Just one day after soundly beating one playoff rival on the road, the Pittsburgh Penguins (37-21-16) get little time to enjoy the feeling as they host wild card pursuer, the Detroit Red Wings at PPG Paints Arena.
It has been a lopsided rivalry. The Penguins have points in 15 of their last 18 games against Detroit (12-3-3). They’ve scored four or more goals in 13 of those 18, and have an active 11-game home points streak (8-0-3) against Detroit.
The Penguins will conclude their 14th set of back-to-back games. Thus far, the team is 11-8-8 (6-4-4 on the first night and 5-4-4 on the second night).
Rickard Rakell has points in 12 of his last 13 games (8-9-17) and is currently on a four-game point streak (5-2-7).
Parker Wotherspoon has nine assists (0-9-9) in his last nine games.
Sidney Crosby notched his 1100th career assist on Monday. He is two points short of tying Steve Yzerman for seventh-place in all-time NHL scoring (1755), and for second place all-time for points with one team.
Keith Wyness Questions Rangers’ CEO Choice: Will He Be A Good Choice For The Premiership Side?
Ex-Aberdeen and Everton chief executive Keith Wyness publicly questions why Rangers hired Jim Gillespie as their new CEO. Speaking on the Football Insider’s Inside Track podcast, Wyness calls the move a strange appointment. The 48-year-old begins his tenure at Ibrox in March 2026.
Keith Wyness Questions Rangers’ CEO Choice
This transition follows Patrick Stewart’s departure last year. It shows a big change under the majority ownership of the US-based 49ers Enterprises. Wyness feels for St Mirren. They lost both their manager and a key vice-chairman to the Glasgow giants in a short window. The veteran consultant once turned down the Rangers job himself. He still believes the pressure at the Old Firm is uniquely intense for any newcomer.
Gillespie joined the club after five successful years in Paisley. He helped secure top-six finishes and a return to European competition there. The current Rangers hierarchy, led by chairman Andrew Cavenagh and vice-chair Paraag Marathe, believes Gillespie has the skills to lead the club toward long-term success. However, Wyness suggests the jump from a mid-table side to a title challenger comes with huge pressure. These boardroom challenges might overwhelm a candidate without elite-level experience.
“I still think he’s a strange appointment, but anyway, he’s there and he’s got the job.
“I feel sorry for St Mirren, who’ve lost a manager, and now Mr Gillespie’s gone as well, which seems a bit unfair to a club like St Mirren who’ve tried their best.
“And so, look, it’s never been an easy job to come into the Old Firm. I remember I was offered the job once, but for many reasons I decided not to take the Rangers job and I think probably a lot of the Rangers fans are very happy as well that I didn’t.
“But still, he’s going to have his hands full, but I wish him the best.”
Will Jim Gillespie’s background in social care and mid-table football be enough for the high pressure of a title-chasing Rangers side in 2026?
GLASGOW, SCOTLAND – MARCH 21: James Tavernier of Rangers is congratulated by Bojan Miovski of Rangers after he scores his team’s fourth goal during the William Hill Premiership match between Rangers and Aberdeen at Ibrox Stadium on March 21, 2026 in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)
The current situation at Ibrox demands more than financial stability. It requires a ruthless winning-mentality. This must match the heavy investment from the 49ers Enterprises group. Gillespie earned praise for his work at the charity Kibble and his role at St Mirren. Still, the Rangers are just on a much higher level.
The club sit second in the Scottish Premiership. They face a critical period. Every off-pitch decision impacts the pursuit of silverware. Many fans worry about hiring a fan-favourite administrator over a battle-hardened European executive. This choice might limit the club’s international growth.
His appointment feels like a gamble on a leader who understands the local culture. Yet, it ignores the global expertise often seen at rival Celtic. If the club fail to overtake their rivals this season, people will really start to question this move. Success hinges on one thing. Can his history of building sustainable models work in the high-pressure world of the Champions League?
ENFIELD, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 14: Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka of England talk in the gym at Tottenham Hotspur Training Centre on November 14, 2025 in Enfield, England. (Photo by Eddie Keogh - The FA/The FA via Getty Images)
The FA via Getty Images
The eyes of many international managers will be on Arsenal’s starting lineup versus Southampton this weekend.
At least nine coaches were deprived of talent for the midseason break, and all will be eager to know whether the raft of players who pulled out of their squads have miraculously recovered from the ailments that suddenly beset them.
After a disappointing Carabao Cup final loss to Manchester City, a mysterious injury crisis has beset players at the Emirates.
Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka played the entire 90 minutes at Wembley, but then, with the prospect of returning to the stadium a few days later in the white of England, they withdrew from the squad.
William Saliba, Gabriel Magalhães and Leandro Trossard also reported for duty with their national teams but quickly returned to North London.
Piero Hincapié, Martín Zubimendi, and Noni Madueke played their initial fixtures before returning; Jurriën Timber, Martin Ødegaard, and Eberechi Eze had existing injuries.
Even the England manager, Thomas Tuchel, was aware that the situation with Rice and Saka appeared suspicious, given the crucial run-in and the apparent fitness of both before the England camp.
“I understand the looks of it,” he told the media in response to questions about the pair.
“I still have 100% trust in the honesty of Declan and Bukayo. We did medical tests. I saw them. I have no reason to believe that either are not honest with me. But given the amount of Arsenal players, I understand the look.
“We knew after the [Carabao Cup] final that there are issues. They were in treatment. But they both came. Declan was even out on the pitch. He did not come and say: ‘Guys, I’m going home.’
LONDON, ENGLAND - MARCH 31: Head Coach Thomas Tuchel of England during the international friendly match between England and Japan at Wembley Stadium on March 31, 2026 in London, England. (Photo by Robin Jones/Getty Images)
Getty Images
“I heard there were camps where players did not even show up with boots. Bukayo did sessions in the gym to really try. Declan had a session on the pitch with Jude [Bellingham, who is also not fully fit] and said it doesn’t feel right. Why would I take any risks?
“They wanted desperately to be involved – just to get the narrative straight. But they were both clearly in discomfort.”
The German coach did not offer further details on the specific issues affecting the Arsenal pair on the basis that the club would be unhappy if he did.
But he added rather tellingly that “Declan [Rice] feels a discomfort since quite a while and he’s playing through it. He’s just now on the edge where he thinks: ‘Does this make sense, what I’m doing here, to push through with 70% and push myself and push myself?’ The same with Bukayo [Saka].”
The answer for a traditionalist who believes that every cap earned for their country is amongst the greatest honors a player can possess is ‘yes, you should push yourself.’
When your nation calls on you it is the honor of your life to represent it.
But the harsh truth is that playing for England used to mean more. It was a greater prize than any league title or European tilt; only a rare few got to wear the Three Lions jersey, and those who did respected that fact.
A fair counterargument is that international games were once less frequent; for example, the World Cup in 1978 had only 16 teams, compared to the 48-nation tournament the USA, Mexico, and Canada will host this summer.
The prestige of playing for a national team was also greater because club sides didn’t travel around the globe as they do today. The World Cup, held every four years, represented one of the few opportunities to see all the best players in action against one another.
These days, as many have noted, you see it nearly every week in the Premier League or Champions League.
But it is also true that some of the pride in representing your country has been lost; it no longer seems as special to players. International teams, like England, are increasingly having to sell the ‘experience’ of being a national hero to the superstars of today or as ex-boss Gareth Southgate said, “We want the players to enjoy the experience. We want them to have fun.”
Arsenal are not the cause of this deprioritization of national duty, but they are a reflection of the problem.
Or maybe that is too sentimental, and the colder, more ambitious take is that, given the relentless schedule Premier League players face, a breather actually benefits England in the long run, given the intense World Cup schedule ahead.
As Tuchel said, tiredness might not sink their campaign, but it might affect it.
“Fatigue is just a fact. That’s why we did this camp, as we have done – to give the ones who were heavily involved a break. I’m 100% convinced we will get the benefit from it – now against Japan and later,” he added.
England can only hope that the break handed to its two key men helps the national team as much as it has helped Arsenal.
Texas A&M (22-5, 5-4 SEC) is coming off an impressive three-game sweep over Missouri on the road last weekend, led by an offense that produced 39 runs and hit .389 as a team, led by junior first baseman Gavin Grahovac's four home runs, including his grand slam on Sunday afternoon.
While Grahovac's near-hand injury led to his best performance of the season, freshman infielder and starting third baseman Nico Partida was equally impressive, recording two hits and the first multi-home run game of his young career on Saturday, and has not hit seven home runs on the year, while slashing .320/.413/.563, and is fourth on the team in batting average.
After withdrawing his name from the 2025 MLB Draft, coach Michael Earley knew that Partida, along with fellow freshman infielder Boston Kellner, was too skilled not to earn a starting job, especially after losing Jace LaViolette and Kaeden Kent, who were both selected in the first and third rounds of the draft.
Around the rest of the college baseball landscape, plenty of freshman standouts deserve widespread praise, but among a stacked roster, Nico Partida has been a shining star and one of the more impactful newcomers in the SEC, and has now been honored as Perfect Games' Midseason Freshman of the Year.
The Pearland, Texas native is also a gifted pitcher, and while he has yet to see him take the mound, Texas A&M's depth issues could force Earley and pitching coach Jason Kelly to test out his arm later this season.
Nico Partida making waves. Midseason Freshman of the Year 👍
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The baseball and softball realignment committee will meet late this summer, and their recommendations will be made to executive committee at a later meeting.
While there are not as many major changes as there were two years ago to the new classification metrics, which place the largest 20% of schools in 4A, next 25% in 3A, next 25% in 2A and smallest 30% in Class A, there are some changes. Here are some of my initial major takeaways from the realignment:
Football
>>>My eyes are always drawn to Class 6A football. One of the biggest changes will come in the north side of the bracket with Carmel, Westfield, Fishers and Hamilton Southeastern in the same sectional. Wow. No easy route there. It was split up during the last two-year period with Carmel and Westfield in one group and HSE and Fishers in another.
>>>Zionsville jumps from the north to south side of the bracket in 6A and joins Avon, Ben Davis and two-time defending state champion Brownsburg in Sectional 5. Pike moves over to Sectional 6 with Lawrence North, Lawrence Central and North Central.
>>>Decatur Central, which has one more year in 6A due to the tournament success factor, moves from Sectional 6 to 7 with Franklin Central, Perry Meridian, Southport and Warren Central.
>>>Franklin Central had been lumped in with Center Grove in Sectional 8. But with Whiteland moving up from 5A to 6A, the Warriors now join the mix there with Center Grove, Columbus North and Jeffersonville.
>>>Class 5A still has New Palestine and Cathedral going head-to-head in Sectional 13. Greenfield-Central, Mt. Vernon and Pendleton Heights join them in the five-team group.
>>>Bishop Chatard and Roncalli and in different Class 4A football sectionals. Chatard is in Sectional 21 with Brebeuf Jesuit, Danville, Guerin Catholic and Lebanon, among others. Roncalli is in Sectional 22 with Greenwood, Crispus Attucks, Martinsville, Mooresville and others.
>>>Check this out: In Class 2A Sectional 38 reside both last year’s 3A state champion (Cascade) and last year’s Class A state champion (South Putnam). Crazy.
Basketball
>>>In boys’ basketball, New Palestine is moving up to Class 4A and will join Sectional 10 with Tech, Lawrence Central, Lawrence North, North Central and Warren Central. A little weird.
>>>Mooresville moves into Class 4A Sectional 11 with Avon, Brownsburg, Plainfield, Ben Davis and Pike. Greenwood, up from 3A, takes Mooresville’s place in Sectional 12.
>>>Class 3A has a major change with Brebeuf Jesuit moving into Sectional 26 with Cathedral and Crispus Attucks. Brebeuf had been in Sectional 25.
There are not a lot of major changes in football and basketball as two years ago.
The end of an era in Tampa Bay may also signal the beginning of a new one. With longtime Buccaneers linebacker Lavonte David officially deciding to hang up his cleats, the franchise loses not only one of the most productive defenders in team history but also one of its most respected leaders. David’s presence in the locker room and on the field has been a constant for over a decade as a steady voice, a tone-setter, and a captain in every sense of the word.
But as he steps away from the game, David already has his eye on who could carry that leadership torch next. Speaking recently, David pointed to Tykee Smith as someone he believes is ready to take on a larger role, even mentioning him as a potential future team captain. It’s high praise from a player who has long been regarded as the heartbeat of Tampa Bay’s defense.
And it’s not just about what Smith brings between the lines. David referred to Smith as his “little brother,” a reflection of the bond the two have built during their time together. That relationship has extended beyond just position meetings and game days, with David taking on a mentorship role as Smith adjusted to life in the NFL.
Now, it appears that guidance could be paying off in a big way.
Smith, who carved out a role in the Buccaneers’ secondary with his versatility and physicality, has already shown flashes of being more than just a contributor but a cornerstone. Whether lining up in the slot, dropping into coverage, or stepping up in run support, he’s proven to be a reliable and instinctive piece of Todd Bowles’ defense. Leadership, however, is a different challenge and one that isn’t handed out lightly. Still, if there’s anyone who understands what it takes to wear that “C” in Tampa Bay, it’s David.
And his endorsement of Smith speaks volumes about the young safety's work ethic, character, and locker-room presence.
The two sides have until July 15 to reach a deal. But multiple team sources told Yahoo Sports they believe Pickens playing 2026 on the franchise tag is best for both sides.
The Cowboys are not looking to move on from Pickens next season. But they want a larger sample size of his on-field production and off-field professionalism before compensating him at a position with a high-end market that has surpassed $40 million per year.
“Make no mistake about it,” Jones said Tuesday from the league’s annual meeting, “we have long-term plans for Pickens.”
Jerry Jones said George Pickens’ franchise tag process has been “normal.” Jerry’s not concerned, glad GP is working out with Cowboys QB Dak Prescott.
Jerry comfortable with GP playing on tag but says “make no mistake about it, “Jerry said, “we have long-term plans for Pickens.” pic.twitter.com/Xmj54KvVL6
The Cowboys know there’s a real possibility Pickens will not report to offseason activities, and perhaps even training camp, without a multiyear deal. But Jones says he draws confidence from Pickens’ offseason work with quarterback Dak Prescott and that disagreement on tags is “normal.”
The New York Jets are entering the 2026 NFL Draft season in April without a backup plan behind Geno Smith after trading for him from the Las Vegas Raiders.
That deal wasn't a bad idea, especially since it was such a cheap move that it also didn't cost much money. But, in the draft, without clear-cut options worth taking early, the Jets might have to pivot to a different quarterback plan.
Brent Solbeski of Bleacher Report shared a prediction for the Jets that would have them acquire another QB this offseason by way of a trade. This prediction would have Aaron Glenn and Darren Mougey swinging their second QB trade to try to find a starter.
Jets predicted to make bold QB trade despite Geno Smith deal
"As part of the cascading effect with the Arizona Cardinals potentially moving up for Ty Simpson and the New York Jets finding themselves as a squad possibly without a young quarterback for the team's starting job, general manager Darren Mougey will need to get creative," Sobleski.
The Jets swinging a deal for a young quarterback this offseason might only happen if they cannot find a way to bring in Ty Simpson, the Alabama quarterback, during the NFL Draft.
It's entirely possible that a team, including the Arizona Cardinals, jumps back into the first-round after the Jets' 16th overall pick and before their 33rd overall pick to select Simpson.
In such a scenario, the Jets wouldn't have a good quarterback option in the draft who could be confidently started in 2026. That would, in turn, open the door to a trade.
If they have time, they could turn one of their second-round picks at No. 33 or 44 into a quarterback, or they could use a few later picks and a pick-swap to land a young quarterback to compete with Smith.
While all signs point to Smith being the Week 1 starter, the Jets could land a new QB to give the offense another option. Sobleski's prediction would make sense if they lost out on Simpson and wanted to get a high-upside QB on the roster other than Smith.
Two matches stirred the Copa Verde this Monday (30). At Augusto Nunes, in Amapá, in the highest-scoring game so far in the competition, Trem defeated Grêmio Sampaio 5-4 — a match valid for Group A of the Copa Norte.
Meanwhile, at Carlos Zamith, in Manaus, Amazonas was beaten by Águia de Marabá 2-0, in Group B of the Copa Norte.
In the current edition, the Copa Verde is divided in its initial stages into the Copa Norte and the Copa Centro-Oeste.
With the round’s results, Group A of the Copa Norte is led by Nacional, with 4 points, followed by Paysandu, with 3. In Group B, Porto Velho is ahead with 6 points, and Águia de Marabá is in second place, also with 6 points.
In Group A of the Copa Centro-Oeste, Rio Branco-ES is first with 6, and Vila Nova is second with 3. In Group B, Gama holds first place with 6, and Anápolis comes right behind with 3.
The second round of the Copa Verde ends this Tuesday (31), with the match between Guaporé and Paysandu, at 8 p.m., at Cassolão, in Rondônia.
NFL star Drake Maye has made a drastic change to his appearance after Super Bowl 60, and it’s giving a Massachusetts hospital major recognition.
The New England Patriots quarterback is preparing for the 2026 NFL season following the team’s loss to the Seattle Seahawks. However, Maye is sporting a new look after helping raise money for a worthy cause.
Maye and the Boston Children’s Hospital teamed up to raise funds for deserving kids in need. That led to Maye having his head shaved to bring more awareness to the children’s hospital during the Saving by Shaving charity event.
.@DrakeMaye2 got a new look to raise money for Boston Children’s Hospital ❤️
Maye’s wife, Ann Michael, was spotted in a video Tuesday holding the electric razor up to her NFL star husband’s head. Ann Michael has become a celebrity in her own right in recent months after appearing in many social media videos cooking and baking for the Maye family.
Luckily for Maye and Patriots fans, the young quarterback isn’t completely bald heading into a busy offseason for New England. However, the generous act has still brought great attention to Boston Children’s Hospital.
Patriots star, wife debut charitable foundation
Maye and his wife have launched the MayeDay Family Foundation to help children and families in need, particularly those in New England and North Carolina.
The foundation is hosting its first fundraising event in May during a celebrity softball game at Polar Park in Worcester, Mass.
“I actually cut my grandma’s hair one time and it looked so horrible,” said Ann Michael. “It was during COVID and she really needed a haircut so I gave her one. It looked so bad, so, we’ll see how this goes.”
New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye against the Seattle Seahawks during Super Bowl LX. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
The Patriots are hopeful that the AFC East champions will be able to continue their success with Maye in 2026. Last season, New England exceeded expectations by reaching the AFC Championship Game in Maye’s second season.
The former North Carolina quarterback was selected third overall by New England in the 2024 NFL Draft. NFL signal callers Caleb Williams and Jayden Daniels were each drafted in the two spots before Maye.
High school basketball's best heads to the desert for the 2026 McDonald's All American games.
On March 31, the faces that will be lighting up college basketball have one final moment on the court as high schoolers. The bright lights of Phoenix, Arizona, will set the stage as 48 of the nation’s elite — 24 boys and 24 girls — trade their hometown jerseys for the iconic East and West threads.
Before they become the household names of the Final Four and the top picks of the NBA and WNBA drafts, they’ll give the desert one last display of the raw talent and soaring athleticism that brought them to the summit of the prep circuit. Players like Tyran Stokes, Jordan Smith, Saniyah Hall and Jerzy Robinson will all join forces for a showcase of high school basketball's best.
The games are just one part of the spectacle, with events such as the Sprite Jam Fest, 3-Point Contest, Slam Dunk Contest and knockout game all parts of the event as well.
The Sporting News brings you everything you need to know about the 2026 McDonald's All American Games, including TV and streaming options for events.
Both All American games will air on ESPN on Tuesday, March 31, starting with the All American Girls Game. The day before, events will be broadcast across ESPN platforms, starting with the scrimmages on ESPNU followed by Sprite Jam Fest, which will be on ESPN2 that night.
Those looking to stream the events can with the ESPN App. Now you can watch ESPN without cable. Stream live NBA, NFL, MLB, NHL, college sports, plus SportsCenter, First Take, and all your favorite ESPN shows—anytime, anywhere—only in the ESPN app.
Fans can also stream events airing on ESPN broadcast channels via Fubo, which offers a free trial to new subscribers so you can try before you buy.
The Montreal Canadiens are the talk of the NHL due to their headache-free rebuild, which has them heading towards the playoffs for the second consecutive season, and yet, Toronto Maple Leafs president Keith Pelley suggests his franchise did not see them coming, so to speak.
Pelley addressed the media on Tuesday, a day after firing former general manager Brad Treliving.
One of the talking points centred on Toronto’s realization that the Stanley Cup window had firmly closed shut, a situation that took Maple Leafs management a little longer to realize than most.
It was only once they acknowledged the Canadiens and Buffalo Sabres had improved their standing significantly that the Leafs were ready to make wholesale changes.
“We need to be better, we need to be able to adapt quicker, and we definitely didn’t see the train coming that was the Buffalo Sabres and the Montreal Canadiens,” said Pelley. “And how strong those two teams are.”
Leafs MLSE President Keith Pelley on what went wrong this season with the team: pic.twitter.com/lDoC5w2frK
“Buffalo and Montreal have shown that young, energetic team,” he said. “They’re going to be here for a long time. The prospects they have, from Michael Hage, to Radim Mrtka from Buffalo, they’re strong, and they’re going to be strong for a long period of time.”
It’s very rare to hear a president discuss other franchises during a public press conference, especially while naming a top prospect such as Hage.
However, it must be said that almost everyone in the NHL saw this coming, and that goes beyond the fans in Montreal.
The Habs have been on the uptick for at least two seasons, and they’ve done a masterful job ensuring the prospect cupboard remains full while adding important NHL pieces.
Perhaps it was simply a matter of Pelley setting the standard by comparing Toronto’s situation to Montreal’s, as there would be some logic in attempting to emulate the Habs’ rebuild.
But if the Leafs really didn’t see Montreal coming, there are more issues at play in Toronto than a roster that has continuously shed talent over the course of the last few years.
Somerville played in all 33 games for the Seminoles, making 10 starts. The sophomore averaged 8.0 points, 2.4 assists, and 3.0 rebounds in 26.0 minutes per game. His 49 steals led the team.
He spent just one season with FSU after signing with them as a four-star transfer ahead of Luke Loucks' first season as head coach. He started his career at UMass Lowell and is now looking for his third school in three years. He was ranked as the No. 241 overall player and No. 43 point guard in the portal last offseason and was one of seven transfers they added.
Somerville scored in double-figures nine times for the Seminoles, dropping a season-high 23 points against Jacksonville and Virginia Tech. He shot 9-11 against the Hokies, going 4-6 from deep with six assists and four rebounds. He will have two seasons of eligibility at his next stop.
He is the third FSU player to announce their plans to enter the transfer portal, joining reserve guard Cam Miles and reserve big man Shan Muhammad, who will need a waiver to play another season.
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Defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul returned to the Buccaneers late last season and he wouldn't mind another trip down memory lane.
Pierre-Paul addressed a post on X.com to the Giants letting them know he's interested in continuing to play. The Giants drafted Pierre-Paul 15th overall in 2010 and employed him for his first eight seasons in the NFL.
"I'm still available and ready to take on some OT’s and dominate in run-stop football the GIANTS WAY," Pierre-Paul wrote. "Let’s make it happen, Giant Fans, Giant Nation Let’s go!! I know I know I know."
Pierre-Paul won a Super Bowl with the Giants and another in his first four-year stint with the Bucs. He then played for new Giants head coach John Harbaugh with the Ravens in 2022, played sparingly for the Saints and Dolphins in 2023 and then saw action in three games for Tampa last year after sitting out the 2024 season.
Pierre-Paul is not the only former Giant and Raven to come up in conjunction with a possible Harbaugh reunion this week. Wide receiver Odell Beckham is looking to return to the league and Harbaugh said he’s open to the idea on Monday.
Massachusetts high school basketball has another national name to know, and it’s Quinn Costello.
The Medford native and Newman School senior has gone from intriguing local prospect to one of the top players in the country, earning a spot in the 2026 McDonald’s All-American Game. ESPN currently lists Costello as the No. 28 player in the class of 2026 and the No. 1 prospect in Massachusetts, while also noting he’s signed with Michigan.
That makes Costello more than just a good local story. It puts him on one of the biggest stages in high school basketball, with a place on the Boys West roster for Tuesday night’s game in Glendale, Arizona. For fans around Boston and beyond, this is the kind of rise that grabs your attention fast.
Quick facts on Quinn Costello
Hometown: Medford, Mass.
School: The Newman School in Boston.
College: Signed with Michigan.
McDonald’s All-American team: Boys West, jersey No. 8.
Other major honor: Named to the Jersey Mike’s Naismith Boys High School Player of the Year Midseason Team.
Why Costello’s rise has been such a big deal
Costello’s breakout didn’t come out of nowhere, but it definitely accelerated in a hurry. Michigan’s official release on his McDonald’s All-American selection said he surged during the summer of 2025 with the Middlesex Magic on the Under Armour circuit, where he averaged 11.0 points and 5.0 rebounds per game, then followed that with a standout showing at Pangos All-American Camp and co-Most Outstanding Player honors. By his senior season at Newman, he was putting up 16.4 points, 8.1 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.1 steals per game.
He’s also been doing it for a program that keeps winning. Newman captured the NEBL championship in February and then rolled to the NEPSAC AAA title in March, beating Hoosac 101-68 in the final. That only added to the buzz around a player who was already climbing fast nationally.
New England Basketball Journal noted that Costello’s selection continues a recent run of New England stars making the McDonald’s game, following names like Cooper Flagg and AJ Dybantsa. So this isn’t just a Newman story or a Medford story. It’s another reminder that elite prep basketball talent keeps coming out of this region.
What kind of player is Quinn Costello?
The easiest way to put it: Costello looks like a modern frontcourt prospect. ESPN lists him as a center, but recruiting evaluations have pointed to the skill set of a stretch forward — a player with size who can space the floor, shoot with touch and keep developing into a matchup problem. 247Sports describes him as a “budding stretch-four” with soft touch and shot-making ability, while also noting his continued growth physically and skill-wise.
That’s a big reason his recruitment blew up and why Michigan got a major win when it landed him. The bigger picture is simple: a kid from Medford, playing at Newman in Boston, is now on the McDonald’s All-American stage. That’s not normal. That’s a sign you’re looking at one of the biggest Massachusetts high school basketball stories of the year.
🎥 At Bosnia v Italy it kicks off! Block of flats ablaze, Bastoni sees red
For Bosnia and Italy, today is all about the last chance to be part of the World Cup this summer. There’s plenty of fire in this playoff clash between the two nations.
Even before kick-off in Zenica, lots of pyrotechnics were set off. Even in the apartment block next to the Bilino Polje stadium.
Bosnia may have made the better start, but Italy took the lead thanks in large part to Bosnia keeper Nikola Vasilj of FC St. Pauli. Moise Kean coolly buried the gift-wrapped through ball.
After that, Bosnia continued to be on the front foot. Shortly before the break, Memic was through on Donnarumma, and Italy’s defensive leader Bastoni pulled the emergency brake with a sliding tackle. The Inter man was shown a straight red, as expected.
With the man advantage, Bosnia still has plenty to play for in the second half. Italy continues to tremble over its first World Cup appearance in twelve years.
The Los Angeles Dodgers sold a souvenir cup for superstar Shohei Ohtani at the beginning of this season for a price some viewed as unreasonable.
This limited edition cup was designed to look like a Dodgers jersey with Ohtani's name and number 17 on the back. At the beginning of the season, the cup was sold at Dodger Stadium for $74.99 and it allowed for unlimited refills of fountain soda on the day of purchase. After complaints, the price was dropped to $68.99 and the refill policy was changed to a season-long deal.
A season-ticket holder named Angel Yanez spoke about why he bought the cup (via California Post):
“It makes more sense through the year, we are season pass holders,” said Yanez, who plans to attend every home game with his son this season.
“We’re going to utilize the cups every time we are here.”
Despite the price tag, the cups sold out and because they were limited edition, they became a coveted item on the secondary market. Some were sold for sums between $250 and $290 on eBay, per The Athletic. Other listings are between $300 and $400.
Who would have guessed that a $69 cup at a baseball game would actually have more than three or four times the initial price tag?
Mako Vunipola's final appearance for Saracens was in the 2024 Premiership Rugby play-offs [Getty Images]
Leicester Tigers have signed former England loose-head prop Mako Vunipola.
The 35-year-old, currently with French Pro D2 leaders Vannes, has agreed to join Tigers for next season along with Argentina prop Joel Sclavi from La Rochelle, Bristol Bears centre Joe Jenkins and Harlequins hooker Jack Doorey-Palmer.
Vunipola, born in New Zealand, made 79 appearances for England, was a World Cup runner-up in 2019, and was involved in three British and Irish Lions tours.
"It's great to welcome someone of Mako's experience and quality into the squad next season," Tigers boss Geoff Parling said.
"He's a proven international loose-head that is hungry to come back to the Prem to finish his career and is looking for a place that can get the best from him whilst offering the opportunity to play in big games.
"He's an outstanding character that will add real value to the group."
Vunipola said it was a move he "would never have envisaged", adding he was "honoured to be part of this prestigious club".
Sclavi, 31, has won the Champions Cup twice with French side La Rochelle, as well as the Top 14, and has played 33 times for his country.
Doorey-Palmer, 22, is a product of Harlequins' academy and has been on loan at Champ club Cambridge this season.
Jenkins, also 22, is a former England Under-20 international and became the youngest player to ever start for Bristol in the Premiership when, at 18, he played against Saracens in November 2022.
"I'm proud and happy to be part of a club with so much history and identity," Sclavi said. "I am really looking forward to what is ahead at Leicester Tigers."
Parling said: "We know how highly we value our set-piece, so we were looking at someone who could add both quality and depth on both sides of the scrum, of which Joel's size and strength will be a real asset.
"After proving himself in the Top 14 he was hungry for a new challenge."
Joel Sclavi played against the British and Irish Lions for Argentina last summer [Getty Images]
Jenkins, who also qualifies for Wales, was rated as a top prospect when he made his debut but has been hampered by injuries.
"Having met with Geoff, it was clear that moving to Leicester was the correct rugby move for me to develop further as a player," Jenkins said.
"I believe the way that Geoff wants his centres to play will suit my style of play.
"I'm very excited about the coming seasons and playing a big part in future success at Leicester."
Doorey-Palmer said: "It's surreal to have signed for Leicester Tigers. I am absolutely buzzing to get started."
The Boston Celtics were supposed to be bad this season. Jayson Tatum was going to miss most of the campaign after his torn Achilles. They got rid of size in the offseason.
Well, two of those sentences are true. But the first one was a bad narrative to begin with. There wasn't actually evidence that the Celtics would be bad.
Now, Jaylen Brown is calling out the doubters, and that's fair. There were a lot of them. Some wondered whether the Celtics should just chase draft positioning and try again next year.
And yes, it's easy to say now, but genuinely: Those doubts were silly in the first place.
This is a team that still had JB, and Derrick White, and Payton Pritchard.
Anyone who watched Neemias Queta play last year knew he could contribute inside if given the minutes.
Sam Hauser had already proven himself as a high-level shooter.
The pieces really did fit together just fine, and the Celtics got rid of an aging Al Horford, an aging Jrue Holiday and a battling-illness Kristaps Porzingis. Was that actually guaranteed to make Boston worse?
Yes, Tatum's absence was always going to be a major difference. Boston didn't have world-beater potential without him.
But the chance to win a lot of games in an Eastern Conference that still features a terrible bottom half? That was always present.
If Brown and White stayed healthy, the Celtics were never going to miss the playoffs.
Now, they're chasing the top spot in the East. And Tatum is back.
So much for the doubters. Maybe it's worth considering the whole picture before making any sweeping judgements like that again.
The Boston Red Sox are putting runners in scoring position.
They just haven't been able to execute on those opportunities. It's a significant reason for their 1-3 start and minus-six run differential.
"The Red Sox are 2-58 (0.34) with 32 Ks with RISP to start the year," the X account @soxbart wrote Tuesday morning.
"This marks the worst batting avg with RISP for the first 4 games of a season (min 40 ABs) since the stat first started being recognized in 1962."
"Boston scored a total of 10 runs in its first three games after an offseason spent doubling down on run prevention," FanSided's Katie Manganelli wrote Monday. "But preventing runs won't save the Red Sox if they can't score any themselves."
It's an absurd statistic for Boston, which has its eyes set on a postseason berth in a very competitive AL East.
Shortstop Trevor Story struck out four times in Saturday's loss to the Cincinnati Reds, and the early results from the Wilson Contreras trade are questionable at best. The first baseman has just one hit through 18 trips to the plate but has walked four times.
The Red Sox's .666 team OPS ranks 18th in the Majors through four games, a far cry from the .441 mark of the San Francisco Giants. But they'll need a significant uptick in offensive production to avoid falling in the standings by the end of April.
The door is still open to the Green Bay Packers playing an international game as one of the team's eight road games during the 2026 regular season. President Ed Policy said the Packers are still an option as an opponent for the Detroit Lions in Munich, Germany, or the New Orleans Saints in Paris, France, per Matt Schneidman of The Athletic.
Playing the Lions in Germany would cancel out a divisional road trip to Ford Field during the regular season. The Saints are on the schedule as one of the Packers' eight road opponents in 2026.
The two games will be finalized when the NFL's regular season schedule for 2026 is set. Last year, the league did not announce the schedule until mid-May.
Neither contest -- in Munich or Paris -- would count as a home game, so the Packers will play all nine scheduled home games at Lambeau Field this season.
The Packers did not play an international game during the 2025 season after facing the New York Giants in London in 2022 and opening the 2024 season against the Philadelphia Eagles in Brazil. Green Bay lost both games.
Here in his hometown of Greenfield, the streets carry common names such as Main and State. American flags and stone buildings dot the town square and those who put this usually low-key 25,000-person city on the map — there aren't many — are revered like family.
So naturally in a state that treats basketball like a religion and the sport's biggest stars like royalty, nobody casts a bigger shadow in this community now than the slender 6-foot-6, 196-pound, 19-year-old freshman who changed Final Four weekend with one brilliant shining moment Sunday afternoon.
Mullins' 35-foot game-winning 3-pointer with 0.4 seconds left didn't just make him an instant celebrity or send the Huskies to their third Final Four in four years. In a community full of fans who typically root for Indiana, Purdue, Notre Dame or Butler, Mullins has suddenly turned Greenfield, Indiana, into a haven of UConn fans.
“We knew he was good, but for him to go and play all the minutes he has and to perform as well as he has at UConn after being injured the first portion of the year, that’s great,” Greenfield-Central High School athletic director Jared Manning said. “But to do it and have that moment that’s going to live on forever, in maybe the biggest game of his life to this point on national television, we couldn’t have dreamed this up.”
A star is born
Mullins seemed destined for this type of fame when he started turning heads in middle school even though that's anything but the norm in a city that is just a 37-minute drive from Lucas Oil Stadium where the East Region champion Huskies (33-5) will face South Region champion Illinois (28-8) on Saturday for a trip to the national championship game.
Ask workers and customers at the local coffee counter to name the city's best athletes and former Major League Baseball pitcher Kyle Gibson and pitcher Drey Jamison, who is in the Arizona Diamondbacks organization, are often recited. The actual title probably belongs to Jaycie Phelps, who was part of the 1996 Olympic champion gymnastics team dubbed "The Magnificent Seven.”
Mullins is now on the list regardless of what's to come.
Indiana is rife with high school basketball lore and seemingly every school, large or small, owns a chapter in that book. Greenfield-Central has been a rare exception: Neither the boys nor the girls teams have won a state title, and the boys team hasn't won a sectional championship since 1998 despite featuring Mullins for three seasons.
How tough was it? When Luke Meredith took over as coach in 2019-20, he inherited a team that went 4-20 the previous year amid four straight losing seasons. Meredith left as the winningest coach in school history (109-37) following the 2024-25 season, success that came in large part because of Mullins and his family.
Josh, the father, was a former college player at IUPUI, now known as IU-Indianapolis, and served as an assistant for Meredith. Mullins' younger twin brothers, Cole and Clay, also played and are expected to play at a nearby Division III school next season.
It didn't take long for coaches and fans to realize the oldest brother, Braylon, was different.
He personified Meredith's motto — "juice, compete, standard" — by scoring 16.9 points as a sophomore and 25.0 as a junior before averaging 32.9 points, 7.2 rebounds and 4.2 assists and 4.2 steals as a senior. He broke the school's single-game scoring record twice in his final prep season, scoring 51 and later 52 points.
He wound up as the school's scoring leader (2,158 points) and became the first player in school history to win the prestigious IndyStar Indiana Mr. Basketball Award winner as well as becoming the program's first McDonald's All-American.
So when Mullins made that incredible shot Sunday, nobody in Greenfield was surprised.
“We’ve watched him play basketball since he was in middle school,” Mayor Guy Titus said. “We saw that shot many times here at Greenfield-Central when he was growing up, when he was playing varsity ball here. But to see it on national TV with like everybody comparing it to the Christian Laettner thing — I'm old enough to remember that. It was one of those magical moments."
Unifying a town
The Final Four on Saturday will not be the first time Mullins has played close to home since heading to Storrs.
In February, a large contingent of city residents made the short drive into Indianapolis to one of Indiana's most revered basketball cathedrals, Hinkle Fieldhouse. The hometown hero responded well, scoring 13 of his 15 points in the first half of an 80-70 victory over Butler.
Another little exodus could happen again: Manning said he anticipated having discussions this week about whether the school would cancel classes, offer bus rides or both for fans to attend UConn's open practice on Friday, which is scheduled to be held at noon. Even if not, Greenfield faithful are expected to go and cheer their new favorite son.
“When he calls home and asks his dad about this or that, it just reminds he's still a young man who is just like every other college kid,” said Chuck McMichael, deputy chief of the Greenfield Police Department.
McMichael knows because everyone in a town whose biggest festival honors poet James Whitcomb Riley seems to have a personal connection to Mullins.
Josh Holmes, like McMichael, works for the police department and has been Greenfield-Central's longtime school resource officer. Titus happens to be Braylon Mullins' great uncle. All of it has made this college season for the UConn freshman special.
The only thing better would be forcing a change of the signs greeting visitors to Greenfield by winning a national championship.
“When you come into Greenwood, you know, it says Home of Olympic champion Jaycie Phelps and Mr. Basketball Brayton Mullins,” Titus said. “You know Greenfield is known for its the Riley Festival. Now people are calling me, saying, ‘We need to change it to the Mullins Festival, we need to put up a statue of Braylon making the shot.' It’s funny all the comments I've heard.”
On Tuesday, NFL executive V.P. Jeff Miller sang a different tune when discussing the ongoing labor battle with the NFL Referees Association.
"This is an opportunity for us to improve the state of our officiating," Miller told reporters at the NFL's annual meeting. "There needs to be accountability measures, there needs to be performance measures, and that’s what our negotiating posture has been. The dead period that keeps us from talking to officials from the end of the season until May 15, the probationary period that doesn’t permit us enough time to work with officials to help them improve performance — or remove them if necessary — or the ability to get the best-performing officials on the field as the playoffs continue.
"Again, the owners were consistent in saying, we’re more than happy to pay for performance. . . . [T]his was consistent throughout the course of the discussions over the last couple of days. But what they are insistent upon — insistent upon — is that the performance of the officials and the accountability for their performance has to improve. And that’s where we are in these negotiations and that’s exactly where we’re going to stay."
It's a delicate balance for the league. The best way to improve performance is to make all officials full-time, year-round employees, and to pay them accordingly.
Wherever this goes, it feels like the NFL is already determined to lock the officials out, rely on expanded replay, and play Russian roulette with the integrity of the game by relying on glorified amateurs to perform the critically important game-day function of knowing, applying, and enforcing the rules — while also protecting the players.
The Ukraine flag. (Photo by Joe Prior/Visionhaus via Getty Images)
Visionhaus/Getty Images
Ukrainian rhythmic gymnast Taisia Onofriichuk dominated the World Cup in Sofia, Bulgaria, winning four gold medals across five disciplines. However, the actions of a Russian silver medalist in Sofia have sparked significant outrage.
During the medal ceremony for the Hoop competition, Russian “neutral athlete” Sofia Ilteryakova did not turn to face the Ukrainian flag as the anthem played for Onofriichuk, the event winner.
While Onofriichuk and bronze medalist Sofia Raffaeli (Italy) stood at attention, Ilteryakova was seen facing away from the flag as the Ukrainian anthem played.
Ilteryakova’s actions drew criticism, particularly from Ukrainian officials, particularly due to her authorized neutral status. In order to achieve neutral status and compete in World Gymnastics sanctioned events, the federation’s Ad-Hoc guidelines require athletes to meet the following criteria:
No voluntary affiliation with the Russian or Belarusian military or with any other national security agency
No active support for the military conflict in Ukraine
The World Gymnastics federation (formerly the International Gynastics Federation) states that athletes must refrain from “verbal or nonverbal" activity or communication" that “constitutes active support for the military conflict in Ukraine.”
Additionally, the guidelines state that athletes must not “take any action or behave in any way that may prejudice the interests of the competition, its integrity or the participant’s neutrality required as a condition for participation.”
In addition to her potential breaches of the neutrality criteria, Ilteryakova’s actions appear to violate the federation’s rules for award ceremony conduct. World Gymnastics rules assert that “all parties must turn to face the flags.”
The Ukrainian Gymnastics Federation is seeking justice for its athlete and its federation after Ilteryakova’s behavior at the World Cup event.
The federation provided an official statement in response to my requests for comment, regarding what it described as the “demonstrative disrespect for the state symbols of Ukraine” by Sofia Ilteryakova. The full statement is now available on social media.
Drafted by Ukrainian Gymnastics President Iryna Deryugina, the statement expressed “strong protest” over Ilteryakova’s “unacceptable” behavior.
“Openly demonstrating disrespect for the state symbol of our country and the fundamental principles of the Olympic Charter.”
MOSCOW, RUSSIA - MARCH 06: Sofia Ilteryakova performs during the individual final event of the 2026 Russian Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships at Irina Viner Gymnastics Palace in Moscow, Russia on March 06, 2026. (Photo by Sefa Karacan/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Anadolu via Getty Images
The UGF accused Ilteryakova of violating Ethics and Fair Play and federation Protocol, arguing that the gymnast’s gesture constituted a “direct violation of the rules of conduct at official ceremonies."
“The award ceremony is an official part of the competition that requires compliance with etiquette,” the UGF added, referencing the award ceremony statute from the World Gymnastics rulebook.
The federation openly questioned Ilteryakova’s approval as a neutral athlete, arguing that her approval is further evidence that neutrality is “used as a a cover for broadcasting political views.”
“Turning your back on the Ukrainian flag in the conditions of the ongoing war is an act of political hostility,” Deryugina declared.
UGF Files to Ethics Commission
The federation also expressed its desire to protect its athletes from these forms of “passive aggression,” prompting multiple demands to the World Gymnastics Federation and the International Olympic Committee.
The Ukrainian Gymnastics Federation vowed to file an official complaint to the IOC’s Ethics Commission, demanding the following:
To annul (Sofia Ilteryakova’s) result at the current tournament for unsportsmanlike behavior
To permanently deprive the athlete of the status of "neutral athlete", since her actions directly contradict the admission criteria
To strengthen the test for "neutrality", including not only the absence of direct ties to security forces, but also the obligation to fully respect the state symbols of all participating countries
“Sport is a platform for fair competition, not for demonstrating imperial ambitions and disregard for the sovereignty of other countries. Ukraine will demand justice and a tough reaction from the international community,” Deryugina concluded.
World Gymnastics Federation Remains Silent
The World Gymnastics federation did not respond to my requests for comment and has not issued an official statement. This report will be updated should the organization provide comment.
Stuttgart, Germany - March 30: Nico Schlotterbeck of Germany controls the Ball during the international friendly match between Germany and Ghana at MHP Arena on March 30, 2026 in Stuttgart, Germany. (Photo by Harry Langer/DeFodi Images/DeFodi via Getty Images) | DeFodi Images via Getty Images
We’re into the second week of the international break, and the UEFA World Cup qualification play-off finals are currently underway. At half-time, here’s how it stands:
Bosnia & Herzegovina 0-1 Italy
Czechia 1-0 Denmark
Kosovo 0-0 Turkiye
Sweden 2-1 Poland
Italy are down to ten men, so maybe Bosnia & Herzegovina can pull the upset. I would also like to see Kosovo make it just for the novelty.
Elsewhere, England are currently losing 1-0 to Japan. Japan have been reasonably good value for their lead. England have probably been the better side, but they haven’t created much genuine threat and Japan have done a fantastic job on the counter. I look forward to some very breathless coverage if England lose a friendly!
Anyway, here are the scraps of BVB and Bundesliga news that I could rustle up.
BVB News
It looks like the reports that Nico Schlotterbeck’s contract extension had been agreed were jumping the gun. Schlotterbeck himself has confirmed no agreement is in place and any decision could still be weeks away.
Another Dortmund center-back, Waldemar Anton, is attracting interest from multiple clubs in Europe, including Manchester United, Aston Villa, and Atletico Madrid.
The Milwaukee Bucks host the Dallas Mavericks in NBA action tonight.
These are two of the worst teams in the league, but there are a few reasons why my Mavericks vs. Bucks predictions favor the home side.
I explain with my best free NBA picks on Tuesday, March 31.
Mavericks vs Bucks prediction
Mavericks vs Bucks best bet: Bucks moneyline (+110)
Both squads have been terrible lately, with the Dallas Mavericks winning just three of their last 18 games and the Giannis Antetokounmpo-less Milwaukee Bucks going 3-14 in their previous 17. The Bucks are last in the NBA in net rating (-17.3) since the start of March, while Dallas is 28th (-11.5).
That said, the Mavs are on the road and could be tired after losing by 30 points to Minnesota last night.
Meanwhile, the Bucks enjoyed a day off after losing at home to the Clippers on Sunday. They should also have Myles Turner, Bobby Portis, and Ryan Rollins back in the lineup after they missed the previous contest.
They are three of Milwaukee's Top 6 scorers this season (with another being the still-sidelined Antetokounmpo), so having that trio active will boost the Bucks' chances of winning.
That's enough for me to back them at plus money against a Dallas squad that has Cooper Flagg and not much else.
Mavericks vs Bucks same-game parlay
Since both teams have nothing to play for, we've seen little effort from them on the defensive end of the floor. That has me backing a couple of player props in this SGP.
Daniel Gafford has stepped up as the Mavs' No. 2 scoring option and has logged 24+ points and rebounds in seven of his last eight games.
Meanwhile, Rollins has knocked down more than 2.5 threes in six of his last eight games. He'll torch a Dallas squad that is allowing 14.3 threes per game at 38.6% clip since the start of February.
Mavericks vs Bucks SGP
Bucks moneyline
Daniel Gafford Over 22.5 points + rebounds
Ryan Rollins Over 2.5 threes
Our "from downtown" SGP: Planting his Flagg
Flagg is coming off a night against Minnesota, where he went just 5-for-19 from the field. That said, the Rookie of the Year favorite should bounce back against a Milwaukee squad that is second-last in the league in defensive rating since the All-Star break.
Flagg has dropped 5+ dimes in 12 of 14 games this month, and he also makes plays on the defensive end. He has logged 2+ steals in five of his last seven games while blocking at least one shot in six of his previous eight contests.
Mavericks vs Bucks SGP
Cooper Flagg Over 24.5 points
Cooper Flagg Over 4.5 assists
Cooper Flagg Over 1.5 steals
Cooper Flagg Over 0.5 blocks
Mavericks vs Bucks odds
Spread: Mavericks -2 (-110) | Bucks +2 (-110)
Moneyline: Mavericks -130 | Bucks +110
Over/Under: Over 230 (-110) | Under 230 (-110)
How to watch Mavericks vs Bucks
Location
Fiserv Forum, Milwaukee, WI
Date
Tuesday, March 31, 2026
Tip-off
8:00 p.m. ET
TV
KFAA, FDSN-WI
Mavericks vs Bucks latest injuries
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For more than a decade, Takeru “Natural Born Krusher” Segawa has proudly stood as the undisputed face of Japanese kickboxing. When a martial arts icon of his colossal stature finally decides it is time to walk away, the resulting announcement carries an emotional weight that completely transcends the sport itself.
The 34-year-old megastar will make his monumental farewell appearance in the main event of ONE SAMURAI 1. Broadcasting live from Tokyo’s historic Ariake Arena on Wednesday, April 29, this blockbuster card serves as the inaugural edition of ONE Championship’s highly anticipated monthly Japanese series.
Standing across the Circle will be his ultimate rival, Rodtang “The Iron Man” Jitmuangnon, with the ONE Interim Flyweight Kickboxing World Title hanging in the balance. It is a high-stakes rematch the Japanese hero has obsessively chased, and there is absolutely no more fitting stage on which to pen his final, violent chapter.
The agonizing decision to retire was something the former three-division K-1 Champion had been quietly turning over in his mind for years.
Continuously weighing the grueling physical demands of his battered body against the competitive fire that still raged inside him, Takeru desperately searched for the perfect time to draw the curtain without diminishing the towering legacy he had built.
Takeru told ONE:
“Well, regarding my retirement, actually, I didn’t have the feeling of retirement yet. But I had been thinking about when would be the right timing to retire for about three or four years. The condition of my body was my top consideration.
“So the moment when I thought that this would truly be the last time I could [fight at my] strongest condition was probably about a year ago.”
The harsh reality of elite combat sports is famously unforgiving. The razor-thin margins that separate World Champions from mere contenders are measured in microscopic fractions of a second in reaction time, fractions of a degree in power output, and fractions of a percentage in physical conditioning.
For Takeru, the acute awareness of those shifting margins is hard-earned wisdom built over years of absolute wars.
He possesses absolutely no interest in spending the twilight of his career giving the fans anything less than his absolute best. The immaculate legacy he has forged deserves a spectacular send-off that honors his prime, rather than a narrative defined by a gradual, painful decline against the sport’s elite.
‘Natural Born Krusher’ made it clear:
“If I wanted to continue, I think I probably still could. But I thought this might be the last time I can put myself in my strongest condition, so I decided to retire this time.”
The final curtain may be rapidly coming down, but Takeru’s electrifying levels of intensity haven’t shifted by a single degree. If anything, the sobering knowledge that this battle will serve as his career swan song has only sharpened his lethal focus.
ONE SAMURAI 1 provides the perfect stage for everything he wants to say with his world-class striking arsenal one final time. For an iconic athlete who has sacrificed his entire life to the sport and to the devoted fans who have followed his every step, there is nothing left to do but deliver one last, unforgettable spectacle.
The inevitable sadness that comes with closing a chapter this significant can wait until the stadium lights go dark. Right now, there is only the fight, and a legendary warrior who has never once done anything halfway:
“I still have demanding [training sessions despite my decision]. The fight is not over, so I don’t have sadness or similar feelings associated with retirement.
“Because the next [match] will be the last, I’m spending each day so that I can give everything I have and to retire without any regrets.”
At ONE 172 in March 2025, Rodtang Jitmuangnon’s catastrophic left hook put Takeru Segawa flat on the canvas at the 1:20 mark of the opening round. That brief, utterly brutal encounter left the Japanese icon with a mountain of unfinished business.
The psychological wound hasn’t healed. Instead, it became pure, combustible fuel, and his insatiable desire for redemption has been burning like an inferno ever since. That fiery vengeance is exactly what makes this rematch so much more than a standard World Title fight.
Takeru’s entire fighting identity is proudly built on all-out, uncompromising violence. A toe-to-toe war is the exact fight he always wanted with Rodtang, and it is the exact experience those shocking 80 seconds stole from him. Stepping into the Circle at ONE SAMURAI 1, he comes to collect his debt:
“The essence of my fighting style is a slugfest, and I’ve always wanted to have that kind of fight with Rodtang. [During the] last fight, I couldn’t even reach that point and lost. So, this is why I [always] believed I must fight Rodtang one more time. That’s the reason I have come this far.”
The millions of fans who have passionately followed every single chapter of his legendary career deserve to see the real ‘Natural Born Krusher’ unleashed one final time — not the vulnerable version that was caught cold at Saitama Super Arena.
Takeru is aware of what his recent losses on the global stage have meant to those who unconditionally believed in him. He carries that heavy emotion with him, not as a crushing burden, but as one final, powerful reason to make April 29 count for something infinitely greater than the sport’s most coveted golden strap.
The 34-year-old icon concluded:
“I want to show a victory to those who have supported me, to everyone on my team, and my family. Since coming to ONE, I feel like I betrayed their feelings [by] losing fights. But this is my chance to let them see me retire as the strongest in the world.”
Los Blancos, we know, are prepared to sanction the exits of both David Alaba and Antonio Rudiger. While the Reds remain unclear on which direction Ibrahima Konate will go with ongoing contract talks.
Should Lukeba be of interest to the Premier League?
Any defender developed by Red Bull’s talent factory – especially at a cut-price fee – should at least inspire some interest from Liverpool Football Club.
The Merseysiders have already benefitted from a strong relationship with RB Leipzig that has recently seen the likes of Naby Keita, Konate, and Dominik Szoboszlai join the ranks at Anfield.
The Frenchman is exceptional on the ball, ranking in the 97th percentile for successful dribbles per 90. Not to mention he possesses some impressive defensive stats in the Bundesliga this term.
Our one main concern, however, as highlighted by Fotmob, is his apparent weakness in the air.
* Castello Lukeba’s aerial stats (per 90) in the 2025/26 Bundesliga season (Fotmob)
Given the direction the Premier League has gone in, such stats could very well be a dealbreaker for our recruitment team.
The 2026 Masters will begin next week in Augusta, Georgia, and a familiar face — Scottie Scheffler — is the betting favorite to win the first major of the year at +500 odds at BetMGM.
Scheffler won the 2024 Masters by four strokes — his second green jacket — and came in fourth place last year at -8, three shots behind 2025 Masters winner Rory McIlroy (-11), who won his first title at Augusta in a playoff over Justin Rose. Patrick Reed (-9) finished in third.
Scheffler was a +450 favorite entering last year’s tournament and a +500 favorite entering the 2024 Masters.
McIlroy and two-time U.S. Open champion Bryson DeChambeau have the next-best odds to win this year’s tournament at 10-1, followed by Jon Rahm (12-1), Ludvig Aberg (14-1) and Xander Schauffele (14-1). No other golfers have odds better than 20-1 at BetMGM.
Scheffler has continued his terrific form so far in 2026, winning The American Express in January and finishing in the top 25 in every tournament he’s played in — including three top-five finishes.
However, all eyes will be on the status of Tiger Woods, who was involved in a car crash last Friday afternoon, and was arrested after failing a field sobriety test. Police officers discovered two hydrocodone pills in his pants pocket and Woods told police he was looking at his phone before the crash, according to an affidavit released on Tuesday.
Woods, a five-time Masters champion, is still among the list of entries, but he’s yet to announce if he will play or not. He currently has odds of 250-1 to win the tournament at BetMGM — the same odds as Johnny Keefer and Andrew Novak. Phil Mickelson is also a long shot at 250-1.
The Masters is usually the most-bet golf event of the year, both due to its popularity and because sportsbooks now keep futures odds on the tournament open nearly year round.
Hydrocodone is a potent opioid used to treat severe, chronic pain. The affidavit of the incident, obtained by USA TODAY, also included observations by an arresting officer that Woods' eyes were "bloodshot and glassy" as he performed a variety of field sobriety tests. A sheriff's deputy found two small white pills in Woods' pants pocket, which were later identified as hydrocodone.
Here's what to know about the medication, a powerful painkiller that belongs to a group of medicines called opioid analgesics.
How does hydrocodone affect the body?
Hydrocodone − frequently prescribed under the brand name Vicodin − is commonly used in opioid-tolerant patients to treat around-the-clock pain, per the Mayo Clinic. "It should not be used to treat pain that you only have once in a while or 'as needed,'" the Mayo Clinic adds.
The most common side effects are dizziness and lightheadedness. Other possible side effects of hydrocodone, per MedlinePlus, include nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, increased sweating, decreased sexual desire and the inability to get or keep an erection.
Patients are routinely advised to avoid driving a vehicle or operating dangerous machinery if they are unsure how the medication will affect them.
The Drug Recognition Expert on the scene of Woods' crash believed Woods’ impairment stemmed from "some kind of medication or drug," according to Martin County Sheriff John Budensiek. While a breath test showed that Woods was not under the influence of alcohol, he refused a urinalysis test and was charged with a misdemeanor.
What are the signs of hydrocodone abuse?
According to the Mayo Clinic, hydrocodone "may become habit-forming, causing mental and physical dependence" if used for a long time. The National Survey on Drug Use and Health indicated that in 2024, 3.4 million individuals in the United States aged 12 or older reported misusing hydrocodone in the previous year.
Roaring Brook Recovery, an addiction treatment center in Kentucky, offers the following guidance to see if you're developing an addiction to hydrocodone:
Continuing to use the substance despite negative consequences in your life
Cravings to use the substance
Developing a tolerance to a substance and needing to use larger and larger doses to achieve the same effect
Inability to cut down use of a substance despite attempts to do so
Neglecting responsibilities and relationships due to substance use
What's the latest on Tiger Woods?
Woods, 50, was charged with DUI and failure to submit to a DUI test following the two-vehicle crash on Jupiter Island in Florida, where he has a home.
Woods told police that he was looking down at his cell phone and changing the radio station before a March 27 traffic crash that resulted in his SUV flipping on its side.
The Jacksonville Jaguars are preparing for the 2026 NFL Draft, although they will likely have to make their picks outside of the first round. As fans look forward to the draft, they can take a look back at the players selected in the draft who made the biggest impact.
First up: the first round picks.
The Jaguars have had their share of first-round hits over the years, but only a few have truly defined the direction of the franchise. There are plenty that stand out, making it difficult to pick just three, but the best of the best will have set themselves apart through their production, longevity, and overall impact on the franchise.
Runners-up: Donovin Darius, Marcus Stroud, John Henderson, Josh Hines-Allen
#1: Tony Boselli
Boselli wasn’t just a successful pick; he was a franchise-defining one. As the Jaguars’ first-ever selection, he set the tone for the organization’s early years and became one of the league’s premier offensive linemen. His strength, speed, and size were a deadly combination, allowing him to dominate pass rushers. His performance in the 1996 playoffs, in which he shut down the Bills' Bruce Smith, the all-time sack leader, stands out, with Boselli holding him to zero sacks and just three tackles, which set the pace for the rest of his career.
His eventual Hall of Fame induction, the first Jaguar to receive the honor, only further cements his place at the top of this list.
#2: Fred Taylor
Drafted in 1998, Taylor became one of the most productive players in Jaguars history. He was consistently one of the Jaguars’ most dependable offensive players. Taylor stood out right away due to a rare combination of size and speed. Year after year, he delivered at a high level, becoming the franchise rushing leader and a member of the 10,000-yard rushing club, and among all-star running backs, he has one of the highest yards per carry. It's only because he played in such a small market that he continues to be snubbed for Hall of Fame consideration.
His combination of longevity and production secures his place among the best first-round picks in team history.
#3: Trevor Lawrence
Trevor Lawrence may not yet have the longevity of Boselli and Taylor, but his importance to the Jaguars is already clear. As a generational prospect coming out of college, Lawrence arrived with expectations of transforming the franchise, and has provided Jacksonville with something it had long been searching for: stability at quarterback. Not since Mark Brunell have the Jaguars had a reliable leader at this position.
Since being drafted in 2021, Lawrence has reshaped the direction of the team. He has a strong arm, can read defenses like Peyton, and proved to be a true dual threat, capable of running the ball and remaining a threat outside the pocket.
Together, Boselli, Taylor, and Lawrence represent three different eras of Jaguars football, each defining the franchise in their own way.
United States' Shaun White competes during the men's halfpipe finals at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Friday, Feb. 11, 2022, in Zhangjiakou, China.
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Andrew Medichini
While the dismal ski and snowboard season is winding down, one Utah resort is already looking ahead to a major event next winter.
Park City Mountain will be a host site for the second season of The Snow League, a three-day competition featuring the world’s top athletes in halfpipe snowboarding and freeskiing, live music, fan experiences and a celebration of winter sports culture set for Jan. 22-24, 2027.
Three-time Olympic gold medalist and entrepreneur Shaun White founded the league in 2024; it just completed its first season in Switzerland earlier this month.
“Park City Mountain has always been one of the most important places in snowboarding and freeskiing, so bringing The Snow League here for season two feels incredibly special,” White said in a press release.
“With the Winter Olympics returning to Utah in 2034 and Park City set to play a major role in the Games, there’s an incredible energy building in this community around winter sports. We’re excited to make The Snow League part of that momentum, bringing the best halfpipe athletes in the world here and building something that grows with the sports in the years leading up to the Olympics and many more to come.”
Shaun White, former Olympian, speaks with Ryan Smith, (not pictured) co-founder of Qualtrics and owner of the Utah Jazz, during Day 2 of the Qualtrics X4: The Experience Management Summit at the Salt Palace in Salt Lake City on March 9, 2023.
