Former UConn star Sue Bird and her wife, ex-soccer star Megan Rapinoe were critical of Bird’s former coach, Geno Auriemma, after he got into a shouting match with South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley following their Final Four bout.

Rapinoe said the coach put “you all in a really tough spot.”

“Listen, I think what Coach Auriemma did last night was obviously wrong and disappointing,” Bird said on her and Rapinoe’s podcast before praising the coach for apologizing rather quickly.

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Dawn Staley of the South Carolina Gamecocks argues with Geno Auriemma of the UConn Huskies during the second half of an NCAA Women’s Final Four semifinal game at Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix, Arizona on April 3, 2026. (C. Morgan Engel/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)

“We’re so used to him speaking his mind in those moments, especially in a press conference, that it did feel out of character on some level. But I am glad he came out with a statement and apologized.”

Rapinoe took it a step further, saying that because Auriemma is an important presence as a White man in a “predominantly Black space,” “it matters” how he represents himself.

“No matter the growth, investment, and success, women’s basketball sits at the intersection of gender, race, sexuality, and diversity, because of who he is in this sport — and he absolutely deserves respect for his success — it matters how he shows up,” Rapinoe said.

South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley and UConn head coach Geno Auriemma argue after a women’s NCAA college basketball tournament semifinal game at the Final Four in Phoenix on April 3, 2026. (Rick Scuteri/AP)

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“It matters that he acknowledges South Carolina’s players and says, ‘You beat me.’ It matters that he shows up for his staff, his players, Dawn Staley, and her team. Not being there in that moment didn’t honor the space he’s been given. He didn’t show that respect back, and I think that’s what struck a nerve with people.

“As a highly successful White figure in this space, there’s an added responsibility to lead by example in allyship and stewardship of the game. He missed the mark on that. He has apologized, which is important, and hopefully he continues to take responsibility and repair.”

Auriemma said after the game he was upset Staley had not shaken his hand before the game (the two were seen shaking hands pregame, but Auriemma said he waited several minutes before seeing Staley).

“There’s no excuse for how I handled the end of the game vs. South Carolina,” Auriemma said in a statement posted to social media.

South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley and UConn head coach Geno Auriemma argue after a women’s NCAA college basketball tournament semifinal game at the Final Four in Phoenix on April 3, 2026. (Rick Scuteri/AP)

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“It’s unlike what I do and what our standard is here at Connecticut. I want to apologize to the staff and the team at South Carolina. It was uncalled for in how I reacted. The story should be how well South Carolina played, and I don’t want my actions to detract from that. I’ve had a great relationship with their staff, and I sincerely want to apologize to them.”

South Carolina wound up losing to UCLA in the national championship.

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Morgan Rogers likely to be centre of transfer tug of war this summer, Juventus gaining hope of signing Alisson Becker and Liverpool owners believe Arne Slot will still be head coach next season.

Aston Villa and England midfielder Morgan Rogers looks likely to be at the centre of a transfer tug of war this summer after Arsenal, Manchester United and Chelsea renewed their interest in the 23-year-old. (Times – subscription required), external

Bayern Munich are also admirers of Villa’s Rogers and could rival Premier League clubs for his signature. (Mirror), external

Juventus are gaining hope of signing Brazil goalkeeper Alisson Becker from Liverpool, with the 33-year-old reportedly open to a move to Serie A. (La Gazzetta dello Sport – in Italian), external

Liverpool owners Fenway Sports Group believe Dutchman Arne Slot, 47, will lead the club next season despite another defeat this week. (Telegraph – subscription required), external

Aston Villa are expected to be among the clubs hoping to sign 23-year-old Manchester City and England goalkeeper James Trafford this summer. (Football Insider), external

Enzo Fernandez and his agent have apologised to Chelsea for comments the 25-yar-old midfielder made while on international duty in Argentina about a potential move to Real Madrid. (Sky Sports), external

Real Madrid could intensify their efforts to sign Bayern Munich and France winger Michael Olise, 24, who is also a target for Liverpool, in the summer transfer window. (Christian Falk), external

Liverpool and Manchester City have joined Arsenal in the race to sign 19-year-old Bayer Leverkusen and Cameroon forward Christian Kofane. (Teamtalk), external

Nottingham Forest are yet to receive any formal bids for England midfielder Elliot Anderson, 23, but the club are braced for offers before the 2026 World Cup, with Manchester City and Manchester United both interested. (Talksport), external

RB Leipzig and Castello Lukeba are in agreement that the France defender will leave the club this summer, with Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United all assessing the 23-year-old. (Teamtalk), external

FIFA has announced the list of match officials who will take charge of games at the 2026 FIFA World Cup after a detailed selection process that lasted more than three years.

