is with Iran's participation in the World Cup, representatives from the Iranian soccer federation were denied entry into Canada this week.

Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anandsaid it was her “understanding”that the Iranian officials were turned away, following a report by Tasnim, an Iranian news agency associated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. The report said Iranian soccer federation president Mehdi Taj and two other officials were denied entry at Toronto's airport.

Earlier in the week at the Asian soccer federation's congress in Vancouver, Iran's participation in the World Cup or whether the team's matches should be moved out of the United States was not addressed.

At the roll call for the FIFA Congress where all nations were named, Iran was announced as absent. Outside the event at the Vancouver Convention Center there was a small group of protestors holding Iranian flags.

Infantino has not wavered on Iran’s participation in the World Cup or in its matches in the United States. At one point, Iran asked to move its games to Mexico, but that request was rejected.

The World Cup starts on June 11 and the final is scheduled for July 19 with games in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Canada prepares to welcome the world

In contrast to concerns about an immigration crackdown in the United States ahead of the World Cup, Canadian officials speaking at the FIFA Congress stressed the nation's diversity.

“Canada has always been more than just a country on a map. It is a meeting place of cultures, languages, ideas and dreams. People from every corner of the world have come here with their stories, their traditions, their talents and their hopes together. These stories don't disappear. They become part of who we are,” said Peter Augruso, the president of the Canadian Soccer Association.

Concerns about ticket prices

In his address to the congress, Infantino briefly addressed complaints about the costs of tickets to World Cup matches, but his comments were directed at the heads of the member associations and not fans.

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“We sold 100% of the inventory that we put on the market, which is more or less 90% of the global inventory so far. And of course, we are always putting tickets on the market," Infantino said. "There are expensive tickets, yes, and there are also affordable tickets. And what is important is that all the revenues that we generate from the world go back to you, go back to the entire world and finance football in all of your countries.”

Cost concerns

Earlier this week, FIFA announced it would pay out an additional $100 million to the nations playing in the World Cup to help cover higher-than-expected costs.

The FIFA Council agreed Tuesday to increase the basic payments to each federation by $2 million to a minimum of $12.5 million. The governing body is expecting revenue of at least $11 billion for the tournament.

Member associations had appealed to soccer's governing body to raise prize money because of cost concerns. FIFA announced in December that the winner of this year'sWorld Cupwill receive $50 million from a $655 million prize pool.

Argentina earned$42 million for winning the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, an increase from the $38 million awarded to France for winning the 2018 tournament in Russia.

But it's less than half of whatChelsea earned for winning the much less-hyped Club World Cuplast year. That tournament had a total prize fund of $1 billion, with Chelsea apparently getting somewhere between $128 million and $154 million for the top prize.

Whitecaps rally

Outside the FIFA Congress was a small rally of about 100 supporters of the Vancouver Whitecaps, protesting the possible relocation of the Major League Soccer team.

MLS has said it will explore all options for the future of the Whitecaps, including moving out of the city. The club was put on sale 16 months ago by its ownership group.

Uncertainty around the team is fueled by limited revenue options and a short-term lease at BC Place, which will hostseven World Cup gamesin June and July, including Canada playing Qatar and Switzerland.

The 76th edition of the FIFA Congress brought some 1,600 of the top soccer officials from around the world to the city. The event was expected to generate approximately $4.9 million in local economic impact.

AP soccer:https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

byDaniel Coleman

in

April 30, 2026

Gianni Infantino affirms at the FIFA Congress that Iran will participate in the World Cup

VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) —FIFA President Gianni Infantinoopened his address at Thursday's FIFA Congress by affirming that I...

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Cameron Young leads Cadillac with Jordan Spieth right behind

Cameron Young fired a bogey-free, 8-under-par 64 to kick off the Cadillac Championship and take a one-shot lead over Jordan Spieth and Alex Smalley on Thursday outside Miami.

The PGA Tour returned to Trump National Doral and the famed "Blue Monster" for the first time since 2016. The event is a $20 million signature event with no 36-hole cut.

Young won the biggest tournament of his career just six weeks ago in Florida -- The Players Championship. Now No. 4 in the world rankings, Young excelled in his first competitive round at the Blue Monster, making up for 50% driving accuracy by ranking third in the field in strokes gained around the green and strokes gained putting.

