As an incredible World Cup comes to an end, everyone here at the BBC wanted to say thank you.
Thank you to the 42.8 million people who tuned in to our live match coverage on television or streamed games on iPlayer, the BBC Sport app and website 237 million times. That’s a lot of football.
Whether you were one of the 24 million who watched England v Argentina in the semi-final, the late-night 9.1 million who stayed up until 4am for England v Mexico, the 2.4 million who saw Scotland beat Haiti in the middle of the night, or part of the hardcore crew of half a million who gave Iran v New Zealand a chance at 2am and were rewarded with a four-goal thriller.
Thank you to those of you who trusted us to not spoil your mornings, coming to iPlayer or the BBC Football YouTube channel every day for our eight-minute highlight packages. There were so many of you that we saw the biggest ever day and week in iPlayer’s history.
Advertisement
Thank you to the 57.2 million unique browsers who used our app and website 1.7 billion times, watching clips of our games, interviews and journalism, following our amazing live pages and reading stories from our journalists covering everything from the Trump-Fifa-Balogun scandal to tactical trends and the US entry denial of Somalian referee Omar Artan.
Venue: Tennis Stadium Kitzbuhel, Kitzbuhel, Austria
Advertisement
Category: ATP 250
Surface: Clay
Prize Money: €612,620
Live Telecast: USA – Tennis Channel | UK – Sky Sports | Canada – TSN+
Advertisement
Sebastian Baez vs Miomir Kecmanovic preview
Sebastian Baez at the Monte-Carlo Masters 2026. (Source: Getty)
Sebastian Baez will face Miomir Kecmanovic in the first round of the Generali Open 2026.
Baez made a strong start to the season. He won all of his singles ties at the United Cup even though his team bowed out in the quarterfinals. His winning ways continued until he lost to Jakub Mensik in the final of the ASB Classic. However, he lost in the second round of the Australian Open.
Semifinal appearances in Buenos Aires and Santiago were his best results during the South American clay swing. He made the third round of the Indian Wells Masters upon his return to hardcourts, and then lost in the first round of the Miami Open.
Advertisement
Baez won only three matches during the European clay swing and lost in the first round of the French Open as well. His woes continued with a first-round exit from Wimbledon. He went out in the quarterfinals of last week’s Nordea Open in Bastad.
A quarterfinal showing in Dallas, followed by a semifinal finish in Acapulco, were Kecmanovic’s best efforts during the hardcourt swing. He was eliminated in the second round of the Italian Open and the French Open, his best results during the clay swing.
After a quarterfinal exit from the Mallorca Championships, Kecmanovic pushed Jannik Sinner to five sets during their first-round showdown at Wimbledon but came up short in the end. He lost in the second round of the Swiss Open last week.
Sebastian Baez vs Miomir Kecmanovic head-to-head
Kecmanovic leads their rivalry 3-0. He won their previous meeting at the French Open 2025 in five sets.
Advertisement
Sebastian Baez vs Miomir Kecmanovic odds
Player
Moneyline
Handicap Bets
Total Games
Miomir Kecmanovic
-135
+1.5 (-350)
Over 22.5 (-110)
Sebastian Baez
+105
-1.5 (+220)
Under 22.5 (-130)
(Odds via BetMGM)
Sebastian Baez vs Miomir Kecmanovic prediction
Miomir Kecmanovic at Wimbledon 2026. (Source: Getty)
Baez has put together a 19-16 record this season, with a 9-11 record on clay. Clay used to be the most fruitful part of his season. However, if he loses his opener in Kitzbuhel, he could end up with his worst clay season since 2021. He went 1-1 on the surface back then, although that was before his breakthrough.
Kecmanovic has compiled a 3-6 record on clay this year, and a 12-18 record overall. He won his maiden career title in Kitzbuhel in 2020. This will be his first appearance at the tournament since then.
Kecmanovic has a total of five wins on the clay since the start of 2025. One of those wins was a five-set epic against Baez at the French Open. However, considering the Serb’s poor record on clay over the past year, this could be Baez’s best opportunity to finally score a win in this rivalry.
Pick: Sebastian Baez to win in three sets.
Advertisement
Sebastian Baez vs Miomir Kecmanovic betting tips
Tip 1: The match will have at least 26 games.
