The Nike swoosh will be absent from the World Cup final, a stark indicator of rival Adidas’s dominance on the tournament’s biggest stage.

Argentina’s semi-final victory over England on Wednesday extinguished the sportswear giant’s hopes of sponsoring a team in Sunday’s ultimate match.

Amid a fierce brand battle both on and off the pitch, the outcome represents a significant visibility boost for Adidas, which outfits both finalists: Argentina and Spain. Adidas had sponsored a total of 14 national teams in the tournament, while none of Nike’s 12 teams, including semi-finalists England and France, managed to secure a spot in the final.

This outcome arrives as Nike grapples with years of steadily shrinking market share, having heavily relied on the tournament for a much-needed boost in sales and visibility.

The company signaled last month that CEO Elliott Hill’s turnaround strategy faces significant obstacles, with persistent weakness in China and a cautious outlook overshadowing a modest fourth-quarter revenue beat. Nike’s shares have lost nearly a third of their value this year as investors grow impatient with Hill’s progress.

Morningstar analyst David Swartz underscored the deeper challenges facing Nike, stating, “There are more important issues, such as footwear innovation, inventory control, and stabilizing sales and margins in China.” He added, “Adidas got more publicity, but that’s just the way it goes.”

A Nike spokesperson maintained the company’s long-term perspective, asserting that “our vision for football has never been tied to a single moment.” Meanwhile, Adidas called the World Cup final a “proud moment” for the company, though it declined to share specific sales projections.

Despite its teams not reaching the final, Nike invested significantly in the tournament. It unveiled two new Mercurial soccer boots, partnered with local streetwear designers, and refreshed soccer merchandise at over 5,000 Nike and wholesale stores globally. Its “Rip the Script” World Cup campaign, featuring stars like Kylian Mbappe and Kim Kardashian, garnered 1.5 billion views in its first week, with national team kits selling 2.5 times more than during the 2022 Qatar World Cup.

However, Adidas, an official World Cup sponsor, has emerged as the “clear winner” in the athletic footwear and apparel market, according to Drake MacFarlane, a research analyst at M Science. Stronger momentum in the U.S. and Europe helped the brand gain share from Nike in the second quarter. While World Cup demand offered a lift, Adidas’ improvement extends beyond the event, whereas Nike continues to face pressure in Europe.

M Science data shows Adidas’s share of the footwear market rose to 19.2% in June, up from 16.0% a year earlier, while Nike continued to shed share. Adidas executives reported robust bookings for World Cup products, totaling around 250 million euros (\$292 million) in the first quarter, with similar figures anticipated for the current quarter.

India’s Virat Kohli (ANI Photo)

Virat Kohli added another milestone to his glittering career during the second ODI against England, moving past Australian great Ricky Ponting to become the fifth-most capped player in the history of international cricket. The match marked Kohli’s 561st international appearance, taking him ahead of Ponting’s tally of 560 matches. Only four players now stand above the former India captain on the all-time list, with Sachin Tendulkar continuing to hold the record.

Most international appearances

Kohli celebrated the landmark with another composed innings, scoring 65 off 66 balls before falling to Jofra Archer for the second successive ODI in the series. Archer, reintroduced into the attack to break India’s flourishing partnership, struck with a back-of-a-length delivery that forced Kohli into a mistimed pull. The ball flew off the top edge and Adil Rashid completed a comfortable catch running in from third man. Before his dismissal, Kohli played a key role in stabilising India’s innings. He first added 60 runs with Rohit Sharma after the opener made 26, before stitching together a 67-run stand with Shreyas Iyer to put India in a commanding position. The half-century also saw Kohli achieve another notable feat. It was his 14th score of 50 or more in ODIs against England, drawing level with West Indies legend Viv Richards for the second-most such scores against the opposition. Only Kumar Sangakkara, with 15 fifty-plus scores against England, sits ahead of the Indian batting star. Kohli’s latest milestone further underlines his remarkable longevity across formats. Since making his international debut in 2008, the 37-year-old has amassed more than 28,000 international runs while becoming one of only a handful of cricketers to feature in over 560 matches for their country.

