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In many ways, the most ambitious World Cup in history — which kicked off Thursday in Mexico City — has inspired more angst than anticipation, more fear than fervor.

The competition, returning to North America for the first time in more than three decades, has expanded to 48 teams and 104 matches, to be played over 39 days in 16 cities in the U.S., Mexico and Canada. The complex planning was eight years in the making.

Yet even before the competition opened with Mexico facing South Africa at the iconic Estadio Azteca, it has been marred by a number of controversies that threaten to overshadow the soccer and cloud the tournament’s legacy.

“I view this World Cup as the most politically combustible World Cup in recent history. And that’s saying something,” said Jules Boykoff, a political science professor at the University of Portland and author of eight books on the politics of international sport.

“We’re in uncharted territory in many ways.”

Relations between the host countries, once strong, have been strained by the Trump administration’s tariff policies and disagreements over border security. Travel bans have barred potential World Cup visitors — and even support staff and match officials — from entering the U.S. and others are fearful of making the trip, worried about ICE raids and immigration roundups.

The U.S. is at war with a tournament qualifier, Iran. And Iran has fired missiles and drones on Jordan, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, nations that also are World Cup participants.

The International Sports Press Assn. said Iranian and African journalists have been denied visas to cover games in the U.S., and Iran protested after more than a dozen members of its support staff had their requests to enter the U.S. rejected. The Iranians, who were forced to move their training base from Tucson to Tijuana, will spend limited time in the U.S. during group-play games that will take place in Inglewood and Seattle.

Players and journalists from Senegal, Uzbekistan and Iraq have been detained at U.S. airports for up to seven hours by immigration officials. Then on Monday, Omar Artan, a decorated referee and the first Somali official selected to work a World Cup, was turned away at Miami International Airport.

In addition, ticket prices have been so high and the lottery process for obtaining them so opaque, the attorneys general of New York and New Jersey have begun formal investigations into FIFA practices. Other states, including California, hosting tournament matches have begun asking questions as well.

All that has conspired to produce a World Cup that is struggling to catch on with the public. According to a recent poll by Yougov.com, a majority of Americans — 54% — say they are not at all interested in the tournament and nearly six in 10 say they will not watch any matches.

“People are just in a bad mood,” Boykoff said. “It’s a tough time.”

FIFA president Gianni Infantino remains optimistic, promising this will be “the biggest, the most inclusive, the greatest FIFA World Cup ever.” He made the same claim about the 2022 World Cup in Qatar and the 2018 tournament in Russia.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino speaks during a news conference on Wednesday before the start of the World Cup.

(Carl Recine / Getty Images)

“The World Cup should be understood as both a global sporting celebration and a major commercial enterprise, with these two dimensions being mutually enforcing rather than contradictory,” said Steve Georgakis, a lecturer on sports studies at the University of Sydney and a frequent author on soccer.

This year’s tournament is projected to swell FIFA’s coffers by nearly $9 billion and the TV ratings, it says, will be massive.

“Its universal appeal combined with the participation of 48 nations ensures that it remains a genuinely global sporting event,” Georgakis said.

Boykoff has his doubts.

“In this particular political moment, with the Trump administration being erratic and impulsive and needing a win from this tournament and the fact there’s so many moving parts geopolitically, I don’t have confidence that it’s just going to end up being a soccer-focused next five weeks,” he said.

This is not the first World Cup to kick off under some kind of black cloud.

The 1974 tournament in West Germany was tarred by the geopolitical fallout of the 1973 Yom Kippur War. Four years later Argentina’s military dictatorship used the World Cup to sportswash a “Dirty War” in which as many as 30,000 people were tortured, murdered and disappeared.

The 2010 and 2014 World Cups were troubled by cost overruns and delays in the construction of stadiums and other infrastructure and the threat of labor unrest while global outrage over human rights violations and discrimination against women and LGBTQ people hung over the last two tournaments.

Those issues never fully disappeared but were overshadowed by the brilliance of the soccer. Jonathan Wilson, a columnist with the Guardian and author of “The Power and the Glory: The History of the World Cup,” expects the same this summer.

