As the FIFA World Cup brings in millions of international fans to the United States, criminals are lurking behind-the-scenes to exploit the buzz surrounding the games. In the last few weeks, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has intercepted massive amounts of counterfeit FIFA World Cup merch. In a recent five-day operation dubbed “Protect the Pitch,” border officers in Cincinnati seized 68 shipments of counterfeit FIFA World Cup 2026 jerseys, shirts, shorts, shoes, hats, jewelry, and other merch, CBP told The Daily Wire. If they had been authentic, the 2,589 items had an estimated retail value of $266,566, according to CBP. The shipments included 1,563 FIFA World Cup 2026 jerseys, 306 pairs of shorts, 200 pairs of footwear, 150 hats, 80 shirts, and 290 other World Cup-related items that originated in Mexico and Colombia. CBP CBP Officers were able to catch the packages by tracking mail bound for the games’ host cities, including Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, New Jersey, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and Seattle. The latest seizure is part of a nationwide effort by border authorities to stop counterfeit World Cup items from entering the market. During the first week of the World Cup, CBP seized $23 million worth of fake fan gear, the agency said. Cincinnati Port Director Eric Zizelman said that criminals typically use major sporting events “to flood the market with knockoffs and cheap imitations just to make a buck,” adding that “businesses and the American consumer pay the price.” CBP also warned that fake items can pose dangers to Americans’ health, safety, and economic security. “It’s a shame criminals are preying on soccer fans and using the World Cup as a means to steal money from consumers,” Cincinnati Port Director Eric Zizelman said in a statement. “It happens around all the major sporting events, whether it be the Super Bowl, World Series, or in this case, the World Cup,” Zizelman said. In a separate incident on June 17, CBP officers seized 8,400 counterfeit Nike soccer jerseys with an estimated retail value of $840,000 at Miami International Airport. The package originated in China and was bound for Brazil. A similar seizure worth more than $6 million occurred at a seaport in Houston. During the interception, CBP officers uncovered 2,000 Adidas Soccer Jerseys, 4,500 Adidas FIFA Soccer Balls, nearly 4,400 pairs of athletic shoes, 69 FIFA packages containing over 2,200 counterfeit Apple Watches and headphones with the FIFA trademark logo in shipments from China. In Indianapolis, CBP officers discovered 530 FIFA World Cup 2026 jerseys, 380 beanies, 349 Puma, Adidas, and Nike shirts tied to the tournament that came from Hong Kong. Over 90% of counterfeit items confiscated by CBP arrive through international mail, according to CBP.

This article is part of Upstream, The Daily Wire’s new home for culture and lifestyle. Real human insight and human stories — from our featured writers to you. *** Welcome to the Bright Side, a weekly roundup of all the good news and ideas you might have missed from the past week. TSA regulation comedy: They’re here all week I’m still reeling from being able to leave my shoes on for airport security. But suddenly we’re not allowed to bring live beavers and jugs of ranch on the plane? How are we supposed to live like this? While it’s still gonna be a no on World Cup fans hauling 40-ounce bottles of ranch dressing back to Europe in their carry-ons (stay tuned for TSA-approved Kraft packets), the TSA’s recent live beaver restriction was a playful rib at the tourist fever around Buc-ee’s. Does Buc-ee’s stock beaver merch? Yes. Live ones? No. But Buc-ee’s Beaver Nuggets are real, and they’re cleared for takeoff. I’m more of a Buc-ee’s Milk Chocolate Cashews person myself. Europeans are blown away by Buc-ee’s More videos that will make you smile! So many Europeans are finding America to be an amazing place!❤️ pic.twitter.com/gAORs1XPnv — Americaforever (@onetexgal9) June 19, 2026 Soccer can be a pretty boring low-scoring game if you’re new to the sport. Maybe that’s why we’re talking about salad dressing and gas station snacks so much. I’ve lived through many scoreless games thinking about how the sport could be made-over for American audiences. How about a time clock to force advancement on the field or shots on goal, or a ban on telenovela drama at a tugged jersey? (Eyeball popping double-take! Arms in the air! Susan was her own evil twin this whole time?)  