The attitude is understandable. Goodburn is – astonishingly – is in the best shape of his life in swimming terms. He lowered the national record to 27.12 seconds in February and qualified fifth fastest for this.

New treatments – which he fought hard to be given access to – have slowed the growth of his tumours, and he recently graduated from Edinburgh University with a first in chemical engineering.

Ultimately, he finished joint seventh – “joint last” as he put it – and missed out on the 50m breaststroke medal he craved.

But this race and this week has been about so much more than podiums and plaudits for this remarkable young man from Edinburgh, who continues to fight not only his own brain cancer, but the impact of the disease on others.

“It’s pretty indescribable,” he told BBC Sport Scotland when asked what the past 24 hours have been like. “Usually the words flow easily, but I’m finding myself quite speechless.

“I was really trying to soak it up, because I didn’t feel like I really got much of a chance to do that after the semi. And the experience was everything I dreamed of and more. But the time, unfortunately, wasn’t there.”

These Games – and this summer – have been such a focus for Goodburn amid the darkness of the past two years, and he spoke afterwards about being eager to watch back the race and pour over his data as many athletes would.

He also talked about the support of his family and girlfriend Ciara Schlosshan, who competed for Scotland in the 100m butterfly just five minutes before he did.

But not many swimmers – standing wrapped in a towel, goggles strapped to their head and wearing just their jammers – would talk so passionately and eruditely about ensuring brain cancer research is properly resourced.

Team-mate Duncan Scott called him “inspirational” and no wonder.

“I was thinking today, the goal was to make the final, and the dream was to win a medal,” Goodburn said. “That dream didn’t come true, but one of my other dreams is that we see a future where brain cancer isn’t the biggest killer of patients under 40.

“I advocate to try and extend my own life, but also for the other young patients and adults going through what I’m going through.

“With everything that’s going on with my health, it’s been difficult to think ‘why am I here? Am I here to advocate as a patient advocate, or am I here to just be a professional athlete?’ And it’s kind of turned into a bit of both.

“I wonder how I’m going to feel off the back of this. But I know that I’m going to have memories to last a lifetime.”

As Sydney’s final Saturday metropolitan race meeting of the current term concludes, a new cohort of carnival-bound horses will make their presence felt in barrier trials at Rosehill, signalling their ramped-up preparations for their seasonal comebacks.

Among the notable contenders expected to grace Friday’s session are the Australian Derby winner Green Spaces, the distinguished Queen Of The Turf Stakes heroine Idle Flyer, and the accomplished Flight Stakes victor Apocalyptic.

These three will vie for supremacy in the inaugural 900m Group Trial, a heat that also features the promising filly Savvy Hallie. Savvy Hallie delivered a stellar performance, narrowly missing the win against Everest runner-up Tempted in the Group 1 Surround Stakes (1400m) in February.

She was subsequently sent for a spell after concluding her preparation outside the placings in the Coolmore Classic (1500m) against older mares. Trainer Brad Widdup concluded that she had reached the limit of her campaign and her optimal distance range.

“It was probably too far, and one run too many,” Widdup commented.

“She is only starting to fill into herself now, so I still think the autumn next year might be her time. She’s still developing, but she’s done well this time in.

“We’ll see what happens, but hopefully she can be our flag bearer.”

The capable Savvy Hallie will be guided by her regular jockey Nash Rawiller during Friday’s trial. The rising four-year-old mare is scheduled for another trial next month prior to her anticipated resumption at Randwick on August 22.

“She’ll trial twice, then there’s the Toy Show (Quality) and Show County (Quality) on the same day, so she’ll probably head to one of them,” Widdup confirmed.

Stable companion Jedibeel, a runner-up in The Galaxy, is still some time away from a competitive return to the racetrack. This follows a successful surgical procedure undertaken after his appearance in The Quokka (1200m) at Ascot in April.

The horse was eased out of the race in the straight, and subsequent veterinary assessments indicated an elevated heart rate and cough, alongside traces of blood found in his trachea.

