The 2026 MLB Draft is now only two weeks away. Five years ago, MLB pushed the draft back from the first week of June to the All-Star break to better market the event, and it will remain there moving forward, though many executives don’t like it. The two-day draft begins Saturday, July 11, this year.

At 60-102, the White Sox had baseball’s second-worst record last season, yet Chicago won the lottery and moved up to the No. 1 pick. This is the third time in franchise history that the White Sox have held the No. 1 selection. They selected Danny Goodwin with the No. 1 pick in 1971 (but did not sign him) and Hall of Famer Harold Baines with the No. 1 pick in 1977.

The Giants also won big in the lottery, moving up from the No. 15 pick to No. 4. It will be San Francisco’s highest selection since taking Joey Bart with the No. 2 pick in 2018. The 119-loss Rockies moved back to the No. 10 pick. They had the No. 3 pick in 2024 and the No. 4 pick in 2025, and teams cannot have lottery picks (Nos. 1-6) in three consecutive years.

2026 MLB Mock Draft: Pirates take power college arm at No. 5 to form formidable duo with Paul Skenes

Mike Axisa

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All first-round picks are protected from free-agent compensation. Teams forfeit later draft picks (and international bonus pool money) to sign qualified free agents. The Blue Jays, Dodgers, Mets, Phillies, and Yankees all exceeded the $281 million third competitive balance tax threshold in 2025, and the penalty moves their first 2026 pick back 10 spots. They’re now out of the first round.

Here are our first (May 29) and our second (June 12) mock drafts. Here now is our third, updated to reflect the latest chatter, speculation, and rumors. We’ll have one last mock draft in two weeks, the day before the draft begins.

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1. White Sox: SS Roch Cholowsky, UCLA

Still no change at the top, which isn’t to say Cholowsky to the White Sox is a lock. It just remains the most likely outcome with the draft two weeks away. Cholowsky is the best college shortstop in some time, probably since Dansby Swanson and Alex Bregman went off the board with the first two picks in 2015, and he should reach the big leagues relatively quickly. He’s a very talented player and his MLB arrival should align nicely with Chicago’s contention window opening very wide.

June 12 mock pick: Cholowsky

2. Rays: C Vahn Lackey, Georgia Tech

Cholowsky and Grady Emerson are the consensus top two prospects in the draft class, though Lackey is no slouch as a well-rounded catcher who projects to hit in the middle of the order and play strong defense. The Rays have seemingly been cursed behind the plate since passing on Buster Posey with the No. 1 pick in the 2008 Draft (they took Tim Beckham instead). Selecting whichever of Cholowsky or Emerson the White Sox don’t take is the easy move here, but there is more and more buzz that Tampa could opt for Lackey.

June 12 mock pick: SS Grady Emerson, Fort Worth Christian HS (TX)

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3. Twins: SS Grady Emerson, Fort Worth Christian HS (TX)

In a sense, the Twins have the easiest decision on draft day. Cholowsky, Emerson, and Lackey are the consensus three best prospects available this year, so Minnesota can simply take whichever one is still on the board here. Cholowsky is unlikely. He’s almost certain to go to the White Sox or the Rays. Picking between Emerson, who some believe has the highest ceiling in the draft, and Lackey is a great consolation prize.

June 12 mock pick: C Vahn Lackey, Georgia Tech

4. Giants: SS Jacob Lombard, Gulliver Prep (FL)

It is no secret the Giants covet Cholowsky. They added the No. 29 pick in the Patrick Bailey trade and have a very large bonus pool (over $17 million), so they could do something like float a record bonus offer for Cholowsky (the current record is $9.25 million) and hope that scares away the White Sox, Rays, and Twins. That doesn’t happen in this mock draft and is unlikely to work in real life (assuming the Giants try it), so San Francisco has to look elsewhere. They’ve been connected to Lombard consistently this spring. He is one of the draft’s most electric players and is the son of Tigers bench coach George Lombard Sr. and the younger brother of Yankees top prospect George Lombard Jr.  

June 12 mock pick: Lombard

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5. Pirates: SS Tyler Bell, Kentucky

There have been rumors that the pitching-rich Pirates would prefer to add a bat, and Bell could go in the top five picks despite a torn labrum in his non-throwing shoulder. The injury is likely to require surgery that will sideline him into 2027. Pittsburgh has a Competitive Balance draft pick (No. 34) and could sign Bell below slot here, then spend big on a top talent that falls to No. 34. They’ve used a similar strategy in the past. Bell would come out ahead financially by signing below slot at No. 5 rather than taking a slot bonus later in the first round. 

June 12 mock pick: RHP Jackson Flora, UC Santa Barbara

6. Royals: RHP Jackson Flora, UC Santa Barbara

Flora is the draft’s best pitcher thanks to an upper-90s fastball and two distinct sliders, both of which are putaway pitches. Kansas City has a Competitive Balance pick (No. 30) and thus plenty of bonus pool money to give Flora a signing bonus on par with a top-five pick. This would be a terrific outcome for the Royals on draft day.

