Trump loves crashing sports events – thanks to the UFC, he’s got his own
That’s because on Sunday, it will be all cheers and no jeers.
The event, supposedly a celebration of 250 years of the United States (but taking place on Trump’s 80th birthday), will be remarkable, for better or worse.
More on Trump’s relationship with sports events:
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Alex Pattle12 June 2026 23:08
Don’t be fooled by the glitz of UFC White House – all is not well in Dana White’s world
Mr Trump’s close friend Dana White, the UFC’s president and CEO, has said that TV-production awards should be abolished altogether if this event wins none.
It’s hyperbole, of course, to which White is more than prone, but it’s also curious because of how starkly it stands in contrast to the UFC’s weekly product.
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Over the last couple of years, the UFC has come under increasing criticism for its output. A peak has passed, it feels. Fans have complained about what they deem weaker fight cards with fewer consequential bouts; events playing out in the small and soulless UFC Apex facility in Las Vegas; and the UFC’s seemingly-lacking promotional efforts.
Alex Pattle12 June 2026 22:59
Schedule for the rest of the week
On Saturday, a fan festival will play out at the Ellipse, a large park located next to the White House. That will begin at 12.30pm PT / 2.30pm CT / 3.30pm ET (8.30pm BST).
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Thereafter, the ceremonial weigh-in for the fight card will get started at 5.30pm PT / 7.30pm CT / 8.30pm ET (1.30am BST on Sunday), followed by a concert from the Zac Brown Band at 6.30pm PT / 8.30pm CT / 9.30pm ET (2.30am BST on Sunday).
Finally, the fight card itself will take place on Sunday 14 June, beginning at 5pm PT / 7pm CT / 8pm ET (1am BST on Monday).
(Getty)
Alex Pattle12 June 2026 22:52
Not the only time Ilia Topuria has been angered recently
More recently, Topuria took exception to another comment about family – this time, one directed at his own.
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“All that guy is, is a gimmick,” Justin Gaethje said recently. “He calls himself the king, he thinks he’s a God. What an annoying little b*****d. I couldn’t imagine being in a room with him for 30 minutes, listening to him talk about himself.
“And I can say this: I would leave him. That’s all I’m saying: I would leave him. No way I would put up with his s***.”
Ahead of his fight with Gaethje on Sunday, Topuria replied: “Justin crossed a line. What happened between my ex-wife and me is our business. We may no longer be together, but she is the mother of my daughter.
“To everyone insulting her or speaking about things they know nothing about: show some respect. You don’t have to respect our relationship. But respecting someone’s mother should be one of the most basic codes in life. Be better.”
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Gaethje responded, and Topuria did the same in turn… More here:
Alex Pattle12 June 2026 22:44
Will Josh Hokit be dragged off stage by security again?
Hokit is due to face Derrick Lewis on Sunday, but in a stunnig tirade, the heavyweight took aim at Alex Pereira, who will vie for the division’s interim title on Sunday.
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When Hokit referenced family, Topuria was irate – and the much-smaller man hurled a water bottle at the American, before security intervened.
It should be said that Hokit, who often speaks in rhyme, seems to be putting on a WWE-style persona. Still, that doesn’t mean you can say whatever you like, free of consequence, I suppose!
American heavyweight Josh Hokit is a divisive figure (AP)
Alex Pattle12 June 2026 22:36
Who will speak at press conference today? UFC White House fight card in full
We’re expecting UFC president Dana White to host tonight’s press conference, although that duty could be taken on by commentator Jon Anik.
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Either way, every UFC White House fighter should be present.
Here’s how Sunday’s event looks (subject to change; ‘C’ denotes champion):
Ilia Topuria (C) vs Justin Gaethje (lightweight title)
Alex Pereira vs Ciryl Gane (interim heavyweight title)
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Sean O’Malley vs Aiemann Zahabi (bantamweight)
Derrick Lewis vs Josh Hokit (heavyweight)
Mauricio Ruffy vs Michael Chandler (lightweight)
Bo Nickal vs Kyle Daukaus (middleweight)
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Diego Lopes vs Steve Garcia (featherweight)
Donald Trump flanked by UFC fighters in the Oval Office (AFP/Getty)
Alex Pattle12 June 2026 22:29
Will Trump be present? President snubs USA’s World Cup opener
Let’s see if Trump turns up tonight; one thing is for sure, the US President won’t be at his nation’s opening World Cup game.