CommBank Stadium will play host to Thursday’s
Round 20 NRL game between Penrith Panthers and
Brisbane Broncos. The game kicks off at 7:50 pm with Penrith Panthers heading into the game as favourites with the bookmakers. Continue reading for our in-depth preview of the Penrith Panthers vs.
Brisbane Broncos
game and give you our free tips and bets.

When: Thursday July 16, 2026 at 7:50 pm

Where: CommBank Stadium

Bet 💰: Bet On This Match HERE

Penrith Panthers vs Brisbane Broncos Odds

Penrith Panthers vs Brisbane Broncos Preview

Both sides return from the bye with plenty to play for, but for very different reasons. Penrith remains firmly in the premiership hunt, while Brisbane is running out of chances to revive its season. The Broncos regain a host of representative stars, including Payne Haas, Pat Carrigan, Adam Reynolds and Reece Walsh, giving them their strongest side in weeks.

Nathan Cleary returns to club football after earning the Wally Lewis Medal and shapes as the key to Penrith controlling the contest. His kicking game and composure should gradually wear Brisbane down, although the Broncos’ returning firepower makes them capable of causing an upset if they can stay in the arm wrestle early.

The “Most Marketable” independent professional wrestler on the scene presently, Richard Holliday, is set to take on Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) star Elijah at Awesome Championship Wrestling’s (ACW) Indypendence Day on Saturday night in New York.

Holliday’s rumored WWE signing has been the talk of the pro wrestling landscape since Fightful Select first mentioned it earlier this month.

COMPLETE PRO WRESTLING COVERAGE ON FOX NEWS DIGITAL

Ben Bishop offers support to Richard Holliday at Awesome Championship Wrestling. (Jay Vogel)

Since then, he left his boots in the ring after a match with Game Changer Wrestling and embraced his fellow wrestlers Ben Bishop, Jack Vaughn and Tommy Invincible in their own version of the “Curtain Call” following a match at Fight Factory Wrestling’s The War on the Shore 3.

Tommy Dreamer, who will also have a match at Indypendence Day, shared his thoughts with Fox News Digital about the possibility of Holliday going to WWE.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

Awesome Championship Wrestling star Richard Holliday was in action at Reckoning on Saturday, May 16, 2026. (Fox News Digital)

“I hope so. I think he’s a really, really good wrestler. I like him personally,” Dreamer said. “He’s really worked hard on every indie to try to get his name out there and if he gets that opportunity, he’ll have to work even harder.”

The Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW) legend also lauded Elijah’s work ethic.

“And Elijah, I worked with him very, very closely in TNA. He is a superstar. He is very unique in his songwriting and his wrestling,” he said. “Always wanting to be better. When you meet him, you will be like, ‘Holy crap, I didn’t think this guy was this big.’ He’s always meal prepping. You see him in the back, not only is he playing guitar, but I mean he takes his craft very, very seriously and just overall should be a good match.”

Still, Dreamer implored that fans should get out to see Holliday while the ticket to get in the door is reasonably priced.

Tommy Dreamer makes his way down the ring (Provided to Fox News Digital)

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

“But if the rumors are true, for Richard Holliday, it’s awesome. And it’s another way to see somebody before you can’t see them anymore because then they’re under a whole other regime if that is the case,” he said.

Ocean Protect Stadium will play host to Friday’s
Round 20 NRL game between Cronulla Sharks and
Newcastle Knights. The game kicks off at 6:00 pm with Cronulla Sharks heading into the game as favourites with the bookmakers. Continue reading for our in-depth preview of the Cronulla Sharks vs.
Newcastle Knights
game and give you our free tips and bets.

When: Friday July 17, 2026 at 6:00 pm

Where: Ocean Protect Stadium

Bet 💰: Bet On This Match HERE

Cronulla Sharks vs Newcastle Knights Odds

Cronulla Sharks vs Newcastle Knights Preview

Cronulla enters Round 20 in ominous attacking form after producing another 50-point performance, with Nicho Hynes and Braydon Trindall continuing to steer one of the competition’s most dangerous offences. The Sharks have found their rhythm at the right time and will be confident of extending their momentum at home.