“He had to have throat surgery after Perth, but he’s not far off,” Widdup stated.

“He has healed really well. Hopefully we will get him back late spring. We’ll just get him fit and work it out from there.”

Among the other noteworthy participants at the Rosehill trials will be the Canonbury Stakes winner Hidrix and the filly Chilly Girl, who recorded a decisive victory in the Widden Stakes before an unfortunate setback sidelined her for the autumn carnival.

Compare betting markets for the race from leading bookmakers.

WWE SummerSlam has a WrestleMania flair. For the second year, SummerSlam takes place over two nights. The additional day requires more matches and more big names. This year’s card already has meat on the bones with names like Roman Reigns, CM Punk and Brock Lesnar.

Reigns defends the world heavyweight title against a name he can’t seem to shake. Seth Rollins has been Reigns’ chief ally and mortal enemy for 14 years. The ex-Shield allies tangle again for one of WWE’s top prizes. There’s also the rubber match between Lesnar and Oba Femi. The only thing that can confine such behemoths is Hell in a Cell.

Plus, a long-anticipated showdown between CM Punk and Cody Rhodes is set. Rhodes dropped the title in a stunner to Sami Zayn at Night of Champions. But Zayn then quickly dropped the title to Punk just six days later. Now, the longtime friends are set to throw down as the rivalry has heated up.

Take a look below at the confirmed matches for SummerSlam. The event streams live on ESPN Unlimited on Aug. 1 and 2, with the main card starting at 6 p.m. ET.

2026 WWE SummerSlam matches

Undisputed WWE Championship — CM Punk (c) vs. Cody Rhodes: WWE teased this match the night after WrestleMania 42. Three months later, they meet for SmackDown’s top prize. Both men were world champions heading into Mania, but only Rhodes left Las Vegas with his title. Rhodes offered Punk a title shot anytime, but they’ve since swapped places. Punk defeated Sami Zayn for the undisputed title. He was never the planned challenger. Punk made his surprise return, replacing Rhodes after Gunther laid him out. Rhodes deserved the title shot he never got, making this booking a no-brainer. 

World Heavyweight Championship — Roman Reigns (c) vs. Seth Rollins: Could Reigns and Rollins meet for the final time at SummerSlam? That was Rollins’ suggestion ahead of their world title match. Reigns and Rollins cut their teeth in The Shield before becoming cornerstones of the modern era. They meet once again at what has definitively become the promotion’s second biggest show of the year.

Oba Femi vs. Brock Lesnar (Hell in a Cell match): Apparently, some things are more important than world titles. Femi won the King of the Ring tournament at Night of Champions, earning him a world title shot at SummerSlam. However, Femi forewent that opportunity in pursuit of a bigger fish. Femi and Lesnar are tied one each in their series, which took place across WrestleMania and Clash in Italy. They will collide for the third, and seemingly final, time at SummerSlam, confined inside Hell in a Cell.

Women’s World Championship — Liv Morgan (c) vs. Iyo Sky: Familiar faces meet in a new setting. Last month, Morgan and Sky met in the Queen of the Ring tournament finals. They had different objectives in mind that evening. Sky looked to earn a world title shot, while Morgan sought to conquer both brands. Sky won that evening, and cleverly chose to challenge the world champion that she had just beaten. Now, Morgan must forget her conqueror ambitions and defend her throne.

Gunther vs. Nick Aldis: “The Ring General” has his opponent for SummerSlam. Gunther was forced to team with Sami Zayn at Saturday Night’s Main Event for the opportunity to be part of the WWE title match with CM Punk and Cody Rhodes. Gunther was close to securing the win when Aldis ran in to pull the referee and cost him his chance. This comes after Gunther berated Aldis for not giving him what he wanted upon signing with SmackDown. Now, the two are set to settle their differences in the ring with Aldis relinquishing his role as general manager to become a wrestler once again.

