Fenerbahçe'de 4. İsmail Kartal döneminin başlamasından hemen önce, çarşamba günü tam 10 saatlik sır bir trafik yaşandığı ortaya çıktı! Aykut Kocaman masasının devrilmesinin ardından, perde arkasındaki bir yöneticinin Jorge Jesus ile kurduğu iddia edilen gizli temasın ve Portekizli hocanın şok yanıtının detayları ortaya çıktı.

Fenerbahçe’de teknik direktörlük koltuğuna 4. kez İsmail Kartal oturdu. Ancak Kartal'ın göreve geliş sürecinin perde arkasında, çarşamba günü tam anlamıyla bir transfer diplomasisi ve teknik direktör trafiği yaşandığı öne sürüldü.

Çarşamba günü öğle saatlerine kadar sarı-lacivertli yönetimin gündemindeki bir numaralı isim Aykut Kocaman'dı. Aziz Yıldırım'ın Kocaman ile yaptığı görüşmelerin tıkanıp kesilmesiyle birlikte, Fenerbahçe yönetimi gece yarısı İsmail Kartal’a "Sözleşme imzalıyoruz" dedi. Bu zamana kadar geçen birkaç saatlik sürede iddialara göre bir yönetici sürpriz bir hamleye imza attı.

İddialara göre bir yönetici (isim verilmiyor ama Feridun Geçgel olduğu konuşuluyor), bu kritik zaman diliminde (yaklaşık 10 saatlik bir süreçten bahsediliyor) eski teknik direktörleri Jorge Jesus ile temasa geçti.

Portekizli teknik adama "Tüm şartlarını kabul ediyoruz, gel başla" teklifinin iletildiği belirtildi. Ancak Jesus’un, Fenerbahçe'nin gelen teklifleri de geri çevirdiği iddia edildi.

Portekizli teknik adamın Fenerbahçe'den önce de Mısır ekibi Al Ahly’den gelen teklife olumsuz cevap verdiği haberleri Portekiz'de yankılandı.

Portekiz basınından Maisfutebol'un da doğruladığı bu ret kararının arkasında ise milli takım planı yatıyor.

Jorge Jesus'un, Kongo DC faciası sonrası Portekiz Milli Takımı'nda Roberto Martinez'in görevine son verileceğine kesin gözüyle baktığı savunuldu. Jorge Jesus'un bu yüzden her Fenerbahçe ve Al Ahly'nin tekliflerini reddederek milli takımı beklemeye geçtiği iddia edildi.

Süper Lig ekiplerinden Gençlerbirliği'nden gönderilen Galatasaray'ın eski yıldızı Henry Onyekuru, ülkesi Nijerya'da kriz çıkardı. Türkiye'de geçirdiği sezonun ardından Lagos'ta çocukluğunun geçtiği Surulere mahallesine dönen 29 yaşındaki futbolcu, sokak futbolu oynamaya koruma ordusuyla gitti.

Henry Onyekuru’nun çocukluk arkadaşlarıyla hasret gidermek için seçtiği yöntem sosyal medyanın gündemine oturdu. Lüks Lamborghini Urus marka aracıyla mahalleye giriş yapan yıldız futbolcuya, tam 9 muvazzaf askerin eşlik ettiği görüntüler internete sızınca ülkede büyük bir tartışmanın fitili ateşlendi. Onyekuru, "askeri darbe yapmak istiyor" eleştirilerinin hedefine oturdu.

Henry Onyekuru pulled up with his Lamborghini urus to his hood in surulere to play football this morning, baba carry 7 soldiers come ?????? pic.twitter.com/hn3jMA3hFj

Nijeryalı sosyal medya kullanıcılarının bir kısmı, ülkenin ciddi güvenlik sorunları ve terörle mücadele ettiği bir dönemde askeri personelin kişisel koruma olarak kullanılmasını sert sözlerle eleştirdi.

Tepki gösteren vatandaşlar, "Orduyu kişisel amaçlar için kullanmak tamamen saçmalık, askerler sivilleri futbol oynamaya mı götürecek?" diyerek Nijerya Silahlı Kuvvetleri'ne çağrıda bulundu.

Buna karşın, kalabalık mahalle ortamlarında ünlü isimlerin ciddi güvenlik riskleri taşıdığını belirten bir grup taraftar ise Onyekuru’ya siper oldu. Yıldız oyuncuyu savunanlar, Nijerya'daki güvenlik zafiyetlerine dikkat çekerek, "Kötü niyetli birinin kariyerini bitirecek bir müdahalede bulunmaması ya da olası bir gasp girişimine karşı kendini koruması en doğal hakkı" yorumunu yaptı.

Geçtiğimiz sezon Süper Lig'de Gençlerbirliği formasıyla 17 maça çıkan ancak gol yollarında sessiz kalan Onyekuru, sahadaki performansından ziyade bu görkemli ve askerli mahalle ziyaretiyle Nijerya'da "ünlülerin güvenliği ve ordunun rolü" üzerine uzun süre konuşulacak bir tartışma başlatmış oldu.

Portekiz'in Porto takımını çalıştıran teknik direktör Francesco Farioli, Corendon Alanyaspor Kulübü Başkanı Hasan Çavuşoğlu'nu ziyaret ederek taziye ve geçmiş olsun dileğinde bulundu.

Alanyaspor'da yardımcı antrenör ve teknik direktörlük görevi yapan Farioli, yakın zamanda kapalı bypass ameliyatı geçiren Çavuşoğlu'na acil şifalar dilerken,geçen ay kardeşi Aydın Çavuşoğlu'nun vefatı nedeniyle de başsağlığı dileklerini iletti.

Ziyarette konuşan İtalyan teknik adam Farioli, Hasan Çavuşoğlu'nu iyi görmekten mutluluk duyduğunu belirterek, "Sizi çok iyi gördüm. Güçlü bir insansınız. Umarım en yakın zamanda gollerinizi sosyal medyada tekrar göreceğiz. Yıllar sonra buraya gelmek, yaptığımız işleri anmak ve sizlerle bir arada olmak benim için çok önemli. Buralara sizin sayenizde geldik. O zamanlar bana inandınız ve o vizyonu bize kazandırdınız. Bugünlere geldiysek sayenizde oldu. Beş yıl sonra ilk kez tatile çıktım ve sizleri görmeye buraya geldim." ifadelerini kullandı.

Çavuşoğlu ise Farioli'nin Avrupa'daki başarılarından gurur duyduklarını dile getirdi.

Farioli'ye ziyareti ve vefası için teşekkür eden Çavuşoğlu, "Seni özlemiştik. Porto'da şampiyon olmandan ötürü seninle gurur duyduk. Bizde çalıştıktan sonra büyük takımlara giden teknik direktörler arasında Alanyaspor'a veya şahsıma açık yüreklilikle teşekkür eden ilk hoca sen oldun. Nice, Ajax ve Porto'da görev yaparken her zaman bu başarıda payımız olduğunu belirttin. Bunun için ayrıca teşekkür ediyor, seni çok seviyoruz." diye konuştu.

Farioli, ziyaretin anısına Porto'da forma giyen Brezilya Milli Takımı'nın kaptanı Thiago Silva'nın imzaladığı 1000. maçına özel hazırlanan formasının üzerine "Hasan başkana, Alanyaspor'a, bu rüyayı mümkün kıldığınız için! Her zaman minnettarım!" yazarak Çavuşoğlu'na hediye etti.

Fransanın “Nitsa” klubunun hücumameyilli yarımmüdafiəçisi Jeremi Boqa tamhüquqlu əsasda İtaliya nəhəngi “Yuvnetus”a keçib.

Arena.az xəbər verir ki, keçid İtaliya klubuna 4,8 milyon avro məbləğ müqabilində başa gəlib.

Tərəflər 3 illik (2029-cu ilin 30 iyununadək) müqaviləyə imza atıblar.

Xatırladaq ki, Boqa ötən mövsümün ikinci yarısını icarə müqaviləsi əsasında məhz “Yuventus”un heyətində keçirib. O, Turin klubunun forması ilə meydana çıxdığı 17 oyunda 4 qol vurub, 1 məhsuldar ötürmə verib.

Futbol üzrə Kot-d’İvuar milli futbol komandasının da üzvü olan Boqa karyerası ərzində “Çelsi”, “Renn”, “Qranada”, “Birmingem Siti”, “Sassuolo”, “Atalanta”, “Nitsa” kimi klubların da formasını geyinib.

Boqa vaxtilə Fransanın U-19 yığmasında forma geyinsə də, 2017-ci ildə Kot-d’İvuar milli komandasında debüt edib. O, bu ölkənin yığmasında 24 oyuna çıxıb, 1 qol vurub.

Azərbaycanın voleybol üzrə kişilərdən və qadınlardan ibarət milli komandaları bu gün Avropa Liqasının cari mövsümdnə növbəti oyunlarını keçiriblər.

Arena.az xəbər verir ki, kişi voleybolçulardan ibarət Azərbaycan millisi Bakıda təşkil edilmiş üçüncü tur çərçivəsində Macarıstan yığması ilə üz-üzə gəlib.

Gənclər və İdman Nazirliyinin Voleybol Mərkəzində baş tutmuş oyun rəqibin 3:1 hesablı qələbəsi ilə başa çatıb.

Komandamız növbəti oyununu iyunun 21-də Portuqaliya yığmasına qarşı keçirəcək. Sabah isə Portuqaliya və Macarıstan kollektivləri üz-üzə gələcəklər.

Qadın voleybolçulardan ibarət Azərbaycan millisi isə Şimali Makedoniyada təşkil edilmiş üçüncü tur çərçivəsində İsrail yığması ilə qarşılaşıb. Görüş komandamızın 3:0 hesablı qələbəsi ilə yekunlaşıb.

Millimiz növbəti oyununu sabah İsveçrə yığmasına qarşı keçirəcək.

Avropa Liqası
19 iyun

Kişilər

Macarıstan – Azərbaycan 3:1 (25:19, 22:25, 29:27, 25:16)

Qadınlar

Azərbaycan – İsrail 3:0 (25:20, 25:19, 25:20)

Kurasao millisi futbol üzrə dünya çempionatında (DÇ-2026) iştirak edən ən az əhaliyə malik ölkə kimi “Ginnesin Rekordlar Kitabı”na düşüb.

Arena.az xəbər verir ki, sözügedən komanda “Ginnesin Rekordlar Kitabı”nın mətbuat xidməti tərəfindən rekordçu elan olunub.

Karib dənizində yerləşən və Niderland Krallğının tərkibinə daxil olan Kurasaonun əhalisi cəmi 156 min nəfərdir.

Kurasao yığması dünya çempionatları tarixində ilk oyununu iyunun 14-də keçirib. Debüt matçında komanda Almaniya millisinə 1:7 hesabı ilə məğlub olub.

Kurasao 2010-cu ilə qədər Niderland Antillesnin tərkibində olub. Həmin ildən sonra ada Niderland Krallığının tərkibində muxtar dövlət statusu qazanıb.

Qeyd edək ki, 2026-cı il dünya çempionatı ABŞ, Kanada və Meksikanın birgə ev sahibliyi ilə keçirilir. Tarixdə ilk dəfə 48 komandanın iştirak etdiyi turnir iyulun 19-da başa çatacaq.

Komandalar 12 qrupa bölünüblər. Hər qrupdan ilk iki yeri tutan yığmalar, həmçinin ən yaxşı nəticə göstərən səkkiz üçüncü yer sahibi pley-off mərhələsinə vəsiqə qazanacaq.

Kurasao millisi E qrupunda Almaniya, Kot-d’İvuar və Ekvadorla mübarizə aparır. Sözügedən komanda növbəti oyununu iyunun 21-də Ekvadora qarşı keçirəcək.

Fransalı futbol mütəxəssisi Olivye Pantalon Fransa Liqa 1-də mübarizə aparan “Nitsa” komandasının baş məşqçisi vəzifəsinə təyin edilib.

Arena.az xəbər verir ki, bu barədə klub rəsmi saytı vasitəsilə məlumat yayıb.

“Nitsa” rəhbərliyi bir gün öncə istefaya göndərdiyi Klod Pyuelə əvəzləyicini dərhal müəyyənləşdirib. Belə ki, bundan sonra “qartallar”a digər fransalı mütəxəssis Pantalon rəhbərlik edəcək. 59 yaşlı mütəxəssislə 2 illik (2028-ci ilin 30 iyununadək) müqavilə imzalanıb.

Olivye Pantalon daha öncə “Ayaçço”, “Tur”, “Loryan” kimi komandalara da rəhbərlik edib.

Klod Pyuel isə “Nitsa”nın sükanı arxasına 2025-ci ilin dekabr ayında gətirilmişdi. 64 taşlı mütəxəssis bu komandanı 27 oyuna çıxarıb, 8 qələbə, 10 heç-heçə və 9 məğlubiyyət görüb.

“Nitsa” Pyuelin rəhbərliyi altında Liqa 1-in 2025/2026-cı illər mövsümünü 16-cı pillədə başa vurub. Komanda elitada qalmaq üçün “Sent Etyen”lə pley-off görüşləri keçirmək məcburiyyətində qalıb. Bu vəzifənin öhdəsindən çətinliklə gəlmiş komanda Liqa 1-də qalıb.

Klod Pyuel daha öncə “Sent Etyen”, “Lester Siti”, “Sauthempton”, Lion “Olimpik”i, “Lill” və “Monako” kimi komandalara da rəhbərlik edib. O, 2012-2016-cı illər aralığında da “Nitsa”nın baş məşqçisi olub.

Yeri gəlmişkən, “Nitsa”nın yeni prezidenti də məlum olub. Belə ki, sözügedən klub yenidən təşkilatlanmasına davam edir. “Qartallar”ın yeni prezidenti də məlumdur. Bu, “Nitsa”ya 2002–2009-cu illərdə rəhbərlik etmiş Moris Koendir.

Xatırladaq ki, “Nitsa”nın əvvəlki prezidenti Jan-Pyer River idi.

Əlavə edək ki, Koen 2002–2009-cu illərdə də “Nitsa”ya rəhbərlik edib.

Mauricio Pochettino has urged for calm following the news that Christian Pulisic will not be able to feature in his nation’s upcoming World Cup group stage match against Australia and insists: ‘He was training in the morning and the feelings are good’. 

Pochettino reacts after leaving Pulisic out of USA vs. Australia squad

Pulisic has been left out of USA’s matchday squad altogether ahead of their second group stage match at the 2026 World Cup, kicking off against Australia at 20.00 BST.

The Milan attacker withdrew at half-time of the USA’s opening match of the 2026 World Cup: An eventual 4-1 win over Paraguay. The player and coach insisted that this was solely on precautionary grounds following a knock in training, but it appears that the issue was severe enough to keep Pulisic out of the squad for Friday evening’s match against Australia. 

Speaking to Fox Sports ahead of kick-off, USMNT head coach Pochettino provided a brief update on the condition of the injured Milan star. 

“Today he was training in the morning and the feelings are good,” Pochettino disclosed. “We hope that he can be ready as soon as possible to be selected again and be part of the team.” 

There is still some Serie A representation in the USA line-up on Friday evening as Juventus’s Weston McKennie keeps his place in the line-up. Former Milan right-back Sergino Dest is also in the USMNT side and former Juventus forward Timothy Weah is named among the substitutes. 

Parma’s Alessandro Circati is starting for Australia, but former Italy youth international Cristian Volpato (Sassuolo) starts on the bench.

Click here to see the USA vs. Australia line-ups in full.

Mauricio Pochettino and the USMNT will have to do without their star attacker, Milan’s Christian Pulisic, who has been ruled out of Friday evening’s 2026 World Cup group stage match against Australia. 

Pulisic was substituted off at half-time during the USA’s 2026 World Cup opener against Paraguay last week, and though both the player and his head coach insisted that this was only on precautionary grounds, the issue is severe enough to rule ‘Captain America’ out of the squad altogether for the Australia clash. 

There is still some Serie A representation in the USA side in the form of versatile Juventus midfielder Weston McKennie. Former Milan full-back Sergino Dest also keeps his place in Pochettino’s XI. 

Parma’s Alessandro Circati is included in the Australia XI, but former Italy youth international Cristian Volpato is named among the substitutes. 

Kick-off is due at 20.00 BST.

USA vs. Australia: Confirmed line-ups as Pulisic ruled out

USA (4-2-3-1): Freese; Freeman, Ream, Richards, A.Robinson; Adams, McKennie; Dest, Tillman, Balogun; Pepi. 

Subs: Turner, Brady, Trusty, M.Robinson, Afrsten, McKenzie, Scally, Reyna, Berhalter, Roldan, Aaronson, Wright, Weah, Zendejas. 

Australia (5-4-1): Beach; Italiano, Souttar, Burgess, Bos, Circati; Leckie, O’Neill, Okon-Enstler, Velupillay; Toure. 

Subs: Ryan, Izzo, Degenek, Geria, Trewin, Behich, Herrington, Metcalfe, Devlin, Irvine, Hrustic, Mabil, Irankunda, Volpato, Yengi.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — Canada midfielder Ismaël Koné had surgery after breaking the tibia and fibula in his left leg at the World Cup.

The 24-year-old Koné, coming off his first season with Italian club Sassuolo, was hurt during a tackle from behind by Assim Madibo during the 51st minute of Thursday’s 6-0 win over Qatar.

The Canada Soccer Association said Friday that Koné had surgery on Thursday night.

Madibo received a red card. He apologized in person to Koné after the game.

“You can’t even imagine how grateful I am to everyone who reached out and that has me in their prayers,” Koné posted on Instagram.

“To Canadian brothers, as I turned myself into (an) assistant coach to support you from the sideline. I wanted you to know that I love you guys from the bottom of my heart and our brotherhood is everything to me,” he added. “What you guys did yesterday will stay with me forever. I’ll be back very soon and we’ll keep making more memories together.”

___

AP World Cup: https://apnews.com/fifa-world-cup

Majay Thompson let his official visits play out before making one of the biggest decisions of his life.

Just a few days after wrapping up his trip to Tallahassee, the dynamic playmaker from Shelby (N.C.) Crest decided he wanted to be a Seminole. He has committed to Florida State over Wake Forest and Georgia.

“It was a really tough decision,” Thompson told Rivals. “At the end of the day, relationships play a big part in my recruitment. All three schools showed me a lot of love, not just from the position coach but from the entire coaching staff.

“The final decision came after I visited Florida State last weekend. I’d probably say a couple days ago is when I knew for sure. After I took my last visit, it took me about two days to process everything, talk it through with my family and my agent. I just went with my heart.”

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Wake Forest ultimately finished second in his recruitment, while Georgia rounded out the top three. He almost committed to the Bulldogs earlier this spring, but held off. The Seminoles took advantage of that.

“I’d say just the tradition behind it, the guys that have gone through there, and all that have been successful put Florida State on top. The receiver coach (Tim Harris) is also the offensive coordinator, and the head coach (Mike Norvell) played my position as well, so they know a lot about it. Then just the environment — it’s a real college town. I just loved it there.”

Florida State had already positioned itself near the top after Thompson’s spring visit, but one lingering question remained.

“The coaching stability,” he said. “That was really the one thing I needed answered. Coach Norvell answered all those questions on my official visit. I believe he is going to be there and turn things around.”

Norvell was a big part of this decision.

“I like the way he carries himself,” Thompson said. “He keeps everything real. He doesn’t try to tell you what you want to hear. Coach Norvell just tells you to keep being yourself and work to achieve what you want. That’s what I like most about him.”

That time with Norvell, Harris and the people at Florida State last weekend was key. His official visit provided that reassurance.

“I went on my official visit to Georgia and thought, ‘This might be the one,’” Thompson admitted. “I almost committed. But I told myself to take the rest of my visits, have something to compare it to and make my final decision after my last official visit.

“That was best for me. I am glad I didn’t rush it. After weighing my options, Florida State fits me best.”

The United States Men's National Team might be facing concerns about Christian Pulisic's lingering calf injury, but his expected replacement has been preparing for this moment his entire life. As Mauricio Pochettino's side announced its replacement for Pulisic, the nod ultimately went to Ricardo Pepi, who'll now earn a World Cup start against Australia in Friday's pivotal 2026 World Cup clash. The 23-year-old PSV Eindhoven striker has proven his potential and also that he's ready for this moment with strong play building up to the 2026 World Cup.

Pepi's emergence came early in his career, when he was scouted by FC Dallas at just 13 years old to join the club's youth academy. Demonstrating a professional mindset and an obviously impressive work ethic, he has achieved impressive results throughout his career.

Ricardo Pepi's professional debut kicked off with a hat trick

Pepi was the first signing for the FC Dallas affiliate club in USL League One, North Texas FC. His professional debut for the club came on March 30, 2019, when he scored in a hat-trick in a 3-2 victory over the Chattanoogan Red Wolves. This performance was followed up by a match against Forward Madison, in which Pepi scored in stoppage time to give his squad a 1-0 victory.

Shortly after, Pepi received a call to join the international U-17 squad. He proceeded to join FC Dallas in 2019 and has since played with FC Augsburg, Groningen on loan, and currently, PSV Eindhoven.

This article originally appeared on For The Win: Ricardo Pepi, Christian Pulisic's replacement, scouted by pro club at age 13

Justin Verlander's return to Comerica Park will have to wait.

Verlander, 43, scheduled to start Sunday's series finale against the Chicago White Sox, will instead remain on the injured list. Keider Montero will take his turn instead.

This is a developing story. Check back for more updates.

This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Tigers' Justin Verlander scratched from Sunday start

Dolphins blockbuster trade rumor should be of interest to Cowboys, Bengals originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

It feels as though the Dallas Cowboys’ offseason won’t be complete until they add another needle-moving linebacker to their roster. 

Dee Winters should continue his upward trajectory with the Cowboys (he recorded a career best 101 tackles and one interception last year), but Dallas shouldn’t be satisfied just yet.

ESPN’s Aaron Schultz believes the Miami Dolphins LB Jordyn Brooks could soon become available and noted that the Cowboys, as well as the Cincinnati Bengals, should be interested in a trade for the 28-year-old All-Pro.

“Look, is there any point in the Dolphins keeping good players if their contracts end after the 2026 season,” Shultz wrote Thursday. “Brooks could possibly re-sign with Miami to be part of the rebuild. But he's likely gone, so the Dolphins should get something for him.”

“Brooks was a first-team All-Pro linebacker last season, leading the league with 183 total tackles and adding 3.5 sacks as a blitzer. He would be a useful addition for a team with a contending-quality offense but also a need at linebacker, perhaps the Bengals or Cowboys.”

Brooks’ ability to anticipate plays before they occur, use his elite chase-down speed to hawk down ball-carriers, and wrap up better than most has helped him emerge as one of the top linebackers in the NFL. 

The Texas Tech product’s outstanding 2025-26 campaign helped him improve his career tackle total to 839 and career sack total to 13 (he’s appeared in 97 games with the Seattle Seahawks and Dolphins since joining the NFL in 2020).

It’s difficult to envision Brooks declining rapidly anytime soon, making him a great, affordable LB option the Cowboys could explore a trade for. If Cincinnati, which was a mess on the defensive side of the ball last year, gets involved with Brooks, the Cowboys could find themselves locked in a tight battle for the former first-round pick.

More NFL: 

• Steelers blockbuster trade rumor could lead to deal with Commanders, Eagles, Bills, or 49ers

• Bears named landing spot for $123 million 115-sack Steelers star LB

• Eagles named top landing spot for former Cowboys $21 million starter

Tigers get disappointing Justin Verlander news ahead of scheduled return originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Detroit Tigers have been struggling to stay afloat this season, especially since Tarik Skubal went on the injured list. While they've somewhat bounced back, this team is trending towards being major trade deadline sellers.

One player whose absence has negatively impacted this team has been Justin Verlander. He's made just one start, a 3.2 inning outing while allowing five earned runs, in his return season. Though he's been out for over two months, he was set to return this weekend.