Tip 2: Baez to win at least one set with a score of 6-4.
With major season over, the PGA Tour returns this week with the 3M Open in Minnesota, and the Tour’s biggest star is once again the betting favorite. Here is everything you need to know about the 3M Open odds and other betting favorites to start the week.
3M Open betting favorites
Scottie Scheffler nearly fought off a cold putter to win the 2026 Open Championship on Sunday, eventually coming up short and settling for a T4 finish. Though he now will officially end the season majorless, Scheffler has another chance to add a PGA Tour win this week at the 3M Open.
If he does, it will represent his second Tour victory of the season, and he’s a huge betting favorite with +270 odds-to-win to start the week.
Defending 3M Open champion Kurt Kitayama comes in a distant second in the betting odds at +1900. Maverick McNealy is in third at +2100 odds-to-win, followed by former Masters champion Hideki Matsuyama (+2500).
Advertisement
Tied with Matsuyama is a pro who every golf fan now knows well: Ryan Fox. Fox has +2500 odds-to-win for this week’s 3M Open following his breakthrough major victory on Sunday at the Open Championship (UPDATE: Fox withdrew from the 3M Open field on Monday morning).
You can see the top 25 and ties in the 3M Open betting odds as of Monday morning below via DraftKings.
2026 3M Open odds (top 25 and ties)
Scottie Scheffler (+270) Kurt Kitayama (+1900) Maverick McNealy (+2100) Hideki Matsuyama (+2500) Keith Mitchell (+2500) Jake Knapp (+2700) Jackson Koivun (+2800) Tom Kim (+3300) Pierceson Coody (+3600) Jackson Suber (+3800) Gary Woodland (+4100) Sam Stevens (+4400) Corey Conners (+4500) Jordan Smith (+4600) Sungjae Im (+4600) Max Homa (+4600) Tony Finau (+4700) Eric Cole (+4700) Doug Ghim (+4700) Benjamin James (+4800) Sudarshan Yellamaraju (+5000) Mac Meissner (+5200) Michael Brennan (+5400) Max Greyserman (+5500)
Once Scheffler had suffered another major near-miss in the final round at Royal Birkdale, however, circumstances had changed.
On Sunday night, with his pursuit of a second straight Open title over, and with Ryan Fox clutching the trophy that had been in his grasp for the past year, Scheffler was ready to talk.
In thoughtful and balanced comments, Scheffler defended DeChambeau from cheating accusations but also called for “stricter” rules policing and adherence throughout the game of golf.
Advertisement
Scheffler on Bryson DeChambeau: ‘He’s a lot of things, but he’s definitely not a cheater’
While his late Sunday charge and failed title defense took up most of Scheffler’s post-round press conference questions Sunday evening (not to mention his wild rules break on 17 that ended in a crucial birdie), the topic of DeChambeau’s penalty came up again at the very end.
And this time, Scheffler provided the reasoned opinion he held back from sharing with reporters on Saturday.
While hesitant to speak for fear of being “taken out of context,” Scheffler began by defending DeChambeau indirectly. He did so by calling for more “balance” when it comes to policing players in pro events, arguing that star players like Bryson have it harder with every shot being recorded on camera.
“All I can really say is I think maybe we need to be a little bit more strict in the way that we are policing guys, but it’s a little bit of a balance because you’ve got certain guys like a Bryson who every shot he hits is going to be shown on TV. When you have camera angles that are far away, things can look different than they do when you’re right there,” Scheffler began.
Advertisement
He then took on the DeChambeau controversy directly, defending the two-time major champion’s golf reputation by repeatedly saying that Bryson “is not a cheater.”
“We’ve done a good job of — I don’t know, I hate saying stuff out here because I don’t want anything to get taken out of context. All I’ll say is Bryson, I’ve known him for a long time, and he’s a lot of things, but he’s definitely not a cheater,” Scheffler said of DeChambeau. “I’ve never seen him cheat once, whether we were having a putting contest on the putting green or chipping contest, or anytime we played amateur golf, I never saw anything suspicious.”
“When you’re watching him there from that camera angle, maybe he was a touch careless around his ball, but I don’t think he did anything intentionally,” Scheffler said.