Finn Balor vs. Sami Zayn (No. 1 contender’s match): Zayn pleaded for himself to be worthy of challenging for the WWE title after losing the title just six days after winning it at Night of Champions. After losing his opportunity with Gunther at Saturday Night’s Main Event, an irate Zayn ripped Adam Pearce that he deserved to be at the title level once again. Pearce informed him that a fatal four-way to determine his opponent at SummerSlam in a No. 1 contender’s match would be booked for later in the night. After a chaotic match and finish, Balor stood tall over Damian Priest, Royce Keys and Trick Williams.

Intercontinental Championship — Penta (c) vs. Chad Gable: Gable keeps momentum after the El Grande Americano saga in AAA. Gable won a seven-man gauntlet — also featuring Dominik Mysterio, Dragon Lee, Ethan Page, Je’Von Evans, Joe Hendry and Rusev — to earn a shot at Penta. Once lucha libre’s biggest denouncer, Gable has developed a deep respect for Penta’s style.

The Bloodline (Jacob Fatu, Jey Uso and Jimmy Uso) vs. LA Knight, Royce Keys and Solo Sikoa: The enemy of my enemy is my friend. That motif is the glue upon which Knight, Keys and Sikoa’s loose alliance hinges. All three men have issues with The Bloodline, leading to a six-man tag team match against Fatu and The Usos.

Interim WWE Women’s Championship — Jade Cargill vs. Tiffany Stratton vs. Chelsea Green vs. Charlotte Flair vs. TBA (Ladder match): WWE women’s champion Rhea Ripley is sidelined with a torn meniscus. WWE believes she’s close to a return, but the uncertain timeline inspired this interim title match. It’s the first time the company has ever booked an interim main roster title match. The winner will eventually unify titles with Ripley.

Nikki Bella, Brie Bella and Paige vs. Fatal Influence (Jacy Jayne, Fallon Henley and Lainey Reid): The match came together rather quickly after Brie Bella defeated Reid in a singles match and Jayne and Henley then tried to attack. Nikki Bella made a surprise return after missing WrestleMania with an ankle injury to lay down the challenge for a six-woman tag team match at SummerSlam.

United States Championship — Trick Williams (c) vs. Baron Corbin: Corbin made a surprise return to WWE earlier this month and immediately made his presence felt in the U.S. title picture. Williams took part in a fatal four-way match to determine a spot in a No. 1 contender’s match for the WWE title. Finn Balor won that matcha and immediately as Williams was about to make the walk backstage, Corbin attacked Williams from out of the crowd. Shortly after, it was announced that the two would square off at SummerSlam.

In the minds of many, the Minnesota Vikings have already decided who is going to start at quarterback: veteran newcomer Kyler Murray. If that is indeed the case, then the Vikings’ GM may have some explaining to do, at least if J.J. McCarthy has a noticeably better August.

Nolan Teasley chatted with KFAN’s Paul Allen in June. The conversation — a rite of passage for anyone prominent within the world of Minnesota Vikings football — predictably swerved into the quarterback competition that got started prior to Teasley being hired. After noting the “talent” and “upside,” Teasley said that the battle is a true meritocracy: “may the best man win.” The simple, offhand comment could become very important if the competition goes in a certain direction.

The Vikings’ GM: Let the Best QB Win

There is, at least to a certain extent, some silliness in the conversation here. What’s the executive supposed to say other than that the better of the pair will get the top job?

The NFL markets itself as a place where talent wins. A lot of the time, that reflects reality, but it’s not always so. The National Football League is a business above all, meaning that money gets the final say. More often than not, those two ambitions — stacking piles of cash and featuring talent — converge, but that’s not always so. Sometimes, strategic decisions get made that aren’t about winning.

Consider, for instance, what took place in Arizona last year. Some insisted that there was a soft benching taking place with Murray allowed to remain away from his starter’s position in the name of injury recovery. Rolling out a tank commander to drive down the record was considered better for a Cardinals team that was keen to earn a very high draft choice.

In Minnesota, the likeliest scenario features a Week 1 game where Mr. Murray is the QB1. That’s not a locked-in reality, though. All of Kevin O’Connell, Nolan Teasley, Justin Jefferson, and others have proclaimed this a true competition.

