The Democratic Republic of Congo qualified for the World Cup for the first time since 1974 after Axel Tuanzebe netted an extra-time winner to see off Jamaica 1-0 in their inter-confederation playoff on Tuesday.
Former England under-21 international Tuanzebe bundled the ball over the line from a corner in the 100th minute but was made to wait for more than a minute while it was checked for a possible handball before being confirmed as a goal.
It was as much as the Congolese deserved having dominated a fast-flowing match with few clear chances at Estadio Guadalajara – one of three Mexican venues for the June 11 to July 19 World Cup which is also being co-hosted by the U.S. and Canada.
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“We’re happy, we’re really delighted,” said striker Cedric Bakambu after his team grabbed the second-last available slot at the tournament.
“Right now, I don’t think we fully realise it yet, but when we get back to Kinshasa, it’s going to be crazy … congratulations to my teammates and to all Congolese people around the world.”
It is the second time DR Congo have qualified for the finals after their initial appearance 52 years ago when the country was known as Zaire.
They are the 10th African country to have qualified and will compete in Group K against Colombia, Portugal and Uzbekistan.
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In other playoffs on Tuesday, Iraq defeated Bolivia to book a place in the same group as France, while Italy missed out on a third successive World Cup after losing a penalty shoot-out against Bosnia.
Jamaica were on the back foot for much of the first 45 minutes but after veteran goalkeeper Andrew Blake made a sharp save to deny Bakambu at the start of the second half the ‘Reggae Boyz’ enjoyed their best spell of the match.
Leon Bailey had their best opportunity in the 67th minute but put his diving header wide after getting on the end of a cross from Tyreece Campbell.
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The Congolese regained control in the final 10 minutes and after both Theo Bongonda and Edo Kayembe had gone close they thought they had secured victory in the 85th minute butthe goal was ruled out for offside.
Blake then had to make another smart stop, this time from an audacious backheel from Bakambu after Yoane Wissa’s dribbling had set up a half-chance just metres out.
The pressure continued in extra time and despite some stout defending Jamaica eventually conceded from a corner, with Tuanzebe netting his first international goal.
“It’s very frustrating to lose like that, very frustrating,” said Jamaica striker Ephron Mason-Clark.
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“It’s tournament football – we’re just lacking a goal, that’s all. Right now, it’s difficult to take any positives from this experience …”
Nine minutes from the end, Argentine referee Facundo Tello pulled up with cramp and had to be replaced by fourth official Dario Herrera.
Jamaica were playing a second game in five days after beating New Caledonia 1-0 last Thursday in their semi-final tie, also in Guadalajara. DR Congo’s higher FIFA ranking meant they were seeded straight into Tuesday’s decider.
Manchester United legend Wayne Rooney believes Arsenal star Bukayo Saka has been under immense pressure this season. He said that the winger has struggled, partially because of being the captain.
Saka has been a key player for the Gunners since graduating from their academy. The 24-year-old has made 305 senior appearances for them, scoring 79 goals and providing 78 assists. However, he’s struggled this season with nine goals and seven assists in 42 games.
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Wayne Rooney believes it could be because Saka is under pressure to deliver Arsenal their first major trophy since 2020. He said on the BBC (h/t Metro):
“Do you know what? You need to look at the pressure on Bukayo Saka, especially as he’s been captain for a lot of the season with Martin Odegaard being injured. That pressure to win trophies, given where Arsenal have been, that can tally up and make it difficult for you.”
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“He has struggled this season but he’s a fantastic player and he’s been brilliant. He’s played a lot of games as well in his career. I think we all know there’s more there,” he added.
Odegaard has played 27 games across competitions for the Gunners this season, with Saka being the captain in his absence.
Pundit backs Arsenal star Bukayo Saka to start for England at 2026 FIFA World Cup
Bukayo Saka’s struggles this season have also translated to his performances at the international level. He has one goal and one assist in the last three games for England. He didn’t feature in their friendlies this month.
Hence, there is speculation about his place in Thomas Tuchel’s starting XI at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. However, Alan Smith believes the Arsenal man will beat competition on the right wing to start for the Three Lions, saying (h/t Metro):
“It’s not been the best, has it, for him? He’s set such high standards. But he’s always done well for England. He knows what it’s about. He’s got great tournament experience and he’s done well in tournaments.”
