The World Cup semifinalists are set, a batch of usual suspects making the cut – Spain will play France on Tuesday and England will take on Argentina the following day, this week’s games marking the first time FIFA’s top four-ranked teams make up the tournament’s last four. It is also an appropriate group of semifinalists for a World Cup dominated by star power, each team boasting a generational talent that has eyes on winning the sport’s most coveted prize. Tuesday’s semifinal will feature Spain’s Lamine Yamal and France’s Kylian Mbappe, also club adversaries when they respectively play for Barcelona and Real Madrid, while Harry Kane will lead England’s line and Lionel Messi will do the same for Argentina on Wednesday.
It sets up for a fascinating final on Sunday at MetLife Stadium in the suburbs of New York, no matter which of the semifinalists makes the cut. Each possibility is compelling in its own right but as is always the case, no two potential matchups are created equal – and some are more poised to be a classic than others.
As we enter the final week of the World Cup, here’s a ranking of potential matchups in the final.
4. Spain vs. England
The good news about the semifinals is that however things shake out, a fascinating game is set for Sunday’s final in the New York suburbs. The prospect of Spain’s Lamine Yamal and England’s Jude Bellingham, two stars of the future who are making their make in the present, playing against each other for a World Cup is entertaining in its own right. There’s also a sense of curiosity that comes from the tactical contrasts these teams pose — Spain perfected a possession-oriented, pass-heavy style generations ago and hope it will lead them to a second World Cup title this summer. England have some free-flowing capabilities of their own but they also have an ability to slip into a more conservative approach, which is why they will ultimately rank low on this list. It is not inherently a knock on them — there are plenty of ways to win a World Cup, after all, and the objective is do that rather than entertain. If Saturday’s win over Norway in the quarterfinals is anything to go by, though, they can create and survive a dull match if need be.
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3. France vs. England
This final would have a batch of multigenerational matchups that would offer plenty of intrigue, from France’s Kylian Mbappe and England’s Harry Kane duking it out for the golden boot to Les Bleus‘ Michael Olise proving further that he ranks amongst the elites with Bellingham on the pitch for the other side. France edge out Spain here for being the picture of consistency at this World Cup, rarely facing a test they could not ace and looking unbeatable at just about every point of the tournament so far. It makes for an inherently fascinating question of how — or if — they can be stopped and England are as formidable a foe as it gets in that regard. This one, though, falls lower on the list because the entertainment factor might fall to the wayside if these two meet at MetLife Stadium on Sunday.
2. Spain vs. Argentina
Should Argentina advance to the final, the entertainment levels will already be up a notch (or several, rather) because the defending champions have been in fully chaotic form this summer. They have endured two extra time periods already during the knockouts, allowing both Cape Verde and Switzerland into games they should have controlled handily. In the other knockout match, they were down 2-0 to Egypt before a late comeback ensured they would advance in the most dramatic of circumstances. Against a solid Spain, Argentina would be the exact opposite — unhealthily dramatic but entertainingly so, the outcome excitingly unpredictable. Plus, watching Lionel Messi face Lamine Yamal in what might be their one and only meeting — after the photoshoot they did when Yamal was a baby — would be hard to miss.
1. France vs. Argentina
This should be the boring pick. France and Argentina meeting in a third consecutive World Cup and second straight final should not be inspiring but to their credit, these two have never kept things boring. France outdid Argentina in a dramatic round of 16 game in Russia in 2018 that France won 4-3 en route to the title, while the 2022 final that saw the two sides locked at 3-3 before Argentina won a penalty shootout was one of the sport’s most exciting games in recent memory. There’s no reason a meeting on Sunday would be less thrilling — France and Argentina are dramatic foils at this World Cup, perhaps the fracas of La Albiceleste the only thing that can disrupt an impressively consistent France. The storylines write themselves, too — Messi could play his final World Cup match with the game’s biggest trophy on the line, while Mbappe will look to firmly acquire the spotlight the Argentine will one day leave behind. Plus, the pair would likely duke it out not only for the golden boot but for the title of the World Cup’s greatest-ever goalscorer, two worthy players battling it out on sport’s biggest stage.
