Germany produced a stirring second-half comeback to defeat Ivory Coast 2-1 in Toronto and move to the brink of qualification for the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 32. After trailing at the break against a disciplined and energetic Ivorian side, Julian Nagelsmann’s men found a way back through substitute Denis Undav, whose late brace turned the match on its head and maintained Germany’s perfect start to the tournament.

Germany entered the contest full of confidence following their emphatic opening victory, but Ivory Coast proved a far sterner test.

The Africans frustrated Germany’s attacking rhythm throughout the first half, sitting compactly when required and springing forward with purpose whenever opportunities arose.

Germany thought they had taken the lead midway through the half when Aleksandar Pavlovic headed home from a Joshua Kimmich corner, only for the referee to rule the effort out for a foul on the goalkeeper.

The setback proved costly.

In the 30th minute, Ivory Coast struck. Yan Diomande burst down the left and delivered a dangerous ball into the box. Amad Diallo’s initial effort was blocked, but captain Franck Kessie reacted quickest to the rebound and fired home from close range to hand the Elephants a deserved 1-0 lead.

Germany continued to push forward and even saw another goal disallowed before half-time, with Kai Havertz denied after a foul was spotted in the build-up.

Nagelsmann’s side emerged with greater urgency after the interval but initially struggled to break down the resilient Ivorians.

The breakthrough finally arrived in the 68th minute when substitute Denis Undav met a cross inside the box and finished from close range to level the scores at 1-1.

The equaliser shifted momentum firmly in Germany’s favour, though Ivory Coast still threatened and nearly reclaimed the lead late on, squandering a golden opportunity after a dangerous counterattack.

That miss proved decisive.

With the match heading towards a draw, Undav struck again in the closing stages. The forward showed composure inside the penalty area before firing home his second goal of the night and third of the tournament to complete the comeback.

Germany close on knockout qualification

The 2-1 victory gives Germany six points from two matches and leaves them on the verge of securing a place in the Round of 32.

For Ivory Coast, the defeat was harsh after a brave and organised performance, but the Africans remain firmly in the qualification race heading into the final group-stage fixture.

Germany, meanwhile, have demonstrated another quality often associated with tournament contenders — the ability to recover from adversity and find a way to win.

Netherlands produced one of the most dominant performances of the FIFA World Cup 2026 so far, thrashing Sweden 5-1 at Houston’s NRG Stadium to move to the top of Group F and put themselves on the brink of qualification for the Round of 32.

After being held to a 2-2 draw by Japan in their opening fixture, Ronald Koeman’s side responded emphatically with an attacking masterclass that overwhelmed a Sweden team which had entered the contest full of confidence following a 5-1 victory over Tunisia.

The Dutch made the perfect start, taking the lead inside the opening five minutes. Cody Gakpo was heavily involved in the move, providing the assist for Brian Brobbey, who tapped home from close range to put the Oranje ahead.

Sweden struggled to contain the Netherlands’ movement and intensity, and the pressure told again before the 20-minute mark. Denzel Dumfries delivered a dangerous ball into the box and Brobbey was once again in the right place at the right time, steering home his second goal of the evening to double the advantage.

The Scandinavians attempted to respond through Viktor Gyokeres, but goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen produced a series of important saves to preserve the Dutch lead heading into half-time.

Any hopes of a Swedish comeback disappeared shortly after the restart. Dumfries registered his second assist of the night as Gakpo converted from close range to make it 3-0. Moments later, substitute Crysencio Summerville made an instant impact, driving through midfield before setting up Gakpo for his second goal and the Netherlands’ fourth.

Sweden finally found a breakthrough in the 59th minute when Alexander Isak slipped a clever pass through for Anthony Elanga, who finished confidently to reduce the deficit.

However, the Dutch had the final say. Summerville capped an outstanding cameo by scoring a brilliant solo goal late in the match, combining neatly before firing into the corner to complete a resounding 5-1 victory.

The result sends the Netherlands to the summit of Group F and leaves them needing only a point from their final group-stage match to secure qualification for the knockout rounds.