However, according to Chris McCosky of The Detroit News, Verlander isn't going to come off the injured list, as he sustained a hamstring strain in his recent bullpen session, and will remain out for a while longer.

Tigers get bad Justin Verlander news ahead of projected return 

"Justin Verlander will be staying on the IL," McCosky reports. "He strained his left hamstring in his bullpen session Wednesday. He's not starting Sunday. Keider Montero will start finale."

This is some massively disappointing news for the Tigers and Tigers fans. In what was meant to be an exciting return for Verlander with his first start in Detroit with the Tigers since 2017, the veteran right-hander got some bad news.

A hamstring strain is a rough injury for Verlander to sustain as he worked his way back from the IL due to a hip issue.

MORE: Tarik Skubal being traded by Tigers would help him in free agency

While he wasn't coming into this weekend starting at 100%, it was still exciting to hear he'd return for the Tigers and pitch in Detroit as a member of the team for the first time in nearly a decade.

Such an exciting return will be put on hold, as Verlander's setback is going to keep him on the injured list, and the future Hall of Famer will have to work his way back from injury once more.

Verlander won't make his scheduled Sunday start, as his hamstring injury will keep him away from the mound for a little while, and push his Detroit homecoming even further back this season.

More MLB news:

• 5 reasons to believe in Jordan Walker's breakout for Cardinals
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Brazilian star Neymar is "the first player in the world to be called up to the national side and be working remotely", Brazil President Luiz Inacio Lula de Silva joked on Friday.

Neymar, Brazil's record goalscorer with 79 goals, only returned to training with the squad at the World Cup in the United States this week after recovering from a calf injury.

The 34-year-old missed the opening 1-1 draw with Morocco and has also been omitted by coach Carlo Ancelotti from the squad for their second group game against Haiti later on Friday.

"Neymar? He is not even playing!" Lula replied to a young boy when he mentioned Neymar's name.

"Neymar is the first player to be called up (to the national team) who is working remotely," added the 80-year-old, who was speaking during a ceremony at a hospital in the southeast city of Belo Horizonte.

Lula has been in fine form since the Morocco match, joking on Wednesday that he was thinking of signing Argentinian superstar Lionel Messi to play for Brazil. 

The former Barcelona and Paris Saint Germain striker was diagnosed in late May with an injury to his right calf, and has featured in just half of the games for his club Santos this year due to various fitness issues.

Ancelotti and his coaching staff are reluctant to rush the return of Brazil's all-time record goalscorer and compromise his availability for matches later in the tournament, according to Brazilian media. 

Neymar, who has not played for his country since October 2023, did train with his teammates for the first time on Wednesday.

He has been an integral part of Brazil's last three World Cup campaigns but there was some surprise at his inclusion this time owing to his series of injuries.

Brazil's final group stage game is against Scotland in Miami on June 24.

lg/lab/bfi/pi/gj

Is Seattle Seahawks star wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba’s historic season in 2025 the first of many for him in his career?

According to ESPN’s Ben Solak in his appraisal of NFL breakout stars from the 2025 season, Smith-Njigba’s emergence as the AP Offensive Player of the Year serves as the foundation for a fruitful career of sustained excellence ahead of him, beginning with another great season in 2026.

“Offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak left Seattle to become the Las Vegas Raiders head coach this offseason, and new offensive coordinator Brian Fleury might not prove as adept at building the passing universe around Smith-Njigba,” Solak said. “But even if the production does dip, I struggle to find any sound argument that Smith-Njigba will vanish back into the third tier of NFL receivers after the season we just saw.”

Smith-Njigba was already a 1,000-yard receiver from the 2024 season, where he went for 1,130 yards as a second-year pro. However, his level of play reached unprecedented heights in 2025, which helped him become the highest-paid wide receiver in NFL history this offseason with his groundbreaking contract extension.

All signs point toward Smith-Njigba maintaining his status as a premier wide receiver in the league for years to come. Next season figures to produce more of what he displayed in 2025 from start to finish.

This article originally appeared on Seahawks Wire: Is Seattle Seahawks WR JSN’s breakout in 2025 sign of things to come?

USA vs. Australia Score, Live Updates, Highlights From 2026 World Cup Match originally appeared on NESN. Add NESN as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

All eyes are on Seattle's Lumen Field as the United States host Australia for its second game in the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The United States opened its World Cup in historic fashion, defeating Paraguay 4-1 in the opener; Folarin Balogun's brace made him the first American to score multiple goals in a World Cup game since 1930. Between Balogun and Christian Pulisic — who is available for today's matchup after injuring his calf against Paraguay — the United States boast an attack as lethal as its had in years.

Australia also opened the tournament with a win, defeating Turkey 2-0, meaning this afternoon's winner will go atop Group D. With three points, the United States can clinch a spot in the knockout stages, depending on other results. Though, the focus is squarely on Seattle, where Mauricio Pochettino's squad will look to take control of the group.

Get ready for one of the best environments at the World Cup as the United States welcomes in Australia in Seattle. 

Follow along right here for the latest updates and highlights from the World Cup match between Team USA and Australia.

USA vs. Australia score

USA vs. Australia live updates, highlights from 2026 World Cup

3:05 p.m.: Australia is on its heels, with the USMNT dominating possession. But, the Socceroos are fine with that, controlling the ball for less than 30% of the time in the opener against Turkey.

Pepi had a good early look, but there's a whistle in the box.

3:00 p.m.: We have kicked off in Seattle.

Stay tuned for live updates throughout the game as the United States looks to go atop Group D.

2:59 p.m.: The Seattle crowd is roaring.

The national anthem plays at Seattle Stadium 🇺🇸

Today marks the first-ever FIFA World Cup match in Seattle for the @USMNTpic.twitter.com/BgLRFsUKHr

— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) June 19, 2026

It's time for one of the biggest games in USMNT history.

2:51 p.m.: The teams are about to come out of the tunnel. With a win, the U.S. advances to the knockout stages; with Australia winning its opener, the winner of the game will also take the top of Group D into Matchday 3.

2:43 p.m.: It's almost time.

There's tremendous excitement and an amazing atmosphere in Seattle as fans prepare to march to Lumen Field for the US national team's second match against Australia.pic.twitter.com/AnxQuRjap2

— The thinker man (@kwekuedilson) June 19, 2026

With a win, the United States would clinch a spot in the knockout stages.

2:35 p.m.: The fans are ready in Seattle.

🦅🦅🦅🦅🦅 pic.twitter.com/Kg5EH7iKxC

— U.S. Soccer Men's National Team (@USMNT) June 19, 2026

2:25 p.m.: Warmups are underway in Seattle, with kickoff under an hour away.

Here we go! pic.twitter.com/qSzafoHEFy

— U.S. Soccer Men's National Team (@USMNT) June 19, 2026

2:15 p.m.: Here is the starting lineup for today's match. Pochettino keeps 10 of 11 starters, with Ricardo Pepi taking the spot of Pulisic.

STARTING IN SEATTLE! 🫡#USMNT x The @HomeDepotpic.twitter.com/wqyncaR7SS

— U.S. Soccer Men's National Team (@USMNT) June 19, 2026

2:06 p.m.: After the opener in Los Angeles, the United States heads north for today's matchup at Lumen Field in Seattle. Look at the environment before kickoff.

🗣️ U-S-A pic.twitter.com/XaPBL4bPnC

— Major League Soccer (@MLS) June 19, 2026

2:00 p.m.: The biggest news of today's clash is that Christian Pulisic will not feature. Pulisic suffered a calf injury in the first half of the opener against Paraguay and is not fit to go. 

EXCLUSIVE: USA star Christian Pulisic is OUT today with a calf injury against Australia and Ricardo Pepi will get the start, USMNT manager Mauricio Pochettino tells FOX Sports’ @JennyTaft. pic.twitter.com/ZobSiOfjYx

— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) June 19, 2026

Here is what coach Mauricio Pochettino had to say about the USMNT's star.

How to watch USA vs. Australia: TV channel, live stream

• TV channel: FOX
• Live stream: fubo,Fox One, Fox Sports app/website

This match will air nationally on FOX in the United States with streaming options available on its dedicated platforms.

The best place to catch the match is on streaming service fubo, with new customers able to sign up a for a FREE trial.

Fubo offers a free trial for new subscribers, so you can try the service before you buy. Stream ESPN, ABC, CBS, Fox and 100+ top channels of live TV and sports without cable. (Participating plans only. Taxes and fees may apply.)

USA vs. Australia start time

• Date: Friday, June 19
• Time: 3 p.m. ET

USA vs. Australia is scheduled to kick off at 3 p.m. ET on Friday, June 19. The game will be played at Lumen Field in Seattle.

World Cup schedule today and tomorrow

(All times Eastern)

Friday, June 19

• USA vs. Australia (3 p.m.)
• Scotland vs. Morocco (6 p.m.)
• Brazil vs. Haiti (8:30 p.m.)
• Turkey vs. Paraguay (11 p.m.)

Saturday, June 20

• Netherlands vs. Sweden (1 p.m.)
• Germany vs. Ivory Coast (4 p.m.)
• Ecuador vs. Curaçao (8 p.m.)

MORE:Complete World Cup schedule and fixtures

2026 FIFA World Cup FAQs

When is the 2026 FIFA World Cup?

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is scheduled to run from June 11 through July 19, 2026. It will be the first World Cup hosted across three countries: the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Where is the 2026 FIFA World Cup being played?

The 2026 World Cup will be played across 16 host cities in North America, with matches taking place in the United States, Canada and Mexico. It will be the first men's World Cup hosted by three countries.

The 16 host cities are Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, New York/New Jersey, Philadelphia, San Francisco and Seattle in the United States; Toronto and Vancouver in Canada; and Guadalajara, Mexico City and Monterrey in Mexico.

How many teams are in the 2026 World Cup?

The 2026 FIFA World Cup will feature 48 teams, expanding from the 32-team format used in previous tournaments. The larger field also means more matches, more knockout-round games and more countries involved than ever before.

The 48 teams are Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Cape Verde, Canada, Colombia, Croatia, Curaçao, Czechia, DR Congo, Ecuador, Egypt, England, France, Germany, Ghana, Haiti, Iran, Iraq, Ivory Coast, Japan, Jordan, Mexico, Morocco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Panama, Paraguay, Portugal, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Scotland, Senegal, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tunisia, Türkiye, United States, Uruguay and Uzbekistan.

How many games are in the 2026 World Cup?

There will be 104 matches at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. That includes the group stage, knockout rounds and the final.

Can I stream the 2026 World Cup?

Yes. Streaming options will depend on the match, language and broadcast partner. In the U.S., Fox Sports lists FOX and FS1, which are available on fubo for English-language coverage, while Telemundo will stream every match live on Peacock and the Telemundo App for Spanish-language coverage.

What channel is the 2026 World Cup on?

In the U.S., English-language matches are expected across FOX and FS1, which are available on fubo for those without cable, while Spanish-language coverage will air on Telemundo and Universo, which you can stream on DIRECTV and Peacock.

When is the 2026 World Cup final?

The 2026 FIFA World Cup final is scheduled for Sunday, July 19, 2026. The match will be played at New York-New Jersey Stadium, FIFA's tournament name for MetLife Stadium.

What time do World Cup games start?

Kickoff times vary by date, host city and round. Because the tournament is being played across multiple time zones in the United States, Canada and Mexico, fans should check the official match schedule for start times in their local time zone.

Is the United States playing in the 2026 World Cup?

Yes. The United States automatically qualified for the 2026 World Cup as one of the three host nations, along with Canada and Mexico.

If a recent report in the Daily Record is true, Rangers have received a significant boost in their efforts to retain Bailey Rice beyond this season.

The teenager, out of contract this summer, had offers from south of the border amid rumours of interest from Leeds United, Aston Villa, Nottingham Forest and West Ham United. Dutch giants Ajax and German outfit Schalke 04 were also keeping close tabs on his situation, but he is set to reject all the suitors and commit his future to Ibrox.

The credit goes to Danny Rohl, who failed to conquer silverware but convinced the 19-year-old to pen a new deal as a parting gift to Rangers before leaving for RB Salzburg. Derek McInnes, who narrowly missed out on a historic league triumph with Hearts, has been appointed as the German’s successor, and Rice, destined to stake a claim in the gaffer’s first-team plans, must exhibit his expertise in the middle of the park.

How He Flourished In The First-team Before Injury Nightmare

The Scotland youth international progressed through Motherwell’s academy ranks before being roped in by the Light Blues. He rejected a professional contract from the Steelmen and plied his trade in Glasgow four years back. After sporadic senior appearances, interim boss Barry Ferguson handed him a regular status at the backend of the 2024-25 season.

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – JANUARY 23: Kobbie Mainoo of Manchester United controls the ball under pressure from Bailey Rice of Rangers FC during the UEFA Europa League 2024/25 League Phase MD7 match between Manchester United and Rangers FC at Old Trafford on January 23, 2025 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images)

Although he was on track for a breakthrough season, a severe knee injury ruled him out for the entire 2025-26 campaign. Rangers were sweating over his future for months, but their efforts have not gone in vain, and the youngster is now expected to play a key role under McInnes.

Why He Holds A Bright Future At Rangers Regardless Of His Loan Exit

The Gers, on paper, are well-equipped in the centre of the pitch, with Nicolas Raskin and Tochi Chukwuani being the preferred ‘double pivot’ in Rohl’s 4-2-3-1 formation. McInnes has relied on a more traditional, highly structured and compact 4-4-2, which demands physicality and a high work ethic in the centre of the pitch. Mohamed Diomande and Connor Barron are also there among the midfield options. Still, they could hit a crisis in the summer, with Raskin emerging as a transfer target for Serie A giants Atalanta.

Irrespective of Raskin’s future, Rice should not be viewed as a like-for-like replacement for the Belgian ace. The Scotsman is suited to a ‘number 6’ or deep-lying playmaker role and could be shipped out for regular gametime, with Kilmarnock plotting a season-long loan. This could be the best possible move for all parties involved, similar to the Findlay Curtis deal earlier this year.

Belgium and Iran clash this Sunday at the SoFi Stadium for a match of the G of the World Cup. The match will be broadcast live at 20:00 on ITV 1.

In their last game, Belgium drew 1-1 with Egypt (World Cup 2026). In their last outing, Iran drew 2-2 against New Zealand (World Cup 2026).

Unavailable

Bélgica

Irão

Last starting XIs

Belgium ( vs Egypt 2026-06-15): Thibaut Courtois, Thomas Meunier, Nathan Ngoy, Brandon Mechele, Timothy Castagne, Amadou Onana, Youri Tielemans, Jérémy Doku, Kevin De Bruyne, Leandro Trossard, Charles De Ketelaere

Iran ( vs New Zealand 2026-06-16): Alireza Beiranvand, Ramin Rezaeian, Ali Nemati, Shojae Khalilzadeh, Milad Mohammadi, Mohammad Mohebi, Saeid Ezatolahi, Saman Ghoddos, Aria Yousefi, Shahriyar Moghanloo, Mehdi Taremi

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As we rapidly approach the halfway point of the 2026 baseball season, some interesting trends are starting to become more apparent across Major League Baseball. One of the more jarring statistics is the difference in success between teams in the American and National Leagues. While NL teams seem to be having more success, is there a bigger issue at play for teams in the AL?

On this episode of Baseball Bar-B-Cast, Jake Mintz and Jordan Shusterman try to make sense of why the vast majority of teams in the American League aren't having great seasons. While 10 teams in the NL have records above .500, only five teams in the AL are above that mark. Additionally, only the New York Yankees, Tampa Bay Rays and Cleveland Guardians have reached the 40-win mark. Could it be the amount teams are spending on payroll, or is competition within the AL divisions simply tighter?

Later, Jake and Jordan discuss the latest developments in the MLB and MLBPA negotiations over a new CBA, which could feature radical changes to how teams draft eligible players and what those changes could mean for the college baseball landscape. The guys then get into the new format change for the 2026 Home Run Derby, which some fans might not be thrilled about, before making their picks for this week's edition of The Good, The Bad & The Uggla.

1:34 – The Opener: What's wrong with the AL?

23:17 – Around The League: Latest in CBA negotiations

53:40 – We Need To Talk About: HR Derby changes

57:16 – The Good

1:04:01 – The Bad

1:07:58 – The Uggla

Jaiden Tripi/Getty Images

🖥️ Watch this full episode on YouTube

Check out all episodes of Baseball Bar-B-Cast and the rest of the Yahoo Sports podcast family at https://apple.co/3zEuTQj or at yahoosports.tv

Algeria have lodged a complaint with FIFA over "refereeing injustice" in their opening World Cup loss to Argentina, particularly a tackle by Lionel Messi, an Algerian football federation source told AFP on Friday.

Messi caught Algeria defender Aissa Mandi on the calf with a studs-up challenge from behind in the 30th minute of Tuesday's match but was not booked.

The eight-time Ballon d'Or winner, who had already given reigning world champions Argentina the lead, went on to score a hat-trick.

"The complaint primarily concerns Messi's challenge, which deserved a red card, in everyone's opinion," said the federation source.

"There were also two elbow incidents... Both of which warranted dismissals."

Algeria face Jordan in their second match on Monday, before completing their Group J campaign against Austria on Saturday, June 27.

"We are not saying that the Argentine team was not strong, but we cannot remain silent in the face of injustice," the source added when asked why Algeria decided to file a complaint.

"There were three incidents that were crystal clear, and VAR did not intervene."

Messi's treble saw him tie former Germany striker Miroslav Klose's all-time World Cup scoring record of 16 goals.

Algeria are hoping to reach the World Cup knockout phase for only the second time, following an extra-time loss to eventual winners Germany in the last 16 in 2014.

jch/jc/pi

The Minnesota Vikings have made it a point to make sure they are protecting whoever is under center with a strong offensive line. They have done a good job drafting their bookend tackles while showing off their front office skills, while building the interior in a variety of ways.

One of those pieces is fresher to the unit, and it is Donovan Jackson. The former top pick of the Vikings in their 2025 NFL Draft class heads into a pivotal year, according to Bleacher Report's Brad Gagnon. He included the former Buckeye in his list of players who are facing an important second year in the league.

Gagnon writes, "The first-round selection was solid as a regular starter at left guard during his rookie campaign. Now it's just about taking his game to the next level and becoming more consistent for whoever starts at quarterback in 2026."

Being healthy will solve a lot for him, as he showed when he was; he is likely one of the better pieces in the group. Whoever is named the starter will need him, the running game needs him, and the Vikings as a whole will in 2026.

This article originally appeared on Bucs Wire: Donovan Jackson needs to have a strong second season for the Vikings

The Miami Dolphins have been one of the most storied franchises in the NFL since they were found in 1965, winning the division 13 times, the conference five times and the Super Bowl twice.

While the team currently has the longest playoff-win droughts in the NFL, one of the most infuriating and inconsequential aspects of the drought has been the team's jerseys.

Miami made small changes in 2018, but they did a full overhaul in 2012, which changed both the uniforms and the logo, and 15 years later people still aren't happy with the changes.

This is especially the case considering how solid some of their old uniforms were.

In fact, The Athletic's Jayna Bardahl recently identified the best and worst jerseys in Dolphins history. Her choice for the best: the 1996 white away jerseys.

"I prefer the Dolphins’ old teal, which was darker than the current aqua shade," Bardahl wrote. "But my favorite part about the uniforms from this era is the old logo on the sleeves and helmets. Give Flipper his helmet back!"

Her choice for the worst: the 2016 orange color rush.

"To be clear: I don’t hate when a team tries out a new primary jersey color," Bardahl wrote. "The 2005 Color Rush orange was more of a tangerine shade than the 2016 version, and I liked those. But the 2016 was too yellow, and the white helmets didn’t help. They also steered too close to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ Creamsicle throwbacks."

Honestly, these picks are fair. The darker teal jerseys and the burnt orange jerseys in the 2000s are probably the most underrated jerseys. They might have an argument for some of the best, but the 1996 white away jerseys are great as well.

This article originally appeared on Dolphins Wire: NFL writer identifies Dolphins best, worst jerseys ever

After a rare day and a half off at home, the Dodgers will begin a series with the Baltimore Orioles Friday night.

The Dodgers now have the best record in all of MLB and have a chance to be the first team to 50 wins this weekend. The Orioles are at the other end of the wins spectrum, sitting at 35-41, 11.5 out of first in the AL East.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto will have a chance to avenge that mess of a game in Baltimore last September on Saturday, but Friday night the Dodgers will send Roki Sasaki to the mound. Sasaki is coming off his own mess of a game in Chicago, allowing seven runs to the White Sox in 4.1 innings.

The Orioles are a very patient team against the splitter, and as a team are among the best seven in the league in walks against righties, outside swings, and chase percentage. They also look to have a lefty heavy lineup, which Sasaki has struggled against.

Should Sasaki faulter, the bullpen is very well rested with over 48 hours between outings for any arms in the ‘pen.

For their part, the Orioles are sending Trey Gibson to the mound. Gibson is a young prospect with limited starts who so far, has shown poor command and been hit hard. The right hander has a 5.91 ERA and is 1-2 on the season. The Dodgers offense should look to find themselves against a pitcher like Gibson.

Blaze Alexander is the best hitter on the Orioles right now, and the only one batting over .300. The rest of the team is sitting at .250 and below, with their young guns like Gunnar Henderson and Jackson Holliday much closer to the .200 mark. They are coming off a series in Seattle where they lost 2-of-3, and only scored six runs total.

Will Smith is not expected to be reinstated from the IL on Friday, even though he is now eligible to come off it. The Dodgers would like him to be fully recovered from his neck issues before he returns to being backstop.

This homestand will be the last of the month of June, as the Dodgers will hit the road and not return to Dodger Stadium until July 2.

There has been a subtle change in the way Fifa is determining league tables for the 2026 World Cup - and it might have a huge impact on the final group matches.

For the first time at a World Cup, Fifa is using head-to-head records instead of group goal difference as the primary tiebreaker for teams level on points.

Until 1966, goal ratio was used to separate teams - this involved dividing a team's goals scored by goals conceded. In 1970, Fifa moved to goal difference - until now.

It brings Fifa in line with Uefa, which has always given priority to the results between teams.

The logic is that assessing the direct performance of two teams is fairer, because it removes freak results - such as Germany's 7-1 win over Curacao.

Others say that taking overall goal difference is better as that compares the total record in the group.

Fifa first introduced it at last year's Club World Cup, where Flamengo won Group D ahead of eventual tournament winners Chelsea after two matches.

Here's how it changes things at this World Cup.

Why Mexico know they have won the group

The main knock-on effect is a greater chance of teams not only advancing but winning the group before matchday three.

Under the old format, a team would need to be four points clear of second to lock top spot after two games.

That was rare because it required the other two fixtures of the first two rounds in the group to both be draws.

Now it is possible to be three points clear and get first place in the bag.

It can happen a few ways.

It requires either two draws, or first place to have beaten the team(s) on three points.

We have already seen it in Group A.

Mexico won their first two games and sit on six points - three points clear of South Korea, with the Czech Republic and South Africa on one point.

As Mexico have already beaten South Korea they cannot be overtaken if both countries end on six points. So Mexico have won the group.

They know they will play a last-32 tie in Mexico City against a third-placed team.

But there's a knock-on effect.

Mexico effectively have nothing to play for when they meet the Czech Republic next Wednesday, and could opt to rest players.

And that creates an imbalance the Czech Republic could benefit from, though they can only qualify automatically if South Korea lose to South Africa.

But in a tournament where the best third-placed teams go through, it could be important.

The system is also used at the European Championship, where the best third-placed teams advanced.

Who else could win their group on matchday two?

For top spot to be locked after round two, a few things need to be considered:

• The top team must win both their games
• The two other fixtures must have draws, OR
• First place must have beaten the team or teams on three points

GROUP C

Scotland will qualify as group winners if they beat Morocco and Brazil do not beat Haiti.

GROUP D

The United States take top spot with a win over Australia as long as Turkey do not beat Paraguay.

Australia can do so with a victory if Paraguay do not win against Turkey.

GROUP E

Germany win the group with a victory over Ivory Coast if Ecuador do not win against Curacao.