Still, even with its international quirks, maybe fútbol is perfect just as it is. As someone posted on X, “The World Cup is proof that, if it weren’t for our leaders, the vast majority of people around the world would get along just fine.” I could chug an overpriced stadium beer and honk one of those anti-vuvuzela “pleasant horns” in agreement.  Bill Gates just gave you all his money. Go. Wait, wait, wait. You’re not getting his real money. But a game designed by creative programmer Neal Agarwal gives you the sensation of making it rain on Microsoft’s dime.  Starting with $100 billion in your bank, Spend Bill Gates’ Money lets you throw down on everything from $2 Big Macs to a $3,000 acre of farmland, a $15,000 Rolex, and $780,000,000 for the Mona Lisa. I’m pretty sure a Big Mac costs a little more than $2 these days (Blame Big Shredded Lettuce), but designating billions of fake dollars to specific purchases really shows you how far that kind of cash can — or can’t — go!  If that kind of game isn’t your speed, Neal also built his Every Second series where you can visualize the heartbeats per minute of everything from elephants to hummingbirds, or how many trillions of neurons just fired in your brain while you were reading this sentence.  It’s official: Meet the world’s loudest talker FYI, it’s not Doug from the company retreat. The loudest person in the world trashed his vocal chords proving his talents, but he holds the Guinness World Record now, so — worth it! Australia’s Joseph McGrail-Bateup is just a 58-year-old guy who cleans air conditioners for a living and has a voice that cuts through the noise. He also spends his free time LARPing as the town crier. But after competitively “crying” to his heart’s content, he knew he had to level up. “What can I do that’s a little bit different?” he asked himself. He then hit 122.4 decibels with a single shout. “It took me seven attempts just for one word, which was the word ‘now,’ and my voice was shot for the next couple of days as well.”  Guinness World Records has recognized Joseph McGrail-Bateup, a 58-year-old professional air conditioner cleaner, as the world’s loudest person. He was recorded yelling the word “now” at 122.4 decibels. pic.twitter.com/D8Gp0YFTm4 — The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) June 24, 2026 Possibly my favorite part of this important history is that the previous record was held by Irish schoolteacher Annalisa Flanagan, who hit 121.7 dBs in 1994 by ironically shrieking the word “quiet.” (Then, and probably every afternoon until she retired.) I was impressed, but also curious about how loud this sound might be. (I also didn’t know the average human ear can actually detect zero decibels, did you?) Normal conversation hits around 60 to 70 dBs. A motorcycle? 100 dBs. Metallica at Madison Square Garden? 110 to 120 dBs. And at about 130 dBs, you’re gonna feel the pain.   Hailing from a culture that takes pride in its enthusiastic talking volume, my Puerto Rican boyfriend might be able to best 122 dBs. But for now, Joseph’s the guy to beat. Not even the 85-decibel music at Abercrombie & Fitch can hold a candle to the reigning champ. The cutest critter in the Land Down Under While I was giving the algorithm a break from my newfound obsession with meticulously snatched corgi butts (they’re groomed like fluffy peaches!), it came to my attention that there’s a creature called a quokka (Thanks, J.K. Rowling.)  Today I discovered not only that there is such a thing as a quokka but also that my whole life I’ve been missing a quokka. https://t.co/sR0m9so38H — J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) June 24, 2026 Native to Western Australia, and known as the “happiest animal in the world,” quokkas are the cute, cat-sized cousins of kangaroos and wallabies. They constantly look like they’re smiling and want to be your friend. You’re not supposed to touch or feed them, but the Nature Conservancy of Australia offers tips on taking selfies with them. You’ll have to pose like Keanu Reeves does with open hands hovering behind his fans.  If you’re trying not to book a flight to Australia to get some quality quokka time, don’t watch this video of a pet quokka snuggling and licking its owner. Next up, nonstop watching dogs watch other dogs eat hot dogs content because this is the content we need right now.  About last week’s Bright Side featuring the “Asian squat” flex, one fabulous reader emailed me a priceless photo of everyone in his family (except him) happily relaxing in deep squats, noting: “Last month, my family (including my 64-year-old wife) was making fun of my (white dude with bad knees) inability to execute the Asian squat.”  This kind of self-deprecating humor warms my heart. I sincerely invite you to share your stories and favorite moments in the comments! Feel free to email me too. I’m off to shop for the perfect July 4th fit for next weekend! Let’s go, America! — Lauren