“The other stuff will still be there in the background,” he said, “but fundamentally the football will, for the vast majority of people, take over. It’s just sort of a natural cycle.”

Argentina star Lionel Messi controls the ball during an international friendly against Iceland on Tuesday.

(Butch Dill / Associated Press)

And as with every World Cup, there undoubtedly will be unforgettable moments.

Argentina’s Lionel Messi and Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo, the top scorers in soccer history, will be playing in their sixth and final World Cups — Messi chasing a second straight title and Ronaldo pursuing the only prize that has eluded him.

Kylian Mbabbe will be trying to take France to a third consecutive final while young superstars like Erling Haaland of Norway and Lamine Yamal of Spain will be looking to put their mark on their first World Cups.

Four teams — Jordan, Curacao, Cape Verde and Uzbekistan — have qualified for the tournament for the first time.

And there will be other storylines no one saw coming, all of which will contribute to the narrative of this World Cup.

“Major sporting events have a way of capturing public attention and shifting the conversation toward what is happening on the field rather than off it,” Georgakis said.

How much the actions of the Trump administration affect that calculation remains to be seen.

There are travel restrictions in place that fully or partially bar citizens from 39 countries — including a number of World Cup participants — from entering the U.S. And the administration has said ICE and Homeland Security personnel will have a visible presence at World Cup venues, including SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, where the American team will begin play Friday.

“There will be federal agents,” confirmed L.A. County Sheriff Robert Luna, who added that he could not guarantee immigration sweeps would not take place. “ They told us that specifically would not be occurring,” he said. “Any of that’s subject to change.”

Mexico fans celebrate during a watch party at Plaza Mexico in Lynwood on Thursday.

(Kayla Bartkowski / Los Angeles Times)

The difficulty in obtaining visas and the fear of being rounded up by immigration agents are being blamed, in part, for less-than-expected tourist traffic. Hotel operators in all 11 World Cup host cities say bookings for the tournament are well below projections. Several countries have issued warnings about travel to the U.S.

Then there are the own goals from FIFA over tickets and parking prices as high as $900 at some stadiums, weather issues and a short-lived ban on water bottles.

FIFA has defended its policies on ticket prices by arguing that premiums are necessary to maximize revenue, which it will invest in global soccer development. Variable, market-based pricing, it said, simply reflects standard entertainment practices in North America. The organization did, however, reverse its ban on fans bringing bottles into games. Spectators are now allowed to enter stadiums with one soft, plastic 20-ounce water bottle.

And despite a warning from climate scientists that one in four World Cup games could be played in dangerously hot conditions, FIFA will start 40 of them at 3 p.m. or earlier local time, the warmest time of day, to accommodate European TV viewers.

Georgakis said the play on the field will have to overcome all those issues if this World Cup is to earn a favorable place in history.

“Ultimately the success of the World Cup will be judged by what happens on the field,” he said. “If the football is compelling, dramatic and memorable, the tournament will likely be remembered as a great World Cup. If the play falls short, then the off-field issues such as ticket prices, extreme heat, ICE enforcement activities, the Trump administration will receive great attention and could shape perceptions of the event.”

Erling Haaland swapped the football pitch for the ice rink as he and his Norway team-mates took in a Stanley Cup match.

The Norway contingent provided lively support for the Carolina Hurricanes in game five of the NHL play-off series against the Vegas Golden Knights on Thursday.

The Manchester City forward, who will make his long-awaited World Cup debut against Iraq on 16 June (23:00 BST), cut a relaxed figure at the Lenovo Centre in Raleigh, waving to the crowd when the Norway team appeared on the scoreboard screen and swinging a Hurricanes rally towel around his head.

Arriving at the game in a grey polo shirt, he was later filmed beaming in a white and red Hurricanes jersey emblazoned with the number nine – the same number he wears for both club and country.

The Hurricanes, targeting their first Stanley Cup crown for 20 years, lead the Golden Knights 3-2 in the best-of-seven series, completing a 4-2 regulation win in game five.

Norway are playing at their first World Cup since 1998 – and their first major tournament since Euro 2000 – and have already made a mark despite not starting their campaign until next Tuesday.