Ivory Coast will seal top spot with a win if Curacao do not beat Ecuador.

GROUP F

Sweden will qualify as group winners if they beat the Netherlands and Japan do not win against Tunisia.

GROUP G

No team can seal top spot on matchday two.

GROUP H

No team can seal top spot on matchday two.

GROUP I

No team can seal top spot on matchday two.

GROUP J

Argentina take top spot with a win over Austria as long as Jordan do not beat Algeria.

Austria can do so with a victory if Algeria do not win against Jordan.

GROUP K

Colombia will seal first place if they beat DR Congo and Portugal do not win against Uzbekistan.

GROUP L

England win the group with a victory over Ghana if Panama do not win against Croatia.

Ghana will be group winners with a victory if Croatia do not beat Panama.

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What are all the tiebreakers?

When teams are level on points, this is the order used to separate them:

1. Head-to-head points between the teams in question. If there are three teams involved, a mini-league is created removing the results against the fourth team
2. Head-to-head goal difference
3. Head-to-head goals scored
4. Group goal difference
5. Group goals scored
6. Fair play (yellow card -1, red card for two cautions -3, straight red card -4, yellow then straight red -5)
7. Fifa world ranking
8. Better position in progressively older Fifa world ranking

• Play BBC Sport's new World Cup predictor game
• World Cup fixtures and group standings
• How to watch the World Cup on the BBC
• Everything you need to know about the World Cup

Jamal Adams has a lot of what the New England Patriots need this offseason.

The Patriots have been active in the open market with several marquee moves from A.J. Brown and Romeo Doubs, to Alijah Vera-Tucker and Dre’Mont Jones.

However, despite New England also adding to their linebacker unit by signing K.J. Britt in free agency and selecting Namdi Obiazor in the 2026 NFL Draft, the team may benefit from solidifying that unit by adding Adams prior to the start of next season.

Last season was a down year for Adams. He switched positions from safety to linebacker and was noticeably not as effective in that role as a member of the Las Vegas Raiders. However, Adams plays with a level of physicality, as well as fire, that the Patriots need as they look to reach the Super Bowl again next season with a different result from the season prior.

Bringing Adam’s through his progression at the linebacker position, with the hopes of his style of play adding to the Patriots’ defense behind Christian Elliss and Robert Spillane, may be worthwhile for New England.

More edge, tenacity and impactful play are needed for the Patriots as they sit on the precipice of winning it all next season. A one-year, low-risk deal for Adams figures to be a sound one for the AFC East champions.

Follow Patriots Wire on Twitter and Facebook.

This article originally appeared on Patriots Wire: Is Jamal Adams worth benefit of doubt from Patriots in free agency?

Jonathan Toews, a three-time Stanley Cup champion and a two-time Olympic gold medallist with Canada, announced his retirement from the NHL on Friday.

Toews, 38, captained the Chicago Blackhawks to Stanley Cup titles in 2010, 2013 and 2015 in a stellar 15-year tenure with the team.

He returned to the NHL last season after a two-year absence connected to chronic immune response syndrome and long Covid, scoring 11 goals and delivering 18 assists in 82 games for his hometown team the Winnipeg Jets.

"I have to say I'm satisfied, I'm fulfilled," Toews said in announcing his retirement in Winnipeg on Friday. "I'm so thankful and grateful for the career I had."

The Blackhawks congratulated Toews on a "remarkable career" in a post on X that called him the "heartbeat" of the teams he led.

Toews also starred for Canada, winning Olympic gold in 2010 and 2014, a world title in 2007 and the World Cup in 2016.

He finished his 16-season NHL career with 383 goals and 529 assists in 1,149 regular season games for the Blackhawks and Jets.

Winner of the 2010 Conn Smythe Trophy as most valuable player of the Stanley Cup playoffs, he scored 45 goals with 74 assists in 137 career NHL playoff games.

bb/iwd

A pair of former Blue Devils will take to the U.S. Open as Max Greyserman and Alex Smalley take to the green on Thursday.

Greyserman, whose highest world ranking was No. 30 back in October, will look to top his career-best finish of T21 at the U.S. Open, while Smalley, who tied for second in the 2026 PGA Championship, will look to make the second-half cut of the U.S. Open for the first time in his career. 

Greyserman played four seasons of golf at Duke, where his stroke average trended up throughout his career. During his senior season in 2016-17, Greyserman had a 72.07 stroke average. In 2015-16, he had a pair of top-5 finishes and was named to the All-ACC Academic Team.

The New Jersey native finished the PGA Championship tied for 14th and followed it up with a top-10 finish at THE CJ CUP Byron Nelson. Greyserman will now look to get back on track after unfortunately missing the cut in his next two appearances at the Charles Schwab Challenge and the RBC Canadian Open. 

Smalley had a 70.35 stroke average during his senior season at Duke back in 2018-19, with a major highlight coming during the 2018 NCAA Division I men’s golf championship, where Smalley defeated future world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler as part of Duke’s qualifying match against Texas.

The 29-year-old caught fire at the PGA Championship, finished tied for second, and followed that up with a T3 finish at the Charles Schwab Challenge. Like Greyserman, Smalley’s most recent appearance was disappointing, as he missed the cut at The Memorial Tournament presented by Workday.

Greyserman, who is paired with Brian Harman and Jacob Bridgeman, will tee off Thursday at 8:14 a.m. for his first round and will start his second round at 2:09 p.m. on Friday.

Smalley, paired with Joaquin Niemann and Shane Lowry, will begin play Thursday at 1:47 p.m. and Friday at 7:52 a.m.

This article originally appeared on Duke Wire: Max Greyserman, Alex Smalley competing in US Open

Morocco has been an ascending soccer power, particularly after a run to the semifinals in the 2022 World Cup. The team has improved so much that its 1-1 draw against powerhouse Brazil in its 2026 World Cup opener was a slight disappointment.

What you need to know: Scotland and Morocco vie for control of Group C at Boston Stadium

“We didn’t come to the U.S. to just play against Brazil,” Morocco midfielder Azzedine Ounahi said. “We came in to go even farther than we did in Qatar in 2022.”

Scotland has put itself in a good position to advance to the knockout round for the first time after a 1-0 win over Haiti in its opener, but Morocco should be a considerably tougher opponent.

“Against difficult opponents, we have to be very good,” Scotland coach Steve Clarke said. “We’re a little more comfortable as underdogs. ... Sometimes Scotland prefers it that way.”

Scotland vs. Morocco marks the third game to be played at Boston Stadium in Foxborough since Saturday. The game airs on Boston 25 News/Fox at 6 p.m. Before that, fans can watch Team USA take on Australia at 3 p.m.

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Follow below for live updates leading up to, during, and after the match:

2:50 p.m.

Team USA will be without star Christian Pulisic, as it battles Australia with a trip to the knockout round on the line. Watch the game live on Boston 25 at 3 p.m., followed by Scotland vs. Morocco at Boston Stadium at 6 p.m.

2 p.m.

Boston 25 Sports director Butch Stearns and Boston 25 Soccer Analyst Julian Cardillo react to Team USA’s Christian Pulisic news and look ahead to Scotland vs. Morocco at Boston Stadium tonight.

12:50 p.m.

The first match-day Commuter Rail train carrying thousands of fans has arrived at Boston Stadium.

First train arrived at Foxboro !!! pic.twitter.com/0qzIi5Rt9o

— MBTA Transit Police (@MBTATransitPD) June 19, 2026

11:50 a.m.

The Tartan Army has been unleashed and is heading to Foxborough.

Scotland !!! pic.twitter.com/PAmqehWaGw

— MBTA Transit Police (@MBTATransitPD) June 19, 2026

11:30 a.m.

Massachusetts State Police share some match-day reminders for fans.

⚽ Match Day reminder: Celebrate proudly, but leave fireworks, flares, smoke devices, and pyrotechnics at home.
🚫 Fireworks are illegal in Massachusetts and are not allowed at World Cup matches, fan events, celebrations, transportation areas, or public spaces.#MatchReadyMApic.twitter.com/zVV3HFp0Hd

— Massachusetts State Police (@MassStatePolice) June 19, 2026

11:15 a.m.

Scotland and Morocco fans are lined up outside South Station, waiting for MBTA Commuter Rail trains to start rolling to Foxborough Station.

Pre boarding South Station pic.twitter.com/UaATzPgquD

— MBTA Transit Police (@MBTATransitPD) June 19, 2026

11 a.m.

MassDOT announces that the HOV lane on the Southeast Expressway will open at 1 p.m. to accommodate World Cup traffic.

Travel Advisory: Today, Friday, June 19, the I-93 southbound (Southeast Expressway) HOV lane will open early at 1:00 p.m., for #WorldCup2026 Travel. pic.twitter.com/30QkHkcvKq

— Mass. Transportation (@MassDOT) June 19, 2026

10:45 a.m.

Boston 25 Soccer Analyst Julian Cardillo shares his thoughts on the Scotland-Morocco match, including key players fans need to keep an eye on.

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10:30 a.m.

Morocco is getting in some pre-match reps in Foxborough.

Morocco getting reps in Foxborough 🇲🇦 pic.twitter.com/agW5qeoEyU

— New England Revolution (@NERevolution) June 19, 2026

10 a.m.

Lauren Walsh, the newest member of the Boston 25 News team, has World Cup fans covered from Boston Stadium.

8:45 a.m.

Harvard Men’s Soccer Coach Josh Shappiro shares his prediction for Scotland vs. Morocco.

8:30 a.m.

One Tartan Army fan is going viral during the World Cup, turning Dunkin runs and Walmart trips into must-see moments — and even drawing hundreds to Boston Common.

7 a.m.

Boston 25 Chief Meteorologist recaps yesterday’s stormy weather and shares her match-day forecast.

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6:30 a.m.

Scotland’s Tartan Army visits the Bewitched statue in Salem.

Scotland’s Tartan Army visited the Bewitched Statue in Salem. #boston@witchcitypic.twitter.com/6Y44D90eL2

— Stanley Forman (@sjforman138) June 19, 2026

6 a.m.

Team Scotland in Foxborough to “take care of business.”

“We’re here to take care of business.”#SCOMAR | #FIFAWorldCuppic.twitter.com/5lSXikDC5l

— Scotland National Team (@ScotlandNT) June 19, 2026

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Four-star defensive Karlos May has announced his top four schools, per Rivals’ Chad Simmons. May’s top four includes the Georgia Bulldogs, Auburn Tigers, Florida State Seminoles and Ohio State Buckeyes. The big man appears to be closing in on a final decision. 

Standing at 6-foot-4, 305 pounds, May is a dynamic big man that would prove to be a massive addition to Georgia’s defense in the class of 2027. The lineman will more than likely announce his final decision in the near future, and May would instantly solidify himself as one of the most important moves of the offseason for the Bulldogs should he commit to UGA. The rising star has his fourth and final official visit scheduled with Ohio State this week, as May has already taken a visit to Georgia, FSU and Auburn. 

A highly coveted recruit, May has elite speed and athleticism given his 300-plus pound frame. May is listed as the No. 11 defensive lineman and the No. 121 overall player from the class of 2027, per the 247Sports Composite Rankings. He has emerged as a superstar during his time at Ramsay High School as well, and May is ranked as the fifth-best player out of Alabama. 

A commitment from May would be a massive victory for the Dawgs’ recruitment trail moving forward. Georgia has target some of the top recruits from the 2027 class, as four-star safety Ta’Shawn Poole has added Georgia to his top three in addition to May. 

Follow UGA Wire on Instagram, Facebook, X (formerly Twitter) or Threads for more Georgia football recruiting coverage! 

This article originally appeared on UGA Wire: 4-star DL Karlos May adds Georgia football to top four schools

England’s non-cap international against France in Vannes concluded with a decisive 35-19 victory for the hosts, a result underscored by debutant Benhard Janse van Rensburg’s fumbled try-scoring opportunity that epitomised a challenging outing for a new-look English side.

The South African-born centre, introduced in the 52nd minute amidst a flurry of substitutions, found himself with a clear path to the try-line only for the ball to slip from his grasp as he neared the whitewash.

This crucial error extinguished England’s last realistic chance to narrow a 28-12 deficit, with the Bristol player’s overall involvement limited despite joining the fray during his side’s most enterprising spell.

For head coach Steve Borthwick, the match offered valuable game time for key players, with Tom Curry and George Martin each banking 51 minutes ahead of their anticipated involvement in the Nations Championship opener against South Africa on 4 July.

Promisingly, prolific teenage wing Noah Caluori delivered an encouraging display, bolstering his prospects for Borthwick’s tour squad, while Cadan Murley also made an impact on the opposite flank.

However, the scratch team, featuring numerous unfamiliar combinations, only fired in brief bursts. Murley, Marcus Smith, and Max Ojomoh were the try-scorers in this ‘A’ game, which served as a curtain-raiser for next month’s Test series.

Murley’s early strike provided England with a flying start, but France quickly responded. In the ninth minute, Nicolas Depoortere touched down as the hosts’ expansive passing game stretched England’s defence.

Both sides sought to exploit the glorious conditions, with Caluori receiving early touches under pressure and Marcus Smith experiencing mixed fortunes with his kicking. Yet, France proved deadly in possession.

Gregoire Arfeuil extended France’s lead as their attack clicked once more, while England struggled to penetrate the home defence, with Caluori unable to capitalise on a hanging kick from George Ford.

Attempts to involve Caluori were often thwarted by a resolute French defence, and England’s play repeatedly broke down due to their own errors.

Just before half-time, England’s backs finally connected, with Caluori entering the line from scrum ball and off-loading to Smith, who finished with a flourish.

England’s momentum continued into the second half, with their scrum in the ascendancy, but France unlocked them from long range as Nolann Le Garrec completed a sweeping move.

Antoine Hastoy was next to cross, and hopes of an English fightback dimmed further when Caluori had a try disallowed for an earlier knock-on.

Janse van Rensburg’s visible frustration after butchering his chance under the posts, coupled with the ebbing cohesion due to numerous changes, meant the next try didn’t arrive until the 80th minute when Fabien Brau-Boirie sealed a deserved French victory. Ojomoh then scored a late consolation try in overtime.

Just when it appeared Justin Verlander was on the verge of making his long-awaited return to the Detroit Tigers rotation, another setback has emerged.

According to Cody Stavenhagen, the Tigers have scratched Verlander from his scheduled start on Sunday after the veteran right-hander reported a left hamstring injury following a bullpen session on Wednesday in Houston.

The news comes as a major disappointment for both Verlander and the Tigers. The future Hall of Famer had been working his way back from hip inflammation and was expected to make his first big-league appearance since March 30.

Stavenhagen also reported that the Tigers expect Verlander's recovery to be "a matter of weeks," suggesting the injury is not considered season-ending. However, it will delay his return at a time when Detroit's rotation is already dealing with multiple health concerns.

Verlander, 43, signed a one-year deal to return to Detroit prior to the 2026 season. His comeback has been highly anticipated by Tigers fans, but injuries have limited him to just one start this season.

Stavenhagen is also reporting that Keider Montero will start in place of Verlander.

The FSU softball team made its biggest addition through the transfer portal this offseason on Friday, securing a commitment from former Tennessee Volunteers infielder Ella Dodge.

She spent the past three seasons with the Lady Vols and will add some experience to a young roster that is looking to build on its 2026 season. She has improved each season and hit .285 with 13 doubles, 11 home runs, and 46 RBI last season.

Dodge has played in 120 games during her career, making 113 starts, and was ranked as one of the best players in the transfer portal. Softball America has ranked her as the No. 10 overall player and No. 4 middle infielder in the portal, giving her a 94.00 grade.

She is set to be one of just six upperclassmen on FSU's roster for the 2027 season, three of whom are infielders. The Seminoles had a young roster last season, and they will once again be doing so in 2027 and will be counting on Dodge to provide some veteran leadership.

Here is what FSU fans need to know about Dodge.

She is returning home

Dodge is getting closer to home by transferring to FSU. She is originally from Bradenton, Florida, where she starred for Lakewood Ranch High School before heading to Tennessee. She led them to Florida 7A state titles in 2021 and 2022 and was named the FACA High School Player of the Year in 2022.

Ella Dodge can play multiple positions

FSU's infield is going to look different next season after Jaysoni Beachum and Isa Torres both entered the transfer portal, freeing up starting spots at shortstop and third. Dodge started at third last season and spent the year before at second, giving head coach Lonni Alameda someone with game experience at multiple spots.

She has been to the Women's College World Series

Tennessee has had plenty of success over the past two seasons, making back-to-back trips to the Women's College World Series. Dodge saw plenty of action in Oklahoma City both years, playing in eight games across the two seasons. She was a combined 4-23 with one double in those games and is currently the only player on the team with experience at the WCWS.

She has multiple seasons of eligibility

Dodge is entering her redshirt junior season and has two seasons of eligibility remaining. She redshirted in 2024 before becoming a starter for Tennessee in 2025 and 2026. The option for her to spend two seasons in Tallahassee makes her an even more valuable addition for the Seminoles.

Ella Dodge is FSU's second transfer

After not taking any transfers last season, the Seminoles are now up to two additions, and more could be in store. They started it with former Stetson first baseman Nicole Edmiaston, who provided some needed power to the lineup. Dodge adds some flexibility and helps round out the class.

Follow us @FSUWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida State news, notes, and opinions.

This article originally appeared on FSU Wire: FSU Softball: What to know about Ella Dodge

It will be hard enough for some of the Cowboys’ new defensive backs to make the 53-man roster, and likely harder for some holdover talents. Safety Julius Wood, in his second stint as a prospect with Dallas, will need a shockingly good summer if he’s going to make it to fall.

Background

Years in NFL: 2
Acquired by: Free agency (2025)

After years as a defensive leader at East Carolina, Wood went undrafted in 2024 and signed as a free agent with Dallas. He was with the team through the preseason but released at final cuts. Before the Cowboys could add him to the practice squad, if that was their intention, the Titans swooped in and claimed him off waivers.

Wood appeared in nine games for Tennessee as a rookie, playing almost entirely on special teams. That December, he got a six-game suspension for violating the NFL’s PED policy. He missed the rest of that year, but the Titans brought him back last year for training camp. He did not make the roster this time around, and remained unemployed for the first month of the season.

Wood returned to Dallas last October via the practice squad. He did not get called up for any games, but did receive a futures deal in January to return in 2026.

Contract Status

Years Left: 2
2026 Cap Hit: $1.01 million

Wood has a typical contract for guys who get futures deal, minimal money and zero guarantees.

2026 Projections

Role: Backup S
Roster Chance: 5%

You hate to stick anyone with the “camp body” label at this point, especially with so much movement across Dallas’ defense. But it’s hard not to see Wood that way given all of the other prospects the Cowboys will have in this year’s camp, and how Wood’s game seems less suited to Christian Parker’s scheme than what Dallas was previously running.

In 2024, Wood sounded like a younger version of Donovan Wilson as a downhill, hard-hitting safety who played more like a small linebacker. Wilson did not get a new deal to return to Dallas this year, and the Cowboys haven’t really replaced him with a similar talent. Parker’s defense is expected to use a lot of two-high safety looks, putting more emphasis on coverage skills. As such, like Wilson, Wood’s skill set feels like a bad fit.

The numbers game is also working against Wood. Caleb Downs, Jalen Thompson, and P.J. Locke are now here, two of them likely starters and Locke expected to be a key roleplayer. Even veterans Malik Hooker and Markquese Bell are in precarious spots now, especially with young prospects like Alijah Clark and Zion Childress in the mix. The odds that enough of those players will falter and make a path for Wood seem very low.

Wood’s one real hope, as it so often is for these dark horse guys, is on special teams. He will have a hard time against Bell and Clark in that arena too, but it was where he foud work as a rookie with Tennessee. And if the Cowboys didn’t any real way for him to contribute in 2026, especially after hiring Parker, Wood probably wouldn’t still be here now. So there’s a least something there that they want to see more of, which gives him at least a slim chance to earn further consideration.

Check out our previous player profiles from this series:

RB Israel Abanikanda | C Cooper Beebe | G Tyler Booker | S Alijah Clark | DT Tommy Dunn | CB Cobie Durant |
OLB Donovan Ezeiruaku | TE Princeton Fant | TE Jake Ferguson | WR Ryan Flournoy | C Matt Hennessy | S Malik Hooker |
OLB James Houston | WR Jordan Hudson | LB Shemar James | G Trevor Keegan | CB Derion Kendrick |
OLB Isaiah Land | S P.J. Locke | FB Hunter Luepke | RB Phil Mafah | QB Joe Milton III | WR Jonathan Mingo |
CB Devin Moore | LB DeMarvion Overshown | TE DJ Rogers | TE Luke Schoonmaker | LS Trent Sieg |
WR Anthony Smith | OT Terence Steele | CB Reddy Steward | OT Nate Thomas | DT Jay Toia | OLB Tyrus Wheat | RB Javonte Williams | OLB Sam Williams | DT D.J. Withers

For the first time in its inaugural season as the exclusive U.S. home of Formula 1, Apple TV is making a complete race weekend available to anyone who wants to watch.

The streamer announced its making the entire Austrian Grand Prix weekend free to U.S. viewers starting Friday, June 26, through Sunday’s race on June 28. That means all five sessions — two practice rounds Friday, a third Saturday morning, qualifying Saturday afternoon, and the Grand Prix on Sunday — are available in the Apple TV app without a subscription.

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A post shared by Apple TV (@appletv)

Apple signed a five-year, $750 million deal to take F1’s U.S. rights from ESPN, which had held them since 2018. ESPN had the ability to match Apple’s offer but declined. It was a consequential decision to walk away from, given that ESPN had just set a record 1.3 million viewers per race in its final F1 season, with 16 of 24 races setting individual viewership highs. F1 had grown 135% during its time on ESPN, from 554,000 viewers per race at the start of the partnership.

Apple TV accounts for less than half a percent of all television viewing in the United States, and its estimated domestic subscriber base of 18.7 million is a considerably smaller pool than the 60 million cable and satellite households ESPN could reach. After the Australian Grand Prix opener, Apple told The Hollywood Reporter that viewership had topped ESPN’s numbers from a year prior, but declined to release any data to support the assertion.

While Apple hasn’t offered much transparency into how many people are watching, F1 executives have been more vocal about what they believe the move to streaming solves. Chief media rights officer Ian Holmes has argued that housing every session on one platform improves discoverability for fans.

“If it’s on ESPNEWS and then the next session is on ESPN College and then ESPN3, it doesn’t help discoverability,” Holmes told Sports Business Journal earlier this year. “Whereas having it all housed effectively on a single page definitely increases the knowledge of exactly what content is available.”

That page, next weekend, is free. And with it comes access to the full suite of features Apple has touted since acquiring the rights. Apple’s broadcast runs in 4K Dolby Vision with 5.1 audio, multiview support for up to four simultaneous feeds, onboard cameras, live telemetry, and a choice between F1 TV and Sky Sports presentations.

The post Apple TV is making an entire F1 race weekend free for the first time appeared first on Awful Announcing.

Barcelona’s institutional response to Real Madrid president Florentino Perez has received its first official answer.

According to SPORT, Javier Tebas has replied in writing to the letter sent by Barcelona acting president Rafael Yuste, in which the Catalans called on La Liga, the RFEF and the CTA to react to comments made by the Real Madrid president regarding the Negreira case.

Tebas’ response represents significant support for Barcelona’s position.

Although he stops short of announcing any specific measures, the La Liga chief makes it clear that he shares the club’s concerns over Perez’s remarks.

He believes they could cast doubt on the integrity of the competition, the work of referees and the image of Spanish football as a whole.

Perez has not held back in his criticism of Barcelona. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)

La Liga recalls previous action against Real Madrid

In the document seen by SPORT, Tebas points out that La Liga has not remained passive in recent years regarding certain actions and communications from Real Madrid relating to referees.

He highlighted several complaints and initiatives launched by the league against official statements and messages that it considered excessive or potentially damaging to the atmosphere surrounding the competition.

