Ohtani had his knee drained over the All-Star break

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Jul 19, 2026

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11:21 am ET

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Shohei Ohtani will have his first start since the MLB All-Star break pushed back, Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told reporters on Sunday.

Ohtani was originally scheduled to pitch on Wednesday against the Philadelphia Phillies, But his left knee hasn’t recovered enough for him to feel comfortable pitching. As a result, his next start has not been determined. Roberts said that he does expect Ohtani to pitch again this season.

This story will be updated with more information.

The World Cup 2026 final is drawing closer with Spain booking their place in Sunday’s match in New Jersey after a fine display to beat France 2-0.

England battle Argentina in tonight’s other semi-final in Atlanta to decide the other finalist.

But Fifa President Gianni Infantino has modernised the tournament with influence from its co-hosts United States and the way some of its biggest sporting events operate, including the Super Bowl in the NFL.

This will mean a half-time show appealing to more forms of culture and new fans.

Here’s everything you need to know about the Fifa World Cup 2026 final half-time show:

When and where is the half-time show?

The half-time show will be on Sunday, 19 July 2026 at New York New Jersey Stadium, USA, the location for the final match, with kick-off set at 8pm BST (3pm ET), the half-time show is due to start from 8:50pm BST (3:50pm ET), with stoppage time and additional time to set up the stage and infrastructure perhaps leading to a start time after 9pm BST (4pm ET).

How long will the half-time show last?

Sources tell the Independent that the show will be around 20 minutes. There is the prospect of the usual 15-minute half-time break, followed by the planned 11-minute show, with Infantino emphasising the figure is inspired by 11 players on the pitch for each team.

Due to the laws of the game, governed by Ifab (the International Football Association Board), it is understood half-time breaks should “not exceed15 minutes,” but Sunday is due to break that law.

There is a precedent set from last year’s Club World Cup final between eventual winners Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain, which was also organised by Fifa and held in the same venue in New Jersey. That show lasted 24 minutes, with Coldplay, J Balvin, Doja Cat, Tems and Emmanuel Kelly featuring.

Where can I watch the half-time show?

The game is on both BBC and ITV in the UK, with ITV revealing that it will broadcast the entire World Cup half-time show at the New York New Jersey Stadium, as well as match analysis.

The BBC will confirm its plans in the coming hours. Alternatively you can follow The Independent’s coverage in our live blog, which will be packed with updates from the show and reaction from social media and our reporters in the stadium.

Who is performing at the half-time show?

The 11-minute Super Bowl-style show will be co-headlined by Madonna, Shakira and K-pop boy band BTS.

Justin Bieber was added to the bill, while Burna Boy, Gustavo Dudamel and the PS22 Chorus featuring Coldplay also involved, and Chris Martin has curated the show.

Is there a closing ceremony and how is performing?

The closing ceremony starts at 18:30 BST (1:30pm ET), with the show including Tom Cruise, Laura Pausini, Nicole Scherzinger, Robbie Williams and IShowSpeed. And Jennifer Hudson is to sing the United States’ national anthem.

India’s Gurnoor Brar (ANI Photo)

India pacer Gurnoor Brar endured a difficult outing at Lord’s on Sunday, registering the most expensive bowling figures by any bowler in the venue’s ODI history during the series-deciding third match against England. The right-arm seamer finished with figures of 0 for 97 from his 10 overs as England piled up 387 for 3, eclipsing the previous unwanted Lord’s record held by former India all-rounder Karsan Ghavri, who conceded 81 runs in 11 overs against England in 1975. Brar’s spell also entered India’s record books. His return of 0/97 is now the third most expensive spell by an Indian bowler in ODI cricket, behind only Bhuvneshwar Kumar‘s 1/106 against South Africa at the Wankhede Stadium in 2015 and Vinay Kumar’s 1/102 against Australia in Bengaluru in 2013.Most expensive figures by an Indian bowler in an ODI1/106 (10) Bhuvneshwar Kumar vs SA Wankhede 20151/102 (9) Vinay Kumar vs Aus Bengaluru 20130/97 (10) Gurnoor Brar vs Eng Lord’s 20261/92 (10) Bhuvneshwar Kumar vs NZ Kanpur 2017 The expensive spell came as England’s top order dominated an inexperienced Indian bowling attack in the absence of Jasprit Bumrah, who missed the match because of reactive swelling in his left knee following an impact injury sustained during the second ODI. Ben Duckett led England’s charge with a superb 141, while Jacob Bethell contributed 91 as the pair stitched together a commanding 192-run opening partnership that laid the platform for a massive total. Brar found little relief throughout his spell as England’s batters continued to attack in the closing overs. Joe Root accelerated with an unbeaten 74 from just 49 balls before Jos Buttler hammered 41 not out off only 13 deliveries, taking the hosts to 387 for 3, the highest ODI total recorded at Lord’s. India’s pace attack struggled collectively. Prasidh Krishna returned figures of 2 for 69, Arshdeep Singh went wicketless while conceding 72 runs, and Prince Yadav claimed one wicket but leaked 79 runs. Together, the four fast bowlers, with a combined experience of just 51 ODIs, were unable to contain England’s aggressive batting. England’s 387 for 3 also surpassed their own previous highest ODI total at Lord’s of 334 for 4 against India in 1975, setting a new benchmark at the iconic venue. For Brar, the outing marked a harsh learning experience, with his figures becoming an unwanted part of both Lord’s and Indian ODI history.

