England’s Harry Kane (9) celebrates after scoring his side’s first goal against Congo in Atlanta. (AP/PTI Photo)

England captain Harry Kane reignited the FIFA World Cup 2026 Golden Boot race with a sensational late brace against Congo DR, moving level with Erling Haaland in second place and closing the gap on joint leaders Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappé.Kane’s two goals inspired England to a dramatic 2-1 comeback victory in the Round of 32, keeping the Three Lions’ World Cup dream alive while throwing the race for the tournament’s top scorer wide open.The England skipper now has five goals in the tournament, just one behind Messi and Mbappé, who sit atop the standings with six each after the France captain struck twice in Les Bleus’ 3-0 win over Sweden.

Kane joins Golden Boot battle in style

Facing a shock exit, England trailed for more than an hour after Congo DR took a seventh-minute lead through Brian Cipenga.Thomas Tuchel’s side struggled to find a breakthrough as goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi denied Jude Bellingham and Marcus Rashford, while Yoane Wissa struck the post at the other end.Kane eventually sparked England’s revival in the 75th minute before completing the comeback with another clinical finish 11 minutes later.The brace not only sealed England’s place in the Round of 16 but also propelled Kane into the heart of the Golden Boot contest.

FIFA World Cup 2026 Golden Boot standings

Several players remain within touching distance, setting up an intriguing battle as the knockout rounds continue.

Another historic milestone for England captain

Kane’s heroics also saw him surpass Brazilian legend Pelé on the all-time World Cup scoring list.His first goal drew him level with Pelé on 12 World Cup goals before his winner moved him onto 13, further cementing his place among the competition’s greatest scorers.The England captain had already overtaken Gary Lineker as his country’s leading men’s World Cup scorer earlier in the tournament and now boasts 20 goals in major international competitions alongside 84 goals in 118 appearances for England.England had not won a men’s World Cup match after conceding first since defeating Germany in the 1966 World Cup final, highlighting the significance of Kane’s comeback performance.With Messi and Mbappé leading on six goals and Kane and Haaland breathing down their necks on five, the race for the tournament’s top scorer promises to be one of the defining storylines of the knockout stage.England will next face co-hosts Mexico in the Round of 16, where Kane will have another opportunity to continue both his remarkable scoring run and his pursuit of the Golden Boot.

Born in the Midlands – her football team is Derby County – Dean learned cricket at Havant Cricket Club in Hampshire, where her father Steven played after a fine Minor Counties career through the 1980s and 90s.

Windsor, three years older, coached Dean in junior cricket before they progressed through the Havant boys’ sides and into the Hampshire and Southern Vipers first XIs.

“There are cricket badgers that love watching the game who vocalise about it. She is a silent badger,” Windsor says. “She watches a lot of cricket but not in your face.”

An England age-group regular, Dean made her county debut for Hampshire aged 15, where her first seasons crossed over with the final years of England coach Charlotte Edwards’ illustrious playing career.

“The thing that stands her in such good stead is she reads cricket really well,” added Windsor.

“That is why we see her as a leader now. She always seemed to be cricket-smart.”

Dean and Edwards first met when Dean was a “very shy” 10-year-old but when she made her England debut in 2021, it was Edwards, by then Vipers coach, who was invited to present the 20-year-old with her first cap.

Such a quick ascent denied Dean, now the youngster of the teams, the chance to captain sides, as she had done coming through the Hampshire and England academy ranks.

Before this summer her only real experience in charge was two seasons in The Hundred with London Spirit, when an injury ruled out former England captain Heather Knight. She was preferred over Australia’s Beth Mooney and current New Zealand skipper Melie Kerr – two far more experienced players.

“My sense was Charlie was well respected within the group,” says Trevor Griffin, then Spirit’s coach. “She had a connection.

“It was always going to be a step up but the main thing for me was the curiosity she has around the game, she understood how to play it, she understood the format and the connection within the playing group.”

The mass jumping of euphoric fans after Mexico scored two match-winning goals against Ecuador in a tense World Cup knockout game set off “significant” tremors, seismologists say.

