The 2026 World Cup kicks off this week with a new format for Fifa’s giant 48-team tournament.

With the final squads being named, teams will now prepare for their first group stage games in the USA, Canada and Mexico.

Excitement is building and history will be made, as players carve out their own legacies to join some of the greatest footballers in Fifa World Cup history.

There will be 104 matches, up 40 since Qatar World Cup 2022, while Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo likely to play on this stage for the last time in their glittering careers.

Here’s how the tournament will unfold across 39 action-packed days

World Cup 2026 groups

The World Cup will begin in Mexico City’s Azteca Stadium, the site of Diego Maradona’s most famous and infamous goals against England at the 1986 World Cup.

It was also the venue for two classic World Cup finals: Brazil’s win over Italy in 1970 which included Carlos Alberto’s iconic team goal to cap a 4-1 win; and Argentina’s 3-2 win over West Germany in 1986, where Jorge Burruchaga grabbed an 84th-minute winner.

Mexico and Canada will host 13 games in each, and the United States will host 78.

From the quarter-finals onwards, the US will host all of the remaining matches, with the final in New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium.

When does the World Cup start and finish?

The tournament begins in Mexico on 11 June, and concludes with the final in New Jersey on 19 July.

Who will win the World Cup?

European countries top the list with UK bookmakers as the favourites to lift the trophy with Spain the favourites at 5/1 just ahead of France at 11/2. The French have reached the final in each of the last two editions of the World Cup so they cannot be ruled out for another lengthy run.

Also of note are England and Portugal with most World Cup betting sites placing them at 8/1 and 17/2 respectively while the first non-European nations with the best chance of winning the tournament are, perhaps unsurprisingly, Brazil and Argentina at 9/1 and 11/1 respectively.

Use our World Cup odds comparison tool below to find the best prices.

Minnesota Vikings right tackle Brian O’Neill is due for a contract extension — and he may not be the only one. Linebacker Blake Cashman’s deal expires after 2026, too, and some rumblings suggest that he could stay in Minnesota beyond this season.

Cashman is a central figure in Brian Flores’s defense, meaning Minnesota may pony up the cash to preserve the status quo.

Cashman’s Production Gives Vikings a Clear Extension Case

A Cashman Extension Makes Sense

Most of the contract extension focus from fans will center on O’Neill, but don’t forget Cashman.

The Athletic‘s Alec Lewis wrote Tuesday, “The Vikings owe Cashman $7.5 million in cash for this season, a figure comparable to what is owed to Derrick Barnes of the Detroit Lions and Alex Singleton of the Denver Broncos. Fellow Viking Eric Wilson, who is almost two years older, signed a three-year contract this offseason worth $22.5 million. Drafting second-rounder Jake Golday gives Minnesota a possible off-ramp.”

“However, replacing Cashman feels like a risky proposition. The Green Bay Packers recently inked Zaire Franklin to a two-year deal worth about $9 million in average annual value, perhaps a more realistic starting point to keep Minnesota-native Cashman at the center of Flores’ defense.”

Minnesota lured Cashman away from the Houston Texans two offseasons ago, a move that remains near the top of former general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah’s accomplishments.

Cashman’s Numbers and Impact in Minnesota

Flores can undoubtedly continue to build a defense around Cashman, and the Vikings should recognize his value as such. Since joining the Vikings, Cashman has started 27 games, accumulating 256 tackles, including 129 solo stops, 14 tackles for loss, 14 QB hits, 6.5 sacks, 10 passes defended, an interception, and a forced fumble.

His Pro Football Focus grades further support Cashman’s performance. In 2024, across 947 snaps, he earned a 72.0 defensive grade, with impressive marks of 76.3 in run defense, 72.0 in pass rush, and 62.1 in coverage. Although his overall grade slightly decreased to 63.6 in 2025, his tackling grade significantly improved to 83.4, and his run defense remained strong at 75.4. All of that makes him an ideal fit for Flores’ defensive scheme — or any defense, really.

Last season, Cashman recorded 144 tackles in just 13 games. Projecting that pace over a full 17-game season would result in approximately 188 tackles, placing him ninth all-time in NFL history for a single season.