Ex-Manchester United and England defender Rio Ferdinand vented his thoughts live on the BBC
Former Manchester United star Rio Ferdinand jokingly called for fellow studio pundit Ashley Williams to be ejected from the BBC studio four years ago. While England have progressed to the semi-finals at this summer’s World Cup, this moment came after the ex-Welsh international overlooked the Three Lions in his forecasts for the tournament in 2022.
As the World Cup in Qatar entered the knockout stages, Ferdinand was discussing the potential pathways to the final with Williams, Gary Lineker and Alan Shearer. “If Spain play Portugal, then you’ve got Brazil vs Argentina in the semis,” the former England centre-back said, “It’s unbelievable.”
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Former Swansea City defender Williams was then invited to evaluate the opposite half of the draw, which included England’s eagerly awaited quarter-final clash with France, a match the Three Lions eventually lost 2-1.
“Then you’ve got France vs Spain,” Williams said, entirely disregarding England, before Ferdinand quickly interrupted. “What? What are you talking about?”
“This is why Ashley shouldn’t be in here,” he joked, demanding Williams be escorted out. “He should be gone now, take him out.”
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England have surpassed their performance from four years ago, reaching the semi-finals of the World Cup following a 2-1 triumph over Norway on Saturday evening. Jude Bellingham was the match-winner with two goals.
At the beginning of the competition, Ferdinand predicted that France or Spain would triumph. However, he has revised his opinion following Thomas Tuchel’s side reaching the final four.
Asked whether he believes England can go all the way and lift the World Cup trophy, Ferdinand said on his YouTube channel: “I think we do. When the chips are down and things aren’t going well, England are working things out. It’s like a jigsaw puzzle and we’re showing we’re able to find the right piece at the right time.
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“I think that’s one of the things we have over the others. Argentina have managed to do that a couple of times but they’ve looked closer to going out than we have.”
While Bellingham has established himself as one of the standout performers at this summer’s tournament, Ferdinand was reluctant to award him man of the match against Norway, despite the Real Madrid star’s brace.
“Yeah, I thought Anderson,” Ferdinand said on his choice. “Elliot Anderson, I thought, was great. I can make very good arguments that you might not win the game without either of their [Elliot and Bellingham’s] performances and impact moments, so you need the blend of both.
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“I’ve played in many games where, I don’t know, Ruud van Nistelrooy scored two goals but then Paul Scholes walks off with the man of the match or a defender does because they have moments in that game that aren’t as match-defining, but you know that without them moments or the bits of play that person had or contributed, we may not get to win the game.”
He added: “But listen, there’s no doubt in my mind, if Jude gets man of the match then he deserves it. He’s a match-winner… I’m saying it with my chest, yes, Jude Bellingham is the best England player that we’ve had in tournament football since 1966, any tournaments.”
England and Nike have launched the new home, away and goalkeeper kits to be worn at this summer’s FIFA World Cup. You can get free delivery on all orders with the code DEAL.
Nadia Massih is pleased to welcome Dr Leon Moosavi, Sociologist of race and religion, and Reader in the Department of Sociology, Social Policy and Criminology at the University of Liverpool. Racism directed at the French national football team is often framed as a problem of sport, yet Dr. Moosavi argues that football merely provides a highly visible stage upon which much deeper political and social conflicts play out. Rather than viewing racist abuse against players such as Kylian Mbappé as isolated incidents or the actions of a few extremists, our guest describes these attacks within wider debates over national identity, immigration, belonging, and the normalization of extremist rhetoric and exclusionary political discourse across many Western democracies.
Champion trainer Peter Snowden’s bid for a record-extending seventh Ramornie Handicap (1200m) win in 2026 has encountered a setback, with Fire Star drawing the outermost barrier for the Listed $200,000 feature event at Grafton on Wednesday. Fire Star was allocated barrier 14 in the Ramornie, which has drawn a full complement of 16 runners plus five emergencies. Snowden’s sprinter might shift inwards to barrier 11 depending on scratchings.