  Netherlands vs Sweden starting XI:  Netherlands XI: B. Verbruggen (GK), D. Dumfries, M. Van de Ven, J. Van Hecke, F. de Jong, T. Reijnders, R. Gravenberch, C. Gakpo, D. Malen, B. Brobbey.  Sweden XI: K. Nordfeldt (GK), A. Bernhardsson, G. Gudmundsson, I. Hien, V. Lindelöf, G. Lagerbielke, B. Nygren, J. Karlström, Y. Ayari, V. Gyökeres, A. Isak. 

FIFA World Cup 2026 live telecast: The live telecast of the FIFA World Cup 2026 matches will be available on the Unite8 Sports Network.

FIFA World Cup 2026 live streaming: The live streaming of the FIFA World Cup 2026 matches between will be available on the ZEE5 app and website.

Gervonta Davis trainer Calvin Ford has offered his thoughts on a potential clash between Shakur Stevenson and Devin Haney, which could be fought at a catchweight of 144lbs.

While there is seemingly no agreement in place, Haney has claimed via social media that he would be willing to sacrifice 3lbs for the sake of a deal.

This would mean forgoing the right to retain his WBO welterweight title, which he secured with a unanimous decision victory over Brian Norman Jr in November.

Since then, ‘The Dream’ has been ordered to face mandatory challenger Keyshawn Davis, but is clearly more enthused by a lucrative matchup with Stevenson.

The four-division world champion comes off a wide points victory over Teofimo Lopez, who he dethroned for the WBO super-lightweight title in January.

Like Haney, Stevenson is a promotional free agent but has been linked with a move to Dana White’s Zuffa Boxing, who do not currently recognise 140lbs as a weight class.

Nevertheless, the 28-year-old could end up facing Haney in a battle between two pound-for-pound stars, with coach Ford telling Fight Hub TV that he struggles to name a clear favourite.

“Devin – he’s a good boxer. And Shakur’s a good boxer. That’s a boxing match to be watched.

“Devin probably sees no threat – it’s not like he’s going in against a puncher. So Devin might take a chance. [It’s about] who throws the best shots that night.

“Devin can box, and Shakur… he’s a master at what he does.”

While both are unbeaten technicians, many would argue that Stevenson boasts the advantages when it comes to ring IQ, while Haney is evidently the more physically imposing operator.

As a three-weight world champion, too, the 27-year-old could represent Stevenson’s toughest potential opponent.

You can finally call RJ Abarrientos a champion. —PBA IMAGES

Until Barangay Ginebra’s title conquest in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup, rising star RJ Abarrientos had been there, but not quite done that.

“There,” being almost everywhere. “That,” being winning a championship.

All that changed on Wednesday night when Abarrientos finally shook off the monkey on his back and helped the Gin Kings beat TNT to end a three-year drought.

Abarrientos’ basketball journey, both in college and in the professional ranks overseas, has hardly been smooth. He would be the first to admit it.

Fortunately for him, he has always had the support system he needed.

“Every league was hard. Every league had challenges for me,” Abarrientos told the Inquirer after Ginebra’s Game 7 victory over TNT at the Mall of Asia Arena.

“Whether you win or lose, there are always people who doubt you mentally and physically on the court. But if you have teammates who trust you, there’s no reason to give up.”

Plenty of buzz

The journey began under the bright lights of the UAAP.

As a one-and-done guard for FEU, Abarrientos generated plenty of buzz during the pandemic era but never tasted team success.

He then took his talents to the Korean Basketball League, signing with Ulsan Hyundai Mobis Phoebus.

While he captured Rookie of the Year honors, a championship remained out of reach.

Next came a move to Japan’s B.League, where he suited up for the Shinshu Brave Warriors. Once again, the title he sought proved elusive.

When Abarrientos returned home and entered the 2024 PBA Draft, Ginebra selected him third overall.

The frustrations followed him at first.

Legendary uncle

He endured back-to-back Finals losses to TNT in Season 49, but through it all, he leaned on a support system that included the winningest coach in PBA history and his legendary uncle, Johnny Abarrientos.

“I’m just thankful for my coaches and my Tito. Those are the most important people for me,” he said. “My ears are always open and I’m always willing to listen.

“I’m still far from my goal, but I’m thankful because I’m surrounded by winning coaches.”

Abarrientos’ breakthrough conference became even more memorable when he was named Best Player of the Conference.

He chose not to celebrate then.

