The 2026 FIFA World Cup has ushered in the biggest structural change in the tournament’s history. For the first time, 48 nations are competing for football’s biggest prize, expanding the field from the 32-team format that had been in place since 1998.
The expanded competition has also brought significant changes to the group stage and qualification process, making the race for the knockout rounds more complex than ever before.
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With several teams already securing qualification after two matches, here’s a detailed look at how the new format works and the rules that determine who advances.
A Bigger World Cup Than Ever Before
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The 2026 edition features 48 teams divided into 12 groups of four teams each.
Every team plays three group-stage matches, facing each of the other teams in their group once.
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Unlike previous tournaments, where only 16 teams progressed from the group stage, the expanded format allows 32 nations to reach the knockout rounds.
How Many Teams Qualify?
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From each group:
The top two teams automatically qualify for the Round of 32.
The eight best third-placed teams across all 12 groups also advance.
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This means:
24 teams qualify automatically (12 group winners + 12 runners-up).
8 additional spots go to the highest-ranked third-place finishers.
A total of 32 teams reach the knockout stage.
As a result, more teams remain in contention deeper into the group stage compared to previous World Cups.
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The New Knockout Bracket
Once the group stage concludes, the tournament moves into:
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Round of 32
Round of 16
Quarter-finals
Semi-finals
Third-place playoff
Final
The addition of the Round of 32 is a direct consequence of the tournament’s expansion from 32 to 48 teams.
The Biggest Rule Change: Head-to-Head Before Goal Difference
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One of the most important changes introduced for 2026 concerns the tiebreaking system. For decades, fans have been accustomed to checking goal difference first when teams finish level on points.
That is no longer the case. Head-to-Head comes first. If two or more teams finish level on points, FIFA first examines the results between those teams rather than their overall goal difference.
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The order of tiebreakers is:
Step One: Head-to-Head Criteria
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Points earned in matches between the tied teams.
Goal difference in matches between the tied teams.
Goals scored in matches between the tied teams.
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Only if teams remain level after these criteria does FIFA move to the next stage.
Step Two: Overall Group Performance
Overall goal difference in all group matches.
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Total goals scored in all group matches.
Fair-play ranking based on yellow and red cards.
Step Three: FIFA Ranking
Most recent FIFA World Ranking.
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Why This Rule Matters?
The change dramatically alters qualification calculations. Under the old system, teams often focused heavily on boosting goal difference against weaker opponents.
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Now, direct encounters carry far greater importance. For example: A team that defeats a direct rival gains a major advantage even if its overall goal difference is lower.
Large victories against weaker teams may not be enough to overcome a head-to-head defeat against a competitor for qualification.
This places greater emphasis on every group-stage match and particularly on clashes between teams expected to battle for the same qualification spots.
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How Third-Placed Teams Are Ranked
Because eight third-placed teams advance, FIFA also ranks third-place finishers across all groups.
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The ranking is determined by:
Points.
Goal difference.
Goals scored.
Fair-play record.
FIFA World Ranking.
Unlike within groups, head-to-head records are not used when comparing teams from different groups.
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Which Teams Have Already Qualified?
Following the opening two rounds of group-stage matches, two nations have already secured their places in the Round of 32:
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Qualified Teams
Both teams have won their opening two matches and can no longer finish outside the qualification positions in their respective groups.
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More Drama Until The Final Matchday
The expanded 48-team structure means fewer teams are eliminated early, creating more meaningful matches across the tournament.
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At the same time, the introduction of head-to-head tiebreakers adds another layer of complexity. Fans tracking qualification scenarios now need to pay as much attention to direct results as they do to goal difference.
With a place in the Round of 32 available even for several third-placed teams, most groups are likely to remain alive until the final round of fixtures, ensuring a dramatic finish to the World Cup group stage.
Oct 24, 2024; Inglewood, California, USA; Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores watches from the sidelines against the Los Angeles Rams in the first half at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images.