Mexico’s Digital Platform for Early Warning and Comprehensive Risk Management (SASSLA) observed that “the outburst of euphoria and mass cheering” from fans following the goals in Tuesday’s match “produced vibrations in the local area”.

“The Goal by Julian Quiñones vs Ecuador was just recorded on several seismographs,” SASSLA wrote on X.

“We also have the record of the second Goal by Raúl Jiménez at the 31’,” it said.

Three people were also crushed to death in Mexico City after the match as nearly a million fans took to the streets to celebrate Mexico’s 2-0 win against Ecuador led to its qualification for the last 16 of the World Cup.

Such “human-induced earthquakes” have previously been reported, caused by intense activities like the construction of massive high-rise buildings, or from groundwater extraction, or fracking.

Previous such events have also been recorded during sporting events or large-scale performances like a 2024 Taylor Swift concert.

“This is how it was registered at the nearest RaspberryShake station to the Azteca Stadium, an outstanding artificial signal. The burst of euphoria and mass shouting produced vibrations in the local ground,” SASSLA said after the match.

While not a real earthquake, the shakes due to the rapid vibration of people jumping at the same time and their collective thud against the ground generated short surface waves, the quake monitoring platform Sismo Alerta Mexicana said in a post on X.

“If someone walks near a seismograph, it will clearly detect it; and if several people jump at the same time near it, it’s even easier,” it said.

“These are instruments that detect earthquakes on the other side of the world, so their sensitivity is extremely high,” the alert system’s official X account posted.

The phenomenon is not new and has been reported previously during major sporting events and concerts.

Such events can produce unique vibration signals that resemble tremors, according to a 2024 research on the phenomenon published in the journal Seismological Research Letters.

For instance, a Swift concert in 2023 with over 70,000 attending fans recorded strong seismic vibrations in network stations located within about 9 km of the stadium.

“All evidence considered, we interpret the signal source as primarily crowd motion in response to the music,” scientists wrote in this study.

Scientists hope the findings from such artificial tremors can help build better seismographs that distinguish between the different types of vibrations.

It can also help study the structure of the subsurface Earth and construct buildings and auditoriums that respond better to vibrations, researchers say.

With the NFL’s offseason in the books, NFL media is opining on the best and worst transactions from February through May. And for the Minnesota Vikings, ESPN has decided that trading Jonathan Greenard to the Philadelphia Eagles was the club’s worst decision of the offseason.

Few loved the move to offload Greenard, so Seth Walder’s opinion merely served as a confirmation this week.

Dallas Turner Suddenly Has a Bigger Job

Walder: Trading Greenard Was MIN’s Worst Offseason Move

Walder explained his disdain: “Move I disliked: Trading Edge Jonathan Greenard for two third-round picks. During the draft, the Vikings dealt Greenard, one of their best players, to the Eagles in exchange for two third-round picks.”

“I don’t think it was worth it, especially in the current trade environment for high-end players. Despite only three sacks in 12 games last season, Greenard’s 23.2% pass rush win rate at edge would have ranked fourth at the position had he qualified.”

It’s worth noting that he championed the Kyler Murray signing: “The best thing about the Vikings’ offseason is them signing Murray to a veterans minimum deal, which was possible due to his offsets from his contract with the Cardinals. It was a boon for Minnesota.”

“Murray’s services would be worth many millions more on the free market, and he provides an answer at quarterback in the wake of J.J. McCarthy’s rough 2025 season.”

Not Enough Dough — Apparently

Minnesota spent its 2026 offseason resetting the salary cap, refusing to entertain big-name free agents — aside from Kyler Murray, who became available for cheap — and instead focusing on bargain-bin performers like James Pierre (CB) and Ryan Van Demark (OT). The club also added wide receiver Jauan Jennings on a base salary of $8 million.

What it didn’t have was $100 million over four years for Greenard. That had to be close to his asking price for the Vikings; they could not afford it. The Eagles obliged.

