Congo’s famous living statue finally made his World Cup debut on Tuesday.

Michel Nkuka Mboladinga, who gained fame during the Africa Cup of Nations for posing as a statue of Congo’s assassinated independence leader Patrice Lumumba for the entirety of games, attended Congo’s 1-0 loss to Colombia after missing its opener against Portugal because of Ebola quarantine requirements.

Read moreWorld Cup 2026: Colombia battle past DR Congo to reach round of 32

Lumumba Vea, as the sharply dressed supporter is known for his resemblance to the slain leader, was at his seat about an hour before the game at Estadio Akron. He wore a bright red jacket and tie, yellow shirt and blue pants. When the game began, he stood motionless on a pedestal behind the Congo bench with his right arm raised.

Nkuka Mboladinga was a few minutes late back to the pedestal after halftime, but he stood there until the end and even a few minutes after the final whistle.

He did not want to be interview but nodded and smiled when asked if he was happy to have finally made it to the World Cup.

Congo played Portugal to a 1-1 draw last week in Houston.

Nkuka Mboladinga also missed Congo’s World Cup playoff match against Jamaica earlier this year – when his nation secured a return to the tournament after 52 years – because he was unable to get a visa in time. He had traveled to Kenya and then Ethiopia in a bid to get a visa for the game, which was also played in Guadalajara.

Nkuka Mboladinga became a social media sensation at the Africa Cup for posing as a statue of Lumumba on a pedestal with his right hand raised and standing still throughout games.

Read moreWorld Cup 2026: Group standings

Lumumba was an activist who helped to end Belgium’s colonial rule over Congo in 1960. He became the newly independent country’s first prime minister and was seen as one of Africa’s most promising leaders, but he was assassinated within a year during a struggle against a Belgian-backed secessionist movement in the mineral-rich Katanga region.

A Belgian court in March ordered a 93-year-old former diplomat to stand trial for the slaying. Etienne Davignon, who previously denied wrongdoing, is the last living among 10 Belgians suspected of involvement in the killing and has been charged with “participation in war crimes” for his role in the “unlawful detention and transfer” of Lumumba.

(FRANCE 24 with AFP)

In a summer where Enzo Maresca will arrive at the Etihad, transfer links between Manchester City and Chelsea are inevitable.

The Italian is set to be confirmed as the new Blues boss and while he will inherit a squad that won two domestic trophies last season and took the title fight with Arsenal into the final week of the Premier League campaign, additions will be sought. City have already seen two bids for Nottingham Forest midfielder Elliot Anderson knocked back with the second worth £120million, while the Blues hold an interest in Newcastle United midfielder Sandro Tonali.

City were linked a move for Chelsea’s Enzo Fernandez earlier in the summer, but that is not a player of interest to the Blues. Now Malo Gusto has been touted as player who could swap Stamford Bridge for the Etihad.

Reports suggest Gusto’s representatives have contacted City about the defender but at a pricetag of £75million, and with Chelsea not forcing an exit, it is not a move City are expected to pursue. A new right back is of interest, and Chelsea themselves scuppered one potential arrival with Xabi Alonso’s side securing a deal for promising right back Marco Palestra.

The Atalanta defender was a player of interest for City and was seemingly set to join Serie A champions Inter Milan earlier this month before Chelsea swooped. His arrival in the capital creates extra competition in defence and Gusto could see opportunities limited.

And while the 23-year-old might be exploring his options this summer, with City touted as a possible destination, the prospect of him moving to Manchester is remote.

City do want to strengthen at right back to add competition for Matheus Nunes, who enjoyed a strong campaign last season having been converted to full back from midfield. Feyenoord’s Givairo Read is a player of interest with City most likely looking to sign a young defender capable of growing into a first team option while offering a challenge to Nunes in the short-term.

Portugal international Nunes is the clear first choice heading into the new campaign having impressed at right back. He is under contract at the Etihad until 2028.

