Sky is knocking 20% off its entire range of Glass TVs to mark the start of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Until June 17, shoppers can upgrade to the Sky smart TV that’s ‘designed for football’ from £4.50 per month when taken alongside a Sky TV and Netflix package.

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — On Tuesday afternoon in northern New Jersey, one of the planet’s most famous athletes did what all the greatest do so often: deliver when they’re expected to, even when the opponent is doing everything it can to prevent it from happening.

It’s an exhilarating thing to watch, made all the more beautiful to see on a flawless 75-degree day alongside more than 80,000 other witnesses. 

Kylian Mbappé is already one of the game’s elites, and yet there’s still so much more of his phenomenal career to go. It’s easy to forget as he embarks on his third World Cup (with a winner’s trophy and runners-up medal to his name already) that he’s still only 27 years old. That’s what makes this, right now, such a special moment for the World Cup on American soil. On Tuesday, he promptly announced his return to the grandest stage in soccer in emphatic fashion, putting on a second-half showing that reminded us yet again that the best of the best in every sport just have that knack for finding a way to Do Their Thing, leaving us slack-jawed as they change what’s hoped for into what is.

Mbappé deftly scooted home the first goal of France‘s game against Senegal in the 66th minute, breaking the seal in Group I’s first match. But it was the balletic blitzer’s second goal that boomed home from around 30 yards out in the game’s final minute of extra time, to make it 3-1 France, that sets him apart from most of the rest of the sport.

After Senegal scored a late goal in stoppage time to make the game 2-1, it took Mbappé less than two minutes to end the matter with the World Cup’s most bombastic goal through the first six days of this 48-team tournament. His beautiful clinching boot was a thunderclap message to the rest of the World Cup field and doubly set the tone for France in its first game of what’s hoped to be a strut to the World Cup final in this very stadium a little more than a month from now, on July 19. 

As someone who attended both, I can also say: Tuesday’s showing was the best performance at MetLife Stadium since Oasis’ epic two-nighter here last summer. On this day, Mbappé would not acquiesce. 

It was riveting for the spectacle, but special for the historic element. Mbappé’s two goals lifted him atop the all-time French table. His lifetime tally of goals for the French national team now logs at 58, placing him above France’s longtime stalwart, Olivier Giroud for most in that country’s history.

Mbappé is also, now, at 14 World Cup goals, tied for third-most all-time with Gerd Müller and only trailing Ronaldo‘s 15 (for now) and Miroslav Klose‘s 18. He’s got an outstanding chance to hold the record by the start of the knockout stage, let alone at the end of the tournament … if Lionel Messi doesn’t relent. The Argentinian legend matched Mbappé less than six hours later on Tuesday by dropping two goals in the late game against Algeria in Kansas City. 

And as for the scenes? If you have the means to attend at least one World Cup match, you have to. As I made my way through the crowds on the concourse level and into the seats, I saw kits from at least a dozen countries. In what’s fast becoming a running theme, Mexico was particularly prominent here. But of course, the crowd was heavily draped in blue, red and white. The French showed up early, taking over MetLife Stadium.

I typically cover basketball games for CBS Sports, but living in the northeast, I’ve been to a handful of NFL games as a fan at both MetLife Stadium and its predecessor, Giants Stadium. I was in the stands on a Sunday night in 2006 when Chicago Bears speedster Devin Hester brought back the second-most famous return of his Hall of Fame career, a 108-yard house call after a missed field goal.

I remember the roar and awe of the crowd on that night as it watched the most brilliant return man in NFL history tap into his greatness.

That roar and awe was even greater on Tuesday, and it was like that not just because of the World Cup — but because of Mbappé. The event’s return to the United States for the first time in 32 years is going to reignite this country’s passion not just for soccer (potentially on a level that’s never been seen here), but for the epic theater that this incredible global event will provide — and its stars will make it marquee.

Mbappé has a keen sense for the moment. France got off to a terrible start, only managing one shot on goal in the first half to Senegal’s five.

By the game’s end, it was 11-6 in France’s favor. The expected goal battle tilted toward the favorite, with France pulling ahead 1.79 to 0.56. Despite a slow start, France was clearly the dominant side by match’s end.

That’s because France is arguably the most loaded team in this event. They are stacked with attackers. They can sub in some of the most gifted players in the world. Bradley Barcola of Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain scored France’s second, the other substiute for France, Premier League runner-up Rayan Cherki. While other highly rated countries have been a tad sluggish to start, with other top-tier favorites Brazil and Spain dropping points, Les Bleus are immediately off and booming. 

