While this is a relatively quiet period on the NFL calendar, it’s an important moment for franchises as these offseason workouts become the foundation for what they hope will be a productive regular season. It’s also the first glimpse of breakout candidates and veterans looking to remind fans of their star power. With that in mind, we highlight one player from each AFC team who could blossom into a key figure for their team. That could range from a rookie, second-year player to even a long-in-the-tooth veteran.

Don’t sleep on these guys. 

AFC East

WR Kyle Williams

New England’s wide receiver room saw plenty of offseason movement. The Patriots released Stefon Diggs and signed Romeo Doubs to a four-year, $68 million contract. Then, on June 1, they pulled off the long-awaited blockbuster with the Eagles for A.J. Brown, inserting him as the true No. 1 wideout in the offense. While Brown and Doubs will garner most of the attention, don’t sleep on Kyle Williams. The 2025 third-round pick had a relatively quiet rookie season, catching just 10 balls for 209 yards and three touchdowns. He was largely used as a deep threat, but there’s certainly more for him to grow, even with the additions New England has made. It wouldn’t be surprising to see Williams push veteran Mack Hollins for snaps and targets opposite Brown. 

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EDGE T.J. Parker

Buffalo traded out of the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft, which took some of the buzz away from what they accomplished over the course of the draft. However, their first pick, second-round edge rusher T.J. Parker, shouldn’t be overlooked. Buffalo was in the bottom half of the league in total sacks in 2025, so there is a serious need to insert players who have a knack for getting after the quarterback. Sure, veteran Bradley Chubb, who signed a three-year, $52 million contract this offseason, will be the main figure tasked with adding pressure off the edge, but Parker should factor in as well. After all, Parker did have an 11-sack season at Clemson in 2024, which included 19.5 tackles for a loss and six forced fumbles. The talent is there, and if Parker taps into it early in his tenure with Buffalo, it could prove massive for the Bills‘ hopes of reaching the Super Bowl. 

WR Malik Washington

As part of their roster overhaul, Miami gutted its wide receiver room, releasing Tyreek Hill and trading Jaylen Waddle to Denver. Washington represents a notable holdover and should see a sizable uptick in targets as the Dolphins usher in Malik Willis as their new starting quarterback. Washington was third on the team in targets (65) and receptions (46), and fourth in receiving yards (317) last season. He’ll now compete with veterans Jalen Tolbert and Tutu Atwell, who Miami brought in this offseason, along with rookies Chris Bell and Caleb Douglas. It’s conceivable that Washington becomes the No. 1 target in this receiver room and puts up career numbers across the board. 

TE Mason Taylor

The Jets reshaped their offense and added two receiving threats in the first round, including Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq. That took some air out of the balloon of the Mason Taylor hype train leading into 2026, but the 2025 second-round pick should still be considered a main figure in this offense. With Garrett Wilson dealing with injuries throughout 2025, Taylor became one of New York’s most consistent pass-catching options. He was second on the team in receiving yards (369) and first in receptions (44). With more stable quarterback play with Geno Smith in town to replace Justin Fields, along with a healthy crop of receivers, there should be more high-value targets and opportunities that come Taylor’s way, especially if they lean heavily on 12-personnel to have him and Sadiq on the field at the same time. 

AFC North

WR Michael Pittman Jr.

Did you even remember that Michael Pittman Jr. was traded to Pittsburgh? With all the big trades that have gone down, the Steelers landing Pittman has certainly flown under the radar. The veteran pass catcher gives Pittsburgh the secondary receiver option that they’ve been starved for, even after trading for D.K. Metcalf last offseason. In 2025, Metcalf led the Steelers with 850 receiving yards, while the next most-productive wide receiver was Calvin Austin III with 372 receiving yards. Pittman now gives them a solid go-to option opposite Metcalf, hauling in 80 passes for 784 yards and seven touchdowns last season in Indianapolis. He could be a difference-maker in what is slated to be Aaron Rodgers‘ final season. 

