Iran is pushing to move its 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup matches out of the US.

Iran’s football chief, Mehdi Taj, said the country was in talks with world football’s governing body to relocate its games to Mexico, citing security concerns after remarks by US President Donald Trump.

“When Trump has explicitly stated that he cannot ensure the security of the Iranian national team, we will certainly not travel to America,” Taj said in comments posted on the Iranian Embassy’s X account.

Trump warns of safety risks for players

The push follows comments by Trump last week on his Truth Social platform. He said that while Iranian players would be allowed to compete, he added it would not be “appropriate that they be there, for their own life and safety.”

Iran’s sports minister has also previously suggested Iran could boycott this year’s tournament altogether amid ongoing joint US-Israeli strikes on Iran.

Starting on June, the World Cup will be staged across the US, Mexico and Canada, with Iran currently scheduled to play across US stadiums.

Under current plans, Iran’s base camp would be in Tucson, Arizona, with its opening match against New Zealand set for the SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles.

FIFA relocation unlikely, New Zealand execs say

New Zealand Football chief Andrew Pragnell told local media Tuesday he doubted FIFA would change the fixtures, while national coach Darren Bazeley said preparations remained unchanged.

“Right now, we’re preparing as if we’re playing Iran,” he said. “They qualified. We were drawn against them. And until we’re told otherwise, that’s the match.”

FIFA has not publicly commented on Iran’s request to relocate matches.

Iranian football under the spotlight

The uncertainty adds to headlines surrounding Iranian football in recent weeks. Previously, five of the seven women players granted asylum in Australia during the 2026 AFC Women’s Asian Cup reportedly chose to return to Iran.

The offer followed a pre-match protest in which some players stayed silent during the national anthem — a gesture that prompted Iranian state television to label them “wartime traitors.”

Edited by: Rob Turner

Jalen Nailor left the Minnesota Vikings eight days ago, and the only man on the current roster in line for a replacement is second-year wideout Tai Felton, who barely played in 2025. The team might need WR3 assistance in 2026. Thankfully, there are options, and we have ranked them.

Minnesota still has a few plausible WR options on the board.

Ranked in order of likelihood — No. 1 on the list is most likely to sign in Minnesota — these are the top five WR3 options for the Vikings as of March 17th.

Veteran WR Help Hasn’t Fully Dried Up

The Vikings could also draft a WR, but these are the free agency alternatives. With Kyler Murray in the saddle as QB1, there’s every reason to dream big about the WR3. Murray brings a skill set that ensures the offense can be potent — and not rinky-dink like last year.

5. Stefon Diggs

Will the Vikings sign their one-time Miracle Man? Probably not. Diggs is bogged down in a bizarre strangulation scandal, with his former chef leveling serious allegations. But if one pretends for a moment that those charges vanish — that happens, believe it or not — Diggs on the Vikings’ roster as a WR3 makes sense.

He compiled over 1,000 yards last season with Drake Maye flinging the rock; it’s a little weird that New England doesn’t want him back. Diggs was productive last season, far exceeding 2025 offseason expectations.

Diggs would have a chance to wind down in his NFL career where it started. The Patriots are already eating over $9 million in dead cap for cutting him, so it’s not like Diggs would utterly break the bank.

For the purposes of this analysis, remember that Murray signing with the Vikings changed everything. Minnesota is now an attractive market for big-name playmakers to sign.

4. Keenan Allen

Is Keenan Allen young? No — he’ll turn 34 next month. Is Keenan Allen fast? Absolutely not — and he never really was in the first place. Is Keenan Allen a long-term solution at WR3? Don’t even think about it.

Allen is not a glowing fix for the long haul at WR3, but the fact remains he posted 777 receiving yards last year, which is about 300 more than Nailor ever tabulated. The guy who entered the NFL in the same year as former Vikings cornerback Xavier Rhodes can still get open, and he can still catch the ball.