Turns out some folks outside of Minnesota recognize the abilities of Vikings defender Josh Metellus. Admittedly, he had a reasonably poor 2025, but much of that was due to injury. Seeing him bounce back should be the expectation.
On The Athletic, Ted Nguyen assembled a list of the most versatile players in the NFL. Scroll down a bit — journeying past names such as Kyle Hamilton, Puka Nacua, and Christian McCaffrey — means arriving at Mr. Metellus. Per Nguyen, Metellus is a “glue guy” who lets the defense as a whole to thrive.
“For Brian Flores’ wacky scheme to work,” Nguyen begins, “versatility is key. Offenses can’t get the usual tells based on where defenders line up. Josh Metellus isn’t a household name but he lines up everywhere on the Vikings’ defense.”
Dec 1, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings safety Josh Metellus (44) and cornerback Byron Murphy Jr. (7) and linebacker Kamu Grugier-Hill (54) react after Minnesota Vikings cornerback Shaquill Griffin (1) made an interception late during the fourth quarter against the Arizona Cardinals at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images.
On a down-to-down basis, Josh Metellus is capable of embodying the Flores ethos.
From the same piece: “On one play, he’ll line up as the deep safety. On the next, he could play press coverage on a tight end. On third down, he could be blitzing on the line of scrimmage. He’ll even rotate into the box and play linebacker. It’s hard to play all the positions he does in a regular defense, but in Flores’ defense, he has to learn how to do multiple things within each spot.”
And finally: “His ability to make open-field tackles is essential for a defense that blitzes as much as the Vikings. If you miss open-field tackles on blitzes when the quarterback finds a hot route, it’s a recipe for disaster. Though he doesn’t make a ton of splash plays, Metellus is a glue guy for the Vikings.”
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Both before and after the snap, Coach Flores is looking to create chaos and confusion. He can achieve that broad goal by deploying a pile of players capable of doing various things well.
Nguyen is bringing up a good point that having sturdy tacklers — while always important — is especially necessary due to the overall aggression. Sending so many players toward the quarterback means having less available for a tackle when the ball does get out. Whoever remains needs to be capable of erasing the ball carrier with minimal help, if any at all.
Per PFF, Metellus missed 8 tackles last year, a brutal number. He’ll be looking to rectify the issue.
Dec 22, 2024; Seattle, Washington, USA; Minnesota Vikings safety Josh Metellus (44) poses for a photo following a Seattle Seahawks turnover during the fourth quarter at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images.
More positive is that he got shuffled around quite a lot.
Most prominently, Metellus had beefy workloads at free safety (350 snaps) and in the box (315 snaps). He was a slot corner for 124 snaps, a wide corner for 35 snaps, and along the d-line for 43 snaps. Metellus isn’t the athlete Harrison Smith was, but he has done a nice job of stepping into that Smith role.
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Considered as a whole, the Vikings’ defense boasts a ton of versatile players. Other than Josh Metellus, Andrew Van Ginkel and Byron Murphy come to mind. Last year, Eric Wilson had a career year, largely due to playing well as an off-ball linebacker and as an edge rusher. Rookie Jake Golday is viewed as a “Swiss Army Knife” by some. Other players could surely be included, as well.
Look for Minnesota’s defense to continue being the strength of the team in 2026.
A female AEW star recently posted a cryptic message on social media. This post quickly spread like wildfire all over the internet. Many started making wild speculations about her status with the Jacksonville-based promotion.
The star is none other than the ROH Women’s World Champion, Athena. The former WWE star has been one of the top names in the AEW women’s division for the past few years. However, for a while, she has been facing lackluster bookings in the company. This week, Athena took to X to say that she is not feeling right about something. While the star did not reveal exactly what, she said that she will explain it someday.