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TE Mark Andrews

I wouldn’t necessarily blame you if you’ve written off Andrews at this point. After all, the veteran tight end turns 31 before the start of the regular season and is coming off a 2025 season where he logged a career-low 422 yards receiving, despite playing in all 17 games. But all that allows him to qualify as an under-the-radar candidate for Baltimore. Remember, the Ravens saw fellow tight end Isaiah Likely leave in free agency to sign a deal with the Giants. That leaves  36 targets from 2025 up for grabs, and the Ravens didn’t bring in much competition to take over Likely’s role. Durham Smythe was the veteran addition, and he has just 13 catches over his previous two seasons, while Baltimore spent Day 3 picks on Matt Hibner and Josh Cuevas. It’s a long way of saying that Andrews should have the eye of Lamar Jackson even more than he has over the past few seasons, setting the stage for a bounce-back campaign in 2026. 

EDGE Shemar Stewart

The Bengals made plenty of moves to try to bring their defense to a more respectable level, with the headliners being a trade for defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence and signing pass rusher Boye Mafe to a big-money deal. Those veterans will certainly help, but the X factor for this unit supporting their high-flying offense could be edge rusher Shemar Stewart. The 2025 first-round pick is sort of an afterthought when looking at this Cincinnati depth chart, especially with new pieces coming in and a forgetful rookie season (one sack over eight games played). Stewart drew praise throughout the early portions of offseason workouts from both his coaches and players, including Mafe. If he can carry that over into 2026, it changes the entire complexion of the Bengals’ pass rush and their overall ceiling. 

RB Dylan Sampson

All eyes will be on Quinshon Judkins as he represents the lead back for Cleveland’s running game, but don’t dismiss fellow 2025 draftee Dylan Sampson. He could be a 1B in this Browns backfield, particularly on passing downs after catching 33 of his 40 targets last season for 271 yards and two touchdowns. Running backs have been involved in the target share of Todd Monken’s offenses in the past, and he’ll likely utilize Sampson in this third-down/passing situation role. When Monken was the OC for Cleveland back in 2019, Kareem Hunt and Nick Chubb combined for 73 receptions, 563 receiving yards, and a touchdown on 93 targets. Judkins will certainly factor into the target share, but this is where Sampson could thrive. 

AFC South

WR Brian Thomas Jr.

After a rookie season in which he finished with 87 receptions, 1,282 yards, and 10 touchdowns, it seemed Brian Thomas Jr. was on a rocket ship to stardom. The 2025 season, however, saw the LSU product crater with his production dipping dramatically across the board (48 catches, 707 yards and two touchdowns). Now, all eyes are on Travis Hunter as he embarks on Year 2, along with Jakobi Meyers (acquired at the deadline last season) and Parker Washington in the receiver room. Sure, the sophomore slump hit Thomas hard, but let’s not write him off entirely just yet. The talent is there for him to be one of the top wideouts in the league, and he is a major bounce-back candidate that most folks are paying enough attention to. 

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WR Jayden Higgins

The Texans didn’t make any notable moves to the wide receiver room, relying on some of their young players to take a step forward in their development. Key among them is Higgins. The 2025 second-rounder put together a solid rookie season, catching 41 of his 68 targets for 525 yards and six touchdowns (tied for the team-high). The majority of Higgins’ production came in the second half of the year after posting just 14 catches over his first eight games, so he is entering 2026 after a mini-breakout in the latter half of his rookie season. 

Most of the attention in Houston has been paid to the team revamping the offensive line, adding a new back in David Montgomery, and giving Will Anderson a market-setting extension. A possible Year 2 leap for Higgins hasn’t truly been clocked quite yet. He is the clear-cut No. 2 option in the passing game behind Nico Collins and could be a key figure in C.J. Stroud reestablishing himself as one of the up-and-coming QBs in the league. 

WR Josh Downs

The Colts freed up 111 targets within their offense after trading Michael Pittman Jr. to the Pittsburgh Steelers. While Alec Pierce (84 targets last season) will add to his total after inking a four-year, $114 million extension this offseason, Josh Downs will factor into this equation as well. In fact, Downs had 88 targets last season (third most on the team), so it’s conceivable that he’s earmarked for 100 targets in 2026, setting the stage for a true breakout. Downs has been solid throughout the first three years of his career, including a 2024 season in which he logged 803 receiving yards and five touchdowns. Yet, the 24-year-old is still not recognized by the general public. That could change in 2026 with a larger role expected, along with Daniel Jones back for his second season with the organization. 

