Happy Memorial Day one and all! Wherever you are in the world, let’s hope this Monday is a relaxing one, especially for those of you in the football world because we do not have long before the stakes ratchet up again. It’s Champions League final very soon but before that the small matter of the USMNT naming their squad for a home World Cup! I’m James Benge.
📺 Footy fix
All times U.S./Eastern
Monday, May 25 🇩🇪 Relegation playoffs: Wolfsburg vs. Paderborn, 2:30 p.m. ➡️ ESPN Select 🏴 Playoffs: St. Mirren vs. Partick Thistle, 3 p.m. ➡️ Paramount+, CBS Sports Golazo Network
Tuesday, May 26 🇺🇸 USMNT: Roster reveal, 3 p.m. ➡️ FOX Sport
⚽ Call it What You Want (Tuesday and Thursday): Jimmy Conrad, Charlie Davies, and Tony Meola cover all things USMNT and the state of the game in the United States as the country prepares to co-host the 2026 World Cup. Catch new episodes live on the Golazo America YouTube channel every Tuesday and Thursday at 10 a.m. ET.
🥅 Scoreline (Daily): Scoreline is the newest place for fans to catch up on all the biggest news and results impacting global football, match highlights from the top soccer competitions and all the can’t-miss goals from the day’s action, starting Thursday and airing seven days a week.
Advertisement
📺 How to watch:CBS Sports Golazo Network is a free 24/7 channel exclusively dedicated to offering unparalleled coverage of all the top soccer competitions worldwide. You can stream for free on the CBS Sports app, Pluto TV and Paramount+.
Jun 9, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago White Sox right fielder Braden Montgomery (24) yells as he approaches home plate after his walk off two run home run during the tenth inning against the Atlanta Braves at Rate Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images
Braden Montgomery belted a game-ending, two-run homer in the 10th inning in his major league debut to lift the host Chicago White Sox to a 6-5 victory against the Atlanta Braves on Tuesday.
Montgomery connected against Braves closer Raisel Iglesias (0-1) in the bottom of the 10th after Atlanta’s Mauricio Dubon hit a go-ahead single against Grant Taylor on the first pitch of the top half. Montgomery finished 2-for-5 with three RBIs, becoming the fifth player in major league history to hit a walk-off homer in his debut.
Miguel Vargas belted a two-run shot and Jacob Gonzalez had two hits and an RBI for the White Sox, who took their only lead on the final swing.
The Braves led 4-0 after their half of the third, largely on Matt Olson’s two homers. Ozzie Albies and Michael Harris II added three hits apiece for Atlanta, which lost star outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. to hamstring tightness while he was attempting to leg out an infield single.
Dodgers 12, Pirates 3
Advertisement
Freddie Freeman recorded his 2,500th career hit as part of Los Angeles’ 10-run seventh inning, and the Dodgers thrashed host Pittsburgh.
The big frame featured three RBIs from Andy Pages, including a two-run homer, and two RBIs from Shohei Ohtani. Max Muncy finished with three hits for the Dodgers, and reliever Will Klein (2-2) threw 1 1/3 scoreless innings.
Bryan Reynolds and Ryan O’Hearn homered for the Pirates, who have lost four in a row. Reliever Wilber Dotel (1-1) allowed six runs (five earned) without retiring a batter.
Athletics 7, Brewers 5
Advertisement
Tyler Soderstrom and Nick Kurtz each homered for the third time in two games, powering the Athletics to a victory over Milwaukee, evening the three-game series in Las Vegas.
After homering seven times in the wild series opener, won by the Brewers 15-14 in 12 innings, the A’s pounded out another five homers on Tuesday at the hitter-friendly home of the Athletics’ Triple-A affiliate. Jonah Heim, Zack Gelof and Henry Bolte (his first in the majors) also went deep for the A’s.
Athletics starter J.T. Ginn (4-3) allowed five runs in 5 2/3 innings to beat Brewers starter Robert Gasser (0-3), who yielded six runs in five innings. Mason Barnett tossed two scoreless for his first career save. Jackson Chourio had Milwaukee’s lone homer.
Mariners 6, Orioles 5 (10 innings)
Advertisement
Randy Arozarena hit the second pitch of the 10th inning for a two-run home run and Seattle held on to defeat host Baltimore.
