Iran’s football federation president has reportedly declared the nation will “boycott America, but not the World Cup”, amid escalating doubts over their participation in the tournament.

The statement follows US and Israeli air strikes on Iran since late February, casting a shadow over the team’s scheduled group matches, which are all set to take place in the United States this summer.

Mehdi Taj, the head of Iran’s football federation, was quoted by the Fars news agency on Wednesday stating: “We will boycott America, but we will not boycott the World Cup.”

This echoed earlier remarks attributed to Mr Taj on Tuesday, posted on the Iranian embassy in Mexico’s X account, where he claimed to be “negotiating” with Fifa to relocate Iran’s fixtures to Mexico.

However, the Press Association understands that as of Thursday morning, Fifa had received no official communication from the Iranian federation regarding any relocation.

Fifa itself issued a statement on Tuesday, appearing to dismiss the possibility of moving games, affirming it anticipated all teams competing “as per the match schedule announced on December 6, 2025.”

Even if group stage matches were to be moved, potential issues would persist for subsequent knockout rounds.

For instance, if both Iran and the US were to finish second in their respective groups, they would be slated to meet in Dallas on 3 July.

Donald Trump commented last week that it would not be “appropriate” for Iran to play at the World Cup “for their life and safety.”

Despite the uncertainty, Mr Taj reportedly informed the Fars news agency on Wednesday that Iran intends to proceed with friendly matches against Nigeria and Costa Rica in Turkey later this month.

Iran have been placed in Group G at the World Cup and are due to play New Zealand, Belgium and Egypt, with the first two matches slated for California and their final game scheduled for Seattle.

Sam Curran is set to miss the upcoming edition of the IPL.© AFP

As the Detroit Pistons have suddenly become a contender for the NBA title, their best player will be missing for the foreseeable future.

Cade Cunningham, who has thrust his name into the MVP conversation, has been diagnosed with a collapsed lung, according to ESPN, and is expected to miss an extended period of time.

The 24-year-old was the first overall pick five years ago out of Oklahoma State and has lived up to the billing, averaging 22.6 points, 7.9 assists and 5.4 rebounds per game in his career.

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Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham (2) looks on during the first half against the Washington Wizards at Capital One Arena. (Daniel Kucin Jr./Imagn Images)

He has hit another level in the last two seasons, though, being named an All-Star each time — last year, he finished seventh in the MVP vote. Since the start of the 2024-25 season, he’s put up 25.4 points, 5.8 boards and 9.5 assists per contest.

Cunningham has seen the trials and tribulations of the Pistons, as it was just three seasons ago when they set the all-time record for the longest losing streak in NBA history at 28 games and finished 14-68 under Monty Williams, who had just signed, at the time, the richest contract for an NBA coach in history.

Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham (2) celebrates during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Indiana Pacers in Indianapolis, Monday, Nov. 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

ICONIC SPORTS VENUE MADISON SQUARE GARDEN TO HOST NYPD, STAFF AT PRIVATE CONCERT AMID ‘THANK YOU’ EFFORT

But the following season, the Pistons earned the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference before losing to the New York Knicks in the first round. However, they’ve taken the next step and are running away with the East with a 49-19 record, good for a 3.5-game lead in the conference ahead of the Boston Celtics. The Knicks are five games back.

The playoffs are set to begin on April 18, meaning Cunningham’s first-round availability is certainly up in the air. For context, C.J. McCollum missed roughly two months with the diagnosis in 2021 and about one month two years later.

Cade Cunningham of the Detroit Pistons handles the ball during the game against the Utah Jazz on Dec. 21, 2023, at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan. (Chris Schwegler/NBAE via Getty Images)

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So, it figures that if the Pistons make a run, Cunningham could return — but when certainly remains a question.

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In a significant development that could reshape the valuation dynamics of IPL franchises ahead of the 2026 season, NDTV has learnt from its sources that Rajasthan Royals have rejected a $1.7 billion (around 16,000 Cr) bid from the CPCP consortium, according to sources. The decision signals a clear intent from the franchise’s ownership group to push for a higher valuation, even as the broader market for team stakes gathers momentum. The bid for the IPL franchise Rajasthan Royals had come from Columbia Pacific Capital Partners (CPCP), which is an investment banking and private equity firm with operations across the United States and Canada. The consortium, led by founding partners Nisha Sachdeva and Debjeet Gupta, had reportedly committed to executing the full payment within a two-week window. It was an aggressive timeline that underscored financial readiness and intent of the firm.