WR Elic Ayomanor

We had Ayomanor listed for Tennessee last season, and we’re running it back for 2026. The Stanford receiver showed flashes over his rookie season, recording 515 yards receiving and four touchdowns. Despite that solid first year, he hasn’t received a ton of buzz entering his sophomore season, in part because the Titans added some heavy-hitters to the receiver room. They used the No. 4 overall pick on Ohio State wideout Carnell Tate and signed veteran Wan’Dale Robinson to a four-year, $70 million deal in free agency. When you factor in Calvin Ridley, there may be too many mouths to feed for Ayomanor to truly emerge, right? Well, Ridley, who restructured his deal back in March, is entering his age-31 season, so he doesn’t necessarily align with the Titans’ current timeline. It’s not out of the question that Tennessee could look to move on from Ridley, especially if someone like Ayomanor makes waves at training camp, so there’s a world where he’s the starter opposite Tate with Robinson in the slot. 

AFC West

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RB Jonah Coleman

Denver selected Coelman with the 108th overall pick in the fourth round of the 2026 NFL Draft. While Day 3 picks typically don’t garner a ton of attention, Coleman should. The Broncos brought back J.K. Dobbins on a two-year extension, but the veteran has monumental durability concerns, including a 2025 Lisfranc injury. Meanwhile, 2025 second-round pick RJ Harvey wasn’t able to carry the full workload effectively after he went down. If Dobbins again struggles to stay on the field, there’s a path for Coleman to play significant snaps, even if it’s not paved out in front of him right now. 

TE Oronde Gadsden II

Gadsden came out of the woodwork as a fifth-round rookie. He put forward a colossal 164-yard game in Week 7, but showed plenty of flashes beyond that, finishing with 49 catches, 664 yards and three touchdowns. That should be enough to have everyone around the Chargers excited for what he’s capable of in Year 2, but some may be led off the scent a bit. The second half of Gadsden’s rookie season was quiet, logging just 12 catches over his final six games. When you pair that with the addition of veteran David Njoku, people may be teetering on calling Gadsden a one-hit wonder. However, Njoku’s deal with L.A. is only for one-year, so Gadsden should still be viewed as the long-term piece in this room. New offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel has featured tight ends in previous stops, including in Miami, where the likes of Jonnu Smith and Darren Waller put up impressive totals. Gadsden could be his next pet project. 

EDGE R Mason Thomas

The Chiefs were in the bottom half of the league on total sacks last season, tied for the fifth-fewest (35). They looked to address that with some of their initial picks at the 2026 NFL Draft, which include Oklahoma edge rusher R Mason Thomas. Naturally, corner Mansoor Delane and defensive tackle Peter Woods will garner a lot of the attention amongst Chiefs followers after they were each selected in the first round, but Thomas could make a Day 1 impact as well. After Kansas City declined to pick up his fifth-year option earlier this offseason, the Chiefs have put former first-round pick Felix Anudike-Uzomah squarely on notice. In 17 games played last season, the edge rusher posted just 2.5 sacks, so his starting job opposite George Karlaftis is hardly secure. Could Thomas swoop in and impress enough at training camp to ascend to a starting role? Could Anudike-Uzomah make it easier for him and lose the job on his own? There’s an avenue for Thomas to make waves early. 

WR Jack Bech

It’s been a transformative offseason for the Raiders. They have a new coach in Klint Kubiak, drafted Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza first overall, and spent big along the offensive line, including center Tyler Linderbaum. While the club did add Jalen Nailor, there wasn’t much else done to the receiver room, which leaves plenty of room for Jack Bech to have a full-fledged breakout. The 2025 second-round pick had a relatively subdued rookie season, catching 20 of his 29 targets for 224 yards. With better quarterback play expected with Mendoza and/or Kirk Cousins under center, along with playing in a better offense spearheaded by Kubiak, Bech has an opportunity to be the go-to receiver option for Las Vegas. Of course, we’ve seen Kubiak help turn Jaxon Smith-Njigba into an Offensive Player of the Year, so he’s had a knack for developing talented receivers. Hitting those heights is unlikely for Bech as he’ll play second fiddle to tight end Brock Bowers and maybe even running back Ashton Jeanty for target share, but the stage is set for a breakout. 

FIFA has made a late change of policy to bar World Cup fans from bringing refillable water bottles into the tournament’s 16 stadiums across North America including some with limited or no shade from the sun.

The “Stadium Code of Conduct” update was criticised on Thursday by an English fan group, which argued FIFA had given assurances on carrying empty plastic bottles to fill with freely available water at a tournament where heat and extreme weather are expected to be a factor.