USA play Paraguay at 9pm ET tonight / 2am BST on Saturday, with the game playing out at Los Angeles Stadium – but without the Leader of the Free World in attendance.
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Alex Pattle12 June 2026 22:24
Press-conference stage construction has tourists fuming over blocked views
The fights themselves have not proven the only controversial part of this week.
Lincoln Memorial visitors were met with temporary fencing, stage lights, large monitors and crews preparing to turn the historic location into a UFC press conference site.
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The National Mall was bustling with busy crews moving equipment that slightly obstructed the view of the Reflecting Pool from the top of the Lincoln Memorial stairs this week, according to photos posted online Tuesday evening.
“It’s awful,” Trudy Rumbaugh, a visitor from Vermont, told DC News Now. “It detracts from the beauty of the monuments. And it’s obstructive.”
Alex Pattle12 June 2026 22:17
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Judge rejects bid to block fights from going ahead
The big news of the day is that, as Alex Woodward writes, “the fights are on”.
A federal judge has rejected an attempt to block this weekends bouts from taking place, after a lawsuit accused the administration of a “deeply corrupt” scheme to line the pockets of his allies.
A last-minute federal lawsuit accused the Trump administration of giving the UFC “unfettered access” to turn public landmarks into profitable billboards.
UFC has committed $60m to the event, according to court filings. The event is expected to draw multi-million dollar sponsorships as well as revenue through a broadcast agreement with Paramount +, a streaming platform operated by Trump allies.
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White House officials say the UFC is covering costs for the unprecedented production, but several federal agencies have “allocated significant resources and manpower”.
(AP)
Alex Pattle12 June 2026 22:11
Start time for press conference tonight
The UFC has said tonight’s press conference will begin at 8.15pm ET, which is 1.15am BST on Saturday morning.
Saturday evening will then bring the ceremonial weigh-ins, also at the Lincoln Memorial, before the fights themselves take place on the South Lawn on Sunday.
Every UFC Freedom 250 fighter, including Alex Pereira and Josh Hokit, will visit the Lincoln Memorial for Friday’s press conference
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1 min read
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The UFC Freedom 250 stars are headed to the Lincoln Memorial. Every athlete competing on Sunday’s monumental card will take part in a pre-fight press conference on Friday at the historic site
Tensions are flaring in the lead-up to what many are calling the biggest spectacle in UFC’s history. The lightweight title unifier between Ilia Topuria and Justin Gaethje took a dramatic turn this week as the subject of family gave their feud an ugly hue. Friday’s press conference marks the first time they’ll address each other in person since the tension picked up.
“If you want to be disrespectful to me, I’m not going to stay quiet. I’m not that kind of person,” Topuria told CBS Sports about the increasingly hostile rivalry with Gaethje’s team. “They were the ones who started to cross the line.”
Alex Pereira and Ciryl Gane fight for the interim heavyweight title, but “Poatan” will have a hard time trying to ignore a loud presence on the card. Heavyweight contender Josh Hokit was physically removed from an earlier press conference setting with all of the fighters after remarks about Pereira’s mom. Pereira refuses to acknowledge Hokit’s existence. Fortunately, Topuria has that covered. Topuria was so incensed about the remarks that he tried to pick a fight with Hokit, who competes four divisions above him, hurling a water bottle at his head.
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Sign up for Paramount+ and watch UFC Freedom 250 live for no additional fee — every UFC numbered event and UFC Fight Night is included with your subscription! Plans start as low as $8.99/month or $89.99/year!
Plus, former bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley returns to take on rising contender Aiemann Zahabi. Rising lightweight contender Mauricio Ruffy hopes to keep rolling against veteran Michael Chandler. Rising middleweight prospect Bo Nickal looks to take the next step up in his rise when he takes on veteran Kyle Daukaus. And featherweight sluggers meet in the opener when Diego Lopes battles Steve Garcia.
Friday’s press conference will stream live on Paramount+ and the official UFC YouTube channel.
Where to watch UFC Freedom 250 press conference
Date: Friday, June 12 Location: Lincoln Memorial — Washington, D.C. Start time: 8:15 p.m. ET Watch live: YouTube and Paramount+
Nigeria’s U-20 team, the Flying Eagles, have stepped up their preparations for the 2026 WAFU Zone B U-20 Boys Championship with an unbeaten run in a series of friendly matches in Abuja.
