Sports
Mac Jones in Purple, Kyler Murray, Jake Golday
The Minnesota Vikings are currently in the NFL’s slow season, sending the rumor mill into overdrive. With minicamp concluded and training camp still a month away, every roster speculation is receiving more attention than usual.
Here’s the latest on the rumors for June 28th.
Latest Vikings Rumors on Mac Jones, Kyler Murray, and Jake Golday
Rumor: The Vikings should trade for Mac Jones before the November deadline.
Bleacher Report‘s Mo Moton led the way this week, mentioning the Vikings as a trade landing spot for Jones.
He wrote, “The Minnesota Vikings made a low-risk, high-reward move in signing quarterback Kyler Murray, who’s only under contract for the 2026 season. He’s the favorite to win the starting job over J.J. McCarthy, according to ESPN’s Kevin Seifert.”
“Though even if Murray has a bounce-back year, the Vikings may not keep him around for the long term. Remember, they allowed Sam Darnold to walk after his first Pro Bowl campaign. Minnesota can get ahead of the rising cost of the quarterback market by acquiring Jones and signing him to an extension after the 2026 term if Murray does enough to spike his 2027 market value.”
Jones played wonderfully in 2025 when Brock Purdy missed time.
“Jones will also be a free agent next year, but he won’t be able to demand as much as a starting quarterback with decent passing numbers. The Vikings could make the playoffs with Murray, which would likely push them out of range for a top 2027 quarterback prospect,” Moton continued.
“Instead of earmarking significant cap space for him or hoping for a trade-up in next year’s draft, they can acquire and extend Jones to stabilize their quarterback room.”
A lot of terrible developments would have to occur for the Vikings to explore a Jones trade, including injuries or poor performances by Murray and McCarthy. Minnesota would probably hold off on exploring Jones until the 2027 offseason, when he can be signed as a free agent. Why trade a 2nd- or 3rd-Rounder for Jones in November when you can sign him pain-free next March?
Rumor: Kyler Murray remains the frontrunner to win the Vikings’ summer quarterback battle.
FOX Sports‘ Bucky Brooks claimed Murray is the best fit for Minnesota last week.
He explained, “The battle between the former No. 1 overall pick and the Vikings’ intended franchise QB could determine whether the team re-emerges as a title contender in 2026.”
“While Kevin O’Connell has attempted to split the reps evenly to give each player a chance to seize the job, the noise around the Vikings suggests Kyler Murray is the frontrunner heading into training camp, particularly after Justin Jefferson raved about the eighth-year pro’s talent and experience before minicamp. Best Fit: Murray.”
Minnesota was able to ink Murray for $1.3 million this season after the Cardinals opted to end his stay in Arizona and pay him to play elsewhere.
“The former Pro Bowler is the most talented quarterback KOC has coached in Minnesota. As an electric dual-threat playmaker, Murray adds an explosive dimension to the offense as a big-play weapon who can produce highlight-reel-worthy plays inside and outside the pocket,” Brooks added.
“With a supporting cast that features a premier WR1 (Jefferson) and a collection of complementary playmakers (Jordan Addison, T.J. Hockenson, Jauan Jennings, and Aaron Jones) who will allow him to operate like a pass-first point guard leading a fast break, the Vikings can operate in attack mode with a dynamic athlete at the helm.”
Murray, indeed, is the frontrunner to win the QB1 battle in Eagan. McCarthy will need a massive upset or a Murray injury to get under center in Week 1.
Rumor: Jake Golday indeed has traits similar to Andrew Van Ginkel and may be used as an EDGE rusher.
A media member asked O’Connell if Van Ginkel is a valid comparison for Golday, and O’Connell said, “He has some of those characteristics to him. We were fortunate enough to get him where we did.”
Our Kyle Joudry noted on Van Ginkel last month, “Standing at 6’4″ and weighing 240 pounds, Mr. Golday looks quite a lot like Andrew Van Ginkel, somebody who stands at 6’4″ and 242 pounds. Expecting the newcomer to perfectly mimic what Van Ginkel can do is unrealistic.”
“Can he nevertheless do some of the things that Van Ginkel does as early as 2026? At a basic starting point, Golday’s versatility should allow for such a possibility to get tested out.”
Since Minnesota drafted him, Van Ginkel’s name keeps popping up for the best Golday comp. Perhaps the Vikings just have two Van Ginkels now.
Sports
Ben Stokes angrily calls out Jofra Archer after pacer skips Bashir wicket celebration | Cricket News
England captain Ben Stokes was seen urging Jofra Archer to join the team celebrations during the third Test against New Zealand after the fast bowler initially chose to stay away following a wicket claimed by spinner Shoaib Bashir. The brief on-field exchange quickly went viral, with fans praising Stokes’ leadership and his insistence on maintaining team unity despite the tense moment.