“Naturally, the immediate thought from supporters is this is just the latest money grab,” the Free Lions fan group said in a statement.

Water, sodas and juices sold at World Cup stadiums are supplied exclusively by long-time FIFA sponsor Coca-Cola when the tournament starts next Thursday.

Andrew Giuliani, who is the executive director of the White House Task Force for this year’s World Cup, said conversations are ongoing with FIFA about the decision.

“Certainly, understanding that fans with bottles – if anything is frozen there, they can throw that, utilise it as a weapon,” Giuliani said to a group of reporters on Thursday at a World Cup kickoff event in Miami. “That’s something, frankly, that we are still in discussions with FIFA about. They made their announcement yesterday, so I don’t want to comment on it just yet.” 
FIFA President Gianni Infantino was also at the event in Miami beach Thursday evening but did not take questions from reporters.

Giuliani added there is a balance between preparing for hot temperatures and monitoring security risks.

“Understanding these games are going to be very hot. We want to make sure that fans have access to water, so that way they can be hydrated,” he said. We also want to make sure that everybody is safe and that people can’t bring a weapon in there. So those conversations are still ongoing,” he added. FIFA’s stadium rules had stated that fans could bring in a transparent, reusable bottle up to one liter capacity.

The latest document dated Tuesday now states “for the avoidance of doubt, reusable water bottles may not be brought into the stadium.” 
“In all of our discussions,” the England fans’ group said, “free water availability in stadiums was a key one and we were assured by FIFA that this would be the case.” 
In a statement Thursday, the world soccer body said the decision to prohibit bottles — which could be thrown — was “to prevent risk and injury to players and attendees.” 
“FIFA is committed to protecting the health and safety of all players, referees, fans, volunteers, and staff,” it said.

FIFA said some of the 16 stadiums had already prohibited fans from bringing water bottles, so the policy would apply across them all.

With temperatures at 32 Celsius and above expected in many of the US, Mexican and Canadian cities hosting the 104 games, FIFA said “heat mitigation” for fans approaching stadiums would include “misting stations, fans, hydration stations, cooling tents, and more.” 
“Inside the stadium footprint, pricing for water bottles for the FIFA World Cup 2026 will remain consistent with other events held at each stadium,” the soccer body said.

FIFA has reacted to expected heat in some outdoor stadiums by enforcing three-minute drinks breaks midway through each half at all games. Critics have said turning all games into four quarters was to create more breaks for broadcasters to sell advertising.

“For all of the effort they are going to with drinks breaks’ for the players, this is such a strange, late change,” the Free Lions fan group said of the water bottle ban.

As we count down to the first college football game of the 2026 season, we continue our new series: The records of each top CFB program in the West against all the others in the region.

Some schools have met many times over the years, while others are beginning new rivalries in the wake of recent realignment.

For each opponent in the table below, we provide the total games played, wins, losses, ties, winning percentage, first year played, and most recent contest.

We continue with BYU, which has played 739 games vs. regional foes, winning 417, losing 302, with 20 ties for a winning percentage of .578.

The Cougars have recorded the most wins (51) against Utah State. They have lost the most games (59) and played the most games (97) against Utah.

Here is a breakdown of BYU’s records vs. the region’s teams.

Pierre Gasly says he feels “robbed” after losing a podium finish at the Monaco Grand Prix following two pitlane speeding penalties.

The Alpine driver crossed the finish line in third place after one of the strongest drives of his Formula 1 career, climbing from ninth on the grid and holding off several faster cars during the race.

However, two five-second penalties for pitlane speeding dropped Gasly from third to seventh in the final classification.

The penalties were issued for exceeding the 60 km/h pitlane speed limit by 0.1 km/h and 0.4 km/h.

An emotional Gasly did not hide his frustration after the race.

“I’m heartbroken right now,” he wrote on social media. “No words can describe the pain of losing a podium in Formula 1 and in the streets of Monaco.”

“We crossed the finish line in third today, and that’s all I want to remember.”

Gasly believes he and Alpine did everything right and questioned the penalties, insisting he activated the speed limiter before crossing the pitlane entry line.

“I know for a fact that what’s in the car is below the 60kph and I know on both occasions I’ve put it way before the line,” he said.