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Many X users believed that The Fallen Goddess was trying to express her disappointment over her booking through this social media post. Also, many fans speculated that Athena could be asking for her release from the Jacksonville-based promotion. Furthermore, some people started asking Tony Khan to book her to win the AEW Women’s World Title at All In this year.
@AthenaPalmer_FG Tony Khan has given up on her. Needs to ask for release
@TonyKhan please booked her to win the OWEN go to ALL iN London against Thekla
@AthenaPalmer_FG You’re the best pro wrestler in that company!
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There were some fans who were advocating for Athena’s return to WWE down the line. On the other hand, there were a few people who believed that her time would come eventually in All Elite Wrestling. Overall, fans were in a split where some wanted The Fallen Goddess to remain with Tony Khan and his company, while others wanted her to join WWE in the coming years.
@AthenaPalmer_FG The checks cash! Just keep wwe in good graces!
@AthenaPalmer_FG You should be regular in the aew women’s division. You always show up when you are on.
@AthenaPalmer_FG @MaidenEngland96 You’re a main event talent anywhere in the world. The bookers just need to realize it like the rest of us have
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Athena suffered a brutal loss on AEW Collision
This week’s AEW Collision is already taped following the end of Dynamite. Therefore, the spoilers from the show are out online. Athena was slated to square off with Maya World in the semi-finals of the Women’s Owen Hart Cup tournament. Heading to the event, The Fallen Goddess was not only the favorite to win the match, but she was the favorite to win the entire tournament.
However, as per the spoilers by PWInsider, World went on to defeat Athena in the semi-finals. Fans were clamoring to see the former WWE star getting the main event push in the company. Many believed that she could be the one to face Thekla for the AEW Women’s World Title at All In. But her loss has put into question Tony Khan’s booking for Athena.
Now, only time will tell what the ROH Women’s World Champion would be doing in All Elite Wrestling from here on. With All In coming in August, Tony Khan needs to create a solid plan to feature the former WWE star in the programming.
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After June 1st, when the Minnesota Vikings’ salary cap freed up just a bit, some onlookers decided the club could use another pass rusher for the 2026 campaign, especially because Jonathan Greenard left in April via trade to the Philadelphia Eagles. And according to ESPN, that man should be outside linebacker Haason Reddick — a former Eagle.
Reddick is available on the open market, and Minnesota has about $13 million, so ESPN said why not this week.
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Vikings’ Roster Has Room for One More EDGE
Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Haason Reddick speaks with reporters following a training camp practice at AdventHealth Training Center. The veteran defender addressed the media on Aug. 1, 2025, in Tampa as he discussed his adjustment to the Buccaneers and prepared for the upcoming regular season with his new club. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
ESPN: Vikings Should Sign Reddick
Aaron Schatz of ESPN revealed one roster move each team should explore this week, and Reddick to Minnesota was included.
“Another NFC North team, another questionable depth chart on the edge. The issue here is not Dallas Turner and Andrew Van Ginkel but rather the players behind them, led by 2025 fifth-round pick Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins and 2024 undrafted free agent Bo Richter,” Schatz wrote.
“Reddick had only 2.5 sacks last season, the lowest of the three best available veteran pass rushers, but his 12% pass rush win rate was still impressive: similar to the Chargers’ Tuli Tuipulotu and just ahead of the Steelers’ T.J. Watt.”
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It’s worth noting that Reddick was a teammate of Kyler Murray, the Vikings’ main offseason addition, in 2019 and 2020 when Murray’s career got off the ground.
Schatz added, “Reddick’s history of playing in flexible 3-4 defenses makes him the best fit for defensive coordinator Brian Flores because he has more experience dropping into coverage on complicated zone blitzes.”
Reddick’s Background
Reddick has essentially had two distinct NFL careers. Initially, as the 13th overall pick, he struggled to find his footing in Arizona. However, he later transformed into one of the league’s most formidable pass rushers.