Snowden has an impressive record in the Ramornie Handicap, achieving six victories over the past 16 years with notable horses including Ka Bling (2024), Ranges (2022), Signore Fox (2020), Calanda (2017), Jerezana (2011), and Pinwheel (2010). TAB Fixed Odds assessors are mindful of Snowden’s Ramornie history and have Fire Star priced at $10 in the early betting, placing it behind the Tony Gollan-trained Perielle, the current $4.80 favourite.
The Clarence River Jockey Club’s midweek racing schedule also includes the Listed $200,000 Grafton Cup (2350m) on Thursday, attracting a quality field of stayers. The Tom Charlton-trained King Pedro, fresh off a win in the Stayers Cup at Rosehill, is the $2.40 favourite in initial markets, followed by Pounding and So You Are at $6.
Michael Beattie, the CRJC chief executive, expressed his delight with the calibre of fields for both the Ramornie Handicap and the Grafton Cup. “The Ramornie is a bit of a stand-alone for the genuine 1200m horse, it’s like we are the only show in town at this time of year,” Beattie commented. “But that is not the case for the Grafton Cup so I am especially pleased with the field we have for Thursday’s race. The handicappers have come up with a good weight scale for the Cup and that has virtually ‘invited’ all the better horses to come for the race.”
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Beattie indicated that the Grafton track raced favourably during the recent South Grafton Cup meeting, where the Charlton stable secured a potential feature race double with Mr Chaplin’s win in a Big Dance qualifier. He confirmed, however, that the rail will be returned to the true position for the Wednesday and Thursday race meetings.
For those interested in betting on the Ramornie Handicap, exploring the racing betting markets at various sports betting platforms could offer competitive odds.
Declan Rice is fit and available to start England’s World Cup semifinal against Argentina on Wednesday (local time), Sky Sports reported. Rice had suffered a stomach issue following England’s round-of-16 clash in Mexico City 10 days ago. England manager Thomas Tuchel revealed that the midfielder was confined to bed for three days ahead of the quarterfinal against Norway due to the illness. England will face Argentina in the second semifinal of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Atlanta on Wednesday, with the Three Lions aiming to reach only their second-ever World Cup final and their first since lifting the trophy on home soil in 1966.
As a result, the FA medical team decided that Rice could only feature for 45 minutes in Miami, where the intense heat and humidity created conditions equivalent to temperatures of 44°C.
The Arsenal midfielder appeared exhausted and visibly drained as he walked past journalists after England’s extra-time victory over Norway. However, manager Thomas Tuchel indicated in his post-match press conference that Rice was eager to continue playing beyond the interval.
“We knew that Declan was struggling. He gave a green light to continue maybe until the next water break, but then I thought if we go 120 and I don’t have Elliot [Anderson] on the field, we will get into trouble with substitutions later,” Tuchel said as per Sky Sports.
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“So we took a hard decision and took Declan off then, which paid off because Elliot could play the full 120, otherwise we would have been in trouble,” he added.
Rice has now fully recovered and completed a full training session in Kansas City on Monday. It was England’s first full session since the victory over Norway, which had been held behind closed doors, as per Sky Sports.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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Minnesota Vikings wide receivers Justin Jefferson and K.J. Osborn stand together at U.S. Bank Stadium, sharing a moment during the divisional matchup against Chicago. On Oct. 9, 2022, the teammates regroup between plays as Minnesota’s offense works through the Bears’ defense and pushes toward another home victory in Minneapolis that afternoon. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports.
If you care about the Madden video game franchise — some do, some don’t — that outfit showed Justin Jefferson some rare disrespect recently, announcing NFL wide receiver rankings and plopping the Minnesota Vikings’ best player lower than usual.
Accustomed to a score in the high-90s, Jefferson is evidently only good enough for a ’94.’