Is that actually so? A lot of people don’t buy it.

One way of measuring the veracity of the consistent claim is to witness the competition that has yet to begin. Where the purple rubber would meet the golden road is if J.J. McCarthy is clearly and decisively better. That’s a possible, albeit unlikely, path that would feature no shortage of intrigue.

Murray, per the common wisdom, was brought to town to start. Would he really accept living as the QB2 for a year of his prime? Some don’t think so.

But then there’s the danger in demoting a McCarthy who shows to the coaching staff, teammates, and fans that he’s more deserving of being the starter. Doing so before then being bumped down the depth chart could lead to some tough questions about how legitimate the competition was in the first place (which is to say nothing of the speculated McCarthy mutiny).

Consider some basic facts to step off of the shaky ground that is speculation:

• J.J. McCarthy was chosen at No. 10 overall in 2024 to be MIN’s franchise passer.
• J.J. McCarthy had battled a ton of injuries and has played poorly overall.
• Kyler Murray is coming off a disappointing time as the Cardinals’ QB1 but boasts insane talent and is in the prime of his career.
• The Vikings’ GM has indicated that whoever is better will be the starter. So have coaches and players.

Orbiting around these basic facts are the whims and fancies of the masses of Minnesota onlookers. The online orthodoxy can be tossed to and fro but God help you if you get onto the wrong side of it on any particular day. People feel strongly about their perspective, declaring it so vociferously that to disagree is paramount to proclaiming one’s idiocy.

Forced to guess, I’d say that most think Murray is inevitable. Minnesota is paying lip service to the idea of competition but this one is already in the books.

Where things would get fascinating is if J.J. McCarthy clearly and decisively proves to be the most promising QB1. Seeing that possibility turn into a reality isn’t super likely but can’t be outright dismissed. Seeing that possibility turn into reality would force the decision makers to back up what has long been promised: may the best man win.

The Vikings are moving into a 2026 season that’s trying to bridge the old with the new, made evident in the Vikings’ GM decisions (firing Kwesi Adofo-Mensah before hiring Nolan Teasley). Moreover, there’s the quarterback competition as a reminder that Minnesota is open to at least a partial franchise reset.

Vikings rookies arrived at TCO yesterday for training camp. The vets arrive tomorrow. Soon enough, Murray and McCarthy will compete in front of the masses.

Senior Editor for Vikings Territory & PurplePTSD . Twitter & Bluesky: @VikingsGazette. Email: k.joudry[at]vikingsterritory[dot]com. Canadian. Jude 1:24-25.

Joseph O’Brien landed the day one feature at the Galway Races, the Connacht Hotel (Q.R.) Handicap with Comfort Zone (18/1).

Carrying the colours of J.P. McManus, the Derek O’Connor-ridden seven-year-old hadn’t performed in the race last season, but produced a battling display on Monday evening.

Dublin handler Bill Durkan provided both the runner-up Holy See (40/1) and the fourth-place finisher Eagle Fang (13/2). The former, who had won at Gowran on his penultimate outing, was three-quarters-of-a-length behind the winner.

Galway specialist Teed Up (14/1), who has won four flat races and two hurdles contests at the Ballybrit venue was third, a half-length ahead of Eagle Fang in fourth.

O’Brien double

O’Brien quickly doubled up in the following race when Dylan Browne McMonagle guided the 13/8 favourite to a four-and-a-quarter length success. The bay daughter of Saxon Warrior, who was 16lbs well in after a Listed win at Naas in June, never looked in danger when heads turned for home in the straight.

Expert Dancer and Sam Coen (11/1) gave trainer Andy Slattery the runner-up spot, while Motta Alta (13/2) was third for yesterday’s German Group 1-winning combination of Shane Foley and Jessica Harrington.

Witches Familiar wins Novice Hurdle

As expected the two powerhouses of Willie Mullins and Gordon Elliot were to the fore in the opening Galmont Hotel & Galway Bay Hotel Novice Hurdle – the opener of the 2026 Galway Races Summer Festival.