Twenty-five million bucks for a pass rusher like Greenard is fair market value. It probably hurts his cause that he only logged 3 sacks in 2025. Three sacks and $25 million don’t jibe.

A Full Pivot to Dallas Turner

The Greenard trade changed Turner’s career with the snap of two fingers.

Prior to the trade, Turner faced a crowded path. Vikings fans have eagerly anticipated his breakout season, a reasonable expectation given his hefty 2024 price tag via trade. However, Greenard and Andrew Van Ginkel remained ahead of him on the depth chart. While a “good problem” for Minnesota, it complicated efforts to fully define Turner’s role.

Now, it’s different. Turner no longer needs to contend for limited snaps behind two established outside linebackers. The Vikings can provide him with a substantial workload, allowing his athleticism to shine and determining if his flashes of potential last season were the harbinger of something much greater.

That is the inherent upside of losing Greenard. Despite being a tough trade, it clarifies the depth chart.

Of course, Minnesota still has work to do. While Turner and Van Ginkel can lead the group, the Vikings likely need one more reliable outside linebacker. That could mean acquiring a veteran like Jadeveon Clowney or Leonard Floyd — someone with experience who can set the EDGE and provide enough pass-rush prowess to maintain a robust defense.

So, while the Greenard trade stings on paper, for Turner, it might be what the doctor ordered.

Replace Greenard with a FA EDGE?

The Vikings can ease the pain of the Greenard trade if Turner thrives. They can also sign a veteran EDGE who offers some semblance of his production. The aforementioned Clowney and Floyd might make the most sense, but the list doesn’t end there.

These free-agent outside linebackers are eagerly awaiting 2026 employment:

• Derek Barnett
• Marcus Davenport
• Jerry Hughes
• Yannick Ngakoue
• Emmanuel Ogbah
• Josh Paschal
• Haason Reddick
• Preston Smith
• Kyle Van Noy
• Von Miller

All those players will be gettable for $10 million or less, and Minnesota has $13 million in the bank right to use on summer free agents.

Losing Greenard isn’t ideal, especially for a team aspiring to win a Super Bowl, but Turner and an EDGE to be named later can make it less painful. Fans can also take solace in knowing that Flores probably knows what he’s doing. The Vikings’ defensive boss has not showcased a poor defense yet in Minnesota; that probably won’t start in 2026.

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

Wednesday’s win over Bosnia-Herzegovina in San Francisco Bay Area Stadium was thoroughly deserved and earned Pochettino’s side a date with Belgium in Seattle on Monday evening (01:00 BST on Tuesday).

It did not, however, come without a price.

Folarin Balogun, the 24-year-old former Arsenal youngster, who inspired the US to a thumping win over Paraguay with two goals to begin their campaign, added his third of the tournament to break the deadlock shortly before half-time.

He might have had a hat-trick, firing one effort wide of the near post, seeing an effort ruled out for offside and slicing a shot onto the bar from close range, but just after the hour mark his night, and potentially his World Cup was ended.

What looked an innocuous tussle with Bosnia defender Tarik Muharemovic for a looping ball down the left channel ended with the forward being shown a straight red card.

As Balogun attempted to shield the ball, Muharemovic managed to get in front of him, and as the forward’s boot returned to the ground it landed on the back of the Bosnian’s ankle, causing it to twist gruesomely.

In real time, and in all likelihood in reality, it looked entirely accidental, but Brazilian referee Raphael Claus was sent to the monitor to watch a super slow-motion replay, which gave him little choice but to brandish the red card.

It etched Balogun’s name further into the record books.

On the night when he became just the third American to score three goals in a World Cup edition, he also became the fourth player to both score and be sent off in a knockout match, following Brazil’s Garrincha in the 1962 semi-final, his compatriot Ronaldinho in the 2002 quarter-final against England, and France’s Zinedine Zidane in the infamous 2006 final against Italy.

The sending-off brings an immediate one-game ban, ruling him out of the Belgium match, but it could yet be extended by Fifa officials to potentially rule him out of the quarter-final and semi-final, should the Americans make it.

