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Nearly none of Tottenham’s supporters spoke to Thomas Frank ahead of Tuesday’s Champions League game against Borussia Dortmund.

A bad defeat against the German side, which would have been his fourth defeat in a row in all competitions, would have seen more boos and more toxic atmosphere, as well as the end of his managerial position.

Instead, a 2-0 victory over Christian Romero and Dominic Solanke is likely to give Frank some breathing. His exhausted team’s performance could provide even more, according to an encouraging performance.

Just a few days prior, West Ham scored a last-minute winner at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium when loud boos greeted the whistle-spinning moment.

Before kick-off on Tuesday, there were some jeers once more as Frank’s name was read out, but they subsided as a result as Spurs won, which puts them in good position to automatically advance to the Champions League knockout stages.

Many fans were clearly turning against Frank after the Hammers’ defeat, with large numbers of fans yelling “you’re getting sacked in the morning” at him.

Before Tuesday’s game, that impression persisted.

Sarah Sturgeon-Scraggs, a Spurs supporter since she was nine, said, “I really do think 99% of this stadium is Frank out.”

Because of the people we watch and the time we spend together, “I enjoy going to the games, but we don’t get very much joy.”

Ronnie continued, “I feel personally that he must leave unless some sort of miracle occurs regarding player support, style, and outcomes immediately the fans abandon him.”

A return to a more traditional and uninspired performance in the second half, which was a source of frustration, was still not enough to change their minds.

Sarah remarked, “The first half was really enjoyable. There was more press, forward passing, and movement. The second-half performance, however, demonstrates Frank’s lack of leadership in charge of this team. The game came to a halt as we pushed to five in the back. It once more ruined its joy.

“I’m still Frank out,” I say.

Before kick-off, fellow Spurs supporter Ali Speechly had a similar opinion.

She said, “We might have more patience if we could see signs of what he is trying to accomplish.”

A group of players appear to be carrying out their wishes.

After the game, do you change your mind?

Where has the “much better first half” been since then? But she claimed that in the second half, we were once more dead. Either they perform well in the opening or second half. Thomas Frank seems unable to connect the two together.

However, some people believed Frank could build on this.

Before the match, Alfie claimed that Tottenham was “playing like a Championship team,” but he later claimed that the first half was outstanding. Although the second half wasn’t great, we didn’t give up.

Although many fans may still need some convincing, the display did demonstrate Frank’s continued support in the dressing room.

In the first half, the players’ work rate, intensity, and desire were present, and they all gathered before heading down the tunnel together when half-time approached.

Former Tottenham goalkeeper Paul Robinson claimed on BBC Radio 5 Live that “what I saw tonight was not a performance where the manager had lost the dressing room.”

“A disjointed dressing room has been the subject of a lot of conversation. That was absent from Dortmund.

The fans voted with their feet, but that group of players represented their manager, not the other way around.

In the post-game press conference, Frank himself was keen to emphasize that.

He said, “The players are giving everything.”

This season will give off a sense of deja vu for Tottenham supporters.

Under Ange Postecoglu’s last term, they did terrible in the Premier League, but with the addition of their Europa League victory, things changed.

Spurs are 14th in the league while playing for Frank, who is likely just one win away from a place in the Champions League knockouts.

Ally McCoist, a former Scotland striker, reported on TNT Sports, “There are two Tottenhams running about this season.”

“Fortunately, it was Tottenham who showed up tonight who have been doing well in the Champions League.”

Robinson continued, “You dig in and get a result when your back against the wall is against the wall.”

When Frank take on struggling Burnley in the Premier League on Saturday, there is never a dull moment in football.

Win that by giving a more impressive performance, and some people may start to see recovery green shoots.

Loss, and Frank will be subject to an enormous amount of pressure, which he is acutely aware of.

The key is, of course, to continue this with a performance and victory against Burnley on Saturday, he said.

It’s a great skill to be able to produce in the Premier League and Champions League each week, I’d say.

“We just need to keep believing and doing the same thing,” he says.

With the negative reaction following the West Ham loss, Frank has had a difficult few days, and reports that the club’s hierarchy may be considering a seven-month rule were released on Monday.

After all of that, Frank was happy to have the chance to briefly enjoy this victory over Dortmund.

He said, “It will be necessary to have two large glasses of red.” I’ll like them.

Fans of World Cup 2026 tickets can now obtain priority visas for travel to the United States, but it’s still uncertain whether all qualified fans will be able to enter.

The US President Donald Trump announced the Fifa Prioritized Appointment Scheduling System, or Fifa Pass, on Tuesday.

Some countries’ citizens whose teams have qualified for the 2026 World Cup may not otherwise be able to get visa appointments in time for the event.

However, the US State Department has emphasized that all ticket holders must undergo “prolonged security screening and vetting,” as a result of a Fifa Pass appointment.

Most citizens of nations who are eligible for the US visa waiver program, which covers most of Europe, including the UK, Japan, Australia, and others, do not need a Fifa Pass. Instead, travelers from those nations would need to submit an Esta, an electronic system for travel authorization.

Application wait times will be shorter thanks to the new Fifa Pass system, which allows applicants to schedule a visa appointment in “less than 60 days,” according to a senior State Department official.

Football fans in nations where the US has suspended the processing of immigrant visas will still be able to apply for admission to the country for the World Cup this year.