QB Turmoil Helped Drag Down the Final Number
Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson lines up against Philadelphia at Lincoln Financial Field, preparing for another target as the offense works through a primetime road matchup. On Sep. 14, 2023, Jefferson faces the Eagles’ secondary while Minnesota searches for rhythm and tries to keep pace during the Thursday night contest. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports.
Madden WR Ratings Are In — and Jefferson Is a 94
As the Vikings’ best player and a frequenter of the prestigious “99 Club,” most didn’t expect a dip for Jefferson, who remains squarely in a physical prime.
If there’s any solace, Lamb from the Dallas Cowboys took a hit, too.
So … What Happened
Jefferson’s slight fall from grace can be attributed to one thing: the Vikings’ quarterback play.
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The 27-year-old never had problems with production — at all — before 2025, and during that campaign, Minnesota cycled between J.J. McCarthy, Carson Wentz, and Max Brosmer. Together, that trio created the league’s fifth-least-efficient passing attack, and Jefferson’s numbers dipped.
In fact, one of the main storylines down the stretch of 2025 was whether Jefferson would hit 1,000 receiving yards, keeping his career streak alive. He ultimately did, but Jefferson should never be in that situation. It may sound like an “excuse,” but Jefferson’s quarterbacks did him no favors.
Jefferson, like most wide receivers, needs quarterback stability. It’s why the Vikings signed Kyler Murray in March.
ESPN’s Mina Kimes recently noted on Jefferson’s predicament, “You know, for me, it’s not just about the quarterback. It’s about the entire team. Justin Jefferson should never have a season like the one we saw last year.
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“He is one of the, if not the best receiver in football, and he was really limited by quarterback play. To put it in perspective, throwing to Justin Jefferson, J.J. McCarthy had an off-target rate of 28%. That is about twice what Sam Darnold’s off-target rate was throwing to Jefferson.”
Finding a sturdy quarterback could also persuade Jefferson to stick around the Vikings for the long haul. For example, if they don’t win a playoff game soon, the man could request a trade before his prime expires.
Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson carries the ball against Philadelphia at U.S. Bank Stadium, cutting upfield during second-half action as defenders close from behind. On Oct. 19, 2025, Jefferson turns the catch into extra yardage while Minnesota battles the Eagles and looks for a spark from its top offensive weapon. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-Imagn Images.
“And the same with Kirk Cousins. It was mostly not his fault. And frankly, you could see him get frustrated as the season went on. So if Kyler Murray brings even average quarterback play, which I think he is capable of, whether or not that ceiling looks more like it did in 2020 has to do with a variety of factors, including his deep ball coming back.”
“To me, that’s a massive upgrade. And it’s so important for this group of talented wide receivers to play with a competent quarterback.”
It’s Just Fuel
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Let’s face it: this is just a video game. Jefferson’s rating will not determine his future performance; instead, it reflects the current opinion of his talent. If he cares, Jefferson can browse articles like this or turn on his PlayStation and instantly learn that Chase, Nacua, St. Brown, and Smith-Njigba are evidently better football players than him.
Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson watches pregame activity at U.S. Bank Stadium, taking in the scene before Minnesota hosts New England on Thanksgiving night. On Nov. 24, 2022, Jefferson prepares for the holiday matchup as the Vikings complete warm-ups and get ready to face the Patriots before a national audience. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports.
For guys like that, it’s often fuel. Athletes are different creatures, finding fuel to motivate themselves. If you need evidence, turn on the 2020 docuseries about Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls.
Other Notable Vikings Rankings
Interested in Madden’s perspective on other Vikings? We’ve got them. Here’s the Madden leaderboard from a Minnesota perspective:
President Donald Trump has tried his hand at helping college sports, and if it were up to him, he’d probably do the same for Major League Baseball.
The league’s current collective bargaining agreement expires in December, and with the sides perhaps as far apart as they’ve been since 1994, the 2027 season is in limbo.
Many may remember the 2022 season was delayed because of an owners’ lockout after the expiration of the previous CBA that December. However, the sentiment at the time among baseball experts was, if you thought that was bad, wait until 2026.