It was Arozarena’s third hit of the game. Seattle’s Mitch Garver socked a three-run home run in the fourth inning and Logan Gilbert pitched six strong frames, allowing one run on three hits. Jose Ferrer (1-1) gave up two ninth-inning runs to blow a save but instead recorded the win.
Coby Mayo homered with one out in the bottom of the ninth before Samuel Basallo’s fielder’s-choice grounder tied the game. Baltimore scored another run in the 10th on Leody Taveras’ RBI single but failed to plate the tying run despite having runners on the corners and no outs.
Marlins 10, Diamondbacks 6
Advertisement
Otto Lopez, whose .341 batting average leads the majors, went 3-for-5 with four runs and the go-ahead RBI in the eighth inning as host Miami defeated Arizona.
Rookie catcher Joe Mack went 4-for-4 with three runs as the Marlins won for the sixth time in seven games thanks to a four-run eighth. After Max Meyer allowed two runs over 5 1/3 innings, Pete Fairbanks (3-3) struck out two in the ninth.
The Diamondbacks, just 3-8 in their past 11 games, were led by Ketel Marte, who went 3-for-5 with three RBIs, and homers from Corbin Carroll and Gabriel Moreno. Brandyn Garcia (0-1) permitted four runs over two-thirds of an inning.
Rays 4, Red Sox 3
Advertisement
Ryan Vilade went 3-for-4 and Nick Martinez turned in seven-plus strong innings to help Tampa Bay defeat Boston in St. Petersburg, Fla.
Martinez (6-2) held Boston to three runs on six hits. Bryan Baker retired the Red Sox in order in the ninth to earn his 18th save. Ben Williamson and Nick Fortes each contributed two hits and an RBI. Yandy Diaz singled and walked to extend his on-base streak to 23, the longest active streak in the major leagues.
Payton Tolle (3-3) pitched six innings and allowed four runs on nine hits in Boston’s third straight loss. Isiah Kiner-Falefa had two of the Red Sox’s six hits and scored twice, while Marcelo Mayer added a late two-run double.
Yankees 3, Guardians 2
Advertisement
Jazz Chisholm Jr. hit a go-ahead solo homer in the eighth inning, lifting visiting New York to a win over Cleveland.
Spencer Jones belted his first major league homer for the Yankees. New York reliever Camilo Doval (2-0) tossed a scoreless seventh, and Fernando Cruz earned his first save of the season with 1 2/3 shutout innings, making the Yankees the first AL team to record 40 wins.
Tim Herrin (0-2) gave up one run in 1 1/3 innings for the Guardians, who lost for the fifth time in six games. Cleveland’s Angel Martinez had two hits and an RBI.
Blue Jays 3, Phillies 2
Advertisement
Brandon Valenzuela capped a two-run ninth inning with a walk-off single as Toronto defeated visiting Philadelphia
Bryson Stott’s RBI double against Louis Varland (3-1) gave the Phillies a 2-1 lead in the top of the ninth, but in the bottom of the inning, Jhoan Duran (1-3) blew a save for the first time in 17 opportunities this year.
In first start since May 24, having recovered from a hamstring strain, Toronto ace Dylan Cease struck out 11 while allowing one run in six innings. His counterpart, Zack Wheeler, also threw six innings of one-run ball.
Advertisement
Cardinals 7, Mets 0
Dustin May pitched six stellar innings for his first win in nearly two months and Alec Burleson hit a two-run homer as visiting St. Louis extended its winning streak to five games with a victory over New York.
May (4-6) scattered four hits and a walk while striking out six. Cardinals rookie JJ Wetherholt hit a two-run single and Jordan Walker rapped an RBI double to highlight a four-run third inning. Ivan Herrera reached base five times, including three hits, and scored three times.
Mets starter Freddy Peralta (4-5) allowed a season-worst six runs on six hits in six innings. Rookie A.J. Ewing had two of New York’s five hits, but the Mets were shut out for the seventh time this season.
Advertisement
Royals 5, Rangers 3
Jac Caglianone homered twice and Kansas City used a four-run sixth inning to rally for a victory over visiting Texas.