June 12 mock pick: LHP Gio Rojas, Stoneman Douglas HS (FL)

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7. Orioles: OF Eric Booth Jr., Oak Grove HS (MS)

I can’t help but wonder if Flora slipping past the Royals would cause O’s president of baseball operations Mike Elias to select a pitcher in the first round for the first time since Baltimore hired him in 2018. We don’t get to find out in this mock draft. The O’s are, unsurprisingly, linked to hitters — both college and high school. Booth has 30-30 potential and the kind of skill set the Orioles have successfully developed.

June 12 mock pick: Booth

8. Athletics: OF Drew Burress, Georgia Tech

The A’s have been connected to hitters this spring despite an organizational need for pitching, which makes sense at No. 8. Unless Flora gets here, the best players on the board will be hitters. Burress can do everything well and there is some thought that he has a lot of power waiting to be unlocked with a few swing tweaks.

June 12 mock pick: Burress

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9. Braves: LHP Gio Rojas, Stoneman Douglas HS (FL)

The Braves have selected a high school player with three of their last four first-round picks (Owen Murphy in 2022, Cam Caminiti in 2024, Tate Southisene in 2025) and Rojas aligns with their draft preferences. He’s a great athlete (think Spencer Schwellenbach) who lights up pitch models (think Caminiti and Hurston Waldrep). Rojas could even sign below slot here, because if he doesn’t go to the Braves, there’s a chance he won’t hear his name called until the end of the first round. It’s better to take a below-slot bonus here than a slot bonus later.

June 12 mock pick: SS Tyler Bell, Kentucky

10. Rockies: C Ryder Helfrick, Arkansas

How the Rockies will use their first-round pick is anyone’s guess after new POBO Paul DePodesta spent the last decade in the NFL. They’re said to be targeting college hitters, who happen to be the best available players in our mock draft. If not Helfrick, who has big-time power and defensive chops, it could be Bell, Burress, Texas A&M second baseman Chris Hacopian or Virginia outfielder AJ Gracia.

June 12 mock pick: 2B Chris Hacopian, Texas A&M

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11. Nationals: OF/LHP Jared Grindlinger, Huntington Beach HS (CA)

This has been one of the most consistent connections this spring. Grindlinger is a fascinating prospect who is a first-round talent as a hitter and a second- or third-round talent as a pitcher. He also reclassified from the 2027 Draft and into 2026, so he’s one of the youngest players in the class. I assume that, if the Nationals do select Grindlinger with the No. 10 pick, they will let him continue to be a two-way player in pro ball. They can re-evaluate things in a year or two if it’s not working.

June 12 mock pick: Grindlinger

12. Angels: OF Derek Curiel, LSU

Whoever the Angels take with the No. 12 selection stands a good chance to be the first 2026 pick to reach MLB. An Angels player was the first player to reach the big leagues from the 2021 (Chase Silseth), 2022 (Zach Neto), 2023 (Nolan Schanuel), and 2024 (Ryan Johnson) classes, and Tyler Bremner (No. 2 pick last year) still has a chance to be the first 2025 draftee to reach the show. Curiel is a bat-to-ball specialist with good center field defense and perhaps some power potential waiting to be unlocked.

June 12 mock pick: RHP Cameron Flukey, Coastal Carolina

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13. Cardinals: 2B Chris Hacopian, Texas A&M

Hacopian is a divisive prospect. He’s one of the best and most decorated college players of the 2020s, but there is concern that his ground ball swing won’t play at the next level and that his defense will send him to first base or left field. The Cardinals have been linked to bats more than arms the last few weeks.

June 12 mock pick: C Ryder Helfrick, Arkansas

14. Marlins: OF AJ Gracia, Virginia

The Marlins have prioritized big exit velocity (Owen Caissie, Agustín Ramírez) and high-end bat-to-ball ability (Xavier Edwards, Otto Lopez), and Gracia falls into the latter category. Not that he’s a slap hitter; he has some pop. Defensively, he should stay in center field for at least another few years thanks more to his instincts than blazing speed.

June 12 mock pick: SS Justin Lebron, Alabama

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15. Diamondbacks: RHP Cameron Flukey, Coastal Carolina 

Flukey is the consensus No. 2 pitching prospect in the draft class behind Flora, and his fastball/curveball tandem might be able to get big leaguers out in a relief role right now (not that the D-backs would rush him up the ladder). Arizona tends to dip its toe in every pool: hitters, pitchers, college, high school, whatever.

June 12 mock pick: LHP Cole Carlon, Arizona State

16. Rangers: SS Justin Lebron, Alabama

The Rangers have a thing for “famous” prospects in the draft (think Jack Leiter and Kumar Rocker) and Lebron is one of the most famous prospects available this summer. He entered the 2025 season as the favorite to go No. 1 overall, then Cholowsky broke out while Lebron authored some uneven performances. The Alabama shortstop has extremely loud tools (power, speed, athleticism, etc.), but swing-and-miss concerns have scared teams over the last few weeks.

June 12 mock pick: OF Derek Curiel, LSU

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17. Astros: 3B Ace Reese, Mississippi State

The Astros received a Prospect Promotion Incentive pick (No. 28) because Hunter Brown finished in the top three in last year’s Cy Young voting, and the expectation is they will use their top two picks on college players who could reach Houston in short order. Reese has enormous power, perhaps the most in the draft class, though he’s likely to wind up at first base and rank among the league leaders in strikeouts. Few players in the draft class can hit the ball out of the park as frequently and effortlessly, though.