Young had four birdies on each nine, including a 41 1/2-foot putt at the par-3 fourth and a 25-footer at the par-3 15th.

Spieth is one of a handful of players in the field who's played the Blue Monster in a PGA Tour event, and he got off to a strong start with three birdies and an eagle on the front nine. He mixed four more birdies with two bogeys coming in.

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The 65 was his lowest round of the year, and he's in position to make a run at his first trophy since the 2022 RBC Heritage.

Smalley only got into the field through the "Aon Swing 5" that rewards players' recent performance in standard tour events. He ranked second in the field in strokes gained approaching the green as he holed eight birdies with one bogey.

Canadian Nick Taylor is alone in fourth following a bogey-free, 6-under 66. Nico Echavarria of Colombia is in fifth at 5-under 67.

World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, making his first career start at Doral, birdied three of his first five holes but bogeyed Nos. 10 and 11 and settled for a 1-under 71.

--Field Level Media

byDaniel Coleman

in

April 30, 2026

Cameron Young leads Cadillac with Jordan Spieth right behind

Cameron Young fired a bogey-free, 8-under-par 64 to kick off the Cadillac Championship and take a one-shot lead over Jordan Spieth and ...

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Former U.S. ice dancer comes forward in Nikolaj Sørensen sexual assault case

The ongoing sexual assault case againstCanadian Olympic ice dancer Nikolaj Sørensenhas a shocking update as the survivor of the assault has come public.

Ininterviews withBroken IceandUSA TODAY sports columnist Christine Brennan, Ashley Foy, a former United States ice dancer and currently a coach in the Netherlands, said that she "[does not] care what professional retaliation I face anymore. I can't bear to face another person talking about this case to me not knowing I'm the victim."

Foy mentioned that she had originally not wanted to come forward due to experiences her friends suffered. She mentions that her childhood friendBridget Namiotkadied after being bullied for coming forward, while another friend Gabi Papadakis lost her job for a similar reason.

What's the status of Nikolaj Sørensen's ice dancing ban

In 2024, amid the investigation into allegations of sexual assault against a then 22-year-old woman, Sorensen was banned from competing in ice dancing for six years. However, that ban was overturned in June 2025, but that decision is still being argued over by the Sport Dispute Resolution Centre of Canada with a final decision yet to be announced.

Sorensen's ice dance partner and girlfriendLaurence Fournier Beaudryhas expressed support for her partner, while Sorensen himself has denied all allegations.

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In February 2026, following the release of the Netflix documentary "Glitter & Gold: Ice Dancing",USA TODAY reportedthat Foy — still wishing to remain anonymous at the time — was unhappy with the documentary, believing it gave Fournier Beaudry a platform to defend Sorensen and denounce survivors of sexual assault.

Foy said, "The comments by the French team in the press and on a Netflix documentary create a dangerous environment for skaters who need to report abuse. The comments of the reigning Olympic champion and a team in contention for the upcoming Olympic title carry weight, and using their voices to publicly undermine a survivor’s truth further enforces the culture of silence in figure skating."

Did Nikolaj Sørensen compete in the 2026 Winter Olympics?

No. Sorensen remained banned from competing while the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano-Cortina were going on. Fournier Beaudry was forced to find a different partner in Guillaume Cizeron. The pair won gold, narrowly beating out Americans Madison Chock and Evan Bates.

Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Guillaume Cizeron of Team France take part during a training session on day minus one of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games at Milano Ice Skating Arena on Feb. 5, 2026 in Milan, Italy.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" />

Fournier Beaudry, Cizeron bring artistry, controversy to Olympic stage

Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Guillaume Cizeron of Team France take part during a training session on day minus one of theMilano Cortina 2026Winter Olympic games at Milano Ice Skating Arena on Feb. 5, 2026 in Milan, Italy.

When did the alleged assault of Ashley Foy happen?

Documents indicate that the alleged assault of Foy by Sørensen happened in 2012 when Foy, then 22, claims Sorensen, then 23, "held her down against her will on a bed and raped her after a party at a condominium near Hartford, Connecticut."