What happened?
The incident unfolded during the 114th over of New Zealand’s first innings at Trent Bridge. Earlier in the over, Bashir had put down a difficult return catch off Archer’s bowling, a missed opportunity that visibly frustrated the England pacer. However, the young off-spinner responded immediately by dismissing Nathan Smith with a superb caught-and-bowled effort. As the rest of the England players rushed in to celebrate the breakthrough, Archer remained near the boundary rope, appearing reluctant to join the huddle.Stokes’ leadership on displayNoticing Archer standing apart from the group, Ben Stokes quickly intervened. The England skipper was seen gesturing firmly and calling his fast bowler into the celebrations, emphasizing the importance of celebrating as a team. Archer eventually walked over and joined his teammates, although television cameras captured him looking subdued as the celebrations continued.
Match context
New Zealand enter Day 4 of the decisive third Test at Trent Bridge in complete control, leading England by 204 runs with seven second-innings wickets in hand. With the series locked at 1-1, the Black Caps are well placed to bat England out of the contest before unleashing their bowlers on a pitch that has begun to show signs of uneven bounce and increasing assistance for spin.The visitors will resume with Rachin Ravindra (60)* and Daryl Mitchell (26)* at the crease, looking to extend their unbeaten partnership and push the lead beyond the 350-run mark. England, meanwhile, will rely on Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, and spinner Shoaib Bashir to strike early and keep their hopes of a series-clinching victory alive.
Austria and Algeria both secured places in the FIFA World Cup knockout stage after producing one of the most dramatic matches of the tournament, with a thrilling 3-3 draw that knocked Iran out of the competition.
The result meant Austria finished second in Group J and booked a last-32 clash with Spain, while Algeria claimed one of the final qualifying spots among the best third-placed teams and will face Switzerland.
Austria looked set for elimination when captain Riyad Mahrez scored his second goal of the match in the 93rd minute to give Algeria a 3-2 lead in Kansas City.
At that moment, Iran, who had drawn all three of their group matches, were on course to progress to the knockout stage.
However, substitute Sasa Kalajdzic produced a dramatic late equaliser in the 96th minute, heading home just over a minute after coming off the bench to send Austria through and spark wild celebrations among their players and supporters.
The draw also saw Austria make history as the first team to avoid defeat in a World Cup match after falling behind beyond the 90-minute mark.
Despite the fact that both teams knew a draw would guarantee qualification, the match was played with great intensity and excitement from start to finish.
Austria took the lead in the first half through Marko Arnautovic, who controlled a long pass from David Alaba before finishing past goalkeeper Oussama Benbot.
Algeria responded before half-time when Rafik Belghali scored after reacting quickest to a loose ball inside the penalty area.
Austria regained the lead shortly after the break as Marcel Sabitzer fired home from a cut-back by Konrad Laimer.
But Algeria hit back again within five minutes when Mahrez converted a brilliant cross from Houssem Aouar.
As the match entered stoppage time, Mahrez appeared to have completed a famous comeback when he fired home from a tight angle in the 93rd minute to put Algeria 3-2 ahead and seemingly send Austria out.
However, Kalajdzic had the final say, heading home in the sixth minute of added time to rescue Austria and ensure both teams advanced.
The result was particularly painful for Iran, whose hopes had already suffered after a late winner was ruled out by VAR in their 1-1 draw against Egypt earlier on Saturday.
Austria will now face Spain in Los Angeles on Thursday, while Algeria travel to Vancouver to take on Switzerland on Friday in the last 32.
Jul 19, 2019; Miami Beach, FL, USA; A general view of custom PlayStation controllers sold by a vender during the Call of Duty League Finals e-sports event at Miami Beach Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-Imagn Images OpTic Texas charged into the upper-bracket final of the Call of Duty League Stage 4 Major, cruising to a 3-0 win over G2 Minnesota on Saturday in Nanterre, France.
OpTic move on to face Los Angeles Thieves, who eked out a 3-2 win over FaZe Vegas in the other upper-bracket semifinal.
Meanwhile, the host Paris Gentle Mates stayed alive with a pair of victories in the lower bracket. First, the Gentle Mates overtook the Miami Heretics 3-2. Then Paris ousted G2 Minnesota 3-1 in a lower-bracket quarterfinal match.
In the other lower-bracket quarterfinal, FaZe Vegas swept the Toronto KOI 3-0.