Long-time Fulham target Ricardo Pepi is the man most likely to fill Balogun’s boots , though he has not scored in his 184 minutes on the pitch at this tournament, nor in the four friendly games before it.

The PSV man’s last international goal came in a Nations League game in November 2024.

Crystal Palace and US defender Chris Richards said the players were supporting Balogun.

“We told him we have got his back,” he said. “We are a team of 26, not just one.

“Ultimately we are going to miss him for the next game but we know whoever is going to step up is going to do a job just as well as he did.

“I think it’ll keep us stronger. One man is down, the next guy steps up. We are a team, we are more than just one player, we are more than just 11 players.”

Pochettino added: “When Balogun received the red card, I thought that is the moment we need to show we are a team and the eyes of the players were [saying], ‘Coach, we are ready to go and fight’ and that is amazing.

“These guys are creating a legacy in this country and with our amazing fans everything is possible. Why not us?”

Populous has unveiled the design for the National Tennis Centre at Qiddiya City, Saudi Arabia — a 30-court complex that will become the future home of international tennis in Saudi Arabia.

The National Tennis Centre is owned and developed by Qiddiya Investment Company, and is a core pillar of Saudi Vision 2030.

Designed by Populous as lead architect, lead interior designer and lead masterplanner, the National Tennis Centre will be the region’s largest tennis centre, built to ATP, WTA and ITF standards across all courts. 

Located at Qiddiya City, around 45km from Riyadh, the National Tennis Centre features layered landscapes and green facades linking the facility to the surrounding Tuwaiq Mountains. 

The centre features 30 courts – 28 hard courts and two clay courts – integrated into the landscape of Qiddiya City. It combines world-class competition infrastructure with elite training and wellness facilities, a vibrant public realm, and two multi-purpose arenas. 

The 15,000-seat flagship Centre Court arena and 8,000-seat Court 3 arena both have retractable roofs for climate control, and have been designed to be multi-use, suitable for hosting sports, concerts and major events. 

The National Tennis Centre is located next to a Sir Nick Faldo signature designed 18-hole Championship golf course set to open later this year, as well as future homes, offices, and retail as part of a new city planned to be three times the size of Paris.

A key role
The centre will play a major role in the broader ambitions led by the Ministry of Sport to further elevate sports in Saudi Arabia and encourage increased participation, supporting all levels of the game, from grassroots initiatives introducing tennis to children for the first time, to supporting elite talent. 

“The National Tennis Centre at Qiddiya City will become a major new destination for elite tournament tennis not just in Saudi Arabia, but across the wider region and indeed globally,”  said Shireen Hamdan, global director at Populous and general manager of Populous KSA.

“Its approach to community integration is unique — at no other elite sports facility whether for tennis or any other sport do you see such a seamless integration of community and elite sporting facilities. It will serve not only this generation of Saudis, but many generations to come.”

National Tennis Centre: Key Facts and Figures

•        30 tennis courts (28 hard courts, two clay courts)

•        Centre Court: 15,000 seats. A flagship arena with a retractable roof

•        Court 1: 5,000 seats

•        Court 2: 2,000 seats

•        Court 3 (Arena): 8,000 seats. Multi-use arena with retractable roof

•        Outdoor match courts: 450 seats per court

•        6 competition/match courts; 6 indoor courts; 14 practice courts including clay

•        Total seating across the centre: 33,000

McDonald Jones Stadium will play host to Sunday’s
Round 18 NRL game between Newcastle Knights and
Dolphins. The game kicks off at 4:05 pm with Dolphins heading into the game as favourites with the bookmakers. Continue reading for our in-depth preview of the Newcastle Knights vs.
Dolphins
game and give you our free tips and bets.