June 12 mock pick: OF AJ Gracia, Virginia

18. Reds: RHP Liam Peterson, Florida

Peterson is not the classic quick-moving college starter with polish. He has a very good mid-90s fastball and a promising array of secondary pitches, but he needs a pro team to help him level up. The Reds are quite good at coaching up college starters (Andrew Abbott, Chase Burns, etc.) and stand a good chance of helping Peterson take that next step.

June 12 mock pick: LHP Brody Bumila, Bishop Feehan HS (MA)

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19. Guardians: OF Trevor Condon, Etowah HS (GA)

Condon is a scout’s favorite and there’s a chance, albeit a small one, that he’ll hear his name called inside the top 10 on a below-slot deal. He’s a speedy and athletic bat-to-ball guy who is one of the top center-field defenders in the draft class. Condon projects more as an impact leadoff hitter than a middle-of-the-order threat, which is perfectly fine. Teams need leadoff guys, too.

June 12 mock pick: 3B Ace Reese, Mississippi State

20. Red Sox: LHP Brody Bumila, Bishop Feehan HS (MA)

The old saying is you don’t want to miss on the guy in your backyard, and it’s hard to miss Bumila. He’s a 6-foot-9 lefty who has touched 101 mph this spring. The Red Sox have been connected to high school infielder Bo Lowrance about as much as one team can be connected to a player this late in the first round, but Bumila might have the best chance to develop into a true No. 1 starter of any pitcher in this year’s draft.

June 12 mock pick: 3B Bo Lowrance, Christ Church Episcopal School (SC)

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21. 3B Bo Lowrance, Christ Church Episcopal School (SC)

The Padres have taken a high school player in the first round in each of the last nine drafts, and they often target upside over polish. I think Bumila is their dream choice here, but since he’s unavailable in our mock draft, we’ll give them Lowrance. The sweet-swinging lefty has climbed draft boards the last few weeks because so many second-tier college hitters limped to the finish this spring.

June 12 mock pick: LHP Hunter Dietz, Arkansas

22. Tigers: IF/C Cole Prosek, Magnolia Heights HS (MS)

Folks within baseball like Prosek more than the public draft prospect rankings may lead you to believe. He has contact skills, some power, and an advanced plan at the plate. Add in the ability to play an up-the-middle position (either catcher or shortstop), and Prosek is right up Detroit’s alley. They used their last three first-round picks on high school hitters (Max Clark in 2023, Bryce Rainer in 2024, Jordan Yost in 2025) with similar skill sets.

June 12 mock pick: OF Trevor Condon, Etowah HS (GA)

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23. Cubs: LHP Hunter Dietz, Arkansas

Despite throwing only 1 ⅔ innings from 2024-25 because of an elbow fracture and a setback, Dietz is very likely to be a first-round pick in two weeks. He’s reached the upper 90s with his buzzsaw cutter this year, plus his slider, curveball, and changeup all look like they have a chance to be above-average pitches. Dietz stayed healthy and threw 85 ⅔ innings this spring, and anyway, the Cubs are unafraid of injured draft prospects. Last year’s first-rounder, outfielder Ethan Conrad, had season-ending shoulder surgery not long before the draft.

June 12 mock pick: RHP Logan Reddemann, UCLA

24. Mariners: RHP Cade Townsend, Mississippi

The Mariners excel at developing college pitching. Why deviate from what you do best? Townsend’s fastball does not grade out well analytically (spin rate, etc.) despite mid-90s velocity, and that’s something the Mariners can help him improve. His slider, curveball, changeup, cutter, and competitiveness make it easy to dream on Townsend becoming a top-flight starter if he gets his fastball in order.

June 12 mock pick: RHP Liam Peterson, Florida

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25. Brewers: RHP Tegan Kuhns, Tennessee

Teams that lean on analytical models in the draft (like the Brewers) surely love Kuhns, who spins the ball like few others in the draft class. His mid-90s fastball and hammer curveball are wipeout pitches. Help him refine his changeup and mechanics, and the ingredients are there for a frontline starter. The Brewers are as good a bet to max out Kuhns as any team in the league.

June 12 mock pick: IF/C Cole Prosek, Magnolia Heights HS (MS)

The Blue Jays, Dodgers, Mets, Phillies, and Yankees each had their first-round pick moved back 10 spots through CBT penalties. The Mets hold the No. 27 pick, the Yankees the No. 35 pick, the Phillies the No. 36 pick, the Blue Jays the No. 39 pick, and the Dodgers the No. 40 pick. Those picks have all been pushed out of the first round proper.

“I love heights, man!” shouts the man next to me as we awkwardly stuff our limbs into fire-engine-red jumpsuits and tighten the straps. “I’ve wanted to do this for ages.”

This golden retriever enthusiasm should be infectious, but any chutzpah I once had has fluttered away like a maple leaf in Canada’s crisp autumnal breeze. I’m at “basecamp” for Edgewalk, a toe-curling 30-minute creep around the edge of Toronto’s CN Tower, attached only by a black harness. A short lift ride later, and our group of six is gingerly stepping out into the elements at 356 metres (1,168 feet) above ground.