The 12 Call of Duty League teams played five qualifying matches apiece to determine seeding for the fourth major of the season, which is being held through Sunday with a $365,000 prize pool. The winning team earns $150,000 and 100 CDL points. All matches are best-of-five until the best-of-seven grand final.
On Saturday, Texas toppled Minnesota 250-186 on Scar Hardpoint, 6-2 on Gridlock Search and Destroy and 3-1 on Den Overload.
The United States’ Mason “Mercules” Ramsey produced 75 kills and a plus-11 kill-death differential. Cesar “Skyz” Bueno of the U.S. paced G2 with 64 kills and a minus-1 K-D differential.
The Thieves opened with a 250-202 win on Den Hardpoint and a 6-3 victory on Gridlock Search and Destroy, but FaZe equalized by taking Scar Overload 5-0 and Scar Hardpoint 250-141. On the decisive fifth map, Den Search and Destroy, Los Angeles prevailed 6-5.
France’s Paco “HyDra” Rusiewiez amassed 98 kills and a minus-7 K-D differential for the Thieves. The United States’ Jovan “04” Rodriguez totaled 119 kills and a plus-28 K-D differential for Vegas.
Miami jumped to a 2-1 edge on Paris by sandwiching a 250-167 victory on Gridlock Hardpoint and a 4-1 win on Gridlock Overload around a 6-2 loss on Fringe Search and Destroy. The Gentle Mates took the final two maps, 250-227 on Scar Hardpoint and 6-0 on Hacienda Search and Destroy.
Joseph “JoeDeceives” Romero of the U.S. carried Paris with 103 kills and a plus-22 K-D differential. David “RenKoR” Isern propelled the all-Spanish Heretics with 95 kills and a plus-17 K-D differential.
The Gentle Mates got off to a hot start in their second match of the day, taking Colossus Hardpoint 250-188 and Fringe Search and Destroy 6-4. Minnesota extended the contest by winning 4-3 on Den Overload, but Paris wrapped up the series by claiming Den Hardpoint 250-144.
JoeDeceives shined again, finishing with 106 kills and a plus-23 K-D differential. The United States’ Dylan “Envoy” Hannon wound up with 86 kills and a minus-21 K-D differential for G2.
Vegas blitzed the KOI 250-208 on Gridlock Hardpoint, 6-2 on Fringe Search and Destroy and 8-2 on Scar Overload behind the United States’ Zachary “Drazah” Jordan (68 kills and a plus-17 K-D differential). Jamie “Insight” Craven of Great Britain and Nicholas “Kips” Lyons of the U.S. each had 55 kills for Toronto.
The Sunday schedule
–Upper-bracket final: Los Angeles Thieves vs. OpTic Texas –Lower-bracket semifinal: Paris Gentle Mates vs. FaZe Vegas
–Lower-bracket final: Los Angeles/Texas winner vs. Paris/Vegas winner
–Grand final: upper-bracket winner vs. lower-bracket winner
Call of Duty League Stage 4 Major prize pool (Money winnings, CDL points) 1. $150,000, 100 — TBD
2. $90,000, 75 — TBD
3. $50,000, 60 — TBD
4. $30,000, 45 — TBD 5-6. $15,000, 30 — G2 Minnesota, Toronto KOI
7-8. $7,500, 15 — Boston Breach, Miami Heretics
9-12. no money, no points — Carolina Royal Ravens, Cloud9 New York, Riyadh Falcons, Vancouver Surge
–Field Level Media
Jude Bellingham scored one goal and set up another to ensure England qualified for the World Cup knockout rounds as group winners on Saturday with a laboured 2-0 victory over Panama in New Jersey.
Bellingham provided the crucial breakthrough for England with a 62nd-minute goal at a rainswept MetLife Stadium and then provided the cross for Harry Kane to double England’s advantage minutes later and seal top spot in Group L.
Until Bellingham’s intervention, England had looked to be heading for another lacklustre stalemate following their 0-0 draw with Ghana in their second group game.
But the Three Lions’ victory means they will now face one of the best third-placed teams in the last 32 in Atlanta on Wednesday, rather than a potential meeting with Portugal in the knockout rounds.
Read moreWorld Cup 2026: Group standings
Croatia meanwhile made sure of claiming second place in the group behind England with a 2-1 victory over Ghana in Philadelphia.
Petar Sucic and Nikola Vlasic scored the goals for Croatia, as Ghana were forced to settle for third.
Kane moves past Lineker
Kane’s third goal of the tournament, after his brace in the opening 4-2 win over Croatia, means the England captain has now moved clear of Gary Lineker as his country’s all-time leading World Cup scorer with 11.
Three of those goals came when England thrashed Panama 6-1 at the 2018 tournament in Russia, but the Three Lions did not have things quite so easy this time against hard-working but limited opponents.