As a short-term 2026 fix, perhaps while Felton learns the ropes, Allen could rather easily obtain 600-700 yards in Minnesota’s pass-happy offense.

3. Deebo Samuel

Kyler Murray, through seven seasons and especially as of late, is not known for an extremely vertical offense. If the Vikings cater an offense to their new quarterback’s obvious strengths — they should — signing Samuel makes sense.

Samuel excels with the ball in his hands, often near the line of scrimmage or just ahead of it. The San Francisco 49ers even featured him as a quasi-running back during his heyday. Samuel isn’t young, either, meaning he might look around the landscape of the NFL and find Super Bowl contenders as his next employer. With Murray in the house, the Vikings aren’t terribly far away.

The 30-year-old totaled 727 receiving yards in Washington last year with subpar quarterback performance. Get him to Minnesota.

2. Tyreek Hill

There are three items in favor of Hill becoming a Viking.

1. Hill’s offensive coordinator for the last four years is a man named Frank Smith. After Mike McDaniel lost his job in Miami, the coaching staff dispersed, and Smith landed in Minnesota as an assistant head coach. He knows Hill personally; the communication pipeline in free agency is open.
2. Recovering from a brutal injury in 2025, nobody knows when Hill will be ready. Assuming he returns before too long, he will sign somewhere for cheap, as general managers don’t know what they’re getting in post-injury Hill. Minnesota doesn’t have oodles of cap space, but it can afford Hill.
3. Like Murray, Hill grew up a Vikings fan, and he’s reiterated that fact a few times in the last decade. Murray proved that childhood fandom can influence a player’s decision-making.

The fan base could quickly warm up to Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, and Tyreek Hill on Sundays. How could they not?

1. Hollywood Brown

Oddly, a handful of Murray’s former WR teammates entered free agency last week, including Christian Kirk, Greg Dortch, and DeAndre Hopkins. Well, Kirk signed with the 49ers on Monday, Dortch has never produced at a WR3 level — he’s closer to a WR4 — and Hopkins is over the hill.

That leaves Hollywood Brown, who logged 587 receiving yards in Kansas City last season and served as Murray’s WR3 in Arizona during the 2022 and 2023 campaigns. Like Murray and Kirk, Murray and Brown are pals.

Once upon a time, Brown ran a 4.27 forty, and while that speed has diminished over the years — Brown will turn 29 in June — he’s still faster than Jefferson and Addison. Because of Brown’s small price tag and familiarity with Murray, he’s the wisest WR3 option remaining on the open market.

He was also a teammate of Murray’s at Oklahoma.

Also in this sports roundup:

Brazil coach Carlo Ancelotti did not call up Neymar for friendly matches against France and Croatia.

In tennis, Daniil Medvedev has entered the ATP Top 10 for the first time since June 2025.

In basketball, Luka Doncic and Bam Adebayo were named NBA Players of the Week.

The 2026 Valspar Championship begins this week at Innisbrook Resort’s Copperhead Course in Florida. Here’s everything you need to know to watch the PGA Tour’s flagship tournament, including a full Valspar Championship TV schedule, streaming information and complete tee times for the first and second rounds.

How to watch Valspar Championship

The PGA Tour season continues barreling toward the 2026 Masters this week with another long-running Florida event: the Valspar Championship at Innisbrook.

Despite landing directly after the Players Championship on the schedule, plenty of star Tour pros are in the field to take on the fearsome Copperhead Course.

Featured players include two-time major winner Xander Schauffele, fresh off a solo third at TPC Sawgrass. He’ll be competing against the man who finished one spot above him at the Players: Matt Fitzpatrick.

Other big names in the field include Justin Thomas, Jordan Spieth, Viktor Hovland and Akshay Bhatia, to name just a few.

They’ll be fighting for the $1.638 million winner’s share out of the $9 million Valspar purse.