Coal-black rainclouds swell ominously over Lake Ontario, and the tourists below look like shuffling grains of sand. My hands clam up, clutching the harness cord as we attempt our “leaning forward” exercise. Yet, suspended above it all, watching the city I once called home fan out below me is oddly comforting.

My first summer in Toronto was a balmy haze of riding carnation-red streetcars, sinking happy hour beers on downtown terraces, bouncing around busy hostels, learning the rules of ice hockey and savouring fleeting friendships with fellow travellers from around the globe. That was 2011. Now, 15 years later, Canada’s biggest city is hosting six matches at the 2026 Fifa World Cup.

I stayed for two years, and the place still feels like home. Toronto’s international character was intoxicating to me when I first arrived, with over half of its three million population born outside Canada and over 180 languages spoken. While I eventually got around to attractions like the Royal Ontario Museum and the Norman Foster-designed Art Gallery of Ontario, it was the city’s diverse neighbourhoods that captivated me most.

Read more: This friendly Canadian gem is the North American city I return to time and again

“There’s definitely a neighbourhood mentality here,” says Saro Yacoubian, one of the three brothers who run Taline, a Lebanese-influenced Armenian restaurant in Toronto’s leafy Summerhill neighbourhood. It’s the first time I’ve been to this corner of the city, a few blocks north of the bustling Yonge and Bloor intersection, and it’s the first time I’ve eaten Armenian food.

“In the 1960s, this space here was a tailor’s, and upstairs was where the tailor lived. Funnily enough, he was an Armenian too. Total coincidence!” laughs Yacoubian, before he explains what I’m going to be eating tonight. I’ve no idea where to find Armenian food back in Britain, but in a city like this, with its global bazaar of cultures and cuisine, it’s just another Wednesday night.

Taline is the name of the brothers’ late mother, and I tuck into refined versions of the hearty Armenian-Lebanese cuisine she once cooked for them, like unctuous boat-shaped meat dumplings called manti, or tender, well-seasoned vochkhar lamb chops.

The dishes are excellent, but Summerhill is far from the only neighbourhood for sublime food. There is Portuguese bacalhau on Dundas St West, Polish dumplings on Roncesvalles, Korean BBQ on Bloor St West or Peking duck in Spadina’s historic Chinatown. My salvation, though, was always Kensington Market.

Read more: The seven most LGBT+ friendly hotels in Toronto

Spending my first night back at the glittering Bisha Hotel, I feel like an interloper. This wasn’t my world 15 years ago; I could barely pay rent and became something of an authority on happy hour pints and cheap poutine. Toronto’s skyline may be taller and glassier, but Kensington Market’s edgy, multicultural spirit is as beguiling as ever.

“Kensington Market is a microcosm that represents everything Toronto is about,” says my guide CJ, as she leads a busy food tour from Chinatown into Kensington’s art-splashed streets. Incense hangs in the air, pro-Palestine flyers are handed out and Pride flags flutter above the houses. The vintage stores and shabby dive bars I used to frequent are still here, while the revolving cast of affordable bites brings new surprises, with fiery Jamaican beef patties, generously filled tacos and dense fried chicken providing an agonising array of choice.

“The diversity, the multiculturalism. That means everyone is welcomed, recognised, and respected,” CJ adds, before leading our group into a meandering mobile brunch.

Read more: Canada’s best city break for those wanting an alternative to the USA

If food and football are to go hand in hand, the World Cup is an opportunity to showcase Toronto’s other famous sports. A staunch football fan, I was initially dismissive of ice hockey, basketball and baseball when I arrived, but by the end of my first summer, I was a full-blown Toronto Blue Jays fan. They’re the local baseball team that came within a whisker of winning the World Series championship last October. Ticket prices for games at the hulking Rogers Centre stadium (conveniently located downtown next to the CN Tower) in summer are always affordable, and on a warm evening, with a beer in hand, the games are great fun, even if the rules seem as complicated as a Russian novel to the uninitiated.

The six World Cup games will be played at Toronto Stadium, near the waterfront. Usually home to Major League Soccer’s Toronto FC, its 28,000 capacity is being expanded to 45,000 for the tournament, with two new grandstands and a host of plush new suites. The Bentway, normally a concrete underpass, is being transformed into a vibrant arts, music and events space, and will host the official Fifa fan zone. I’d also recommend wandering into nearby Liberty Village for more drinks and fun. It was where I landed my first job in Toronto, though the less said about that, the better (I was never cut out for manual labour).

Read more: Why Victoria is the overlooked Canadian city you need to visit

One place I was cut out for was the Loose Moose, a cartoonishly named favourite from my time here – a downtown pub with almost as many screens as pints on tap. With the Blue Jays on TV and a cold Canadian pint in hand, my last night in the city is a good one.

“It always makes me happy, because it reminds me of being happy,” wrote the great food critic and raconteur AA Gill about his old home, New York. I feel the same way about Toronto. Though next time, I’ll probably just stick to the CN Tower’s indoor viewing deck.

How to get there

Heathrow, Gatwick, Manchester and Edinburgh all offer direct flights to Toronto. The airlines that fly there include Air Transat, Air Canada, British Airways and Virgin Atlantic, with an average flight time of around seven hours.

Where to stay

Stay at The Drake Hotel on Queen St West. Prices from $370 CAD (£200) per night.

James March was a guest of Destination Toronto.

