On the eve of the opening match, FIFA president Gianni Infantino held a press conference in Mexico City, addressing the various controversies surrounding the tournament. He also commented on the case of Somali referee Omar Artan, who was denied entry upon arrival in the United States before being welcomed back as a hero in Mogadishu.

In athletics, 17-year-old American prospect Cooper Lutkenhaus produced the fastest 800-metre time in the world this year at the Oslo Diamond League meeting.

In tennis, Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard reached the quarter-finals in Stuttgart, while Arthur Fils, who has withdrawn from Halle, will arrive at Wimbledon without having played a single grass-court match this season.