Advertisement
Scheffler calls for stricter rules on Tour: ‘Sometimes you see players maybe push it a little bit further than they should’
He used his childhood experience in the game as an example, explaining that in his youth, players used an abundance of caution to ensure they didn’t break any rules.
“I think sometimes it’s just a difficult position in the game of golf. When I was growing up, if this was the line between things that were — like if this was the line, here are the rules and this was the right side of it and this is when you’re doing things against the rule, you always tried to stray really far that way,” Scheffler explained.
In contrast, these days Scheffler admitted players sometimes stretch the rules to their benefit.
Advertisement
“I feel like at times, sometimes you see players maybe push it a little bit further than they should,” he said.
But he also provided a solution to what he sees as a growing issue in golf. Scheffler called for a return “to the traditions of the game” and for policing rules more strictly.
“I think we need to kind of get back to the traditions of the game and maybe we do need to police things a little bit more stricter in the game,” Scheffler said Sunday night. “But like I said, it’s a tough line to kind of cross. So that’s why it’s hard for me to say anything like this. Bryson is a guy that I’ve known for a really long time. Like I said, he’s not a cheater.”
Rico Verhoeven came close to a huge upset in May as he pushed Oleksandr Usyk to the limit in an audacious bid for the WBC heavyweight title. Now, it seems as though the Ukrainian will move on from a potential rematch and Verhoeven’s trainer Peter Fury has offered his thoughts on that decision.
Usyk was expected to easily dispatch of Verhoeven when they collided in an unconventional and much-criticised match-up at the Pyramids of Giza two months ago, with Verhoeven’s 1-0 record seeing him disregarded as a threat to the throne.
Verhoeven’s trainer Peter Fury has now reacted to that decision in an interview with Seconds Out, who said he held no grudge against Usyk for swerving a rematch with the kickboxing star.
“As far as I know on social media Usyk is fighting Wilder next. I don’t think so [that he is avoiding Verhoeven]. Usyk has done everything in the sport and he is going to fight who he wants to fight.
“He is an incredible man, Usyk, the man has done everything, so full props to him. He is a great champion.”
Usyk-Wilder is expected to take place under the Zuffa Boxing banner, with the Ukrainian seeking to add the Zuffa Boxing heavyweight world title to his extensive list of achievements whilst simultaneously bolstering his phenomenal résumé.
Jul 20, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Washington Nationals second baseman Nasim Nunez (26) turns the first half of a double play against Colorado Rockies right fielder Tyler Freeman (2) in the fourth inning at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images
CJ Abrams homered for the second straight game, one of three home runs for Washington, and the Nationals beat the Colorado Rockies 7-3 in Denver on Monday night.
Jacob Young also went deep and finished with three hits, Curtis Mead contributed three hits, and Andres Chaparro hit his fourth home run for Washington, which has won two in a row and leads majors with 147 homers.
Riley Cornelio (1-1) tossed 1 2/3 innings of scoreless relief and Tom Cosgrove got the final six outs for his first save.
Jake McCarthy led Colorado with a pair of hits. The Rockies, who have dropped three of their first four out of the All-Star break, have the worst record in the National League.
The Nationals jumped on Colorado starter Kyle Freeland. James Wood drew a walk to lead off the game, Mead followed with a single to center and Chaparro hit the first pitch he saw from Freeland into the seats in left-center field.
Advertisement
Washington threatened for more in the first when Dylan Crews walked and Young singled with one out, but Freeland retired the next two batters to end the frame.
The Rockies loaded the bases in the third with two singles and a walk against Washington starter Andrew Alvarez, and Castro cleared them with a two-out double to center to tie it 3-3.
Alvarez allowed three runs on six hits over 4 1/3 innings.
Advertisement
Tempers flared in the fifth. Chaparro flew out to right field and on his trot back to the dugout ran over part of the mound, drawing the ire of Freeland. Benches and bullpens cleared but the incident didn’t escalate and no one was ejected.
Young broke the tie in the sixth inning when he led off against Freeland with his ninth home run. Abrams extended the lead in seventh when he hit a two-run shot off Antonio Senzatela, his 22nd homer of the season.
Freeland (2-9) gave up four runs on seven hits in his six innings of work.
The Nationals tacked on a run in the ninth with Daylen Lile’s two-out RBI triple.