We’re all done with Round 1 of the 2026 NBA Draft, with some winners and losers to discuss and some noteworthy players who dropped, like center Henri Veesaar out of North Carolina.

And as we prep for the second round, it’s a good time to discuss all the mock drafts out there for the upcoming Day 2. Where will some of those snubbed names go when the clock starts on Wednesday night? We’re going to round up some of the biggest second-round mocks and tell you who they project to take Veesaar, Duke sharpshooter Isaiah Evans and Arkansas guard Meleek Thomas.

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Let’s dive in:

• Isaiah Evans: No. 31 to Knicks

• Meleek Thomas: No. 32 to Grizzlies

• Isaiah Evans: No. 31 to Knicks

• Meleek Thomas: No. 33 to Timberwolves

• Henri Veesaar: No. 34 to Cavaliers

• Isaiah Evans: No. 33 to Timberwolves

• Meleek Thomas: No. 32 to Grizzlies

• Henri Veesaar: No. 31 to Knicks

• Isaiah Evans: No. 33 to Timberwolves

• Meleek Thomas: No. 34 to Cavaliers

• Henri Veesaar: No. 31 to Knicks

This article originally appeared on For The Win: NBA mock draft 2026 for second round: Roundup ahead of Day 2

Man Utd have reached an agreement for a plot of land near Old Trafford, which unlocks plans for a new 100,000-seater arena.

On Monday, Manchester United announced they had secured the majority of the land to build a new 100,000-seater stadium, revealing an agreement with Indurent.

United had been in talks with Freightliner to acquire land behind the Stretford End, but talks had stalled, leading the club to look at alternative options for space around the current stadium

A plot of land located approximately 350m north-west of Old Trafford was identified, and United believe they have secured a fair deal with Indurent, a leading provider of industrial space and a Blackstone portfolio company.

The plot of land acquired is a 25-acre triangle, located between Wharfside Way, Europa Way and John Gilbert Way. United have acquired the majority of the plot but there is still some to purchase – although club sources have said no problems are expected.

United looked at alternative land options around Old Trafford when it became clear that talks with Freightliner were not going to be successful. The Freightliner land was seen as the perfect plot to secure plans for a new 100,000-seater stadium.

The Manchester Evening News contacted United to confirm which land the club now owns, and a graphic has been included to highlight that land, and the Freightliner-owned land behind the Stretford End.

After striking a deal with Indurent, who have sold the land in the top left corner of the graphic, United now own a significant portion of land around Old Trafford to accommodate a 100,000-seater stadium.

A club source described this week’s purchase as a “significant and tangible step forward”, which means Foster + Partners can now resume design work after sharing initial impressions last year.

Where the new stadium will sit is a point of interest. Enough land has been acquired to build a new stadium north west of the current ground, but that would mean a new arena is constructed further away than it would have been if the Freightliner plot had been secured.

During consultations, United fans told the club about the importance of constructing a new stadium as close as possible to the current Old Trafford. For example, Tottenham retained ‘feeling’ from White Hart Lane because their new ground is just metres away.

However, Spurs played league games at Wembley for three seasons while the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium was being built, and United are not expected to play their games at another venue to accommodate a similar construction.

Another question is what will happen to the current Old Trafford when a new stadium is constructed. United have considered scaling down Old Trafford to host women’s and academy games, but that would cost millions.

United estimated that a new stadium alone would cost £2billion, but an updated estimate in 2026 could double costs. The club is already saddled with a record level of £1.3bn debt.

The project will be financed privately, and “positive conversations” with potential investors and stakeholders are ongoing. United will sell the naming rights of the new stadium to raise capital.

Earlier this year, The Sponsor compiled a European stadium naming fair market value report, which outlined that United could bank around £15m per season, equating to £150m over 10 years.

United’s deal to acquire the necessary land was a huge step forward for the project, but the work is only getting started.