MEXICO CITY — FIFA president Gianni Infantino described Mexico City Stadium as a venue “blessed by the gods” and a “true cathedral of soccer.”

Azteca Stadium, as most people know it, is steeped in soccer history and is now the only venue to host three World Cup opening ceremonies. But the Mexican national team had never much World Cup success at the venue.

On Thursday, spurred on by most of the 80,824 fans in attendance and forwards Julián Quiñones and Raúl Jiménez, Mexico managed to defeat South Africa 2-0 and securing its first opening match victory.

Mexico opened the scoring in the ninth minute when Quiñones capitalized on a defensive error by South Africa and fired a shot down the middle, between the legs of goalkeeper Ronwen Williams. The striker, a top scorer in the Saudi Pro League, immediately ran off to celebrate with the bench, marking the first goal of the tournament. The crowd responded by throwing beer into the air.

Mexico continued to press with numerous chances in the first half, including another shot by Quiñones that hit the post and another great save by Williams, who was South Africa’s best player.

“We were far superior in the first half; we could have been up 3-0,” Mexico coach Javier Aguirre said.

South Africa was reduced to 10 men just as the second half began when Sphephelo Sithole brought down Brian Gutiérrez, who was heading toward the goal unmarked. Brazilian referee Wilton Sampaio showed a red card.

“We played well; there were moments when Mexico didn’t know what to do and our organization was very good,” said Hugo Broos, South Africa’s coach.

It seemed the match was going to be easier for the Mexicans with South Africa short-handed, but fans began to boo the Mexican players after they stopped attacking and appeared nervous.

Seeing his players’ lackluster performance on the field, Aguirre responded with substitutions: bringing on 17-year-old Gilberto Mora, a fan favorite, as well as Luis Chávez, to reshape the midfield.

Mexico’s Raúl Jiménez cries while hugging teammate Roberto Alvarado after scoring against South Africa in Mexico City on Thursday to open the World Cup.

(Natacha Pisarenko / Ap Photo/natacha Pisarenko)

“[It was] the start of the World Cup. It’s an intense atmosphere,” Aguirre said.

“In 25 games, we’ve never had players with cramps — today we had three. It was a very intense, emotional state. It shows that the setting weighed on them a little. Not on everyone.”

Shortly after the substitutions, Roberto Álvarado crossed the ball from the right to Raúl Jiménez, who headed it past South Africa’s goalkeeper, Williams, in the 67th minute.

South Africa was reduced to nine men after Themba Zwane struck Álvarado off the ball. After consulting the video assisted referee, the official gave Zwane a red card.

“I think you can accept the first red card,” said Broos. “I think the second one is debatable. It was a bit harsh on the referee’s part. We have two players who won’t be able to play in the next match.”

After the second red card, Mexico took its foot off the gas again and was met with whistles from the crowd, who were hungry for more goals.

Mexico and South Africa faced off in front of 80,824 fans at Mexico City Stadium, more commonly known as Azteca Stadium, on Thursday to open the World Cup.

(David Ramos / Getty Images)

Mexico’s César Montes was sent off in stoppage time for bringing down Khuliso Mudau outside the box as he was heading toward the goal.

With the win, Mexico leads its group with three points and waited to see the result of South Korea versus the Czech Republic in Guadalajara later Thursday. South Africa has zero points. Mexico’s next match is in Guadalajara on June 18 against South Korea, while South Africa faces the Czech Republic in Atlanta.

“We need the next three days to get over the disappointment and fatigue,” Broos said, before addressing his team’s mere two shots on goal. “We have to work on our offense because it wasn’t enough today.”

The match marked the debut of Mora, the youngest player in the World Cup.

“For his first game, he didn’t disappoint,” said Aguirre.

It would be fitting if Ireland’s first win in the T20 World Cup came against the Scots given they denied the Irish a place in the tournament two years ago as they pulled off a shock victory to reach the tournament for the first time.

Lewis said there was “major heartbreak” in the Ireland camp after that sore defeat that forced the squad to have to watch the World Cup from home.