If you or someone you know has experienced sexual violence, RAINN's National Sexual Assault Hotline offers free, confidential, 24/7 support to survivors and their loved ones in English and Spanish at: 800.656.HOPE (4673) andHotline.RAINN.organd en EspañolRAINN.org/es.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Former U.S. ice dancer goes public in Nikolaj Sørensen sex assault case

byDaniel Coleman

in

April 30, 2026

Former U.S. ice dancer comes forward in Nikolaj Sørensen sexual assault case

The ongoing sexual assault case againstCanadian Olympic ice dancer Nikolaj Sørensenhas a shocking update as the survivor of the assault...

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PIF to no longer financially back LIV Golf

Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund confirmed Wednesday it will no longer finance LIV Golf, according to the Wall Street Journal. The league will notify its players and staff by Thursday.

Reports of PIF pulling its funding have been rampant for weeks. The Telegraph reported LIV officials were summoned to an emergency meeting in New York last week, and a tournament scheduled for June in Louisiana was postponed. In a statement issued to Field Level Media, the league said it planned to move the tournament to the fall to avoid "the peak summer heat and the crowded global sports calendar."

Last Wednesday, ESPN obtained an email LIV CEO Scott O'Neil sent to staff claiming the 2026 season will continue "exactly as planned, uninterrupted and at full throttle." He made no mention of LIV's future beyond 2026, however.

Founded in 2021, LIV Golf made its debut in June 2022 and used lavish, guaranteed contracts to lure dozens of stars like Dustin Johnson, Phil Mickelson, Jon Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau away from the PGA. PIF has provided LIV with more than $5 billion, but the league has reportedly lost millions of dollars per year. Earlier this month, Yasir Al-Rumayyan, PIF's governor and LIV's main financial backer, shared a plan for the kingdom to cut back on international investments and focus on more domestic projects.

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DeChambeau, Cameron Smith and Rahm reportedly turned down the opportunity to return to the PGA Tour earlier this year. According to MSN.com, some LIV players have reached out to the DP World Tour.

"At the moment, we're in the mode of just listening because we don't know any more than anyone else does", DP World Tour chief executive Guy Kinnings told MSN. "But we'll listen and we'll make sure that we're fully informed before we make the decisions that we need to do. But for sure, there are people who are concerned and we will be having conversations with them at the right time."

PIF and the PGA Tour signed a Framework Agreement on June 6, 2023, throwing out the lawsuit LIV filed that accused the PGA of being a monopoly. But a deal to work together never came to fruition, despite the efforts of U.S. President Donald Trump.

LIV has seven more events scheduled for this year, including May 7-10 at Trump National Golf Club in Washington, D.C.

--Field Level Media

byDaniel Coleman

in

April 29, 2026

PIF to no longer financially back LIV Golf

Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund confirmed Wednesday it will no longer finance LIV Golf, according to the Wall Street Journal....

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Orioles put opening day starter Trevor Rogers on IL with undisclosed illness

BALTIMORE (AP) — The Baltimore Orioles placed opening day starter Trevor Rogers on the 15-day injured list on Wednesday as the left-hander deals with an undisclosed illness.

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The move came a few hours afterBaltimore's game against Houston was postponedby inclement weather and rescheduled as part of a doubleheader on Thursday. The Orioles recalled right-hander Cameron Foster from Triple-A Norfolk.

Rogers allowed three runs in 1 2/3 innings after throwing 47 pitches in his most recent start,a 17-1 loss to Bostonon Saturday. The IL move was retroactive to Sunday.

The 28-year-old Rogers has allowed 13 runs, 12 earned, in 11 1/3 innings over his past three starts. He pitched seven scoreless innings ina 2-1 win over Minnesotaon opening day.

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Rogers is 2-3 with a 4.75 ERA in six starts this season.

Foster made his major league debut for the Orioles on April 16 after getting called up from Triple-A. He was sent back down Saturday with a 6.35 ERA in four relief appearances.

Baltimore did not immediately announce its pitching plans for the doubleheader. The Orioles were set to send right-hander Chris Bassitt on Wednesday and righty Brandon Young on Thursday.