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🚨 HEADLINES

🎓 Landmark decision: The NCAA Division I Cabinet has unanimously approved an age-based, five-year eligibility model to replace the existing structure that has no age restrictions. The historic change, set to take effect in 2027, will see athletes’ eligibility clocks start either when they enroll or after their 19th birthday (whichever comes first).

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🏈 Sorsby saga update: The NFL delivered a scathing lesson in accountability on Tuesday by denying Brendan Sorsby’s request to hold a Supplemental Draft. The 22-year-old, who admitted to betting on his own team and will no longer be playing for Texas Tech this fall, may still enter the standard 2027 NFL Draft.

🏀 Coaching carousel complete: The Trail Blazers have hired longtime Timberwolves assistant Micah Nori as their next head coach, filling the NBA’s last remaining vacancy.

🏒 Ditto: The NHL’s last remaining vacancy was also filled on Tuesday when the Oilers hired Mike Babcock, who last coached in the NHL in 2019.

⚾️ What a turnaround: The first-place White Sox improved to 41-37 with Tuesday’s win over the Guardians, matching their entire win total from just two years ago when they set the modern MLB record for losses in a season (41-121).

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See what else is trending on Yahoo Sports.

🏀 DYBANTSA HEADLINES LOADED DRAFT CLASS

BYU’s AJ Dybantsa was selected No. 1 overall by the Wizards on Tuesday night in Brooklyn, where nearly every team earned top marks for their selections in the first round of an absolutely loaded NBA Draft.

Top 4: Any of these freshman uber-prospects could have reasonably gone No. 1 in most years, so Washington, Utah, Memphis and Chicago should all be thrilled with the young men who are about to join their ranks.

1. Dybantsa (Wizards): The 6-foot-9 athletic freak and scoring machine (he led the NCAA with 25.5 points per game last season) gives Washington someone who could become one of the NBA’s most unstoppable shot-creators, and someone who should slot in nicely alongside veteran All-Stars Trae Young and Anthony Davis.

2. Darryn Peterson (Jazz): The 6-foot-5 guard out of Kansas is a buttery-smooth scorer and dynamic playmaker who can shine with or without the ball, and his 6-foot-11 wingspan makes him a high-impact defender, to boot. Utah got a potential superstar as long as he can avoid the cramping issue that hindered his otherwise sensational season in Lawrence.

3. Cameron Boozer (Grizzlies): The most polished player in the class and reigning POY out of Duke made this an incredibly easy choice for Memphis, who get a 6-foot-8 forward that can score from the post with both footwork and power. Plus, second-generation players like him historically outperform their draft slot expectations by 26%.

4. Caleb Wilson (Bulls): The most gifted athlete in the draft class is 6-foot-9 with springs for legs, and when the North Carolina big is flying above the rim, finishing through contact, and chasing down every shot, he looks like a future franchise cornerstone. That sort of defensive anchor with offensive upside is exactly what the Bulls need in the frontcourt.

Next up: Those four freshman at the top were followed by four freshman guards who went in succession, as the Clippers got Illinois’ Keaton Wagler, the Nets got Louisville’s Mikel Brown Jr., the Kings got Arkansas’ Darius Acuff Jr., and the Hawks got Houston’s Kingston Flemings.

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Consider this: 11 of the 14 lottery picks were freshmen, while the other three were transfers — all of whom won the national championship with Michigan. Morez Johnson Jr. went ninth to the Mavericks (where he’ll reunite with Dusty May), Yaxel Lendeborg went 11th to the Warriors and Aday Mara went 12th to the Thunder.

The Swoosh strikes again: Dybantsa’s selection made him the 12th Nike athlete in the last 20 years to go No. 1 overall, or 14th if you include the Nike-owned Jordan Brand. His addition adds young dynamism to an evolving men’s basketball roster at Nike, where the future is in uncertain hands.