Ireland are in a better place now and come into the tournament off the back of a productive Tri-Nations series in Clontarf where they beat both Pakistan and the West Indies.

“The series was a great success, we’ve got the results behind us. Confidence is high and that’s exactly what you want going into a World Cup,” Lewis added.

Lloyd Tennant’s side are ranked ninth in the world but are in a tough Group B which also has hosts England, holders New Zealand, Sri Lanka and West Indies alongside the Scots.

They will face all five sides with the top two in the group moving through to the semi-finals where they will face the top two from Group A.

Scotland won by 39 runs the last time the two sides met in Nepal in January and Lewis believes getting off to a good start in their first game is “massive” for Ireland in terms of momentum.

“There’s a big rivalry between us and them. They’ve probably got one up on us at the moment after beating us in Nepal. I think we’re looking good and we’re really excited for it.

“They’ve got a new addition in Kirsty Gordon [a former England spinner] which is a boost for them.

“If we get the win, then you never know against England.”

RALEIGH, N.C. — Andrei Svechnikov scored twice and Sebastian Aho added a second-period goal in a breakout game for Carolina’s top-line performers, helping the Hurricanes beat the Vegas Golden Knights 4-2 on Thursday night to move one victory away from the Stanley Cup.

Captain Jordan Staal added his fifth goal in the series on a night when Carolina overcame multiple hiccups from these playoffs, from a shaky power play to being outplayed in the second period of this series.

And there had been the waiting game for Aho and Svechnikov — two roster mainstays in an eight-year postseason run — to find a better offensive groove.

It all came together in Game 5, with Svechnikov’s short putaway at the post on the power play giving Carolina a 4-1 lead midway through the third period. And unlike most multi-goal leads in what has been a wild and thrilling series, this one held up, with Brandon Bussi finishing with 22 saves in his second career postseason start.

That gave the Hurricanes a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven series. Game 6 is Sunday night in Las Vegas, with the Hurricanes playing for the chance to hoist the Stanley Cup for the first time since coach Rod Brind’Amour captained them to the title in 2006.

It has been a tough series for Vegas goaltender Carter Hart.

(Karl B DeBlaker / AP)

Pavel Dorofeyev scored twice for Vegas, finding the net for the first time since Game 1 of the Western Conference Final sweep of Presidents’ Trophy winner Colorado. Carter Hart entered this one as the first goaltender in Stanley Cup Final history to give up at least four goals in each of the first four games, then did it again to continue a difficult series while finishing with 20 saves.

Vegas had twice before been in a 2-2 series in these playoffs, in the first round against Utah and the second round against the Ducks. Both times, the Golden Knights won Game 5 and then closed out the series in Game 6.

This time, they’ll have to win on home ice to force the series back to Carolina for a Game 7 on Wednesday night. And they’ll have to take two in a row against a Hurricanes team that hasn’t suffered consecutive losses since mid-January.

Vegas played much of the night without center William Karlsson, who was being checked out on the bench for an apparent upper-body injury. Karlsson skated to the tunnel midway through the second period and didn’t return.

The lord of the rings works behind a nondescript door in a Beverly Hills office building, not far from the UCLA campus where he once sold hair clips and trinkets from a folding table. Jason Arasheben was $28,000 in debt back then, running low on options. Now, eight of the past 11 NBA champions have worn his jewelry on their fingers.

Super Bowl winners have his rings, too — the Rams, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Philadelphia Eagles and the Seattle Seahawks, whose players opened their ornate jewelry boxes at a private team party Thursday night to find the prize every NFL player covets.

The Seahawks ring, large as a child’s fist, is encrusted with 20 carats of white diamonds and blue sapphires. It’s a miniature Lumen Field, featuring the hawk-head logo and two Lombardi Trophies. The top lifts off and converts into a pendant. Inside is a cowhide segment of a game-used football. Twelve flags on the sides nod to the “12th Man” fan base; one is a secret button — push it and the arches pop out to reveal the words “World Champions.”

A look at the Seattle Seahawks’ Super Bowl ring celebrating their 2025 season championship.

(ONROPE studios; Jason Arasheben)

Even the box performs. Three tiny spotlights shine on the ring as it rotates on a mechanical platform. Each weighs about a third of a pound.