Now, he finally can.

After falling short in the UAAP, the KBL and the B.League, Abarrientos at last achieved what had long eluded him—a championship.

“I said before that individual awards aren’t worth celebrating,” he said. “But this time, it’s time to celebrate.” INQ

Liverpool fans must have recognised the scenario. It was the 54th minute of Netherlands’ World Cup meeting with Sweden, when Cody Gakpo received the ball on the left side of the penalty box and cut inside on to his right foot.

Liverpool’s version – Premier League Gakpo – can often be found lashing the ball into a different time zone from this particular space. But this is World Cup Gakpo, Netherlands Gakpo, lithe and balanced, ruthless and dead-eyed. He steadied himself before putting a piercing shot past Sweden goalkeeper Kristoffer Nordfeldt.

Gakpo has now scored five goals in seven World Cup matches after a starring role in this 5-1 win. He has 23 goals in 52 international appearances, running at more than one every other game.

It would be unfair to say he has never shown that form at Liverpool. Gakpo scored 18 goals in the club’s Premier League winning campaign in 2024-25 and became a key part of Arne Slot’s title winners, a grafter without the ball as well as an attacking outlet with it.

But those telling performances have become increasingly rare. Last season he scored only nine goals in 52 games. His Liverpool record stands at 50 goals in 180 games. Not bad, but not the same player Liverpool thought they were signing after his exploits in Qatar the summer he moved from PSV to Anfield, when he scored in all three World Cup group games.

“It’s a little bit different,” Gakpo said, when asked to explain how he is able to perform to such a high level in a Dutch shirt. “How I play here, where the coach wants me to be, the freedom that I have at the club,” he said, before trailing off as if he’d said too much. “That’s it basically.”

He was certainly helped here in Houston by the presence of Brian Brobbey, the Sunderland striker who proved a nightmare for Sweden’s defence. Atalanta centre-back Isak Hien was bullied by Brobbey, who used his strength and rapid acceleration to devastating effect with an early double salvo.

“We knew his qualities all along, he’s very strong – very, very strong,” Gakpo laughed. “His hold-up play and coming at the right time into the box is amazing.

“We used him very well today, with two pretty quick attacks. With the first one, he even held the ball in the beginning and ran towards the goal. So we used his quality very well and I’m very happy for him that he scored two goals.”

The Dutch attack was pinpointed as their great weakness before the tournament. A defence containing Virgil van Dijk, Micky van de Ven and Denzel Dumfries appears world class. A midfield of Ryan Gravenberch, Frenkie de Jong and Tijjani Reijnders is as good as any at the World Cup.

But where would the goals come from? Brobbey had only one in 13 caps before this game. Gakpo had struggled at times for Liverpool this season. Crysencio Summerville was relegated with West Ham. The presence of Memphis Depay and Wout Weghorst in the squad only served to indicate the lack of successors.

But after replacing Crysencio with Brobbey in the starting XI following the 2-2 draw with Japan, Ronald Koeman landed upon a fluid, multi-talented attack which ripped Sweden to shreds.

Brobbey and Gakpo scored two each and Crysencio scored the fifth in this win. Gakpo, Summerville and Memphis, a substitute, all picked up assists, as did Dumfries, twice, roaming forwards from right-back. So have the Dutch been underestimated?

“We have a lot of different qualities,” said Gakpo. “Speed, strong hold-up play, we’re good in the box. Memphis showed his quality. Even on the bench we still have Justin Kluivert and Weghorst [both yet to play], so it’s good to have diversity and qualities to help the team in any moment.

“Japan were very disciplined, not big chances like today. Today there was more variation in attacking play, different positions, movement, so it was more difficult for defenders to mark us. So that was maybe the little thing we missed in the last game.”

Manchester United have agreed a deal with Serie A side Atalanta that will see midfielder Ederson become the first signing of the Michael Carrick era

Ederson has confirmed that a move to Manchester United is ‘almost all sorted’. United agreed a deal with Atalanta earlier this month to sign the midfielder, who looks set to become the first signing of the Michael Carrick era at Old Trafford.

United are set to pay an initial €40.5million (£35m), plus €4.5m (£3.8m) in add-ons for the 26-year-old. United’s need to bolster their midfield this summer is no secret, with mainstay Casemiro departing when his contract expires at the end of June.

