We now know who, where and when England and Scotland will play this summer in the men’s football World Cup. The tournament runs from 11 June to 19 July 2026 and is being hosted by the US, Canada and Mexico, but both home teams will play their initial three group games at American venues.
For Scotland’s first men’s World Cup appearance in 28 years, the first two matches are both in Boston: against Haiti on 14 June and Morocco on 19 June. Boston is the closest venue to Scotland. Their final match of the group, against Brazil, is in Miami on 24 June.
With days to fill between games, it’s a big geographical puzzle. The answers to the key questions are here.
Scotland players celebrate on the pitch after the World Cup 2026 qualification match against Denmark on 18 November (AFP via Getty Images)
What do fans need to know before travelling to the World Cup?
It’s going to be hot – particularly for England’s first match against Croatia in Dallas, where the average daily high is 33C. For Scotland’s final group game against Brazil in Miami, expect 31C and high humidity.
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It could be expensive: although there is evidence that international air fares are actually falling compared with summer 2025, domestic flight prices are soaring. Accommodation is also looking pricey: the cheapest hotel in downtown Dallas on the night of England’s first match is nearly £400.
And before you do any planning, sort out the red tape. Apply for an Esta permit, which costs $40 (£31) ahead of any financial commitment to travel arrangements.
While most are granted within a couple of days, Estas can be refused for all kinds of reasons – such as having a similar name to someone on a watchlist. If your application is turned down and you have to apply for a visa, the process will be slow and expensive. You will need to attend the US Embassy in London or Consulate in Belfast, and there is no guarantee of success. The wait time for an interview at either of the UK locations is six weeks.
How do transatlantic airfares look?
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I am tracking the price of flights from the point of view of an England fan who takes the first non-stop departure from London Heathrow to Dallas-Fort Worth on 16 June, the eve of the opening game, and returns from New York JFK during the day after the last group match on 27 June. Before the locations were confirmed, the fare on American Airlines was £837. Within three hours, it had gone up by one-sixth to £993. While normally such fares would be expected to increase steadily, the price has remained unchanged in three months – indicating sales are sluggish.
London has by far the highest concentration of transatlantic flights, with Manchester and Edinburgh a long way behind.
Travelling via Continental Europe allows connections from many English and Scottish airports. From Newcastle to Dallas on 16 June, returning from New York on 27 June, costs £1,005 on KLM via Amsterdam (with an added transfer outbound at JFK to a Delta flight).
You can keep the cost down by connecting in Dublin; Ireland sadly failed to qualify for the World Cup. On those same dates, United has a flight from Dublin via Newark or Washington DC to Dallas-Fort Worth, returning nonstop from Newark, for £787. Ryanair has return flights from Birmingham to Dublin for £43, though these are not guaranteed connections.
The fare on American Airlines from London to Dallas before the first England group match, returning from New York on the day after the last group game has remained stable since the draw was made (AFP via Getty Images)
What about travel within the US?
Loads of US domestic flights serve Boston, Dallas, New York and Miami – England’s and Scotland’s match venues. But there will also be huge demand from fans, the media and the organisers – and it seems clear that fares are already rising.
OAG, a global provider of digital flight information, has analysed fares currently being charged for June and July 2026 and compared them with the same months last summer. Miami, which Scotland fans will need to reach from Boston, is at present 65 per cent more expensive for domestic flights than in 2025.
Boston and New York, where England and Scotland will play their other matches, are seeing rises of 36 per cent and 28 per cent respectively.
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The cheapest flight from Boston to Miami the day after Scotland’s second game, against Morocco, is £164 – and involves a 6am departure. Some flights latter than day are priced at over £1,000.
Delaying the trip a few days and flying south the day before the last match against Brazil, you can pay just £85.
Can I take the train instead?
Yes, and there are some reasonable fares on Amtrak intercity trains. Between Boston and New York, venues for England’s second and third matches respectively, Amtrak “Northeast Regional” trains take about four hours 15 minutes. Fares are as low as $25 (£19). “Acela” branded trains are about 40 minutes faster but are business and first class only – with the cheapest ticket, for a journey of barely 200 miles, costing $226 (£171).
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From Boston to Miami on the day after Scotland’s second game, the fare on Amtrak via Washington DC is $258 (£195).
Greyhound and FlixBus fares are surprisingly high – typically $75 (£57) for the four- to five-hour trip from Boston to New York.
How do I get match tickets?
At this stage, by throwing money at the problem. For the Scotland-Haiti match in Boston on 13 June, for example, Fifa is selling a match hospitality package including a good ticket plus access to the Pitchside Lounge for $3,900 (£2,954).
