San Francisco 49ers quarterback Mac Jones (10) delivers a pass against the New Orleans Saints during the second half on Sept. 14, 2025, at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans. The veteran signal-caller operated the offense while making an early-season start for San Francisco. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images.
The Minnesota Vikings are currently in the NFL’s slow season, sending the rumor mill into overdrive. With minicamp concluded and training camp still a month away, every roster speculation is receiving more attention than usual.
Here’s the latest on the rumors for June 28th.
Latest Vikings Rumors on Mac Jones, Kyler Murray, and Jake Golday
Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Mac Jones gestures for pre-snap motion before a play against the Tennessee Titans. Dec. 29, 2024, at EverBank Stadium, Jones directed the offense during a late-season AFC South matchup as Jacksonville attempted to finish the year on a positive note against its division rival. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Reper-Imagn Images
Rumor: The Vikings should trade for Mac Jones before the November deadline.
Bleacher Report‘s Mo Moton led the way this week, mentioning the Vikings as a trade landing spot for Jones.
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He wrote, “The Minnesota Vikings made a low-risk, high-reward move in signing quarterback Kyler Murray, who’s only under contract for the 2026 season. He’s the favorite to win the starting job over J.J. McCarthy, according to ESPN’s Kevin Seifert.”
“Though even if Murray has a bounce-back year, the Vikings may not keep him around for the long term. Remember, they allowed Sam Darnold to walk after his first Pro Bowl campaign. Minnesota can get ahead of the rising cost of the quarterback market by acquiring Jones and signing him to an extension after the 2026 term if Murray does enough to spike his 2027 market value.”
Jones played wonderfully in 2025 when Brock Purdy missed time.
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“Jones will also be a free agent next year, but he won’t be able to demand as much as a starting quarterback with decent passing numbers. The Vikings could make the playoffs with Murray, which would likely push them out of range for a top 2027 quarterback prospect,” Moton continued.
“Instead of earmarking significant cap space for him or hoping for a trade-up in next year’s draft, they can acquire and extend Jones to stabilize their quarterback room.”
A lot of terrible developments would have to occur for the Vikings to explore a Jones trade, including injuries or poor performances by Murray and McCarthy. Minnesota would probably hold off on exploring Jones until the 2027 offseason, when he can be signed as a free agent. Why trade a 2nd- or 3rd-Rounder for Jones in November when you can sign him pain-free next March?
Rumor: Kyler Murray remains the frontrunner to win the Vikings’ summer quarterback battle.
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FOX Sports‘ Bucky Brooks claimed Murray is the best fit for Minnesota last week.
He explained, “The battle between the former No. 1 overall pick and the Vikings’ intended franchise QB could determine whether the team re-emerges as a title contender in 2026.”
“While Kevin O’Connell has attempted to split the reps evenly to give each player a chance to seize the job, the noise around the Vikings suggests Kyler Murray is the frontrunner heading into training camp, particularly after Justin Jefferson raved about the eighth-year pro’s talent and experience before minicamp. Best Fit: Murray.”
Minnesota was able to ink Murray for $1.3 million this season after the Cardinals opted to end his stay in Arizona and pay him to play elsewhere.
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Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray walks off the field following a road victory over the Los Angeles Rams. Oct. 3, 2021, at SoFi Stadium, Murray helped lead Arizona to a 37-20 win, extending the Cardinals’ unbeaten start while continuing one of the franchise’s strongest early-season stretches. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
“The former Pro Bowler is the most talented quarterback KOC has coached in Minnesota. As an electric dual-threat playmaker, Murray adds an explosive dimension to the offense as a big-play weapon who can produce highlight-reel-worthy plays inside and outside the pocket,” Brooks added.
“With a supporting cast that features a premier WR1 (Jefferson) and a collection of complementary playmakers (Jordan Addison, T.J. Hockenson, Jauan Jennings, and Aaron Jones) who will allow him to operate like a pass-first point guard leading a fast break, the Vikings can operate in attack mode with a dynamic athlete at the helm.”
Murray, indeed, is the frontrunner to win the QB1 battle in Eagan. McCarthy will need a massive upset or a Murray injury to get under center in Week 1.
Rumor: Jake Golday indeed has traits similar to Andrew Van Ginkel and may be used as an EDGE rusher.