Ederson earned a late call-up to Brazil’s squad for the World Cup in place of the injured Wesley. He made his World Cup debut off the bench in the 3-0 win over Haiti on Friday night and provided an update on where things stand in terms of his move to Old Trafford.

Speaking to Tuttosport, he said: “It’s practically almost all sorted.” Before he added: “I have to make the most of this moment. I am here and it is a wonderful thing, something you must always live to the fullest.”

However, the 26-year-old is not expected to be the only addition for United this summer. The Reds have also been linked with Elliot Anderson and Adam Wharton, albeit the former now looks set for a move to rivals Manchester City instead.

West Ham United’s Mateus Fernandes had also been identified as a potential target for the club, but it appears that United have been beaten to his services by Tottenham Hotspur, who are reportedly close to agreeing a deal.

Speaking about the club’s midfield dilemma, former United coach Rene Meulensteen said: “United need to sign at least two, if not three midfielders this transfer window. That’s the position where they have to really, really strengthen, especially with more competitions coming up.

“Now, that could be Ederson or Anderson. They’ve got similar qualities, but Anderson comes with a massive price tag, which makes you really question whether or not they can realistically go for him, so Anderson might be out of reach for United this summer.

“Anderson has obviously had an outstanding season, and he’s gained interest from the biggest clubs in the league. Which just makes his price just go up and up and up, and then it’s a matter of who is willing and who is capable of paying that price.

“I don’t think Man United will pay that for Anderson. I think they do have funds, but to spend so much money on one player, it would be a big shout. I always like good, technical footballers in the midfield.

“I’ve liked Adam Wharton for United for a while now, because he is so good on the ball, very calm under pressure. He finds any of those front five with one decisive pass, and he rips the opposition right open, and I love that.”

Chelsea considering Florian Wirtz move, Felix Nmecha open to England return and Aston Villa among Nick Woltemade suitors.

Chelsea are keeping tabs on Liverpool‘s Florian Wirtz – who starred under new Blues boss Xabi Alonso at Bayer Leverkusen – but any potential deal for the Germany playmaker, 23, depends on Argentina midfielder Enzo Fernandez, 25, leaving Stamford Bridge. (Football Insider), external

Germany midfielder Felix Nmecha is open to leaving Borussia Dortmund and both Liverpool and Manchester United are interested in the 25-year-old. (Teamtalk), external

Newcastle could be willing to sell Germany striker Nick Woltemade, 24, with Aston Villa, Dortmund and Atletico Madrid among his suitors. (AS – in Spanish), external

Brighton have made an improved offer for Tottenham‘s 19-year-old Croatia centre-back Luka Vuskovic worth up to £45m, including add-ons. (Mail), external

RB Leipzig expect Paris St-Germain to submit an offer for Ivory Coast winger Yan Diomande, 19, after turning down Liverpool‘s opening bid of 100m euros (£87m). (Bild – in German), external

If England midfielder Elliot Anderson, 23, joins Manchester City it could spark a domino effect, with Nottingham Forest signing 26-year-old Italy midfielder Davide Frattesi from Inter Milan, who in turn will look to complete a deal for Liverpool‘s England midfielder Curtis Jones, 25. (Gazzetta dello Sport – in Italian), external

Bayern Munich will look to renegotiate Michael Olise’s contract amid interest from Real Madrid and PSG in the 24-year-old France winger. (AS – in Spanish), external

Real Madrid have denied reports they have already made contact with Olise’s camp. (Sport – in Spanish), external

Juventus are willing to sell Canada forward Jonathan David, 26, and have set an asking price of 30m euros (£26m). (Corriere dello Sport – in Italian), external

PSG want 40m euros (£35m) for Randal Kolo Muani and the 27-year-old France forward is keen to return to Juventus, who are also considering a move for Atletico Madrid’s Norway striker Alexander Sorloth, 30. (Corriere dello Sport – in Italian), external

Manchester City are close to reaching a financial settlement with Chelsea that will enable them to appoint Enzo Maresca as their manager. (Guardian), external

They arrived with kilts, songs and endless optimism. They leave behind unforgettable memories. For one week, Boston belonged to the Tartan Army. As Scotland’s supporters head to Miami, their next World Cup destination, they say goodbye to a city that embraced them from day one. 