This article was originally published in April 2026 and has since been revised and updated.

The world has long waited for the face off between star strikers Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland in the France-Norway clash, but that may not happen, at least initially. As per L’Equipe and ESPN, Norway manager Stale Solbakken is set to rest up to 10 starters in today’s game, including Haaland, captain Martin Odegaard and forward Alexander Sorloth. This is because Norway have already qualified for the knockout stage, and this is the final chance to give the star players some rest. 

The decision by the Kano State Government to appoint a new management board for Kano Pillars, while moving Ahmed Musa to the role of Sports Ambassador, has raised many questions among football followers in Nigeria.

While every government has the right to make appointments it believes will improve sports administration, many will wonder whether this was the right time to remove Ahmed Musa from a leadership position at Kano Pillars.

From available information, Musa himself may not have expected the decision. Less than 24 hours before the announcement, the former Super Eagles captain was reportedly meeting with important stakeholders and taking decisions ahead of the new Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) season. This suggests that he believed he was still very much involved in the club’s leadership and future plans.

It is true that Kano Pillars did not enjoy their best season under Musa’s leadership. The club struggled to compete consistently and fell short of the high expectations of their supporters. However, one difficult season does not necessarily mean that a project has failed.

In many ways, there were signs that Kano Pillars could have improved significantly in the coming season. Ahmed Musa’s involvement brought national attention to the club and the NPFL because of his status as one of Nigeria’s greatest footballers. His presence attracted media coverage, increased interest from supporters and sponsors, and helped promote the Nigerian league.

For the first time in years, many football fans outside Kano paid closer attention to Kano Pillars because of Musa’s role at the club. This was an important benefit that cannot easily be measured by league position alone.

At the time of writing, Ahmed Musa has not publicly reacted to the announcement. However, there are indications that he was surprised by the decision. There have also been rumours suggesting that political considerations may have played a role in the restructuring, although there has been no official confirmation of this.

The Kano State Government has expressed confidence that the new management board will restore the glory of Kano Pillars and improve sports administration in the state. The new board deserves the opportunity to prove itself.

However, many football followers will continue to ask whether removing Ahmed Musa from a direct leadership role was necessary at a time when preparations for the new season were already underway.

Perhaps only time will tell whether this decision was the right one. But one thing is certain: Ahmed Musa’s contribution to Kano Pillars and Nigerian football remains significant, and many supporters will feel that his leadership project deserved more time.

The FIFA World Cup is every footballer’s biggest dream. For Jose Mourinho, however, it has created a rather unusual dilemma. While millions of fans are hoping to see their favourite stars go all the way, the new Real Madrid manager is quietly rooting for the exact opposite. With pre-season around the corner and several of his biggest names still chasing World Cup glory, Mourinho admits he would rather see them return to Madrid than lift football’s most coveted trophy.

Mourinho’s brutally honest confession has quickly gone viral, offering a rare glimpse into the club-versus-country balancing act every elite manager faces.

Speaking on the Beast Mode On podcast with former England striker Adebayo Akinfenwa, Mourinho was asked what he was looking forward to most at the World Cup.

His response left Akinfenwa laughing.

“You want the truth? I want Real Madrid players to lose and go on holiday. Because I want the guys back in pre-season,” Mourinho said.

Behind the joke lies a genuine concern.

Real Madrid begin pre-season on July 13, six days before the World Cup final. Any player who reaches the latter stages of the tournament is expected to receive an extended break before reporting back, reducing their preparation time ahead of the new campaign.That scenario is becoming increasingly likely.

Arda Guler is currently the only Real Madrid player whose World Cup journey has ended after Turkiye’s group-stage exit. The club’s remaining internationals have either already booked their place in the Round of 32 or are strongly favoured to get there.

Real Madrid are one of the best-represented clubs at the World Cup, with Kylian Mbappe and Aurelien Tchouameni (France), Jude Bellingham (England), Vinicius Junior and Endrick (Brazil), Antonio Rudiger (Germany), Federico Valverde (Uruguay), Thibaut Courtois (Belgium), Brahim Diaz (Morocco) and David Alaba (Austria) all still in contention.

Mourinho also outlined the qualities he expects from his players ahead of the new season.

“A great player must be the complete package: technically gifted, physically and mentally strong, and capable of playing as part of a team. Sometimes you have many like that in your squad and it is paradise – other times you have fewer and the work becomes much harder”, The Portugese coach said.

Despite the excitement surrounding the tournament, Mourinho admitted he hasn’t been captivated by much of the football so far.

“Some of the matches, after 10 minutes, I switch off. I don’t like the feeling,” he said.

The Portuguese coach believes the expanded tournament has produced too many one-sided contests.

“For me, the World Cup is the top of the top. Scores like 7-1 and 5-1 should not be possible,” he said.

However, Mourinho expects the competition to truly come alive once the knockout rounds begin.

“I think I am going to start watching properly from the knockout stages. Brazil-Morocco was a great game. Other games, I had some nice dinners and some nice sleeps. I didn’t stay awake at 3 AM to watch the matches. No chance!” he joked.