A media member asked O’Connell if Van Ginkel is a valid comparison for Golday, and O’Connell said, “He has some of those characteristics to him. We were fortunate enough to get him where we did.”
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Bowling Green Falcons running back Cameron Pettaway is forced out of bounds by Cincinnati Bearcats linebacker Jake Golday during first-quarter action. Sept. 6, 2025, at Nippert Stadium, Pettaway battled for extra yardage as Cincinnati’s defense pursued the ballcarrier in an early nonconference matchup. Mandatory Credit: Albert Cesare/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Our Kyle Joudry noted on Van Ginkel last month, “Standing at 6’4″ and weighing 240 pounds, Mr. Golday looks quite a lot like Andrew Van Ginkel, somebody who stands at 6’4″ and 242 pounds. Expecting the newcomer to perfectly mimic what Van Ginkel can do is unrealistic.”
“Can he nevertheless do some of the things that Van Ginkel does as early as 2026? At a basic starting point, Golday’s versatility should allow for such a possibility to get tested out.”
Since Minnesota drafted him, Van Ginkel’s name keeps popping up for the best Golday comp. Perhaps the Vikings just have two Van Ginkels now.
Dustin Baker is a novelist and political scientist. His second novel, The Invaders , is out now. So is … More about Dustin Baker
ARLINGTON, Texas — Lionel Messi didn’t have much time to try to become the first to score in seven consecutive World Cup games.
Argentina’s superstar did it anyway as a second-half substitute.
Messi made it seven straight while extending the all-time men’s World Cup scoring record with his 19th goal in Argentina’s 3-1 victory over Jordan in a group stage finale on Saturday night.
In his first match since turning 39 three days earlier, Messi scored on a free kick in the 80th minute after being taken down just outside the penalty area. The low kick barely above the grass surface split two Jordan defenders into the left corner of the net.
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It was his 72nd career goal on a free kick, including his 12th for Argentina. Messi now has 123 international goals — second all-time to Cristiano Ronaldo’s 145 — in 202 appearances.
Messi had been one of only three players to score in six consecutive World Cup games, along with France striker Just Fontaine and Brazil great Jairzinho.
“What you’re seeing, I’m seeing the same thing,” coach Lionel Scaloni said through a translator. “It’s a little bit of an uncomfortable situation every single time people ask because I no longer know what to say.”
Messi also scored on a free kick against Nigeria in the 2014 World Cup and is among six players since records are available dating to 1966 who scored two free-kick goals in the World Cup. He joined Pelé, Rivellino, Téofilo Cubillas, Bernard Genghini and David Beckham.
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“I am very happy for him, for the moment he is having,” Giovani Lo Celso said in translated remarks after becoming the first Argentine other than Messi to score in this tournament, also on a free kick in the 19th minute. “The truth is that seeing him every day excites, excites and infects a lot. So obviously seeing him like that for us is very important.”
Messi didn’t start because Argentina had already clinched first place in Group J, and the game was further meaningless because Jordan was already eliminated from the knockout stage.
Nevertheless, the decidedly pro-Argentina crowd of 70,649 at the home of the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys was eager to see him.
Fans started chanting Messi’s name as soon as the second half started, and cheered loudly when he came off the bench merely to go through warmups.
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The roar was louder when he stepped onto the field in the 60th minute, replacing Lautaro Martinez, who scored on a penalty kick in the first half.
For all the accomplishments of the eight-time winner of the Ballon d’Or as the best player in Europe, Messi has never won the Golden Boot as the top scorer in each World Cup. This is his sixth.
Messi now has six goals in this tournament, two clear of Kylian Mbappé, Vinicius Júnior and Erling Haaland.
Messi had been dealing with a minor hamstring injury with Inter Miami that slowed him in the lead-up to the World Cup.
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The knockout round for Argentina begins Friday in South Florida, and in this expanded 48-team tournament, that would be the first of five matches in 17 days if La Albiceleste makes it to the final on July 19.
“Today he could have played 90 minutes,” Scaloni said. “He wanted his teammates to have time on the pitch and to save himself also for what’s coming up now. He doesn’t think so much about the numbers that people are talking about.”
The 2026 Travelers Championship continues on Sunday with the final round at TPC River Highlands. You can find full Travelers Championship tee times for Sunday’s final round at the bottom of this post.