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Ryan Sun, Deseret News
The Park City competition will debut a 22-foot halfpipe at the base of the resort and a custom-built transition feature at Scott’s Bowl.
The league has yet to announce other competition sites for next season.
What is The Snow League?
The Snow League is the first professional winter sports league dedicated to snowboarding and freeskiing. It combines elite men’s and women’s competition with a festival-style atmosphere to create a multi-day experience for fans both on the mountain and in host communities.
The inaugural season featured two events in Aspen, Colorado, and one each at Yunding Snow Park in China and Laax, Switzerland, and a $2.2 million purse. Athletes compete to accumulate points based on their results from each event, which are totaled at the end of the season to crown a champion.
First season champions are Sena Tomita and Yuto Totsuka in snowboarding and Eileen Gu and Luke Harrold in freeskiing.
Sundance Film Festival gone but new party arrives
The Park City competition comes during a weekend long associated with the Sundance Film Festival. But 2027 will mark the first year that the festival will no longer take place in Utah following its move to Boulder, Colorado.
The Snow League sees its arrival as a new chapter as it introduces a global sports and entertainment event at a time of continued evolution for the community. Park City is at the center of one of the largest winter sports audiences in North America. It is within a short drive of more than 2.5 million people and offers easy accessibility for visitors from around the world via the Salt Lake City International Airport.
“As Park City continues to evolve, investments in events like The Snow League help define what’s next for our destination,” said Deirdra Walsh, Park City Mountain vice president and chief operating officer. “Bringing world-class athletes and an innovative competition format to Park City Mountain reinforces our place on the global stage and celebrates the spirit that makes this community so special.”
The NBA has started the process of lining up voters for postseason awards, and if form holds from recent years the ballots will be due shortly after the end of the regular season.
Some categories will be easier for those on the voting panel to fill out than others. Defensive Player of the Year might not take voters very long (spoiler alert, it’ll be San Antonio’s Victor Wembanyama) and Rookie of the Year is basically going to be a two-contender race (a Duke guy will win; it’s TBD if it’ll be Charlotte’s Kon Knueppel or Dallas’ Cooper Flagg).
Other races will be tougher. When talking MVP, for example, logical arguments can be made for Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Denver’s Nikola Jokic, the Los Angeles Lakers’ Luka Doncic, Wembanyama, Boston’s Jaylen Brown and probably a few others as well.
Another of those wide-open races? Coach of the Year.
There is no shortage of candidates. J.B. Bickerstaff is likely going to guide Detroit — a team that made headlines for losing streaks just two years ago — to the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference. Mitch Johnson, in his first full season at the helm in San Antonio (he did coach 77 of the Spurs’ 82 games last season, but technically, this is full season No. 1), will have the Spurs in the No. 1 or No. 2 spot on the Western Conference bracket. Quin Snyder in Atlanta, Charles Lee in Charlotte, Jordan Ott in Phoenix and Darko Rajakovic should, at minimum, get some consideration as well.
And then there’s Boston’s Joe Mazzulla. The Celtics played most of this season without Jayson Tatum and were expected by some to be a fall-back-to-the-pack team this season because of Tatum’s injury and the departures of players like Al Horford, Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday. Oops. The Celtics are at 50 wins, again, and Mazzulla has done an admirable job.
He was asked before Boston’s game on Monday about Coach of the Year, and specifically his place in that race. What happened next was ... well, probably not unexpected.
“I don’t need it,” Mazzulla said. “I think it’s a stupid award.”
It’s probably now reasonable to think the Celtics won’t be sending out any Coach of the Year pitches to voters on Mazzulla’s behalf. Some teams do that; among the more memorable ones in recent years was Utah mailing out an actual album cover depicting then-Jazz center Rudy Gobert as a jazz artist (get it?) when hyping his Defensive Player of the Year chances.
There will be some lobbying for awards. It has already started. Wembanyama stated his MVP case after a game in Miami last week, and Keldon Johnson is also being promoted by fellow Spurs players as a Sixth Man of the Year frontrunner. (His main competition there figures to be Miami’s Jaime Jaquez Jr.)
And last week, the National Basketball Players Association was among those weighing in on the 65-game rule for award eligibility in most cases — noting the collapsed lung Detroit’s Cade Cunningham suffered earlier this month could keep him from reaching the minimum number of games needed to be on the ballot for the All-NBA teams.
“We always knew when there’s a line you draw that somebody’s going to fall on the other side of that line,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said last week. “It may feel unfair in that particular instance. Let’s see what happens at the end of this year.”
There’s nothing wrong with teams lobbying for their guy, or guys, to win awards. There’s also nothing wrong with Mazzulla making very clear that he’s focused on far bigger things than individual honors.
“You shouldn’t have it,” Mazzulla said of the award. “And it’s more about the players and it’s more about the work that the staff puts in. It’s just that simple. I really don’t ever want to be asked or talked about it again. It’s just that dumb. So, the players play, it’s about them. Staff works their (butt) off. I’m grateful to have ’em.”
The team awards are all that seem to really matter to Mazzulla. It won’t stop people from voting for him, but it’s a stance that should be respected.
ORCHARD PARK, NY - SEPTEMBER 18: Chop Robinson #44 of the Miami Dolphins defends in coverage during an NFL football game against the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium on September 18, 2025 in Orchard Park, New York. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The NFL owners meetings continued in Phoenix, Arizona on Tuesday, and once again, Miami Dolphins coaches and executives were available to the media in attendance. Head coach Jeff Hafley discussed various topics — including his excitement in regards to coaching third-year pass rusher, Chop Robinson.
Chop’s had some success. If you build a pass rush tape of Chop, he does things that are like, ‘I can’t wait to get my hands on this guy.‘ But, I think we need to get to know him, right? I want to see him live. I want to see what he looks like in his stance. I want to see what we can do to help him out of his stance — out of his first step. What’s his go-to move? Is he going to win with speed? What’s his counter? Can we coach him up on that, right? Can we help him take the step [foward]? What’s his mindset like? Where is he at right now? So, I just talked to him on the phone a bunch, but I can’t wait to coach him. But he certainly has that — his first few steps, his get off… he can roll. Now it’s our job to coach him up and develop him and help him get better.
Robinson finished his rookie season in 2024 with six sacks in the team’s final ten games. His potential was discussed at great lengths ahead of the 2025 season, with some predicting a major leap forward for the pass rusher. Unfortunately, that progression didn’t materialize — with Robinson finishing his second season with just four sacks total, and a mere 10 combined tackles.
This offseason, the Dolphins parted ways with veteran pass rusher, Bradley Chubb with the expectation that Chop Robinson will handle a larger portion of snaps on defense in 2026. Can head coach Jeff Hafley and his staff maximize the 23 year old’s skillset and help turn him into a first-rate menace on the football field? It sounds like Miami’s new head-man-in-charge is looking forward to the challenge.
The Oregon Ducks were back on campus on Tuesday after spring break, which meant Dan Lanning had the opportunity to address the media for the first time since the Ducks missed out on some key recruits to the rival USC Trojans last week.
First, four-star cornerback Danny Lang decided to commit to the Trojans instead of the Ducks last Thursday, prompting USC to take to social media to mock Lanning's famous statement, "The grass is damn green in Eugene." That line made waves when Lanning posted a video solidifying his own commitment to the Ducks while he was rumored to be in consideration to replace Nick Saban at Alabama.
USC posted a video of green grass turning red with the statement, "Guess the grass wasn't greener."
To make matters worse, the Trojans also managed to flip four-star offensive tackle Drew Fielder on Saturday. Fielder had been committed to the Ducks since February 1. USC again took to social media with a more subtle shot of a traffic light turning from green to red.
Lanning, speaking to local media on Tuesday, offered a simple, cold response to the jabs being thrown his way.
"No reaction. I'm much more focused on winning in the fall," Lanning said.
That's exactly what the Ducks have done against USC on the field, as recently as last season. Oregon beat the Trojans 42-27 in Eugene last season, and the Trojans have not beaten the Ducks since 2016. The Ducks and Trojans will meet again next season on Sept. 27 in Los Angeles.
While Lanning may not wage a war of words with programs while speaking at the podium, he certainly has not been afraid to use bulletin board material to motivate his team in the locker room before a big game. While the Ducks are focused on gearing up for the fall, I would expect Lanning to have some extra motivation and use this as more ammunition to fire his team up before they meet the Trojans at the LA Memorial Coliseum.
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Former Celtics coach Doc Rivers is set to be immortalized in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Rivers will be inducted as part of the Class of 2026, joining fellow to-be Hall of Famers like Candace Parker, Amar’e Stoudemire and more, per ESPN’s Shams Charania.
Rivers helped guide the Celtics to the 2008 NBA championship, the franchise’s 17th title. After the C’s added Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen to form the Big Three with Paul Pierce, Boston immediately became a contender. The Celtics beat the Lakers in six games in the 2008 NBA Finals, winning their first title since 1986.
Rivers is considered one of the best coaches of in league history. He was named to the Top 15 coaches of all-time list, which was released by the NBA in conjunction with the 75th anniversary team for the players.
Rivers coached the Celtics from 2004-2013, making the playoffs in seven of those seasons. He was traded to the Clippers for a first-round pick, ending his tenure with the team. Rivers has also coached the Magic and 76ers in his career.
Rivers is currently the head coach of the Bucks in a tough season with a 29-45 record. He holds an all-time record of 1,191-861. He’s one of 11 NBA coaches all-time who have won at least 1,000 games in their career.
While Rivers has been criticized for his playoff shortcomings, C’s fans will fondly remember his tenure in Boston. The Big Three got to the mountaintop in 2008 and came close once again 2010. Fans will also point out how Kevin Garnett’s knee injury in the 2009 playoffs also limited the team.
The Naismith Hall of Fame announced the finalists for the 2026 class in February, featuring some star-studded names. Rivers and the Class of 2026 will be enshrined Aug. 15 in Springfield.
The New Orleans Saints are finally turning the corner as a franchise, and it's thanks in large part to the team seemingly finding their quarterback of the future in Tyler Shough.
He looked great in 2025, and even though the team finished with a poor record, he proved he is the starter going forward. With Shough entrenched in the starting lineup, backup quarterback Spencer Rattler has become expendable.
And instead of holding onto him for another year, Alex Kay of Bleacher Report believes that the Saints could use the 2026 NFL Draft as a chance to trade Rattler away.
Saints could trade Spencer Rattler during NFL Draft
"The New Orleans Saints and Specner Rattler appear to be headed towards a breakup," Kay writes. "With Tyler Shough securing the starting role and Zach Wilson recently joining the team to compete for a depth role, Rattler looks to be the odd man out in the Big Easy."
Rattler is sure to draw some trade interest, and with Kay's comments in mind, seeing Rattler dealt would not be a surprise for the Saints at all.
Landing draft picks in return for Rattler to be a backup or join a quarterback competition elsewhere wouldn't be a terrible idea.
He has two years of control left on his rookie deal, making him a bit more appealing than a typical quarterback trade target. He could garner plenty of interest from QB-needy teams and teams looking for a stop-gap or rental option with full-time starter upside.
Rattler, in two seasons and 16 total games (14 starts) for the Saints the last two years, has looked like a decent QB. He has a 62.7% completion rate with 2,903 passing yards, 12 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions.
His production lately has been better, with his 1,586 yards and eight touchdowns with five interceptions this past season in eight starts being a good deal better than his production in 2024.
Rattler might not be the best quarterback a team could acquire this offseason during the draft, but he has two years of control and has shown some intrigue as a starting QB option.
Cornerback Colton Hood came to Tennessee pro day hoping to run the 40-yard dash under 4.4 seconds to strengthen his case as a first-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
He came just short of his first goal. He said his 40 was clocked at 4.41 seconds.
But Hood still has a reasonable shot of accomplishing his ultimate goal. The 6-foot, 193-pounder is among the top-rated cornerbacks in this draft class.
“It’s been a dream. This is something that you dream about as a little kid,” Hood said. “I was that little kid in his room looking at the ceiling and thinking about what this could be.”
Hood’s UT teammate, Jermod McCoy, stole much of the spotlight at the March 31 event, which was packed with scouts from all 32 NFL teams.
McCoy ran the 40 in 4.37 seconds and likely locked up a spot in the first round. But Hood isn’t far behind in most mock drafts as a potential first-rounder. Notably, the cornerbacks never played together at Tennessee because McCoy missed the 2025 season with a knee injury.
Hood ran the 40 in 4.44 seconds at the NFL scouting combine in late February. He shaved it down to 4.41 at this event. Now teams will continue to critique his game.
NFL scouts like Hood’s physical style of play and his coverage skills. But the question is whether he’s an elite first-rounder or a strong second-rounder.
Colton Hood NFL draft projections
Most NFL draft prognosticators agree that the Dallas Cowboys will select a cornerback in the first round. They have the 12th and 20th picks.
Hood and Tennessee teammate Jermod McCoy are both popular picks for the Cowboys. Here’s where Hood is projected in leading mock drafts.
No. 20 to Dallas Cowboys (CBS Sports; NFL.com’s Bucky Brooks)
No. 26 to Buffalo Bills (The Athletic)
No. 29 to Kansas City Chiefs (NFL.com’s Charles Davis and Daniel Jeremiah)
No. 30 to Miami Dolphins (USA TODAY, ESPN’s Matt Miller)
No. 32 to Seattle Seahawks (ESPN’s Mel Kiper; NFL.com’s Chad Reuter)
No. 33 to New York Jets (ESPN’s Field Yates)
Colton Hood stats, strengths and weaknesses
Hood played one season each at Auburn, Colorado and Tennessee. In 2025, he turned into an All-SEC performer and one of college football’s best cornerbacks while filling in for the injured McCoy.
In 2025, Hood made 50 tackles, 4.5 tackles-for-loss, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery, one interception, eight pass breakups and two defensive TDs. His 83.3 coverage grade by Pro Football Focus ranked second among SEC cornerbacks in the regular season.
NFL scouts like Hood’s physicality and overall skillset. He has good speed, running the 40-yard dash in 4.44 seconds. He has good size at 6-foot, 193 pounds. He has a nose for the ball, demonstrated with his two defensive TDs.
Hood doesn’t shy away from contact. He excels in press-man coverage, and he plays a physical style against the run.
There aren’t many negatives in the scouting report on Hood. The big question is whether he’s a lockdown elite cornerback or a complementary cornerback. Either outcome projects him having a long NFL career, but the prior sets him apart as a first-round pick.
Patriots quarterback Drake Maye dealt with a right shoulder injury in the postseason, but he doesn't expect it to be an issue for him heading into the 2026 campaign.
Maye did not miss any playing time, but was on the team's injury report heading into Super Bowl LX and he said after the loss to the Seahawks that he took a painkilling injection ahead of the game. Maye was 27-of-43 for 295 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions while also losing a fumble in Santa Clara.
While at a charity event on Tuesday, Maye said the shoulder "shouldn’t be an issue" when he gets back on the field.
"Shoulder is feeling good. Feeling great. You know, I think just having some time off and being able to get back into throwing and lifting," Maye said, via Christopher Price of the Boston Globe.
Maye was sacked six times in the 29-13 loss to Seattle and keeping him from getting hit quite so often will be a good way to ensure he remains in good health in the future.
Senne Lammens reveals Carrick’s simple day-one trick that changed everything
Manchester United goalkeeper Senne Lammens has revealed the simple thing that Michael Carrick did from day one to inspire the club’s dramatic turnaround.
Transformation
United have looked like a completely different side since dismissing Ruben Amorim and appointing Carrick as his temporary replacement.
Carrick has steered United clear of the inconsistencies and off-the-pitch drama that defined the Amorim era.
The legendary United midfielder has taken charge of 10 Premier League games, winning seven, drawing two and losing one. At present, the Red Devils lie in third place in the table, one point above Aston Villa and six adrift of cross-town rivals Manchester City in second.
United are now a more entertaining side to watch, but with a defensive resoluteness to match. Lammens has been a big part of the latter.
Lammens told Crafton, “The first thing, from the first day, was his (Carrick) ability to make everything quite clear and (present) a direct message. He didn’t make it too difficult for us or too complicated.”
“Sometimes, managers make a plan too complicated, and then some players don’t buy in and it’s difficult to get on the same level for everyone. But from the first game, it was quite clear what he wanted. He was not asking the most difficult things, but also he was able to let our players thrive in their qualities.”
“At the back, not giving goals away is one of the most important things, and then our players in front can make a difference. That’s probably what has been working the best.”
He continued, “We don’t really give away a lot of goals in the beginning of the game, which is probably one of the most important things in the Premier League. Michael has given us a lot of confidence and a lot of stability from the back.”
“At the beginning of the season, there were a couple of players injured and a couple of defenders coming in and going out. It was difficult to get the rhythm. The last couple of games have been better as well. For example, with (centre-back) Harry Maguire in front of me, he is also a beast, so it’s always nice to have him there.”
Lammens has proven to be a top signing for United, having joined the club on deadline day of last summer’s transfer window. But United also considered bringing in Emi Martinez from Aston Villa instead.
Lammens revealed that United didn’t give him any guaranteed of regular first-team football.
“There was never something clear set about that. There was never a timeline or something. They just said, ‘Look, if you believe in yourself, you’re going to get a chance. If you let your quality show in training, the manager will put you in’. I also saw the path for me to be able to get my chance sooner or later.”
The 23-year-old also made it clear that United was his only priority.
“From the outside, it was a lot of talk. But for me, it was always United, to be honest. It was quite clear for me. I just believed in myself. And I knew the chance was going to come and it was up to me to take it. I think I’ve been able to do that now.”
“Making the move to United was a big one, but in my head I was always confident and sure, long-term, that I was going to make the right call. It has gone really good, really fast. I can’t really say anything bad about the transition.”
Set-pieces have dominated the Premier League this season and Lammens, like other goalkeepers in the division have been asked to do more.
In United’s recent wins against Everton and Arsenal in particular, Lammens was instrumental as United beat both sides. He regularly came out to claim the ball or to punch it away from the danger area.
Asked about this, he remarked, “This season in particular, they start blocking at set pieces and trying to gather around the goalkeeper and make it more and more difficult. It’s not the easiest, but I think I’ve dealt with it quite well.”
“Sometimes when you see all those guys in front of you, you kind of get scared of it. But I also have to trust my team-mates to get me in the best possible position to push those players away. So I just focus on the ball and then try to make a right decision. I think I’ve been doing well at that.”
Lammens and United are next in action on 13 April when they host Leeds United at Old Trafford.
Journalist Offers Verdict On Leeds United’s Chances Of Staying In The PL: Is xG Advantage Real Or Just A Cruel Illusion?
Pete O’Rourke from Football Insider reports that Daniel Farke is entering a make-or-break period at Leeds United. Sources indicate the club will judge the German manager on three massive upcoming fixtures. Leeds currently sit 15th. They stay four points above the relegation zone, but the margin for error shrinks every week.
Leeds United’s Survival Test: Can Farke Deliver When It Matters Most?
O’Rourke points out that Leeds failed to score in their last four matches. Only their defensive discipline stopped the situation from spiralling. Home games against Burnley and Wolves are now must-win matches. Leeds United also face a Tottenham side that haven’t won a single game in 2026. This gives Farke a genuine chance to pull away from the bottom three. O’Rourke believes Farke deserves credit for keeping Leeds United in the fight. He feels the squad has enough quality to stay up.
“They’re four points above the relegation zone. The concern has been the lack of goals in recent games.
“Leeds have failed to score in their last four games, but they’re not conceding too many goals either, so it’s no massive concern.
“If they can turn some of those draws into wins, they’ll move themselves further clear of trouble, and I’m sure they’ll be confident that they will secure Premier League survival.
“They’ve still got to play Burnley and Wolves at home. If they can pick up maximum points from those games, they’ll be almost there, I think, as good as staying up, and then they’ve also got Spurs to play as well, so three huge games still to play against rivals down at the wrong end of the table.
“I’d still be confident that Leeds have more than enough to stay up, and as I said, a lot of that will be down to Farke, so he deserves a lot of credit.”
Is Leeds’ xG Advantage Real or Just a Cruel Illusion?
BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND – FEBRUARY 15: Daniel Farke, Manager of Leeds United, celebrates victory following the Emirates FA Cup Fourth Round match between Birmingham City and Leeds United on February 15, 2026 in Birmingham, England. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)
Leeds United are a strange case this season. They have 31 points from 29 matches. However, their Expected Points total is 43.6. This suggests the team play much better than the league table shows. This gap is one of the most shocking stats in the Premier League. It tells a story that the basic table misses.
The 49-year-old manager led Leeds to the Championship title with 100 points last year. Now, he faces the biggest test of his Elland Road career. Farke built his name by getting the most out of teams in the second tier. He won the Championship twice with Norwich and once with Leeds. However, the Premier League uses a different math entirely. Leeds United lost their last two home games. They have won only once in seven matches, and this makes the Burnley and Wolves games feel like obligations rather than opportunities.
Leeds travel to Spurs on 9 May. They end the season at West Ham. This final-day match could decide everything. Facing two relegation rivals in a row rewards bravery. The data shows Leeds United create chances. The problem is that they stop scoring when the pressure peaks. That is a mental issue, not just a tactical one, and Farke knows it. Everyone at Elland Road knows it too.
Reigning ONE Bantamweight MMA World Champion “The Tormentor” Enkh-Orgil Baatarkhuu may not have an opponent officially lined up for his next walk to the Circle, but his ambitions have never been clearer.
Having already conquered his own weight class, the Mongolian superstar is ready to write a new chapter in his martial arts legacy, and he’s eyeing a potential showdown with ONE Featherweight MMA World Champion Tang Kai for a shot at another 26 pounds of gold.
For “The Tormentor,” stepping into a heavier weight class is not just about securing another piece of hardware. It is about cementing his name among the biggest legends of the sport.
The bantamweight MMA king stated:
“All martial artists have a dream to become multi-division champions, right? For me, it’s the same. Most importantly, I want to make history as the first-ever two-division Mongolian MMA World Champion. That is the biggest motivation for me to challenge Tang Kai for the featherweight belt.”
A potential collision between Baatarkhuu’s relentless grappling pressure and Tang’s devastating knockout power would be a massive spectacle for ONE Championship fans all across the globe. The Mongolian has already visualized how that battle against the Chinese phenom might unfold.
He explained:
“After Tang Kai and myself go inside the cage, I don’t know what will happen. I don’t know how the fight will end, whether that’s by a knockout or submission. But what I am thinking in my mind, I see a five-round war. For me, there’s a chance I can go the distance with him and beat him.”
Moving up to face a heavier, highly dangerous World Champion is a daunting prospect. Even so, that potential super-fight will have to wait a little longer since Tang will be defending his belt against Shamil “The Cobra” Gasanov next at ONE Fight Night 43 in U.S. primetime on May 15.
However, if Baatarkhuu were to get that opportunity later this year, it would be hard to bet against him. He has been on a truly historic run and knows exactly what it takes to defy the odds, having captured the coveted ONE Bantamweight MMA World Title by submitting former divisional kingpin Fabricio “Wonder Boy” Andrade at ONE Fight Night 38 last December.
Carrying that unshakable confidence, he is eager to test his steel against Tang at some point:
“If ONE Championship gives me the opportunity, I would like to really challenge and go up against Tang Kai. I think he’s also really hungry to fight, so it should be a great fight.”
Enkh-Orgil Baatarkhuu’s eyes may be fixed on two-division supremacy, but he is also fiercely protective of his bantamweight MMA crown. The Mongolian hero firmly believes that any athlete looking to challenge for his World Title must be riding a wave of undeniable momentum, rather than stumbling into a championship opportunity off a loss.
That strict standard of merit was instilled in him by his legendary coach, former ONE Featherweight MMA World Champion Narantungalag “Tungaa” Jadambaa.
Baatarkhuu noted:
“I know that holding the World Title – holding this golden belt – is a huge responsibility. I have major respect for my belt as well.
“My coach, Narantungalag Jadambaa, fought for a title shot three times. And every time he lost, he would have to win at least two more times before he could fight for the belt again. I do believe that the reason behind it is that whoever is willing to fight for the belt must win his last fight – at least one fight.”
Looking at the current landscape of the bantamweight MMA division, Baatarkhuu sees two obvious contenders hovering at the top: former divisional rulers Fabricio Andrade and John “Hands of Stone” Lineker.
However, with both men coming off tough defeats, the reigning World Champion believes the path forward is clear. Instead of granting either man an immediate shot, Baatarkhuu wants to see the two Brazilian knockout artists face each other in a high-stakes World Title eliminator while he hunts for featherweight MMA gold.
The Mongolian superstar declared:
“I am okay to fight whoever, but in my division, for example, [John] Lineker, he lost his last fight. And Fabricio also lost to me. It was a rear-naked choke. It wasn’t like a five-round decision.
“I would like to say that I’m ready to fight whoever deserves to fight me. But I think it is better for those two guys to face each other. Whoever wins can go against me, I’m ready to do that.”
Even with that gauntlet laid down, Baatarkhuu is already looking ahead to the ultimate victor.
Having already handed Andrade a definitive defeat, the Mongolian hero envisions Lineker surviving that hypothetical eliminator, setting the stage for an explosive ONE Bantamweight MMA World Title showdown in the future.
Anticipating that eventual war, Baatarkhuu concluded:
“I have a lot of respect for Lineker. He has been a champion before, and he’s a really strong striker. Obviously, it’s going to be a war, like what happened between Fabricio Andrade and myself. It’s hard to tell who’s tougher, though. The only way we will know is if we face each other.”
On the court, UConn coach Dan Hurley is an emotional and animated guy. But some fans thought Hurley took things too far following UConn’s last-second win over Duke in the Elite Eight.
Following Braylon Mullins’ buzzer-beat to put UConn up 73-72 with just 0.3 seconds left, cameras captured a weird exchange between Hurley and official Roger Ayers. In the clip, Hurley appeared to get in Ayers’ face, with both men butting heads on the sideline.
After seeing the exchange, some wondered why Hurley was not charged with a technical foul, as making contact with an official can lead to both a penalty and ejection for coaches. Hurley, who was ejected from a loss vs. Marquette earlier in the season after making contact with an official, was certainly aware that was the case.
But Hurley said everyone who has seen the clip has it all wrong. As the coach explained during an appearance on “The Triple Option” podcast, he believed Ayers was going in for a chest-bump, which resulted in the strange interaction.
Hurley’s full comments read:
"Really, at that point in the game we had it won, and he’s such an easy guy to work with during the game, I thought he was coming over to chest-bump me and celebrate the shot. It’s not like that for me with him. My experience with him has been, we haven’t won every game. I haven’t agreed with every call. So that was in no way me going at a ref like I’ve been at their throat the whole game. There were other points in the game where I had my arm around him walking out of a timeout. We were cracking jokes and laughing.”
At that point, Hurley said it wasn’t like the situation at Marquette, where he implied he deserved to be penalized for his actions. He then turned the conversation back to the Duke game, saying he was being carried by the “emotion of the shot” during his moment with Ayers. When asked if they were sharing that moment, Hurley clarified that Ayers was coming up to inform Hurley that there was still some time left on the clock.
Given the narrow margin of victory, a technical foul on Hurley in that moment could have been catastrophic for UConn. That, obviously, didn’t happen and UConn advanced to the Final Four, where it will take on Illinois on Saturday.
While Hurley will move on to the Final Four, Ayers won’t be able to say the same. Despite being a veteran official with multiple years of Final Four experience under his belt, Ayers was not chosen to work during the Final Four. It’s unclear whether his interaction with Hurley played a role in that decision.
LAWRENCE, KS - NOVEMBER 28: Utah Utes offensive lineman Spencer Fano (55) smiles after a Big 12 football game between the Utah Utes and Kansas Jayhawks on November 28, 2025 at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium in Lawrence, KS. (Photo by Scott Winters/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Welcome, you may be wondering why I am not with Cleveland this year. Well, as I understand, Bidwell won my services in a poker game over this past weekend for the upcoming draft. Or, at least I was told he was on the winning end. Hmm..
Since this is so recent, there wasn’t a lot of time to prepare. It is also noteworthy to mention that the Arizona Cardinals have been trying desperately to trade out of drafting at No. 3. But sadly, no suitors. The Cards were really hoping to build up capital for next year’s draft, particularly with a better-looking QB class. As many would say, quarterback is the biggest need at least after releasing Kyler Murray. So, it looks like we will be sticking with the third overall pick. Let’s be honest, when this draft class walks into the bank, bank security turns off their CCTV cameras. This class is so bad … they make onions cry.
Moving on … despite the massive cap hit caused by Murray, the Cards had a lot of room and were fairly active in free agency. Having a lot of cap space also usually means a lack of talent on the roster, though most of the Cards free agency acquisitions were Howie Roseman-type moves, and none surpassed Budda Baker’s cap number. While Isaac Seumalo is quality guard, the other OL additions were the likes of Oli Udoh, Elijah Wilkinson, and Matt Pryor. This might seem like a time to build up the defense but it does seem like Arizona did enough in free agency to plug some defensive holes and Arvell Reese is gone.
Whichever QB is under center this year will have some quality young pass catchers to work with like receivers Kendrick Bourne, Marvin Harrison Jr. , Michael Wilson plus tight end Trey McBride. So, why not give them as much help as possible? Hate to say it but the likes of Udoh and Pryor are not moving the needle much for Mike LaFleur’s game plan. And Atlanta was more than happy to say goodbye to Wilkinson.
Well, with Reese gone the next two candidates on Arizona’s big board are offensive linemen with those being Francis Mauigoa and Spencer Fano. Which one?
I must first state that I am not being paid by Head & Shoulders, nor affiliate myself with any other Procter & Gamble hair care products.
𝐎𝐮𝐭𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐓𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐡𝐲 𝑭𝒊𝒏𝒂𝒍𝒊𝒔𝒕‼️@FanoSpencer is the 𝟐𝐧𝐝 member of OBLOCK to 𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐑 be named a finalist for the award given annually to the best interior CFB lineman in the nation‼️ The first being Ute legend Jordan Gross (2002).
We saw the Utah tackle and the 2025 Outland Trophy winner as our best option. Many darn him as a tight end in an offensive lineman body. Spencer Fano is nearly 6’6″, weighing in at 311 lbs, ran a sub 5.0 – 40-yard dash at the combine and he posted an elite athlete (9.74 RAS), score. He is viewed as a better slightly better pass-protector than Mauigoa and since LaFleur schemes demand an athletic, agile offensive linemen, this seems like a great marriage.
Although he has a “lean” build for a tackle and short arms his high-end agility, technique and quick feet make him a premier zone-blocking prospect
While known for his recovery blocking, grip, pass protection he isn’t a leg driver and has a tougher time with a bull rush but still allowed zero sacks, zero quarterback hits, and just five total pressures last season in 12 starts.
He is also one of only two ‘true’ freshmen to start at left tackle in Division 1 football their freshman year and made the Freshman All-America first-team, plus other accolades.
Measurables
Ht/Wt: 6-5½, 311
Arms: 32 1/8
40-yard dash: 4.91 seconds (1.72 10-yard split)
Vertical: 32 inches
Broad: 9-foot-3
3-cone: 7.34 seconds
20-yard shuttle: 4.67 seconds
Fano finished off his college career at right tackle with a boatload of honors and awards such as the Outland Trophy and he was also named Polynesian College Football Player of the Year. Showing off his elite athleticism at the NFL Combine, he found time to take some quality snaps at center. In most eyes, he is a top 10 pick and in ours a top five pick. It also doesn’t hurt that he has had four uncles play in the NFL ( including the one he is named after); I think NFL bloodlines are always a big plus. That type of experience can’t be discounted.
As previously mentioned, his arm length is likely the biggest negative.
He seems like a safe pick but if his arm length does become an issue, you can kick him inside. No, you would rather not use a top three pick on a guard but you are likely looking at a player you’ll hopefully have on your squad the next 10 plus years with All-Pro type ability. Most outlets have him as the first or second best offensive lineman in the draft class and a top 10 overall player. He has an elite athletic profile and has been a starter basically his entire college career. Comes from a family with NFL bloodlines. His older brother and teammate Logan is also entering the draft but may go in the later rounds. Logan got a bit later start due to Mormon missionary work and injury. Spencer is highly regarded as the most athletic draft eligible tackle to come along in the past few years.
And lets be honest , that hair alone should garner this guy a lot of draft love.
The finals of the 2026 World Cup playoffs all take place today, as teams compete for the last six spots at this summer's tournament.
The four finals of the UEFA pathways are staged at four different venues across the continent, while the two intercontinental games will be played in Monterrey, Mexico.
Italy are among the teams hoping to qualify for the World Cup proper. The Azzurri, who face Bosnia and Herzegovina in their playoff final, are bidding to avoid the ignominy of missing out on a third straight World Cup.
3:28 p.m.: RED CARD! BASTONI IS SENT OFF FOR ITALY! The Inter Milan defender slides in and brings down Amar Memic as he races towards the penalty area. It was at the corner of the box, but there was no covering defender, and the referee deems that the deliberate denial of a goal-scoring opportunity. Gattuso is taking off Mateo Retegui to bring on Federico Gatti.
Another look at Bastoni's red card that puts Italy down a man with just over 45 minutes to play 🇮🇹👀 pic.twitter.com/NLqNAMWGlb
3:24 p.m.: Bosnia and Herzegovina have had 11 attempts to Italy's two, but they haven't tested Donnarumma when in good positions. The Azzurri are living dangerously, though.
3:21 p.m.: GOAL! POLAND EQUALISE! Nicola Zalewski cuts in from the left and places a shot towards the bottom-right corner. It seemed to wrong-foot goalkeeper Kristoffer Nordfeldt, who got a hand to the ball but couldn't keep it out.
3:16 p.m.: It's still goalless between Kosovo and Turkey. The visitors have had 70% of the possession, but Kosovo have had the better chances.
3:06 p.m.: GOAL! 1-0 SWEDEN! Anthony Elanga puts them ahead against Poland. It's another emphatic finish — it seems only really good goals will do when the World Cup is on the line!
3:01 p.m.: GOAL! 1-0 ITALY! It's a horrible moment for goalkeeper Nikola Vasilj, who passes the ball straight to Nicolo Barella. He plays a pass through to Moise Kean, who fires home a brilliant first-time finish from 18 yards. Outstanding strike, but an awful moment for Vasilj.
2:57 p.m.: GOAL! 1-0 CEZCHIA! It's a fast start in Prague for the home side, who take the lead courtesy of a thunderous Pavel Sulc shot from just inside the box.
2:30 p.m.: One of today's other finals sees Sweden face Poland. It means one of Viktor Gyokeres and Robert Lewandowski will not be playing at the World Cup.
2 p.m.: Gianluigi Donnarumma gives his thoughts on Italy's game in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The Azzurri are bidding to avoid failing to qualify for the World Cup for the third time in a row.
Forty-two of the 48 teams in the 2026 World Cup were drawn in December, with the remaining six spots to be filled by the UEFA and intercontinental playoff winners.
Here is the full list of countries to qualify for the World Cup so far:
Nation
Confederation
Last World Cup appearance
United States (host)
CONCACAF
2022
Mexico (host)
CONCACAF
2022
Canada (host)
CONCACAF
2022
Panama
CONCACAF
2018
Haiti
CONCACAF
1974
Curacao
CONCACAF
None (First appearance)
Japan
AFC
2022
Iran
AFC
2022
Uzbekistan
AFC
None (First appearance)
Australia
AFC
2022
South Korea
AFC
2022
Jordan
AFC
None (First appearance)
Saudi Arabia
AFC
2022
Qatar
AFC
2022
Morocco
CAF
2022
Tunisia
CAF
2022
Egypt
CAF
2018
Algeria
CAF
2014
Ghana
CAF
2022
Cape Verde
CAF
None (First appearance)
South Africa
CAF
2010
Senegal
CAF
2022
Ivory Coast
CAF
2014
Argentina
CONMEBOL
2022
Ecuador
CONMEBOL
2022
Brazil
CONMEBOL
2022
Colombia
CONMEBOL
2018
Uruguay
CONMEBOL
2022
Paraguay
CONMEBOL
2010
New Zealand
OFC
2010
England
UEFA
2022
France
UEFA
2022
Croatia
UEFA
2022
Portugal
UEFA
2022
Norway
UEFA
1998
Germany
UEFA
2022
Netherlands
UEFA
2022
Spain
UEFA
2022
Belgium
UEFA
2022
Switzerland
UEFA
2022
Austria
UEFA
1998
Scotland
UEFA
1998
Bosnia and Herzegovina OR Italy
UEFA (playoffs)
Czechia OR Denmark
UEFA (playoffs)
Kosovo OR Turkey
UEFA (playoffs)
Sweden OR Poland
UEFA (playoffs)
DR Congo OR Jamaica
Intercontinental playoffs
Iraq OR Bolivia
Intercontinental playoffs
How do the World Cup playoffs work?
UEFA playoffs
Twelve of UEFA's 16 spots were taken by the group winners from the initial format of four or five-team groups. The 12 runners-up, along with the four best UEFA Nations League group winners that finished outside of the top two in their World Cup qualifying groups, enter the playoffs.
Those 16 teams were drawn into four paths with two single-game rounds. The seeded teams will be at home in the semifinals, with a home nation for the four finals drawn in advance. The winners from each path advance to the World Cup. UEFA is the only confederation without a representative in the inter-continental playoff.
The two teams in the six-nation playoff with the highest FIFA ranking are seeded. The four unseeded teams play an effective semifinal, with the two winners progressing to face a seed apiece to decide the final two places at the World Cup.
The four-game playoff will be used as a World Cup test event and played in two venues in Mexico, with some games at Estadio Akron in Guadalajara and others at Estadio BBVA in Monterrey.
World Cup qualifying pathways
The UEFA playoff paths, like their intercontinental counterparts, were placed into Pot 4 for the group-stage draw because the individual qualifiers were not known at the time. That meant a potentially more difficult group stage for the teams that progress.
The pathways were drawn as follows:
UEFA Playoff A winner: Group B (Canada, Qatar, Switzerland)
UEFA Playoff B winner: Group F (Netherlands, Japan, Tunisia)
UEFA Playoff C winner: Group D (USA, Paraguay, Australia)
UEFA Playoff D winner: Group A (Mexico, South Africa, South Korea)
Meanwhile, the intercontinental playoff winners will be drawn into Group K and Group I:
FIFA Playoff 1 winner: Group K (Portugal, Uzbekistan, Colombia)
FIFA Playoff 2 winner: Group I (France, Senegal and Norway)
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - OCTOBER 5: Anthony Richardson #5 of the Indianapolis Colts throws the ball during an NFL football game against the Las Vegas Raiders at Lucas Oil Stadium on October 5, 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Todd Rosenberg/Getty Images) | Getty Images
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the trade market for Indianapolis Colts quarterback Antony Richardson has so far been soft—meaning longtime general manager Chris Ballard hasn’t been compelled to move him quite yet:
That doesn’t necessarily mean that those teams aren’t interested, it just means that none of those teams have come forward with a meaningful offer that has compelled the Colts to move Richardson at this time.
Realistically, the Colts could be looking at draft capital similar to the return that the San Francisco 49ers received for the former 3rd overall pick of the 2021 NFL Draft, Trey Lance, who was traded to the Dallas Cowboys for a 2024 4th round pick back in August of 2023.
Ideally, the Colts would still like to move Richardson and obtain meaningful value in return, but Ballard won’t trade him for the sake of purely trading him either—particularly for pennies on the dollar.
While the Colts would save $5.39M in a Richardson trade this offseason, that would be less than the current market rate to find a competent backup QB2 these days. The Colts already have 2nd-year quarterback Riley Leonard to potentially fill that QB2 role going forward, but he only has one career start under his belt.
It would still be surprising if Richardson remains on the roster until Week 1 of next year, after his camp requested permission to seek a trade. However, the Colts will pursue what’s best for them as well.
On Saturday night, Joe Pyfer got the biggest opportunity of his career with a UFC Seattle main event class against middleweight legend Israel Adesanya. While the former division king put up serious resistance and seemed to be getting the better of “BodyBagz,” the American’s power became too much for the New Zealander, and he scored the fourth knockout win of his UFC career.
The victory vaulted Pyfer into the UFC middleweight rankings and sets him up for some big matchups later this year. But who could he face next? We look at five potential options for the 29-year-old in his Octagon return.
Reinier de Ridder
Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images
The UFC may not want to push Pyfer into a clash with a top-five foe. But he deserves to face a fighter in the top 10. That is why former ONE Championship two-division titlist Reinier de Ridder could be an option. The Dutch grappler was where Pyfer is now last year. On a hot streak and in range of a title fight.
However, back-to-back losses have derailed his championship hopes. Nevertheless, both bring different strengths to a potential fight and would offer the other a serious test.
Anthony Hernandez
Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
If the company did feel Pyfer is closing in on a title fight, a clash with someone like Anthony Hernandez would make sense. “Fluffy” was a win away from a title bout earlier this year. However, his loss to Sean Strickland dropped him down a peg. But a victory over a red-hot fighter like Pyfer would thrust him right back into the contender conversation.
For Pyfer, a win over a top-five fighter would quiet the doubters who aren’t sold on him yet because of the wins he has so far in the UFC.
Gregory Rodrigues
Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images
If the UFC wants to put “Bodybagz” into a fan-friendly scrap, Brazilian Gregory Rodrigues would be a strong option. “Robocop” has a similar fight style and thunder in his fists. He is also on a three-fight win streak and has been victorious in six of his last seven. The winner would be deserving of a matchup with a title contender in their next bout.
Jared Cannonier
Timothy D. Easley/Special to the Courier-Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK
The promotion could fall back on their traditional fighter-building strategy and give Pyfer a scrap with a big-name opponent well-removed from their prime. Similar to what they just did by booking him against Adesanya. In that case, former title challenger Jared Cannonier would be a fit.
He has been one of the middleweight division’s best fighters over the last five years, so getting his name on Pyfer’s resume would be a very nice addition. And after losing three of his last four, the rising star would be catching the 42-year-old on the way down.
Michael Page
Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images
While it would be very risky, the UFC could place Joe Pyfer in a clash with Michael Page. Company executives have quickly soured on the Englishman’s unique style. However, it is hard to cut a competitor who is 4-1 inside the Octagon.
But just a few weeks away from his 39th birthday, now may be the perfect time to put Pyfer in there with “Venom.” If he can score a knockout win, the company would love him for it because it would give them a reason to cut Page and his, at times, tough-to-watch fight style.
Intel's "Wildcat Lake" processors, part of the Core 300 series non-Ultra family, have been leaked by a reputable source Jaykihn0 on X, revealing the entire lineup across various configurations and SKUs. The lineup includes six SKUs across the Core 3, Core 5, and Core 7 tiers, all designed to operate within a 15 to 35 W TDP range. Each model features a hybrid core configuration, pairing two "Cougar Cove" P-cores with four low-power efficiency cores, completely omitting the traditional "Darkmont" E-cores. Boost clocks range from 4.3 GHz on the entry-level Core 3 304 up to 4.8 GHz on the Core 7 360. All six SKUs share 6 MB of L3 cache, a single NPU tile, and integrated Xe3 graphics. The leak suggests that Intel is bringing architecture closely related to the Core Ultra 300 "Panther Lake" mobile platform into the embedded and industrial space, or perhaps into low-cost laptop configurations that don't require the power of "Panther Lake," appealing to buyers seeking budget-friendly options.
The 2P+0E+4LPE core layout is a deliberate trade-off, prioritizing efficiency over raw multithreaded performance, which suits the thermal constraints common in edge and IoT deployments. NPU performance figures range between 15 and 17 TOPS across the lineup. While this won't power the largest LLMs, it may be more than sufficient for on-device inference in industrial or automation settings. The Core 3 304 deserves special mention: it reduces to a single P-core and one Xe graphics unit, creating a clear cost-optimized option at the bottom of the lineup. SIPP certification, important for buyers needing stable, long-lifecycle platform support, is available on the Core 7 360 and Core 5 330 but not consistently across the lineup. Notably, there is no vPro support on any SKU, clearly distinguishing "Wildcat Lake" from Intel's enterprise mobile portfolio.
The NVIDIA App update today introduced some interesting features, such as DLSS 4.5 dynamic multi-frame generation and a 6x mode. Additionally, the app now includes a new beta version of NVIDIA Auto Shader Compilation (ASC). This feature takes DirectX 12 shaders from games and quietly compiles them while the system is idle or not running any graphically intensive tasks. Typically, when you start a game, you have to wait for all assets to load and shaders to compile before you can begin playing. However, with ASC, NVIDIA aims to shorten this process by pre-compiling shaders to reduce loading times and, interestingly, decrease in-game stuttering, which can occur when shaders don't load properly. NVIDIA states that this feature is opt-in within the NVIDIA App and can be enabled by navigating to the Graphics Tab > Global Settings > Shader Cache. Once in the menu, users can access a range of settings, including the option to turn on Auto Shader Compilation.
Since ASC uses a separate folder, users will need to allocate sufficient disk space to store the shaders that ASC will access. In the NVIDIA App, gamers can choose the "Compile Now" option to pre-compile all game shaders immediately by clicking on three dots, or they can wait for the system to do it automatically when it becomes idle. As compiling shaders requires some computing power, there are settings to control system utilization, with the default set to medium. The NVIDIA App will also display the date of the last compilation. Interestingly, ASC will perform its functions once a game is downloaded and after a new driver update is installed for optimal performance. NVIDIA requires GeForce Game Ready Driver 595.97 WHQL or newer for ASC to work, and more optimizations are expected as the beta testing concludes in the coming weeks.
According to VideoCardz and other sources, detailed specifications for Rubin-based gaming GPUs simply don't exist in finalized form yet, that's despite a flood of confident claims circulating across social media and YouTube last weekend.
Nvidia DLSS 4.5 with dynamic frame generation is now available for RTX 50 GPUs using the Nvidia App (enable beta updates). The feature adjusts frame-gen in real time to balance performance and image quality. The update also adds MFG modes of up to 6x, along with beta automatic shader compilation to reduce in-game stutter.
The arrival of Nvidia's DLSS 4.5 Dynamic Multi Frame Generation mode and its extended 5X and 6X multipliers promises more control and higher generated frame rates for GeForce RTX 50-series graphics cards. We went hands-on to see just how far AI can stretch one input frame.
The Card Shop Store is a marketplace for buying, selling, and vaulting sports, TCG, and entertainment trading cards. It supports direct sales and auctions, offers storefronts for sellers, and features CardShares for fractional physical ownership. You can browse graded and raw cards, track conditions and prices, and manage secure transactions. Use the web or mobile apps to list inventory, join breaks and auctions, and keep high-value cards safe in vault storage.
Tonimus automates social media growth for creators by generating, posting, and engaging in your brand voice while reporting revenue and personalized insights. Instead of guessing, creators know which platform earns money, audience authenticity, and insights across your genre based on real data. Tonimus not only tells you how many followers you have but also what they're worth and what to do next. It shows creators exactly which content drives revenue and automates creating more of it.
AnveVoice brings voice-first conversations to your website so visitors can speak naturally and get things done. It listens, understands intent, and acts on the page by scrolling, navigating, filling forms, and booking meetings while remembering preferences across sessions.
Embed a single script to add it to Shopify, WordPress, Webflow, Wix, Squarespace, React, or any site. A dashboard tracks sessions, conversions, and usage in real time so you can monitor performance and scale with transparent, token-based pricing.
The Azamara Onward is scheduled to enter a two-week drydock in early November 2027. The refurbishment forms part of Azamara Forward, said to be the brand’s most extensive fleetwide renovation program to date. The ship is getting onboard upgrades designed to elevate the guest experience, Azamara said in a statement. This includes a transformation of onboard nightlife venues, a newly dedicated Chef’s Table experience, a reimagined...
Aurora Expeditions Launches Arctic Photography Expedition 2027 Across Iceland and East GreenlandAurora Expeditions is launching a new expert-led Arctic photography...
Futures market activity continues to drive Bitcoin price, while insufficient buy-side spot demand shortens the length of bullish breakouts and pins BTC in a $10,000 range.
Looking to streamline collateral management, the platform has enabled borrowing and lending against liquid, staked and locked assets within a single custody account.
Haverhill City Council, following other jurisdictions, is set to consider an ordinance banning crypto ATMs viewed as enabling financial fraud and money laundering.
A sharp drop in Ether’s realized volatility could result in significant ETH price moves if history repeats, making $2,000 a key support level to keep an eye on.
If you are thinking about getting a new phone, the SamsungGalaxy S26 series is a great choice. Right now, Amazon is offering a free gift card when you buy any model. This is a nice bonus since the phones are brand new and don’t have big discounts yet.
The Galaxy S26 series has three models- Galaxy S26, S26 Plus, and S26 Ultra. Each one is designed for different users. The base Galaxy S26 is compact and easy to handle.The Galaxy S26 Plus is bigger with a stronger battery. The S26 Ultra is the most powerful with advanced cameras and extra features like the S Pen.
Right now, Amazon offers a free gift card with each model: $100 for the Galaxy S26 and S26 Plus, and $200 for the S26 Ultra. Prices are $899.99 for the S26, $1,099.99 for the Plus, and $1,299.99 for the Ultra.
Source – Samsung
You can choose any color, and the gift card applies.These deals are only available for a limited time, so if you want a new Galaxy phone, it’s smart to grab the offer soon.
All three phones use the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processor, which makes them very fast. They deliver smooth performance, smart features, and great cameras. With Amazon’s free gift card offer, these stylish, reliable smartphones are a smart choice for anyone. Visit the deal page now and enjoy the deal.
Samsung Card has introduced a new credit card – the Samsung iD STATION Card. It has been made together with HD Hyundai Oilbank to help drivers spend less on fuel and car services.
With this card, drivers can get a fuel discount of up to 10% at HD Hyundai Oilbank gas stations. The maximum discount is 35,000 won per month, depending on how much the card was used last month.
Also, users earn 3 points per liter for regular gasoline and 4 points per liter for LPG. Points can be used later for fuel or car washes.There is also a special deal for premium gasoline like KAZEN and ULTRON, where drivers can earn up to 9 points per liter.
Image via Samsung
The card also helps save money on everyday purchases. Drivers get 5% off on phone bills, convenience store shopping, and online shopping, up to 5,000 won per month. Along with fuel discounts, drivers can save up to 15,000 won per month.
Samsung iD STATION Card also helps with car maintenance. Engine oil changes at Speed Mate cost 20,000 won less, and tire rotation or repair services are free when paying with the card.
The card costs 15,000 won per year, for both domestic and international versions. Samsung Card says this card can help drivers reduce fuel costs and get extra rewards for everyday spending and car care. People who want the card can check more details and promotions on the Samsung Card or HD Hyundai Oilbank websites and apps.
MiCA-licensed Tesseract has launched Dedicated Client Vaults, segregated smart-contract yield accounts built for institutions wary of pooled DeFi products. Finnish crypto asset manager Tesseract Investment Oy, one of the first firms to secure a full MiCA license in the European…
Former a16z crypto investor Sam Broner has raised $10 million to launch The Better Money Company, a startup aiming to become a clearinghouse for U.S. dollar stablecoins in the wake of America’s new federal GENIUS Act regime. Broner co-founded the…
Amida is reissuing one of the most unusual watches of the 1970s, giving the Digitrend a space-age design with a white ceramic case and prominently placed NASA logo in the brand new NASA Tribute Limited Edition.
The Casio Pro Trek PRW-B1000B-2 watch has been revealed. Expected to launch in Japan in the near future, before rolling out to other markets, this model has been inspired by the Yosemite National Park in the US.
Garmin wearables users can benefit from powerful and very extensive additional data analysis with Garmin Chat Connector, and do so without a paid Garmin Connect+ subscription. Rob Trent shows the capabilities of the solution using an example.
A new, affordable smartphone comes with an e-ink display and should therefore also be well suited for showing e-books or reading long texts. It even includes a stylus. It is being advertised with a refresh rate that is quite respectable for an e-ink display.
Asus has finally confirmed pricing for this year's ROG Zephyrus G16. While the 2025 edition currently starts at £2,099, this year's 16-inch gaming laptop runs to over 50% more. Even comparable variants are considerably more expensive than last year's, too.
Alongside numerous other Oppo phones, tablets, and wearables, Oppo today revealed in both global markets and China the official launch date for what is likely to be one of the most exciting camera flagships of the year. At least in China, the Oppo Find X9s Pro, the Oppo Pad Mini and Pad5 Pro, the Watch X3 Mini, and the Enco Clip2 earbuds will also launch at the same time.
A new OnePlus smartphone is now also available to buy for international customers, though with certain limitations due to direct import. The OnePlus 15T is being offered in three different model versions.
The Lenovo Tab K12 is fairly light for its size and comes with a number of business features, but it is also interesting for regular buyers. Specifically, the tablet includes a charger, which has unfortunately become a rarity with tablets and smartphones. We summarize our findings from the review.
A smartwatch we have already tested and found to be well equipped is getting new features with a free update. Athletes in particular could benefit significantly from the update. The update is already being rolled out to owners of the Amazfit T-Rex 3 Pro.
The two latest smart glasses from Meta and Ray-Ban are not only said to be the most comfortable models in the series to date, it is also possible to equip the glasses with lenses with dioptric correction so that conventional prescription glasses can be replaced.
Google appears to be rolling out a long-requested change to Gmail, with CEO Sundar Pichai confirming the update. The feature is not widely available yet, but it could address a limitation users have lived with for years.
Asus has finally released its new dual-screen gaming laptop. Equipped with a pair of 16-inch OLED displays, the ROG Zephyrus Duo (2026) GX651 also comes with a 16-core Intel Panther Lake processor plus up to 64 GB of RAM and an Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 laptop GPU.
The Dell XPS 14 2026 has phenomenal battery life thanks to the large 70 Wh battery and the efficient Intel Panther Lake APUs. According to Hardware Canucks' testing, the Dell XPS 14 2026 can last over 43 hours when doing simple web browsing.
A recent benchmark by the YouTube channel NJ Tech compares gaming performance between Windows 11 and CachyOS. Early results suggest Linux is closing the gap, and in some cases, even pulling ahead in modern AAA titles.
At launch, Palworld was often referred to as Pokémon with guns. There are no armed battles in More Than Just Pals, but there are dates - and unlike last year, this is not just an April Fool's joke.
Oppo is yet to launch the remaining Find X9 series models but leaks and rumors about the Find X10 series have been surfacing already. The latest is that the Find X10 Pro Max will feature a triple 200 MP camera setup.
Last year, Xiaomi released the TV Stick 4K 2nd gen with a more powerful chipset and HDR10+ support. Now the company is refreshing its basic TV Stick HD with similar features.
Starting with the exterior, it uses the more rounded design of the 4K 2nd gen. Alas, the power port is still a micro-USB – come on, Xiaomi. Note that there is only one USB port and no microSD slot, so if you want to connect extra storage, you’ll have to look at Xiaomi’s TV Boxes. The original stick didn’t support USB-OTG and we’re not sure whether this one does, but that’s an awkward solution anyway.
This stick is...
Cristiano Ronaldo won't be available for Portugal in the international friendly match against the USMNT.
The buildup continues for one of the sport’s biggest events. These teams are headed toward the World Cup with different goals, but this match still matters to both sides. Unfortunately for fans, Cristiano Ronaldo will not play for Portugalagainst the USMNTat Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Ronaldo’s absence was not a last-minute decision from manager Roberto Martínez. The forward was not even called up for the international window because he is dealing with a lingering right hamstring injury that led the staff to give him some rest.
Portugal did not have Ronaldo in Saturday’s match against Mexico, which ended in a scoreless draw. His place in the team could go to João Félix or Francisco Conceição as they look to make an impact in attack.
A huge task for the USMNT
As for the other side of this match, the USMNT still have plenty to prove after ending a promising stretch with a heavy defeat. Belgium’s 5-2 win put the spotlight on the team’s defensive issues, as they conceded four goals in the second half.
The USMNT was defeated by Belgium last Saturday (Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)
The person who needs to improve quickly is Mauricio Pochettino, who has not been able to push the team to deliver the performances many were expecting. For the manager, there could be an interesting decision ahead as he may choose a more cautious approach.
A player who could help bring more solidity at the back is Chris Richards, who may be available after Pochettino initially ruled him out. The absence to keep in mind is Jonny Cardoso’s, who returned to Madrid with leg discomfort that forced him to leave the team early.
Argentina play against Zambia in a 2026 international friendly. Here’s all the key information you need, including kickoff time and how to watch the match on TV or through streaming platforms in the United States.
Here are all of the details of where you can watch Argentina vs Zambia on US television and via legal streaming:
WHO
Argentina vs Zambia
WHAT
International Friendly
WHEN
7:15pm ET / 4:15pm PT • Tuesday, March 31, 2026
WHERE
Fubo, Fanatiz, beIN SPORTS, beIN SPORTS en Español, beIN SPORTS Connect and ViX
All eyes in Argentina will be on Lionel Messi as the reigning world champions return to the pitch for a new friendly, continuing their buildup to defend the title they captured 4 years ago. Fresh off a 2-1 result over Mauritania, Argentinaaims to close out its World Cup slate on a strong note.
Their rivals will be another African team, Zambia, who didn’t secure a spot in the World Cup, but this matchup offers a valuable measuring stick against one of CONMEBOL’s elite sides as they look ahead to future international competitions.
More details on how to watch
With Fubo, you can watch Argentina vs Zambia and tons more games. With the legal streaming service, you can watch the game on your computer, smartphone, tablet, Roku, Apple TV or hook it up to your TV with Google Chromecast.
Now with Fubo, you can stream USA Network, ESPN, ESPN2, CBS, CBS Sports Network, FS1, FS2, beIN SPORTS, beIN SPORTS en Español, beIN SPORTS Connect, beIN SPORTS XTRA, NBC, CNBC, USA, FOX, FOX Soccer Plus, FOX Deportes, Universo, Telemundo and Galavision.
Plus Fubo, the legal streaming service, also streams Liga MX, World Cup, Women’s World Cup, MLS, UEFA Champions League (in Spanish), Europa League (in Spanish), Primeira Liga, Ligue Un, World Cup qualifiers, NWSL, select USMNT games, select USWNT games, select Mexico games, select England games and more.
The Fubo app is available for Windows PC, Mac, Apple iPhones, Android phones, Amazon Fire TV, Android Mobile, Android TV, Apple TV, Chromecast, Hisense TVs, iOS devices, LG TVs, Samsung Smart TVs, Vizio Smartcast TVs and Xbox One.
If you’re planning to follow more games on this platform, you can check out the full Fubo soccer schedule to stay up to date with upcoming matches available via the service.
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 NordVPN, allows you to establish a secure connection online when streaming. If you are not sure which VPN to use, check out World Soccer Talk’s guide to the best VPNs for streaming soccer.
To find out when soccer games are on, download the free Soccer TV Schedules App which includes listings of all of the live soccer matches available in the United States (available on Apple iOS devices and Android devices).
Google on Monday said it's officially rolling out Android developer verification to all developers to combat the problem of bad actors distributing harmful apps while "hiding behind anonymity."
The development comes ahead of a planned verification mandate that goes into effect in Brazil, Indonesia, Singapore, and Thailand this September, before it expands globally next year.
As part of this
Galatasaray'ın yıldız futbolcusu Victor Osimhen, tedavisinin ardından salon çalışmalarına başladı.
Galatasaray Futbol Takımı, Trendyol Süper Lig'in 28. haftasında 4 Nisan Cumartesi günü Trabzonspor'a konuk olacağı maçın hazırlıklarını 3 günlük aranın ardından sürdürdü.
Sarı-kırmızılı kulüpten yapılan açıklamaya göre Kemerburgaz Metin Oktay Tesisleri'nde teknik direktör Okan Buruk yönetiminde gerçekleştirilen antrenman, dinamik ısınmayla başladı. İki grup halinde 8'e 2 pas ve topa sahip olma çalışmasıyla devam eden idman, dört takımlı turnuvayla sona erdi.
Nijeryalı santrfor Victor Osimhen, tedavisinin ardından salon çalışmalarına başladı.
Galatasaray, yarın maçın hazırlıklarına devam edecek.
Sarı-lacivertli kulüpten yapılan açıklamada, "Oyuncumuz Nando De Colo, takımımız Fenerbahçe Beko'nun 29 Mart tarihinde Bursaspor ile oynadığı karşılaşmada sol kalf bölgesinden sakatlık yaşamıştır. Sporcumuzun yapılan detaylı kontrollerinin ardından kısmi yırtık tespit edilmiş olup tedavisine başlanmıştır. Nando De Colo'ya geçmiş olsun dileklerimizi iletiyor, en kısa sürede takıma katılmasını temenni ediyoruz." denildi.
Türkiye A Milli Futbol Takımı, 2026 Dünya Kupası için bu akşam Kosova ile karşılaşacak. Teknik direktör Vincenzo Montella mücadele öncesi kadro tercihini değerlendirdi.
A Milli Futbol Takımı teknik direktörü Montella, Kosova maçı kadro tercihini değerlendirdi.
Montella'nın açıklamaları şöyle:
-Çok büyük heyecan, çok büyük duygulart yaşıyoruz. Hepimizin hayali var burada. Futbolcularım ilk günden itibaren bana her şeylerini verdiler. Ayrıcalıklı olduğumu hissediyorum burada olduğum için. Tabii tek isteğimiz hayallerimizi gerçekleştirmek.