Caglianone, who had three hits with a walk, led off the fifth inning with a home run for Kansas City’s first hit against Texas starter Nathan Eovaldi (5-7). He then highlighted the breakout sixth with a two-run shot. Both of Caglianone’s career two-homer games have come against the Rangers.
Josh Jung and Brandon Nimmo each had two hits for Texas, which had won seven of nine, a stretch that began with a three-game home sweep of Kansas City. Texas’ Corey Seager and Jake Burger had an RBI apiece.
Advertisement
Tigers 10, Twins 4
Dillon Dingler homered twice among four hits and knocked in four runs as streaking Detroit pounded visiting Minnesota.
Kerry Carpenter supplied a two-run shot and Riley Greene added a solo blast while driving in two runs as the Tigers won for the sixth time in seven games. Gleyber Torres contributed a two-run single. Detroit starter Troy Melton (3-0) gave up four runs and eight hits in five innings.
Josh Bell hit his 200th career homer for the Twins, who have lost five of their past six. Byron Buxton led off the game with a homer, Brooks Lee and Kody Clemens added solo homers, and Minnesota starter Taj Bradley (5-3) allowed five runs and seven hits in 4 1/3 innings.
Advertisement
Rockies 7, Cubs 3
Hunter Goodman and Ezequiel Tovar homered as Colorado beat Chicago in Denver.
Edouard Julien had two hits and drove in three runs, Willi Castro finished with three hits and Kyle Karros had two hits for Colorado, which snapped a four-game losing streak. Tomoyuki Sugano (6-4) allowed three runs on six hits in five-plus innings.
Michael Busch homered and Alex Bregman had two hits and an RBI for Chicago, which has lost six of its past eight games. Cubs starter Colin Rea (5-4) lasted 4 2/3 innings, allowing season-high totals of seven runs and nine hits.
Advertisement
Reds 5, Padres 3 (11 innings)
Sal Stewart clouted a two-run homer in the 11th inning and visiting Cincinnati snapped a five-game losing streak with a victory over San Diego.
Stewart drilled a hanging splitter from Yuki Matsui (0-1) over the center field wall for the decisive runs. Tejay Antone (1-0) picked up the win despite allowing a run in the 10th. Zach Maxwell earned his first major league save with a 1-2-3 11th.
San Diego starter Lucas Giolito pitched four innings, permitting two hits and two runs, one earned. Samad Taylor, Jackson Merrill and Fernando Tatis Jr. each notched an RBI hit for the Padres, who have lost 12 of their past 15 games.
Advertisement
Angels 10, Astros 1
Oswald Peraza had three RBIs and Jo Adell and Wade Meckler drove in two apiece as Los Angeles built an early seven-run lead and cruised to a victory over Houston in Anaheim, Calif.
Walbert Urena (4-4) pitched five scoreless innings for the Angels, who had lost six of their previous eight games. Sebastian Rivero had two hits before exiting with a left wrist injury, and Nolan Schanuel left with a calf ailment.
Brice Matthews had an RBI single for the Astros, who had won three of their previous four contests. Kai-Wei Teng (3-5) was roughed up for seven runs (five earned) and seven hits over four innings.
Advertisement
Nationals 6, Giants 3
Luis Garcia Jr. hit the 11th pitch of the game for a two-run homer, James Wood had three hits and scored twice and Washington made it two straight wins at San Francisco.
Andrew Alvarez and four relievers overcame nine hits and seven walks to limit the Giants to three runs, helping the Nationals improve to 4-1 on a six-game Western swing. Daylen Lile drove in a pair with a bases-loaded walk and an RBI triple.
Giants starter Adrian Houser (2-6) worked 4 1/3 innings and gave up three runs and four hits. Bryce Elridge ripped a late solo shot and Jung Hoo Lee contributed a pair of hits and RBIs for San Francisco.
The latest data from the World Health Organization, released on June 6, shows there have been 515 confirmed cases in the country and 19 in neighboring Uganda, which has seen at least two deaths.
Isabel Brosius, an infectious disease specialist from the Institute of Tropical Medicine in Antwerp, Belgium, is in DR Congo. She told DW that the outbreak is devastating a country that has been wracked by conflict on its eastern flank and several other significant public health threats.