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New York Jets linebacker Haason Reddick sits courtside during an NBA game between the New York Knicks and Sacramento Kings at Madison Square Garden. The appearance occurred on April 4, 2024, in New York as Reddick attended the late-season matchup during the NFL offseason. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
His career statistics highlight this evolution: 137 games, 95 starts, 455 tackles, 77 tackles for loss, 108 QB hits, 61.5 sacks, 21 deflected passes, 18 forced fumbles, and five fumble recoveries. His peak performance years were just fantastic — no exaggeration. Between 2020 and 2023, Reddick recorded 12.5, 11.0, 16.0, and 11.0 sacks, earned two Pro Bowl selections, and was named 2nd-Team All-Pro in 2022.
The 2022 Eagles season was particularly noteworthy: 49 tackles, 16 sacks, 26 QB hits, and five forced fumbles, placing him firmly in contention for Defensive Player of the Year.
More recently, his performance has declined. His 2024 tenure with the Jets was brief and unproductive, and in 2025 with Tampa Bay, he managed only 2.5 sacks in 13 games. While Pro Football Focus still rated his pass rush as decent, his run defense and tackling grades were significantly lower.
That raises the question: does Reddick have one more year as a premier pass-rushing specialist? His past achievements suggest yes, but his recent output warrants caution. Thankfully, Minnesota would really only need him for a year or two in a “just in case” capacity.
The OLB Situation with Reddick and Price
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Let’s pretend for a moment that ESPN nailed this thing, and Minnesota signs Reddick.
The 2026 EDGE room would look like this:
OLB1: Andrew Van Ginkel OLB2: Dallas Turner OLB3: Haason Reddick OLB4: Bo Richter OLB5: Tyler Batty OLB6: Chaz Chambliss OLB7: Cam’Ron Stewart OLB8: Arden Walker
Reddick — or any credible pass rusher — would fit beautifully between Turner and Richter. That’s just how the lay of the land works with Greenard playing for the Eagles.
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Think of it this way: while the Vikings might be just fine with the group as-is, if Van Ginkel or Turner miss time due to injury, then the anxiety spikes. With Reddick, that drama would be lessened as he has ample experience as a starter.
Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Haason Reddick celebrates after a defensive stop against the San Francisco 49ers during first-quarter action at Lincoln Financial Field. The play unfolded on Dec. 3, 2023, in Philadelphia as Reddick helped anchor the Eagles defense during a marquee NFC matchup. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Minnesota should pursue another EDGE rusher if only to hedge the bet against injury. Otherwise, the club could explore deploying rookie off-ball linebacker Jake Golday in a hybrid capacity.
If the choice is Reddick, he should be gettable for one year and around $5 million.
The Other Options
Should you, the Vikings fan, be worried about the OLB situation? Absolutely not. Why? Well, a handful of players are ready and waiting to sign with a team and fill an OLB3 role. All the options are “old” by NFL standards, but these free agents would work in Flores’s system as OLB insurance:
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Derek Barnett
Joey Bosa
Jadeveon Clowney
Marcus Davenport
Leonard Floyd
Von Miller
Preston Smith
Za’Darius Smith
Kyle Van Noy
Unless the Vikings are perfectly content with the current setup — meaning Richter, Batty, or Golday are yearning for a splash — adding a free-agent outside linebacker is a good problem to have in the summer of 2026. Any man from the list above, including Reddick, would do the trick.
Reddick will turn 32 in September.
Dustin Baker is a novelist and political scientist. His second novel, The Invaders , is out now. So is … More about Dustin Baker
Tries: Sutton, Ryan, Wynne 2, Aekins Goals: Atkin, Dean
Catalans Dragons picked up a third win in four Super League games with a victory over Bradford Bulls.
The home side led 22-10 at the break thanks to tries from Zac Lipowicz, Josh Allen, Julian Bousquet and Solomona Faataape.
