IRVINE, Calif. — The U.S. team’s countdown to the World Cup began two weeks ago on a Manhattan pier and moved to a new national training center carved into Georgia pines. It passed through Charlotte and Chicago for the last tuneup matches before pulling into a former military air base that’s been transformed into a sprawling municipal sports complex.
With their Monday arrival at Great Park — and a spirited greeting from some 5,500 sun-drenched fans who won a lottery to attend a workout — the Americans reached their final destination before beginning Group D play Friday against Paraguay 45 miles northwest at SoFi Stadium.
Coach Mauricio Pochettino led the crowd in “USA” chants before the players conducted an hour-long session that was a bit more involved than a public session figured to be. (Nonetheless, no competitive secrets were revealed.)
The Argentine-born manager told the supporters he hopes the team “rewards your energy” when the 48-nation competition kicks off across the U.S., Mexico and Canada.
The U.S. Soccer Federation visited 27 venues between Seattle and San Diego before choosing Irvine, team manager Sam Zapatka said. Initially, the team was planning to train on the UC Irvine campus — a location it has used in the past — but opted for Great Park, which also houses the NHL’s Anaheim Ducks’ training facility.
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The Americans will use three of the 24 soccer fields, including a tidy stadium where USL Championship’s Orange County SC plays its second-division matches.
The delegation is staying at a seaside resort, the Ritz-Carlton in Laguna Niguel, which, with police escort, involves a 30-minute bus ride to the training site.
The county of more than 3 million will serve as the team’s home for the next several weeks, with almost daily workouts before the opener and between matches. The U.S. will fly to Seattle less than 48 hours before the second game, vs. Australia on June 19, then resume sessions at Great Park ahead of the June 25 finale against Türkiye at SoFi Stadium.
“Pulling up here with 5,500 fans ready to watch a training session is incredible,” captain Tim Ream said. “It’s been a long two weeks, a hard two weeks, but guys are in a great position, mentally, physically, emotionally and ready to get going.”
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Captain Tim Ream leads the United States team onto the field in front of 5,500 fans during an open practice ahead of the 2026 World Cup at the Irvine Sports Complex on Monday in Irvine, California.
(Jamie Squire via Getty Images)
Great Park opened in 2007 on the site of Marine Corps Air Station El Toro, which was decommissioned in 1999 after 56 years of training pilots and other military operations. From above, portions of the runways are still visible. President Richard Nixon flew in and out of here when visiting the western White House in nearby San Clemente.
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Now known for recreation and not an infamous resignation, the 194-acre park includes baseball and soccer fields, as well as basketball, tennis and volleyball courts. There is a 10,000-capacity amphitheater, a carousel and a balloon that, for $10, takes riders 400 feet up. (For the U.S. stay, it’s been decorated with the U.S. crest and, to avoid spying, is closed.)
Set up in base camps all over the U.S., Mexico and Canada, every World Cup team is required to conduct one public event at some point during their stay. The remainder of the U.S. sessions will be closed to the public and, except for 15-minute glimpses during stretching sessions and light exercises, will also be off-limits to reporters.
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The USSF erected tents with exercise equipment and one on the stadium concourse for players’ treatment and post-training recovery. It also set up a tent for up to 270 media members.
“You want to feel like you have a good home base, a place you [don’t] have to worry about all the little details off the field,” Ream said. “Everything’s been taken care of for us. We’re very, very much spoiled in that way as players, and that allows us to focus on everything that we need to.”
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The final run-up to the World Cup began May 26, when Pochettino named his 26-man squad at a public event in New York. Before and after a 3-2 victory over Senegal in Charlotte, he conducted workouts at the national training center that opened last month 12 miles south of Hartfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.
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The send-off match was Saturday at sold-out Soldier Field in Chicago, a 2-1 loss to Germany.
Chris Richards returns to full training after ankle injury
The health and welfare of center back Chris Richards is paramount to U.S. preparations. Hobbled by an ankle injury, he missed the friendlies against Senegal and Germany and hasn’t played since May 17 with the Premier League’s Crystal Palace.