“So it would take a lot I think for Tuchel to drop him. Plus the fact he hasn’t really got anybody you’d say, oh no, he should be in ahead of him. Jarrod Bowen plays on the right. Noni Madueke, his clubmate. But I still think Saka’s in the box seat comfortably, really,” he added.
Overall, the Arsenal winger has scored 14 goals and provided nine assists in 48 games for England.
Italy will miss out on a third straight World Cup after falling to Bosnia and Hercegovina in Tuesday’s breathless qualification play-off final, the Azzurri blowing their chance to reach this summer’s tournament in North America with a 4-1 penalty shoot-out defeat.
Esmir Bajraktarevic shot the winning spot-kick in Zenica where the Bosnians booked a place in Group B and matches against co-hosts Canada, Switzerland and Qatar, and plunged Italy into a new nightmare.
Four-time world champions, Italy took the lead through Moise Kean in the 15th minute but then folded under the weight of expectation at the Bilino Polje Stadium after having to play most of the match with 10 men.
Italy were already firmly on the back foot when Alessandro Bastoni was sent off for chopping down Amar Memic four minutes before half-time, and Haris Tabakovic poked home Bosnia’s deserved leveller in the 79th minute to take the match to extra time.
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And the horror show continued in the subsequent shoot-out, with Pio Esposito smashing Italy’s first penalty over the goal, and when Bryan Cristante hit the bar and Bajraktarevic squeezed his effort under Gianluigi Donnarumma, the game was up.
“I don’t think the boys deserved to suffer such a blow, for the performance, the effort and the heart that they showed tonight… I’m proud of the boys,” said a visibly shaken Italy coach Gennaro Gattuso.
Gattuso added that talking about his future “wasn’t important” but Gabriele Gravina, the head of the Italian Football Federation, later told reporters he had asked Gattuso to stay on as coach and he would not being resigning from his position.
Italy are the first World Cup winners to miss three consecutive editions of the tournament, and it was also a third straight elimination in the play-offs after Sweden in 2018 and North Macedonia four years ago.
Bosnia meanwhile reached their second World Cup finals, and first since 2014, in front of a passionate crowd which invaded the pitch after a historic victory.
“They’re guys with character. We have guys we’re proud of,” said Bosnia coach Sergej Barbarez.
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“I’ve told them that we have to go to a tournament every two years.”
Some Italy players were filmed celebrating when Bosnia won their semi-final – again on penalties – against Wales.
Sorry Italy
Italy looked nervy in the opening exchanges but were given a helping hand in opening the scoring by Bosnia goalkeeper Nikola Vasilj, who under pressure from Mateo Retegui passed the ball straight to Nicolo Barella.
The Inter Milan midfielder offloaded to Kean who confidently curled home his eighth goal in six international appearances from the edge of the penalty area.
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Bosnia reacted well to going behind, continuing to harry Italy and force mistakes on a bobbly pitch, and Ermedin Demirovic glanced a header inches wide in the 38th minute.
And the already rowdy home fans smelled blood when Bastoni was given his marching orders for his horrendous challenge, the Inter defender arriving late on Memic and giving referee Clement Turpin no choice but to show him a straight red card.
A man down and with a slender lead to protect, Gattuso brought on Juventus centre-back Federico Gatti for Retegui and set his team up to soak up the waves of Bosnia pressure which came after the break.
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Donnarumma had to be alert to punch away Kerim Alajbegovic’s powerful drive in the 52nd minute, but Kean wasted a golden chance to double Italy’s lead on the hour mark when he pounced on Memic’s sloppy pass and charged towards goal only to smash his shot over the bar.
And after Esposito and Dimarco failed to make the most of presentable shooting opportunities, substitute Tabakovic sparked wild celebrations after Edin Dzeko’s header was clawed off the line by Donnarumma.
Another superb Donnarumma save from Demirovic’s header kept Italy level and extra time was equally tense, with the Italians furious that Tarik Muharemovic was not sent off for taking out Marco Palestra as the Cagliari defender burst towards goal.
But that won’t be much of an excuse after another sorry effort to reach the World Cup ended in dismal fashion in the shoot-out.