The seven-time African champions have played three warm-up games since opening camp and have recorded two wins and one draw. They have scored nine goals and are yet to concede.
The Flying Eagles started their friendly programme with a comfortable 4-0 win over SiaOne Football Academy before following it up with an impressive 5-0 victory against AAFC.
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However, they were held to a goalless draw by Galadima FC on Thursday in a more competitive contest.
Forward Abdul Muiz Adeleke has been one of the team’s standout players during the build-up to the tournament. The youngster has scored four goals in three matches and has shown good form in front of goal.
The team’s preparations began on May 16 in Abuja, with head coach Abdu Maikaba inviting 35 players to camp as he works towards selecting a strong squad for the competition.
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The 2026 WAFU Zone B U-20 Boys Championship will take place in Côte d’Ivoire from July 26 to August 9. The tournament will also serve as a qualifying competition for the next U-20 Africa Cup of Nations.
Nigeria will compete against hosts Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Burkina Faso, Niger Republic, Togo and Benin Republic in what promises to be a tough and exciting championship.
With less than two months to the start of the tournament, the Flying Eagles appear to be building confidence and momentum as they aim for regional success and a place at the continental competition.
German club FC Schalke 04 have strengthened their attack with the signing of Austrian forward Junior Adamu from SC Freiburg.
The 25-year-old has signed a long-term contract that will keep him at the club until June 2029 as Schalke continue to build their squad for the new season.
Adamu arrives with experience at both club and international level. He has made nine appearances for the Austrian national team and is expected to bring pace, energy and versatility to Schalke’s attack.
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The striker spent the second half of last season on loan at Celtic FC, where he enjoyed a successful spell.
During his time in Scotland, Adamu helped Celtic win the Scottish Premiership title and the Scottish Cup, adding more trophies to his career.
Schalke will be hoping that his quality and winning experience can help the team achieve its goals in the coming season.
Aug 10, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Jeshaun Jones (82) warms up before the game against the Las Vegas Raiders at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports.
The Vikings’ search for a promising WR4 is ongoing.
At the top of the list of contenders is Tai Felton. The sophomore boasts elite speed and great length, meaning he offers obvious upside as a burner to take the top off the defense. Where he struggled in minicamp, though, was with securing the ball. Eliminating drops is hugely important for him.
Otherwise, there has been some optimism for what Myles Price can do since he was so impressive as a punt returner in 2025. Likewise, Dillon Bell is creating plenty of fans due to his ability to shake corners out of their cleats.
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Somebody who’s missing in the above consideration is Jeshaun Jones, who his entering his third season as a Viking.
The Vikings’ Search for a WR4 Brings Jeshaun Jones into Mix
At the risk of venturing into the obvious, the Vikings’ top trio of receivers consists of Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, and Jauan Jennings. Only some form of extenuating circumstances — injury, suspension, and so on — will dislodge these three from the top three spots. Jefferson, Addison, and Jennings, that’s the order to remember.
Boasting such an elite trio means not having too many targets left over for others. That’s especially true upon considering the presence of T.J. Hockenson, Josh Oliver, and Aaron Jones to siphon off even more targets. Still, there’s no such thing as too much weaponry.
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Aug 17, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Jeshaun Jones (82) runs a reception back for a touchdown against the Cleveland Browns during the fourth quarter at Cleveland Browns Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Galvin-USA TODAY Sports
When I asked him who stood out, Jefferson offered a mostly upbeat, vague answer. Essentially everybody has been working and improving, Jefferson said.
He did, however, identify a pair of names: Tai and J2. He’s referring to Tai Felton and Jeshaun Jones.
Ironically, the NFL teammates were college teammates, both putting in work in Maryland. Jones arrived in the Twin Cities as an undrafted add in 2024. Felton got to Minnesota as a 3rd-Round selection in 2025. Neither have fully established careers.
To my eye, Felton had a tough few days of minicamp. His speed is evident, capable of burning it down the field to create separation. It’s possible that he’s trying too hard, though. A couple occasions involved him dropping balls that were put onto him.