-Biz genel olarak rakip özelliklerine göre de adaptasyon gösteren bir takımız. İlk 11'de 3 isim değişti ama o 3 isim de büyük maçlar oynadı. Bu maçta daha uygun olacağını düşündüğüm özellikleri sahaya yansıtmak için bu isimleri aldım. Rakibimizin amacı geçişleri sağlamak. Orta sahadaki rakamsal üstünlüğü almak istedim. Burada bir hedefimiz var. Onun peşinden gidiyoruz.
A Milli Futbol Takımı, 2026 Dünya Kupası Avrupa Elemeleri play-off final maçında Kosova ile deplasmanda karşı karşıya gelecek. Mücadele öncesi İrfan Can Kahveci açıklamalarda bulundu.
Milli futbolcu İrfan Can Kahveci Kosova ile oynanacak maç öncesi açıklama yaptı.
İşte o açıklamalar:
-Havai fişekler bizi etkilemedi. Böyle bir şey bekliyorduk. Bizi düşürebileceklerini düşünüyorlar ama Türk milletini tanıyamadılar galiba. Daha da hırslandık, daha da motive olduk.
-İnşallah kazanacağız ve Dünya Kupası hasretimizi bitireceğiz. Bazılarımız doğmamıştı, bazılarımız çocuktuk. Hayalimiz bu. Bu takımın başarabileceğini düşünüyorum. Tek hedefimiz kazanmak.
-Kazansak da kazanmasak da bu takımla gurur duyuyorum.
Ziraat Bankkart Voleybol Takımı, CEV Erkekler Şampiyonlar Ligi çeyrek final rövanş maçında Polonya temsilcisi Asseco Resovia ile karşılaştı. Rakibini 3-0 mağlup eden Ziraat Bankkart Dörtlü Final'e yükseldi.
Ziraat Bankkart Voleybol Takımı, CEV Erkekler Şampiyonlar Ligi çeyrek final rövanş maçında Polonya temsilcisi Asseco Resovia'yı 3-0 yendi.
İlk maçı da 3-0 kazanan başkent temsilcisi, adını Dörtlü Final'e yazdırdı.
Asseco Resovia, 2'si bloktan olmak üzere peş peşe aldığı sayılarla 14-11 öne geçti. Nimir ve Fornal'ın smaçlarıyla skoru 16-16'ya getiren, Murat Yenipazar'ın servislerinin ardından elde ettiği sayılarla rakibine 19-17'lik üstünlük kuran başkent ekibi, kalan bölümde daha az hata yaptı ve Nimir'in "ace"iyle ilk seti 25-22 hanesine yazdırdı.
İkinci setin başında 3-0'lık seri yakalayan Ziraat Bankkart, rakibinin servis hataları, blokta aksaması ve hücumda iyi organize olamamasından yararlanarak farkı 5 sayıya (17-12) çıkardı. Avantajını setin sonuna kadar koruyan Ziraat Bankkart, 25-19'luk skorla 2. seti de kazandı ve Dörtlü Final'i garantiledi.
Skorun önemini yitirmesi sonrası takımlar, 3. sette sahadaki 6'larını büyük oranda değiştirdi. Ziraat Bankkart, başında 3-0, ortasında ise 15-12 geriye düştüğü 3. seti de 25-21 alarak sahadan 3-0 galip ayrıldı.
Geçen yılın CEV Kupası şampiyonu başkent ekibi, Polonya'daki ilk maçta 3-0 yendiği rakibini, Ankara'da da 3-0 mağlup ederek Şampiyonlar Ligi'nde 2024'ten sonra bir kez daha son 4 takım arasına girdi.
2026 CEV Erkekler Şampiyonlar Ligi Dörtlü Finali, 16-17 Mayıs tarihlerinde İtalya'nın Torino kentinde düzenlenecek.
Salon: TVF Ziraat Bankkart
Hakemler: David Fernandez Fuentes (İspanya), Dobromir Dobrev (Bulgaristan)
Galatasaray altyapısından yetişen ve Avrupa'nın dev kulüplerinde sergilediği performansla dikkatleri çeken Ozan Kabak, kariyerinde yeni bir sayfa açmaya hazır. Adı bir süredir Galatasaray ve Beşiktaş ile anılmasına rağmen her iki cepheden de olumsuz yanıt alan yıldız savunmacı için asıl "bomba" iddia Kadıköy'den geldi. Şartların oluşması durumunda Fenerbahçe forması giyebileceğini yakın çevresine fısıldayan Ozan Kabak, sarı-lacivertli yönetimin iştahını kabarttı.
Yıllardır "yuvaya dönecek" haberleri yapılan Ozan Kabak konusunda Galatasaray cephesinde yaprak kımıldamıyor. Sarı-kırmızılı yönetimin oyuncuyla ilgili herhangi bir planlaması bulunmazken, Ozan’ın da dönüş ihtimali şu aşamada oldukça düşük görünüyor.
Adı son dönemde Beşiktaş ile de anılan milli savunmacı için siyah-beyazlı kulübün de herhangi bir ilgisi olmadığı kesinleşti.
ÇAĞRI BALTA'DAN SONRA İKİNCİ İSİM
Transfer gündemine bomba gibi düşen asıl gelişme ise Ozan Kabak’ın gelecek planlarıyla ilgili sızan bilgiler. İddialara göre milli yıldız, şartların oluşması durumunda Fenerbahçe forması giyebileceğini dile getirdi.
Galatasaray altyapısından yetişen Ozan Kabak, Fenerbahçe’nin savunma hattı için en güçlü aday haline geldi. Bu hamle gerçekleşirse, Fenerbahçe, Çağrı Balta'dan sonra ezeli rakibinin mutfağından çıkan bir başka ismi daha kadrosuna katarak gövde gösterisi yapacak.
HOFFENHEIM KALMASINI İSTİYOR
Şu an formasını giydiği TSG Hoffenheim ise Ozan’ı kaybetmek niyetinde değil. Teknik direktör Christian Ilzer, oyuncusunu takımın "temel direği" olarak tanımlarken şu ifadeleri kullandı:
- Bir teknik direktör olarak kilit oyuncularınızı elinizde tutmak istersiniz. Ozan, bu takımın vazgeçilmezi haline geliyor. Onu önümüzdeki sezon da kadromda görmek istiyorum.
Avrupa transfer piyasasında taşları yerinden oynatacak dev operasyonun fitili Lizbon'da ateşlendi...Benfica'nın parlayan yıldızı Andreas Schjelderup için Barcelona Sportif Direktörü Deco'nun devreye girmesi, Kerem Aktürkoğlu'na beklenmedik bir dönüş bileti kesti. A Bola'nın iddiasına göre; Benfica, Barcelona'nın kıskacındaki Norveçli genç yeteneği rekor bir bedelle elden çıkarmaya hazırlanırken, oluşan boşluğu Kerem ile doldurmanın planlarını yapıyor.
Geçtiğimiz sezon Portekiz’de Schjelderup’u yedek kulübesine hapseden, ancak Jose Mourinho’nun ısrarıyla Fenerbahçe’ye transfer olan milli yıldız, Benfica'da yarım kalan hikayesini bitirmek içn geri dönebilir.
Portekiz ve İspanya basınına yansıyan bilgiler, transfer piyasasında dengeleri değiştirecek bir "domino etkisini" işaret ediyor.
Merkeze oturan iki isim Benfica’nın genç yeteneği Andreas Schjelderup ile Fenerbahçe’nin yıldızı Kerem Aktürkoğlu'nu içeriyor.
BARCELONA'YA TRANSFERİ DOMİNO ETKİSİ
Geçtiğimiz dönemlerde Beşiktaş’ın uzun süre peşinden koştuğu, son olarak Galatasaray’ın da listesine giren 21 yaşındaki Norveçli hücumcu Andreas Schjelderup, Barcelona'nın kıskacında.
Barcelona Sportif Direktörü Deco, oyuncunun saha içindeki kalitesine hayran kalmış durumda.
A Bola’ya göre Benfica, Katalan devinin ilgisini kırmak için oyuncunun sözleşmesini 2031 yılına kadar uzatıp maaşında iyileştirmeye gidiyor. Amaç, oyuncuyu çok daha yüksek bir bonservisle elden çıkarmak.
FENERBAHÇE'DE HAYAL KIRIKLIĞI
Denklemin en çarpıcı kısmı ise Fenerbahçe formasıyla hayal kırıklığı yaratan Kerem Aktürkoğlu... Mourinho’nun ısrarıyla sarı-lacivertli ekibe katılan milli yıldız için Portekiz kapıları yeniden aralanabilir.
Benfica’da Schjelderup’u yedek kulübesine hapseden ancak ardından Fenerbahçe’ye transfer olan Kerem, Portekiz ekibi için hala bir numara.
MOURINHO ÇOK İSTİYORDU
İddialara göre; Benfica, Schjelderup’u Barcelona gibi bir deve rekor ücretle satması durumunda, bu boşluğu Fenerbahçe’de bazı konulardan rahatsız olduğu ileri sürülen eski oyuncusu Kerem Aktürkoğlu’nu geri alarak dolduracak.
Kerem Aktürkoğlu, yarım kalan hikayesini tamamlamak üzere yeniden Lizbon’un yolunu tutacak. Hatırlanacağı üzere Mourinho, Fenerbahçe'nin başındayken Kerem için çıldırıyordu.
Türk futbolunun iki devi arasındaki mali makas hiç olmadığı kadar açıldı... son 10 yıllık bilanço, Fenerbahçe ve Galatasaray arasındaki gelir farkının 750 milyon Euro seviyesine ulaştığını ortaya koyuyor. Şampiyonlar Ligi katılım gelirlerinden stadyum hasılatına kadar her kalemde rakibinin gerisinde kalan sarı-lacivertliler, bu devasa finansal boşluğu ancak camia gücü ve bireysel yönetici hibeleriyle sübvanse edebiliyor. Sportif başarının ekonomik sürdürülebilirliğe dönüştüğü bu kritik süreçte; Fenerbahçe'nin kurumsal gelir modeline geçiş mücadelesi "Dost Meclisleri"nin ana gündemi.
Fenerbahçe’nin mevcut ekonomik tablosu ve ezeli rakibi Galatasaray ile arasındaki gelir makası, kulübün gelecek stratejilerini belirleyen en kritik faktör haline geldi. Son 10 yıllık veriler incelendiğinde, sarı-lacivertlilerin sportif başarı endeksli gelir kaybını camianın öz kaynakları ve bireysel desteklerle sübvanse ettiği görülüyor.
SADECE STAT GELİRİ 300 MİLYON EURO
Fenerbahçe ile Galatasaray arasındaki mali dengeler, özellikle Avrupa kupaları ve stadyum gelirlerinde ciddi bir ayrışmaya işaret ediyor.
Galatasaray’ın yıllık stadyum geliri, Fenerbahçe’den yaklaşık 30 milyon Euro daha fazla. Bu kalem, 10 yıllık bir projeksiyonda tek başına 300 milyon Euro’luk bir fark yaratıyor.
Son 10 yılın 6’sında Şampiyonlar Ligi’ne giden ve 5 kez şampiyonluk ipini göğüsleyen rakibine karşılık, Fenerbahçe’nin bu arenalardan uzak kalması toplam gelir farkını 750 milyon Euro bandına kadar taşıyor.
FENERBAHÇE BİREYLERE MUHTAÇ EDİLDİ
Galatasaray’da kurumsal gelirler ön plandayken, Fenerbahçe’de mali tabloyu ayakta tutan temel unsur "bireysel zenginlerin ve camianın gücü" olarak öne çıkıyor.
Kulübün profesyonel gelir kalemlerindeki eksiklik, yönetimlerin cebinden koyduğu sıcak para ile kapatılmaya çalışılıyor.
Camia içinde tartışılan "Neden daha fazla hibe yapılmıyor?" sorusu, Türkiye ekonomisindeki reel karşılıklar ve kişilerin finansal güç sınırları nedeniyle her zaman karşılık bulamıyor.
BÜYÜME STRATEJİSİ GELİŞTİRİLMELİ
Fenerbahçe’de borç yönetimi konusunda iki farklı yaklaşım dikkat çekiyor. Mevcut yönetim camianın seçimi doğrultusunda ilerlerken, alternatif modellerde kulübün borçlarının "kendi kaynaklarıyla ödenmesi" ve paranın rasyonel kullanımı vurgulanıyor.
Fenerbahçe'nin sürdürülebilir bir başarı için bireysel bağışlara ve yönetici hibelerine dayalı modelden, kurumsal gelirleri (stadyum, Avrupa kupası, ticari satış) maksimize edecek bir büyüme stratejisine geçmesi hayati önem taşıyor.
Fenerbahçe'de adaylık defterini kapatan Aziz Yıldırım, kulübü mali bağımsızlığa kavuşturacak dev projeleri için harekete geçti. Mithat Yenigün'den Hamdi Akın'a, gayrimenkulden finans dünyasına kadar dev isimlerden oluşan bir konsorsiyumla yola çıkmayı hayal eden Yıldırım'ın hayalleri netleşti.
Fotospor; Fenerbank, 1 Milyon Üye ve 70 milyon Euro’luk Ataşehir projesiyle sarı-lacivertli kulübün kaderini değiştirmeye hazırlanan Aziz Yıldırım'ın planına ulaştı.
Efsane Başkan Aziz Yıldırım kulübün geleceğine dair sessizliğini bozdu. Büyük bir vizyon barındıran kritik açıklamalarda bulundu.
Yıldırım, sarı-lacivertli taraftarları heyecanlandıracak bir söz vererek, "Bir daha asla aday olmayacağım ancak başkanlığımdan daha fazla Fenerbahçe ile ilgileneceğim" dedi.
İŞTE AZİZ YILDIRIM'IN HAYALLERİ
Yıldırım, kulübün birleştirici bir güce ihtiyacı olduğunu vurgulayarak, adaylık defterini tamamen kapattığını ancak projelerinden vazgeçmediğini belirtti.
Maddi ve manevi her türlü desteği sunacağını açıklayan Yıldırım, geçmişte bürokrasiye veya yönetim değişikliklerine takılan "hayalindeki projeleri" yeniden canlandırmak için kolları sıvadı.
EFSANE BAŞKANIN AKLINDAKİ 5 ANA BAŞLIK
İddialara göre Yıldırım, kulübün mali bağımsızlığını hedefleyen ancak tamamlanamayan şu 5 ana projeyi konsorsiyum desteğiyle hayata geçirmeyi planlıyor:
- Fenerbank
BDDK mevzuatları nedeniyle kağıt üzerinde kalan banka projesiyle kulübe sıcak para girişi sağlanması.
- Kenan Evren Lisesi Arazi Projesi
Yıllardır süren davalar nedeniyle bekletilen otel ve AVM projesinin inşaatına başlanması.
- 3 Temmuz Spor Akademisi (Gebze)
250 dönümlük arazide tüm branşları toplayacak dev tesis hamlesi.
- 1 Milyon Üye:
Bağış odaklı değil, taraftarı kulübün gerçek sahibi yapacak üyelik odaklı sistemin tamamlanması.
- Borsa Geri Alımı:
Kulübün halka açık hisselerini geri toplayarak mali özgürlüğe kavuşması.
KONSORSİYUMDA DEV İSİMLER OLACAK
Aziz Yıldırım’ın bu devasa planları gerçekleştirmek için işaret ettiği konsorsiyumda Türkiye ekonomisine yön veren isimler öne çıkıyor. İşte o kritik listenin detayları:
- Finansal Güç ve İnşaat Devleri
Projelerin fiziki ve stratejik bacağında Mithat Yenigün (Yenigün İnşaat) ve kulübün taşınmazlar konusundaki uzmanı Nihat Özbağı kilit rol oynayacak.
Enerji ve altyapı yatırımları için Limak Holding’den Batuhan Özdemir, finansal modellemeler için ise Akfen Holding Yönetim Kurulu Başkanı Hamdi Akın stratejik isimler arasında yer alıyor.
FENERBANK'TAN BİR TÜRLÜ VAZGEÇMEDİ
- Finans ve Operasyonel Akıl
"Fenerbank" ve borsa operasyonları için Azimut Portföy’den Murat Salar ile Mehmet İman ve Ahmet Özokur gibi finans dünyasının tecrübeli isimlerinin projeye dahil olması bekleniyor.
- Marka ve Lobi Gücü
Operasyonel kanatta ise Yıldırım'ın vazgeçilmez isimleri Mahmut Uslu ve İlhan Yüksel Ekşioğlu tesisleşme ve dış ilişkileri yönetecek. Basketbol vizyonu için ise Ömer Onan markanın kurumsal yüzü olacak.
AZİZ YILDIRIM HİZMET İÇİN YANIP TUTUŞUYOR
- 70 Milyon Euro’luk Gelir Planı
Yıldırım'ın planındaki en somut adım, Emlak Konut iş birliğiyle Ataşehir'deki araziden elde edilecek yaklaşık 70 milyon Euro gelir. Bu miktarın doğrudan banka borçlarının temizlenmesinde kullanılması ve kulübün finansal darboğazdan çıkarılması hedefleniyor.
Aziz Yıldırım’ın bu hamlesi, Fenerbahçe camiasında "başkanlık makamının ötesinde bir hizmet anlayışı" olarak yorumlandı.
YouTube used its NewFront presentation to unveil a significant upgrade to its Creator Partnerships platform, adding Gemini-powered creator matching, stronger measurement tools, and new ways to run creator content as paid ads.
Why we care. Influencer marketing has become a core part of many brands’ strategies, but finding the right creators at scale and proving ROI is a pain point. tackles influencer marketing’s two biggest friction points — finding the right creator and proving ROI.
Gemini-powered matching cuts through the noise of three million creators, while the ability to run creator content as paid Shorts and in-stream ads makes performance measurable like any standard campaign, backed by a reported 30% conversion lift.
How it works. The updated platform uses Gemini to recommend creators from a pool of more than three million YouTube Partner Program members, filtered by campaign goals. Advertisers get more control over who they work with and better visibility into how those partnerships perform.
The big new feature. A revamped Creator Partnerships boost lets brands run creator-made content directly as Shorts and in-stream ads — formats YouTube says deliver an average 30% lift in conversions.
The big picture. The announcement builds on BrandConnect, YouTube’s existing creator monetization infrastructure, showing that the platform is doubling down on the creator economy as a growth lever for advertisers — not just a content strategy.
Reddit ranks as the most-cited domain in AI-generated answers, followed by YouTube and LinkedIn, based on a new analysis of 30 million sources by Peec AI, an AI search analytics tool.
The findings. Reddit was the most-cited source across ChatGPT, Google AI Mode, Gemini, Perplexity, and AI Overviews. YouTube, LinkedIn, Wikipedia, and Forbes also ranked in the top five. Review platforms like Yelp and G2 appeared often in recommendation queries.
The research showed which domains models rely on:
ChatGPT favored Wikipedia, Reddit, and editorial sites like Forbes.
Google leaned toward platforms like Facebook and Yelp.
Perplexity emphasized Reddit, LinkedIn, and G2 for B2B queries.
Why we care. To win in AI search, you need authority beyond your site. Brands that appear consistently across trusted third-party platforms are more likely to be cited.
Why these sources? AI systems prioritize perceived authority plus authentic user input:
Reddit leads because it captures real user discussions.
YouTube dominates video citations via transcripts and descriptions.
Wikipedia serves as both a live source and a training dataset.
About the data. The analysis covered 30 million sources across ChatGPT, Google AI Mode, Gemini, Perplexity, and AI Overviews, measuring domains directly cited in answers to isolate what shapes responses.
You can now order from Uber Eats and Grubhub using Alexa+, an experience Amazon says will be similar to chatting with a waiter at a restaurant or placing an order at a drive-thru.
21 yaşadək futbolçulardan ibarət Azərbaycan millisi (U-21) bu gün Avropa çempionatının seçmə mərhələsində növbəti sınağına çıxıb.
Arena.az xəbər verir ki, AÇ-2027-nin seçmə mərhələsinin B qrupunda yer almış millimiz 7-ci oyununda Bolqarıstanın müvafiq yaş qrupundan ibarət komandası ilə qarşılaşıb.
Rəşad Eyyubovun baş məşqçisi olduğu kollektiv bu rəqiblə səfərdə üz-üzə gəlib. Plovdiv şəhərində təşkil edilmiş oyunu Ukraynadan olan hakimlər briqadası idarə edib. Oyun qolsuz yekunlaşıb.
Xatırladaq ki, U-21 millimiz altı komandanın yer aldığı B qrupunda 6 xalla beşinci pillədə qərarlaşıb. Bolqarlar isə 11 xalla dördüncüdürlər.
AÇ-2027-nin seçmə mərhələsi B qrupu 31 mart
Bolqarıstan – Azərbaycan 0:0 Qırmızı vərəqə: Georgi Çorbadjiyski, 82. Baş hakim: Denis Şurman. Baş hakimin köməkçiləri: Dmitro Zaporojenko, Viktor Nijnik. Dördüncü hakim: Dmitro Pançişin (Hakimlər briqadası Ukraynadandır). Plovdiv, “Xristo Botev”. Saat 20:00.
Bolqarıstan: 23. Aleks Bojev, 2. İvaylo Videv, 4. Todor Pavlov, 3. Martin Georgiyev (17. Boris Dimitrov, 88), 15. Dimitar Papazov, 22. Asen Mitkov (k) (14. Vasil Kazaldjiyev, 78), 21. Petko Panayotov, 16. Svetoslav Marinov, 19. Nikolay Zlatev (9. Borislav Rupanov, 46), 10. Georgi Çorbadjiyski, 7. Georgi Lazarov. Ehtiyat oyunçular: 1. Plamen Andreyev, 5. Mixail Polendakov, 13. Kubrat Onaşi, 18. Nikola Neyçev, 20. Anton İvanov. Baş məşqçi: Todor Yançev.
Azərbaycan: 12. Sadiq Məmmədzadə, 5. Emin Rüstəmov (k) (19. Əkbər Eyubov, 90+2), 3. Rüfət Abbasov, 2. Eşqin Əhmədov, 4. Elgün Dünyamalıyev, 18. Oruc Məmmədov (10. Edqar Adilxanov, 58), 15. Raul Məmmədov, 17. Hikmət Cəbrayılzadə, 23. Nihad Əhmədzadə (7. Murad Məmmədov, 75), 20. Şahin Şahniyarov (8. Emil Süleymanov, 90+2), 11. Nahid Əliyev (9. Şahin İbrahimov, 75). Ehtiyat oyunçular: 22. Xəyal Fərzullayev, 6. Bilal İsmayılov, 13. Nuğay Rəşidov, 14. Nadir Orucov. Baş məşqi: Rəşad Eyyubov.
Bu gün keçirilmiş son bir oyunla Azərbaycan Basketbol Liqasında (ABL) müntəzəm mövsümə (2025/2026) yekun vurulub.
Arena.az xəbər verir ki, 20-ci turun və müntəzəm mövsümün qapanış matçında A qrupunun lider “Sabah”la əsas izləyicisi “Abşeron Lions” üz-üzə gəliblər.
Bakı İdman Sarayında baş tutmuş qarşılaşma “bayquşlar”ın 105:72 hesablı qələbəsi ilə bitib. Mövsümün sonuncu oyunu xoşagəlməz hadisə ilə də yadda qalıb. Görüşün dördüncü periodunda “Abşeron Lions”un oyunçusu Ceylon Şou ciddi zədə alaraq meydanı xərəkdə tərk edib.
Xatırladaq ki, turun əvvəlki qarşılaşmalarında “Sərhədçi” “Sumqayıt”ı (93:89), “Ordu” “Lənkəran”ı (107:65), “Naxçıvan” “Quba”nı (103:96), “Gəncə” “Şəki”ni (84:73), “Neftçi” NTD-ni (93:83) məğlub etmişdi.
Beləliklə, reqlamentə əsasən müntəzəm çempionatı A qrupunda ilk üç sırada bitirmiş “Sabah”, “Abşeron Lions”, “Neftçi” və B qrupunun birincisi “Ordu” birbaşa pley-offa (1/4 final) vəsiqə qazanıblar.
1/8 final mərhələsində isə, “Naxçıvan” – “Sərhədçi”, “Gəncə” – “Lənkəran”, “Quba” – “Şəki”, “Sumqayıt” – NTD oyunları baş tutacaq. 1/8 final seriyalarında ən tez iki qələbə qazanmış komandalar 1/4 finala vəsiqə qazanacaqlar. Oyunlar aprel ayında start götürəcək.
Həm 1/4 final, həm də yarımfinal seriyaları 2 qələbəyə qədər davam edəcək. Final seriyasında isə ən tez 3 qələbə qazanacaq klub Azərbaycan Basketbol Liqasının çempionu olacaq.
ABL-də müntəzəm mövsümün yekununda komandaların xal durumu belədir:
A qrupu: Sabah – 39. Abşeron Lions – 37. Neftçi – 30. Gəncə – 29. NTD – 23. Şəki – 22.
B qrupu: Ordu – 38. Naxçıvan – 36. Sərhədçi – 28. Sumqayıt – 27. Quba – 27. Lənkəran – 24.
“Bayern”in sağ cinah müdafiəçisi Yosip Stanişiç müdafiənin cinahında və mərkəzində çıxış etməsi ilə bağlı təəssüratını paylaşıb.
Arena.az 25 yaşlı xorvat futbolçunu müvafiq açıqlamaısını təqdim edir:
“Çox qaçmağım və məndən daha sürətli rəqiblərlə tez-tez qarşılaşmağım gərək olur. Ona görə də mövqeləri düzgün seçməyimiz gərəkdir. Həm mərkəzdə və həm də cinahda oynamağı xoşlayıram, amma yəqin ki, cinahda oynamaq azacıq maraqlıdır. Çünki belə olanda hücumlarda daha çox iştirak etmək olar”, deyə Stanişiç vurğulayıb.
Yosip Stanişiç “Bayern”in öz yetirməsidir. Onun Münhen klubu ilə 2029-cu ilin 30 iyununadək müqaviləsi var. Xorvat futbolçu indiyə qədər əsas komandada 97 oyuna çıxıb, 4 qol və 10 məhsuldar ötürmə müəllifi olub.
Stanişiç bir mövsümü icarə əsasında Leverkuzen “Bayer”ində keçirib. O, bu komandanın heyətində 38 oyuna 4 qol vurub, 6 məhsuldar ötürmə verib.
Xorvatiyalı futbolçu həm də ölkəsinin əsas milli komandasının üzvüdür. O, yığmada 28 oyuna çıxıb, 2 məhsuldar ötürmə ilə yadda qalıb.
“Transfermarkt” internet-portalı 25 yaşlı müdafiəçinin transfer dəyərini 35 milyon avro məbləğində qiymətləndirir.
“Barselona”nın mərkəz hücumçusu Robert Levandovski 2022-ci ilin iyul ayında “Bayern”dən “Barselona”ya keçidini xatırlayıb.
Arena.az 37 yaşlı polyak ulduzun müvafiq xatirəsini təqdim edir:
“Barselona”ya keçidimlə bağlı qərar karyeramda ən çətinlərdən idi. “Bayern”də hər şeyi qazanmışdım, amma o məqamda hiss etdim ki, yeni nəyəsə ehtiyac duyuram”, deyə “Lyova” xatırlayıb.
Robert Levandovski “Barselona”ya 2022-ci ilin iyul ayında 45 milyon avro məbləğ müqabilində “Bayern”dən keçib. Tərəflər arasındakı müqavilə daha 1 il müddətinə uzadılması imkanı ilə 2026-cı il iyun ayının sonuna qədər qüvvədədir.
Polyak hücumçu cari mövsümdə “Barselona”nın heyətində 37 oyuna çıxıb, 16 qol vurub, 3 məhsuldar ötürmə verib.
Levandovskinin Kataloniya klubu üçün çıxışı ümumilikdə 184 oyun, 117 qol və 23 məhsuldar ötürmədən ibarətdir.
Təcrübəli hücumçu karyerası ərzində “Borussiya” (Dortmund), “Lex” (Poznan), “Zniç”, “Legiya” (Varşava) və “Delta” komandalarında da çıxış edib.
Robert Levandovski hazırda kapitanı olduğu və 2008-ci ilin sentyabr ayında debüt etdiyi Polşa yığmasının heyətində 164 oyun keçirib, 89 qol vurub, 38 məhsuldar ötürmə verib. Robert hər iki göstərici üzrə Polşa yığma komandasının mütləq rekordçusudur.
“Transfermarkt” internet-portalı 37 yaşlı polyak hücumçunun transfer dəyərini 8 milyon avro məbləğində qiymətləndirir.
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Futbolpress.az xəbər verir ki, türklərin baş məşqçisi Egemen Korkmaz meydanın kənarında huşunu itirib və yerə yıxılıb. Hadisə matçın 35-ci dəqiqəsində baş verib.
Hakim bu səbəbdən oyunu dayandırıb. Korkmaz ilkin müdaxilə ilə ayılsa da, xəstəxanaya aparılıb.
Matçın baş tutub-tutmayacağı məlum deyil. Görüş ilk hissədə 0:0 olarkən dayandırılıb.
Futbolpress.az xəbər verir ki, London təmsilçisinin “sükanı” Roberto De Zerbiyə tapşırılıb. Bu barədə klubun mətbuat xidməti məlumat yayıb. Mütəxəssislə razılaşmanın detalları açıqlanmayıb.
İtaliyalı mütəxəssis bu postda bir neçə gün əvvəl istefaya göndərilən İqor Tudoru əvəzləyib.
21 yaşadək futbolçulardan ibarət Azərbaycan millisinin baş məşqçisi Rəşad Eyyubov Avropa çempionatının seçmə mərhələsində Plovdivdə Bolqarıstan yığması ilə keçirilən oyundan […]
21 yaşadək futbolçulardan ibarət Azərbaycan milli komandası Avropa çempionatının seçmə mərhələsində növbəti oyununa çıxıb. Msport.az xəbər verir ki, B qrupunda yer […]
Guglielmo Vicario does not deny the obvious pressure on the Italy national team ahead of tonight’s World Cup play-off final against Bosnia and Herzegovina, but says that his colleagues seem ‘more ready’ after their 2-0 victory against Northern Ireland in Bergamo.
Bosnia will host Italy at the Bilino Polje Stadium in the city of Zenica for tonight’s play-off final, which kicks off at 19.45 BST (20.45 CET).
The winner will be decided after 90 minutes, or through extra time and even a penalty shoot-out if needed. Whoever goes through will be placed in World Cup group B with Canada, Switzerland and Qatar.
Vicario previews Bosnia and Herzegovina vs. Italy: ‘There is pressure’
The Azzurri beat Northern Ireland 2-0 in the semi-final with goals from Sandro Tonali and Moise Kean, so despite suggestions Francesco Pio Esposito or Marco Palestra could step in, the coach sticks with the same starting XI that played in Bergamo on Thursday.
Bosnia and Herzegovina, meanwhile, got the better of Wales in the semi-final after a 1-1 draw and penalty shoot-out, with ex-Roma, Inter and Fiorentina striker Edin Dzeko netting the equaliser.
The pressure is all on Italy though, having missed out on the World Cup in both 2018 and 2022 by losing the play-offs.
“The pressure is still there,” Vicario, who is not officially part of the squad, but has travelled with the team regardless, told Vivo Azzurro TV ahead of kick-off.
“But maybe subconsciously we’ve come in a little more ready and I hope a little more relaxed after the first half in Bergamo. I think we can’t afford to lose our concentration today, it’s too important.
BERGAMO, ITALY – MARCH 26: Sandro Tonali of Italy celebrates scoring his team’s first goal with teammates Mateo Retegui and Moise Kean during the FIFA World Cup 2026 European Qualifiers KO play-offs match between Italy and Northern Ireland at Stadio di Bergamo on March 26, 2026 in Bergamo, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
“I’ve seen the boys looking well, fired up, we all know about the importance of this game.”
Vicario also praised the spirit and togetherness that CT Gennaro Gattuso has brought to the Nazionale following his appointment last summer.
“Our work with the coach has been going on for months. He’s brought back the enthusiasm and a spirit of belonging. In the end, it’s what happens on the pitch that counts, not the proclamations.”
And what does Vicario expect from Bosnia and Herzegovina this evening?
CARDIFF, WALES – MARCH 26: Edin Dzeko of Bosnia and Herzegovina celebrates scoring his team’s first goal with teammate Kerim Alajbegovic during the FIFA World Cup 2026 European Qualifiers KO play-off match between Wales and Bosnia and Herzegovina at Cardiff City Stadium on March 26, 2026 in Cardiff, Wales. (Photo by Warren Little/Getty Images)
“The atmosphere will lead to them being aggressive initially, out of possession as well. “There’ll be phases of patience and counter attacking. Demirovic makes these great runs when they’re pressing. It’s a team that has quality, international level players, a lot of legs and running. The duels will be decisive.
Vicario also dismissed any potential concerns about the playing surface in Zenica.
“It doesn’t seem to be in bad condition to me, the ball moves without major problems. I think our best qualities will come out.”
Italy swept Sweden aside 4-0 away from home to consolidate second place in the European Under-21 Championship qualifiers, as Luca Koleosho scored twice and assisted another.
EMPOLI – MARCH 26: Silvio Baldini manager of Italy U21 looks on during the UEFA Under 21 EURO Qualifier match between Italy U21 and North Macedonia U21 at Stadio Carlo Castellani on March 26, 2026 in Empoli. (Photo by Gabriele Maltinti/Getty Images)
The Azzurrini were coming off a 4-0 victory against North Macedonia, but remained second in the group due to a 2-1 defeat to leaders Poland. The only changes from Thursday’s game were Seydou Fini and Michael Kayode stepping in.
Sweden had the first big chance with Nils Zatterstrom’s header fortunately straight at Lorenzo Palmisani on a corner, but the visitors received a penalty when Luca Lipani was brought down by Zatterstrom. It was converted successfully by Luca Koleosho into the near bottom corner.
The floodgates opened, as Koleosho added a second from open play moments later when pouncing on a loose ball in the final third, forcing the Hampus Skoglund error with his high press.
Cher Ndour nearly made it 3-0 on the half-hour mark, prodding wide from six yards on a ball over the top.
EMPOLI, ITALY – MARCH 26: Cher Ndour of Italy U21 celebrates after scoring a goal during the UEFA Under 21 EURO Qualifier match between Italy U21 and North Macedonia U21 at Stadio Carlo Castellani on March 26, 2026 in Empoli, Italy. (Photo by Gabriele Maltinti/Getty Images)
The third goal did arrive after the restart, with Koleosho this time threading through to send Ndour clear to beat the goalkeeper one-on-one.
Pietro Comuzzo’s header from a corner whistled just wide, then Lipani got on the end of Davide Bartesaghi’s free kick at the near post.
Luigi Cherubini scuffed his finish wide on the Ndour pull-back, but this has still boosted their goal difference.
Sandro Tonali and Moise Kean were on target in the 2-0 semi-final victory over Northern Ireland, and Gennaro Gattuso has decided to stick with the same starting XI here.
Meret sees right Italy attitude
Bosnia and Herzegovina vs. Italy World Cup play-off final logo (@azzurri)
“It’s a difficult match, but we are ready and want to bring home a very important result. Every moment could be decisive, so the attitude and focus on details is essential. We’ve got to start strong and earn this result.”
Bosnia and Herzegovina had to play a full 120 minutes in Cardiff on Thursday, as Edin Dzeko’s late equaliser forced extra time and an eventual penalty shoot-out victory to eliminate Wales.
Their one and only World Cup participation was in 2014.
BERGAMO, ITALY – MARCH 26: Players of Italy sing the national anthem prior to the FIFA World Cup 2026 European Qualifiers KO play-offs match between Italy and Northern Ireland at Stadio di Bergamo on March 26, 2026 in Bergamo, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
“We feel the right focus and desire to help each other out. We are all united for this objective, and I think we’ve got the right atmosphere,” added Meret.
“I’ve been in the Nazionale a long time, so I’ve seen a lot here, but we’ve never had such an important match as this. Bosnia have two very dangerous wingers and good strikers, we all know Edin Dzeko, but we feel ready.”
The winner will be decided after 90 minutes, or through extra time and even a penalty shoot-out if needed.
Whoever goes through will be placed in World Cup group B with Canada, Switzerland and Qatar.
Leonardo Bonucci urges Italy to call on ‘quality and heart’ in the World Cup play-off final, as he expects Bosnia and Herzegovina to ‘start strong, then try to go on the counter.’
The tension is palpable for a Nazionale that failed at the play-offs for the last two editions of the World Cup, missing out in both 2018 and 2022.
Bonucci has faith in Italy
BERGAMO, ITALY – SEPTEMBER 05: Leonardo Bonucci of Italy during the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifier match between Italy and Estonia at Stadio di Bergamo on September 05, 2025 in Bergamo, Italy. (Photo by Mattia Ozbot/Getty Images)
“The fans will create a warm atmosphere, but the match is played ultimately between the players on the pitch,” Bonucci told RAI Sport.
“We must put quality and heart onto the field tonight, because we deserve this opportunity.”
BERGAMO, ITALY – MARCH 26: Sandro Tonali of Italy celebrates scoring his team’s first goal during the FIFA World Cup 2026 European Qualifiers KO play-offs match between Italy and Northern Ireland at Stadio di Bergamo on March 26, 2026 in Bergamo, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
The winner will be decided after 90 minutes, or through extra time and even a penalty shoot-out if needed.
Whoever goes through will be placed in World Cup group B with Canada, Switzerland and Qatar.
“We are sure Bosnia will start strong, fired up and enthusiastic on home turf, but after that they’ll sit in midfield and try to go on the counter-attack. That is what we expect to see,” added Bonucci, a member of Gennaro Gattuso’s coaching staff.
Coach Gattuso has chosen the same starting XI that beat Northern Ireland 2-0 in the semi-final on Thursday, with Mateo Retegui and Moise Kean upfront.
“They all absolutely deserved to play again. The idea we want to get across is that everyone is participating here, even if they are in the stands.”
The appointment of Italian head coach Roberto De Zerbi as the new head coach of Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur has been met with criticism from various supporters’ groups, who feel that the former Marseille and Brighton tactician will ‘create a divide among supporters at a time when we all need to be pulling together to back the team’.
De Zerbi has put pen to paper on a five-year deal that will run until the summer of 2031, and will have seven matches of the 2025-26 Premier League season to steer Spurs clear of relegation. The North Londoners are currently in 17th, one point and one position above West Ham in the drop zone.
Tottenham supporters’ groups denounce De Zerbi appointment
The decision to appoint De Zerbi has drawn criticism from some supporters for various reasons.
Some have questioned the decision to hand a five-year contract to a head coach who has never previously lasted more than two full seasons in a managerial position. Others have criticised his previous comments defending Marseille forward Mason Greenwood, who was charged with attempted rape, assault occasioning actual bodily harm and controlling and coercive behaviour in 2022. Those charges were then dropped in 2023.
The Tottenham Hotspur Supporters’ Trust have released a statement highlighting the decision to appoint De Zerbi despite the club’s previous commitment to ‘challenging instances of violence against women and girls’, and have also questioned the decision to appoint a ‘divisive’ head coach at a time when the team needs unity from its supporters.
“We note the Club’s announcement of the appointment of Roberto De Zerbi to the Manager role,” a statement from the Tottenham Hotspur Supporters’ Trust read.
“While we recognise the limited pool of managers with recent Premier League experience, and the need to act with urgency as Spurs face the prospect of relegation, this appointment raises serious and far-reaching concerns, and many fans have been in touch with us to urge us to communicate the strength of feeling. We raised these concerns directly with the Club prior to its announcement.
“The Club has previously committed to challenging instances of violence against women and girls and acting with integrity and upholding its values when faced with any incidents.
“De Zerbi’s comments about Mason Greenwood were unnecessary, ill-judged, and deeply offensive to a significant number of supporters and, without doubt, will have left victims of male violence alarmed. We believe these statements, left unchecked, will create a divide among supporters at a time when we all need to be pulling together to back the team. It is concerning that the Club would put us in this position right when the team needs fans the most. Fans are rallying behind the “All Together, Always” initiative, and this appointment places heavy strain on that unity. If those remarks reflect his genuine views, they cast a troubling shadow over the values of the Club we love.
MADRID, SPAIN – SEPTEMBER 16: Mason Greenwood of Olymquique de Marseille gestures during the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Phase MD1 match between Real Madrid C.F. and Olympique de Marseille at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu on September 16, 2025 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)
“The Club must reassert its commitment to the values that fans hold dear—chief among them equality, respect, and integrity. Any perceived sympathy toward alleged perpetrators of physical or sexual violence against women fundamentally undermines trust in the custodianship of this Club.
“With this appointment, communications from the Club and from Mr De Zerbi must clearly and unequivocally reaffirm these values. Furthermore, those words must be backed by meaningful action, including visible and sustained support for women’s charities and organisations working to combat violence against women.
“Our preference would have been for a short-term appointment of an individual or individuals who understand the Club and can lead the players in the seven battles to come. There would then have been an opportunity in the summer to attract a wide range of potential applicants with a track record of success in inspiring fans and players: candidates who could lead and develop sustained success for the team, for seasons to come. The Club has chosen otherwise. We will continue to support efforts to get behind the team and play our part in preserving the Club’s Premier League status but it is understandable that many fans will do so with a heavy heart.
MARSEILLE, FRANCE – NOVEMBER 25: Roberto De Zerbi, head coach of Olympique de Marseille looks on prior to the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Phase MD5 match between Olympique de Marseille and Newcastle United FC at Stade de Marseille on November 25, 2025 in Marseille, France. (Photo by Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images)
“Our Five Principles for Spurs ownership include Leading with Integrity and Championing Ethical Standards. At present, supporters rate performance in this area at just 2.2 out of 10. This decision risks further eroding confidence unless addressed with clarity, humility, and decisive action.
“We fully understand that the immediate priority is to avoid relegation. However, this situation is the result of prolonged strategic failings. THST have warned for years that the Club was heading in this direction, and the lack of timely, sound decision-making has now left options severely compromised.
“It will take significant effort for many fans to restore their faith in the Club’s leadership. That process must begin with transparency, accountability and a renewed commitment to the principles that define Tottenham Hotspur.”
Women of the Lane, Tottenham’s official supporters’ group for women and non-binary supporters, have also been publicly critical of the decision to appoint De Zerbi.
Prior to his appointment, Women of the Lane released a statement that read: “De Zerbi has publicly defended Mason Greenwood in a way that downplays the seriousness of male violence against women and girls. That raises serious questions about judgement and leadership.
BRADFORD, ENGLAND – AUGUST 3: Roberto De Zerbi manager of Olympique Marseille during the pre-season friendly match between Sunderland and Olympique Marseille at University of Bradford Stadium on August 3, 2024 in Bradford, England. (Photo by Nigel Roddis/Getty Images)
“Clubs signal their values through the decisions they make. Who they appoint matters. The manager sets the tone, every day, for what is expected, what is tolerated, and how people are treated. At a time when Spurs needs to rebuild, that culture matters as much as anything on the pitch.
“For many in our community, this is difficult to reconcile with the club’s stated commitments to respect, safety and inclusion. This is not an appointment Tottenham Hotspur should make. It introduced unnecessary cultural risk without a clear, proven track record to justify it.
Italy stick with Mateo Retegui, Moise Kean and Sandro Tonali for the World Cup play-off final against Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Edin Dzeko and Ermedin Demirovic.
The winner will be decided after 90 minutes, or through extra time and even a penalty shoot-out if needed.
Whoever goes through will be placed in World Cup group B with Canada, Switzerland and Qatar.
Italy beat Northern Ireland 2-0 in the semi-final with goals from Tonali and Kean, so despite the possibility of Francesco Pio Esposito and Marco Palestra coming in, Gennaro Gattuso has decided to stick with the same starting XI.
BERGAMO, ITALY – MARCH 26: Players of Italy pose for a team photograph prior to the FIFA World Cup 2026 European Qualifiers KO play-offs match between Italy and Northern Ireland at Stadio di Bergamo on March 26, 2026 in Bergamo, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
That means Retegui alongside Kean in a 3-5-2 formation, with Manuel Locatelli pulling the midfield strings, and Matteo Politano out wide on the right.
Bosnia and Herzegovina needed a late Dzeko equaliser in Cardiff to force extra time on Thursday evening, eventually winning a penalty shoot-out.
The player who came off the bench and transformed that match was 18-year-old sensation Kerim Alajbegovic, but despite reports to the contrary, he does not replace Esmir Bajraktarevic.
CARDIFF, WALES – MARCH 26: Kerim Alajbegovic of Bosnia and Herzegovina celebrates after winning in the penalty shoot out in the FIFA World Cup 2026 European Qualifiers KO play-off match between Wales and Bosnia and Herzegovina at Cardiff City Stadium on March 26, 2026 in Cardiff, Wales. (Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images)
On the other side of the age spectrum is former Roma, Inter and Fiorentina striker Dzeko, who is still spearheading the attack at age 40, partnered by Ermedin Demirovic.
Familiar faces include Atalanta defender Sead Kolasinac, who shrugged off a knock to play, and Sassuolo’s Tarik Muharemovic.
Bosnia have only ever beaten Italy once, the very first friendly the new nation ever played at home in November 1996, followed by a 1-1 draw and four defeats.
CARDIFF, WALES – MARCH 26: Edin Dzeko of Bosnia and Herzegovina scores his team’s first goal during the FIFA World Cup 2026 European Qualifiers KO play-off match between Wales and Bosnia and Herzegovina at Cardiff City Stadium on March 26, 2026 in Cardiff, Wales. (Photo by Warren Little/Getty Images)
Some questions were asked when Brentford right-back Michael Kayode was not included in the Italy national team squad for the crucial World Cup play-off campaign, but the Premier League ace was named as a starter for the U21s’ European Championship qualifier against Sweden on Tuesday after receiving a late call-up to Silvio Baldini’s side. Here’s why there has been some confusion over the Fiorentina full-back’s eligibility.
Why is Kayode playing with Italy’s U21s and not with the senior side?
Kayode is having a stellar season on a personal and collective level in the Premier League with Brentford this term, sitting in seventh place and pushing for a spot in Europe despite being tipped for relegation by many at the beginning of the 2025-26 campaign.
Despite his individual form, Kayode was not included in Gennaro Gattuso’s 28-man Italy squad for the World Cup play-offs that have been taking place this week and was not originally named in the U21s squad either.
Kayode was later called up to Baldini’s U21 side and went on to appear as a half-time substitute for Thursday night’s 4-0 victory over North Macedonia in qualification for the U21 European Championship. He was also named as a starter for Tuesday’s qualifier against Sweden’s U21s.
EMPOLI, ITALY – MARCH 26: Jeff Ekhator of Italy U21 celebrates after scoring the team’s third goal with Michael Kayode and Luca Kaleosho during the UEFA Under 21 EURO Qualifier match between Italy U21 and North Macedonia U21 at Stadio Carlo Castellani on March 26, 2026 in Empoli, Italy. (Photo by Gabriele Maltinti/Getty Images)
Italy U21s head coach Baldini has recently confirmed that the reason for the delay in Kayode’s call-up was due to the fact that he needed to report for additional medical check-ups in Rome and hinted that those tests might have been on his heart.
Baldini spoke about ‘regulations’ that are ‘stricter’ in Italy compared to England, which is the case for issues relating to the heart, and is the reason why Edoardo Bove is allowed to play for Watford in the EFL Championship, but not in Serie A or Serie B.
“He was called up in September, but he didn’t have eligibility because there are much stricter regulations in Italy compared to England,” Baldini explained in a recent press conference.
“He couldn’t play with us, otherwise, he always would have been there. And now he arrived late because he went to Rome to undergo some examinations on Monday, and yesterday he obtained eligibility.
“I don’t understand why we shouldn’t have called him up, given that he has also been a European U19 champion in the past.”
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND – JANUARY 04: Michael Kayode of Brentford during the Premier League match between Everton and Brentford at Hill Dickinson Stadium on January 04, 2026 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images)
Kayode has since received the all-clear after his additional medical checks in Rome, but given that his eligibility was not 100% guaranteed, this might explain why Gattuso decided against giving him his first ever call-up to the senior side, particularly ahead of such a crucial run of fixtures.
Manchester City midfielder Rodri recently revealed he would be open to returning to Spain in the near future and playing for Real Madrid, despite previously representing their city rivals Atletico. His words have reportedly sparked Real’s interest and according to Mundo Deportivo, they are expected to try for his services this summer, but in case […]
Manchester City midfielder Rodri recently revealed he would be open to returning to Spain in the near future and playing for Real Madrid, despite previously representing their city rivals Atletico. His words have reportedly sparked Real’s interest and according to Mundo Deportivo, they are expected to try for his services this summer, but in case […]
Manchester City midfielder Rodri recently revealed he would be open to returning to Spain in the near future and playing for Real Madrid, despite previously representing their city rivals Atletico. His words have reportedly sparked Real’s interest and according to Mundo Deportivo, they are expected to try for his services this summer, but in case […]
SCOTTSDALE, AZ - MARCH 19: Chase Petty #61 high-fives Alfredo Duno #6 of the Cincinnati Reds during the game between the Cincinnati Reds and the San Francisco Giants at Scottsdale Stadium on Thursday, March 19, 2026 in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by Rob Leiter/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
While the AAA Louisville Bats got their 2026 regular season underway last week just like the big league Cincinnati Reds, the lower minors affiliates will begin their campaigns later this week. With that on the docket, the rosters for the respective Opening Days for the High-A Dayton Dragons (Thursday evening against the Lansing Lugnuts) and AA Chattanooga Lookouts (Friday against the Columbus Clingstones) have been finalized.
The Lookouts will feature top prospects like Cam Collier, Leo Balcazar, and Carlos Jorge among their position player ranks as well as former 1st round picks like Austin Hendrick and Jay Allen II. The pitching staff will be spearheaded by Jose Acuna (who returns after firing 71.2 IP of 3.64 ERA ball there last year) as well as veteran Kevin Abel, while Jose Montero (3.93 ERA in 103.0 IP with High-A Dayton in 2025) will also make the jump up a level into the rotation.
The Lookouts revealed their entire roster this morning, which you can see below.
Meanwhile, top prospect and catcher of the future Alfredo Duno will headline the roster of the Dayton Dragons, as the Reds pointed out on Twitter earlier in the day.
Dayton’s roster is largely comprised of players who spent considerable time with the club last year, though Duno is clearly the exception to that rule. He destroyed Florida State League pitching as a 19 year old in 2025 (.287/.430/.518 with 18 HR and a 95/91 BB/K ratio) before heading off to the Peoria Javelinas of the Arizona Fall League and showing out there, too.
What’s similarly interesting about Dayton’s roster, though, is who isn’t on it. Top prospect Tyson Lewis will apparently not be making the jump up a level to begin 2026 after he hit .268/.347/.417 there in 144 PA to finish 2025, his strikeout problems (51 in that time) likely something he’ll be asked to work on a bit first. Similarly, former NCAA dinger champ Mason Neville will not begin with Dayton after hitting .247/.333/.442 in 90 PA with Daytona last year, his own K-rate (34.4%) also a pretty glaring issue, while Arnaldo Lantigua will also seemingly stick around Daytona after 129 PA with them in his age-19 season.
The same is apparently true for Sheng-En Lin, who threw 16.2 IP for Daytona last year and is still focusing on pitching only after having been a two-way player prior to 2025.
The Daytona Tortugas have not yet released their roster, so we’ll need to wait for confirmation from them at some point later this week. It’s also worth pointing out that a number of names we otherwise would have seen on these rosters will begin the year on the minor league 60-day IL, with notable pitchers like Luke Holman and Carson Spiers there alongside infielder Ricky Cabrera.
The following players have been placed on the minor league 60-day IL: • RHP Carson Spiers • RHP Luke Holman • LHP Hunter Hollan • RHP Logan Tanner • SS Ricky Cabrera • C Connor Burns • RHP Owen Holt • LHP Christian Lopez • LHP Khristian Guevara •…
ONY Highlights — Auman 1-2, 2B, RBI; Iverson 1-2, R
Nine of the 10 batters for the Riverhawks that got an at-bat recorded a hit and they did a lot of it on their way to a 13-2, five-inning cruiser over the Loggers on Monday night in Onalaska. Toledo finished the game with 18 hits and just five of them went for extra bases.
Its bottom of the lineup — six-through-nine — combined for 10 of those hits, paced by Audrey Cooper's four. Cooper, Xtyn Norberg, Ellie Seely, Peyton Holter and Camryn Hurley all notched two RBIs.
The Riverhawks (4-1) led wire-to-wire, ignited by a six-run second and a five-run fifth to enact the mercy rule win. For Onalaska (3-2), its three-game winning streak came to a close. Jaelyn Auman roped an RBI double and Peyton Iverson also had a hit.
Up next for the Loggers is another non-league bout on Tuesday versus Mossyrock. Meanwhile Toledo will battle Warden and Kittitas on Saturday.
When the two Evergreen League foes met in Richland for the top trophy last spring, it was a competitive seven-inning game. Monday night was the exact opposite in the Bulldogs' 19-0, five-inning rout of the Warriors.
Only Charlie Culp and Addi Morgan reached base for Rochester (1-6, 0-2 Evergreen) on one hit and one stolen base each. Montesano was in complete control from the second inning on, plating eight runs in the second, seven in the third and four in the fourth.
Taylor Galvin roped two doubles and a home run for the Bulldogs, who recorded 17 hits in 32 at-bats. Rochester and Montesano will tangle again on Thursday.
🔍In search of a manager: the 2️⃣ names linked with River
Club Atlético River Plate has launched a strategic search to revamp its football structure. According to information from The Athletic, the club’s leadership has two internationally prominent names as its main targets for the sporting director role: Ramón Planes, currently at Al Ittihad, and Pablo Longoria, former president of Olympique de Marseille.
Initial international contacts
The Núñez-based club has already held initial talks with both candidates to gauge their availability and learn about their plans. Planes brings extensive experience in European football, notably from his time at FC Barcelona, while Longoria is known for his modern and aggressive approach in the French transfer market.
A third candidate in the shadows
Although Planes and Longoria are the leading options, there is at least a third candidate on the shortlist whose identity has not yet emerged. River is looking for a profile that combines global experience with the ability to strengthen both its youth academy and first-team squad ahead of the upcoming international challenges.
Behind the arm and the heroics of Zoella Zavodsky, the Vikings won a wild 7-6, 10-inning non-league contest versus the Mountaineers on Monday night at home. The eighth grader threw 170 pitches and struck out 17 in the circle for a complete game win
Down by one in the bottom of the 10th, Brooke Schwartz led off with a double and Kaylee Parker drew a walk to load the bases. Zavodsky needed just two pitches to poke a single to left field that brought home the winning two runs.
Mossyrock (3-3) did the majority of its scoring in the first three innings. Schwartz made it a one-run game with a two-RBI double and Taylor Schwartz tied the game at 4-4 by stealing home. Annika Ball gave the Vikings the lead in the third with a run-scoring single.
Rainier (1-3) took advantage of an error in the fourth to tie the game again and in the 10th, Gracie Green laid down a SAC bunt to take a 6-5 lead. Ryleigh Cruse also went the distance and tossed 106 pitches. Gracie Lantz had two doubles and two RBIs and Layla Hill notched three hits and scored three times.
The Mountaineers will take on Toutle Lake while Mossyrock battles Onalaska; both non-league contests are scheduled for Tuesday.
For six shutout innings, Tumwater High School pitcher Sarah Stevens was in the midst of a standout performance with 12 strikeouts and only three walks given up. The southpaw got into some trouble in the seventh, but was able to keep Shelton at bay and give the T-Birds a 6-4 triumph on Monday night.
Two of Tumwater's three errors came in the seventh, which allowed two runners to score. Riley Rowland laced a two-run triple and cut the margin to two runs. Stevens capped her 15-strikeout performance by sending the tying run at the plate back to the dugout in three pitches.
The T-Birds (3-2, 1-2 EvCo) nickeled and dimed their way to a 6-0 lead behind two runs in the first and a run each over the next four of five frames. Chloe McCartney was 3-for-3 with a double and a stolen base while Stevens and Megan Barrett each registered two hits.
Tumwater will take on Adna on Tuesday in a rescheduled non-league contest on the road.
It took a grand total of six innings and 31 total runs to record a P2BL sweep for the Titans on Monday night, cruising past the Fishermen 15-0 and 16-0 at home. Pitchers Eliza Barnum and Jillian Hodel combined to allow three hits, four walks and struck out nine batters.
Hodel ended up tossing a three-inning no-hitter in Game 2. She also crossed home plate three times and in the opener, had two doubles and two RBIs. PWV (5-1) used eight runs in the bottom of the first, three in the second and four in the third to cap Game 1.
It registered seven doubles in the win and Rilyn Channel was 3-for-3 with four RBIs, three runs scored and a stolen base. Leadoff hitter Lauren Matlock also notched three hits and scored thrice.
Acting as the road team in the nightcap, the Titans took a 3-0 lead after one and tripled it with a seven-spot in the second and six more in the third. Izzy Milanowski roped two doubles and drove in three while Sophia Milanowski launched a three-run home run.
Matlock, Tylar Keeton and CJ Sipp all registered two hits in Game 2. PWV will host Napavine in a non-league contest on Tuesday.
Mar. 31—Thanks to a clean sweep in singles and their No. 3 doubles tandem pulling out a tiebreaker win, the Bearcats continued their stellar season with a 5-1 Evergreen Conference win over the Highclimbers on Monday.
Ellie Mittge didn't drop a game in her 6-0, 6-0 win at No. 1 singles, the same result Isabella Casimiro experienced at No. 2 singles. Maddie Bradley capped the sweep with a 6-1, 6-3 verdict.
"I am excited about the momentum we have," Bearcats head coach Megan Wellander said. "They are very competitive and want to grow. We have a young team, but we have a strong team."
Tinsley Brown and Mia Leslie won a thriller at No. 3 doubles 6-3, 6-7, 10-8. The third set ended up as a first to 10 decider. Kate Mordick and Kloey Sparks triumphed in straight sets at No. 2 doubles.
W.F. West will take on Centralia on Tuesday in the first Swamp Cup contest of the spring.
With the continued rise of artificial intelligence in nearly every aspect of everyday life, it’s no surprise that it’s found its way into the NFL with the Jets having now jumped on board and having discussions of their AI implementation and utilization during coaching meetings.
Head coach Aaron Glenn told reporters that AI has been a topic of conversation “quite a bit” during their meetings, with the organization putting an emphasis on familiarizing itself with the software available and learning what they can from their team of experts from Stanford University.
“These guys are on top of that,” Glenn said. “Those guys are teaching us how to utilize all of that stuff and it’s been outstanding so we’re trying to take that next step, us as coaches.”
Moving away or deviating from the old-school way of thinking isn’t a new concept as teams never want to be left behind in this day and age. And while teams are always looking for a competitive edge, there’s also a balance between technology and the human element that must be found.
For now, in the early stages of merging this new innovation with the coaching staff, New York is excited with the results.
“It’s been good and sometimes it’s shocking to see the information,” Glenn, who admitted he’s still trying to figure it all out, said. “Now, it’s not the only thing that you do, but to be able to see the information that you can get has been—”
Before Glenn could finish his thought, he was jokingly asked if he’s ever using AI to decide which play he should call.
“No, no,” he said with a laugh. “I’m trusting myself on that!”
For a second straight season John Calipari will bring his Arkansas Razorbacks to the Mitten State for a game against Tom Izzo and the Spartans.
While it was originally reported that Michigan State would head to Arkansas this upcoming season to complete a home-and-home series, it now appears the Razorbacks and Spartans will meet in the Motor City on Thanksgiving. On Tuesday, Spartans head coach Tom Izzo said on a local Lansing show that Michigan State will play Arkansas on Thanksgiving from Little Caesars Arena in Detroit. It was previously reported that Michigan State would play on Thanksgiving at Little Caesars Arena following the Detroit Lions' annual turkey day game at Ford Field, but the opponent had not been announced yet.
NEWS: Arkansas will play Michigan State on Thanksgiving Day at Little Caesar's Arena, Tom Izzo told Tim Staudt of WILX.
Initially the game was set to be in Fayetteville. Now it will follow the Lions' game on Thanksgiving in Detroit.
The official announcement of this matchup has not been made so this could of course change. But I doubt Izzo would make a comment of this nature if it wasn't all but locked up to happen.
Michigan State hosted Arkansas in an early season ranked battle from the Breslin Center this past season, which the Spartans came out victorious. The Spartans were then expected to play at Arkansas this upcoming season as a return trip game as part of a home-and-home series. It'll be interesting to see if this change in plans is just pushing off a possible return trip game at Arkansas to the 2027-28 season or if that simply won't happen now.
We'll need to keep our eyes out for an official announcement over the next few weeks or months, but this should be a great matchup on Thanksgiving this year and now one that many Spartan fans should be able to attend in person.
Contact/Follow us @The SpartansWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page onFacebookto follow ongoing coverage of Michigan State news, notes and opinion. You can also follow Robert Bondy on X @RobertBondy5.