Spanish authorities have said they are investigating repeated abusive chants by fans during Tuesday night’s international friendly match between the Spanish and Egyptian men’s national football teams.
The game, which had to be moved to Barcelona from Qatar as a result of the US-Israeli war on Iran, ended in a 0-0 draw, but was marred by persistent anti-Muslim jeers directed at the visiting team.
Spain head coach Luis de la Fuente was livid after the match, voicing “total and absolute disgust” for the behavior of some Spanish fans while blasting “any form of xenophobia, racism or disrespect” as absolutely unacceptable.
“Violent people use football to carve out a space for themselves. They must be removed from society, identified, and kept as far away as possible,” de la Fuente added.
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The coach pointed out that a large majority of fans at the match loudly condemned the incident and booed those responsible, but he called for those involved in wrongdoing to be banned.
De la Fuente’s disgust was echoed by Spanish football’s governing body RFEF.
Spanish police are now seeking to identify those involved in the “Islamophobic and xenophobic” chants.
Islamophobic and racist chants persisted throughout the game despite repeated verbal and written warnings to Spanish fansImage: Albert Gea/REUTERS
What did Spanish fans do during the game against Egypt?
The trouble started early on Tuesday evening, with Spanish supporters loudly jeering the Egyptian national anthem, only to shift to overtly racist and anti-Muslim chants halfway through the first half.
Authorities made repeated requests for those insulting the guests to stop, to no avail.
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At one point, stadium operators flashed a message to fans on scoreboards that read: “Please be reminded that legislation on the prevention of violence in sport prohibits and penalizes active participation in violent, xenophobic, homophobic or racist acts.”
“We are investigating yesterday’s Islamophobic and xenophobic chants at RCDE Stadium during the Spain-Egypt friendly match,” Catalonia’s Mossos d’Esquadra regional police force later wrote on X.
Spanish Justice Minister Felix Bolanos joined the condemnation as well, saying, such “racist insults and chants shame us as a society.”
After 23 matches, a 25-hour journey, a rejected request for postponement and the complications of playing amid a war that has taken its toll, Iraq have made the World Cup for the first time since 1986.
A 2-1 playoff win over Bolivia in Monterrey Stadium in Mexico on Tuesdaysaw wild celebrations in Iraq.
The Iraq team, led by Australian coach Graham Arnold, arrived in Mexico last week after an arduous three-day journey, with some players forced to make parts of the journey overland thanks to the shutdown of air traffic in the region as a result of the US-Israel war with Iran.
Arnold had asked for the match to be postponed due to the logistical difficulties but was happy to see his team overcome the challenges. “Delighted for the players, very good boys, very happy for the 46 million Iraqis,” he said.
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‘Let’s shock the world’
“Hopefully it will help change the perception of Iraq and the football in Iraq. Doing something in the World Cup nobody expects us to do. Let’s shock the world.”
More than 100 Iraqis have died in the war but the country took to the streets after the final whistle blew, with a two day national holiday announced.
“Despite the dire economic situation and the war, our national team won,” fan Ali al-Muhandis told news agency AFP. “We in Iraq excel in exceptional circumstances. We are living through a war that has nothing to do with us, because it’s between Iran, America and Israel.”
This morning FIFA announced that: “The line-up for the FIFA World Cup 2026 has been completed with six teams clinching the remaining places among the 48 that will make the upcoming tournament in North America the most inclusive ever.”
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Iran protests and position cast real World Cup doubt
FIFA President Gianni Infantino attended the Iranian national team’s 5-0 win over Costa Rica in Turkey on Tuesday in which Iranian players held pictures of children killed in US and Israeli strikes on the country during the national anthem, the second such protest in their March international friendlies. In the first, the players wore black armbands held children’s rucksacks to commemorate the victims of a strike on a primary school in Iran on the first day of the war.
Iranian national team players made reference to war before both of their March internationalsImage: Orhan Cicek/Anadolu Agency/IMAGO
“Iran will be at the World Cup,” Infantino said at halftime. “That’s why we’re here. We’re delighted because they’re a very, very strong team, I’m very happy.” He then added: “I’ve seen the team, I’ve spoken to the players and the coach, so everything is fine.”