Jones therefore has an opportunity. Felton’s rookie season was modest on offense. If he has a poor training camp — far from a guarantee; ideally, he comes back and thrives — then Jones has a window to assert himself.
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Jones spent 2024 on the practice squad. In 2025, he occupied the same spot apart from a late-season bump to the active roster. Jones finished off with a pair of punt returns for 5 yards. Do note, though, that he has previously done damage in the preseason, creating optimism about some potential to put up production in more meaningful games.
Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Jeshaun Jones celebrates a first-down reception during first-half action against the Tennessee Titans on Aug. 22, 2025, at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tennessee. Jones continued making his case for a roster spot by contributing in the passing game as Minnesota evaluated depth options and young talent during the preseason matchup. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images.
Furthermore, Jones earned $235,000 in guaranteed money in his UDFA contract (OTC). That’s a beefy commitment, suggesting the Vikings were serious about bringing him to town. Maybe that upside that Minnesota saw in him turns into a larger job in 2026. After all, Justin Jefferson has noticed some improvement.
Jeshaun Jones, 26, comes in at 6’1″ and 190 pounds. Proving to be capable of catching a pass or two, blocking his tail off, and then helping on specials will be the keys to make the final roster.
Welcome to Fully Equipped’s weekly Tour equipment report. Every Friday of PGA Tour weeks (plus other times, if news warrants), GOLF equipment editor Jack Hirsh runs you through some of the biggest news surrounding golf clubs on Tour, including changes, tweaks and launches.
Viktor Hovland showed up to this week’s RBC Canadian Open with one driver. Normally, that wouldn’t be much of a story, but the driver Hovland brought wasn’t the same one he used in his last start at the PGA Championship or for the last six years.
“That’s one way to switch,” Ping Tour Rep Kenton Oates told GOLF. “Leave your security blanket in Oklahoma and call it a day.”
Oates was not on site at TPC Toronto this week. The Canadian Open is typically a quiet week in gear on the PGA Tour, as the Tour trucks that typically service players don’t make the trip north of the border for logistical reasons. That also means companies send a much more limited Tour staff.
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This week, Ping sent Spencer Rothluebber, who texted Oates earlier this week to tell him that Hovland did not even bring his longtime Ping G425 LST gamer to Canada.
The only driver he had was a Ping G440 LST, a driver Hovland has been working toward getting in the bag for much of the past two seasons.
Hovland has worked with Ping’s team every few months recently in testing the G440 LST and newer G440 K drivers. He even has gamed both the new models at different points, with the LST seeing the bag at last year’s Masters and the K going in play at this year’s WM Phoenix Open. But he keeps reverting back to his safety net of the G425 that he’s captured all but one of his seven PGA Tour victories with.
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PING G440 LST Custom Driver
The G440 driver family (MAX, LST, SFT) is optimized to deliver more ball speed through multiple advancements, including PING’s deepest CG in a driver to date and a shallower, thinner face, while continuing to ensure the game-changing forgiveness expected from a PING driver. The G440 LST (Low Spin) design appeals to players with faster swing speeds, providing lower spin and more control in 9° and 10.5° lofts with the three-position back weight.
HIGHLY FORGIVING
Lighter head weight allows for heavier back weight.
FASTER FACE
Shallow, thinner, face increases ball speed for more distance, higher launch.
SOUND DESIGN
New shaping, carbon crown and internal ribs produce muted impact experience.
FREE-HOSEL DESIGN
Saves weight to lower CG, increase forgiveness. Allows for more heel-side face flexing for consistent ball speed across face.
Oates said the 440s outperform the 425 in every category in testing. The hold-up was peak height.
“I tried out the new 440 last year because it is faster,” Hovland said earlier this year in Phoenix. “The spin consistency off the face is a joke. If I hit it off the heel or the toe with a 425, the spin discrepancy is very large. Like if I hit it off the toe, I can spin it under 2000. If I hit it off the heel, I can maybe get up to 3000. Versus the 440, it’s very tight. It goes from maybe 2000 to 2600, so a huge gap.
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“However, the problem is it launches a little bit higher for me. And for some reason, just with the setup that I’ve tested with, it tends to go a bit more to the right. Right now with my golf swing, when I get stuck, my miss is already a high right miss. If I hit this driver, it’s just getting exenuated.”