For the past two seasons, the Green Bay Packers have relied on the versatility of off-ball linebackers Quay Walker and Edgerrin Cooper.
However, knowing that Walker’s free agent price tag would be too costly, the Packers decided to trade for Indianapolis Colts linebacker Zaire Franklin. A 2024 second-team All-Pro, Franklin is coming off his worst season as a pro from a Pro Football Focus grade standpoint. Franklin struggled especially in coverage, posting a PFF coverage grade of 29.9, which ranked 32nd out of the 32 linebackers who dropped into coverage at least 500 times last season.
Cooper ranked second on that list, while Walker was 28th.
Even though dropping into coverage has never been much of a strength for Franklin in his eight NFL seasons, Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst still expects him to be able to be used interchangeably with Cooper.
“No, they’re both going to be responsible for that,” Gutekunst said when asked if Cooper would assume most of the coverage responsibilities. “Edge is such a unique player. He’s so versatile with his ability to play off the ball in the run game, to cover, to rush the passer; he’s really a complete linebacker, as is Zaire.”
Under former defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley, the Packers lined up in either their base or nickel defense on 97.6 percent of their plays in 2025 — almost never coming out in dime, according to data from Cody Alexander of MatchQuarters. Clearly, Hafley liked the idea of deploying both of his athletic linebackers as much as possible.
With Hafley exiting Green Bay after two seasons to become the head coach of the Miami Dolphins, Matt LaFleur hired former Arizona Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon to lead the defense.
Hafley’s propensity to keep at least two linebackers on the field aligns with what Gannon ran during his three years in Arizona.
So, if you thought you might see less of Franklin on obvious passing downs next season, think again. It won’t be anything new for Franklin, who has logged at least 575 coverage snaps in each of his last four seasons with the Colts. During that stretch, he allowed 249 catches on 312 targets for an allowed reception percentage of 79.8 percent, while also surrendering 2,582 receiving yards for 10.4 yards per reception.
Walker may not have excelled in coverage during his four seasons with the Packers, but he wasn’t quite as bad as Franklin. Together, his and Cooper’s skillsets complemented each other well and helped them anchor the middle of Hafley’s defense. Now, Cooper and Franklin are tasked with building similar chemistry in their first year playing alongside each other and in a new defensive scheme.
“Obviously, Quay and Edge had a nice working relationship,” Gutekunst said. “It’ll be interesting to see how that evolves under Jonathan’s new defense.”
New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye is using his offseason to give back — and debut a new look.
Maye and his wife, Anne Michael, took center stage at Granite Telecommunications’ annual “Saving by Shaving” event on Tuesday in Quincy, where she helped shave his head to raise money for charity.
The fundraiser is expected to generate more than $3.5 million to benefit Boston Children’s Hospital, supporting pediatric research and treatments.
The couple said working with young patients has had a profound impact on them both.
“It’s such a cool experience to be able to shine a positive light and to be there for them and help in any way we can,” Drake Maye said. “There are times I’ve been with Boston Children’s Hospital patients, and it’s pretty cool...To do anything I can to try to put a smile on their face.”
Drake and Ann Michael, who were married recently and have made New England their new home, said giving back locally was a priority as they settle into the region.
Ann Michael said, “It’s obviously more than just football. There are so many great people and things here. We wanted to get more plugged in. Being from North Carolina, it’s so different here for us, so we wanted to start by giving back to the community and Boston Children’s.”
George Springer has been doing damage at the top of the Toronto Blue Jays lineup, and I’m expecting that trend to continue with Ryan Feltner on the mound for the Colorado Rockies.
I explain why Springer matches up well in my free Toronto Blue Jays vs. Rockies predictions and MLB picks for Tuesday, March 31.
Rockies vs Blue Jays predictions
Rockies vs Blue Jays best bet: George Springer Over 0.5 RBI (+145)
It’s been a bit of a slower start to the year for George Springer, but he’s still finding ways to drive in runs with an RBI in three-straight games.
Springer has also had a lot of career success against the Colorado Rockies, with a 1.012 OPS and eight RBI in 45 at-bats. He can add to that tally against Ryan Feltner, who has a career strikeout rate of 19.5% and struggles to limit damage.
The confidence in his pick is coupled with the belief that the bottom of the order will reach base for Springer to drive them in. The Jays’ 7-9 hitters have been the most productive to start the season, combining for 18 hits and six walks through the first four games this season.
COVERS INTEL: Feltner has a 33% usage rate on his four-seamer, a pitch that Springer handled well with a .307 batting average last season and an xSLG rate of .746.
Rockies vs Blue Jays same-game parlay (SGP)
Jesus Sanchez has faced Feltner more than any other Blue Jays batter, going 4-for-11 with two homers against him.
Max Scherzer takes the bump for Toronto, and I’m expecting the Jays’ high strikeout trend to continue with him on the mound. He racked up 10 strikeouts against this lineup last season in 20 at-bats, and he may be asked to work deeper into the game after Cody Ponce was forced to leave Monday's game with an injury.
Rockies vs Blue Jays SGP
George Springer Over 0.5 RBI
Jesus Sanchez Over 0.5 hits
Max Scherzer Over 5.5 strikeouts
Rockies vs Blue Jays home run pick: Jesus Sanchez (+510)
In addition to owning Feltner with a 1.273 OPS, he has done the bulk of his damage against right-handed pitching. Sixty-five of his 74 career home runs have come against righties.
2026 Transparency record
Best bets: 1-2, -0.8 units
SGPs: 1-2, +2.25 units
HR picks: 1-2, +1.05 units
Rockies vs Blue Jays odds
Moneyline: Colorado +225 | Toronto -280
Run line: Colorado +1.5 (-145) | Toronto -1.5 (+125)
Over/Under: Over 9 (-120) | Under 9 (+100)
Rockies vs Blue Jays trend
The Toronto Blue Jays have hit the Game Total Over in 85 of their last 148 games (+23.75 Units / 15% ROI) Find more MLB betting trends for Rockies vs. Blue Jays.
How to watch Rockies vs Blue Jays and game info
Location
Rogers Centre, Toronto, ON
Date
Tuesday, March 31, 2026
First pitch
7:07 p.m. ET
TV
COLR, Sportsnet
Rockies starting pitcher
Ryan Feltner (2025: 0-2, 4.75 ERA)
Blue Jays starting pitcher
Max Scherzer (2025: 5-5, 5.19 ERA)
Rockies vs Blue Jays latest injuries
Rockies vs Blue Jays weather
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
The 2025 Grey Cup saw the Saskatchewan Roughriders capture their first championship in over 10 years, holding on to defeat the Montreal Alouettes 25-17.
Despite the loss, CFL odds remain bullish on Montreal ahead of the upcoming campaign, as Jason Maas’s team has reached the East Final in three consecutive seasons, including winning the Grey Cup in 2023.
The 113th Grey Cup is scheduled for November 15, 2026, at McMahon Stadium in Calgary, Alberta.
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Grey Cup trends
• Edmonton has won the most Grey Cup titles (11) during the league’s post-merger era.
• The CFL’s Most Outstanding Player has been a member of the Grey Cup-winning team just four times since 2010.
• There have been just 10 instances of a Grey Cup-winning team repeating as champions the following season.
Past Grey Cup winners
As noted above, having such a small league and lots of player movement promotes a lot of parity among the teams. Seven of the nine current CFL clubs have won a Grey Cup over the last 10 seasons.
The Toronto Argonauts have the most Grey Cup titles in league history with 17, while the Winnipeg Blue Bombers lead the CFL with 27 Grey Cup appearances.
Season
Grey Cup Champion
Runner-up
2025
Saskatchewan Roughriders
Montreal Alouettes
2024
Toronto Argonauts
Winnipeg Blue Bombers
2023
Montreal Alouettes
Winnipeg Blue Bombers
2022
Toronto Argonauts
Winnipeg Blue Bombers
2021
Winnipeg Blue Bombers
Hamilton Tiger-Cats
2020
No season: COVID-19 related.
N/A
2019
Winnipeg Blue Bombers
Hamilton Tiger-Cats
2018
Calgary Stampeders
Ottawa Redblacks
2017
Toronto Argonauts
Calgary Stampeders
2016
Ottawa Redblacks
Calgary Stampeders
Understanding CFL futures
Sportsbooks release CFL futures odds shortly after the end of the previous football season. Picking the outright winner of the Grey Cup is one of the only other ways to wager on CFL futures.
During the offseason and preseason, you'll be able to get a nice plus-money price on basically any team in the CFL, as there is so much uncertainty around what will happen next year, particularly in a league with only nine teams.
CFL futures odds will usually look like this:
BC Lions +500
This means that on a $100 bet, you'll stand to profit $500 should Nathan Rourke & Co. capture their first Grey Cup title since 2011. If it's close to the end of the season or one team is simply that dominant, you might see a minus sign (-) ahead of their odds.
Saskatchewan Roughriders -175
This means that you would need to bet $175 to win $100 if Saskatchewan wins the Grey Cup.
Of course, futures odds are a fluid market. They can change every day based on news, injuries, suspensions, etc. And they will certainly change based on big CFL events, such as free agency or the draft.
All the odds seen above are in American format. If you find decimal format or fractional format easier to read, simply convert the odds using our simple odds converter tool.
Scotland step up their preparations for this summer’s World Cup by hosting Ivory Coast - but the international friendly will be staged in England and at Everton’s Hill Dickinson Stadium in Liverpool.
Steve Clarke’s team faced Japan at Hampden on Saturday but the Tartan Army will be heading down the road and away from their traditional home on Tuesday night as Everton’s new ground hosts its first men’s international fixture.
Officially, the fixture is part of marketing agency Pitch International’s ‘Road to 26’ series - which has featured a number of games between teams who have qualified for the World Cup, staged at neutral venues.
The majority of the ‘Road to 26’ series has been played in the United States, such as the friendlies between France and Brazil in Boston, France and Colombia in Maryland, and Brazil and Croatia in Orlando, Florida.
Scotland’s match against Ivory Coast also falls under the series, but with the three-time African champion facing South Korea in Milton Keynes on Saturday and Scotland playing Japan in Glasgow, holding the match in Liverpool suited both parties.
Scotland will play Morocco during the group stages of the World Cup while Ivory Coast will face Germany, so arranging a warm-up test against African and European opposition also suited both nations ahead of the tournament.
The match works for Everton, too, with the £800m, 52,769-capacity venue set to host matches when the home nations stage Euro 2028. England’s Lionesses will also be playing a World Cup qualifier there, against Ukraine in June.
The Hill Dickinson Stadium was opened at the start of this season (Getty Images)
David Moyes, Everton’s manager, said he was looking forward to welcoming the Tartan Army and the Ivory Coast. “No doubt that night will see Liverpool full of lots of kilted men and I hope you make them all welcome,” the Scot said in a message to Everton supporters.
Scotland’s Nathan Patterson plays for Everton, with the right back following a long line of Scots who played for the Toffees - such as Graeme Sharp, Duncan Ferguson, David Weir, Andy Gray, James McFadden, Pat Nevin and Steven Naismith.
Everton have also said that culinary delights from both nations will be served, confirming a slow-cooked “Ivorian beef stew” will be on the menu along with “Stornoway black pudding loaded jacket potatoes”, “haggis and smoked bacon pizza” and “battered Mars bar with whisky custard”.
Scotland last played in Liverpool when Wales decided to hold a key 1978 World Cup qualifier against the Tartan Army at Anfield, but goals from Don Masson and Kenny Dalglish earned the ‘away’ side victory that secured passage to the touranment in Argentina.
The New York Knicks have been up and down with results lately, recently falling back into the loss column with a road defeat at the hands of the Oklahoma City Thunder.
One player who has been underwhelming thus far in his New York tenure is forward Jeremy Sochan, who was signed by the team following his release from the San Antonio Spurs.
Sochan signed a one-year, $806,628 contract this offseason with the franchise for the 2025-26 season, according to Spotrac.
The forward has long been known for his colorful hairstyles, which at certain times mirrored the orange and blue colors of the Knicks themselves. However, a newly unearthed photo ahead of New York’s game against the Houston Rockets on Tuesday has revealed a different new look for the forward.
Jeremy Sochan hasn’t impressed with performances since joining Knicks
Jeremy Sochan hasn’t performed particularly well during his tenure with the Knicks, not having appeared in a game since March 22 despite being fully healthy.
When he’s on his game, Sochan provides the New York Knicks with another versatile defender who can get out in transition and wreak havoc on both ends of the floor.
However, it seems that New York head coach Mike Brown is content with running with the guys who have been there all season, along with trade acquisition Jose Alverado, for the stretch run of the campaign.
The team currently sit in third place in the East, multiple games behind the Celtics despite Boston’s loss against the Atlanta Hawks on Monday.
It would take quite a bit for New York to catch up to Boston at this point in the season; however, homecourt advantage didn’t end up mattering when the Knicks beat the Celtics in last year’s Eastern Conference semifinals.
Penn State gets a second commitment in its 2027 recruiting class as Zachary Gleason joins four-star fellow cornerback Semajay Robinson to make the pledge for the Nittany Lions. Gleason seems tailor made for Penn State, being a Pittsburgh kid who plays cornerback. It’s not very often Terry Smith misses on those recruitments, so while it’s not a shocker that Gleason made the call for Penn State, it’s still good to get a quality player like Gleason in the fold.
Gleason is what you’d expect from a prospect playing at one of the premier programs in the state, Pittsburgh Central Catholic. You can already see that he’s well-coached and has a good base for development. He’ll need to get much bulkier, as he currently has a 170-pound frame, but Gleason has the makings of a kid who can play at Penn State, and one that could play early too.
No. 21 Northwestern men’s swim and dive wrapped up a historic season at NCAA Division I Championships on Friday night, placing 26th after breaking four new school records at the McAuley Aquatic Center for its best finish at the meet since 2008.
Down in Atlanta, the Wildcats were led by star swimmers Stuart Seymour and Joshua Staples, who combined for three individual school records and three top-16 finishes in individual events. Staples logged the Northwestern’s best individual finish of the weekend, placing eighth in the 400-yard individual medley to become the first Wildcat since Jordan Wilimovsky in 2017 to make the A-final in an event at NCAAs. Meanwhile, Seymour set school records in the 100-yard backstroke and 100-yard freestyle events, while contributing to the ‘Cats’ school record setting 400-yard freestyle relay.
In the broader scheme of the meet, the Texas Longhorns, led by legendary head coach Bob Bowman, won their second-consecutive national championship, with a scoring total of 445.5. The Longhorns were followed by the Florida Gators, who took second, and the Big Ten champion Indiana Hoosiers, who took third. Florida’s Josh Liendo won high point of the meet, powered by his 42.49 in the 100-yard butterfly which shattered Caeleb Dressel’s legendary NCAA-record in the event. Texas’ Hubert Kos, brother of Northwestern’s very own Oliver Kos, placed second in the high point standings, setting NCAA-records in both the 100- and 200-yard backstroke events. Arizona State’s Ilya Kharun placed third.
After not scoring at NCAAs in 2025, Northwestern placed 26th at the championships this year with a total of 39 points. The ‘Cats’ 26th-place finish was its highest since 2008, when Northwestern finished 12th at NCAAs with a Matt Grevers-led unit.
Northwestern was led by its star sophomore talent Joshua Staples, who became the first ’Cat to reach the A-final in the 400-yard individual medley since 2004. Staples’ school record 3:36.58 in prelims seeded him third-place in the event entering finals. Had he matched his time in finals, he would’ve placed sixth. However, the Aussie ended up adding 6.33 seconds to his prelims swim, finishing eighth in the event.
Seemingly, Staples suffered from an injury of some sort following his prelims swim in the 400-yard individual medley. The Brisbane-native was not the same swimmer in his consequent individual swims, adding significant time not only in his finals swim of the 400-yard individual medley, but also his 2oo-yard individual medley prelims swim on day four of the meet, where he clocked a 1:47.96 — over six seconds off of his personal best. Though, his 50.46-split in the 100-yard breastroke as a part of the ‘Cats’ 400-yard medley relay was a competitive time, so perhaps Staples was just battling fatigue in his other individual swims.
Seymour was the Wildcats’ other standout individual performer. The junior gained All-American honorable mention status with top-16 finishes in both the 100-yard butterfly (15th) and 100-yard backstroke (11th). Furthermore, Seymour set two new school records in Atlanta with a 44.55 in the 100-yard backstroke and 41.76 in the 100-yard freestyle.
Though Staples and Seymour were the ‘Cats’ only individual point scorers, there were other notable individual performances. Adam Cohen had a solid performance in platform diving, placing 17th with a score of 348.30. Additionally, Oliver Kos placed 18th in the 200-yard backstroke with a time of 1:39.50 and David Gerchik placed 28th in the 100-yard backstroke with a personal best 45.37.
Northwestern also scored points in both the 400-yard medley relay and 400-yard freestyle relay. The 400-yard freestyle relay was a highlight event of the meet for the ‘Cats, with Seymour, Cade Duncan, Connor Schuster and Kos teaming up to post a school record time of 2:47.72, placing 12th in the event. Meanwhile, Seymour, Staples, Schuster and Duncan teamed up in the 400-yard medley relay to place 12th with a time of 3:02.18.
One Big Observation
It’s hard to truly contextualize how incredible of a breakthrough this season was for Northwestern men’s swim and dive.
After grand successes in the Matt Grevers years at the end of the 2000s, the ‘Cats slowly declined. For almost a decade, they sent small contingents to NCAAs, sometimes stumbling upon a breakout swimmer like Jordan Wilimovsky who would score them some points, but most time failing to score at the NCAAs at all. Northwestern hit rock bottom at the end of the 2010s, sending zero swimmers to NCAAs for two-consecutive years in 2018 and 2019. The program was broken, with no resemblance to the team that placed eighth at NCAAs in 2007.
Just last year, Northwestern was still nowhere close to national relevance. Despite sending a contingent of four individual swimmers to NCAAs, the ‘Cats went scoreless at the competition, with Seymour just missing out on a B-final swim with a 17th-place 45.22 in the 100-yard backstroke. Amazingly, Staples didn’t even swim the 400-yard individual medley event until this season. Staples was purely a distance freestyler and swam the 1650-yard freestyle and 500-yard freestyle at NCAAs.
With core swimmers like Seymour, Staples and Gerchik still young, it seemed clear that Northwestern had the chance to make strides in the 2025-26 season. However, if you had told head coach Rachel Stratton-Mills that Joshua Staples was going to A-final in the 400-yard individual medley — not a distance freestyle event — at NCAAs AND that her squad was going to place 26th, she would have called you crazy.
For the first time in almost two decades, it finally feels fair to say that Northwestern is relevant on the national scene. The ‘Cats 26th place finish is the program’s best since Grevers’ final season in 2008. In a sport driven by star power, Northwestern finally has found national-level talent. The ‘Cats had not one, but two individual point scorers at NCAAs in Staples and Seymour. As mentioned earlier, Staples, who is only a sophomore, became the ‘Cats’ first A-finalist in ANY event since Jordan Wilimovsky in 2017.
The tides are finally changing in Evanston. Stratton-Mills has done an incredible job with this team and the program should only continue to grow. With impact NCAA-qualifiers Staples, Seymour, Kos and Duncan all returning next year to swim alongside a high-level incoming recruiting class, make it be known: the ‘Cats are coming.
With NFL free agency at a near standstill, we will be evaluating the current state of each Indianapolis Colts' position group, specifically, where things stand and whether or not more moves need to be made.
GM Chris Ballard has now made nine outside free agent signings over the last week-plus, along with re-signing a number of the Colts' own free agents.
However, there is still work to be done, as the Colts still have several roster holes to address. The good news is that the Colts have a good amount of salary cap space to work with.
In the draft, the Colts are without a first-round pick and have a modest seven selections in total.
Rounding out our review is the special teams unit. If you missed our other positional reviews, you can find them below.
What is the need on special teams for the Colts after free agency?
There is no need here. Grupe and Spencer Shrader will be competing for the Colts' kicking job, but no other additions have to be made to this unit.
One thing to watch is that Rigoberto Sanchez is in the final year of his deal and is a candidate to receive a contract extension prior to next offseason's free agency period beginning.
As incredible as their season was, the New England Patriots didn’t quite have enough to win Super Bowl LX. Yet, since that 29-13 loss to Seattle, one could argue that the Patriots have only gotten better.
While swapping Stefon Diggs for Romeo Doubs could either backfire or be a sneaky great signing, the Patriots have already strengthened one of their biggest weaknesses by signing left guard Alijah Vera-Tucker and backup left tackle James Hudson III. While the line is undoubtedly improved, has Drake Maye‘s receiving corps gotten worse?
No matter how you feel about the Diggs/Doubs swap, one thing that cannot be denied is that the Patriots could use another playmaking pass-catcher. The solution could be available via trade.
Recently, Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel was asked about the A.J. Brown trade rumors. To no surprise, New England is open to adding the Pro Bowl receiver to their team, for the right price.
“Anything that we can continue to do to strengthen the roster, we’re going to try to do,” Vrabel said.
Of course, one of the biggest reasons why the Patriots are often the first team linked to a trade for the Eagles receiver is because Vrabel was Brown’s head coach with the Titans from 2019 to 2021. Despite the Titans’ general manager at the time trading Brown to the Eagles, the receiver has always had a strong relationship with coach Vrabel.
With the Patriots reaching the Super Bowl in 2025, New England fits the criteria of the type of team Brown would likely want to play for, and already being familiar with the head coach surely can’t hurt. Yet, if the Eagles’ asking price is just too high, then New England may move on to younger, more inexpensive options in the 2026 NFL Draft.
With the calendar turning to April, we are officially heading into draft month. The NFL world will descend upon Pittsburgh in just over three weeks, with the draft scheduled for April 23-25.
Mock drafts are going to come fast and furious over these last three weeks of the draft cycle. The latest for the Cincinnati Bengals will come here as we go through a full seven-round mock, using the draft simulator on Stick to the Model. With this mock, we are experimenting with the Bengals moving into the top five to land their target. With that, let's get started.
No. 5 (projected trade with Giants) - Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio State
The Bengals trade their third-round pick this year (No. 72 overall) and a 2027 third-round pick to the New York Giants to get the linebacker they so desperately need. After watching both of their rookie linebackers struggle in 2025, the Bengals need a major boost in the middle of the defense. Styles' athleticism would be a major welcome addition to the Bengals' defense. Styles is a safety in a linebacker's body. Styles might be the best fit for the Bengals in this class and the Bengals should feel more than comfortable trading two thirds, especially when they are projected to receive a third-round compensatory pick next year for Trey Hendrickson.
No. 41 - Keith Abney II, CB, Arizona State
The Bengals get their new cornerback in the second round and land a versatile corner in Keith Abney of Arizona State. Abney can work inside or outside and recorded 12 passes defended last season and 21 over the last two seasons. He doesn't have ideal size (5'10", 187 pounds) but his instincts help overcome his size. He gives Al Golden some flexibility in the defensive backfield.
No. 110 - Jaishawn Barham, LB/Edge, Michigan
Barham can be a hybrid player on the edge. He has flashed ability at both off-ball linebacker and on-ball edge. He can also play inside or outside. He helped his cause quite a bit by posting a 4.64 40-yard dash at the Scouting Combine. Barham has plenty of experience, having started 47 games in four seasons between Michigan and Maryland and recording four sacks and ten tackles for a loss in 2025.
No. 189 - Albert Regis, DT, Texas A&M
A near-300-pound space-eater in the middle of the defense, adding depth behind B.J. Hill and Jonathan Allen. Regis had 49 tackles, three tackles for a loss and two sacks in 2025.
No. 199 - James Brockermeyer, IOL, Miami
The Bengals roll the dice on an undersized center at just under 300 pounds, but will get the chance to develop for a year behind Ted Karras and potentially compete for a starting job in 2027.
No. 221 - VJ Payne, S, Kansas State
Payne has experience at multiple safety spots and has the run-tackling ability and closing speed to help on special teams.
No. 226 - Jadon Canady, CB, Oregon
Canady gives the Bengals another option at the nickel position. He's only 5'10" and 181 pounds, but scouts love his ability to stick with receivers throughout their routes. He will likely get overmatched by bigger bodies, but he has the potential to develop into a starting nickel, giving the Bengals two potential starting defensive backs from this group.
LONDON (AP) — Bayern Munich star Harry Kane was missing for England in its friendly match against Japan on Tuesday after sustaining what the national team described as a “minor issue in training.”
England said its captain was being “rested tonight as a precaution” but was staying with the squad and receiving further assessment.
England coach Thomas Tuchel was already without Arsenal pair Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice, saying Monday that they felt “discomfort” during medical assessments.
Kane, Saka and Rice all face busy ends to the season with their clubs, who have both reached the Champions League quarterfinals and lead their respective leagues.
MIAMI -- The Philadelphia 76ers came up short to the Miami Heat in a critical loss in terms of the playoff standings. The Heat now own the all-important tiebreaker should they find a way to catch the Sixers in the standings. Philadelphia is currently 1.5 games ahead of Miami with seven games to go.
Joel Embiid scored 26 points on the night, but he shot only 10-for-25 and he seemed a step slow on the defensive end, especially when the Heat made the game-changing run to seal it. He got off to solid start as he had nine points in the opening quarter and had 14 by halftime, but he shot only 1-for-5 in the third and was a minus-15 in the quarter as Miami went on a surge after halftime.
After a rest, Embiid returned to score 10 points in the fourth, but missed some critical ones late.
"Keep getting better," Embiid said after the loss. "I thought tonight we had stretches where we were pretty good, but then some were not. I was a big part of that. I gotta be better. So, yeah, I was terrible tonight. Just gotta be better."
"Terrible" might be Embiid just getting down on himself. He is his biggest critic, but there were some moments where he just seemed completely off. He then revealed a key factor for his tough night that slowed him down a bit.
"Well, first, I wish I wasn't sick," he stated. "So, maybe that would have helped to play better. So, physically, I just was not in it, and then secondly, obviously, if the first part was better, then I guess I would have had more energy to do all the things. So yeah, just gotta take off myself and get out of it and play better."
The Sixers have an off day on Tuesday before finishing their 3-game trip on Wednesday against the Washington Wizards.
MIAMI GARDENS, FLORIDA - NOVEMBER 09: Tua Tagovailoa #1 of the Miami Dolphins looks to pass against the Buffalo Bills during the first half of the game at Hard Rock Stadium on November 09, 2025 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Falcons brought in veteran quarterback Tua Tagovailoa in free agency, a move that evoked strong responses from fans and analysts alike. Kevin Knight discusses why he believes Tua is a perfect fit for the Falcons as an ideal competitive partner for Michael Penix Jr. Fellow Falcoholics, welcome to another episode of the Dirty Birds and Brews podcast!
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Brazil vs Croatia – Predicted lineup and team news
Brazil and Croatia meet in a high-profile friendly in Orlando, with both teams using the game to fine-tune their plans for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States.
The Selecao come into this match still searching for consistency, and Carlo Ancelotti is clearly using this period to experiment with his squad and tactics.
They have lost three of their last six games, and their latest result was a 2-1 loss to 10-man France at Gillette Stadium, where Gleison Bremer scored but the team failed to make late pressure count.
Brazil’s attack has plenty of options, but defensive organisation remains a concern, especially with several experienced players missing through injury.
Brazil team news
Ancelotti has said that Vinícius Júnior and Marquinhos have shaken off recent fitness problems and are ready to play at Camping World Stadium, which is a major boost at both ends of the pitch.
Brazil also lost Raphinha to a thigh problem during the defeat to France, with reports indicating he will be sidelined for around a month. Wesley Franca picked up a muscle injury during the same match.
Neymar’s continued absence from the national team remains a major talking point, but the coach has repeatedly stressed that Neymar, Vinícius and any other star will only go to the World Cup if they are “100 per cent fit”, insisting that current form and fitness matter more than reputation.
This friendly could also give chances to newer faces such as Igor Thiago and Rayan, who are part of the group as Ancelotti puts the finishing touches on what he has described as an already “quite defined” squad for the 2026 World Cup.
Brazil predicted lineup
Possible Brazil starting XI: Ederson; Ibanez, Bremer, Marquinhos, D. Santos; Henrique, A. Santos, Casemiro, Martinelli; Cunha, Pedro
When will the match kick off?
The match will kick off at 1am BST on Wednesday, 1st April.
How to watch Brazil vs Croatia?
For viewers in the UK, Croatia vs Brazil will be broadcast live on ITV4, with the match also available to stream on ITVX.
Argentina vs Zambia – Predicted lineup and team news
Argentina and Zambia meet in an international friendly in Buenos Aires on Tuesday, one of their last home matches before the 2026 World Cup in North America.
La Albiceleste come into this game in excellent form, with four straight wins behind them. Their most recent outing was a 2-1 victory over Mauritania on 28 March, when Enzo Fernández and Nico Paz found the net in what was described as a tense, hard-fought contest.
Scaloni is using this positive run to sharpen his team’s approach and has chosen to start Lionel Messi in this match to give the attack more fluidity from the beginning.
Argentina team news
Gonzalo Montiel and Leonardo Balerdi dropped out before the Mauritania game because of injury problems, and forward Joaquín Panichelli is now sidelined for the long term after tearing his anterior cruciate ligament.
Scaloni has made it clear that Messi, who came off the bench in the last match, will be in the starting XI against Zambia.
He suggested that Argentina will begin with their usual spine of key players, explaining that this fixture serves as their final major test.
He added that later in the game he intends to introduce some younger players, but the plan is to open with his most trusted lineup.
Scaloni has already handed in a 55-man provisional list for the World Cup and will decide on the final squad after assessing how his players perform in this window.
Argentina predicted lineup
Possible Argentina starting XI: Martinez; Molina, Romero, Senesi, Tagliafico; Simeone, Mac Allister, De Paul, Barco; Messi, Alvarez
When will the match kick off?
The match will kick off at 12:15am BST on Sunday, 1st April.
How to watch Argentina vs Zambia?
For supporters in the UK, the best option is to consult local TV and streaming providers’ schedules to see which broadcaster is carrying the match in their region.
Belgium XI vs Mexico – Predicted lineup and team news
Belgium and Mexico meet in a World Cup warm-up friendly at Soldier Field in Chicago, with both teams using the game to fine-tune plans for the 2026 tournament.
The Red Devils head into this fixture on a high after a 5-2 win over the United States in their opening game of the international break. Emerging players such as Zeno Debast, Amadou Onana, Charles De Ketelaere and Dodi Lukebakio stood out in that match, highlighting coach Rudi García’s intention to mix rising stars with the remaining figures from the country’s golden generation.
Belgium team news
García is expected to rotate his side, with big names like Kevin De Bruyne, Jérémy Doku and De Ketelaere likely to start on the bench and be used later in the game.
Youri Tielemans, now fully fit, could return to the starting XI and line up alongside his Aston Villa colleague Amadou Onana, taking on the more advanced midfield role while experienced Axel Witsel provides balance behind them.
At the back, Koni De Winter and Arthur Theate are candidates to start in central defence, and Timothy Castagne may come in at right-back in place of Thomas Meunier.
Further forward, Lukebakio is expected to keep his spot on the right after scoring twice on Saturday, with promising Ajax winger Mika Godts likely to start on the left.
Lois Openda, who has had a difficult loan spell at Juventus, could lead the line as he looks to rebuild his confidence.
In goal, Matz Sels is in contention to replace Senne Lammens, with García still weighing up who should act as backup to the injured Thibaut Courtois at the World Cup. Leandro Trossard of Arsenal has pulled out of the squad and will not be involved.
Belgium predicted lineup
Possible Belgium starting XI: Sels; Castagne, De Winter, Theate, De Cuyper; Onana, Witsel; Lukébakio, Tielemans, Godts; Openda.
When will the match kick off?
The match will kick off at 2am BST on Wednesday, 1st April.
How to watch Mexico vs Belgium?
For viewers in the UK, there is no single confirmed national broadcaster.
Michelle Wie West's last appearance on the LGPA Tour was in 2023 [Getty Images]
Former US Open champion Michelle Wie West says she is coming out of retirement to play at the major later this year.
West is a five-time winner on the LGPA Tour with her sole major triumph coming at Pinehurst in 2014.
The 36-year-old last competed on the Tour at the US Open three years ago, but aims to play again at the major, which begins on 4 June in Pacific Palisades, California, to make use of her final year of eligibility.
Players who win the US Open are invited back to compete for the following 10 years, but Wie West's stint was extended by two years to 2026 due to maternity leave.
"With one final year of eligibility from my victory in 2014 and the championship headed to an iconic venue that means so much to me, I am excited to announce that I'll be teeing it up at the US.Women's Open at Riviera in June," she wrote on X.
Wie West rose to prominence at an early age and was once tipped to emulate men's 15-time major-winner Tiger Woods' sporting success.
She was the youngest to win an adult USGA championship at 13, and the youngest to make the cut at an LPGA major in the 2003 Kraft Nabisco, aged 14.
After more than 20 years in the spotlight, Wie West, who has two children, left the sport adding that her body was struggling to cope with the rigours of professional golf.
Wie West's return to the Tour follows her announcement in February that she will be competing in the women's version of the TGL at the end of the year.
Los Angeles Dodgers two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani will make his first start of the 2026 season against the Cleveland Guardians on Tuesday.
Ohtani is the final starter in the Dodgers’ rotation to make a start, and will look to keep the ball rolling after a strong spring training effort. Ohtani made two appearances on the mound for the Dodgers this spring, allowing three runs through 8.1 innings of work.
He allowed just one hit through four innings in his first appearance while striking out four batters, earning a win against the San Francisco Giants.The right-hander pitched four innings in his second appearance in an exhibition match against the Los Angeles Angels, and struck out 11 batters while allowing three runs.
The reigning MVP made his pitching debut for the Dodgers in 2025, and had a solid campaign in his return to the mound. He made 14 starts for LA last year, posting a 2.87 ERA through 47 innings pitched. He recorded 62 strikeouts in that time, working his way up to six innings pitched by the end of the season.
As a pitcher, Ohtani has an even 3.00 ERA through 528 innings pitched in his career, and has a fourth-place Cy Young finish under his belt. The Dodgers will hope he can settle in early in the season and show how dominant he can be as a pitcher.
Mar 24, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers two-way player Shohei Ohtani (17) delivers a pitch in the second inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
How has Shohei Ohtani Performed So Far in 2026?
Through the first four games of the season, Ohtani has struggled to produce results at the plate. He has just two hits through 12 at-bats in his four games, but has scored two runs and walked twice.
Despite his slow start, manager Dave Roberts believes he—along with struggling teammates Freddie Freeman and Kyle Tucker—will get back on the right track soon.
“I am surprised that they got off to a slow start, but you just never really know,” Roberts said after the Dodgers’ loss to the Cleveland Guardians on Tuesday. “Spring training is just not predictive. It’s just not. I think for me, the takeaway is we’re 3-1 and the guys that we expect to swing the bats aren’t swinging the bats right now. So that’s a good thing. They’ll hit.”
Ohtani will look to get off to a good start on the mound and get back on track at the plate Tuesday against the Guardians. First pitch is at 7:10 p.m. PT.
Are you confident ahead of Shohei Ohtani’s first start of the year?
😱 Turkey Under-21 manager knocked unconscious after protesting!
It was surreal what happened during the Turkey-Croatia U21 match. The game had to be suspended for a few minutes.
The match is hugely important for both national teams because they are first and second in their EURO U21 qualifying group. The Turks came into the match as leaders with 11 points and one more game played, while the Croatians had 10 points and one game in hand.
In the 36th minute, Demir Ege Tiknaz, a Turkey player who plays for Braga, committed a foul on Croatia’s Fabijan Krivak, and it earned him a second yellow card and a sending-off.
Then Turkey coach Egemen Korkmaz protested the decision and, while doing so, slipped, hit his head on the ground, and lost consciousness.
According to Turkish media, the coach had to be taken by ambulance to hospital, where he regained consciousness, and in the meantime the match was suspended, with the players waiting in the dressing rooms for news.
El Mala and Kade help Germany U21 top Euro qualifiers group
Greece proved to be a challenging opponent for Germany once again, but the visitors went into the break with a narrow lead. Anton Kade had the first goal-scoring opportunity with a long-range effort before the decisive moment of the game.
Said El Mala scored his first goal for the U21s in the 11th minute with a first-time shot after Greece failed to clear Tom Bischof’s corner-kick. Köln’s winger reached double digits for goals in his debut Bundesliga season before the international break, although that didn’t impress Julian Nagelsmann enough for selection.
Antonio Di Salvo had to make his first substitution in injury-time of the first-half as Linus Gechter was replaced by fellow 2. Bundesliga defender Leandro Morgalla due to an injury. Greece maintained the pressure after the break, but they hardly tested Mio Backhaus in Germany’s goal.
The hosts could’ve remained in top spot had they lost by a single goal, but they failed to properly defend another set-piece by Bischof in the 73rd minute. Kade scored the goal with a brilliant header to put Germany top of the group for the first time since their defeat to the same opponent back in October.
The Augsburg man nearly turned provider a few minutes later, but Nicolò Tresoldi’s effort from close range only hit the sidenetting. The Club Brugge striker demanded a penalty-kick from the challenge that denied him a clear route to the goal, but his appeal was waved away by both the referee and Greece players.
At the other end, Backhaus made one of his best saves of the night from a decent effort by substitute Dimitris Rallis. Germany managed to hold on to their two-goal lead as they secured three massive points in the race to qualify for the 2027 U21 European championship.
The remaining three rounds of the group stage will be played in the first international break of next season. Di Salvo’s side will end their campaign at home against Georgia after facing Latvia and Malta away from home.
The Top 50 earners among athletes all time have brought home a combined $53.2 billion when adjusted for inflation and $37.7 billion on a nominal basis through the end of 2024. They represent eight different sports and 16 countries around the globe. NBA players lead the way with 13 entries, headed by Michael Jordan and his decades of Nike earnings. Serena Williams is the lone female athlete to make the cut. (For a full analysis, click here.)
Our earnings estimates are based on conversations with industry insiders, Sportico research and historical estimates in media outlets, such as Forbes and Sports Illustrated.
Earnings include salaries, bonuses, prize money, purses, endorsements, licensing, royalties, memorabilia, book deals, media, appearance fees and golf course design fees. The salary components do not include deferred compensation until it is paid out.
We included cash earned from equity stakes in sponsor companies when those companies were sold, such as LeBron James’ stake in Beats Electronics and James Harden’s shares of BodyArmor. Also factored in was Lionel Messi’s piece of Inter Miami as part of his agreement to join the MLS club, and the equity payments by Authentic Brands Group to secure marketing rights for David Beckham and Shaquille O’Neal. We did not factor in traditional investment income.
Sportico included earnings during playing careers and in retirement through 2024 and adjusted them for inflation. For Arnold Palmer and Kobe Bryant, earnings are calculated up until the time of death. All earnings are pre-tax and before any fees for agents and lawyers.
Bosnia and Herzegovina secured a home playoff after beating Wales on penalties and also last featured at the finals in 2014. Veteran captain Edin Dzeko was on target in Cardiff, and the former Roma and Inter Milan striker would dearly love to feature on the biggest stage one last time.
Italy vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina updates, highlights from World Cup playoff
Halftime
Well, well, well. That's been a half of football. Kean pounced upon Vasilj's error to continue his rich run of international form and put Italy ahead. That might have to be the goal that does it for them after Bastoni's rash red card. Bosnia probably deserve to be level, on the balance of play, and we can expect the mother of all onslaughts with their man advantage.
44 mins: There's been a lot of too-ing and fro-ing. Gatti is on for Retegui to restore Italy's three-man backline. Katic gets up to the eventual set piece and Donnarumma gathers. There will be three minutes of added time.
41 mins: BASTONI RED CARD! ITALY DOWN TO 10 MEN! Oh my, drama here! Bastoni has just put Italy's World Cup hopes in all sort of peril. Memic was surging through as Donnarumma's goal kick was headed straight back towads the Italy goal. The Inter defender lunged in, he was the last man and he had to go.
38 mins: Dzeko involved in a rumbling Bosnia move. Bajraktarevic curls in the cross from the right-hand corner of the box, Demirovic gets up and glances just wide.
35 mins: Raking ball forward from Bosnia and Memic gets on the end of it, heading over. Now the offside flag goes up. Nice idea, though.
32 mins: Barella smartly draws a foul in midfield. Italy have belatedly taken the sting out of things. They could still be getting the Inter Milan star and their other ball-playing midfielders in possession a lot more, though.
24 mins: An Italy defender gets up above Dzeko and half-clears. The ball comes back in and Katic is unmarked at the far post. He can't get enough power on the header and Donnarumma gathers, but it's another warning sign.
23 mins: More Bosnia pressure. Memic's shot deflects off Locatelli and it'll be another corner.
20 mins: Oh my, big Donnarumma save! The corner is cleared to the right-hand edge of the box, where Basic absolutely clatters the shot. Italy's skipper gets his big frame in the way. That was travelling.
19 mins: Bosnia have responded well to that setback and have asked a few questions of their opponents. Italy have, in a very un-Italian but very Gattuso way, contributed to the game becoming more frantic the goal. Calafiori heads behind and the hosts have a corner.
15 mins: GOOOOOAAAAALLLLLL!!!!! Moise Kean!!!!!
Oh, it's a nightmare for Vasilj, who duffs his clearance straight to Barella. He slips a pass to Kean, who dispatches a sublime first-time finish into the top corner. That oozed confidence from the Fiorentina man.
13 mins: Corner to Italy on the right. Tonali... ploughs it into the side-netting. Given the Azzurri haven't really been able to get going yet, that's just so wasteful.
9 mins: Ooof, Locatelli gets to a loose ball and Sunjic steams into a hard but fair tackle. Bosnia are right up for this. You sense they might need to harness this early momentum and get a lead.
7 mins: Demirovic, who missed his penalty against Wales, gets a shot off from outside the box that Donnarumma gets behind. The turf appeared to cut up horribly beneath his boot when he too the shot. The pitch looks...mossy. One to keep an eye on.
4 mins: Donnarumma comes for the corner and gets a meaty punch on it to clear the danger.
3 mins: Sharp lay-off from Dzekom Bajraktarevic's shot is blocked. Bosnia pile forward to pick up the scraps, Memic drills across goal and Calafiori is forced to scramble behind. The atmosphere is electric.
2 mins: Kean with a first chance to stretch his legs for Italy. He finds Politano on the left but the wing-back scuffs his cross.
Kickoff: 1st Half
Off we go, then. Muharemovic looks to pump a ball forward that's intercepted. Bosnia seem keen on a fast tempo.
2 mins before kickoff: There's an apartment block overlooking one end of the stadium, which has a roofless grandstand. Residents and fans in the apartments have let off a load of flares out of the windows. Imagine being the neighbour who doesn't much like football.
5 mins before kickoff: The players are in a very compact tunnel. Captains Donnarumma and Dzeko share a joke before the serious business gets underway. Here they come. Which team will end their 12-year wait? A warm embrace between the two head coaches before the national anthems.
40 mins before kickoff: Here's the Italy team bus arriving at Bilino Polje. Home advantage could be key for Bosnia tonight.
1 hr 30 mins before kickoff: It's wild to think that the last time either of these sides featured at a World Cup was 2014. Both failed to make it past the group stage as well; Bosnia on their first ever appearance at the tournament and Italy maintaining an unbroken run of featuring at ever World Cup from 1962.
2 hours to kickoff: It wasn't particularly pretty, but Italy got past Northern Ireland to book this final showdown with Bosnia and Herzegovina for a place at the World Cup. Bosnia beat Wales on penalties after a late penalty from their veteran captain Edin Dzeko and have home advantage. It might not take much to set Azzurri nerves jangling after missing out on the 2018 and 2022 tournaments. It can't happen to the four-time winner again... can it?
This UEFA World Cup playoff final match kicks off at Bilino Polje on Tuesday, March 31 at 8:45 p.m. local time in Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Here's how that time translates across some of the major territories around the globe
Date
Kickoff time
USA/Canada
Tue, Mar. 31
2:45 p.m. ET
USA/Canada
Tue, Mar. 31
11:45 p.m. PT
UK
Tue, Mar. 31
7:45 p.m. BST
Australia
Wed, Apr. 1
5:45 a.m. AEDT
India
Wed, Apr. 1
0:15 a.m. IST
Italy vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina lineups, team news
Bosnia boss Sergej Barbarez has the opportunity to stick with a settled line-up.
Edin Dzeko, now 40, was substituted after regulation time against Wales and should be ready to go again up front alongside Ermedin Demirovic.
Ivan Basic gets the nod over Benjamin Tahirovic having replaced his fellow midfielder after the hour in Cardiff
Bosnia and Herzegovina subs:Hadzikic (GK), Zlomislic (GK), Celik, Tahirovic, Gigovic, Bazdar, Hadziahmetovic, Burnic, Alajbegovic, Radeljic, Tabakovic
Gennaro Gattuso could stick with the same XI that faced Northern Ireland, although towering Inter Milan youngster Pio Esposito could nudge Mateo Retegui out of the starting XI.
Fellow striker Gianluca Scamacca is still struggling with an adductor problem
Ayers has officiated seven Final Fours, including last season's, but he was not among the 11 officials chosen this year. Following Braylon Mullins' game-winning shot with 0.4 seconds left, Hurley got in Ayers' face as the two appeared to bump heads.
There's no evidence that Ayers going unselected had anything to do with that viral moment with Hurley, and he told ESPN's Seth Greenberg after the fact that the exchange was "absolutely nothing."
Hurley was not called for a technical foul after the incident, which prompted quite a bit of discussion online. Basketball analyst Seth Davis noted that Hurley and Ayers have known each other for a long time and suggested the exchange was not meant to taunt or intimidate the referee.
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The NFL's annual spring meeting isn't just about seeing which coaches can and can't pull off shorts with a long-sleeved tee. It's also where the league comes together to tweak the rulebook it's been rewriting for more than a century.
The bulk of this year's changes are tweaks to the still-evolving dynamic kickoff. The new kicking rules have been vital in creating more returns where touchbacks once ruled, but still had some areas that could be exploited. This spring's reforms hope to close a few loopholes while making the game a bit more interesting.
1. Permit the kicking team to declare an onside kick at any time during the game.
The 2024 kickoff change had a ripple effect on onside kicks. At first, teams could only declare an onside kick -- necessary thanks to the new formation that separates the kicker from his 10 teammates well behind the landing zone -- if trailing in the fourth quarter. That was amended in 2025 to allow a team that was trailing to attempt an onside kick at any time. In 2026, a team can declare its intention for an onside kick at any time regardless of whether it is winning or losing.
It's a minor change that will have a minimal effect on the game, but could come into play.
2. For one year only, to allow the NFL Officiating Department to correct clear and obvious misses made by on-field officials that impact the game, in the event that there is a work stoppage involving the game officials represented by the NFL Referees Association.
League offices in New York will have the power to overrule a blatant mistake with a potential referee strike on the horizon. Essentially, this is to ensure we never again have a Fail Mary (and the subsequent leverage it gave the NFL Referees Association in their previous standoff).
3. To modify the kickoff alignment requirements for the receiving team players in the setup zone.
This will effect kickoffs, but not in an obvious way to the casual viewer. Previously, the receiving team had to place a minimum of six players lined up with their front foot on the restraining line. Now, only five will have to be there.
The players who do not set up on the restraining line have a bit more freedom. Previously, only three of them could be in the setup zone. Now that number is four, working in line with the one fewer blocker up front. You can't cluster those four players in front of the returners behind them, however. At least one player will have to be lined up between the sideline and inbounds line on either side of the field.
4. To eliminate the kicking team’s incentive to intentionally kick the ball out of bounds when kicking off from the 50-yard line.
This was the most obvious fix. The NFL's new kickoff rules have been a proper improvement when it comes to producing more returns. Evidence suggests it's been safer as well, though there's a need for long-term data there. There was a loophole however; the leftover rule that declared kickoffs out of bounds would be placed 25 yards from the spot of the kick.
That wasn't a problem for traditional kicks from a team's own 35-yard line. But following a personal conduct penalty, the kicking team could be lined up at midfield. Blasting a kick out of bounds would give their opponent the ball at their own 25-yard line -- five yards *behind* where they'd be if a team opted to kick the ball out of the end zone.
VILLARREAL, SPAIN - MARCH 27: Lamine Yamal of Spain looks on during the International Friendly match between Spain and Serbia at Estadio de la Ceramica on March 27, 2026 in Villarreal, Spain. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Spain boss Luis de la Fuente has named Lamine Yamal in his starting XI again on Tuesday night for his team’s friendly with Egypt.
Yamal is the only player to start both games for La Roja over the international break, with De la Fuente making 10 changes to his team.
David Raya starts in goal behind a backline of Pedro Porro, Cristhian Mosquera, Dean Huijsen and Alex Grimaldo.
Carlos Soler, Pablo Fornals and Dani Olmo are the midfield three behind a frontline of Yamal, Ferran Torres and Ander Barrenetxea.
”He might be in contention to start because we want to win. We need to freshen up the team, but obviously to avoid tiring out the players, all of them,” he told reporters at a press conference.
“I understand that the Barça manager is interested, I understand that everyone has their own preferences, but I have to consider everyone’s feelings. I have to field a team that can win.”
The middle game of the Los Angeles Dodgers’ series against the Cleveland Guardians will be the first pitching start for Shohei Ohtani, who coincidentally is the second in a series of Japanese pitchers.
Roki Sasaki pitched in Monday night’s game, and Yoshinobu Yamamoto will pitch in Wednesday afternoon’s finale.
Because of the World Baseball Classic, Ohtani only pitched in two games in Spring Training. He went 1-1 with a 3.24 ERA, striking out 15 batters across 8.1 innings of work. 11 of those K’s came in his last outing a week ago against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. After that outing, both Ohtani and Dodgers manager Dave Roberts felt good about where Ohtani was in his preparation for the regular season.
This will be the first in what Ohtani and the Dodgers organization hope will be a fully healthy season for Shohei that will see him take the mound 25 times. Ohtani called every Dodger pitcher making 25 starts “ideal” after his first outing in Arizona.
For how long this first outing will last, Roberts said the plan was about six innings.
“Honestly, with Shohei, you’ve got to be willing to adapt,” Roberts said. “Because if he’s really efficient, then you’re still trying to win the game. And if it makes sense, I’m not going to just pull the plug just because of a certain number.”
Ohtani would also like to see the Dodgers offense give him some run support. The team has yet to have the first lead of the game in the four they have played so far. The first three saw them able to mount a comeback, but in Monday night’s game they could only muster two runs in the bottom of the ninth, which were not enough to beat the Guardians.
Miguel Rojas and Andy Pages are the only two Dodgers so far that are hitting with any great consistency. The Dodgers will be facing right hander Tanner Bibee, who pitched the first game of the Guardian’s season against the Seattle Mariners, going 5.0 innings and allowing three earned runs while striking out seven.
Chennai Super Kings (CSK) remain one of the most successful franchises in IPL history, sharing the record of five titles with Mumbai Indians and boasting 10 final appearances. Their dominance in a fiercely competitive league reflects not just on-field excellence but also a well-structured system built over the years. A major factor behind their sustained success has been the stability provided by the ownership group, which has consistently backed players and maintained a balanced squad.
CSK’s philosophy has always revolved around trust and continuity. Unlike many franchises, they have prioritized retaining a strong core group even after auctions, showing long-term faith in their players, support staff, and team environment. This approach has also contributed to nurturing players who go on to perform at the international level.
They have shown remarkable consistency not just on the field but also off it, with Stephen Fleming serving as their head coach since 2009. His long-term guidance has been key in building a stable, experienced team, helping CSK maintain a winning culture and remain one of the most dominant IPL franchises.
Former India cricketer Abhinav Mukund highlighted another unique aspect of CSK’s culture, their strong backing of players beyond the field. He revealed that the franchise has a long-standing tradition of doubling the prize money offered by the BCCI, regardless of the team’s result, a gesture that reflects their commitment to player welfare.
"I think the credit should also go to the management. That time, they clearly told us that whatever prize money BCCI is offering you, whether we are losing or winning, we will double it. And this is a tradition of Chennai from day one. Ask any clear Chennai player, they will say ‘this is a tradition that they have followed’, so at that point it felt like a huge thing," Mukund said on Doordarshan Sports.
In their IPL 2026 opener on March 30, the Rajasthan Royals (RR) secured a crushing 8-wicket victory over the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in Guwahati. After RR’s pace attack, led by Nandre Burger (2/26) and Jofra Archer (2/19), dismantled the CSK lineup for a meager 127, 15-year-old sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi stole the show by smashing the season’s fastest fifty in just 15 balls. Rajasthan chased down the target in a mere 12.1 overs, finishing at 128/2 to hand CSK a heavy defeat in a match that also featured Sanju Samson’s quiet debut for Chennai and Ravindra Jadeja’s successful two-wicket return to the Royals.
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - JUNE 04: Head Coach Heather Tarr of the Washington Huskies exchanges lineups with Head Coach Lonni Alameda of the Florida State Seminoles during the Division I Women's Softball Championship held at USA Softball Hall of Fame Stadium - OGE Energy Field on June 4, 2018 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. (Photo by Shane Bevel/NCAA Photos via Getty Images) | NCAA Photos via Getty Images
Great teams, regardless of sport, find different ways to win. It doesn’t matter if it’s a close win decided by one singular swing of momentum or a blowout, decided long before the end of the game. In the case of the Husky softball team, they got their 4 wins this week in a variety of ways, but at 30-6, with 20 straight wins, it looks like this team is on its way to joining that pantheon of great teams, in large part due to how they win.
Before the big road series against Iowa, the Huskies had a quick road stop against Loyola Chicago. A Giselle Alvarez solo shot in the fifth got the scoring started, but the game really broke open when Kaycie Burdick hit her first career home run, a grand slam:
First career home run and it's a GRAND SLAM for Kaycie Burdick! 💣
Another shot from Alvarez, and another homer from Burdick pushed the score to 7-0, where it would stay, giving the Huskies the win and extra momentum for another tough conference road trip against the Iowa Hawkeyes. The first game would not start well, with the Dawgs falling behind 3-0 by the top of the third inning. Jade Bubke and Jaydn Glab responded with a solo home run, and 3 run home run respectively, pushing the Huskies in front 4-3. After Iowa’s Naiyln Marshall responded with a solo homer to tie the game at 4, the Huskies responded with a fierce 7 run 4th inning rally. It started with Alexis Deboer drawing a walk with the bases loaded to give the Huskies the lead, 5-4. Then Giselle Alvarez scored Jade Bubke on a sac fly, with Kaycie Burdick subsequently scoring on a wild pitch. What broke this one open, though, wasn’t a big, back-breaking homer or hit in the gap, but a throwaway E4, which scored 3. Like I said at the top, great teams find ways to win.
A Hawkeye miscue ushers in three more runs for the Dawgs!
After Melody Acevedo’s sac fly scored Ava Carroll to make it 11-4, the Huskies gave up 1 run in the bottom of the fifth, before a pair of homers by Alvarez and Carroll made it 16-5. Though Iowa scored 2 more in the 7th to make it more respectful, it wasn’t enough, as the Huskies ultimately prevailed 16-7.
The Huskies would continue their offensive explosion in game 2, putting up 10 runs on 11 hits. But perhaps more impressive than the run total, was the combined no hitter tossed by Sophia Ramuno and Rylee Rehbein. Ramuno worked 5 and 2/3rds innings, throwing 90 pitches and fanning 6 Hawkeye batters. However, with Ramuno an out away from a no no, she came up wincing, necessitating Rehbein to come in to come up with a final out, which she did:
Chuckling at how Rylee Rehbein will go in the scorebooks for a combined no-no even though all she did was issue a walk after inheriting a 3-0 count, and then throw a pitch in the dirt to the next batter that Iowa tried to advance on but got thrown out, ending the game
— Softball-Addict(Ed) Strong (@ByEdStrong) March 28, 2026
Offensively, Jaydn Glab continued her stellar campaign, scoring 2 runs and driving in a run off a double. Kaycie Burdick also had a great game, going 2-4, scoring 2 runs and driving in another of her own. This kind of at-will offensive firepower will prove troublesome for teams as the Dawgs get deeper in the Big Ten schedule. But don’t think that this series was all combined no hitters and relentless offense! Sometimes you have your back against the wall, sometimes you go to extras, like in the series finale.
This was a back and forth game, with both teams answering each other’s offense. After the game was knotted up at 4 after the third (thanks to a 2 run shot by Jaydn Glab), both teams went back and forth, with one run each until the 6th. Tied at 6 all, it would take until the 10th to break the deadlock:
With the Hawkeyes on the ropes and clearly shaken, the Huskies loaded the bases, and Giselle Alvarez got hit by a pitch, bringing home Sophi Mazzola. A Jaydn Glab single drove in 2 more runs, and Morgan Reimer shut the door on Iowa, sweeping the series for the Dawgs and earning her 19th win:
At 30-6, the Huskies are on another road trip this week, as they head to Palo Alto to take on Saint Mary’s and Stanford. I am eager to see if they can extend this remarkable 20 game win streak, and with the way they have been playing and winning, I am hopeful that they will be able to. Because, as I said at the top, great teams find ways to win!
Roberto De Zerbi’s appointment as Tottenham manager “raises serious and far-reaching concerns” following his public support of former Manchester United forward Mason Greenwood, the Tottenham Hotspur Supporters’ Trust (THST) has said.
But several Tottenham supporters’ groups, including Proud Lilywhites, urged the club to not appoint De Zerbi due to the Italian having backed Greenwood during his time in charge in charge of Marseille. The TST said those concerns were brought to the club directly while Spurs considered De Zerbi’s appointment.
Greenwood was charged in October 2022 with one count of attempted rape, one count of controlling and coercive behaviour and one count of assault occasioning actual bodily harm over allegations relating to a young women after images and videos were posted online.
The Crown Prosecution Service dropped the charges in February 2023 owing to a “combination of the withdrawal of key witnesses” and due to “no realistic prospect of conviction”.
In November, De Zerbi described Greenwood as a “good guy” that had paid a “heavy price” and added: “It saddens me what happened in his life, because I know a totally different person than the one who was described.”
In a statement, the TST said De Zerbi’s comments on Greenwood were “unnecessary, ill-judged, and deeply offensive to a significant number of supporters and, without doubt, will have left victims of male violence alarmed”.
The group said the appointment of De Zerbi could “create a divide among supporters at a time when we all need to be pulling together to back the team” and it was “concerning that the club would put us in this position right when the team needs fans the most”.
On De Zerbi’s comments, the TST said: “If those remarks reflect his genuine views, they cast a troubling shadow over the values of the club we love.”
De Zerbi managed Greenwood during his spell at French club Marseille (AFP via Getty Images)
The TST also called on Tottenham to “reassert its commitment to the values that fans hold dear - chief among them equality, respect, and integrity” and said any future messages from De Zerbi “must clearly and unequivocally reaffirm these values”.
Tottenham considered and discussed De Zerbi’s backing of Greenwood and his comments about him during negotiations with the Italian, but sporting director Johan Lange confirmed the club had landed their “number one target for the summer” and Spurs were “pleased to be able to bring him in now”.
In a statement accompanying Tottenham’s announcement, De Zerbi insisted he is committed to the club’s “ambition for the future”. The Italian lasted less than two seasons in his previous two spells at Brighton and Marseille, and he has been immediately thrown into a relegation battle.
The THST said: “While we recognise the limited pool of managers with recent Premier League experience, and the need to act with urgency as Spurs face the prospect of relegation, this appointment raises serious and far-reaching concerns, and many fans have been in touch with us to urge us to communicate the strength of feeling.”
In a statement following De Zerbi’s appointment, Proud Lilywhites said: “Whilst we disagree with the managerial choice, in terms of culture and competence, we will continue to support the players without pretending to be comfortable with the appointment.
“Staying silent is not the answer. But choosing when and where to be vocal matters. Managers come and go. Executives come and go. Players come and go. Fans remain. We are the constant in this club. We will continue to represent the views of our members to the club, alongside the other supporter associations. This is not noise or reaction. It is a considered position, and it is not going away.”
The Minnesota Vikings are keeping their eyes on the 2026 season as they look to capitalize on a small window they have to win now. They made a move to be aggressive at quarterback by signing Kyler Murray to compete with J.J. McCarthy, they brought back some key veterans we thought wouldn't be, and now they are geared up for a productive draft cycle.
After all of that, though, the slow season will mean the team will start to look ahead and see what is in store for them in 2027. In fact, ESPN has already started looking ahead as they have dropped some way-too-early rankings for the class, and two Vikings made the cut in tight end T.J. Hockenson and linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel.
ESPN's Matt Bowen wrote up both players, starting with Hockenson, saying, "At his best, Hockenson should be viewed as a rugged, three-down tight end who can win in the middle of the field or on seams and corner routes." As for Van Ginkel, he explains his inclusion, writing, "After 11.5 sacks in 2024, Van Ginkel recorded 7.5 in 12 games last season. His skill set fits best in a defense that schemes one-on-one matchups and stunts for him off the edges as an outside linebacker."