Questions were perhaps being asked about England’s World Cup prospects an hour into this match, following the goalless draw against Ghana in Boston last Tuesday.
They have not yet reached the same heights again as in their victory against Croatia, but England advance to the next round on top of the group with seven points out of a possible nine.
Topping the section is important, as it means they avoid a possible clash with Spain in the last 16.
Instead they will head to Atlanta for a tie next Wednesday, July 1 against a third-placed team. Win that, and they will be off to Mexico City in the last 16, possibly to play Mexico, in the Azteca Stadium where they lost to Diego Maradona’s Argentina in 1986.
Read morePelé’s third, Baggio’s miss and the ‘Hand of God’: Iconic World Cups in Mexico and the US
Tuchel will not be getting carried away thinking that far ahead, and there is surely a lot for England still to do before they are truly ready to take on and beat the tournament’s other heavyweights.
That said, it is unlikely they will come up against any more sides who play with such a low defensive block as Ghana did, and as Panama did for much of this contest.
The Central American nation, ranked 34th in the world, competed well but created few chances and have still never won a point at the tournament.
They lost all three group games at their debut World Cup in 2018, and go out after losing all three matches this time — all without scoring, with this result following 1-0 reverses against Ghana and Croatia.
Rashford to the fore
Tuchel made five changes to his line-up following the Ghana encounter, notably choosing to rest Declan Rice from the midfield. Marcus Rashford and Saka got their first starts of the World Cup on the wings.
Rashford forced a good save from Panama goalkeeper Orlando Mosquera inside the opening 10 minutes, and later headed over an Elliot Anderson cross before curling a free-kick just past in first-half stoppage time.
Panama did also threaten once in the opening period, when Jordan Pickford had to get down to stop a Jose Luis Rodriguez shot at his near post.
England were pedestrian before the break, but the match started to open up for them following the restart.
Jose Cordoba nearly forced an own goal when his clearance came off teammate Andres Andrade and went narrowly over, and Mosquera then denied Kane.
A goal was beginning to feel inevitable and it arrived on 62 minutes as Bellingham held off Jorge Gutierrez at Saka’s corner to turn the ball in.
That was his second goal of the competition, and he then turned provider for Kane to make sure of the win.
Jose Fajardo then thought he had a late consolation for Panama, but his effort was disallowed for offside.
It has probably been England’s least remarkable group-stage showing at a World Cup since 2014, when they went out in the first round. This time, however, they are safely through.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP)
Ngarava explains toss decision
“We are going to bowl first. We know these conditions well, with a bit of grass on the wicket, we want to bowl first,” said Zimbabwe captain Richard Ngarava.
On leading the side, he added: “There are no nerves. You don’t become a leader in one or two days, it’s long coming. We had a preparation camp that lasted almost two months.”
Shanto wanted to bowl too
Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto admitted he would also have chosen to bowl first.
“We would have bowled first, but it doesn’t matter if we bat properly for the first two hours. There is some moisture in the wicket and the new ball will be challenging with extra bounce,” he said.
Shanto confirmed Bangladesh are playing one spinner, Taijul Islam, along with three seamers.
Pitch report | Early help for pacers
The pitch at Harare is expected to favour the fast bowlers early on.
“It’s a nice spread of grass with good coverage. The seamers will have a big say in the first hour if they keep hitting the right areas,” said commentator Athar Ali Khan in his pitch report.
He also advised batters to stay patient, saying it’s a five-day game and there is plenty of time to build an innings.
Ben Curran confident after long break
Zimbabwe opener Ben Curran believes the break from Test cricket has helped him work on his game.
“I’ve had a few months to simplify my game and focus on the basics. I had good preparation with net sessions and time in the middle. I’ve also worked on my batting skills and technique,” he said.
Playing XIs announced
Zimbabwe: Ben Curran, Innocent Kaia, Brendan Taylor, Brian Bennett, Craig Ervine, Tafadzwa Tsiga (wk), Wessly Madhevere, Brad Evans, Newman Nyamhuri, Richard Ngarava (capt), Blessing Muzarabani.
Bangladesh: Najmul Hossain Shanto (capt), Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Shadman Islam, Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim, Towhid Hridoy, Amite Hasan (wk), Taijul Islam, Hasan Mahmud, Khaled Ahmed, Ebadot Hossain.
Great Britain’s Ben Whittaker marked his American debut with an impressive second-round victory against Richard Rivera at Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
The flamboyant Whittaker dropped the American at the end of the first round with a right hand, although Rivera pointed that the punch had caught him on the back of the head.