Travelers Championship tee times: What to know
Scottie Scheffler and Viktor Hovland rode hot second rounds to the top of the leaderboard entering the weekend and they stayed there on Saturday at TPC River Highlands.
Scheffler, who came within inches of shooting 59 on Friday, got off to a slow start. The World No. 1 was even through 10 holes but then hit the gas, making birdies at 11, 13, 14 and 15 to grab a one-shot lead over Hovland, who spent most of the day matching him shot for shot.
Then came the 18th hole.
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Both Scheffler and Hovland found the fairway but Scheffler’s approach settled 25 feet from the hole on the fringe. Hovland, meanwhile, stuffed his approach to six feet. Scheffler’s chip ran eight feet past the hole, and he missed the comebacker to drop into a momentary tie for first with Hovland. But the Norwegian rolled in the six-foot birdie putt to get to 20 under for the tournament and take a one-shot lead into Sunday.
“It was really fun. Just had a great time,” Hovland said of battling Schffler. “You know, it’s been a while since I’ve been in this position. You know, to go head-to-head against the best player in the world and pull off some great shots, it was just a lot of fun.”
Scheffler and Hovland will play together again on Sunday. The pair will go off at 2:55 p.m. ET.
You can watch early coverage of Sunday’s final round of the 2026 Travelers Championship from 1-3 p.m. ET on Golf Channel, followed by the NBC broadcast from 3-6 p.m. ET. PGA Tour Live on ESPN+ will provide exclusive early streaming coverage starting on Sunday, in addition to featured group and featured hole coverage.
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Check out the complete Round 4 tee times and pairings for the Travelers Championship below.
Hooker Peato Mauvaka scored twice as Toulouse held on to beat Montpellier 28-20 for a record-equalling fourth-straight French Top 14rugby title in a final interrupted by a thunderstorm.
France front-rower Mauvaka crossed in a dominant first half to set the 25-time champions on their way before the game was stopped for 12 minutes just before the hour mark.
Toulouse’s generation between 1994 and 1997 as well as Bordeaux 1904-1907 have also won the Bouclier de Brennus (Brennus Shield) in four consecutive seasons.
“Experience helps in those moments,” Toulouse’s Antoine Dupont told France Televisions about the break in the game.
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“You have to measure the luck you have to be here, to win four years in a row.
“It’s incredible, it will motivate us for the years to come,” the 2021 World Rugby player of the year added.
Montpellier, champions in 2022, were a different team after the break with Argentina centre Justo Piccardo and replacement fly-half Leo Coly crossing in their failed attempt at a comeback.
“We weren’t far off,” Montpellier captain Lenni Nouchi told France Televisions.
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“It’s hard, it’s going to be hard to accept, but it’s reality,” the flanker added.
The game started in sweltering conditions with France experiencing record heat with temperatures reaching 34C at kick-off in northern Paris.
French president Emmanuel Macron was whistled by the crowd as he entered the pitch to meet the players as part of the pre-match protocol.
Toulouse head coach Ugo Mola named Thomas Ramos on the bench after the goal-kicking full-back missed last Friday’s 71-17 semi-final hammering of Racing 92 with a hamstring issue.
Superstar Dupont started after sitting out last season’s nerve-wracking decider, won in extra-time over Bordeaux-Begles, with a serious knee injury and will join France’s Nations Championship early next week.
Montpellier boss Joan Caudullo kept the same matchday squad from last Saturday’s 25-15 semi-final win over Stade Francais with in-form fly-half Domingo Miotti and No 8 Billy Vunipola starting.
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By the first drinks break after a quarter of the game, Toulouse led 7-0 as Mauvaka strolled over 50m out dummying Donovan Taofifenua on his way after a subtle lineout move including Dupont.
Fightback
Toulouse took control of the game and put one hand on the Bouclier de Brennus, first awarded in 1892, by half-time.
Mauvaka claimed his double from short range thanks to another Dupont pass before the half-back crossed himself to make it 25-6 after a break from full-back Blair Kinghorn, standing in for Ramos as Ntamack nailed a penalty.
Rain and a thunderstorm welcomed the teams back from the interval, which seemed to benefit Caudullo’s side, owned by Syria-born billionaire Mohed Altrad.