Ryan Sutton and Ethan Ryan had crossed for the visitors in the first 40 minutes and Connor Wynne’s try in the opening moments of the second half gave them renewed hope.
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However, further tries from Kruise Leeming and Charlie Staines took the game away from the battling Bulls despite Caleb Aetkins’ effort and a second for Wynne.
The French side remain eighth but moved on to 16 points from 15 games, the same as seventh-placed Leigh.
Bradford, who have now won just two of their past 10 games, are 10th.
The 2026 U.S. Open comes to an end on Sunday, June 21, with the final round at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club. You can find full U.S. Open tee times for Sunday’s final round at the bottom of this post once they are released.
All players need to finish the third round before Sunday tee times for the 2026 U.S. Open can be determined. Once Round 3 is over Sunday night, players will be re-organized into new pairings based on leaderboard position, with the leaders occupying the final pairing and starting late in the afternoon on Sunday. The players at the bottom of the leaderboard after the cut will tee off first Sunday morning.
We can look to last year to get a better idea of what this year’s tee times will be. On Sunday at the 2025 U.S. Open, Adam Scott and Sam Burns teed off in the final pairing at 2:15 p.m. ET. Cam Davis opened Sunday play at 7:52 a.m. ET.
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You can expect Sunday tee times at the 2026 U.S. Open to fall into a similar window between 7:45 a.m. ET and 2:30 p.m. ET.
You can watch Sunday’s final round of the U.S. Open from 9 a.m.-12 p.m. ET on USA and then 12-7 p.m. ET on NBC. You can also stream featured group coverage online via Peacock, USOpen.com and the USGA App starting on Sunday around 8 a.m. ET. Peacock will provide a live stream of NBC’s Sunday TV coverage.
Check out the complete Round 4 tee times for the 2026 U.S. Open below once they are determined.
Joe Root secured his latest slice of Test cricket history at the Kia Oval but was left on a one-man mission, as New Zealand circled victory over England in the second Rothesay Test.
Root, standing in as interim captain this week following Ben Stokes’ curfew-breaking night out, followed Indian great Sachin Tendulkar as only the second player to reach 14,000 Test runs on day four in south London.
It was another remarkable achievement for the Yorkshireman, who was 75 not out at stumps, but with England needing a world record 463 it is one that seems destined to come in a losing cause.
The hosts closed on 182 for five needing another 281 on a day five pitch. With Harry Brook’s explosive 58 the next best score, it was impossible to ignore events 275 miles away in Chester-le-Street where the temporarily exiled Stokes was busy smashing 95 in Durham’s Championship match against Northamptonshire.
No team has ever scored chased more than 418, with England’s own record set at 378 four years ago. Root scored an unbeaten 142 on that occasion and even a repeat performance of those Edgbaston heroics may not be enough this time.
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Merely reaching a fifth day appeared unlikely at one stage, with a flimsy start to the innings leaving them 40 for three. Emilio Gay, Jacob Bethell and Ben Duckett all fell before the tea break, the latter to a horribly-executed hook shot, before a fourth-wicket stand of 97 between Root and Brook lifted home spirits.
Root played a studious role in the partnership while Brook launched a counter-attacking frenzy that brought him a 33-ball half-century including 10 fours and a six.
New Zealand’s talented attack found a way to apply the brakes and restricted him to seven from the next 21 deliveries, before he squeezed Matt Henry to slip. That left Root to see things through to stumps, with the absence of Brook’s fireworks allowing the tourists to restore calm to proceedings.
There was only one serious scare in his composed 137-ball stay, given lbw on 44 but instantly reviewing the decision as DRS showed an inside edge.
England’s pursuit got off to an unhappy start, Kyle Jamieson striking twice in his second over with the new ball. Rookie opener Gay looked jittery throughout his short stay before flicking the 6ft 8in seamer off his pads and into the hands of midwicket. He could hardly believe his mistake, throwing a hand to his helmet before reluctantly dragging himself off.