But Whittaker, nicknamed ‘The Surgeon’, clinically caught his rival with a left-hander at the start of the second and, although Rivera staggered to his feet, the referee stopped the light-heavyweight bout.
The win improved Whittaker’s record to 12 wins and a draw from his 13 professional fights, while Rivera suffered the third defeat of his 30 fight career.
“Brooklyn, that’s how you do it man,” said Midlands boxer Whittaker, who is renowned for his showboating and did a little dance at the end of the first round on the way back to his corner.
The fight took place on the undercard of Xander Zayas, who attempted to defend his WBA and WBO super-welterweight titles against Jaron Ennis.
But Zayas succumbed to a seventh-round stoppage, with the referee ending the contest after the Puerto Rican boxer had been knocked down for a third time in the fight.
It was the first defeat Zayas had suffered in his 24-fight career, while unbeaten American Ennis has 36 wins from as many fights.
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Iyo Sky and Liv Morgan met in the Queen of the Ring final on Saturday at Night of Champions in Saudi Arabia with the opportunity of a championship match at SummerSlam.
Morgan had the benefit of already being the women’s world champion going into the match. If she won, she would earn a shot at Rhea Ripley’s WWE Women’s Championship at SummerSlam in August. If Sky won, she would need to choose between Morgan and Ripley.
COMPLETE PRO WRESTLING COVERAGE ON FOX NEWS DIGITAL
Iyo Sky celebrates becoming Queen of the Ring during Night of Champions at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on June 27, 2026. (Rich Freeda/WWE)
Unfortunately for Morgan, Danhausen addressed the champion and put a “curse” on her. Morgan and her Judgment Day cronies tried to bribe Danhausen to put curses on their opponents. When Morgan told Danhausen he owed them money, Danhausen brushed it off and put the hex on her. Morgan responded with a slap and brush off of the voodoo.
As the match started and progressed through the night, the WWE Universe may have really started to buy into the curse. Morgan did her best to try to put Sky away. She went to the high-rent district but Sky got up and countered.
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U.S. wrestler Liv Morgan and Japanese wrestler Iyo Sky fight during the WWE Night of Champions event in Riyadh on June 27, 2026. (Fayez Nureldine/AFP via Getty Images)
Sky hit Morgan with a Spanish Fly and then set her up for the Over the Moonsault. She nailed it perfectly and pinned Morgan for the victory.
Sky is the Queen of the Ring.
She spoke to Byron Saxton after the match and wasted no time declaring her intentions to go after the Women’s World Championship.
“Liv, I’ll see you at SummerSlam,” Sky said.
Just like that, Sky vs. Morgan was the first match set for SummerSlam. The two-day event takes place at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis on Aug. 1 and 2.
Iyo Sky celebrates in the ring after defeating Liv Morgan during Night of Champions at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on June 27, 2026. (Andrew Timms/WWE)
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Sky has already held the WWE Women’s Championship and the Women’s World Championship one time each. A win in August would make her a three-time champion.
The 2026 World Cup is storming towards the knockout stages after this year’s bumper 48-team tournament had its first culling.
After a build-up that centred on controversy, greed and conflict, fans have been captivated by some enthralling performances and disappointed by others, with the likes of France and holders Argentina stamping their marks as rightful favourites, while England, Portugal and Brazil have all made slight missteps.
But the group stage is only the beginning – history will be written on the road to the final, with 32 remaining teams now raring to sink their teeth into the drama of knockouts football.
Here’s how every team in the knockout stages stacks up in The Independent’s World Cup 2026 power rankings, delving deeper into the top 10:
Rankings are based on a combination of performance and potential at the 2026 World Cup, as well as how teams are faring relative to pre-tournament expectations:
1. France 🇫🇷 ↔️
There was a slightly slow start for France (emphasis on slightly) as they failed to impress in their first half against Senegal. However, they sparked into life in the second half, showing off the depth of attacking talent that made them one of the pre-tournament favourites. Kylian Mbappe was a big part of that improved spell, scoring twice en route to a 3-1 win, and he did the same again in the 3-0 victory over Iraq.
That saw him surpass Miroslav Klose’s 16 all-time World Cup goals, but unfortunately for the France forward, someone else had done the same a few hours earlier – and by a greater margin…
Mbappe failed to add to his tally in their group finale against Norway, with qualification already in the bag. Instead, his compatriot stole the show, with Ousmane Dembele bagging a hat-trick in a 4-1 win. Didier Deschamps’ side are firing on all cylinders at the moment – no team will want to face them.