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From the moment the Minnesota Vikings terminated general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah in January, many fans have wondered about Ryan Grigson’s fate, the man who filled the role of senior vice president of player personnel for a few years and assistant general manager in 2025. As of Wednesday, the verdict is in — Minnesota will not retain Grigson, and in fact, he’s now a member of the Cleveland Browns’ front office.

Grigson’s run in Minnesota lasted about as long as Adofo-Mensah’s.

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Grigson Out in MIN, Latches Back on to CLE

The Athletic‘s Devon Henderson and Michael Silver wrote Wednesday, “Ryan Grigson is leaving the Minnesota Vikings to become a senior football adviser to Cleveland Browns general manager Andrew Berry, a league source confirmed to The Athletic on Wednesday.”

“Grigson, an assistant general manager under since-departed Vikings GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah last season, was given an opportunity to remain with Minnesota in a different role. Instead, he opted to return to Cleveland, the source said on the condition of anonymity because they hadn’t been authorized to speak publicly on the matter.”

Often, when things would go bad in Minnesota, some would point the finger at Grigson — sometimes without any real evidence.

Henderson and Silver added, “Grigson worked as senior football adviser for the Browns from 2020 to 2021 and senior personnel executive in 2017. Most notably, Grigson was the GM of the Indianapolis Colts from 2012 to 2016 — an era of transition in which the franchise cut ties with Peyton Manning and drafted quarterback Andrew Luck in 2012 with the No. 1 pick.”

“For part of Grigson’s time with the Colts, Berry reported to him.”

The Boogeyman for Some Fans

Here’s a little secret: the bulk of Vikings fans don’t like Grigson. Anytime something went wrong in the last four years, if Adofo-Mensah wasn’t ripe for blame, fans would use Grigson as the scapegoat. In fact, he felt like a boogeyman, though folks could never exactly pinpoint his sins.

For example, if a Vikings draft class bent bad — that happened a lot under Adofo-Mensah — folks would grumble about Grigson, suggesting his influence contributed to the debacle.

So, when reporting emerged on Wednesday that he was no longer a part of the Vikings’ front office, most social media users commended the departure.

Grigson’s Track Record

Grigson’s career presents a mixed record. In Indianapolis, he achieved success, notably by drafting Andrew Luck and contributing to three 11-win teams, earning him Executive of the Year honors. However, his tenure also included missteps such as the Trent Richardson trade, a struggling offensive line, and questionable draft picks like Bjoern Werner and Phillip Dorsett, ultimately leading to a depleted roster around Luck.

Despite those shortcomings, Grigson has maintained a presence in NFL front offices, holding personnel roles with the Seahawks, Browns, and Vikings after leaving the Colts. Joining the Vikings in 2022, he quickly advanced to the senior vice president of player personnel and then assistant general manager roles. In these capacities, he was deeply involved in all aspects of the Adofo-Mensah era, including free agency, draft preparation, and roster evaluation.

Grigson is undeniably a football lifer, but his track record demonstrates he is not a flawless personnel strategist, as evidenced by Minnesota’s recent draft performance.

SI.com‘s Will Ragatz noted Wednesday, “Because of his reputation from his time with the Colts and the general struggles of the Adofo-Mensah regime in the draft, it’s fair to say Grigson was not a popular figure among Vikings fans, even if fans have no insight into the specific roles and contributions of specific non-GM front office executives.”

“Minnesota’s new AGMs under Teasley are Andrew Healy and Trent Kirchner. Healy, who will be the No. 2 football executive for the Vikings, comes from an analytics background with Cleveland. Kirchner is a more traditional scouting and personnel executive who is following Teasley from Seattle.”

Teasley Means Business

The overall takeaway? It’s a new era in Minnesota. Adofo-Mensah is obviously gone, and if Grigson was truly his main lieutenant, they ended up leaving as a package deal — it just took five months for Grigson to follow suit.

Teasley has already used the last few weeks to bring in “his guys,” a normal behavior for new leaders in power.

It’s also worth noting that Adofo-Mensah and Grigson orchestrated the J.J. McCarthy draft pick in 2024. If Minnesota has an off-ramp planned for McCarthy now that Kyler Murray is in tow, all it has to do is point to its actions — getting rid of Adofo-Mensah and Grigson — as a symbol that they were responsible.

Vikings training camp gets underway in about a month.

Dustin Baker is a novelist and political scientist. His second novel, The Invaders , is out now. So is … More about Dustin Baker

India’s men’s hockey team will look to climb to seventh in the FIH Pro League standings when it faces Pakistan in its penultimate match of the season at the Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre in London on Friday.

The contest comes just four days after India edged Pakistan 4-3 in a thrilling encounter and less than 24 hours after Craig Fulton’s side suffered a shootout defeat against England following a 2-2 draw in regulation time. With only two matches left in the campaign, both teams will be eager to end the season on a positive note.

India seek greater control

India have shown plenty of attacking intent during the London leg, but defensive lapses have prevented them from converting promising performances into victories. Against England, Dilpreet Singh scored twice to help India recover for a 2-2 draw before the hosts claimed the bonus point in the shootout. Earlier this week, Pakistan punished India’s penalty-corner defence by scoring all three of their goals from set-pieces despite ending up on the losing side.

Fulton will demand a more disciplined defensive display while expecting experienced players Harmanpreet Singh, Hardik Singh, and Vivek Sagar Prasad to dictate possession and ease the pressure on the backline. Another victory over Pakistan would not only boost confidence ahead of the final match against England but also lift India above Spain into seventh place with 17 points.