“Ebola can be a very scary disease. So definitely, when this happens in a population that is not always super health-literate, that’s a very scary thing. People start to wonder why is this happening or what caused it. And then if you have a deep-rooted mistrust in government or other actors and fake news or messages, it just adds on to the general sense of insecurity,” she said.
Advertisement
Has Ebola affected the World Cup yet?
DR Congo qualified for the World Cup for the first time in 52 years back in April but their preparations for their opener against Portugal on June 17 have been impacted by the Ebola outbreak.
World Cup hosts the United States, where DR Congo is to be based, require all non-US citizens who have been in DR Congo, Uganda or South Sudan to spend 21 days outside those countries and be symptom-free before they’re permitted to enter the US.
Despite the outbreak being currently confined to the Ituri Province, in the country’s north-east, the squad’s training camp, slated for the capital Kinshasa, several thousand kilometers away in the west, was moved to Belgium, where the squad trained in a COVID-19-style “bubble.” All of DR Congo’s squad play their club football outside the country and reports suggest none of the players have visited of late.
A pre-tournament friendly against Chile, originally due to take place in Spain, will now be played behind closed doors in the French city of Orleans on Tuesday, after Spanish local authorities blocked the initial match on public health grounds. With many teams already in North America, DR Congo’s arrival in Houston will give them relatively little time to acclimatize.
“The only thing I can say is that we’re used to adapting, and whatever happens, we’ll have no problem adapting to all these situations,” DR Congo coach Sebastien Desabre said.
Advertisement
Is there a danger of Ebola being spread at the World Cup?
According to Brosius, almost none. She emphasized that Ebola is “not transmitted through air droplets and requires close contact with a sick or deceased person or their contaminated environment,” meaning a spread internationally or through travel is highly unlikely.
DR Congo is the epicenter of a serious Ebola outbreakImage: Jospin Mwisha/AFP
“Just as we saw in 2014-2016 with the biggest Ebola outbreak that we’ve seen yet, the capacity for international spread and establishing local transmission in other countries through air travel, etc…, is actually quite limited.”
“The risk that random supporters that go to a match in one of the three host countries or the players come into contact with it is, I would consider, near zero,” she added.
What is the position of the World Cup hosts on Ebola?
Cohosts the US, Canada and Mexico recently released a joint statement on the matter. It emphasized “aligned public health travel measures for individuals coming from African regions at greatest risk from the Ebola virus” without going into too many specifics.
Advertisement
While the US has insisted on the 21-day rule, Canada has temporarily banned residents of the DRC, Uganda and South Sudan from entering the country for 90 days and Mexico has introduced tighter Ebola screening measures at airports and mandated the 21-day quarantine.
What is the situation for World Cup fans from DR Congo?
Tournament organizers FIFA have said they are monitoring the spread of the disease but the quarantine restrictions mean very few fans would be able to travel, even if they can afford a ticket.
What makes this Ebola outbreak different
As a result, Veron Mosengo-Omba, the president of DR Congo’s football federation (FECOFA), has asked FIFA to refund affected fans.
Advertisement
“We asked FIFA if it is possible to take this into consideration, because the tickets are a little bit expensive,” he told the BBC. “They are punished because they cannot get [into the United States] to see the World Cup to support their team.
“We don’t want our supporters who love football, who love the World Cup, to lose everything.”
FIFA have said they will look into the matter “in due course,” according to the BBC.
The Carolina Hurricanes will look to even up their best-of-seven series when they battle the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 4 of their 2026 Stanley Cup Final matchup on Tuesday. Vegas outlasted Carolina 5-4 in double overtime on Saturday night to take a 2-1 series lead. The Hurricanes (53-22-7), who finished the regular season with 113 points, are looking to win their second-ever Stanley Cup. The Golden Knights (39-26-17), who finished with 95 points, are looking to win their second Stanley Cup title and first since 2023. The Hurricanes have not committed to a starting goalie after Brandon Bussi came in for Frederik Anderson in Game 3.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NHL game 10,000 times. The model entered the 2026 Stanley Cup Final with a +568 return on top-rated money-line NHL picks. Anyone following its NHL betting advice at sportsbooks and on betting apps could have seen strong returns.
After 10,000 simulations of Hurricanes vs. Golden Knights, SportsLine’s model is going Over on the total (5.5). The Over has hit in six of the past 10 head-to-head matchups. The Over has also hit in each of the last four Carolina games, and in four of the past five Vegas games. The Over has also hit in 50 of the last 98 Carolina games with two pushes.