World number two Luke Humphries is out of the World Matchplay after a shock first-round loss to Scotland’s Cameron Menzies.
The former world champion was punished for some poor finishing and lost his first six legs with the darts before finally holding throw.
Humphries threatened to stage a dramatic comeback, winning four legs on the spin to get back to 8-7 but Menzies sealed a stunning 10-7 victory in style by reeling in the ‘big fish’ – a maximum 170 checkout.
The result will come as a huge disappointment to Humphries after he had shown signs of returning to top form – beating Luke Littler to win the US Darts Masters in June – in the past couple of months after a slow start to the year.
Advertisement
But for Menzies, ranked 27th in the world, it is a momentous victory and one he says he “will take to his grave” as he becomes one of just three unseeded players to advance at this year’s tournament.
The Scot will now face 15th seed Ross Smith in the second round on Wednesday after the Englishman’s 10-6 win over Netherlands’ Kevin Doets.
Both players averaged over 100 and managed over 50% on the doubles in a high-quality match but Smith hit when it mattered most to progress.
Meanwhile, Gerwyn Price survived a scare before overcoming Germany’s Martin Schindler 11-9.
Advertisement
The Welshman admitted it was “probably one I should’ve lost” after falling 4-0 and 6-2 behind.
Even after fighting back to take his first lead at 9-8, Price was made to work to finish it off as Schindler hit a 121 checkout to break back before the seventh seed eventually sealed the win in the 20th leg.
It will be a battle of two former world champions in round two as Price faces Rob Cross after the Englishman’s comprehensive 10-3 win over 10th seed Danny Noppert of the Netherlands.
SOUTHPORT, England — Ryan Fox will hit many 10-footers in his life. But he’ll never hit another one like that one.
This is the beauty of Sunday at a major championship. The work of many, many years — a lifetime, even — comes to fruition in an instant. A life changes forever. All that was before is removed by all that is now. And Ryan Fox is now a major champion.
The 39-year-old Kiwi is the only place to start this week’s post-major championship stock report, and he enters the proceedings with his holdings trading at an all-time high.
Post-major championship season stock report
Ryan Fox — Stock Peaking
Let me tell you about a little New Zealand company that just had its ship come in. Yep, its name is Ryan Fox, Inc., and after a pro career that featured just three wins and little to speak of by way of memorable victories, it’s on the way TO THE MOON.
Advertisement
OK, maybe I spent a little bit too much time on r/WallStreetBets before writing this story, but truth be told, Foxy’s performance at Royal Birkdale remains one of the most pleasant surprises I’ve witnessed in six years on the golf beat. Fox is not just an all-time good hang, he’s not just a player who upholds all of tournament golf’s most aspirational qualities (dignity, an even-keel, plays in a hurry), but he’s also the exact kind of personality you’d hope to win a major championship.
It’s fascinating to think about the doors that will open for him for the rest of his competitive life as a result of Sunday’s victory, including a first-career start at the Presidents Cup this fall at Medinah (how in the name of all that is the post-LIV international team has Fox never made a start in the event?). If it never gets better than tucking the Claret Jug into the overhead compartment on a Boeing 737 this morning, I think Fox will be alright with that.
Scottie Scheffler — Stock Rising
This is a bit of a speculative play, particularly after the World No. 1’s comparatively “disappointing” major season (three top-10s including a runner-up finish at the Masters), but I want to tell you about something I witnessed at Royal Birkdale that influenced my decision.
It was late on Saturday night, as the leaders were coming off the golf course, when Scheffler arrived on a quiet corner of the practice range. He’d just played what looked like a maddening round of golf — brilliant iron play, a bunch of missed shorties — and you could just tell he was stewing about it.
Advertisement
He walked onto the practice green with his putting coach, Phil Kenyon, and wordlessly got to work on the exact type of putt it seemed like he’d missed 20 of on Saturday: A 10-footer with maybe five inches of subtle break.
Over the next three minutes, I watched as Scheffler poured in six straight 10-footers from all angles surrounding the cup. With a Tour make-rate of roughly 40 percent from that distance, the odds of that outcome in that moment were 1 in 252.
When the sixth of those putts rolled in, I watched as Scheffler — all alone on the range — laughed to himself. As if to say, ‘Oh great, NOW they fall.’