Among the examples cited are complaints filed with football authorities over content published by Real Madrid TV and criticism directed at individual referees. Tebas also noted that some of those cases remain active through various legal channels.

Barcelona’s complaint

The response comes two days after Barcelona formally demanded action from Spanish football authorities over statements made by Perez.

Tebas has replied to Barcelona’s letter. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)

The Catalan club argued that the Real Madrid president’s comments undermined the image of La Liga and placed the entire refereeing system under suspicion, particularly regarding championships won by Barcelona which he described as “stolen”.

One of the key points in Tebas’ letter is the distinction he draws between the judicial investigation into the Negreira case and broader assessments of Spanish football.

He stresses that La Liga remains involved in the legal proceedings involving the scandal in an effort to clarify the facts, but insists that the case should not be used to question titles, results or the legitimacy of current competitions.

Tebas also states that La Liga will examine the statements reported by Barcelona and assess whether any action should be taken within the organisation’s powers.

Who is the best team in MLB? The Los Angeles Dodgers, Milwaukee Brewers, New York Yankees, and Atlanta Braves have largely proven themselves to be the best MLB teams in 2026. What is more interesting is everything going on behind them, with plenty of playoff hopefuls either trying to stay afloat through injuries or grasping for momentum.

Let’s dive into our latest MLB power rankings. All MLB stats are as of play beginning on Friday, June 19.

1. Los Angeles Dodgers (Previously: 2)

The Los Angeles Dodgers reclaim their spot atop the MLB power rankings. What is scary is the fact that this roster is not even close to healthy yet. Los Angeles rebounded from its lost series in Chicago by sweeping the Rays at Dodger Stadium. Up next, Los Angeles gets to take on the slumping Orioles followed by a trip to Minnesota. The back-to-back World Series champions are the best team in baseball already and everyone knows acquisitions at the trade deadline will only make this team scarier.

2. Milwaukee Brewers (3)

The Milwaukee Brewers have already proven they can go toe-to-toe with the Dodgers and now they have that same chance this weekend against the Atlanta Braves. Any opportunity to watch Jacob Misiorowski feels like a gift from the baseball gods and with the way Jackson Chourio is hitting as of late, seeing him swing a bat feels the same way. Kudos to the Brewers front office for constructing a roster, with young reinforcements now coming up, that is positioning Milwaukee as a viable threat to Los Angeles.

3. Atlanta Braves (1)

This is the first time in weeks that the Atlanta Braves are dropping in our MLB power rankings. It comes at a time when Ronald Acuña Jr. (hamstring) faces an uncertain timeline for his return and Spencer Strider is on the 60-day injured list. Even amid all the injuries, Atlanta is keeping itself very comfortable near the top of the National League. We are just concerned that the timing is particularly poor for the Braves ahead of this weekend’s must-see series versus the Brewers.

4. New York Yankees (5)

The New York Yankees lineup has done some remarkable work since the Aaron Judge injury, actually averaging more runs per game without him (5.42) than with him (5.17). Mind you, that is with Giancarlo Stanton on the injured list indefinitely. New York might not be on the same tier as the Dodgers among the best MLB teams right now, but just a few summer acquisitions can firmly establish the Yankees as the clear-cut team to beat in the American League with a distant gap to second.

5. Philadelphia Phillies (4)

The Philadelphia Phillies were as patient with Andrew Painter as a contender can be. However, the plug had to be pulled on the young hurler after another disastrous outing. Add a No. 5 starter to the list of priorities for the front office at the MLB trade deadline. We expect an aggressive approach, one that positions Philadelphia to at least have a shot at reaching the NLCS.

6. Chicago White Sox (6)

It is still remarkable to see what the Chicago White Sox are doing this year. The trip to Yankee Stadium obviously did not go well, but Chicago had just taken the series against the Dodgers right before that. Plus, the upcoming White Sox schedule—Tigers, Guardians, Royals, and Orioles—bodes very well for this team potentially being seven-plus games above .500 by July 1. Who could have predicted that at the beginning of the year?

7. Cleveland Guardians (8)

After getting swept by the Dodgers, the Tampa Bay Rays fell to 5-10 this month. That is the same record as the Reds, tying for the second-worst mark in MLB this month. It always felt like the Rays roster just was not quite good enough to sustain their early-season run, and we have really seen signs in recent weeks of all that coming to fruition.

8. Tampa Bay Rays (7)

After getting swept by the Dodgers, the Tampa Bay Rays fell to 5-10 this month. That is the same record as the Reds, tying for the second-worst mark in MLB this month. It always felt like the Rays roster just was not quite good enough to sustain their early-season run, and we have really seen signs in recent weeks of all that coming to fruition.

9. St. Louis Cardinals (10)

Have the St. Louis Cardinals been great in June? No. Yet, a 9-7 record this month entering the weekend still ties for the fifth-most wins. The pitching, given expectations coming into the year, has been solid, and the young bats are demonstrating they can make adjustments to major-league pitching. Other clubs ranked lower than this will probably rise above St. Louis in the weeks to come, but we have to commend the young Cards for never falling apart thus far.

10. Washington Nationals (13)

Who would have thought coming into the year that the Washington Nationals would be one of the 10 best MLB teams in 2026? Washington’s recipe for success certainly is not typical for a club we would buy into. With that said, how can you ignore a Nationals lineup that leads MLB in runs scored (407) and slugs the baseball better than almost anyone? We just now want to see the front office add starting pitching, because that (13 quality starts, second-fewest in MLB) is the anchor that is preventing this club from reaching even further heights.

11. Seattle Mariners (9)

The San Diego Padres plummeted in our MLB power rankings last week because they’ve effectively been in a month-long slump. It also didn’t help that, statistically, the Padres lineup was the worst in MLB this season. The pitching (3.31 ERA) during the last 11 games still pushed the team to a 6-5 mark, so perhaps there is a path to San Diego buying at the trade deadline and still snagging a Wild Card spot.

12. San Diego Padres (19)

The San Diego Padres plummeted in our MLB power rankings last week because they’ve effectively been in a month-long slump. It also didn’t help that, statistically, the Padres lineup was the worst in MLB this season. The pitching (3.31 ERA) during the last 11 games still pushed the team to a 6-5 mark, so perhaps there is a path to San Diego buying at the trade deadline and still snagging a Wild Card spot.

13. Toronto Blue Jays (16)

All of Canada continues to rally behind the Toronto Blue Jays, as evidenced by the early voting results for the 2026 MLB All-Star Game. Just imagine what that support would look like if this team gets back on track. The reigning AL champions swept the Red Sox this week and now get to take on the slumping Cubs before a seven-game homestand versus the Astros and Rangers. There’s hope in Toronto, and that’s been missing.

14. Chicago Cubs (13)

After such a promising start to the year, Moises Ballesteros fell into an ugly slump. That’s a representation of the Chicago Cubs, too. There was once a time in early May when this club sat well above .500, performing like a World Series threat even amid injuries to the rotation. Unfortunately, a lack of pitching quantity and quality catches up to you. The Blue Jays (June 19-21), Mets (June 22-25), Brewers (June 26-28) and Padres (June 29-July 1) are looming, and we think there’s a real chance Chicago has a losing record by July 1.

15. Arizona Diamondbacks (15)

There are stretches where the Arizona Diamondbacks certainly look like a playoff-caliber team. At the very least this week, they once again showed they can beat the teams they’re supposed to. Bordering on the .500 line, Arizona is going to need either Geraldo Perdomo to recapture his 2025 form or it needs to hope that Jordan Lawlar can stay healthy to provide Corbin Carroll and Ketel Marte with additional support in the lineup.

16. Miami Marlins (18)

Here comes the surging Miami Marlins. Max Meyer (2.75 ERA and 1.12 WHIP) has been utterly sensational this season, taking Sandy Alcantara’s place as the ace of the rotation. It gets even better for Miami, as Eury Perez is nearing a return to the Marlins rotation. That’s added momentum for a team that is steadily climbing its way back to .500 and potentially even into the territory of buying conservatively at the trade deadline.

17. Sacramento Athletics (17)

Another week with more of the same for the Sacramento Athletics. There are flashes of a good baseball team, like the 11-2 win over the Pirates. But then the A’s falter, largely because of a bad pitching staff. A win streak is probably on the horizon, but that has a lot to do with facing two of the worst teams in MLB (Angels and Giants).

18. Pittsburgh Pirates (12)

The up-and-down Pittsburgh Pirates are starting to experience the downs more frequently. Midseason tests against the Braves, Dodgers and Marlins all went poorly and raised questions regarding whether this club has the longevity to compete for a playoff spot. We admire a competitive team that can float around the .500 mark, but now that the Pirates are here, the next thing is wanting to see consistency with victories.

19. Texas Rangers (11)

Progress can be undone so quickly, as evidenced by the Texas Rangers plummeting in our MLB power rankings. A five-game win streak early in the month lifted Texas to a 30-31 mark. The club has gone 5-8 since then. If Texas cannot handle its business to close out the month, the front office faces a very complicated decision later this summer.

20. Baltimore Orioles (20)

A small glimmer of hope we have had for the Baltimore Orioles to turn it around is fading again. They arrive in Los Angeles for a six-game trip against the Dodgers and Angels with a 35-41 mark, having lost consecutive series. The pitching (4.54 ERA, 23rd in MLB) simply is not good enough to overcome an Orioles lineup that has youngsters Gunnar Henderson, Coby Mayo, and Jackson Holliday all wildly underperforming.

21. Houston Astros (24)

Hunter Brown is back in the Houston Astros rotation. He’ll be rejoined next week by Cristian Javier, and fellow starters Ronel Blanco and Lance McCullers Jr. are just a few weeks behind that. Is there going to be a complete in-season turnaround for the Houston Astros? Maybe not. With that said, this club was 11 games under .500 in late May and now it’s just an extended winning streak away from a winning record.

22. Minnesota Twins (25)

Credit to Byron Buxton and the Minnesota Twins. Expectations were quite low for this club nationally coming into the season, but this team is performing relatively well even with injuries hitting their rotation throughout the early season. Sweeping the Rangers certainly doesn’t suggest that Minnesota should act on impulse and consider itself a Wild Card threat, but it’s at least a period where fans can appreciate a competitive, fun team.

23. New York Mets (23)

The good news for the New York Mets is that Francisco Lindor is close to returning. Unfortunately, this ball club is still seven games below .500 and it just lost starting pitcher Christian Scott to the injured list. Pretty much everything that could go wrong at Citi Field this season has. While we admire that president of baseball operations David Stearns wants to be a buyer this summer, that is hard to justify when the roster you have assembled ranks 28th in OBP and slugging and your rotation is 26th in quality starts (17).

24. Cincinnati Reds (21)

The Cincinnati Reds looked so promising early in the year, jumping out to a 20-11 mark entering play on May 1. They have the third-worst record in baseball (15-27) over the last two months, in part thanks to Nick Lodolo’s return and a struggling pitching staff (5.13 ERA). While Cincinnati is “only” three games below the .500 line right now, the team we have seen on the field in the last two months does not warrant the front office sacrificing prospect depth to improve the roster this summer.

25. San Francisco Giants (28)

The MLB trade rumors come out about a potential fire sale and the San Francisco Giants start winning a few more games, creating unneeded controversy. We will focus on the positive for San Francisco: Bryce Eldridge (.962 OPS) is becoming the cornerstone hitter at 21 years old that this franchise desperately needs. If Buster Posey can find a way to just get off one of the albatross contracts he is responsible for—Willy Adames, Matt Chapman and Rafael Devers—perhaps there is hope for the future, especially with what is going on in the minor leagues with player development.

26. Kansas City Royals (26)

Baseball can be cruel sometimes. It is already been a disappointing year for the Kansas City Royals, one that suggests this team is multiple years away from playoff contention. The glimmer of hope was the chance at Bobby Witt Jr. earning American League MVP. Now that single light is flickering with the All-Star shortstop heading for additional testing on his right knee injury.

27. Detroit Tigers (22)

Tarik Skubal rejoined the Detroit Tigers on June 13, a 3-1 loss to the Guardians. The club is now 2-5 in its last seven games, dropping to 14 games below .500, and all of this comes before a stretch against the White Sox and Yankees. Skubal effectively gave the team an ultimatum earlier this week and given how the club is performing, shipping off the two-time AL Cy Young Award winner this summer is the front office’s only option.

28. Los Angeles Angels (29)

Time is a flat circle. The Los Angeles Angels are one of the worst teams this season, Mike Trout is on the injured list and the pitching staff has been abysmal. It is pretty much the same story every year for a club that hasn’t won 78-plus games in eight years and has no bright future to speak of. The Halos have lived at rock-bottom for what feels like a decade and we cannot find a single reason to believe anything changes before Trout walks away from baseball.

29. Boston Red Sox (27)

It might be time for the fan base to send a message to the Fenway Sports Group and John Henry. An ugly start to the season for the Boston Red Sox has spiraled even further, with this club firmly establishing itself as one of the worst MLB teams in 2026. Trading away talent at the trade deadline—Aroldis Chapman, Willson Contreras and Jarren Duran—is obviously the right answer. What we wonder is when the fans stop showing up to the ballpark, because what the Fenway Sports Group has put on the field does not warrant support nor money from the city.

30. Colorado Rockies (30)

The Colorado Rockies are the worst team in baseball and one of just two clubs that entered the weekend without 30 wins on the season. Selling at the trade deadline is the obvious move and there should be interest in the likes of Willi Castro (.762 OPS) and Jake McCarthy (.777 OPS), but we cannot fathom how this club will look even worse post-July when it moves some of its top hitters.

Related Headlines

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The Los Angeles Dodgers seem to be the team in MLB that can offer exactly what the Detroit Tigers want for Tarik Skubal.

In a major reveal on Thursday afternoon, an off day for the Dodgers, insider Jon Heyman reported that the Tigers are looking for controllable pitching and position players close to the big leagues.

While not exactly some kind of breaking news, considering most teams who reasonably ask for this when targeting an ace pitcher, this is the first clear notion of what the franchise is looking for if they deal Skubal.

Rather than targeting the highest-upside players, the Tigers seemingly want players who will not take too long to be ready to contribute.

The Dodgers have one of the best farm systems in baseball, with top-end talent capable of offering a prospect package, and they are also uniquely equipped with budding major-league talent and minor-league players close to the show.

Who can the Dodgers offer?

Cost-controlled pitchers: Emmet Sheehan, Justin Wrobleski, River Ryan, and Jackson Ferris

Nearly ready position players: James Tibbs III, Zach Ehrhard, Ryan Ward, Mike Sirota, and Josue De Paula

Out of these two groups, the Dodgers can put together a great package for Skubal that includes both of what the Tigers want.

In fact, the Dodgers can lay out these options for the Tigers and give them the pick of the litter. The least likely to be moved in a Skubal deal is clearly De Paula, who is the real gem of the Dodgers system and has broken into the top tier of prospect evaluation.

A combination of Wrobleski and Tibbs would generate some serious consideration from Detroit, who would get a quality starter that can get outs, along with Tibbs, one of the hottest minor league players in baseball.

Then, it might take one more player to get it done if a true bidding war does ensue, but even just a Wrobleski/Sheehan + Tibbs should get the Dodgers close.

Why the Dodgers can get the trade done

The Brewers are the only team that can legitimately compete for Skubal if the Dodgers push hard for him, but trading for an expensive rental who would demand top dollar goes against their DNA — see no further than the Freddy Peralta deal.

For this reason, along with the Dodgers’ resources, LA is the team lined up for Skubal.

They did it in probably the hardest fashion possible, but the Diamondbacks won a series victory over the Angels. It worked out to basically be treading water. They remain two games above .500 and are still a half game out of the third Wild Card spot. Not a bad position to be in, though, especially given they’ve only played the one, two game series against the Padres. Still plenty of time to make up that half game.

The Twins are on a bit of a run right now. They took two out of three against the Cardinals (slowly doing their part to correct the current Interleague imbalance) and then beat the crap out of the Rangers for three games scoring four, twelve, and nine runs. Beyond that, however, they find themselves four games below .500 and a game and a half out of the final Wild Card spot in the AL.

Game 1 — 6/19, 6:45 PM: Michael Soroka (2.0 bWAR, 8-3, 3.11 ERA/136 ERA+, 1.07 WHIP)vs. Connor Prielipp (-0.1 bWAR, 2-4, 5.26 ERA/83 ERA+, 1.34 WHIP)

Michael Soroka continues to be the best free agent starting pitching acquisition in recent memory. In his last five starts, he has only given up more than two runs once. He’s only given up one in each of his last two starts, and he has also gone a minimum of six innings pitched in all five of those starts as well. It’s worth noting, as well, that his FIP is actually a smidge lower than his actual ERA at 2.92. There’s nothing to indicate that this isn’t going to be sustainable from here.

Prielipp is a rookie with just ten starts under his belt so far. He was called up at the end of April and started out strong with three straight starts of just two runs given up. Since then, it’s been much more all over the place. The low point was his back to back starts at the end of May where he gave up six runs, but it hasn’t gotten a ton better since then, with the next three seeing four, two, and four runs each. He’s struggled with walks, so patience will be a virtue for the Diamondbacks.

Game 2 — 6/20, 7:10 PM: Zac Gallen (-0.8 bWAR, 3-5, 5.35 ERA/79 ERA+, 1.53 WHIP) vs. Taj Bradley (1.4 bWAR, 5-3, 4.14 ERA/105 ERA+, 1.34 WHIP)

Gallen pitched fine his last time out. Not $20+ million fine, but at this point we’ll take what we can get. Despite the results, he still struggled with home runs again, as he has for most of the season. It was his fourth multi home run game of the season, and on the flip side, the strike outs still weren’t there, only recording four in six innings. We’ll see if he can make it two in a row.

Bradley started off the season well. Through May 5th, he had an ERA of 2.897, then he went down with a right pec injury. He missed the majority of the remaining month, and when he came back he just wasn’t really the same pitcher. In his first game back, he threw five innings of one run ball, but after that, he has four straight games of at least four earned runs given up. This is a pitcher who is struggling and the Diamondbacks offense needs to take advantage.

Game 3 — 6/21, 12:15 PM: TBD vs Ryne Nelson (-0.5 bWAR, 3-5, 4.97 ERA/85 ERA+, 1.23 WHIP)

In his last five starts, Nelson has been alternating good and bad outings. He either goes eight innings of one run baseball or four innings of seven runs. There is no in between right now. Unfortunately for the Diamondbacks, his last start ell solidly under the banner of good, seeing him throw seven innings, and only giving up two earned runs.

Conclusion

The Diamondbacks should have a pretty decent shot at this series. The Twins are on a hot streak, but are still not doing well over all. The Gallen game is always a drag at this point, but Soroka has been nails, and Nelson has at least recent success to give hope. I think the Diamondbacks take two out of three, and probably remain a half game out of the Wild Card.

According to Mundo Deportivo, Lucas Herrington is no longer considered one of Barcelona’s most advanced transfer targets.

Although the 18-year-old Australian centre-back has been closely monitored on several occasions by the club’s scouting department, Barça are currently unwilling to make a move or enter into a bidding war for his signature.

The Colorado Rapids defender has attracted growing interest across Europe thanks to his performances in MLS and with the Australian national team.

Reports have even suggested that the American club turned down an initial offer worth around €10 million from Barcelona.

However, any deal has become increasingly complicated due to Colorado Rapids’ high valuation of the player, as the MLS club believe the defender’s value is more than €20 million.

Lucas Herrington has impressed for Colorado Rapids. (Photo by Elizabeth Ruiz Ruiz/Getty Images)

Barcelona also have other priorities in the market, although sporting director Deco continues to keep the centre-back position in mind for the future.

Still on the list, but no longer a priority

Herrington remains on Barcelona’s radar, but his name is no longer among the club’s most active options. Barça continue to monitor numerous young talents without necessarily planning immediate moves.

Meanwhile, other names that have been linked with the La Liga champions in recent weeks are not currently under consideration at the club.

Indeed, Neil Pierre, the 18-year-old centre-back from Philadelphia Union, 17-year-old Le Havre defender Stephan Zagadou, and Trabzonspor midfielder Christ Inao Oulai, 20, are not part of Barcelona’s plans at this stage.

No move for Herrington for now. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

Focus remains on long-term scouting

Barcelona’s recruitment department continues to track emerging talents around the world as part of its long-term strategy.

However, there are currently no imminent plans to complete deals for any of these youngsters.

For now, Herrington’s potential move to the Spotify Camp Nou appears to have cooled considerably, with Barça unwilling to be drawn into expensive negotiations and preferring to remain patient in the market.

The fact that his contract at the MLS club runs until the end of Decemner 2029, with the option for an additional year, puts them in a strong negotiating position.

As for Barcelona, the immediate focus is on signing a new centre-forward like Julian Alvarez.

Jérôme Boateng was an integral figure for Germany’s 2014 World Cup-winning side as he formed a staunch center-back tandem with Mats Hummels. Calm and compost, the defensive duo might have bent a little, but never broke.

Jérôme Boateng’s role in 2014

Boateng was one of the pillars of Germany’s World Cup-winning team. Alongside Mats Hummels, he formed the backbone of a defense that conceded only four goals throughout the tournament. His speed and positional awareness were particularly important in the knockout rounds, and he played every minute against Brazil and in the final against Argentina. Boateng entered the tournament as one of Germany’s most established players and left Brazil as a world champion and one of the best defenders in world football.

What is Jérôme Boateng doing now?

Boateng retired from professional football in 2025 after a final stint with Austrian club LASK and has begun working toward a coaching career.

His post-playing years have also been overshadowed by legal issues involving allegations from a former partner. Following several court proceedings in Germany, Boateng was found guilty in 2024 of intentional bodily harm and received a financial penalty. The case generated significant controversy in Germany, particularly when discussions emerged about a possible return to Bayern Munich in a non-playing role. Supporters’ groups publicly opposed such a move because of the conviction.

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Collin Morikawa enjoyed a sensational second round of the US Open despite continuing to battle injury.

Morikawa was forced to retire from The Players Championship after just one hole back in March, citing a problematic back.

But he hasn’t let the injury impact him too much at the US Open, having just carded a fantastic five-under 65 in round two.

Morikawa has finished his first two days on two-under, five shots behind leader Wyndham Clark by the time he entered the clubhouse.

And the American was on hand to provide an injury update after his efforts on day two, confirming that he is still struggling to play one shot at the US Open.

Collin Morikawa still can’t hit one shot at the US Open amid injury

Morikawa said of his back at Shinnecock Hills: “Yeah, it’s still a little uncomfortable.

“I’m hitting it a lot better.

“Last week was huge for me.

“I felt like I made progress after that.

“I mean, took a little bit of time off with the baby.

“You know, I can’t hit every shot that I want to hit.

“Usually my go-to shot with right-to-left wind with an iron would be to cut something up, know how it’s going to spin, and just play that shot.

“I can’t quite cut it as much as I want.

“Thankfully the greens are soft enough right now where I don’t have to hit the high spinner, but I’m able to hit enough shots.

“I think I proved it to myself today that I have enough tools to go out and play well.

“Thankfully I’m moving a little bit better.

“So the driver, I’m getting a little bit more distance out of it.

“I don’t feel like I have to play it too low.

“But I can’t hit the high bomb that I wish on some holes I could unleash.”

Collin Morikawa shares how his view of Shinnecock Hills has already changed

Despite his issue, Morikawa has been enjoying a superb 2026 season on the PGA Tour.

He’s recorded one win, three top fives and five top 10s, making the cut in nine of his 11 appearances.

The American most recently finished T29 at the Canadian Open, but is currently on course for a much better result at the US Open.

Sharing his thoughts on Shinnecock Hills after two days of action, he said: “Yeah, I mean, obviously a big part of the talk this week has been softer greens.

“Scores are still tough.

“I think any time you get greens like this where you really only have 30 percent, 40 percent of the green to put pins, it’s going to play difficult.

“You know, I hit a couple on these short holes, you call it 10, 13.