Iran‘s football federation said on Tuesday its ticket allocation had been pulled just days before the World Cup starts, leaving supporters who had already made travel plans unable to attend their team’s matches.
The World Cup begins on Thursday, with Iran playing their first two Group G games in Los Angeles, against New Zealand on June 15 and Belgium on June 21, and then facing Egypt in Seattle on June 26.
In a statement, the Football Federation Islamic Republic of Iran (FFIRI) said it had already begun the ticket sales process for the matches but could no longer provide them to fans.
Advertisement
“This is despite the fact that many Iranian football fans, relying on the officially announced process, had already made the necessary plans to attend the matches,” the FFIRI added in a statement.
“Depriving Iranian supporters of access to their lawful and official allocation of tickets is an action contrary to the spirit governing international competitions and the principle of equality among participating countries.
“This development raises serious questions about the interference of non-sporting and political considerations in the organization of the world’s biggest football event.”
Each participating federation at the World Cup receives 8% of the tickets for each of their matches to be allocated to fans according to their own criteria.
Advertisement
The FFIRI did not say who had made the decision to withhold the tickets but urged FIFA, soccer’s governing body, to adhere to “the principles of neutrality, fairness, and established regulations” and called on it to prevent off-field issues from casting a shadow over the tournament.
FIFA did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
‘Principles of neutrality’
FIFA chief Gianni Infantino stated in 2017 — when US soccer officials were preparing a co-hosting bid with Canada and Mexico they won the following year — that fans must have access to the tournament.
“It’s obvious when it comes to FIFA competitions as well (that) any team, including the supporters and the officials of that team, who would qualify for a World Cup need to have access to the country, otherwise there is no World Cup,” Infantino said nine years ago. “That is obvious.”
Advertisement
Iran’s participation in the World Cup has been clouded by uncertainty since the US and Israel launched air strikes on the Islamic Republic in late February, triggering a regional conflict.
The FFIRI negotiated to move the team’s base camp from Arizona to Mexico, due to uncertainty over whether they would be granted US visas and a growing feeling in Iran that the squad’s presence in the US should be kept to a minimum.
Iran’s World Cup team arrives in Mexico amid US visa row
To display this content from YouTube, you must enable advertisement tracking and audience measurement.
Advertisement
One of your browser extensions seems to be blocking the video player from loading. To watch this content, you may need to disable it on this site.
After weeks of uncertainty, the US awarded visas to all the players last week – 10 days before their first match – but several members of staff did not receive them.
A US official told Reuters on Friday that the administration had issued “the visas necessary for Iran to compete in the World Cup”.
FIFA said earlier on Tuesday that Secretary General Mattias Grafstrom had held a “positive discussion” with FFIRI President Mehdi Taj after the team arrived at their tournament base.
Advertisement
“With the team now in Mexico, FIFA will continue dialogue and collaboration with the FFIRI to ensure the team and the delegation’s experience is a positive one,” Grafstrom said in a statement.
SAN FRANCISCO — Veronica Burton scored 19 of her 25 points in the first half as Golden State quickly built a big lead and also dished out eight assists, Gabby Williams added 25 points, and the Valkyries held off the Phoenix Mercury for an 87-81 win Tuesday night.
Burton made 5 of her 7 shots in the initial two quarters and finished 7 for 15 from the floor. Janelle Salaun contributed 11 points and five rebounds off the bench for the Valkyries, who shot 57.1% on the way to a 49-32 lead at intermission and 44.3% for the game.
Williams’ 3-pointer with 5:58 to play put the Valkyries ahead 74-67, then she found Kaila Charles for a key layup with 2:26 left. Kayla Thornton’s 3 the next time down helped seal it before Williams converted a three-point play moments later.
Golden State guard Tiffany Hayes went down with 5:13 left in the second quarter after a collision but later returned. The Valkyries had lost two in a row and led by as many as 18 but were threatened in this one after Phoenix’s 29-point third quarter cut the lead to 66-61 going into the final 10 minutes.