“It’s a memento to a certain period of time,” said Arasheben, who concedes the rings are closer to trophies than wearable jewelry. He competes for ring contracts with Tiffany & Co. and Jostens, both much larger operations. “It celebrates this time that these players and these fans will remember forever.”

His rings appraise for $50,000 to $250,000, though the market can push them higher. In 2024, Kobe Bryant’s 2000 Lakers ring sold at auction for $927,000, the highest price ever paid for an NBA title ring, topping Bill Russell’s 1957 ring at $705,000.

Beverly Hills jewler Jason Arasheben is

(Ric Tapia / For The Times)

NFL franchises typically order two or three times what NBA, NHL or MLB teams request — as many as 3,000 rings in four quality tiers. Lower-level employees might get cubic zirconia instead of diamonds. A limited number of fan versions are available at smaller scale and lower price. Arasheben always builds two extra into his contract so each of his sons can have one.

A career in luxury jewelry was never the plan. He grew up in Granada Hills and Calabasas; his Iranian father and Norwegian mother envisioned a doctor, lawyer or engineer. At UCLA, he found himself more interested in bars than books.

“I was $28,000 in debt because I enjoyed going out far too much, like every other college student,” he said.

One day he tagged along with a friend to the wholesale district downtown and had a flash of inspiration. She was buying plastic hair clips and silver trinkets by the dozen. He figured he could sell them to girls on campus.

He pitched the idea of a folding table to the university, which agreed when he offered to split the profits. He bought $400 worth of tchotchkes. One table became two, then six locations across Southern California campuses.

Then came the motherlode. He built acrylic display cases holding 30 to 40 pieces and drove from Agoura Hills to San Diego, stopping at every nail salon he could find, splitting the profits with owners who let him put a case on the counter. By his senior year, he had agreements with roughly 350 salons and was clearing $25,000 to $30,000 a month.

After college, as a regular on the L.A. nightclub scene, Arasheben built relationships with professional athletes and celebrities. He would go home and sketch chain designs for players he’d met, knowing nothing about the jewelry industry.

“Finally, an NBA player said, ‘Why don’t you come to my hotel room tomorrow before we play the Lakers and bring all the jewelry you have? I’m going to buy something from you,’” said Arasheben, describing an encounter with the late Anthony Mason.

Problem was, he had no jewelry. He spent the night cutting pictures from magazines and downloading images to create a makeshift catalog, then promised Mason a custom $40,000 necklace. Mason put down $20,000.

Arasheben went downtown, knocked on doors and found somebody to make it for $37,000. A new business was born, growing by word of mouth. Eventually he had four employees and a small office downtown, outsourcing most of his work.

Through his friendship with Jim Buss, son of owner Jerry Buss, Arasheben landed the contract to make the Lakers’ 2009 championship ring. It was a mad scramble. He and his employees slept in sleeping bags on the factory floor the final two weeks of production.

“We delivered the very last player ring 20 minutes before the ceremony began,” he said. “The ring ceremony was on national television, and can you imagine if they had to announce the rings weren’t ready? My career would have been over before it started.”

He made the Lakers ring in 2010, too, and five years later — through relationships with several Golden State players — produced four championship rings for the Warriors.

Tom Brady saw LeBron James’ ring during the 2020 offseason and convinced the Buccaneers to go with Arasheben.

A lot of Arasheben’s rings have James Bond elements such as secret compartments or special elements. The top comes off the miniature SoFi Stadium on the Rams ring, for instance, and the field below is made of a melted-down patch of the actual artificial turf. The World Series ring of the Texas Rangers features a tiny circle of leather from a game-used baseball.

He first incorporated a special feature in the 2018 Warriors ring, when a star player objected to a blue face and wanted white, only weeks from delivery. Arasheben devised a mechanism allowing the face to switch colors.

Jason Arasheben poses with some of the sports championship rings he has crafted over the years.

(Ric Tapia / For The Times)

“We started getting a lot of championship ring contracts after that,” he said. “Because we took it to a new level and showed some ingenuity. We wanted to be innovative.”

