Jose Mourinho pushing Real Madrid to sign €140m midfielderReal Madrid have been very busy in the last few weeks, with now four signings having been wrapped up before the transfer window even opens. Ibrahima Konate and Denzel Dumfries were done prior to Florentino Perez winning the presidential election, and in the last few days, they were added to by Bernardo Silva and most recently, Marc Cucurella.But Real Madrid are not done yet. More signings are wanted in response to the disappointing back-to-back seasons at the Bernabeu. The next order of business is a new midfielder, with the club’s primary target likely to be determined by new head coach Jose Mourinho, who is the first manager in several years to have the final say on signings.Considering this, a move for Mateus Fernandes is likely, given that he is the one that has convinced Mourinho. But with Real Madrid unwilling to pay €93m to sign him from West Ham United, they could turn their attention to a player that has been on their radar for several years.As per MD, Real Madrid are considering a move for Cucurella’s current teammate Enzo Fernandez. The Argentine midfielder was wanted at the Bernabeu prior to his 2023 move to Chelsea, but with there being a good chance that he leaves the Premier League club this summer, they are prepared to finally get their man.Chelsea want €140m to authorise saleImage via AFAThe problem for Real Madrid and Mourinho, who would welcome Fernandez’s arrival, is that Chelsea simply do not want to sell. If they are forced to, a deal worth in the region of €140m would only be considered, and this would surely be too high a price for Bernabeu chiefs to give the green light to an offer being made.Furthermore, Manchester City are also keen on Fernandez, which would complicate Real Madrid’s pursuit further. Despite this, it remains to be seen whether any advancements are made while the 25-year-old is at the 2026 World Cup with Argentina.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Iran captain Mehdi Taremi says his team is having a challenging World Cup experience amid the multifold disruptions created by their nation's war with the U.S., the tournament's co-host.The Iranians arrived in the Los Angeles area on Sunday from their training base in Tijuana, Mexico, just over the U.S. border — about 140 miles (225 kilometers) from the stadium where they will open group-stage play against New Zealand on Monday night. Iran's training camp was relocated from the U.S. after the war began, and the Iranian team has endured numerous distractions since then, including visa problems.“I have felt the tension from the first moment we arrived at this World Cup,” Taremi said through an interpreter. “At any tournament when there is tension, we won’t have the same beautiful experience we always talk about with peace and joy. ... I know it wasn’t just us. I know several countries had visa problems and changes with training camps. Before we arrived, the feeling, the sensation people always have, how they look forward to the World Cup, I think this time maybe they haven’t had the same feeling.”The U.S. attacked Iran on Feb. 28, and the initial missile strikes killed its Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The war has slowed and resumed several times since then, with President Donald Trump even announcing a peace deal earlier Sunday.“This kind of tension, it undermines that joy and it undermines the message of FIFA and our people, which is that football brings about peace,” said Taremi, the 33-year-old Olympiacos striker who is playing in his third World Cup. “I feel like this World Cup could have provided a better atmosphere than it has, but I hope in the future it will be better for all fans, whatever team they are supporting in the World Cup.”Iran initially planned to train in Tucson, Arizona, before the war’s outbreak, but quickly moved to Baja California. FIFA then rejected Iran’s desire to play its group-stage World Cup matches outside the U.S., claiming logistics and contracts wouldn’t allow it.Iran has been beset with logistical problems since then, including the denial of visas for certain members of its delegation. A team spokesperson said Sunday that two members of its media relations group were denied U.S. visas for the opening match. Iran and its traveling fans also have faced multiple issues with match tickets.“Without any doubt, this will impact negatively the spirit of football,” Iran coach Amir Ghalenoei said. “Football is supposed to bring nations and cultures together. Whether we win, whether we lose, that’s a personal feeling we have, but football as a game is about bringing about joy. These conditions, they have impacted our technical focus, but I have really tried to make sure that my players focus on strategy and techniques.”The Iranian team is limited to brief trips into the U.S. for its matches, flying in the day before the game and reportedly flying out immediately afterward. Iran plays in Inglewood, California, again next Sunday against Belgium, before completing the group stage in Seattle against Egypt on June 26.Without giving details, Taremi said Iran's travel from Tijuana to SoFi Stadium took roughly five hours, including the very short flight.“Of course that impacts us,” Ghalenoei said. “I would like to thank the good people of Mexico, but we Iranians, we are accustomed to make opportunities out of hardship, and we don’t think about anything other than bringing joy to people.”The Los Angeles area likely was picked to host two of Iran's matches in part because it has the world's largest Iranian population outside Iran. The so-called Tehrangeles area of the city is filled with the families of untold thousands who fled the country after the Islamic Revolution in the late 1970s.Taremi and Ghalenoei are aware that many U.S.-based Iranians will be cheering against them, given their feelings about the current government, but they aren't bothered.“We play for every Iranian, be it in the diaspora or in Iran,” Taremi said. “People have different opinions, but we are here to unite people and we will try to bring joy to all Iranians wherever they live. We do not get involved in politics. We are here to play football.”___AP World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/fifa-world-cup

The American Flag flies next to a One9 Fuel Stop sign displaying gas prices for diesel and unleaded gas in Wilmington, Ohio, Wednesday, June 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)2026-06-14T23:52:53Z NEW YORK (AP) — High oil and gasoline prices and energy supply problems won’t be solved overnight, despite an agreement to end the Iran war and open the Strait of Hormuz announced Sunday.It will likely take months before energy companies can resume operations to the point of meeting the world’s demand, according to energy experts. The slow pace of the process of shipping and refining crude oil, and doubts about the security of traveling through the strait mean the effect won’t be seen immediately, they said.Ships loaded with crude oil have been stranded in the Persian Gulf for more than three months, unable to safely travel through the waterway, through which about a fifth of the world’s oil and gasoline supplies typically traveled before the war began. “It’s going to take time for people to feel comfortable and for insurance to be in place ... particularly to get people on the ground to restart some of these assets,” said Daniel Evans, global head of fuels and refining research at S&P Global Energy. First, ships that have been stranded will have to exit the strait, and then new tankers will have to come in to be loaded, Evans said. “To bring a ship in, you need to be confident that you’ve got a big enough window of safety to bring it in, load it and move it out,” he added.Oil tankers also move slowly, he explained. It takes months to travel from the strait to distant countries, deliver the crude oil to a refinery for processing and then arrive at its final destination. Read More In addition, some producers in the Middle East paused extracting oil from the ground, known as a shut-in, when they ran out of storage space. Restarting those operations can be a slow process. Countries such as Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates, where there are alternate pipelines or routes besides the Strait of Hormuz to deliver oil, may be among the quickest to resume production, said Alan Gelder, senior vice president of refining, chemicals and oil markets at Wood Mackenzie, an analytics firm. “But places like Iraq could be much more challenged because they’ve had a much bigger shut-in, their fields are more difficult ... it may well take about a year before they get back,” he said. Sign up for Morning Wire: Our flagship newsletter breaks down the biggest headlines of the day. Email address Sign up By checking this box, you agree to AP's Terms of Use and acknowledge that AP may collect and use your data pursuant to our Privacy Policy. Investment in the energy system, which can take years to see the results, ground to a halt after the strait’s closure, Gelder said. So it will take time for this capital to restart.Countries that shut in oil production won’t want to restart until they know there is a stable, durable strait, and that a ceasefire will last more than 30 or 60 days, said Daniel Sternoff, senior fellow at the Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia University. “We don’t know what open means or what the speed of evacuation of trapped material is going to be,” he said. CATHY BUSSEWITZ Bussewitz is a national business reporter for The Associated Press. She writes about the workplace, job issues and wellness. twitter mailto

Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., speaks to the crowd as protesters gather outside the Supreme Court as it hears arguments over state laws barring transgender girls and women from playing on school athletic teams, Jan. 13, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana, File)2026-06-14T04:01:43Z HOOVER, Ala. (AP) — The Alabama Republican Party said U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville will remain the party’s gubernatorial nominee, rejecting a claim on Sunday that he had not lived in the state long enough to run for governor. The unanimous decision came after the party’s 21-member steering committee heard a challenge filed by Tuberville’s former primary opponent, Ken McFeeters. The challenge argued that Tuberville did not meet the Alabama Constitution’s seven-year residency requirement.“We looked at it with the facts. The contest was unsuccessful. And Coach Tuberville will be our nominee for governor,” said Scott Stadthagen, the state Republican Party chair. Tuberville is often referred to as “Coach” because of his background coaching college football.Stadthagen did not take questions from the news media. The hearing was not open to the public. Tuberville has long faced accusations of living in Florida rather than the state he represents in Washington. He has faced the same claim as he runs for governor. McFeeters did not immediately return a text message seeking comment. “Does he live in Alabama? No,” McFeeters said before the hearing. “He doesn’t live here.” Tuberville, who easily defeated McFeeters in last month’s primary and has been endorsed by President Donald Trump, called the accusation a “witch-hunt” by the media.“I’m thankful for the committee holding a hearing today to finally put this ridiculous residency hoax to bed,” Tuberville said. “For the past six years, I’ve proudly represented Alabama in the United States Senate. When I’m not in D.C., Suzanne and I are at home in Auburn and yes, sometimes, at our beach house on the coast.” Read More The party said Tuberville submitted state tax records, property and home ownership records, driver’s licenses, voter registration and other corroborating material demonstrating his residency. The document said McFeeters was given the opportunity to question Tuberville on the witness stand about how much time he spends in Alabama and in Florida. Property tax records show Tuberville and his wife own a beach home in Florida valued at $5.6 million. His campaign has said his residence is a home in Auburn. The 1,551-square-foot property has an appraised value of about $291,780. The Auburn home was purchased by his wife and son in 2017. The senator’s name was later added to the property in 2024, and the son’s name removed. Both the Auburn and Florida homes appear to have recently been put in a revocable trust.Tuberville released heavily redacted Alabama income tax returns from 2018 to 2024 as evidence he meets the seven-year residency requirement. The returns list a redacted Auburn address and indicate the Tubervilles moved to the state in August 2018. Voting records show Tuberville voted in Florida in November 2018. He registered to vote in Alabama on March 28, 2019, about two weeks before announcing his run for Senate.McFeeters said Tuberville’s Senate travel records also show frequent travel to the Florida Panhandle, which he said buttresses the idea that he resides in the location. In a seven-page document explaining their decision, party officials cited Tuberville’s evidence, including his voting history in Alabama. The officials said courts have determined voter registration to be an important consideration when determining domicile.Tuberville was head football coach at Auburn University from 1999 to 2008. He then coached at Texas Tech and the University of Cincinnati. He went to work for ESPN after retiring from coaching. In a 2017 promotional video for ESPN, he talked about moving to Florida after retiring from coaching.The residency requirement in the Alabama Constitution is awkwardly worded, which could muddy any legal dispute. It says the governor and lieutenant governor “shall have been citizens of the United States ten years and resident citizens of this state at least seven years next before the date of their election.”Tuberville faced similar accusations when he ran for Senate in 2020. He was up against Jeff Sessions, who was running for the same seat that he held before he became Trump’s first attorney general. Sessions aired a television advertisement describing Tuberville as a “Florida Man.” Tuberville won 61% of the vote, compared with 39% for Sessions, in a Republican primary runoff, and went on to defeat Doug Jones, the Democratic incumbent. Tuberville and Jones are headed to a rematch in the governor’s race in November. Stadthagen said in a statement that, “it is time for the ALGOP to firmly close and lock this chapter and turn our full attention toward defeating liberal Democrat Doug Jones” and “keeping Alabama the brightest red Republican state in the nation.”

Some Republicans see a political opening in Sunday’s fights at the White House. Democrats say they see a distraction from more pressing matters.

UFC champion Sean Strickland has seemingly been removed from a UFC White House fan festival by the US Secret Service, after he turned up despite claiming to be banned.In the weeks leading up to UFC Freedom 250, which culminates in seven bouts on the South Lawn on Sunday, Strickland claimed he was not allowed to attend the fight card or the preceding events – namely Friday’s press conference at the Lincoln Memorial or Saturday’s weigh-in at the Ellipse.• Follow LIVE: UFC White House fights take place on South LawnBut on Saturday, he filmed himself walking through a fan festival, seemingly at the Ellipse, before photos were taken of the controversial American star being removed by Secret Service members.Sean Strickland escorted out of the fan festival by Secret Service (AP)While filming himself walking through the fan festival, Strickland could be heard telling fans not to make too much noise as they spotted him and reacted excitedly. However, he was mobbed by fans as he entered a ring in the middle of the park.In a later video, Strickland filmed himself in the back of what appeared to be a high-security vehicle, saying: “I’m pretty sure I didn’t break a law, like I’m pretty sure. But we might be going to jail, but I’m pretty sure we didn’t break no laws.”Shortly thereafter, the UFC Freedom 250 broadcast began, as US President Donald Trump and close friend Dana White – the UFC’s president and CEO – were filmed walking through the White House.The UFC Octagon, built on the South Lawn, will host seven fights, culminating in two title bouts: Alex Pereira vs Ciryl Gane for the interim heavyweight title, and Ilia Topuria vs Justin Gaethje in a lightweight unification fight.Strickland, 35, last fought in May, outpointing teammate-turned-rival Khamzat Chimaev in a major upset to become a two-time champion.Strickland has made numerous controversial statements during his career, including once claiming that he wished to kill an opponent in the cage someday.He also drew fierce criticism from Australian media before fighting in the country, after insulting the nation’s people.

Sunday night's UFC Freedom 250 set on the White House lawn is a big event for President Donald Trump.The President has been planning the fight for some time now as part of Freedom 250, a series of events celebrating the 250th anniversary of the United States. The stage in front of the White House has been set and we've known which fighters are on the card for a few months, but now the big day has officially arrived.It's also been an active week for President Trump in general. On Monday, Trump took in Game 3 of the New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs game at Madison Square Garden. Trump has a history of mixed reactions at sporting events, and Monday night's game was no exception as he was audibly booed during the national anthem.However, UFC Freedom 250 was a different story. Despite the delay for weather, Trump was greeted with cheers as he entered the event from the Oval Office with Dana White.An entrance from the Oval Office 🦅[ #UFCWhiteHouse | LIVE ON @ParamountPlus ] pic.twitter.com/cuyNFD5j1Y— UFC on Paramount+ (@UFConParamount) June 15, 2026This article originally appeared on For The Win: Was Trump booed at UFC Freedom 250? Fan video shows reaction