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After rehabbing and training on his own for two weeks, Richards joined a full World Cup session for the first time Monday. He did not show any signs of the injury, though the team wasn’t engaged in the most rigorous session either. Nevertheless, it was a promising sign that he’ll be available, and perhaps start, against Paraguay.
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Midfielder Tyler Adams did not train for load management reasons, a team spokesman said.
As for the players performing in front of an audience that included many young fans, the opportunity to make an impact in this World Cup was not lost on them.
“It means so much to be able to be in a position to inspire the next generation, and there’s a compounding effect to it,” goalkeeper Matt Freese said. “Obviously, we were inspired by the previous generation. Hopefully, we inspire the next generation. The more we inspire them, the better the following generation will be.”
India’s Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson (ANI Photo)
Abhishek Sharma‘s struggles in T20Is have come under renewed focus following another disappointing series against Zimbabwe, with former India captain Krishnamachari Srikkanth calling on the selectors to make a difficult decision if the opener’s poor run continues.The left-handed batter endured a forgettable three-match series, failing to register a double-digit score. His recent numbers have also become a concern, with Abhishek unable to cross 20 in each of his last six T20I innings. Since India’s T20 World Cup triumph, he has managed just one half-century, putting his place in the side under the scanner as competition for the opening spot continues to grow.The debate has intensified further after Sanju Samson, India’s Player of the Tournament during the T20 World Cup-winning campaign, was left out of the Zimbabwe series despite his impressive performances. With several opening options available, Abhishek’s extended lean spell has only added to the pressure on the ICC’s former top-ranked T20I batter.Reacting to the opener’s dip in form, Srikkanth said rival teams have worked out a way to contain Abhishek and believes the selection panel may soon have to make a bold call. He also expressed confidence that Samson would return to the Indian setup.“Abhishek Sharma has been sorted out (by opponents) in international cricket, right from the World Cup. I think a tough call has to be taken against him now. I feel Sanju will get his chance again now. He will receive a call back 100%. The selectors will have to take a tough call,” he said in a video on his YouTube channel.While Abhishek’s form emerged as a talking point, India also found plenty to celebrate through the return of Mayank Yadav. The fast bowler made his comeback after a lengthy injury break, featuring in his first international match since October 2024.Mayank made an immediate impact by claiming two wickets in the opening T20I before ending the series with a three-wicket haul in the final game. Bowling with genuine pace throughout the tour, he consistently troubled Zimbabwe’s batting line-up and looked close to his best.Srikkanth was delighted to see the pacer complete all three matches without any fitness concerns and urged the team management to continue investing in young talent.“It was good to see Mayank Yadav playing all three games. So happy for him. Look at how consistent this boy was. The Indian future is very good. You have to back the right youngsters. I don’t mind Ashok Sharma either,” he said.
What is India’s ideal opening pair going forward? While Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson were pivotal to the team’s triumph at the T20 World Cup 2026, a lot has changed since. The arrival of Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has forced the Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee to make adjustments in the batting line-up to accommodate the 15-year-old prodigy. As Sooryavanshi went on to claim the Player of the Series award in the 3-match T20I assignment against Zimbabwe, he seems to have sealed one of the opening spots.
With Abhishek failing to register a single impressive score in the last 5 innings, pressure is increasing on the world No. 2 batter to prove his worth, especially when a batter like Sanju Samson is waiting in the wings.
As the Abhishek vs Samson debate rages on, the selection committee and the team management have been asked to take the “tough call” of dropping the former, by ex-India cricketer Krishnamachari Srikkanth.
“Abhishek Sharma has been sorted out (by opponents) in international cricket, right from the World Cup. I think a tough call has to be taken against him now. I feel Sanju will get his chance again now. He will receive a call back 100%. The selectors will have to take a tough call,” he said in a video on his YouTube channel.