A total of 52 referees, 88 assistant referees and 30 video match officials have been chosen from all six confederations and 50 Member Associations. This marks the largest group of officials ever selected for the tournament.

The selection was based on quality and consistency, with performances at top-level competitions carefully assessed over time. The officials were also monitored during FIFA tournaments, as well as domestic and international matches.

FIFA’s Chief Refereeing Officer, Pierluigi Collina, said the selected officials are among the best in the world. He explained that they have gone through extensive preparation, including seminars and regular performance checks, to ensure they meet the highest standards.

He added that the 2026 World Cup will be the biggest in history, featuring 48 teams and 104 matches across three host countries. According to him, this has led to the need for a larger group of referees compared to previous editions.

Collina also confirmed that six women match officials have been included, continuing the progress made in recent tournaments to promote women in refereeing.

The officials will be based in Miami, where they will begin a ten-day preparation seminar on May 31. During the competition, they will train daily, with support from fitness coaches, medical staff and match analysts to keep them in top condition.

Video match officials will later move to Dallas, where the International Broadcast Centre will be located, while referees and assistant referees will remain in Miami.

Technology is expected to play a key role during the tournament. Goal-line technology, an improved semi-automated offside system and connected ball technology will all be used to support decision-making. Fans will also be able to see the game from the referee’s perspective through new camera technology.

FIFA’s Director of Refereeing, Massimo Busacca, said the journey to the 2026 World Cup began immediately after the last edition, with continuous training and monitoring of candidates to ensure they reach the highest level.

FIFA also confirmed that new measures aimed at improving match tempo and reducing time-wasting will be introduced, along with updates to the video assistant referee system.

With preparations now in place, FIFA believes the selected officials will play a key role in delivering a successful and historic World Cup.

Chris Jericho made his return to Dynamite recently. He has now sent a message to Chris Benoit’s son.

Chris Jericho spent the better part of the past year on the shelf. As a result, there was a lot of speculation about his future. Many reports suggested that the former World Champion could be leaving Tony Khan’s company for WWE. Jericho also teased returning to his previous employer by posting clips from his time in the sports entertainment juggernaut. However, this was not what happened. Last week on Dynamite, Jericho made his return to AEW in Winnipeg and addressed the fans. Now, he is set to face Ricochet in a singles match at Dynasty 2026.

Chris Benoit’s son, David Benoit, recently posted a picture with Jericho backstage with the following caption:

“Welcome home to the greatest of all time always pleasure seeing you @chrisjerichofozzy @aew”

Check out his post here:

The AEW star commented on the post, saying it was great to see David Benoit. Check out his comment below:

“Great seeing you man!!! 🔥❤️”

Tony Khan revealed why Chris Jericho returned to AEW

Rumors were rampant for a very long time that Chris Jericho was done with AEW, and he could be returning to WWE. It was even reported that Jericho would return to the Stamford-based promotion when his contract was set to expire on December 31, 2025. However, he signed a new deal with Tony Khan’s company.

Speaking on the Coach & Bro Show, Tony Khan said that Jericho had a choice and he chose to remain in AEW. He also revealed that they had planned his return date a long time ago.

“I do know that Chris had a choice and he wanted to be in AEW. I’ve been in constant communication with Chris, and he definitely told me he wanted to be in AEW and very specifically in Winnipeg on that date. We’ve had that circled for a long time, going back to last year. It was a choice that Chris made that he’d rather be in AEW than wrestling anywhere else, and I think that’s awesome. He has always been consistent that he loves AEW.” [H/T @@TheDrainmaker on X]

It remains to be seen if Jericho will be victorious in his in-ring return.