Cashman’s ability to quickly diagnose plays, aggressively attack downhill, provide solid coverage, excel as a blitzer, and maintain defensive cohesion makes him a quintessential Flores linebacker. He’s that good, and it just makes sense to prolong his stay.

SI.com‘s Will Ragatz noted on Cashman last week, “Underrated nationally, Cashman is an excellent green-dot middle linebacker who defends the run at a high level and flies around the field as a tackler. The Vikings did draft Jake Golday in the second round this year, but the rookie profiles as a great complement to Cashman, not a replacement.”

“Beyond Golday, there isn’t much in the pipeline at off-ball linebacker, as the Vikings no longer seem to view Ivan Pace Jr. as a reliable three-down option.”

The only knock on Cashman is that he misses about a month per season due to injuries.

What an Extension Would Realistically Look Like

Lewis referenced Franklin’s deal in Green Bay, and that’s probably not too far off. The very best off-ball linebackers rake in $20 million per season, so to suggest Cashman would deserve any less than $10 million is not rooted in reality.

Minnesota, of course, will consider his age, as 30-year-old (or older) linebackers typically don’t improve. Still, Cashman is 30, not 35, and a two- or three-year deal feels appropriate.

And the Vikings can afford Cashman at $10 million per season. He’s well worth it.

If Not, It’s Golday Time in 2027

Suppose, for a moment, that Cashman is on his way out, and no contract extension comes to fruition this summer. He’d hit free agency in March, and the Vikings would press the full-time button on Golday. Minnesota used a 2nd-Round pick on Golday, and that’s remarkably high for an inside linebacker. Golday may have some EDGE versatility, but coming out of Cincinnati, he was listed as an off-ball linebacker.

It’s much more likely that Golday will eventually take over for Eric Wilson, but because the club has “too many” good linebackers, Golday as a succession plan for Cashman cannot be ruled out, even if it’s that unlikely.

Perhaps Golday would take over for Cashman if Cashman’s asking price was too large.

Dustin Baker is a novelist and political scientist. His second novel, The Invaders , is out now. So is … More about Dustin Baker

First Published: Jun 05 2026 | 12:55 PM IST

The 2026 Fifa World Cup will feature a record eight players aged 40 or older in squad selections for the tournament, which will be staged across Canada, Mexico, and the United States–surpassing by one the total number of such players who have appeared across all previous 22 editions combined, according to Reuters.

The oldest player expected at the Fifa World Cup is Scotland goalkeeper Craig Gordon, who will be 43 at the tournament and, if he plays, would become the second-oldest World Cup appearance-maker in history behind Egypt’s Essam El Hadary, who played at 45 against Saudi Arabia in 2018. However, Gordon is likely to serve as backup to first-choice keeper Angus Gunn.

Meanwhile, Cristiano Ronaldo will be the oldest outfield player at 41 and is set to feature in a record sixth World Cup. He shares that milestone with 40-year-old Mexico goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa and Lionel Messi, who turns 39 later this month.

Other players aged over 40 at this tournament include Cape Verde’s debutant goalkeeper Vozinha and Germany’s 2014 World Cup winner Manuel Neuer, who is aiming to recover from a calf injury in time to feature against Curacao in Houston on Sunday.

Meanwhile, Uruguay goalkeeper Fernando Muslera will turn 40 next Tuesday, a day after Uruguay open their Group H campaign against Saudi Arabia in Miami.

Fifa has confirmed a record-breaking participation for the 2026 World Cup, with final squad lists revealing 1,248 players from 48 nations set to compete in the expanded global tournament.

Notably, the 2026 World Cup will feature more teams, players and matches than any previous edition of the marquee event, as per the Fifa Website.