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Bethell followed for a duck, his first at this level, lbw by one that jagged into his front pad. Root offered a deflated crowd a welcome moment of cheer when the second run of his innings took him to his latest career milestone, but the perilous match situation meant he was initially reluctant to acknowledge the achievement.
He eventually waved his bat to the crowd but the good cheer evaporated when Duckett produced a grisly dismissal, taking on an ambitious hook shot off Will O’Rourke and plonking a simple catch off the toe end of the bat.
England’s Jordan Cox, left, and Joe Root leave the field at the close of play (Ben Whitley/PA)
Brook’s audacious show of force, showing off his wide array of strokes, left the bowlers with some questions of their own to answer but they slowed him down sufficiently before Henry drew the error and Tom Latham held on.
James Rew made a decent fist of an awkward evening assignment, almost making it through to the end as he attempted to end a tough debut on a positive note. But he fell in cruel fashion, lbw to a short ball from Jamieson that kept low and hit him in the groin as he shaped to pull. Another newcomer, Jordan Cox, represents Root’s last real hope of support.
England had earlier produced an efficient effort as New Zealand looked to embrace risk in exchange for quick runs.
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Jofra Archer removed Henry Nicholls for 121, with just two added to his overnight score, and also won his latest duel with first-innings centurion Glenn Phillips.
Matt Fisher picked up three soft wickets as Daryl Mitchell, Jamieson and Nathan Smith swung the bat with abandon and debutant Sonny Baker grabbed the last wicket to end a difficult spell.
Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell surveyed the field on Oct. 5, 2025, in Tottenham, United Kingdom, before the NFL International Series matchup against the Cleveland Browns. The Vikings’ overseas appearance drew thousands of fans to Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, where O’Connell’s focus during warmups set the tone for a crucial midseason test abroad. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images.
Making room involved the Vikings saying goodbye to a pair of players in the trenches. Most notably, defensive tackle Monkell Goodwine — who was among the best-paid UDFA talents — got shown the door. But then there was somebody else: the monstrous offensive tackle Caleb Etienne.
The Vikings Said Goodbye to Caleb Etienne
No doubt, Mr. Etienne was facing an uphill battle. There is perhaps no more formidable position on the roster than offensive tackle.
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When healthy (not a certainty in recent years), the Christian Darrisaw and Brian O’Neill twosome is close to as good as it gets in the NFL. Darrisaw, in particular, has a high ceiling whereas O’Neill’s floor is that of a high-compete, very-athletic large lad.
Next up are Ryan Van Demark and Caleb Tiernan, both of whom got added for a reasonably beefy cost.
Van Demark has the inside track to be the OT3 after getting poached from the Buffalo Bills with an RFA offer that was too pricey for Josh Allen’s team. There’s then Tiernan, who is entering his rookie season after playing well for Northwestern in college. He’s a towering guy who boasts excellent feet, giving him a shot to develop into an excellent player.
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Minnesota Vikings players huddle before a snap during a road matchup against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field. Christian Darrisaw stands at left as the offense organized assignments and communication before the play. On Nov. 23, 2025, Minnesota navigated another crucial NFC North battle while attempting to strengthen its postseason position. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images.
Part of what’s missing within those basic descriptions of the OT depth is the presence of Walter Rouse (a college OT before getting recent work at G), Blake Brandel (a college OT who does everything, including making a bid to be the C1), the presence of UDFA Tristan Leigh (a college OT who earned a beefy payday), and then other talent, as well.
So, a full house.
What made Caleb Etienne stand out was his size. The o-lineman stands at 6’7″ while weighing close to 330 pounds. Even among the Vikings’ other offensive linemen at Vikings minicamp, Etienne was a noticeable presence due to his frame.