The 2026 NBA Draft is less than a week away, and trade rumors are heating up. All eyes are on the Milwaukee Bucks and two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, who is expected to be dealt this summer. At the same time, numerous other teams will be active in the weeks ahead. 

That includes the Detroit Pistons and Boston Celtics, who finished first and second, respectively, in the Eastern Conference last season, but had disappointing showings in the postseason. Both teams know they need to shake things up to contend with the reigning champion New York Knicks. 

Ahead of the draft and the ensuing free agency period, let’s take a look at some of the latest updates on the trade market. 

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Bucks’ ask for Giannis ‘unrealistic’

The Bucks would prefer to keep Antetokounmpo, but if he makes it clear that he won’t sign an extension in October, they will trade him rather than let him walk in free agency for nothing next summer. And if they are forced to trade one of the best players in franchise history, they’ll want a major return to jumpstart their rebuild. 

But according to Jake Fischer, some teams think the Bucks are asking for too much. Here’s his latest on the Antetokounmpo trade talks:

I heard the same word several times this week when talking to NBA personnel from teams that have engaged with the Bucks on a potential Antetokounmpo deal. Several sources have conveyed that Milwaukee GM Jon Horst has established especially ambitious asking prices in Giannis talks.

The word that keeps coming back: “Unrealistic.”

The Bucks naturally want as much as they can if they’re parting with their Face of the Franchise, so what constitutes unrealistic? Sources say Milwaukee has been asking teams for returns that would leave any club acquiring Antetokounmpo too barren to contend for a championship. Which is the precise opportunity Giannis is known to be seeking if he’s going to finally leave Brewtown after 13 seasons and commit to a long-term contract extension with a new team.

The Bucks should ask for a massive return for Antetokounmpo, who, despite some injuries in recent years, remains one of the best players in the NBA. But they may ultimately have to accept a lesser deal because Antetokounmpo has just one guaranteed year left on his deal, and the market for him isn’t the same as it would have been last summer or two years ago. 

If the Bucks do end up trading Antetokounmpo, it will be fascinating to see the actual return. 

NBA trade rumors: Latest on Giannis Antetokounmpo, plus possible backup plans for Celtics, Heat, Wolves

Jasmyn Wimbish

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Pistons’ Stewart expecting to be moved

Isaiah Stewart was one of the best backup bigs in the league last season, when he averaged 10 points, five rebounds and 1.6 blocks on 55% shooting. He was one of several Pistons who struggled in the playoffs, however. He put up just four points and 2.4 rebounds in the postseason and had largely lost his spot in the rotation to Paul Reed by the end of the second round series with the Cleveland Cavaliers, which the Pistons lost in seven games. 

The Pistons are expected to make big changes this summer after their early exit, and Stewart could be on the move. In fact, he’s expecting to leave Detroit, according to Fischer:

League sources say that the Pistons’ Isaiah Stewart is not merely available but outright bracing for a trade that sends him elsewhere this summer as part of any move that the Pistons make to bolster their shooting and playmaking depth.

Despite his poor showing in the playoffs, the 25-year-old Stewart will have suitors in part because of his reasonable contract, which has two guaranteed years at $15 million per year, including a team option for 2027-28. Per Fischer, the Bucks, Boston Celtics, Miami Heat and San Antonio Spurs have all expressed interest in Stewart. 

Celtics expected to be active this summer

The Celtics are in the mix for Antetokounmpo, but it’s unclear if they’ll be willing to make that big of a swing, which almost certainly would require parting ways with franchise pillar Jaylen Brown. Derrick White has also been the subject of rumors. Boston is expected to be active this summer, per Fischer. 

I already reported on Wednesday night that Boston has shown interest in moving up from its No. 27 slot in the draft. And while I don’t believe that the Celtics are actively shopping Brown or Derrick White, it’s certainly believed that they have listened on trade inquires for both key cogs from the title team more intently than ever before.

As for White: It would also be a surprise, sources say, if the Celtics cut ties with him. The 31-year-old is a beloved member of the organization on top of the fact that his two-way backcourt work has put him in annual All-Star contention as a Celtic.

