The Organising Committee of the 2028 Paralympics released a preliminary proposal recently, coinciding with the 1,000-day countdown to the start of the event, which includes 23 sports across 260 events in what will be the first time the Games are held in the city.
The countdown to the Paralympic Games has begun, with the opening ceremony scheduled for August 15th 2028 at the SoFi Stadium, followed by the closing ceremony on August 27th at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Between those dates, the Games will take place with more sports and medals than ever before, according to organisers who expect to distribute all competitions across 294 sessions with the aim of ensuring greater broadcast coverage and attracting a larger following than in any other Olympic cycle.
"The first Paralympic Games in Los Angeles mean so much to all of us, and our teams have set themselves the task of creating a competition schedule guided by and geared towards the needs of the athletes," Ileana Rodríguez, of Paralympic strategy and relations, told Reuters news agency.
"These Games are designed with both the athletes and the global audience in mind, as we collectively count down the days to an unforgettable experience," she added. The Los Angeles Paralympic Games will be special for many reasons, but the city's Mayor, Karen Bass, highlighted another: next year will see a record number of female athletes competing on the world stage.
Several changes were noted in the announcement of the preliminary schedule compared with Paris 2024. The first five sports in which Paralympic champions will be crowned on the opening day of LA28 are para athletics, wheelchair fencing, para shooting, para equestrianism and para track cycling.
On August 24th in Long Beach, para climbing will make its debut in Los Angeles, the fifth new addition in just 12 years. Some disciplines, such as wheelchair rugby and boccia, will already have begun their competitions before the opening ceremony. This is unprecedented at a Paralympic Games, and will be particularly notable given that Los Angeles is hosting the Paralympics for the first time despite having twice hosted the Olympics.
Wednesday, November 19, 2025
Findlay Reflects on Bermuda's Final World Cup Qualifier
IslandStats.com
Bermuda Head Coach Findlay has spoken to www.islandstats.com following the conclusion of the island's 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifying campaign, expressing pride in his team's character and highlighting the progress made against strong international competition.
In an interview after the final match against Trinidad and Tobago, which ended in a narrow 2-1 defeat, Findlay was "extremely pleased" with the overall performance and the way the team addressed their pre-tournament objectives.
The coach acknowledged the technical difficulties with the score during the final match, calling the situation "very frustrating for the players, the staff, and the BFA." However, he quickly focused on the successful outcome of the camp's short-term goal.
"Our goal and objective when we came into the final camp in November was to put points on the board, to get a result or two results," he stated.
Despite starting the cycle with an "unfortunate situation and result against Curacao"—a nation that directly qualified for the World Cup—Findlay saw a significant upturn in character.
"I think it was a character builder for us... I think it was incredibly not just pleasing but exciting to see how we rebounded, how we applied ourself to the game in some difficult situations."
Findlay confirmed that despite the challenging conditions and humidity, the players acted accordingly, leading to a tangible reward: "We come away with a result and we can put a point on the board in World Cup qualifying." This single point was secured in the 1-1 draw against Jamaica earlier in the campaign.
He stressed that while the team didn't get all the results they were looking for, the journey was about long-term development.
"This was going to be a long-term objective for this group," Findlay confirmed, adding that the team can now proudly say they scored goals in World Cup qualifying and their name sits next to a number of teams still possibly going to the 2026 World Cup.
The coach also highlighted the successful international debuts of several young players, seeing them as a sign of progress.
"Incredibly happy for Milai Perott making his debut, Jace Donawa making his debut, Logan Jiménez in the previous game making his debut," he said. "This is a sign of things to come."
Findlay concluded with an optimistic look toward the next competitive cycle: "Now we look forward to 2026 and preparing for a Gold Cup qualification in Nations League... The future looks bright and I’m happy that we gained the point here in Trinidad and Tobago."
Tuesday, November 18, 2025
Brave Bermuda Draw in Trinidad in Final Qualifier
IslandStats.com
Trinidad & Tobago 2 Bermuda 2
Bermuda concluded their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign with a spirited performance that resulted in a 2 - 2 draw against Trinidad and Tobago at the Hasely Crawford Stadium.
With both nations already eliminated from World Cup contention, the match became a battle for pride, one which Bermuda approached with attacking ambition from the outset. Despite the score showing 2 - 1 on the CONCACAF Website American Match Commissioner Yohannes Worede confirmed it was 2-2. the result sees Bermuda earn their first Point of the round.
Trinidad & Tobago Starting Line-up: - Marvin Phillip, Ryan Telfer (Kaile Auvray 61st), Kobi Henry, Noah Powder (Andre Raymond 71st), Deron Payne, Steffen Yeates (Daniel Philips 79th), Jerrin Jackie, Andre Rampersad (Daniel David 79th), Kevin Molino, Nathaniel James, Real Gill (Wayne Frederick 61st) - Substitutes: - Jabari Brice, Levi Garcia, Justin Garcia, Isaiah García, Dante Sealy, Denzil Smith, Lindell Sween - Bermuda Starting Line-up: - Milai Perott, Daniel Cook, Harry Twite, Danté Leverock, Lejuan Simmons, Keziah Martin, Ne-Jai Tucker, Aunde Todd (Roger Lee 76th), Djair Parfitt ( Logan Jiménez 86th), Enrique Russell (Donavon Thompson 86th), Zeiko Lewis (Jace Donawa 69th) - Substitutes: - Detre Bell, Eusebio Blankendal, Dale Eve, Coleridge Fubler, Brighton Morrison, Riley Robinson, Rahzir Smith-Jones, Reggie Lambe
Bermuda almost grabbed the lead within the first minute. A quick break saw Zeiko Lewis through on goal, but a heavy first touch allowed the Trinidadian goalkeeper, Marvin Phillip, to smother the chance.