When Hovland last tested at the Truist Championship and PGA Championship, Oates initially thought the 440 K would have the edge, but as they went on, the LST had a clear advantage in start line, just a touch more right than the K.
Viktor Hovland is in a Ping G440 LST this week for the first time since playing the model at the 2025 Masters.
Hovland has been testing 440 LST and 440K every few months in hopes of finding the replacement for his longtime G425 LST gamer.
Hovland finally became comfortable at home in his three weeks off between the PGA and this week. A big factor was a shift to the Fujikura Ventus TR Black+ 6-X shaft, which has a stiffer mid-section, more like the Speeder 757 shaft he plays in his 425.
“As he tightened his swing up a little bit, to me it felt like it was just coming out of the proper start line every time,” Oates said. “TR Black Plus was a home run on paper right away because it should have dropped his spin, and it should give him a better feel.”
With the new build, Oates said Hovland could finally take advantage of the 3-4 mph of extra ball speed he got from the 440 head.
This section is dedicated to cool photos we’ve snapped recently on Tour, but haven’t had a reason to share yet. This week, check out 2024 Canadian Open winner Robert MacIntyre’s highly customized Scotty Cameron Phantom 9.5R putter.
Robert MacIntyre’s Phantom 9.5R has a couple of unique modifications.
Jack Hirsh/GOLF
Odds and Ends
Some other gear changes and notes we’re tracking this week.
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Alex Noren returned to the Quantum Max D after a brief stint back in the Paradym Ai-Smoke Max D … Nick Taylor and Taylor Moore joined Hovland in moving to the 440 LST … Wyndham Clark went back to his Ping G440 Max 3-wood and went from 10.5˚ to 9.0˚ loft on his Qi4D driver … Hovland also added a new TaylorMade Qi4D 3-wood … Harry Hall, after using Callaway Rouge ST for his past two starts, is back in a GTS3 driver … Tom Kim re-added his Titleist 20˚ GT1 hybrid alongside his GTS3 5-wood, opting for a three-wedge setup … Kensei Hirata added the new TaylorMade Spider Tour V Torched … Michael Thorbjornsen added a TaylorMade Qi4D 5-wood.
The next match of the League of Legends LCK 2026 Road to MSI puts Gen.G vs KT Rolster in a best-of-five elimination series. While the losing team will be knocked out, the winner will advance to the next stage and face T1 for a chance to book LCK’s second spot at the MSI 2026. Earlier, HLE defeated T1 to secure the first seed at MSI.
With that said, here are the details regarding the Gen.G vs KT Rolster clash in the League of Legends LCK 2026 Road to MSI on June 13.
Gen.G vs KT Rolster in League of Legends LCK 2026 Road to MSI: Which team is expected to win?
THE FIRST #LCK TEAM AT #MSI2026: Congratulations to @HLEofficial on qualifying for MSI for the first time in the organization’s history!
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With HLE defeating T1 earlier and booking its spot at MSI 2026 as the first seed, only three teams remain: Gen.G, KT Rolster, and T1. That said, only one of them can qualify as the second seed.
Gen.G is currently on a four-series win streak and looked absolutely phenomenal in those series. While the middle part of the LCK Regular Season was a difficult phase for the team, the team has bounced back greatly, and players are also showing top-notch form.
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Gen.G’s mid laner, Chovy, has consistently delivered brilliant performances throughout the split and has the highest number of MVPs (9) so far. However, the current LoL meta heavily relies on the bot lane, so Ruler-Duro must excel in the 2v2 to help the team succeed.
On the other hand, the top lane matchup between Kiin and PerfecT will also be quite interesting. While Kiin is exceptional at playing weak side, carry, and whatever role the team needs, PerfecT has also been a powerful top laner recently. His champion pool and dynamic playstyle can certainly catch Gen.G off guard.
When players are performing on their usual level, Gen.G’s macro adjustments are possibly the best in the world, and it should outclass KT Rolster’s overall game plan. That said, the KT Rolster has Bdd, who can single-handedly turn the tide of a series. All in all, the series will be a treat to watch for the fans.
Prediction: Gen.G 3 – 1 KT Rolster
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Head-to-head record
These two organizations have faced each other 40 times in the past, with Gen.G securing 26 wins and KT Rolster 14 wins.
Previous results
Gen.G won its previous series 2-0 against BRION in the LoL LCK 2026 Regular Season.