AP MLB:https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

byDaniel Coleman

in

April 29, 2026

Orioles put opening day starter Trevor Rogers on IL with undisclosed illness

BALTIMORE (AP) — The Baltimore Orioles placed opening day starter Trevor Rogers on the 15-day injured list on Wednesday as the left-han...

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Undermanned Wolves try to eliminate balanced Nuggets in Game 6

Faced with key injuries, the Minnesota Timberwolves will try to close out their Western Conference first-round playoff series against the Denver Nuggets in Game 6 on Thursday in Minneapolis.

Minnesota successfully managed Game 4 despite losing star Anthony Edwards and his starting backcourt mate, Donte DiVincenzo, early. But with Edwards sidelined due to a bone bruise and hyperextension in his left knee and DiVincenzo gone with a torn right Achilles tendon, the Timberwolves dropped a close-out opportunity on Monday in Denver, 125-113.

Edwards and DiVincenzo were both catalysts as Minnesota gained the early advantage in the series, with Edwards going for 30 points and 10 rebounds in Game 2. DiVincenzo scored a total of 31 points in Games 2 and 3, both Timberwolves victories.

With the two perimeter playmakers out Monday, Minnesota committed 25 turnovers -- two more than the Timberwolves lost in their previous two games combined, and a team-high dating back to before the All-Star break.

"A lot of silly, forced play by guys trying to make something out of nothing," Minnesota coach Chris Finch said of the Game 5 turnover woes.

Finch also pointed to Denver's defensive adjustments, noting that the Nuggets "put two (defenders)" on Ayo Dosunmu for the first time in the series.

Dosunmu, a late-season acquisition via trade from Chicago, emerged as the hero in Game 4 after Edwards and DiVincenzo exited. He scored 43 points, bookended by performances of 25 and 18 points, respectively, in Games 3 and 5.

Aside from Julius Randle's 27 points, however, no other Minnesota player managed more than 13 in Monday's loss.

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Denver, meanwhile, got 18-plus points from four of its five starters in the elimination contest. Among the quartet was forward Spencer Jones, who has seen a significant uptick in minutes with Aaron Gordon dealing with a calf injury.

Jones, who scored 11 total points in the series' first four games, went for 20 in Game 5. Gordon, who averaged 16.2 points per game in the regular season, played limited minutes in Game 4, but missed both Games 3 and 5 and is listed as questionable for Thursday.

Jones, who averaged just 5.5 points per game in the regular season, delivered his highest-scoring performance since Dec. 1 (28 points) at an opportune time.

"It's something that happened throughout the season, guys going down and me getting an opportunity to start," Jones said. "I'll get more minutes, but the role is still the same, the duties are still the same."

Building on the momentum from his making four 3-pointers Monday, Jones could play a role in Denver's key perimeter scorer, Jamal Murray, finding cleaner looks from beyond the arc.

Murray has scored 30 points three times in the series, and with his 24 in Game 5, he is up to 26.0 points per game through the five contests. That's a team-high, outpacing three-time league Most Valuable Player Nikola Jokic's 25.4 ppg.

However, Murray has gone 0-for from deep twice, including the Game 3 loss.

Jokic, meanwhile, had his best game of the series Monday, finishing as a plus-18 with 27 points, 16 assists and 12 rebounds. He was a plus-one, minus-21 and minus-12 in Denver's three losses.

--Field Level Media

byDaniel Coleman

in

April 29, 2026

Undermanned Wolves try to eliminate balanced Nuggets in Game 6

Faced with key injuries, the Minnesota Timberwolves will try to close out their Western Conference first-round playoff series against t...

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Drought Response Level 1 issued statewide in Georgia. What are rules?

As the northern part of Georgia finally sees some rain, the rest of the state remains dry andwildfires burnacross the south.

Hundreds of fires have started across southern and coastalGeorgia, with dozens ofnew fires every day, and officials say drought conditions provided the kindling. The water conditions have now warranted a more serious response statewide.

"On April 27, 2026, after consideration of the drought severity and the water resource impacts, the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD) declared a state-wideDrought Response Level 1for public water systems using surface water or groundwater," the agency said in a statement.

What is a Drought Response Level 1?

The designation sets into course a series of public information campaigns across the state aimed at informing Georgians about the drought conditions and what they can do to be good water stewards. This includes online ads, bill inserts, posts on social media and public notices.