Newcastle faces a tougher assignment after losing Jacob Saifiti, with the veteran forward’s absence leaving a significant hole through the middle. The Knights have shown they can trouble quality sides, but they’ll need to match Cronulla’s physicality before their playmakers can have an influence. If the Sharks dominate possession again, they should create enough opportunities to secure another important victory.

Argentina fans burn England flags (Screengrabs)

Argentina’s victory over England in the 2026 FIFA World Cup semi-final sparked massive celebrations across Buenos Aires, but some fans drew criticism after burning England flags and displaying coffins decorated with the St George’s Cross. Videos and photos also showed supporters chanting songs linked to the Falklands War, while some carried Falklands-themed flags during the celebrations.The Falkland Islands became a major talking point before, during and after the match. Ahead of the game, Argentina’s Vice President referred to England as “usurping pirates”, while President Javier Milei reiterated his country’s claim over the islands, saying, “We are doing everything humanly possible to bring the Falkland Islands back into Argentine hands. Sovereignty is not negotiable.”During the match, fans from both countries booed each other’s national anthems. Following the match, however, it was the clips of Argentina fans burning England flags that have been making the rounds on social media.Watch:After Argentina’s 2-1 comeback win in Atlanta, several players celebrated with a banner reading “Las Malvinas son Argentinas” (The Falklands are Argentine). Tottenham defender Cristian Romero, Lisandro Martinez and Giovani Lo Celso were among those seen posing with it. Argentina had previously been fined by FIFA in 2014 for displaying a similar banner before a friendly.Lionel Messi helped Argentina overturn an early deficit by setting up two late goals to send the defending champions into the World Cup final and eliminate England. After the game, midfielder Leandro Paredes reinforced Argentina’s stance, saying the Falklands “will always be Argentine”.The celebrations also extended to Ushuaia, where fans gathered near a Falklands War veterans’ memorial. Britain and Argentina fought the 1982 Falklands War after Argentina invaded the islands. The conflict claimed the lives of hundreds on both sides, and the islands have remained a British Overseas Territory since then. Reports suggest FIFA could again review Argentina’s post-match celebrations over the political banner.

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From the show

World Cup Debrief

Reading time
1 min

The defending champions strike again. Led 1-0 after Anthony Gordon opened the score for England, Argentina kept believing and turned the game on its head. Guided by Lionel Messi, Lionel Scaloni’s men sealed a 2-1 victory after an injury-time winner saw them book a spot against Spain in the final. England manager Thomas Tuchel opted to defend after taking the lead, a choice that backfired as the Three Lions’ time in the United States comes to an end.

Allianz Stadium will play host to Friday’s
Round 20 NRL game between Sydney Roosters and
Melbourne Storm. The game kicks off at 8:00 pm with Sydney Roosters heading into the game as favourites with the bookmakers. Continue reading for our in-depth preview of the Sydney Roosters vs.
Melbourne Storm
game and give you our free tips and bets.

When: Friday July 17, 2026 at 8:00 pm

Where: Allianz Stadium

Bet 💰: Bet On This Match HERE

Sydney Roosters vs Melbourne Storm Odds

Sydney Roosters vs Melbourne Storm Preview

The Roosters sit comfortably inside the top four but know there’s still another level to their football after an unconvincing win over Parramatta. Errors and missed opportunities prevented them from putting the Eels away, though the return to Allianz Stadium offers a chance to build momentum.

Melbourne arrives without key playmakers Jahrome Hughes and Cameron Munster, placing even more responsibility on Harry Grant to spark the attack. Grant is capable of producing moments of brilliance, but the Roosters will back themselves to limit his influence and capitalise on the Storm’s disrupted spine. Their recent record against Melbourne adds another layer of intrigue to one of the round’s marquee clashes.