On the other hand, KT Rolster won 3-2 against Dplus in its earlier series in the Road to MSI event.
Rosters
Gen.G
Top: Kiin
Jungle: Canyon
Mid: Chovy
ADC: Ruler
Support: Duro
Head coach: Ryu
KT Rolster
Top: PerfecT
Jungle: Cuzz
Mid: Bdd
ADC: Aiming
Support: Effort
Head coach: Score
How to watch Gen.G vs KT Rolster in League of Legends LCK 2026 Road to MSI
The next two series of the Road to MSI event will begin two hours before the usual LCK time. The scheduled starting time of Gen.G vs KT Rolster is at the following times:
PDT: June 12, 2026, at 11 pm
CEST: June 13, 2026, at 8 am
IST: June 13, 2026, at 11:30 am
Beijing CST: June 13, 2026, at 2 pm
KST: June 13, 2026, at 3 pm
To watch the League of Legends series live, visit the following websites:
Aside from the official LCK stream, fans can also tune in to Caedrel (Twitch)for an interesting watch party.
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South Korea got their World Cup campaign off to a winning start by beating the Czech Republic 2-1 Thursday after finally converting some of the many chances they created.
Until the 80th-minute mark it seemed that the Czechs would punish the Koreans’ wastefulness, but substitute Oh Hyeon-gyu scored the decisive goal in a Guadalajara stadium that was far from full.
Son Heung-min’s Koreans had dominated the first half but were unable to find the net.
The former Tottenham star blasted one effort over the bar before making a driving run to his left and evading two Czech defenders only to shoot wide.
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An entertaining second half began with the Czechs scoring against the run of play as Ladislav Krejci rose at the front post to power a header past Korean goalkeeper Kim Seung-gyu.
Hwang In-beom finally made the Korean pressure pay with a clever equaliser as he faked a shot and then finessed the ball over Czech ‘keeper Matek Kovar on 67 minutes.
The Czechs had a goal disallowed before Hwang added to his goal with an assist, crossing from the right for Oh to slot home.
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When the final whistle sounded after a frantic end to the game, Son sank to the turf in joy.
South Korea face co-hosts Mexico, who beat South Africa 2-0 in the tournament’s opening Group A game earlier Thursday, on June 18.
Mar 21, 2026; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Kamil Majchrzak (POL) reacts after winning a point against Learner Tien (USA) (not pictured) on day five of the 2026 Miami Open at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
Poland’s Kamil Majchrzak notched a stunning upset quarterfinal victory on Friday, taking down top-seeded Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-4, 6-3 in 69 minutes in the Libema Open at ‘s-Hertogenbosch, Netherlands.
Majchrzak won 85.1% (40 of 47) of his service points while earning his second career Top-10 victory. He will play in his third career ATP semifinal against the winner of Saturday’s quarterfinal between No. 3 seed Daniil Medvedev of Russia and Marin Cilic of Croatia.
Medvedev registered a 6-3, 4-6, 7-6 (6) victory over Thijs Boogaard of the Netherlands, while Cilic rallied for a 3-6, 7-6 (5), 6-3 win over Nuno Borges of Portugal.
No. 2 Alex de Minaur will face France’s Adrian Mannarino in the other semifinal. Australia’s de Minaur swept France’s Benjamin Bonzi 6-2, 6-4, and Mannarino beat China’s Zhang Zhizhen 7-6 (4), 6-3.
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BOSS Open
Defending champion Taylor Fritz rallied for the second straight day, this time posting a 5-7, 7-5, 7-5 victory over Italy’s Mattia Bellucci at Stuttgart, Germany.
Fritz, the No. 2 seed, was two points away from losing to Spain’s Martin Landaluce on Thursday before recovering to win. This time, the second and third sets were both tied at 5-5 before Fritz (11 aces) turned his play up a notch to advance to the semifinals.
Fritz will next face No. 3 Alexander Bublik of Kazakhstan. Bublik ousted France’s Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard 7-6 (5), 7-6 (3). No. 4 Jiri Lehecka also landed a semifinal spot after the Czech recorded a 6-4, 7-6 (4) over No. 6 Frances Tiafoe.
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Top-seeded Ben Shelton overcame a bumpy start to notch a 6-7 (4), 6-4, 7-6 (5) second-round victory over fellow American Marcos Giron. Shelton later lost the first of set (4-6) of his quarterfinal match to Japan’s Sho Shimabukuro before play was suspended due to darkness.