FC Goa players in front of the Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum

KURATE (JAPAN): It’s the kind of visit that makes people pause and ponder, offering a deeply moving glimpse into one of humankind’s darkest chapters.A group of young Indian footballers, who are here for the Reliance Football Development League (RFDL)’s exposure trip to Japan, were left with a sobering experience after paying a visit to the Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum on Saturday. During the final days of World War II, the United States dropped two atomic bombs on Japan — “Little Boy” on Hiroshima on August 6 in 1945, and “Fat Man” on Nagasaki three days later — completely destroying the two cities and killing hundreds of thousands of people. “When I was a student, I had read about this tragedy of the grandest scale. But now seeing the pictures here and feeling how humanity suffered on a day like this has left me speechless,” FC Goa youth team coach Israil Gurung told TOI.“At the same time, the museum also offers a timely education in how Japan has managed to get back on their feet despite having undergone such a destruction of humankind and become a world power again. This is an important lesson from a sporting perspective as well. However big the fall is, if you have desire and strong will-power, nobody can stop you from bouncing back and re-establishing yourself. This is the message I’ve given to my players while visiting the place,” remarked Gurung, a former winger and an I-League winner with Churchill Brothers.Players from Bengaluru FC Reserves under Renedy Singh and Punjab FC youth team under Praveen Kumar also joined their FC Goa counterparts in the museum tour.“Behind every photograph in the museum, behind every item displayed there, there’s a story and a reminder how life could be changed in a matter of seconds,” Punjab FC coach Praveen said. According to him, such large-scale destruction caused by nuclear weapons should always be avoided.“We come to know about the darker chapters of history through this visit. War can’t be the solution to our problems and we must live in a peaceful coexistence,” he added. The three Indian youth teams, who have finished in the top three of the RFDL 2025-2026, have already played two games each against Japanese U-18 sides.Their last-round matches are on Monday. (The writer is in Japan on RFDL’s invitation.)

Chelsea have agreed a club-record £117 million deal to sign England midfielder Morgan Rogers from Aston Villa.

The 23-year-old is expected to sign a six-year contract at Stamford Bridge, with the option of an extra year. He will undergo a medical on Monday after returning from England duty at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The transfer makes Rogers the most expensive signing in Chelsea’s history, breaking the previous record of £107 million paid for Enzo Fernandez in 2023. It also becomes the biggest transfer fee ever paid for an English player.

New Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso is continuing to reshape his squad ahead of the new Premier League season, with Rogers becoming one of his major signings.

Rogers joined Aston Villa from Middlesbrough in February 2024 for an initial £8 million deal that could rise to £15 million. During his time at Villa, he scored 21 league goals in 85 appearances and helped the club win the UEFA Europa League last season.

Middlesbrough are also set to benefit from the transfer. A sell-on clause in Rogers’ contract means the Championship club will receive at least £20.4 million from the deal.

The England international has made 22 senior appearances for the Three Lions, scoring once, and featured in seven matches at the 2026 World Cup.

Rogers is the second Villa midfielder to leave this week after Youri Tielemans completed a move to Manchester United. Villa have already responded by signing Switzerland international Johan Manzambi from Freiburg and are also closing in on Wolves midfielder Joao Gomes.

At Chelsea, Rogers is expected to compete for places with Cole Palmer, Pedro Neto, Estevao Willian, Jamie Gittens and Geovany Quenda as Alonso prepares for the new campaign.