In a recent interview, Samson spoke about how he doesn’t want to be a part of the ‘rat race’ that always remains active in Indian cricket. While he does want to continue playing for the national team, it has to be on his own terms.
“I realised that there is a constant rat race in our country, and I decided before the 2026 T20 World Cup that I would not be part of it. I just want to enjoy the game. By God’s grace, I have achieved a lot. I am 31 now, and I have a few years left. So, I have decided to play on my own terms. No one will tell me how to bat or what to do. Sanju will decide for Sanju,” he said.
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Ronnie O’Sullivan has again stressed that he may only have two more chances to win a record-breaking eighth world championship and vowed to quit if he has to enter qualifying.
The 50-year-old, who won the last of his seven titles in 2022, is level with Stephen Hendry as the most successful player in the World Championship’s modern era.
“I’d love to win another World Championship,” O’Sullivan told World Snooker Tour after opening his 2026-27 season with a 6-1 win over Liu Linhao at the Shanghai Masters. “I have two attempts at it.
“If I can find a bit of cueing or some form at Sheffield, you never know. If I don’t do it this year or the next, it will definitely never happen.”
O’Sullivan has not won the World Championship since 2022 (Zac Goodwin/PA) (PA Archive)
O’Sullivan has slipped to 12th in the world rankings as a result of playing fewer tournaments and only the top 16 qualify for some of the biggest events.
That raises the prospect of the game’s biggest name potentially having to go through qualifying to reach the Crucible – but O’Sullivan says that will not be happening.
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“I’m not going to play qualifiers. You won’t be seeing me go down to Barnsley trying to win qualifying matches and all that sort of stuff,” he said.
“If that happens, then obviously that’s the end of my career. But hopefully, I can keep going for at least another two seasons.
“I’m happy with my career and how things have gone. I want to enjoy these next two years. I’ll reassess in 2028 and if things are really going well, you can maybe extend it.”
O’Sullivan believes he has to achieve the feat in the next two years because of the mental demands of the game.
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He added: “I have to be realistic. I’m 50 now and if I play for two hours I then have to lie down for two or three hours. It is very hard for me.
“OK, you don’t have to run around a football pitch but mentally you have to concentrate. When you are younger you can do that for hour upon hour.”
O’Sullivan proved too strong for 18-year-old Chinese wild card Liu, finishing off the match with breaks of 73, 71, 75 and 55 after initially being pegged back to 1-1 following a fine run of 88 from his opponent.
Zhou Yuelong came from behind to beat four-time world champion Mark Selby 6-5, Barry Hawkins overcame Lei Peifan 6-4 and Ding Junhui saw off Dongcheng Yao 6-2.
The US Open has announced the first list of players for its 2026 mixed doubles tournament, with world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka and 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic leading the entries.
Sabalenka, who missed last year’s event, will team up with Djokovic in one of the biggest pairings for the competition.
Another strong team is Iga Świątek and Casper Ruud. Ruud reached last year’s final but lost alongside Świątek to doubles specialists Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori, who are expected to return through a wild card.
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Other top pairings include Amanda Anisimova and Learner Tien, Jessica Pegula and Jack Draper, Naomi Osaka and Kei Nishikori, and Taylor Townsend with Alexander Zverev.
However, men’s world No. 1 Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz are not on the entry list yet. Alcaraz is still recovering from a wrist injury but has entered the singles event. Tennis legends Venus and Serena Williams are also missing from the mixed doubles list.
The mixed doubles competition will be played from August 24 to 26 during the US Open Fan Week, before the main singles tournament begins.
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Only the six teams with the best combined singles rankings will qualify automatically after entries close on August 17. Eight more teams will receive wild cards, while the final two places will be decided through a qualifying tournament.
The event was a huge success last year, attracting around 78,000 fans, with champions Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori winning the $1 million prize.
This year’s tournament also comes as top players continue discussions with Grand Slam organisers over prize money, although many leading stars have still entered the competition. The matches will follow a shortened format until the final, where the traditional six-game sets will be used.