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Everyone expected last season to be a “gap year” for the Celtics. But despite losing Jrue Holiday, Kristaps Porzingis, Luke Kornet and Al Horford and playing the first 62 games without Jayson Tatum, they won 56 games and finished second in the Eastern Conference. They blew a 3-1 lead in the first round of the playoffs to the Philadelphia 76ers, however, which led president Brad Stevens to call for an “honest assessment” of the roster. 

“Our margin for error needs to get bigger, and at the same time, I don’t think we’re, like, way far away,” Stevens said in May. “But we’ve lived it here. Again, this is where the honest assessment part has got to come in, right? We’ve been to six Eastern Conference finals, a couple Finals in the last few years. We’ve won one. And when you get beat in the first round, you’re not there. …

“You have to consider the other teams that are at those levels, and I think the other thing that you have to consider, especially for next year, is there were a lot of teams in the NBA that were playing for draft positioning this year,” Stevens continued. “That will not be the case next year. So, the league’s gonna be a lot better. The regular season could be a lot harder, and it will probably give you a better indication of what everybody really is.” 

SOUTHAMPTON, N.Y. — It’s easy to get caught up in the serious stuff at golf tournaments, especially the U.S. Open, which this week has featured politicized debates on distance, equipment, and the punishment of throwing clubs. But on rare occasion, USGA partner Sentry tabs a junior reporter to remind us that we’re all living a pretty good life out here. Their wide eyes and curious minds always provide some much-needed levity. 

Case in point: Tuesday morning, when 12-year-old Paighton interviewed Kristoffer Reitan on the driving range, asking him what superpower he’d like to have to compete better at this week’s tournament. 

What a simple, sufficient, inventive question. At finicky and difficult Shinnecock, all these boys would love to have a superpower. Reitan played along and suggested he’d want to be The Flash, with the ability to essentially teleport to wherever his ball ended up, saving the energy he’d normally spend walking. Paighton suggested super strength, to hit the ball as far as can be. Wouldn’t it be nice? 

The days at Shinnecock can be long, tough, and grinding for everyone — USGA staffers, media members, even the players who were thrown off schedule by a fog delay that affected the first two rounds. Major weeks are tough! But it was genuinely uplifting to see the pep Paighton brought to the media ranks for a morning. She loves golf. She loves Rory McIlroy. She loves hitting driver. We all loved hitting driver. And she loved preparing questions for her day of interviews. 

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It all kicked off with Adam Scott’s press conference, where Paighton asked him for advice he’d give to junior golfers, getting the stoic Scott all smiley. 

“Young golfers, I think they need to,” Scott began. “I watch my kids play a little bit, and I think if they can enjoy chipping and putting, then golf becomes really easy for young kids. Of course hitting the ball is hard, and everyone likes to hit it far, but I’ve watched my kids enjoy chipping and putting, and I think it’s easier for kids to play on a shorter golf course or hit shorter shots and just have fun that way. I think it’s more enjoyable.”

Paighton’s curiosity abounded in ways that delivered real journalistic goods. She asked Xander Schauffele what he was most proud of in his career and the answer surprised me:

Schauffele has won a bunch, earned a ton of money, competed on the biggest stages and given plenty to charity. But he’s most proud of the fact that he’s done it with basically the same team over the years. His uncle is his manager. One of his best friends is his longtime caddie. His putting coach has been the same for years. The success feels better when you can deliver it alongside those you care about. 

It was a perfect answer for me, who hadn’t heard Schauffele articulate that before. It was a perfect answer for Paighton, too, who was flanked by her family the entire day. They had driven out from New Jersey and Staten Island before dawn, all so she could have an epic golf experience. It ended in a way that tugged at the heart, too.

While we were wrapping up our morning together, a couple dozen of her friends from the local First Tee happened upon us and were so compelled by the parade of cameras flanking her that they figured their pal had gone platinum. Each of them had her sign their U.S. Open gear, sometimes multiple pieces, as if she were competing in the tournament. You couldn’t help but notice the smiles on their faces as Paighton signed their shirts next to the likes of Scottie Scheffler, Tommy Fleetwood, Sam Burns and others. 

It was a reminder that there’s a lot more happening at these golf tournaments than we’ll ever truly appreciate. 