Advertisement
Alyssa Thomas started and finished with 22 points, nine assists and eight rebounds for the Mercury after dealing with a left calf injury and missing Friday’s game at Portland. She was whistled for a technical foul 1:47 before halftime, then Kahleah Copper got a technical with 56 seconds remaining.
Monique Akoa Makani scored 19 points and Natasha Mack grabbed 10 rebounds for Phoenix, which had won two straight following a six-game skid. The Mercury, who lost 95-79 at Chase Center on May 10 in the Valkyries’ home opener, committed 16 turnovers that led to 17 points for Golden State. The teams will face off again July 29 in Phoenix.
The Mercury dropped to 3-2 on the road against the Western Conference.
England’s preparations for the second Test against New Zealand have been overshadowed by a fresh off-field controversy involving captain Ben Stokes and fast bowler Gus Atkinson. The pair are reported to have broken the team curfew after England’s 115-run victory in the opening Test at Lord’s and later become involved in an altercation that allegedly escalated into a physical confrontation.The rugby player involved was identified by Britain’s Press Association as Totoa Auvaa, the former Samoa A and Samoa Under-20 captain, who stands 6ft 5in (1.95m) tall and weighs more than 124kg. The investigation into the incident has delayed England’s squad announcement for the second Test at The Oval and intensified scrutiny of Stokes’ leadership.The episode has also fuelled speculation about Stokes’ longer-term future. Recent reports have suggested the England all-rounder is reassessing his international career, with retirement among the possibilities being discussed.
Boycott calls for suspension, not a fine
Former England captain Geoffrey Boycott said the ECB must act firmly if Stokes is found to have breached team rules, arguing that the captain should not receive special treatment because of his importance to the side.“The England and Wales Cricket Board has to make an example of Ben Stokes and slap him with a suspension after he was caught breaking the team’s curfew. You cannot have the captain blatantly breaking the rules and not do anything about it just because he is so important to the team,” Boycott wrote in his column for The Telegraph.Boycott also said the responsibility for dealing with the matter rests with England’s cricket leadership, while acknowledging that any final judgment on Stokes’ future should await the findings of the investigation.“If Rob Key, the England director of cricket, or Richard Gould, the ECB chief executive, are not up to the task of disciplining Stokes then they should not be in a job. I said before that Brendon McCullum and Key should have been sacked. Come on Rob and Brendon, what are you going to do about this? Whether Stokes should be sacked depends on the full circumstances of the incident. An investigation is ongoing and it has to get to the bottom of what happened before making that judgment call,” he added.
Discipline and leadership under the spotlight
In Boycott’s view, the issue extends beyond a single night out and goes directly to standards within the England setup. He argued that a token financial penalty would send the wrong message and that any punishment must underline the captain’s responsibility to lead by example.“But that does not detract from the fact that Stokes as captain should be setting the tone. England cannot beat Australia next summer without discipline. And discipline applies off the field as well as on it. We don’t want a paltry fine. They earn so much money now that a few thousand quid means nothing to them. It is a suspension we need to see,” he wrote.With the ECB investigation still underway, no disciplinary outcome has yet been announced. Until that process concludes, uncertainty continues to hang over Stokes, Atkinson and England’s leadership ahead of the next Test.
Manchester United wonderkid JJ Gabriel is set to get some game time against some big names
JJ Gabriel has learned when he could make his senior debut after Manchester United put the final touches to their pre-season plans.
After an exceptional season for the under-18s, which saw him score 21 goals in 23 games, the 15-year-old is set to be part of United’s pre-season tour of mainland Europe. As he was 14 when last season began, he was unable to play for the first team in the Premier League.
Advertisement
There are no restrictions now and he could conceivably become one of the youngest players in Premier League history next season. With the club keen to show there is a path to the first team and with many still stars recovering from the World Cup, Gabriel will be part of the pre-season tour that will now feature a prestigious friendly against AC Milan in Wroclaw, Poland on August 15.
Get MEN Premium now for just £1 HERE – or get involved in our United WhatsApp group by clicking HERE. You can also join our United Facebook page by clicking HERE and don’t miss out on our brilliant selection of newsletters HERE.
By then, United’s World Cup stars will have returned to the squad, with the Premier League season starting a week late. The Reds open their pre-season with a clash against Wrexham in Helsinki on July 18 – the day before the World Cup final – before facing Rosenborg in Trondheim, Norway the following Friday.