Rob Manfred is not yet ready to have President Donald Trump get involved in Major League Baseball’s CBA negotiations.(Kevin Dietsch, Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
Well, 2026 is here, and they weren’t kidding. The owners, for the first time since 1994, have formally proposed a salary cap, which players have said is nonnegotiable.
Ahead of Tuesday’s MLB All-Star Game, MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred spoke to reporters, and one asked whether he thought Trump would intervene in the negotiations.
Manfred did not want to “speculate” about Trump’s potential involvement.
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“Look, I think it would be wildly, wildly inappropriate for me to speculate what the president of the United States might do or not do in a hypothetical situation,” Manfred said. “We know this. He’s a great sports fan, and he is really knowledgeable about the business of sports, so it doesn’t surprise me.”
Manfred did say, however, that Trump is “interested,” but it doesn’t yet seem he wants his help.
“Behind that, I’m going to pass,” he said.
Last month, Trump said it is “shocking” the league does not yet have a salary cap.
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Commissioner of Major League Baseball Robert D. Manfred speaks during the 2026 All-Star Legacy Veterans Multi-Service Center renovation at Veterans Multi-Service Center on Monday, July 13, 2026, in Philadelphia, Pennsvlvania.(Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
“If you don’t have a salary cap, you don’t have a sport. They can’t help themselves. In sports, they can’t help themselves. Football has a salary cap. They should have done it a long time ago. I know so much about sports, they should have done it a long time ago…
“Major League Baseball — it’s shocking, frankly, that they didn’t put a cap on many years ago. They had a chance to do a cap, and they blew it.”
The White House did not immediately respond to an email requesting comment.
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Major League Baseball is in serious danger of losing games, excluding the COVID-shortened 2020 season, for the first time since the 1995 season was reduced to 144 games as the players’ strike stretched into the following year. The 1994 postseason was even canceled, and the sport was hanging by a thread.
Now, baseball is seeing another boom, as rule changes implemented by Manfred have helped games move more quickly, bringing more fans into ballparks. Attendance could increase for a fourth consecutive year for the first time since 2004-07. It is not currently on pace to do so, but the summer is still young.
“The best way to lose momentum is to stand still,” Manfred said.
It was a tough start to the MLB Draft for Commissioner Rob Manfred when he butchered first-overall pick Roch Cholowsky’s name.(Photo by Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
Earlier this year, Trump held a college sports roundtable and signed an executive order focused on “saving college sports.” Unlike the NHL, NBA and NFL, MLB has never had a salary cap.
PHILADELPHIA — Major League Baseball’s interest in sending players to the 2028 Olympics is disrupting the queue for future All-Star Games, commissioner Rob Manfred said Tuesday, pushing back the Toronto Blue Jays’ efforts to host the event for a second time.
Speaking at his annual session with members of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America, he described participating in the Los Angeles Games as “as a unique opportunity to market the sport with our very, very best players,” but also “a disruptive undertaking.”
If baseball does get there, and it’s part of the current collective-bargaining-agreement discussions between the league and the union, the All-Star Game would need to be on the West Coast for logistical reasons, with Players Association head Bruce Meyer saying as far as he knew, San Francisco would be the site.
After the Chicago Cubs were awarded the 2027 game, the Blue Jays were believed to be next in line, but club president and CEO Mark Shapiro suggested back in April that the Olympics were complicating things.
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The Cubs last hosted in 1990, the Blue Jays in 1991, the Baltimore Orioles in 1993 and “I think I have been more chronologically disciplined than my predecessor was in terms of awarding games and I was on a pretty good track until LA28 popped up,” said Manfred. “We’ve got a lot of uncertainty as to what we’re going to do with ‘28 and it does affect (the next All-Star Games).”
Last year, Manfred said the Blue Jays were “perking up to the top of the list,” seemingly positioning them next in line. The commissioner is planning to retire in January 2029, so if they don’t get the contest that summer, it will be up to his successor to bring the event back to Canada.
Participation in the Olympics is no sure thing, with Meyer stressing that talks between the sides were in “very early stages” and that “there are a lot of issues.”
