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Funfairs, river walks and Hugh Grant – welcome to Fulham (away)

Published

1 year ago

March 31, 2025

Funfairs, river walks and Hugh Grant – welcome to Fulham (away)

As the Tube doors jolt open at Putney Bridge, a gruff cry of “eaaaaagles” echoes down the platform.

It is only 10am but the mood is of boisterous anticipation for what could lie ahead. By 2pm, these people could be having an unforgettable experience.

A young couple bemoan not having remembered there’s a football match on as the queue down the stairs to Station Approach moves at a crawling pace.

There are more queues outside at the River Cafe opposite the station exit as people wait for iced lattes and croissants. Very Fulham.

A tout is trying to sell three match tickets to sit in the Hammersmith End for £270 ($350). A punter tries to haggle and the tout loses his temper: “I just told you, no bidding!”

This is pretty much the angriest scene that’ll be witnessed today (other than home fans lambasting Calvin Bassey’s defending).

This is Fulham, after all, the Premier League’s nicest club and a favourite away day for thousands upon thousands of football fans around the country.

Why? Well, for a start, you’ve got the nearby surroundings. If your route to Craven Cottage is from Putney Bridge station, take a walk down the River Thames on a sunny spring morning and transport yourself to a place of calm and serenity.

Walks along the Thames are part of the matchday routine at Craven Cottage (Tim Spiers/The Athletic)

People are sat on benches eating sandwiches, or doing a crossword in a newspaper. Even the kids swigging from bottles of Corona are harmless. You don’t get this at Millwall.

Then take a wander through leafy green Bishops Park, with its mix of families, small dogs and runners, so many runners.

There’s a funfair in the middle of it, and watching a Fulham fan with a skinhead and a Union Jack flag draped around his shoulders (yes, this man does exist) while navigating the cones laid out for children wearing roller-skates is quite an image.

Crystal Palace fans are dotted around, proudly wearing their red and blue colours. The chances of recriminations for sporting their shirts, which would be a problem at dozens of grounds in the Premier League and below, are minimal here.

Something for everyone at Fulham (Tim Spiers/The Athletic)

They talk of wanting the late kick-off at Wembley at semi-final weekend. Presumptuous, but ultimately fair.

They also talk of this being an ideal away day. “Fulham away is always on my list for the season,” Palace fan Dan tells The Athletic.

“It’s friendly, the walk to the stadium is beautiful, they have away-friendly pubs and it’s a picturesque ground on the Thames.

“They’re probably the most accommodating club for away fans. Well, they’ve been pretty accommodating in the last few years anyway because we’ve won a few.”

Until fairly recently, Fulham were so accommodating that they even had a neutral stand where home and away fans could freely sit next to each other, a concept pretty much unheard of in English football.

It’s a notion in keeping with the middle-class surroundings: quiet streets, multi-million-pound houses and rowers training for the Oxford-Cambridge University Boat Race, which will pass by here in a couple of weeks. There was even (at least) one famous actor at the game on Saturday, with Fulham fan Hugh Grant pictured lending his support.

Actor Hugh Grant was also in attendance on Saturday to support Fulham (John Walton/PA Images via Getty Images

For most of the club’s history, though, Fulham haven’t troubled the headline-makers of English football.

From 1970 to 2001, they didn’t once set foot in the top flight. A 14-year stint in the top division followed under the ownership of the now-deceased and disgraced former Harrods owner Mohamed Al Fayed, who sold the club to Shahid Khan.

Under Khan and his son, Tony, who is vice-chairman and director of football operations, Fulham are moving towards not only becoming an established top-flight club again following a period of flitting between the top two divisions, but also to being a boutique club, where people are asked to pay high prices not just to watch a football match, but to enjoy a deluxe experience in “a location like no other”, in Shahid Khan’s words.

There is the £120million Riverside Stand that backs onto the River Thames and is being opened stage by stage. When fully completed, it will offer a restaurant curated by a Michelin-star chef, high-end bars (including one on the rooftop) and seats and a bar behind the dugout, plus a private pool. There are plans to offer an option to travel there by boat.

“No two visits are ever the same,” Fulham’s blurb on Riverside states. “One thing, however, is constant; exceptional service throughout.”

Obviously, this doesn’t come cheap. Just to sit in the Riverside Stand for Fulham’s next home game against Liverpool will cost £150. Season tickets reach the £3,000 level, the most expensive non-corporate season ticket in the Premier League.