“I’m still standing over these wedge shots making sure I’m dialed in on my number because it can turn from a birdie hole, which there really aren’t any birdie holes out here, into a bogey and into saving par, into making up-and-down.

“So there’s a fine margin.

“I think that’s what a great golf course is when there’s a really, really fine margin, when you get rewarded for good shots, and bad shots, you know, just… you’re going to have to save par.

“I love this golf course.

“I think it’s grown on me throughout the week.

“I think when I showed up, you know, it was nice, and everyone had high remarks for it.

“I just looked at it as this is the next test for me, but I think it’s grown on me.

“Especially with this wind that we’ve had.

“I think with the north wind, it plays very, very weird, but with the south we had yesterday and the west we’re having right now, I think it plays as a great golf course.”

The iconic course in Long Island is certainly proving difficult for many of the world’s top golfers, but Morikawa has battled very well with rounds of 73 and 65.

He’s currently chasing his third career major win, having emerged victorious at the PGA Championship in 2020 and The Open Championship in 2021.

UFC White House is over, so we’re headed back to the APEX.

On Saturday, the UFC returns to its personal arena for UFC Vegas 119, the chaser to the UFC’s biggest event of the year. In the main event, Manel Kape and Kyoji Horiguchi rematch their 2017 RIZIN fight, but this time there are flyweight title implications on the line.

Ahead of Saturday’s event, MMA Fighting’s Jed Meshew and Alexander K. Lee preview Kape vs. Horiguchi 2 and debate whether Kape can get things done thins time. Additionally, the two discuss light heavyweight co-main event between Navajo Stirling and Ion Cutelaba, break down other key matchups on the card, answer viewer questions, and more.

Tune in for the UFC Vegas 119 Preview Show.

As Major League Baseball and the MLB Players Association continue to battle over the game’s next Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), the league has put forward a proposal that would fundamentally alter the amateur talent pipeline. The changes, if adopted, would be the most aggressive reshaping of the draft in its history, aiming to cut costs, redefine minor league development and effectively eliminate the high school prospect from draft day.

Here is a breakdown of the key changes on the table.

The End of High School Draft Eligibility

The most sweeping and controversial element of MLB’s proposal is the removal of high school players from the domestic draft pool. Under the new framework, players in the U.S. and Canada would need to be 20 on Sept. 1 to be draft eligible.

For the majority of amateur talent, this means they would not be draft eligible until after their sophomore season of college. Currently, players are draft eligible after their junior year of college. This shift effectively forces early stages of player development to the NCAA and junior college, relieving major league clubs of the time and potential financial burden of developing raw, 18-year-old prospects in the lower minors.

This push to end high school draft eligibility mirrors the NFL draft. Since football recruits cannot be drafted out of high school, college football has become massive and nearly rivals major, professional sports in popularity and ability to draw in money. Right now college baseball is not near college football in popularity, but if high schoolers were no longer draft eligible, college baseball could see their popularity rise to college football’s.

A Shorter Draft with Hard Slots

In 2021, the draft was permanently reduced from 40 rounds to 20. The current proposal aims to shrink it even further, dropping it down to just 12 rounds.

To give owners cost certainty, the league also proposed implementing “hard draft slots.” Teams currently have “bonus pools” and can negotiate with players, saving money on early picks to pay over-slot bonuses to later ones. Hard slot values would mean a drafted player has no abiity to negotiate their signing bonus. What the slot dictates is exactly what the player gets. Combined with a significant cut to the overall draft bonus pools (slashing them by roughly 50%), drafted players stand to make considerably less money upon entering the league and put more money in the owners’ hands.

Additionally, the draft lottery would be reduced from six teams to four and Competitive Balance picks would be completely eliminated.

Expanded Pick Trading

For years, MLB front offices have been nearly restricted from trading draft picks, save for Competitive Balance picks. The new proposal would allow all draft picks to be traded, introducing an entirely new dynamic to the MLB trade deadline and off-season. However, there are still limitations to what picks can be traded:

• Picks cannot be traded years in advance. Picks can only be moved within the current draft cycle. You cannot trade a 2030 draft pick before the 2029 draft has concluded.
• A team is not allowed to trade their first-round pick in back-to-back years.
• A team cannot acquire more than three total picks in the first three rounds of a single draft.

International Draft and Undrafted Free Agents

The proposal also looks to introduce a separate, formal international draft. Eligibility for international signings would be pushed a year older to age 18 by Sept. 1 of the draft year. Bonus pools for this international draft would be significantly smaller than the domestic version.

For players who go unselected in the new 12-round domestic draft, the financial outlook is grim. The cap on signing bonuses for undrafted free agents would plummet from $125,000 to just $10,000. This drastic reduction in bonuses is another incentive for players to stay in college baseball and only come to the majors when they are fully ready to make an impact.

The Road Ahead

From the owners’ perspective, these changes are about efficiency and cost reduction. Fewer draft rounds, set bonuses and eliminating high school scouting dramatically reduce the financial footprint of amateur acquisition and minor league development. It also aligns with the league’s ongoing efforts to consolidate and shrink the minor league system.

The MLBPA hates this proposal, already putting out a statement bashing it.

They argue these changes would result in hundreds of millions of dollars lost in player compensation. They have historically opposed an international draft and are likely to view the elimination of domestic high school players as a non-starter. As the CBA expiration looms closer, the draft framework stands as one of the most contentious battlegrounds for the future of the sport.

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Corey Heim is set to make his full-time NASCAR Cup Series debut in 2027, as he will replace Riley Herbst in the No. 35 Toyota. The defending Truck Series champion detailed the 23XI boss’ advice for him to take bigger risks as he prepares for 2027.

Heim made his Cup Series debut in 2024 for Legacy Motor Club, driving the No. 43 Toyota in a couple of races. Heim has run 12 Cup races in the last three years, five of which were this year.

At Kansas earlier this year, Heim finished P15, but the No. 67 Toyota had the pace to finish inside the top 10. In a recent interview with ESPN, the 23-year-old recalled his conversation with 23XI Senior Director of Competition Dave Rogers after the Kansas race.

Rogers’ advice to Corey Heim was to take bigger risks, even if it came at the cost of hitting the wall and wrecking, as 23XI wanted him to be prepared ahead of the full-time drive in 2027.

Corey Heim is set for 12 Cup Series starts this year and has already raced in five, leaving seven more races this season before he takes over the No. 35 Toyota from Riley Herbst.

Read More: Josh Berry Leaving Wood Brothers Racing: 3 Best Landing Spots for the NASCAR Veteran in 2027

“I’m in every single meeting”: Corey Heim details preparation for 2027 full-time drive

After a record 2025 Truck Series season in which Corey Heim won the title with 12 wins to his name, he’s no longer driving full-time in the Truck Series this year. The 12 Cup Series races and a handful of Truck races are what Heim is racing this year.

Highlighting the preparation going on for 2027 off the race track, Heim said:

Heim has made five Truck Series starts this season and has won three of those races, with the most recent win coming at Michigan.

Read More: “Still walking beside us”: Samantha Busch opens up about two moments that felt like signs from Kyle Busch

Canada fans would have been happy with a modest win over Qatar on Thursday. Instead, they got a historic 6-0 rout - a victory they say has cemented Canada's place as a "soccer nation".

The match will go down in Canadian sports history as their first-ever World Cup win - even though it was tinged with heartbreak after midfielder Ismaël Koné suffered a tournament-ending leg break.

"As a Canadian, to sit there and watch it all, I will live in that forever," said TSN reporter Matthew Scianitti as he walked through celebratory crowds in Vancouver.

• Everything to know about Canada's men's team at the 2026 World Cup
• 'I'm going to have fun either way' - Canadian fans navigate split loyalties in World Cup

Thursday's match against Qatar was Canada's first of this tournament in Vancouver. It was played before a sold-out crowd of 52,000 people, almost all of whom were wearing a mix of red and white.

Before the match, thousands of Canada fans marched along the "last mile" to the stadium blanketed by red smoke flares. Thousands of others gathered at watch parties across the country, from Vancouver's Granville Street to small neighbourhood bars in Toronto.

That is where Dave Di Cola, a longtime fan of Canadian football, watched the men's team dominate Qatar with dozens of other supporters.

Di Cola told the BBC that he felt "reserved optimism" heading into the game, noting that anything could happen in football.

The match quickly unfolded in Canada's favour, however, with three goals before half-time. By the end, it was a blowout - albeit one aided by Qatar having two players sent off.

For fans like Di Cola, the win was a validation that Les Rouges (the nickname for the Canadian squad) are a serious competitor in this tournament. It was also a moment that brought the nation together.

"Canada soccer has always been kind of a joke. It's always secondary," he said. But seeing the support the team has received at the Vancouver match and beyond, Di Cola added, "nearly brought a tear to my eye."

Celebratory scenes flooded social media after the win. One photo showed a fan wearing an ice hockey jersey for Connor McDavid, with the "Mc" covered by a makeshift "J" in honour of Jonathan David, who scored three of Canada's six goals - a fitting symbol of a hockey nation embracing its national football team.

But the joy was also muted due to Koné's injury, Di Cola said. "If that didn't happen, I would have been running up and down the avenue yesterday," he said.

Losing Koné is a setback for the Canadian squad, who had relied on the Ottawa-native as an integral part of its midfield power. Coach Jesse Marsch called him "a big part of the heart of our team."

On the field, Koné's teammates rushed to his defence as medics attended to him. Nathan Saliba, who subbed in for him, scored Canada's fourth goal shortly after and held Koné's jersey up in tribute.

"What you guys did yesterday will stay with me forever," Koné shared on Friday morning on Instagram after undergoing surgery.

In a post-match locker room pep talk to the team, Prime Minister Mark Carney hailed the team for showing "a level of character that some people never achieve" in their response to the shocking injury.

"You showed it when the entire country and a good part of the world is watching," Carney said. "And if they didn't watch they would have watched the highlights tomorrow."

Canada's sports history is filled with iconic moments - Sidney Crosby's gold medal-winning goal in the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics, the Toronto Raptors' basketball championship win against the Golden State Warriors in 2019, and the women's football gold-medal win in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

Di Cola contends that what was achieved in Thursday's game is much smaller in comparison, and that Canada's football team still has "a long way to go."

But the momentum has certainly built as they gear up to take on Switzerland next.

Flags have become another unlikely controversy at a World Cup already marked by criticism over ticket prices, food costs and hydration breaks. FIFA’s rules around supporter displays are now drawing extra attention.

There had already been debate around the pre-revolutionary Iran flag, with FIFA’s ban upheld after a late hearing in Los Angeles. Now the talking point has shifted to a customised England flag linked to Barrow AFC.

England beat Croatia 4-2 last Wednesday, but one group of supporters could not show their flag during the game. The reason, according to a BBC report, was the submarine included in the design.

England supporters told Barrow AFC flag could not be displayed

Barrow fans had added the club badge and a submarine silhouette to a St George’s flag.

The image was chosen for a reason. Barrow-in-Furness has a long history of shipbuilding and submarines, and the vessel is closely tied to the town’s identity.

But FIFA rejected the application related to the flag because images of military or weaponry are not allowed under its policy.

The entity later told the group the flag could be approved if the submarine imagery was covered and the application resubmitted.

The episode became the subject of jokes on Barrow’s official X account, as the club posted their badge with the submarine symbol censored and stated: “In order to make sure our supporter John Little can represent the Bluebirds over in Boston properly, we’d like to unveil our new *temporary club badge for the duration of the World Cup…”

“FIFA, let us know if the Arrow has to go too,” the England team message concluded.

Read more:

SOUTHAMPTON, N.Y. — For the last three years, and even after the chaos and volatility we saw at Shinnecock on Friday, it's tempting to view Dustin Johnson as a figure of the past. Figures of the past live on in stories, and everyone who has spent time around Dustin Johnson, even if it's only peripherally or for a short time, has a favorite DJ story. Here's mine:

It was 2014, I wanted to profile him for a book I was working on, and his agent David Winkle arranged for me to walk with him for an hour on Wednesday at the Colonial pro-am. He surprised me the entire time—he was engaging and thoughtful, occasionally crass but never dismissive the way I thought he might be. At one point, he barked at his brother and caddie AJ, who was still relatively new on his bag and resting under the shade of a pecan tree, to get him the yardage. The moment I'll never forget, though, came when one of the pro-am players came by with a yellow flag.

"Is this kosher?" he asked, holding the flag out for Johnson to sign. Johnson signed it without much acknowledgement, but it apparently wasn't good enough for the man.

"Will you sign it, 'To Steve'?" he asked.

Johnson took the flag back, looked at it—everything he does happens at his own slow rhythm—and wrote the words "All the best" above his signature.

I found this very funny, though I suppressed it, but you could see the man's heart sink. The dilemma passed over his face, and he mustered up the courage to ask again.

"But can you sign it 'To Steve'?"

DJ, now slightly annoyed, took the flag back again. He took a long look and then made up his mind.

"Well, they already got their name here," he said, laying a large finger on the flag.

I peeked over—he was pointing at the signature of another player, who had written "To Steve."

The man looked at him, wondering if this was some kind of joke, but DJ just stared back with those dead eyes. The man, of course, cracked first.

"Yeah," he said. "That's awesome."

And he walked away with a story that I'm sure he never told.

*****

Warren Little

On Friday at Shinnecock, Johnson's name appeared on the leaderboard in second place. He's 41 years old for the next three days, and this was a return to form that was hard to see coming unless you paid close attention to his last two outings on LIV—fourth in Korea, T-5 in Andalucia. He did the bulk of his damage late on Thursday, with four straight birdies to start his back nine (Shinnecock's front), then came back Friday morning to make two more birdies to finish his first round. There wasn't much break before he teed off for Round 2, and he stayed even through 10 holes. At four under, he was the nearest chaser to his white-hot playing partner Wyndham Clark.

We barely had time to process this renaissance, though, before the ship took water. A double at 11, two more bogeys at 12 and 13, and then the true disaster: A quad at 15 that included one bunker-to-bunker gaffe, a chunked follow-up that stayed in the sand, and a skulled bunker shot that ran off the green. Shinnecock is the kind of course where you can hit three shots from two different bunkers on the same hole, and though he recovered to make birdie on 16 and make the cut, he had dropped from solo second to T-53, from a single shot off the lead to ten, and it felt like his moment had passed.

Even so ...

... in some ways he was the most interesting man on the course. Even now, past his prime and perhaps pat his interest in playing elite golf, there's an aura around DJ that very few other plays can match. It's his size and power, his obvious athleticism, that grim Clint Eastwood demeanor, and the slow, almost predatory way he moves. There's a sense that he's pure id, which is a polite way of acknowledging the perception that he's not very smart. I don't agree with that, although his interviews can be painfully dull and he doesn't seem to take great pleasure in ruminating, or sometimes even talking. But those qualities almost make his brand stronger, and when you combine that with a celebrity wife, a couple majors, and the pure alpha energy, he's a perpetually fascinating figure for galleries. I dare you to look away.

He's one of those apostates whose reputation has been hurt the least by going to LIV, probably because unlike a Graeme McDowell or Jon Rahm, you never expected him to care about (or even consider) any of the ethical problems with the Saudi regime, and so you could never accuse him of playing the hypocrite. But the move still took a toll; he put together a decent year of major performances after the defection, including two top-10s, but in his last 11 tries, he's missed six cuts and never finished inside the top 20. He hasn't even won on LIV in two years, and it all prompted a chicken-or-egg style question:

Did he sign with LIV because he stopped caring about golf, or did he stop caring about golf because he signed with LIV?

That may be too glib, too nonspecific, but either way, you can't call it—whatever it is—any kind of tragedy. He's in the late stages of his career, he won two majors, he has a lot of money, and if anyone seems capable of contentment after the hurricane of a dynamic career, it's him.

But this all sounds very conclusive, very fatalistic, and after his round, Johnson didn't sound like someone who thought of himself in the past tense. Around 20 reporters gathered around him by the flash area—a testament to his ongoing appeal—and he seemed mostly at ease despite his 77.

Christian Petersen

" I felt like I played really solid today," he said. "Hit a lot of good putts that didn't go in."

Recapping his own around, it was mostly a story of a punishing wind and a few unfortunate rocks.

"The first one on 15," he remembered, "the rock got in between the face and kicked it. I mean, it went five yards further left than it should have ... it came out and hooked. And then the next one, it hit a rock and it popped it straight up, and so it came out shorter. And then on the third one, I hit a rock and it went into the ball."

"Sounds like a lot of rocks," one reporter observed.

"Yeah," he said, "it's tough.  It' the ones that you can't see. Obviously the big ones that are sitting on top of you, you can move them, but I had where I could see them but they were in the sand."

On his recent form, he spoke about returning to the original lofts on his clubs just before Korea, where he just had an instinct to bend them back. But while he spoke about the present, the most interesting elements of his biography came to mind; the pedigree that included a grandfather drafted by the Lakers and a father who starred in high school football; the teenage hustler who won money against grown men at his club in Columbia, S.C., after he finished his shift on the maintenance crew; the dark turn when he became involved on the fringes of a theft and murder investigation; the rebirth under a "hardass" coach at Coastal Carolina; the quick rise on the PGA Tour; the heartbreaks at majors until the breakthrough at Oakmont, followed five years later by the COVID Masters; the wild rumors, the wild suspension, the wild marriage, and the disappearing act that took the wild away.

There's more salt with the pepper in his beard these days, but nothing else about him feels particularly old or lost, and his natural talent is still obvious at a glance. Nevertheless, the events of the last few years have made DJ seem like golf's forgotten man. He made us remember him again on Friday, even if it didn't last very long, and all things considered, it was a good memory, and maybe even a poignant one—a reminder of the small pleasures we've lost in the torrents of history that still sweep a divided sport through its most turbulent decade.

DJ, take us back.

MORE GOLF DIGEST U.S. OPEN COVERAGE

U.S. Open 101: Answering all your frequently asked questions How to watch the 2026 U.S. Open First and second round tee times at Shinnecock Hills Power Rankings: Every player in the U.S. Open field, ranked Here’s the record prize money payout for each golfer at the U.S. Open Video: Every hole at Shinnecock Hills Why can't the USGA get Shinnecock Hills right? Our interactive guide explains What’s a ‘good’ shot at Shinnecock? The difference between our editos and tour average Breaking down Scottie Scheffler’s chances to complete the career Grand Slam Every chip shot you’ll see at Shinnecock Hills, explained

France XV (14) 35

Tries: Depoortere, Arfeuil, Le Garrec, Hastoy, Brau-Boirie Cons: Hastoy (4), Desperes

England (12) 19

Tries: Murley, M Smith, Ojomoh Con: Ford 2

A France XV proved too skilful for England in the teams' non-Test summer warm-up in Vannes, easing away to a comfortable victory that demonstrated their greater strength in depth.

A nicely worked try by Cadan Murley in the opening minute gave England a flying start, but they were soon reeled in once France's quicksilver handling game got up to speed.

The hosts' lead was two points at the break, but two superb tries within five minutes of the restart, combined with England's set-piece wilting in the final quarter, sealed Steve Borthwick's side's fate.

While England were without Northampton and Exeter stars before their clubs' meeting in the Prem final on Saturday, France were similarly affected by their own domestic play-offs.

Toulouse, Racing 92, Stade Francais and Montpellier all retained their internationals as they prepare for the Top 14 semi-finals.

However, with seven starters from European champions Bordeaux-Begles, France showed more cohesion.

Borthwick will draw positives from the performances of wings Noah Caluori and Murley, Ted Hill's energy up front and an enterprising cameo from replacement scrum-half Raffi Quirke.

Benhard Janse van Rensburg, the South African-born Bristol centre, came off the bench and could have had a try, but spilled the ball over the line as he cut a good line from inside centre.

England's summer continues with a formidable Nations Championship opener away to South Africa in Johannesburg on 4 July, before matches against Fiji and Argentina on subsequent weekends.

England strike first, but France run out convincing winners

England's very first attack delivered a sublime try for Murley as Seb Atkinson ran hard, pulled a pass out the back and accurate work from Harry Randall and Caluori transferred wide for the Harlequins man to hold off the covering Theo Attisogbe and get in at the corner.

That slick first-phase score arrived inside 50 seconds.

France got a grip on much of the rest of the first half.

England hooker Theo Dan had already managed to deny Esteban Capilla, ripping the ball loose over the tryline, before Nicolas Depoortere, playing for the first time since dislocating his shoulder in the Six Nations defeat by Scotland in March, barged over on eight minutes.

The lively Gregoire Arfeuil followed soon after, gliding onto Yoram Moefana's neat inside ball to give France a 14-5 lead.

England's attempts to fight back were undermined by understandable handling errors from a make-shift side, also lacking mainstays such as Maro Itoje, Ben Earl, Ollie Chessum, Ben Spencer and Joe Heyes, in their first match of the summer.

Despite that there were promising combinations between Max Ojomoh and Murley in wide channels and full-back Marcus Smith dovetailed nicely with fly-half George Ford, stepping in to first receiver at times.

And on the stroke of half-time, another first-phase strike move delivered with Caluori in off his wing to put Smith into a hole. Smith stepped off his left foot, leaving the cover defence behind, and went in under the posts to take his team down the tunnel just two points adrift at 14-12.

But France's determination not to die with the ball and daring to run it from deep paid off after the break.

Scrum-half Nolann Le Garrec, playing at his boyhood club, scampered over for a hugely popular score before Antoine Hastoy wormed over at the end of another sweeping move that England could never pin down.

Caluori had a try wiped off from a knock-on by replacement hooker Jamie Blamire, but England couldn't get a real toehold as they toiled at the set-piece.

A horrible defensive lapse allowed Baptiste Jauneau to tap-and-go through the heart of where the visiting defence should be and put fellow replacement Fabien Brau-Boirie under the posts for a 33-12 lead with two minutes to go.

England rallied too little, too late, with Ojomoh going in from a smart, flat mis-pass from captain Ford in the final play of the match.

France: Attissogbe; Ambadiang, Depoortere, Moefana, Arfeuil; Hastoy, Le Garrec; Poirot, Lamothe, Falatea, Guillard (c), Staniforth, Matiu, Capilla, Gazzotti

Replacements: Massa, Wardi, Montagne, Palu, Tixeront, Jauneau, Desperes, Brau-Boirie

England XV: M Smith; Caluori, Ojomoh, S Atkinson, Murley; Ford, Randall; Opoku-Fordjour, Dan, Kloska, Ewels, Martin, Hill, Curry, Dombrandt.

Replacements: Blamire, Obano, Sela, Isiekwe, Kenningham, Quirke, Janse van Rensburg, Radwan.

Canada's Ismaël Koné is set to fully recover from a broken leg sustained in the 6-0 World Cup win over Qatar.

"Last night, Ismaël Koné underwent successful surgery to repair a lower limb fracture. He is expected to make a full recovery but will miss the remainder of FIFA World Cup 2026. You will come back stronger, Isma!" a statement from the Canada team said on Friday.

Coach Jesse Marsch said "everyone could hear the bone snap" following Thursday's incident in Vancouver, which led to Assim Madibo's red card for a reckless tackle.

Koné, who waved to fans from the stretcher despite the pain, wrote on Instagram: "Your love and support has been felt, honestly thank you so much. You can't even imagine how grateful I am to everyone who reached out and that has me in their prayers.

"To Canadian brothers, as I turned myself into assistant coach to support you from the sideline - I wanted you to know that I love you guys from the bottom of my heart and our brotherhood is everything to me. What you guys did yesterday will stay with me forever."

Tajon Buchanan also fractured his leg during Copa America training in 2024 and Canada team mate Moïse Bombito suffered the same injury in October.

Striker Cyle Larin told One Soccer: "It is hard in the moment because it has happened to a couple of players and when it happened it is hard to just digest. We'll be there for Koné.

Asked if they would now try to wrap up first spot in Group B on his behalf after Canada's first ever men's World Cup win, first goalscorer Larin added: "We are going go all the way and we are going to try to do it."

Bombito visited Koné in hospital to show him a quick recovery was possible - even if Koné's World Cup is over.