Pakistan seek first points after encouraging displays

Pakistan’s position at the bottom of the Pro League standings does not fully reflect the competitiveness they have shown in recent matches. Despite losing all 14 games, they pushed India all the way in their previous meeting and have repeatedly troubled opponents through swift counterattacks and well-executed penalty corners.

More than just three points

Although neither side is in contention for the Pro League title, the fixture carries significance beyond the standings. Pakistan have already been condemned to relegation to the Nations Cup next season after their winless campaign, making this encounter an opportunity to restore pride and finish strongly.

For India, the match provides another chance to fine-tune combinations, test tactical adjustments, and tighten defensive organisation before attention turns to the Hockey World Cup and the Asian Games later this year. A victory would also improve India’s position in the Pro League standings by moving them above Spain into seventh place.

For Pakistan, another competitive display against one of the world’s leading teams would offer encouragement despite a difficult campaign and provide momentum heading into the next phase of the team’s rebuilding process.

FIH Pro League 2026: Results of all India matches

FIH Pro League 2026: Results of all Pakistan matches

FIH Pro League 2026: Points table

India vs Pakistan: Head-to-head in hockey

• 
  Total matches: 183
• 
  India won: 71
• 
  Pakistan won: 83
• 
  Draws: 28

FIH Pro League 2026: India vs Pakistan full squads

India squad for FIH Pro League 2026: Suraj Karkera, Pawan, Harmanpreet Singh, Amit Rohidas, Jarmanpreet Singh, Jugraj Singh, Sumit, Sanjay, Nilam Sanjeep Xess, Amandeep Lakra, Hardik Singh, Vivek Sagar Prasad, Nilakanta Sharma, Moirangthem Rabichandra Singh, Rajinder Singh, Manmeet Singh, Rosan Kujur, Abhishek, Sukhjeet Singh, Mandeep Singh, Shilanand Lakra, Selvam Karthi, Araijeet Singh Hundal, Aditya Arjun Lalage

Pakistan squad for FIH Pro League 2026: Abdul Manan, Abdul Rehman, Abdullah Muhammad, Afraz, Ahmad Arbaz, Ali Basharat, Ali Ghazanfar, Ali Mubashar, Ammad Muhammad, Bashir Usama, Butt Ammad, Hammadudin Muhammad, Hayat Zikriya, Khan Abdullah Ishtiaq, Khan Sufyan, Liaqat Arshad, Mahmood Abu, Manzoor Junaid, Nadeem Ahmad, Nadeem Khan, Rana Waheed Ashraf, Rana Waleed, Raza Ali, Shahid Hannan, Shakeel Moin, Umair Sattar, Ur-Rehman Muneeb, Waqar

FIH Pro League 2026: India vs Pakistan live streaming and telecast details

When will the India vs Pakistan match in the FIH Pro League 2026 be played?

The India vs Pakistan match in the FIH Pro League 2026 will be played on Friday, June 26.

What will be the venue for the India vs Pakistan match in the FIH Pro League 2026?

The India vs Pakistan match in the FIH Pro League 2026 will be played at the Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre in London.

What time will the India vs Pakistan match in the FIH Pro League 2026 begin?

The India vs Pakistan match in the FIH Pro League 2026 will kick off at 10.30 pm IST.

Where to watch the live telecast of the India vs Pakistan match in the FIH Pro League 2026 in India?

The live telecast of the India vs Pakistan match in the FIH Pro League 2026 will be available on the Star Sports Network in India.

Where to watch the live streaming of the India vs Pakistan match in the FIH Pro League 2026 in India?

The live streaming of the India vs Pakistan match in the FIH Pro League 2026 will be available on the JioHotstar app and website in India.

If we learned anything from this week’s NBA draft, it’s that this is not a good time to be unemployed.

Remember when free agency was a pot of gold at the end of the NBA rainbow? A draft class for the ages and a salary cap well past its expiration date have conspired to change that.

The genesis of this problem can be traced to the mutual “we were the winners” response by both the players and the owners in the NBA’s last collective bargaining agreement.

The star players got what they wanted – a rapidly escalating maximum-contract figure that allowed 14 players to earn more than $50 million last season and another 31 to pocket $35 million or more.

Meanwhile, the owners were able to slow inflation in the salary cap, which hasn’t come close to matching the increase in salaries.

The result: Remember all those teams accused of tanking? Well, 29 of them ended the 2025-26 season over the cap, and the one that didn’t – the Nets – barely snuck under it.

Owners don’t like being north of the NBA’s assigned budget because it comes at an additional cost. The loophole-less taxes married to the dreaded second apron are even more painful.

The outlook for the upcoming season is more of the same – higher prices for gas, but no additional disposable income with which to afford an electric car.

Suffice it to say, player agents are going to earn their money this summer. Or probably more likely, they’re going to get fired by free agents who were promised riches but will have to crawl back to their 2026 employer, begging that they re-sign a guy they were hoping to see walk so the team could pocket the savings.

Salary raises? More like pay cuts.

Now let’s mix in the draft results.

You start with four bad teams – the Wizards, Jazz, Grizzlies and Bulls – who might otherwise throw big bucks at overpriced former stars, which desperate franchises are renowned for doing.