Argentina are the reigning champion of the World Cup after winning the 2022 tournament in Qatar. Led by legendary footballer Lionel Messi, Argentina defeated France in a thrilling final decided on penalties (4-2) after the match ended 3-3 in extra time.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup (Getty Images)

The FIFA World Cup 2026 will be the largest tournament in football history, featuring 48 teams, 104 matches and three host nations. It will also be the most lucrative. FIFA has approved a record financial package worth $871 million for the tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico, a significant increase from previous editions and a reflection of the competition’s expanded scale.The money, however, does not simply go to the team that lifts the trophy. FIFA distributes funds through several different channels, including prize money for national federations, preparation grants for every participating country and compensation payments to clubs that release players for international duty.Understanding where the money goes can be complicated because FIFA does not pay players directly. Instead, it pays national federations and clubs, which then operate under their own compensation structures.Here is a complete breakdown of how the World Cup 2026 payout system works.

When FIFA initially unveiled its financial plans for the 2026 tournament, the approved budget stood at $727 million.However, the FIFA Council later approved a 15 per cent increase, taking the total package to $871 million.The increase was designed to account for the additional operational costs of staging a tournament across three countries spanning a vast geographical area, as well as the increased travel and logistical demands created by the expansion from 32 teams to 48.The result is the largest financial distribution package in World Cup history.For comparison, the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar featured a total prize pool of $440 million shared among 32 teams.The 2026 tournament will distribute almost double that amount.

How the $871 million is divided

The total financial package is split into several categories. The largest portion is the $655 million performance-based prize pool, which is distributed according to how far teams advance in the tournament.That fund is allocated as follows:

Together, those payments account for the entire $655 million performance pool.Separate from that prize pool, FIFA has increased its guaranteed support payments for all qualified nations. Every federation that reaches the tournament receives $10 million in qualification funding and $2.5 million in preparation funding.Those payments establish a minimum guaranteed floor of $12.5 million for every one of the 48 participating teams, even if they fail to win a match. FIFA has also allocated additional funding to help federations manage delegation, travel and ticketing costs associated with the expanded tournament.

World Cup 2026 prize money breakdown

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One important distinction is that the $10 million qualification payment and $2.5 million preparation grant are not bonuses added on top of the stage-by-stage prize-money figures.Rather, they form part of FIFA’s overall financial contribution to participating federations and guarantee that every team leaves the tournament with at least $12.5 million.

Out of the $871 million total financial package, $655 million has been allocated to performance-based prize money, while a further $120 million will be distributed through the $2.5 million preparation grants awarded to each of the 48 qualified nations.That leaves approximately $96 million within FIFA’s broader World Cup financial contribution framework.The remaining funds are used to support a range of tournament-related programmes, including delegation subsidies, travel assistance, accommodation, operational and logistical support for participating federations, as well as ticketing allocations for players’ families, federation officials and team delegations.Those additional support measures have become increasingly important for the 2026 World Cup, which is being staged across three countries, the United States, Canada and Mexico, and involves significantly greater travel and operational demands than previous tournaments.

Does FIFA pay World Cup players directly?

One of the most common misconceptions about the World Cup is that FIFA pays players directly. In reality, FIFA distributes prize money to national football federations rather than individual athletes. It is then up to each federation to decide how that money is allocated, including whether players receive appearance fees, performance bonuses or other forms of compensation.The structure varies significantly from country to country. Some federations pay players for every match they feature in, while others offer bonuses linked to progression through the tournament. In many cases, the details of these agreements are kept private. As a result, there is no standard World Cup salary, and the amount players earn can differ dramatically depending on the nation they represent.

Because every federation has its own system, player earnings differ significantly. One of the most famous examples came during France’s 2018 World Cup-winning campaign. According to reports, Kylian Mbappé earned approximately £17,000 per match, equivalent to roughly $23,000 at the time. He subsequently donated his World Cup earnings to charity.England’s players have also long received match fees. The BBC reported that the squad received approximately £2,000 per match during the 2018 tournament, with players donating those payments to the England Footballers Foundation.For players representing smaller federations, however, World Cup bonuses can be financially transformative and often exceed what they earn during regular club football.

How does the United States’ equal-pay system work?

The United States operates under a unique model. Following years of campaigning by the United States Women’s National Team and a landmark collective bargaining agreement signed in 2022, US Soccer became the first federation to equalise World Cup prize money between its men’s and women’s national teams.Under the agreement, which runs through 2028, the men’s and women’s teams pool and share 80 per cent of FIFA World Cup prize money earned from their respective tournaments.This means players from both programmes benefit equally regardless of whether the prize money originated from the men’s or women’s World Cup. The arrangement remains one of the most significant equal-pay agreements in global sport.

