With its superstar striker Erling Haaland and its fans doing the Viking Row in the stands, Norway was one of the better storylines at the 2026 World Cup.

The team reached the quarterfinals after last appearing at the tournament in 1998. Spurred by Haaland’s goalscoring prowess, Norway finished second in Group I with wins over Iraq (3-1) and Senegal (3-2) before losing to France 4-1. In the round of 32, a 1-0 win over the Ivory Coast was followed by a 2-1 win over five-time champions Brazil in the round of 16. England would defeat the Norwegians in a sweltering quarterfinals match in Miami, 2-1. 

So what’s next for Norway’s top players after the 2026 World Cup?

He became the breakout star at the tournament, scoring seven goals in five appearances and carrying Norway to the first World Cup quarterfinal in the nation’s history. Haaland put the team on his back throughout its remarkable run, firmly announcing himself on the biggest stage in international football.

He’s already considered one of the best players in the world, having scored 162 goals across all competitions in his four seasons at Manchester City. He’s won the Champions League and multiple Premier League titles already. Don’t expect him to slow down anytime soon. 
 

At the World Cup,  served as Norway’s main creative outlet during its historic run to the quarterfinals. Odegaard provided the perfect complement to Haaland, growing into the tournament and becoming increasingly influential as Norway progressed. He finished the competition with three assists.

The summer capped off a memorable first part of the year for Odegaard, who serves as captain for Arsenal. He helped the Gunners win the Premier League and reach the Champions League final, narrowly losing to Paris Saint-Germain on penalties. Arsenal should be squarely in the mix for more silverware this season.

Nusa is the future of Norway’s left flank and impressed during the summer with his creativity and flair on the wing. He scored in the win over the Ivory Coast in the round of 32. And while he was benched for the game against England in the quarterfinal, his spark nearly won it coming on as a substitute. 

He is a rising star in the German Bundesliga with RB Leipzig but expect teams in the Premier League to keep tabs on him moving forward.  

Another reason why the future is bright for Norway. He took Antonio Nusa’s starting spot, scored the opener against England, set up both of Haaland’s goals against Brazil in the round of 16 win. He is a super-sub no more. 

Currently at Portuguese powerhouse Benfica, it fees like a Premier League move is almost a formality.

A February letter from the sports ministry was explosive for French cricket.

Arriving at France Cricket’s Saint-Maurice headquarters on February 11, the letter declared that no mandate for the sport had been granted for 2026-2029 and underscored that no cricket squad had the right to call itself an official team of “France”.

Minutes from a June 26 board meeting – published July 7 on the France Cricket website before being deleted within half an hour, and archived by FRANCE 24 – show that, for weeks, France Cricket’s elected board was apparently not told of ministry letters confirming it had lost official status.

The minutes contain email and text exchanges with Chairman Prebagarane Balane in which he denied receiving notice from the sports ministry.

When the February letter first arrived, France Cricket’s administrative officer emailed a PDF version to Balane, copying CEO Saravana Durairaj and the organisation’s lawyer, Alexis Rutman. Later asked by Treasurer Prethevechand Thiyagarajan to account for what happened, she stated that Balane had instructed her to forward it. 

By the time a second ministry letter arrived on March 6, those instructions had changed. According to the minutes, the administrative officer texted Balane to say she had not opened the envelope, in line with his instructions, and had placed it in his drawer, sending him a photograph of it.

When she emailed the same three recipients to notify them of its arrival, she says Balane called her, angry that she had copied in colleagues and reminding her he had told her to keep the letter to herself. She recalled the email; the lawyer had already read it, according to her statement, but the CEO had not. She texted Balane to tell him the recall had worked. He replied with thumbs-up emojis.

By this time, France Cricket’s loss of status was no secret – FRANCE 24 reported in December that its recognition would soon lapse.

But on March 25, Thiyagarajan wanted to know whether it was official. In an email to the chairman and copied to the board, he asked for confirmation that the ministry had not yet sent a letter. Balane replied that his reading was correct. In another message that morning, Balane said a letter was expected the following week. 

Two days later, Balane wrote to the sports ministry saying he had never received the February letter. The ministry emailed him a copy and said it had been dispatched to France Cricket’s address on February 3.

When a third ministry envelope arrived days later postmarked March 30, the meeting minutes show the administrative officer again texted Balane to say she had put it directly in his drawer and that this time she had told no one else, notably neither the lawyer nor the CEO. Balane acknowledged her message.