Season tickets elsewhere in the stadium can still reach £1,024, while normal Premier League match tickets, again for Liverpool, range from £66 to £106, with a smattering of £35 seats on the sides of the Johnny Haynes Stand.

Exorbitant fees for Premier League tickets are increasingly common, especially in London where Chelsea, Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United will charge similar prices for matchday tickets.

It’s a lot for fans to stomach and they have tried to make their voice heard, with protests in 2023 and again recently at the Manchester United away game in the FA Cup, a joint-protest with home supporters after being charged at least £52 for a seat. In Premier League games, there is a £30 cap on away tickets across all clubs.

A Palace supporter on a successful away day for his club (Alex Davidson/Getty Images)

“There definitely a sense of feeling fleeced by the club,” Fulham regular Liam tells The Athletic.

“I have friends who can’t afford to come anymore, but the club is going in a different direction. Fulham used to be open to everyone, home and away fans, but it’s becoming much more exclusive.”

The club’s chief executive Alistair Mackintosh recently defended the price rises, saying: “When I first spoke to the Fulham Disabled Supporters Association they gave me some advice — that Fulham is the sort of club that can have a business class or first class and have fans that turn left on a plane.

“They said to me, that is for some people, but the rest of us want a premium experience elsewhere.

“They may want to have this experience for the odd game, then may want to return to their seats.

“I feel stretching pricing means there is something for everyone at Craven Cottage.

“But the attention is on the top-end pricing as it is more interesting to report than the bottom end, but our game against Villa is sold out.”

Fulham are a club on the rise, fighting for Champions League football this season under Marco Silva’s management.

On Saturday — which starts with one of the most electrifying atmospheres heard at Craven Cottage for some time for their biggest game of the season, an FA Cup quarter-final against Palace — the task of turning Fulham into a club that offers a high-end experience on and off the pitch is brought home. You can’t really offer one without the other. Just ask Queens Park Rangers.

A comprehensive 3-0 loss puts Fulham’s season on a knife edge. Out of the cup, can they now reach Europe for just the fourth time in their history?

Those boutique ticket sales may depend on it.

(Top photo: Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

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Sports

2026 World Cup Odds: How Far Can Mexico Go After Winning Group A?

Published

2 hours ago

June 19, 2026

Press Room

2026 World Cup Odds: How Far Can Mexico Go After Winning Group A?

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After its massive 1-0 win over South Korea on Thursday night, Mexico has won Group A and officially clinched a spot in the knockout round.

El Tri will play its Round of 32 game in Mexico City, and will face the third-place finisher in either Group C/E/F/H/I.

This is the fourth time that Mexico has topped the group stage of a World Cup, with the other three coming in 1986, 1994 and 2002.

With the win, Mexico remains unbeaten in World Cup group games at home, going a combined 6-2-0 (W-D-L), with two wins and a draw in 1970 and 1986, and now two wins in 2026.

Before the tournament began, Mexico was listed at +6500 to win the World Cup. Now, after winning its first two games of the tournament, Mexico has surged up the oddsboard to +5000.

Can Mexico build off its first two matches and make a deep run in this tournament? Let’s check out the updated odds for El Tri as of June 19.

This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners. If you sign up or place a wager, FOX Sports may be compensated. Read more about Sports Betting on FOX Sports.

Team Mexico — Stage of Elimination

Last 32: +125 (bet $10 to win $22.50 total)
Last 16: +135 (bet $10 to win $23.50 total)
Quarterfinals: +600 (bet $10 to win $70 total)
Semifinals: +1600 (bet $10 to win $170 total)
Runner-up: +3000 (bet $10 to win $310 total)
Outright winner: +5000 (bet $10 to win $510 total)

Mexico is currently +5000 to win the 2026 FIFA World Cup after winning Group A (Getty Images).

Mexico’s Past World Cup Results:

1930: Group stage
1934: Did not qualify
1938: Withdrew
1950: Group stage
1954: Group stage
1958: Group stage
1962: Group stage
1966: Group stage
1970: Quarterfinals
1974: Did not qualify
1978: Group stage
1982: Did not qualify
1986: Quarterfinals
1990: Banned
1994: Round of 16
1998: Round of 16
2002: Round of 16
2006: Round of 16
2010: Round of 16
2014: Round of 16
2018: Round of 16
2022: Group stage
2026: TBD

What to know: Mexico has made a habit of being in the running, but never really being in the running. Make sense? Consider this: El Tri made it out of the group stage in seven consecutive World Cups (1994-2018), but never made it past the Round of 16 in any of those years. In 2022, Mexico failed to make it out of the group stage, and it will look to get back to its winning ways in 2026 after a great start to the tournament. With its win Thursday night, Mexico has now advanced to the knockout stage in eight of the last nine World Cups. It is important to note, however, that Mexico has never made it past the quarterfinals at a FIFA men’s World Cup.