“The sides have made maybe one proposal each on the subject,” he said. “One of the issues the league has raised is they want to make it mandatory for players who are selected to appear at the All-Star Game and Olympics. The proposals they made in terms of what the discipline would be, the ramifications of a player who doesn’t want to do that, in our view, were extreme. That’s currently being discussed. We’re at an early stage. All that remains to be determined.”
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Manfred said MLB is seeking mandatory participation for selected players because “if we’re going to undertake that effort, we want our very best out there so that people see how great our game really is.”
The gameplay experience of the upcoming League of Legends Classic mode will transport players to the early seasons while including modernized systems for new players. Although it’s mostly based on Season 3 (2013), plenty of mechanics and Summoner’s Rift elements will be merged from several patches. It’s neat that players will have a choice of 60 champions, and many of them will have kits from before their recent reworks.
With that said, here are the important details about League of Legends Classic mode and when you can play it.
When will League of Legends Classic mode release?
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It is confirmed that players can start playing LoL Classic from LoL patch 26.15, which releases on July 29, 2026. That said, the game mode will only support a single PvP draft queue, Co-op vs AI, and custom games at launch.
Which champions will be available at the League of Legends Classic mode launch?
Classic Ezreal (Image via Riot Games)
Riot Games has revealed that a total of 60 champions will be playable at launch, including 40 early-released champions, as well as 20 more champions that should feel viable in Classic mode. Here are the available champions for League of Legends Classic:
Ahri
Alistar
Amumu
Anivia
Annie
Ashe
Blitzcrank
Brand
Cho’Gath
Corki
Dr. Mundo
Evelynn
Ezreal
Fiddlesticks
Gangplank
Garen
Gragas
Heimerdinger
Janna
Jarvan IV
Jax
Karthus
Kassadin
Katarina
Kayle
Kog’Maw
Lee Sin
Leona
Lulu
Malphite
Malzahar
Master Yi
Miss Fortune
Morgana
Nasus
Nidalee
Nunu & Willump
Olaf
Pantheon
Rammus
Ryze
Shaco
Singed
Sion
Sivir
Skarner
Sona
Soraka
Taric
Teemo
Tristana
Tryndamere
Twisted Fate
Twitch
Vayne
Veigar
Warwick
Wukong
Zilean
Lux
If you have the champions unlocked in the main title, you will have automatic access to them in Classic mode. Otherwise, you need to level up or buy them from the in-game shop. A free champion rotation system will also be included.
How does the League of Legends Classic progression system work?
Classic Rune page (Image via Riot Games)
As for the progression system, you can increase Classic Levels by playing matches. As a reward, you will obtain the following:
Runes
Masteries
IP (Influence Points)
BE (Blue Essence)
Cosmetics
When you get to level 10, you can start your progression from Salt tier to Legend.
Will there be champion skins in League of Legends Classic?
Lee Sin Classic splash art (Image via Riot Games)
Yes, LoL Classic will have the iconic look of the earlier champions, with skins (and chromas) released from 2009 to 2013. You can unlock them via Seasonal Pass using Classic Skin Tokens. That said, they can be purchased from the in-game shop as well. Furthermore, many skins will be free to use during launch.
On a different note, a new system called The Council will be implemented with the release of LoL Classic, where players can vote and suggest improvements for the future. For instance, you can influence the decisions regarding next skin releases, along with champion inclusions and gameplay adjustments.
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The Major League Cricket (MLC) owners are reportedly planning a shadow ban on signing Pakistan players for the league due to Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi’s latest demands. According to a report on pakpassion.com, the Naqvi-led PCB had demanded a last-minute, huge sum to issue a No Objection Certificate (NOC) to its players to participate in the league. A player cannot feature in franchise leagues unless their cricket board agrees to issue an NOC, which is an ICC-mandatory document. As per the report, the PCB has been accused of extortion for demanding a last-minute, unbudgeted $25,000 (approx. Rs. 24 lakh, approx. PKR 69 lakh) per player from the franchises for the NOC.