• The top of the roster is aging, as LeBron James and Kevin Durant — on the 23rd and 19th iterations of their signature shoes, respectively — near the end of their playing careers.

• Nike added reigning NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander as a signature athlete last week, plucking him from Nike-owned Converse to fortify its collection of prime-aged players.

• Ja Morant and Cade Cunningham headline the tier below SGA, but the former’s play has taken a step back, while the latter’s marketability remains a source of skepticism.

Further complicating matters? The presumed face of the next generation, Victor Wembanyama, is an impending sneaker free agent, per Shams Charania. Depending on the Frenchman’s decision, Dybantsa could have size 22 shoes to fill.

⚽️ RONALDO JOINS THE PARTY

With his fading abilities the subject of question marks and jeers, Cristiano Ronaldo had to watch as his chief rival chased and achieved tournament history through the World Cup’s early stages. On Tuesday, the Portuguese icon made history of his own.

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Two decorated decades: Ronaldo scored two first-half goals in Portugal’s 5-0 victory over Uzbekistan, adding to the parade of superstar braces that began on Monday.

• His first, a characteristically clinical finish in the match’s sixth minute, made him the first player to score in six World Cups — a feat that it’s hard to imagine anyone ever matching (Lionel Messi was shut out in the 2010 edition).

• His second, carefully slotted past the keeper in the 39th minute, made him the oldest player ever with a multi-goal game in the tournament (41 years, 138 days), breaking the record set by Messi twice in the past week (38 years, 363 days).

More from Tuesday: England and Ghana played to a scoreless draw as the Black Stars joined Mexico, Spain and Argentina as the only teams who have yet to allow a goal; Croatia dismissed Panama from the tournament in a nervy 1-0 win; Colombia booked their trip to the Round of 32, beating DR Congo 1-0.

Where it stands: With every team having now played two of their three group stage games, the knockout round picture is beginning to come into focus.

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• Advanced: Mexico, United States, Germany, Argentina, France, Norway, Colombia

• Eliminated: Haiti, Turkey, Tunisia, Jordan, Panama

Everything to play for: 36 teams (75% of the field) still have hope of advancing out of the group stage. And though such widespread uncertainty at this juncture is nothing new, the heavy proportion of those teams who will eventually secure passage into the knockouts is.

• In 2022, 27 of 32 teams (84%) came into Matchday No. 3 facing an uncertain outcome. However, only 13 of those nations (48%) would ultimately advance.

• In this year’s edition — where the top-eight third-place teams will advance alongside the top two teams in each group — those 36 teams are vying for 25 remaining positions, ensuring that more than two-thirds of them will fight on past the group stage.

What to watch: The group stage gets kicked up a notch beginning this afternoon, with six games per day until the preliminary round concludes on Saturday. With that in mind, here are five of the most important games to keep an eye on, headlined by Friday’s dream matchup between Kylian Mbappé’s France and Erling Haaland’s Norway.

⛳️ THE PGA TOUR INTRODUCES PROMOTION AND RELEGATION

The PGA Tour unveiled a radical new competitive model on Tuesday, featuring a series of changes that will be more substantial than any in the Tour’s half-century-long history.

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Champions and Challengers: Beginning in 2028, the Tour will operate on two tracks — the Championship and Challenger Series — which will run concurrently from February through August and include a promotion/relegation system.

• Championship: The top golfers’ slate includes a baseline of 15 regular-season events, each with about 120 golfers, a 36-hole cut and at least a $20 million purse. Their remaining schedule is filled out with the four majors, The Players Championship, the playoffs and an annual international team event (Ryder Cup or Presidents Cup).

• Challenger: Larger fields of about 144 golfers will compete in at least 20 events, each with a minimum purse of $4 million. Of note: The exact criteria for which players will slot into each Series has yet to be determined, but to be clear, this is distinct from the Korn Ferry Tour; these will be PGA Tour golfers.