They then play two fixtures in Sweden, meeting Atletico Madrid in the Snapdragon Cup in Stockholm on August 1 and facing European champions Paris St Germain in Gothenburg one week later.
Advertisement
United face Leeds in Dublin on August 12 and will complete their pre-season against Milan three days later. Gabriel is likely to figure in the early friendlies at least, and probably more if he impresses.
Michael Carrick had already seen enough last season, inviting him to train with the first team. Speaking in March, Carrick said: “He is not allowed [to be part of a first-team squad on a matchday]. He’s too young.
“JJ’s doing really well. We’ve got some really good players in the academy and we try and get the younger players up [with the main group] as much as we can.
Advertisement
“We’re always trying to give them that exposure. JJ is a big talent, it is pretty obvious and he has had a good season for U18s. We think an awful lot of him.
“But patience is important in managing everything that comes with that and developing him and picking the right moment to step up, to leave them in a certain place. He’s trained well and it is good to have young players up.”
On United’s pre-season programme, director of football Jason Wilcox told the club’s website: “With fixtures now confirmed across five countries and six fantastic cities, these matches will provide strong preparation for the 2026-27 season and a valuable opportunity to connect with our incredible fans across Europe. Their support will be vital as we build momentum.”
Advertisement
Get Man United’s new 2026/27 home kit
This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more
Manchester United have launched their new home kit for the 2026/27 season, inspired by the club’s heritage and featuring a classic polo collar with iconic adidas details.
Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray stands on the sideline during pregame ceremonies before a matchup with the Atlanta Falcons at State Farm Stadium. Murray had recently returned from injury and was preparing for the next chapter of his career in Arizona. Captured on Nov. 12, 2023, the image reflects a pivotal moment in his comeback season. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports.
Last year, the NFL media and fan community debated whether quarterback Kyler Murray had been “softly benched” in Arizona, a theory that felt vindicated when the Cardinals released him in March. Fast forward to June 2026, and Bleacher Report claims Murray could be benched again this season, this time courtesy of the Minnesota Vikings.
BR’s Kristopher Knox published a list of the most benchable quarterbacks this year, and sadly, Murray made the cut.
Not Everyone Is Sold on the Vikings’ QB1 Solution
Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray celebrates after scoring a rushing touchdown during a home game against the Los Angeles Chargers at State Farm Stadium. Murray’s mobility remained a central part of Arizona’s offensive identity and playmaking ability. Captured on Oct. 21, 2024, the moment highlights one of the quarterback’s trademark strengths in open space. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images.
BR: Murray Could Be Benched
On a list that included players like Jacoby Brissett and Geno Smith, Murray got benchable treatment. Knox wrote, “According to ESPN’s Kevin Seifert, Murray currently leads the competition, and the gap between the quarterbacks is ‘not close.’ Murray is a dynamic dual-threat and was a Pro Bowler early in his career with Arizona.”
Advertisement
“He should give Minnesota a boost at quarterback this season, and at 28 years old, he could potentially become a long-term answer for Minnesota. However, there’s no guarantee that Murray will do either of those things. He never showed consistency as a passer with the Cardinals — the offense was more effective with Brissett behind center last season — and he has never delivered a playoff win.”
While Murray has never notched a triumph in the postseason, the Vikings haven’t won a playoff game since 2019.
“It’s easy to think that Murray will be better under Kevin O’Connell and with weapons like Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison at his disposal,” Knox continued.
Advertisement
“If he isn’t, though, Minnesota may eventually give McCarthy another chance to redeem himself. McCarthy, after all, is only two years into his rookie contract, while Murray is only signed through this season.”
Well … Insert for McCarthy for a Sequel
Should Murray get benched, McCarthy would step in, presenting his true shot at redemption. He would need to be prepared, and the Vikings would quickly assess his capabilities. He notably displayed flashes of potential in 2025, particularly in late-game situations. Following Week 14, he was even ranked as the NFL’s sixth-best quarterback per EPA+CPOE.
It’s entirely conceivable that McCarthy could enter, stabilize the offense, and permanently secure the starting position.