NBC and Golf Channel will provide TV coverage of the 2026 Valspar Championship, while PGA Tour Live on ESPN+ will offer streaming coverage and featured group coverage all week long. Peacock will air simulcasts of NBC’s Valspar Championship TV coverage.

You can find complete information about streaming or watching the tournament on TV below.

Want to place a wager on the Players Championship? Sign up for Fanatics Sportsbook with code “SUBPAR” to receive a special welcome offer.

Tournament basics

What: 2026 Valspar Championship
Where: Innisbrook Resort (Copperhead Course), Palm Harbor, Fla.
When: Thursday-Sunday, March 19-22
Purse: $9.1 million ($1.638 million winner’s share)

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How to watch on TV

NBC and Golf Channel will air TV coverage of the 2026 Valspar Championship this week. Check out the full TV schedule below.

Thursday, March 19: 2-6 p.m. ET (Golf Channel)
Friday, March 20: 2-6 p.m. ET (Golf Channel)
Saturday, March 21: 1-3 p.m. ET (Golf Channel); 3-6 p.m. ET (NBC)
Sunday, March 22: 1-3 p.m. ET (Golf Channel); 3-6 p.m. ET (NBC)

How to watch online, streaming

You can watch the 2026 Valspar Championship online via PGA Tour Live on ESPN+, including exclusive early coverage beginning at 7:30 a.m. ET on Thursday and Friday and 7:45 a.m. ET on Saturday and Sunday. PGA Tour Live on ESPN+ will also provide featured group and featured hole coverage throughout the round. You can stream NBC’s coverage on Peacock.

2026 Valspar Championship tee times: Round 1 (ET)

(TBA)

2026 Valspar Championship tee times: Round 2 (ET)

(TBA)

Man Utd midfielder Bruno Fernandes has been in sensational form since Ruben Amorim was sacked in January.

When Ruben Amorim was sacked by Manchester United, some fans and pundits believed it was the wrong decision. It hasn’t taken long for that opinion to be proven wrong by Michael Carrick, who has won seven of nine.

United are third in the Premier League, six points clear of fifth position. The bookmakers have priced Carrick’s side as near-certainties to qualify for the Champions League. It was a long shot when Amorim was in charge.

Carrick and his backroom staff deserve to be lauded for their impact, but the last two months have reflected poorly on Amorim, who was holding the club back with his management.

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Carrick changed formation, relocated Bruno Fernandes to his strongest position and Kobbie Mainoo was reintegrated. The decision to play Fernandes as a deeper midfielder has looked particularly baffling following a string of outstanding performances as an attacking midfielder.

Fernandes has created nine assists in his last 10 matches in the Premier League, an improvement on the seven assists he recorded in the 17 league games with Amorim in charge this season.

Who would have thought that playing one of the world’s best creative midfielders in an advanced role would yield better results? Amorim’s decision-making was compromised due to his 3-4-3 formation.

Fernandes was asked to play so deep that he would often drop between the defenders to orchestrate the build-up. Some observers compared him to an NFL quarterback in the first half of the season.

In September, there was a conversation about Fernandes’ form and whether Amorim had to finally concede that playing him in the pivot was not getting the best out of his most talented player.

Amorim has a strong reputation in Portugal after a hugely successful stint with Sporting Lisbon, but even the Portuguese press questioned why Fernandes was playing in that role for United.

When Fernandes was on international duty with Portugal in October, he was asked about his position in Amorim’s system. “I love playing football, whatever the position,” he diplomatically answered.

Fernandes added: “Everyone has their preferences, but we have to adapt to the coach’s ideas,” which was the closest thing to an admission that he would prefer to play higher up the pitch.

It’s a testament to Fernandes’ quality that he found a way to remain influential in that role – he was superb in November and December – but his performances since playing as a No.10 again prove that he should never have been considered for such a limiting position.