Promotion/relegation: The top 20 players in the season-long Challenger standings will be promoted to the Championship, with immediate promotion available to anyone who wins either two events or a major. The top 90 Championship players (at least) will remain on that track, while the remaining ~40 will be eligible for relegation. In the fall, several “last-chance” events will give fringe players an opportunity to play their way into the Championship.

Plus: The postseason will be revamped to include match play, and will be contested across a rotation of courses. Further details will be revealed at the Tour Championship in August.

📺 WATCHLIST: WEDNESDAY, JUNE 24

⚽️ World Cup, Day 14

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You thought four games a day was fun? Let’s try six. First up is Canada vs. Switzerland in Vancouver (3pm ET, Fox) and Bosnia and Herzegovina vs. Qatar in Seattle (3pm, FS1). Then it’s Scotland vs. Brazil in Miami (6pm, Fox) and Morocco vs. Haiti in Atlanta (6pm, FS1) followed by Mexico vs. Czechia in Mexico City (9pm, Fox) and South Korea vs. South Africa in Guadalupe (9pm, FS1).

Host nation bump: Mexico has already clinched Group A, while Canada has all but assured its first-ever trip to the World Cup knockout round. They’ll clinch Group B with either a win or draw against the Swiss.

🏀 NBA Draft, Day 2

30 more prospects will be selected tonight in Brooklyn (8pm, ESPN) on the second and final day of the NBA Draft.

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Still on the board: Meleek Thomas (Arkansas), Henri Veesaar (UNC), Richie Saunders (BYU) and Isaiah Evans (Duke) headline our best players still available.

More to watch:

• ⚾️ MLB: Yankees at Tigers (6:40pm Prime) … Tarik Skubal makes his third start since returning (incredibly quickly) from a groundbreaking new procedure to remove bone chips from his elbow.

• 🏀 WNBA: Mercury at Fever (7:30pm, USA); Dream at Valkyries (10pm, USA) … Five of the top 11 scorers take the floor in Indiana’s Caitlin Clark (21.3) and Kelsey Mitchell (20.9), Atlanta’s Allisha Gray (19.5) and Rhyne Howard (19.1) and Phoenix’s Kahleah Copper (19.2).

Got plans tonight? Gametime is the best place to score last-minute tickets to the events in your city. Get tickets now!

🏈 NFL TRIVIA

104 years ago today, the NFL got its modern name, rebranding to the National Football League before its third season kicked off in the fall of 1922.

Question: What was the league’s original name from its founding in 1920?

A) American League of Professional Football

B) American Professional Football Association

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C) All-America Football Conference

D) Association of Professional Football

Answer at the bottom.

📣 LAUNCH DAY IS HERE!

Yahoo Sports Biz, our new sports business newsletter authored by Dylan Dittrich, launches today!

What to expect: Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, Dylan and the rest of our growing newsletter team will break down the deals, dollars and decisions shaping your favorite sports.

Trivia answer: B) American Professional Football Association

We hope you enjoyed this edition of Yahoo Sports AM, our daily newsletter that keeps you up to date on all things sports. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox every weekday morning.

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From the show

World Cup Debrief

Reading time
1 min

The Black Stars’ head coach Carlos Queiroz had strong words about the refereeing after two fowls from the Three Lions went unchecked, and the two sides played out a goalless draw. Meanwhile Colombia qualified for the knockout round beating DR Congo 1-0 and Cristiano Ronaldo became the first player to score in six World Cups.

A mouthwatering title fight hits New York City this weekend, as Xander Zayas takes on Jaron “Boots” Ennis at the top of the super-welterweight division.

Boots is one of boxing’s most highly-toured stars, and the American enters this bout as the challenger – unbeaten like champion Zayas, who defends the WBO and WBA belts here.

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Puerto Rica’s Zayas last fought in January, earning a split-decision win over Abass Baraou to extend his record to 23-0 (13 KOs), while the 23-year-old’s opponent this weekend has an even more impressive record; Ennis, 28, will enter the bout at 35-0 (31 KOs), having stopped Uisma Lima in the first round in October.