However, despite the strong financial assurance, the Rajasthan Royals board turned down the offer. Sources indicate that while valuation was a key factor, the decision was also influenced by concerns around executability-an increasingly critical parameter in high-value sports transactions. The board is believed to have assessed not just the headline number, but the overall structure, certainty, and long-term strategic alignment of the proposal.

The rejection is telling. At $1.7 billion, the CPCP offer would already have placed Rajasthan Royals among the more highly valued IPL franchises. By declining it, Rajasthan Royals has reset market expectations. It is clear that the franchise led by Manoj Badale’s Emerging Media Ventures, which holds a 65% stake, along with minority investors such as RedBird Capital is willing to wait for a premium.

Rajasthan Royals’ move is being interpreted as a strategic play to capitalize on a seller’s market.

And the ripple effects are immediate, and perhaps most pronounced in the parallel sale process involving Royal Challengers Bengaluru. The RCB transaction, which is being closely tracked by investors and industry insiders alike, now finds itself operating in a recalibrated valuation environment.

Market estimates suggest that RCB could now command at least a 15% premium over Rajasthan Royals, especially given its stronger brand recall, larger fan base, and commercial appeal. NDTV had earlier reported that a consortium led by Dr Ranjan Pai of Manipal Hospitals, along with US private equity giant KKR and Singapore’s Temasek, is currently in pole position to acquire a stake in RCB.

IPL franchises are no longer just cricket teams, they are global sports properties and IPL itself is the world’s second-most valuable sports league on a per-match basis, with diversified revenue streams and expansion potential across formats, geographies, and digital platforms. Investors, in turn, are being evaluated not just on financial muscle but on their ability to unlock and sustain that growth.

As things stand, Rajasthan Royals remain firmly in control of the narrative. By rejecting a substantial bid, they have not only raised their own valuation floor but also influenced the trajectory of parallel deals-most notably that of RCB.

In effect, one decision has shifted the entire playing field.

The Minnesota Vikings have made another addition to their quarterback room.

After signing Kyler Murray to a one-year contract last week, the Vikings announced they signed Carson Wentz to a one-year deal on Thursday. Wentz spent last season with the Vikings as a backup to J.J. McCarthy.

With the addition of Murray and the return of Wentz, the Vikings have added competition for McCarthy while ensuring they have quality backup quarterback options. Murray and McCarthy will compete for the starting quarterback job, while Wentz will serve as one of the team’s backups.

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Minnesota Vikings quarterback Carson Wentz (11) drops back to pass against the Los Angeles Chargers during the first half at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, on Oct. 23, 2025. (Gary A. Vasquez/Imagn Images)

Wentz started five games last season, and the team went 2-3 in his starts. He completed 65.1% of his passes for 1,216 yards with six touchdowns and five interceptions. His season ended when he sustained a dislocated shoulder.

The 33-year-old tried to play through the injury before eventually undergoing surgery on the dislocation, a torn labrum, and a fracture in the shoulder.

MAXX CROSBY DESCRIBES ROLLER COASTER OF EMOTIONS DURING TENUOUS RAVENS ORDEAL, INCLUDING ‘OFF’ MEETING

Minnesota Vikings quarterback Carson Wentz (11) passes the ball during the first half of the NFL game between the Minnesota Vikings and the Cleveland Browns at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, England, on Oct. 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Ian Walton)

After Wentz got injured, and later McCarthy got injured for a second time last season, the Vikings were forced to start undrafted rookie Max Brosmer for two games, which were both losses. With Murray, Wentz, and McCarthy, the team is better equipped to survive quarterback injuries, which is pertinent because Murray and McCarthy both have lengthy injury histories.

Murray was limited to five games last season with a foot injury and has only played a full season once in the last four seasons, playing 11 games in 2022, 8 in 2023, 17 in 2024, and 5 last season.

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Minnesota Vikings quarterback Carson Wentz (11) passes the ball against the Cleveland Browns during the first quarter of an NFL International Series game at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, England, on Oct. 5, 2025. (Kirby Lee/Imagn Images)

McCarthy, on the other hand, missed his entire rookie season after tearing his meniscus in the preseason. He missed six games at the beginning of last year with a high ankle sprain, one with a concussion, and another with a hairline fracture in his right hand.

