China Media Group (CMG), the parent company of Chinese state broadcaster CCTV, has secured a major broadcasting agreement with FIFA for the upcoming World Cups, bringing an end to prolonged negotiations just weeks before the 2026 FIFA World Cup begins across the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

Under the newly finalised agreement, CMG has obtained exclusive media and sublicensing rights in mainland China for four major FIFA tournaments, the men’s World Cups in 2026 and 2030, along with the Women’s World Cups in 2027 and 2031.

The rights package covers free-to-air television, paid broadcasting, online streaming, and mobile distribution platforms. 
However, the financial details of the agreement were not officially disclosed.

China remains one of football’s biggest global audiences, with an estimated 200 million fans following the sport despite limited recent success for the men’s national team, which has only qualified for one World Cup back in 2002.

FIFA Highlights Importance of Chinese Market

FIFA Secretary General Mattias Grafström welcomed the partnership and highlighted the significance of the Chinese audience in global football.

According to Chinese outlet The Paper, the broadcasting rights for the 2026 World Cup alone are reportedly valued at around $60 million.

Deal Trends Across Chinese Social Media

News of the agreement quickly became one of the most-discussed topics on Chinese social media platform Weibo, generating over 27 million views within 45 minutes of the announcement.

For previous editions of the World Cup, CCTV had typically finalised broadcasting agreements much earlier and launched extensive promotional campaigns ahead of kickoff.

Digital Streaming Expansion Expected

Reports suggest CCTV has approached China Mobile’s streaming platform Migu regarding a potential distribution partnership for the 2026 World Cup.

China has increasingly embraced digital streaming for major football events. During the 2018 World Cup, CCTV sublicensed streaming rights to Migu and Alibaba-owned Youku for the first time. In 2022, CMG further expanded distribution by partnering with Migu, Douyin, and regional television broadcasters.

AIFF Deputy General Secretary M Satyanarayan had expressed confidence that India’s massive football audience and commercial value make it highly unlikely for FIFA and major broadcasters to overlook the market entirely.

The delay in securing a deal is believed to stem from ongoing disagreements over broadcasting rights valuation. According to reports, FIFA has already reduced its original pricing expectations, but Indian broadcasters are still reluctant to match the revised figures, resulting in continued negotiations as the countdown to the tournament continues.

Former NFL player Josh Mauro died from a drug overdose, the California Post reported, citing the Maricopa County Medical Examiner.

The Post said that Mauro died from “acute combined fentanyl, cocaine, and ethanol intoxication.”

Mauro’s death was ruled accidental, the outlet added.

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Josh Mauro of the Oakland Raiders is on the field before the game against the Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana, on Sept. 29, 2019. (Justin Casterline/Getty Images)

Greg Mauro, Josh’s father, announced his son’s death in a Facebook post last month, saying he passed on April 23.

“With many tears and broken hearts, yet anchored in the unshakable certainty that our precious Josh Mauro is now healed and made new – live in the presence of the Lord – we humbly covet your prayers as our family walks through the devastating loss of our amazing son, brother, uncle, grandson and friend,” Greg Mauro wrote in the post.

“On Thursday, April 23rd, Josh breathed his last breath on this Earth and his first breath in heaven. The Lord has been our strength in this unimaginable moment. Your prayers for continued strength and comfort mean more to us than words could ever express.”

Quarterback Sam Darnold of the New York Jets greets defensive end Josh Mauro of the Oakland Raiders after the Jets’ 34-3 win at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., on Nov. 24, 2019. (Sarah Stier/Getty Images)

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Mauro entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent out of Stanford, signing with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2014. But the Steelers didn’t hold on to the 6-foot-6, 290-pound defensive end long, cutting him during final roster moves before the start of the season. 

However, Mauro landed with the Arizona Cardinals, and he would spend the next four seasons in the desert helping their defensive line. 

Over six seasons with the Cardinals, Mauro collected 83 combined tackles and four sacks across 55 games (29 starts). He worked himself into a starting role in 2016, when he saw seven tackles for loss across 15 games. 

Mauro also spent time with the New York Giants and then-Oakland Raiders before a return to the Cardinals for the 2020 and 2021 seasons.

Mauro was born in England, where his father was stationed for work. He would eventually move from England to Texas and work up a high school resume that allowed him to play Division I football at Stanford. 

Josh Mauro of the Arizona Cardinals prepares to play against the Dallas Cowboys during an NFL game at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on Jan. 2, 2022. (Cooper Neill/Getty Images)

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Across 80 career games, Mauro had five sacks, 130 combined tackles (20 for loss), two forced fumbles and five passes defended.

Fox News’ Scott Thompson contributed to this report.

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Donovan Mitchell has never missed the playoffs. He’s also never made the conference finals. That remained true Friday when the Detroit Pistons crushed the Cleveland Cavaliers, 115-94, in Game 6 of their second-round series to keep their season alive and force a Game 7 back in Detroit on Sunday. 