It was the former, with his French import Witches Familiar (13/8 favourite), who took the 5.10pm race as the Ballinrobe maiden hurdle winner in May ran out a ready eight-and-a-half length winner in the hands of Paul Townend.

Another French-bred, Mino Des Mottes (8/1), from the Elliot yard, and ridden by Jack Kennedy, was runner-up, and Arouet (7/1), with Daniel King in the saddle, competed a trifecta for horses bred in France, coming home four-and-three-quarter lengths further back.

Timurshah completes hat-trick

Aidan Melia’s son of Mastercraftsman, Timurshah (12/1) completed a hat-trick of wins when taking the Easyfix Iggy Daly Handicap Hurdle. Ridden by seven-pound claimer Conor Smithers, the five-year-old, who had won this season at Clonmel and Sligo, had six-and-a-half lengths to spare over Whats New (10/1) and Darragh O’Keeffe at the line. Soldante (15/2) and Eoghan Finegan were three-and-three-quarter lengths behind the Andy Slattery-handled Soldier’s Call gelding.

Trean (11/4), in the colours of the Red Lily Racing Syndicate, ran out a four-and-three-quarter length victor in the Eventus Irish EBF (C&G) Maiden for Billy Lee and Paddy Twomey.

A disappointing tenth of 12 runners behind Abraham Lincoln on Dubai Duty Free Irish Weekend at The Curragh, the juvenile son of Ballylinch Stud’s Bayside Boy was prominent behind the pacesetter, City Of Gold (7/1) throughout, before scooting clear prior to the final bend. The Wayne Lordan-ridden City Of Gold, from Ballydoyle, was second, with another Aidan O’Brien inmate HMAS Perth (12/1) third. The Joseph O’Brien-handled favourite, One Number (5/2), disappointed to finish back in fifth place.

LiveScores Now Available at IrishScores.com

Adam Ramsay-Peaty maintained that winning is no longer everything after he was forced to settle for a second bronze medal in the men’s 50 metres breaststroke final at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

Two days after cutting an emotional figure after his third-placed finish in his favoured 100m, Ramsay-Peaty cut a much more composed figure as he stressed that a shift in priorities is essential if he is to stay focused heading deeper into the 2028 Olympics cycle.

Watched once again by his pregnant wife Holly Ramsay from the stands, Peaty failed to haul his way back from a slow start and finished in a time of 26.94 seconds, well off Australia’s Sam Williamson, who won in 26.50, with Michael Houlie of South Africa taking silver.

“Super power looks very different now,” said Ramsay-Peaty.

His former extraordinary dominance has dimmed in recent years, following a year out in 2023 to prioritise his mental health, and a silver medal at the Paris Olympics.

“Juggling babies with milk and having a toddler around is a different super power,” added Ramsay-Peaty, who has a five-year-old son from a previous relationship.

“I’ve still got that mentality – we just have to approach it very differently. I’ve been that person who wins all the time and it costs you pretty much everything and I wouldn’t say it’s worth it now.

“I think for me that period of time when I was undefeated for eight years, it was athlete first, then human. Now it’s human first, then athlete, which is a very fair price to pay.”

Ramsay-Peaty had vowed to put a “battle plan” in place after finishing third over the longer distance on Saturday, but he looked somewhat less than combative through the heats and qualified third for the final, behind Houlie and Williamson, the 100m gold medallist.

Despite winning three individual world titles, Ramsay-Peaty has never been able to assert his authority to such a degree over the shorter distance. He twice finished runner-up to Cameron van den Burgh at the Commonwealth Games before finally reaching the top of the podium in Birmingham in 2022, two days after a shock fourth place over 100m.

The addition of the 50m breaststroke event to the swimming programme for the Los Angeles Games has been cited as one of the reasons for Ramsay-Peaty’s decision to pursue at least one more Olympic cycle – but it remains to be seen whether he will consider it a price worth paying.

The trade deadline in Major League Baseball is now just one week away, as it is set for Monday, Aug. 3. Some jockeying still needs to be done by then, of course, as the overwhelming majority of teams are still technically in the playoff race. On that front, we’ll see some action this week, but much of the maneuvering will happen next Monday. 