The minutes from the June 26 board meeting carried another bombshell: Balane’s resignation, to take effect on July 17. He is on record as saying that he served France Cricket for years and wanted the organisation to move forward under new leadership.

Balane did not respond to questions from FRANCE 24 about the letters, his possible resignation or the removal of the minutes from the France Cricket website. In an email to Thiyagarajan included in the annexes, Balane said Rutman handled all exchanges relating to the organisation’s status.

Read moreAllegations of fake matches, murky finances plague cricket in France

On notice

With France Cricket in turmoil, relations with the International Cricket Council (ICC) have reached a new low.

In a letter cited in the June 26 minutes, the sport’s global body asked why France Cricket had continued to approve official “France” teams after being told it could not, and why board minutes from an April meeting were never published.

Under France Cricket’s own internal regulations, board minutes must be published on its website within a week of the meeting.

On July 6, France Cricket published – and within two hours, removed – the minutes of a July 3 meeting that detailed further demands from the ICC: a multi-year development plan and a plan to reform its governance to the standard required of a recognised federation, with a progress report due within six months.

In response, France Cricket produced a 45-page governance “white paper” that the meeting minutes showed was adopted unanimously and sent to the ICC ahead of its annual conference, which took place in Edinburgh July 8-11. At the same meeting, Secretary General Patricia Clément, Treasurer Thiyagarajan and CEO Durairaj – but not Balane – were named the body’s official contacts with the ICC.

Then, in Edinburgh, the ICC made its move.

“France Cricket were placed on notice at the ICC Annual Conference 2026 on account of their non-compliance with the ICC Membership Criteria,” an ICC spokesperson told FRANCE 24 on July 18.

“They have 12 months to rectify the areas of non-compliance.”

According to The Cricketer, the ICC found France Cricket in breach of its rules on four counts: a “lack of appropriate legal status and national recognition”; a “governance framework/structure being not fit for purpose”; an “executive, administrative and corporate structure being not fit for purpose”; and a “failure to submit a compliant three-year National Development Plan”.

France Cricket’s June 26 meeting minutes note that ICC funding had been blocked. The Cricketer reported the ICC suspended funding with immediate effect on June 16. France Cricket was due $560,000 in ICC development funding for 2026-2027.

Read moreFrench women’s cricket team disbands after probe into fake matches

Out of the crease

France Cricket lost government recognition on January 1, when its mandate to run the sport through France’s baseball and softball federation lapsed and was not renewed. A would-be rival, the multi-sport body ASPTT, applied for the ministry’s mandate and then withdrew, leaving cricket with no recognised governing body in France at all.

France Cricket has been under scrutiny since a 2023 FRANCE 24 investigation revealed allegations that it had staged fake matches to access ICC funding. The affair prompted 17 members of the women’s national team to demand an inquiry; the team was subsequently disbanded.

Read moreFrance Cricket faces power struggle as government backing hangs in the balance

FRANCE 24 revealed in April that France Cricket fielded a senior men’s team at an ICC-ranked tournament in Portugal despite losing government recognition. The sports ministry said France Cricket could not legally field a national team, and legal experts said those responsible could face civil or criminal liability. 

France Cricket went on to compete in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Europe qualifier in Cyprus in May, entered as “France Cricket XI” but playing with “FRANCE” across players’ shirts.

Asked by FRANCE 24 about fielding teams without state recognition, an ICC spokesperson said France Cricket “has the same right to participate as any other of our members”.

ICC membership criteria require a member to have national recognition in its home country. For now, during the 12-month window, France Cricket keeps the rights of any other member: it can compete internationally, provided its teams enter as “France Cricket” rather than “France”.

But its place in world cricket now depends on regaining the recognition it has lost at home; and the French state, which controls that recognition along with public funding and the right to field an official national team, continues to refuse.

In a BBC podcast published June 6, Balane defended his organisation’s conduct. He denied reports of “ghost” matches and said France Cricket was appealing the ministry’s refusal to grant a mandate and would go to court if the appeal failed.

That appeal was rejected, according to the minutes of the June 26 board meeting.

“I [have been] president for almost 12 years,” he told BBC broadcaster Alison Mitchell. “We are volunteers doing it by passion and to develop cricket.”

A seat at the ICC’s top table

Even as France Cricket’s standing collapsed at home, its vice-president was rising in the world of cricket. In Edinburgh, Gurumurthy Palani was elected to the ICC’s 16-member board as one of three associate member directors, topping the poll with 35 of 43 eligible votes and unseating Imran Khwaja, an associate director since 2008. The ICC then named Palani chair of its Development Committee, the body responsible for growing the game in smaller cricketing nations, even as it placed France Cricket on notice.