Check out the scouting report that emerged from the NFL’s website: “From a tape standpoint, Etienne looks more like an undrafted free agent, but his traits will make him hard to pass up as a late-round lottery ticket. Though he has the size, length and athletic explosiveness teams covet, his fundamentals are a work in progress, and he doesn’t always play with the aggression that will be needed on the next level. If a team can stash him for a couple of years and fine-tune his technique, Etienne could become a much better player.”
The 2026 golf season has moved into its second stanza with the third major of the year back at Shinnecock Hills. The USGA has loaded up the U.S. Open with a massive 156-man field featuring nearly all of the best golfers in the world competing across 72 holes in Southampton, New York, though the cut has been made and the field has been halved entering the final two rounds this weekend.
While not the most visited U.S. Open site, Shinnecock Hills is seen by many as one of the toughest tests the USGA puts on its calendar. It is hosting for the sixth time, and a star-studded leaderboard has emerged with Wyndham Clark holding a somewhat substantial four-shot lead on the field. He will begin his third round at 3:45 p.m., last out of the full set of U.S. Open tee times and pairings for Saturday.
There are players looking to make a move on the leaderboard, like Xander Schauffele and Collin Morikawa, who closed their second rounds strong on Friday morning to put a little pressure on Clark. Schauffele fired a 66 and closed with a pair of birdies in his last three holes. Morikawa, meanwhile, closed strong as well with three birdies on the back nine.
Scottie Scheffler entered as the clear favorite, but he’s fallen to 12-1, still fourth on the odds board, but a positioning that is more out of respect for his game than anything else considering he’s seven shots behind Clark. Rory McIlroy, who is aiming to conquer a course that had his number during the last outing eight years ago, is right alongside Scheffler but even lower on the odds board at 18-1. In some ways, they are lucky to even be playing the weekend, considering several stars missed the U.S. Open cut entirely.
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The USGA texted players late Friday night to expect much tougher conditions on Saturday as they are going to let the greens dry out and adjust pin locations with expected heavy winds moving in off the coast. Many expect to see a lot of over par scores by day’s end on Saturday.
Here’s how you can watch as much U.S. Open as possible. Be sure to stick with CBS Sports for live coverage throughout the third major of the year.
Jun 15, 2026; West Sacramento, California, USA; Athletics starting pitcher J.T. Ginn (35) follows through with his pitch against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the first inning at Sutter Health Park. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Lee-Imagn Images
J.T. Ginn had both a magical and heartbreaking night when he took the mound against the Los Angeles Angels last month.
The right-hander will seek a different ending when the Athletics host the Angels on Saturday night at West Sacramento, Calif.
Ginn took a no-hitter into the ninth inning in Anaheim, Calif., on May 18, and it took just two batters for the game to end badly for him.
Adam Frazier led off the frame with a single to center field to break up the no-hit bid. Zach Neto followed with a mammoth walk-off homer to center to give Los Angeles a stunning 2-1 victory.
Ginn struck out a career-best 10 that night. He walked one batter and hit one.
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The 27-year-old Ginn (5-3, 2.91 ERA) has won three straight decisions and is unbeaten in his last four starts. He defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates on Monday when he gave up one unearned run and six hits over six innings in an 11-2 victory.
Ginn is 1-2 with a 3.71 ERA in three career starts against the Angels. Neto (2-for-8) is one of two Los Angeles players to homer against him. Nolan Schanuel (2-for-5) is the other.
On Friday, it was the Angels dealing with heartbreak as the Athletics used a ferocious rally to make it two straight wins to start the four-game set.
Los Angeles matched its season high of five homers and scored 11 consecutive runs at one point before the Athletics scored the final eight to register a 12-11 victory in 10 innings.
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“That’s baseball,” Angels manager Kurt Suzuki said afterward. “It’s the highest of highs, and the lowest of lows. I think the beautiful thing about baseball is you come back, get ready to do it again tomorrow.”