The Dianna Russini saga has been blown wide open after The New York Times released a 5,000-word report on Wednesday, exposing new details about the former NFL insider who worked for The Athletic. The Times, which owns The Athletic, published the piece detailing Russini’s entire rundown as a reporter from her time at ESPN and The Athletic before resigning due to her rumored affair with New England Patriots’ head coach Mike Vrabel in April. Two of the more striking revelations were Russini’s salary and her apparent abuse of insider power to evade law enforcement. When discussing how shocked the company was by the rumors of Russini’s now public affair, The New York Times also revealed how much she earned before her resignation. A former manager who had knowledge of her salary negotiation stated that The Athletic was paying her nearly $800,000 a year, making her one of the highest-paid journalists at the Times.  The decision to engage with the relationship with Vrabel is seen as even more surprising considering her salary. Russini was actively in contract talks with the paper on renewing the contract to potentially make even more money, but the photos that came to the surface of the affair halted all discussion. She eventually resigned. Russini’s abuse of power as an NFL reporter and insider was also highlighted in the report. In January of this year, Russini was pulled over for using her phone while driving with her children in the car. She then tried to avoid a ticket by mentioning that Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott had just been fired and she needed to break the news. After the cop was unimpressed, she discovered his favorite team, facetimed the head coach, and was let go without a citation. This came two months before the leaked photos of her and Vrabel.  This isn’t the first time the story has surfaced. Earlier this year, Russini joked on a podcast about the situation. WILD: Dianna Russini revealed she got out of a traffic ticket by FaceTiming the head coach of the officer’s favorite NFL team. Russini: “What a nasty play… but it worked.”

A heated feud between Pastor Tony Spell and his neighbors turned violent as the pastor sought to defend his family and congregation. Spell, who is the pastor at Life Tabernacle Church in Central, Louisiana, was arrested for second-degree battery against his neighbor’s son, Scott Sherwin, after an altercation outside his church. Spell has been released on a $25,000 bond, according to the East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office. Louisiana pastor beats up a man who allegedly threatened to r*pe and kill his wife and grandchildren. Pastor Tony Spell of Life Tabernacle Church says he was working on a church bus when the neighbor’s son started shouting at him. Spell said that it is his job as the natural… pic.twitter.com/v2ThlOEo3t — Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) June 24, 2026 The New York Post reported that Spell gave Sherwin a total of 35 punches. Sherwin’s father said his son had to receive five stitches to his chin after the incident. Released footage of the incident appears to show Spell confronting the younger man.  Speaking at a news conference about the altercation, Spell claimed that Sherwin threatened to sexually assault and kill his family, WAFB reported.   “While this individual is walking up and down the shoulder of the road, he’s shouting vulgarities, profanities, and very nasty words towards my person, or myself,” Spell recalled. “And while I’m working on this particular bus, he said, Tony, I’m quoting him. He said, ‘Tony, I’m gonna rape your wife. I’m gonna rape all of your grandchildren.’ And he said, ‘The next time you go out of town, I’m going to kill them. And what the f*ck are you going to do about it?’”  “Number one, I’m a husband, number two, I’m a father, and number three, I’m a pastor who shepherds his flock,” he added. “I will not allow a man to murder my children when I’m gone.” Spell also claimed that the Sherwin family has thrown vulgarities at his congregation, which is racially diverse and made up of vulnerable individuals, including people recovering from addiction. “[My congregation is] constantly stalked by these individuals across the street. They are constantly intimidated with threats of bodily harm,” Spell said. “There’s not a person that’s come to this church that’s standing behind me in this meeting today who hasn’t been called the racial slur of the N word. Their children have been screamed at and shouted at with vulgarities.”  Spell appeared to make light of his actions to his congregation during a sermon by referencing Mark 16:18 from the Bible, WAFB reported. “‘In my name, they shall lay hands on the sick. And they shall recover,’” he said. “So today, I fulfilled the Scripture. I laid hands on the sick. I don’t know how much recovery they’re going to have, but I laid hands on the sick.” Spell’s lawyer, Jeff Wittenbrink, criticized the local police for negligence, stating that Spell had reported harassment multiple times previously and was ignored by the local authorities. “There’s certainly a failure of laws and enforcers to keep the peace,” Wittenbrink said. Corcoran disputed the claim that police failed to act on the Spells’ complaints. “Our records reflect only 5 incidents involving Pastor or Mrs. Spell in the past 4 years, and only one of those involved a complaint against their neighbors,” Corcoran said in a statement.  Corcoran has offered to investigate any failure by his department to respond to a complaint if Spell can provide the dates and times of the alleged unaddressed complaints. Bad blood has reportedly existed between Spell and the Sherwin family for half a decade. Spell was ticketed for holding church services in person in violation of COVID-19 restrictions, the New York Post reported.  The Sherwin family allegedly set up surveillance cameras to monitor Spell and his violations of COVID protocol, prompting the pastor to sue the family.

The father of a neglected three-year-old who died from a lice infestation was sentenced by a New York judge on Monday. Matthew Dylewski, 34, admitted neglecting his three-year-old daughter Joycelynn Ann Dylewski, who died February 19, 2025, due to horrible living conditions in the family’s Corinth apartment. A picture of their home showed the floor piled with debris and garbage.  “You failed as a parent,” said Saratoga County Judge James Davis. “Your entire job was to keep her safe.” In March of 2026, both parents pleaded guilty to criminally negligent homicide, and in May, Joycelynn’s death was ruled a homicide due to acute and chronic neglect, CBS 6 Albany reported. On Monday, Joycelynn’s father was given 16 months to four years in prison. “I wish it was me that died to this day,” he said in court during his sentencing. On June 8, Samantha Dylewski, Joycelynn’s 33-year-old mother, was also sentenced to 16 to four years.   Investigators discovered that the girl’s teeth were “rotten and black” and a cockroach fell out of her winter hat, according to the New York Post. Bugs were also found on her face and scalp.  The three-year-old was diagnosed with anemia due to a lice infestation, which caused damage to her heart and organs, and was also dosed with clonidine, a blood pressure medication, said Saratoga County Sheriff Jeffrey Brown.  Last year, first responders arrived at the Dylewskis’ apartment in response to Joycelynn, who was having trouble breathing. She was pronounced dead at the hospital from a combination of those factors, according to the Times Union. Initially, both Matthew and his wife were charged with five counts of endangering the welfare of a child, for each of their five kids, according to CBS 6 Albany. The Dylewskis’ four surviving children were placed with relatives, and a protective order was issued so the parents are not allowed to contact them until 2038. New York State Senator Jim Tedisco (R, C-Ballston Lake), Assemblyman Matt Simpson (R, C-Adirondack), and Saratoga County District Attorney Brett Eby advocated for “Joycelynn’s Law” on June 23. This new legislation’s purpose was to increase the maximum prison sentence for criminally negligent homicide of a child to 20 years to life, according to the New York State Senate. “Joycelynn Dylewski deserved a happy childhood and to grow up and reach her full potential in a loving home,” Tedisco said. “The sentence these individuals got under the current law is not justice for Joycelynn.”