In the meantime, let’s get to the rumors from today. 

Dodgers unlikely to add Skubal

We aren’t even sure if the Tigers are sellers or not, given that they enter Monday 3 ½ games out of a playoff spot. If they do end up as sellers, two-time Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal will be the big deadline prize. The two-time defending-champion Dodgers, at least for now, aren’t expected to pursue Skubal should he become available. Per the LA Times:

With a week to go before the MLB trade deadline on Aug. 3, the Dodgers don’t appear to be moving toward a trade for Skubal, according to people with knowledge of the situation not authorized to speak publicly.  

Things can change, obviously. The Dodgers are always lurking with their deep pockets and fruitful farm system. Even if they don’t necessarily need starting pitching, the move here would be to prevent other teams from getting the ace lefty. 

Also, keep in mind that Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow are injured and Shohei Ohtani has been shut down from pitching indefinitely. The hunch here is, if Skubal becomes available, the Dodgers are lying in the proverbial weeds. 

Astros are buyers

Astros general manager Dana Brown continues to make it clear that the Astros are planning to buy in the hopes of making the playoffs in the final year of his contract. 

“The division is wide open,” he said (via The Athletic). “The wild card is wide open. There’s some parity there. There’s a lot of teams bunched up,” Brown said on the Astros pregame radio show Sunday. “I think the team that gets hot is going to be the team that takes the run. We would anticipate that we’re going to be buyers.”

The Astros are two games out in the AL West and from the third American League wild-card race. 

As for what the Astros would like to add, a big bat in the outfield appears to be the priority. 

“We’re looking for some type of offensive bat that can play the outfield,” Brown said. “If it’s a left-handed bat, great, but any type of offensive upgrade that can help lengthen the lineup would be our focus.”

Phillies, Rays watching All-Star pitcher

The Nationals are only one game away from the last National League wild-card spot right now, but the organization is in the midst of a retooling and has shown a willingness to deal from the big-league club. Lefty All-Star Foster Griffin (12-2, 2.76) is on a one-year deal and, accordingly, is drawing a ton of interest. 

The Phillies and Rays both had a scout watching Griffin in his start on Saturday, per The Athletic. The big takeaway here isn’t necessarily that those teams are hotter on Griffin than others, but instead that he’s a major trade chip here during his breakout season.

The expectation should be that every contender looking for starting pitching will be involved.

From Japan to potential trade deadline gem: Nationals’ Foster Griffin is one of MLB’s biggest success stories

Mike Axisa

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Mets have a high bar for players under control past this season

The Mets will be one of the biggest sellers at the deadline this season, and their lineup boasts a number of players set to hit free agency after this season. As for players under control past 2026, president of baseball operations David Stearns will set a high bar on any return in order to make a deal, according to the New York Post. He’s open to moving such players, as long as the price is met. 

Mets players hitting free agency after this season: Luis Robert Jr. (team option for next season), Clay Holmes (player option), Tyrone Taylor, A.J. Minter, Freddy Peralta, Brooks Raley

Mets players controlled through 2027: Luke Weaver, Jorge Polanco, Huascar Brazobán

Needless to say, we’ll be talking about the Mets a lot this coming week, regarding the trade market.

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Reds place trade candidate on IL

Bad timing here. The Reds have placed utility power hitter Spencer Steer on the 10-day injured list due to a right wrist sprain. He’ll be in a splint for the next two weeks and then re-evaluated, but surgery is not part of the plan, Steer told reporters on Monday. The expectation was that Steer would be on the move here in front of the deadline (and president of baseball operations Nick Krall conceded that was likely), so the wrist injury complicates things. Keep in mind, though, that it isn’t unheard of for an injured player to be traded. The Dodgers added Tommy Edman in 2024, for example, and he didn’t return until Aug. 19 that season before being a regular starter in the playoffs en route to a World Series title. 