Push a button on the Eagles’ ring and wings pop out on the sides. Arasheben came up with that idea while shopping for a Buzz Lightyear toy for his nephew.

Buzz, too, has wings that pop out.

“I thought, ‘I can do that for the Eagles, but with amazing gold and diamonds,’” he said.

He will put a proposal together to make the medals for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. Then there’s the one that got away.

“We lost out on the L.A. Dodgers,” Arasheben said. “They went with a company based in Canada instead of the hometown team, which broke my heart. But you know, that’s part of the business. You take your lumps.

“But I’ll still pitch. Every year, I pitch.”

In 2017, Pierluigi Collina was appointed as Fifa’s new head of referees and it heralded a very different era.

Collina often takes about how decisions should serve as justice – for both teams.

Players should stay on the field unless they have done something which truly deserves a red card.

For instance, under his stewardship the law around denying a goalscoring opportunity (Dogso) when a penalty has been awarded have been hugely relaxed. It is now very difficult to get a red card.

So it should be no surprise that the 2018 and 2022 World Cups saw just the four red cards after he took over.

Refereeing at the start of a tournament often seem to sets the tone. Should we be drawing any conclusions from this match?

In his pre-tournament briefing, the Italian was focused on timewasting and general player behaviour.

There was no talk of a hard stands which should result in a huge spike in red cards.

Sometimes red cards are simply justified. Well, most of them anyway.

Sithole’s dismissal for fouling Brian Gutierrez was a simple decision for referee Wilton Sampaio.

The Mexico attacking midfielder was through on goal. Sithole may not have meant to bring him down, but he did. There was no doubt the South African had denied his opponent a clear goalscoring opportunity.

The second dismissal was much more controversial, given to Zwane on a video assistant referee review for violent conduct.

Zwane tussled with Roberto Alvarado, with the Mexican going to ground holding his head.

It looked like a coming together off the ball, but the referee was sent to the pitchside screen by the video assistant referee (VAR), Colombia’s Nicolas Gallo.

As Sampaio was shown the replays at the monitor it was difficult to make out what had happened.

Was there really a hand to the head? And if so, was it accidental or did he swing the arm?

When assessing violent conduct, the VARs are told to look for a clenched fist as a sign of aggression. This does not have to be present, but it is an indicator.

Zwane appeared to connect with an open hand to the side of Alvarado’s head, not with a closed hand.

It looks exceptionally harsh, and not the kind of clear and obvious decision VAR as introduced for.

Or maybe this is exactly the kind of thing Collina had told his referees and VARs to look out for, falling into the category of poor player behaviour.

Collina has brought in red cards for players who cover their mouths in confrontations, and those who leave the field in protest at a decision. He also wants goals disallowed for blocking on set-pieces.

Perhaps the actions of Zwane fall into this sort of category, a way for Collina to try to reduce the dark arts within the game.

Scotland midfielder Scott McTominay was not on the team bus as it arrived at their hotel in Boston after missing Thursday’s training session because of an upset stomach.

The Napoli player, who has been the Scots’ leading man in recent campaigns, was part of the group as they travelled from their base camp in Charlotte.

However, the 29-year-old made his own onward journey with a doctor in what is believed to be a precautionary measure.

Steve Clarke’s side get their first World Cup in 28 years under way when they face Haiti on Saturday evening (Sunday 02:00 BST) at Boston Stadium in Foxborough.

They will also face Morocco and Brazil in the group stage.

McTominay, who has scored 15 goals across 70 caps, found the net in Scotland’s convincing 4-0 win over Bolivia on Saturday.

Scotland fans, who have been flooding to Boston in huge numbers, will be anxious for an update from Clarke who is due to address the media on Friday.

Speaking at Thursday’s media conference, fellow midfielder Kenny McLean said of the situation: “Hopefully that doesn’t spread. Fingers crossed Scott will be fine. I’m sure he will be.

“I don’t need to speak too much on him, everyone knows how big he is.

“It’s a team effort and always will be, but when you have special, special players like that you want them to be available. I’m sure he will be.”