What that moment taught me is that Scheffler is not facing a crisis of ability. He’s in his own head a little bit. And when he figures out how to step out of that, he’s probably going to start mowing down the competition again. I’m betting on that outcome happening sooner rather than later.
Advertisement
Bryson DeChambeau — Stock DOWN
It felt like an all-around damaging week for DeChambeau, who actually played pretty great golf in between the planet-shattering controversy and the outright refusal to speak to the press. I empathized deeply with the emotional struggle he faced after that two-shot penalty on Friday night, and how hard it must have been to regroup after having his tournament altered in a manner that felt outside of his control.
But resiliency in the face of adversity is one of many reasons why professional golfers make a lot more money than I do, and I was disappointed that Bryson’s week ended with two consecutive over-par rounds to end the tournament mostly out of contention. For those keeping score, that’s three missed cuts and one very disappointing T14 for the most polarizing player in the sport.
Bryson’s vice grip on golf content — Stock UP
It would be altogether incomplete to rate Bryson’s performance this weekend on his golf alone, considering his golf played but a supporting role in the biggest drama of Open Championship weekend.
While Bryson might not have earned himself a Christmas card from the R&A by traipsing around the property with little regard for traditional golf decorum, he certainly earned himself a beer at every pub on the west coast of England with his performance over the weekend at Birkdale. Forgetting his golf for a second, DeChambeau’s performance was a stark reminder that he is golf’s needle-mover in the post-Tiger era. There’s nobody like him … even when he’s turning the petulant meter up to 11 by blowing off the media.
Advertisement
Cam Young — “Suffering Builds Character”
Two hours waiting in the player dining area for a playoff only to lose to a soul-crushing birdie in the final group on the 72nd hole? Yep, that is the golf equivalent of kick in the pants. And yet I weirdly think if he got another chance on Sunday at a major like that, he wouldn’t smoke his 6-iron into the face of the 18th-hole bunker again.
Shouldn’t he have known that already?
Of course he KNEW that already. But until you’ve watched one slip through your fingers like Cam Young just did, you can’t know how careful you truly have to be. Especially in a bunker on the 72nd hole.
Jordan Spieth — Suffering might not build character
That HAD to suck. The last time you were at Birkdale, you played maybe the most memorable final round of any golfer in the last decade. You were not just on top of the world, you were staring down a decade as the single most dominant star the sport had seen since Tiger Woods.
Advertisement
And then, nearly a decade later, you missed the cut at Birkdale, and it hardly even counted as news.
The word belief gets thrown around a lot in Spieth’s context. I don’t think that’s a fair word. Of course Spieth believes. He should believe. That golfer still lives in his body somewhere. But I’m not sure we’re ever going to find a good reason for what’s happened over the last nine years.
Here’s the thing: Spieth is a great guy. I’m not sure why such a uniquely Sisyphean burden has befallen such an exceedingly nice person. I’m hopeful there’s a good reason for it all — a moment that’s going to make all this suffering worth it. I’m fearful there might not be.
Tommy Fleetwood — Stock NEUTRAL
Short of a victory at the Open, it’s hard to see how this weekend could have gone any better for Tommy Fleetwood, the hometown kid who basked in the crowd’s adulation for four long days at Royal Birkdale. He shot four straight rounds in the 60s, the only player in the field to do it. He was in contention from the very beginning. He made clutch putts and kept himself in the running right until the bitter end.
Advertisement
And yet this weekend felt … very much like a lot of other major championship weekends for Fleetwood. He is in some ways a victim of his own success. He’s good enough to win a major, and until he does it, everything less than a major victory will feel like a failure.
Tommy Fleetwood was gutted not to win his hometown Open.
And yet I won’t forget watching him stop to sign autographs for a group of starstruck local kids immediately after leaving scoring on Sunday night.
There is little question that Burns belongs on a very short list of best players in the world right now. Long a certified striper, Burns has ascended to another level in ’26. When Burns woke up on Sunday morning with a two-shot lead and no real chasers, I figured we were due to see his coronation.
Then came a dispiriting Sunday performance, which followed a handful of other Sunday major duds over the last few years. If Burns had gone out and shot one under on the same golf course Cameron Young shot nine under on Sunday, this whole column would be dedicated to him. Instead, he missed a birdie putt on the last to lose by two.