Steer, 28, is hitting .238/.319/.421 (101 OPS+) with 16 home runs this season. He’s under team control through 2028.

White Sox add Urquidy

The White Sox have acquired right-handed pitcher José Urquidy, the team announced late Sunday.

Once a productive starter, Urquidy posted an 8.53 ERA in 6 ⅓ innings for the Pirates earlier this season and a 7.71 ERA in 2 ⅓ innings last season for the Tigers. He’s clearly a flier for the White Sox here, as they could use the organizational depth with starting pitching.

Gianni Infantino is not a man used to apologizing. And even though he said sorry three times on the second slide of a 15-page Instagram post, that remains the case.

“To everyone who missed our beautiful game, the emotions, the celebrations, the laughter, the crying, the deception, and the joy. To all of you who missed watching kids, babies, grandparents, and parents come together for the beautiful game, I say sorry that the matches are now over and sorry that you missed all that joy and togetherness. Sorry that you were so consumed by hate and criticism that you missed it all,” read a missive from the FIFA president posted on FIFA’s website, his personal Instagram account, and FIFA’s online and social channels. Comments were turned off.

The Swiss executive went on to claim that the World Cup, had brought “no violence, no incidents, 100% safety and security, only joy and happiness!” The exclamation mark was not the only part of the message reminiscent of US President Donald Trump’s communication style.

Infantino claims to have ‘united’ Iran and USA

“While you spread hatred, we worked tirelessly to unite two countries at war. Iran entered the United States without incident or conflict,” Infantino wrote.

In fact, Iran were treated differently to any of the other 47 teams at the World Cup. They were forced to stay in Mexico and travel to their games in the US and had further last minute restrictions imposed on them after their matches.

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Iran head coach Amir Ghalenoei said his team were the “most oppressed” at the World Cup after the travel chaos came on top of several support staff being denied visas.

Travel bans and visa refusals were a running theme of the tournament. Trump’s travel bans denied entry to fans from several participating countries, including Haiti, Senegal, Iran and the Ivory Coast, which faced varying levels of bans or restrictions.

Iran at the 2026 World Cup

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Furthermore Somali referee Omar Artan was denied entry to the US due to unsubstantiated US government claims that he had an “association with suspected members of terror organizations,” despite the fact that he held a diplomatic passport and the had been issued the correct visa.

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FIFA and UEFA split becoming clearer

But, Infantino said, people should instead be looking at FIFA’s successes.

“You mentioned the few people denied visas and overlooked the millions who were approved, from all parts of the world. Because football unites the world, and it was demonstrated impressively this summer,” he added.

Infantino’s relationship with Trump has been another bone of contention for many. After awarding Trump the newly introduced FIFA Peace Prize in December, Trump admitted to phoning Infantino to lobby on behalf of US striker Folarin Balogun, whose red card ban was suspended in a near-unprecedented move at a World Cup.

Could Europe’s football union ditch FIFA?

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“Indeed, ‘arguable’ referees’ decisions or ‘strange” disciplinary rulings such as for instance potentially mistaken red or yellow cards or subsequent decisions not to ban players in certain situations are routine and widely accepted in some of the biggest leagues worldwide,” Infantino wrote.

However, FIFA’s own rules state that red card bans at World Cups cannot be appealed or overturned, which Balogun’s, in a World Cup context at least, was.

“It’s curious that the same countries employing these practices are the ones criticizing,” continued Infantino in what appeared to be a shot at European governing body UEFA, which publicly said FIFA had “crossed a red line” in the Balogun incident. UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin failed to attend the World Cup final, a move widely understood to have been in protest — with FIFA and its biggest continental association at loggerheads.

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Trump wants Infantino as UN Secretary-General

Shortly after the final, Trump recommended Infantino for the post of secretary-general of the United Nations, which is up for grabs at the end of this year.

But, despite the thoughts of his “close friend,” Infantino looks set to remain at FIFA, where he is expected to be elected unopposed once again next year. In Sunday’s message he praised his own organization for delivering despite the further criticism of hydration breaks and FIFA breaking their own rules to extend halftime in the final.