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It seems unlikely that Washington and Tehran feel the same. US President Donald Trump, the recipient of FIFA’S new Peace Prize last year, said last month that Iran should not travel “for their own life and safety”. Iran’s sports minister, Ahmad Donyamali, has also previously said that “under no circumstances can we participate” while a statement from the team’s Instagram account said: “no one can exclude Iran’s national team from the World Cup.”
FIFA’s reluctance to wrangle with a potential Iranian boycott leaves the question of who would replace them open. The organization’s laws state that: “A nominated alternate, often the direct runner-up from the relevant qualifying playoff or highest-ranked non-qualified team from that confederation””should qualify, which may end up being the United Arab Emirates, given Iraq’s win. But nothing is certain.
Bosnia, DR Congo jubilant as Italy miss out again
Things are a little clearer for the other five playoff winners on Tuesday. In Europe, Czech Republic, Turkey, Sweden and Bosnia and Herzegovina all won through. The latter beat Italy on penalties to condemn the Azzuri to a third consecutive missed World Cup and spark wild scenes in Sarajevo and elsewhere in the country.
“What can I say? We saw everything after that last penalty. Great pride,” defender Nikola Katic said. “I’ve never cried after a game, I’m 29 years old, and now the tears have started.”
There were similar feelings as the DR Congo punched their World Cup ticket for the first time in 1974, when they were known as Zaire.
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The 48-team tournament has drawn criticism for expanding the tournament in an already packed football calendar and diluting quality but has given opportunities to those beyond the normal qualifiers. Cape Verde, Curacao, Jordan and Uzbekistan will all make their tournament debuts later this year.
Sheza Alibi retains the possibility of being the tightest favourite ever for a three-year-old filly in a Doncaster history spanning 100 years, despite copping barrier 13 in Saturday’s Group 1 $4 million Doncaster Mile (1600m) over Royal Randwick.
Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman’s charge eased a fraction to $2.10 market leader post Tuesday morning’s pivotal barrier allocation, with key opponent Autumn Boy contracting from $6 to $5 off the inside barrier.
“I’ve eased Sheza Alibi slightly to $2.10, not because she drew a little wide but her main rival Autumn Boy has the rails barrier,” TAB Fixed Odds spokesman Tim Ryan said.
“I don’t think Sheza Alibi’s barrier is a disadvantage but Autumn Boy is probably going to settle in front of her.
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“But I would not be surprised if Sheza Alibi starts shorter on raceday as she is very popular with our punters and over 70 percent of the all-in money is on her.”
Back in 1926, Valicare became the lone three-year-old filly to dispatch odds-on status in the Doncaster, scoring at 5/4 on ($1.80).
No filly in the modern age has beaten Sunline’s starting price when she secured her first Doncaster in 1999 from 10/9 ($2.10).
Winx, the powerhouse mare, was a four-year-old $1.80 elect when victorious in the 2016 Doncaster.
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Tuesday’s barrier draw for the 16-horse Doncaster Mile field produced various talking points:
Moody, a Hall of Fame figure, “led in” past winner Lygon Arms as a 19-year-old attendant for trainer Tommy Smith in 1988.
“I haven’t had much exposure in the Doncaster as a trainer,” Moody told Racing And Sports.
“But I was strapper for Lygon Arms all those years ago. TJ knew how to win the race and obviously we would love to win it.”
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Regarding the 13 barrier for Sheza Alibi in the Doncaster, Moody downplayed any issues.
“Sheza Alibi can settle midfield, three-deep with cover,” Moody said.
“She’s done really well since winning the Randwick Guineas and she won’t get into a handicap with 49kg again so we sort of had to go to the Doncaster.
“Jamie (Melham, jockey) rode her in a trial last week so she’s had the opportunity to put the filly through her paces and we are very pleased with her preparation.”
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The duo of Moody and Coleman also saddles Victorious Spirit and Bingi in the Group 1 $2 million ATC Australian Derby (2400m).
“Victorious Spirit is going well, he just got caught wide the other day,” Moody said.
“I think Victorious Spirit and Bingi will improve for the Derby.”
Godolphin runner Observer leads at $3 for the classic at Randwick, aiming to follow Hitotsu (2022) and Riff Rocket (2024) in the VRC Derby-ATC Australian Derby double within the last four years.