Sports

Goalkeeper Raúl Rangel’s elite play and South Korea’s mistake help Mexico advance

Published

3 hours ago

June 19, 2026

Press Room

Goalkeeper Raúl Rangel’s elite play and South Korea’s mistake help Mexico advance

GUADALAJARA, Mexico — Three and a half years after its biggest failure on the World Cup stage in half a century, the Mexican national team needed only two games to advance to the knockout round of this year’s tournament as winner of Group A.

Mexico’s defense held off a spirited final push by South Korea, earning a 1-0 win on Thursday night at Guadalajara Stadium in front of a fiery announced sellout crowd of 45,522.

“It was a very tough game,” Mexico coach Javier Aguirre said.

Goalkeeper Kim Seung-gyu made a mistake in the 50th minute, failing to stop what appeared to be a simple cross and bobbling the ball. That allowed Mexico’s Luis Romo to easily tap the ball into the net and claim a 1-0 lead.

“In the end, a mistake was going to tip the scales,” Aguirre said.

Mexico goalkeeper Raúl Rangel blocks a shot from South Korea’s Son Heung-min during their World Cup match at Guadalajara Stadium on Thursday.

(Natacha Pisarenko / Ap Photo/natacha Pisarenko)

“You always want to be there; I felt it, and I got the chance,” said Romo, who started the game after starting the opener on the bench — a strategic change by the Mexican coach that paid off.

South Korea put pressure on the Mexican team throughout the game. Late in the scoreless first half, Jae-sung Lee came close to giving South Korea the lead. Aguirre hoped his team would shake off nerves following the emotional opener at Azteca Stadium and show more bite in its second game against South Korea, but his team didn’t have much power behind its attack during the game’s first 45 minutes.

The crowd in Guadalajara grew frustrated and began booing the Mexican national team’s performance at the end of the first half.

Mexico, however, won back their cheers when it capitalized on South Korea’s costly mistake and converted it into a goal.

Obed Vargas replaced Romo in the 71st minute and was close to scoring a spectacular goal if not for Seung-gyu’s save.

El Tri earned a win without any other goals thanks, in part, to a great night by goalkeeper Raúl Rangel, who stopped a header by Cho Gue-sung in the 87th minute. Captain Edson Álvarez helped turn away South Korea’s attack late, holding up relatively well despite having left ankle surgery during the past year.

“It was just a reflex,” said Rangel, whose club team Chivas plays at at Guadalajara Stadium. “I was very focused and stepped up when the team needed me, and I’m happy about that.”

LAFC star and South Korea captain Son Heung-min fired one shot over Mexico’s goalkeeper in the first half, but Álvarez cleared it off the line before the referee ruled Son was offsides.

South Korea finished controlling possession 58% of the time, but it only earned two shots on target.

“It wasn’t a good game because they didn’t let us do much,” Aguirre said.

Mexico was coming off a comfortable 2-0 victory over South Africa, while the South Koreans had defeated the Czech Republic 2-1, marking their first World Cup opening-match win since 2010.

During the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, Mexico was eliminated in the group stage for the first time since 1978, breaking a streak of seven consecutive appearances in the knockout rounds. However, playing on home soil, the team’s goal is to emulate El Tri’s achievements in 1970 and 1986, when they reached the quarterfinals — the country’s best World Cup finish.

Due to the new 48-team format, Mexico would need to win two knockout-round matches and reach a sixth game to realize its goals.

“We’re taking it one step at a time; first, there’s the third game,” Romo said.

Mexico's Luis Romo celebrates with his teammates after scoring during a match against South Korea at Guadalajara Stadium

After the win over South Korea, Mexico will close out group play against Czechia at Azteca Stadium in Mexico City on Wednesday. El Tri will get to play the first two games of the knockout round — should it win the first one — at Azteca Stadium, a venue where it has never lost a World Cup game.

South Korea has four points and will be favored when it plays South Africa Wednesday in Monterrey. If South Korea wins the match, it would be the Group A runner-up and advance to play the Group B runner-up on June 28 at SoFi Stadium.

“We want all nine points,” Vargas said of Mexico’s goal entering its next game against Czechia.

