Spain‘s final training session ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup final with Argentina in New Jersey on Sunday (July 19) got cancelled due to inclement weather.
La Roja – who have had an extra day to prepare for the big game – saw their Saturday morning session get called off due to lightning strikes in the region. The Albiceleste’s session – held around five miles away in Morristown – also got affected, starting 45 minutes late before it commenced at 12:45 pm local time.
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However, Spain weren’t so lucky, as their session in Whippany, New Jersey, due to begin at 11 a.m. local time, didn’t start, with reporters arriving at the venue asked to move inside the building. Forty minutes later, FIFA officials informed assembled reporters that the training session was cancelled, as per The Athletic.
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As per lightning protocol observed during the entire tournament in the USA, Canada and Mexico, with training getting postponed whenever lightning is reported within an 8-mile radius. The situation is checked every 30 minutes before the go-ahead is given.
Extreme heat and poor air quality due to Canadian wildfires has plagued the New Jersey region this week, but conditions are expected to improve for the final on Sunday, which starts at 3 p.m. local time.
Spain seek second FIFA World Cup title at expense of holders Argentina
FIFA World Cup Trophy in New York City Ahead of FIFA World Cup 2026 Final – Source: Getty
Spain seek to become the seventh different team to win the FIFA World Cup twice when they lock horns with holders Argentina in the final at the New York New Jersey stadum in East Rutherford on Sunday.
La Roja became the eighth different nation to win the coveted competition when they beat the Netherlands 1-0 in extra time in the 2010 title match in Johannesburg. Sixteen years later, they’re back in the World Cup final – as European champions – hoping to become the first team to complete the European Championship-World Cup double twice.
The Albiceleste, meanwhile, are seeking to join an exclusive group of teams to successfully defend their World Cup title. No defending champion since Brazil (1962) have gone back-to-back in the competition, with Italy (1934-38) the only team to accomplish the feat.
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Lionel Scaloni’s Argentina are riding a record 13-game winning streak in the competition, bettering Brazil’s previous mark of 10 set in 2006 in Germany.
Tuchel can continue to rely on captain Kane – for now.
The Bayern Munich striker will be 36 when the next World Cup rolls around, but seems in no mood to hand up his England boots.
Kane – who scored six goals at this World Cup, but was an unused substitute against France – told the BBC: “One of the best England groups that I have ever been a part of.
“When you see the boys around the hotel, when you see us training on the pitch, when you see us in the changing room, it is a unique group. We had that bond and had so much belief in each other.”
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On Tuchel, Kane added: “It is his first major tournament. I think he has learned a lot of the squad, the campaign, the travel and the games and what it takes – the pressure.”
One of England’s wounds that was deepened by the win over France was Tuchel’s decision not to send on Bukayo Saka against Argentina.
The Arsenal winger, an unused substitute in the semi-final, scored a hat-trick on Saturday against Les Bleus – then afterwards said he is fully fit, having endured some injury worries earlier in the North American campaign.
“Of course, I would love to have played more but it’s too late to talk about that,” Saka told BBC One. “I try to do my talking on the pitch and it’s done now, move on. I’m fit.”
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On noise around the manager, he said: “I think that’s just part of the game… it’s how you react to it, how you use it as fuel and today we finished strong and that’s all we could really do and we did that.”
England’s twisting World Cup 2026 story has a bittersweet ending – with a thrilling victory in the game no-one wants to be a part of.
But how this campaign will ultimately be remembered might not be truly determined until after this team have produced their sequels.
The race for the golden boot at the World Cup is heading for a thrilling climax featuring some of the best players in the world.
The superstars have lived up their hype at this tournament, none more so than France’s Kylian Mbappe and Argentina hero Lionel Messi. Both have gone tit for tat since the very first outing, each storming past poor Miroslav Klose’s all-time goalscoring record to enter the semi-finals with eight goals apiece. Mbappe’s double in the so-called bronze final took him ahead of Messi, who will have the chance to answer as he faces Spain in the showpiece decider.
But in a twist an already enthralling race, team success may prove a detriment to Messi’s hopes. He is the only real contender for the accolade in the final and faces a tough challenge of breaching Spain’s rock-solid defence, which has only conceded once this tournament. If players are tied for goals, the number of assists will determine who ranks higher. If there is still a tie, it comes down to minutes played and the goals-per-minute ratio, which would favour Mbappe over Messi provided the Argentina captain plays the full final, if it got that far.