Bombito hopes to make his first start since his injury against Switzerland on Wednesday, when a victory will make the hosts group winners.

Isaiah Stewart emerges as trade candidate as Pistons seek more shooting originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Detroit Pistons are reportedly exploring trade possibilities involving veteran big man Isaiah Stewart as the franchise looks to improve its perimeter shooting and playmaking heading into the 2026-27 season.

According to league sources, Detroit is willing to listen to offers for Stewart, who has two years and approximately $30 million remaining on his contract. The final year of the deal includes a team option, making him an appealing target for teams seeking frontcourt depth without a long-term financial commitment.

Stewart has been a valuable contributor since being drafted by Detroit in 2020. During the 2025-26 season, he averaged 10.0 points, 5.0 rebounds , and 1.1 assists while shooting 55% from the field. He also continued to expand his range, connecting on 33%  of his three-point attempts while providing physical defense and toughness in the paint.

Known around the league for his relentless energy and defensive versatility, Stewart has appeared in more than 350 career games and has become one of Detroit’s most dependable rotation players. However, with the Pistons focused on surrounding their young core with more offensive firepower, the front office appears willing to explore alternatives.

Push for playmaking and floor spacing

One reason Detroit may feel comfortable moving Stewart is the presence of veteran forward-center Paul Reed. Reed is expected to take on a larger role if Stewart is traded. Last season, Reed averaged 7.8 points and 4.5 rebounds in limited minutes while providing strong defensive activity and rebounding off the bench.

The Pistons are coming off one of their most competitive seasons in recent years and are looking to build around their emerging young stars. Adding more floor spacing and secondary playmaking remains a priority as Detroit attempts to take another step toward becoming a consistent playoff contender in the Eastern Conference.

Several teams are expected to express interest in Stewart because of his combination of age, defensive ability, and team-friendly contract structure. As the offseason trade market heats up, Stewart could become one of the more intriguing names available as Detroit continues reshaping its roster for the future.

More NBA news:

• Mavericks once again linked to rising international forward and for good reason
• The one reason Bucks are turning down every Giannis Antetokounmpo offer
• De’Aaron Fox’s Spurs future revealed after NBA Finals disaster and it’s hardly a surprise
• Giannis Antetokounmpo trade idea involves 8 players, 5 picks and a $285 million star
• Shaquille O'Neal identifies what Victor Wembanyama needs to do after Spurs' Finals collapse

The NFL Draft is unquestionably the most important event on the NFL offseason calendar. Franchises are built on the backs of the scouting department putting in the work, and the front office using those reports and making the right decisions. While the round one players get all the love, the seventh-round gems are just as important to these rosters.

Daire Carragher of Pro Football Focus (PFF) has the fun idea to go and make an entire, all-NFL seventh-round roster, heading into the 2026 season. On this roster, there were multiple Minnesota Vikings who made the cut:

• Jauan Jennings, WR
• Will Fries, IOL
• Michael Jurgens, IOL

All three players taken in the seventh round of their drafts made the cut, and all three could play a key part in the Vikings' success in 2026. Jennings is expected to be the WR3, Fries has a starting guard spot, and Jurgens is a rotational piece with starting experience.

Minnesota had one seventh-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, Gavin Gerhardt, C, out of Cincinnati. With the center position being a question mark this offseason, maybe there is a pathway where someone does this kind of exercise in future years, and we see Gerhardt make the cut.

This article originally appeared on Vikings Wire: Vikings have some gems from the 7th round in previous NFL Draft

Your Samsung phone has two great features to safeguard your data and privacy under the Theft Protection section. This intelligent feature kit provides a necessary shield to your Galaxy phone in case it gets stolen while you use it.

Think you are roaming outside and using your phone for surfing or attending an important phone call. You suddenly come to know that someone snatched your device from your hands, leaving you shocked at the moment.

Smartphones are no longer just communication devices. They have become a crucial part of our lives as they store credentials, digital keys, banking apps, and digital identity. Losing the phone means you are losing almost everything you digitized.

Samsung phones have a Theft Detection feature, but it must be enabled manually. When enabled, it ensures your phone locks itself if a possible theft is detected. It has been designed brilliantly and works the way it should.

Smartphone theft can happen unexpectedly, but taking a few minutes to enable Theft Protection can help safeguard your data and privacy.

The suite of these intelligent security tools can automatically lock your Samsung smartphone when theft is detected, lock a phone when it goes offline for an extended period, and even allow users to remotely lock their device.

Technically, Theft Detection Lock can identify motion patterns commonly associated with theft, such as a device being suddenly snatched away from a user. If suspicious activity is detected, the smartphone screen automatically locks.

Here’s a step-by-step guide to enable the Theft Detection feature:

Step 1: Open Settings and tap Security and privacy
Step 2: Tap Lost device protection
Step 3: Select Theft protection
Step 4: Tap Theft Detection Lock
Step 5: Tap Turn on
Step 6: Tap Offline Device Lock
Step 7: Tap Turn on
Step 8: Tap Remote Lock and select Use Remote Lock to enable the feature

The post How to activate Theft Protection features on your Samsung phone appeared first on Sammy Fans.

Once again, we are expecting a price hike for the latest Radeon RX 9000 series GPUs as the DRAM market keeps pushing prices of components upwards. AMD to Raise RX 9000 Series GPU Price by 10-15%, While NVIDIA is Expected to Continue With the Current Price Trends AMD might be implementing another price hike soon, as reported by Gazlog. It's not the first time, and it certainly doesn't appear to be the last time we see such a price hike. For the last 6 months, we have been witnessing major GPU manufacturers and AIBs adjusting the prices for their GPUs […]

Read full article at https://wccftech.com/amd-reportedly-plots-another-10-15-rx-9000-price-hike-as-the-rampocalypse-swallows-the-gpu-market/

There is not really much that can be said when your own PR firm, typically populated with people who are most adept at putting a positive spin on even the most cataclysmic of disasters, won't step up to defend your product, as the Poplar Group appears to have just done, leaving Trump Mobile's beseiged T1 Phone in the lurch. Poplar Group has now reportedly abandoned its one-year-long PR-related association with Trump Mobile, leaving the T1 Phone in the lurch Trump Mobile had reportedly entered into a PR services contract with the Poplar Group back in June 2025. Now, just around […]

Read full article at https://wccftech.com/trump-mobiles-pr-firm-just-walked-away-from-the-embattled-t1-phone-indicating-just-how-precarious-the-optics-have-become/

After imposing their scoring power against Paraguay, USMNT face Australia in their second match of the 2026 World Cup. Because both teams earned a victory in their first match, the winner would establish as the leader of Group D, making it a very important game. Nevertheless, the match is expected to be quite competitive, as Mauricio Pochettino’s offensive setup will clash against Tony Popovic’s defensive approach.

Without being one of the most favored teams, Australia managed to surprise everyone by defeating Türkiye in convincing fashion. Without their offensive side being the brightest, they imposed their powerful counterattack as their greatest strength. Nevertheless, their defensive side is the brightest, as the high press and numerous defenders suffocate opponents. Therefore, they could make the game difficult for Mauricio Pochettino’s team.

USMNT have managed to become one of the most solid national teams on the offensive side. Alongside the scoring power of Folarin Balogun, Mauricio Pochettino relies on Max Tillman, and Weston McKennie as creative focal points. With this, they manage to be quite differential, dominating possession and being quite effective. Because of this, they are expected to be dominant, relying on the spaces behind Australia as a key axis.

The debate between Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi has followed soccer for nearly two decades, and the 2026 World Cup has added another fascinating chapter to their historic rivalry. While Portugal’s opening match ended in disappointment, a new headline emerged from Houston as Ronaldo reached yet another landmark that further strengthened his remarkable legacy.

The result itself was far from ideal for Portugal, which was held to a 1-1 draw by DR Congo in its opening Group K fixture. Yet amid the frustration, attention quickly shifted toward a milestone that could keep Ronaldo’s name in the record books for years to come, while leaving Messi with one more achievement to pursue.

The Selecao das Quinas entered the tournament with high expectations and appeared to be on course for victory when Joao Neves gave the side an early lead. However, DR Congo responded brilliantly, with Yoane Wissa scoring the nation’s first-ever World Cup goal to secure a historic point.

Despite controlling possession, Portugal struggled to convert dominance into meaningful chances. The African side remained organized throughout the contest and frustrated Roberto Martinez’s team with disciplined defending and effective counterattacks. The draw leaves Group K wide open ahead of Portugal’s upcoming matches against Uzbekistan and Colombia.

Ronaldo reaches another historic World Cup milestone

While the result disappointed Portuguese supporters, the match itself marked another extraordinary achievement for Ronaldo. The Portugal captain joined Lionel Messi as only the second player in soccer history to appear in six different FIFA World Cups. The milestone further cemented his place among the sport’s most enduring stars.

The achievement arrived during what is already becoming one of the most memorable World Cups ever staged. Messi had grabbed headlines less than 24 hours earlier after scoring a hat-trick for Argentina against Algeria, once again proving why he remains one of soccer’s greatest performers. Yet Ronaldo responded by creating a piece of history of his own.

The record that Messi will chase next

The biggest talking point from Ronaldo’s appearance was the age-related record he established. Aged 41 years and 132 days, Cristiano Ronaldo became the oldest outfield player to start a match in FIFA World Cup history, according to Opta. The previous record belonged to Canada’s Atiba Hutchinson, who started a World Cup match at 39 years and 296 days during the 2022 tournament.

Only a handful of outfield players have ever appeared at a World Cup after turning 40. Cameroon legend Roger Milla famously played at the 1994 World Cup at age 42, although his appearances came as a substitute.

The milestone means Messi still has a significant record left to chase. The Argentina captain will turn 39 shortly on June 24. Thus, if he somehow extends his career until the 2030 World Cup at the age of 43, he could potentially surpass Ronaldo’s age-related achievement.

Match Overview

Scotland enters its second group stage match in a commanding position. After securing a crucial 1-0 victory over Haiti, Steve Clarke’s side sits atop Group C. While the performance was far from dominant, the three points provide a vital cushion, meaning a draw against Morocco would be enough to secure a place in the knockout rounds for the first time in the nation’s history.

Morocco, meanwhile, comes into this clash fueled by confidence after a spectacular performance in their 1-1 draw against Brazil. The reigning AFCON champions were fearless, taking the game to the South American giants and demonstrating their quality on the global stage. Despite having only one point, their display has marked them as the favorites, and they will be playing with urgency to claim a win and bolster their qualification hopes.

Tactical Analysis & Match Context

The opening round of matches painted two very different pictures for these teams. Scotland, despite the win, looked vulnerable against Haiti, matching them on expected goals (1.05 xG) and conceding 15 shots. Their victory was a result of grit rather than control, and it highlighted potential weaknesses, particularly in midfield, that a team of Morocco’s caliber could exploit.

This match projects to be a classic clash of styles. Morocco is expected to dominate possession, using the technical skill and pace of their attackers to break down Scotland’s defense. Their aggressive start against Brazil, where they fired off five shots in the first ten minutes, signals their intent to play on the front foot. Scotland, in response, will likely adopt a pragmatic, defensive posture, aiming to absorb pressure and hit Morocco on the counter-attack.

The motivations for each side will define the flow of the game. For Scotland, a single point guarantees passage to the Round of 32, so a disciplined, low-risk approach is probable. For Morocco, anything less than a victory could complicate their path out of the group. This dynamic sets up a fascinating tactical battle where Morocco’s attacking ambition will test Scotland’s defensive resilience to its limits.

Head-to-Head Record & Historic Trends

These two nations have a limited but significant history, having met just once before in a major tournament. That encounter took place during the group stage of the 1998 tournament in France, which was also the last time Scotland qualified for the finals before the current competition.

In that decisive 1998 match, Morocco emerged as comfortable 3-0 victors, with goals from Salaheddine Bassir and Abdeljalil Hadda ending Scotland‘s campaign. This historical result gives Morocco a psychological edge, as they have previously triumphed when the stakes were high against this very opponent.

Looking at broader trends, Morocco has faced European opposition 18 times in the tournament, recording four wins, seven draws, and seven losses. Scotland, conversely, has only played against an African (CAF) nation twice in its history, with a record of one win and one loss—that loss being the aforementioned defeat to Morocco.

Squad News & Projected Lineups

Morocco enters this crucial fixture with a clean bill of health, while Scotland is managing a minor defensive injury concern.

For Scotland, the primary question mark is over defender Scott McKenna, who missed the opener with a calf issue. Manager Steve Clarke is unlikely to risk him, meaning he will probably stick with the same starting eleven that got the job done against Haiti. The rest of the squad is fit and ready, prepared for a stern defensive test.

Morocco reports no injuries following their demanding draw with Brazil. Their impressive performance suggests that few, if any, changes will be made to the lineup. The confidence and cohesion displayed against one of the tournament favorites will be a major asset as they look to secure their first win.

Scotland Projected XI (4-4-2): Gunn; Robertson, Hanley, Hendry, Hickey; McGinn, Ferguson, McTominay, Gannon-Doak; Shankland, Adams.
This lineup reflects a pragmatic approach, rewarding the players who secured the opening-day victory. The structure is designed for defensive solidity, relying on the midfield work rate of McTominay and McGinn to disrupt Morocco’s rhythm while looking to release Che Adams and Lawrence Shankland on the break.

Morocco Projected XI (4-2-3-1): Bono; Mazraoui, Riad, Diop, Hakimi; El Aynaoui, Bouaddi; El Khannouss, Ounahi, Díaz; Saibari.
This formation allows Morocco to leverage its technical superiority in midfield and attack. With creative forces like Azzedine Ounahi and Brahim Díaz supporting Ismael Saibari, who scored against Brazil, this lineup is built to control possession and create numerous scoring opportunities against a deep-lying Scottish defense.

More details on how to watch

You can watch the Scotland vs Morocco match on Fubo. The service is accessible on a wide range of devices, including computers, smartphones, tablets, and smart TVs such as Roku, Apple TV, and Amazon Fire TV.

In addition to the 2026 tournament, a subscription to Fubo gives you access to a host of other top-tier soccer competitions. You can stream leagues like Liga MX, LaLiga, and major cup tournaments from around the world.

A subscription to Fubo costs $14.99 per month, providing an extensive library of live and on-demand sports content. The platform often runs special promotions or bundles, so be sure to check for the latest offers.

SEE MORE: Schedule of World Cup games on US TV

How to watch anywhere with VPN

If you’re abroad, you may need to use a virtual private network (VPN) in order to watch games using your usual streaming service. A VPN, such as Nord VPN, allows you to establish a secure connection online when streaming.

The United States enters a crucial Group D showdown with Australia carrying momentum, confidence, and the expectation of another strong performance. Yet ahead of the match in Seattle, one major talking point has dominated discussion around the squad, with Christian Pulisic‘s absence from the lineup becoming the focus of attention.

After opening the 2026 World Cup with an emphatic victory, the host nation finds itself in a strong position. Australia also arrives full of belief following an impressive result of its own, setting up a meeting between two teams aiming to take a significant step toward the Round of 32.

The USMNT made a statement in its opening World Cup match, defeating Paraguay 4-1 in a performance many described as one of the strongest under Pochettino’s leadership. Folarin Balogun stole the headlines with a brace, while the attacking unit consistently caused problems throughout the match.

The result pushed the United States to the top of Group D and reinforced growing optimism around the team’s chances of making a deep run on home soil. On the other hand, Australia also enjoyed a memorable start, defeating Turkiye 2-0 despite entering the match as the underdog.

That victory placed the Socceroos level on points with the Americans and created a high-stakes encounter between the group’s two early winners. A victory for either nation would move it significantly closer to securing qualification for the knockout stage and potentially claiming first place in the group.

The reason why Christian Pulisic is missing

The United States will surely benefit from a strong home record in Seattle. The national team has never lost at Lumen Field, and the expected crowd of more than 69,000 supporters is set to create a vibrant atmosphere.

With so much on the line, the Americans hoped to have all their stars available. However, attention soon shifted to Pulisic’s fitness. The reason for the star forward’s absence stems from a left calf injury suffered during the opening match against Paraguay.

The American forward was outstanding during the first half of that game and registered an assist before being substituted at halftime. According to the 27-year-old himself, he had already taken a knock to the same area shortly before the tournament began and then received another kick during the match.

Initially, Pulisic attempted to ease concerns: “I’ve had similar things before. I’m staying positive. I don’t think it’s anything.” Despite that optimism, the winger spent the week training separately from the main group.

He completed modified sessions, worked individually with fitness staff, and was frequently seen wearing a protective sleeve on his left calf. As a result, Pochettino and the medical staff opted for caution rather than risking their most influential player in the second group-stage match.

What did Mauricio Pochettino say?

Speaking before the Australia clash, Pochettino confirmed that a final decision would be made after discussions with the medical team. “Tonight, we have a meeting with our medical staff. We will assess the whole group,” the coach explained.

He also delivered an encouraging update regarding the player’s progress: “He’s evolving and much better from Friday. We will see.” Pochettino remained optimistic that the issue would not keep Pulisic out for long: “If he’s not available tomorrow, he’ll be back for the next game.”

The Argentine emphasized the effort Pulisic has made throughout the recovery process. “Christian is strong and has a great mentality and is doing a fantastic effort to try to be ready as soon as possible”, the USMNT boss added.

Match Overview

The USA returns to action in a pivotal Group D clash, looking to build on a spectacular opening-day performance. After dismantling Paraguay 4-1, Mauricio Pochettino‘s squad has sent a clear message that the pressure of hosting the tournament is fuel, not a burden. With a high-energy system and a roaring home crowd in Seattle, the USMNT aims to take a commanding step toward the knockout rounds.

Australia enters this matchup as a giant-killer in the making. The Socceroos defied expectations with a disciplined and resilient 2-0 victory over Turkiye, showcasing a defensive grit that could frustrate the American attack. For Tony Popovic‘s young and fearless squad, this match is an opportunity to prove their opening win was no fluke and to spoil the party for the co-hosts on their own soil.

Tactical Analysis & Match Context

This game presents a fascinating clash of trajectories. The USA began its campaign with the commanding authority expected of a host nation, demonstrating lethal efficiency in front of goal. In contrast, Australia embraced the underdog role, absorbing immense pressure from Turkiye and executing a perfect counter-attacking game plan. The Americans’ momentum is built on offensive firepower, while Australia‘s confidence stems from its newfound defensive steel.

The tactical battle will be decided by whether the USA’s high-pressing, possession-dominant style can break down Australia‘s organized low-block. Pochettino‘s system relies on relentless pressure and quick ball recovery, but Popovic‘s 5-4-1 formation proved incredibly difficult to penetrate. The key will be whether the US can find a way through the disciplined Australian lines or if the Socceroos can once again capitalize on fast transitions.

With both teams securing three points in their opening fixtures, the motivation is clear: consolidate a position at the top of Group D. A victory for either side would be a massive stride toward securing qualification for the knockout stage. For the USA, it’s about meeting expectations and delighting the home fans. For Australia, it’s about continuing to upset the established order and proving they are serious contenders.

Head-to-Head Record & Historic Trends

While this is the first meeting between the USA and Australia at a major tournament, the two nations have faced off twice before in international friendlies. The historical record favors the Americans, who have won both previous encounters. This provides a psychological edge for the host nation heading into this crucial group stage match.

Their most recent clash was in October 2025, a match the USA won 2-1 thanks to a brace from striker Haji Wright. That game offered a glimpse into the dynamics of this matchup, with the US controlling possession and Australia looking to strike on the break. The narrow scoreline suggests that despite the USA‘s historical dominance, the Socceroos are more than capable of competing.

A notable trend from their past games is that both teams have found the back of the net in each meeting. The USA has a 5-2 aggregate goal difference across the two matches. Interestingly, this will be Australia‘s first-ever World Cup match against a CONCACAF opponent, adding a layer of unpredictability to the encounter.

Squad News & Projected Lineups

The USA heads into this second group game with fitness concerns over key attackers, while Australia arrives at full strength and brimming with confidence.

Mauricio Pochettino faces a nervous wait on the status of Folarin Balogun, who scored twice against Paraguay before leaving with a muscle issue. Similarly, star player Christian Pulisic was substituted at halftime as a precaution for a calf concern. While Pochettino remains optimistic about their availability, their fitness will be monitored closely ahead of kickoff.

In stark contrast, Australia coach Tony Popovic has a fully fit squad to choose from. After a flawless defensive performance and an unexpected victory against Turkiye, there is no pressure to make changes. The young squad, which featured ten tournament debutants, is riding a wave of momentum and will be eager to test themselves against the hosts.

USA Projected XI (4-1-2-3): Freese; Robinson, Richards, Ream, Freeman; Adams; McKennie, Tillman; Pulisic, Dest; Balogun.
Assuming Balogun and Pulisic are passed fit, expect Pochettino to field an unchanged lineup to maintain momentum. The attacking trio’s fluid movement and ability to convert chances will be critical to breaking down Australia’s disciplined defense.

Australia Projected XI (5-4-1): Beach; Italiano, Circati, Souttar, Burgess, Bos; Metcalfe, O’Neill, Okon-Engstler, Irankunda; Toure.
Popovic will likely stick with the same system and personnel that secured the historic win over Turkiye. Goalkeeper Patrick Beach, who made a record eight saves, will be vital once again, while the team will look to winger Nestory Irankunda to create opportunities on the counter-attack.

More details on how to watch

You can watch the USA vs Australia match on Fubo. The service is available on a wide range of devices, including smart TVs, computers, tablets, and mobile phones, ensuring you can catch the action from anywhere.

In addition to the tournament, a subscription to Fubo gives you access to a host of other top soccer competitions from around the world. You can enjoy coverage of major European leagues and other international tournaments all year long.

A subscription costs just $14.99/month, offering incredible value for soccer fans. The plan includes live and on-demand content, allowing you to re-watch classic matches and highlights at your convenience.

SEE MORE: Find our full schedule of World Cup games on US TV.

How to watch anywhere with VPN

If you’re abroad, you may need to use a virtual private network (VPN) in order to watch games using your usual streaming service. A VPN, such as Nord VPN, allows you to establish a secure connection online when streaming.

The FIFA World Cup has delivered unforgettable goals, dramatic upsets, and emotional celebrations throughout its history. It has also produced moments when discipline became the defining story, leaving national teams to battle with fewer players after costly dismissals. One particular edition stands above all the others for the number of red cards shown, making it one of the most controversial tournaments in soccer history.

From the earliest tournaments to the modern era of VAR, red cards have shaped countless World Cup matches. Some dismissals changed the course of title races, while others became iconic moments that are still discussed decades later. Before the introduction of colored cards, referees still had the authority to send players off, although they relied solely on verbal instructions and hand gestures.

The first recorded World Cup dismissal came in 1930, when Peru captain Placido Galindo was expelled during a group-stage match against Romania after protesting a referee’s decision and becoming involved in a heated confrontation.

To make disciplinary decisions easier to understand across different languages and cultures, FIFA introduced the yellow and red card system at the 1970 World Cup in Mexico. Interestingly, although the cards were available for the first time, no player received a red card during that tournament.

The World Cup edition with the most red cards

As soccer became faster and more physical, disciplinary records steadily increased. The 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany remains the tournament with the highest number of dismissals, producing an incredible 28 red cards across 64 matches.

That edition became famous for several explosive encounters, none more memorable than the infamous “Battle of Nuremberg” between Portugal and the Netherlands. Referee Valentin Ivanov issued 16 yellow cards and four red cards, making it the most ill-tempered match in World Cup history.

Another unforgettable moment arrived in the tournament’s final when France captain Zinedine Zidane was sent off for headbutting Italy defender Marco Materazzi during extra time. The dismissal marked one of the most shocking endings to an iconic international career and remains one of the defining moments in World Cup history.

Red card trends throughout World Cup history

Disciplinary records have fluctuated significantly across different tournaments. Early editions generally featured very few dismissals, although matches were often highly physical and referees lacked the visual card system that exists today.