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They cut the score to 28-13 just before the hour as Justo Piccardo powered over before the 12-minute weather-enforced break.
Referee Luc Ramos ordered the players into the changing rooms for an extended drinks break, which also provided a spark for Montpellier.
With 16 minutes left Coly, a second-half replacement for Miotti, found space to score and his conversion made it 28-20 but they left themselves too much to do after a slow start to the game.
The round of 32 at the World Cup is set, with the knockout stage getting underway on Sunday as Canada plays South Africa in Southern California.
The U.S. will face Bosnia-Herzegovina on Wednesday in Santa Clara, California, while third co-host Mexico returns to its capital city to take on Ecuador on Tuesday. Tournament favourite France goes back to the New York area to play Sweden on Tuesday, with the winner of that game going up against Germany or Paraguay in the round of 16.
Here are the games in the round of 32 (all times in ET):
Canada vs. South Africa – June 28 at 3 p.m. These nations have already made history. It’ll be the first time both are in the knockout stage of the World Cup. Canada advanced as runner-up in Group B with four points — one win, one draw and one loss. South Africa was runner-up in Group A, also with four points, including a surprising win over South Korea.
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Brazil vs. Japan – June 29 at 1 p.m. These nations have already made history. It’ll be the first time both are in the knockout stage of the World Cup. Canada advanced as runner-up in Group B with four points — one win, one draw and one loss. South Africa was runner-up in Group A, also with four points, including a surprising win over South Korea.
Germany vs. Paraguay – June 29 at 4:30 p.m. Germany comes into the knockout stage off a similarly low-key late defeat as the U.S., having already clinched its group with little to play for. Germany is a significant favourite against Paraguay, which lost to the U.S. 4-1 in its opener but steadied itself enough to move on.
Netherlands vs. Morocco – June 29 at 9 p.m. The Netherlands won Group F after a draw with Japan and outscoring Sweden and Tunisia by a combined 8-2. Morocco went unbeaten to finish second in Group C in pursuit of becoming the first African winner of the World Cup. Morocco reached the semifinals four years ago in Qatar.
Ivory Coast vs. Norway – June 30 at 1 p.m. It would have taken beating the favoured France for Norway to win Group I. Instead, coach Ståle Solbakken opted to rest Erling Haaland and all but one starter. That sets up a matchup against the Ivory Coast at the Dallas Cowboys’ stadium in Arlington, Texas, on Tuesday.
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France vs. Sweden – June 30 at 5 p.m. France came in as the tournament favourite and remains it after winning all three of its group games to set up a matchup against Sweden, which had a 5-1 win, a 5-1 loss and a draw.
Mexico vs. Ecuador – June 30 at 9 p.m. Winning all three of its group stage matches for the first time at the World Cup, Mexico goes into the round of 32 also having now allowed a single goal. It has outscored opponents 6-0 and now has the distinct home-field advantage at altitude back at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City against Ecuador, which rallied to beat Germany and advance.
England vs. Congo DR – July 1 at 12 p.m. It took Jude Bellingham scoring and setting up Harry Kane’s goal to break a tie with Panama, but England got the job done Saturday to finish first in its group. Injuries are a question now, going into a matchup with Congo, which rallied to defeat Uzbekistan and advance.
Belgium vs. Senegal – July 1 at 4 p.m. Belgium scored five times in its group play finale against New Zealand to not only advance but also finish first. Up next is no easy task: a matchup against Senegal, which played France and Norway tough and routed Iraq to move on. The U.S.-Bosnia-Herzegovina winner faces the winner of this match.
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United States vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina – July 1 at 8 p.m. The Americans had their powerful momentum from two consecutive victories was stalled in the loss to Turkey. But in the knockout round, they’ll face Bosnia-Herzegovina, which is 62nd in the FIFA rankings. Bosnia finished third in Group B with four points. U.S. star Christian Pulisic entered as a substitute in the second half against Turkey. He had not played since leaving the opening win over Paraguay at halftime with a calf injury. “We play every game like a knockout game,” said U.S. midfielder Sebastian Berhalter, who scored against Turkey. “You saw that in our intensity and the way we worked. For us, it’s keep doing what we’ve been doing.”