Uruguay’s national team have blamed Fifa after a chaotic start to their World Cup campaign following the delay to their travel from their Mexico base to Miami for their first match.Marcelo Bielsa’s side have travelled to Cancun for final preparations before getting their World Cup underway against Saudi Arabia on Monday but the squad were left waiting as their prepared plane didn’t have clearance to fly to the US. The problem facing the team was reportedly due to issues with paperwork for the aircraft which meant it had not been approved to take the route from Cancun to Miami. The Uruguayan team remained at the Mayakoba Complex, a hotel resort about 45 minutes from Cancun International airport, before a solution was found, with the Uruguayan FA left angry with Fifa. The AUF said: “Due to problems beyond the control of the AUF, the departure from Mexico has been delayed. The squad is resting at the hotel. The new departure time set by FIFA is 4.15pm.”An AUF spokesperson confirmed to The Athletic that they considered Fifa to be responsible for the problems, though Fifa did not immediately respond after a request for comment.Bielsa had been scheduled to attend a pre-match press conference at the Miami Stadium at 8pm EST on Sunday, with no confirmation over a new time or a complete cancellation.Uruguay legend Diego Forlan appeared upset at the situation, writing: “Who is to blame???,” Forlan wrote, followed by “Arriba Uruguay!!”The Independent has contacted Fifa for comment. The Uruguay National Team are facing issues with a flight from Cancun to Miami (Getty)Uruguay’s plight is one of a number of travel issues that teams and individuals have faced when travelling to the US for the tournament. Somalian referee, Omar Artan, was famously denied entry into the country due to unspecified “vetting concerns” despite being on the list of approved Fifa employees and Palestine’s football chief, Jibril Rajoub, revealed on Friday that he is still awaiting permission to enter the country. Iran, meanwhile, are claiming its fan ticket allocation has been revoked – just one week before their first match against New Zealand in Los Angeles with the country’s football federation (FFIRI) stating last Tuesday that it is a decision which will “sabotage the presence of Iranian fans”.Elsewhere, Ghana’s Thomas Partey was denied entry to Canada, due to previously being charged with seven counts of rape and one count of sexual assault by London’s Metropolitan Police. Fifa confirmed in a statement: “FIFA can confirm that player Thomas Partey will be unable to travel from Ghana’s team base camp ... to Canada for their first match against Panama ... as his visa application has been refused by the Canadian government.”Uruguay play their first two group stage matches in Miami, taking on Saudi Arabia on June 15 before facing Cape Verde on June 21. They travel back to Mexico for their final group game against Spain on June 27.

UFC White House rain delay updates: Latest news on Freedom 250's start time as thunderstorms hit D.C. originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.The UFC event at the White House is facing potential weather concerns as Washington D.C. could see some severe rain on Sunday night.The event is set to feature seven fights on the card all outside in Washington D.C., but that is if the weather cooperates. However, the nation's capital is in the direction of a potentially severe thunderstorm on the east coast, which could impact how the UFC approaches this special event.The UFC has been adamant about trying to get this event in, building a ring that is supposed to protect the fighters and fans from rain. Thunderstorms, though, are a different level of severe weather that are hard to ignore.Here's the latest on the UFC rain updates.MORE: Follow the UFC White House event liveUFC White House rain delay updates8:10 p.m.: Heidi Androl confirms that the UFC is monitoring the thunderstorms and are more worried about lightning and win than rain. They are hoping everything clears by 9:00 p.m.A weather updated ahead of UFC Freedom 250 👀 #UFCWhiteHouse | Sunday | Stream TNT Sports on HBO Max pic.twitter.com/2P8i5bKxFz— UFC on TNT Sports (@ufcontnt) June 15, 20268:05 p.m.: The event is officially in a rain delay to open the night.#UFCFreedom250 pre-show just started with the UFC talking about the weather.The UFC is officially in a rain delay for the first time— Adam Martin (@MMAdamMartin) June 15, 20266:00 p.m.: Thunderstorms seem to be pushing back the start time of the event, with 9:00 p.m. now the target.Per UFC: the production of UFC Freedom 250 will start at 8 p.m. now and fights begin at 9 p.m. ET.— Greg Rosenstein (@grosenstein) June 14, 20265:10 p.m.: As of 5:00 p.m, ET, the event was scheduled to start on time at 8:00 p.m. ET.Schedule Update: #UFCWhiteHouse live event coverage on @paramountplus will begin at 8pmET pic.twitter.com/qAdGdAbsHd— UFC (@ufc) June 14, 20264:10 p.m.: The UFC is telling fans to plan for extreme weather for the Freedom 250 fan fest event, but the event is still moving forward as scheduled.🚨 The UFC is advising fans attending the UFC Freedom 250 Fan Fest to “plan accordingly” due to expected inclement weather“We anticipate inclement weather in the area, so attendees should plan accordingly. We will share additional information when available.” pic.twitter.com/ANeXZYrI3X— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) June 14, 2026MORE: Tracking the weather updates from the UFC White House eventWashington D.C. weather forecastAccording to The Weather Channel, there are sever thunderstorms in the forecast for Washington D.C. on Sunday evening. While the temperature for most of the day was in the mid-90s, that should go down to the low-80s as the rain arrives.Additionally, there are expected to be heavy wind gusts up to 34 MPH and the conditions are sever enough where there could be flood warnings and even mosquitos in the area.UFC Freedom 250 is facing a chaotic weather setup on the White House South Lawn, with a 60% chance of thunderstorms, heavy downpours, and wind gusts up to 34 mph threatening to delay the outdoor fights. On top of the storm risk, brutal D.C. humidity is driving a triple-digit heat… pic.twitter.com/3tZWmyRCHx— The Weather Channel (@weatherchannel) June 14, 2026

Liverpool among teams who can trigger German defender's release clause originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.The summer transfer window has seen a mass exodus from Anfield, as several key figures in Liverpool's structure have departed the club. Whether it was the planned exit of squad mainstays in Mo Salah, Andy Robertson, or Ibrahima Konate, all of whom stayed out the duration of their contracts with the Reds, or the sudden sacking of Arne Slot.The potential exits from Merseyside don't stop with those four figures, as Curtis Jones and Federico Chiesa have also been linked with moves away from Anfield, with both players being targeted by various Serie A sides. But as they see players leave the team, they'll have to bring in a fresh batch to fill in their respective slots, which has led the Reds to being linked to the likes of Yan Diomande, and more recently, Nico Schlotterbeck, as Liverpool are among the only teams who can activate a clause in his contract, according to a recent report.It has been reported that Nico Schlotterbeck's new contract has a £60m release clause that only applies to three clubs:👉 Liverpool👉 Barcelona👉 Real Madridpic.twitter.com/lSIUvnkc8b— TEAMtalk (@TEAMtalk) June 14, 2026As reported by TEAMtalk, the Reds are one of three teams in the world that can activate the release clause in the German's contract, with the other two being Real Madrid and Barcelona. The price tag required to activate the fee is £60m, which should be more than doable for Liverpool, given some of their potential exits, and those that have already happened.Why would Liverpool target Schlotterbeck?While some players might fail to live up to the price tags assigned to them by the selling clubs, it's safe to imagine that this wouldn't be the case for the German defender, who has been a mainstay at the Signal Iduna Park for four seasons at this point. In his most recent season, Schlotterbeck became a threat on both ends of the pitch, getting involved in six goals, while making 38 interceptions on the defensive end, and winning 48 tackles.All of these efforts were among the reasons that Schlotterbeck is a perennial figure in Germany's national team set-up, which has carried over to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, as the Borussia Dortmund star found himself on the score sheet following a header early on in the match.It's worth noting that his work and presence on the defensive end of the pitch make him comparable to the recently departed Konate, who was one of Liverpool's two anchors in their backline, alongside Virgil Van Dijk, of course.For now, if any of the three teams decide to activate Schlotterbeck's release clause, it will be something to look out for in the months to come as next season crawls closer by the day.MORE TRANSFER NEWSAston Villa among six Premier League teams eyeing Barcelona wingerArsenal, Manchester United among teams eyeing Brazilian wonderkidArsenal, Liverpool among teams interested in Moroccan wonderkidLiverpool, Manchester United tied to relegated West Ham starFormer Champions League winning striker's move to MLS on the cardsLiverpool, Bayern Munich lose race to sign German wonderkidBayern Munich's €65m transfer target has stellar World Cup debut

I hope balcony solar’s charisma and low cost help us imagine the energy-abundant future we are so close to achieving.