2. Argentina 🇦🇷 ↔️
This World Cup has been the Lionel Messi show so far. Turning 39 this week, he faced questions about whether he could be as influential as he was during Argentina’s 2022 title-winning run; he has answered those questions emphatically. He scored all three goals in the opening 3-0 win over Algeria, then he scored both of his side’s goals in the 2-0 dismissal of Austria and came off the bench to net his sixth of the tournament in a 3-1 triumph over Jordan – becoming the first man to score in seven consecutive World Cup matches. Although he missed a penalty before that double against Austria, he should be commended for his resilience in finding the net thereafter to become the World Cup’s all-time leading scorer (19 goals).
Now, you could suggest that Argentina’s one flaw so far is looking a little bit reliant on their ageing captain, but the team has played well in general to serve him as best as possible, and we know how much quality the defending champions have. It might just show, beyond Messi’s individual magic, as the tournament progresses.
3. Spain 🇪🇸 ↔️
Spain are into the swing of things now, after that frustrating opening 0-0 draw with Cape Verde.
It took Lamine Yamal just 10 minutes of his first World Cup start against Saudi Arabia to follow in the footsteps of the other global superstars at this tournament and join the goalscoring party, getting the ball rolling for a 4-0 win that properly got La Roja off the mark. They then ensured they topped the group with a spicy win over a collapsing Uruguay side.
Yet to concede a goal as they head into the knockouts, there is no reason to remove the favourites tag bestowed upon Spain before the World Cup began, despite that early shock. They slipped up in their opening match of the 2010 World Cup (losing 1-0 to Switzerland) as well before recovering and going on to win it, remember.
4. England 🏴 ↔️
England haven’t exactly set the world ablaze since stoking expectation in their impressive opening win against Croatia. Their drab goalless draw versus Ghana was the exact sort of game that led to the phrase “reality check” being used in a footballing sense, and while they bounced back from that result with a 2-0 win against Panama to top the group, it was hardly the most inspiring performance.
Nevertheless, Thomas Tuchel’s side are through as group winners and have done enough to avoid a side of the draw that could have pitted them against Portugal and then Spain in their first two knockout matches. Jude Bellingham is performing while Harry Kane’s three goals very much puts him in golden boot contention, so don’t go burning your “It’s Coming Home” t-shirts just yet.
5. Brazil 🇧🇷 ⬆️
After their sluggish opening performance against Morocco, things have begun to click for Carlo Ancelotti’s Brazil. A delightful outing against an easier opponent in Haiti saw them get their first win of the tournament, but it was Scotland where that fear factor really kicked in.
Vinicius Jr bagged a brace while Matheus Cunha kept up his goalscoring form at this World Cup, dismantling the Scots in a 3-0 win to basically send them packing. The result completed their group-stage recovery as they topped Group C.
There is work to do defensively heading into the knockouts and the injury to Raphinha is concerning, but Brazil are definitely growing into this World Cup, with Ancelotti’s dangermen up and firing.
6. Portugal 🇵🇹 ⬆️
Caveat it all with the quality of opposition – and boy were Uzbekistan poor – but that 5-0 win in their second group game is the levels Roberto Martinez will want his Portugal side to hit from here. They were more fluid and showed some depth behind Cristiano Ronaldo with the way they kept pushing for more even once the substitutes arrived. That was much better than their uninspiring opening 1-1 draw with DR Congo, while they finished the gorup with one of the most entertaining 0-0s you could wish to see against Colombians. It wasn’t perfect, and they would have lost but for Davinson Sanchez’s late goal being ruled out, but that spark was still present for the Portuguese. Croatia in the last 32 presents an intriguing test before a potentially monumental last-16 clash against Iberian rivals Spain.
7. Netherlands 🇳🇱 ⬆️
Few doubted the quality of their defence and midfield pre-tournament but now Brian Brobbey seems to be the answer to Ronald Koeman’s centre-forward puzzle. The Sunderland striker has struck three times in the last two group games, powering them to the top of Group F. Heading into the knockouts, the most renowned nation to have never become world champions may be more than just a dark horse in this tournament.
8. Morocco 🇲🇦 ⬇️
The Afcon (sort of) champions impressed with their draw against Brazil and if nothing else they will remember this World Cup for Ismael Saibari’s goal just 70 seconds into a hard-fought 1-0 win over a gritty Scotland. But the world’s seventh-ranked side showed their first real jitters against already-eliminated Haiti, falling behind twice in the first half before recovering to win 4-2.
Failing to score big against the Caribbean minnows has proved costly, with their second-place finish in Group C meaning they face a very tough round of 32 test against the Netherlands to begin their knockouts campaign. The Atlas Lions have looked dangerous so far this tournament but in their bid to prove that their run to the semi-finals in 2022 wasn’t a fluke, the Dutch will seriously test their credentials.