Southampton’s public relations department has had a torrid few weeks trying to clean up the internal idiocy of Spygate, but they’re about to get a rare windfall of goodwill from across the Atlantic. Over 3,000 miles west of St Mary’s, Saints have had an inadvertent hand in Canadian history.
Canada are on the board at the World Cup, for the first time ever. They went pointless in Qatar four years ago, just as they did during their World Cup bow at Mexico ‘86. Thanks to Cyle Larin’s late heroics in Toronto, this hoodoo on the biggest stage is over.
One third of a substitute masterclass from manager Jesse Marsch, Larin came off the bench to cancel out Bosnia and Herzegovina’s first-half opener with a stunning half-volley, instinctively striking across the ball to send it swerving past Nikola Vasilj and into the side-netting. It was a goal fitting of its importance in this country’s footballing history.
Cyle Larin got the all-important equaliser to get Canada on the board at the World Cup (Reuters)
Canada smelt blood and could’ve taken all three points as they ramped up the pressure on a tired Bosnia team heading into the final minutes. Alas, they had to settle for draw – but one point in 90 minutes beats none in 30 years.
In coming to his nation’s rescue, Larin has written himself into Canadian folklore. He was the catalyst for this piece of history, which will always have a romance to it, but solely in the context of this tournament, that goal could prove seismic for Canada’s ambitions of getting through the group. They would’ve faced a huge uphill battle to get back in contention had Bosnia, their main rivals for second place behind group favourites Switzerland, taken all the spoils. Instead, they’ll head into their next match with Qatar knowing a win can put them on the brink of progression, at the very least as one of the eight best third-placed teams.
But Larin’s journey to heroism has not been straightforward. The 31-year-old has spent seasons on end struggling in front of goal, unable to hit double figures since scoring 23 for Besiktas in 2020/21.
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After a dismal loan spell at Feyenoord was cut short halfway through last season, Larin – his country’s second all-time top goalscorer – feared he would be heading to a home World Cup in the worst form of his career. That was until Southampton came calling.
Larin found a new lease of life on loan at Saints in the second half of 2025/26, scoring eight goals in 16 Championship appearances as he became integral to the club’s play-off charge. While that would all fall apart thanks to espionage-based antics well out of his control, he has hailed Southampton for allowing him to rediscover his shooting boots in time for the biggest tournament of his life.
Larin found a new lease of life at Southampton during the second half of last season (Getty)
“It [loan at Saints] has given me great confidence,” said Larin ahead of Canada’s opener, who has made his temporary move to Southampton permanent. “I’ve always known I could score goals – that was never the problem. It’s more about playing games and having a coach who trusted me to go and do that.
“Tonda [Eckert, Southampton manager] was very important in helping me do that and a big part of my decision to join the club [in January]. It’s given me a lot of confidence to go out and bring it to the national team.
“When you are scoring, it doesn’t stop. The goals don’t stop for me. It’s a rhythm and [it gives you] a confidence to keep going.” The goals have indeed kept coming.
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Larin celebrates his late equaliser against Bosnia and Herzegovina (Reuters)
Toronto’s 44,315-capacity BMO Field became the second to fall victim to patchy attendance after Thursday night’s sparsely attended meeting between South Korea and Czech Republic in Guadalajara, something that is less down to fan apathy and more due to the fact that last-minute tickets for the clash were still priced between $1,645 and $2,240 in the Category 1 and Category 2 tiers; the greed surrounding this World Cup is sadly unwavering.
However, those empty seats were hardly noticeable when Larin fired home. It might’ve not been to the decibel level of the Azteca a day earlier, but the eruption of noise from the stands – three permanent, one temporary – of BMO Field still made hairs stand on ends.
For all the warranted condemnation of Southampton, their manager and wider operations that has come in the fallout of Spygate, the south coast club played their part in the making of this moment of national jubilation, in Canada’s first ever World Cup point. In Toronto, that’ll be the only Saints-related headline they care about. A classic Canadian thank you may be coming their way.
Cyle Larin comes off the bench to score for Canada against Bosnia-Herzegovina to earn the co-hosts a 1-1 draw as they pick up their first ever point at a World Cup.
;)
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