Despite forcing Phillip into two early saves, Bermuda found themselves behind in the 9th minute. A well-delivered free-kick found Trinidad's Kobi Henry, who out-jumped the Bermuda defence to head home the opener.
For the remainder of the half, the visitors were forced onto the back foot. Trinidad and Tobago dominated possession with 67.3% and goalkeeper Milai Perott became the central figure, pulling off a string of crucial stops. Perott denied a breakaway in the 25th minute and made a sharp block five minutes later. He was helped just before the break by Harry Twite, who cleared the ball off the line after Perott had been beaten.
The first half ended 1-0, a scoreline that reflected Trinidad’s dominance (six of nine shots on target) but also Bermuda’s resolute defending.
Bermuda returned for the second half with renewed attacking intent, and a strong shot from Djair Parfitt was quickly followed by a save from Trinidad’s keeper from a Ne-Jai Tucker effort.
The persistence paid off in the 60th minute. Tucker found a yard of space inside the box and unleashed a low shot that finally beat Phillip, levelling the match at 1-1.
Bermuda then silenced the crowd when Djair Parfitt bundled the ball over the line following a corner in the 64th minute, but two minutes later Trinidad was level with Nathaniel James scoring in the 66th minute.
Despite late substitutions, including the introductions of Roger Lee and Logan Jiménez, Bermuda could not find a winner, concluding their final-round campaign with a respectable 2-2 draw.
Tuesday, November 18, 2025
Senior Women's Squad Announced for World Cup Qualifiers
IslandStats.com
The Bermuda Football Association (BFA) has unveiled the Senior Women's squad set to embark on their 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup Qualifying campaign, which begins later this month with two challenging away fixtures.
Bermuda face a demanding start to their campaign, with both opening matches taking place on the road against opponents they have never met at the senior level.
Bermuda's qualification bid begins on November 27th when they travel to the Cayman Islands. The fixture will be held at the Truman Bodden Sports Complex in Grand Cayman, marking a historic first-ever senior meeting between the two island nations.
Four days later, on December 1st, the squad will face another difficult test in Central America. Bermuda will take on Guatemala at the Cementos Progreso Stadium in Guatemala City. Like the Cayman Islands match, this fixture will be the first senior-level encounter between Bermuda and Guatemala.
The announcement of the squad signals a fresh and exciting phase for the women's programme, with the team aiming to secure valuable early points in a campaign that features entirely new opponents for the current generation of players.
The selection blends an experienced core of players with promising younger talent, seeking to build chemistry quickly before facing the unknown challenges presented by the Cayman Islands and Guatemala.
Head Coach Naquita Robinson was very upbeat about the qualifiers and had this to say, “We are thrilled to announce our final team and to kick off this exciting campaign. We know the start of the tournament sets the tone, and securing a positive result early is crucial for building confidence and momentum. The players have been working incredibly hard to be ready for this, and we are ready to give everything from the whistle. We are prepared, motivated, and excited to represent Bermuda with pride.”
Bermuda Women’s Senior National Squad
Goalkeepers
Taya Rodrigues – IMG Academy Sharifa Crockwell – Dandy Stars
Defenders
Sierra Fisher – Somerset Lady Trojans Victoria Davis – Somerset Lady Trojans Zemira Webb – Jacksonville University Danni Watson – Barton College Saony Trott – Dandy Stars Marley Christian – Boston Sidekicks FC Keunna Dill – FC United of Manchester Koa Goodchild – Somerset Lady Trojans
Midfielders
Jya Ratteray-Smith – Chesham United Khyla Brangman – PHC Lady Zebras Evans Welch – Dandy Stars Marli Butterfield – Delaware State University K’Shaela Burch-Waldron – Sutton United Eva Frazzoni – AFC Sudbury
Forwards
Jahni Simmons – Coventry Sphinx Nia Christopher – Fort Lauderdale United Kenni Thompson – AFC Bournemouth Amiya James – Queen Ethelburga’s Robin Valana Pearman – St. Leo’s University Jaden Masters – University of Louisiana Monroe
Monday, November 17, 2025
FIFA Crackdown on Abuse - Points at USA President
IslandStats.com
FIFA has intensified its rhetoric and action against hate and discrimination to mark the UN's International Day for Tolerance, with the football governing body stepping up efforts to safeguard its members from a rising tide of harmful online content.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino delivered a strong message, stating unequivocally that "football must be a safe and inclusive space, on the pitch, in the stands and online." He highlighted the role of the FIFA Social Media Protection Service (SMPS), which uses both advanced technology and human expertise to monitor for abusive or hateful content, remove it, and even filter and block messages before they reach the intended recipient. The SMPS has already flagged over 30,000 abusive posts this year, with eleven individuals reported to law enforcement authorities in seven countries.
Infantino stressed that abuse "has no place in our game," and emphasized FIFA's commitment to holding offenders accountable, noting that the organisation is now blacklisting individuals identified as highly abusive from purchasing tickets for future FIFA tournaments.
However, the global body's commitment to eliminating discrimination faces immediate questions regarding the political arena. Critics have pointed to President Infantino’s well-publicised friendly relationship with Donald Trump, a figure who has been accused of showing hate and discrimination against various groups, including citizens from certain countries whose national teams have qualified for the World Cup.
Given that the 2026 FIFA World Cup will be co-hosted by the United States, alongside Mexico and Canada, the football family's anti-discrimination message is under intense scrutiny. The application of FIFA's rules and the principle of universal inclusivity will be closely monitored, particularly when juxtaposed with the political policies of the host nation's leaders that impact the free movement of fans and members of the "FIFA family." The challenge for FIFA remains bridging the gap between its universal anti-discrimination policy and the complex geopolitical relationships it must maintain to stage its biggest events.