“It’s more the extortion the PCB does. Basically, through the year, they won’t say anything. And then right towards the start of the tournament, when they have to give their NOCs, they send an email saying that for the NOC, it will be $25,000 for each player,” the report said.
The report added that such conditions only apply when the franchises face a crisis of players.
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“Around a week before the tournament starts when they know we can’t find other players, we’ve announced the players and cannot replace them, that’s when they’ll come back and say you have to pay $25,000 per player for an NOC. We’ll ask them why they did not tell us this before and they won’t respond,” it added.
The MLC raised the issue with Naqvi, but the PCB considers it ‘their right to ask for this money.’
“We’ve talked to Mohsin Naqvi as well and said to him that this is extortion. This is not the right way to do it. But we were told by the Board that this is their revenue and their right to ask for this money,” the report said.
The report also pointed out that the franchises receive no guarantee despite paying the fee, as the PCB can revoke the NOC at any time and demand another last-minute payment if additional clearance becomes necessary.
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“One of the reasons teams at the MLC don’t sign Pakistani players is because we don’t like the uncertainty around all of this. Every season there is this uncertainty looming regarding paying this money. No other Board asks the MLC teams for these additional payments. The franchises run on budgets and suddenly they are expected to free up a chunk of their budget from somewhere to pay for this. That’s never good. The franchises need to plan for the season properly and not have this situation hanging over them.”
Pacer Haris Rauf is the only Pakistani player at the MLC this year, having been signed by the San Francisco Unicorns, who agreed to the PCB’s demands.
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FIFA World Cup 2026 | Argentina Fans Sing & Dance After Dramatic Comeback Against Egypt
The FIFA Men’s World Cup is down to four semifinalists, each nation grasping to reach the final that crowns soccer’s world champion on Sunday, July 19.
France and Spain battle it out on Tuesday, July 14, starting at 3 p.m. England and Argentina go at it beginning at 3 p.m., Wednesday, July 15.
Both matches will air in the United States with options that include Fox and Telemundo, along with streaming on Fox One and Fox Sports apps.
France vs. Spain will be at Dallas Stadium (the Dallas Cowboys’ AT&T Stadium). England vs. Argentina will be at Atlanta Stadium (Mercedes Benz Stadium). The tournament, which began June 11 with 48 nations competing, encompassed stadiums in the U.S., Mexico and Canada.
Where is the final match?
The final will be played at New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium on Sunday, July 19. (The third-place match will be Saturday, July 18, in Miami).
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What to know about the semifinals
Here’s what to know about the semifinalists and their top players.
It marks the first time in World Cup history that teams ranked in the top four by FIFA, world soccer’s governing body, made it to the semifinals.
Spain versus France
Ahead of the tournament, sportswriters tapped either France or Spain as favorites to win it all.
France’s Kylian Mbappe celebrates scoring their first goal vs. Morocco at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts on July 9, 2026.
France, which won the 1998 and 2018 cups, has powered through the 2026 edition. Star Kylian Mbappe is the tournament’s current joint lead scorer with Argentina’s Lionel Messi. France’s Ousmane Dembele has racked up goals, too, and playmaker Michael Olise has dazzled for Les Bleus, as the team is known.
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Spain’s possession power and eye-catching combination play have largely smothered teams. Only one goal has been scored against La Furia Roja. Mikel Oyarzabal has scored four Spain goals. Mikel Merino has provided recent scoring heroics when Spain needed it. Lamine Yamal, the 19-year-old phenom capable of wondrous dribbling, will also be one to keep an eye on.
Spain won its first World Cup in 2010.
Spain’s Lamine Yamal celebrates after the match as Spain qualify for the semifinal stage of the World Cup.
Argentina versus England
Argentina vs. England is awash in history and context.
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At 1986’s World Cup, Argentina’s Diego Maradona scored two famous goals against England. The first, known as the hand of God goal, was highly controversial, while the next was deemed goal of the 20th century. In the latter, Maradona dribbled all the way through player after player to score. Argentina won the ’86 cup. It came a few years after the two nations fought a war over islands that England calls the Falklands and Argentina calls the Malvinas.