Instead, they were able to latch onto four potential superstar players, which helps point them to the future rather than a win-now free agent.

That said, it’s hard to find any team that wasn’t happy with its draft result, whether it was landing a real nice prospect at pretty much any point of the first round, or trading out of the guaranteed contract for some nice second-round sleepers without taking a salary-cap hit.

So now reality sets in: Happy owners don’t go Christmas shopping in July.

If anybody stands to benefit from the penny-pinching off-season, it’s a college graduate with aspirations of being an NBA general manager someday. It’s going to be that kind of summer, where the smartest teams find a way to get better despite seemingly having no money to do so.

Script a gameplan and earn yourself a job. You know, like the guy who just earned the right to trade Giannis — Jon Horst.

It no doubt would start with the three most important letters of the NBA alphabet these days: TPE.

It’s why the Nets and Grizzlies were able to get big-name players for peanuts. Only these peanuts are macadamias — blank checks for the total amount of the Julius Randle and Isaiah Stewart contracts, available to use on free agency for Timberwolves and Pistons teams that would ordinarily not have any money to spend.

Sign-and-trades figure to be big as well. At this point, it appears like the only way LeBron James can get out of Los Angeles, presuming he wants a serious shot at another title.

But now that the Spurs have bulked up with Jayden Quaintance and Tarris Reed Jr., do they really need to sacrifice some of their precious young talent to get Victor Wembanyama a 40-something bodyguard?

Do the Warriors, having added a plug-and-play power forward in Yaxel Lendeborg, still have an interest in LeBron, short of the Lakers taking Kristaps Porzingis in a sign-and-trade?

Pity Porzingis, Jalen Duren, James Harden and Zach LaVine, let alone Peyton Watson, Norman Powell, Andrew Wiggins and Walker Kessler.

Take down those “For Sale” signs. They’re likely staying home.

Or can you say mid-level exception?

Don’t blink or you might miss UFC Fight Night’s main event. Rafael Fiziev and Manuel Torres, two thrilling strikers in the action-packed lightweight division, collide on Saturday in Baku, Azerbaijan.

Fiziev (13-5) might be the best pure Muay Thai striker in the division. He’s shown flashes of elite potential, but has struggled to fulfill it. His back is against the wall after a 1-4 stretch, which includes two losses to current lightweight champion Justin Gaethje. Fiziev has newfound inspiration after witnessing Gaethje, whom many thought would never win the undisputed title when he overcame Ilia Topuria.

“I wanted him to win. I’m totally with him, but I didn’t completely believe he’d win…” Fiziev told CBS Sports’ Brian Campbell. “When I saw the damage on Ilia’s face, I thought, ‘Wow!’ I was screaming at home in front of the TV. I’m very happy for him. It’s motivated me because I fought him twice in Fight of the Nights.”

Sign up for Paramount+ and watch UFC Fight Night: Fiziev vs. Torres live for no additional fee — every UFC numbered event and UFC Fight Night is included with your subscription! Plans start as low as $8.99/month or $89.99/year!

Torres (17-3) has one speed and one speed only. Every fight, except one, has ended in Round 1. The two-pronged finisher broke into the lightweight rankings with knockouts over Drew Dober and Grant Dawson. Now, he’s circling one of the division’s most fearsome but seemingly compromised strikers.

“Truthfully, I think Rafael Fiziev hasn’t seen my game really because I finish my fights within the first couple of minutes,” Torres told reporters at Wednesday’s media day. “I’m coming in with my plan and my pace, and I will impose myself.

“I’m always prepared to fight for five rounds, but it’s part of my strategy to win in the first round.”

UFC’s return to Baku has an interesting co-main event. Shara “Bullet” Magomedov has been nearly perfect inside the Octagon. He aims to reaffirm that against Michel Pereira, the explosive but inconsistent middleweight madman. Other notable names on the card include ranked flyweights Asu Almabayev and Charles Johnson fighting each other, plus Ikram Aliserkov and Abus Magomedov in separate bouts.

Let’s take a look at the rest of the fight card with the latest odds from DraftKings before getting to a prediction and expert pick on the main event below.

UFC Fight Night card, odds

UFC Fight Night viewing information

Date: June 27 | Start time: 12 p.m. ET (Main card) | 9 a.m. ET (Prelims)
Location: National Gymnastics Arena — Baku, Azerbaijan
Stream: Paramount+ (subscribe now for as low as $8.99 per month)

Prediction

Rafael Fiziev vs. Manuel Torres: Nothing raises alarms more than a first-round fighter. Torres is tremendously powerful, no doubt, but he’s not the most refined striker. That cost him against Ignacio Bahamondes, a fighter whom Fiziev beat cleanly. Fiziev’s combination of patience, striking finesse and experience will reward him the longer this fight goes. It’s probable that Torres tires out and gets caught slacking if this fight makes it past Round 1. Fiziev’s health is a bigger concern for me than his losses. He gave Gaethje two tough fights, lost to Mateusz Gamrot by knee injury and got starched by a phenomenally talented Mauricio Ruffy. Durability issues in mind, I think the 33-year-old has enough juice to outwork someone like Torres. Pick: Fiziev via KO, Round 3