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For more normal prices, the “Last Minute Sales Phase” began on 1 April through Fifa.com/tickets. This is the fourth and final official tranche of tickets, and will remain open until the end of the tournament. It is strictly first-come, first-served.
Fifa says: “Fans will be able to immediately see the matches and categories for which tickets are available, select specific seats, proceed with the purchase and receive confirmation once payment is completed.”
After you have waded through the security system, you can select “Display only available matches”. As of early April, these are entirely group matches, range from the Canada-Bosnia game in Toronto on 12 June (minimum US$1,645/£1,243) to the Democratic Congo-Uzbekistan fixture in Atlanta on 27 June ($380/£290).
Other routes to the stadium?
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The secondary market is extremely active. Fifa has a resale portal, which could offer some decent value for less in-demand matches, involving teams with few travelling supporters and without large local communities with links to the nations. These include:
Curacao v Ivory Coast in Philadelphia
Qatar v Switzerland in San Francisco
Iran v New Zealand in Los Angeles
Cape Verde v Saudi Arabia in Houston.
But most of the action is focused on the commercial resellers. Intermediaries are selling the cheapest tickets for England’s first match against Croatia for £840 – over four times face value.
“To enter the stadium, you will need an official ticket on the FIFA World Cup app. Printed copies or screenshots may not be accepted at stadium gates. Each ticket is linked to the purchaser’s details, and ID checks may be required upon entry.
“Tickets sold on unofficial resale websites, social media, or through third-party vendors may not be genuine. Fraudulent tickets can look legitimate but may be rejected at the stadium gate, leaving you without entry on match day.
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“Some scammers sell the same ticket to multiple buyers or resell tickets that have already been voided by Fifa Ticketing.”
What about accommodation?
Unless you are lucky to have friends or family with spare beds near the venues, be prepared for some credit card shock – especially for the England match in New York.
On the night of 27 June, when England play Panama, hotel rates are already absurd. A typical budget hotel, the Holiday Inn Express in midtown Manhattan, is $591 (£448) for that night. And while it’s fun to stay at the YMCA in Manhattan, the price for a very basic single room with a shared bathroom is $337 (£255) on 27 June.
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I would not book at those prices. You could head for one of the other New York City boroughs – my standby is the Best Western out at Coney Island, with good Subway connections. Last summer I paid £120. On the “England night” it’s £212.
Are there any alternatives for a cheaper bed?
Yes: be patient. I have seen the standard pattern for big sporting events and it goes like this: hotels and other accommodation providers think this is the best get-rich-quick scheme in history. They set their rates high, especially for games involving teams with many travelling fans, such as Brazil, Germany and England.
Yet because many “normal” business and leisure guests will be avoiding in World Cup host cities, there is likely to be plenty to go around – with prices falling in the weeks before the tournament.
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Also, with rates high, increasingly more people will be tempted to put their place on platforms like Airbnb and escape on vacation for the duration. That should put downward pressure on prices.
Fans should treat the trip as a holiday with some football attached, says travel correspondent Simon Calder (AFP via Getty Images)
There’s a lot of time to fill between the games…
Fans should treat the trip as a holiday with some football attached. Boston is a fine city that is well worth 48 hours of exploration, with much to see elsewhere in Massachusetts – from billionaires’ row on Cape Cod to the city of Lowell, a mill town regarded as the cradle of America’s industrial revolution. It’s also where Jack Kerouac, author of On The Road, grew up.
Talking of road trips, England fans travelling from Dallas to Boston, as well as Scotland fans going from Boston to Miami, have excellent opportunities for adventurous journeys between the matches. Check out these two custom-built itineraries.
From Dallas, you can meander through the music state of Tennessee, stopping in Memphis and Nashville, then following the line of the Appalachian mountains. Hertz has a five-day rental for a Chevrolet Malibu (or similar), picking up at Dallas-Fort Worth airport on 18 June and dropping off in downtown Boston, for £758.
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For Scotland fans: south from Boston, the I-95 runs all the way to Miami via New York and Washington DC, with Savannah and the Kennedy Space Center top tourist spots right next to the freeway – but you can take your pick of diversions, including a day at the theme parks of Orlando.
Apr 1, 2026; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Padres starting pitcher Nick Pivetta (27) delivers during the first inning against the San Francisco Giants at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Denis Poroy-Imagn Images
Ramon Laureano blasted a two-run homer and Nick Pivetta yielded only one hit in five shutout innings Wednesday as the San Diego Padres avoided a series sweep by the visiting San Francisco Giants with a 7-1 win.