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Jan 3, 2026; Athens, Georgia, USA; Georgia Bulldogs guard Jeremiah Wilkinson (5) reacts after a play against the Auburn Tigers during the first half at Stegeman Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

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The Minnesota Vikings have a full stable of running backs on the 2026 menu, with Jordan Mason, Aaron Jones, and Zavier Scott set to return once again. Meanwhile, the club could still add a rookie, and per Jadarian Price’s lips, he wouldn’t mind joining the purple team.

Minnesota’s RB plans may still include a Day 2 or Day 3 addition.

The Notre Dame tailback spoke with Kay Adams this week, and Minnesota is on his list.

Price’s Skill Set Fits Kevin O’Connell’s Offense

Fans would not be mad about Price as the running back of the future.

Price to Adams: Vikings Would Be Nice for Next Team

Price spoke with Adams, and naturally, the pair spoke about his future, as the draft is five weeks away.

Adams walked through possible destinations, and she asked about the Vikings. Price replied, “Minnesota, huh? That’d be nice. Kyler Murray, Texas boy — shout out to Texas. Justin Jefferson … the best receiver in the league.”

Of course, fans took that as a ringing endorsement, especially because Minnesota could be in the market for a rookie tailback. It hasn’t drafted a quality one since Dalvin Cook in 2017 and Alexander Mattison in 2019.

Where to Get Price in the Draft

Price is currently slated as a 2nd-Rounder in next month’s draft, with the Consensus Big Board listing him at No. 48 as of March 19th. Believe it or not, this is ideal for Minnesota, the club that currently possesses the 49th overall pick in Round 2. It’s the first time in four years that the Vikings haven’t traded their 2nd-Rounder before the draft.

If Minnesota has to wait on Price at No. 48, it will certainly have to sweat. Price is expected to be the second running back taken after his running back teammate, Jeremiyah Love, flies off the board in the Top 12 picks. RB-needy teams will circle Price as the next best thing after Love, so the likelihood of him tumbling to No. 49 will be a pressure cooker for Vikings fans on the second night of the draft — if Price falls that far at all.

Price’s Scouting Report

Price played second fiddle to Love at Notre Dame — go figure — but he banked 1,854 yards from scrimmage and 24 total touchdowns in three seasons, which included 41 games. He averaged 6.0 yards per attempt and is 5’11 and 205 pounds. Price logged a 4.49 forty at the Combine. He’s known for his smooth running style, vision, and breakaway ability. Fumbles may be a concern.

A fair historical comp is probably something between Tony Pollard and Javonte Williams.

NFL Draft Buzz on Price: “The Combine did Price no favors. His tape tells one story: a decisive, versatile weapon who presses holes with patience and punishes defenders who take bad angles. The measurables tell a slightly different one, that of a back who checked in lighter than expected and timed out in good-but-not-great territory at 4.49 in the forty.”

“The truth, as it usually does, probably sits somewhere in the middle. He is a talented back whose production benefited from a favorable situation, but whose instincts and contact balance are undeniably his own. His fit remains strongest in zone-heavy schemes that get backs to the perimeter and let them use their eyes.”

Some have suggested the Seattle Seahawks could reach for Price at the end of Round 1 with the 32nd pick after Kenneth Walker III’s free-agent departure to the Kansas City Chiefs.

TBD continued, “Price presses the edge, waits for his blockers to develop leverage, and then plants and gets vertical with a burst that looked faster on film than his Combine number suggested.”

“He is not a back you hand the ball 25 times a game, but in a world where the NFL is moving toward committee approaches and valuing backs who stress defenses as receivers, Price checks a lot of boxes. His ability to split out wide and run routes from the slot is real, not just a projection.”

Other RB Options

Suppose the Vikings don’t land either Notre Dame runner and are forced to examine another rookie. Before the end of Round 4, according to the mock draft community, these tailbacks should be available:

• Kaytron Allen (Penn State)
• Jonah Coleman (Washington)
• Emmett Johnson (Nebraska)
• Nick Singleton (Penn State)
• Mike Washington Jr. (Arkansas)

Minnesota met with Johnson from Nebraska at the Combine and has also chatted with Wake Forest’s Demond Claiborne, who is expected to be picked in Round 5.

Price will turn 23 in October.