Why FIFA also pays clubs

National teams are not the only beneficiaries of World Cup revenue. When players leave their clubs to represent their countries, those clubs temporarily lose access to footballers whose salaries they continue to pay.To compensate for that disruption, FIFA operates the Club Benefits Programme. The programme rewards clubs for releasing players for international duty and has become a major source of income for some teams. For the 2026 World Cup cycle, FIFA has allocated a record $355 million to clubs.

How the Club Benefits Programme works

The 2026 Club Benefits Programme is significantly larger than previous editions.The total $355 million fund is divided into three categories:

The biggest change is that clubs are now compensated for players participating in qualifying matches as well as the final tournament.That expansion explains why the overall fund has increased despite some tournament-specific payments being lower than they were in Qatar.

FIFA has confirmed that clubs will receive at least $5,000 per player per day for players released to the 2026 World Cup.The payment period begins during the mandatory release window and continues until the day after a player’s national team exits the competition.That means clubs earn more money when their players remain in the tournament longer. A player eliminated during the group stage is expected to generate a minimum payment of approximately $160,000 for his club. A player whose nation reaches the World Cup final could generate approximately $285,000.Clubs will also receive $2,362 for every World Cup qualifying match in which a player was included in a matchday squad.FIFA has stated that final calculations will be completed after the tournament once the total number of player-days has been confirmed.

At first glance, the new system appears contradictory. During the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, clubs received approximately $10,950 per player per day. For 2026, the guaranteed minimum rate falls to $5,000 per day.However, the overall programme is significantly larger because it now includes compensation for World Cup qualifying matches in addition to the finals themselves. The broader structure means more clubs receive payments and more players are covered throughout the four-year World Cup cycle.

Which clubs could earn the most money?

The biggest beneficiaries are likely to be clubs that have the largest number of players participating in the tournament.Manchester City lead all clubs with 19 players represented at the 2026 World Cup.They are followed by:

The exact sums these clubs ultimately receive will depend entirely on how long their players remain in the competition.The deeper those players progress, the larger the payments become.

A record World Cup both on and off the pitch

The expansion to 48 teams has changed far more than the tournament format.It has also transformed the financial landscape of the World Cup.With a record $871 million distributed to federations and a separate $355 million allocated to clubs, FIFA’s total financial commitment now exceeds $1.2 billion.From guaranteed qualification grants and championship prize money to player bonuses and club compensation schemes, the 2026 World Cup will not only be the biggest tournament ever staged but also the richest.And while fans focus on the battle to lift football’s most famous trophy, an equally significant financial story will unfold behind the scenes.

The NBA Finals will continue on Wednesday with Game 4 between the New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs, another opportunity to claim the latest BetMGM bonus code CBSSPORTS, which gives new users $150 in bonus bets if their first bet wins or up to $1,500 in bonus bets if their qualifying wager loses. The trend of the road team winning each game in the NBA Finals continued in Game 3, but the SportsLine Projection Model is still backing the Knicks to win and cover as 2.5-point favorites in its Wednesday NBA best bets at BetMGM Sportsbook. The over-under is 216.5.

One of SportsLine’s top experts has also found a player prop to back from Spurs vs. Knicks. Plus, the model found value from the MLB slate, backing the Toronto Blue Jays to defeat the Philadelphia Phillies for Wednesday’s MLB best bets at BetMGM. The Phillies are set to start left-hander Jesus Luzardo (4-4, 4.56 ERA), while the Blue Jays will counter with Max Scherzer (1-3, 9.64 ERA). Claim the latest BetMGM bonus code CBSSPORTS and bet on Wednesday’s top games:

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Wednesday best bets at BetMGM

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Knicks (-2.5) vs. Spurs (-118)