Hurricanes vs. Golden Knights box score: Live stats from Stanley Cup Final Game 6 originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.The 2026 Stanley Cup Final comes down to this. Will the Carolina Hurricanes pick up a championship win in Sin City or will Game 7 in Raleigh be a contentious winner-take-all scenario with the Vegas Golden Knights. The highly physical series hasn't had a dull moment to say the least. The Hurricanes have surrendered the fewest goals per game this postseason. While the Golden Knights are making their third franchise appearance in the finals. Face-off in Las Vegas comes at 8 p.m. ET on ABC. Hurricanes vs. Golden Knights box score: Live stats from Stanley Cup Final Game 6Team Stats1st Period 4:44HurricanesGolden KnightsShots75Hits87Faceoffs Won610Faceoff Win Percent37.562.5Power Play Opportunities11Power Play Goals00Power Play Percentage0.00.0Short Handed Goals00Total Penalties11Penalty Minutes22Blocked Shots32Takeaways10Giveaways25How to watch: Hurricanes vs. Golden Knights 2026 Stanley Cup Final Game 6Date: Sunday, June 14Time: 8 p.m. ETTV: ABCMore NHL News4 intriguing Edmonton Oilers head coach targets5 items Maple Leafs GM John Chayka must address this summerJack Eichel, Chris Chelios are wrong about the history of Mitch Marner and the Maple Leafs3 NHL free agent destinations for Buffalo Sabres' Alex TuchTeam Canada playing like they know there's more at stake than usual at 2026 World Championship

Who won UFC White House fights? Updated results for Topuria vs. Gaethje and full Freedom 250 card originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.MMA has never seen an event quite like Sunday's UFC card in Washington D.C.At UFC Freedom 250, in honor of the United States' 250th birthday, fighters will be competing with a historic spectacle surrounding them: the White House lawn.Ilia Topuria and Justin Gaethje will have the headlining bout on Sunday at the White House, while six additional fights are scheduled for the high-profile event.Here's an updated look at the results from the UFC Freedom 250 card.MORE UFC WHITE HOUSE NEWS:UFC Freedom 250 predictionsHow much did it cost to build Freedom 250 stage?Why UFC Freedom 250 was invite-only for VIPsWhat to know about UFC 250 undercardWho won Ilia Topuria vs. Justin Gaethje?This section will be updated after the main event.UFC White House fights full card resultsThis section will be updated as fights conclude.Here's a look at the results from each fight on the UFC Freedom 250 card.Main CardIlia Topuria vs. Justin Gaethje, lightweightAlex Pereira vs. Ciryl Gane, heavyweightSean O'Malley vs. Aiemann Zahabi, bantamweightJosh Hokit vs. Derrick Lewis, heavyweightMauricio Ruffy vs. Michael Chandler, lightweightBo Nickal vs. Kyle Daukaus, middleweightDiego Lopes vs. Steve Garcia, featherweightMORE: Why is UFC Freedom 250 on Paramount+ and not CBS?

Puffing out his cheeks at the start of a series of media interviews, Lewis Hamilton grinned a smile some two-and-a-half years in the making. “Jeez, where do I start?!” he told Sky Sports’ Craig Slater, after a day under the Catalunyan sun he had long dreamed of. On a red-hot afternoon, for the first time since Mexico in October 2024, it was rich scarlet red on top of the podium once again. Even for 41-year-old Hamilton, who has experienced and endured just about every sensation possible in his two decades in Formula One, this was something new. Something fresh. And perhaps, most tantalisingly of all, something worth building towards for the rest of the 2026 campaign. When Hamilton told Mercedes boss Toto Wolff over lunch in February 2024 that he was moving to Ferrari, F1’s greatest modern driver probably did not envisage waiting 28 months for his first victory in red. But in Barcelona on Sunday, 686 days since his last grand prix triumph at Spa-Francorchamps, Hamilton claimed a much-deserved victory from second on the grid. Mercedes, this year’s runaway train out in front, had no answers to the galloping prancing horse. Lewis Hamilton claims his first grand prix win for Ferrari in Barcelona on Sunday (Getty)A late virtual-safety-car (VSC) was the clincher and some may say he was the simple recipient of good fortune. They’d be wrong. Even when chasing George Russell up ahead, Hamilton’s new-and-improved Ferrari – with a staggering eight upgrades brought to this race by the Scuderia – was the fastest car on track. Without the VSC, Hamilton would likely have passed his compatriot anyway. But in some ways, you make your own luck. Ferrari, in a change of attitude as surprising and welcoming as the emergence of a challenger to Mercedes in itself, went bold, opting for a three-stop strategy compared to Hamilton’s rivals around him going for the more routine two stops. It allowed Hamilton, so on song in recent weeks, to rip the bones out of each set of tyres. By the final stint, having left the pit-lane in front, Hamilton stormed to the chequered flag, converting a two-second lead into a 19.5-second race victory. It was the biggest margin of victory so far this season. There was something so appropriate that the first all-British podium (alongside Russell in second and Lando Norris in third) since the 1968 US Grand Prix in Watkins Glen (featuring Jackie Stewart, Graham Hill and John Surtees) was led by one of Britain’s greatest-ever sportsmen. And it comes just six months after Hamilton’s worst-ever F1 season, when he failed to even register a grand prix podium in his desperate first year in red. Naturally, in the aftermath, he paid tribute to those who kept him going. “My fans really saved me through such a difficult moment last year,” he said. “Every day, I had this dream as a kid. I remember watching the red car and wondering what it’d be like to win in that car. There’s nothing like it, absolutely incredible. “I came from quite a low place – it’s about never giving up on yourself, keep on trying.” Ferrari’s progression in recent weeks has been massively encouraging. Barcelona, a track often used for winter testing, can give an accurate reading for the rest of the season, given its combination of high and low-speed corners. Hamilton’s pace on Sunday, not just beating Mercedes but in the end annihilating them, may mean we have a two-team championship showdown after all. After seven rounds, Hamilton trails Kimi Antonelli – the man who replaced him at the Silver Arrows and who had an unfortunate late mechanical failure on Sunday – by 41 points. Hamilton took the chequered flag by 19.5 seconds (AP)Yet to surmise that the car’s improvement is the hard-and-fast reason for Hamilton finding his feet again is altogether too simple. In fact, of more significance has been the seven-time world champion’s tinkering behind the scenes, not least an ingenious trick which has given him confidence behind the wheel once again. Intriguingly, at the same time, it has sent his teammate Charles Leclerc into a tailspin. TOP-10 - BARCELONA-CATALUNYA GP1. Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari)2. George Russell (Mercedes)3. Lando Norris (McLaren)4. Max Verstappen (Red Bull)5. Oscar Piastri (McLaren)6. Isack Hadjar (Red Bull)7. Pierre Gasly (Alpine)8. Franco Colapinto (Alpine)9. Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls)10. Arvid Lindblad (Racing Bulls)Hamilton revealed in Barcelona that earlier in the season, at round three in Japan, he had switched from Ferrari’s long-term brake disc supplier, Brembo, to the Carbon Industrie brakes he used during his trophy-laden years at Mercedes. These new brakes have given Hamilton the feel he craved for in the cockpit, allowing him to carry more speed into the corners with the innate knowledge that his brakes would bite as and when.The correlation with his results – Sunday was his third consecutive top-three finish – is plain as day. "There are elements ​of the car that I'd asked for, and the team listened,” Hamilton said. "There are many elements ​that just wouldn't work for me with the setup that we had here and it's taken a long time to get those things changed.” Another change which has clearly worked is Hamilton ditching his race engineer Riccardo Adami for Carlo Santi, who seemed much more in tune with his driver over team radio on Sunday.Hamilton led an all-British podium on Sunday, the first since 1968 (Getty)On the flip side, the brake switch has given Leclerc – now trailing his teammate Hamilton by 40 points – a headache. Baffled by the Briton’s superiority in recent weeks, the Monegasque also switched to Carbon Industrie discs this weekend. Yet he did not have the same handling, thrusting his car into the wall in qualifying. He finished out of the points at the end of the race after, in an unrelated issue, his power steering broke. Deep down, Hamilton won’t care a jot about his teammate’s toils. On the contrary, out of nothing, Hamilton now looks a serious contender at the top of the standings, for the first time since that memorable 2021 season. With a quick car beneath him, an inexperienced teenager at the top of the leaderboard to chase and an outlook and perspective revitalised – don’t overlook Hamilton’s satisfaction with his personal life, either, including his newfound romance with Kim Kardashian – it seems Hamilton’s long-held swansong aspiration to claim a record-breaking eighth world championship is not so far-fetched after all. “Absolutely, this is just beginning,” Hamilton said, when asked about a title challenge. “Mercedes have an amazing package; it will take absolutely everything from all of us in this team to overcome the deficit and to get to being ahead of them consistently. But nothing’s impossible, one step at a time.” The next two races, in Austria and his beloved Silverstone, will tell us whether Ferrari can really claim their first drivers’ championship in 19 years or whether Barcelona was a simple flash-in-the-pan. For pure curiosity, let’s hope it’s the former.