Chelsea are in talks to sign experienced duo Jordan Henderson and Danny Welbeck as the club looks to add more leadership to its squad.
The Blues are discussing a deal for 36-year-old midfielder Henderson, who has one year left on his Brentford contract. Brentford are willing to let him leave on a free transfer.
Chelsea are also working on a move for Brighton striker Danny Welbeck. The 35-year-old is interested in joining Stamford Bridge, and there is growing confidence that an agreement can be reached.
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The club’s move for the two veterans comes after co-owner Behdad Eghbali admitted earlier this year that Chelsea’s policy of signing mainly young players needs some changes. The club now wants to add more experienced players to the squad.
Welbeck enjoyed one of the best seasons of his career last term, scoring 13 Premier League goals in 37 matches for Brighton. Since joining from Watford in 2020, he has scored 51 goals in 201 appearances for the Seagulls. He signed a one-year contract extension in March, keeping him at the club until the end of the 2026-27 season.
Henderson joined Brentford from Ajax and made 34 appearances in all competitions last season. He also featured for England at the FIFA World Cup before suffering a broken arm while celebrating the team’s last-16 victory over Mexico.
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Chelsea’s interest in Henderson and Welbeck could affect the futures of several attackers already at the club. Joao Pedro is seen as the first-choice striker, while Liam Delap, Emmanuel Emegha, Marc Guiu and Nicolas Jackson all face uncertain futures.
Guiu is available for either a permanent move or a loan, while Jackson is open to leaving after attracting interest from Aston Villa. Delap is also expected to move on despite hoping to impress new manager Xabi Alonso, and Emegha’s future remains unclear.
Chelsea have already signed Morgan Rogers for a club-record £117 million and full-back Marco Palestra this summer. They are also close to completing a deal for defender Maxence Lacroix.
The possible arrivals of Henderson and Welbeck suggest Chelsea are changing their transfer strategy by combining young talent with experienced players as they aim to improve after finishing 10th in the Premier League last season.
Three of boxing’s biggest legends could be set to appear on one blockbuster card later this year, with Mike Tyson, Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao all poised to fight on the same bill.
Mayweather has been linked to an exhibition fight against Tyson and a professional encounter with Pacquiao throughout 2026, but had been scheduled to first take on Greek kickboxer Mike Zambidis in a lucrative three-fight year for ‘TBE’.
It seems as though Mayweather’s ring return could be around the corner though, as he prepares to step through the ropes in a rescheduled exhibition against Zambidis, before colliding with Tyson in the autumn, where Pacquiao may fight in a separate fight on the undercard, as per BoxingScene.
The report reveals that an “official connected to the arrangement” believes the plan for all three to fight on the same night could “solve everything” after the financial disputes.
While they have not confirmed this exact plan, Pacquiao’s team have made it clear that he is targeting an exhibition bout this year following the collapse of the Mayweather rematch. The Filipino was previously announced to be facing former super welterweight champion Ruslan Provodnikov before it fell through, so that could be revisited.
Safe to say that Everson Griffen was a fan favorite. Does the Vikings pass rusher still have what it takes to play in the NFL? Frankly, probably not, but he’s still holding out some hope.
Pro Football Talk was among the spots to discuss the news. Josh Alper relays the word, doing so after Griffen chatted with veteran NFL reporter Josina Anderson. Griffen’s desire: “‘I’ve burnt bridges, but I feel like that’s reparable. I’m willing to do anything to mend them. I’m saying clear, you don’t have to worry about me going back to using again.’”
Vikings Pass Rusher Wants Another Shot
Griffen is such a gregarious, outgoing personality that those around the Minnesota Vikings have forgiven several misdeeds. At times, the pass rusher has been his own worst enemy, in no small part due to battling some personal demons. I, for one, wish him nothing but the best even while acknowledging that he has made some mistakes.
