Sports Headlines

The 2026 World Cup hasn't officially kicked off yet, but Tuesday's final qualifying matches brought us plenty of excitement and drama that made the day feel like a World Cup day. All four UEFA playoff matches were either decided by a goal or in penalty kicks. Four-time World Cup champion Italy was among the eight European nations looking to secure its bid for the 2026 World Cup, but the Azzurri […]

Tyler Reddick said if he won Martinsville, it would be the end of the world, since he struggles at that track. The driver who won four of the first six Cup races didn’t win Martinsville. Instead, the sport’s most popular driver did. That moved Chase Elliott up in the standings. But Reddick stayed put and that's at No. 1. Here are my power rankings as the series heads into an […]

This summer's 2026 FIFA World Cup will be the largest in the history of the tournament. We'll have 48 teams in what should be an epic edition of the best sporting event on the planet. This World Cup will be hosted across three countries – the United States, Mexico and Canada. And elite squads like Brazil, Spain, France and England will be here. Not to mention Argentina (led by Lionel […]

MARIETTA, Ga. — As he settled into his podium seat for Monday’s packed pre-match press conference inside the sprawling and pristine training facility of MLS side Atlanta United, U.S. men’s national team coach Mauricio Pochettino cut a businesslike figure. The Argentine answered the first dozen or so questions matter-of-factly, displaying little sign of the charm that endeared him to fans of clubs across Europe — including the all-world squads like […]

MARIETTA, Georgia — Chris Richards knew the question was coming. And when he heard it, he smiled. "Tell us about your knee — what’s going on there?" a reporter asked Monday ahead of the U.S. men’s national team’s training session. The Crystal Palace center back missed Saturday’s 5-2 defeat to Belgium because of a knee issue. USA manager Mauricio Pochettino said in the days beforehand that Richards arrived at training […]

Clearly, we can extrapolate a lot from the first few games of a season. Remember last year when the Brewers started 0-4 with a minus-32 run differential, and then they…uhh, they did what, now? Led all of Major League Baseball in wins? Look, it’s deflating to start a season winless (as the Giants, Diamondbacks, Rockies, Athletics and White Sox have), and it feels more exciting winning the first three games […]

What’s fascinating to me about college football is the cyclical nature of the sport. We’ve seen the sport transition into a new era, especially with the Big Ten winning three national championships. Now, the Big Ten’s dominance seems set to carry into the NFL Draft. When I put together my top 50 players for the 2026 NFL Draft, I came to the conclusion that it’s likely that the SEC’s run […]

The NFL is moving forward with plans to begin hiring and training replacement officials in the next several weeks because negotiations with the referees’ union have been unsuccessful, two people with knowledge of the discussions told The Associated Press. Both people spoke on condition of anonymity Sunday because the conversations are private. The league and the NFL Referees Association have been negotiating a new collective bargaining agreement since the summer […]

Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta) — Walking the streets of Georgia’s stately capital on Saturday, shortly before the United States men’s national team’s World Cup warm-up against Belgium, the excitement among the home team’s fans was palpable. Under a cloudless sky, supporters of all ages wore those swanky new USA jerseys and ear-to-ear smiles. Inside "The Benz," a packed house of nearly 67,000 danced in the stands and mugged for the Jumbotron […]