Palani no longer appears on France Cricket’s website; an archived version shows he was listed as vice-president as recently as June 29. The June 26 minutes record that he had told the board he might have to step back from the organisation if elected. Palani did not reply to a request for comment.

The France Cricket board was due to meet again on July 17, when Balane’s resignation would have taken effect. But the meeting did not take place. 

Team Northern Ireland boxers Michaela Walsh and Kaci Rock both had to settle for Commonwealth Games silver medals as they lost their respective finals by unanimous decision.

Holy Family fighter Walsh, who has earned a medal in each of her four successive Games appearances, has claimed a third silver after also coming second in 2014 and 2018.

But she missed out on the chance to add a second gold to the one she won in Birmingham four years ago after being outclassed by Jaismine.

The decorated 33-year-old also won gold in 2022, and joins bowler Neil Booth, shooter Martin Millar plus Mike Bull and Lady Mary Peters from athletics on four medals.

Only shooter David Calvert has won more medals with eight, four of which were gold.

Three of the five judges scored the fight 29-28 while the other two gave it 30-27 with all in favour of Jaismine.

Walsh made a slow start and had an uphill battle after a cagey first round which she lost 3-2.

The second was a much closer affair and while she went all out for the stoppage in the third, her efforts were in vain as Jaismine did enough to win and claim the gold.

Rock comes away from her first Games with NI’s fourth silver after falling short against England’s Sacha Hickey.

Hickey just had too much for 23-year-old Rock in an entertaining encounter, with four judges scoring it 30-27 and one 29-28 for the English fighter.

She edged the first two rounds and pushed on in the third to comfortably take victory.

Jon McConnell has the chance to add boxing’s first gold of these Games when he fights Wales’ Orlando Holley-Sotomi in the men’s light-middleweight final at 13:15 BST.

The 2026 AIG Women’s Open continues on Saturday, August 1, with the third round at Royal Lytham and St. Annes in England. You can find full AIG Women’s Open tee times for Saturday’s third round at the bottom of this post.

AIG Women’s Open Saturday tee times: What to know

At the halfway point of the 2026 AIG Women’s Open, Haeran Ryu has an eye on her third major championship win of the season.

Already the winner of the 2026 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship and the 2026 Evian Championship, Ryu shot a two-under 69 on Friday in tough conditions at Royal Lytham and St. Annes to improve to seven under. That was good enough for a one-shot lead.

But Ryu has plenty of challengers with 36 holes to play, including World No. 2 Jeeno Thitikul (five under), home country favorite Charley Hull (two under) and Nelly Korda (one under).

Ryu will tee off for Round 3 on Saturday morning at 9:40 a.m. ET alongside Shiho Kuwaki.

You can watch Saturday’s third round of the AIG Women’s Open from 7 a.m.-12 p.m. ET on USA and then 12-2 p.m. ET on NBC. Additional Saturday streaming coverage will be provided by Golfchannel.com, the Golf Channel App and the NBC Sports App.

You can check out the complete Round 3 tee times for the 2026 AIG Women’s Open below.