Spain vs. Austria – July 2 at 3 p.m. Spain bounced back from a surprising 0-0 draw against Cape Verde in its first game to win its group, in the process sending two-time champion Uruguay home. Austria tied it in the final minutes after falling behind earlier in stoppage time to play Algeria to a 3-3 draw Saturday night and set up this matchup.
Portugal vs. Croatia – July 2 at 7 p.m. Playing Colombia to a 0-0 tie Saturday night meant a second-place finish in the group for Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal and a tougher path, which could include facing neighbour Spain for a spot in the quarterfinals. Croatia moved into this spot by defeating Ghana hours earlier.
Switzerland vs. Algeria – July 2 at 11 p.m. This was supposed to be Canada’s spot in Vancouver, but Switzerland winning the teams’ head-to-head matchup there and finishing ahead in the group gave the Swiss a plum spot. Algeria took a late lead on Austria before allowing the tying goal in the final minutes, leading to a 3-3 draw and getting both teams in and eliminating Iran.
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Australia vs. Egypt – July 3 at 2 p.m. This may be one of the most evenly matched rounds of 32 games, after Australia beat Turkey, lost to the U.S., and drew with Paraguay. Egypt got through as the second-place team in Group G after a late goal by Iran on Friday night was called back for offside.
Argentina vs. Cape Verde – July 3 at 6 p.m. Defending champion Argentina faces the smallest country to qualify for the knockout stage at a World Cup. Unsurprisingly, Cape Verde goes in as a massive underdog.
Colombia vs. Ghana – July 3 at 9:30 p.m. Passing Portugal for first in the group allows Colombia to open the knockout stage against Ghana, which entered with the lowest FIFA ranking at No. 74 but also played England to a scoreless tie.
Jaron “Boots” Ennis secured the pole position atop the 154-pound division on Saturday and he did it the hard way by fighting in the trenches and walking through unified champion Xander Zayas in their thrilling slugfest in Brooklyn, New York.
Ennis (36-0, 32 KOs) exited the Barclays Center to a chorus of boos from the partisan, Puerto Rican crowd as the WBA and WBO champion after scoring a trio of knockdowns and surviving a hellacious Round 3 in which he was hurt. But after multiple rounds of toe-to-toe fighting between the two elite boxers, the corner of Zayas (23-1, 13 KOs) threw in the towel at 1:49 of Round 7 as Ennis was pouring it on.
Not only did the sublime Ennis, a native of nearby Philadelphia, get hit more than we were used to seeing, the 23-year-old Zayas showcased a strong chin and tremendous courage that raised his stock in defeat.
“It feels tremendous,” Ennis said. “[Zayas] wanted to test himself against one of the best in the division and I commend him for that. This was a dream. I was having fun putting on a show for the fans and I got the job done.
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“It’s a blessing to be a two-time unified champion.”
The 29-year-old Ennis, who previously held a pair of titles at 147 pounds but was unable to lure any of the elite champions into fights, appeared to cement his status as one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world in the biggest fight of his pro career.
Once the naturally orthodox Ennis switched to southpaw midway through Round 1, he began to hurt Zayas with a flurry of clean combinations and uppercuts to the body. He dropped Zayas on a pair of quick left hands to build an early lead.
But just as Ennis began to flaunt his impressive footwork and variety of attacks by dancing and showboating in Round 3, Zayas bit down on the mouthguard to eat a right hand before countering with a right of his own to the chin of Ennis to hurt him. A back-and-forth slugfest ensued in close space through Round 4 as Zayas scored big to the body and Ennis chose to stand and trade instead of holding and boxing.
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“[Ennis] hurt me a little bit in the first round so my legs went away for a couple of rounds and I needed to find them,” Zayas said. “It’s part of the business but you learn and come back and get better. I feel like I hurt him [in Round 3] and hit him with good shots but he’s a great champion.”
Ennis took back control of the fight in Round 5 with authority as he walked down Zayas and floored him on a beautiful combination of a right hand to the body and a left uppercut. Zayas was lucky to survive the rest of the round as Harvey Dock came close to jumping in following more clean punches from Ennis.
In Round 7, Ennis put the fight away as a flurry of clean punches forced Zayas to take a voluntary knee. Shortly after, the corner of Zayas saved their young fighter from any further damage.