Bouncing back from a frightful outing in an 8-2 Opening Day loss to Detroit on Thursday, Pivetta (1-1) fanned eight and walked two. Former teammate Luis Arraez accounted for San Francisco’s one hit off Pivetta, a leadoff single in the second.
San Diego used its top three relievers to handle the game’s remainder. Jeremiah Estrada pitched a scoreless sixth and Adrian Morejon handled 1 2/3 innings before Mason Miller worked the final 1 1/3 innings for his second save.
The Padres led 3-1 entering the bottom of the eighth, but Laureano provided insurance when he followed Manny Machado’s leadoff double with a two-run homer to left, his second of the year. The ball traveled an estimated 393 feet.
San Diego worked reliever Jose Butto over for two more runs in the inning. Fernando Tatis Jr. legged out an infield single to make it 6-1 as Jake Cronenworth crossed the plate and Xander Bogaerts coaxed a four-pitch bases loaded walk to close the scoring.
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Adrian Houser (0-1) absorbed the loss in his first start of the year. He lasted 5 1/3 innings, permitting seven hits and three runs, one of them earned. Houser walked one and struck out four.
Poor defense victimized Houser when the Padres scored single runs in the first and fifth. After Jackson Merrill singled with two outs in the first, Machado reached on an infield single. First baseman Casey Schmitt dropped the throw from third baseman Mark Chapman and the ball rolled into right field, enabling Merrill to score.
Chapman was charged with a throwing error in the fifth on Bogaerts’ two-out bouncer that allowed Gavin Sheets to score. Sheets ripped his second double in as many innings in the sixth, plating Laureano for a 3-0 advantage.
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Harrison Bader’s two-out RBI single in the seventh scored Arraez with San Francisco’s only run. Arraez collected three of the Giants’ four hits and added a stolen base.
It marked the first time in six games that San Diego scored more than three runs.
The government is making efforts to involve private companies in the Khelo India mission for the promotion of sports, but there is no directive on them for job reservation of sportspersons, Rajya Sabha was informed on Thursday.
Replying to a supplementary during the question hour in the Upper House, Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports Raksha Nikhil Khadse said providing employment for sportspersons in the private sector is entirely at the discretion of companies.
“There is no such policy at present. It is at the discretion of the private companies that if they want to absorb a sportsperson, they can employ the sportsperson,” she said.
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The minister was responding to a question from BJP member Mayankkumar Nayak, who sought to know if there is job reservation for meritorious sportspersons in private sector as it is done in various government ministries, departments and PSUs.
Khadse, however, said the government is trying to involve private companies in the ‘Khelo India’ mission and promote sports through their CSR funds or other means.
The minister pointed out that under the Department of Personnel and Training (DOPT) guidelines, different ministries, railways and defence have different criteria for reservations for sportspersons, but “from our side (government), there is no rule imposed on private companies”.
Responding to another query from Congress member Digvijay Singh, who wanted to know the government’s efforts to provide education and sports training facilities at the same centre of development, Khadse said the Khelo India mission to develop sports at grassroots is also aligned with the school education policy.
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Efforts have been made in collaboration with state governments to establish sports schools at each district where selected talented students get the opportunity to pursue sports along with education simultaneously.
The government is also working to increase activities and disciplines so that more talent identification can be done.
Kolkata Knight Riders will be eager for their spinners to rediscover form against Sunrisers Hyderabad in a clash of two batting-heavy sides on Thursday.The match begins a crucial home stretch for KKR, with three games in seven days before a long break due to assembly polls. With four away fixtures to follow, building momentum at Eden Gardens — where they have won 54 of 95 matches — is vital.
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KKR’s campaign has been hampered by a weakened bowling unit. Injuries to Harshit Rana and Akash Deep, Matheesha Pathirana’s absence, and Cameron Green’s limited role have reduced their depth. However, the bigger concern is spin, with Sunil Narine and Varun Chakravarthy struggling in the opener.SRH are in a similar spot after losing to Royal Challengers Bengaluru. Despite a strong top order, their bowling looks vulnerable without Pat Cummins, placing added pressure on both departments to deliver.