The team could move on from Hockenson after reworking his contract, but it is hard to imagine they move on from Van Ginkel as long as Brian Flores is around. Lots of time to see how things unfold between now and next offseason, but some things to consider here for the fans and team alike.
Alabama softball took care of business before its upcoming showdown with the No. 1 ranked team in the nation.
The Crimson Tide (33-2 overall, 7-2 SEC) defeated North Dakota State, 8-1, on Friday night at Rhoads Stadium before run-ruling the Bison in a 13-0 shutout in five innings Saturday. After sweeping the two-game set, Alabama will face the Texas Longhorns (31-2, 8-1) in a three-game series beginning Thursday in Tuscaloosa.
Alabama's two victories over the Bison were part of a 4-0 week that included a doubleheader sweep of Jacksonville State and North Alabama on Wednesday. Brooke Wells clubbed four home runs last week, including two in the Tide's 10-3 win over Jacksonville State.
Alabama hit eight homers in its four games and outscored opponents, 43-4. Vic Moten picked up two wins in the circle while Jocelyn Briski notched her 13th of the season and lowered her ERA to 1.28 in 15 outings. Moten improved to 13-2 in 17 appearances this season and lowered her ERA to 1.47.
Alabama is batting .354 for the season. The Crimson Tide have totaled 63 home runs this season. Coach Patrick Murphy's team has also outscored its opponents, 255-51. In the circle, Alabama has combined for a 1.41 ERA in 223 innings. The Tide have a plus-5:1 strikeout-to-walk radio with 287 strikeouts to 57 walks.
Wells (.467/.578/1.044) and Alexis Pupillo (.450/.517/.910) lead Alabama at the plate, having combined for 27 home runs and 43 extra base hits.
Alabama softball rises in Coaches Poll after 4-0 week
Florida dropped two of three over the weekend in Fayetteville to a top-10 Arkansas Razorbacks team. Tennessee also lost a weekend series, dropping two of three to the unranked Ole Miss Rebels.
Alabama trails Texas, runner-up Texas Tech, and Oklahoma in the Coaches Poll. The Sooners won two of three at LSU. Texas won two of three against Texas A&M, but the Longhorns saw their 29-game winning streak come to an end with Sunday's 9-7 loss.
New Softball Coaches Poll sees another top 5 shakeup
Texas held on to the top spot for the third week in a row. Oklahoma and Alabama each rose two spots to Nos. 3 and 4, respectively. Florida fell to two spots to No. 5. Tennessee, which had spent five weeks at No. 1 earlier this season, fell for the second straight week. The Lady Vols dropped three spots to No. 7.
The Coaches Poll is still dominated by SEC schools, with six teams in the top 10 and 11 in the top 25 overall.
Here's a look at the full rankings as of March 31.
Start times, TV info for Alabama vs Texas softball top 5 series
Two of the three games between the top-ranked Longhorns and fourth-ranked Crimson Tide will be televised nationally. While Thursday's series opener in Tuscaloosa is scheduled for SEC Network+ (streaming only), Friday's game will be televised on SEC Network. Saturday's series finale will broadcast on ESPN.
All start times Central:
Thursday, April 2: 6 p.m, SEC Network+
Friday, April 3: 7:30 p.m., SEC Network
Saturday, April 4: 5 p.m., ESPN
Here's a look at Alabama's full 2026 SEC softball schedule. All tentative start times Central.
March 6-8: at Ole Miss (W, 5-3; W, 13-2; W, 2-1)
March 13-15: vs. Arkansas (W, 4-1; L, 14-9; W, 4-1)
March 20-22: at Missouri (W, 2-1; L, 5-2; W, 4-3)
April 2-4: vs. Texas (6 p.m. Thursday, 7:30 p.m. Friday, 5 p.m. Saturday)
April 10-12: at Auburn (6 p.m. Friday, noon Saturday, 1 p.m. Sunday)
April 17-19: vs. Kentucky (5 p.m. Friday, 1:30 p.m. Saturday, 1:30 p.m. Sunday)
April 25-27: at Tennessee (3 p.m. Saturday, 3 p.m. Sunday, 6 p.m. Monday)
April 30-May 2: vs. South Carolina (6 p.m. Thursday, 6 p.m. Friday, 1 p.m. Saturday)
WWE is set to honor one of its most unconventional and intimidating figures, as Bad News Brown has been named a legacy inductee in the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2026.
The official announcement recognizes the late Allen James Coage, whose path to wrestling notoriety began far outside the ring. Before stepping into sports entertainment, Coage built an elite reputation in judo, capturing a bronze medal at the 1976 Summer Olympics. His achievement marked a historic milestone, making him the first Black man to win an individual Olympic medal in a sport outside boxing or track and field.
That same disciplined, hard-hitting style translated seamlessly into his wrestling persona. After training under Antonio Inoki in Japan, Coage—then competing as Bad News Allen—gained traction in Stampede Wrestling, where he squared off against rising stars like Bret Hart.
By the time he arrived in WWE in 1988 as Bad News Brown, he had developed a reputation as a fierce loner, known for his punishing enzuigiri and refusal to align with other competitors.
Brown’s character stood apart in an era defined by clear-cut heroes and villains. He openly clashed with authority figures like then-WWE President Jack Tunney and targeted top stars, including Hulk Hogan and Randy Savage.
His rivalry with Roddy Piper spilled over from the 1990 Royal Rumble into a heated feud that culminated at WrestleMania VI.
One of his most memorable storylines came later that year against Jake ‘The Snake’ Roberts, where Brown’s on-screen fear of snakes became central to their feud.
Despite his attempts to counter Roberts’ psychological tactics, Brown ultimately exited WWE following SummerSlam 1990, later citing frustrations over unfulfilled promises, including the opportunity to become the company’s first Black champion.
Outside the ring, Coage’s life reflected the same resilience that defined his in-ring persona. Raised in Harlem and later Queens, he rose from working in a bakery to becoming a five-time Amateur Athletic Union judo champion and Pan American Games gold medalist.
He also briefly worked as a bodyguard for Aretha Franklin before fully committing to wrestling. After retiring in 1999 due to knee injuries, he remained connected to the sport through training and mentorship.
Coage passed away in 2007 at the age of 63 from a heart attack.
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Utah under Kyle Whittingham has long been a contender. And the Pac-12 and Big 12 (both of which Utah was in) had sent teams to the College Football Playoff even when it was a four-team invitational.
But there's something different about being a part of one of the traditional powerhouses of the Big Ten.
That's not only the case for Whittingham and much of the new coaching staff, who came either from the perceived lesser Power Four conference or from even more humble beginnings. But for a player like John Henry Daley, coming to Ann Arbor is a drastic change, not just because of the tradition that permeates through Michigan football, but because of the extant players who have lived and breathed it for some time.
So, from Daley's perspective, mixing Whittingham's success, his vision, and his mantra with the expectation of winning bigger things? That's where it all comes together.
"I think it's great to an extent to have some guys who already know it, but also coming here and meeting all the guys on the team," Daley said. "I mean, we got a lot of dogs on this team that got a lot of high aspirations and very high expectations for themselves to be able to perform at the highest level. And so I feel like they already have that will that they want to be great. And now the coaches are just coming in and saying, hey, let's build on top of that. Let's go do that. And so all in all, I mean, couldn't ask for more.
"You know, honestly, with this roster, with these players, with these coaches, I feel like we're building something great."
Daley had already shared how he marveled at seeing The Big House with the national championship banner hanging underneath the scoreboards. The Wolverines have that, whereas the Utes (or BYU Cougars, where he started) don't have any recent national championships (Utah has an unclaimed 2008 championship, and BYU won one in 1984).
It will be interesting to see the dynamic of the try-hard staff and players who excelled under their tutelage, mixed with players who either played on a national championship team, or came aboard soon after it had been won.
Illinois’ Brad Underwood coached for 26 years before landing his first Division I head coaching job.
Now in Year 39, the well-traveled 62-year-old is finally heading to the Final Four, where the Fighting Illini meet UConn on Saturday.
He’s doing it in what he’s long referred to as his dream job. In 2013 while in that first DI head coaching job at Stephen F. Austin, he told his administrative assistant about his ambition to coach the Fighting Illini one day. And she wrote it down.
When he was named Illinois coach in 2017, she presented him with that meaningful piece of paper containing his intention to lead this team.
In the place he always wanted to be, Underwood has the Fighting Illini in the Final Four for the first time since 2005, trying to bring home a first national title.
“I’ve been fortunate to be around great mentors, great coaches,” he said. “I just bided my time, found a group that’s magical. We’re living the dream.”
Though he’s living the dream now, it came only after decades of toiling in relative obscurity.
There were four years at Dodge City Community College starting in 1988 where he was not only the coach but the team’s bus driver for road games. Then came 10 years as an assistant for Jim Kerwin at Western Illinois, where he was “not making very much money and raising three kids and literally being gone five days a week.”
The next stop was Daytona Beach Community College from 2003-06, which also was not the most glamorous job but had a nice perk.
“It was an incredible place to help raise our kids, going to the beach every weekend," he said. "And I loved coaching ball in junior college.”
After that he worked as an assistant, first for Bob Huggins followed by Frank Martin, at Kansas State from 2006-12. He followed Martin to South Carolina, where he spent one season before landing at Stephen F. Austin.
“I’ve been blessed along the way because I’ve worked for nothing but winners for head coaches and people who allowed me to grow,” Underwood said.
At Stephen F. Austin he was named Southland Conference coach of the year in each of his three seasons. The Lumberjacks won the league tournament to advance to the NCAA Tournament every year under him.
He spent one season at Oklahoma State, where he went 20-13 and led the Cowboys to March Madness before landing his coveted job in 2017.
After three seasons building the team, he turned the Fighting Illini into perennial NCAA Tournament contenders. This is their sixth straight season in the tournament and the second time in three years that they have advanced to the Sweet 16.
“It’s been maybe a different path than most, but one that I sure wouldn’t — there’s not one step of it that I would give up,” he said. “Because I’ve been beyond blessed to work for great people who helped prepare me to get to these moments.”
His success this season comes after he began prioritizing recruiting in Eastern Europe. The Illini have a roster that includes four players from Eastern Europe and Andrej Stojakovic, who was born in Greece but whose father is Serbian three-time NBA All-Star Peja Stojakovic.
The squad is led by consensus second-team All-American point guard Keaton Wagler. The freshman scored 25 points in a win over Iowa to earn South Region tournament MVP and punch the Fighting Illini’s ticket to the Final Four.
Wagler said he knew soon after meeting Underwood that Illinois was the school for him.
“He’s super competitive and that’s what I like about him,” Wagler said. “He hates to lose. I hate to lose. So, it just combined really well. Just talking to him just throughout the whole recruiting process, I knew that this was the place I wanted to be.”
Underwood got emotional as he was cutting down the net after the victory over the Hawkeyes. So many years and all those stops brought him right where he was supposed to be.
Now he’s just two wins away from bringing Illinois to heights never seen before.
“You believe in something so much that it drives me every single day to want to make it happen,” he said.
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - MARCH 27: Yaxel Lendeborg #23 of the Michigan Wolverines celebrates against the Alabama Crimson Tide during the second half of the Sweet Sixteen round game of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament held at the United Center on March 27, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Jamie Schwaberow/NCAA Photos via Getty Images) | NCAA Photos via Getty Images
On this week’s Out of the Blue podcast, Jared and Andrew break down Michigan’s historical run of dominance to reach the Final Four for the first time since 2018. Next, the boys dive into Arizona, compare it the 2024 Rose Bowl, and discuss how Michigan can win its toughest game of the season.
Be sure to submit any mailbag questions to OOTBsports23@gmail.com.
This is far from the only place you can listen to our podcasts covering the Michigan Wolverines. You can also stream them from your iPhone or Android device by subscribing to The Block M Podcast Network on iTunes, Google Podcasts, PodBean, and Spotify. Never miss an episode, and be sure to subscribe, rate, tell your friends, and drop us a five-star review.
Wherever you go, Go Blue!
A big thank you as always to Wes Anderson for providing music to this podcast and all Maize n Brew podcasts. You can listen to Wes below and be sure to support and follow him on Twitter @SongsByWes.
When it comes to professional athletes recovering from injuries, no news is usually good news.
That should bode well for Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who is working his way back from a torn ACL and LCL. When Chiefs head coach Andy Reid spoke to reporters at the annual league meeting on March 31, he gave something of a there-is-no-update update on his star quarterback.
Asked about Mahomes' timeline to return from injury, Reid said he'll leave it to the medical team to determine whether or not the quarterback is "ahead of schedule" in his recovery.
"I'm going to defer to the experts on that," Reid said when asked if Mahomes would be limited for training camp. "So, if he's good to go, he'll go. If he's not, we'll manage that. So, we'll just cross it as we go. Everybody's different. Everybody heals different. Everybody's injuries are a little bit different. We don't have to put him in a category. We'll see, see where it goes."
Reid added that it's been all "positive" for the passer during his rehab.
According to an article published by Arthroscopy, recovery from an ACL tear "typically spans 9 to 12 months." The "return to sport" phase ranges from 6-12 months, with the 9-12 month range listed as a likely timeline for return to competition.
Mahomes tore his ACL and LCL on Dec. 14 during a Week 15 game against the Los Angeles Chargers. He underwent surgery to repair the ligaments in his knee the following day.
On March 25 – just over three months after his operation – Mahomes posted a video of himself throwing a football with a compression sleeve on his left leg.
#Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes posted a video of himself dropping back and throwing — exactly 100 days since his ACL surgery.
Tottenham Hotspur Forward Is On The Radar Of Newcastle United: Should Spurs Cash In On Him?
In a recent report, journalist Pete O’Rourke claimed that Tottenham Hotspur forward Dominic Solanke is on the radar of Newcastle United ahead of the summer transfer window. It is understood that Spurs are willing to accept a cut-price offer for the English striker as the Magpies look to recruit him this summer.
Solanke’s Decent Form In North London
Solanke has caught the eye at times for the North London club on the offensive end of the field during this campaign. The 28-year-old has found the back of the net on six occasions in 17 appearances for Spurs this season across various competitions.
On his day, the English sensation can be a streaky goal-getter in the Premier League. Thus, it is no wonder that the Magpies are showing interest in signing him this summer.
His current contract at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium will run out in the summer of 2030. Therefore, Spurs are under no immediate pressure to cash in on him this off-season.
LONDON, ENGLAND – MARCH 27: Dominic Solanke of England during the international friendly match between England and Uruguay at Wembley Stadium on March 27, 2026 in London, England. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)
Should Tottenham Hotspur Cash In On Solanke?
Solanke excels at finding a yard of space for himself to get some strikes in at goal. He has got the eye to play some decisive passes on the offensive end of the field and is a good dribbler with the ball at his feet.
Standing at 1.86m, the English striker can use his strong 1.86m frame to dominate the opposition defenders in the air. However, he has to find a way to be more consistent in front of the opposition goal. Plus, the talented forward needs to find a way to improve his link-up play up top.
Solanke has got a wealth of experience in the Premier League and could grow into a future star for them in the coming years. Therefore, Tottenham would be wise not to cash in on him unless they get relegated from the Premier League.
At 28, Solanke is about to enter his prime, so Spurs should consider keeping hold of him for the time being. He might even help the North London club get back to challenging for a top-four spot in the Premier League over the next few years. With all things considered, Spurs would be wise to retain Solanke’s services beyond the end of this campaign.
Joe Ledley names the perfect man for the Celtic vacancy
Charlie Mulgrew was last week talking about a conversation he’d had with former Celtic midfielder Joe Ledley who had been talking up the Wales manager Craig Bellamy for the Celtic job should Wales fail to reach the World Cup Finals via the play-off…
It was heartache for the Welsh national side, losing on penalties to Bosnia & Herzegovina in a match that they should have won. Having watched that game, rather than the Ireland one on at the same time, in order to have a closer look at the style of football Bellamy has his side playing, I have to say that I was impressed and the style of football on show would be more than acceptable, should Bellamy get the Celtic job.
Joe Ledley has returned to his subject today and the former Welsh International makes a strong case for Bellamy returning to the club this time as manager.
“Craig Bellamy is a perfect fit for Celtic,” Ledley said as reported by Daily Record. “They’ll almost definitely be looking for a new manager in the summer, unless Martin O’Neill wins the league and considers staying on for another year.”
Even if Martin O’Neill does win the Scottish Premiership and adds a Scottish Cup to the trophy cabinet at Celtic Park to sit alongside, it’s still extremely unlikely that he’d be asked at 74 to take on the responsibility of a huge summer rebuild at the club.
It’s going to be a new manager and a new era at the football club but how that will look has got so many unknowns at the moment, it would be crazy to speculate.
So there will be a new manager, that is a given.
Joe Ledley continued with his Bellamy pitch: “And in Craig, you’ve got someone who studies absolutely everything in detail, he likes to play on the front foot, it’s all about possession and being attack-minded.
“But he also knows what it means for that club, having played there. He knows what the fans want and expect. He’s young, he’s hungry… I just think he’s perfect for that job.
“I know a lot of people up in Scotland like the look of the Motherwell manager(Jens Berthel Askou), so I’d say those two names are the ones who’ll be on the club’s radar… but for me, Craig is perfect.”
“The big question is whether Wales will be able to keep hold of Craig Bellamy, because I’m sure there’s going to be a lot of speculation around him coming up in the near future.
“He’s someone I keep in touch with quite a lot, because we played for the national team together. And I’m sure he’ll have been reflecting a lot over the last few days on what his next move might be.
“There’s no getting around it; he’ll be heartbroken that he hasn’t managed to get Wales to a World Cup, and I’m sure a few people inside the FAW are thinking it’ll be difficult to keep hold of him because of the job he’s done. Hopefully we can keep him – I’m just not sure we’re going to be able to.
“This has been his first position as a manager, and he’s dealt with some huge tests, and under a lot of pressure. He will have learned a lot from all of that. And, you know, the way he studies the game… he’s obsessive.
Craig Bellamy, Head Coach of Wales speaks to the media during a press conference at Wembley Stadium on October 08, 2025. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)
“He loves being around the training ground, doing all of the analysis, and that’s why I could see him going into club football pretty soon, to be honest.
“From finishing second ahead of North Macedonia, to last week’s game against Bosnia, that’s such a big period of time where, as a manager, you’re just waiting around and you want to get stuck in.
“We had so much momentum after beating North Macedonia, you just want to carry on playing – and that’s where club football is different, and why I can see Craig getting into it very soon.
“He’s learned a lot from Vincent Kompany, who is doing incredible things with Bayern Munich, and he’s got a great group of coaches around him… time will tell and big decisions are going to have to be made.
“It’s hard because I really do believe Craig will want to take Wales to a major tournament, but at the same time I can just see so many clubs being interested in him.
Craig Bellamy, Head Coach of Wales, reacts during the Group J FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifier match between Wales and Belgium at Cardiff City Stadium on October 13, 2025 in Cardiff, Wales. (Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images)
“I was actually in the building when he got the Wales job, so I popped my head in just to congratulate him and ended up spending an hour and a half with him, where he was telling me about his plans, the structure of the team, how he wanted them to play, and I left the room with my mind blown – I was so excited to see what he was going to bring to the job.”
Alfred Dunhill Links Championship 2024 Dermot Desmond on the 18th tee during the final round of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship 2024 on the Old Course at St. Andrews Golf CLub, Fife, . 06/10/2024. Picture Fran Caffrey / Golffile.ie
As a sales pitch you have to say it’s fairly convincing. Bellamy, alongside Robbie Keane is a name that’s reportedly on Dermot Desmond’s radar and the Irish billionaire, who controls the club is likely to be the man making the final call on this one.
Having listened to Paul Tisdale and Michael Nicholson on their recommendations for Wilfried Nancy, surely Desmond cannot afford to get this appointment wrong? Time will tell if it’s going to be Craig Bellamy or not. I’ve certainly heard worse suggestions.
Post your own thoughts in the comments section below…
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Sony Corporation ("Sony") and TCL Electronics Holdings Limited (together with its subsidiaries, "TCL") today announced that Sony and TCL have entered into legally binding definitive agreements for a strategic partnership in the home entertainment field. This follows the memorandum of understanding announced on January 20, 2026, pursuant to which both parties have been conducting discussions.
Under this partnership, Sony will establish a wholly owned subsidiary (the "Preparatory Company") to assume its home entertainment business, and TCL will subscribe to a portion of the Preparatory Company's shares, forming a joint venture (the "New Company") with TCL holding 51% and Sony holding 49% of the shares. The New Company will succeed to Sony's home entertainment business, which includes product development and design, manufacturing, sales and logistics, and customer service for products such as Consumer TVs (BRAVIA), B2B Flat Panel Displays (B2B BRAVIA), B2B LED Displays, projectors, and home audio equipment such as home theater systems and audio components. The New Company is expected to operate this integrated business globally.
According to the official KB5079391 change log, the rollout was paused because users are seeing an "error 0x80073712" message during installation. Microsoft explains that this error occurs when files are missing or corrupted, preventing the update from completing successfully.
Think of Leo as Amazon's version of SpaceX Starlink. The division was established in 2019 and is the third largest satellite system in orbit according to the company. Even still, Leo does feel a bit behind the competition in terms of the sheer size of its constellation.
"Quickly spin up Copilot coding agents from anywhere on your macOS or Windows machine with Raycast," the note said, accompanied by a lightning bolt emoji and a link to install the app.
Nvidia announced today that it has invested $2 billion in Marvell Technology and entered a partnership connecting Marvell to Nvidia's AI factory and AI-RAN ecosystem through NVLink Fusion.
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has issued a direct strike threat to a slew of U.S. tech companies including GPU giant Nvidia, Microsoft, Apple, Google, Meta, IBM, Cisco, and Tesla.
Opened in February, the Dior Bamboo Pavilion concept store is an architectural statement that blends Parisian heritage with Japanese inspiration. Its bamboo design was constructed from recycled Japanese aluminium, inspired by the façade of Dior’s iconic […]
MerleFest 2026 Travel Guide: Get Ready for Blue Ridge Music Pilgrimage, Bluegrass Legends, and Epic ‘Traditional Plus’ Festival Experience!Experience MerleFest...
Cardano is launching its Midnight privacy sidechain alongside the Van Rossem hard fork before March ends, adding confidential smart contracts to the ecosystem while ADA’s MVRV ratio sits at negative 43%, a historically strong buying zone.
With a live exchange processing trades today, more than $8 million raised, and analysts projecting 100x as the listing opens, Pepeto combines working exchange technology with a presale where massive returns are within reach for the wallets entering now.
Cardano Midnight Fork Launches Privacy Layer
Cardano is launching its Midnight privacy sidechain and the Van Rossem hard fork before March ends, adding confidential smart contracts that let users prove compliance without revealing underlying data according to BanklessTimes.
ADA climbed nearly 6% on the news with an MVRV ratio at negative 43%, a zone that historically signals strong buying.
According to CoinDesk, record short positioning on Binance adds fuel to a potential squeeze. Infrastructure upgrades are accelerating, and presale entries with verified exchange tools capture the returns that large caps at multi billion valuations are past producing.
Where Infrastructure Upgrades Lead and Where the Presale Math Lands
Pepeto: The Platform Where Analysts See 100x as the Cardano Midnight fork Opens the Door for New Capital
The Cardano Midnight fork will bring fresh capital into crypto, but fresh capital without contract protection is fresh capital at risk. The legislation clears the tax path. Pepeto clears the contract path.
PepetoSwap processes every trade without charging a cent so your full allocation remains active, the network bridge lands tokens at identical value on the receiving chain, and the contract inspector reviews code for hidden dangers before any commitment goes through, confirmed by SolidProof.
The founder, whose first meme project hit $11 billion with nothing but community energy assembled this platform alongside an operator who managed Binance listings for years. As the Cardano Midnight fork potentially lowers the barrier to entry for crypto participation, the exchange that protects people once they are inside becomes more valuable.
These are the final weeks of the presale. Analysts project 100x from the current $0.000000186 entry as the Binance listing draws near, with 191% APY staking adding to every position while the final window stays open, and this is the entry that turns presale positioning into the kind of wealth the Cardano Midnight fork is clearing the path to access.
Sui Network (SUI)
SUI trades at $0.84 per CoinMarketCap, building above support as the Move VM ecosystem attracts developer activity.
A recovery to $1.00 delivers 39% over months, while the bitcoin price news confirms the bull cycle forming, and Pepeto at presale targets the returns that SUI at $2.3 billion is past delivering.
Pepe (PEPE)
PEPE trades at $0.000003 per CoinMarketCap, holding key support as the meme sector stabilizes.
The original Pepe token reached $11 billion at its peak with zero products, and the same cofounder built Pepeto with a full exchange, while Pepeto at presale holds the return profile that PEPE at $1.7 billion can no longer structurally produce.
Conclusion
PEPE holders at launch converted $500 into $350,000, and every single one of them says the same thing: they wish they had put in more. That window closed permanently, and it never came back.
Visit the Pepeto official website now, because the presale price you see today is temporary, the listing erases it forever, and the wallets that entered before that moment are the ones who build the wealth that everyone else spends the rest of the cycle wishing they had.
The Cardano Midnight fork proposes stablecoin tax exemptions and de minimis thresholds that could unlock dormant capital.
What are the SUI and PEPE targets alongside?
SUI targets $1.00 on Move VM growth and PEPE holds meme sector support, while Pepeto at its current presale price carries the 100x projection from the approaching listing, with the Pepeto official website still accepting entries.
Why does Pepeto lead presale entries?
Pepeto has a verified exchange with a SolidProof audit that protects capital at the contract level, more than $8 million raised, and analysts projecting 100x as the Binance listing opens.
One of the world’s largest commercial payments companies just tied itself to Ripple’s blockchain infrastructure, and the announcement is already dividing opinion before the ink has dried.
Convera, which operates across 140 currencies and 200 countries, confirmed a strategic partnership with Ripple today to offer stablecoin-enabled cross-border payment and treasury solutions for business clients. The deal targets corridors where traditional payment rails are slow, expensive or simply unreliable.
The model at the centre of it is being called the stablecoin sandwich. Payments leave in fiat, settle via regulated stablecoins in the middle, and arrive in fiat on the other end. Convera handles the customer experience. Ripple provides the liquidity, on and off-ramping and settlement infrastructure underneath.
“By partnering with Convera, we’re combining trusted global payment infrastructure with stablecoin-powered settlement to give businesses more control over how and when they move value across borders,” said Aaron Slettehaugh, SVP of Product at Ripple.
Nobody Said XRP
Here is where it gets interesting.
The announcement does not mention XRP once. It does not explicitly reference the XRP Ledger either. For a community that has spent years watching Ripple build toward exactly this kind of institutional partnership, the omission landed badly.
“Forget no mention of XRP, they don’t even explicitly state they’re using the XRPL,” one observer posted within minutes of the announcement going live.
Crypto lawyer Bill Morgan, known for his measured takes on Ripple-related developments, noted dryly: “They didn’t call it an XRP sandwich model.”
His earlier observation was more pointed. The partnership specifically uses regulated stablecoins at the settlement layer, not XRP. Whether that changes over time, or whether RLUSD plays a role that was simply not disclosed today, remains an open question.
Over the past few days, the Solana price has been trading range-bound, strongly defending the $80 support while failing to reach $95. This has prevented the token from securing the $100 range, which could have attracted significant buying pressure. In times when the broader crypto market remains uncertain and Bitcoin shows signs of structural pressure, SOL price behaviour also displays weakness as traders remain indecisive.
This raises a key question: is SOL price quietly accumulating strength for the next rally, or is this range forming as part of a distribution phase before the next price action?
Solana TVL Decline Signals Weak Underlying Demand
Solana’s Total Value Locked (TVL) has been trending downward over the past several months, reflecting a steady decline in on-chain liquidity and user participation. Data show TVL falling from above $12 billion in late 2025 to nearly $6 billion by April 2026.
This consistent drop in locked value suggests that capital has been gradually exiting the ecosystem rather than rotating within it, a key signal that underlying demand remains weak despite periods of price consolidation.
Solana Active Addresses Decline Points to Weak Network Activity
Beyond liquidity trends, Solana’s network activity also reflects a cooling phase. Data shows that monthly active addresses have dropped significantly from peak levels above 100 million in mid-2025 to nearly 34 million recently.
This steady decline highlights a reduction in user engagement, suggesting that fewer participants are actively interacting with the network compared to previous months. When this metric declines alongside TVL, it strengthens the case that the ecosystem is experiencing a slowdown rather than expansion.
Another critical on-chain signal comes from Solana’s revenue, which has been steadily declining over recent months. After peaking above $1 million in mid-to-late 2025, weekly revenue has now dropped significantly, with recent figures hovering near the lower end of the range.
This decline in revenue indicates reduced economic activity across the network, as fewer transactions and lower demand translate directly into weaker fee generation.
How Will This Impact SOL Price as Descending Channel Keeps Bears in Control
Solana price continues to trade within a descending channel, with the price hovering near the lower boundary around $82, indicating a critical decision zone. The overall structure remains bearish, marked by consistent lower highs and weak follow-through from buyers. Indicators like RSI and MACD also reflect a lack of strong momentum, suggesting that bulls are yet to regain control.
If SOL fails to hold the $80–$78 support range, a breakdown toward $76 appears likely, especially as on-chain data—including declining TVL, active addresses, and revenue—continues to signal weakening demand.
On the other hand, a potential recovery could emerge if Solana (SOL) price manages to reclaim the $86–$90 resistance zone, which may trigger a short-term rebound and shift sentiment. However, unless this level is decisively breached, the current trend leans slightly bearish, with price likely to remain under pressure. As a result, waiting for confirmation around key levels may be a more prudent approach rather than anticipating an early breakout.
WhiteBIT Coin (WBT), the token of the WhiteBIT exchange, has reached a market capitalization of $15 billion, according to CoinDesk. This represents a 50% increase from its previous $10 billion valuation and places WBT among the ten largest tokens by market cap on the platform. The increase follows recent developments in the token’s structure and the exchange’s growth.
Tokenomics as the Foundation of Growth
At the core of WBT’s growth is its structured tokenomics, designed to balance supply expansion with long-term value support. The token operates under a deflationary model, with regular buyback-and-burn mechanisms funded by a share of trading fees, alongside scheduled unlocks that support ecosystem development.
On March 13, WhiteBIT unlocked more than 39 million WBT tokens—worth approximately $1.19 billion. The newly unlocked tokens are allocated to WhiteBIT Funds, rather than being immediately released into open market circulation. This approach aims to mitigate short-term sell pressure while maintaining flexibility for strategic initiatives and long-term growth.
Expanding Global Access
WBT’s growth has also been supported by increased global accessibility. The token was recently listed on Kraken, one of the industry’s most established trading platforms. The listing introduced WBT/EUR and WBT/USD trading pairs, expanding access to new markets and institutional participants, while strengthening liquidity and price discovery.
In December 2025, WBT was included in the S&P 5 crypto indices by S&P Dow Jones Indices. Inclusion in these indices signals growing recognition of WBT within broader financial markets and increases its visibility among institutional investors tracking benchmark crypto assets.
Ecosystem Expansion and Global Strategy
Beyond token mechanics and listings, WhiteBIT’s broader ecosystem growth continues to reinforce WBT’s value proposition. The company has been actively expanding its international footprint, including its recent entry into Ghana through a regulatory sandbox initiative launched in collaboration with local authorities. This move positions WhiteBIT among a select group of companies contributing to the development of regulated digital asset markets in one of Africa’s fastest-growing crypto adoption regions.
WBT’s utility within the WhiteBIT ecosystem also remains central to its valuation. The token is integrated across core platform services, including trading fee discounts, access to launchpad opportunities, and participation in a range of ecosystem products.
“Reaching a $15 billion market capitalization reflects the consistent development of our ecosystem and the trust of our global community,” said Volodymyr Nosov, Founder and President of W Group, of which WhiteBIT is a part of. “We are focused on building long-term value through compliance, innovation, and global expansion, ensuring that WBT remains a key pillar of the digital financial infrastructure we are developing.”
As WhiteBIT continues to expand across trading, payments, blockchain infrastructure, and institutional services, WBT plays an increasingly central role in connecting these components into a unified financial ecosystem.
The regret of missing a massive market upswing is a feeling most crypto enthusiasts know all too well. Watching from the sidelines as portfolios multiply can be painful, but the beauty of the digital asset space is that a new opportunity for redemption is always around the corner. This time, the game has changed from pure price speculation to generating consistent, productive value. You no longer have to worry about perfectly timing a market top to see significant gains. Instead, you can position yourself within the actual infrastructure of the Bitcoin network. By activating specialized shards, you can secure a seat at the table where real transaction fees are distributed. This is your chance to crush the next cycle by building a foundation of native Bitcoin rewards that grow regardless of market volatility.
Bitcoin Everlight represents the next logical step in the evolution of the world’s most secure blockchain. It is a lightweight transaction layer designed to handle global payment volume with incredible speed and minimal cost. By functioning as a decentralized routing network, it solves the primary scalability issues that have historically held Bitcoin back from mainstream retail adoption. The heart of this ecosystem is the BTCL token and the innovative shard participation model. This system allows anyone to contribute to the network’s efficiency and receive a share of the routing fees. It is a sophisticated architecture that bridges the gap between the security of the base layer and the usability required for the modern financial world.
The Shard System and Passive BTC Rewards
The most exciting development for retail participants is the recently launched Jade Shard. This entry level tier allows you to join the ecosystem for just $100 worth of BTCL tokens. During the presale, this shard delivers 6% APY in BTCL, which then transitions seamlessly into 6% real BTC rewards once the mainnet goes live. This is revolutionary because you are earning native Bitcoin from actual network routing fees rather than inflated project tokens.
The tiered system is built to reward growth and long term commitment:
Jade Shard: $100 entry with 6% rewards.
Azure Shard: $500 entry with 12% rewards.
Violet Shard: $1,500 entry with 20% rewards.
Radiant Shard: $3,000 entry with a massive 28% plus APY during the presale.
These shards auto-upgrade as your contribution grows, and the rewards transition from BTCL to live BTC automatically. Unlike traditional mining, there are no expensive ASICs, massive energy bills, or technical setups required. You simply buy BTCL and activate your shard through a dashboard that handles everything in real time.
Presale Momentum: The Phase 3 Opportunity
The momentum behind Bitcoin Everlight is undeniable, with the presale already raising over 2 million dollars. Investors are quickly discovering the unique value proposition of the shard based reward model. The presale features a multi-phase structure with built-in price increases, meaning those who join early lock in the lowest entry price before the next jump occurs. This structure is supported by a fixed total supply of 21 billion tokens, which mirrors the scarcity model of Bitcoin itself.
The project follows a community-first design in its tokenomics:
45% of tokens are allocated to public presale participants to ensure decentralized ownership.
20% is reserved specifically for node and shard rewards to incentivize network security.
15% is dedicated to liquidity on both decentralized and centralized exchanges.
10% is held by the team with a strict vesting schedule and 12 month cliff.
10% is reserved for ecosystem growth and treasury management.
Bitcoin Everlight Gaining Attention
The strength of any protocol is often found in its community, and Bitcoin Everlight has built a powerhouse following. The official Twitter account is a goldmine of real-time updates and shard activation tips. On Telegram, a rapidly growing group of shard holders shares dashboard screenshots and discusses their passive earnings. This social proof is further bolstered by prominent crypto voices. Crypto Sister recently highlighted the accessibility of the Jade Shard, while Bull Run Angel discussed the project as a top-tier infrastructure play for the next cycle. Additionally, Crypto League noted how the leaderboard system creates transparency and healthy competition among global participants.
How BTCL Timed The Market
The timing for Bitcoin Everlight is perfect as traditional mining becomes less profitable and staking yields on other chains continue to shrink. It stands out because its rewards come from real network utility and transaction fees rather than inflationary emissions. This makes it the “Bitcoin infrastructure play” that everyday holders have been waiting for. You can earn more BTC while the network itself grows, providing a sustainable and productive way to participate in the market.
Final Verdict
Missing the last bull run does not have to define your crypto journey. With Bitcoin Everlight, you have a clear path to generating 28%+ APY in native Bitcoin through a secure and transparent system. Whether you start small with the $100 Jade Shard or maximize your yield in the Radiant tier, the opportunity to build real wealth is happening right now. Secure your position and join the next evolution of Bitcoin scaling today.
Kim described a mysterious asset linked to the letters “X” and “P.” He hinted at its long-term value and importance in a future system.
“Something starting with an X and it has a P in it is a very profound something that’s going to be worth investing in… I had a dream and I saw an X… and then P.”
Today, many interpret this as an early reference to XRP. With the asset trading around $1.33, its price continues to reflect shifting market sentiment, liquidity conditions, and growing institutional interest.
Brandon Biggs XRP prophecy update 2026 expands on this with a dramatic reset scenario:
“The dollar’s about to turn into a digital dollar… it will be worth half than what it’s worth right now… the banks all went bankrupt… all the money was seized.”
He describes a rapid transition involving bank failures, debt resets, and supply disruptions, depicting how the market is changing, and utility is coming into focus.
Within this disruption, XRP is positioned as a major beneficiary. Biggs suggests that as financial systems migrate to blockchain infrastructure, digital assets could see rapid price appreciation.
“I saw some of them go to $5 quickly… some go to $10… and this was just the beginning… even targets like 150.”
The logic is simple. A higher price means better liquidity. With trillions moving daily, networks like the XRP Ledger need higher valuations to handle that scale efficiently.
Moving With Clarity
However, at the end, there are also references to Brad Garlinghouse, with claims that major deals and institutional moves toward blockchain infrastructure may already be underway, further strengthening XRP’s long-term narrative. This can be linked to the regulations, particularly the CLARITY Act breakthrough in April.
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FAQs
How does the CLARITY Act affect XRP’s future?
The CLARITY Act represents a regulatory breakthrough that provides clear rules for digital assets. This legal clarity encourages institutional investment and major infrastructure deals, strengthening XRP’s position for long-term adoption in the financial sector.
Is XRP expected to benefit from a financial reset?
Analysts suggest XRP is positioned as a key bridge asset in a financial reset. As traditional systems face instability and transition to blockchain infrastructure, XRP’s utility in cross-border payments and institutional liquidity is expected to drive its value and adoption.
Is XRP a good investment?
XRP may be a promising investment due to its role in cross-border payments and growing institutional adoption, but price volatility and regulation risks remain.
Hey Sammy Fans, if you are anything like me, a die-hard Samsung fan who has been using One UI since the very first day, you are probably checking your software update notifications every few hours, wondering the same thing: Is April finally the month my phone gets the stable One UI 8.5 update?
I have been writing about the One UI updates for years, discussing with many users in forums, and watching Samsung’s software update patterns, so let me give you my honest answer. No hype, just direct talk.
Let’s start. The One UI 8.5 has been in a beta testing program for the last few months. It is also available in stable form for the Galaxy S26 series. But for the rest of the people with older Samsung phones (like S25, S24, or even older ones), the update is taking longer than we expected.
We have been testing beta versions on the S25 phones and some foldable phones. These beta versions have been very smooth and bug-free for many weeks now. The latest Beta 8 feels so good, more like a stable version. So the big question everyone is asking is: Will the stable One UI 8.5 update start coming to older phones in April?
In my opinion, yes, most likely without any big delays. And here’s why I am feeling confident about that. Samsung knows that the Galaxy community is talking about new features of the One UI 8.5, like smoother animations, better battery improvement, enhanced Galaxy AI tools, and Quick Share improvements.
In addition, Android 17 beta has kicked off smoothly, with no major bugs reported so far. From what I know about how Samsung works, the company is already getting ready to launch the One UI 9 beta program pretty soon, probably in the next couple of months. I just want to add that nothing is officially confirmed yet.
Samsung will not continue the One UI 8.5 beta testing program forever because that would push everything back. By releasing the One UI 8.5 stable version, Samsung can focus on Android 17 features. I have seen this strategy before, and it usually means no unnecessary delay.
Now, let’s talk about the rollout date for your Galaxy device. Samsung follows the phased software update rollout plan for models, regions, and carriers.
If you are using a Galaxy S25 series phone, S25, S25+, or S25 Ultra, you will be first in line to get the stable One UI 8.5 update. These devices were the first to join the beta program.
It looks like mid-April will be a perfect time for the One UI 8.5 rollout. It most likely includes the latest April 2026 security patch. The latest beta is bug-free and also brings great battery life. For the Z Fold 7 and Z Flip 7, these devices are right behind the S25 series and could see a stable One UI 8.5 update in the same April rollout.
The Galaxy S24 series and Fold6/Flip6 series could also get the stable update in some regions. In any case, the rollout should start by the end of April or by early May.
What about older flagships like the S23 or S22 series, or the mid-range A-series, M-series, and tablets? You should not expect the rollout of these devices in April unless you are one lucky Galaxy user. Most of these devices will probably start getting stable updates in May or June, with the full rollout completing by summer.
With One UI 9 beta on the horizon, Samsung should complete the rollout very soon. Before waiting for the stable update, make sure your phone is eligible. Most devices running One UI 8 should also receive the 8.5, but check the Samsung Members app for any official list.
The rollout also depends on where you live. The Galaxy users living in Korea and Europe often see updates first, while other regions follow. If you are using a Carrier-locked device, there could be a delay of a week or two when compared with unlocked ones.
In my experience, when Samsung has its eyes on the next beta program. If you have a recent flagship or foldable, mark April on your calendar and keep an eye on software update notifications. For everyone else, you should get the update soon after.
The Weather Company is bringing its Storm Radar app to Android soon. Until now, it was only available for iPhone users.This app helps people check the weather simply and clearly.Weather is important for daily plans, so a good app can really help.
Storm Radar now has a new AI feature to make things easier. Users can ask simple questions like – Is it a good time to go outside? The AI will explain the weather in easy words.It also has detailed radar maps to show weather changes clearly.
Some features are free, but not all. To use advanced tools like the 72-hour radar, users need to pay. The cost is about $4 per month or $20 per year. There is also another plan with extra benefits at a higher price.
There are already many weather apps available for free. Still, Storm Radar wants to stand out by giving more accurate and detailed information. This can help people avoid problems like rain ruining their plans.
For some users, paying for better weather updates may be useful.Others may prefer free apps with basic features.When Storm Radar comes to Android, it will be interesting to see what users choose.
Storm Radar will reportedly be available soon on Android, including Samsung devices. However, Samsung already offers a weather app, which offers amazing and smart features to provide a better experience. Stay tuned for more information.
Ant Group bought a 50.55% stake in Hong Kong broker Yau Choy Securities for about $360M, reshaping its board as it quietly positions for a local stablecoin license. Ant Group has completed its acquisition of Hong Kong-listed Yau Choy Securities,…
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GitHub users have reported massive amounts of spam in over 11,000 projects. Microsoft Copilot has been inserting suggestions that reference the productivity tool Raycast. Developers are calling it advertising, but Microsoft has denied this, attributing it to a technical error that has since been fixed.
Several Amazfit smartwatches are currently receiving firmware updates. These releases are said to improve sleep tracking and add a new Bluetooth feature for users of models including the Bip 6.
Samsung has released a new app that it says helps with motion sickness. The free app, which is called Hearapy, plays a sound at a particular decibel and frequency, which then helps a user to improve balance.
Lenovo has finally released its 0.65-litre mini-PC in some capacity. Available in China and listed as 'coming soon' in other countries, the Yoga Mini i combines the Intel Panther Lake platform with up to 32 GB of RAM and Thunderbolt 4 connectivity.
An Oppo executive has officially revealed the design of the company's upcoming Legion Tab Gen 5 and RedMagic Astra rival. Launching next month, the Oppo Pad Mini should combine an 8.8-inch OLED display with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 chipset and up to 16 GB of RAM.
Deal | The Amazfit T-Rex 3 Pro smartwatch is currently 50% off at a US retailer. This popular rugged wearable offers features like an integrated flashlight, support for diving and an up to 14-day battery life.
Google is now finally letting you change your Gmail address, the part before @gmail.com. This is currently rolling out in the US only, but hopefully will make it to other countries as well in the near future.
The company has published the quick video embedded below that tells you exactly what you need to do.
Basically, go to your Google Account settings, and tap Personal info, then Email, then Google Account email. Then you should see a big blue button saying "Change Google Account email". Tap it, and pick a new email.
The original address, the one you're replacing, will remain...
A high-severity security flaw in the TrueConf client video conferencing software has been exploited in the wild as a zero-day as part of a campaign targeting government entities in Southeast Asia dubbed TrueChaos.
The vulnerability in question is CVE-2026-3502 (CVSS score: 7.8), a lack of integrity check when fetching application update code, allowing an attacker to distribute a tampered update,
In their quest to secure a long-awaited spot in the 2026 World Cup, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Italy face off, aiming to end a multi-year drought of missing the tournament. While The Dragons look to cause damage with their aerial game, the Azzurri will rely on speed down the wings.
Bosnia and Herzegovina face Italy in the UEFA 2026 World Cup Qualifiers, with both sides aiming to secure their desired spot. While the Dragons arrive with major doubts regarding their competitiveness, the Azzurri come in as clear favorites, having delivered an impressive performance in their last match. Despite this, they face serious defensive issues that their opponents will look to exploit.
While they do not have a midfield capable of controlling the tempo of the game, Italy have managed to shine, relying on Sandro Tonali as main core of the national team. In addition, Manuel Locatelli remains the central anchor, providing defensive balance to the team. However, they still face serious defensive issues, as their high pressing leaves significant space in behind.
Although they are not the favorites in this match, Bosnia and Herzegovina are proving to be a tough opponent for Italy. Aware of the team’s weaknesses in collective play, coach Sergej Barbarez has decided to focus on aerial play as one of their key strengths, alongside the counterattack. For this reason, Edin Džeko remains a key player, as he is the national team’s leading scorer.
Italy are looking to secure their spot in the 2026 World Cup, relying on the speed of Federico Dimarco and Matteo Politano. However, they aren’t looking to dominate the aerial game; instead, Tonali and Barella serve as key support to find Moise Kean or Pio Esposito. Additionally, they could use their strong long-range shooting to open the scoring. As a result, they have solutions to counter Bosnia and Herzegovina’s solid defense.
The atmosphere is expected to be electric as history hangs in the balance, with one team dreaming of a breakthrough and the other chasing a long-awaited return to the global stage.
A decisive night awaits as Turkiye visits Kosovo in a high-stakes 2026 World Cup Qualifiers play-off final. Both national sides enter the contest with contrasting stories and ambitions, setting the stage for a dramatic encounter in Pristina. The atmosphere is expected to be electric as history hangs in the balance, with one team dreaming of a breakthrough and the other chasing a long-awaited return to the global stage.
Kosovo arrives as one of the most compelling stories in international soccer, standing just one win away from its first-ever World Cup appearance. Under the leadership of Franco Foda, the team has shown remarkable resilience, including a dramatic 4-3 victory over Slovakia in the semi-final.
That performance demonstrated both attacking flair and mental strength, as Kosovo fought back multiple times to secure its place in the final. As the team chases history, its campaign represents a defining moment for a nation that only recently joined FIFA in 2016.
On the other hand, Turkiye enters this final with a clear objective: to return to the World Cup for the first time since its iconic 2002 campaign. Now guided by Vincenzo Montella, the team has combined tactical discipline with individual quality throughout the qualifiers.
A narrow 1-0 win over Romania in the semi-final, sealed by a decisive assist from Arda Guler, showcased the team’s ability to control tight matches. With a strong squad and growing momentum, the Crescent-Stars appear determined to finish the job.
Key players and tactical balance
Kosovo will rely heavily on physical presence and direct attacking play, with players like Fisnik Asllani leading the line. The team’s aggressive style and home advantage could prove decisive in a tightly contested match.
Turkiye, meanwhile, leans on technical creativity and midfield control, with Arda Guler acting as the creative heartbeat. Captain Hakan Calhanoglu also plays a crucial role in dictating tempo and maintaining balance in midfield. The clash of styles, Kosovo’s intensity versus Turkiye’s composure, adds another layer of intrigue to an already dramatic fixture.
How Turkiye’s win, draw, or loss could affect the UEFA 2026 World Cup Qualifiers
If Turkiye wins (Kosovo loses):
Turkiye qualifies for the 2026 FIFA World Cup for the first time since 2002.
Kosovo is eliminated from the qualification.
Turkiye secures one of UEFA’s final qualification spots, joining the United States, Paraguay, and Australia in Group D at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
If the match ends in a draw:
The match goes to extra time and potentially penalties.
A draw is not final, as one team must win.
The eventual winner qualifies, while the loser is eliminated.
If Turkiye loses (Kosovo wins):
Kosovo qualifies for the 2026 FIFA World Cup for the first time in history, joining the United States, Paraguay, and Australia in Group D at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Turkiye is eliminated at the final stage.
Kosovo achieves a landmark moment as a rising soccer nation.
Congo DR take on Jamaica in the Pathway 1 semifinal of the FIFA World Cup qualification inter-confederation play-offs. Here’s all the essential information, including kickoff times and how to watch the match live on TV and streaming services.
Here are all of the details of where you can watch Congo DR vs Jamaica on US television and via legal streaming:
History is within touching distance for both sides as DR Congo and collide in a rare, high-stakes showdown with a coveted return to the FIFA World Cup on the line. DR Congo, chasing its first appearance since 1974—when the nation competed as Zaire—has emerged as one of the tournament’s biggest surprises and now looks to finish the job.
Meanwhile, Jamaicaenters riding the momentum of a hard-fought victory over New Caledonia, with the Reggae Boyz eyeing their first trip back to the global stage since 1998. With just one prior meeting between these teams and everything at stake, this clash promises drama from kickoff to the final whistle.
More details on how to watch
With Fubo, you can watch Congo DR vs Jamaica and tons more games. With the legal streaming service, you can watch the game on your computer, smartphone, tablet, Roku, Apple TV or hook it up to your TV with Google Chromecast.
Now with Fubo, you can stream USA Network, ESPN, ESPN2, CBS, CBS Sports Network, FS1, FS2, beIN SPORTS, beIN SPORTS en Español, beIN SPORTS Connect, beIN SPORTS XTRA, NBC, CNBC, USA, FOX, FOX Soccer Plus, FOX Deportes, Telemundo, Universo and Galavision.
Plus Fubo, the legal streaming service, also streams Liga MX, World Cup, Women’s World Cup, MLS, UEFA Champions League (in Spanish), Europa League (in Spanish), Primeira Liga, Ligue Un, World Cup qualifiers, NWSL, select USMNT games, select USWNT games, select Mexico games, select England games and more.
The Fubo app is available for Windows PC, Mac, Apple iPhones, Android phones, Amazon Fire TV, Android Mobile, Android TV, Apple TV, Chromecast, Hisense TVs, iOS devices, LG TVs, Samsung Smart TVs, Vizio Smartcast TVs and Xbox One.
If you’re planning to follow more games on this platform, you can check out the full Fubo soccer schedule to stay up to date with upcoming matches available via the service.
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 NordVPN, allows you to establish a secure connection online when streaming. If you are not sure which VPN to use, check out World Soccer Talk’s guide to the best VPNs for streaming soccer.
To find out when soccer games are on, download the free Soccer TV Schedules App which includes listings of all of the live soccer matches available in the United States (available on Apple iOS devices and Android devices).
Terence Crawford has revealed that he was close to fighting on after his victory over Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez. ‘Bud’ Crawford beat Canelo in September 2025, winning the undisputed super-middleweight title to cement his legacy. It marked a title in a fifth weight class and a third undisputed reign for the switch hitter from Omaha, Nebraska. […]
Galatasaray yönetimi, Avrupa vizesi için hayati önem taşıyan borçsuzluk belgelerini UEFA'ya göndererek finansal krizi düğümünü çözdü... bu süreçte gerçekleştirilen toplam 45 milyon Euro'luk dev ödeme operasyonuyla geçmişe dönük tüm alacaklar da sıfırlandı. UEFA'dan gelen ödül parasını soğutmadan takıma dağıtan Galatasaray yönetimi primler konusunda ise cömert davranmadı. Juventus ve Beşiktaş primleri ödenmedi. Trabzonspor maçına ise iddia edildiği gibi 2 değil 1 milyon euro'luk prim belirlendi.
Galatasaray yönetimi, Avrupa kupalarına katılım yolunda en kritik aşamalardan biri olan "borçsuzluk" operasyonunu alnının akıyla tamamladı.
31 Mart itibarıyla gerekli tüm evrakları UEFA’ya gönderen sarı-kırmızılılar toplamda yaptığı 45 milyon euro’luk dev ödeme operasyonuyla nefes aldı.
15 MİLYON EURO İLE İŞ BİTİRİLDİ
Bu süreçte bonservis taksitleri ve oyuncu maaşlarını temizlemek için yoğun mesai harcayan yönetim, geçtiğimiz hafta yaptığı 15 milyon euro’luk son ödemeyle rahatladı. Bu ödeme trafiğinde en büyük kolaylığı ise yine UEFA sağladı.
Juventus’u eleyerek Şampiyonlar Ligi’nde son 16 turuna kalan Galatasaray, bu başarıdan hak kazandığı 11,8 milyon euro’luk ödülü geçtiğimiz hafta kasasına koydu. Yönetim, paradan soğumadan bu kaynağı direkt olarak takıma dağıtarak alacakları sıfırladı.
BAŞAKŞEHİR GALİBİYETİNE PRİM YOK
Maaş ve bonservis ödemelerinde doping etkisi yaratan bu gelişmelere rağmen, primler konusunda yönetim daha temkinli bir yol izliyor.
Juventus maçı için belirlenen 2 milyon euro ve Beşiktaş derbisi için vadedilen 1 milyon euro’luk primler henüz ödenmedi. Başakşehir galibiyeti sonrası ortaya atılan 1 milyon euro’luk prim iddiasının asılsız olduğu bildirildi.
Trabzonspor maçı için konuşulan 2 milyon euro’luk prim söylentilerinin aksine, yönetimin Beşiktaş derbisinde olduğu gibi 1 milyon euro seviyesinde bir rakam belirlediği belirtildi.
LIVERPOOL ÖNCESİ SIFIRLANMIŞTI
Liverpool maçı öncesinde oyuncuların motivasyonunu yüksek tutmak için yönetim o dönemde toplamda 7,5 milyon euro’luk bir ödeme daha yapmıştı. O süreçte futbolcuların geçmişe dönük tüm alacakları sıfırlanmıştı. Sarı-kırmızılı ekip hafta sonunda şampiyonluğun belki de kapısını açacak Trabzonspor deplasmanına hem idari hem de finansal olarak "sıfır sorun"la çıkacak.
Fenerbahçe'de yönetim gelecek sezon kalacak mı belli değil... ancak yeni sezonun kadro planlaması için "erken operasyon" düğmesine basıldı. Sol bek mevkisini öncelik haline getiren sarı-lacivertliler, Cruzeiro forması giyen Kaiki'nin ardından rotayı Bayern Münih ile yollarını ayıracağı resmen açıklanan Raphaël Guerreiro'yu listesine ekledi. Tecrübeli oyuncu ve menajeriyle ilk temasları kuruldu. Teknik kapasitesi ve hücum bindirmeleriyle Avrupa'nın en önemli bekleri arasında gösterilen Guerreiro için mali şartları masaya yatırıldı.
Fenerbahçe'de tarihsiz seçim süreci ve yönetimin geleceğine dair belirsizlik sürse de, sportif direktörlük kanadı kadro planlaması için "erken operasyon" düğmesine bastı.
Sol bek mevkisini öncelik haline getiren Fenerbahçe, Bayern Münih’ten ayrılan dünya yıldızı Raphaël Guerreiro için resmi temaslara başladı.
İLK RESMİ TEMASLAR KURULDU BİLE
Gelecek sezonun savunma hattını güçlendirmeyi hedefleyen sarı-lacivertli yönetimi, iki koldan ilerliyor. Bir yanda Cruzeiro’nun potansiyelli sol beki Kaiki için görüşmeler sürerken, diğer yanda masaya oturan isim kariyerinin zirvesinde olan Raphaël Guerreiro.
Portekizli oyuncu ve menajeriyle ilk köprülerin kuruldu. Oyuncunun şartları masaya yatırıldı.
BAYERN KENDİSİNE TEŞEKKÜR ETTİ
32 yaşındaki Portekizli sol bek ile Bayern Münih arasındaki iş birliği resmen sona eriyor. Kulüpten yapılan açıklamada, 2023 yılında Borussia Dortmund’dan transfer edilen tecrübeli oyuncunun sezon sonunda bitecek sözleşmesinin yenilenmeyeceği ve ayrılık kararının karşılıklı olarak alındığı duyuruldu. Bayern Münih Sportif Direktörü Max Eberl, Guerreiro için şu ifadeleri kullandı:
- Rapha’ya bize kattığı her şey için teşekkür ederiz. Sahada her zaman güvenebileceğimiz bir isim olmasının yanı sıra, karakteriyle soyunma odasına gerçek değer katan özel bir profesyoneldi.
KAZANMADIĞI KUPA KALMADI
Teknik kapasitesi ve hücum bindirmeleriyle Avrupa’nın en formda bekleri arasında gösterilen yıldız oyuncu, Münih formasıyla önemli başarılara imza attı.
Maç Sayısı: 89
Skor Katkısı: 12 Gol / 8 Asist
Başarılar: Bundesliga Şampiyonluğu, Almanya Süper Kupası.
1. Lig'de şampiyonluğa koşan ve Süper Lig kapısını aralayan Erzurumspor yönetimi dev bir transfer operasyonu için düğmeye bastı. Taraftara şampiyonluk hediyesi olarak Carlos Vinícius'un verilmesi için harekete geçildi. 2024'te Galatasaray forması giyen şu anda Brezilya'da Grêmio'da 19 maçta 10 gol atarak kariyerinin en formda dönemini geçiren 31 yaşındaki sambacı, Dadaşların Süper Lig'deki yeni vizyonu olacak. Finansal gücünü gövde gösterisine dönüştürmek isteyen Erzurum yönetimi sözleşmesinin sonuna yaklaşan golcü için tüm şartları zorlamaya başladı.
Süper Lig’e dönmek için şafak sayan Erzurumspor FK’da camia şampiyonluk kutlamalarına hazırlanırken, yönetim "Süper Lig hediyesi" için düğmeye bastı.
1. Lig’de 32. hafta itibarıyla 69 puanla liderlik koltuğunda oturan ve en yakın rakibine 6 puan fark atan Dadaşlar, Süper Lig’de kalıcı olmanın anahtarını dünyaca ünlü golcü Carlos Vinícius'ta buldu.
19 MAÇTA 10 GOL ATMAYI BAŞARDI
2024 yılında Galatasaray formasıyla Süper Lig'de kısa bir süre geçiren 31 yaşındaki sambacı, şu sıralar kariyerinin en parlak dönemlerinden birini yaşıyor.
Grêmio formasıyla 2026 sezonunun ilk çeyreğinde çıktığı 19 resmi maçta 10 gol kaydeden Vinícius, Brezilya Liginin en korkulan forvetlerinden biri.
Erzurumspor yönetiminin, transfer yasağı krizini tamamen aşmasının ardından Süper Lig bütçesi için dev bir sponsor desteğiyle bu transferi bitirmeyi hedeflediği öğrenildi.
ORTADOĞU'DAN TALİPLERİ VAR
Mavi-beyazlı taraftarları heyecanlandıran bu "rüya" hamlenin önünde ise iki büyük engel bulunuyor. Güncel piyasa değeri 7 Milyon Euro seviyelerinde olan Vinícius’un maaş beklentisi, Erzurumspor’un Süper Lig bütçesini zorlayabilir.
Brezilya’daki müthiş performansı sonrası oyuncunun Orta Doğu’dan da ciddi talipleri bulunuyor.
Erzurumspor’un bu transferdeki en büyük kozu ise oyuncunun sözleşme süresi. Vinícius’un Grêmio ile olan kontratı 31 Aralık 2026’da sona eriyor. Yaz transfer döneminde sözleşmesinin bitimine 6 ay kalacak olan sambacı için "uygun bonservis" formülü masada.
TFF 1. Lig'de son 6 haftaya girilirken küme düşme hattının 7 puan gerisinde kalan Sakaryaspor'da "seferberlik" ilan edildi. Yönetim, mucizevi bir geri dönüş için kesenin ağzını açtı. Hem kritik maçlara özel hem de ligde kalınması durumunda devreye girecek dev bir prim paketi hazırladı. Yeşil-siyahlılar, İstanbulspor ve Ümraniyespor gibi doğrudan rakiplerine karşı alınacak galibiyetlerle ligde kalma barajını yakalamayı planlıyor. Şehrin kenetlenmesi, taraftarın tribün baskısı ve yönetimsel ekonomik hamlelerin birleştiği bu tarihi operasyon, Sakaryaspor'un kaderini belirleyecek.
TFF 1. Lig’in bitimine 6 hafta kala, 32 puanla 18. sırada yer alan ve düşme hattının 7 puan gerisine düşen Sakaryaspor’da yönetim düğmeye bastı.
Camianın üzerindeki ölü toprağını atmak ve oyuncuları mental olarak ayağa kaldırmak isteyen yöneticiler, futbol tarihinin 1. Lig'de verilen en yüksek prim paketlerinden birini masaya koydu.