Through four innings of Ole Miss baseball's College World Series elimination game vs Troy, the Rebels did a good job of keeping the Trojans’ offense in check.Rebels’ starting pitcher Hunter Elliott allowed two runs on three hits.However, after scoring a run on a balk in the fifth inning, Troy's offense came to life. The Trojans erased a four-run deficit and won 12-8 over Ole Miss, ending the Rebels’ season on June 14 at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha, Nebraska.“Credit Troy for getting the big hit and time and time again,” Ole Miss coach Mike Bianco said. “And you look at the back half of the game, we scored runs, but we just couldn't stop them. They just continued. ... Certainly, were able to make adjustments, hit a fastball out. Hit a slider out. I think might have hit a changeup out."After the balk, Troy (39-31) scored two more runs in the fifth inning on a double hit by Sean Darnell, cutting Ole Miss’ lead to 6-5.In the seventh inning, Troy further overwhelmed Ole Miss (41-23), scoring four runs to take the lead.After reliever JP Robertson gave up a game-tying home run and a single, the Rebels called on Walker Hooks, their top reliever. His day started with a four-pitch walk, followed by a two-RBI double and an RBI single that put the Trojans up by three.Hooks eventually got out of the inning but was pulled after giving up a leadoff home run to Blake Cavill in the eighth. He allowed three hits and three runs with a walk and a strikeout in ⅔ innings.“We didn't want to bring him into the seventh today,” Bianco said of Hooks. “We thought that was a lot of outs to ask him to get, not necessarily physically, but the adjustments that they've made, that they started to make against Hunter. … I know when he came in today, it seemed like a lot of balls just missed middle.”The Trojans finished the Rebels off with two unearned runs in the eighth scored on a dropped infield pop-up.Although Troy’s offense wasn’t excessively explosive during the regular season, hitting .285 and averaging 6.8 runs, the Trojans have been one of the better hitting teams in the NCAA Tournament.Entering the game against Ole Miss, the Trojans were averaging 9.9 runs and hitting .333 across their eight NCAA Tournament games. The Trojans finished the game with 14 hits.“We have an amazing coaching staff that prepares us really well whenever teams flip script or whenever they bring somebody out of the pen,” said Troy designated hitter Jabe Boroff, who was 2-for-4 with two RBIs. “We always are fed the correct information, or the best information to our knowledge of what we're getting and what we're getting ourselves into. So just being prepared and staying confident in the box.”Tia Reid covers Jackson State sports for the Clarion Ledger. Email her at treid@usatodayco.com and follow her on X @tiareid65.This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Ole Miss baseball overwhelmed by Troy offense in CWS elimination

Daniel Cormier-Eric Trump post: Fact-checking if former UFC star called out son of president in since-deleted tweet originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.The build up to the UFC's Freedom 250 card on the White House lawn has been unlike any other, from a weigh-in in front of the Lincoln Memorial to the possibility of weather interrupting what's typically an indoor sport.The hype took another strange turn on Sunday, when former UFC star Daniel Cormier supposedly tweeted and deleted what are purported to be screenshots of a bizarre exchange between himself and U.S. president Donald Trump's son, Eric.While the tweet didn't stay up for long, it was enough to raise more than a few eyebrows.Here's a look at the apparent deleted tweet from Cormier.LIVE:Follow updates from UFC Freedom 250 at White HouseDaniel Cormier-Eric Trump postCormier allegedly tweeted screenshots of direct messages between himself and Eric Trump, showing Trump asking him whether he has any inside knowledge of fighters being injured and whether fights are "rigged."In the purported tweet, Cormier says, "I refuse to stay silent." Cormier also pushes back on Trump in the supposed conversation.I’m a now deleted post by Daniel Cormier, Eric Trump DM’d him and asked him “are any of the fights tomorrow rigged?” 👀 #UFCWhiteHousepic.twitter.com/lNZMFXWQWJ— Sean O’Meowlly🍭 (@NeedMyNutsLickt) June 14, 2026If the conversation is legitimate, it raises questions about the president's son supposedly trying to gain inside information for betting purposes. For now, though, both Cormier and Trump appear to be trying to pour cold water on the situation.MORE:Which celebrities are at Freedom 250?Why did Daniel Cormier delete his tweet?Cormier is on the broadcast for UFC's Freedom 250 card, so if the tweet was real, keeping it up might have distracted from the event and drawn more attention to himself than to the fights.After the controversy, Cormier implied that the tweet wasn't real:Are people really this dumb?— Daniel Cormier (@dc_mma) June 14, 2026Trump, meanwhile, said outright that the post is "completely fake."This is completely fake! I have never reached out to Daniel. In fact, this is scary. https://t.co/ZrnIkHBQ4f— Eric Trump (@EricTrump) June 15, 2026Here's more to know about the tweet's authenticity.Is Daniel Cormier-Eric Trump tweet fake?While Trump denies that the conversation ever took place and Cormier appeared to cast doubt on the tweet's legitimacy, some MMA reporters — including Adam Martin — claim they saw it themselves before it was deleted.Since I've gotten a few DMs about this -- yes, the DC tweet was 100% real, I saw it myself. Others saw it. People screen captured it.DC tweeted and deleted it quickly, but people screen grabbed it fast, too.Wonder why DC deleted it. Someone got into his ear quickly, I guess.— Adam Martin (@MMAdamMartin) June 14, 2026It was a real post by Cormier. https://t.co/k7dzFcTf6epic.twitter.com/LGCl5uRgmW— Ryan Frederick (@ryanjfrederick) June 14, 2026It isn't difficult to fabricate a tweet with all of the technology available today, but if Cormier never tweeted that purported conversation with Trump, quite a few reputable reporters were fooled.

Ivory Coast is starting the tournament on an incredible note, defeating Ecuador in a surprise 1-0 win off a late goal in the final minutes.Ecuador may have entered the tournament as a dark horse to make it far, but it was Ivory Coast who controlled most of the second half. The Elephants held significant possession and ended with more shots in total, including shots on target.It was a surprisingly fruitless game for the Ecuador attack, with the team not recording a shot on target until midway through the second half. But Ivory Coast continued to push, until finally finding the back of the net in the 90th minute. Assisted by Wilfried Singo, it was second-half substitute Amad Diallo who broke through for the Elephants.However, Diallo was not the only star of the game: That title belongs to the crossbar, which denied three total goals — two for Ecuador and one for Ivory Coast — to keep the game level until Diallo finally broke through.This story will be updated.