“To the pens and papers, to all the screens, may you find love and peace where the people behind you couldn’t.

2026 World Cup, the tournament that changed football forever

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May you find peace; we at FIFA have found ours and we deliver it, by delivering the most outstanding FIFA World Cup. May football rise above all hate.”

It is a message that the Iranian team, Haitian fans and Omar Artan may well have shared, had they been allowed to enjoy the World Cup with the same freedoms as Infantino.

Edited by: Chuck Penfold

One of the initial tasks for first-year Arizona Cardinals coach Mike LaFleur is figuring out who the team’s starting quarterback will be, now that the post-Kyler Murray era has arrived.

The answer might not be coming any time soon.

Veteran Jacoby Brissett — who started the final 12 games last season — was the initial favorite to land the role, but didn’t practice with the team during the offseason because he’s unhappy with his contract situation. However, he participated in Thursday’s workout in a signal a new deal could be close.

Brissett appears to be in a three-man battle with veteran Gardner Minshew and rookie Carson Beck for the starting job, but LaFleur didn’t give any clues about the depth chart when asked to describe the competition.

“I’d describe it as practice one on July 23,” LaFleur said.

The 33-year-old Brissett is in the final year of a $12.5 million, two-year deal, though only $1.5 million is guaranteed. If he remains the starter, he would be among the league’s lowest-paid quarterbacks.

Brissett had good individual stats last season with 3,366 yards passing, 23 touchdowns and eight interceptions, but the Cardinals went 1-11 in his starts. The Cardinals finished last in the NFC West at 3-14.

Safety Budda Baker made his feelings known about Brissett’s situation on social media earlier this month, posting: “Just want bro to get his (expletive) done… he is not asking for what you think. Bro is asking for below the bare minimum. Let’s just get it done!!!”

(Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)

Baker stood by his statement on Thursday.

“I definitely think Jacoby did a great job coming in last year,” Baker said. “I know we didn’t get the wins that we wanted to get, but I think he commanded the offense at a high level.”

Johnson And Sweat On The PUP List

Starting left tackle Paris Johnson (knee) and star edge rusher Josh Sweat (knee) opened camp on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list.

LaFleur said he wasn’t concerned about the long-term prognosis for either player.

“The Paris thing, that’s really, honestly nothing. We’re all on the same page, it’s really just maintenance stuff so he’ll be back before you know it,” LaFleur said. “Same thing with Josh. Seeing him yesterday, he’s fired up to be here. He was in great spirits and looked really good.”

Johnson and Sweat won’t practice, but they still count toward the 90-man training camp roster limit. They are permitted to attend meetings and can return to practice at any point during the preseason.

Johnson is entering his fourth season as a starter, while Sweat had a career-high 12 sacks last season.

The other two on the PUP list — cornerback Garrett Williams (Achilles tendon) and Tip Reiman (ankle) — are still recovering from serious injuries that happened last season.

Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images)

Off-The-Field Issues Percolate

LaFleur’s first training camp — including the quarterback battle — has been overshadowed by off-the-field issues over the past few weeks.

The NFL suspended Cardinals personnel executive Ryan Gold indefinitely on July 17 for violating the league’s gambling policy. The league said its investigation determined that Gold provided confidential, non-public inside information regarding 2026 draft selections by the Cardinals before the picks were announced, and Gold also participated in parlay bets on NFL and college games.

Gold is in his 13th season with the organization.

More recently, Cardinals offensive lineman Isaiah Adams was arrested in Canada on four weapons charges. Adams, a third-year player who is competing for a starting spot, was at camp Thursday.

The 25-year-old was charged with possession of a firearm obtained in a crime, possession of a restricted/prohibited firearm, no license while in possession of a loaded firearm and possessing a prohibited device. Adams’ attorney, Adam Weisberg, said in a statement that Adams is “completely innocent in this matter.”

“He’s doing good,” LaFleur said of Adams. “I’m not going to comment too much on that obviously … but he’s doing good and it’s good to see him.”

Reporting by the Associated Press.