The talismanic pair are now the only players in the hunt – though England duo Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham both finish highly. Bellingham went ahead of Erling Haaland with his seventh goall as he finished off a 6-4 win against France to secure a third place finish.
Mbappe, who scored twice in France‘s 6-4 defeat by England in Saturday’s third-place playoff, leads Messi by two goals with just Sunday’s final to come.
The Frenchman is also now the top goalscorer in World Cup history — with 22 to his name across three tournaments, one ahead of Messi.
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Minnows sparkle
Debutants Cape Verde finished the group stage unbeaten and advanced from a section that included former champions Spain and Uruguay.
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“To be honest, it feels like I’m living in a fairytale,” said Deroy Duarte after his team set up a last-32 match against defending champions Argentina.
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The African nation pushed Lionel Messi’s men to the brink, twice coming from behind, before a winner for Argentina in extra-time.
Caribbean island Curacao — the smallest country to compete at a World Cup by both population — also had their moment of glory, holding Ecuador to a goalless draw after an opening 7-1 hammering by Germany.
Argentina comebacks
Time and again Argentina have appeared vulnerable at the 2026 World Cup, but they have always found a way.
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The defending champions cruised through their group but were taken to extra-time by Cape Verde and recovered from 2-0 down late in the game against Egypt.
They needed extra-time again to beat Switzerland in the quarter-finals and were staring at defeat against England in the semi-finals before a late double.
Argentina have not played the silkiest football but their never-say-die attitude is their superpower.
The World Cup was remarkably free of off-field controversy until Folarin Balogun found himself at the centre of a political storm.
The US forward, who scored three goals, was sent off in his team’s last-32 match against Bosnia-Herzegovina, ruling him out of the next game.
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But FIFA stepped in and suspended his ban, leading to widespread condemnation, especially when it emerged that US President Donald Trump had intervened.
The host nation were outclassed 4-1 by Belgium in the last 16, with Balogun making little impact.
Afterwards, the 25-year-old admitted the episode had put extra pressure on the team.
Haaland goes viral
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Erling Haaland fired Norway to their best-ever World Cup finish — and also became a social media sensation with his quirky posts.
The towering Manchester City forward has gained 30 million Instagram followers since the start of the tournament to move to more than 71 million.
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Haaland, 25, whose team were beaten by England in the quarter-finals, now has far more Instagram followers than City’s official account.
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One of his posts featured the “Viking row”, which will be one of the abiding images of the tournament.
The ritual featured players leading Norway fans in a rhythmic row in a pretend Viking boat.
He also shared a picture of himself arriving back in Norway accompanied by a stuffed raccoon, explaining: “It followed me home.”
Falklands dispute
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The build-up to the semi-final between Argentina and England was dominated by talk over the contested Falkland Islands, known in Spanish as the Malvinas.
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Argentina recovered from a goal down to win 2-1 and reach their third final in four World Cups.
After the final whistle the players held a banner that read: “Las Malvinas son Argentinas” (The Falklands are Argentine).
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Britain called for FIFA to look into the incident and the governing body put out a statement saying it was “assessing the match reports”.
Jul 17, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Tempo head coach Sandy Brondello reacts to a play against the Atlanta Dream during the second half at Coca-Cola Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
The WNBA on Saturday suspended Toronto Tempo coach Sandy Brondello one game without pay for comments she made about Atlanta Dream star Angel Reese that the league deemed inappropriate.
During Friday’s 111-92 home loss to the Dream, the Tempo’s Nyara Sabally was injured after making contact with Reese. Sabally was called for a foul on the play.
According to reports, the broadcast of the game captured Brondello referring to Reese as a “protected species” while pleading her case to officials.
Following the game, Reese posted to her X account “ARE WE SURPRISED?!” with a clown face emoji. She tagged Brondello’s account in the post, as well.
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On Saturday, Brondello replied with a series of posts to her X account, including:
“Angel, I’m sorry. Last night, in the emotion of the moment after Nyara’s injury, I used a phrase that I shouldn’t have used, and I take full responsibility for that. My frustration was with the officiating, but my words unfairly put the focus on you.”
Brondello, who will serve her suspension Monday when the Tempo host the Las Vegas Aces, is from Australia. According to reports, the term “protected species” in commonly used in Australian sporting events and environments to refer to players receiving preferential treatment from officials.
In its statement announcing the suspension, the league said, “The WNBA expects all coaches and team personnel to uphold the highest standards of professionalism and respect that are fundamental to our league.”