Sports

2026 FIFA World Cup Golden Boot Race Tracker: Lionel Messi Is Alone At The Top

Published

12 hours ago

June 18, 2026

Press Room

2026 FIFA World Cup Golden Boot Race Tracker: Lionel Messi Is Alone At The Top

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

Who’ll win the Golden Boot at the 2026 FIFA World Cup? The race is on for who’ll score the most goals at the tournament, and it is set to be one of the tournament’s most closely watched storylines.

Several of the world’s top forwards will be aiming to finish as the competition’s leading goalscorer. Kylian Mbappé enters the tournament after winning the Golden Boot at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, while Harry Kane, Erling Haaland, Lionel Messi, and Mikel Oyarzabal are among the other players expected to challenge for the award.

And check out our list of all the 2026 World Cup goals, ranked!

Favorites To Win The Golden Boot

Harry Kane: +310 (bet $10 to win $41 total)
Lionel Messi: +350 (bet $10 to win $45 total)
Kylian Mbappé: +350 (bet $10 to win $45 total)
Erling Haaland: +1000 (bet $10 to win $110 total)
Kai Havertz: +1300 (bet $10 to win $140 total)
Vinícius Júnior: +3300 (bet $10 to win $340 total)
Folarin Balogun: +3500 (bet $10 to win $360 total)
Mikel Oyarzabal: +3500 (bet $10 to win $360 total)
Lamine Yamal: +3500 (bet $10 to win $360 total)
Raphinha: +4500 (bet $10 to win $460 total)
Michael Olise: +4500 (bet $10 to win $460 total)
Romelu Lukaku: +4500 (bet $10 to win $460 total)
Viktor Gyökeres: +4500 (bet $10 to win $460 total)
Cody Gakpo: +5500 (bet $10 to win $560 total)
Cristiano Ronaldo: +5500 (bet $10 to win $560 total)

3 Goals

Lionel Messi (Argentina)

2 Goals

Johan Manzambi (Switzerland)
Harry Kane (England)
Erling Haaland (Norway)
Kylian Mbappé (France)
Harry Kane (England)
Elijah Just (New Zealand)
Yasin Ayari (Sweden)
Kai Havertz (Germany)
Folarin Balogun (USA)

1 Goal

Granit Xhaka (Switzerland)
Rubén Vargas (Switzerland)
Ermin Mahmic (Bosnia and Herzegovina)
Michal Sadilek (Czechia)
Teboho Mokoena (South Africa)
Jáminton Campaz (Colombia)
Luis Díaz (Colombia)
Daniel Muñoz (Colombia)
Abbosbek Fayzullaev (Uzbekistan)
Caleb Yirenkyi (Ghana)
Jude Bellingham (England)
Marcus Rashford (England)
Martin Baturina (Croatia)
Petar Musa (Croatia)
Yoane Wissa (DR Congo)
João Neves (Portugal)
Marko Arnautović (Austria)
Jude Bellingham (England)
Marcus Rashford (England)
Yoane Wissa (DR Congo)
João Neves (Portugal)
Caleb Yirenkyi (Ghana)
Ali Olwan (Jordan)
Romano Schmid (Austria)
Leo Østigard (Norway)
Ayman Hussein (Iraq)
Ibrahim Mbaye (Senegal)
Bradley Barcola (France)
Ramin Rezaeian (Iran)
Mohammad Mohebbi (Iran)
Maxi Araújo (Uruguay)
Abdulelah Al-Amri (Saudi Arabia)
Emam Ashour (Egypt)
Alexander Isak (Sweden)
Viktor Gyökeres (Sweden)
Mattias Svanberg (Sweden)
Omar Rekik (Tunisia)
Amad Diallo (Ivory Coast)
Keito Nakamura (Japan)
Daichi Kamada (Japan)
Virgil van Dijk (Netherlands)
Crysencio Summerville (Netherlands)
Felix Nmecha (Germany)
Nico Schlotterbeck (Germany)
Jamal Musiala (Germany)
Nathaniel Brown (Germany)
Deniz Undav (Germany)
Connor Metcalfe (Australia)
Nestory Irankunda (Australia)
John McGinn (Scotland)
Ismael Saibari (Morocco)
Vinícius Júnior (Brazil)
Breel Embolo (Switzerland)
Gio Reyna (USA)
Mauricio (Paraguay)
Cyle Larin (Canada)
Jovo Lukić (Bosnia and Herzegovina)
Ladislav Krejcí (Czechia)
Julián Quiñones (Mexico)
Raúl Jimenez (Mexico)
Hwang In-Beom (South Korea)
Oh Hyeon-Gyu (South Korea)