Advertisement
Furthermore, he still has ample time. First-round quarterbacks are eligible for a fifth-year option, and McCarthy will only be 23 this season. If he excels by 2028, Minnesota can exercise that option, maintaining its long-term strategy. It’s one of the distinct advantages of having both Murray and McCarthy: the Vikings gain an immediate upgrade while preserving McCarthy’s potential for an additional three years.
The sole reason for a trade would be if McCarthy himself demanded one. Should he desire to leave, Minnesota would face a decision. Until then, exercising patience remains the most prudent course of action.
In short, if Murray gets benched per the BR speculation, well, the Vikings planned for this, and his name is J.J. McCarthy.
The Murray Price Is Still Worth It
Advertisement
Murray arrived in Minnesota with a $1.3 million price tag. That’s absurdly affordable. In fact, every team in the NFL should’ve jumped on Murray’s availability, including teams with elite quarterbacks, like the Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs, solely because the value was just so tremendous.
Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray warms up before a matchup with the Los Angeles Chargers at State Farm Stadium. Murray entered the contest as one of the league’s most dynamic dual-threat quarterbacks, capable of extending plays with his arm and legs. Photographed on Nov. 27, 2022, the image captures his pregame preparation. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports.
Consider this: if Murray flames out in Minnesota or gets hurt this summer, adding him for $1.3 million was still worth the gamble.
If you believe in sports hacks, this is the grandaddy — obtaining Murray for the veteran minimum. The value gets no better.
Two Other Ex-Vikings on the BR List
Daniel Jones, who stopped by the Vikings in 2024, also made Knox’s list: “Jones, who was recently cleared for 7-on-7 work, will need to replicate his 2025 success. If he can’t, the Colts may try to salvage the season with Richardson — if he’s still on the roster — or Riley Leonard, while keeping an eye on that 2027 QB class. Unfortunately, playing well on a year-to-year basis wasn’t something Jones did during his six seasons with the New York Giants.”
Advertisement
So did Kirk Cousins, who quarterbacked the Vikings from 2018 to 2023, though a benchable Cousins is to be expected after the Las Vegas Raiders drafted Fernando Mendoza in April.
“Let’s not forget that the Falcons went 5-3 with Cousins as the starter last year and might well have won the NFC South if it had leaned on him all season. If Las Vegas is a surprise playoff team with Cousins at the helm, hold off on passing the proverbial torch,” Knox opined about Cousins.
Quarterback Kirk Cousins speaks with reporters after signing with the Las Vegas Raiders and reuniting with head coach Klint Kubiak. Cousins discussed his transition to a new team, offensive expectations, and relationships with teammates. Captured on Apr. 6, 2026, the media session marked an important step in his latest NFL chapter. Mandatory Credit: YouTube.
“If the Raiders aren’t in a position to make a run, however, they’ll turn things over to Mendoza once they feel he is prepared to start. As Gagnon put it, the reigning Heisman winner and national champion is “the long-term dude” for Las Vegas.”
Murray will turn 29 in August, and if BR has it wrong about his benchability, he could latch on as the Vikings’ QB1 for the next half-decade-plus.
Dustin Baker is a novelist and political scientist. His second novel, The Invaders , is out now. So is … More about Dustin Baker
Two summers ago, Scotland’s Euros opener proved to be one of their biggest letdowns under Clarke – a 5-1 loss to hosts Germany.
“We have to remember how bad that felt,” the head coach says.
Clarke believes that crushing defeat put Scotland “on the back foot” for the remainder of their tournament, which again ended at the group stage.
“This time, we have to make sure we start on the front foot,” he insists.
Advertisement
On the evidence of the Scots’ warm-up displays, there are signs they can achieve that against a similarly-ranked nation this weekend.
The recent adoption of an aggressive 4-4-2 shape with two strikers playing centrally and direct winger Ben Doak operating off the right feeds into the idea of a “different Steve Clarke”, although he suggested he has been unfairly “tagged with a label”.
“I think I’ve shown consistently throughout my time that I’m prepared to try something different,” says Clarke, who feels he has his best depth across a Scotland squad.
“Going into this tournament, the something different was to think about maybe playing 4-4-2 to see how it worked.
Advertisement
“What people don’t understand is when you’re at a club you can work on a system for a long period of time and have a lot of training sessions on it. When you’re in an international camp you don’t have that.”
You must be logged in to post a comment Login