“It was an amazing night,” Zayas said. “I showed tonight that if you dream big, sometimes you come up short but it’s part of the journey. I’m happy with my performance. But congratulations to ‘Boots.’ He did what he had to do to get the victory.
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“[My cornermen] are here to save me. They are here to let me live another day tomorrow. I knew it was the right decision if they made it because it was time.”
After the fight, Zayas refused to confirm the rumor that he intends to move up to middleweight next after outgrowing the division.
“I don’t want to say that right now. I lost the fight fair and square,” Zayas said. “He won tonight. I’m not going to make any excuses about that I’m moving up in weight. I want to take some time off and not make any excuses. He won like the champion that he is and I lost like the gentleman that I am.”
Ennis, who missed out on a non-title, superfight against fellow unbeaten Vergil Ortiz Jr. earlier this year when tensions between Ortiz’s manager and promoter led to a lawsuit, remained steadfast that his goal is to unify all four recognized titles.
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“Whoever [promoter] Eddie [Hearn of Matchroom Sport] wants, that’s who we are going to get [next,]” Ennis said. “Bring on Vergil and bring on the belts. I’m here to be undisputed in this weight class so it doesn’t matter who is next because I’ll fight them all.”
Austria and Algeria played to a thrilling 3-3 draw Saturday night in what amounted to a win-win result in their World Cup group-stage finale, allowing both to advance to the knockout round while eliminating Iran from the tournament.
The game was tied 2-all in the closing minutes, and Algeria looked as if it was content to run out the clock, when Riyad Mahrez scored his second goal with about a minute left in stoppage time. That put Austria on the verge of elimination, only for Sasa Kalajdzic to head in the equalizing goal moments later and rescue Das Team’s World Cup hopes.
Marko Arnautovic and Marcel Sabitzer also had goals for Austria, which finished second behind Argentina in Group J to advance for the first time since 1982. Its reward is a matchup with European champion Spain on Thursday in Los Angeles.
Rafik Belghali also scored for Les Fennecs, who became the ninth of 10 teams from Africa to advance. They finished third in the group but get a potentially easier Round of 32 matchup with Switzerland on Thursday night in Vancouver, British Columbia.
Iran would’ve advanced as one of the eight best third-place teams had Austria or Algeria won. But when Kalajdzic scored in stoppage time to tie the game one last time, it meant Team Melli was eliminated in hearbreaking fashion.
The first three World Cup matches at Arrowhead Stadium had seen the home of the Kansas City Chiefs flooded in the light blue of Argentina, yellow of Ecuador and highlighter orange of the Netherlands. But in Kansas City’s group finale, the Algeria green and red of the Austrians were complemented by thousands of locals just happy to score a less expensive World Cup ticket.
Many of those locals appeared to be rooting for Algeria, which has made its training base in nearby Lawrence, Kansas, and has struck up a unique friendship with the small college town home to the University of Kansas.
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Few of those new fans of Les Fennecs probably know about the “Disgrace of Gijón.”
Yet longtime Algeria supporters had been waiting 44 years for some World Cup revenge. At the 1982 tournament, Austria and West Germany seemingly quit playing after the latter took a 1-0 lead, because that outcome ensured both would advance at the expense of Algeria, which protested to FIFA to no avail and was eliminated from the World Cup.
Some were curious whether the expanded 48-team field would result in a “Disgrace of Kansas City,” because both teams knew by kickoff that a draw would send them through. Instead, the crowd of 69,045 was treated to a dramatic 90-plus minutes.
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Austria struck first when Arnautovic perfectly timed his run between the two Algerian center backs, found himself one-on-one with goalkeeper Oussama Benbot, and overcame a stumble to score his record-extending 49th career goal for his nation.
Algeria answered just before halftime, when Belghali’s left-footed shot easily beat Austria goalkeeper Alexander Schlager.
The frenetic pace continued in the second half on a hot night in Kansas City.
Not content with a 1-1 draw, Austria’s Konrad Laimer sent a sharp pass across the field that Sabitzer finished to regain the lead — and give Iran some hope — only for Algeria to answer minutes later, when Mahrez scored off a perfect cross from Houssem Aouar.