"Outdoor water use between the hours of 4 p.m. and 10 a.m. is still allowable and unaffected by the Drought Response Level 1," the agency said. "Public water systems may not impose restrictions on outdoor watering that are different from state requirements unless they obtain a variance from EPD."

Watering isnot currently limited, but if drought conditions worsen or continue for an extended period of time before the heat of summer, there may be some water restrictions.

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How bad is the drought in Georgia?

According to data from the National Weather Service,98% of Georgiais now under what is considered severe drought or worse.

About one-fifth of the state is in exceptional drought, the highest level of drought designation.

In Atlanta, there would need to be more than 10 inches of rain in a single month to get within five inches of normal water levels, the NWS said. That would be a record rainfall for any month.

In Macon, there would need to be nearly a foot of rain within 30 days to get close to normal levels. Over the course of three months, Macon would need more than 20 inches of rain, or more than 30 inches of rain over six months.

Where are the fires in Georgia?

Tens of thousands of acres of land have burned in southern Georgia, ranging from outside Valdosta to south of Waycross and around Folkston, crossing the Florida-Georgia line. Other fires west of Brunswick have also grown.

Irene Wright is the Atlanta Connect reporter with USA Today’s Deep South Connect team. Find her on X @IreneEWright or email her at ismith@usatodayco.com.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Level 1 drought response issued in Georgia. Here are the rules

byDaniel Coleman

in

April 28, 2026

Drought Response Level 1 issued statewide in Georgia. What are rules?

As the northern part of Georgia finally sees some rain, the rest of the state remains dry andwildfires burnacross the south. Hund...

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Poland recruiting top USMNT prospect Julian Hall

Julian Hall's red-hot start to the MLS season is earning plenty of attention, including from Poland's national team.

The New York Red Bulls forward has scored six goals in 10 matches so far, leading a youth movement under head coach Michael Bradley.

Hall was born and raised in the U.S. but also has Polish citizenship through his mother. The forward wears his mother's maiden name, Zakrzewski, on the back of his jersey.

The 18-year-old has been called up to Poland's youth national teams but thus far has only represented the United States at the youth international level.

March 21: Orlando City goalkeeper Maxime Crapeau (71) blocks the header by Nashville SC's Sam Surridge during the first half at Geodis Park. Nashville SC won the match, 5-0.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> March 1: Inter Miami's German Berterame controls the ball against Orlando City during the second half at Inter&Co Stadium. Inter Miami won the game, 4-2.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Feb. 28: Los Angeles FC's Denis Bouanga and the Houston Dynamo's Antonio Carlos (left) compete for possession during the first half at Shell Energy Stadium. LAFC won the match, 2-0.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Feb. 21: Fans watch during the national anthem before the game between Los Angeles FC and Inter Miami CF at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. LAFC won the game, 3-0, knocking off the defending MLS champs.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" />

MLS action, goals, scenes and drama from 2026 season

Cezary Kulesza, Poland's soccer federation president, is trying to change that.

Kulesza traveled to New York this week to meet with Hall's mother, posting a picture on X of the two of them holding up a Poland jersey with "Zakrzewski" on the back.

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"I met in New York with Julian Zakrzewski Hall's mom, Ms. Agnieszka," Kulesza said. "It's impressive how she supports her son on his soccer journey.

"We were of the same opinion – that the surname Zakrzewski looks beautiful on a white-and-red jersey."

Poland just missed out on qualifying for the 2026 World Cup,losing to Sweden in a playoff finallast month.

Hall could be seen as an heir apparent to Robert Lewandowski and Arkadiusz Milik, forwards who have carried the Polish national team for many years but who are both nearing the end of their international careers.

In 2024, Hall said he was still undecided on his international future.

"Of course, there’s thought going into it now,"Hall told amNY. "But playing for whatever country would be an honor for me. Representing any country would be an honor."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Julian Hall: Poland recruiting USMNT and Red Bulls forward

byDaniel Coleman

in

April 28, 2026

Poland recruiting top USMNT prospect Julian Hall

Julian Hall's red-hot start to the MLS season is earning plenty of attention, including from Poland's national team. The ...

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