Five players to watch in KKR vs SRH
Abhishek Sharma (SRH)The World No. 1 batter is enduring a torrid time since the start of the T20 World Cup 2026, and it has continued in IPL 2026. Despite a triumphant campaign for India, Abhishek was heavily scrutinised for his dismal showing, even though he scored a 52 in the final. In the opening match of the new IPL season, the left-handed opener failed to fire and was out for 7 off 8 balls. SRH posted 201, but RCB chased it down in just 15.4 overs. The explosive batter will be looking to turn around his fortunes against KKR at Eden. The 25-year-old is now in his eighth season with SRH, and the team will be hoping for another 400-plus season from their star batter after achieving a similar feat in the last two seasons.Varun Chakravarthy (KKR)India’s X-factor in the T20I bowling setup, Varun Chakravarthy also had a below-par T20 World Cup despite finishing as joint highest wicket-taker with teammate Jasprit Bumrah. Most of his wickets came in the early stages of the tournament, with his performances in must-win games not up to the mark. He is now under the scanner again in IPL 2026, as the premier KKR spinner returned dismal figures of 0 for 48 in the high-scoring opener against MI at Wankhede. Varun had three consecutive good seasons for KKR, and the team will be looking to him again for crucial breakthroughs in their first home game.Ishan Kishan (SRH)Ishan Kishan has been the talk of the town in recent months. One of the stars of India’s triumphant T20 World Cup campaign, Ishan is now leading SRH in the absence of regular captain Pat Cummins. Continuing his rich vein of form from the World Cup, he started IPL 2026 with a gritty 80 off 38 balls against RCB. Even though his team was beaten comprehensively, Ishan remains a force to reckon with. He will be looking for another big knock on the high-scoring Eden pitch against KKR.Aniket Verma (SRH)Young middle-order batter Aniket Verma showcased his power-hitting in SRH’s season opener against RCB. The 24-year-old smashed four sixes and three fours in his 18-ball 43 late charge to take SRH to a competitive 201/9. Even though the total proved insufficient, Aniket’s power game caught attention. After a decent debut season last year, the youngster will be aiming for another strong campaign.Angkrish Raghuvanshi (KKR)The young keeper-batter was in his element in KKR’s opener, smashing 51 off 29 balls against MI. KKR posted 220/4 at Wankhede, but it was chased down with ease. The 21-year-old will be looking for another good outing this time at home. In his third season with KKR, Raghuvanshi will be aiming for a breakthrough year.
Nuwan Thushara of Royal Challengers Bengaluru celebrates (Photo by Pankaj Nangia/Getty Images)
Sri Lanka fast bowler Nuwan Thushara has approached the Colombo District Court seeking legal intervention to allow him to play in the 2026 Indian Premier League. Thushara has filed a case against Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC), requesting that the board be ordered to issue a No Objection Certificate (NOC) for his participation.The matter was heard in court today and is scheduled for a full hearing on April 9. In his petition, Thushara has named SLC President Shammi Silva, Secretary Bandula Dissanayake, Treasurer Sujeewa Godaliyadda, and CEO Ashley de Silva as defendants.
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Thushara, who was picked by Royal Challengers for the 2026 IPL, highlighted that he had previously played in the 2024 and 2025 editions after receiving NOCs from SLC. However, the board has refused to grant the 2026 NOC, citing that he did not meet the prescribed fitness standards.The pacer maintains that his contract with SLC ended on March 31, 2026, and that he had already informed the board of his decision not to renew it and to step away from international cricket. He argued that he had also been informed he would not be selected for national duties, making the refusal to issue an NOC on fitness grounds unreasonable.Thushara further stated that his current fitness levels are consistent with those maintained throughout his career and that similar standards had not prevented SLC from issuing NOCs in the past. He warned that failing to obtain the NOC would force him to be replaced by his IPL franchise, resulting in a loss of income and career opportunities.Through the court, Thushara is seeking a declaration confirming his entitlement to the NOC, along with interim and permanent orders directing SLC to issue the certificate, ensuring his eligibility for the IPL and other overseas leagues.The court has fixed the next hearing for April 9.
Mar 10, 2026; Charlotte, NC, USA; Stanford Cardinal guard Ebuka Okorie (1) on the court in the second half at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images
Senior-dominated West Virginia and freshman-led Stanford go head-to-head Thursday night when the College Basketball Crown Tournament continues in Las Vegas with its second day of quarterfinal matchups.
The second-year event pitting teams from the Southeastern Conference, Big 12, Big Ten and Big East will continue Saturday in Las Vegas with the semifinals, where the West Virginia-Stanford survivor will meet the winner of the Thursday second quarterfinal between Rutgers and Creighton.
The nationally televised finals are set for Sunday afternoon, with the winner guaranteed $300,000 in name, image and likeness money.
When last seen on March 11, West Virginia (18-14) was alternating losses and wins over its final five games, capped by a 68-48 drubbing at the hands of BYU in the Mountaineers’ opening game of the Big 12 Conference tournament.