It all starts with Mbappé, whose celebrity reach was palpable around the stadium from start to finish. The crowd’s collective response every time the ball hit his foot was like a jerk to the senses. He practically tilts the field while simultaneously flaring your attention. There is a magnetism to him that few athletes carry.

And any possession feels like it could end with a blast of dynamite. 

In Group I, France are the overwhelming favorite to leave with three wins and stomp into the knockout stage. Despite that inevitability, Mbappé’s presence makes France must-see every game, no matter the opposing side.

To get to see this was something I’ll never forget, and I’m saying this about an opening match in group play with more than a month remaining in this terrific tournament. You can’t just wave off greatness when you see it. It stays with you. The only athletes I’ve ever watched in person who could compare to Mbappé’s presence, crowd control and greatness are Michael Jordan and Tom Brady. And while he’s not on that level yet, could he get there in the next decade?

Or.

Could he get there in the next month?

If Mbappé is indeed that great, he’ll take what could be and change it into what is. 

San Diego State rode an elite defense to a great 2025 season to set the stage for its entrance into the Pac-12.

Are the Aztecs a threat to win the league under head coach Sean Lewis?

Spencer joins ‘Locked On Pac-12’ host Christian Rauh to discuss.

This segment is from Monday’s episode of Locked On College Football with Spencer McLaughlin: Pac-12 BUZZ: San Diego State RISING to be conference contender?

Sean Lewis MUST overcome this task

/ @lockedoncollegefootball  

Caitlin Clark put on a clinic Tuesday night, leading the Indiana Fever to a dominant 113-91 win over the Toronto Tempo — a franchise so new that half the audience was probably doing a double take when the score appeared.

Oh, and the win was the fourth consecutive victory for the scorching-hot Fever.

Caitlin Clark draws a foul from Maria Conde during Indiana’s victory over the Toronto Tempo. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) ((Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images))

But the biggest milestone of the night was Clark reclaiming the top spot on the WNBA assists leaderboard. She recorded 14 assists in just 32 minutes.

CAITLIN CLARK DROPS 21 POINTS AND 10 ASSISTS AFTER WNBA USED RAVEN JOHNSON IN FEVER PROMO GRAPHICS

She was equally effective when looking for her own shot.

Clark finished with 21 points, forcing Toronto to respect her scoring ability and preventing defenders from keying solely on her passing.

Caitlin Clark ran absolute circles around the Toronto Tempo during another dominant night in Indy. (Photo by Brian Spurlock/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) ((Photo by Brian Spurlock/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images))

By balancing her responsibilities as both a facilitator and scorer, she kept Indiana’s offense difficult to predict. She also added five rebounds.

CAITLIN CLARK PUTS UP REGGIE MILLER-LIKE SHOOTING DISPLAY IN RETURN FROM INJURY; SCORES 9 POINTS IN 38 SECONDS

Orchestrating an offense that produced 113 points and a 22-point victory margin was a nice reminder from Clark of her WNBA dominance.

Frankly, we’ve never seen a player like her, though some have already forgotten.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Indiana’s recent surge may be less of a hot streak and more of a glimpse of what’s to come in this much-discussed third season for the WNBA phenom.

Clark retakes the league lead in assists after Tuesday night rout of Toronto Tempo. (Photo by Pepper Robinson/NBAE via Getty Images) ((Photo by Pepper Robinson/NBAE via Getty Images))

Send us your thoughts: alejandro.avila@outkick.com / Follow along on X: @alejandroaveela  

ZERO BS. JUST DAKICH. TAKE THE DON’T @ ME PODCAST ON THE ROAD. DOWNLOAD NOW!

There are few things more basic than turning towards a screen and expecting Lionel Messi to score. It is why spectators fill MLS stadiums on the regular, like clockwork, a drilled-in habit rather than an intentional, carefully chosen option. It is probably why thousands spent hundreds or thousands of dollars to pack Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo. on a Tuesday as Argentina faced Algeria in their World Cup opener. There’s almost a banal predictability to it, to the point that it almost doesn’t feel like news because of its routine nature; all the more easy to write him off because he’s a week away from his 39th birthday.

And yet, Messi still manages to captivate.