The Frenchman also pointed out that several other drivers were penalized for pitlane speeding during the race, including George Russell, Oscar Piastri and Lewis Hamilton.

“When you have three or four teams that get caught for speeding, hopefully it rings a bell to the guys that they need to check exactly what’s going on because it’s just not right.”

Alpine has since confirmed it will request a right of review over the penalties.

Gasly admitted that even if the decision is overturned, it would not replace the moment he feels was taken away from him.

“It’s 10 years I’m working my ass off for this type of moment,” he said.

“Today we did everything right for standing on that podium in front of all the fans that turned up.”

For now, the result stands, but Alpine’s review request means the controversy surrounding Gasly’s Monaco Grand Prix may not be over yet.

The biggest football tournament is almost here – as close to 50 international teams compete against each other to take home the coveted World Cup 2026 trophy.

This year, the event will be taking place in Canada, Mexico, and the United States from June 11 to July 19. Marking the first time the tournament – which has been held every four years since 1930 – has been hosted by three nations, it will also become the first World Cup to feature 48 teams – up from the previous 32.

For those praying that England will bring it home, their first match will take place against Croatia at 9pm on June 17. They’ll be back with matches against Ghana and Panama on June 23 and 27 for a chance to then make it into the quarter-finals.

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Led by captain Harry Kane, England’s selection was recently unveiled with Jordan Pickford, John Stones and Marcus Rashford all making their third World Cup appearance. Jordan Henderson will be appearing in England’s squad for a fourth time – equalling the record number of appearances in the squad first achieved by Sir Bobby Charlton.

Declan Rice, Jude Bellingham and Bukayo Saka will all be at their second World Cup, while there will be first appearances for EURO 2024 squad members Dean Henderson, Marc Guéhi, Ezri Konsa, Kobbie Mainoo, Eberechi Eze, Anthony Gordon, Ollie Watkins, Ivan Toney and Reece James.

Nine players – James Trafford, Tino Livramento, Nico O’Reilly, Djed Spence, Dan Burn, Jarell Quansah, Elliot Anderson, Noni Madueke and Morgan Rogers – will be making their senior tournament bow. Following their warm-up fixtures, the squad will be setting up at their tournament base in Kansas City this Saturday (June 13).

Of course, for most fans of the World Cup, watching the action unfold on a big screen surrounded by their fellow supporters is considered to be one of the best ways to enjoy the World Cup and, thankfully, Greater Manchester understands the assignment. There will be after-parties, takeovers, freebies, and all sorts of celebrations on the road to bringing it home for England.

Here’s just some of the many venues hosting World Cup screenings across Greater Manchester for the World Cup 2026 and how you can get on down. As always, check the finer details with each venue as things can – and often will – change at short notice.

The Grosvenor

It’s a bold claim, but The Grosvenor has said they’ll be home to one of Manchester’s biggest England World Cup fanzones this year.

There will be giant screens and every time England hits the back of the net, fans inside the venue can celebrate with a complimentary Fireball shot on the house. Not only that but there will be England wigs, St George’s glasses, foam hands, and more matchday merch to amp up the fun with.

A small number of free early bird tickets and £3 tickets will be available, with general tickets priced at £7 including a drink of choice. More details here.

House of Social

With five kitchens all raring to go and the drinks flowing throughout, Deansgate spot House of Social will be screening every match of the World Cup. In addition, they’ll also be hosting pre-parties on its terrace for all night games with the guys at Casamigos.

Tickets start from £15 per person for Mezzanine Standing whilst table spots, which include a reserved seat, one drink, and a food token, will cost £30 per person for between six to 12 guests. Bookings and more information here.

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The Station Hotel

Over in Altrincham, popular pub The Station Hotel has promised to ‘bring serious tournament energy’ for England’s World Cup games. There will be darts and pool to keep the entertainment going before kick off, during half-time and after the final whistle, whilst the recently-revamped venue will be showing all the action as it happens on the big screen.

If the weather’s good, their standout Casamigos Terrace will also feature a large outdoor screen for the ultimate al fresco viewing experience. The action begins for England’s first match on June 17 and continues throughout. No bookings required, it’s walk-in’s only but fans are encouraged to arrive early to guarantee a spot.

Motley

For something a little different, Deansgate venue Motley will be serving up a bottle of Budweiser alongside their eight-hour Slow Smoked Beef Brisket for just £20 between June 11 and July 19.