When: Sunday July 5, 2026 at 4:05 pm

Where: McDonald Jones Stadium

Bet 💰: Bet On This Match HERE

Newcastle Knights vs Dolphins Odds

Newcastle Knights vs Dolphins Preview

Newcastle and the Dolphins close the round in a clash that could have significant implications for the race to the finals. The Dolphins escaped with a dramatic victory last week but now face life without influential halfback Isaiya Katoa, whose absence places greater responsibility on Brad Schneider to steer the attack. Newcastle, meanwhile, continues to build confidence after grinding out another hard-fought victory over the Wests Tigers. While the Knights have not always been convincing, they have consistently found ways to collect competition points — something that eluded them in similar situations last season. With both clubs firmly in the top-eight conversation, Sunday’s contest shapes as one of the most important games of the weekend.

The sport of baseball continues to evolve with time. From the implementation of the designated hitter to, more recently, the pitch clock, the game has undergone significant changes. Another aspect of that evolution involves how the media covers it. No longer are press boxes filled with smoke and typewriters. Some of baseball’s most impactful voices may never step foot in a press box all season.

Moreover, in the podcast space, there was a hole in the industry’s coverage of baseball. One that Scott Braun and Marc Weiner saw as an opportunity. The former producers leaned on their experience from various stops, including ESPN and MLB Network, and navigated a path to create a content destination that served an underserved baseball audience. In 2023, the Foul Territory Network was born as a podcast network focused on baseball the way it should be covered.

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“We tried to take the playbook from what other sports were doing well and apply it to baseball. What we found was the baseball audience has their own uniqueness to it,” explained Braun, who serves as the executive producer and lead host of the flagship program on the Foul Territory Network.

Since 2023, the Foul Territory Network has grown from a single program with Braun as its lead host to a network of 30 programs serving audiences on both the local and national levels. The talent roster that comprises the network consists of a mix of personalities. From those surrounding the game, from former players and executives to local beat reporters and passionate fans of specific teams.

In less than three years, the Foul Territory Network has grown at a rate that is rare for on-demand content centered around a single sport.

“It happened a lot faster than we thought,” said Weiner, who serves as the CEO of Make Plays Media, the production company behind Foul Territory Network. “I did not think that we would grow that much this quickly. But once we started doing it, we found our formula for further growth.”

A Changing Dynamic Of Coverage

According to Braun, the origins of the network’s concept were rooted in feedback he received from former players. While other sports had former players and executives launching successful podcast platforms, baseball seemingly lagged behind. Adapting to the mission statement of covering baseball the way it should be covered, Braun feels launching the Foul Territory Network has, in turn, brought more attention to the sport itself.

“We want to grow the game. Our platform has grown the game in creating virality on a number of social platforms. Based on the views or stories that players share where they feel more comfortable here to share them here,” notes Braun. “You’re growing the game by allowing that player to share something they couldn’t before on one of our shows.”

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To build a network, you need people and personnel. Currently, the Foul Territory Network houses 30 programs with multiple talents involved in each. Every show added to the network begins with a concept developed internally or someone approaching the company with either an idea or a proof of concept.

While the amount of growth over the past three years is impressive, it has also remained measured.

“We’re careful about growing too fast. We had never done anything like this before we started. Thankfully, people in our orbit shared some great advice about that,” said Weiner. “We’re careful about growing at the right pace. But also bringing the right people aboard to fit our vibe and putting them in places to succeed.”

Authenticity Wins

Both Braun and Weiner are students of their audience. They listen for the type of content fans desire and follow where the audience chooses to consume it. It’s a balance that requires patience and skill. With their television backgrounds, content must not only have depth but also look and sound as polished as any network production.

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However, the biggest focus for Foul Territory is authenticity. With a mix of former players and executives who have worked in the game, ensuring their perspective is on point is vital. Adding current and former beat reporters to the mix provides up-to-date information and credibility. Regardless, the end product must always be consistent and honest with the audience.

“You need to be able to talk about the highs and the lows. If you’re not comfortable with that, we don’t want to put you in a bad spot,” explains Weiner. “We have so many writers and commentators who have a primary job. We’re happy they’re allowing us to work with their people. This allows them an expansion on what they’re doing and what they’re great at.”