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Algeria took control down the stretch, playing keep-away as the crowd grew antsy. But just when it seemed both teams were happy to run out the clock, Mahrez and Kalajdzic provided them with some lasting fireworks in stoppage time.
The fixtures for the Round of 32 at the 2026 FIFA World Cup have been confirmed, with several exciting matches set to take place as teams battle for places in the last 16.
A record nine African nations have reached the knockout stage, with South Africa, Morocco, Ivory Coast, Senegal, DR Congo, Algeria, Cape Verde, Egypt and Ghana all progressing to the knockout rounds.
The action begins on Sunday, June 28, with South Africa facing Canada. The North Americans are considered favourites to progress, but South Africa will hope to cause an upset.
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On Monday, five-time champions Brazil take on Japan, while Germany face Paraguay. Another intriguing tie will see the Netherlands battle Morocco, who have continued their impressive run on the world stage.
Tuesday’s fixtures include Ivory Coast against Norway, while France face Sweden in what is expected to be a difficult test for the Scandinavian side. Mexico and Ecuador will also fight for a place in the next round.
The United States face Bosnia and Herzegovina on Wednesday, while Belgium take on African giants Senegal in one of the most anticipated matches of the round. England will also face DR Congo after the African side reached the knockout stage for the first time in their history.
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Thursday’s fixtures will see Algeria face Switzerland, while Croatia take on Portugal. Former world champions Spain will battle Austria for a place in the last 16.
The final Round of 32 matches will be played on Friday, July 3. Defending champions Argentina, led by Lionel Messi, will face World Cup debutants Cape Verde. Egypt will meet Australia, while Ghana take on Colombia in another crucial encounter.
Round of 32 Fixtures
Sunday, June 28
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•South Africa vs Canada
Monday, June 29
•Brazil vs Japan
•Germany vs Paraguay
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•Netherlands vs Morocco
Tuesday, June 30
•Ivory Coast vs Norway
•France vs Sweden
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•Mexico vs Ecuador
Wednesday, July 1
•United States vs Bosnia and Herzegovina
•Belgium vs Senegal
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•England vs DR Congo
Thursday, July 2
•Switzerland vs Algeria
•Croatia vs Portugal
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•Spain vs Austria
Friday, July 3
•Argentina vs Cape Verde
•Australia vs Egypt
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•Ghana vs Colombia
With nine African nations still in the competition, the 2026 FIFA World Cup has already become a historic tournament for African football, and more surprises could be on the way in the knockout stage.
The 25-year-old – who is the 2025 World Indoor Champion over 60 metres – asked the Atherton-born runner what one thing she wants to achieve in the next decade. Hodgkinson responded: “Mine is not related to track at all.
“Mine is I’d like to start a family and get married. That’s a big thing for me. I’ll be 34, I’d like to think I’d had a baby by then and I really look forward to that point of my life at some point.”
She previously touched on her romantic life when she revealed that her three-year relationship with a fellow runner came to an end at the start of 2024 due to the difficulties of long-distance. Speaking to The Times in October of that year, she said: “He lived in Texas for a bit, then in Italy, then London.
“There was always a distance and, because I do what I do and put that first, we could go weeks, months and not see each other. I’m not really interested in dating right now. I’ve never been on the apps. I like meeting people in real life.”
Amid the scrutiny surrounding her personal life, Hodgkinson returned to competition last week at the British Athletics Championship, lining up for the 400m final – only to walk off the track moments before the race got underway.
She took her place in lane nine but it quickly became clear that something was wrong as a visibly distressed Hodgkinson made her way to the trackside, with officials swiftly gathering around her.
The athlete was left in tears before walking away, later taking to social media to explain her decision to withdraw. She said in a statement: “I wasn’t feeling 100% standing on the start line, so I made the tough decision to step away and not race. I didn’t want to risk anything ahead of this summer.”
She subsequently posted on Instagram: “Leaving champs healthy! ! Sometimes the hard decision is saying no, body wasn’t feeling 100[%], exciting summer ahead.”
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Argentina vs Jordan, FIFA World Cup match result: Lionel Messi creates history as Argentina beat Jordan 3-1 to complete perfect group stage | Football News
NEW DELHI: Defending champions Argentina finished the group stage with three wins from three after beating Jordan 3-1 on Saturday.Giovani Lo Celso, Lautaro Martinez and Lionel Messi scored for Argentina, who had already secured top spot in Group J before the match. Jordan, playing in their first-ever World Cup, ended their campaign with three defeats.Argentina will now face Cape Verde in the Round of 32 on Friday in Miami.