Mitchell wasn’t the only Cavalier at fault Friday, but his no-show was the biggest reason why Cleveland lost at home for the first time in the playoffs, and highlighted not only his inconsistent play this postseason, but his Game 6 misery. Mitchell has now lost six consecutive Game 6s, including four close-out games, dating back to his time with the Jazz in the 2020 bubble. 

In 37 minutes, Mitchell had more shots than points and as many turnovers as assists, and the Cavaliers were outscored by 25 — the worst plus/minuts of anyone on the team. His final line: 18 points on 6 of 20 from the field, including 2 of 6 from 3-point range, four rebounds, three assists and three turnovers. This was the third time in 13 playoff games he’s been held under 20 points and the third time he’s shot worst than 40%. 

“I can’t dwell on it, you know what I mean? I missed shots tonight. Do I think some of them were tougher shots that I could have gotten better [looks]? Sure. But I could say that about every game. I’m not here to look at the fact that I missed shots,” Mitchell told reporters. “It’s just the overall force and impact of the game. Tonight I missed shots. I’ve been making them most every game this series and tonight I didn’t. I’m not worried about that. It’s more so everything else.”

“But yeah, we missed an opportunity,” Mitchell continued. “But we can’t do anything about it. We gotta go out there and win on the road.”

Mitchell’s inconsistent series

Mitchell was all over the map in the first round against the Toronto Raptors, but let’s stick to this series versus the Pistons. Here’s a look at Mitchell’s game-by-game numbers:

• Game 1: 23 points (9 of 19 FG, 4 of 10 3FG), four rebounds, two assists, three turnovers
• Game 2: 31 points (11 of 24 FG, 2 of 9 3FG), six rebounds, three assists, two turnovers
• Game 3: 35 points (13 of 24 FG, 2 of 8 3FG), 10 rebounds, four assists, three turnovers
• Game 4: 43 points (13 of 26 FG, 4 of 12 3FG), five rebounds, two assists, one turnover
• Game 5: 21 points (7 of 18 FG, 1 of 8 3FG), four rebounds, three assists, two turnovers
• Game 6: 18 points (6 of 20 FG, 2 of 6 3FG), four rebounds, three assists, three turnovers

Series averages: 28.5 points (45% FG, 28.3% 3FG), 5.5 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 2.3 turnovers

Even within games, Mitchell has been up and down. In Game 4, he had four points on 1 of 8 shooting in the first half and 39 points on 12 of 18 shooting in the second half. 

Ausar Thompson, one of the best and most versatile defenders in the league, deserves a ton of credit for the work he’s done to slow down Mitchell. He’s been shadowing him all series and using his length, athleticism and physicality to make Mitchell fight for everything, even just to catch the ball sometimes. Notably, on the very first possession of Game 6, Mitchell was called for an offensive foul for trying to shed Thompson. 

Per the NBA’s tracking data, Thompson had guarded Mitchell on 117 possessions in the first five games of this series, and Mitchell scored 15 points on 4 of 19 shooting, including 1 of 11 from 3-point range, and has turned the ball over three times. Tracking data can be wonky at times, but those numbers are stark. 

Mitchell, to no surprise, said he hasn’t been bothered by Thompson, nor does he feel worn down from dealing with the constant pressure. However, it’s worth noting that his last two showings have been his worst of the series. And, outside of Game 4, he’s shooting 32.4% in the fourth quarter, including 3 of 13 in the last two games. 

Regardless of individual matchups, Mitchell has also really struggled to finish at the rim this series and has been ice-cold from 3-point range. Mitchell says he’s just missing shots, and there’s truth to that, but the Pistons’ physicality has been a real factor. 

Mitchell’s Game 6 misery

Mitchell has now lost six consecutive Game 6s, and while he was largely at fault for Friday’s defeat, that hasn’t always been the case. In fact, he’s often been a hard-luck loser. Notably, the Cavaliers lost Game 6 against the Magic in the first round in 2024 despite his 50-point effort, and they lost Game 6 to the Raptors earlier this postseason on an absurd buzzer-beating 3-pointer by RJ Barrett. 

Let’s take a closer look at Mitchell’s Game 6 history. 

The good news for Mitchell and the Cavs is that they still have another chance, and they already have experience this postseason with a Game 7. 

How can Mitchell bounce back in Game 7?

Yes, Thompson has done an excellent job as the primary defender on Mitchell. Yes, Mitchell hasn’t shot the ball well even when he’s gotten clean looks. And yes, Mitchell’s inconsistency has been frustrating. But he’s had three 30-point games in this series and is still one of the most talented scorers in the league. 

It’s not inconceivable that he could have a big night in Game 7 and lead the Cavaliers to victory, but it will take a concerted effort from him and the team — and perhaps some help from the officials on how the game’s called. 

“Getting him in the open court more where they can’t get their hands on him,” Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson said, when asked how the team can get Mitchell going. “When it’s in the halfcourt, it’s clutch, grab, hold. We gotta get him in space, in the open court — kick aheads, kick acrosses, all that. But that was a logjam tonight. All of us, we had a tough time getting free. At the end of the day, that’s on us. This is how the game’s being called, we have to adjust.”