There are many elements of Foul Territory’s approach that deserve credit for the growth it has earned over the past three years. However, perhaps the single greatest element was the company’s video-first approach from launch.

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“It’s been huge and was a great call right from the jump,” said Braun. “That was super important for us. Just in the last three or four years, the industry has continued to shift to video-first. It doesn’t touch what you’re listening to; it just enhances what you’re watching… We have everything available on podcast platforms, but we wanted a true viewing experience and not a conference call.”

Weiner’s experience working behind the scenes at ESPN was a driving force behind not only the concept but also the execution. Every motion matters. Every graphic should be crisp and flow with the presentation. In an industry that continues to evolve daily in how audiences consume video content, the bar must continue to rise.

“We want it to look as close to TV as possible. There’s a lot of overhead with television. We wanted to be as close to that experience without going and buying a building,” said Weiner. “We have conversations all the time on how to improve. We’re all in this together. In a lot of ways, it’s growing, but it’s also shrinking as well. It’s a small community. We don’t look at others as competitors. We’re not just growing the game, we’re also growing the industry at the same time.”

With growth comes the question of expansion. While there’s a keen eye on not growing too quickly, both Braun and Weiner admit there are plenty of ideas for future expansion on the wish list. From creating different content verticals outside of sports to exploring new avenues with current talent on the roster.

An Uncertain Future For Baseball

One area where Foul Territory is already expanding is coverage of the continued labor negotiations between MLB and the MLBPA. With every step of the ongoing discussions involving a new CBA, Foul Territory plans to provide full and comprehensive coverage for as long as the conversations continue.

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“From a content perspective, the only goal I have is to bring on as many people, ideas, and conversations to the network on all sides of the discussion,” said Braun. “No guest gets turned down that makes sense to have on. From Rob Manfred to Bruce Meyer. Anyone allowed to speak on the matter, we want to let them cook and speak on every idea while asking the right follow-ups.”

Because of the roster that Foul Territory has assembled, it provides perspective on all fronts of the conversation. From former players, executives, and general managers to insiders with connections around every angle of the story. The result is an objective, down-the-line approach that delivers discussions unique to the platform.

“In the digital space of baseball, who else could provide the approach we’ll provide to this topic,” asked Weiner. “Whatever your perspective is on this, we’re completely independent. That was so important to Scott and I. We’re not one side or the other. We’re bringing people on and having conversations. We must be mindful of people who are representing both sides so you can have the discussions that need to be had.”

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While baseball’s immediate future is unknown, the spotlight on the Foul Territory Network continues to grow. With hopes of adding more shows and involving more current players, both Braun and Weiner believe there is no limit to how much growth the network could see over the next few years.

In many ways, Foul Territory’s rise mirrors the evolution of baseball itself. The game remains rooted in tradition, but the ways fans consume it continue to change. Braun and Weiner recognized that shift early, building a platform that prioritizes authenticity, accessibility, and meaningful conversation at a time when baseball fans were searching for more direct connections to the sport.

What began as a single show has quickly become one of the most influential baseball-focused content destinations in the industry. Yet despite the rapid growth, the mission remains unchanged: cover baseball the way fans want it covered and provide a platform where the game’s most important voices can be heard.

As the sport navigates new challenges, labor discussions, and an increasingly crowded media landscape, the Foul Territory Network appears positioned to remain at the center of the conversation.

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If the first three years are any indication, Braun and Weiner are still only in the early innings of what they hope to build.

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John Mamola

John Mamola is Barrett Media’s sports editor and daily sports columnist. He brings over two decades of experience (Chicago, Tampa/St Petersburg) in the broadcast industry with expertise in brand management, sales, promotions, producing, imaging, hosting, talent coaching, talent development, web development, social media strategy and design, video production, creative writing, partnership building, communication/networking with a long track record of growth and success. He is a five-time recognized top 20 program director in a major market via Barrett Medi’s Top 20 series and has been honored internally multiple times as station/brand of the year (Tampa, FL) and employee of the month (Tampa, FL) by iHeartMedia. Connect with John by email at John@BarrettMedia.com.

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