Mountaineers coach Ross Hodge labeled the long layoff an “enjoyable experience,” especially for his five key seniors — Honor Huff, Brenen Lorient, Treysen Eaglestaff, Chance Moore and Jasper Floyd — who might otherwise have already gone their separate ways in pursuing future basketball dreams.
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“Anytime you get to continue to play, it’s hard to not take advantage of those opportunities,” Hodge said this week. “When you have a group that legitimately wants to keep playing and gets opportunities to be together, I’ve always been of the mindset that you need to honor that and have an appreciation level.”
Stanford (20-12) had a four-game winning streak snapped in its most recent outing, a 64-63 loss to Pittsburgh in the opening round of the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament on March 10.
Accepting a bid to the Crown tournament allows Stanford fans at least one more chance to see prized freshman Ebuka Okorie, an All-ACC first-team selection who had averaged 27.3 points over the final eight games of the conference regular season before he was limited to just 14 points by Pittsburgh.
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Stanford coach Kyle Smith realizes his star will have options in the offseason.
“I’m prayerful,” Smith said this week. “I do think it’s going to be us or the NBA, and I support whatever Ebuka chooses.”
Following another viral knockout, Moses Itauma is being touted for a dominant reign in the heavyweight division, but Dave Allen has declared that there are still two heavyweights that he fancies to beat the youngster, with neither of those being Tyson Fury or Anthony Joshua.
Now, the 21-year-old phenomenon could be set to challenge for the heavyweight crown before the end of the year, despite never fighting beyond six rounds, with a July date currently being planned as added preparation ahead of a potential title shot.
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On his YouTube channel, fellow British heavyweight Allen recognised the quality of Itauma, but admitted that he would still make unified champion Oleksandr Usyk and undefeated German Agit Kabayel favourites in fights against the untested superstar.
“The only two men that I would confidently pick to beat him right now would be Usyk and Kabayel, they’re the only two in the entire world. I’m looking at BoxRec here, I’m looking at the top 20.
“They are the only two that I would make a favourite to beat him really.
In terms of his fellow Britons, Allen favoured Itauma against both Daniel Dubois and Fabio Wardley, who collide in a WBO heavyweight title affair in five weeks’ time, and favoured the current face of the next generation over former divisional poster boys, Fury and Joshua.
“I don’t think Dubois would stand up to what he [Itauma] gave him, I think that he would be too fast for him. I don’t think that Wardley, defensively, could deal with what Itauma threw, but he is a very hard man and he can punch himself.
“You couldn’t rule them [Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua] out but I think that their best days have gone.”
Apr 1, 2026; Miami, Florida, USA; Miami Marlins starting pitcher Sandy Alcantara (22) reacts following his complete game shutout win over the Chicago White Sox by catcher Liam Hicks (34) at loanDepot Park. Mandatory Credit: Jim Rassol-Imagn Images
Sandy Alcantara pitched a three-hit shutout and Liam Hicks drove in four runs, leading the host Miami Marlins to a 10-0 win over the Chicago White Sox on Wednesday afternoon.
Alcantara (2-0) did not walk a batter and struck out seven, throwing just 93 pitches. It was his fifth career shutout and the second time he pitched a “Maddux” — a complete-game shutout in fewer than 100 pitches.
Hicks went 3-for-4 with his third homer of the season as the Marlins improved to 5-1 while the White Sox fell to 1-5.
Chicago starter Shane Smith (0-2) allowed eight runs, seven earned, on eight hits in three innings.
Braves 5, Athletics 1
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Drake Baldwin drove in four runs to support the stellar pitching effort of Chris Sale and help Atlanta defeat the visiting Athletics in the rubber game of a three-game series.
Sale (2-0) worked six innings and allowed one run on one hit. He retired 18 of the 19 batters he faced. Sale now has 2,858 strikeouts, leaving him 19 away from catching former Atlanta great Tom Glavine for 29th on the all-time list.
Shea Langeliers got the Athletics on the board in the fourth by hitting his majors-leading fifth homer. Langeliers went 2-for-4 and raised his average to .375.
Orioles 8, Rangers 2
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Leody Taveras, Taylor Ward and Jeremiah Jackson drove in two runs each and Baltimore turned strong offensive production into a victory over visiting Texas to salvage the finale of a three-game series.
Dylan Beavers and Samuel Basallo hit solo home runs. Beavers finished with three hits and three runs. The Orioles received another strong start from Trevor Rogers (2-0), who worked six innings and allowed two runs on six hits.
Corey Seager homered for the Rangers, who had a four-game winning streak snapped. Josh Jung delivered his first hits of the season, after an 0-for-18 start, and finished with a pair of singles. Nathan Eovaldi (0-2) was charged with six runs on eight hits in four innings.