İKİ FARKLI PRİM UYGULAMASI
Alınan bilgilere göre Sakaryaspor yönetiminin hazırladığı paket iki aşamadan oluşuyor. İlk aşamada, ligdeki kaderi doğrudan etkileyecek olan İstanbulspor ve Ümraniyespor gibi "6 puanlık" maçlar için özel galibiyet primleri tanımlandı.
İkinci ve asıl büyük hamle ise, sezon sonunda ligde kalınması durumunda tüm takıma dağıtılacak olan dev "kurtuluş primi" oldu.
GOL YEME REKORLARI KIRILIYOR
Sezon genelinde kalesinde gördüğü 56 golle ligin en çok gol yiyen ekiplerinden biri olan Sakaryaspor’da, bu prim hamlesinin özellikle savunma hattındaki konsantrasyon kayıplarını minimize etmesi hedefleniyor. Teknik heyetin de desteğiyle hazırlanan bu motivasyon paketiyle, oyuncuların saha içindeki ikili mücadelelerde ve kritik anlarda reaksiyon süresinin artırılması bekleniyor.
İSTANBUL VE ÜMRANİYE MAÇLARI KRİTİK
Sakaryaspor’un önündeki 18 puanlık maratonun en büyük avantajı, doğrudan rakipleriyle kendi sahasında veya kritik deplasmanlarda karşılaşacak olması. Yönetimin belirlediği prim dopingiyle birlikte Yeşil-Siyahlıların kalan maç senaryosu şu şekilde şekilleniyor.
- İstanbulspor: Mutlak 3 puan ve ikili averaj üstünlüğü hedefi.
- Esenler Erokspor, Hatayspor, Çorum FK ve Manisa FK maçlarında maksimum puan.
SAKARYA'DA HERKES ELELE VERDİ
Prim hamlesinin sadece yönetim bazında kalmaması, şehirdeki iş insanları ve mülki amirlerin de sürece dahil olmasıyla Sakarya’da tam bir "seferberlik" havası hakim.
Taraftar gruplarının da önümüzdeki iç saha maçlarında stadı tamamen doldurarak bu ekonomik motivasyonu, tribün baskısıyla birleştirmesi bekleniyor.
Fenerbahçe'de milli arada verilen 3+1+4 günlük ara teknik olarak endişe yarattı... Gaziantep galibiyetinin ardından Tedesco'nun uyguladığı parçalı izin programı, takımı 7 günlük bir kopuş süreciyle karşı karşıya bıraktı. Bilimsel literatürün "kısa süreli idmansızlık" olarak tanımladığı bu kritik eşikte; futbolcuların vücut yağ oranlarındaki artış riski, patlayıcı güç kaybı ve en önemlisi maç ritminin kaybolması riski ortaya çıktı. Şampiyonluk yolunda yakalanan momentumun "tatil modu" nedeniyle sekteye uğramasından korkuluyor.
Süper Lig’de şampiyonluk yarışı tüm hızıyla sürerken, milli maç nedeniyle verilen arada Domenico Tedesco'nun 8 gün içinde verdiği önce 4 sonra da 3 günlük izinler Fenerbahçe’de tartışma yarattı. Geçtiğimiz Salı günü oynanan Gaziantep FK galibiyetinin ardından Samandıra’da uygulanan izin programı, teknik heyet ve camiada "form düşüklüğü" endişesi yarattı.
Spor bilimcilerine göre lig devam ederken bu kadar uzun süreli bir kopuş profesyonel sporcular üzerinde ciddi riskler barındırabilir.
KISA SÜRELİ İDMANSIZLIK
Futbol literatüründe 7 ila 14 gün arasında değişen bu tür aralar "Kısa Süreli İdmansızlık" dönemi olarak tanımlanıyor. Fenerbahçeli oyuncuların sahaya dönüşünde karşı karşıya kalabileceği temel negatif etkiler ise şu şekilde sıralanıyor.
Hareketsiz geçen bir haftanın ardından profesyonel sporcuların vücut kütlesinde ortalama %1 artış yaşanabilir. Bu oyuncuların çevikliğini etkileyebilir.
Maksimum sprint hızı ve sıçrama kapasitesinde küçük ama maç kondisyonunu baltalayan düşüşler beklenebilir. Özellikle maç içindeki tekrarlı sprint yeteneği ağır darbe alabilir.
Sinir sisteminin oyun hızına uyumu olarak bilinen "keskinlik" seviyesinin düşebilir. Sahada karar verme süresi uzar. Kritik pas hatalarına ve kontrol eksikliklerine davetiye çıkarabilir.
SAKATLIK KABUSU YAŞANABİLİR
Sadece fiziksel değil, psikolojik etkiler de Fenerbahçe'nin şampiyonluk yolundaki temposunu tehdit edebilir. Yoğun fikstür stresinden tamamen kopup aileleriyle vakit geçiren oyuncuların, ligin yüksek tansiyonuna tekrar adapte olması zaman alabilir.
Hedef odaklılıktan uzaklaşmak, özellikle kritik virajlarda disiplin kayıplarına neden olabilir.
En büyük korku ise sakatlıklar. 7 gün boyunca pasif dinlenen kas grupları ara dönüşü aniden maç temposundaki yüklenmelere maruz kalırsa özellikle arka adale sakatlığı yaşanabilir.
Performansıyla dev kulüpleri peşine takan Felipe Augusto'nun, 15 milyon Euro bandındaki bir bedelle vedasına hazırlanan Trabzonspor yönetimi, "Sambadan" gelecek kaynağı vakit kaybetmeden "Tangoya" yatırmanın planlarını yapıyor. Arjantin efsanesi Carlos Tévez'in teknik direktörlükteki ilk gururu olan Valentin Davila, bordo-mavililerin gözdesi oldu. Talleres formasıyla çıktığı ilk 11 maçta 4 gol bularak 19 yaşında "umut vadeden forvet" etiketini alan Dávila, bordo-mavililerin bir numaralı hedefi haline geldi.
Trabzonspor bir yandan şampiyonluk maçı için hazırlanırken diğer yandan da sezon sonunda yaşanacak transfer savaşı öncesinde cephaneliğini güçlendirmeye çalışıyor. Ocak ayında Körfez ekiplerinden gelen astronomik tekliflere rağmen takımda kalan Felipe Augusto'nun, yaz transfer döneminde rekor bir ücretle ayrılması bekleniyor.
Bordo-mavili yönetim, Brezilyalı yıldızın boşluğunu Arjantin’in yeni parlayan yıldız adayı Valentín Dávila ile doldurmak için strateji planlarını tamamladı.
FELIPE AUGUSTO KESİN YOLCU GİBİ
Augusto’nun ayrılık ihtimaline karşılık listenin en başında yer alan isim, Talleres formasıyla fırtınalar estiren Dávila. Henüz 19 yaşında olmasına rağmen Arjantin futbolunda "en umut vadeden forvetler" arasında gösterilen genç yetenek, teknik kapasitesi ve bitiriciliğiyle öne çıkıyor.
Talleres formasıyla ilk 11 maçta 4 gol, eski efsane Carlos Tévez’in tedrisatından geçen ve onun güvenini boşa çıkarmayan bir gelişim süreci, dönük oyun becerisi, ceza sahası içindeki soğukkanlılığı ve yüksek patlayıcı gücü ile dikkatleri üzerine çekiyor.
SIDIKI İLE KIYASLANINCA ÖDENEBİLİR
Scout ekibinin radarına takılan Dávila için tek talip Trabzonspor değil. İspanya’nın köklü kulüplerinden Real Betis de genç oyuncuyu yakından takip ediyor. Ancak Trabzonspor cephesi, oyuncunun gelişimi ve süre alma garantisi üzerinden bir proje sunarak elini güçlendirmeyi hedefliyor.
Arjantin kulübünün kapıyı 5-6 milyon Euro bandından açması bekleniyor.
Transfer piyasasının son dönemdeki yüksek seyri, Trabzonspor yönetimini korkutmuyor. Özellikle Fenerbahçe’nin Sidiki transferi için 22 milyon Euro ödediği piyasa ortamında, Dávila için istenen 5-6 milyon Euro’luk bedel "makul ve kesinlikle ödenebilir" bir yatırım olarak değerlendiriliyor.
Teknik direktör Egemen Korkmaz, Hırvatistan-Türkiye U21 maçında fenalaştı.
Ümit Milli Futbol Takımı Teknik Direktörü Egemen Korkmaz, UEFA 21 Yaş Altı Avrupa Şampiyonası Elemeleri H Grubu'ndaki Hırvatistan maçında yaşadığı rahatsızlık nedeniyle hastaneye kaldırıldı.
Hırvatistan'ın Osijek kentinde bulunan Opus Arena'da oynanan maçın 35. dakikasında Demir Ege Tıknaz'ın ikinci sarıdan kırmızı kart görmesi sonrası saha kenarında sert bir şekilde hakeme itirazda bulunan Egemen Korkmaz, ayağının kaymasıyla yere düştü.
Bir süre yerden kalkamayan Korkmaz, sağlık görevlilerinin müdahalesinin ardından ambulansla sahadan ayrıldı.
Maçın hakemi Alessandro Dudic ise bu olayın ardından oyuncuları soyunma odasına gönderdi.
TFF'DEN AÇIKLAMA
TFF'den yapılan açıklamada, "Ümit Milli Futbol Takımı'mızın teknik direktörü Egemen Korkmaz, bugün Osijek şehrindeki Opus Arena'da Hırvatistan ile oynanan maçın 35. dakikasında ayağının kayması sonucu başını yere vurarak bilinç kaybı yaşamıştır. Başında düşmeye bağlı şişlik oluşan Korkmaz'a ilk müdahale saha kenarında sağlık heyetimiz tarafından yapılmıştır. Bilinci açık olan ve tetkikler için kontrol amaçlı ambulansla hastaneye kaldırılan hocamıza geçmiş olsun dileklerimizi iletir, acil şifalar dileriz." ifadelerine yer verildi.
A newly published, unverified report claims Google’s Gemini AI is instructed to mirror user tone and validate emotions while grounding its responses in fact and reality.
Why we care. If accurate, AI-generated search responses may vary based on how a query is phrased — not just the information available.
What’s new. The report centers on the inherent tension in the system-level instructions guiding how Gemini responds. The report, published by Elie Berreby, head of SEO and AI search at Adorama, suggested that Gemini is instructed to:
Match the user’s tone, energy, and intent.
Validate emotions before responding.
Deliver answers aligned with the user’s perspective.
What it means. The “overly supportive mandate frequently overrides the factual grounding,” Berreby wrote. So instead of acting as a neutral aggregator, AI answers may:
Reinforce negative framing (“Why is X bad?”).
Reinforce positive framing (“Why is X great?”).
If public perception is negative, AI may amplify it. As the report suggests:
AI reflects existing sentiment signals.
It doesn’t “balance” them the way blue links often do.
Query framing. The emotional framing of a query affects:
Which sources get cited.
How summaries are written.
The overall tone of the answer.
Google’s AI Overviews already show tone shifts, often aligning with query intent beyond keywords. This report offers a possible explanation.
Unverified. Google hasn’t confirmed the leak. As Berreby noted in his report: “I’ve decided to share only a fraction of the leaked internal system information with the general public. I’m not sharing any sensitive data. This isn’t a zero-day exploit. This is a tiny leak.”
Google is giving retailers more firepower to promote loyalty program benefits directly within product listings — expanding the program internationally and into its newest AI-powered shopping experiences.
What’s new. Merchants can now highlight member pricing and exclusive shipping options directly on listings. Loyalty annotations have also expanded to local inventory ads and regional Shopping ads — making it easier to promote in-store or geography-specific perks.
Why we care. The more you can personalize an offer for a shopper, the better. Embedding member perks into the moment of purchase discovery — rather than requiring a separate loyalty app or webpage — makes programs more visible and more likely to drive sign-ups.
By the numbers. According to Google, some retailers have reported up to a 20% lift in click-through rates when showing tailored offers to existing loyalty members.
The big picture. Loyalty benefits will now appear on Google’s AI-first surfaces, including AI Mode and Gemini, putting member offers in front of shoppers at an entirely new layer of the search experience.
Where it’s available. The expansion covers 14 countries — Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, South Korea, Spain, the UK, and the US.
How to get started. Merchants activate the loyalty add-on in Merchant Center, configure member tiers, and set up pricing and shipping attributes. Connecting Customer Match lists in Google Ads is required to display strikethrough pricing and shipping perks to known members.
Don’t miss. US merchants can apply to join a pilot that uses Customer Match as a relationship data source for free listings — potentially expanding loyalty reach without additional ad spend.
Googlebot. Google has many more than one singular crawler, it has many crawlers for many purposes. So referencing Googlebot as a singular crawler, might not be super accurate anymore. Google documented many of its crawlers and user agents over here.
Limits. Recently, Google spoke about its crawling limits. Now, Gary Illyes dug into it more. He said:
Googlebot currently fetches up to 2MB for any individual URL (excluding PDFs).
This means it crawls only the first 2MB of a resource, including the HTTP header.
For PDF files, the limit is 64MB.
Image and video crawlers typically have a wide range of threshold values, and it largely depends on the product that they’re fetching for.
For any other crawlers that don’t specify a limit, the default is 15MB regardless of content type.
Then what happens when Google crawls?
Partial fetching: If your HTML file is larger than 2MB, Googlebot doesn’t reject the page. Instead, it stops the fetch exactly at the 2MB cutoff. Note that the limit includes HTTP request headers.
Processing the cutoff: That downloaded portion (the first 2MB of bytes) is passed along to our indexing systems and the Web Rendering Service (WRS) as if it were the complete file.
The unseen bytes: Any bytes that exist after that 2MB threshold are entirely ignored. They aren’t fetched, they aren’t rendered, and they aren’t indexed.
Bringing in resources: Every referenced resource in the HTML (excluding media, fonts, and a few exotic files) will be fetched by WRS with Googlebot like the parent HTML. They have their own, separate, per-URL byte counter and don’t count towards the size of the parent page.
How Google renders these bytes. When the crawler accesses these bytes, it then passes it over to WRS, the web rendering service. “The WRS processes JavaScript and executes client-side code similar to a modern browser to understand the final visual and textual state of the page. Rendering pulls in and executes JavaScript and CSS files, and processes XHR requests to better understand the page’s textual content and structure (it doesn’t request images or videos). For each requested resource, the 2MB limit also applies,” Google explained.
Best practices. Google listed these best practices:
Keep your HTML lean: Move heavy CSS and JavaScript to external files. While the initial HTML document is capped at 2MB, external scripts, and stylesheets are fetched separately (subject to their own limits).
Order matters: Place your most critical elements — like meta tags, <title> elements, <link> elements, canonicals, and essential structured data — higher up in the HTML document. This ensures they are unlikely to be found below the cutoff.
Monitor your server logs: Keep an eye on your server response times. If your server is struggling to serve bytes, our fetchers will automatically back off to avoid overloading your infrastructure, which will drop your crawl frequency.
Podcast. Google also had a podcast on the topic, here it is:
Alec Newman, the voice behind Crimson Desert's protagonist, Kliff, has revealed how he had to keep pushing Pearl Abyss for clarity on the game's story and his character during the many years of development.
Amazon is ending its Big Spring Sale in style with a very limited time deal on the five-star Sony WH-1000XM5 Headphones, bringing them down to a record-low price.
Xbox is celebrating its 25th anniversary with a Fanta collaboration with themed bottles for a collection of games, as well as new in-game content for those same titles.
All the ways to watch Bosnia-Herzegovina vs Italy live streams online – including for FREE – in the decisive World Cup 2026 playoff qualifier in Zenica.
Five years after its debut, Apple's AirPods Max 2 arrives with the same iconic design but a completely rebuilt interior — and the engineers behind it say the H2 chip's headroom means the best may be yet to come.
The fitness tracking startup just closed a $575 million Series G with Cristiano Ronaldo and LeBron James among its investors. The obvious question looming over a round of this size at this valuation: Is an IPO coming?
İtaliyalı futbol mütəxəssisi Roberto De Zerbi İngiltərənin “Tottenhem” komandasının baş məşqçisi təyin edilib.
Arena.az bu barədə İngiltərə klubunun rəsmi saytına istinadən məlumat verir.
46 yaşlı mütəxəssislə müqavilənin müddəti və digər detalları açıqlanmır. Amma tərəflərin ən azından cari mövsümün sonunadək – 2026-cı ilin 30 iyununadək anlaşdığı ehtimal edilir.
De Zerbi “Tottenhem”də bir neçə gün öncə istefaya göndərilmiş İqor Tudoru əvəz edib. Xorvatiyalı mütəxəssis fevralın 14-də bu komandaya baş məşqçi təyin edilmişdi. Premyer Liqa təmsilçisi İqor Tudorun rəhbərliyi altında cəmi 7 oyun keçirib, bunların yalnız 1-də qələbə qazanıb, 1-də heç-heçə edib, 5-də isə məğlub olub.
“Tottenhem” hazırda Premyer Liqada 31 oyuna topladığı 30 xalla 17-ci pillədə qərarlaşıb. Londonlular 31 oyunda 7 qələbə qazanıblar, 9 heç-heçə ediblər, 15 məğlubiyyətə üzülüblər.
Roberto De Zerbi isə son olaraq 2024/2025-ci illər mövsümünün əvvəlindən rəhbərlik etdiyi Marsel “Olimpik”ində (Fransa) baş məşqçi olub. İtalyan mütəxəssis daha öncə “Darfo Boario”, “Focca”, “Palermo”, “Benevento”, “Sassuolo”, “Şaxtyor” (Donetsk) və “Brayton” kimi komandalara da rəhbərlik edib.
Fenerbahçe'de sakatlığını atlatan Nelson Semedo takımla antrenmanlara başladı, sakatlığı süren Edson Alvarez ise önümüzdeki haftalarda kademeli olarak çalışmalara katılacak.
Gennaro Gattuso and his Italy players will be hoping to avoid any close calls in this evening’s World Cup play-off final away against Bosnia and Herzegovina, as goal-line technology will not be in use at the Bilino Polje Stadium in Zenica. Here’s why.
Why is there no goal-line technology for Bosnia vs. Italy?
The Azzurri are one game away from sealing a spot at the World Cup for the first time since 2014, but must overcome Bosnia and Herzegovina teammates in tonight’s play-off final in Zenica, kicking off at 19.45 BST.
The Bilino Polje Stadium in the city of Zenica is operating at a reduced capacity of due to crowd troubles during Bosnia’s World Cup qualifier against Romania back in November. Italy have received an allocation of 500 tickets.
ZENICA, BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA – OCTOBER 11: General view of the of a stadium Bilino Polje prior to the UEFA Nations League 2024/25 League A Group A3 match between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Germany at on October 11, 2024 in Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina. (Photo by Maja Hitij/Getty Images)
There will also be no goal-line technology in use for tonight’s play-off final between Bosnia and Italy. Goal-line technology is not mandatory, and its use depends on the decisions of the organising federation.
Goal-line technology is not typically used at the Bilino Polje Stadium, and that will also be the case when Italy take on Bosnia this evening.
Today’s match was a head-to-head at the top of Group 6, as both went in on six points each, ahead of Hungary and Slovakia.
It ended 1-1 thanks to the Samuele Inacio strike, despite a Darvin Soylu equaliser, so the Azzurrini won the group thanks to a superior goal difference of +6 compared to the Turkish tally of +2.
Coach Alberto Bollini’s side won 3-0 against both Hungary and Slovakia in the Elite Round.
TRIESTE – SEPTEMBER 06: Samuele Inacio of Italy U17 looks on during the International Friendly match between Italy U17 and Switzerland U17 at Stadio Nereo Rocco on September 06, 2024 in Trieste (Photo by Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Images)
The winners of the groups go through to join hosts Wales in the final tournament, and the draw will be held for that in Wrexham on April 16.
This competition will run from June 28 to July 11, and also decide the European qualifiers for the 2027 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Azerbaijan.
Italy last won the European Under-19 Championship in 2023, adding to their only other triumph in 2003.
Tottenham Hotspur have officially announced the appointment of Italian head coach Roberto as head coach of the men’s first team ‘on a long-term contract, subject to work permit’.
De Zerbi is called in to replace former Juventus head coach Igor Tudor in North London and will be tasked with steering Tottenham clear of relegation from the Premier League with seven games of the 2025-26 season left to go.
Tottenham currently find themselves in 17th place in the Premier League table, just one point and one position away from the drop zone.
MADRID, SPAIN – SEPTEMBER 16: Robert De Zerbi, Head Coach of Olympique de Marseille, looks on prior to the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Phase MD1 match between Real Madrid C.F. and Olympique de Marseille at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu on September 16, 2025 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)
De Zerbi’s first match in charge of his new club will come away against Sunderland at 14.00 BST on April 12.
Reports indicate that De Zerbi has put pen to paper on a five-year contract that will run until the summer of 2031. This has led to questioning from some Tottenham supporters given that the Italian has never stayed in the same managerial position for more than two full seasons.
This will be De Zerbi’s second job in the Premier League following his tenure with Brighton between September 2022 and June 2024, during which time he led the Seagulls to a seventh-place finish in the Premier League, which is the club’s highest-ever finish and also brought their first ever qualification for the Europa League.
Reports in Italy indicate that Italy’s 2006 World Cup winner Alessandro Nesta will be part of De Zerbi’s coaching staff at Tottenham, although this has not yet been officially confirmed by the club.
What De Zerbi said about Tottenham appointment
MADRID, SPAIN – SEPTEMBER 16: Robert De Zerbi, Head Coach of Olympique de Marseille, looks on prior to the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Phase MD1 match between Real Madrid C.F. and Olympique de Marseille at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu on September 16, 2025 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)
“I am delighted to be joining this fantastic football club, which is one of the biggest and most prestigious in the world,” De Zerbi said in a statement on the club website.
“In all my discussions with the Club’s leadership, their ambition for the future has been clear – to build a team capable of reaching great achievements, and to do that playing a style of football that excites and inspires our supporters. I am here because I believe in that ambition and have signed a long-term contract to give everything to deliver it.
“Our short-term priority is to climb the Premier League table, which will be the complete focus until the final whistle of the last game of the season. I’m looking forward to getting out on the training pitch and working with these players to achieve that.”
Roberto De Zerbi (Photo by Charlie Crowhurst/Getty Images)
Sporting director Johan Lange added: “Roberto was our number one target for the summer and we are very pleased to be able to bring him in now.
“He is one of the most creative and forward-thinking coaches in world football, and brings with him a wealth of experience at the highest level, including in the Premier League.”
We are pleased to announce the appointment of Roberto De Zerbi as our new Men’s Head Coach on a long-term contract, subject to work permit.
Tottenham Hotspur have confirmed the appointment of Roberto De Zerbi as the club’s new manager.
The 46-year-old Italian manager has signed a long-term contract with the London club and has been entrusted with the responsibility of helping them bounce back strongly and secure safety in the Premier League. Tottenham is fighting the relegation battle this season, and they need a managerial change after the results under Igor Tudor.
De Zerbi is highly rated across Europe, and Tottenham will hope that he can get the team firing once again. However, his appointment has been met with an explosive reaction from the Tottenham Hotspur supporters’ trust. The Italian manager’s prior comments backing Mason Greenwood have not gone down well with Tottenham fans, who believe the appointment is deeply concerning.
They also believe that Tottenham should have made an interim appointment until the end of the season and looked at other options in the summer. Such comments reflect their lack of respect and support towards the newly appointed manager. It remains to be seen how the Italian reacts to the situation.
The THST released a statement claiming: “De Zerbi’s comments about Mason Greenwood were unnecessary, ill-judged, and deeply offensive to a significant number of supporters and, without doubt, will have left victims of male violence alarmed. We believe these statements, left unchecked, will create a divide among supporters at a time when we all need to be pulling together to back the team. It is concerning that the Club would put us in this position right when the team needs fans the most.
“The Club must reassert its commitment to the values that fans hold dear—chief among them equality, respect, and integrity. Any perceived sympathy toward alleged perpetrators of physical or sexual violence against women fundamentally undermines trust in the custodianship of this Club.
“With this appointment, communications from the Club and from Mr De Zerbi must clearly and unequivocally reaffirm these values. Furthermore, those words must be backed by meaningful action, including visible and sustained support for women’s charities and organisations working to combat violence against women.”
Tottenham are in a precarious situation right now, and they need the fans, the players and the manager pulling together in the same direction in order to secure safety and finish the season strongly. A divide between the fans and the club hierarchy because of the new manager is unlikely to end well.
Tottenham Hotspur have completed the appointment of Roberto De Zerbi as their new manager.
The 46-year-old takes over after Igor Tudor’s departure and will be expected to make an immediate impact. The London club is currently struggling to survive, and they need immediate results to secure safety in the Premier League.
The Italian has signed a long-term contract with the club.
We are pleased to announce the appointment of Roberto De Zerbi as our new Men’s Head Coach on a long-term contract, subject to work permit.
The Italian manager has proven himself across multiple teams, and he is expected to guide them to safety.
De Zerbi has revealed his delight at joining one of the best clubs around, and he is focused on the short-term goal of guiding Tottenham to safety.
He said (h/t Fabrizio Romano): “I am delighted to be joining this fantastic football club, which is one of the biggest and most prestigious in the world.
“In all my discussions with the Club’s leadership, their ambition for the future has been clear – to build a team capable of reaching great achievements, and to do that playing a style of football that excites and inspires our supporters. I am here because I believe in that ambition and have signed a long-term contract to give everything to deliver it.
“Our short-term priority is to climb the Premier League table, which will be the complete focus until the final whistle of the last game of the season. I’m looking forward to getting out on the training pitch and working with these players to achieve that”.
The Italian is highly rated across Europe, and he could prove to be an inspired appointment for Tottenham. They have quality players at their disposal, and the last two managers failed to get the best out of them. They will hope that the Italian can deliver the results now.
De Zerbi has excelled in the Premier League with Brighton. He helped them secure a place in European football and finish in the top six despite limited resources. He is expected to be handed a lot more money at Tottenham, and it remains to be seen whether he can help them grow into a competitive team.
This is not a “vibes” appointment. It’s the complete opposite.
Tottenham’s move for Roberto De Zerbi reflects the do-or-die situation they find themselves in, by the fact he could theoretically deliver either the miraculous best or cataclysmic worst case scenario for the club.
De Zerbi, on the surface, is a coup for a team verging on the most humiliating relegation in Premier League history. The Italian was a resounding success story at Brighton, arriving with an unknown quality to English football only to become one of the continent’s most sought-after managers by the end of his two-season stint, apparently earning admirers at Barcelona and Liverpool.
Roberto De Zerbi has been appointed Tottenham manager (Getty)
He took charge of the Seagulls early into 2022/23 after Graham Potter was poached by Chelsea, but rather than overseeing a spiral he lifted the club to new heights, sealing European qualification for the first time in the club’s history. This proven ability to achieve the unlikely will surely have appealed to crisis-ridden Spurs.
Tottenham must also be attracted by De Zerbi’s free-flowing style of football. Traumatised by 44 days of Igor Tudor-ball, a footballing ideology bereft of inspiration, such a tactical revolution is needed and desired. Implementing that now, however, is a big risk.
De Zerbi likes to bait the press and build up. From goal kicks, he places the double pivot deep to draw the opposition high up the pitch, which then requires smart and swift play to evade the charging attackers and move the ball into the space created. Tottenham, exemplified in their Champions League quarter-final hammering at Atletico Madrid, are like a child running around with scissors when playing out from the back. It’s heart in mouth.
The Italian then strives for intricate possession-based football in the attacking phases, which again does not fit the bill of a team that only managed 50 per cent or more of the ball twice in Tudor’s reign of error. The jigsaw pieces don’t fit.
Tottenham were completely useless at playing out from the back under Igor Tudor (Action Images via Reuters)
Assuming De Zerbi sticks by his tactical bible, his arrival does not promise a smooth transition when Tottenham can’t afford otherwise. The fact he went winless in his first five Brighton games will also not kindle confidence; do that in N17 and Spurs are all but down.
But there’s another problem attached to this choice.
Within three weeks of joining Marseille after his Brighton exit in the summer of 2024, Mason Greenwood followed De Zerbi through the door. Greenwood was charged in October 2022 with one count of attempted rape, one count of controlling and coercive behaviour and one count of assault occasioning actual bodily harm over allegations relating to a young women after images and videos were posted online.
Mason Greenwood was charged in October 2022 with attempted rape and assault (AFP via Getty)
De Zerbi was understood to have pushed heavily for Marseille to snap up Greenwood despite his legal worries. He ended the 2024/25 season far and away the club’s top goalscorer with a league tally of 21, and De Zerbi has been outspoken in his unwavering support for the player.
De Zerbi has been outspoken in his support for Greenwood (AP)
In November, De Zerbi described Greenwood as a “good guy” who had paid a “heavy price” and added: “It saddens me what happened in his life, because I know a totally different person than the one who was described.”
It’s this that has caused multiple Tottenham fan groups to speak out against De Zerbi’s appointment. The club’s LGBTQI+ fan group Proud Lilywhites, along with Spurs Reach, both emphasised that progress should not come at the cost of “the values the club claims to stand for”. Women of the Lane defiantly said: “This is not an appointment Tottenham Hotspur should make.”
Tottenham’s Tudor gamble catastrophically backfired, but one of the very few silver linings was that at least the fans were united in how bad things were. That was evidenced by the vociferous welcome they gave their team bus before the crucial Nottingham Forest game, which aged comedically poorly as Tottenham’s players curled over in a bruising 3-0 defeat.
De Zerbi, however, risks completely dividing this fanbase at the worst possible time. You only need to look at the social media comments of Proud Lilywhites’ statement to see the number of “anti-woke” supporters who diametrically oppose the group’s viewpoint.
Tottenham have eight cup finals left to save their season. Four of them, including the last game of the season, are at home, where they’re winless in the league since December. Crowd infighting will not change the tide.
Tottenham need the fans united to stage a successful survival bid (Getty)
And then there’s the fear that unlike maybe a Ryan Mason or Harry Redknapp - the “he knows the club” candidates - De Zerbi will not go down with the ship. The Independent understands he will get a huge bonus for keeping Spurs in the Premier League, but details are scarce on the security of his five-year deal if he fails to deliver survival. Would he have taken this job if he didn’t have an escape route?
Tudor was the short-term solution that combusted on arrival. De Zerbi joins with the long-term at the forefront, claiming to have been enticed by the club’s “ambition for the future”. If Spurs stay up, the ninth richest club in the world will feel well positioned to put this harrowing episode behind them and push back up the table. Sink to the Championship and Spurs may be left managerless, hopeless and with a fractured fanbase, their long-term plans torn to shreds.
Let’s start with Harrison, who was a top-30 prospect a few years back. He’s still just 24. The Red Sox considered him a key part of the Rafael Devers trade/salary dump last summer, or so it seemed. Harrison spent most of his summer with Triple-A Worcester, muddling through a 3.93 ERA and 1.59 WHIP.
But ears perked up when Harrison was traded to Milwaukee in the offseason. The Brewers have an outstanding track record with player development and identifying under-appreciated assets in other organizations. Harrison earned a rotation spot during a solid spring, where he had 20 strikeouts against four walks over 14 innings.
His Monday debut against Tampa Bay was a success — four hits, one run, one walk, eight strikeouts, 16 swinging strikes. Harrison allowed a leadoff homer to Yandy Diaz but otherwise was not in trouble. His fastball checked in at 95.1 mph, a notable jump from his early career. He also was effective with his retooled change, giving Harrison a logical path to retiring right-handed hitters.
Armed with bumped velocity and a new pitch, Harrison looks like a plausible-upside case for mixed leagues. He’s pushed to 28% rostered in Yahoo, so there’s time to climb on board. He pitches at Kansas City on the weekend.
Lance McCullers Jr., Astros
While Harrison’s case needs some imagination, we have proof of concept with McCullers. He was an All-Star back in 2017 and received downballot Cy Young votes five years ago. He’s been a fantasy asset before. It’s just a matter of him staying healthy.
McCullers didn’t pitch at all in 2023 or 2024, and he was hit hard in 16 appearances last year (6.51 ERA, 1.80 WHIP). So it makes sense that he was completely off the radar during draft season. But McCullers answered the bell in his 2026 debut, holding the Red Sox to one run over seven innings. He scattered four hits, walked one, struck out nine.
McCullers doesn’t hold the velocity from his salad days, but his 92.4 mph readout Monday was a notable tick up from last year’s 91.6 mark. Stopping a deep Boston lineup also impresses me. I understand why McCullers still lags at 9% rostered in Yahoo leagues, but I’ll scout his upcoming Athletics start with interest.
Mike Soroka, Diamondbacks
While McCullers is looking to rebound from arm injuries in his past, Soroka’s rehab story has a different slant. It was a pair of Achilles tears that cost Soroka two full seasons, 2021 and 2022. His amazing 2019 debut season — when he was second in NL Rookie of the Year voting and sixth in the Cy Young ranks — feels like 20 years ago. Soroka is now with the Diamondbacks, his fifth team. He’s won just eight games since 2019.
But you couldn’t watch Soroka on Monday and not be impressed. He kept the Tigers off the scoreboard over five smooth innings, with 10 strikeouts. He walked just one, allowed four hits. And I don’t know if the guns are hot this month, but he was another pitcher showing increased velocity in his debut turn.
Soroka was such an easy watch in his Atlanta days, using impeccable control to get positive results. He was the hardest starting pitcher to homer off in 2019. You revel at watching a craftsman at work, and he felt like the latest Atlanta pitcher to steal our hearts.
Soroka is still just 28. Arizona has a competitive club and an outstanding defense. The next two turns aren’t easy — Soroka draws the Braves and Phillies — but he’s earned the right to at least be a proactive streamer. He currently is rostered in just 7% of Yahoo leagues.
Bonus hitter
Jake Burger, Rangers
Keeping comebacks in the theme of the day, I want to give you one hitter to consider. Jake Burger is doing good things in the cleanup spot for Texas. He homered in his first two games of the year, and knocked in two more runs Monday. That’s a tidy .471/.500/.882 start.
Injuries cost Burger about a third of the season last year, but keep in mind the 63-homer guy we saw in 2023 and 2024. This is merely his age-30 season. Given how depressed the first base position appears in 2026, I’m mildly surprised Burger is still available in about 70% of Yahoo leagues. Keep an open mind here.
The Minnesota Vikings have had some misses in recent years in the first rounds of the NFL Draft. However, when it comes to the wide receiver position, the team seemingly found their diamonds. They have locked up Justin Jefferson long-term with a massive deal, and now they have the other half of their duo locked up for at least one extra year.
On Monday night, the Minnesota Vikings announced they plan to pick up the fifth-year option for Jordan Addison on his rookie contract.
Vikings interim general manager Rob Brzezinski told the media at the NFL's Annual League meeting, "He's a really important player for us, an impact player, we're definitely exercising the option. For sure. The deadline for that is after the draft."
During his career with the Vikings, Addison has accumulated 175 receptions for 2,396 yards and 22 touchdowns in two seasons. In his rookie season, he scored ten touchdowns, which tied him with Sammy White from his 1976 season. All of this led to his option being picked up, and now the next step will be for them to figure out a long-term contract.
Ohio State football has six practices in the books, and multiple newcomers have already shed their black stripes. After Tuesday's practice, head coach Ryan Day confirmed that freshman wide receiver Brock Boyd is the latest to earn that distinction, making him the first member of the 2026 recruiting class to do so.
“I’m excited to see where his career goes, but he’s off to a great start.”
Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day said freshman receiver Brock Boyd lost his black stripe today.
“This is somebody who knows how to run a route,” Day said. “He can play multiple positions, he was productive.” pic.twitter.com/WGF2C8AVoz
That part is what makes this noteworthy. Boyd came in as a 3-star prospect ranked No. 123 at wide receiver according to 247Sports, yet he beat out every other freshman to reach this milestone first. The 2026 class itself is loaded, ranking inside the top five nationally with two five-star recruits and 16 four-stars, and the wide receiver room in particular is stacked with competition. None of that slowed Boyd down.
Most Ohio State fans probably anticipated Chris Henry Jr., the No. 2 wide receiver in the class, or Jerquaden Guilford, ranked No. 12 at the position, to be the first wideouts knocking that stripe off their helmets. Instead, it was Southlake Carroll's all-time receiving leader quietly going about his business and earning it ahead of everyone.
Ohio State wide receivers coach Cortez Hankton also spoke on Boyd over the weekend, offering some insight into what the freshman has shown since arriving in Columbus.
Boyd has clearly made an impression early, and everything points to a young receiver actively working to carve out a real role in this offense sooner rather than later.
Celtic midfielder makes agent switch ahead of interest summer
Celtic midfielder Paulo Bernardo has moved agents ahead of the summer transfer window. The Portuguese midfielder has struggled for starts under Brendan Rodgers, Wilfried Nancy and Martin O’Neill but has shown in cameos that he can be relied upon.
However, in an announcement on Tuesday, Bernardo was confirmed by global talent agency The Team as their latest addition.
Screenshot
Bernardo joins The Team sporting agency, which could spark concerns that he is looking for a summer move. The 24-year-old has struggled for consistency since making his move to Celtic a permanent one and it is a confusing one, as there is clearly a player there.
Bernardo moves across from Gestifute agency, who boast clients like Lamine Yamal, Pedro Neto and PSG trio Vitinha, Joao Neves and Barcola.
The agency represent Bernardo’s Celtic teammate Dane Murray but they also represent Rangers duo John Souttar and Nico Raskin. It remains to be seen whether he will make a move but you would fancy the midfielder to relish the chance to make a midfield berth his own, especially with likely upheaval this summer and a new manager to come in.
The Brazil and Croatia national teams reached an agreement and decided to INCREASE the number of substitutions for this Tuesday’s friendly (31).
As a result, EIGHT substitutions will be allowed — the usual number in friendlies is six.
"In today’s match, by mutual agreement between the parties, EIGHT substitutions will be allowed, while keeping three stoppages for the changes," said the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) in a message sent to the press.
This new rule could benefit some players.
Kaiki Bruno, Douglas Luiz, Fabinho, Endrick, and Rayan were the only outfield players not used in the friendly against France.
Goalkeepers Bento and Hugo Souza also did not play.
This new rule — approved by FIFA — will allow coach Carlo Ancelotti to carry out more tests with an eye on the final squad selection for the World Cup.
Sticking around in the NFL isn’t easy. One minute you’re a draft pick darling, and the next you can find yourself on the outside looking in for a job in the league.
The San Francisco 49ers under Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch have been known to cut bait on players who don’t meet their standards, regardless of draft investments. Think Trey Lance, Tyrion Davis-Price, and Danny Gray. A successful NFL roster should consist of a mixture of cornerstone players, veterans, and youth, who are either contributing or developing.
Free-agent signings tell you where an organization believes it is weak, which uncovers players on the clock who need to contribute to stick around on the roster.
Who are the three 49ers players who need to step up to stick around in 2026?
Jordan Watkins
Injuries are part of Watkins’ 2025 story. After a successful rookie camp, Watkins had considerable buzz, but once the rookie returned to action, he was buried on the depth chart despite the massive need at the receiver position in 2025. Point blank, having Malik Turner and other players off the street run ahead of you isn’t the best sign in the world.
Now, with the additions of Mike Evans, Christian Kirk, and one or two draft picks, Watkins is on the clock. Lynch spoke at the combine about Watkins needing to step up, and that is a public challenge to the rookie to perform. If the 49ers draft a first-round receiver, the bottom of the depth chart awaits for Watkins unless he turns it around.
It comes down to practice habits. No, players should not just figure it out in actual games. Build the trust, and you can earn playing time.
Jacob Cowing
There is a familiar theme in this piece with draft picks at the position. Some optimism for Cowing is Lynch’s comments at the combine, which felt the opposite of his comments on Watkins. Unprovoked, the 49ers GM mentioned Cowing as a player the organization is excited about. The former fourth-round pick has talent, but if he can’t make it to the field due to injuries, then it’s a frustrating situation all around.
Like Watkins, Cowing presents a vertical aspect to the 49ers offense, which they desperately need. The 49ers praised Cowing’s offseason, but a hamstring injury derailed his season, and now the former Arizona receiver needs to put it together in year three.
Ricky Pearsall
I’m as shocked as you are to see Pearsall on this list. The glimpses are there. The talent is clear. However, the former first-round pick has to overcome the injury bug. When Pearsall was drafted, it was assumed he would replace one of Deebo Samuel or Brandon Aiyuk in the 49ers offense. Now, Samuel is gone, and Aiyuk is on the way out, but the 49ers aren’t certain Pearsall can step into that number one role for the team.
The same goes for Pearsall as Cowing and Watkins. The 49ers certainly will add one or two more receivers in the draft. Although Evans and Kirk are one-year deals, the 49ers need assurance they can rely on Pearsall for the future to go in tandem with their draft picks.
Ebou Adams sustained an injury in Portsmouth's 6-1 defeat to QPR [Shutterstock]
Portsmouth boss John Mousinho has said that midfielder Ebou Adams will miss a "couple more weeks" with injury.
The 30-year-old played the full 90 minutes in their 6-1 defeat to QPR before the international break but sustained an injury during the game that saw him visibly upset after the final whistle.
That result was Portsmouth's third consecutive loss in the Championship and they have not won since beating Millwall on 21 February.
"Ebou's going to be out for the weekend, he'll be out for a couple more weeks," Mousinho told BBC South Today.
"The overall update in terms of the boys is that we have quite a few players coming back from injury, we've had an extensive injury list over the past six months which hasn't helped.
"We've never quite had a spell this season where we felt like the squads where we want it to be but we have a few coming back, Andre [Dozzell] is likely to miss out but we hope to have Keshi [Anderson] back for Friday."
Midfielder Dozzell has not played since February due to an ankle injury picked up away at Sheffield United while winger Anderson has only placed twice after signing in January have sustained a hamstring injury.
Following his arrival in January from Derby County, Adams has established himself as one of Portsmouth's best midfield players making 14 appearance and scoring twice.
"Since we went to Sheffield Wednesday away and Ebou made his debut there, I thought he was excellent and continued off the back of that," Mousinho added.
"He wrote himself into the club folklore by scoring the equaliser in the south coast derby and he's gone on to put in some very strong performances since.
"There was a reason we went and bought him in January for his experience, for what he gives you on and off the pitch, he'll be a miss."
Portsmouth, who sit 21st in the table, are back in Championship action on Friday when they travel away to Norwich City (15:00 BST) before a game against fellow strugglers Oxford United on Monday.
Ulster head coach Richie Murphy says his squad must feed off the positive experiences of their Ireland players in the recent Six Nations as they prepare to enter the business end of the season.
Ulster players, including player-of-the-tournament candidate Stuart McCloskey and back row Nick Timoney, played significant roles as the Irish team won their final four matches to finish second in the championship.
Murphy has all his Ireland internationals available again for Saturday's European Challenge Cup last-16 game against Ospreys in Belfast (20:00 BST), while the Irish province also have a home quarter-final berth in the United Rugby Championship very much in their sights.
"I think the great thing for us is that we can feed off the back of their [the players involved with Ireland]'s success. The players that were in all acquitted themselves really well," reflected the Ulster coach.
"This is the first week that we've all been back together, some lads were off last week, some were off the week before, so it's exciting to get everyone back in the same building and it's really important that we build towards this game and also looking at the end of the season.
"Confidence is really high and we need to feed off the back of that, grow our team and really attack these last weeks of the season."
Michael Lowry has been ruled out of the Ospreys encounter because of a groin injury sustained in training last week while James Humphreys (hamstring), Jack Murphy (ribs), Jake Flannery (shoulder) and Jude Postlethwaite (hand) are all injury doubts and will have their fitness for selection assessed through training this week.
Lowry was also absent for the weekend win over Zebre in Parma.
Ireland wing Robert Baloucoune had successful elbow surgery last week and will be sidelined for a number of weeks.
Sam Crean (knee), Charlie Irvine (lower leg) and Cormac Izuchukwu (concussion) have all resumed full training and are available for selection.
The Ospreys were 21-10 victors when the sides met in the United Rugby Championship on 28 February and sandwiched between wins over Edinburgh and Zebre, they also tasted defeat at the hands of Connacht at the Affidea Stadium.
"I think there's an excitement about knockout rugby. We are at the stage where we know if we can back up some really good performances we can put ourselves in a really good position," Murphy told BBC Sport NI.
"It's really important that we don't go away from who we are as a team, the way we have played all year. We want to get back towards that, deal with the process and take each day as it comes.
"Not get carried away with it being a knockout game. Just treat it as we have every other game, then we should be ok.
"I think people underestimate how good Ospreys are. We played them a couple of weeks ago and we were beaten. Tight enough game, even though it was an 11-point margin at the end of the game.
"It's important we build a bit of an atmosphere and build on the back of that."
East Lansing — Nick Sheridan got the idea pretty young that he couldn’t play football forever. Probably eighth or ninth grade, if he had to guess. But as the son of a football coach who is his “hero,” Sheridan knew coaching would be his future.
So, at 22 years old, after a walk-on career at Michigan that had him starting games at quarterback, Sheridan wrote letters to coaches all over the college ranks.
Good luck, he’d write. Oh and, keep me in mindif you have any graduate assistant positions open in the future.
“I wrote a lot of notes,” Sheridan said Tuesday. “And I can promise you I didn’t get a ton that wrote back.”
One who did: Pat Fitzgerald at Northwestern. That made an impression.
“I still have the note,” Sheridan said. “... He recognized a young coach that was just eager to learn and try to get better and network, and he was gracious enough to write me back.”
Now, more than a decade later, Fitzgerald and Sheridan are together at Michigan State, where Sheridan is the new offensive coordinator at a school he used to watch his dad Bill coach linebackers under Nick Saban.
“When I was kind of growing up in college, and after college, I looked up to Pat Fitzgerald,” Sheridan said. “You know, that was really just someone that I tried to emulate, someone I wanted to be like. And so this was a very easy decision for me, one I’m extremely grateful and appreciative of, and have a lot of familiarity.”
Sheridan will make an average of $1.5 million over the next three seasons, according to a contract obtained by The Detroit News.
Sheridan was hired this offseason to Fitzgerald’s first staff as he took over the Michigan State program in December, looking to steer a once dominant Big Ten giant back to its former glory. That seems distant coming off a combined 18-30 record over the past four seasons — 9-15 over two seasons that included Mel Tucker’s dramatic firing in 2023, then 9-15 in two seasons under Jonathan Smith.
And yet, Sheridan has seen Michigan State as a contender. He knows what winning football looks like. Bill Burke, Chris Baker and Plaxico Burress were some of his idols growing up watching MSU games. His dad was an assistant coach alongside Mark Dantonio.
Sheridan takes the reins from Brian Lindgren, whose stubborn and often confusing play-calling left the Spartans scoring 24.6 points per game (87th in Division I) off 345.5 yards per game (97th). It struggled to feature its best playmakers, like phenom wideout Nick Marsh, or consistently move the chains once Big Ten play rolled around.
Under Sheridan, expect things to look different.
“We tell a lot of people we are an attacking, answer-based offense that features its playmakers,” Sheridan described.
An understudy of Kalen DeBoer at Alabama and Indiana, Sheridan uses the acronym F.A.S.T. to describe his offensive philosophy: fundamentally sound, attacking, smart and tough.
“I’ve been watching that offense for a while,” Fitzgerald said. “The multiplicity of it, the way that it’s able to use all of its weapons and move them around and get matchups that are advantageous for us. The ability to really put the ball in your playmakers’ hands in a number of different ways is what was attractive to me.”
Right now, Sheridan and his offensive staff are figuring out what playmakers they have, and what they can do, from the quarterbacks to wide receivers, tight ends to running backs. Even the offensive linemen — they’re athletes, too. This is an evaluation period, and an acclimation period as the Spartans install schemes over the limited practices of spring ball.
Some of the names returning to this offense will be familiar to fans. Alessio Milivojevic is the incumbent starting quarterback, and slot receiver Chrishon McCray — the top returner from last year’s group with three touchdowns — brings his speed and acceleration to the mix. There are some new players in the mix, too, including the multitool tight end Carson Gulker, who played all over the field at Ferris State before transferring to play his final year with the Spartans.
“He’s like that one kid that could do it all,” tight end Brennan Parachek said. “So it’s fun to watch him play. He’s fun to watch in practice.”
If Michigan State has a long way to go, that’s expected midway through spring ball.
“There’s lots of work to be done. They’re learning every single day,” Sheridan said. “There’s new techniques, schematics every day that we go out there, and kids are working really hard.
“So certainly we have a long way to go, but we’re better now than we were when we started spring ball.”
SEATTLE (AP) — The Seattle Mariners have agreed to a $95 million, eight-year contract with top prospect Colt Emerson, a person familiar with the situation told The Associated Press on Tuesday.
The contract, which starts this season and includes a team option for 2034, would be the largest ever for a player who has not made his major league debut.
The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the deal hasn’t been announced.
The Mariners selected the 20-year-old shortstop with the 22nd overall pick in the 2023 amateur draft. Emerson entered the season as Baseball America's No. 7 prospect.
Emerson batted .357 with one home run and a double and a 1.000 on-base percentage plus slugging in three games for Triple-A Tacoma. He appeared in 18 spring training games for the Mariners and batted .268 with two homers and eight RBIs and an .828 OPS.
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AP Baseball Writer Ronald Blum in Atlanta contributed to this report.
Tottenham Hotspur have appointed Italian Roberto De Zerbi as their manager on a long-term contract, the Premier League club said on Tuesday.
Tottenham has turned to former Brighton & Hove Albion manager De Zerbi to salvage a dreadful season which is in danger of ending in relegation from the top flight for the first time since 1977.
"Roberto was our number one target for the summer and we are very pleased to be able to bring him in now," Spurs Sporting Director Johan Lange said in a club statement.
"He is one of the most creative and forward-thinking coaches in world football, and brings with him a wealth of experience at the highest level, including in the Premier League."
The London club, which won the Europa League last season, are one point and one place above the Premier League relegation zone after 31 games, having not won in the league since December.
De Zerbi's first game will be at Sunderland on April 12, by which time Spurs could have slipped into the bottom three.
He succeeds Croatian Igor Tudor, who departed by mutual agreement on Sunday after seven games as interim manager following the sacking of Thomas Frank.
On Monday night, a majority of the talk surrounding the basketball world was not necessarily on March Madness or the NBA, but rather what Alabama Crimson Tide commit Jaxon Richardson was doing.
Richardson was competing in the 2026 Sprite Jam Fest Slam Dunk Contest, doing so as part of the festivities which surround the McDonald's High School All-American Game. A game which Richardson will also play in, the Alabama commit went on to win the dunk contest Monday night, and in the process, sent the basketball world into a frenzy on social media due to some of his impressive dunks.
The talented forward is one-of-three commits in Alabama's 2026 recruiting class, with Richardson ranked as the No. 27 overall player in the nation, per the 247Sports Composite rankings. Richardson is also a highly-rated four-star prospect, and attends Southeastern Prep in Florida.
Here is a look at how social media reacted late Monday night following Richardson's impressive showing at the Sprite Jam Fest Slam Dunk Contest.
Your 2026 Sprite Jam Fest Dunk Contest Champion is Jaxon Richardson after one of the most amazing dunks you will ever see to cap it off: pic.twitter.com/LoFbcReFIZ
Jaxon Richardson is a ridiculous vertical athlete. Arguably would’ve won the NBA dunk contest with his dunks from last night pic.twitter.com/f2ynSpGtMJ
Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes is making steady progress in his rehab from reconstructive knee surgery, but it's currently unclear when he's going to be ready to fully participate in practice.
At the annual league meeting on Tuesday, Reid said that it's difficult to determine if Mahomes is ahead of schedule. But so far, Mahomes is doing well.
While it seems unlikely that Mahomes would be able to participate in many aspects of the offseason program given that he suffered his torn ACL in December, there's a chance he could be on the field for training camp. Reid was asked if, philosophically, he would rather have Mahomes on the field in a limited capacity or keep him on the physically unable to perform list to effectively protect the QB from himself.
"Yeah, I’m going to defer to the experts at that," Reid said. "If he’s good to go, he’ll go. If he’s not, then we’ll manage that. So, we’ll just cross it as we go. Everybody’s different. Everybody heals different, everybody’s injuries are a little bit different. Put him in a category — but we’ll see. We’ll see where it goes. He’s doing good now, which is a plus. We’ll see."
Mahomes recently posted a video of himself doing some light throwing, which is a positive sign for his recovery.
If Mahomes is not ready for the start of the regular season, the Chiefs now have Justin Fields as their backup quarterback.
Clemson football wrapped up spring with more clarity in the backfield, and it’s clear who set the tone over the past few weeks.
Gideon Davidson made the most of his opportunity, putting together a strong spring that carried over into the Orange and White game. The sophomore was efficient and explosive, averaging 8.9 yards per carry and showing he can handle a larger workload heading into the season.
“He’s had a great spring,” head coach Dabo Swinney said after the spring game. “He is (number) one coming out of it.”
Even with Davidson taking control of the top spot, plenty of attention has been on Chris Johnson Jr., the transfer addition from SMU. He was the only offensive pickup from the portal, and his speed immediately stands out. Although his spring game numbers were modest, he flashed big-play ability with a 10-yard run that highlighted just how quickly he can hit another gear.
Johnson brings a strong track background and proven production from his time at SMU, where he averaged over seven yards per carry and contributed in the passing game. That kind of versatility is part of why Clemson brought him in.
Still, there’s another step the staff wants to see.
“CJ’s had a great spring as well,” Swinney said. “He is going to need a big summer. He’s made some progress, just with his body since he got here. He has made some improvement.”
Swinney knows what Johnson looks like at his best. He pointed back to last season’s matchup, when Johnson totaled 99 all-purpose yards against Clemson, including a long run, a big catch and a touchdown that helped seal the game.
Dabo Swinney on if Clemson freshman Tait Reynolds can push for QB1
Now, the focus is on building him into a more complete option. Clemson wants him ready to handle a bigger role, not just as a situational threat but as someone who can stay on the field consistently.
“I was really proud of him,” Swinney added. “He actually came back from spring a few pounds heavier than where he was. He is working his way physically where we need him to be this fall, so he can be a little bit more of an every-down type back and not just a situational guy. And that is important to him. He wants to be able to do that.”
Clemson’s running back room is looking good heading into the season.
Contact us @Clemson_Wire on X (formerly known as Twitter), and like our page on Facebook for ongoing coverage of Clemson Tigers news and notes, plus opinions
One of the biggest points of focus for the New Orleans Saints over the past few draft cycles has been in the trenches, specifically at offensive tackle. With the team looking to build through productive offensive line play, especially now with Kellen Moore in charge, it is clear that they will likely continue to try and find quality backups in the event of injury, as well as potentially looking into their right guard spot long-term.
An option that they have recently been linked to is Louisiana offensive lineman Jax Harrington, with whom the team has been in contact, among three others being reported.
Harrington is a very impressive prospect, with his versatility being one of his most impressive traits. In four collegiate seasons, he posted 2,304 reps at right guard, 598 at right tackle, 38 at center, and 24 at left guard. Nearly all of those right tackle snaps came in 2025, his senior year, where he was certainly showing a little bit of a struggle at times, but did a quality job overall.
Louisiana OL Jax Harrington spoke with all the teams at his Pro Day, with the #Chiefs being the standout there. Harrington ran a 5.28u 40. He has been in contact with the #Giants, #Jaguars and #Saints. pic.twitter.com/OSjhtHqqhk
In 854 snaps, 423 of which were pass blocking, Harrington allowed 21 pressures and 4 sacks, but did not have a single penalty to his name despite the position change. For three straight seasons, he has played 700+ snaps for the Ragin' Cajuns and has continued to show that he is an impressive piece with NFL potential. In his two seasons prior, he played as a primary right guard, and in a combined 1,443 offensive snaps, did not allow a single sack, gave up only 15 pressures, and was penalized 5 total times.
While he is a seventh-year player, he is still only going to be 25 entering this 2026 NFL season, so he has plenty left to give at the next level. With plenty of college reps to show for it, he may enter as competition for a starting job somewhere around the NFL, with the Saints among the interested parties.
High school football schedules for the 2026 season are coming out one-by-one out of every state around the country and one that is a breeding ground for college prospects is Florida, with a number of squads finalizing their fall slates.
Up in the rural North Florida region of the the state, Branford (Fla.) will enter a new era of high school football as they have recently released their upcoming 2026 schedule and also who their next lead man of the program will be.
The Buccaneers hired Coffee (Ga.) assistant Will Dettor as the program’s next head football coach recently as they look to turn around their fortunes in the Sunshine State Athletic Association (SSAA). Dettor takes over a Branford program from previous coach Tim Clark that have averaged around seven wins per season since the 2017 campaign. The former Lake Weir (Fla.) head coach now will lead the Buccaneers through a transition, going from the Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) to the SSAA this upcoming 2026 season.
The full Branford 2026 football schedule can be seen below, with all official game times included.
The Buccaneers finished with a 7-4 record and ranked as the No. 352, according to the final Florida 2025 High School Football Massey Rankings.
How to Follow Florida High School Football
For Florida high school football fans looking to keep up with scores around the Sunshine State, staying updated on the action is now easier than ever with the Rivals High School Scoreboard. This comprehensive resource provides real-time updates and final scores from across the state, ensuring you never miss a moment of the Friday night frenzy. From nail-biting finishes to dominant performances, the Rivals High School Scoreboard is your one-stop destination for tracking all the Florida high school football excitement across the state.
England begin their World Cup campaign against Croatia in Dallas on 17 June [Getty Images]
There will be two water breaks during England's friendly against Japan as Thomas Tuchel's side attempt to mirror World Cup conditions.
Every game at this summer's tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico will have a three-minute hydration break in each half to "prioritise player welfare" given the extreme heat that is expected in June and July.
As such, Tuesday's game at Wembley will be paused in the 22nd minute and again in the 67th as England try to familiarise themselves with the situation before their opening match against Croatia on 17 June.
"We asked for it to make it like a game in the World Cup, where we will have water breaks," Tuchel said.
"We will have a chance, for two or three minutes after 22 minutes in each half, to connect and give feedback."
The 52-year-old German said that England wanted also the breaks during Friday's game against Uruguay but the South American side refused the request.
"They didn't agree to a lot of stuff and that was not the spirit during the match," Tuchel added.
There are likely to be further breaks in play with an agreement between England and Japan meaning both sides will be able to make 11 substitutions during the match, rather than the usual five.
A recent change brought in by the International Football Association Board (Ifab) means eight substitutions will be permitted during international friendlies from 1 July, but that can be increased to 11 if the two teams agree.
Hydrations breaks at the World Cup have been brought in after complaints from players and managers during last summer's Club World Cup.
Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez said he felt "dizzy" while playing in "very dangerous" heat at the tournament.
"I was in the United States last summer for the Club World Cup and the heat was very intense," former England goalkeeper Paul Robinson told BBC Radio 5 Live.
"I don't know if water breaks are going to be across the board. There are a number of stadiums that are inside [retractable roof] and are fully air-conditioned like the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
"There is no need for water breaks there. Do you stick with the rule to keep in line with everything else?"
In a statement last June, football's world governing body Fifa said: "Heat conditions are a serious topic that affect football globally.
"At the Club World Cup some significant and progressive measures are being taken to protect the players from the heat."
Some holes just have our number. We all can relate to that nemesis hole that kicks us in the teeth on a regular basis. It happens to the best of us, too.
In the latest installment of the Golfweek/USA Today 2026 Masters Survey, we asked the pros to name their nemesis hole at Augusta National Golf Club. The answers may make you feel better about your own game and that hole at your home course that keeps giving you fits.
Keegan Bradley
No. 1. I’m probably 10 or 15 over on the first hole. [Editor's Note: He's close. Bradley is +16 on No. 1 for his career with two birdies, 17 pars, eight bogeys and five doubles.]
Adam Scott
The first green is wild and you’re so nervous teeing off there, especially the first day but generally every day, and they just whack you with the most difficult green.
Larry Mize
I never thought I had one. Nos. 5 and 11 are the two toughest out there. No. 1 is one of the hardest starting holes in golf. I’ve heard Tiger say give me a four at the first and I’ll go to the next tee.
Sahith Theegala
No. 3. I have devastated my chances at the Master there. I tripled it in the second round after driving it right in front of the green and then played ping pong. I’ve driven it in the fairway bunker and then airmailed the green. I’m not even sure I’ve ever made a birdie there. I’ve tried different tactics and I think I’m just going to send it from now on.
Harris English
The fifth hole, just the way it looks off the tee. I used to be able to hit 3-wood and get away with hitting 6- or 7-iron in there. Now, if I hit 3-wood I’ll have 4-iron in and the green isn’t built for that. If I play it 1 over for the week, I’m happy. It’s just a hole I haven’t figured out yet.
Russell Henley
I don’t love No. 5 anymore. They’ve made it so long and I don’t know if they’ve made it better by making it longer because it’s such a crazy green. That said, I may like the old version better in part because I made a two once there, holing a 7-iron in 2017. It flew straight in the hole. I kind of miss hitting 7-iron there.