9. Germany 🇩🇪 ⬇️
Germany are into the knockouts for the first time since winning the tournament in 2014, and they’re through as group winners which should signal the end of an era of failure on the global stage. However, they’re yet to properly prove they are once again real contenders.
Their opening 7-1 win over debutants Curacao was impressive but had to be taken with a pinch of salt given the level of opposition. Ivory Coast were tricky opponents and Julian Nagelsmann’s side found it difficult to finish clear chances, at least until Deniz Undav’s arrival, who snatched a last-gasp winner. But against Ecuador, they showed their fallibility, beaten by a team who simply wanted it more despite taking an early (and controversial) lead.
There are still a lot of questions to be asked surrounding their depth, team choices and whether goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, 40, is still up to the task. Those will be answered in the knockouts.
10. Mexico 🇲🇽 ⬆️
Taking the spot of their noisy upstairs neighbours in the top 10 heading into the knockouts, Mexico have hardly put a foot wrong in the early stages of their home World Cup. They’ve recorded three wins on the trot to top their group but their credentials as “dark horses” will be tested against Ecuador in the round of 32, who come into the match off the stunning high of a win over Germany. Get through that and England could await them at the Azteca… what an occasion that would be.
Teams 11-32
11. Croatia
12. Colombia
13. USA
14. Norway
15. Japan
16. Switzerland
17. Egypt
18. Ecuador
19. Ivory Coast
20. Belgium
21. Austria
22. Sweden
23. Senegal
24. Ghana
25. Canada
26. Australia
27. Algeria
28. Cape Verde
29. Bosnia and Herzegovina
30. South Africa
31. Paraguay
32. DR Congo
Eliminated
Czech Republic
Qatar
Haiti
Turkey
Curacao
Tunisia
New Zealand
Uruguay
Saudi Arabia
Iraq
Jordan
Panama
Scotland
South Korea
Iran
ARLINGTON, Texas — Lionel Messi didn’t have much time to try to become the first to score in seven consecutive World Cup games.
Argentina’s superstar did it anyway as a second-half substitute.
Messi made it seven straight while extending the all-time men’s World Cup scoring record with his 19th goal in Argentina’s 3-1 victory over Jordan in a group stage finale on Saturday night.
In his first match since turning 39 three days earlier, Messi scored on a free kick in the 80th minute after being taken down just outside the penalty area. The low kick barely above the grass surface split two Jordan defenders into the left corner of the net.
It was his 72nd career goal on a free kick, including his 12th for Argentina. Messi now has 123 international goals — second all-time to Cristiano Ronaldo’s 145 — in 202 appearances.
Messi had been one of only three players to score in six consecutive World Cup games, along with France striker Just Fontaine and Brazil great Jairzinho.
“What you’re seeing, I’m seeing the same thing,” coach Lionel Scaloni said through a translator. “It’s a little bit of an uncomfortable situation every single time people ask because I no longer know what to say.”
Messi also scored on a free kick against Nigeria in the 2014 World Cup and is among six players since records are available dating to 1966 who scored two free-kick goals in the World Cup. He joined Pelé, Rivellino, Téofilo Cubillas, Bernard Genghini and David Beckham.
“I am very happy for him, for the moment he is having,” Giovani Lo Celso said in translated remarks after becoming the first Argentine other than Messi to score in this tournament, also on a free kick in the 19th minute. “The truth is that seeing him every day excites, excites and infects a lot. So obviously seeing him like that for us is very important.”
Messi didn’t start because Argentina had already clinched first place in Group J, and the game was further meaningless because Jordan was already eliminated from the knockout stage.
Nevertheless, the decidedly pro-Argentina crowd of 70,649 at the home of the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys was eager to see him.
Fans started chanting Messi’s name as soon as the second half started, and cheered loudly when he came off the bench merely to go through warmups.
The roar was louder when he stepped onto the field in the 60th minute, replacing Lautaro Martinez, who scored on a penalty kick in the first half.
For all the accomplishments of the eight-time winner of the Ballon d’Or as the best player in Europe, Messi has never won the Golden Boot as the top scorer in each World Cup. This is his sixth.
Messi now has six goals in this tournament, two clear of Kylian Mbappé, Vinicius Júnior and Erling Haaland.
Messi had been dealing with a minor hamstring injury with Inter Miami that slowed him in the lead-up to the World Cup.
The knockout round for Argentina begins Friday in South Florida, and in this expanded 48-team tournament, that would be the first of five matches in 17 days if La Albiceleste makes it to the final on July 19.