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According to ESPN, a previously scheduled meeting between players and commissioner Cathy Engelbert next week will now include a discussion of the incident.
The final round of the 2026 Open Championship gets underway Sunday morning at Royal Birkdale in England. Here’s everything you need to know to watch the tournament on Sunday, including full Open Championship TV coverage, streaming details and complete Round 4 tee times.
How to watch Open on Sunday
The man to beat on Sunday at Royal Birkdale is American Ryder Cup member Sam Burns.
The five-time PGA Tour winner followed up a Friday 62 with a 65 on Saturday, moving him to 10 under for the tournament. That gives him a two-shot lead in this Open Championship with 18 holes standing between him and his first major championship title.
But while Burns has the clearest path to the Claret Jug, he’ll have plenty of tough competition in the final round. Four-time Tour winner Si Woo Kim and Ryan Fox, who shot 62 on Saturday, are tied for second at eight under.
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Bryson DeChambeau shot a 69 following the controversial end to his second round, where he was hit with a two-shot penalty he vehemently disagreed with. He’ll start Sunday at six under, four shots off Burns’ lead.
Hometown hero Tommy Fleetwood (five under) and defending champion Scottie Scheffler (four under) are also still in the mix with one round to go.
You can watch the final round of the Open Championship on TV via NBC and USA, with USA opening the Sunday TV coverage at 4 a.m. ET, and NBC taking over the broadcast at 7 a.m. ET. Peacock will provide featured group coverage on Sunday, as well as a live simulcast of NBC’s Sunday TV coverage.
Below you will find everything you need to know to watch the final round of the 2026 Open Championship.
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How to watch on TV Sunday
NBC and USA will share final-round TV coverage of the 2026 Open Championship on Sunday. USA’s telecast runs from 4-7 a.m. ET, followed by NBC’s broadcast from 7 a.m.-2 p.m. ET.
How to stream online Sunday
You can stream the final round of the 2026 Open Championship via Peacock, which will provide a simulcast of NBC’s coverage and featured group coverage. USA’s Sunday telecast can be streamed via Golf Channel Mobile.
Here’s the full Open Championship streaming schedule for Sunday:
Featured Groups: All day (Peacock) Open Round 4 USA Coverage: 4-7 a.m. ET (Golf Channel Mobile) Open Round 4 NBC Coverage: 7 a.m.-2 p.m. ET (Peacock)
Just over one month after claiming the NBA championship in San Antonio, the New York Knicks and their fans finally got an opportunity to celebrate ending a 53-year title drought in grand fashion back inside Madison Square Garden. The Knicks’ two biggest stars, NBA Finals MVP Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns, not only attended but participated in the latest edition of WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event, which emanated from MSG for the first time since 2007.
Brunson main evented the show with Roman Reigns, the WWE World Heavyweight Champion and one of his favorite wrestlers. (Brunson does a Reigns-inspired handshake with a Knicks trainer before every game.) After an extended introduction crowning Brunson the “King of New York,” the starting point guard was acknowledged by Reigns and gifted a unique version of the championship belt with a blue-and-orange stripe.
Knicks fans went wild cheering and chanting for Brunson, not knowing what was going to come next.
Haliburton’s presence served as a distraction for Rollins to attack Reigns, but Brunson ultimately stood in the way of his friend, giving Reigns an opening to hit a Superman punch and spear on Rollins with the champions standing tall.
Earlier in the night, Knicks good-luck charm and WWE superstar Danhausen, who famously “uncursed” New York immediately before the team won 15 of its last 16 games of the season, leading to their NBA title, received in-ring assistance from Karl-Anthony Towns.
With Danhausen outnumbered against JD McDonagh and Dominik Mysterio, who stole and ruined a Knicks jersey gifted to Danhausen during the NBA Finals run, Towns appeared to save the team’s unofficial postseason mascot. But not only that, Towns got physically involved, delivering impressive chokeslams to both McDonagh and Mysterio, creating an opportunity for Danhausen to win the no-disqualifiation match before celebrating and holding up five fingers, denoting “Knicks in 5” at the end of the segment.
While Brunson has yet to get physically involved in either of his WWE appearances, he was dealing with a surgically repaired hand/wrist injury on both occasions. Stepping over the top rope with ease and delivering chokeslams that reminded of The Undertaker, Towns may have a future around the squared circle should he want it after his NBA career comes to an end.
Winning the 2026 NBA Finals was a massive achievement for the New York Knicks. However, like most teams over the past few seasons, they had to part ways with a key player on the roster, as they had to let Mitchell Robinson sign with the Boston Celtics in the offseason.