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI – JULY 11: Lionel Messi #10 of Argentina looks on during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Quarter Final match between Argentina and Switzerland at Kansas City Stadium on July 11, 2026 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)
In 2026, Messi, who at 39 is co-topping the cup’s goal scoring while most other teams’ top scorers are in their 20s, leads Argentina. Julian Alvarez scored a stunner against Switzerland to get Argentina into the semifinal. But the Albiceleste (white and sky blue), as the team is known, has had to battle back after giving up goals in a number of matches to make it to the next stage. Lautaro Martinez is among other potential goal scorers to watch.
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Argentina is attempting to win back-to-back World Cups. At 2022’s tournament held in Qatar, Argentina won one of the most enthralling finals ever over France. However, the last nation to win back-to-back men’s cups was Brazil — back in 1958 and 1962.
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England’s Jude Bellingham celebrates scoring their second goal.
England, led by top scorers Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham, narrowly defeated Norway and its star Erling Haaland, to reach the semifinal. Along the way, the Three Lions, as England is known, managed to overcome a terrific Mexican national team in one of the tournament’s best matches at Mexico City’s famed Estadio Azteca.
The 2026 tournament has uniformly put star power on display (which isn’t how it always works out). Most top goal scorers have hit their stride: Messi, Mbappe, Kane, Bellingham, and Dembele are all duking it out to be the top. Mbappe has 8 goals and 3 assists; Messi has 8 goals and 2 assists. Even teams that exited had stars on fire, Norway’s Haaland and Brazil’s Vinicius Jr. among them.
Soccer Football – FIFA World Cup 2026 – Scotland’s Tartan Army march to LoanDepot Park – LoanDepot Park, Miami, Florida, U.S. – June 22, 2026 Scotland fans play bagpipes as Scotland’s Tartan Army march to LoanDepot Park for the game between the Miami Marlins and the Texas Rangers REUTERS/Amanda Perobelli TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY
Tartan Army bagpipers, the Vikings’ ‘ro!’ and more stories
It’s also been a World Cup rich with story.
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There have been news reports and mentions about controversy over use of VAR — the video assistant referee system — that affected some goals and fouls being counted and for whom.
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But there was also social media featuring fans from other nations getting tastes of Americana: stops at enormous Buc-ee’s, giant soda and ice refills, lobster rolls in New England, cheese steaks in Philly, mammoth steaks and barbecue in Texas, Kansas City-style barbecue, too, and a plethora of fast-food spots.
Scotland‘s fans, the Tartan Army, with its kilted fans and bagpipes, took over the Boston and Providence, Rhode Island, area and later, Miami, to support their underdog team. They have an earworm of a song and video to go with their chant, “No Scotland, No Party!”
A duck named Merlin, wearing a Mexico team shirt, went viral on social media as fans of El Tri, Mexico’s national team, turned out in support.
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DR Congo’s fans included superfan Lumumba Vea, who is Michel Nkuka Mboladinga and is known for standing statue-like for a full match, wearing a suit and his arm raised, USA TODAY reported.
Vozinha, goalkeeper for first-time World Cup qualifier Cabo Verde, drew plaudits — and amassed an enormous Instagram following — for his gutsy performance against teams such as Spain and Argentina.
Norway striker Erling Braut Haaland gets off the plane after Norway’s national football team landed at Oslo’s Gardermoen Airport on July 13, 2026. Norway were knocked out in the quarter-final match against England.
Norway’s fans rowed their team into the quarterfinals. They took seating positions in stadiums, in Times Square, and apparently even on a moving escalator: A drummer hit a beat, rows of fans made a rowing motion and belted out a low and loud “Ro!”
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Haaland, the team’s star, on social media donned a cowboy hat and boots in Texas. When Norway’s players exited their plane after arriving home, photos showed Haaland carrying a taxidermy raccoon.
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