Pirates 8, Reds 3
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Oneil Cruz homered for the second straight day and Paul Skenes bounced back from a rough season opener to lead Pittsburgh to a win over host Cincinnati.
With two runners on in the first, Cruz crushed an 81 mph curveball from Reds starter Andrew Abbott (0-1) 407 feet over the right field fence to stake the Pirates to a 3-0 lead. Skenes (1-1) backed it up by tossing five innings and allowing one run on three hits.
Abbott gave up four runs on five hits in 5 2/3 innings. Eugenio Suarez hit a two-run homer for the Reds.
Rockies 2, Blue Jays 1 (10 innings)
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Pinch hitter Tyler Freeman singled home the go-ahead run in the 10th inning as visiting Colorado earned a victory over Toronto.
Freeman, activated before the game, singled against Brendon Little (0-1) to score Brenton Doyle from second base as the Rockies won the decisive game of a three-game set. Jimmy Herget pitched a perfect 10th to earn his first save after Brennan Bernardino (1-0) tossed a perfect ninth.
Toronto wasted a strong start from Kevin Gausman, who went six scoreless innings while allowing two hits with no walks and 10 strikeouts. The Blue Jays took a 1-0 lead in the third inning on a Davis Schneider single against Kyle Freeland but left the bases loaded.
Cardinals 2, Mets 1 (11 innings)
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Masyn Winn delivered a walk-off bloop RBI single in the 11th inning for St. Louis, which edged New York in the rubber game of a three-game series.
Gordon Graceffo (1-0) earned the win by getting the final two outs of the 11th. Graceffo got Brett Baty to hit into a grounder that forced Jared Young at home before he retired Marcus Semien on a flyout. Nolan Gorman had an RBI single in the sixth for the Cardinals, who have won their first two series.
Juan Soto homered in the sixth for the Mets, who were 0-for-11 with runners in scoring position as they fell to 1-2 this year in extra innings.
Cubs 6, Angels 2
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Nico Hoerner went 3-for-5 with two doubles, a stolen base, a run and an RBI and Matt Shaw had two hits and two RBIs to lead Chicago to a victory over visiting Los Angeles in the decisive game of a three-game series.
Matthew Boyd (1-1) bounced back from an Opening Day loss to pick up the win. Boyd allowed two runs (one earned) on two hits over 5 2/3 innings while striking out 10 and walking two. Michael Busch had two hits and a run for the Cubs.
Zach Neto had two hits and a run for the Angels, who finished 3-4 on a season-opening road trip. Los Angeles managed just four hits on a windy 39-degree day,. Yusei Kikuchi (0-1) permitted five runs on six hits in 5 1/3 innings.
Royals 13, Twins 9
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Jonathan India belted his fifth career grand slam and Kyle Isbel also went deep among his four hits, lifting host Kansas City to a victory over Minnesota.
Maikel Garcia drove in three runs as the Royals benefited from their Nos. 6-9 hitters — India, Jac Caglianone, Isaac Collins and Isbel — combining to go 10-for-16 with eight RBIs and nine runs. Noah Cameron (1-0) won his season debut after allowing one run on four hits in five innings.
Minnesota scored eight runs over its final three innings — highlighted by Josh Bell’s three-run homer in the ninth — before Lucas Erceg retired the two batters he faced to secure his second save.
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Astros 6, Red Sox 4
Carlos Correa’s two-out, three-run home run in the fifth inning changed the game, helping Houston complete a three-game sweep of visiting Boston.
Correa and Christian Vazquez both went deep while Yordan Alvarez finished 2-for-3 with a double and two runs for the Astros, who have won five straight since an 0-2 start. Mike Burrows (1-1) pitched five innings of two-run ball.
Wilyer Abreu and Roman Anthony homered in the eighth and ninth, respectively, as the Red Sox staged a failed comeback bid. Garrett Crochet (1-1) allowed five runs (four earned) in five innings.
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Phillies 6, Nationals 5 (10 innings)
Edmundo Sosa had a game-tying two-run single in the ninth inning and Justin Crawford provided a game-ending single in the 10th as Philadelphia rallied for a victory over visiting Washington.
Playing in just his fifth major league game, Crawford slammed the first pitch he saw from Cole Henry (0-1) past a drawn-in infield for the victory to send his teammates storming out of the dugout. Philadelphia trailed 5-1 through seven innings but rallied to win back-to-back games for the first time this season.
CJ Abrams hit a three-run homer for Washington, while Joey Wiemer continued his hot start to the season with two hits, a walk and two runs.