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As fate would have it, the Vikings could use some help at pass rusher. The Andrew Van Ginkel and Dallas Turner twosome promises to be at least good. Quite possibly, those two will become great in 2026. What sort of effort gets offered beyond those two, however, remains to be seen. Options such as Eric Wilson (Jake Golday?), Ty Ingram-Dawkins, and Bo Richter look like the players most likely to soak up snaps. All come with questions, quibbles, and/or concerns.
Sep 8, 2019; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings defensive end Everson Griffen (97) and defensive end Danielle Hunter (99) celebrate during a game against the Atlanta Falcons at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ben Ludeman-USA TODAY Sports.
Seeing Griffen get a shot for the 2026 Vikings would nevertheless qualify as a major surprise.
Chosen at No. 100 in the 2010 NFL Draft, Everson Griffen would begin slow before exploding. His burst coming out of his stance was legendary, especially when allowed to setup his spin move. He put more than his fair share of offensive tackles in the spin cycle. Poetry in shoulder pads.
Perhaps his most formidable season arrived in 2017. Quite possibly, that was the season when a lot of Vikings had their best years: Xavier Rhodes, Harrison Smith, and so on. Griffen’s final stats show 45 tackles, 13 sacks, 25 quarterback hits, 12 tackles for loss, and 3 forced fumbles. He was honored with a well-earned AP2 spot and trip to the Pro Bowl.
Griffen would eventually move on from the Vikings. He put in work with Detroit and Dallas before coming back to the Twin Cities in 2021.
Oct 31, 2021; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings defensive end Everson Griffen (97) greets a member of the Dallas Cowboys during before the teams meet at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Blewett-USA TODAY Sports.
Very few have been able to match Everson Griffen’s passion for the game and his emotional leadership. Nobody ever questioned if he cared about ball and his teammates. Nobody ever questioned whether he enjoyed sacking the quarterback. Like Alex Ovechkin scoring a goal, Griffen loved to celebrate after wrangling a passer.
Vikings rookies arrived at TCO Performance Center yesterday. Tomorrow, the rest of the team will report to Eagan. We’re therefore just days away from seeing purple football get rolling again. After quarterback, the edge rusher competition is perhaps the most fascinating story in the Twin Cities.
The next young American with superstar potential has arrived — and his name is Jackson Koivun.
Koivun, a 21-year-old fresh off his junior year at Auburn, turned pro just one month ago, and he’s already broken through for his first PGA Tour victory. With a four-round total of 25-under, Koivun won the 3M Open in just his third professional start by three strokes — over none other than World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler.
“Obviously, having the World No. 1 in the field just makes it even sweeter,” Koivun said.
No kidding.
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While Koivun has long been a household name in the amateur game, this past weekend was the first time many professional golf fans got a glimpse of the wunderkid. And with it came plenty of chatter about his game, including the intricacies of his unorthodox swing.
Why Koivun’s swing works
When you watch Koivun swing, one thing stands out immediately: it doesn’t look textbook. You’re not going to mistake its silhouette for the swing of Adam Scott or Tiger Woods. Yet the unorthodox motion is a big reason why the former Auburn star generates so much speed.
If you slow Koivun’s swing down, you’ll notice how aggressively he fires his hips from the top of the backswing. For most golfers, this can throw the swing out of sequence, with the lower body outracing the arms. But just before impact, Koivun does something unusual: he recoils his hips, allowing for his arms to catch up.
“It’s a fascinating, athletic move,” says GOLF Top 100 Teacher Jonathan Yarwood, who has coached the likes of Michael Campbell, Nelly Korda and Ben An. “The interesting thing is that it creates a lot of torque, a lot of speed. The athletic part is the fact that he moves out of the way so he can manage the face and path.”
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Yarwood compares the motion to a slingshot. The hips reach their maximum rotation early, then recoil, helping transfer energy into the arms and clubhead just before impact.