The Portland Fire entered Saturday night on a four-game losing streak. With the game on the line and a chance to end the streak, they turned to a former Iowa star to get the job done.Megan Gustafson has found her game in Portland this season. After bouncing around teams over the first seven years of her career, Gustafson is playing her best basketball for the expansion Fire. She's entered the starting lineup and has given her team some big performances. None bigger than the one she gave on Saturday.Gustafson was clutch down the stretch of the Fire's 84-83 win over the Dallas Wings. With one minute left and the Fire down four, she got the assist on a Bridget Carleton three-pointer. After a defensive stop, she went down and scored at the rim with 22.5 seconds to play to give her team the lead. The Wings would respond before Carla Leite tied the game again. A few seconds later, Emily Engstler won the game at the free-throw line. All in all, Gustafson finished the night with 16 points, six rebounds, and four assists. It was another strong game in a breakout season for the former Hawk.Megan Gustafson tonight:🔥 16 PTS🔥 6 REB🔥 4 AST pic.twitter.com/FWjPYLj1au— Portland Fire (@theportlandfire) June 14, 2026On the season, she's now averaging a career-high 11.5 points per game, while pitching in nearly four boards a night as well. She's scored in double figures in nine of Portland's last ten games, quickly becoming a fan-favorite on one of the newest teams in the league.Gustafson is now sitting on 899 career WNBA points, with 173 of them coming this season. She's on pace to smash her previous career-best for points in a season, which was 269 in 2023 with Phoenix. At her current pace, it won't be long until she hits the 1,000 career point mark.It's been a windy road in the WNBA for Gustafson, but she's finally found a place to thrive in 2026. When Portland has needed her most this season, she's delivered. Gustafson and the Fire will take the court next on Monday night, when they take on the Minnesota Lynx at 7 p.m. CST.Contact/Follow us @HawkeyesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Iowa news, notes and opinions. Follow Zach on X: @zach_hineyThis article originally appeared on Hawkeyes Wire: Megan Gustafson comes up clutch in Fire win over Wings

Côte d’Ivoire 1-0 Ecuador: Diallo clinches three points at the deathEcuador failed to extend their unbeaten run to 20 games as they conceded late on in their 1-0 loss to Côte d’Ivoire at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.In the first-ever meeting between the two sides, both nations struck the crossbar in what can only be described as a frenetic first half.And just as it looked as though this would be the first goalless draw of this summer’s tournament, Amad Diallo clinched a late winner in the 90th minute to put Côte d’Ivoire one step closer to their first-ever appearance in the FIFA World Cup knockout stages.Côte d’Ivoire face Germany next Saturday, while Ecuador will take on Curaçao in their second Group E clash.As it happenedCôte d’Ivoire and Ecuador played out a thrilling match in Philadelphia and are both more than deserving of recognition after a stunning contest that saw plenty of drama at both ends of the pitch.Ecuador – whose supporters had turned the stands into a sea of yellow and rivalled Scotland’s fans with their pre-match rendition of the national anthem – had the better of the early chances when Moises Caicedo dragged his effort wide from outside the box before Enner Valencia turned a golden chance over the bar following Piero Hincapie’s well-placed low cross.It wouldn’t have counted, though, as the Arsenal man had failed to keep the ball within the lines.John Yeboah saw another Ecuador chance go amiss within the opening 15 minutes of this Group E clash, with the 25-year-old Venezia forward firing over the crossbar after cutting inside from the right flank.And after surviving an early bombardment, Côte d’Ivoire came remarkably close to seizing the lead when Bazoumana Toure watched in disbelief as his strike skipped just wide of the far post. Replays later showed that Hernan Galindez had made a crucial intervention to deny the Ivorian youngster.But if that was agonising, then the outcome of Ecuador’s next two chances can only be described as excruciating. Yeboah, after a defensive mishap from Emmanuel Agbadou, nicked possession and curled a stunning attempt against the crossbar – and just six minutes later, Alan Minda suffered the same fate after being played through on goal by Pedro Vite.It rendered Ecuador as the first team to hit the woodwork twice in the first half of a FIFA World Cup match since Costa Rica against Switzerland eight years ago.The South American side soon had Alan Franco to thank when the right-back’s superb sliding challenge inside the box forced Nicolas Pepe’s close-range effort away from goal, and there’d have been no stopping an audacious bicycle kick attempt from Wilfried Singo in stoppage time if the centre-back had managed to keep it on target.Ecuador did not waste any time after emerging for the second half as Valencia combined with Gonzalo Plata in the 46th minute, although the veteran striker thumped wide of the target from a tight angle.And it could have come back to bite Ecuador when a Yan Diomande cross picked out Elye Wahi at the near post, although the 23-year-old – who plays his club football for Nice – left the crossbar reverberating once more after a positive spell for the African nation.Côte d’Ivoire had the last real chance before the match fell into a lull as Diomande – a much livelier figure in the second half – glided beyond the Ecuadorian defence before shooting high and wide of the target as his composure let him down.The breakthrough did arrive eventually, much to the dismay of the predominantly Ecuadorian crowd in Philadelphia. Amad Diallo – introduced as a second-half substitute – bundled over the line in the 90th minute after Singo was afforded space to dart down the right flank and cut back for the Manchester United forward, who had been waiting for his moment and picked out the bottom-left corner with precision.

PREVIEW | Argentina vs Algeria: team news, lineups, predictions (World Cup 17/06)Argentina and Algeria go head-to-head at Arrowhead this Wednesday in the World Cup. Argentina, who have already won this tournament 3 times, mark their 19th participation in the competition, whilst Algeria go into their 5th. The match will be broadcast live at 02:00 on ITV 1.In their last fixture, Argentina won 3-0 against Iceland (National Team Friendlies 2026). Last time out, Algeria triumphed 0-4 against Bolivia (National Team Friendlies 2026).UnavailableArgentinaArgéliaLast starting XIsArgentina ( vs Iceland 2026-06-10): Gerónimo Rulli, Nicolás Otamendi, Facundo Medina, Agustín Giay, Lisandro Martínez, Valentín Barco, Giovani Lo Celso, Exequiel Palacios, Nico Paz, Giuliano Simeone, Flaco LópezAlgeria ( vs Bolivia 2026-06-11): Oussama Benbout, Achref Abada, Aïssa Mandi, Samir Chergui, Rayan Aït-Nouri, Hicham Boudaoui, Nabil Bentaleb, Ibrahim Maza, Riyad Mahrez, Mohamed Amoura, Nadir Benbouali

I'm told Aaron Gordon, who turns 31 in September, is the Denver veteran drawing the strongest external trade interest. Next season will be the first on a three-year, $103.6 million contract extension that Gordon secured after helping Nikola Jokić and Co. win the first championship in the team's NBA history in 2022-23.marcstein.substack.comThis article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: Aaron Gordon drawing strong trade interest around the league

MMA Junkie has live coverage of UFC Freedom 250 with analysis and highlights of every fight.Grand entrances at UFC events are nothing new for President Trump, but Sunday night's was a little different. That, of course, is because UFC Freedom 250 is taking place on the South Lawn of the White House – on Trump's 80th birthday no less.After inclement weather delayed the start of UFC Freedom 250 by about 40 minutes, the festivities kicked off with Trump entering from the Oval Office alongside UFC CEO Dana White. They stood on the balcony in time to catch the flyover.You can watch Trump and White walk out together in the videos above and below. An entrance from the Oval Office 🦅[ #UFCWhiteHouse | LIVE ON @ParamountPlus ] pic.twitter.com/cuyNFD5j1Y— UFC on Paramount+ (@UFConParamount) June 15, 2026This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: UFC White House video: Watch Trump, Dana White enter from Oval Office