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That is the norm under the NBA’s second apron rules, which are likely one of the biggest reasons why there has not been a back-to-back champion since the 2018 NBA Finals. Brunson himself has had thoughts on what has happened with his team due to the second apron.
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Jalen Brunson gives his take on the second apron for the Knicks
Brunson has one of the league’s most team-friendly contracts because he left around $100,000,000 on the table. This helped the Knicks have financial flexibility under the second apron rules to build a team that can compete with almost anyone in the league.
It worked out for both Brunson and the Knicks because their gamble paid off in 2026. They had the roster with players who are being paid well, like Karl-Anthony Towns and OG Anunoby. Incidentally, those are the two players with the biggest impact outside of Brunson during their NBA Finals series against the San Antonio Spurs.
Now that Brunson and the Knicks are champions, Brunson has given his take on the second apron and how that affects the team previously, today, and in the long-term future.
“I think there are pros and cons to it. Because of the second apron, we had to lose Mitch. Obviously, I would’ve loved to have him back, he was a big part of what we’ve been able to do. Everyone prior to the second apron, prior to the previous eight teams being champions, we had too many superteams,” Brunson said on Nightcap with Shannon Sharpe.
“People called it the participation trophy. What are we doing? You guys want competition, or you guys don’t want superteams, what is it? There are pros and cons to it. For me, I just navigate the best I can, control what I can control.”
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While the NBA will continue to have this rule in place, there are probably some discussions with the NBA Players Association and the league. It will be a point of contention for sure, but it will be interesting how they pivot away from it after years of it being set in stone.
Jan 4, 2009; Minneapolis, MN, USA: A fan of the Minnesota Vikings looks on as the Vikings lose to the Philadelphia Eagles in the fourth quarter of the NFC Wild Card playoff game at the Metrodome. Eagles win 26-14. Mandatory credit: Bruce Kluckhohn US PRESSWIRE
If things get wonky, then linebacker Blake Cashman is going to be shown the door. The Vikings cut candidate isn’t considered a cut candidate by most, but that’s part of the point: this one would hit a lot of folks as coming out of nowhere.
The veteran ‘backer is moving into the final year of his three-year contract. Already, Mr. Cashman has been in town for a pair of seasons even though it feels as though he just arrived. A world exists where he gets extended. Or, perhaps, the team allows him to venture into free agency next year before a reunion deal gets sorted out. That outcome, though, appears more unlikely now than six months ago. In fact, a cut wouldn’t be unfathomable.
To begin, the change within the front office means embracing a fresh perspective. There’s still plenty of continuity within the leadership since the coaching staff remains largely in place. Still, though, there’s something to be said for an obvious point: hiring a new GM means less loyalty to the old GM’s guys. Cashman is among these guys.
Minnesota Vikings defenders Blake Cashman and Jonathan Greenard converge on Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams during NFC North action at U.S. Bank Stadium. The Minnesota pass rush created havoc throughout the contest, forcing a key turnover that helped swing momentum early. The play occurred on Dec. 16, 2024, during a divisional showdown in Minneapolis. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images.
Consider, as well, that Minnesota already appears to have tipped its hand at linebacker.
Opting to bring Eric Wilson back means that the position already boasts a veteran option for the next couple years, at minimum. Maybe all that means is that Cashman will walk in 2027, but there’s a plan in place for life after Cashman.
Plus, the 2026 NFL Draft involved snagging Jake Golday. The rangy rookie linebacker oozes potential. He’s a great athlete who appears to be a queen on the chess board. Golday goes forward, backward, diagonally, and every other direction. The kid still does need to prove himself but optimism exists for the young lad.
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Ivan Pace Jr. is still only 25. The Vikings then have several unheralded players in Bangally Kamara, Keli Lawson, Jacob Roberts, and Josh Ross. Does one of these guys show unexpected excellence?
Another factor to consider is that Brian Flores is a creative guy. He’s not shy about using edge rusher Andrew Van Ginkel as an off-ball linebacker. Coach Flores has shown a willingness to do the same with Dallas Turner. Chaz Chambliss appears to be another option for this sort of thing and maybe Bo Richter could do the same.
Moreover, there are the players at safety — Josh Metellus, in particular — capable of playing linebacker. Seeing Harrison Smith return would further create a roster logjam.