2026 AIG Women’s Open tee times for Saturday: Round 3 (ET)

Tee No. 1

3:50 a.m. – Pia Babnik, Sara Kouskova
4:00 a.m. – Manon De Roey, Cara Gainer
4:10 a.m. – Nastasia Nadaud, Ayaka Furue
4:20 a.m. – Hyo Joo Kim, Yunseo Yang (a)
4:30 a.m. – Alison Lee, Amelia Garvey
4:40 a.m. – Carla Tejedo Mulet, Patty Tavatanakit
4:50 a.m. – Maja Stark, Casandra Alexander
5:05 a.m. – Annabell Fuller, Alexandra Forsterling
5:15 a.m. – Yuka Saso, Amy Yang
5:25 a.m. – Jin Young Ko, Wei-Ling Hsu
5:35 a.m. – Pauline Roussin-Bouchard, Mi Hyang Lee
5:45 a.m. – Ashleigh Buhai, Chizzy Iwai
5:55 a.m. – Arpichaya Yubol, Jenny Shin
6:05 a.m. – Lindy Duncan, Aki Iwai
6:20 a.m. – Yuna Araki, Sei Young Kim
6:30 a.m. – Amanda Doherty, Alice Hewson
6:40 a.m. – Dewi Weber, Brooke M. Henderson
6:50 a.m. – Hannah Green, Nasa Hataoka
7:00 a.m. – Ariya Jutanugarn, Rose Zhang
7:10 a.m. – Minji Kang, Shannon Tan
7:20 a.m. – Julia Lopez Ramirez, Mao Saigo
7:35 a.m. – Auston Kim, Anna Nordqvist
7:45 a.m. – Esther Henseleit, Rio Takeda
7:55 a.m. – Aunchisa Utama, Yana Wilson
8:05 a.m. – Kajsa Arwefjall, Mimi Rhodes
8:15 a.m. – Nelly Korda, Lydia Ko
8:25 a.m. – Robyn Choi, Jin Hee Im
8:35 a.m. – Celine Boutier, Lottie Woad
8:50 a.m. – Minami Katsu, Chanettee Wannasaen
9:00 a.m. – Charley Hull, Lauren Coughlin
9:10 a.m. – Paula Martin Sampedro (a), Lucy Li
9:20 a.m. – Jing Yan, Soo Bin Joo
9:30 a.m. – Yealimi Noh, Jeeno Thitikul
9:40 a.m. – Shiho Kuwaki, Haeran Ryu

The ultimate episode of WWE SmackDown before SummerSlam concluded with CM Punk and Cody Rhodes engaging in a massive brawl. Besides this, the show also witnessed Haku’s return to the sports entertainment juggernaut.

Additionally, several notable developments occurred heading into SummerSlam 2026. In this article, let’s take a look at five things WWE subtly told us in the final edition of the blue brand before the Biggest Party of the Summer.

#5. WWE may have lost faith in Giulia

Giulia and Lash Legend locked horns in an Interim Women’s Championship qualifying match on the blue brand. Though fans were rooting for the Japanese star, Legend dominated and defeated her in barely two minutes.

The WWE Universe was largely disappointed with the outcome and expressed frustration over Giulia’s booking. However, suffering such a loss subtly suggests that WWE may have lost faith in Giulia, making it unlikely that she will receive a major singles push on the blue brand anytime soon.

#4. CM Punk vs. Trick Williams teased

When CM Punk was being interviewed backstage, Trick Williams confronted him. The United States champion asserted that sooner or later, he was coming for the Undisputed Title.

In response, the Second City Saint claimed that he needed challengers and would be ready to face Trick Williams in the near future. Before leaving, Punk promised to knock Trick down when he reached the top of the mountain.

This interesting conversation subtly teases a potential feud between Punk and Williams in World Wrestling Entertainment. If the Voice of the Voiceless retains the title at SummerSlam, a match between the two could likely unfold in the coming months.

#3. Talla Tonga and Tama Tonga could dethrone Damian Priest and R-Truth

Haku appears to be the new manager of Tama Tonga and Talla Tonga on SmackDown. The veteran star returned to the blue brand this week and motivated the former MFT members. Later in the night, Tama and Talla stood tall by destroying Damian Priest, R-Truth, and The War Raiders.

The return of Haku and Tama & Talla’s destruction could be a hint that WWE is planning to push them as a major tag team. This subtly suggests that they could eventually dethrone Damian Priest and R-Truth to become the new WWE Tag Team Champions.

#2. Charlotte Flair losing at SummerSlam

Charlotte Flair and Jade Cargill were involved in a brawl on SmackDown. Additionally, Adam Pearce has announced a match between them for next week’s episode of the blue brand.

For those unaware, Flair and Cargill will compete in the Interim Women’s Title Ladder Match at SummerSlam. Traditionally, the superstar who stands tall on the go-home episode before a premium live event often ends up losing at the event itself.

With the Queen standing tall over the Storm on SmackDown, it could be a subtle hint that she might fall short in the Interim Women’s title ladder match at the Biggest Party of the Summer.

#1. Cody Rhodes foreshadowing heel turn

Night 1 of SummerSlam will feature Cody Rhodes and CM Punk facing off for the Undisputed Title. During their final confrontation before the two-night PLE, fans noticed an interesting detail.

During SmackDown, the American Nightmare wore a black suit, something he rarely does on WWE television. This quickly drew comparisons to his AEW heel run, where he wore a black suit.

As a result, many fans believe the SmackDown segment subtly foreshadowed a potential heel turn for Cody. At the Biggest Party of the Summer, the Prodigal Son could finally show his true colors by turning on The Best in the World.