Wiffen said he is expecting “to swim the best ever so I don’t have to make a decision” across the 200m, 400m, 800m and 1500m events he will be competing in, despite his recent lack of competitive action.
He outlined his goals as swimming the 400m around 4.33 seconds, the 800m below 7.42 seconds and the 1500m under 14.40 to assess whether his time spent in California has been successful.
The County Armagh man also cited Dublin as a potential future base if he does decide to move, but emphasised that doing so would be heavily dependant on his performances in Bangor.
“If I’m around those times, under or around PB, then that’s great. That obviously means the training is working, and if it doesn’t work then I [have to figure out] what I’m going do after,” he added.
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“I’m thinking of coming back to Dublin if it doesn’t go well, but, we have to see. If I swim lights out in Bangor, then my decisions obviously can’t have been made.”
Wiffen also explained the main differences he has encounter between training in England and in the US, where they use yardage instead of metres.
“The training is just quite different and, even though I don’t swim a lot of yards, I just think being in America is fun. There’s quite a lot of distractions, and it’s a good lifestyle but, it’s not the same as what Loughborough was like,” he said.
“[It was] all about grind, very similar weather to Ireland and I love swimming in the rain and when the weather is dull. When you’re in the sun everything becomes a lot harder and the motivation becomes a lot harder.
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“When I’m swimming in California, my motivation is I’m with a really good training group and everybody’s pushing each other, where as in Loughborough, I feel like it was more self-motivation, I was getting there because I wanted to win.
“I wanted to do all these things where I feel like another group is kind of pushing me to swim fast, which I like, but I think I want a bit of the self-motivation back, so we’ll have to see how the next week goes.”
Former Pakistan captain Younis Khan is unhappy with the massive fine imposed on fast bowler Naseem Shah by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for his reported comments against a political leader on social media, saying that such actions are not in the best interests of the players and the game. Shah was reprimanded and fined by the PCB’s disciplinary committee after a tweet from his social media account, in which he made some sarcastic remarks about Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, who had visited the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on March 27 during the opening match of the Pakistan Super League.
The board’s committee reached its verdict in just three days, imposing a heavy fine of 20 million rupees on Shah for breaching the players’ code of conduct.
Younis said that the fine was excessive and could have been avoided.
“Once Naseem (Shah) had apologised for the tweet and also made it clear that his social media manager was behind it and that he had fired him, the board could have let Naseem off with a warning and a much lesser fine,” Younis said.
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He said such actions only contribute to demoralising players. “The board should be taking care of its players.” Younis added that if things are taken so seriously, then even selectors and board officials should be fined when they make misleading statements or fail in their duties.
He urged the PCB to reconsider its decision, as Shah had shown his remorse for the incident.
After Shah’s tweet, the PCB issued fresh guidelines for all its centrally contracted and domestically contracted players, stating that they or their social media managers must first obtain clearance from the board before posting anything on social media and that no posts of a political nature would be tolerated.
The board has made it clear that any political posts can lead to a fine of 10 million rupees
It might take a miracle on the draftboard — or an expensive trade — but the Minnesota Vikings are evidently one of the best fits for Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love in three weeks, according to Bleacher Report.
Love would give the Vikings the explosive RB1 they’ve lacked for years and reshape the offense fast.
Love will expect to hear his name called somewhere in the Top 10 in 22 days, and among a handful of teams, he’d thrive in Minnesota, says the working theory.
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Love Keeps Showing Up as a Vikings Match
BR is in on Love to the Twin Cities.
Notre Dame quarterback CJ Carr (13) hands the ball to running back Jeremiyah Love (4) during first-quarter action against Stanford at Stanford Stadium on Nov. 29, 2025, in Stanford, California. Love quickly found space off the exchange, showcasing burst and vision in Notre Dame’s ground attack during the road matchup. Mandatory Credit: Stan Szeto-Imagn Images
Vikings Among Love’s Best Fits
BR’s Moe Moton named five teams that would especially cook with Love, and Minnesota got a shoutout.
He wrote, “At No. 18 in the draft order, the Minnesota Vikings would probably have to move up for Jeremiyah Love, but he’s worth it for what they need in the backfield. Entering his age-32 season, Aaron Jones Sr. is an aging running back who has missed 11 games over the last three years and saw a significant drop-off in production between his first and second seasons in Minnesota.”