The Knicks suffered their first loss since April 23 in Game 3 on Monday, however, one loss isn’t enough to create panic in the streets of New York. The Knicks won 13 straight games before Monday’s loss in historic fashion, with 11 of those wins coming by double digits. Although the Knicks lost, Jalen Brunson had his best game of the series with 32 points on 44% shooting, and five New York players finished with double-digit points. The Knicks went 30-10 at home this season, and they haven’t lost two home games over three days since January. The model projects the Knicks to bounce back at Madison Square Garden, backing the Knicks to win and cover in 54% of simulations. Back the Knicks by claiming the latest BetMGM promo code CBSSPORTS here:

Landry Shamet, Knicks, Over 1.5 total 3-pointers made (-120)

“Landry Shamet only made one 3-pointer in Game 3, but he got off seven attempts in 23 minutes,” SportsLine expert Prop Bet Guy Doug said. “He’s now attempted 20 threes over the three games in the finals, including the second-most wide-open threes on the Knicks (10, per NBA tracking data). I expect the volume to continue to be there for Shamet, who shot 43% from three at Madison Square Garden this season.” Back the Shamet by claiming the latest BetMGM promo code CBSSPORTS here:

Blue Jays (+125) vs. Phillies

The Blue Jays are starting a future Hall of Fame pitcher, but a future immortal certainly isn’t pitching to that level at the moment. However, at the other end of the spectrum, Max Scherzer isn’t your typical 9.64 ERA pitcher. The 41-year-old is expected to return from the injured list, where he’s been since the end of April with a forearm injury, to pitch on Wednesday. Scherzer has a career 3.26 ERA, and the Phillies are set to start Jesus Luzardo, who has a 4.56 ERA and is coming off allowing five runs in six innings to the White Sox on Friday. Luzardo allowed eight runs in 2 ⅓ innings in his one start against the Blue Jays last season. Despite a losing record overall this season, the Blue Jays are 20-15 at home this season, including a 3-2 win over the Phillies on Tuesday. The model projects Toronto to win in 57% of simulations, showcasing strong value at these odds. Back the Blue Jays by claiming the latest BetMGM promo code CBSSPORTS here:

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DC Brian Flores said he likes to think of the defensive coaching staff as being part of a think tank, capable of tossing ideas out into the open to spur innovation. Maybe it’s that openness to trying new things that has fed into the ongoing experiment with Ty Ingram-Dawkins playing edge rusher.

The Vikings large lad is looking leaner. Listed at 6’5” and 290-pounds, the young lineman joined the NFL as a hybrid player. Tasking him with lining up directly across from the center before soaking up blockers was never in his job description. He could, nevertheless, be shuffled up and down the line so as to arrive at favorable matchups.

Meanwhile, Walter Rouse has received some opportunity at guard.

A massive man (who does great off-field work), Rouse is facing an uphill battle at offensive tackle, his college position. All of Christian Darrisaw, Brian O’Neill, Ryan Van Demark, and Caleb Tiernan are ahead of him on the depth chart. At guard, in contrast, there’s a wide open competition behind the starting pair of Donovan Jackson and Will Fries. Might Rouse become the OG3 rolling into the 2026 season? Doing so would give him a clearer pathway toward sticking around and contributing.

Two Vikings Large Lads Trying Out New Spots

In Ty Ingram-Dawkins, the plan all along was for versatility. Does that initial ambition of moving around mean a full-time job at edge rusher? Not necessarily, but the possibility was always there.

And, in fairness, the Vikings have by no means committed themselves to shifting the young defender to the position as a permanent spot. Even if they did, when has Brian Flores ever felt constrained to fixity within a player’s on-field assignment?

Listen to the DC. He likes working with players who can do several things well (think Josh Metellus and Andrew Van Ginkel as great examples). Sometimes, Ingram-Dawkins can be a jumbo edge rusher, as has been the case at Vikings minicamp at times. So, too, can he be a leaner player for the interior of the defensive line. All part of the ingredients being tossed into the Flores cauldron of defensive madness.

In Rouse, the Vikings boast a truly massive lineman who has yet to breakthrough. All along, the plan had been for a slower approach to development since he went in the 6^th of the 2024 NFL Draft. Kwesi Adofo-Mensah even made comments about development, noting that it took some time in college but that Rouse had the potential to become a bully.