The good news: I still think that coronation is coming. Eventually. The bad news: If it didn’t come on Sunday at Birkdale, I’m not sure when a better opportunity will arise.
And yet it’s not all drab for Mr. Burns. He continued a recent string of good press this week at the Open, sharing the story of his unlikely arrival in the event in the first place following the birth of his daughter, Belle. And then, when the cameras were all focused on his playing partner, Ryan Fox, Burns did something even more impressive: He stopped and gave a genuine round of applause for the tournament winner. He had to be gutted in that moment, but his actions spoke a lot about what exists within him.
Advertisement
In other words, it makes me want to believe in him. Whether you’re on the bandwagon with me is entirely up to you.
Si Woo Kim — Points for Honesty
Si Woo’s stock right now is a bit like when a company embroils itself in an embarrassing controversy but is then rewarded by investors for being forthcoming about the mistake.
Did Si Woo Kim choke on Sunday at the Open Championship, when he came home in 40 after making the turn with the lead?
Yes, yes he did.
Advertisement
Did his willingness to admit as much on Instagram on Monday morning help the lens through which I viewed his performance?
Yes, yes it did.
Casey Jarvis — Meme Stock
There’s a group out there somewhere in South Africa who bought $500 worth of Casey Jarvis as a joke a few years ago, when he was the 2,000th-ranked golfer in the world and missing the cut at an event named the Bain’s Cape Town Open. That group woke up on Sunday see their investment was worth a million dollars.
OK, more like half of a million dollars. But still, Jarvis’s charge up the leaderboard on Sunday at Birkdale to finish T6 for his first-ever major top-10 was inspiring. The Open is nothing if not an open call for golfers to make a name for themselves. With one good week, you can be somebody. On Monday, Casey Jarvis is a guy with a major top-10 and $550,000 in his pocket and trending status on the DP World Tour.
Advertisement
And best of all? We might not have seen the last of him yet. Here’s hoping those fellas back home in Boksburg aren’t quite ready to sell.
Among the of items up for grabs are the very coffee cups Guardiola used, offering fans a direct connection to his time at the club.
The auction features a wide array of memorabilia from Guardiola’s office, including his chair, desk lamp, and whistle, alongside several framed pictures.
Some of his training tops are also available, as is his winter jacket and collection of incense sticks, complete with matches.
For those interested in the tactical mind behind City’s success, a set of two pitch pads with Guardiola’s handwritten strategies, accompanied by his pens, is also up for grabs.
Advertisement
The auction features a wide array of memorabilia from Guardiola’s office, including his chair, desk lamp, and whistle, alongside several framed pictures (PA)
While these personal effects are drawing significant interest, early bidding indicates that the most coveted item is a rare commemorative ball marking Erling Haaland’s achievement of 100 Premier League goals.
Only three such balls were ever produced, and bidding has already soared into four figures for the item, which is presented in a display box.
The auction is set to conclude at the end of the week, with some of the proceeds understood to be benefiting the club’s charity, City in the Community.
Guardiola left City this summer after a decade in which he won six Premier League titles, the Champions League, three FA Cups, and five League Cups.
Italy icon Paolo Maldini, who has been newly appointed the technical director of the FIGC, travelled to Barcelona alongside advisor Leonardo to speak with the Catalan, who left City after 10 glory-laden years at the end of last season.
A four-year plan was outlined to Guardiola who is prioritising project over salary when deciding his next step.
It remains to be seen whether Guardiola is keen to take the job but the FIGC is making serious efforts to convince him, with Maldini and Leonardo speaking to Guardiola over three days.
Akwa United defender Somto Nnoli has been named in Nigeria’s Flying Eagles squad for the 2026 WAFU B U20 Championship.
The tournament will be held in Yamoussoukro, Côte d’Ivoire, from July 26 to August 9 and will also serve as the qualifying competition for the next Africa U20 Cup of Nations.
Nnoli earned his place in the team after an impressive season with Akwa United in the Nigeria National League (NNL). The defender featured in about 90 per cent of the club’s league matches and was one of the team’s most consistent players.