Rickie Fowler
Seven always has been tricky for me. I've had plenty of success on it. It can just be a tough little drive; it’s so straight. It suits the draw better with a fairway wood. Back in the day, it was a lot shorter hole and when Tiger won, he was hitting 2-iron off the tee. You don't have that option anymore.
Gary Woodland
No. 7. For some reason, it's kicked my butt. I've hit good tee shots, but it's the second shot that gives me fits. I think I hit in the front bunker eight times in a row at one point.
Jason Day
No. 11 by far. It’s really hard. If you have the wind into you, you’re hitting 3-iron into that bloody hole and it’s not a 3-iron green.
Ludvig Aberg
No. 11. My rookie year I was tied for the lead through 10 and I dumped it in the drink at 11. I haven’t played that hole well historically.
Zach Johnson
My wife would say five, but of late it has probably been 11. The shot I despise is the front-left hole location on No. 4 from the back tee. It’s 230 yards and you have no landing zone.
Brooks Koepka
I know 12 has given me some bugaboos over the years. That one sticks out as probably one that I've struggled with.
Wyndham Clark
Easy, 15. I’ve played it well off the tee but spun it in the water or one-hopped it over the green and made a lot of bogeys and doubles there.
Xander Schauffele
Easy to say 16. I hit in the water there when I was trying to make a run (in 2021). But I don’t think I have a “nemesis” hole.
Curtis Strange
No. 18. It was such a beast in my day. We were hitting 4- and 5-irons into the green and then green itself is hard. It was one tough hole.
Hale Irwin
If there was a nemesis, it wasn’t a hole. I didn’t birdie and eagle the par 5s enough. Length, playing a draw and a higher ball flight was beneficial with some of the hole locations or ability to get extra roll out off the tee. I didn’t have my game predicated on just Augusta.
Gary Player
I never had one. I respected every hole equally.
Jack Nicklaus
Whichever one I’m playing now. [Editor’s note: This is the same answer he gave when asked to name his favorite hole!]
We asked for your views on whether Liverpool will win enough points over their final seven games to secure a Champions League spot.
Here are some of your comments:
Stu: I'm rather surprised with my honest opinion but I only think 11 or 12 points - and that's being optimistic. I think we'll beat Fulham,Crystal Palace and Brentford at home but only manage a draw with Chelsea. Then in the away games, I'm extremely hopeful of a point at Old Trafford and Everton but I can't see us beating Aston Villa. A lot depends on which Liverpool turn up. If it's the one that smashed Galatasaray then they're winning five from seven and possibly getting draws in the others. If it's the team from early in the season then we'll do well to get the seven points we got from the reverse fixtures.
Paschal: With the style of football Liverpool are playing and the fans are having to endure, I am sorry to say that I cannot see any way they qualify for a Champions League spot. I hope and pray that I am proved wrong.
Ry: I don't expect Liverpool to finish in the top five. I think they will do well in Europe too and finish on a high. I don't like the idea of sacking management but it's not working and Arne Slot's style of play is slow, boring and sometimes negative - which is everything Liverpool are not. He needs to go even if we win the Champions League.
Stephen: Villa, Manchester United and Chelsea will only need a point when we play them to stay above us. Can't see us getting this one over the line. The 'transition season' continues into next year. No quick fix.
Shane: I'm sorry to say this as a long-time Liverpool supporter, but I don't think Slot is the man for guiding the team into a high-enough spot for Champions League football next season.
Ken: Liverpool, unfortunately, won't win any of the remaining away games and will drop points at home to Chelsea at least. Even the Conference League spot looks beyond them at the moment. A wretched season thanks to the dismantling of a title-winning squad and an insomnia-inducing style of play with little to no intensity in the best part of games. Changes needed everywhere.
A new rumor offers up a surprising yet exciting potential suitor in LeBron James‘ free agent market this summer.
At 41 years old, it is not a guarantee that James returns for a 24th NBA season this fall. It might even be a lock that he retires if the Los Angeles Lakers surprise and win an NBA Championship this spring. Yet despite their recent hot play, most don’t expect that to happen, so the 22-time All-Star has a big decision to make this summer.
After this season, James will become a free agent. It’s very possible that he stays in LA for a retirement tour. And in a new report from ESPN’s Dave McMenamin and Tim Bontemps, the Lakers seem to be the favorites to retain his services for a multitude of reasons. However, the NBA insiders also revealed a dark horse to watch in a potential free agent sweepstakes.
“One intriguing option floated to ESPN by multiple sources was Denver, where teaming up with three-time MVP Nikola Jokic would make for some awfully entertaining hoops,” the insiders claimed. “‘Who is the only guy on his level from a basketball IQ standpoint in the league?’ a West executive asked. ‘Go there and team up with that guy.'”
Denver Nuggets have a legit chance to sign LeBron James this summer
Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images
McMenamin and Bontemps added that James going to the Denver Nuggets might appeal to the Lakers because it would open the door to a sign-and-trade opportunity that could land LA players like Peyton Watson or veteran forward Cameron Johnson. Furthermore, they explained why going to the Mile High City would interest the multi-time MVP.
“Denver pursued James in 2018, when he left Cleveland as a free agent, spearheaded by Nuggets president Josh Kroenke, who is a friend of his. The Nuggets have since added Jared Dudley, another one of James’ friends, to the coaching staff,” they wrote. “After teaming up on the Lakers from 2019 to 2021, their relationship remains so strong that Dudley went into the visitors’ locker room at Ball Arena to see James after L.A. beat Denver on Jan. 20.”
The idea of James and Jokic teaming up, even for one season, could lead to a very entertaining year in Denver. Joining the Nuggets would show he really does want to win one more championship. However, there will surely be doubt that he would pass on a retirement tour Hollywood to play in Denver.
Former Tennessee women's basketball assistant coach Gabe Lazo was hired at LSU on Tuesday. He resigned with the Lady Vols on March 27.
LSU head coach Kim Mulkey introduced Lazo on Tuesday.
“Gabe will be an outstanding addition to our staff,” Mulkey said. “He has been an invaluable member of two SEC staffs with an unbelievable ability to teach the game and recruit the best players in the country. Gabe will impact our program at the highest level, and his unmatched work ethic will lead to great results on the court and on the recruiting trail.
"It doesn’t matter if Gabe is out recruiting or coaching on the floor because the contributions he will make toward our program will be significant."
Lazo was replaced at Tennessee by Florida State associate head coach Bill Ferrara. Tennessee head coach Kim Caldwell announced the hiring of Ferrara on Monday.
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - AUGUST 26: Kyle Bradish #38 of the Baltimore Orioles reacts after giving up a home run in the third inning against David Hamilton #17 of the Boston Red Sox at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on August 26, 2025 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across MLB. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Orioles fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
The Orioles have only played four games out of a full 162-game season. They have won as many games as they’ve lost so far. It’s fine, for now. It would be nice if it was better, but it’s fine. Things just don’t feel fine since the losses and to some degree one of the wins are all continuing with stories that were problems for the team over the past season and a half.
Is the offense going to be good enough, with the offseason reinforcements it got, to reverse a trajectory of decline? Is a rebuilt starting rotation going to do the thing? Is a not-built bullpen going to cause continual problems? And then there’s the defense, good grief…
For this week’s survey, you have to pick only one. What’s your biggest concern for the rest of the season?
If you don’t see the survey above, view this article in Incognito Mode.
Results will be posted later in the week. In the meantime, you can head into the comments below to share your concerns.
Chelsea will sign “ready-made stars” after tweaking their model following Cucurella criticism
Marc Cucurella’s criticism of Chelsea’s transfer model could have an instant effect, according to Kaveh Solhekol of Sky Sports.
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In the wake of the rather explosive comments from Marc Cucurella this morning about Chelsea’s transfer strategy, Kaveh Solhekol has gone straight on Sky Sports to speak about the situation.
The full back criticised the youth focused transfer model at Stamford Bridge, and according to Solhekol this could finally bring some changes.
Sky journalist predicts changes to Chelsea model following stinging criticism
“I don’t think the Chelsea ownership will rethink their strategy [but] I think they may tweak it a little bit, make a few changes,” Solhekol said on Sky Sports news.
“I think they’re gonna be busy this summer, but do I think they’re just gonna go straight out and forget about their strategy of signing young players? No, I don’t, but I would expect them to perhaps sign some more experience players, some ready-made stars.”
We’d love to believe that, but we have our doubts.
Solhekol also pointed out that Chelsea’s hierarchy might say that they have signed some more experienced players since they arrived, with Joao Pedro a prime example. In turn, one could point out that the Brazilian is still just 25, and had 0 Champions League appearances to his name when he signed.
In other news…
Solhekol also spoke about the players’ reaction to Rosenior, pointing out that they didn’t really look like they backed the move.
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Check out the latest edition of Simon Phillips’ SPTC podcast here:
Germany U17 fail to qualify for both Euros and World Cup
With a draw enough for France to book their place in this summer’s Euros, they preferred a cautious approach in the first-half. Louis Lemke, who scored the late equalizer against Slovenia, had the first chance of the game.
Thâo Mouapa denied the wingback with a smart save before Jannik Veit failed to capitalize on Germany’s next chance. France managed to slow the game for the rest of the half with Edin Biber’s late header the only other decent goalscoring opportunity.
Leonard Prescott had a very different game to the one against Slovenia, but he nearly conceded inside the first five minutes after the restart. Arone Gadou rattled the crossbar with a brilliant curling effort as Les Bleus nearly took the lead out of the blue.
Meanwhile, Bayern’s highly-rated goalkeeper continued to show his composure with the ball. However, he wasn’t able to stop half-time substitute Noah Loufoundou from close range as France all but secured qualification with the opening goal of the match in the 70th minute.
France’s win and qualification were sealed with a well-deserved goal for Gadou in the 84th minute. José Alcocer’s side will be one of the eight teams in this summer’s Euros in Estonia after topping the group with a maximum of nine points.
Germany also missed out on the U17 World Cup as their four points weren’t enough to put them in the top four in the ranking of best second-placed teams.
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - MARCH 29: Jake Irvin #27 of the Washington Nationals delivers a pitch in the first inning of a game between the Washington Nationals and the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on March 29, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Griffin Quinn/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Through 4 games under new pitching coach Simon Mathews, Nationals pitchers as a group are seeing somewhat of a renaissance in terms of their “stuff”, with many of them finding extra velocity, spin, or movement on their pitches. Chief among them in terms of major changes has been Jake Irvin, who demonstrated perhaps more changes than any pitcher in the big leagues from 2025 to 2026 during his 5-inning, 2-run performance on Sunday at Wrigley Field. Let’s break down these changes and what they mean for Irvin’s 2026 outlook.
Lost in my coverage of Sunday's games was a very encouraging performance by Jake Irvin. Starting with a drastically lower arm slot, Irvin's fastball sustained its ride to push it to a plus offering. He also altered his slider to give it more loft. He is a name to follow! pic.twitter.com/RsOKuVQgmn
The first thing of note is that Irvin’s velocity was up a tick in his first start of 2026 from 2025. His fastball was over 1 MPH faster than it was in 2025, and all of his breaking balls and offspeeds were up a few ticks of velo (except for one, but more on that later). Perhaps this was just a result of Irvin feeling fresh in his very first start of the year, and it will be back to 2025 levels in a few weeks, but velocity being down was a problem for Irvin from the start last year, so it’s certainly refreshing to see that not be the case this season.
Another change Irvin made was dropping his arm angle for the 4th consecutive season. Irvin had an average arm angle of 32 degrees when he entered the big leagues in 2023, and has dropped it all the way to 25 degrees now in 2026. The result is a complete overhaul in his pitch’s movement, with none of his arsenal having the same movement profile as when he entered the bigs.
The pitch that saw the most major change from the arm angle tweak, as well as a likely change in grip, was his slider, which lost nearly 2 MPH of velocity, and in exchange, had nearly 9 more inches of vertical break than it had in 2025, making the pitch more of a sweeper than a traditional slider. Pitch models are a big fan of the change to the pitch, with Thomas Nestico’s Stuff+ formula grading the pitch at 111, 9 points up from 2025, and in the top 50 for all sliders in baseball.
Irvin also refined his pitch usage in his first start of 2026, cutting his fastball and curveball usage and distributing it to other pitches. Against righties, Irvin used his sinker primarily, throwing it 30% of the time, and bumped up his cutter and slider/sweeper usage from 6% and 7% to 10% and 14%, respectively. He attacked outside all afternoon with his pitches, looking to miss barrels with his horizontal moving pitches, while occasionally coming inside with his fastball and sinker.
When facing lefties, Irvin drastically cut use of his fastball and curveball, with the heater usage dropping from 38% to 26% and the curveball from 33% to 23%. With that 24% drop in usage of his 2 main pitches in 2025, he filled it with a 16% increase in cutter usage, 4% increase in changeup usage, and 4% increase in slider usage. He kept his sinker below the zone, hammered inside with his curveball and cutter, and kept them guessing with fastballs on the outside corner.
To recap, through a velocity increase, refining of his slider, and optimization of his pitch usage, Irvin saw an overall improvement to his stuff and impressive results against an impressive Cubs lineup, with the only runs he allowed being solo shots in the wind turbine called Wrigley Field. If he can keep his velocity up and continue to attack hitters with a plan that fits his arsenal, we may be seeing a return to 2024 first-half Jake Irvin form.
Barcelona have already made a decision on Bernardo Silva’s signing
The brass at La Liga champions Barcelona have made a definitive call on the potential signing of Manchester City star Bernardo Silva.
This comes amid confirmation that the Blaugrana do not intend to pursue a deal for the Portuguese.
Midfielder Silva is for his part set to be available as a free agent in the summer, after deciding against renewing his contract terms at The Etihad.
Barcelona, long-term admirers of the 31-year-old’s talents, have in turn been tipped as a possible landing spot for next season.
Not only that, but Silva is for his part understood to be keen on a Camp Nou switch.
If the latest word stemming from the Spanish media early this week is anything to go by, however, then the one-time Monaco man need not get his hopes up.
On Tuesday, March 31, Page Six obtained an arrest affidavit from the Martin County Sheriff’s Office, which explained that after the 50-year-old professional golfer’s Friday, March 27, car accident in Florida, an officer searched him and “located two white pills inside [his] left side pant pocket,” which were “revealed to be hydrocodone.”
While the athlete alleged he had not consumed any alcohol — he blew a 0.0 on the breathalyzer — or illegal substances when police asked, he did tell them he took “a few” when questioned about prescription medications per the affidavit.
Martin County/MEGA
The affidavit noted officers “observed several signs of impairment” from the three-time U.S. Open winner, who was hiccuping, “sweating profusely,” and physically “lethargic and slow.” However, police alleged Woods was “extremely alert during the investigation.”
After agreeing to perform field sobriety exercises, police claimed in the affidavit that the World Golf Hall of Famer was “limping and stumbling to the right,” shared that he “has a limp,” and “his ankle seizes while walking.”
Additionally, when law enforcement asked Woods to take his sunglasses off at one point, they observed his eyes were “bloodshot and glassy,” and he had “extremely dilated” pupils.
OG-MEGA
As for Woods’ reasoning for the accident, he reportedly told authorities he “was looking down at his cellphone and changing the radio station and did not notice the vehicle in front of him had slowed down,” according to the affidavit.
The other driver, identified as Jeromy Bullard, reportedly told the cops he was slowing down to make a right turn and had his turn signal on. The affidavit explained that Woods’ car rolled after it collided with Bullard’s vehicle.
Woods was arrested in Jupiter Island, Florida, and charged with driving under the influence with property damage, per Page Six.
An insider told Globeon Monday, March 30, that Woods “needs rehab, or at the very least a long stay at a wellness center, where he can learn new tools and process the reality of his situation.”
The first week of the 2026 MLB season is in the books. The start of the season had many players get off to hot starts. There will be regression as production will not be sustainable. However, it is important for players to kick off the season on a positive note. Heading into Week 2, here are the top 10 third basemen power rankings.
Mar 30, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Mariners second baseman Brendan Donovan (33) hits a single against the New York Yankees during the seventh inning at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images
Donovan showed the ability to be a productive player in four seasons with St. Louis. As the Cardinals entered a rebuild, they dealt the infielder to Seattle. He’s off to a hot start with his new team, hitting two home runs in week one of the 2026 season.
2. Alex Bregman, Chicago Cubs
The Cubs filled their void at third base when they signed Bregman this offseason. His first week with Chicago saw him reach two home runs and two RBI. His first season with the Cubs can produce a National League All-Star nod.
3. Royce Lewis, Minnesota Twins
Lewis can hit for power, but health continues to be an issue. Last season was the first year he reached 100 games played. In nine at-bats, Lewis has two home runs and three RBI.
4. Nolan Gorman, St. Louis Cardinals
Mar 28, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals designated hitter Nolan Gorman (16) hits a one run single against the Tampa Bay Rays during the first inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images
Gorman has every opportunity to surpass his totals from 2023’s breakout campaign. However, injuries have plagued the young player in consecutive seasons. In week one, Gorman hit one home run and drove in four runs.
5. Brady House, Washington Nationals
House saw limited action in his 2025 rookie season. He had mixed results but showed promise. In three games, House has one home run, two RBI, and a .896 OPS.
6. Alec Bohm, Philadelphia Phillies
Bohm has developed into an underrated third baseman. He hits for a high average and gets on base. In week one, Bohm registered one home run, four RBI, and a .385 OBP.
7. Kazuma Okamoto, Toronto Blue Jays
Mar 30, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Blue Jays Kazuma Okamoto (7) hits a home run against the Colorado Rockies during the ninth inning at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Sousa-Imagn Images
After a successful career in Japan, Okamoto is quickly producing for Toronto. Last week, the third baseman hit his first Major League home run. Okamoto will play a big role for the Blue Jays as they look to repeat as American League pennant winners.
8. Max Muncy, Athletics
Muncy produced modest results as a rookie last season. He finished with nine home runs and 23 RBI in 63 games. He’s off to a quick start, hitting one home run and driving in two runs.
9. Junior Caminero, Tampa Bay Rays
Caminero became a well-known name last season. In his first full season, he reached 45 home runs and 110 RBI. At 22 years old, Junior Caminero has the potential to reach stardom.
10. Matt Chapman, San Francisco Giants
Last season, Chapman resorted to battling injuries during his second year with San Francisco. Still, he reached 20 home runs and 60 RBI for a second consecutive year. If Chapman can reach 150 games played, he can hit 30 home runs and drive in 75 runs.
The 2026 NFL Draft is roughly three weeks away, and the Chicago Bears are finalizing their draft preparations ahead of April's big weekend. Chicago has seven total draft picks, including an additional second-round selection acquired in trading wide receiver DJ Moore to the Buffalo Bills, giving general manager Ryan Poles plenty more ammunition to work with.
After an offseason that has seen plenty of roster turnover and has left several holes on the roster, the Bears will more than likely be very active in using their draft picks to fill out their roster. Chicago's biggest signing this offseason was safety Coby Bryant, who they signed on the first day of free agency, but still have to address needs in the secondary, defensive line, and elsewhere on the roster.
ESPN's Matt Miller released a full seven-round mock draft for all picks in the upcoming draft, where the Bears loaded up on defense at key positions of need.
Round 1, Pick 25: Peter Woods, DT, Clemson
The Bears have to get better on the defensive line both inside at the defensive tackle spot and on the outside to establish a presence opposite of Montez Sweat. Woods is coming off a year in which he didn't fully meet expectations, but he does present plenty of challenges for opposing offensive linemen.
Miller: "This isn't a great interior defensive line class, but the Bears could check off their biggest roster need while picking a defender in Round 1 for the first time since 2018 (Roquan Smith). Woods didn't live up to his potential at Clemson, but scouts believe that he'll be a better pro than college player. His physical tools are special, with first-step burst and overall strength that look like a high-end 3-technique starter. Woods could serve as Grady Jarrett's understudy before taking a larger role in the future."
Round 2, Pick 57: A.J. Haulcy, S, LSU
Most mock drafts have the Bears taking a safety early in this year's draft, but most have projected them to address the position with their first-round pick. Haulcy plays physical and fits the bill of a ballhawk, which Chicago lost with the departures of both Kevin Byard and Jaquan Brisker this offseason.
Miller: "The Bears entered the offseason with no safeties under contract. They signed Coby Bryant from the Seahawks, but there's still a need. Haulcy is a big safety (6-foot, 215 pounds) who has been a playmaker, with 10 career interceptions."
Round 2, Pick 60 (via BUF): Malik Muhammad, CB, Texas
While the Bears lost several safeties this offseason, they also lost Pro Bowler Nahshon Wright who had a career year in the 2025 season. Chicago struggled with injuries to Jaylon Johnson and Kyler Gordon, so bringing in a corner like Muhammad would help reinforce the secondary.
Miller: "Losing Nahshon Wright in free agency was a bigger blow than advertised. Muhammad has been a rock-solid starter since his freshman season and has 4.42 speed to go with pro-level technique in man coverage."
Round 3, Pick 89: Skyler Bell, WR, UConn
Bell is an underrated name in this year's receiver class, with a size-speed combination that would fit well in Ben Johnson's offense. He may be overlooked due to playing at UConn after two years at Wisconsin, and could be a surprise at the NFL level.
Miller: "Building around Caleb Williams should be a priority in every Bears draft. Bell is an impressive athlete with the speed and route-running ability to win consistently from the slot."
The fourth round seems a bit long to wait for an edge rusher for Chicago, but if they are able to get their hands on Reiger, it would be a great value pick. Fitting the exact bill as a pure pass rusher, Reiger has a quick motor, with good hands and energy, all of which he showcased at the Combine in February. Finding players like Bell and Reiger would show deep work by the Bears front office to find good value fits for where they're being taken.
Round 7, Pick 239: David Gusta, DT, Kentucky
A depth pick here, the Bears continue to add to the interior of their defensive line with the selection of Gusta late in the seventh round. Known for giving plenty of effort, Gusta would have plenty of work to put in which he can improve on handling double teams but he'll face a battle to make the roster unless he can show significant improvements in preseason and camp.
Round 7, Pick 241: Jack Kelly, LB, BYU
Chicago also needs help at the linebacker position for depth purposes, Kelly has good speed sideline-to-sideline, and as a linebacker he could find a role as a specialist pass rusher at the position. His best chance is making the team with special teams contribution as a rookie, but could be a diamond in the rough find for Chicago if he could develop into a pass rushing asset.
Mason Greenwood was one of the first players signed by Marseille following Roberto de Zerbi's appointment in 2024 [Getty Images]
Opposition is growing among official Tottenham fans' groups to Roberto de Zerbi being named manager because of his controversial support of Mason Greenwood.
The Tottenham Hotspur Supporters' Trust held an emergency board meeting on Monday night and has now contacted the club to say it cannot support the appointment.
The group told BBC Sport that it had received "a lot of emails from supporters" lodging complaints.
Ali Speechly, the co-founder of Women of the Lane, said her group also opposed the appointment and she will stop attending matches over the issue.
De Zerbi has said Greenwood "paid in a strong way" after leaving Manchester United for Marseille after charges against him, including attempted rape and assault, were dropped.
Spurs have confirmed the former Brighton and Marseille manager as Igor Tudor's replacement on a five-year deal.
But De Zerbi faces a battle to be accepted as the club fights to preserve its Premier League status.
Why De Zerbi's comments were controversial
Greenwood was seen as one of United's most promising young players when, at the age of 20, he was arrested in January 2022.
All charges against the former England international were dropped in February 2023.
Greenwood left Old Trafford to continue his career, initially on loan at Getafe before joining Marseille in July 2024 in a deal worth up to £26.6m.
The transfer was agreed 19 days after De Zerbi was appointed as boss of the Ligue 1 club.
But it was controversial in the French city. The mayor, Benoit Payan, said that signing Greenwood was "unacceptable" and he did not want the club "to be covered in shame".
Marseille went ahead with the signing, and the 24-year-old has scored 47 times in 74 appearances across all competitions.
Alongside Paris St-Germain's Ousmane Dembele, Greenwood was Ligue 1's joint top scorer last season with 21 goals.
The comments which have angered many Spurs fans were made in November.
Before a Champions League game against Newcastle, De Zerbi was asked by an English journalist how things had been for the striker off the pitch.
"I don't want to get involved in anyone's private life. I don't even get into the private lives of my children, because I want to give everyone their freedom," De Zerbi told a pre-match news conference.
"All I can see is that Mason seems a good lad, he paid in a strong way for what happened.
"He has probably here found the right environment for him, which gave him affection, and held out its hand to him.
"When I look at him as a person, I feel sad for what happened in his life, without getting into the details.
"Because the person I know here is very different to the one that has been described, especially in England."
De Zerbi is accused of downplaying the allegations and painting Greenwood as a victim.
It is not the first time Tottenham have faced major opposition to a managerial appointment.
In June 2021, following the departure of Jose Mourinho, Spurs were linked with Gennaro Gattuso.
Some fans on social media referenced controversial comments the former Italy midfielder had previously made on subjects such as same sex marriage, and women in football.
A #NoToGattuso hashtag began trending on Twitter, and the Tottenham Hotspur Supporters' Trust raised the issue with the club.
Trust secretary Tristan Foot told BBC Sport that it had taken on board complaints from supporters about the Italian and had been in touch with the club.
"We had an emergency meeting last night," Foot said. "That resulted in us writing to the chief executive and echoing those concerns and inviting them to reflect on the club's values."
Club sources told BBC Sport that De Zerbi's comments on Greenwood had been considered as part of the process to appoint him and had formed part of discussions.
Women of the Lane is one of a number of official Spurs fans' group to have voiced concerns across social media in recent days.
It was joined by Proud Lillywhites - the LGBTQI+ Supporters' Association, and SpursREACH, which promotes the values of fans from underrepresented ethnic backgrounds.
Speechly, who helped to create Women of the Lane two years ago, said the appointment brought into question the values and integrity of the club.
"The fact is that he hired him [Greenwood] as a player," Speechly said.
"And then continue to publicly back him and support him, sympathise with him.
"For me, that's just unforgivable. I think that speaks to the character of De Zerbi.
"I don't want him anywhere near my football club.
"This is about how we feel, this is about values, this is about integrity and, ultimately, it's about safety.
"It's about women feeling that they are safe around other men."
Speechly added that it undermines the work done by the club to build relationships with minority groups.
"Actions speak louder than words," Speechly added.
"In terms of my relationship with [the club] it's massively impacted it.
"In all honesty I don't have any intention now of going to the stadium if they do appoint De Zerbi."
Ahead of De Zerbi being announced, Foot said that the Trust held the same concerns about the club's integrity.
"We think that our club should reassert values of equality and respect," he added.
"This appointment, out of many that they could have made, seems to be the one that could fly in the face of that.
"We have told the club that if they go ahead with the appointment, that we will issue a formal statement reflecting the serious concerns we have."
Tottenham Hotspur have been approached for comment.
The Los Angeles Rams saw an opportunity to acquire an All-Pro talent and they wasted no time striking. They traded a first-round pick (and three additional picks) to the Kansas City Chiefs for cornerback Trent McDuffie, addressing their most pressing position of need with a big splash.
Though the timing was different, this trade is similar to another one the Rams made in 2019 to land Jalen Ramsey from the Jacksonville Jaguars. A few years later, that trade helped propel the Rams to a Super Bowl, and they hope McDuffie can do the same.
Sean McVay is thrilled to have McDuffie in Los Angeles, speaking about the Rams’ new cornerback during the annual league meeting on Monday. During his media session, he compared McDuffie to Ramsey in the way they’re both versatile and have unique skill sets as complete defensive backs.
“When we were aware that McDuffie was available, and then you have this unique opportunity where you have (DBs coach) Jimmy Lake, who was his college coach, who's going to be coaching the secondary this year, and you hear about number one, you look at the four years of his body of work and the versatility where he can do a lot of things that were similar to what made Jalen Ramsey such a special player for us when our defense was really operating at a high clip,” McVay said, via Stu Jackson of TheRams.com. “He can play into the boundary, can play to the field, he can play in the slot, he can blitz. He's rare, and then he's a rare human. And that was really important."
McDuffie became an All-Pro in 2023 when he primarily played the slot, lining up there on 608 of his 1,243 snaps, according to Pro Football Focus. He was a second-team All-Pro in 2024 after playing more outside, only aligning in the slot on 152 of his 1,206 snaps.
That sort of versatility is incredibly valuable to the Rams, especially with Quentin Lake also having the ability to play in the slot or deep as a safety. Jaylen Watson, the Rams’ other new cornerback, almost exclusively plays on the boundary, using his size and length to match up with bigger corners. That allows McDuffie to move around the formation to where he’s needed most.
The Rams plan to utilize McDuffie in several different spots, and he’s more than open to that. He said in his introductory press conference that he’ll play wherever the Rams need him, even if it’s at safety or putting his hand in the dirt as an edge rusher.
It's going to be fun to see how it all comes to life because for the first time since Ramsey, the Rams have an All-Pro cornerback in their secondary.
Mesenbrink became the sixth Penn State wrestler to win the award, and he did so in a landslide with 61 of the possible 65 first-place votes from a committee of retired coaches, media members, past winners and heads of national wrestling organizations. Wrestlers are chosen based on record, dominance (including the accumulation of bonus points), quality of competition and sportsmanship.
A redshirt junior, Mesenbrink went 27-0 with eight pins, 11 tech falls and six major decisions. Two of those tech falls came in the NCAA semifinal win over Columbia's Cesar Alvan and the title win over Iowa's Michael Caliendo. Mesenbrink won 17 times over wrestlers that qualified for the 2026 NCAA Championships, including nine against All-Americans at 165 pounds.
He also joins a growing fraternity of Wisconsinites to win the Hodge, consisting of Port Washington's Alex Dieringer of Oklahoma State in 2016 and Arrowhead's Ben Askren of Missouri in 2007 and 2006.
Askren established the Askren Wrestling Academy in Hartland, joined by brother Max (also a national champion) and Mitchell's father, John, the longtime head wrestling coach at Arrowhead. Naturally, it's a place where Mitchell trained during his days in Wisconsin, when he also won three WIAA state titles at Arrowhead.
"I love 'em. Give me nine of 'em," Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel said during his media availability at the NFL's Annual Meetings on Tuesday. "Bring me as many tight ends as we can get."
Vrabel, while clearly joking, does appear willing to add several players at tight end -- noting that it will be about "finding the right guy" based on fit. Vrabel was complimentary of this year's class at the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine.
"Just looking across the board, I think there's volume at the tight end class," Vrabel said. "When you go and you evaluate other teams and you get ready to play them, there's a bunch of fourth-and-fifth-round tight ends that end up starting, playing, and contributing. So, wherever that value is, I just think that there are some names there."
It'll remain to be seen who exactly ends up being a fit, but we do believe there are a few players in particular who fit what the organization should be looking for. It's just a matter of waiting and seeing.
The Seattle Mariners are not messing around with No. 7 MLB prospect Colt Emerson.
According to multiple reports, the Mariners have reached agreement with the 20-year-old shortstop on an eight-year, $95 million deal. This comes before Emerson has even made his MLB debut.
The deal, expected to be completed on Tuesday, March 31, would be the largest ever signed by a player who has not played in the majors, MLB reports.
The Mariners selected Emerson in the first round with the 22nd overall pick of the 2023 MLB Draft out of John Glenn High School in New Concord, Ohio. He is Seattle’s top prospect.
Seattle sent Emerson to minor-league camp on March 21 after he went 11-for-41 with two homers, one double, one triple, eight RBIs, five walks and 10 strikeouts over 47 plate appearances in spring training. So far for Triple-A Tacoma, Emerson is hitting. 357 with a home run and two RBIs in three games played.
Seattle Mariners shortstop Colt Emerson bats against the Los Angeles Dodgers during a spring training game. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Passan wrote that Emerson’s deal follows a recent trend of MLB teams locking up promising prospects early. On Monday, March 30, the Milwaukee Brewers reportedly neared an eight-year, $50 million agreement with 21-year-old shortstop Cooper Pratt, per MLB.com. Pratt has not made his MLB debut, either.
“Teams more and more are willing to give big money to players with no major league service time but the pedigree to be frontline players. The allure of having a player’s prime locked up makes it worth the risk,” Passan posted on X.
The situation didn’t work out for Seattle in 2019 when it signed first-base prospect Evan White to a six-year deal before he made the majors. Though he won a Gold Glove during his rookie season in 2020, White struggled at the plate. He hasn’t played in the majors since 2021.
Seattle’s starting shortstop, J.P. Crawford, started the regular season on the 10-day injured list with shoulder inflammation.
The Mariners are 3-2 after handing the New York Yankees their first loss of the season on Monday. Seattle hosts New York again at 9:40 p.m. ET Tuesday, March 31.
FIFA's President Gianni Infantino (L) makes a point as he watches Iran beat Costa Rica in Antalya, Turkey (Adem ALTAN)
FIFA president Gianni Infantino told AFP Tuesday that Iran "will be at the World Cup" and will play their group matches in the United States as scheduled, despite the Middle East war.
"Iran will be at the World Cup," Infantino said at half-time as Iran beat Costa Rica 5-0 in a friendly in Turkey.
"That's why we're here. We're delighted because they're a very, very strong team, I'm very happy."
"I've seen the team, I've spoken to the players and the coach, so everything is fine," added Infantino, whose attendance at Tuesday's game was unannounced.
Infantino went on to stress that Iran's "matches will be played where they are supposed to be, according to the draw".
The World Cup, being hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada, starts on June 11.
Iran are set to play their first Group G game against New Zealand in Los Angeles on June 15. They are then scheduled to play Belgium in Los Angeles on June 21 and Egypt in Seattle on June 27.
Iran's participation had been thrown into doubt by the war with the US and Israel that broke out on February 28.
"For us, what matters most are FIFA's rules and regulations. We will comply with whatever FIFA decides. Every host country has made commitments to FIFA and must honour them," Mahdi Mohammadnabi, the vice president of the Iranian Football Federation (FFIRI), told AFP at the match.
The FFIRI had said earlier this month it was "negotiating" with FIFA to relocate the country's World Cup matches from the United States to Mexico.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum also said that her country is prepared to host Iran's first-round matches at the tournament if needed.
-'Fruitful discussion' -
Infantino initially said that US President Donald Trump had given assurances that the Iranian team would still be welcome.
But Trump then stated that Iran's team should not travel to the tournament "for their own life and safety".
Iran hit back at Trump's comments, saying that "no one can exclude Iran's national team from the World Cup".
On Tuesday, Mohammadnabi said Infantino had been en route from Mexico to Qatar.
"Having learnt that we were organising friendly matches here, he came to see us in person, and we had a fruitful discussion," Mohammadnabi said.
"Given our history in this competition, it is only natural that FIFA should support the Iranian team. Mr Infantino is providing the necessary support to our national team and has given our players a great boost."
Asked before the game if Iran would be at the World Cup, back-up striker Dennis Eckert Ayensa told AFP: "Inshallah" (god willing).
Iran, who also played a friendly against Nigeria in the Turkish town of Belek last Friday, crushed Costa Rica, who have not qualified for the World Cup, 5-0 on Tuesday.
Skipper Mehdi Taremi, with two penalties, Ali Gholizadeh and Mohammad Mohebbi put Iran four goals up by the break. Half-time substitute Mehdi Ghayedi added a fifth in the 51st minute by which time coach Amir Ghalenoei had started to empty his bench.
Before the game, Iran's players wore black armbands and posed with photos of what officials said were young victims of the war, including those killed in an airstrike on a primary school in Iran on the first day of the conflict.
The airstrike on the school in the southern Iranian city of Minab on February 28 killed at least 170 people, including students and teachers.
The New York Times has reported that the preliminary findings of a US military investigation indicate that a US Tomahawk cruise missile hit the school due to a targeting mistake.
Mar 18, 2026; Greenville, SC, USA; Duke Blue Devils head coach Jon Scheyer reacts during a practice session ahead of the first round of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Bon Secours Wellness Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images
With Duke’s loss to UConn in the Elite Eight, every team in the ACC is now in off-season mode, other than Boston College, which is waiting for Huskies assistant Luke Murray to move to Beantown, which he can’t do until UConn’s season ends.
Over the last few years, we’ve argued that the issue with the ACC being down was coaching. A lot of Athletic Directors seem to have realized that, and adjustments have been made.
Everyone other than BC and UNC now has a coach in place, and the ACC roster should be much more imposing.
Boston College – Luke Murray. Obviously unproven as a head coach, but widely credited with much of UConn’s recent success.
Cal – Mark Madsen – Did well at Utah Valley, winning 28 games in his final season. Got Cal to a 22-win season and nearly to the NCAA Tournament this year.
Clemson – Brad Brownell – An elite developer of talent, Brownell is the best coach in Clemson history. That’s a weak standard, but he’s a brilliant coach.
Duke – Jon Scheyer – In four seasons, he’s made one Sweet 16, two Elite Eights, one Final Four, and has won more through four seasons than any coach in history.
Florida State – Luke Loucks – Highly impressive first season.
Georgia Tech – Scott Cross – Won 27 games at UT Arlington, and got Troy into back-to-back NCAA tournaments. He’s a builder, but Georgia Tech is not a wealthy program.
Louisville – Pat Kelsey – Terrific first year, up and down this year, but he had limited availability from star freshman Mikel Brown. Still vastly superior to Kenny Payne.
Miami – Jai Lucas – Brilliant first season. Sky’s the limit.
North Carolina – ? – For historical symmetry, we were hoping the Rick Pitino rumor was true: bring in a star New Yorker to keep up with the neighbors. It worked with Frank McGuire until it didn’t. Actually, the more we think about Jerry Stackhouse there, the more we like it. That’s not being sarcastic. He could do very well in Chapel Hill for a number of reasons.
NC State – Justin Gainey – Unproven head coach, but tremendous assistant. Rick Barnes raves about him.
Notre Dame – Micah Shrewsberry – Erratic and volatile. Injuries hurt the Irish this season, but so has the focus on football. Needs an NIL sugar daddy.
Pitt – Jeff Capel – Capel has proven he can coach at VCU and Oklahoma, but has struggled at Pitt. Probably a make-or-break season.
SMU – Andy Enfield – The man behind FGCU’s Dunk City. SMU will not lack for resources. Got the Elite Eight at USC.
Syracuse – Gerry McNamara – Siena’s performance against Duke made his name, but Siena was only third place in the MAAC. He’ll probably do well, but he’s still green, and Syracuse resources are thin.
Stanford – Kyle Smith – Clearly brilliant, but can his nerd game overcome admissions? Stanford should be well-covered for NIL resources.
Virginia – Ryan Odom – Brilliant first season. How many coaches have won 30 or more games in their first season? About 11, including Bill Guthridge, who inherited Dean Smith’s roster, Bill Hodges, who had Larry Bird, and Brad Stevens. Also on the list: Arizona’s Tommy Lloyd and Illinois’ Brad Underwood, both in the Final Four.
Virginia Tech – Mike Young – No one doubts his coaching IQ, but NIL limits his potential in Blacksburg.
Wake – Steve Forbes – NIL will be a problem at schools like Wake Forest until it isn’t, but Forbes has proved he can coach.
Carson Beck and Ty Simpson are making some of the same stops as they make the pre-draft rounds of NFL teams.
NFL Media reports that Beck and Simpson are both slatedfor meetings with the Cardinals and Dolphins ahead of next month's draft. Both quarterbacks have also spent time with the Jets already.
Simpson had a brief meeting with the Cardinals at the Combine as well and their head coach Mike LaFleur called him a "good dude and we'll see where it goes."
Beck has also met with the Steelers while Simpson has spent time with the Browns as he works to find a home in the NFL.
A former basketball coach pleaded guilty to statutory sexual offense with a person under 15 Monday, according to the Anson County Criminal Superior Court.
Jamaszio Burch was sentenced to a minimum of 15 years in prison for sexually assaulting a player. Prosecutors say the assault happened in 2022.
England's Chris Woakes had to bat in a Test match against India despite sustaining a dislocated shoulder a few days earlier [Getty Images]
Replacement players will be allowed in county cricket in England and Wales this season and, for the first time, will cover illness and significant life events as well as injuries.
The season-long trial means players will be able to be replaced with a fully participating player for the first time, rather than just a substitute fielder as is currently the case.
The significant life events will include circumstances such as players leaving to attend the birth of their child or the illness of a family member.
"Most sports have injury replacements," Rob Andrew, the England and Wales Cricket Board's managing director of the professional game, told BBC Sport.
"We haven't gone whole hog with tactical replacements like rugby.
"We feel it is appropriate that players are not forced to stay on the field or miss significant life events."
Eight-day bans, clearance by county CEOs - how will replacements work?
Such trials have already been held in first-class cricket in Australia, India and South Africa but the ECB has taken it further by allowing replacements for illness and life events.
"We wanted to do something that was different to other boards and play our part in learning as much as we could," said Alan Fordham, the ECB's head of cricket operations.
The ECB expects injury replacements to be used in 25% of matches, starting with this weekend's opening round of matches in the County Championship.
It would eliminate scenarios such as England bowler James Anderson being ruled out of a 2019 Ashes Test after four overs because of a calf injury, or all-rounder Chris Woakes having to bat with one arm in a sling against India last summer.
Once a player has been replaced they will be unable to return in the same fixture.
As with concussion replacements, the incoming player must be like-for-like. That element will have to be signed off by the match referee.
Replacements for injury and illness will require clearance by county chief medical officers. In the scenario of replacements for life events, the chief executives of each county will have to agree to the move.
One deterrent for teams bending the rules to gain competitive advantage is the inclusion of a "stand down period" of eight days for any player replaced for illness or injury. There is no such period for life events.
Unlike trials held in other countries, there is no cut-off period during the match for the replacements. They will be allowed after the first ball or before the last.
"We are relying on medical ethics and integrity," Fordham said. "This is all about getting the best quality cricket, looking after players and not having players continuing in games they shouldn't be.
"If teams are going to start pushing at the edges of the regulation then it risks the chance we will have to backpedal."
Jay Bilas is one of the foremost analysts in college basketball and has been so for a while. The former Duke star has been a mainstay on ESPN, as both a studio analyst and color commentator, and even was on the call when the Wolverines lost to the Blue Devils in the February nonconference, neutral-site matchup.
On Monday, Bilas linked up with prominent Michigan alum Rich Eisen to break down the Final Four, and naturally, the duo got talking about the Wolverines.
While Bilas sees this game as being a really good matchup, and one that Michigan absolutely could win, he does see one place where the Wildcats could have the advantage, and it's a place that has hurt the Wolverines a few times this season.
"Two teams that match up really well together size-wise and with physicality," Bilas said. "I think they play a little bit differently. Arizona is an inside-oriented team. They're going to pound the ball inside in high-low situations, getting downhill. They want to put pressure on the rim all the time. And so they have great positional size in the interior, but the free-throw line is going to determine the game.
"Obviously, there are other aspects. One team out-rebounds, the other whatever, turnovers. There are a lot of factors. But the biggest factor is going to be, can Michigan play the physical game that they're going to have to play to beat Arizona and keep Arizona off the foul line? Because Arizona makes more free throws on the season and in their tournament games. They make more free throws than their opponents attempt, and the free-throw line is the most efficient place to score in a basketball game. And if you see Arizona getting to the line 25 times, 30 times, that's going to be advantage Arizona."
As it pertains to free throws, Michigan occasionally struggles from the line, but it is actually ranked higher than Arizona on the season, having made 74.2% of its shots from the stripe to 73.5%. However, as Bilas notes, the Wildcats get to the line much more frequently, ranking third in the country, averaging 26.8 free throws per game. Michigan is 68th, averaging 22.9.
Even with that metric, the Wolverines do have other advantages. Bilas notes that the maize and blue shied away from some of them in the game against the Blue Devils, but so long as Michigan plays its game, it will be very difficult to beat.
"Michigan has a different gear than most teams. They can go on these 20-2 runs or something," Bilas said. "I'm not sure that's necessarily possible against Arizona, but they're the one team that can do that in this tournament. And I think you and I talked after the Michigan-Duke game in Washington, D.C., the thing that surprised me about that game was that Michigan didn't get to their second and third actions in possessions against Duke. I thought if those two played again, they wouldn't let that happen, and they can't let that happen against Arizona.
"Michigan runs a great offense. They've got so many weapons. Yaxel Lendeborg, chief among them, he'll be like the queen on a chessboard for Dusty May. But if they get to those second and third actions, kind of like UConn does, they're going to be extraordinarily difficult to beat. That's going to be a great game, and it's worthy of any championship game we'll ever see. And one of the great things is we get in the semifinals, and then you get a great championship game after that."
Jan 31, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Indiana Hoosiers forward Trent Sisley (11) celebrates with assistand coach Rod Clark after defeating the UCLA Bruins in double overtime at Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom Financial. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
Trent Sisley, the only one of Indiana men’s basketball’s three true freshmen to see extended playing time during the 2025-26 season, will return to the program for his sophomore season in 2026-27, per reporting from Joe Tipton of On3.
Sisley originally committed to the Hoosiers under Mike Woodson but remained signed during the coaching transition to Darian DeVries last offseason. Originally from Santa Claus, Indiana, Sisley played at Heritage Hills High School in Lincoln City, Indiana before transferring to Montverde Academy for his senior season.
Sisley entered his first season receiving significant minutes off the bench before being phased out of the rotation as the season went on. His bench contributions proved critical in Indiana’s 2OT win over UCLA when he made the game-winning free throws in the closing seconds. He ultimately averaged 4.2 points, 2.8 rebounds and 0.4 assists in 13.1 minutes per game.
With plenty of attrition from outbound seniors, DeVries could use as many returners as he can get. Sisley was probably at the top of the priority list.
Aug 13, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Miami Marlins left fielder Kyle Stowers (28) celebrates his RBI single in the sixth inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images | David Richard-Imagn Images
Injuries can be viewed as a glass-half-full or glass-half-empty ordeal in the world of fantasy baseball. On one hand, a player is not active and thus, of no use. On the other hand, that player may be lowly owned, and so you can add and stash that player for future value. Today, we angle towards doing just that - stashing players on the IL who are angling have great future upside. Look to these players.
OF, Lourdes Gurriel
Gurriel is due back to the D-Backs on May 1st, or around that date, due to a knee injury. Gurriel is a consistent .415-.475 slugging percentage hitter, with 20 total home runs. He will start every day once back, so he does have upside every day, especially after batting .275 in 2024 and thus having great baseball in his bag.
SP, Merrill Kelly
Kelly is due back at the diamond in about two weeks. He has been out due to nerve irritation, but when healthy, Kelly is a 3.50 ERA pitcher and is owned in about 44% of fantasy baseball leagues.
2B, Jackson Holliday
Reports confirm that Holliday is struggling in his rehab starts. Expectations cannot be sky-high for his mid-April return, but Holliday still has a scouting report that suggests he will be a star in the MLB. That is worth taking a shot at.
OF, Kyle Stowers
Stowers is available in 50% of leagues, and he should absolutely be added as one of our breakout candidates of 2026. Stowers will remain out roughly 3 more weeks, but when back, you have a 30+ home run player who slugged the ball at a .544 number in 2025.
RP, Jason Adam
Adam is not expected to get us any saves, as Mason Miller has that job. However, Adam is still extremely elite and should field innings-per-week similar to a starting pitcher, pitching twice as many games per season. Adam has back-to-back seasons with a sub-2.00 ERA and nearly 11 K/9. Adam is out with a quadriceps injury but is due back in about one week.
SP, Trey Yesavage
Yesavage is available in 46% of leagues, so check your waiver wire. Yesavage is a 2026 rookie of the year candidate, and in 2025, he posted 3 solid starts with 14 IP, 16 K's, and a 3.21 ERA. Yesavage is rehabbing back from a shoulder injury, and I planned to return in about two weeks.
SP, Shane Bieber
The former Cy Young candidate is not due back until May. However, when healthy, Bieber is a sub-3.50 ERA pitcher, posting a 1.02 WHIP in 2025 and a 0.92 WHIP in 2024. Bieber is among the better pitchers in the MLB, owned in less than 30% of fantasy baseball leagues, and on a Blue Jays team that made the World Series last year.
One of the storylines from UConn's incredible 74-73 Elite Eight win over Duke was Huskies head coach Dan Hurley's strange behavior in the final moments. He came face-to-face with an official on the court for a stare down, drawing many to believe there should've been a technical foul called for his antics.
While some believe it was a "playful" gesture in the midst of an emotional scene, Hurley clearly violated the rules and nothing was called on the court.
There was one social media post that went viral after the tense exchange from Hurley. It has fans believing Hurley would be out for UConn's Final Four game against Illinois. Parody account Shane Tuttle tweeted out, "BREAKING: The NCAA is suspending UConn HC Dan Hurley for Saturday’s Final Four matchup against Illinois.
BREAKING: The NCAA is suspending UConn HC Dan Hurley for Saturday’s Final Four matchup against Illinois.
Hurley strictly violated Rule 10-3.2.h with 0.3 seconds left against Duke which prohibits physical contact with an official with intent to harm. pic.twitter.com/4CBTIPcDds
"Hurley strictly violated Rule 10-3.2.h with 0.3 seconds left against Duke which prohibits physical contact with an official with intent to harm."
In reality, Hurley hasn't been suspended by the NCAA. Despite the post being viewed over 1.3 million times on X, the news is fake.
UConn prepares to face Illinois in Indianapolis on Saturday. The winner moves on to a spot in Monday's National Championship game to face either Arizona or Michigan.
Roberto De Zerbi has been appointed Tottenham manager on a long-term deal (LOU BENOIST)
Tottenham appointed Roberto De Zerbi as the club's third manager of the season on Tuesday as they battle to avoid relegation from English football's top-flight for the first time in nearly 50 years.
Former Brighton and Marseille boss De Zerbi has reportedly been handed a lucrative five-year deal to convince him to take the job immediately rather than waiting to see which division Spurs are in next season.
Tottenham sit just one point outside the relegation zone with seven games of the Premier League season remaining.
De Zerbi replaces Igor Tudor, whose interim reign lasted just seven games after Spurs crashed out of the Champions League and fell ever closer to the Premier League drop zone.
"I am delighted to be joining this fantastic football club, which is one of the biggest and most prestigious in the world," said De Zerbi in a club statement.
"I am here because I believe in that ambition and have signed a long-term contract to give everything to deliver it.
"Our short-term priority is to climb the Premier League table, which will be the complete focus until the final whistle of the last game of the season."
De Zerbi established a positive reputation for himself in England during a two-year spell as Brighton boss between 2022 and 2024.
His time at Marseille started positively, finishing second to Paris Saint-Germain in Ligue 1 last season to qualify for the Champions League.
But he left the French club in February after failing to make it out of the Champions League group phase and a humiliating 5-0 defeat by PSG.
Tottenham have not tasted life outside the top flight of English football since the 1977/78 season.
Despite boasting a new 63,000-capacity stadium, state-of-the-art training ground and revenues that make them among the top 10 richest clubs in world football, they are at severe risk of a humiliating relegation to the Championship.
Just a few years ago they were Champions League regulars under former manager Mauricio Pochettino, reaching the final in 2019.
Last season they ended a 17-year trophy drought by winning the Europa League.
But the warning signs of a battle for survival were there as Ange Postecoglou was dismissed despite victory over Manchester United in the Europa League final after finishing 17th in the Premier League.
Thomas Frank was appointed as the Australian's successor, but the Dane was sacked in February after a run of two wins in 17 league games and replaced by Tudor.
De Zerbi's first match in charge will be away to Sunderland on April 12.
Picking No. 2 overall in the 2026 NFL Draft, the New York Jets will have their pick of the majority of the rookies in the upcoming class.
And with Fernando Mendoza all but locked into the Las Vegas Raiders pick at No. 1 overall, the Jets have known for a while who their options will be. While they could go offense, defense is the clear best option.
ESPN's Matt Bowen identified the ideal draft pick for the Jets with that second-overall pick. It's an Ohio State linebacker with blazing speed, but it's not Sonny Styles. Instead, versatile LB/Edge Arvell Resse would be the ideal pick for the Jets.
Jets' ideal draft pick would be Ohio State's Reese
"... But I like Reese because of the positional versatility he would bring to coach Aaron Glenn's defense," Bowen writes. "With the Jets, Reese should be viewed as a playmaker who could boost the second-worst scoring defense from 2025 (29.6 points per game)."
The Jets could decide to take a chance on someone that's a true edge defender, like David Bailey out of Texas Tech or Ruben Bain Jr. out of Miami. But the upside case with Reese is too much to pass on.
Without a quarterback worth taking No. 2 overall, and the defense in dire need of upside, someone like Reese, who can play both off-ball linebacker and also get some run as a pass rusher, would be an ideal draft pick.
At the NFL Combine, he ran a ridiculous 4.46 for someone his size at 6-foot-4, 241 pounds. He's not just athletic, he's productive as well.
He had 6.5 sacks last season for the Ohio State Buckeyes and was consistently a great tackler all season, thanks in part to his great athleticism.
Reese would be a great pick for the Jets, and it's a huge part of the reason why so many mock drafts have the Jets taking the versatile Ohio State linebacker/edge defender at No. 2 overall.
The Miami Dolphins only had one running back hit free agency this offseason, and that was Alexander Mattison, who missed the entire 2025 season due to a neck injury that he suffered the preseason.
With that, the rest of the room is set to return, and it's probably Miami's best position group on the offensive side of the ball entering 2026, but the Dolphins are still looking at ways to add at running back before Week 1.
According to KPRC2's Aaron Wilson, the Dolphins hosted running back prospect Kaelon Black for a meeting ahead of the 2026 NFL draft.
Black, 24, was a two-star recruit out of Salem High School in Virginia Beach, Virginia, before committing to James Madison in 2019. After four years with the Dukes, he spent his final two years in college at Indiana, where he won a national championship in 2025.
In 51 collegiate games, he rushed for 2,261 yards and 16 touchdowns on 5.1 yards per attempt and caught 52 passes for 473 yards and six scores. The 2025 season was by far his best, as he rushed for 1,040 yards and 10 touchdowns on 5.6 yards per carry.
Black is currently projected to be a Day-3 pick in the draft, so the Dolphins could address several other needs before grabbing a depth running back.
Microsoft has officially pulled the plug on the legacy Remote Desktop client, forcing users into the "Windows App" as the March 27 support deadline passes.
Newegg is offering a 3% promo code for $25 Xbox Gift Cards. With this voucher, you will be able to shave off $25 off Xbox games or Xbox Game Pass subscription fees for 3% less.
The SDSQXH9-1T00-GZ6MA model of the SanDisk 1TB Extreme microSD UHS-I Card is one of the best ways to upgrade your Xbox Ally/Xbox Ally X's storage size, and it's now on sale for a 41% discount thanks to World Backup Day.
Xbox continues refining the Ally X experience with a new app update, adding a display widget, improved controls, and small but meaningful quality-of-life improvements across the board.
Xbox has officially unveiled its 25th anniversary partnership with Fanta, offering themed in-game rewards across Halo, Diablo IV, Call of Duty, World of Warcraft, and Forza Horizon 6, alongside prize giveaways and live event experiences.
Razer, the leading global lifestyle brand for gamers, today unveiled the Razer Pro Type Ergo, an ergonomic wireless keyboard designed to make long hours at the desk feel more natural and less fatiguing, while helping users get more done with less effort.
Pro Type Ergo is Razer's answer to a productivity market that has barely moved: a split-ergonomic keyboard that feels familiar from the first keystroke, cuts strain over time, and builds powerful workflow tools directly into the layout. For professionals who live on their keyboard, it is built to support comfortable, focused work all day, every day.
Eidos Montreal announced earlier this week in a LinkedIn post that it was laying off 124 of its employees and that its studio director, David Anfossi was leaving. The studio explained that the layoffs are a result of necessary cost-cutting measures and evolving project needs. The layoffs would affect both production and support teams, and the studio says that they are necessary cuts to allow the studio to concentrate its efforts where it can be most effective. Now, new reporting seems to suggest that the layoffs may have been partially caused by a game whose budget had ballooned and caused financial strain in the studio.
Following the layoffs, Insider Gaming reports that Eidos, who had previously worked on Deus Ex: Mankind Divided and Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy, has also cancelled Wildlands, an in-development open-source action-adventure game that the studio had been working on for seven years. The publication reports that WIldlands had had a somewhat troubled development cycle prior to its cancellation, with the team having gone through four different game engines and burned through hundreds of millions of dollars in budget. These reports are further backed up by Jason Schreier's comments on Reddit. Further, according to Insider Gaming's sources, the game was in the debugging phase and nearing completion before Embracer, Eidos's parent company, shut it down.
The Intel Binary Optimization Tool (BOT) has been launched alongside the "Arrow Lake Refresh" series of processors, which includes the Core Ultra 5 250K Plus and Core Ultra 7 270K Plus models. While the tool is beneficial for gamers looking to extract a few extra frames from their setups, it may be a nightmare for makers of benchmarking tools like Geekbench by Primate Labs. Recently, Primate Labs testing found that BOT changes the way .exe applications run and concluded that Geekbench runs will now flag these BOT-enhanced runs. However, in deeper testing, Primate Labs discovered that Intel's BOT may deliver significant boosts in some applications like Object Remover and HDR, increasing performance by up to 30%. This is thanks to the deep vectorization that the BOT performs behind the scenes to optimize performance.
For example, Primate Labs used Intel's own Software Development Emulator (SDE) to measure how many instructions were executed and which types of instructions the program executed. Without BOT, Geekbench 6 required a total of 1.26 trillion instructions to finish, while a BOT-enhanced run completed with 1.08 trillion instructions. This is an impressive 14% reduction. However, when examining the execution by type, we see that BOT makes heavy use of vector instructions like SSE2 and AVX2. The number of scalar instructions needed to execute a program fell from 220 billion to 84.6 billion, while the number of vector instructions increased from 1.25 billion to 18.3 billion, a 13.7x increase. This means that Intel BOT finds a way to turn inefficient scalar code into vectorized instructions that are processed much more efficiently inside Intel CPUs. These techniques indicate a very complex behind-the-scenes process than was originally believed. The Geekbench v6.7 update will include a flag for BOT, allowing future Geekbench results to be easily distinguished as BOT-enhanced or not.
Blaze Entertainment is proud to announce the Evercade Nexus, the newest retro gaming handheld console from Evercade. Evercade continues to champion physical cartridges as the medium to relive the classic gaming experience, bringing more top-quality names to the ever-growing ecosystem with Rare's Banjo-Kazooie and Banjo-Tooie included. The latest iteration of the Evercade gaming experience draws on the feedback of Evercade fans and the demands of gaming in the current age, while also keeping the simplicity and ease of use that Evercade provides, and the continuing commitment to the nostalgia and experience of using and collecting physical cartridge media.
The Evercade Nexus is built to play with an ultra-bright 5.89" screen, the biggest ever screen on an Evercade, with a peak brightness of over 500 nits. The new, larger design allows for dual analogue sticks, giving Evercade players the full experience of 64 and 32-bit games, and helping recreate the feel of arcade-style gaming in your hands. All of this in a new larger form factor that is still light and comfortable to use and travel with, and a sleek new look with a black color scheme and a customizable RGB light-up logo.
Since the launch of the Steam Deck and the subsequent competing Windows gaming handhelds, Microsoft has been working on improving its UI for gaming consoles, culminating with the recent adoption of the Windows Full Screen Experience, which was later renamed to Xbox Mode. The latest update to Microsoft's gaming experience, however, comes by way of the Xbox app and its overlay, as spotted by ROGAllyLife. These new features will be available to everyone using compatible hardware and the Xbox app, although they are still in the preview version of the app, so they may only reach mainline status in a few weeks. The biggest update is a new display widget that was added to the Xbox Game Bar overlay, which adds controls like display refresh rate, resolution, projection mode, and Auto Super Resolution, allowing users to test different display configurations without leaving their games.
Users can now also change notification placement in the Xbox app, allowing them to see notifications without completely disrupting the gaming experience. The Xbox app now allows for eight notification placement options—three positions along each screen edge—and this can also be customized from the Game Bar overlay instead of necessitating a potentially game-breaking app switch. These updates are just the most recent in Microsoft's efforts to make handheld gaming more feasible on Windows, but it remains to be seen how Microsoft will change the regular Windows 11 experience after its recent promise to address quality and usability complaints.
AMD has quietly renamed its Anti-Lag 2 technology as part of the FSR package, now calling it "FSR Latency Reduction 2.0." This move aligns with AMD's recent trend of rebranding FSR-related technologies. The AMD Radeon marketing team has successfully unified FidelityFX Super Resolution under the FSR branding, although Anti-Lag 2 was previously an exception, bundled with other AMD technologies. The advanced graphics technology, once known as FidelityFX Super Resolution, is now simply called "FSR." This change is reflected on AMD's official product page, which notes that FSR stands for "formerly AMD FidelityFX Super Resolution." However, AMD has not formally announced this rebranding. These changes occurred before the official launch of the FSR "Redstone" product in late December last year. Now, every new announcement features the standard FSR language, suggesting that this renaming might be part of a broader update to Anti-Lag 2.