Yarwood explained that the move likely dates back to Koivun’s childhood, when he relied on his lower body to create as much power as possible. Most players are coached out of that pattern as they develop in favor of more conventional sequencing, but Koivun has kept it — and learned to time it with remarkable precision.
“It’s a very unique case study and a very interesting one,” Yarwood says. “I don’t look at it critically, but I do look at it with fascination.”
That’s also why Koivun’s swing isn’t something most golfers should try to copy. Every elite swing relies on a series of compensations — or “matchups” — that make the motion work. Remove one piece without the others, and the entire system can fall apart.
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“Most people who do [Koivun’s move] get really out of whack,” Yarwood says. “They don’t recoil their hips, they don’t move out of the way, and they flip the clubface all over the place. For 99 out of 100 golfers, it’s one of the worst moves you can make. But for him, it’s super effective. He’s perfected the timing of it.”
Yarwood’s only long-term question isn’t whether the move works (Koivun’s results already answer that) but whether it’s sustainable. The amount of torque the motion places on his pelvis, spine and lead side is immense, he says, and maintaining that level of precision over the course of a long career will be the real test.
“He’s a breath of fresh air,” Yarwood says. “We want to see a lot of these young kids coming through like him.”
Jul 26, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Jameson Taillon (50) delivers a pitch against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the first inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
The Chicago Cubs designated veteran right-handed starting pitcher Jameson Taillon for assignment on Monday.
The Cubs selected the contract of right-hander Andrew Wantz from Triple-A Iowa in a corresponding move.
Taillon, 34, was in the final season of a four-year, $68 million contract with Chicago. He pitched well over the first three seasons, and he made a pair of starts for the Cubs in the 2025 postseason, posting a 2.25 ERA over eight innings without a decision.
But in 2026, Taillon was 2-6 with a career-worst 5.92 ERA through 15 starts. He led the National League with 25 home runs allowed and had already issued as many walks (27) as he did all of last season.
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Taillon pitched Sunday and received the loss in an 8-7 defeat against the Pittsburgh Pirates. He allowed seven runs on six hits over four innings, with three home runs. He had not earned a win since April 29, and the Cubs were 1-7 in his past eight starts.
For his career, Taillon is 84-66 with a 3.99 ERA in 239 games (238 starts) for the Pirates (2016-19), New York Yankees (2021-22) and Cubs (2023-26).
Wantz, 30, has appeared in 92 major league games for the Los Angeles Angels (2021-24) and Tampa Bay Rays (2026). He made one relief appearance for Tampa Bay and was dinged for five runs on two hits and two walks in 1 2/3 innings. He was granted free agency on June 3 and signed with Chicago three days later.
The Serie A club are in the market for a wing-back in order to play Amorim’s preferred 3-4-3 formation, with Mazraoui viewed as an ideal candidate for that role.
Reports in Italy claim the Serie A club would make a move to sign the United defender, if decision-makers at Old Trafford make it clear they are open to selling.
There are also said to be concerns about what role the Moroccan World Cup star would play in Amorim’s system, having also played as a centre-half under the Portuguese head coach during his time at Old Trafford.
According to Fabrizio Romano, Mazraoui has signed with new agency Panthera, who will represent him moving forward, though it remains to be seen if there’s any correlation between that decision and a transfer this summer.
The 28-year-old defender made 20 appearances for United last season, missing a large chunk of the campaign for the African Cup of Nations.
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Mazraoui struggled to get back into Michael Carrick’s side after returning from the winter tournament, but did impress the then-interim United head coach, winning his place back in the side.
“Yeah he’s come back well, Nous,” Carrick said last season after reintegrating Mazraoui back into the side. “It was a difficult one, obviously, on the back of the final and how it panned out.
“[He had] a few days to digest that then back in and around it. He’s been fantastic in and around the group and around training.
“Obviously, he came on at the end of the game and played a part for us, as you’d expect. So yeah, again [we want to] just keep thickening the squad, bolstering the squad and it’s great to have him back.”
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