So far in the playoffs, the Cavaliers are 4-1 when Mitchell scores 30-plus points and 3-5 when he does not. He’ll likely have to get to that number, and maybe even higher, in order for the Cavaliers to win Game 7 on the road and advance to the Eastern Conference finals for the first time since 2018. 

“Everything you want is on the other side of hard. Nothing good comes easy,” Mitchell said. “That’s how you have to look at it. We could sit here and dwell on this and carry that into Sunday, but what’s that gonna do for us?”

Plans for Zakouma did not initially include the Flemington Melbourne Cup ballot race until his most recent effort on the course.

Boasting three wins in a row, Zakouma lined up at Flemington on Anzac Day, heavily favoured to dominate the 2000m benchmark 100 showdown.

The event quickly soured for the Grahame Begg runner, who was pinned on the inside trailing the field and only emerged late.

Bypassing a break for spring races, Zakouma will instead contest the Listed Andrew Ramsden (2800m) this coming Saturday at Flemington.

As the second in a series of 10 races, the Andrew Ramsden delivers a direct path into the Group 1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington in November.

Begg described Zakouma’s last-start as akin to a 2000m workout, yet the set-weights format raises flags for Begg, especially with Zakouma allotted the same impost as Sydney Cup winner Changingoftheguard despite his latent distance prowess.

“He’s got to go the distance and he’s not well-weighted under the conditions,” Begg said.

“I don’t understand why it’s a set-weights race.

“Outside three-year-old Classic races, I can’t think of one, while the winner gets free passage into the Melbourne Cup and then goes back to a handicap, so why not make this a handicap.”

Zakouma has not ventured beyond 2000m in Begg’s camp, originating from Pat Carey and Harris Walker based at Mornington.

In his juvenile phase, the gelding finished second over 2200m at Bairnsdale and fourth at 2400m on Caulfield’s track before joining Begg.

Begg desires a moderate speed Saturday, allowing Zakouma to track quietly in his bid to handle the trip.

“Changingoftheguard rolls forward, Sir Kingsford rolls forward, so I think they’ll go a good enough clip and normally at the 700 (metres) in these races, the wave starts coming,” Begg said.

“What we’ll try to do is put him to sleep, give him some clean air, and give him one crack at them.

“Whether he’s up to the task and can run the journey, that’s something we’ll find out on Saturday.

“But he goes to the race in good order.”

For the Andrew Ramsden, punters can find attractive betting sites with specials on Zakouma’s performance.

Atalanta welcome Bologna to the Gewiss Stadium in Bergamo for the penultimate round of Serie A games on Sunday. Following Inter Milan’s victory in the Coppa Italia, Atalanta know that a seventh-placed finish in the standings will guarantee them UEFA Conference League football next season.

La Dea are in seventh place on 58 points, and cannot catch sixth-placed Como on 65 points.

Interestingly, the team stopping Atalanta from having mathematical certainty of Conference League qualification are their next opponents, Bologna. The Rossoblu are in eighth place on 52 points, six behind Atalanta, and a draw or loss for Bologna would ensure their opponents finish seventh.

Atalanta are coming into this game on a high, having defeated AC Milan 3-2 at the San Siro on Sunday. The Nerazzurri raced to a 3-0 lead before late goals from the Milan giants cut the deficit, but Atalanta held on to win.

Bologna also impressed in their recent victory over second-placed Napoli away at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium on Monday.

Goals from Federico Bernardeschi, Riccardo Orsolini, and Jonathan Rowe earned the Felsinei a 3-2 victory to remember. Giovanni Di Lorenzo and Alisson Santos scored the goals for Napoli.

Atalanta vs Bologna head-to-head stats and key numbers

• In 129 matches between these rivals, the head-to-head record is evenly matched, with 47 wins each and 35 draws.
• When the teams met earlier this season, Atalanta won 2-0 away at the Stadio Renato Dall’Ara, with Nikola Krstovic scoring a brace.
• Atalanta’s defense has been excellent this season, conceding less than a goal per game on average, with 34 goals shipped in 36 matches. In comparison, Bologna conceded 43 goals in their 36 games.

Atalanta vs Bologna prediction

Atalanta coach Raffaele Palladino is one of the most promising young tacticians in Serie A, and he has done well in Bergamo. La Dea are defensively disciplined, but several of their center-backs are unavailable for this match, with Isak Hien suspended following a yellow card against Milan, and Berat Djimsiti and Giorgio Scalvini struggling with fitness issues.

Bologna will aim to exploit wide areas through wing maestro Riccardo Orsolini, who will try to benefit from the home side’s centre-back crisis by cutting inside and looking for shooting opportunities or final passes.

However, Atalanta are difficult to beat at home, and we expect them to emerge victorious against visiting Bologna.

Prediction: Atalanta 2-1 Bologna

Atalanta vs Bologna betting tips

Tip 1: Atalanta to win

Tip 2: Both teams to score

Tip 3: Over 2.5 goals