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Brewers 8, Rays 2
Christian Yelich chopped a tiebreaking two-run single in a six-run eighth inning, and host Milwaukee rallied to a win against Tampa Bay.
Yelich and Garrett Mitchell each went 2-for-4 with two RBIs and a run. Brice Turang clubbed a two-run shot as the Brewers won for the fifth time in six games to open the season. In six innings, Jacob Misiorowski yielded two runs on four hits. Aaron Ashby (2-0) pitched a scoreless eighth.
The Rays’ Yandy Diaz swatted a two-run homer, and Chandler Simpson went 2-for-3 with a walk. Starter Drew Rasmussen tossed five innings and allowed two runs (one earned) on two hits. He fanned eight, all swinging, and walked one.
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Diamondbacks 1, Tigers 0
Corbin Carroll became the sixth left-handed hitter to homer off Tarik Skubal, and Zac Gallen and three Arizona relievers made that stand up for a victory over Detroit in Phoenix.
Carroll drove a 97 mph fastball over the fence in left-center for his second homer of the season as the second batter in the last of the first inning. The blast enabled the Diamondbacks to complete a three-game sweep.
Two-time defending Cy Young Award winner Skubal (1-1) yielded six hits in seven innings. Gallen (1-1) allowed four hits in six scoreless innings.
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Guardians 4, Dodgers 1
Gavin Williams struck out 10 in seven shutout innings, Gabriel Arias and Jose Ramirez homered and Cleveland won the decisive game of a three-game series at Los Angeles.
Williams (1-1) gave up two hits and walked three as the Guardians capped a 4-3, season-opening road trip.
Dodgers starter Yoshinobu Yamamoto (1-1) allowed two runs on four hits over six innings. Freddie Freeman hit a home run with two outs in the ninth inning, spoiling the Guardians’ shutout bid.
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Yankees 5, Mariners 3
Cam Schlittler pitched 6 1/3 scoreless innings as New York defeated host Seattle.
The Yankees won five of six games on their season-opening trip to San Francisco and Seattle, outscoring their opponents 24-6. Paul Goldschmidt hit a three-run homer and Ben Rice added a solo shot for New York, which won the final two games of the series after dropping the opener.
Schlittler (2-0) allowed just two hits, didn’t walk a batter and struck out seven. David Bednar pitched the final 1 1/3 innings for his third save of the season. For Seattle, Cal Raleigh hit a two-run single and George Kirby (1-1) gave up four runs on five hits over six innings.
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Padres 7, Giants 1
Ramon Laureano blasted a two-run homer and Nick Pivetta yielded only one hit in five shutout innings as San Diego avoided a series sweep by visiting San Francisco.
Pivetta (1-1) fanned eight and walked two. Mason Miller worked the final 1 1/3 innings for his second save. Laureano, Manny Machado and Gavin Sheets each had two hits for the Padres.
Giants starter Adrian Houser (0-1) yielded three runs, one earned, over 5 1/3 innings in his season debut. Luis Arraez collected three of San Francisco’s four hits.
Mar 24, 2026; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Seattle Kraken center Matty Beniers (10) celebrates after scoring against the Florida Panthers during the third period at Amerant Bank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
The six-game trip the Seattle Kraken just completed was supposed to make or break their playoff chances.
It did neither.
Despite going just 1-3-2, the Kraken (32-30-11, 75 points) remain only three points out of the Western Conference’s second and final wild-card spot entering a Thursday home game against the Utah Mammoth (38-30-6, 82 points), who lead the West’s wild-card chase.
However, the Kraken did drop into sixth place in the tightly bunched race.
“We know where we are,” Seattle center Matty Beniers said of the standings after a 3-0 loss at Edmonton on Tuesday. “Obviously, tonight was very important, and we didn’t get it done. But there’s just no reason to dwell on it now. It’s learn from it and win the next one. And then, it’s win the next one. And that’s the mentality that we have in here.”
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The Kraken scored just 13 goals on the six-game trip.
After Seattle fell behind 2-0 in the first period on Tuesday, coach Lane Lambert reunited the top line of Beniers, Jared McCann and captain Jordan Eberle to no avail.
“It’s easy to say that we’re just not scoring and that’s why we’re losing,” McCann said. “I feel like we’re doing a lot of good other things. We’re creating good offense and playing good defensively. But we’re just not finding the back of the net.”
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McCann believes there is still time for a playoff push.
“We’ve got to worry about our game,” he said. “Obviously, the division right now is a little crazy with how things are going with all the teams and that they all have a chance still to make the playoffs. It’s obviously a blessing. And we’ve got to take advantage of it.”