It’ll also be screening all games kicking off before midnight, with Budweiser beer buckets available for fans to wear in style. They will also be offering five bottles of Budweiser for £20 during each of the screened matches. Bookings can be made here.

Courts Club

With the biggest outdoor screen in the city, Courts Club in St John’s will be the ultimate place for the summer of sports. They’ll also have a large indoor screen, as well as pre-match quizzes, Bocce ball competitions, and a half-time and full time Aperidisco from Aperol featuring DJs, entertainment and giveaways.

There are no table reservations – it’s first come, first served – but you will need to buy general admission tickets for all England group matches. Tickets start from £6.13 with booking fee here.

Zouk Tea Bar & Grill

Zouk in Manchester will be offering a ‘relaxed and hospitality-led’ experience that differs from the traditional crowded sports bar atmosphere – which will be of interest to many!

With reserved seating, food, drink and table service throughout each of England’s first three games, their £29 Match Night offering features poppadoms and chutneys, any curry or biryani, a choice of Naan, rice or chips, and one drink of either a 330ml Cobra beer, selected cocktail, small house wine or soft drink. Tickets and information here.

Freight Island and Mayfield Depot

Joining forces with 4TheFans and Broadwick on a new We Are Football Festival, Freight Island and Depot Mayfield will hold claim to the ‘largest World Cup fan park in Europe’ with a total capacity for up to 15,000 fans.

It will feature the UK’s ‘biggest anti-glare screens’, an immersive sound system, DJs, live entertainment and plenty of food and drink, as well as appearances from football legends and Sky Sports presenters.

The festival will be open for all late kick-offs, with 5,000 Early Bird tickets from just £4.50 per person. In addition, the Freight Island festival will also feature competitions, giveaways, a dedicated Footy Fun Village, and family-friendly areas. Tickets here.

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The Factory Floor

Over at the Cotton Works in Wigan, The Factory Floor will be hosting an ‘unforgettable match-day experience’ with all of the action on the big screen, alongside live singers and pre-match entertainment.

There will also be face painters, a choice of food and drink, and even the option to upgrade to the ultimate VIP experience. Early Bird tickets start from £7 – details here.

Society

Manchester food hall Society will be showing all England fixtures on a specially installed ‘epic’ screen – with extended opening hours until full-time – where fans could also walk away with a share of a £1,000 grand prize.

The venue has over 40 beer taps, a global street food menu, a big sound system, and a banging beer garden, and will also be hosting a fan event throughout the tournament where anyone ordering one of a select three beers can scan a code and enter their winning World Cup predictions. But, heads up, winners must be at Society during the final to claim their prize. Further details on how the tournament will work here.

Pigeon Beer Wanderer

The newest addition to Manchester’s ‘Beermuda Triangle’, Pigeon will be showing all the England games and as many other matches as they can too on their 100-inch screen. With 24 craft beers, ales and ciders on tap from breweries across the UK, Europe and USA – as well as a choice of ‘natty wines’ – there’s plenty of choice when it comes to your goal-worthy tipples. Follow on Instagram for more information.

Victoria Baths

Perhaps offering one of the most unique viewing experiences in the city, Victoria Baths will see the game screened from their historic swimming pool with the adjoining halls transformed into a food hall with plenty of street food vendors and drinks to order throughout. There will also be plenty of pre-match build-up with DJs.

Available tickets for Victory At The Baths start from £8 with discounts available if you’re booking as part of a ‘squad’. All details and ticket options here.

Trading Route

The German Lagerhouse-inspired venue, which is known for its good chicken and beer, will also be cheering on England this World Cup. Located right by Aviva Studios in the St John’s neighbourhood, fans can watch the action with tickets from £6 including a drink. Details here.

GRUB On The Docks

Over in MediaCity, GRUB On The Docks will be hosting key fixtures on the big screen, set against the backdrop of the Salford Quays waterside.

The ‘vibrant, open-air destination’ will feature street food stalls, pop-up bars and more fun throughout the tournament and will be open from Tuesdays to Sundays until the end of August. Follow on Facebook for World Cup updates.

O’Malleys

Legendary Irish bar O’Malleys, on Portland Street, will be hosting all the World Cup games across five large TV screens specifically designed for sports.

There will be fun, pints and good times with free entry – no need to book. Interesting fact, O’Malleys is the only Irish bar in Manchester to be open until 4am.