Advertisement
Somto Nnoli before the Flying Eagles depart for the WAFU B U20 Championship
Although Akwa United narrowly missed promotion to the Nigeria Premier Football League after losing out on the final day of the season, Nnoli’s performances impressed the national team coaches.
Nigeria will begin the defence of their WAFU B U20 title against Ghana on July 27. The Flying Eagles will then face Togo on July 30 before taking on Burkina Faso on August 2. All of Nigeria’s Group B matches will kick off at 3pm Nigerian time.
The Flying Eagles, led by coach Abdu Maikaba, are expected to depart for Côte d’Ivoire on Monday after completing their training camp in Abuja.
Eight Division I conferences are trying to improve the experience in women’s college basketball with an official alliance that aims to “enhance the quality, consistency and development of officiating,” the leagues announced on Monday. The conferences involved are the ACC, American Conference, BIG EAST, Atlantic 10, Big South Conference, Coastal Athletic Association, Ivy League and Metro Conference (formerly Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference).
This group will be led by Pualani Spurlock-Welsh, who has been a full-time official for multiple conferences since 2011 and last month was named supervisor of officials for the ACC, Big East and American Conference.
“When you look at the consortium that was put together, it’s an investment in women’s basketball and an investment in women’s basketball officiating,” ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips told USA Today.
“You have to continue to groom young officials and new officials to the game in different ways. And one way to do it is through the conferences. I’m excited about it. It’s a strategic, dedicated group looking to make sure that they’re delivering the very best quality of a women’s basketball officiating.”
Advertisement
What will the alliance do?
This effort aims to improve officiating “through a collaborative system of assigning, training, evaluation and oversight.” These are the official services that will be provided for the member conferences:
Identify, recruit and retain officials
Enhance official training, education, mentorship, evaluation and feedback
Develop efficient, collaborative assigning strategies that maximize geographic efficiencies across the alliance
Conduct collaborative seasonal game management calls and provide updates related to alliance operations
Having a clearer pipeline for officials will be an important part of these efforts. Those who are less experienced will start out in smaller conferences and, with the proper training and development, can work their way up to bigger games in leagues like the ACC.
“You need a system that’s got some tiers to it, so that you have a chance to move up as you get experience and become more familiar with women’s basketball,” Phillips told USA Today. “It’s a training mechanism for women’s college basketball overall. The commissioners will obviously have some oversight to it.”
Is this a new concept?
Not exactly, but it is a more official effort now. These eight conferences had already been working together under the leadership of Debbie Williamson, who served as a conference coordinator of officials since 2014 but retired earlier this year.
Williamson oversaw the eight conferences directly, but Spurlock-Welsh will delegate more of her work. While she will still be the supervisor for the ACC, Big East and American, the other five conferences will have representatives who report to her.
Advertisement
Officiating has been a hot topic
Officiating, always an easy target for critics, has been more of a discussion recently. In women’s college basketball, UConn coach Geno Auriemma just called out the lack of calls from referees in the 2026 national championship game against South Carolina.
“They’ve been beating the shit out of our guys down there the entire game,” he said in April. “I’m not making excuses, ’cause we haven’t been able to make a shot. But this is ridiculous.”
It is fair to point out that was a frustrating day for Auriemma, who also exchanged words with South Carolina coach Dawn Staley after the Huskies lost the game. However, this is not a recent issue. In 2023, for example, the NCAA conceded that officiating in the LSU vs. Iowa national championship game “did not meet expectations,” citing that the percentage of correct calls was lower than usual.
The WNBA has also had similar issues with officiating. During the 2025 playoffs, Minnesota Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve blasted refs after a controversial no-call that led to an injury for star Napheesa Collier. Ahead of the 2026 season, league commissioner Cathy Engelbert announced a specialized task force to address concerns about officiating consistency and the game’s physicality.
Advertisement
“We’ve seen great improvements on the very things that were broken,” said Reeve, who is part of the task force. “There was a level of impeding players and trying to cut off a screen. We don’t want the unnecessary physicality.”
The league is still trying to figure out the balance. Just last month, Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas was suspended for putting her fist into Fever star Caitlin Clark’s neck while scrambling for a loose ball. A foul was not called during the game, but she was later given a flagrant foul 2 penalty.
You must be logged in to post a comment Login