Ismail Elfath Leads First U.S.-Based Referee Crew at FIFA World Cup 2026FIFA World Cup 2026 is underway, and just as U.S. players are looking to make their country proud in the first tournament on home soil in 32 years, so are the U.S.-based referees who will be part of calling the 104 matches in this summer’s competition.The first U.S. referees took the pitch at Dallas Stadium to call what many are calling the best match of the tournament so far, the Group F contest between Netherlands and Japan on Sunday, June 14, which resulted in a 2-2 draw. Leading the crew was Ismail Elfath, a Moroccan-born Texan whose resume highlights matches all around the globe and at various levels of the game, including:FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar, where he served as the fourth official in the Final between Argentina and France2026 Concacaf Champions Cup Final between Liga MX clubs Toluca and Tigres2022 MLS Cup between Philadelphia Union and LAFC in Major League SoccerFIFA U-20 World Cup in Poland2013 USL Championship Final between Orlando City SC and the Charlotte Eagles.Elfath is one of eight U.S. Soccer referees to serve in this year’s tournament, a historic marker for already one of the most elite refereeing programs in the world. The 20-year veteran officiated four matches at FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar, so when he found out he would return to the sport’s biggest competition four years later, he was elated.“It was a dream come true – again,” he said. “I already had an amazing experience in Qatar in 2022, but after being 13 months with a double knee surgery, which took me very close to retirement, this second World Cup is so much sweeter.”Elfath’s journey to refereeing began in 2005. He played competitively in amateur and local soccer clubs, including Austin Lighting in the league that is now called USL League Two. After that, he decided to strive for the next best seat in the house that would keep him close to the sport he loves. He soon discovered how much fun it was to perform the duties of a referee, and as a former athlete, the new pursuit satisfied his competitive nature.His background as a former soccer player helped Elfath on his path to becoming one of the top officials in the world. Not only does being an official require studying the laws of the game and maintaining a high level of fitness, but referees must also be always on. In this year’s tournament, officiating crews only learn of their match assignments roughly 48 hours before kickoff. To be fully prepared for such a tight turnaround, referees like Elfath, for example, rely on routine. Those precious hours before emerging from the tunnel with both teams’ starting XIs are about alleviating the nerves as much as possible, as Elfath explains:“Match week is a full week endeavor, but the last 48 hours are all about getting my body and mind to peak level readiness, meticulously planning every meal, doing match video clip analysis with my team and, not to forget, staying mentally balanced by having some down time.”Based in Austin, Sunday's match would be roughly a three-hour drive for Elfath’s family. Though, referees are used to traveling further distances to officiate matches. The extensive travel required of referees during a tournament as massive in scale as a FIFA World Cup can make time away from family a challenging sacrifice. As a father to three wonderful boys, Elfath likes to stay connected to his family during his preparations, calling his family “a refuge away from the spotlight.”On his five-person crew for Sunday’s match, Elfath was joined by three more Americans – assistant referees Corey Parker and Kyle Atkins and fellow Texan Armando Villareal, who was the VAR. This group continued a storied tradition of American referees at the biggest sporting competition in the world. Prudencio “Pete” Garcia was the first official to represent U.S. Soccer in the 1950 FIFA World Cup. He served as a linesman in four matches, including the Third-Place Match between Sweden and Spain.FIFA World Cup 2026 features 170 match officials from all around the world. The eight from the U.S. ties traditional football powers such as Brazil, England, France, Argentina and Mexico for the largest overall match official contingent at FIFA World Cup 2026 and exceeds other soccer giants such as Spain, Germany, Italy and Netherlands.Even more impressive, three of the eight U.S. representatives are women.The number of appointments this summer reflects the depth, quality and diversity of U.S. refereeing and demonstrates that American officials are among the most trusted and respected in the world. These appointments reflect not only the excellence of the individuals selected, but also the strength of the more than 135,000 referees across the United States whose dedication helps make achievements like this possible.“I wish more soccer fans knew how much referees love the game,” Elfath said. “We are fans before we were referees. We prepare as much, or even more, than players. We’re devastated when we feel if we make a mistake, and we love nothing more than to work a match and not be noticed at all.”Two Mexican officials completed Elfath’s crew for Sunday’s match in Dallas – Katia Garcia as Fourth Official and Sandra Ramirez, the reserve assistant referee. Both the U.S. and Mexico in place meant this crew was the first of the tournament represented wholly by the referees from the host nations.The Netherlands-Japan officiating crew is a reminder of why soccer is called the “world’s most beautiful game.” Soccer brings the world together – not only the players who compete on the pitch and fans who watch from the stands and at viewing parties around the country, but also the referees who are responsible for facilitating the match. As a Muslim American, Elfath represents the beautiful fabric that forms soccer culture in United States, which has never been more on display than this year’s tournament. As a country of immigrants, full of diversity, passion, and work ethic, Elfath is an example of how the land of opportunity allows people to contribute to the game in a positive, productive way:“There is no better platform to showcase how proud I am to represent the USA, my community and to make my country proud.”

The New York Liberty know what it feels like to bring a championship to New York City.It was less than two years ago that the franchise captured the city’s first professional basketball title since the 1973 Knicks when they beat the Minnesota Lynx in 2024. But as they took in the celebration of the Knicks’ first NBA championship in 53 years on Saturday night — Jonquel Jones from Soho, Breanna Stewart from her home in Brooklyn and coach Chris DeMarco from an outdoor projector in Park Slope — the contemplations started.DeMarco didn’t hesitate before saying “absolutely” when asked if he’s already thinking about his desire to recapture the Knicks’ championship magic in the fall.Stewart predicted “the city would be crazy” if the Liberty could follow the Knicks and give New York City WNBA and NBA championships in the same year. “Let’s talk about it in October,” she said.Jones said their 86-64 win over the Washington Mystics on Sunday afternoon, which clinched their place in the Commissioner’s Cup final, was a good place to start.“It’s a pretty high number of teams that go to the Commissioner’s Cup championship that play in the (WNBA) finals,” Jones said.The Liberty’s opponent has yet to be determined, though the Las Vegas Aces currently sit atop the Western Conference standings with two Commissioner’s Cup games remaining, one against the Dallas Wings and one against the Phoenix Mercury. Home-court advantage will be awarded to the team with the higher regular-season win percentage through all games up until Wednesday night (the last night of Commissioner’s Cup games).The Aces (10-3) currently hold the advantage over the Liberty (10-4) to host the in-season tournament championship on June 30.Since the league introduced the in-season tournament in 2021, one or both teams that played for the Cup title have gone on to compete for the WNBA championship three times — in 2022, 2023 and 2024. But the Liberty aren’t willing to foreshadow any future success.“It’s expected,” Satou Sabally said of the Liberty’s third Commissioner’s Cup berth in four years.Sunday was the Liberty’s seventh consecutive win, the longest active win-streak in the WNBA, and their first game with a clean injury report.Sabrina Ionescu returned to the rotation after missing seven games with a back injury and finished with five points, three rebounds and three assists in 26 minutes off the bench. She spent a considerable amount of time postgame getting treatment, but said she’s feeling “good.”“She was phenomenal,” DeMarco said. “You could feel her presence out there. But it’s hard sometimes when you’re out for a while, you come back trying to find your game and I thought it was really good decision-making from her.”The last time the Liberty faced the Mystics, in the first week of the season, they barely squeaked by with an overtime win. They played with two hardship players on their roster, Julie Vanloo and Aubrey Griffin, as they waited for Leonie Fiebich and Raquel Carrera to return from their overseas commitments, and for Ionescu, Sabally and Rebecca Allen to reach full health.Ionescu missed the Liberty’s first five games with a left ankle injury, and Sabally was sidelined with a cyst to start the season. Allen missed the Liberty’s first two games due to reconditioning.In Ionescu’s absence, rookie guard Pauline Astier has carried the load of leading the Liberty’s offense. She had six points, six assists and just one turnover Sunday afternoon. Ionescu certainly won’t be in a bench role long-term, but on Sunday it was a priority for her to ease into her return and also respect the chemistry that’s been developed by the starting group in her absence.Of that unit, Jones led the way with 20 points. Stewart added 14 points, 12 rebounds and a career-high seven blocks, and Fiebich and Marine Johannes contributed eight points each.“We’re feeling a little bit more complete as far as having our whole roster today,” Stewart said. “Now we’re starting to build. Beginning of the season, we were trying to work through some things and just get wins when we could. This is like our Day One.”Ionescu, similar to Stewart, watched the Knicks make history from the comfort of her own home. But the celebration was still audible. She is the Liberty’s cornerstone as the 2020 No. 1 pick and the player general manager Jonathan Kolb built their title team around.Witnessing the city’s reaction to the Knicks’ championship didn’t change the way Ionescu looks at the Liberty’s title pursuits, but it did bring her back.“If we keep playing the right way, taking it one game at a time, we’re kind of in control of our own destiny,” Ionescu said.This article originally appeared in The Athletic.New York Liberty, Washington Mystics, WNBA2026 The Athletic Media Company