Following the introduction of red cards in 1974, the numbers gradually increased before reaching their peak during the 1990s and 2000s. The 1990 tournament produced 16 dismissals, 1998 recorded 19, and 2006 established the all-time record with 28.

In contrast, recent tournaments have seen a dramatic decline. Both the 2018 World Cup in Russia and the 2022 tournament in Qatar produced only four red cards each, making them the cleanest editions in the modern era.

Many observers attribute this decline to improvements in officiating, greater emphasis on player discipline, and the arrival of Video Assistant Referee (VAR), which has helped referees make more accurate decisions during critical incidents.

National teams with the most World Cup red cards

Some national teams have accumulated far more dismissals than others over the years. Brazil holds the unwanted record with 11 red cards in World Cup history, reflecting both its long participation record and several controversial moments.

Argentina follows with 10 red cards, while Uruguay has collected nine. Cameroon, Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, Nigeria, Portugal, and Russia also rank among the teams with the highest disciplinary totals across multiple tournaments.

Individual records that still stand

Several individual dismissals have become permanent parts of World Cup folklore. Uruguay’s Jose Batista remains the fastest player ever sent off, receiving a red card just 56 seconds into a match against Scotland during the 1986 tournament.

Only two players have ever been dismissed twice at the World Cup. Cameroon defender Rigobert Song received red cards in 1994 and 1998, while France legend Zinedine Zidane was sent off in both 1998 and the unforgettable 2006 final.

Goalkeepers have rarely suffered the same fate. Only Gianluca Pagliuca (Italy), Itumeleng Khune (South Africa), and Wayne Hennessey (Wales) have been dismissed during World Cup matches.

The chances of seeing take on have been dealt a major blow. Haney and Stevenson have been linked to a fight with one another in recent weeks, as each man looks to plan their respective next moves following arguable career-best wins last time out. Back in November, Haney successfully stepped up to 147lbs and defeated […]

The post Devin Haney vs Shakur Stevenson dealt major blow as WBO makes it clear who Haney must fight next appeared first on Boxing News.

Türkiye Sigorta Basketbol Süper Ligi final serisinde Fenerbahçe Beko, Beşiktaş GAİN'i 3-1 yendi. Sarı-lacivertliler, Tarık Biberovic'in bitime 1.9 saniye kala attığı üçlükle Beşiktaş GAİN'i 77-75 mağlup ederek üst üste 3., toplamda 13. şampiyonluğunu ilan etti.

Türkiye Sigorta Basketbol Süper Ligi play-off final serisi dördüncü maçında Fenerbahçe Beko, deplasmanda Beşiktaş GAİN'i 77-75 yendi.

Bu sonuçla seriyi 3-1 kazanan Fenerbahçe Beko, şampiyonluğa ulaştı.

Derbinin ilk iki dakikasında taraflar skor üretemedi. İki takım da rakibine kolay basket şansı vermezken Beşiktaş GAİN, Sertaç Şanlı'nın dış atış isabetiyle 5. dakikayı 8-6 önde geçti. Takımlar bu çeyrekte üst üste dış atış isabetleri buldu. Fenerbahçe Beko karşısında hücumda topu iyi paylaşan siyah-beyazlılar, 9. dakikayı 20-13, birinci periyodu da 20-16 önde tamamladı.

İkinci çeyreğe Jantunen ve Baldwin'in basketleriyle giren Fenerbahçe, 11. dakika biterken eşitliği (20-20) yakaladı. Bu periyotta oyun, düşük tempoda devam etti. Hücumlarda üst üste isabet bulamayan sarı-lacivertliler karşısında Yiğit Arslan ile üç sayılık basket kaydeden Beşiktaş, 16. dakikada farkı 10 sayıya çıkardı: 34-24. Farkı bir ara 11 sayıya (43-32) çıkaran siyah-beyazlılar, devreye 45-40 üstün girdi.

Serinin üçüncü maçına oranla savunmada ve ribauntlarda daha etkili oyun sergileyen Beşiktaş, 22. dakikada farkı yeniden 11 sayıya yükseltti: 51-40. Arka arkaya hücumlardan skor üretemeyen Beşiktaş önünde 9-0'lık seri yakalayan Fenerbahçe, 25. dakikada farkı 2 sayıya indirdi: 51-49. Taraftarının da desteğini arkasına alarak son bölümde Thomas ve Dotson ile potaya giden siyah-beyazlılar, final periyoduna 4 sayılık (60-56) avantajla gitti.

Beşiktaş GAİN, son çeyreğe Dotson'ın peş peşe üç sayılık basketlerle girdi: 66-58. Savunmada kritik anlarda rakibini durduran siyah-beyazlılar, Yiğit Arslan'ın üç sayılık basketiyle son 4 dakikaya 71-65 önde girdi. Horton-Tucker ile serbest atış çizgisinde hata yapmayan Fenerbahçe Beko, oyuncunun pota altından kaydettiği basketle de 3 dakika kala farkı yeniden 2'ye (71-69) düşürdü. Son dakika içinde Yiğit Arslan'ın kaptırdığı topun ardından sarı-lacivertli ekip, 4 saniye kala Tarık Biberovic ile üç sayılık basketle skoru değiştirdi ve öne geçti: 75-77. Beşiktaş GAİN, son hücumu sayıyla sonuçlandıramadı ve Fenerbahçe Beko mücadeleyi 77-75 kazanarak 2025-26 sezonu şampiyonu oldu.

2026 FIFA Dünya Kupası D Grubu'nda Amerika Birleşik Devletleri ile Avustralya karşı karşıya geliyor. Zorlu mücadele TSİ 22:00'de başladı.

2026 Dünya Kupası D Grubu'ndaki ikinci maçında ABD,Avustralya ile karşı karşıya geliyor.

Grubun ilk maçlarında ABD,Paraguay'ı 4-1 yenerek 3 puanı hanesine yazdırmıştı.

Avustralya ise Türkiye'yi 2-0 mağlup ederek üç puanın sahibi olmuştu.

ABD - AVUSTRALYA MAÇI HANGİ KANALDA?

19 Haziran Cuma TSİ 22.00'de başlayan ABD - Avustralya maçı Seattle Stadı'nda oynanıyor. Mücadele TRT 1'den canlı yayımlanıyor.

ABD - AVUSTRALYA MAÇI İLK 11'LER

ABD: Freese, Dest, Richards, Robinson, Ream, Freeman, Adams, McKennie, Tillman, Pepi, Balogun.

Avustralya:Beach, Circati, Italiano, Bos, Souttar, Burgess, O'Neill, Okon-Engstler, Leckie, Toure, Velupillay.

13 Haziran 2026 | ABD 4-1 Paraguay

14 Haziran 2026 | Avustralya 2-0 Türkiye

19 Haziran 2026 | ABD - Avustralya (22.00)

20 Haziran 2026 | Türkiye - Paraguay (06.00)

26 Haziran 2026 | Paraguay - Avustralya (05.00)

26 Haziran 2026 | Türkiye - ABD (05.00)

ABD 3 puan

Avustralya 3 puan

Türkiye 0 puan

Paraguay 0 puan

Galatasaray Teknik Direktörü Okan Buruk, katıldığı programda gündemdeki gelişmeleri değerlendirdi. Buruk, sarı-kırmızılı ekiple sözleşme görüşmeleri devam eden Mauro Icardi hakkında konuştu.

Galatasaray Teknik Direktörü Okan Buruk, 343 Digital Youtube kanalına açıklamalarda bulundu.

Buruk, sözleşme teklifi yapılan Mauro Icardi için konuştu. Arjantinli oyuncunun mutsuzluğunu açıklayan tecrübeli antrenör sözleşme konusuna da değindi.

Mauro Icardi'nin az süre almaktan şikayetçi olduğunu dile getiren Okan Buruk'un açıklamaları:

“Mauro'yla ilgili görüşümüzü teklif yaparak belli ettik. Başkanımız ona bir teklif yaptı. Menajeriyle birebir başkanımız görüşüyor. Kulüp olarak bir teklif yaptık, oradaki düşüncemizi aslında belli ettik. Onlar da düşünüyorlar. Bizim için çok önemli, benim için de çok önemli. Bu sene sakatlıktan sonra Eylül ayında oynayabilecek duruma geldi. Geçmiş senelere göre aynı şeyi bulması kolay değil. Bir de geçmiş senelerde oynadıkça form tutuyordu, Mauro şu tarz bir oyuncu değil; hafta içi tüm antrenmanları yapsın, bütün şeyi çalışsın tipinden çok, maç oynayan, oynadıkça forma giren bir oyuncu. O da o tür bir oyuncu. Sakatlık sonrası tek forvetli sistemi kullandık. Osimhen'in oynadığı senaryoda Mauro'nun yedek kalması, daha az süre alması onu psikolojik olarak zorluyor, beni de psikolojik anlamda zorluyor. Ben de ona karşı inanılmaz bir sevgim var, bu zamana kadar Galatasaray'a yaptıkları, hepimiz onu çok seviyoruz, çok önemli, bana da teknik direktör olarak çok güç kattı.”

Fenerbahçe'nin UEFA Şampiyonlar Ligi 2. eleme turundaki rakibi Gornik Zabrze'nin sahibi Lukas Podolski, eşleşmeye dair sosyal medya hesabından dikkat çeken bir paylaşımda bulundu. Bir dönem Galatasaray forması da giyen Alman futbol adamı, sarı-lacivertlilerle oynayacakları maçların kendisi için çok özel bir anlam taşıdığını belirtti.

Fenerbahçe'nin UEFA Şampiyonlar Ligi 2. eleme turunda karşılaşacağı Gornik Zabrze'nin sahibi Lukas Podolski, sarı-lacivertlilerle oynanacak eşleşme hakkında dikkat çeken açıklamalarda bulundu.

Bir dönem Galatasaray forması da giyen Alman futbol adamı, sosyal medya hesabından yaptığı paylaşımda şu ifadeleri kullandı:

"Futbol bazen garip ve komik olabiliyor. Gornik Zabrze'nin sahibi olarak çıkacağım ilk resmî maç Türkiye'de, Fenerbahçe'ye karşı olması ayrı bir anlam taşıyor.

Futbolun en büyük derbilerinden birinin parçası olmuş ve Galatasaray'ı gururla temsil etmiş biri olarak bu benim için çok özel bir an. Belki de emeklilik biraz daha bekleyebilir; kramponları yeniden giyip sahaya dönme ve bir kez daha mücadele etme zamanı gelmiştir!"

Bu gün futbol üzrə İngiltərə çempionatında (Premyer Liqa) 2026/2027-ci illər mövsümünün püşkü atılıb və yarışın təqvimi müəyyənləşib.

Arena.az xəbər verir ki, bu barədə turnirin rəsmi saytı məlumat yayıb.

Xəbərdə bildirilir ki, çempionatın yeni mövsümü avqustun 21-də “Arsenal” və “Koventri Siti” arasındakı matçla start götürəcək.

Yeni mövsümə avqustun 21-də start veriləcək. Çempionat gələn il mayın sonunda bitəcək. Sonuncu – 38-ci turun oyunları mayın 30-da keçiriləcək.

İngiltərə, Premyer Liqa
1-ci tur
21 avqust

Arsenal – Koventri Siti

22 avqust

Hall Siti – Mançester Yunayted
Everton – Kristal Pelas
İpsviç Taun – Sanderlend
Nottingem Forest – Lids Yunayted
Brentford – Tottenhem

23 avqust

Brayton – Aston Villa
Mançester Siti – Bornmut
Nyukasl Yunayted – Liverpul

24 avqust

Fulhem – Çelsi

Azərbaycanı Avropa Konfrans Liqasında təmsil edəcək “Neftçi” ekvadorlu hücumameyilli yarımmüdafiəçi Cordan Rezabala ilə yollarını ayırıb.

Arena.az xəbər verir ki, bu barədə paytaxt klubu rəsmi saytı vasitəsilə məlumat yayıb.

“Neftçi” 26 yaşlı futbolçuya təşəkkür edib, ona gələcək karyerasında uğurlar arzulayıb.

Xatırladaq ki, Corcan Rezabala ötən ilin yayında “Neftçi”yə transfer olunmuşdu. Ekvadorlu yarımmüdafiəçi bu komandanın heyətində 26 rəsmi oyun keçirib. O, bu görüşlərdə cəmi 1 məhsuldar ötürmə ilə yadda qalıb.

Ekvadorun “İndependyente” klubunun yetirməsi olan Rezabala vətənindən başqa, Meksika liqasında da çıxış edib. 2024-cü ilin fevralından 2025-ci ilin fevralına qədər “Sumqayıt”ın formasını geyinmiş Rezabala Azərbaycan klubundan ayrıldıqdan sonra “Dorados Sinaloa”da çıxış edib.

Cordan Rezabala 17, 20 və 23 yaşadək futbolçulardan ibarət Ekvador millisinin şərəfini qoruyub, 2019-cu ildə U-20-nin heyətində Cənubi Amerika çempionu olub.

Xatırladaq ki, “Neftçi” daha öncə Vensan Abubakar, Edvin Kuç, Kristian Kostin və Murad Məmmədovla da yollarını ayırmışdı. Əvəzində paytaxt klubu hələlik Rüfət Abbasovu heyətinə qatıb.

Bolqarıstanın ÇSKA (Sofiya) komandasının Avstriya toplanışı çərçivəsində “Qarabağ”a qarşı keçirməyi nəzərdə tutduğu yoxlama oyunu ləğv edilib.

Arena.az bu barədə Bolqarıstan klubunun rəsmi saytına istinadən xəbər verir.

Belə ki, sözügedən klub əsas komandanın yay hazırlıq planında dəyişiklik edib. İyunun 27-də “Qarabağ”a qarşı Avstriyada keçirilməsi nəzərdə tutulan yoxlama oyunu ləğv olunub. Buna səbəb komandaların Avropa Liqasında bir-birinə rəqib ola bilmə ehtimalıdır. Hər iki komanda Avroliqada 1-ci mərhələni adlasa, bir-birinə rəqib olacaq.

Xatırladaq ki, “Qarabağ” iyunun 22-də Avstriyaya yollanacaq. Komanda Tirol əyalətində iyulun 2-nə qədər hazırlıq keçəcək. Ağdam klubu daha əvvəl elan etmişdi ki, təlim-məşq toplanışı çərçivəsində üç yoxlama oyununun keçirilməsi nəzərdə tutulub. İyunun 27-də ÇSKA (Bolqarıstan), iyulun 1-də isə “Metallist” (Ukrayna) və “Ferentsvaroş”la (Macarıstan) yoxlama oyunlarının keçiriləcəyi bildirilmişdi. Böyük ehtimalla, Ağdam klubu Sofiya təmsilçisinin əvəzində özünə fərqli rəqib axtaracaq.

Futbol üzrə Fransa çempionatında mübarizə aparan “Nitsa” komandasının baş məşqçisi, fransız mütəxəssis Klod Pyuel Liqa 1 təmsilçisindən ayrılıb.

Arena.az xəbər verir ki, bu barədə klub rəsmi saytı vasitəsilə məlumat yayıb.

“Nitsa” rəhbərliyi Pyuelə “qartallar”a xidməti müqabilində minnətdarlığını ifadə edib, mütəxəssisə gələcək fəaliyyətində uğurlar diləyib.

Xatırladaq ki, Pyuel “Nitsa”nın sükanı arxasına 2025-ci ilin dekabr ayında gətirilmişdi. 64 taşlı mütəxəssis bu komandanı 27 oyuna çıxarıb, 8 qələbə, 10 heç-heçə və 9 məğlubiyyət görüb.

“Nitsa” Pyuelin rəhbərliyi altında Liqa 1-in 2025/2026-cı illər mövsümünü 16-cı pillədə başa vurub. Komanda elitada qalmaq üçün “Sent Etyen”lə pley-off görüşləri keçirmək məcburiyyətində qalıb. Bu vəzifənin öhdəsindən çətinliklə gəlmiş komanda Liqa 1-də qalıb.

Klod Pyuel daha öncə “Sent Etyen”, “Lester Siti”, “Sauthempton”, Lion “Olimpik”i, “Lill” və “Monako” kimi komandalara da rəhbərlik edib. O, 2012-2016-cı illər aralığında da “Nitsa”nın baş məşqçisi olub.

Futbol üzrə İngiltərə milli komandasının və Madrid “Real”ının hücumameyilli yarımmüdafiəçisi Cud Bellingem Avropa futbolunda yeni rekorda imza atıb.

Arena.az xəbər verir ki, o, buna DÇ-2026-nın qrup mərhələsinin ilk turunda Xorvatiyaya qarşı keçirdikləri oyunda (4:2) nail olub.

Belə ki, Bellingem dörd müxtəlif böyük beynəlxalq turnirdə iştirak edən ən gənc avropalı futbolçu adını qazanıb. Xorvatiya ilə matç zamanı o, 22 yaşı 353 günlüyündə olub.

Əvvəlki rekord isə Lukas Podolskiyə məxsus idi. O, dördüncü böyük beynəlxalq turnirində 23 yaş 4 günlük olarkən iştirak etmişdi.

Xatırladaq ki, Cud Bellingem 2023-cü ilin iyunundan “Real”da çıxış edir. O, Madrid klubuna 103 milyon avro məbləğ müqabilində Dormund “Borussiya”sından keçib. Hücumameyilli yarımmüdafiəçi İspaniya nəhəngi ilə müddəti 2029-cu ilin iyun ayının sonuna qədər nəzərdə tutulmuş müqaviləyə imza atıb.

Bellingem geridə qalmış mövsümdə meydana çıxdığı 40 oyunda 8 qol vurub, 5 məhsuldar ötürmə verib. İngilis yarımmüdafiəçinin “Real”ın heyətində çıxışının ümumi mənzərəsi 140 oyun, 46 qol və 33 məhsuldar ötürmədən ibarətdir.

Bellingem “Real”la İspaniya Super Kubokunun (2024), İspaniya La Liqasının (2023/2024), UEFA Çempionlar Liqasının (2023/2024), UEFA Super Kubokunun (2024), FIFA Qitələrarası Kubokun (2024) qalibi olub.

Cud Bellingem 2020-ci ilin noyabr ayında debüt etdiyi İngiltərə yığmasının heyətində 49 oyun keçirib, 7 qol vurub və 10 məhsuldar ötürmə verib.

“Transfermarkt” 22 yaşlı yarımmüdafiəçisinin transfer dəyərini 130 milyon avro məbləğində qiymətləndirir.

II Liqada “Ayın qolu” layihəsi çərçivəsində “Göygöl” futbol klubunun üzvü Taleh Hüseynzadə mükafatlandırılıb.

Futbolpress.az xəbər verir ki, bu barədə Peşəkar Futbol Liqasının mətbuat xidməti məlumat yayıb. May ayının ən yaxşı qolunun müəllifinə mükafatı PFL-in inzibati binasında qurumun Yarışların təşkili və qeydiyyatı şöbəsinin rəisi Elçin Mehtiyev təqdim edib.

“İmişli” daha dörd futbolçusu ilə vidalaşıb.

Futbolpress.az xəbər verir ki, bu barədə klubun mətbuat xidməti məlumat yayıb.

Bölgə klubu Həzrət İsayev, Elmir Rəhimzadə, Riad Abbaszadə və Orxan Fərəcovla yollarını ayırıb. Futbolçuların müddəti başa çatan müqavilələri uzadılmayıb.

“İmişli” bundan öncə Xəzər Mahmudovla vidalaşıb.

Azərbaycanın Əməkdar həkimi Boris Xetaqurov Peşəkar Futbol Liqasında qonaq olub.

Futbolpress.az xəbər verir ki, PFL prezidenti Elxan Səmədovla görüşən veteran futbol həkimi yeni yazdığı “50 il futbolda” kitabı haqqında məlumat verib, xatirələrini bölüşüb.

Xetaqurov kitabın bir nüsxəsini Elxan Səmədova hədiyyə edib. Yekunda xatirə şəkili çəkdirilib.

Uruqvaylı hücumçu Edinson Kavani “Boka Xuniors”dan ayrılıb.

Futbolpress.az xəbər verir ki, 39 yaşlı futbolçunun müddəti başa çatan müqaviləsi uzadılmayıb.

Kavani 2023-cü ildən Argentina klubunda çıxış edirdi. O, başa çatan mövsümdə 2 oyuna çıxıb.

Hücumçu daha əvvəl PSJ, “Napoli” kimi komandaların formasını geyinib.

“Neftçi” futbolçusu Cordan Rezabala ilə yollarını ayırıb.

Futbolpress.az xəbər verir ki, bu barədə klubun mətbuat xidməti məlumat yayıb.

Ötən ən ilin yayında transfer olunmuş ekvadorlu yarımmüdafiəçi “Neftçi”nin heyətində 26 rəsmi oyun keçirib.

Stefan De Vrij will be out of contract at Inter after June 30, and Friday’s reports indicate that the Netherlands international will not be signing a new deal in San Siro. 

De Vrij expected to leave Inter on free transfer

De Vrij is one of several senior Nerazzurri players whose contracts will be expiring in less than a fortnight’s time, along with the likes of Yann Sommer, Francesco Acerbi and Matteo Darmian. 

Unlike Sommer, Acerbi and Darmian, the 34-year-old De Vrij had been offered the opportunity to extend his stay in San Siro and has been taking his time to evaluate his next steps. 

According to the latest updates from Calciomercato.com, all signs point towards De Vrij leaving Inter on a free transfer upon the expiry of his contract at the end of this month. 

The former Lazio and Feyenoord defender reportedly has an offer on the table from Greek Super League side Panathinaikos and the Dutchman is said to be sold on the idea of Athens as his next destination. 

Friday’s reports claim that Panathinaikos have presented De Vrij with a two-year contract offer worth €3m per season in wages.

Friday’s reports claim that Juventus have been in contact with the agent of Paulo Dybala regarding a sensational return to Turin in 2026-27 despite the ongoing negotiations over a new contract with Roma. 

Report: Juventus request information on Dybala

Dybala spent seven trophy-laden careers with the Bianconeri, winning the Serie A title five times, the Coppa Italia four times, the Supercoppa Italiana twice and reaching the final of the 2016-17 Champions League before joining Roma on a free transfer in the summer of 2022.

Dybala’s current contract with Roma expires at the end of the month, but the Giallorossi have long been discussing a renewal with ‘La Joya’, who will have to accept a cut in wages from the reported €7m base salary he has been earning for the last two seasons. 

According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Roma are currently offering Dybala, who will turn 33 in November, a net salary of €2.5m per season, while the player and his entourage are reportedly holding out for €3m per season plus bonuses. This would be for a one-year contract with an option to extend for a further season. 

However, Dybala and his agents have not fully closed the doors to opportunities elsewhere, and according to Friday’s updates, Juventus are among the clubs who have been in contact with the player’s representatives to discuss the financial details of a potential deal. 

For now, this has been described as an ‘exploratory’ call, and it remains to be seen whether or not Juventus will follow up on this initial sign of interest.

Get today’s transfer updates with the Football Italia Transfer Show on YouTube with fresh news on Paulo Dybala, Nico Paz, Curtis Jones and much more.

The new episode of the Football Italia Transfer Show has dropped on our YouTube channel.

Football Italia Transfer Show: July 19, 2026

It’s been another day with plenty of juicy updates from Serie A, starting with Corriere dello Sport’s report that Nico Paz’s decision to stay at Como for one more season has upset Real Madrid, who still want to bring the Argentine back to the Bernabeu and have warned Cesc Fabregas’ side that they’ll need to pay €60m to remove Madrid’s buy-back option.

According to Gazzetta, Juventus have sounded out Paulo Dybala’s availability to return to Turin as contract extension talks between La Joya and the Giallorossi are still stalling and the striker’s contract expires on June 30, 2026.

Inter are keen on Liverpool’s Curtis Jones, but the Reds are reluctant to let the Englishman leave for less than €30m.

Get the most relevant updates on the Football Italia Transfer Show. Watch the full episode below.

Milan’s hunt for a senior management team continues and the latest reports claim that Domenico Teti is the latest name under consideration for the role of sporting director in San Siro. 