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“In 2025, he logged 27 fewer carries than Jordan Mason, who led the team with 758 rushing yards and six touchdowns. Although Mason is a solid ball-carrier with good size (5’11”, 230 lbs) for short-yardage situations, he doesn’t have much pass-catching production.”
Love-to-Minnesota actually felt like a real possibility when the Vikings had a 4-8 record through 13 weeks last year. Minnesota later won its next five games, wiping Love off their realistic draft radar.
Moton continued, “In four seasons, the 26-year-old has 28 receptions for 173 yards. Jones is still an effective receiver, though he only has one more year left on his deal. The Vikings can add a much younger three-down tailback who’s also more versatile than Mason.”
“With the addition of quarterback Kyler Murray and Love, Minnesota would field an athletic, fast-paced offense capable of more explosive plays.”
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Moton also named the Arizona Cardinals, New York Giants, Seattle Seahawks, and Tennessee Titans as sound fits for the Fighting Irish rookie.
Love’s Scouting Report
Love brings a 6’0″, 214-pound build with legit 4.36 speed. Over the last two seasons at Notre Dame, he piled up 2,497 rushing yards and 35 touchdowns, plus five more scores through the air.
He’s considered the single best player in the draft, according to ESPN, believe it or not. ESPN’s scouting department on Love: “Love is coming off two extremely productive seasons. He is an explosive runner who possesses great burst and acceleration, with the ability to create separation early and the top-end speed to take it the distance when he finds green grass.”
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“He is extremely light on his feet with great quickness and agility to maneuver through high traffic areas. Love has fluid hips and the suddenness to make defenders miss in the open field, too. He displays instincts and patience as an inside runner; Love has good vision, though will miss an occasional running lane. He has good core strength and contact balance to break tackles and consistently runs with determination and effort.”
The man could be a total game-changer for the Vikings, even if it will be really tricky to secure his services.
ESPN added: “Love is an extension of the passing game — he has receiver-like ball skills and is a natural route runner out of the backfield. He also brings value in pass protection, showing toughness and willingness to square up defenders at the point of attack.”
“Overall, Love was an extremely productive back at the college level and has the complete skillset to be a playmaker at the next level.”
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An Overdue Situation
Drafting Love could instantly transform Minnesota’s offense. He projects as a true RB1, capable of handling a significant workload, which would alleviate pressure on Murray as he acclimates to the new system in 2026. The Vikings could also establish a more run-oriented attack.
Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love (4) fights for extra yards before being tripped by Pittsburgh defenders at Acrisure Stadium on Nov. 15, 2025, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Love’s physical running style stood out as he pushed through contact during a tough road contest against a physical Panthers defense. Mandatory Credit: Michael Longo-Imagn Images
Minnesota hasn’t drafted a back of Pro Bowl caliber since Dalvin Cook, and in the interim has experimented with Alexander Mattison, Aaron Jones, Jordan Mason, and Cam Akers. While Jones provided some value, his age (31) is a concern.
Love has the potential to be an elite running back in this draft class, comparable to Ashton Jeanty or even Bijan Robinson. He’s that talented, and his bust risk is quite low. An injury or two would probably have to be the culprit.
Trade Partners?
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There’s a microscopic chance that Love experiences a total tumble all the way to Minnesota at No. 18, but that scenario might have Powerball odds.
Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love (4) acknowledges fans while walking toward Notre Dame Stadium before a matchup with Syracuse on Nov. 22, 2025, in South Bend, Indiana. Love’s pregame routine reflected his growing profile as a key offensive contributor ahead of another home contest. Mandatory Credit: Michael Caterina-Imagn Images
So, the Vikings’ trade partners might have to look like this:
CLE (No. 6) — to get ahead of WAS | Price: No. 18 pick & Two 2nd Rounders
WAS (No. 7) | Price: No. 18 pick & a 2nd-Rounder and 3rd-Rounder
KC (No. 10) | Price: No. 18 pick & a 2nd-Rounder and 5th-Rounder
If the Vikings were forced to trade with the Tennessee Titans at Pick No. 4, they may have to surrender next year’s 1st-Rounder, which would feel like a non-starter.
Love hasn’t even turned 21 yet. The Titans and Commanders are the odds-on favorites to draft him.