Per PFF, Walter Rouse played 13 snaps at left tackle and 75 snaps at right tackle in 2025. What’s most discouraging isn’t the low snap count. Rather, it’s that his playing time dropped off in the final half of the season, a reality that appears particularly discouraging given the injuries to the o-line. Put simply, Rouse needs to continue proving he belongs on the team.

On the other side of the ball, Ingram-Dawkins had 135 snaps as a 3-4 defensive end last season (think across from the offensive tackle). He then had 97 snaps as an edge rusher alongside 16 in more of a 3T spot. Given where things are trending, Ingram-Dawkins may see that edge rusher snap allotment increase.

A perfect world for the Vikings involves seeing these two both make the roster while then working themselves into meaty roles on Sunday. Not just dress, but demand snaps on a regular basis. Better yet, be part of the mix for winning the line of scrimmage more often than not.

The current outlook suggests that Ty Ingram-Dawkins is in a better spot than Walter Rouse, but the d-line competition is intense after adding Caleb Banks (still recovering from injury) and Domonique Orange. Both need to keep polishing their game while acclimating to new on-field assignments.

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

The moment the Minnesota Vikings traded Jonathan Greenard to the Philadelphia Eagles for two 3rd-Round picks, they created a semi-urgent need at the outside linebacker position — if they don’t trust their in-house commodities.

The club has just over $13 million to spend in summer free agency, and all signs point to another EDGE defender if Bo Richter, Tyler Batty, or Chaz Chambliss don’t win the OLB3 job.

Vikings’ Pass Rush Depth Makes EDGE the Obvious Target

Vikings Could Use FA Cash at OLB

Minnesota may not sign an OLB this week, but it should be on the mind of new general manager Nolan Teasley, according to The Athletic‘s Alec Lewis.

He wrote Tuesday, “Trading Jonathan Greenard to the Philadelphia Eagles places major responsibility on third-year edge rusher Dallas Turner. It also emphasizes the depth behind Turner and Van Ginkel. The scheme can only go so far.”

“When one-on-one pass-rush opportunities present themselves, the Vikings need edge rushers who can win. Minnesota’s staff thinks highly of former undrafted edge rushers Chaz Chambliss, Bo Richter and Tyler Batty, though none of them have produced at the NFL level.”

Based on last year’s snap counts, Richter or Batty would likely get the OLB3 nod on the depth chart if Tealsey signs no newcomers.

Lewis continued, “The Vikings have around $13 million in cap space, according to Over The Cap, and some enticing free-agent edge rushers remain. The Vikings could wait until training camp to make a move.”

“But from a competitiveness standpoint, supplementing this position group seems paramount.”

The Options

If one assumes the Vikings don’t fire up a fancy trade for an EDGE defender — they probably won’t because they would’ve kept Greenard otherwise — free agency actually has a barrage of promising options. Assuming Minnesota doesn’t wait until the last minute, here’s the EDGE market right now:

• Cameron Jordan
• Derek Barnett
• Haason Reddick
• Jadeveon Clowney
• Joey Bosa
• Kyle Van Noy
• Leonard Floyd
• Marcus Davenport
• Von Miller
• Yannick Ngakoue

The list is thick, and outside of Davenport — a former Viking who disappeared after a high ankle sprain in 2023 — fans would not be disappointedwith any man from this list.

An easy way to think of it? It’s a good time to need a veteran outside linebacker. Plenty to go around.

SKOR North‘s Judd Zulgad noted on Clowney in particular this week, “Clowney, who is 33, has 66.5 sacks in 153 games over 12 seasons with seven teams. Last season, he had 8.5 sacks in 13 games with Dallas. Teasley is familiar with Clowney, who spent the 2019 season in Seattle when Teasley was the Seahawks’ director of pro personnel.”

Rolling the Dice with a UDFA?

If it’s not a household name like Jordan, Clowney, Bosa, Floyd, or Miller, Minnesota would promote from within. Four in-house options are available after Van Ginkel and Turner, all the aforementioned undrafted free agents: Richter, Batty, Chambliss, and Cam’Ron Stewart.