Moving on from Blake Cashman with a straightforward cut could mean recouping $7,632,353 in cap space. Presumably, most of that would get rolled over into next year, but that’s a decision for the new GM. Opting for a Cashman trade, a situation that requires another team to agree to terms, would mean welcoming identical cap savings.
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Cashman isn’t likely to be shown the door. He remains a very good player who helps the team to matchup. He can be an eraser in the run game, making runners disappear; so, too, can he be a monster in pass coverage, making life difficult for tight ends and slot receivers. Better yet, he’s a leader who has a brain in his head. The Vikings do value what he brings to the table (which is to say nothing of the fans).
If, however, the desire is for youth and financial savings, then moving on from Blake Cashman isn’t totally without reason. He has had some injury issues, plays at a deep position, was brought in by the old GM, and would see his contract give back nice cap savings.
Blake Cashman is 30. He had 144 tackles, 2 sacks, and 4 tackles for loss in thirteen games last season.
France‘s Kylian Mbappe became the top scorer in World Cup history on Saturday after netting a 22nd goal in the third-place play-off against England.
However, his team suffered a 6-4 defeat to the Three Lions in Didier Deschamps’ last match as France’s head coach.
Mbappe is now one ahead of Argentina’s Lionel Messi on the World Cup all-time goal-scoring table. Messi will have a chance to win back the title when Argentina play in Sunday’s final.
Mbappe needed 22 games to set the record, while Messi needed 33 matches to score his 21 goalsImage: Luke Hales/Getty Images/AFP
Mbappe’s brace also saw the France captain move to the top of the race for the Golden Boot, which will be awarded to the player with the most goals in the tournament. He now has two more goals than Messi in the 2026 World Cup.
“Messi is going to score (on Sunday), that’s for sure. I’m just trying to help my team win. When you score a lot of goals at the World Cup, it puts you in a certain category,” Mbappe said.
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“I would have preferred not to be the all-time top scorer and to be playing tomorrow’s match. It’s good in terms of legacy, but today it’s not the first thing on my mind,” he added.
England beat France 6-4 in wild World Cup bronze match
England were in complete control after scoring four first-half goals to leave France facing an embarrassing defeat.
Mbappe struck twice as Les Bleus battled back, but England held firm.
Saka scored a hat-trick for the Three Lions while Bellingham became the first England player to score seven goals at a single World Cup.
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The result secured third place for England, the team’s best World Cup performance since winning the tournament in 1966.
Bukayo Saka (center) is the second England player to score a hat-trick in a World Cup knockout matchImage: Paul Childs/REUTERS
Deschamps’ last dance for France
The third-place playoff at the World Cup was Deschamps’ last game as France coach.
As a player, Deschamps led the French team to a World Cup title in 1998. As a coach, he guided France to World Cup glory in 2018 and a runner-up finish four years ago.
But Les Bleus missed their chance for a third consecutive final appearance after losing 2-0 against Spain in the semi-finals.
Didier Deschamps is stepping down as France manager after 14 yearsImage: Carlos Barria/REUTERS
Several FIFA World Cup records were broken as England defeated France 6-4 in a thrilling third-place match to claim the bronze medal at the 2026 tournament.
The 10-goal contest became the highest-scoring third-place match in FIFA World Cup history, surpassing France’s 6-3 victory over West Germany in 1958.
England made a dream start, taking a 4-0 lead before half-time through Declan Rice, Ezri Konsa and two goals from Bukayo Saka. France fought back after the break with goals from Kylian Mbappé and Bradley Barcola to cut the deficit to 4-3.
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Mbappé then made history by scoring his second goal of the match to become the leading goalscorer in FIFA World Cup history with 22 goals, moving ahead of Argentina legend Lionel Messi.
The France captain also finished the tournament with 14 goal contributions, setting a new record for the most goal involvements in a single FIFA World Cup.
England restored their two-goal lead when Saka completed his hat-trick from the penalty spot in the 87th minute. Ousmane Dembélé scored again for France in stoppage time before Jude Bellingham sealed the victory with England’s sixth goal deep into added time.
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Bellingham’s strike was his seventh goal of the tournament, making him the highest-scoring England player in a single FIFA World Cup.
Saka’s hat-trick was another major highlight as he inspired England to their best World Cup finish since winning the title in 1966. It also marked England’s best-ever World Cup finish outside home soil.
While England celebrated a memorable victory and a place on the podium, the match will also be remembered for the remarkable records set by Mbappé, Bellingham and Saka in one of the greatest third-place matches in World Cup history.
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