Fernandes notched two assists in the 3-1 win against Aston Villa last weekend to surpass David Beckham’s club record for assists (Beckham contributed 15 assists in 1999/2000). He is now just four shy of equalling the Premier League assist record shared by Thierry Henry and Kevin De Bruyne.

Fernandes’ numbers are even more impressive when you drill into the data, which was highlighted by a ‘chances created’ graphic on Monday Night Football. The graphic showed players in the Premier League who have created one chance or more this season.

It combined chances from open play and total chances created. “Here is, Bruno Fernandes,” said presenter Dave Jones, pointing to the top right of the graphic, illustrating that he’s in a league of his own.

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“If you can control the speed of your brain, then you will be faster than anyone on the pitch,” Henry said. “He doesn’t play football, he thinks it. That’s a different ball game, for me.”

Fernandes’ remarkable rate of chance creation means that he has double the assists of Rayan Cherki, who has the second most in the Premier League this season, with a tally of eight.

The numbers are not a fluke, either. Fernandes is three goals away from reaching double figures for goals and assists for the ninth successive season. That consistency is why he’s world-class.

Fernandes has recorded 15.7 expected assists (xA) in the Premier League, leading to 16 assists. Rivals fans could take away from his achievement if his xA was much lower, which would suggest he’d benefited from clinical finishing, but the data shows he deserves the tally he has.

xA is a true reflection of a player’s ability to create chances. The metric measures the likelihood that a pass will become an assist. In layman’s terms, xA still rewards players for getting the ball into their teammate, regardless of whether the chance is converted or not.

Fernandes’ chance creation warrants 16 assists in the top-flight this term, but it likely would have been a different story if he’d continued to play in the deeper midfield role. Although Fernandes would have inevitably contributed goals and assists, it’s unlikely he would have reached the level he is currently operating at in his best position.

During Amorim’s United reign, the former head coach admitted he felt “embarrassed” by United’s league position as they threatened to flirt with a relegation battle last season. United’s current league position and the form of Fernandes are arguably even more embarrassing for him.

The Minnesota Vikings stunned their fan base, to an extent, last week when free agency kicked off because the franchise did close to nothing — until it secured Kyler Murray on Thursday evening. And according to NBC Sports, Murray alone fetches the Vikings an ‘A’ grade for free agency out of the gate.

Minnesota did less than most teams and still drew praise.

The Vikings were minimalists, and some national media love it.

NBC Sports Weighs In on the Vikings’ Free Agency

The Murray era begins in the Twin Cities.

NBC Sports: Vikings Get an ‘A’ in Free Agency

Minnesota grabbed Murray for free, and NBC Sports loved it.

Assigning a rare ‘A’ grade, Kyle Dvorchak praised the Vikings, “Minnesota’s offseason comes down to one player: Kyler Murray. The former Cardinal was released by Arizona at the start of the new league year. By that time, enough of the quarterback dominoes had fallen to all but guarantee Minnesota as his landing spot.”

“Because of offset language in his Arizona contract, he will be playing for the veteran minimum this year. Murray wasn’t great last year, but he wasn’t terrible either. He ranked 22nd in EPA per play (min. 200 plays), sandwiching him between Justin Herbert and Michael Penix.”

There’s no better deal anywhere in the NFL right now than Murray for $1.3 million. It might even be the best value in sports.

Dvorchak continued, “Murray finished 13th in EPA per play in the previous season. Even as his career has petered out, he has still been an average or above-average quarterback in the spreadsheets.”

‘”Now he goes to a team with Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, and T.J. Hockenson, plus Kevin O’Connell calling the plays. All for the lowest contract a team can offer?”

They … Made Two Moves

The astounding part about Vikings free agency? By a sheer number of roster transactions, the club hasn’t done much. In fact, it is by far Minnesota’s quietest free agency since 2020, when the franchise signed interior defensive lineman Michael Pierce and basically called it good.