The Mammoth have taken control of the West’s wild-card race despite going just 8-7-2 since the Olympic break. They own a four-point edge on the Los Angeles Kings, who occupy the second wild-card spot, and a five-point advantage over the next teams in line, the San Jose Sharks and Nashville Predators.
Utah has been idle since a 6-2 victory Saturday at Los Angeles. Alexander Kerfoot and Logan Cooley each scored twice while Mikhail Sergachev had four assists.
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“We’ve almost got, like, a youthful excitement to our team, where we haven’t had any scars,” said Kerfoot, referring to the franchise’s last playoff appearance in 2020 as the Arizona Coyotes. “For the most part, we’re not scared of much, not scared of failing, and so we just got to kind of enjoy the moment, keep that as long as we can, realize that these are hard games to win and the job is far from done, but we’re in a good spot.”
This will be the third and final regular-season meeting between Utah and Seattle. The Mammoth won the first two, both played in Salt Lake City. Utah came out on top 5-3 on Dec. 12 as Nick Schmaltz had a goal and two assists, then triumphed 6-3 on Jan. 17 as Nate Schmidt produced two goals and two assists, including the go-ahead goal with 5:30 remaining in the third period.
Mammoth coach Andre Tourigny said the four-day break between games gave his team a chance to recover and refocus.
“That’s important at this time of the year,” he said. “It’s a different break than others in the sense that we need to take it really seriously and manage it right.”
Curtain call for 4 African players after the 2026 World Cup
Mahrez and Mané/@BBC
The World Cup is set to be the final international challenge for several African football stars.
The 23rd edition of the world’s most prestigious tournament will take place from June 11 to July 19, 2026 in North America, featuring 48 nations.
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Africa will be represented by 10 teams at the World Cup: Tunisia, Morocco, Algeria, Egypt, DR Congo, South Africa, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Senegal, and Cape Verde.
Below is a list of four African players who are expected to announce their international retirement after the 2026 World Cup.
Riyad Mahrez (Algeria)
The Fennecs’ captain is considering dedicating himself fully to his club career with Al Ahly after the North American World Cup.
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He hinted as much during a press conference on the sidelines of the last Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON 2025).
At 35, Riyad Mahrez has seen some of his influence wane and even started on the bench during the Greens’ most recent friendly against Uruguay.
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In 113 appearances for the national team, the former Manchester City star has netted 38 goals and provided 44 assists.
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Sadio Mané (Senegal)
Just like Riyad Mahrez, Senegal’s dynamic winger has already announced he will not compete in the next Africa Cup of Nations in 2027, set to be held in Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania.
At 33, Al Nassr’s talisman will aim to lead the Lions to a memorable run at the upcoming World Cup, hoping to bid farewell to the national team on a high note.
To recap, Sadio Mané boasts 124 international caps, with 52 goals and 28 assists to his name.
Cédric Bakambu (DR Congo)
All signs point to the Leopards’ striker announcing his international retirement after DR Congo’s World Cup campaign in 2026.
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Now 34, Bakagoal wants to end his international career on a high, having been one of the key architects of his country’s historic qualification for the tournament.
In 67 caps, Cédric Bakambu has scored 21 goals and delivered 6 assists.
Jean-Michaël Séri (Ivory Coast)
As his career winds down, the tireless Ivorian midfielder is unlikely to don the Elephants’ jersey after the 2026 World Cup.
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At 34, the Grand-Béréby native is expected to focus on his club career with NK Maribor, where he is under contract until 2027.
The former Africa Sports player has made 63 appearances for the Ivorian national team, tallying 4 goals and 4 assists.
BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND – JANUARY 15: Issy Hobson of Everton celebrates scoring her team’s fifth goal during the Adobe Women’s FA Cup Fourth Round match between West Bromwich Albion and Everton at Alexander Stadium on January 15, 2026 in Birmingham, England. (Photo by Jack Thomas – The FA/The FA via Getty Images)
Everton Women have made an early call on Issy Hobson’s development, sending the 18-year-old defender out on loan to BK Rosenborg just months after handing her a new contract.
The deal will keep her in Norway until November, giving her a full run of games in the Toppserien.
Hobson has already had a taste of senior football, with previous loan spells at Sheffield United and Nottingham Forest. She was also brought back earlier this season when Everton were dealing with injuries, which showed how much the club trusts her.
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She made her mark back in 2024 when she scored a stoppage-time equaliser against Arsenal Women, becoming the youngest goalscorer in Women’s Super League history at 16 years and 180 days.
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