As Lewis noted, there’s no way to know in June if those men have the juice for a full-time OLB3 role, but behind the scenes, defensive coordinator Brian Flores should know if any of the four is ready.

Meanwhile, the longer the Vikings wait without signing a free-agent EDGE, the closer they get to riding with Richter, Batty, Chambliss, and Stewart. There’s also a chance that Minnesota waits until the post-cutdown market, when approximately 1,200 NFLers hit free agency or bide their time for a practice squad assignment.

Other Positions of Need?

Finally, the other spots on the roster that could use some love from Teasley. This list is not that long, believe it or not.

Minnesota has plenty of safeties, and if Harrison Smith returns, no more are needed. If Smith doesn’t return for Year No. 15, a free-agent safety cannot be ruled out if rookie Jakobe Thomas isn’t ready for the regular season.

With the safety caveat, the positions of need are down two spots in June, July, and August: cornerback and guard. Flores has Byron Murphy Jr., Isaiah Rodgers, James Pierre, rookie Charles Demmings, and Dwight McGlothern locked and loaded at CB. If the Vikings wanted to be ultra-deep, free agents like Trevon Diggs and Mike Hilton are looking for work.

At guard, the situation is similar to OLB. Should Joe Huber and Henry Byrd do the trick as depth, no more guards are required. The saving grace is that about 10 decent depth guards are on the free-agent wire.

Vikings training camp is about seven weeks away. A quality, big-name EDGE like Clowney or Bosa would likely cost around $10 million.

Dustin Baker is a novelist and political scientist. His second novel, The Invaders , is out now. So is … More about Dustin Baker

England head coach Thomas Tuchel said the delay to their World Cup warm-up game with Costa Rica gave them a “little taste of what can happen” – but will that prove to be an understatement?

The match was due to start at 21:00 BST in Orlando, Florida, but heavy rain and thunderstorms pushed it back an hour to 22:00 BST.

Weather delays have been a major talking point in the build-up to this year’s World Cup, with several matches in last year’s Fifa Club World Cup in the United States impacted by thunderstorms.

This was not the first tournament warm-up game to suffer delays caused by storms either – and many fans are concerned it could become a theme throughout the World Cup.

“We were aware of that before – now we experience it,” Tuchel told ITV before the game. “It’s no problem.

“It should not be an excuse to lose our mood or patience or to lose our hunger to play the game.

“No problem at all. We realised it when we were still at the hotel so it was easy. We just said half an hour later in the bus and let’s go.”

Fans who had already arrived at Inter&Co Stadium were told to evacuate from the stands and retreat to a safe position on the concourses to avoid lightning strikes.

Thunderstorms in the US are not uncommon, but when it comes to them impacting matches, Fifa has no power to make its own rules and must adhere to the advice of local authorities.

Recommendations of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) are used and they say if any lightning strike is detected within eight miles of a stadium, the game has to be stopped.

A mandatory 30-minute countdown begins and each time there is a lightning strike inside the distance, the countdown clock resets to 30 minutes.

If a full 30 minutes has elapsed, the supporters can go back to their seats and players will have a short warm-up.

Haiti have been forced into a late change on their World Cup 2026 shirts after Fifa accused them of violating its regulations on political speech.

Haiti, preparing to kick off their World Cup in Group C against Scotland in Boston on Saturday, previously had a shirt that depicted a war scene from the country’s battle for ⁠independence.

But shirt manufacturer Saeta confirmed on Wednesday that a swift, late change had been made after collaborating with the Haitian Football Federation on the design.

It previously was said to be geared towards “celebrating the pride, resilience, and spirit” of the Haitian people, with the Colombian manufactuer emphasising that it did not intend it to be a political statement.

“During the review process, ‌FIFA determined that certain ‌visual elements could be interpreted differently under its equipment regulations and ultimately requested ⁠modifications to the design,” Saeta said in a statement.

“While this interpretation differed from our intention, Saeta respected the process and implemented the final requirements communicated by FIFA.”

Soccer’s world governing ‌body FIFA, the Haitian Football ​Federation and the team’s media ‌officer did not ⁠immediately respond when asked by ⁠Reuters for comment.

Reuters contributed to this report