Interim general manager Rob Brzezinski has re-signed players like Jalen Redmond, Eric Wilson, Ivan Pace Jr., Bo Richter, and Zavier Scott, but aside from those in-house moves and the additions of Murray and cornerback James Pierre, that’s it.

The team is cash-strapped due to huge spending sprees in 2024 and 2025, leaving salary cap space to save for the 2027 offseason.

The Kyler Effect

The cause of the high grade for Minnesota is obvious: it’s not easy to stumble into the first overall pick from a draft for next to nothing. Murray costs the Vikings $1.3 million this season — Arizona is paying the bill — and for a quarterback with a better career EPA+CPOE than Trevor Lawrence, Baker Mayfield, C.J. Stroud, and Daniel Jones, there’s just no better deal in the NFL.

Minnesota won nine games last year with the league’s fifth-worst quarterback play by the numbers, meaning a competent quarterback may be the only thing separating them from the postseason and possibly the Promised Land.

Any team that signed Murray for 1.3 million bucks — any team at all — would be given an ‘A’ grade for the offseason. The value is just off the charts. It’s actually hard to fathom.

Only One Other ‘A’ Grade — The Bears

One other squad fetched an ‘A’: Chicago.

Dvorchak noted on the Bears’ first week of free agency, “As expected, the Bears primarily addressed defense in free agency, signing safety Coby Bryant and linebacker Devin Bush to three-year deals worth $40 million and $30 million respectively. Bryant, a former fourth-round pick in Seattle, slowly earned more work every year with the Seahawks.”

“He took the field for 95 percent of their defensive snaps in his 15 games last year. Bush similarly took a while to find his footing in the NFL. He was an abject disaster on his rookie contract in Pittsburgh and things didn’t get much better during his one-year stint in Seattle.”

Chicago’s defense ranked 21st in the league last year per EPA/Play. It makes sense that it would target the defense in free agency, as Ben Johnson’s team featured a Bottom 12 unit, despite winning the NFC North and a Wildcard Round postseason game.

Dvorchak added, “Things finally clicked in Cleveland and PFF graded him as their No. 4 linebacker. Bush held the same rank in coverage grade among linebackers, which is a massive improvement over his coverage acumen in previous seasons.”

“It’s possible Bush’s ascendance in Cleveland won’t be replicated in Chicago. At $10 million a year, it’s worth a shot.”

The Vikings will sell training camp as a battle between Murray and J.J. McCarthy, but Murray is expected to win the QB1 title rather handily.

Murray will turn 29 this summer.

Oleksandr Usyk currently holds three of the four major world titles in the heavyweight ranks, but an upcoming fight against former kickboxing champion Rico Verhoeven has led many to call for him to vacate.

Usyk became undisputed in the sport’s top division for a second time last year, knocking out Daniel Dubois at Wembley Stadium. Months later, he would vacate the WBO belt rather than face mandatory challenger, Fabio Wardley, who was elevated to champion.

The Ukrainian has now opted to face Verhoeven on May 23 in Egypt, overlooking contenders like Agit Kabayel.

In an interview with Casinostugan, Director of Team Usyk, Sergey Lapin, rejected the idea that the Verhoeven fight was more for spectacle than sporting merit.

“The first rule of boxing, especially in the heavyweight division, is that you should never underestimate or overestimate your opponent. Rico is a very tough fighter. He’s a strong puncher who can hit with both hands and he has serious physical power.

“Yes, he comes from kickboxing and his footwork will not be the same as top professional boxers, but he works well with his hands. He’s a big athlete, around 120 kilograms, tall and very strong physically. For us this is not some kind of freak show. This is a dangerous opponent and we take him seriously.”

Even so, most in the sport still disagree with the WBC’s decision to allow the Ukrainian to put his world title on the line against an unranked fighter who has just one bout in professional boxing.