Since FSR is aimed at gamers, it is now included in the FSR package as "FSR Latency Reduction 2.0." With FSR Redstone, AMD has already grouped four technologies under the FSR "Redstone" name: FSR Upscaling, FSR Frame Generation, FSR Ray Regeneration, and FSR Radiance Caching. If the renaming becomes more than just a label update, FSR Latency Reduction 2.0 could become the fifth component of the FSR "Redstone" suite. Technologies like AMD Anti-Lag 2 are specifically designed to reduce latency by improving CPU and GPU coordination. Even without frame generation, it can lower latency in a game, but it may be especially useful when synthetic frames are involved, helping to keep latency at a level where any added delay is far less noticeable.
PDFsam Basic is a free, open-source tool for splitting, merging, and organizing PDFs. Version 6.0 adds three compression modes, better support for PDF 2.0 and UTF-8 text, stronger handling for malformed files, and more quality-of-life improvements.
Federal authorities recently charged Yih-Shyan Liaw, along with a company employee and an outside contractor, with smuggling roughly $2.5 billion worth of such servers to China. The case not only jolted investors – Supermicro's stock lost a third of its value the following day – but also reignited debate in...
We take a look at Noctua's current lineup of releases through Q2 2026, in addition to what products we might expect from them in the future, including the impressive Thermosiphon cooler.
YoloLiv's YoloCam S3 is a small, sturdy 4K/30 fps webcam that delivers excellent video — once you spend some time fiddling with the software. It's got a large sensor, a wide 82-degree field of view, and lightning-fast autofocus, but you'll need to plug it into a USB 3.0 port for it to function.
Manuscript is two things. For publishing houses, it's a tool that streamlines the entire editorial process and makes it 10 times more efficient. It uses AI ethically, handling the tedious parts of editing while keeping the artful, human side of publishing exactly where it belongs: with humans.
For authors, Manuscript is a full workspace that gives you a complete toolbox but leaves the writing entirely to you. Think of it as a Scrivener alternative built for the 21st century—one that will never write for you.
TapHum is a presence app that lets you tell someone you're thinking of them with a single tap. No messages, no emojis, no pressure to reply. Just tap their circle and they instantly feel it through a gentle vibration and a warm glow on their phone. It removes the need for words while keeping connections warm and effortless.
Each person in your circle gets their own glowing orb you can personalize with a custom color and nickname. Build daily streaks by tapping each other, see your shared timeline grow over time, and connect through QR codes or invite links. TapHum is for the people you don't need words with, like partners, parents, and best friends who just need to know you're there.
LOT Polish Airlines launches a new direct route between Rome Fiumicino Airport and Krakow, offering year-round service with flights operating five days a week. The new connection allows travellers to reach the southern Polish city […]
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) released data for February 2026 global passenger demand with the following highlights: Total demand, measured in revenue passenger kilometers (RPK), was up 6.1% compared to February 2025. Total capacity, […]
Munich Airport is expanding its Chinese Shopping Assistant service across all terminals from April 2026, as flight connections between China and Munich continue to grow. The service, designed for Chinese-speaking passengers travelling to cities such […]
Noida International Airport’s Groundbreaking Phase 1 Inauguration by PM Modi Elevates India’s Aviation Landscape and Unlocks Economic Opportunities for Uttar...
Iceland Overtakes Norway, Sweden, Switzerland and France Lead Global Clean Energy Race with Lowest Carbon Power GridsIceland, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland...
Cherry Blossom Festival 2026 Explodes in D.C.: 250th Anniversary Kickoff, Pink Takeover, and Around Two Million Visitors Expected!Experience the 2026...
Jerome Powell does not do unsolicited advice. He said so himself. But speaking publicly in what amounts to one of his final major appearances before Kevin Warsh takes the chair, Powell offered something close to a farewell address to the institution he has led through a pandemic, an inflation crisis and now a period of deepening geopolitical and economic uncertainty.
“Stick to your knitting,” Powell said. “There is always a temptation to want to move into other areas. We have very powerful tools. They are supposed to be for maximum employment, price stability and financial stability. There is always a time when an administration looks and says it would be good to use that tool for something else.”
He did not name names. He did not need to.
The Timing Could Not Be More Loaded
The Senate Banking Committee is preparing to hold a confirmation hearing for Warsh in the week of April 13, a timeline that places his nomination squarely inside one of the most turbulent macroeconomic moments in recent memory.
Inflation is rising again. US-Iran tensions are escalating and clouding the rate cut outlook that markets had been quietly counting on. The FOMC meets April 28 to 29, and whoever sits in the chair by then, or is confirmed to sit there soon after, will inherit a set of decisions with no clean answers.
Powell acknowledged the weight of the role without flinching. “What we do is very challenging and highly uncertain. The Fed is not a perfect institution. Don’t look for perfection.”
What he did ask for was something simpler and more fragile: independence.
“We are not trying to work against any politician or any administration. But we have to be careful to stick to what we are doing.”
What Warsh Walks Into
Warsh, a former Fed governor known for his market-focused instincts and more hawkish leanings, enters a confirmation process shaped by competing pressures. The White House has made no secret of its preference for lower rates. Markets want clarity. And Powell, in his own careful way, just reminded everyone why the person holding that chair cannot simply deliver what any one side wants.
Meanwhile, the CLARITY Act, which would formally define crypto assets under US law, is advancing toward a markup in April with growing bipartisan support, adding another dimension to the regulatory environment Warsh will need to navigate.
To the Next Generation, With Caveats
Powell also spoke directly to students navigating a labour market reshaped by AI and immigration policy shifts, offering a perspective that was optimistic in the long run and honest about the near term.
“It is a challenging time to enter the labour market,” he said plainly. “But this economy is going to give you great opportunities. Master these new technologies. That should stand you in good stead.”
On whether AI ultimately complements or replaces human workers over a 40-year horizon, Powell, for once, did not pretend to have the answer.
The recent price increase shows that more money is flowing into these kinds of tokens, especially ones that mix meme appeal with the idea of future use. The big question is whether this interest will continue. Tokens like this can move quickly when people are paying attention, but they need steady buying to keep going.
With that in focus, let’s break down Siren’s price outlook.
Siren is currently trading in a narrow range between $1.50 and $1.80 after reaching its recent high. The $1.50–$1.60 area is acting as support, where buyers are stepping in and keeping the price steady. On the upside, the price may face resistance between $2.20 and $2.50, where selling pressure could increase.
This kind of movement usually means the market is taking a pause before deciding its next direction.
If the price moves above $2.20, it could rise further toward the $3.80–$5.00 range. On the other hand, if it drops below $1.50, it may fall back to around $1.20–$1.30.
For now, the most likely scenario is that SIREN stays between $1.50 and $2.20 through April, unless there is a strong push in either direction.
Coinpedia siren (SIREN) Price Prediction 2026
Siren enters 2026 after a strong rally, now holding in the $1.50–$1.80 range. At this stage, the focus is less on rapid gains and more on whether the price can stay stable and build a steady trend.
The key level to watch is $1.50. This area has become the first support after the breakout. If the price holds here, it shows that buyers are still active and willing to step in even after some selling. Staying above this level would keep the overall structure healthy and support the chances of a continued upward move.
push toward $6.80–$10.00. Still, because the token is new, any sharp moves are likely to be quick and uneven rather than smooth.
If the price fails to move past this resistance, it may stay in a wider range for some time. In that case, Siren could trade between $1.20 and $2.20 as the market cools down after its earlier surge.
On the downside, a drop below $1.50 would weaken the current setup and could lead to a fall toward $1.20, where the next support level sits. This would suggest that the earlier momentum has slowed and the market is resetting.
Overall, 2026 looks like a year where Siren either builds a more stable trend or continues to move sideways as it settles after its initial rise.
siren (SIREN) Price Prediction 2027- 2030
Year
Potential Low ($)
Potential Average ($)
Potential High ($)
2027
6.00
11.20
15.00
2028
11.00
17.20
20.00
2029
22.00
30.00
38.00
2030
25.00
38.00
50.00
siren (SIREN) Price Prediction 2027
As per the siren Price Prediction 2027, siren may see a potential low price of $6.00, The potential high for siren price in 2027 is estimated to reach $15.00
siren (SIREN) Price Forecast 2028
In 2028, siren price is forecasted to potentially reach a low price of $11.00, and a high price of $20.00
siren Coin Price Prediction 2029
Thereafter, the siren (siren) price for the year 2029 could range between $22.00, and $38.00
siren (SIREN) Price Prediction 2030
Finally, in 2030, the price of siren is predicted to maintain a steady positive. It may trade between $25.00 and $50.00
The long-term outlook depends on whether Siren stays useful, especially in real-world blockchain applications. If it does, growth may continue, but at a slower and more steady pace as the project matures.
Year
Potential Low ($)
Potential Average ($)
Potential High ($)
2031
42.00
50.00
62.00
2032
52.20
68.50
75.00
2033
63.00
74.20
88.00
2040
87.00
108.50
120.00
2050
105.50
160.00
200.00
siren (SIREN) Price Prediction : Market Analysis?
Year
2026
2027
2030
Changelly
$8.00
$14
$20
CoinCodex
$7.40
$12
$25
WalletInvestor
$9.00
$16
$22
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FAQs
Why is siren (SIREN) gaining attention?
SIREN is gaining traction due to the hype around AI-themed meme tokens, attracting capital despite limited fundamentals and early-stage development.
Is Siren (SIREN) a good long-term investment?
SIREN has potential but remains high-risk. Long-term success depends on sustained demand, real use cases, and whether it evolves beyond meme-driven hype.
What is the siren (SIREN) price prediction for 2026?
SIREN may trade between $1.20 and $10.00 in 2026, depending on demand. Holding above $1.50 keeps the bullish setup intact for further upside.
How high can SIREN coin go by 2030?
SIREN could reach between $25 and $50 by 2030 if adoption grows and momentum continues, though price swings may remain volatile due to its early stage.
What is the price prediction for Siren crypto in 2040?
By 2040, SIREN could trade between $87 and $120 if long-term adoption and real-world use cases expand, though forecasts remain speculative.
Ripple (XRP) News: Convera has announced a strategic collaboration with Ripple to introduce stablecoin-enabled cross-border payments for businesses. The partnership combines Convera’s global payment network with Ripple’s blockchain infrastructure to deliver faster settlements, improved liquidity, and more flexible treasury solutions using crypto and stablecoins.
Convera Partners Ripple for Stablecoin Payments
According to the announcement, the collaboration focuses on offering crypto-enabled payment and treasury services for enterprises. By integrating Ripple’s infrastructure, Convera aims to simplify international transfers and reduce delays associated with traditional banking systems.
The collaboration also targets payment corridors where legacy financial rails remain slow or costly. Businesses using the platform will be able to move funds more efficiently while maintaining familiar fiat-based workflows.
Patrick Gauthier, CEO of Convera, said Ripple is a clear leader in the crypto space and a natural fit for the company.
“We look forward to continued success and growth as we roll out these capabilities to customers near and far.”
Stablecoin “Sandwich” Model Powers Faster Settlement
The collaboration uses a stablecoin-based settlement structure often called the “stablecoin sandwich” model. In this setup, payments start in fiat currency, convert into stablecoins for settlement, and then convert back into fiat at the receiving end.
Convera manages the full payment flow, including customer experience and compliance. Meanwhile, Ripple provides the backend infrastructure, including liquidity sourcing, on- and off-ramps, and cross-border settlement.
We’re partnering with Convera to expand enterprise cross-border payments.
Together, we’re combining global payment rails with stablecoin-enabled settlement to improve speed, liquidity, and reliability.https://t.co/OTa8apYIZa
This approach allows companies to move funds globally without exposure to crypto volatility. It also reduces reliance on multiple intermediary banks, which typically slow down international transfers.
Enterprises Demand Faster Global Money Movement
The move comes as businesses increasingly look for more efficient ways to send funds internationally. Stablecoin settlement offers quicker processing times and more predictable costs compared to traditional cross-border payments.
Aaron Slettehaugh, SVP of Product at Ripple, “Enterprises are increasingly looking for faster, more flexible ways to move money globally without taking on the complexity of digital assets directly.”
By combining Convera’s payment expertise with Ripple’s blockchain-based liquidity, the partnership aims to give businesses more control over how and when funds move across borders.
The collaboration highlights growing adoption of stablecoins in enterprise finance. As demand rises, infrastructure partnerships like this could play a key role in reshaping global payment systems.
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Google Pixel 11 Pro has appeared in early leaks, which gives us a simple idea of its design before launch. The phone is expected to arrive in August 2026, and it looks very similar to the previous model. Instead of big changes, Google is making small improvements to the design. It will compete with strong rivals, including the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra, which may offer more noticeable upgrades.
The new renders has been shared by Android Headlines. Looking at these renders, the Pixel 11 Pro looks very similar to the Google Pixel 10 Pro. The biggest change is the camera bar on the back. It now appears fully black, which makes the phone look cleaner and more modern.
The rest of the design, including the flat sides and display, stays mostly the same. The bezels are thin, but not as thin as some other flagship phones like the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra.
Image via Android Headlines
Aside from this, the Pixel 11 Pro is expected to come with a 6.3-inch display. It may run on the new Tensor G6 processor for better performance. The phone could have 16GB RAM, but there is also a chance of 12GB. Storage might start at 256GB.
These images are based on CAD files, which are usually given to case makers before a phone launches. Because of this, they give a good idea of the phone’s size and shape. However, small details like colors or exact finishing may still change in the final version. Still, these renders are useful to understand the overall design. Stay tuned for more information.
A new report has claimed that the studio known for Tomb Raider and Deus Ex games, Eidos Montreal, has cancelled a project that was in the making for seven years. Said project had reached a budget of hundreds of millions and was close to release.
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Baltic has introduced the Heures du Monde watch with a vintage design. The worldtimer watch features a vintage-sized 37 mm 316L stainless steel case, a 120-click bezel, a stone dial, and a Soprod C125 GMT movement.
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SpaceX has suffered two Starlink satellite incidents in three months, both explained as 'anomalies' with root causes yet to be disclosed. While SpaceX insists the debris field doesn't threaten the ISS or the Artemis II mission to the moon, with 9,500 satellites and counting, space debris is a growing concern.
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Samsung has quietly announced a new keyboard accessory (EF-DX935) for its Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra Pro tablet. It comes in gray and silver colors and retails for $400/€390 from Samsung.com.
Samsung Tab S11 Ultra Pro Keyboard in Gray
Samsung Tab S11 Ultra Pro Keyboard in Silver
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Aptoide has just launched AppArena in Japan. This is the first "tailored alternative iOS game store" for the Japanese market, the company says. The launch was made possible by Apple's recent regulatory-induced changes enabling third-party app markets, following the passing of Japan's new Mobile Software Competition Act of 2025, which mandated this move.
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Italy and Bosnia and Herzegovina face off in a closely contested match in the UEFA 2026 World Cup Qualifiers. While the Azzurri are expected to play a fairly direct style, the Dragons will look to cause damage with their aerial game. Here are the predicted lineups for both sides.
Italy face Bosnia and Herzegovina in the UEFA World Cup Qualifiers for 2026, looking to secure direct qualification after missing two consecutive editions. With an impressive roster, the Azzurri come in as clear favorites to take the win. However, the Dragons will look to enhance their attacking play, targeting their opponent’s defensive weaknesses.
Bosnia and Herzegovina are not a historically dominant national team, but they have grown significantly in recent years in UEFA competitions. Led by Edin Džeko, they have improved their performances, relying on aerial play as one of their main strengths. In addition, coach Sergej Barbarez has managed to make their defensive structure shine, meaning the Azzurri could face a tough challenge.
Despite not being in their best form, Italy still arrive as clear favorites to secure their place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Coach Gennaro Gattuso has implemented a strong attacking setup, led by Federico Dimarco and Matteo Politano on the wings. Additionally, Sandro Tonali and Nicolò Barella support the attack, acting as ideal partners for the forwards. With this, the Azzurri are aiming for a strong return to the tournament.
Bosnia and Herzegovina confirmed lineup vs Italy
Unlike Italy, Bosnia and Herzegovina do come into the match with one absence: Amar Dedić. Because of this, coach Sergej Barbarez could turn to Armin Gigović. However, he may keep a fairly similar lineup, with Tarik Muharemović and Nikola Katić leading the defensive line. Looking to make the difference in attack, Edin Džeko will serve as the undisputed leader of the national team aiming for a historic victory.
Sandro Tonali of Italy celebrates scoring his team’s first goal during the FIFA World Cup 2026 European Qualifiers.
Bosnia and Herzegovina will play as follows: Vasilj, Memić, Muharemović, Katić, Kolašinac, Dedić, Šunjić, Bašić, Demirović, Bajraktarević, Džeko.
Italy confirmed lineup vs Bosnia and Herzegovina
After recovering Sandro Tonali, Riccardo Calafiori, and Moise Kean, Italy arrive with their full roster available to face Bosnia and Herzegovina. With this, coach Gennaro Gattuso has kept Manuel Locatelli as a key figure to balance the team’s midfield.
With this, Italy’s confirmed lineup is as follows: Donnarumma: Mancini, Bastoni, Calafiori: Politano, Barella, Locatelli, Tonali, Dimarco: Retegui, Kean
Edin Dzeko of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Sandro Tonali of Italy.
The outcome of this clash is far more than just a victory or defeat, as it carries major implications for the road to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with only one team advancing.
The stakes could not be higher as Poland prepares to face Sweden in a decisive play-off final. The outcome of this clash is far more than just a victory or defeat, as it carries major implications for the road to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with only one team advancing.
There is a sense of déjà vu surrounding this encounter, as Poland previously overcame Sweden in a similar high-pressure scenario to book a place at the 2022 FIFA World Cup. This time, however, the dynamic feels different, with Sweden enjoying home advantage and stronger recent momentum.
Despite contrasting journeys to the final, both national sides arrive with belief and purpose. Poland has relied on resilience and experience, while Sweden has rediscovered attacking confidence at just the right moment. The margins are expected to be razor-thin, with individual brilliance likely to determine the outcome.
Road to the Playoffs Final: Two different paths
Sweden enters the final in strong form, guided by head coach Graham Potter. The Scandinavian side secured an impressive 3-1 victory over Ukraine in the semi-final, powered by a stunning hat-trick from Viktor Gyokeres. That performance not only showcased attacking quality but also restored confidence after a difficult qualifying campaign.
Poland, on the other hand, had to fight much harder to reach this stage. Under the guidance of Jan Urban, they came from behind to defeat Albania 2-1, with goals from Robert Lewandowski and Piotr Zielinski. The performance highlighted their experience and ability to deliver under pressure.
Statistically, Poland appears more balanced, boasting stronger defensive numbers and greater attacking volume. Sweden, however, brings efficiency and form, making this one of the most evenly matched finals in the European play-offs.
How Poland’s win, draw, or loss could affect the UEFA 2026 World Cup Qualifiers
If Poland wins (Sweden loses):
Poland qualifies directly for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Sweden is eliminated from the qualification process.
Poland secures one of UEFA’s final available spots, joining the Netherlands, Japan, and Tunisia in Group F at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
If the match ends in a draw:
The game proceeds to extra time and potentially penalties
There is no final draw outcome, as one team must win.
The eventual winner qualifies, while the loser is eliminated.
If Poland loses (Sweden wins):
Sweden qualifies for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Poland is eliminated despite reaching the play-off final.
Sweden officially claims UEFA’s final playoff qualification slot, joining the Netherlands, Japan, and Tunisia in Group F at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Robert Lewandowski (left) and Viktor Gyokeres (right)
The meeting between the Czech Republic and Denmark is more than just a contest, as it carries the weight of expectation after long, difficult qualifying journeys. Only one national team will leave EPET Arena with its fate secured.
Prague finds itself at the center of European soccer tonight, a city bracing for a match that promises tension, grit, and the kind of drama only a one-game final can deliver. The meeting between the Czech Republicand Denmarkis more than just a contest, as it carries the weight of expectation after long, difficult qualifying journeys. Only one national team will leave EPET Arena with its fate secured.
Both national teams arrive from contrasting paths: the Czech Republic through a dramatic comeback against Ireland, and Denmark through a dominant dismantling of Macedonia. One carries resilience, the other arrives with momentum, and both recognize the unforgiving nature of a single-match final. The stakes are unmistakable.
And before the match unfolds, the mysterious consequence looming over tonight finally becomes clear: the outcome determines who claims UEFA’s final remaining World Cup place, and who sees its journey end in Prague.
Czechia enters this final with belief sharpened by survival. Against Ireland, the national team twice trailed, only to force extra time through Ladislav Krejci before winning on penalties thanks to Matej Kovar’s saves and Jan Kliment’s decisive strike. The victory extended a strong run at home, where it remains unbeaten in qualifying.
The national team’s motivation runs deeper than the usual stakes. The Czech Republic has not reached a World Cup since 2006, and tonight presents its clearest path back to the global stage in two decades. That pressure blends with hope, especially with a home crowd amplifying every moment.
Denmark’s strength: fresh legs and a clear objective
On the other hand, Denmark enters this final fueled by sharp form and strategic clarity. Brian Riemer’s national team swept aside Macedonia in a convincing 4-0 win, with goals from Mikkel Damsgaard, Gustav Isaksen, and Christian Norgaard sealing progress. The performance reinforced Denmark’s depth and balance across midfield and attack.
Though Denmark arrives as the favorite on paper, Prague’s atmosphere and the Czech Republic’s home record offer real resistance. This national team has not lost at home during qualifying and carries a determination forged through adversity. The final promises a level contest shaped by tactical precision and emotional intensity.
How the Czech Republic’s win, draw, or loss today could affect the UEFA 2026 World Cup Qualifiers
If the Czech Republic wins (Denmark loses):
The national team qualifies directly for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, securing its first appearance in twenty years.
It claims UEFA’s final playoff path berth, joining South Korea, South Africa, and Mexico in Group A at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Denmark’s campaign ends immediately, despite entering in strong form.
If the match ends in a draw:
The final proceeds into extra time, followed by penalties if needed.
This pathway does not produce a simple “draw” outcome, as there must be a winner.
One team triumphs in the shootout and qualifies, while the other’s journey ends.
If the Czech Republic loses (Denmark wins):
Denmark secures a place at the 2026 World Cup, marking its third straight appearance.
The Czech Republic’s campaign ends at the final hurdle, despite the dramatic route that brought it here.
Denmark officially claims UEFA’s final playoff qualification slot, joining South Korea, South Africa, and Mexico in Group A at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
After defeating Northern Ireland, Italy secured a place in the UEFA World Cup Qualifiers playoffs finals. As a result, the Azzurri now face Bosnia and Herzegovina, aiming to book their spot in the anticipated tournament. Here, we will analyze the three possible outcomes of today’s match.
While they are not in their best form, Italy managed to defeat Northern Ireland, thanks to a brilliant performance by Sandro Tonali. With this win, they secured their spot in the UEFA World Cup Qualifiers playoffs, but they face a tough challenge ahead. The Azzurri will take on Bosnia and Herzegovina, aiming to return to the 2026 World Cup after missing the last two tournaments, with a win, draw, or loss changing the whole picture.
Bosnia and Herzegovina arrive as a well-established and solid UEFA side, going five matches unbeaten. Not only have they impressed defensively, but they also boast an effective attack, relying on quick counterattacks and strong aerial play, with Edin Džeko standing out. With this, they will look to defeat Italy for the first time in 30 years, securing their place at the 2026 World Cup.
Italy have managed to enhance their attacking qualities, with the performances of Federico Dimarco and Matteo Politano being key to this. In addition, coach Gennaro Gattuso is opting for a different midfield setup, as only Manuel Locatelli remains a fixed presence. Because of this, Sandro Tonali and Nicolò Barella become ideal partners for Moise Kean and Pio Esposito in attack, creating numerical superiority.
Despite their attacking quality, the Azzuri face a difficult challenge: Their defense. Coach Gennaro Gattuso has world-class players such as Alessandro Bastoni, Riccardo Calafiori, and Gianluca Mancini. However, they do not excel in aerial play, something that exposes them against Edin Džeko. In addition, their high pressing leaves space in behind, meaning counterattacks from Bosnia and Herzegovina could be key.
Sandro Tonali (C) of Italy celebrates with his team-mates Mateo Retegui (L) and Moise Kean (R).
How could Italy’s win affect the UEFA 2026 World Cup Qualifiers?
In case Italy secure a victory against Bosnia and Herzegovina, they will earn a direct spot in the 2026 World Cup. With this, the Azzurri have ended their two-tournament drought of failing to qualify for the highly anticipated tournament. However, coach Gennaro Gattuso faces a tough challenge: To restore the team to prominence, as they have failed to reach the final stages since their 2006 victory—a stage they have historically dominated.
How could Italy’s draw affect the UEFA 2026 World Cup Qualifiers?
Unlike the group stage, Italy and Bosnia and Herzegovina meet in a single-leg knockout match. Therefore, a draw in today’s game would lead to two 15-minute extra-time periods, aiming to determine a clear winner. In case it remains undecided, they would settle it through a penalty shootout, with the winner securing a spot in the 2026 World Cup.
How could Italy’s defeat affect the UEFA 2026 World Cup Qualifiers?
If Italy are defeated in today’s game, the Azzurri would become the first FIFA World Cup-winning national team in being absent in three consecutives editions. Moreover, Bosnia and Herzegovina would secure a direct spot in the tournament, attending for their second time as 2014 edition was their last one. Nonetheless, coach Sergej Barbarez holds a key task: Advancing past the group stage for the first time in its history.
Sandro Tonali of Italy in action during the FIFA World Cup 2026 European Qualifiers.
Czech Republic take on Denmark in the Path D final of the UEFA World Cup qualifiers. Here’s all the essential information, including kickoff times and how to watch the match live on TV and streaming services.
Here are all of the details of where you can watch Czech Republic vs Denmark on US television and via legal streaming:
With a place at the World Cup hanging in the balance, the Czech Republic and Denmark are set to deliver a high-stakes clash fueled by confidence and urgency. The Czechs arrive riding momentum after a thrilling comeback win over the Republic of Ireland that ultimately ended in a penalty shootout triumph.
Denmarkenters as one of the most in-form teams in the field following a commanding 4-0 semifinal victory against North Macedonia that solidified its contender status. With both nations just one step away from soccer’s biggest stage, expect a fast-paced, emotionally charged battle from start to finish.
More details on how to watch
With Fubo, you can watch Czech Republic vs Denmark and tons more games. With the legal streaming service, you can watch the game on your computer, smartphone, tablet, Roku, Apple TV or hook it up to your TV with Google Chromecast.
Now with Fubo, you can stream USA Network, ESPN, ESPN2, CBS, CBS Sports Network, FS1, FS2, beIN SPORTS, beIN SPORTS en Español, beIN SPORTS Connect, beIN SPORTS XTRA, NBC, CNBC, USA, FOX, FOX Soccer Plus, FOX Deportes, Telemundo, Universo and Galavision.
Plus Fubo, the legal streaming service, also streams Liga MX, World Cup, Women’s World Cup, MLS, UEFA Champions League (in Spanish), Europa League (in Spanish), Primeira Liga, Ligue Un, World Cup qualifiers, NWSL, select USMNT games, select USWNT games, select Mexico games, select England games and more.
The Fubo app is available for Windows PC, Mac, Apple iPhones, Android phones, Amazon Fire TV, Android Mobile, Android TV, Apple TV, Chromecast, Hisense TVs, iOS devices, LG TVs, Samsung Smart TVs, Vizio Smartcast TVs and Xbox One.
If you’re planning to follow more games on this platform, you can check out the full Fubo soccer schedule to stay up to date with upcoming matches available via the service.
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 NordVPN, allows you to establish a secure connection online when streaming. If you are not sure which VPN to use, check out World Soccer Talk’s guide to the best VPNs for streaming soccer.
To find out when soccer games are on, download the free Soccer TV Schedules App which includes listings of all of the live soccer matches available in the United States (available on Apple iOS devices and Android devices).
Bosnia and Herzegovina face Italy in the Path A final of the UEFA World Cup qualifiers. Here’s all the essential information, including kickoff times and how to watch the match live on TV and streaming services.
Here are all of the details of where you can watch Bosnia and Herzegovina vs Italy on US television and via legal streaming:
Italy’s push to reclaim a spot on soccer’s biggest stage continues as it collides with Bosnia and Herzegovina in the marquee matchup of the UEFA qualifiers’ second round. The Italians kept their campaign alive with a composed 2-0 result against Northern Ireland, looking determined to avoid a third straight World Cup absence.
They’ll face Bosnia, who rides the momentum of a dramatic penalty shootout triumph over Wales, aiming to secure only its second appearance in tournament history. With both sides carrying urgency and belief into this high-stakes clash, expect a fiercely contested battle from kickoff to the final whistle—this is one you won’t want to miss.
More details on how to watch
With Fubo, you can watch Bosnia and Herzegovina vs Italy and tons more games. With the legal streaming service, you can watch the game on your computer, smartphone, tablet, Roku, Apple TV or hook it up to your TV with Google Chromecast.
Now with Fubo, you can stream USA Network, ESPN, ESPN2, CBS, CBS Sports Network, FS1, FS2, beIN SPORTS, beIN SPORTS en Español, beIN SPORTS Connect, beIN SPORTS XTRA, NBC, CNBC, USA, FOX, FOX Soccer Plus, FOX Deportes, Telemundo, Universo and Galavision.
Plus Fubo, the legal streaming service, also streams Liga MX, World Cup, Women’s World Cup, MLS, UEFA Champions League (in Spanish), Europa League (in Spanish), Primeira Liga, Ligue Un, World Cup qualifiers, NWSL, select USMNT games, select USWNT games, select Mexico games, select England games and more.
The Fubo app is available for Windows PC, Mac, Apple iPhones, Android phones, Amazon Fire TV, Android Mobile, Android TV, Apple TV, Chromecast, Hisense TVs, iOS devices, LG TVs, Samsung Smart TVs, Vizio Smartcast TVs and Xbox One.
If you’re planning to follow more games on this platform, you can check out the full Fubo soccer schedule to stay up to date with upcoming matches available via the service.
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 NordVPN, allows you to establish a secure connection online when streaming. If you are not sure which VPN to use, check out World Soccer Talk’s guide to the best VPNs for streaming soccer.
To find out when soccer games are on, download the free Soccer TV Schedules App which includes listings of all of the live soccer matches available in the United States (available on Apple iOS devices and Android devices).
Kosovo will face Turkiye in the Path C final of the UEFA World Cup qualifiers. Here's everything you need to know, including kickoff times and where to watch the action live on TV and streaming platforms.
Here are all of the details of where you can watch Kosovo vs Turkiye on US television and via legal streaming:
Kosovo’s stunning 4-3 upset over Slovakia flipped the script in this UEFA Qualifierssecond-round final, setting the stage for one of the most wide-open and unpredictable matchups in the bracket. Now just a single victory away from securing its first-ever FIFA World Cup appearance, Kosovo enters with momentum and confidence.
Meanwhile, Turkiyearrives as the favored side after taking care of Romania as expected, aiming to punch its ticket back to the global stage for the first time since 2002. With history on the line and no clear outcome in sight, this final has all the ingredients of a must-watch showdown—don’t miss it.
More details on how to watch
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hasn’t come close to losing in his professional career so far but one reigning world champion believes he would defeat the unbeaten star with ease. Stevenson became a four-weight world champion back in January when he put in a stellar performance to defeat Teofimo Lopez for his WBO super-lightweight title at Madison Square Garden in […]
has offered his thoughts on a showdown between and . Bivol defeated Artur Beterbiev in February 2024 to become undisputed light heavyweight champion, gaining revenge after Beterbiev had come out on top in their first meeting four months earlier. Since then, Bivol has vacated the WBC world title, which was awarded to Benavidez, but he […]
İran, Titanic Mardan Palace Spor Kompleksi sahasındaki müsabakanın ilk yarısını 12. dakikada Ali Gholizadeh, 20. ve 35. dakikalarda penaltıdan Mehdi Taremi'nin, 32. dakikada Muhammed Mohebi'nin golleriyle 4-0 önde tamamladı.
İkinci yarıda da ataklarını sürdüren İran, 55. dakikada Mehdi Ghayedi'nin golüyle farkı 5'e çıkardı. Karşılaşmanın kalan dakikalarında başka gol olmadı ve İran sahadan 5-0'lık galibiyetle ayrıldı.
Öte yandan, FIFA Başkanı Gianni Infantino, mücadelenin ilk yarısını tribünden takip ettikten sonra devre arasında stattan ayrıldı.
İran'ın Ankara Büyükelçisi Muhammed Hasan Habibullahzade de karşılaşmayı izledi.
Orta Doğu'daki çatışmaların ardından Ürdün'ün başkenti Amman'dan Antalya'ya alınan maçlar kapsamında İran Milli Futbol Takımı, 27 Mart'ta ise Nijerya'ya 2-1 yenilmişti.
Trabzonspor, Trendyol Süper Lig'in 28. haftasında 4 Nisan Cumartesi günü sahasında Galatasaray ile karşılaşacak.
Trabzonspor, Trendyol Süper Lig'in 28. haftasında 4 Nisan Cumartesi günü sahasında Galatasaray ile yapacağı maçın hazırlıklarını sürdürdü.
Mehmet Ali Yılmaz Tesisleri'nde teknik direktör Fatih Tekke yönetimindeki antrenmanın ilk bölümünde bordo-mavili oyuncular, teknik ısınma çalışması gerçekleştirdi.
Antrenman, 5'e 2 ve pas çalışmasının ardından dar alanda çift kale maçla sona erdi.
Trabzonspor, hazırlıklarına yarın yapacağı antrenmanla devam edecek.
A Milli Futbol Takımımız, 24 yıl sonra FIFA Dünya Kupası'na katılmak için Kosova ile kritik bir maça çıkacak. Bu akşam oynanacak karşılaşma öncesinde moraller yerinde. İnancımız tam. Montella ve öğrencileri, Ay-Yıldızlı bayrağımızını ABD, Kanada ve Meksika semalarında dalgalandırma konusunda kararlı. Haydi Bizim Çocuklar! Sokağa dökün bizi...
A Milli Futbol Takımımız, 2026 FIFA Dünya Kupası Avrupa Elemeleri play-off turu finalinde deplasmanda Kosova ile karşı karşıya gelecek.
Kosova Türkiye A Milli Maçı saat kaçta, hangi kanalda?
Kosova'nın Başkenti Priştine'deki Fadil Vokrri Stadı'nda oynanacak karşılaşma, TSİ 21.45'te başlayacak ve TV8'den naklen yayınlanacak.
Karşılaşmada İngiltere Futbol Federasyonundan hakem Michael Oliver düdük çalacak. Oliver'ın yardımcılıklarını aynı ülkeden Stuart Burt ve James Mainwaring yapacak. Mücadelenin 4. hakemi Christopher Kavanagh olacak.
Karşılaşmayı kazanan takım ABD, Kanada ve Meksika'nın ev sahipliğini yapacağı 2026 Dünya Kupası'na katılma hakkını elde edecek.
Maçın 90 dakikasının berabere bitmesi halinde uzatma bölümüne geçilecek. 15'e dakikalık iki uzatma bölümünde de kazanan çıkmaması durumunda ise seri penaltı atışlarıyla Dünya Kupası'na gidecek ekip belli olacak.
Ay-yıldızlı ekip play-off yarı finalinde Romanya'yı 1-0, Kosova ise Slovakya'yı 4-3 yenerek finalde mücadele etme hakkını elde etmişti.
Hedef 24 yıl sonra Dünya Kupası
A Milli Futbol Takımı, 2002 yılında 3. olduğu Dünya Kupası'na yeniden katılarak 24 yıllık özleme son vermek için sahada yer alacak.
Türkiye, tarihinde 3 kez Dünya Kupası'na katılma hakkı elde etti. Dünya Kupası vizesini ilk kez 1950'de alan A Milli Futbol Takımı, o dönemin imkansızlıkları sebebiyle turnuvadan çekildi. 1954 Dünya Kupası'nda Macaristan, Batı Almanya ve Güney Kore'yle aynı grupta yer alan ay-yıldızlılar ilk maçında Batı Almanya'ya 4-1 mağlup olurken ikinci maçında Güney Kore'yi 7-0 yendi. Grup formatı gereği Batı Almanya'yla yeniden karşılaşan milliler, rakibine 7-2 kaybederek elendi.
Milli takımın sonraki Dünya Kupası macerası ise 48 yıl sonra gerçekleşti. 2002 yılında play-off turunda Avusturya'yı geçerek organizasyona katılma hakkı kazanan milliler, turnuvayı 3. sırada tamamlayarak tarihi bir başarı elde etti.
Kosova'da tanıdık isimler
A Milli Futbol Takımı'nın play-off finalindeki rakibi Kosova'nın kadrosunda tanıdık isimler bulunuyor.
Takımın en golcü ismi kariyerinde Giresunspor, Gençlerbirliği, Çaykur Rizespor ve Fenerbahçe formalarını giyen İspanya ekibi Mallorca'da kariyerini sürdüren 31 yaşındaki Vedat Muriç. Muriç, milli takım formasıyla çıktığı 67 maçta 32 kez rakip fileleri havalandırdı. Beşiktaşlı Milot Rashica ise 12 golle ikinci sırada yer alıyor.
Kosova'dan kadrosunda Alanyaspor forması giyen Florent Hadergjonaj ve Fidan Aliti de bulunuyor. Kaleci Arijanet Muric de 2021-2022 sezonunda Adana Demirspor formasını giymişti.
Milli takımın aday kadrosu
A Milli Takım'ın Kosova maçı aday kadrosunda şu futbolcular bulunuyor:
Kaleci: Altay Bayındır (Manchester United), Mert Günok (Fenerbahçe), Muhammed Şengezer (RAMS Başakşehir), Uğurcan Çakır (Galatasaray)
Orta saha: Kaan Ayhan (Galatasaray), İsmail Yüksek (Fenerbahçe), Orkun Kökçü (Beşiktaş), Hakan Çalhanoğlu (Inter), Salih Özcan (Borussia Dortmund), Atakan Karazor (Stuttgart)
Forvet: Barış Alper Yılmaz, Yunus Akgün (Galatasaray), Kerem Aktürkoğlu, Oğuz Aydın (Fenerbahçe), İrfan Can Kahveci (Kasımpaşa), Arda Güler (Real Madrid), Deniz Gül (Porto), Kenan Yıldız (Juventus)
Kosova'nın aday kadrosu
Teknik direktör Franco Foda tarafından belirlenen Kosova'nın 23 kişilik aday kadrosunda şu futbolcular yer alıyor:
Kaleci: Arijanet Muric (Sassuolo), Visar Bekaj (KF Tirana), Amir Saipi (Lugano)
İran A Milli Futbol Takımı, Kosta Rika ile Antalya'da oynadıkları ve FIFA Başkanı Gianni Infantino'nun da izlediği maça savaşta öldürülen çocukların fotoğraflarıyla çıktı.
Titanic Mardan Palace Spor Kompleksi'nin sahasındaki müsabaka seremonisinde savaşta öldürülen çocukların yanı sıra zarar gören hastane ve tarihi yapıların fotoğraflarıyla yer alan İran Milli Takımı oyuncuları, ülkelerinin milli marşı okunurken de fotoğrafları ellerinden bırakmadı.
Çatışmaların ardından Ürdün'ün başkenti Amman'dan Antalya'ya alınan maçlar kapsamında İran Milli Futbol Takımı, 27 Mart'ta Nijerya ile oynadığı ve 2-1 yenildiği hazırlık maçında seremoniye siyah kol bandıyla çıkmış ve kız çocuğu okul çantası taşımıştı.
2026 FIFA Dünya Kupası Avrupa Elemeleri play-off turu finalinde Kosova'ya konuk olacak karşılaşma öncesi A Milli Futbol Takımı'nın konakladığı otelin yakınında dün gece havai fişek atan 2 kişi gözaltına alındı.
Kosova Polisi Priştine Bölgesi Sözcüsü Enis Pllana, AA muhabirine yaptığı açıklamada, 2026 FIFA Dünya Kupası Avrupa Elemeleri play-off turu finalinde Kosova'ya konuk olacak karşılaşma öncesi A Milli Futbol Takımı'nın Kosova'nın başkenti Priştine'de konakladığı otelin yakınında havai fişek atan 2 kişinin yakalandığını bildirdi.
Pllana, "genel tehlike yaratma" suçunu işledikleri iddiasıyla 2 şüpheli hakkında 48 saatlik gözaltı kararı verildiğini vurguladı.
2026 FIFA Dünya Kupası Avrupa Elemeleri play-off turu finalinde Kosova'ya konuk olacak karşılaşma öncesi A Milli Futbol Takımı'nın konakladığı otelin yakınında dün gece geç saatlerde havai fişekler atılmıştı.
2026 FIFA Dünya Kupası Avrupa Elemeleri play-off finalinde bu akşam oynanacak Kosova-Türkiye mücadelesi öncesi Priştine'de heyecan artıyor.
Başkent Priştine'de bulunan Qendra Meydanı'nda toplanan Türk ve Kosovalı taraftarlar, forma ve atkılarıyla maç saatini beklemeye başladı.
Fenerbahçe, Galatasaray, Beşiktaş, Bursaspor başta olmak üzere birçok takımın formasıyla A Milli Futbol Takımı'nın konakladığı otel önünde toplanan Türk taraftarlar, yaptıkları tezahüratlarla takıma destek verdi.
Kosovalı bir işletmeci ise açtığı pankartla Türk taraftarların ücretsiz çay ve kahve alabileceğini duyurdu. Kafe sahibi işletmecinin hazırladığı pankartın üzerinde, "Bugün rakibiz ama her zaman dostuz. Tüm Türk taraftarlara kahve ve çay ikramımızdır. 1999'da siz ödediniz, bugün hiçbir borcunuz yok." ifadeleri yer aldı.
Basketbol Avrupa Ligi'nde (EuroLeague) 35. hafta heyecanı yarın oynanacak tek maçla başlayacak.
Avrupa basketbolunun kulüpler düzeyindeki bir numaralı organizasyonunda 35. hafta maçları, yarın, 2 Nisan Perşembe ve 3 Nisan Cuma günü oynanacak.
Türk takımlarından Fenerbahçe Beko, Almanya'nın Bayern Münih ekibiyle deplasmanda karşılaşacak. Anadolu Efes ise İsrail temsilcisi Maccabi Rapyd'e Sırbistan'da konuk olacak.
Avrupa Ligi'nde 35. hafta maçlarının programı (TSİ) şöyle:
Yarın:
20.00 Bayern Münih (Almanya)-Fenerbahçe Beko
2 Nisan Perşembe:
20.00 Zalgiris Kaunas (Litvanya)-Barcelona (İspanya)
20.00 Hapoel Tel Aviv (İsrail)-Panathinaikos AKTOR (Yunanistan)
21.00 Dubai Basketbol (Birleşik Arap Emirlikleri)-AS Monaco (Fransa)
2026 FIFA Dünya Kupası kıtalar arası play-off final karşılaşmaları yarın yapılacak.
2026 FIFA Dünya Kupası'na kıtalar arası play-off etabından iki takım katılma hakkı elde edecek.
Meksika'da yapılacak maçlarda Demokratik Kongo Cumhuriyeti, Jamaika ile karşılaşacak, Irak ise Bolivya karşısında Dünya Kupası biletini almaya çalışacak.
ABD, Meksika ve Kanada'nın organize edeceği 23. Dünya Kupası, 11 Haziran-19 Temmuz tarihlerinde düzenlenecek.
SEO hiring is shifting toward senior, strategy-led roles as AI reshapes search and expands the scope of the job. A new Semrush analysis of 3,900 listings shows companies now prioritize leadership, experimentation, and cross-channel visibility over pure technical execution.
Why we care. SEO hiring, career paths, and required skills are changing. Entry roles focus on execution, while most demand sits at the leadership level — owning strategy across search, AI assistants, and paid channels, with clear revenue impact.
What changed. Senior roles dominated, accounting for 59% of listings. Mid-level roles, such as specialists (15%) and managers (10%), trailed far behind.
Companies are shifting budget toward strategy as AI tools absorb more execution work.
The skills shift. In-demand capabilities extend beyond traditional SEO into coordination, testing, and decision-making:
Project management appeared in more than 30% of listings.
Communication led non-senior roles at 39.4%.
Experimentation appeared in 23.9% of senior roles compared with 14% of other roles.
Technical SEO appeared in about 6% of listings.
Tools and channels. The SEO tech stack now spans analytics, paid media, and data.
Google Analytics appeared in up to 47.7% of listings.
Google Ads appeared in 29% of listings.
SQL demand grew at the senior level.
AI tools like ChatGPT were increasingly listed.
AI expectations: AI literacy is moving from optional to expected:
31% of senior roles mentioned AI.
Nearly 10% referenced LLM familiarity.
AI search concepts like AI search and AEO appeared more often.
Pay and positioning: SEO is increasingly treated as a business function.
The median salary for senior roles reached $130,000, compared to $71,630 for others. Some listings were much higher.
Degree preferences skewed toward business and marketing.
Remote work is now standard. More than 40% of listings offered remote options, with little difference by seniority.
About the data: Semrush analyzed 3,900 U.S.-based SEO job listings from Indeed as of Nov. 25. Roles were deduplicated, segmented by seniority, and analyzed using semantic keyword extraction.
Technical SEO extends beyond indexing to how content is discovered and used, especially as AI systems generate answers instead of listing pages.
For generative engine optimization (GEO), the underlying tools and frameworks remain largely the same, but how you implement them determines whether your content gets surfaced — or overlooked.
That means focusing on how AI agents access your site, how content is structured for extraction, and how reliably it can be interpreted and reused in generated responses.
Agentic access control: Managing the bot frontier
From a technical standpoint, robots.txt is a tool you already use in your SEO arsenal. You need to add the right crawlers within your files to allow specific bots their own rights.
For example, you may want a training model like GPTBot to have access to your /public/ folder, but not your /private/ folder, and would need to do something like this:
You’ll also need to decide between model training and real-time search and citations. You might consider disallowing GPTBot and allowing OAI-SearchBot.
Within your robots.txt, you also need to consider Perplexity and Claude standards, which are tied to these bots:
Claude
ClaudeBot (Training)
Claude-User (Retrieval/Search)
Claude-SearchBot
Perplexity
PerplexityBot (Crawler)
Perplexity-User (Searcher)
Adding to your agentic access is another new protocol — llms.txt, a markdown-based standard that provides a structured way for AI agents to access and understand your content.
While it’s not integrated into every agent’s algorithm or design, it’s a protocol worth paying attention to. For example, Perplexity offers an llms.txt that you can follow here. You’ll come across two flavors of llms.txt:
llms.txt: A concise map of links.
llms-full.txt: An aggregate of text content that makes it so that agents don’t have to crawl your entire site.
Even if Google and other AI tools aren’t reading llms.txt, it’s worth adapting for future use. You can read John Mueller’s reply about it below:
Extractability: Making content ‘fragment-ready’
GEO focuses more on chunks of information, or fragments, to provide precise answers. Bloat is a problem with extractability, which means AI retrieval has issues with:
JavaScript execution.
Keyword-optimized content rather than entity-optimized content.
Weak content structures that fail to provide clear, concise answers.
You want your core content visible to users, bots, and agents. Achieving this goal is easier when you use semantic HTML, such as:
<article>
<section>
<aside>
The goal? Separate core facts from boilerplate content so your site shows up in answer blocks. Keep your context window lean so AI agents can read your pages without truncation. Creating content fragments will feed both search engines and agentic bots.
Structured data: The knowledge graph connective tissue
Schema.org has been a go-to for rich snippets, but it’s also evolving into a way to connect your entities online. What do I mean by this? In 2026, you can (and should) consider making these schemas a priority:
Organization and sameAs: A way to link your site to verified entities about you, such as Wikipedia, LinkedIn, or Crunchbase.
FAQPage and HowTo: Sections of low-hanging fruit in your content, such as your FAQs or how-to content.
SignificantLink: A directive that tells agents, “Hey, this is an authoritative pillar of information.”
Connecting information and data for agents makes it easier for your site or business to be presented on these platforms. Once you have the basics down, you can then focus on performance and freshness.
AI is constantly scouring the internet to maintain a fresh dataset. If the information goes stale, the platform becomes less valuable to users, which is why retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) must become a focal point for you.
RAG allows AI models, like ChatGPT, to inject external context into a response through a prompt at runtime. You want your site to be part of an AI’s live search, which means following the recommendations from the previous sections. Additionally, focus on factors such as page speed, server response time, and errors.
In addition to RAG, add “last updated” signals for your content. <time datetime=””> is one way to achieve this, along with schema headers, which are critical components for:
News queries.
Technical queries.
You can now start measuring your success through audits to see how your efforts are translating into real results for your clients.
You have everything in place and ready to go, but without audits, there’s no way to benchmark your success. A few audit areas to focus on are:
Citation share: Rankings still exist, but it’s time to focus on mentions as well. You can do this manually, but for larger sites you’ll want to use tools like Semrush.
Log file analysis: Are agents hitting your site? If so, which agents are where? You can do this through log analysis and even use AI to help parse all of the data for you.
The zero-click referral: Custom tracking parameters can help you identify traffic origins and “read more” links, but they only paint part of the picture. You also need to be aware that agents may append your parameters, which can impact your true referral figures.
Measuring success shows you the validity of your efforts and ensures you have KPIs you can share with clients or management.
Scaling GEO into 2027
Preparing your GEO strategy for 2027 requires changes in how you approach technical SEO, but it still builds on your current efforts. You’ll want to automate as much as you can, especially in a world with millions of custom GPTs.
Manual optimization? Ditch it for something that scales without requiring endless man-hours.
Technical SEO was long the core of ranking a site and ensuring you provided search bots and crawlers with an asset that was easy to crawl and index.
Now? It’s shifting.
Your site must become the de facto source of truth for the world’s models, and this is only possible by using the tools at your disposal.
Start with your robots.txt and work your way up to structure, fragmented data, and extractability. Audit your success over time and keep tweaking your efforts until you see positive results. Then, scale with automation.
CareCloud, a major provider of medical records storage, said hackers accessed one of its repositories of patient data earlier in March. It provides technology for more than 45,000 providers covering millions of patients.
The merger is a sign that the fitness industry is continuing to move toward consolidation to compete at a larger scale. Recent moves include MyFitnessPal acquiring Cal AI, an AI calorie counting app, and Strava buying two apps: cycling app The Breakaway and running app Runna.
Runway is launching a $10 million fund and startup program to back companies building with its AI video models, as it pushes toward interactive, real-time “video intelligence” applications.
Google's Gary Illyes published a blog post explaining how Googlebot works as one client of a centralized crawling platform, with new byte-level details.
Türkiyənin “Fənərbağça” futbol klubunun prezidenti Sadettin Saran bu gün İstanbulda yol-nəqliyyat hadisəsinə məruz qalıb.
Arena.az bu barədə Türkiyə mətbuatına istinadən xəbər verir.
İstanbul təmsilçisinin rəhbəri “Chobani” stadionuna yollanarkən Ataşəhər rayonunda avtomobil qəzasına düşüb. Hadisədən sonra Saranın səhhətinin qaydasında olduğu açıqlanıb. Baş verən yol qəzasında klub prezidentinin sürücüsünün yüngül xəsarət aldığı bildirilir.
Xatırladaq ki, Sadettin Saran 2025-ci ilin sentyabr ayından “Fənərbağça” klubunda prezident vəzifəsini icra edir. O, bir müddət öncə narkotik istifadəsi ilə bağlı istintaqa da cəlb edilmişdi. Verdiyi analizlərin nəticəsi pozitiv çıxmış Saran hüquq-mühafizə orqanları tərəfindən saxlanılmış, lakin daha sonra bəraət alaraq azadlığa buraxılmışdı.
İtaliyanın “Napoli” klubu Belçika millisinin də üzvü olan hücumçusu Romelu Lukaku ilə bağlı rəsmi açıqlama yayıb.
Arena.az klubun mətbuat xidmətinə istinadən xəbər verir ki, Lukaku məşqlərə qayıdışı ilə bağlı komanda tərəfindən edilən bugünkü zəngə cavab verməyib.
Bildirilib ki, klub futbolçuya qarşı intizam tədbirləri görməyi nəzərdən keçirir və onun kollektivlə məşq edib-etməyəcəyi barədə qərar sonra veriləcək.
Qeyd edək ki, Lukaku daha əvvəl ABŞ və Meksika ilə keçiriləcək yoxlama oyunları öncəsi Belçika millisinin düşərgəsini tərk edərək fiziki formasını yaxşılaşdırmağa çalışıb. O, ölkəsi Belçikada məşqlər etsə də, bu addım klubla razılaşdırılmayıb.
Neapol təmsilçisi futbolçunun sabaha qədər komandaya qoşulmaması halında onu heyətdən kənarlaşdırmaq ehtimalını da istisna etmir.
Xatırladaq ki, Romelu Lukaku futbola “Lyers”də qədəm qoyub. Romelu karyerası ərzində “Anderlext”, “Çelsi”, “Vest Bromviç”, “Everton”, “Mançester Yunayted”, “İnter” və “Roma”da çıxış edib.
Lukaku “Napoli”yə 2024-cü ilin avqust ayında “Çelsi”dən keçib. Neapol klubu Lukakunun tamhüquqlu əsasda keçidi müqabilində “Çelsi”yə 30 milyon avro məbləğində ödəniş edib və belçlikalı futbolçu ilə müddəti 2027-ci ilin iyun ayının sonuna qədər qüvvədə olacaq müqavilə imzalayıb.
Lukaku cari mövsümdə “Napoli” üçün keçirdiyi 7 oyunda 1 qol vurub və 1 məhsular ötürmə verib. Onun Neapol təmsilçisinin heyətindəki ümumi göstəricisi 45 oyun, 15 qol və 11 assistdən ibarətdir.
Romelu Lukaku 2010-cu ilin mart ayında debüt etdiyi Belçika yığmasının heyətində 124 oyun keçirib, 89 qol vurub, 18 məhsuldar ötürmə verib.
“Transfermarkt” internet-portalı 32 yaşlı belçikalı hücumçunun transfer dəyərini 12 milyon avro məbləğində qiymətləndirir.
Qadınlardan ibarət basketbol üzrə Azərbaycan milli komandasının Avropa çempionatının ilkin seçmə mərhələsindəki rəqibləri bəlli olub.
Arena.az xəbər verir ki, yığmamız püşkatma nəticəsində seçmə mərhələnin A qrupunda yer alıb.
Komandamız İsveçrə, İslandiya və İrlandiya yığmaları ilə üz-üzə gələcək.
Xatırladaq ki, AÇ-2029-un ilkin seçmə mərhələsinin qarşılaşmaları 2026-cı ilin noyabr ayının 8-18-i aralığında, həmçinin 2027-ci ilin fevral ayının 7-17 aralığında baş tutacaq.
Qadınlar arasında basketbol üzrə Avropa çempionatının final mərhələsi isə 2029-cu ildə keçiriləcək.
Futbol üzrə Monteneqro millisinin və Serbiyanın “Partizan” klubunun hücumçusu bundan sonra “Milan”ın uğurları üçün çalışacaq.
Arena.az bu barədə İtaliya klubun mətbuat xidmətinə istinadən xəbər verir.
19 yaşlı forvardla müqavilənin müddəti və digər detalları açıqlanmayıb. O, iyulun 1-də “rossoneri”nin gənclərdən ibarət komandasına qoşulacaq. “Milan” bu transfer üçün “Partizan”a 3,5 milyon avro ödəyəcək.
Qeyd edək ki, Andrey Kostiç Monteneqronun “Podqoritsa” klubunun yetirməsidir. “Partizan” gənc hücumçunu 2025-ci ilin yayında 900 min avro qarşılığında məhz “Podqoritsa”dan transfer edib. O, Serbiya klubunun əsas komandasının heyətində 34 oyuna çıxıb, 11 qol və 1 məhsuldar ötürmə müəllifi olub.
Monteneqronun U-15, U-19 və U-21 yığmalarında da oynamış Kostiç 2025-ci ildə debüt etdiyi əsas millinin heyətində 2 oyuna çıxıb.
“Transfermarkt” internet-portalı 19 yaşlı hücumçunun transfer dəyərini 5 milyon avro məbləğində qiymətləndirir.
Son günlərdə dünyanın yaşıl meydanlarında futbol üzrə milli komandalar səviyyəsində bir neçə yoxlama oyunu keçirilib.
Arena.az xəbər verir ki, maraqlı görüşlərdən biri ABŞ və Belçika yığmaları arasında baş tutub.
Yeddi qolluq oyunda Avropa təmsilçisi darmadağına sevinib.
Meksika – Portuqaliya matçı qolsuz yekunlaşıb. Fransa yığması Kolumbiyaya, Almaniya millisi isə Qanaya qalib gəlib.
UEFA Millətlər Liqasında Azərbaycan millisinin rəqiblərindən olan Litva yığması Gürcüstana 2 cavabsız qolla uduzub. Lixtenşteyn yığması isə “FİFA Series-2026” çərçivəsində Arubaya böyük hesabla məğlub olub.
FİFA Series-2026 turniri çərçivəsində də bir sıra oyunlar baş tutub. Bolqarıstan İndoneziyaya qalib gəlibsə, Estoniya Ruandaya uduzub. Çili yığması Yeni Zelandiyaya böyük hesabla məğlub olub. Özbəkistan yığması da qolsuz bitmiş Venesuela ilə oyunda penaltilərlə qalib gəlib.
Yeri gəlmişkən, Azərbaycan Premyer Liqasında mübarizə aparan bəzi legionerlər də ölkələrinin yığmalarının heyətində növbəti matçlarını keçiriblər. Belə ki, “Zirə”nin legionerləri “FIFA Series”in qalibi olublar. Anje Mutsinzi və Leroy Mikels Ruanda millisi ilə bu uğura imza atıblar. Afrikalılar həlledici görüşdə Estoniyanı 2:0 hesabı ilə məğlub ediblər. Ruandalıların ilk qoluna Leroy Mikels imza atıb. O, həmçinin turnirin ən yaxşı futbolçusu seçilib.
“Şamaxı”nın müdafiəçisi Alfons Msanqa da “FIFA Series-2026” turnirində Tanzaniya yığması ilə növbəti matçına çıxıb. Sözügedən komanda səfərdə Makau millisi ilə qarşılaşıb. Matç Msanqanın komandasının 6:0 hesablı darmadağını ilə yekunlaşıb. 23 yaşlı yarımmüdafiəçi bu matçda 46-cı dəqiqədə meydana daxil olub.
“Sabah”ın futbolçusu Umarali Rahmonaliyevin çıxış etdiyi Özbəkistan millisi “FIFA Series” çərçivəsində Venesuela millisi ilə üz-üzə gəlib. Özbəklər əsas vaxtı qolsuz bərabərliklə yekunlaşan matçda penaltilər seriyasında 5:4 hesablı qələbə qazanıblar. Rahmonaliyev matçı ehtiyat oyunçular skamyasından izləyib.
“Araz-Naxçıvan”ın qapıçısı Kristian Avramın şərəfini qoruduğu Moldova millisi də növbəti yoxlama oyununa çıxıb. Sözügedən komanda Kiprlə qarşılaşıb və 2:3 hesabıyla uduzub. Naxçıvan təmsilçisinin qolkiperi bu matçda sona qədər ehtiyatda qalıb.
Yoxlama oyunu 30 mart
Qırğızıstan – Madaqaskar 2:5 San Marino – Farer adaları 1:2 Cənubi Koreya – Kot-d’İvuar 0:4 Botsvana – Zimbabve 0:3 Seneqal – Peru 2:0 Kanada – İslandiya 2:2 Macarıstan – Sloveniya 1:0 Şotlandiya – Yaponiya 0:1 Burkina Faso – Qvineya Bisau 5:0 ABŞ – Belçika 2:5 Haiti – Tunis 0:1 Meksika – Portuqaliya 0:0 Litva – Gürcüstan 0:2 Ermənistan – Belarus 1:2 Kolumbiya – Fransa 1:3 Kipr – Moldova 3:2 Almaniya – Qana 2:1
FİFA Series-2026
Puerto Riko – Vircin adaları 4:1 Aruba – Lixtenşteyn 4:1 Amerikan Samoası – Quam 0:6 Makau – Tanzaniya 0:6 İndoneziya – Bolqarıstan 0:1 Ruanda – Estoniya 2:0 Kabo Verde – Finlandiya 1:1 (penaltilər 4:2) Yeni Zelandiya – Çili 4:1 Trinidad və Tobaqo – Qabon 2:2 (penaltilər 2:3) Özbəkistan – Venesuela 0:0 (penaltilər 5:4) Sent – Kitts – Solomon adaları 4:2 Qrenada – Keniya 0:2 Çin – Kamerun 0:2 Avstraliya – Kurasao 5:1 Qazaxıstan – Komor adaları 1:0
U19 Milli Takımımız, UEFA Avrupa U19 Şampiyonası Elit Tur son maçında deplasmanda İtalya ile 1-1 berabere kaldı ve grubunu ikinci bitirerek 2026 UEFA Avrupa U19 Şampiyonası Finalleri'ne katılmaya hak kazanamadı.
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