Lo Celso and Martinez put Argentina in control
With nine changes to the starting XI, Argentina still looked comfortable.Lo Celso, making his first World Cup start, opened the scoring in the 19th minute with a brilliant direct free-kick. It was his first World Cup goal and also the first scored by an Argentina player other than Lionel Messi at this tournament.Lautaro Martinez doubled the lead in the 31st minute from the penalty spot. The penalty was awarded after a VAR review showed Julian Alvarez had been kicked in the face during a goalmouth scramble. Moments earlier, Martinez had struck the crossbar from close range.The goal was also Martinez’s first at the 2026 World Cup. He and goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez were the only outfield players to start all three group matches for Argentina.
Which player had the most impressive performance in the match against Jordan?
Messi started on the bench after Argentina had already wrapped up first place in the group. The 39-year-old came on in the 60th minute, just three days after his birthday, replacing Lautaro Martinez.Twenty minutes later, he scored from a free-kick to make it 3-1.It was Messi’s sixth goal of the tournament and his 19th World Cup goal overall, extending his record as the leading men’s scorer in World Cup history.The goal also made him the first player ever to score in seven consecutive World Cup matches. He had entered the game after scoring all five of Argentina’s goals in wins over Algeria and Austria, including his first World Cup hat-trick and a record-breaking brace against Austria.
Iran has been eliminated from the World Cup, narrowly failing to advance past the group stage in a politically charged tournament where the team played its matches amid tight restrictions imposed by the United States.
Iran missed the round of 32 by one spot in heartbreaking fashion.
It finished third in Group G with three points earned with draws against Belgium, New Zealand and Egypt. Iran appeared to have advanced via tiebreakers when Algeria scored a stunning stoppage-time goal to go ahead of Austria 3-2 Saturday night, but Austria tied it back up seconds later on the game’s final play. Their draw ensured Iran’s elimination.
It was one last painful moment for Iran in a World Cup that’s been tumultuous, on and off the pitch.
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The Iranians have been playing while Tehran negotiates with Washington on terms of a deal meant to permanently end the war that began earlier this year. Tensions continued Saturday when Iran launched a drone assault targeting Bahrain, home to the U.S. Navy’s 5th Fleet, in a likely response to overnight airstrikes by the U.S. Hours later, the U.S. said it struck multiple Iranian military targets after it said Iran attacked a ship near the Straight of Hormuz.
During the World Cup, Iran coach Amir Ghalenoei and players complained about numerous complications, including travel restrictions, visa denials for support staff and quick departures from the U.S. after matches.
U.S. officials have said all restrictions were known before the tournament.
The U.S. and Israel began the war on Feb. 28 by attacking Iran, which retaliated with attacks in the region and by asserting control over the Strait of Hormuz.
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In March, Iran sought to move its group-stage matches to Mexico, with which it has diplomatic ties. Its request to move its base camp from Tucson, Arizona, to Tijuana was granted two weeks before the team’s arrival.
After Iran was eliminated Saturday night, the team sent a statement expressing “heartfelt appreciation to the wonderful people of Mexico, especially the beautiful city of Tijuana.”
“Leaving Tijuana is truly difficult for all of us,” the statement said.
At its first match, several hundred Iranian Americans protested outside the stadium, calling for change in Tehran and waving the pre-revolutionary lion-and-sun flag. Thousands more poured into the stadium to watch them play, and the pre-game national anthem was met with a mix of cheers and boos.
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For the first two matches, near Los Angeles, the team was not permitted to travel until the day before and had to return to Mexico immediately after each game. The U.S. then eased its restrictions, allowing the squad to travel to Seattle two days before Friday’s match against Egypt. If Iran had advanced, it would have played its next match in Vancouver, British Columbia.
“We were treated very, very badly,” Ghalenoei said after Friday’s draw with Egypt left the Iranians clinging to hope they would get to the next round. “I hope the world becomes aware of these issues.”
“What these young Iranian national team players have done should be recorded in history,” Ghalenoei said. “Why? Because the host treated us in the worst possible way.”
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