LAS VEGAS (AP) — John Locher is a veteran photographer for The Associated Press. He has been based in Las Vegas the past 12 years. Locher's assignments include sports, breaking news, features and enterprise stories.
Whenever there are major sporting events happening around the world, we as AP photojournalists are positioned to show the scope of these events. We are able illustrate how far World Cup interest reaches beyond the stadiums where games are being played. With no matches in Las Vegas, Friday's Australia-US game was an opportunity to find watch parties to capture the excitement and interest of fans, even if they aren’t able to attend the match. Las Vegas is city where things are often done a bit differently — in this case, it was a pool watch party.
The Circa Resort and Casino has previously held watch parties for sporting events at its pool and broadcast them on a big screen. It was the first place i thought of to photograph people watching the Australia USA match. I knew I’d need an overall photo to show how it is an unusual place to watch a soccer game. After shooting tighter pictures of fan’s reactions I scoped out places that had a vantage from above. I used a wide angle lens to show the crowds in the pool and the some of the surrounding casino buildings to illustrate how this wasn't your regular World Cup watch party..
I like to show how Las Vegas can take things to another level. There were several bars and restaurants holding watch parties around the country for the big Australia-US match, but the photograph of a pool party shows fans watching at a venue you ordinarily would not see.
AP World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/fifa-world-cup
Fans watch a live broadcast of a World Cup soccer match between the U.S. and Australia from a pool at the Circa Resort & Casino, Friday, June 19, 2026, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)
TORONTO (AP) — Deniz Undav scored twice after being subbed on in the second half as Germany defeated Ivory Coast 2-1 on Saturday and clinched a spot in the knockout phase at the World Cup.
Four minutes into stoppage time, Undav received a pass from Felix Nmecha in front of the net and rifled it past Ivory Coast goalkeeper Yahia Fofana to give the Germans a comeback win.
Undav’s first goal of the match came after Nadiem Amiri sent in a long ball – that striker Kai Havertz let pass him by – onto the boot of Undav, who slammed it into the back of the net at the 68th minute. Both Amiri and Undav had subbed on eight minutes earlier.
Four-time champion Germany has come back from disappointing group stage exits in 2018 and 2022, while Ivory Coast is still searching for its first knockout stage appearance and could still qualify. The last time Germany got past the group stage it won the tournament in 2014.
Lexie Linderman is a journalism student at Penn State.
AP World Cup: https://apnews.com/fifa-world-cup
Germany's Deniz Undav scores their second goal during the World Cup Group E soccer match between Germany and Ivory Coast in Toronto, Saturday, June 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)
Germany's Deniz Undav (26) scores their second goal during the World Cup Group E soccer match between Germany and Ivory Coast in Toronto, Saturday, June 20, 2026. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP)
during the World Cup Group E soccer match between Germany and Ivory Coast in Toronto, Saturday, June 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)
Germany's Deniz Undav (26) is mobbed by teammates after scoring their second goal during the World Cup Group E soccer match between Germany and Ivory Coast in Toronto, Saturday, June 20, 2026. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)
Germany's Deniz Undav (26) scores their second goal during the World Cup Group E soccer match between Germany and Ivory Coast in Toronto, Saturday, June 20, 2026. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)