Teti the latest name on Milan’s list of potential sporting directors

Milan have recently appointed a new head coach in Ruben Amorim, but remain without a sporting director, technical director or CEO following the dismissals of Igli Tare, Geoffrey Moncada and Giorgio Furlani at the end of the 2025-26 season. 

Several names have been linked with a move to take over the sporting sector of Milan: First it was Ralf Rangnick, who has since made it clear that he will be continuing in his role as head coach of the Austria national team. Then came Markus Krösche, for whom the Rossoneri are still negotiating despite an initial rejection from Eintracht Frankfurt. 

Now, according to reports from Gianluca Di Marzio, a new name has emerged on Milan’s list of potential new sporting directors. 

The Rossoneri are reportedly studying potential Italian candidates for the sporting director role and Teti, formerly of Wolves and Al-Shabab is an option. 

The 49-year-old has been out of work since leaving his position as director of football at Wolves back in November. His reign lasted just 141 days. 

Teti was previously the sporting director for Al-Shabab in the Saudi Pro League between 2023 and 2024 and has also previously held directorship roles with APOEL Nicosia, Novara, Sampdoria and FC Lugano.

It almost feels insulting to go back to the Meta Apex for UFC Vegas 119 after a historic night at UFC Freedom 250 on the White House’s South Lawn last Sunday. At the very least, hardcore fight fans are getting spoiled with a thrilling flyweight rematch.

Manel Kape and Kyoji Horiguchi are set to battle for a potential shot at UFC gold nearly a decade after their first battle in Japan. Horiguchi walked away the victor in that one, as he was beginning his legend-making run overseas. But Kape has evolved into a must-see competitor anytime he fights, and has grown significantly since that bantamweight clash.

Other than that, bright spots are few and far between for UFC Vegas 119. It's another one-fight card, but as per usual, that one fight in the headliner is an absolute banger.

👑 UFC Vegas 119's lineup Crown grade: D-. 👑

Etsuo Hara via Getty Images

125 pounds: Manel Kape (-155) vs. Kyoji Horiguchi (+125)

In terms of fight years, Horiguchi and Kape are lifetimes away from who they were in their 2017 RIZIN showdown. The circumstances for Saturday’s rematch are also vastly different, but parallels can still be drawn.

For starters, the first fight took place in a ring under the global ruleset, which scores fights as a whole rather than round-by-round. As mentioned, it was also contested at bantamweight, and was also the semifinals of RIZIN’s bantamweight grand prix that year, meaning the winner was expected to fight again in the finals later that same night — in front of 20,000-plus fans rather than some dudes and their friends in a warehouse.

Spoiler alert: Horiguchi won it all, finishing Kape in Round 3 with an arm-triangle choke before he knocked out Shintaro Ishiwatari to win the whole thing.

Kape was dropped almost immediately by a pinpoint right hand over the top. That set the tone for the rest of the fight, knowing the power Horiguchi was packing. Though their speed was nearly identical throughout, Horiguchi simply had the better timing and has displayed that in his bouts since. As a result, Kape was forced to clinch up and pursue grappling exchanges much more than one may expect after watching him in the UFC.

Size may be on Kape's side this time around as he's managed to fit more into the flyweight division over time. That should make it more possible for him to wrestle offensively than in their first fight, when he had next to no success. Horiguchi has always been a perpetually small human, but it's come with the advantages of precision and speed in every facet of his game. Both men have shown championship-caliber chops when at their best, but it's safe to say Kape has underperformed more over the years, even if his latest three-fight stretch has been a nice momentum builder.

If we're to look at consistency and improvements over the past decade, Horiguchi is about as shining of an example as it gets. He's been tremendous at bantamweight, but get this: In his 13 fights at flyweight, he's only lost to Demetrious Johnson. It feels insane to say, considering Horiguchi (36-5, 1 NC) has such a crazy track record.

At age 35 or older, everyone is winning a UFC title these days. The time is now for the former multi-division RIZIN champion and former Bellator bantamweight titleholder.

Pick: Horiguchi

205 pounds: Ion Cuțelaba (+260) vs. Navajo Stirling (-325)

The odds stun me a bit here for the co-main event of UFC Vegas 119.

What Navajo Stirling lacks in name value on his record, he makes up for in great hype and athleticism. He's beating everyone the way he's supposed to beat them, meaning it's time for a step up against Moldova's Ion Cutelaba.

Over the years, Cutelaba has been the perfect all-action gatekeeper type at light heavyweight. You know what to expect from the man who paints himself green to resemble the Hulk — and that's oftentimes a smashing in either direction.

Stirling has been a much more patient and calculated finisher with his strikes throughout his young career, and this one presents the perfect style matchup for him to light Cutelaba up like a Christmas tree, good and early.

Pick: Stirling

145 pounds: Hyder Amil (+165) vs. Christian Rodriguez (-200)

This has “loser leaves town” written all over it, with each man entering on two-fight losing streaks.

Hyder Amil was a promising prospect who went undefeated in his first 11 fights. At age 36, though, his time appears spent after running into more well-rounded and lethal opposition.

Christian Rodriguez doesn't necessarily fall into the lethal category, but he is well-rounded and has been a solid spoiler in his UFC run. Just ask Austin Bashi and Raul Rosas Jr.

Essentially, youth is on Rodriguez's side, and he's also fought better competition.

Pick: Rodriguez

Chris Unger via Getty Images

145 pounds: Melsik Baghdasaryan (+240) vs. Murtazali Magomedov (-300)

Melsik Baghdasaryan disappeared after his tough loss to Jean Silva at UFC Seattle last year. A solid prospect in his own right, Baghdasaryan gets no easy welcome-back party.

Murtazali Magomedov is the real deal. He'll make his UFC debut after a win on Contender Series last September. The win kept his streak of finishing all his fights alive, and he'll surely do the same against Baghdasaryan, thanks to the danger he presents everywhere a fight goes.

Baghdasaryan can offer some fun challenges on the feet for Magomedov, but in the end he'll have too many avenues of offense to worry about coming back at him.

Pick: Magomedov

145 pounds: Andre Fili (+240) vs. Vinicius Oliveira (-300)

Here's a wild stat for you: Andre Fili has never lost back-to-back fights in his 39-fight career. In fact, he's alternating wins and losses more often than not, currently going back-and-forth in his previous nine. His most recent fight? A loss to Jose Miguel Delgado, which means he's due for that sweet, sweet W again.

Unfortunately for "Touchy," this does not look like the matchup to keep his trend alive.

Although Vinicius Oliveira was brought back down to Earth (and sent to featherweight) after his main-event loss to Mario Bautista in February, he's still one hell of a fighter. Oliveira's striking is unorthodox in the most concerning of ways if you're standing across from him. A fight with Fili is tailor-made for the Brazilian to shine, thanks to Fili's own consistent willingness to throw down.

Despite the weight change, Oliveira should be equipped to out-duel the seasoned vet.

Pick: Oliveira

Preliminary Notes

Outside of the main event, there are only two fights featuring ranked fighters. Coincidentally, both are on the prelims — and in the women's bantamweight division. Yes, the division isn't good right now, but when the UFC doesn't care about it, the viewers aren't going to either.

With that said, you should care about the rising submission wizard Beatriz Mesquita. Strangely, the matchmakers misplaced these two fights, as Mesquita should be getting a better test like Karol Rosa instead of Melissa Mullins, who takes on Luana Santos.

As I said, the UFC doesn’t care.

Quick picks:

• André Lima (-650) def. Kevin Borjas (+475)

• Beatriz Mesquita (-650) def. Melissa Mullins (+425)

• Allan Nascimento (-200) def. Mitch Raposo (+165)

• Michael Aswell Jr. (-450) def. Gastón Bolaños (+340)

• Levan Chokheli (-400) def. Leon Shahbazyan (+310)

• Karol Rosa (-125) def. Luana Santos (+105)

• Shane Collins (-210) def. Otari Tanzilovi (+170)

Despite their best efforts, the Texas A&M Aggies were unable to land five-star cornerback John Meredith III, who committed to the Texas Longhorns on Friday over the Aggies and Alabama Crimson Tide.

Meredith is from Fort Worth, and the Aggies have been prioritizing him since June of 2024, when they extended him a scholarship offer. He returned to College Station several times since then and took his all-important official visit on May 29, but it wasn't enough. Texas got his final official visit on June 5 and took advantage.

He is ranked as the No. 2 overall player and No. 1 cornerback in the 247Sports composite. The 6-foot-2, 175-pounder is also the No. 2 player from Texas.

Despite his commitment to Texas, expect Mike Elko and Co. to keep recruiting Meredith all the way until signing day. He is rarely tested by high school quarterbacks, but makes the most of his chances and was named a MaxPreps Junior All-American.

While missing out on Meredith stings, Texas A&M still has the best recruiting class in the country. The Aggies currently have six five-star prospects committed, and nine top 100 players in the 247Sports composite rankings. They have done great work in the secondary, with five-star cornerback Raylaun Henry, five-star safeties Kamarui Dorsey and JayQuan Snell, and three-star safeties Loia Valade and Errol Kerns III committed.

Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes and opinions.

This article originally appeared on Aggies Wire: Texas A&M Football: Five-star John Meredith commits to Texas

Kevin Garnett Names Eastern Conference Team LeBron James Should Sign With This Summer originally appeared on NESN. Add NESN as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

LeBron James is a free agent this offseason, and former Celtics star Kevin Garnett has a team in mind for him to sign with.

Garnett thinks LeBron should head back to where his career all started and sign a contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers.

"If you're doing a farewell tour and this is his last hurrah, I would like to see him in Cleveland. Take a pay cut, go back somewhere," Garnett said Friday on "KG: Certified".

Kevin Garnett wants to see LeBron James take a pay cut and return to the Cleveland Cavaliers for his final season:

"If you're doing a farewell tour and this is his last hurrah, I would like to see him in Cleveland. Take a pay cut, go back somewhere."

(Via @kg_certified) pic.twitter.com/m26A85bWq8

— NBA Base (@TheNBABase) June 19, 2026

The Cavaliers drafted LeBron in 2003, and he spent seven seasons with the team before joining the Miami Heat from 2010 to 2014. He returned to Cleveland in the summer of 2014 and spent four more years there, helping the Cavaliers win their first NBA title in 2016.

LeBron has been with the Lakers since 2018, and returning to where it all started would be a great story to end his career. The only issue is that the Cavaliers are currently over the second salary cap apron, which means they would need to make a series of moves to bring LeBron back to their roster.

It may not be beneficial for the Cavaliers to make significant moves to bring LeBron back for just one or two more seasons. With LeBron set to turn 42 by the end of the year, this could very well be his final season. The Cavaliers might be reluctant to part with valuable assets that could be important for their future.

More NBA: Paul Pierce Tells Lakers Exactly What To Fix Before Next Season

Jorge Martin says persistent front-end issues left him without the “spark to push” after missing out on a direct place in Qualifying 2 for the Czech Grand Prix. 

The Spaniard could only set the 11th-fastest lap time during Friday Practice at Brno, ending up 0.6s off the ultimate pace aboard the factory Aprilia.

He was the only rider from the Italian manufacturer who didn’t progress into Q2; Trackhouse’s Ai Ogura topped the times ahead of works rider Marco Bezzecchi, while Raul Fernandez also made the cut while still recovering from appendicitis.

MotoGP Czech GP: Ai Ogura leads Marco Bezzecchi in Friday practice, Jorge Martin to Q1

Martin made it clear that his one-lap struggles were not down to his physical fitness, insisting his recent crash at the start of the Hungarian GP had no impact on his performance on track.

Instead, he revealed that he simply lacked the confidence to push due to inexplicable issues with the front tyre on his RS-GP.

“I had good fun on the bike. I was always on the limit,” he said. “Physically, I feel much better than what I expected, so this is really good. I don't feel any limitation at all while riding. For sure, off the track, I feel the pain, but on the track, everything is good.

“Overall, I felt a really low feeling with the front during practice. I think I had some issue with the front tyre. 

“Then I lost all that confidence. When I went into time attack, I didn't have that spark to push. I was improving every run, but I didn't have it, and I wasn't able to go to Q2.”

Jorge Martin, Aprilia Racing Team

Martin said the problem he faced at Brno on Friday was similar to the issue that held him back during the previous two rounds in Italy and Hungary.

"Yes, it's been a few races [where I’ve had this problem]," he admitted. "Mugello, then Balaton, and now here, a bit of the same issue with the front. 

“I don't really understand why, but we need to analyse and check what is going on.
I feel we improved a lot during the practice, but still I'm far from the other guys, so we need to understand for tomorrow.”

However, Martin remains optimistic about his chances for Saturday, where he will have another chance to make it into Q2.

“I think tomorrow will be another story. Everything will come to normal,” he said. “For sure, we need to work. It's not that it will come just like this, but I feel that the other athletes are going fast. For sure, something was wrong with my motorbike.”

Martin will have to serve a double long-lap penalty in Sunday’s race, with the stewards having found him guilty of triggering the opening lap melee at Balaton Park a fortnight ago.

The 2024 champion tried the long-lap loop several times during practice to prepare, admitting the asphalt was dirty as expected.

Jorge Martin, Aprilia Racing Team

“It was really dirty in the morning,” he said. “Every lap is a bit better, but you cannot lean like usual. I hope some of the Moto2 riders also have long laps because I was watching the practice, and nobody was going there, just myself.

“But every in-lap, out-lap, I'm going there, and I feel now it's much better than in the morning.

“Overall, in terms of safety, I think it's safer to go on the green [section], because if somebody comes [in my way], I just go there. I don't lose a lot.

“Honestly, I'm cleaning quite a lot, and I hope that I will be losing around 1.5s, so it's not a disaster for each long lap. It's not a disaster, and I think it's one of the fastest things in the calendar.”

Pedro Acosta calls for instant ban of both holeshot devices: "Everything or nothing!"

Marc Marquez explains why he crashed twice in Czech GP practice

To read more Motorsport.com articles visit our website.

Rothesay County Championship, Division One, Sophia Gardens, Cardiff (day one)

Glamorgan 244-6 (80 overs): Cooke 101*, Crane 59*; Clark 2-32, Atkinson 2-33

Surrey: Yet to bat

Glamorgan 0 pts, Surrey 2 pts

match scorecard

Chris Cooke rescued Glamorgan with a mature century as they recovered to 244-6 after Gus Atkinson and his fellow Surrey pace bowlers reduced the hosts to 79-6.

Atkinson, dropped by England on disciplinary grounds, took it out on Glamorgan with some hostile early spells, taking two cheap wickets and forcing Colin Ingram to retire after a blow on the hand.

Sean Abbott and Jordan Clark also took two apiece after Glamorgan had chosen to bat.

But Cooke, 40, reached his first 100 in two years as he dominated a stand of 165 with Mason Crane (59 not out) before bad light curtailed play.

• Notifications, social media and more with BBC Sport

A ceremony before play began saw the National Cricket Centre renamed in honour of Hugh Morris, the late Glamorgan chief executive and captain, while Surrey's players sported Graham Thorpe headbands to mark the mental health campaigns in memory of the late Surrey and England batter.

Glamorgan restored Billy Root to their line-up in place of the injured Zain Ul Hassan, while Surrey's five changes included returns for fast bowler Atkinson and Indian spinner Rahul Chahar.

Root made a cautious start before driving Sean Abbott to gully for six, while the Aussie paceman followed up with an inswinger that dipped past Asa Tribe's defensive push on 21.

With Surrey keeping things tight thanks to an accurate seam attack, the three rotating in short bursts, Atkinson struck in his second spell.

First Kiran Carlson was tempted into a flick which saw him edge behind, and then Ben Kellaway was beaten for pace to be bowled through the gate as the hosts slumped to 39-4.

Ingram and Sean Dickson resisted until lunch, but Jordan Clark became the third bowler to take two wickets in quick succession as he sent back Dickson and Timm van der Gugten.

In between the dismissals, Ingram had to depart the stage as he was struck on the hand by Atkinson to leave Glamorgan in further disarray, especially after being shot out for 155 on the first day by Sussex a week before.

But Cooke and Mason Crane halted the slide with Cooke dispatching the odd bad delivery firmly as he rattled along at a run a ball.

Batting conditions eased against the older ball in the afternoon sunshine with the spin of Chahar and Dan Lawrence proving mostly economical, but not posing the same threat as the quick men.

Cooke, whose previous Championship best in the first seven games was just 39, raced to 50 off 56 balls and had the experience to ride quiet spells after that.

Crane played a solid support role with his third half-century of the season, a patient affair off 120 balls, although he was dropped off a caught-and-bowled chance by Ryan Patel on 53.

Surrey held off using their three quick bowlers until the new ball was due and Cooke reached three figures off 143 balls in a priceless knock for his team.

But the visitors' decision to hold their pacemen in reserve backfired when the light dipped badly, despite the floodlights being on, and the umpires took the players off as they reached for the new cherry.

Alejandro Grimaldo has reportedly agreed personal terms with Atlético Madrid, but Bayer Leverkusen’s valuation of the player could prove to be a stumbling block.

Spanish media reports suggest Atlético are prepared to offer around €10-12 million, but Kicker claims this figure falls well short of what Leverkusen are willing to accept.

The German outlet states that the Bundesliga outfit have set a minimum asking price of €30 million for their Spanish full-back and are not open to lowering that demand significantly.

Kicker further reports that if Atlético fail to come close to that valuation, Bayer 04 Leverkusen would be prepared to keep Grimaldo, even if it means risking losing him on a free transfer when his contract expires next summer.

Texas has been riding momentum all spring with the nation’s top cornerback.

Now, he’s locked in.

The No. 1 cornerback in the 2027 class, John Meredith, committed to the Longhorns on Friday.

Meredith officially visited Austin earlier this month, his third visit to the Forty Acres this offseason as Texas surged with the Five-Star Plus+ prospect from the Dallas Metroplex.

“They’ve been coming real hard,” Meredith said of the Longhorns’ push earlier this spring. “Coach O is my dog. He’s been recruiting me hard.”

Position coach Mark Orphey has been leading the way for the blue-chipper who has been stellar for Euless (Texas) Trinity the past few season.

Steve Sarkisian, General Manager Brandon Harris, and ace assistant Chris Gilbert also helped pave the way for Meredith to Austin.

“They went absolutely great. Great,” Meredith said of his visits to Austin this spring.

“Coach O is my dog. He came to see me at a practice and we had a good conversation,” he has said. “He kept it real with me. I’ve seen who they’ve recruited. They’re (waiting) on me.”

Now, he’s the centerpiece of another top-10 haul for the Longhorns.

Five-Star Plus+ CB John Meredith Scouting Summary

“Long and dynamic corner prospect with elite length and top-end speed. Can cover any body type at receiver that lines up against him. 6-foot-2, 180-plus pounds with 33-inch arms. Ran sub-22 in the 200m and jumped over 43 feet in the triple jump during his sophomore track and field season. Has the speed and hip fluidity to cover more sudden receivers and the physicality and length to handle bigger-bodied options. Excellent ball skills and ability to attack the football in the air. Needs to continue developing footwork and instincts in man coverage but has all the physical and athletic tools coaches covet at the position.”

A documentary about the career of a Doncaster Rovers football legend has been released five years after he hung up his boots.

James Coppinger played his last match in May 2021 in an empty stadium due to lockdown restrictions, 17 years after starting his journey at the club in 2004.

Lewis Reeves, director of "Copps", said the sold-out premiere at CAST in Doncaster on Thursday was a "real celebration" for fans and a chance for a belated "proper goodbye".

He said the film, which has been in production since 2021, shows Coppinger's "remarkable phoenix-from-the-ashes" journey.

Coppinger, from Darlington, was scouted by Newcastle United at the relatively late age of 17 and went on to play his first Premier League game at 19 alongside Alan Shearer.

"For a lad from the North East, it's a dream, it doesn't really get bigger than that," Reeves said.

However, he struggled to make a long-term impact at the club and joined Exeter City when his Newcastle contract expired in 2002.

They were relegated at the end of the season and the experience led him to consider quitting football.

After meeting with resilience coach Terry Gormley at Doncaster Rovers, he was given a chance by the club and went on to play nearly 700 games for them.

Reeves said Coppinger, now 45, had an "inspirational story" and was glad the premiere had seen an "amazing turnout".

"He's the most humble man I've ever met," he added.

"He doesn't like to make a bit fuss, so I'm taking it upon myself to make a big fuss on his behalf."

Coppinger now works full-time as a first team coach for the club and is involved in charity work with causes including mental health and cancer research.

"I took my grandma to the show last night, she hates football, but she was really moved by James's story," he added.

"It's for football fans in one sense, but it's also got a really great heart for the non-football fan."

Reeves added he "could not speak highly enough" of former One Direction star and Rovers fan Louis Tomlinson, who was one of the executive producers on the film and supported its funding.

Some footage and material for the documentary had been submitted by fans over social media which he said made for a "really collaborative process".

Copps is due to be available to stream on the Doncaster Rovers website from July.

Listen to highlights from South Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North

More on this story

• Coppinger bows out after 695 games
• Coppinger: 'I can see myself getting emotional'

Related internet links

• Doncaster Rovers
• CAST

Germany playmaker Jamal Musiala says he pays no attention to the opinions of TV pundits and deliberately stays away from what is said or written about him.

The Bayern Munich man came into the World Cup not yet 100% fit after a broken leg, but scored in the opening 7-1 romp over Curaçao.

Before the game, former Liverpool coach Jürgen Klopp and 2014 Germany World Cup winner Thomas Müller told Magenta TV that Deniz Undav should start ahead of Musiala.

"I don't watch or read any of it, what experts say. I can imagine well enough what is being said anyway, I've been in football for a while now," the 23-year-old told Bild's website on Friday.

He said he "consciously prefers to stay away from these things that are said or written about me. I only focus on myself."

For Musiala, the most important thing is "that my head is always clear. Only then can I feel fresh on the pitch."

The four-times champions face Ivory Coast in Toronto on Saturday and Musiala is primed to start, although Undav scored and provided two assists in the opener. A win sends Germany to the knock-outs.

Stuttgart-born Klopp has also been in bother this World Cup for a joke about Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann's future.

Long tipped to manage the national side, Klopp said Nagelsmann picks the team "for now."

He later apologized, saying: "I could have smacked myself in the face for that, but it was already too late and I was on TV. It just slipped out without thinking."

Seven Brazilian match officials have already been appointed for the second round of the 2026 World Cup group stage, with matches taking place between June 20 and 22.

This Saturday (20), Rodolpho Toski will be the VAR Support official for the match between the Netherlands and Sweden, in Group F, which will take place at 2 p.m. (Brasília time) in Houston, Texas.

Then on Sunday, the trio made up of referee Raphael Claus and assistant referees Danilo Manis and Rodrigo Figueiredo will make their debut in the competition, officiating the match between Spain and Saudi Arabia. The game is part of Group H and will kick off at 1 p.m. (Brasília time) in Atlanta, Georgia.

Raphael Claus will officiate his first match at the World CupCredits: FIFA publicity

On Monday (22), the trio of Wilton Sampaio, Bruno Boschilia, and Bruno Pires, who worked the opening match of the competition, will return to the pitch for the game between Norway and Senegal, in Group I. The match is scheduled for 9 p.m. (Brasília time) in New Jersey.

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French youth international Steeve Kango (19) is set to sign his first professional contract with Olympiquye Lyonnais in the coming days, according to a report from L’Équipe. The teenager is set to become the latest player from OL’s esteemed Meyzieu academy to sign professional terms with the club. 

Lyon have a knack for producing young talents and Kango could be the latest as he pens his first contract with the club. Despite not yet receiving a professional deal, the 19-year-old has already made his debut for his boyhood club. The Frenchman emerged as a surprise starter during a UEFA Europa League game against Celta Vigo. 

Kango already making appearances for Lyon

The versatile defender is able to play at both right-back and left-back. He has already made 6 appearances for Les Gones, and will be hoping for more senior appearances after signing his first professional contract. 

GFFN | Liam Wraith