Jul 17, 2024; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Eric Trump is seen on stage during a walkthrough before the start of the third day of the Republican National Convention at Fiserv Forum. The third day of the RNC featured a feature on foreign policy and threats. Mandatory Credit: Jasper Colt-USA TODAYAhead of Sunday’s UFC Freedom 250 event hosted by United States President Donald Trump on the White House’s South Lawn, UFC legend and current UFC broadcaster Daniel Cormier shared a since-deleted post on X that appeared to show direct messages from Eric Trump, the president’s son, asking about “rigged” fights ahead of Sunday’s event.While Cormier has since issued a denial of sorts on social media, Cormier’s post has been preserved in multiple screenshots and screen recordings, and multiple reputable UFC reporters claim to have seen the post before it was deleted.‘Are any of the fights tomorrow rigged?’On Sunday afternoon, Cormier reportedly posted and deleted what appeared to be a series of direct messages between himself and Eric Trump.“I’m probably going to get a lot of flak for bringing this to light, however I refuse to stay silent. The UFC is a sport that I am deeply passionate about I will not tolerate this type of insider behavior. Shame on anyone trying to ruin this beautiful event,” Cormier wrote in his since-deleted post on X.I’m a now deleted post by Daniel Cormier, Eric Trump DM’d him and asked him “are any of the fights tomorrow rigged?” #UFCWhiteHousepic.twitter.com/lNZMFXWQWJ— Sean O’Meowlly (@NeedMyNutsLickt) June 14, 2026In the messages, Eric Trump appears to ask Cormier for betting advice ahead of Sunday night’s UFC event, seeking inside information about potential injuries or Cormier’s predictions for the fights. When Cormier did not offer any insight, the messages show Eric Trump explicitly asking if any of the fights were rigged.“I’ll just cut to the chase. Are any of the fights tomorrow rigged? I’ve been eyeing the Lopes fight and I think an upset wouldn’t be too unrealistic. $$,” Eric Trump said in the messages shown in the since-deleted post from Cormier.The Post Was Seen By Several PeopleWhile the post has since been deleted, several reputable UFC reporters have confirmed that Cormier did indeed post the messages, including Ryan Frederick of Wrestling Observer and veteran UFC reporter Adam Martin.“Since I’ve gotten a few DMs about this — yes, the DC tweet was 100% real, I saw it myself. Others saw it. People screen captured it. DC tweeted and deleted it quickly, but people screen grabbed it fast, too. Wonder why DC deleted it. Someone got into his ear quickly, I guess,” Martin wrote in a post on X.Martin acknowledged that the messages seemed “a bit weird,” but stood by the fact that Cormier posted them on X before deleting the post.“I will say that the DMs from Trump were a bit weird. I do wonder if he got hacked and some hacker sent the DMs to DC. But DC’s post 100% was legit. He pulled the classic Jon Jones ‘tweet and delete’ move. Hopefully, he comments on this sometime tonight. DC didn’t do anything wrong BTW,” he added.Questions RemainWhile several reports confirm that the post did indeed come from Cormier’s account before it was deleted, it’s worth noting that nobody has been able to confirm the authenticity of the messages between Cormier and Eric Trump. So, at this point, plenty of questions remain.It’s not clear whether the screenshots that Cormier posted showed an authentic interaction with Eric Trump or Eric Trump’s X account. It’s not clear whether Cormier made the post himself or someone else accessed his account. It’s also not clear why the post was deleted.Cormier himself has not explicitly addressed the post, but he did make a post on X that seemed to resemble a denial of sorts.“Are people really this dumb?” he wrote in a post on X.It’s not clear whether or not Cormier is implying that he never made the post – which multiple reports confirm did indeed come from his account – or if he is claiming that his account was hacked by somebody else.UFC has not issued any sort of statement on the incident ahead of Sunday night’s event.The post Eric Trump appears to ask UFC legend about ‘rigged’ fights, since-deleted post shows appeared first on The Comeback: Today’s Top Sports Stories & Reactions.

DURHAM, NORTH CAROLINA - MAY 17: Infielder Tayler Biehl #2 of the Arizona Wildcats scores a run during the third inning of the game against the Duke Blue Devils on May 17, 2026 in Durham, North Carolina. (Photo by Alex Halloway/Getty Images) | Getty Images Tayler Biehl has long-term plans of becoming a nurse. That doesn’t mean the former Arizona softball shortstop can’t spend some time this summer playing in the AUSL. Biehl was announced as the latest addition to the Utah Talons out of the reserve pool on Sunday afternoon.hey Tay 🦅 pic.twitter.com/8h94kiaZUn— Utah Talons | AUSL (@AUSL_Talons) June 14, 2026Biehl spent four years at Arizona, primarily patrolling shortstop. Her range and athletic plays earned her Pac-12 co-Defensive Player of the Year honors as a sophomore in 2024. It was one of many honors she earned during her time as a Wildcat, despite being mostly a glove-first player for most of her time in Tucson.As a freshman, Biehl was a bit of a Swiss Army knife for head coach Caitlin Lowe. The team suffered numerous injuries in 2023, so Biehl not only played shortstop, but she also took over right field at times and was the back-up catcher. She was named to the Pac-12 All-Freshman team and earned the first of four NFCA All-America Scholar Athlete honors.During her sophomore year, Biehl’s defense made a huge impression on everyone who watched her, including opposing coaches. Not only did she share the final Pac-12 DPOY award with Oregon’s Paige Snicki, but she was also All-Pac-12 Third Team and CSC Academic All-District As a junior, Biehl’s honors primarily focused on her work in the classroom. She earned her third NFCA All-America Scholar Athlete award, her second CSC Academic All-District nod, and her first Spring Academic All-Big 12 honor.Biehl finally shook off the “glove-first” reputation in her final season. She ended with a .328 batting average, blowing by her previous high of .295 her freshman season. Her eight doubles were twice as many as her previous career high, which was set in 2023 and matched in 2024. She fell one shy of her career high for home runs in a season with five. Her .511 slugging percentage was 70 points higher than her previous high, which she set in 2024 as a sophomore.The achievements on both sides of the game earned her All-Big 23 First Team and NFCA All-District Second Team honors. She also received honors as the Big 12 Scholar Athlete of the Year for softball, CSC Academic All-District, and NFCA All-America Scholar-Athlete. The AUSL reserve pool provides players who can fill in when a regular member of a team has to be away for oversea or national team commitments. Biehl is one of there Wildcats who have made teams out of the reserve pool this season. Both catcher/utility Grace Jenkins and pitcher Jalen Adams were on opening day rosters out of the pool.That trio joins catcher Sydney Stewart as Arizona graduating seniors who made the AUSL this season. Stewart received a Golden Ticket to the draft and was selected by the Portland Cascade. Arizona has a total of eight players who graduated as Wildcats on rosters this season. Three more who spent at least half their careers at Arizona before transferring also made rosters.In addition to Biehl, Adams, Jenkins, and Stewart, former Wildcats Dejah Mulipola, Alyssa Denham, Taylor McQuillin, and Devyn Netz made rosters. Sharlize Palacios, who spent three years at Arizona before finishing her final two at UCLA, Bella Dayton, who spent two years at Arizona and two years at Texas, and Dakota Kennedy, who spent three years at Arizona and one at Arkansas, are also in the league. Arizona is represented on all six teams in the AUSL.