SOFI WORKERS REACH AGREEMENT TO AVOID A STRIKE AHEAD OF WORLD CUP

 

May 25, 2026; Inglewood, CA, USA; A general overall view of Sofi Stadium (Los Angeles Stadium), a host site for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

A potential strike by SoFi Stadium workers, ahead of the United States' World Cup opening match at the venue Friday, was averted when an estimated 2,000 employees reached a tentative agreement Tuesday through their union.

The union representing hospitality workers at the stadium in Inglewood, Calif., had voted to authorize a strike last Friday, a week before the United States men's national team was set to play against Paraguay.

Mostly composed of concessions workers as well as cashiers, dishwashers, bartenders and food attendants, the union had voted 96% in favor of the strike, which had been looming for the last few months since the existing deal with stadium operators Legends Global expired.

The new agreement earned workers a 40% pay increase for concession stands attendants and also has a clause allowing workers to walk off the job if the union believes that the presence of federal agents, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), creates a "reasonable apprehension of harm to the safety and security of workers," The Athletic reported.

The agreement, which the union announced at a news conference, still has to be ratified by workers on Wednesday.

Kurt Peterson, co-president of the union, said the agreement will make the venue's concessions workers the highest paid at NFL stadiums, according to a report in The Athletic, with most earning "more than $40 per hour, and many of them significantly more than that."

Workers also will be able to earn "premium pay for mega-events, including all eight World Cup games," Peterson told The Athletic.

SoFi Stadium is scheduled to host two of the United States' three group-stage matches, against Paraguay (Friday) and Turkey (June 25), as well as three tournament knockout-stage matches, one of which is a quarterfinal on July 10.

The venue is the home of both the Los Angeles Rams and Chargers of the NFL. It also is slated to be a co-host for the Opening Ceremonies during the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, as well as the home for the swimming competitions.

The new agreement lasts until April 30, 2028, giving the union leverage for renegotiations before the Olympics begin.

--Field Level Media

CRISTIANO RONALDO FINALLY BREAKS SILENCE ON FUTURE IN SAUDI ARABIA AFTER £488K-PER-DAY STAR SCORES BRACE FOLLOWING SHOCKING STRIKE

Cristiano Ronaldo has finally broken his silence on his dramatic Saudi strike. 

The 41-year-old returned to action last week for Al-Nassr and scored a brace in their 4-0 victory over Al-Hazem on Saturday having previously made major waves with his high-profile strop. 

Ronaldo, who earns £488,000-a-day, had been furious with what he perceived to be a lack of transfer backing for Al-Nassr from PIF compared to their rivals.

The situation was exacerbated further when Karim Benzema was granted a transfer to Al-Hilal and Ronaldo went on strike for three games. 

His behaviour led to serious questions over his future in the league - despite his position as the biggest and most marketable name. 

But when asked about the situation on Saturday, Ronaldo said: 'I’m very happy. As I say so many times, I belong to Saudi Arabia.

'It’s a country that welcomed me, my family and my friends very well. I’m happy here. I want to continue here.

'And the most important thing, it’s we keep pushing. We are there at the top.

'Our job is to win, make pressure [on our title rivals], and let’s see. We are on track.

'We’re back, we are good, we are confident. Game by game. We are in good shape. Let’s see what’s going to happen.'

Ronaldo's actions had irritated the Saudi Pro League, with the top flight releasing a statement warning 'no individual determines decisions beyond their own club'. 

Title rivals Al-Hilal have a net spend £180million higher than that of his own team since the 2022-23 season, when he arrived. 

And that's despite both clubs, as well as Al-Ittihad and Al-Ahli, all being majority owned by the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF).

But Ronaldo is in an eye-watering wage and many feel he is in no position to complain about the finances of his opponents. 

A recent statement shared with Daily Mail Sport from the league suggested that Ronaldo's grievances were unfounded.

'The Saudi Pro League is structured around a simple principle: every club operates independently under the same rules,' they said.

'Clubs have their own boards, their own executives and their own football leadership. Decisions on recruitment, spending and strategy sit with those clubs, within a financial framework designed to ensure sustainability and competitive balance. That framework applies equally across the league.

'Cristiano has been fully engaged with Al Nassr since his arrival and has played an important role in the club's growth and ambition. Like any elite competitor, he wants to win. But no individual - however significant - determines decisions beyond their own club.'

The spokesperson added that recent transfer activity had 'demonstrated that independence clearly'.

Ronaldo wore the captain's armband on his return to action last week and is still popular with the club's fanbase despite his three-game exile; they were waving flags in his honour in his absence. 

Al-Nassr are now top of the league by one point and Ronaldo will be desperate for his side to achieve glory this season, especially given that he is yet to win the title in Saudi Arabia. 

- WILL GRIFFEE

BIDEN TO VISIT MICHIGAN TO SUPPORT AUTO STRIKE, A DAY BEFORE TRUMP

Reuters

U.S. President Joe Biden will travel to Michigan on Tuesday to show support for the United Auto Workers' strike against Detroit automakers, putting him in the center of the dispute that has pitted his labor allies against major manufacturers.

Biden, a Democrat, sees himself as a pro-union president and his visit to the state, a day before former President Donald Trump is scheduled to be there, will underscore his support for union workers' right to take action and engage in collective bargaining.

"Tuesday, I’ll go to Michigan to join the picket line and stand in solidarity with the men and women of UAW as they fight for a fair share of the value they helped create," Biden said on Friday in a post on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter. "It’s time for a win-win agreement that keeps American auto manufacturing thriving with well-paid UAW jobs."