“Today he could have played 90 minutes,” Scaloni said. “He wanted his teammates to have time on the pitch and to save himself also for what’s coming up now. He doesn’t think so much about the numbers that people are talking about.”
The 2026 Travelers Championship continues on Sunday with the final round at TPC River Highlands. You can find full Travelers Championship tee times for Sunday’s final round at the bottom of this post.
Travelers Championship tee times: What to know
Scottie Scheffler and Viktor Hovland rode hot second rounds to the top of the leaderboard entering the weekend and they stayed there on Saturday at TPC River Highlands.
Scheffler, who came within inches of shooting 59 on Friday, got off to a slow start. The World No. 1 was even through 10 holes but then hit the gas, making birdies at 11, 13, 14 and 15 to grab a one-shot lead over Hovland, who spent most of the day matching him shot for shot.
Then came the 18th hole.
Both Scheffler and Hovland found the fairway but Scheffler’s approach settled 25 feet from the hole on the fringe. Hovland, meanwhile, stuffed his approach to six feet. Scheffler’s chip ran eight feet past the hole, and he missed the comebacker to drop into a momentary tie for first with Hovland. But the Norwegian rolled in the six-foot birdie putt to get to 20 under for the tournament and take a one-shot lead into Sunday.
“It was really fun. Just had a great time,” Hovland said of battling Schffler. “You know, it’s been a while since I’ve been in this position. You know, to go head-to-head against the best player in the world and pull off some great shots, it was just a lot of fun.”
Scheffler and Hovland will play together again on Sunday. The pair will go off at 2:55 p.m. ET.
You can watch early coverage of Sunday’s final round of the 2026 Travelers Championship from 1-3 p.m. ET on Golf Channel, followed by the NBC broadcast from 3-6 p.m. ET. PGA Tour Live on ESPN+ will provide exclusive early streaming coverage starting on Sunday, in addition to featured group and featured hole coverage.
Check out the complete Round 4 tee times and pairings for the Travelers Championship below.
Hoping to wager on the Travelers Championship? Sign up for Fanatics Sportsbook with code “SUBPAR” to receive a special welcome offer.
With an ESPN+ subscription, you gain access to PGA Tour Live, where you can stream the best PGA Tour events live from wherever you want.
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2026 Travelers Championship tee times for Saturday: Round 3 (ET)
Tee No. 1
8:45 a.m. — Gary Woodland, Sepp Straka
8:55 a.m. — Ryan Fox, Jordan Spieth
9:05 a.m. — Lucas Glover, Mark Hubbard
9:15 a.m. — Cameron Young, Min Woo Lee
9:25 a.m. — Sam Stevens, Alex Smalley
9:35 a.m. — Taylor Pendrith, Sahith Theegala
9:45 a.m. — Ryan Gerard, Jhonattan Vegas
9:55 a.m. — Andrew Novak, Ludvig Aberg
10:10 a.m. — Adam Scott, Jacob Bridgeman
10:20 a.m. — Alex Noren, J.T. Poston
10:30 a.m. — Jason Day, Harry Hall
10:40 a.m. — Brandt Snedeker, Jake Knapp
10:50 a.m. — Xander Schauffele, Tony Finau
11:00 a.m. — Brian Campbell, Nicolai Hojgaard
11:10 a.m. — Ben James, Michael Kim
11:25 a.m. — Mac Meissner, Rickie Fowler
11:35 a.m. — Maverick McNealy, Nick Taylor
11:45 a.m. — Harris English, Keegan Bradley
11:55 a.m. — Tom Hoge, Daniel Berger
12:05 p.m. — Matt McCarty, Ryo Hisatsune
12:15 p.m. — Kurt Kitayama, Tommy Fleetwood
12:25 p.m. — Denny McCarthy, Nico Echavarría
12:40 p.m. — Bud Cauley, Russell Henley
12:50 p.m. — Kristoffer Reitan, Corey Conners
1:00 p.m. — Sungjae Im, Aaron Rai
1:10 p.m.— J.J. Spaun, Hideki Matsuyama
1:20 p.m. — Justin Thomas, Robert MacIntyre
1:30 p.m. — Jackson Suber, Alex Fitzpatrick
1:40 p.m. — Collin Morikawa, Chris Gotterup
1:55 p.m. — Brian Harman, Justin Rose
2:05 p.m. — Sam Burns, Si Woo Kim
2:15 p.m. — Eric Cole, Keith Mitchell
2:25 p.m. — Matt Fitzpatrick, Ben Griffin
2:35 p.m. — Shane Lowry, Wyndham Clark
2:45 p.m. — Patrick Cantlay, Akshay Bhatia
2:55 p.m. — Viktor Hovland, Scottie Scheffler
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