Electric Shuffle

Shuffleboard and cocktail bar Electric Shuffle, on Deansgate, will be going all-out for its World Cup offering.

Alongside private viewing screens for groups of up to 12 people, which will also include an hour of shuffleboard before kick-off, there will also be the option to reserve a table amongst the centre of all the action with a prime screen view and full table service for throughout the game. Options start from £25 per person. More details right here.

The Lawn Club

With an outdoor fan zone, The Lawn Club will also hope the weather stays in tip-top shape for the World Cup (but, don’t worry, they have indoor screens too).

Throughout England’s matches, there will be DJs, great food, cold drinks and a ‘proper matchday energy’. Tickets start from £10 which include the first drink. Details here.

Joshua Brooks

Popular nightspot Joshua Brooks will bring live DJs and the good vibes for this year’s World Cup. They’ll be showing the action across the bar and within its Clubhouse. Free standing tickets are available, but groups of six can reserve a spot with six pints for just £36 here.

Diecast

On Ducie Street, Diecast will host its World Cup Nights celebrations for 5,000 fans.

Featuring a big LED main screen alongside additional repeater screens, a purpose-built stage and professional sound and lighting production will keep the action going alongside a full two-hour pre-match live show featuring DJ sets, performers, special guests and appearances from a few football legends. Tickets and info here.

The Abbey

Opening just in time for the World Cup, The Abbey’ at Manchester Science Park in Hulme will also be screening the matches.

Formerly known as The Old Abbey Taphouse, the venue reopens at the start of June and will be hosting the tournament on the big screen with drinks specials and good vibes. Follow on Instagram for the latest details.

Dirty O’Sullivans

Irish bar Dirty O’Sullivans, set in the former Red’s True BBQ spot opposite the Town Hall, will be enjoying its first ever World Cup with flowing Guinness, entertainment, and plenty of food to keep fans hunger settled.

Better yet, the first 1,000 people to book a table will get their hands on a complimentary pint of Guinness to enjoy during a match. Bookings and more info here.

The Blues Kitchen

Screening all of England’s World Cup matches this summer, The Blues Kitchen will be celebrating the World Cup with free screenings.

Before kick-off, guests can fuel up with favourites from their Southern-inspired menu, including Buffalo Chicken Wings, Crispy Squid, Sichuan Wings, and the Smoked Brisket Dip Sandwich, whilst there’ll be a big range of cocktails, craft beers, premium spirits and wines to order behind the bar.

Following the final group-stage match against Panama on Saturday 27 June, DJs will keep the celebrations going late into the night as fans (hopefully) toast England’s place in the knockout rounds. Doors will open from 7pm, turn up early to avoid disappointment! More details here.

Stables Tavern

Popular St John’s pub Stables Tavern will be screening England’s matches with no tickets or booking required.

Shown across both rooms, front and back, there will be plenty of space to settle in and catch all of the action whilst enjoying a rotating line of beers from local breweries and guest favourites. Save room for a pie! Walk-in’s only, but it’s first come, first served.

GRUB

Speaking of GRUB On The Docks earlier, GRUB Stretford will also be celebrating the World Cup in style via their 6,000 sq ft space on the ground floor of a multi-storey car park in the town centre.

They’ll be showing the England matches with an impressive line-up of traders and entertainment. They will have the big screen, the cold pints and the good vibes – with £6 getting you guaranteed entry and a Shindigger Mango Unchained or Light Lager to watch every kick of the World Cup with. You can find details on their Instagram.

AO Arena

The Road to Victory will return to the AO Arena following previous success during the 2024 Euros and the Women’s Euros 2025. Hailed as the UK’s largest fan zone, the fully-immersive set-up at the AO Arena will feature world-class production, a curated line-up of food and drink and ‘an unrivalled matchday atmosphere’. Sign up for info here.

We have got your team covered with bespoke pages for Premier League, Championship and Scottish Premiership clubs.

There is also a page rounding up all the key news and insight from the Women’s Super League.

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Yet another iteration of Apocalyptic Shadow has been introduced in Honkai Star Rail 4.3. The cycle features two new bosses, Cocolia and Ichor Memosprite: Judge of Oblivion, whom you must defeat to earn all the rewards. Since this particular iteration features the Starward Mode, the last stage is quite challenging to complete.