The Minnesota Vikings signed quarterback Kyler Murray in March, and three months later, some traction suggests he could be a dark horse for the NFL MVP award in 2026.

Vikings fans will be content with Murray playing well enough to reach the postseason and win a playoff game, two, or a few, but NFL.com insists that Murray cannot be ruled out of the MVP race.

Vikings’ Offense Gives Murray a Real Stat-Friendly Setup

Dan Parr: Murray Is an MVP Dark Horse

Parr of NFL.com sized up nine MVP dark horses, and Murray showed up on the list at No. 8, one spot ahead of Atlanta Falcons running back Bijan Robinson and seven spots below dark horse “frontrunner” Brock Purdy, the San Francisco 49ers’ quarterback.

He explained, “We saw what Kevin O’Connell did with a reclamation project two years ago, when he flipped the career arc of Sam Darnold by helping him become a Pro Bowl QB (and earn a few points in the MVP voting) in his lone season with Minnesota. Now I’m fascinated to see what the QB guru can do with Murray, who’s looking for the O’Connell bump after cratering in Arizona.”

“He still has to beat out 2024 first-round pick J.J. McCarthy for the starting job, but if Murray’s able to tap back into the dual-threat ability that earned him consecutive Pro Bowl trips a few years ago (2020-2021), it shouldn’t be much of a competition. While it might not pop off every corner of the page, the supporting cast in Minnesota looks strong on paper, led by one of the league’s top players in WR Justin Jefferson.”

No Vikings — or any non-quarterback — has won the award since 2012. It’s time.

Parr continued, “If Jordan Addison and Jauan Jennings stay healthy, that could be a tough trio of pass catchers for defenses to match up against. The offensive line is solid, anchored by LT Christian Darrisaw. They’re not the most dynamic at tight end (T.J. Hockenson) or running back (Aaron Jones, Jordan Mason), but all in all, it’s a respectable group. Murray has demonstrated a propensity for making defenses look silly.”

“He was doing it not too long ago, albeit too infrequently. If O’Connell helps him unlock peak form, the Vikings could be surprise contenders in the NFC North, and the heat from the QB’s MVP campaign might turn snowmen into puddles across Minneapolis next winter.”

Well, the Career Production Is There

It might feel like a really bold take in June to proclaim Murray as an MVP candidate, but a peek under the hood of his career production shows that it wouldn’t be strange at all if he nibbled at contention.

Every starts 17, Murray averages this stat line:

And those numbers are with sometimes poor Cardinals teams that were limited by suspect defense. If one assumes that Murray experiences a statistical bump upon arriving in Minnesota, well, his statistics would absolutely mandate MVP consideration, not unlike Darnold’s 2024 pit stop in the Twin Cities.

Just Stay Healthy?

Here’s the kicker for Murray to be truly viewed as an MVP candidate: his availability.

Since 2019, when Arizona picked Murray with the first overall pick, he has missed 26% of all games to injury. That percentage could be slightly inflated because of his “soft benching” by the Cardinals in 2025, or so goes the theory, but as a whole, Murray usually misses about a quarter of all starts.

It would be tricky for Murray to be classified as an MVP candidate while, for example, playing 13 games in 2026. He could miss a game or two, but MVP voters evaluate health as well, since availability is a factor in value.

Therefore, Murray has a mission: stay healthy, play efficiently in Kevin O’Connell’s offense, and let Brian Flores’s defense take care of the rest — as it usually does.

The Real Frontrunners

Back to reality, these are the true leaders in the MVP race with the regular season less than three months away:

• Josh Allen: +550
• Lamar Jackson: +650
• Justin Herbert: +1000
• Joe Burrow: +1000
• Patrick Mahomes: +1000
• Drake Maye: +1100
• Dak Prescott: +1300
• Caleb Williams: +1400
• Matthew Stafford: +1400
• Jordan Love: +1500
• Jayden Daniels: +2000

Maye and Stafford battled to the very end in 2025, with Stafford prevailing by a whisker. Sportsbooks believe Allen is due to win the award for a second time.

Murray was in the mix to win the MVP award in 2021, but the league ultimately honored Aaron Rodgers during his penultimate season in Green Bay.

Dustin Baker is a novelist and political scientist. His second novel, The Invaders , is out now. So is … More about Dustin Baker