The Angels fell to a woeful 7-of-23 in save opportunities, and the bullpen served up two-run homers in three consecutive innings. The most painful one occurred when A’s pinch hitter Jonah Heim hit a two-run tying homer with two outs in the ninth off Sam Bachman.
The Athletics won in the 10th when Nick Kurtz (0-for-4, four strikeouts) walked with the bases loaded against Samy Natera Jr.
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“We know we have a really good offense, and no deficit is safe for the other team,” Heim said afterward. “So we just keep battling and keep going out there and putting good at-bats together, and we know the bullpen is going to come in and shut it down for us.”
Jacob Wilson, Lawrence Butler and Max Muncy also went deep for the Athletics. Zack Gelof had one hit to extend his career-best hitting streak to 23, the top active run in the majors.
Athletics manager Mark Kotsay watched the comeback from the clubhouse beyond the left-field fence. He was ejected for arguing balls and strikes in the bottom of the second inning.
“Nothing like watching it from your office,” Kotsay said. “Yeah, remarkable for a team to be down 11-4 and come all the way back and win a game like that. It says a lot about the group. They easily could have shut it down, but these guys kept grinding.”
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Jose Siri and Logan O’Hoppe each slammed three-run homers for the Angels, who lost for the fifth time in six games. Denzer Guzman, Neto and Schanuel also hit blasts.
The Angels also hit five homers during a 7-1 road victory over the New York Yankees on April 14.
On Saturday, Los Angeles will turn to impressive rookie right-hander Walbert Urena (4-5, 2.60 ERA), who started against Ginn in the May 18 contest and gave up four hits over six scoreless innings.
Urena, 22, had won three straight decisions before falling to the Arizona Diamondbacks on Monday. He gave up four runs (three earned) and seven hits over a career-high seven innings in the 4-3 game.
Wyndham Clark is putting on a clinic through two rounds at the U.S. Open. Over 36 holes at Shinnecock Hills, the 32-year-old has raced out to a four-stroke lead over the field, thanks in large part to some sublime ball striking.
Through two rounds, Clark sat third in the field in SG: Approach, and 22nd in SG: Off the tee. Add in a hot putter, which has netted him another 2.3 strokes over the field average, and you have the perfect recipe for a run at a major title.
“I’ve really progressed as the year has gone on,” Clark said. “You start really building confidence. I was doing not only that, but then things off the course, as well. Yeah, all that together kind of just built momentum and we find ourselves here.”
A couple of years ago, fresh off his victory at Los Angeles Country Club, Clark joined GOLF’s Dylan Dethier on an episode of Warming Up (which you can watch here). During their chat, Clark shared one of his favorite swing drills — and it’s one that can help just about every golfer.
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Clark’s favorite drill
At the beginning of every range session, Clark always sets up the same way. He has one alignment stick at his feet pointing down his target line, and another bisecting his feet through the middle of his stance.
These two alignment sticks help in a couple of different ways. The alignment stick parallel to his stance helps ensure that his aim and alignment are correct on every swing, while the rod through his stance helps keep a consistent ball position on each swing.
Additionally, Clark said he likes to tee up each shot he hits during the early part of his practice.
“I tee it up every time for two reasons,” Clark said. “For ball position and setup, because I’m always trying to start at neutral. And then the other thing is the tee is huge to make sure I don’t get too steep.”
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Clark explained that when he is swinging poorly, he has a tendency to get steep with his attack angle with a swing path that is overly out-to-in. This tendency is one that many recreational players are familiar with, and one that Clark said comes out in high-pressure situations.
With the ball on a tee, however, it forces him to shallow out his attack angle and swing more in-to-out.
“What I’m trying to do here is neutralize that [miss] and be the opposite,” Clark said. “So when into competition it’s in where I want to be.”
If you’re someone who gets super steep and cuts across the ball, give Clark’s drill a try. If you can focus on the feel of picking the ball cleanly off the tee while you are practicing, once you get on the course, you will have a much shallower angle of attack that results in cleaner contact.
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