Surfing Federation of India, the governing body for the sport of surfing in India, announced India’s 2026 surfing season opener, Little Andaman Pro 2026 – National Surf & SUP Championship, scheduled from April 9-12, 2026. The Little Andaman Pro 2026 will debut in a highly anticipated season of Indian surfing just ahead of India’s first-ever campaign at the Asian Games 2026 in Japan later this year. The four-day surfing extravaganza will see India’s top surfers and stand-up paddlers vying for the top honors at the stunning Butler Bay Beach in the Andaman Islands, bringing competitive surfing to one of the country’s most pristine and untapped coastal destinations for the very first time.
Presented by Andaman and Nicobar Tourism and organized by Surfing Federation of India, the event will bring together top surfers from across the country to compete in the Senior Division across Surfing and Stand-Up Paddle (SUP) disciplines, with registrations already underway for the event. TT group has come onboard as the official sponsor for the Surfing Federation of India.
The event assumes added significance in what is a breakthrough year for Indian surfing. The country secured its first-ever Asian Games quota at the 2024 Asian Surfing Championships and built on that momentum at the 2025 edition in Mahabalipuram, ultimately securing the maximum allocation of four slots, two each in the men’s and women’s categories for the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan.
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“This is a landmark moment for Indian surfing. As we stare at India’s surfing debut at the Asian Games later this year, starting the national season at a world-class location like Little Andaman speaks loudly about our intent to take the sport deep into our coast-rich country. We are constantly working to give more competition time to our talented athletes across diverse conditions, which is critical for their growth at the international level. Surfing is a community driven sports and as we expand our reach to the Andaman’s we want to create opportunities for local communities, nurture young talent, and position India as a serious contender in global surfing”, said, Mr. Arun Vasu, President Surfing Federation of India.
Mr. Vasu further added “The progress of Indian surfers on the international stage has been extremely encouraging. From securing our first Asian Games quotas to winning medals at continental championships, we are seeing the results of sustained grassroots development and structured competition.”
The Little Andaman Pro 2026 will take place at Butler Bay, widely regarded as one of India’s most promising surf locations. Unlike many mainland beach breaks, the reef break at Butler Bay produces long, clean waves that allow surfers to execute more technical maneuvers and extended rides, making it ideal for high-performance competition.
For many Indian surfers who typically train on beach breaks, competing in reef conditions presents a valuable opportunity to enhance technical skills and broaden competitive experience. Events like this play a critical role in strengthening the national talent pipeline and preparing athletes for international challenges.
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Beyond competition, the championship also aims to highlight the Andaman Islands as a future hub for surfing and ocean sports in India. With its clear waters, coral reefs, and consistent swell patterns, Little Andaman is increasingly attracting attention from surfers and adventure tourism stakeholders alike. The initiative is expected to inspire local youth participation while contributing to sustainable development through sport.
Over the past few years, Indian surfers have steadily improved their presence on the international stage. The national team registered its first-ever team silver at the Asian Surfing Championships, alongside multiple deep runs including semi-final and quarter-final finishes, highlighting the country’s growing competitiveness against established Asian surfing nations.
The Surfing Federation of India has also unveiled an expanded 2026 Annual Competition Calendar for Surf and Stand-Up Paddle (SUP), featuring more events across the country than ever before. The national circuit will span multiple stops through the year, beginning with early-season competitions such as the Mumbai SUP Championship in January, followed by key national events from April onwards including stops in Little Andaman, traditional surf hubs like Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, and additional legs scheduled across mid-year and post-monsoon windows, ensuring consistent competitive exposure for athletes.
Adding to the excitement, 2026 will also mark the debut of the Longboarding Division in the national competition circuit, creating opportunities for athletes who specialise in classic surfing styles and traditional wave riding techniques.
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The Little Andaman Pro 2026 aims to celebrate the spirit of surfing while promoting responsible tourism and environmental awareness, aligning with the region’s strong conservation ethos.
About the Surfing Federation of India
The Surfing Federation of India is the national governing body for surfing in India and works to develop the sport through competitions, athlete development programs, and international representation. Led by President Arun Vasu, SFI plays a central role in building the country’s surfing ecosystem and supporting emerging talent from coastal communities across India.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a press release)
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