It has highlighted an inconsistency in the sanctioning body’s policy, as when Tyson Fury, then WBC champion, faced Francis Ngannou in 2024, he was permitted to retain the belt but it was not up for grabs in the fight. Instead, the Brit took a one-fight break from defending as champion and resumed his traditional campaign after the Ngannou fight. The WBC, keen to still be involved, put a token belt on the line.

Lapin addressed this decision, as well as saying that he is currently in communication with the WBA and IBF to reach a solution about the status of those titles.

“What do I make of the controversy around the WBC title being on the line? These are working processes that the team is currently dealing with. A decision will be made in the near future. We respect all organizations and their rules, and we are trying to find a solution that will be correct for all parties involved.

“The situation with belts is always complicated because several organizations are involved and each of them has its own rules and obligations. Right now there are discussions taking place. Once everything is finalized, we will communicate it.”

The IBF and WBA are yet to comment publicly on the fight, and may well see fit to strip Usyk and allow the top contenders in their rankings to fight for vacant belts. The WBC, while sanctioning the fight, has ordered Usyk to face mandatory challenger Kabayel next.

Manchester City trail by three goals going into Tuesday’s Champions League second-leg against Real Madrid

Bernardo Silva believes Pep Guardiola shares his frustration for not winning the Champions League more with Manchester City. City’s hopes of progressing are hanging by a thread after Real Madrid ran out 3-0 winners in their Round of 16 leg last week.

The Portuguese international hopes they can expose Los Blancos’ secret to success to move into the quarter-finals. But in doing so, they will need to overcome the three-goal deficit in order to stand a chance of progression.

Under the guidance of the Catalan tactician, City earned their maiden crown when they completed a famous treble in 2023, winning the Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League. Guardiola’s side have a mountain to climb against the record holders of the competition on Tuesday. Speaking o Gabriel Clarke ahead of Prime Video’s UEFA Champions League coverage of Manchester City vs. Real Madrid, Silva revealed that he felt they should’ve had more success in Europe.

READ MORE: Pep Guardiola fending off Real Madrid suspicions as spotlight shines on unusual Man City approachREAD MORE: Mbappe, Bellingham, Mendy – Real Madrid injury news and return dates ahead of Man City

He said: “I’m not happy so he’s probably not very happy. Of course one is better than zero, and we are very happy with the one we have won, but with the team that we have and the way our team has played in the past, we should have won more.”

Madrid have established themselves as serial winners of the competition in the modern era and on course to their European dominance, they have proved to be knockout experts.

City and their Premier League rivals, Chelsea, have previously succumbed to Real Madrid in the latter stages of the competition. Liverpool have been beaten twice in the final in the last 10 years to the Spanish giants.

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Silva highlighted Real’s three key ingredients to success but says they need the tide to turn on Tuesday. He said: “Confidence, character, personality, the little details.

“In this competition, it’s not always about the best team, or who plays better, it’s about all the little things that Madrid are really good at. We have been good in moments, and hopefully tomorrow we can turn the tide and put on a good performance.

“The higher the level, the finer the margins and those little details make all the difference.”

City are staring down the barrel of a Champions League elimination after reaching at least the quarter-finals in five out of the last six years.

Guardiola’s side will be seeking to avenge their exit in the playoff knockout last season when Madrid beat them 6-3 on aggregate.

Silva, who has become an integral figure in City’s squad since signing from AS Monaco, believes they have to go against Guardiola’s beliefs and make it a chaotic encounter with the La Liga giants.

The 31-year-old said: “The key is belief, even in minute sixty. In football a lot of things can happen, and we can create a lot, it’s happened in the past where we scored two or three goals in 10-15 minutes so we can do it.

“Sometimes I think we need to do the opposite of what Pep wants – which is a very controlled game – as tomorrow maybe a bit more of a chaotic game is needed, we need to try and create different outcomes as it’s not a normal game.”

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Manchester City have reached the UEFA Champions League round of 16 where they face Real Madrid on March 17. Fans can watch the game for free with an Amazon Prime subscription or 30-day trial.