Last Wednesday, the US announced that it would stop processing immigrant visa applications from 75 nations, including Brazil, which has qualified for the World Cup five times.

The US, Canada, and Mexico will host the tournament this year, which will take place from June 11 through July 19 in one of the list’s remaining nations, who are still in contention to make it to the list.

On Wednesday, January 21, 2019, the order to temporarily halt the processing of applications for immigrant visas from those 75 nations will become effective.

Prior to this decision, Trump extended the travel ban that was in place on January 1 and makes it illegal for citizens of all nations to enter the US.

Countries with full restrictions include Iran and Haiti, both of whom have qualified for the 2026 World Cup.

Senegal and the Ivory Coast, both of whom have qualified, are included in the group of nations with partial restrictions.

Fans from those four nations appear unlikely to be able to travel to the US for this summer’s tournament, according to the State Department, because a Fifa Pass appointment prevents people “who are otherwise not eligible” from being issued a visa.

According to the State Department’s guidance, the travel ban for the World Cup applies to “any athlete or member of an athletic team, including coaches, personnel playing a support role, and immediate relatives.”

However, it added that neither fans nor spectators are exempt from the exception. They can still apply for visas, but they “may not be eligible for issuance or admission to the United States.”

Jude Bellingham has refuted reports that refer to his “outside noise” on the pitch, saying that his celebration after scoring against Monaco was intended to be “a bit of a joke back to the fans.”

In a comfortable 6-1 Champions League victory, Bellingham scored Real Madrid’s final goal, his first of 2026, and a celebratory drink-and-drink gesture.

The moment quickly attracted online attention.

AuronPlay, a well-known Spanish YouTuber with over 29 million subscribers, made a viral comment about Bellingham before Real Madrid faced Levante over the weekend.

He claimed Belliingham “loves alcohol too much” and has visited “every nightclub in Spain,” adding that this may be affecting the midfielder’s form.

Bellingham was later named in Bellingham’s 2-0 win over Levante as a result of whistles and boos from the stands.

There are two ways you can take it, I believe. You can moan and cry about it, or you can just enjoy it.

The gesture was intended as a joke for both the fans and those who would say whatever they wanted.

“I am aware of the reality and what actually transpires in my personal life.”

I am aware of what I give the team, what I give during the game, and what I try to give.

It’s nice to have a little joke, but the outside noise doesn’t really matter.

The 22-year-old added: “I’ve always said that Real Madrid fans are entitled to say what they want because they pay their money, work all week, and save up money to attend games to support us.”

On their landmark first women’s tour of New Zealand, the British and Irish Lions will play three Test matches in Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch.

On September 4, 2027, the Lions will play a warm-up match at the Semenoff Stadium in Whangarei against a Black Ferns XV.

The city’s iconic Eden Park venue, which is located in Auckland’s Go Media Stadium, will not be there as expected until September 11th, when the city’s first Test will take place.

The largest stadium in New Zealand is Eden Park, which is also known as the country’s spiritual home.

Before the second Test arrives at Wellington’s Sky Stadium four days later, the Lions will play an Invitational XV in a midweek contest at Hamilton’s FMG Stadium Waikato.

The final Test will take place on September 25 at Christchurch’s One NZ Stadium.

The tour, according to British and Irish Lions CEO Ben Calveley, will mark a “hugely significant milestone” that will “create something truly special for the women’s game.”

Traveling fans have traditionally followed the Lions to the southern hemisphere, but it’s unknown how many will travel to the women’s team.

Potentially problematic is the series’ competitive balance.

After defeating Canada in the semi-finals of the 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup, New Zealand lost to Canada in the final six of its six matches.

England, the reigning world champions, have defeated New Zealand in their past three meetings, including a 33-12 victory at Go Media Stadium two years ago, who are currently top of the standings. They have won the previous seven Six Nations titles.

Steve Lancaster, the Lions’ acting head of rugby in New Zealand, described the visit as “truly special.”

According to him, “starting in the north and finishing in the south was a conscious choice to ensure that as many parts of the nation as possible can participate in this incredible event.”

September

Whangrei 4 Black Ferns XV, Semenoff Stadium

11 First Test, Auckland’s Go Media Stadium

14 Invitational XV, Hamilton, FMG Stadium Waikato

18 Second Test, Wellington’s Sky Stadium

One NZ Stadium, Christchurch, on September 25, 2003.

The scale of stadia, tickets, and fixtures are all representative of the emerging women’s sport market, so this tour doesn’t try to pretend to be a carbon copy of the men’s Lions.

Without Eden Park, this is most clearly visible. A 50, 000 capacity stadium would not be possible given that the venue was sold out for the women’s rugby world cup final in 2022 despite the fact that the legacy boost for the women’s game in New Zealand has not yet been fully realized.

The Invitational XV game in Hamilton has a lot of intrigue. One of the Super Rugby Aupiki sides might have a chance to face the Lions in 2027, or it could lead to a selection of XVs in the style of the Barbarians.

The first Women’s Lions head coach should also gain more interest.

However, the bigger issue is with the tour dates. The men’s World Cup in Australia will officially begin on October 1 with a schedule that coincides with that date.

That means that most games will take place on the same day as men’s international warm-up matches.

Rugby media and broadcasters will likely concentrate elsewhere.