Another chapter to Messi’s already historic legacy was written on Tuesday in the American Midwest and an appropriate one at that. The World Cup winner equalled Germany international Miroslav Klose’s record for most career tournament goals with 16, reaching the feat on the back of three expertly taken goals that offered the latest reminder of his unnaturally natural talent. The historic goal was perhaps the least exciting of the three he scored on Tuesday, but it did not dim the quality he boasts more often than not when he takes to the pitch. Nico Gonzalez’s pass landed at Messi’s feet, the star with barely any bodies around him to try to nick the ball away. It was the perfect opportunity for him to take a shot from the edge of the penalty area and after two impressive goals behind him, he was not going to miss from there.

Leave it to Messi to mark multiple accomplishments in one go. He managed the feat while winning his 200th cap for Argentina and did so on the day of his very first World Cup hattrick, all while becoming his team’s oldest-ever goalscorer at the tournament exactly 20 years after becoming their youngest-ever scorer. It was also the first hattrick of this summer’s World Cup, six other players scoring braces to open the tournament before he notched a third.

It is a noteworthy feat for someone whose quality has undoubtedly dimmed from his peak years, and for the leader of a team many do not believe will successfully defend their World Cup title from 2022. It has been easy to suggest that Messi and Argentina will not be at the peak of their powers this time around; one win, no matter how notable, is not enough to necessarily change minds. He has been on the verge of being outshadowed by younger players making their best case to take over the spotlight he will undoubtedly leave behind one day – France’s Kylian Mbappe and Norway’s Erling Haaland each opened their World Cup campaigns with a brace in decisive wins for their teams.

Somehow, someway, though, Messi seems to find a way. For the first time in his storied career, he is back at the World Cup without the weight of a passionate nation on his shoulders. The trophy that had eluded him for decades has already been won, every complementary accolade already part of the collection. Without another title this summer, his impressive legacy is already set. Every time the sport itches for a new star, Messi offers a stark reminder that his abilities have not faded all that much – he might not be peak Messi anymore, but Messi is still Messi. Opposing defenders rarely seem to have a solution, even if it is the most obvious job they will be tasked with. Even if a Messi goal is ridiculously easy to predict, his movements are hard to track on the field; he will make his moments count far more often than he will not, leaving opponents and fans alike stunned.

Perhaps more impressive is that Messi has checked off a batch of accomplishments in the latter stages of his career. He now stands at 16 World Cup goals, but he had just six entering the 2022 tournament, notching seven last time out as Argentina’s decades-long wait for the title came to an end. Now with the pressure off, there’s a freedom that underscores his play; he continues to make it all look easy, somehow always living up to the billing.

The odds are technically not in Messi’s favor – simply put, an aging star should not be the leader of a title contender, let alone doing this type of thing. Messi has never been the average player and at this point is not your regular post-peak elite athlete. As long as he is on the pitch, Argentina will be difficult to underestimate – and Messi will be impossible to write off.

Portugal begin their World Cup 2026 campaign against DR Congo on Wednesday night in Houston.

Cristiano Ronaldo competes in a sixth consecutive World Cup, and the Portuguese skipper will be targeting a historic triumph in the only major competition he has not won.

Having qualified from a group with Hungary and the Republic of Ireland, Portugal will be the favourites to top a group which includes Uzbekistan and Colombia.

As for DR Congo, it is their first appearance on the World Cup stage in 52 years, when they competed as Zaire. They qualified via a 1-0 win over Jamaica in an intercontinental playoff in March.

Here’s everything you need to know about this World Cup 2026 game:

When is Portugal vs DR Congo?

Portugal face DR Congo at 6pm BST on Wednesday 17 June (12pm CT) at the NRG Stadium in Houston.

How can I watch it?

Viewers in the UK can watch the match free-to-air on BBC 1, BBCiPlayer and the BBC Sport website, with coverage starting at 5:30pm BST.

Team news

Ronaldo was sent off in his last competitive match for Portugal but had the last two games of a three-match ban suspended by Fifa. Portugal have a fully-fit squad, including the PSG trio of Nuno Mendes, Joao Neves and Vitinha.

For DR Congo, they have no injury concerns and have a number of notable names, including Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Axel Tuanzebe and Yoane Wissa.

Predicted line-ups

Portugal XI: D Costa; Cancelo, Dias, Inacio, Mendes; J Neves, Fernandes, Vitinha; Bernardo, Ronaldo, Neto

DR Congo XI: Mpasi; Wan-Bissaka, Kapuadi, Tuanzebe, Mbemba, Masuaku; Moutoussamy, Sadiki, Mukau; Wissa, Bakambu

Latest odds

Portugal – 1/3

Draw – 5/1

DR Congo – 11/1