up Page 3 - Sports News, Headlines & Highlights

Denied U.S. entry, Somali ref to officiate UEFA Super Cup
Somali referee Omar Artan has been assigned to officiate the UEFA Super Cup match between Aston Villa and Paris Saint-Germain, days after he was denied entry into the United States by U.S. Customs and Border Protection.,Artan was one of 52 FIFA head referees selected to officiate the 2026 FIFA World...

Argentina vault back to No. 1 in FIFA world ranking
Defending World Cup champion Argentina vaulted back into the top spot of the FIFA Men's World Ranking in the latest poll that was released just hours before the 2026 tournament was set to begin.,Argentina, who won the 2022 World Cup at Qatar with a victory in penalties over France, had not held the ...

Mexico ticket sales halted on secondary market
With more than two hours to go until Mexico and South Africa were set to kick off the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Mexico City on Thursday, all major secondary ticket websites tracked by ticketdata.com had stopped selling tickets to the high-demand match.,As of 12:50 p.m. ET, there were no seats remaining...

England preparing to weather World Cup storm
After England's lackluster Florida friendly against New Zealand in Tampa, the Three Lions had a much better showing in their final World Cup tune-up against Costa Rica on Wednesday night in Orlando.,They even got to test their patience with North America's tumultuous summer weather.,After short, int...

Morocco address injury concerns ahead of opener vs. Brazil
Morocco made a pair of roster moves on Thursday, two days ahead of their World Cup Group C opener against Brazil in East Rutherford, N.J.,Amine Sbai is taking the place of star forward Abde Ezzalzouli, while Marwane Saadane is replacing fellow defender Nayef Aguerd on Morocco's 26-man squad.,Ezzalzo...

Spain, France open as World Cup favorites; USMNT popular longshot
The 2026 World Cup finally kicks off on Thursday with Spain and France as the clear pre-tournament favorites.,Spain, ranked second in the latest FIFA Men's World Rankings, are co-favorites at +450 by BetMGM along with third-ranked France. Spain are the book's third biggest liability and lead the way...
Top Storylines to Watch as the 2026 FIFA World Cup Kicks Off
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is here. From Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo to the USMNT and Kylian Mbappe, here are the tournament's biggest storylines....
Six Things That Must Happen for USMNT to Win the World Cup
The United States enters the 2026 World Cup as a longshot, but a deep run isn't impossible. Here's what must happen for the USMNT to shock the world....
Best Betting Picks for Day 1 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup
The 2026 World Cup begins Thursday. Check out our best bets for Mexico vs. South Africa and South Korea vs. Czechia....

MLB roundup: Giants cap rally from 8-run deficit with walk-off slam
Bryce Eldridge launched a walk-off grand slam with no outs in the bottom of the ninth inning as the San Francisco Giants rallied from an eight-run deficit with 10 runs over the final two innings to shock the visiting Washington Nationals 11-10 on Wednesday.,Matt Chapman and Rafael Devers homered as ...

Americans Amanda Anisimova, Iva Jovic cruise into London quarters
No. 2 seed Amanda Anisimova and No. 6 seed Iva Jovic swept their Round of 16 matches on Wednesday in London, setting up a showdown in the quarterfinals of the HSBC Championships.,Anisimova, who received a bye into the Round of 16, made quick work of Germany's Laura Siegemund in a 6-1, 6-3 victory th...

Infantino: FIFA 'not kings of the world,' U.S. controls entry
Before the World Cup kicks off in Mexico City on Thursday, FIFA president Gianni Infantino is fending off concern over potential via issues for players and officials entering the United States. ,Infantino said FIFA is focused on being a "sports organization" and would not intervene in helping the U....

USMNT's Chris Richards declares he's 'ready' for World Cup opener
Heading into their World Cup opener on Friday, the U.S. men's national team received a massive lift when defender Chris Richards declared himself ready to go against Paraguay. ,Richards, 26, who suffered a pair of torn ligaments in his left ankle while playing for Crystal Palace of the Premier Leagu...

Trump administration: Somali ref suspected of terrorism link
The Somali referee headed to the World Cup then turned away was denied entry into the United States over a possible tie to terrorism, a Trump administration official claimed to Fox News.,Omar Abdulkadir Artan, 34, made it to Miami International Airport on a flight from Istanbul on Saturday but was r...

Alex de Minaur notches victory at ‘s-Hertogenbosch
Second-seeded Alex de Minaur of Australia recorded 27 winners against 17 unforced errors while notching a 7-6 (8), 7-5 victory over Martin Damm in the second round of the Libema Open at ‘s-Hertogenbosch, Netherlands.,With a 7-6 advantage in aces, de Minaur also had just one double fault compared to ...

Texas AG launches probe into FIFA's ticket practices
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has launched an investigation into FIFA over alleged deceptive ticketing practices for World Cup matches in his state.,Paxton announced his probe into international soccer's governing body Tuesday, claiming that FIFA misled fans about the location and quality of sea...

World Cup primer: Players, places, plotlines and politics
After an unusual and at times underwhelming buildup, the 2026 World Cup is suddenly, finally the spectacle on everyone's mind.,From questions surrounding Neymar's health and fitness for Brazil, to political drama between co-hosts United States and Iran, to European complaints about the intensity of ...
Three World Cup Futures Bets Worth Making Before Kickoff
The 2026 World Cup begins Thursday. Here are three futures bets that offer intriguing value ahead of the tournament, including a wager on South American supremacy....

MLB roundup: White Sox's Braden Montgomery hits walk-off HR in debut
Braden Montgomery belted a game-ending, two-run homer in the 10th inning in his major league debut to lift the host Chicago White Sox to a 6-5 victory against the Atlanta Braves on Tuesday.,Montgomery connected against Braves closer Raisel Iglesias (0-1) in the bottom of the 10th after Atlanta's Mau...

Matt Turner could go from '94 World Cup baby to U.S. starter in '26
IRVINE, Calif. -- Regardless if he starts the United States men's national team's tournament-opening match Friday vs. Paraguay, goalkeeper Matt Turner embodies the importance of the 2026 FIFA World Cup to the host nation.,Turner was born on June 24, 1994, amid the last World Cup held in the United S...