That said, this article takes a look at the best teams for Honkai Star Rail 4.3’s Apocalyptic Shadow.

Note: Some aspects of this article are subjective and reflect the author’s opinion.

Best teams for Honkai Star Rail 4.3 Apocalyptic Shadow, explored

Here are the node buffs that you can use in the Honkai Star Rail 4.3 Apocalyptic Shadow:

Node 1

• Comic Relief: When an allied character unleashes an attack that deals Elation damage, the targets of the ability will be vulnerable for two turns.
• Exploit Opening: When an ally inflicts a debuff on an opponent, their CRIT DMG increases by 75% for two turns.
• Collapse of Sight: All enemies receive 10% extra Break DMG. When an adversary’s weakness is broken, all allies’ SPD increases by 15% for two turns.

Node 2

• Armed Up: All allies deal 200% extra Physical damage, while the enemies’ Physical RES is lowered by 20%.
• Beaming Bliss: All enemies take 30% extra Elation damage. If there is an Elation unit in the team, all allies’ Weakness Break Efficiency increases by 50%.
• Moment of Opportunity: All allies’ Ultimate and Follow-Up ATK damage receive a 50% boost. Moreover, when the enemies are in the weakness broken state, they take 50% more damage from the aforementioned abilities.

Node 3 (Starward Mode exclusive)

• Knowledge and Decorum: All allies’ All-Type RES PEN increases by 25% if an allied unit follows the Erudition Path.
• Tarsus Infection: When an ally deals DoT damage, they regenerate 1 Energy. Furthermore, the DoT damage ignores 40% of the adversary’s All-Type RES.
• Brand of Anamnesis: At the beginning of the battle, if there are 2/3/4 Remembrance characters in the team, all allies will take 5% / 10% / 20% extra damage, respectively.

Best teams for Node 1

In Node 1, regardless of the stage, you will face Ichor memosprite: Judge of Oblivion. Since the boss and the other enemies are weak to Physical, Fire, and Imaginary elements, you should use the following teams to complete the node:

• Evanescia, Yao Guang, Elation Trailblazer, and Huohuo
• Sparxie, Silver Wolf LV999, Yao Guang, and Huohuo

Here, both Elation teams can prove to be useful with the help of the Comic Relief buff. The former composition can deal explosive damage to the adversaries. Since Evanescia can accumulate Certified Bangers faster than most, her damage will be off the charts. Furthermore, Huohuo will help the Elation unit utilize Ultimate more, as the former can regenerate Energy for her teammates.

On the other hand, Silver Wolf LV999’s dual DPS team featuring Sparxie will be useful in this node, as both can deal an absurd amount of damage. If you don’t have Evanescia, then this is a good alternative.

Best teams for Node 2

As mentioned, you’ll fight Cocolia in Node 2 of every Honkai Star Rail 4.3 Apocalyptic Shadow stage. Here are the best teams for this node:

• Ashveil, Mortenax Blade, Feixiao, and Hyacine
• Phainon, Sunday, Cerydra, and Bronya/Dan Heng Permansor Terrae

Here, if you are using the team follow-up team featuring Ashveil, then it’s better to use the Moment of Opportunity node buff. It can boost both FUA character, as well as Mortenax Blade’s damage by a substantial amount.

Moreover, to fully utilize the first node buff, Armed Up, you can use Phainon’s hypercarry composition. The team can be used without a sustainer. However, if you want to have one just in case, then Dan Heng Permansor Terrae is the best for the job.

Best teams for Node 3

With the new Starward mode getting implemented, the last stage of Honkai Star Rail 4.3 Apocalyptic Shadow features an extra stage. If you wish, you can turn the new mode off and complete the normal version, but you won’t get any of the additional rewards, which are 100x Stellar Jade, 100x Jade Feather, and 20,000x Credit.

Here are the best teams you can use to fight Flame Reaver in Honkai Star Rail 4.3’s Apocalyptic Shadow:

• Castorice, Cyrene, Evernight, and Hyacine
• Kafka, Hyacine, Black Swan, and Huohuo

To utilize the full power of the Brand of Anamnesis node buff, you should use the premium Castorice team. Besides Quantum, the characters in this team wield the Ice element, which the Flame Reaver is weak to. Moving on, if you want to use a DoT team, the aforementioned one works the best. If you do use this composition, then utilize the Tarsus Infection buff.

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