Meanwhile, the undercard features the next outing for Ben Whittaker, as the controversial British star takes on Richard Rivera.

Here’s all you need to know:

When is the fight?

Zayas vs Ennis will take place on Saturday 27 June at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York City. The broadcast will begin at 1.30am BST on Sunday (5.30pm PT / 7.30pm CT / 8.30pm ET on Saturday), with main-event ring walks following at 3.45am BST on Sunday (7.45pm PT / 9.45pm CT / 10.45pm ET on Saturday).

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How can I watch it?

The event will stream live exclusively on DAZN pay-per-view worldwide, at a cost of £24.99 / $74.99. You do not need to be a DAZN subscriber to purchase the event, but plans are available here, starting at £15.99 per month.

Odds

Zayas – 7/2

Ennis – 2/9

Draw – 14/1

Via Betway. Get all the latest boxing betting sites’ offers. The Independent vets betting sites for usability, security and responsible gambling tools. You can claim free bets here to use across a range of sports. Please read the terms.

Undercard

Subject to change; ‘C’ denotes champion

Xander Zayas (C) vs Jaron Ennis (WBO and WBA super-welterweight titles)

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Emiliano Vargas vs Bryce Mills (super-lightweight)

Ben Whittaker vs Richard Rivera (light-heavyweight)

Jahi Tucker vs Euri Cedeno (middleweight)

Quincey Williams vs Jerome Baxter (welterweight)

Dennis Thompson vs Edwin Rodriguez (super-bantamweight)

Juanma Lopez de Jesus vs Alberto Motos (super-flyweight)

We may earn commission from some of the links in this article, but we never allow this to influence our content. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent.

The Georgia Bulldogs have finished the college baseball as the No. 3 team in the country in the final USA TODAY Sports baseball coaches poll. Georgia won the SEC (regular season and SEC Tournament) and went 53-14 during a historic year for the Bulldogs.

Georgia’s NCAA Tournament started with the Dawgs and manager Wes Johnson winning the Athens Regional. Georgia defeated the No. 13 Mississippi State Bulldogs in the Athens Super Regional to advance to the College World Series in Omaha.

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The Bulldogs won their opening College World Series game against the No. 5 Texas Longhorns before falling to the No. 1 Oklahoma Sooners. Georgia bounced back to defeat and eliminate Texas, but the Bulldogs lost their following game to Oklahoma, who went on to defeat the No. 2 North Carolina Tar Heels in the national championship series.

Georgia’s season ended in disappointment, but their Bulldogs can be proud of their postseason run. Georgia ended up as a one of the final four teams in the College World Series. UGA finishes the season with top-10 wins over No. 5 Texas (two), No. 7 Ole Miss (two), No. 8 Troy and No. 9 Auburn (two). Georgia went 7-5 against top-10 opponents.

Impressively, national champion Oklahoma was unranked entering the NCAA Tournament. It is safe to say the Sooners proved their doubters wrong.

Final USA TODAY Sports baseball coaches poll for 2026 season

Schools Dropped Out

No. 21 Oklahoma State; No. 22 Arizona State; No. 23 Jacksonville State; No. 24 Cincinnati; No. 25 Tennessee;

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Others Receiving Votes

Arizona State 66; Oklahoma State 53; Jacksonville State 37; UC Santa Barbara 20; Kentucky 10; Liberty 9; Cincinnati 9; Tennessee 8; Wake Forest 6; Miami (FL) 6; Mercer 5; East Carolina 4; Coastal Carolina 4; Louisiana 3; North Carolina State 1;

Follow UGA Wire on Instagram, Facebook, X, or Threads for more Georgia baseball coverage!

This article originally appeared on UGA Wire: Where Georgia baseball is ranked in the final coaches poll