Rubio, who also had spells as assistant manager at Crystal Palace and West Ham, felt Jimenez fully deserved such a moment after what he has been through.

“After his head injury it took a bit of time to get back into the career,” said Rubio.

“There were not just medical concerns, but also would he be the same killer in front of goal? His application is tremendous, he is a lovely guy, his family are beautiful and very supportive and that has helped him.

“He is a very family person. He is a big player but never acts like one and he is very humble and I’m delighted for him.

“It was life-threatening injury and I felt scared for him. At that moment he was doing so well, he was at the top of his career and it was very difficult.”

But Jimenez’s determination has led to him scoring 68 Premier League goals in 233 appearances. Even now, he still needs to wear a reinforced headband to protect himself from further injury.

“Having known him I could see why he has been able to get back on to the pitch [after the injury] and get back into his form,” added Rubio. “He is a fighter. I worked with him in his last year at Wolves. There were doubts, even with himself, that he was going to get back into it and that last year at Wolves was a challenging year for him.

“But there were no doubts for me personally, I always knew he would get back into it. I’ve worked with many top professionals and you can see he has the resilience and has a lovely family supporting him.

“Everyone there [at Wolves] loved him, the whole club wanted him to do well and the whole club was invested for him to get back so it was very emotional, not only because of his career, but also because he is such a loving character.

“He was so invested in the club, the city and his family felt like it was home, that’s why I feel they will be delighted to be going back there.”

But, before Jimenez will be back in the West Midlands, he has further chances to score more World Cup goals in his home country, with Mexico already in a strong position to advance into the knockout rounds.

When manufacturers begin to design new boots – a process that can start up to two years before release – they often consult trend forecasters such as WGSN to learn which colours, themes and styles are likely to be ‘in’ when the product eventually hits the shelves.

But there are other factors as to why pink has been a hit in football.

Of course, players are far more open to wearing extravagant boots than previous generations.

But the simple reason the companies have hit upon pink is because of how it contrasts with the green of the pitch.

It stands out whether you are watching on television, at the stadium, or scrolling on your phone.

The pink boot shows up if you are looking at slow-motion clips, or watching under stadium lights.

In a nutshell – it is highly visible.

But the irony may be that, with so many manufacturers arriving at pink, perhaps it is more difficult for their designs to stand out?

This article is the latest from BBC Sport’s Ask Me Anything team.

Too popular, too strong and a deep domestic league is a problem Rouet would love Canada to have.

“The fun part with the [Canada] girls being in PWR is the quality of games,” he added.

“If you look at the top eight in the PWR, even Bristol, who are last, have six wins.

“There are no easy games, and this is the value for the players definitely.

“But off the pitch, the [Canada] girls have to live as students. They are not well paid, Rugby Canada doesn’t provide them enough money and their visas don’t allow them to work on the side.

“So, PWR is very helpful, but it’s also not sustainable for them to do that for 10 years.

“Also the only reason this PWR is the best of the leagues is because there are players from six, seven, eight countries that play in England.

“Those young English players who aren’t centrally contracted, have to grind to get game time. That is not bad for them. It’s the same for the senior Canada players when they come to a PWR club.”

Those Canada players and their colleagues will get three shots at England, and revenge for their World Cup final defeat, this autumn. They meet the Red Roses in Exeter on 19 September, before home fixtures in Toronto and Ottawa on 17 and 24 October.

Canada will have big crowds, but, with players scattered across continents and Rugby Canada’s focus switching to the men’s side and Australia 2027, short preparation time for those games.

“That’s the reality of our programme – we have to just be confident, but also be mindful if we don’t beat England, that’s OK,” said Rouet.

For Saracens, expectations are higher. They finished the PWR’s regular season strongly.

Gloucester-Hartpury, the three-time defending champions, didn’t.

The ‘Circus’ is in danger of falling flat after defeats by Ealing Trailfinders and Bristol Bears in their final two games.

Saracens take on Exeter this Sunday in the semi-finals and Rouet and his team are determined to put on a show of their own.

“We have a duty to try to promote the women’s game and part of that is playing fast rugby that is exciting, fun and beautiful to watch,” he added.

“We have great players at Saracens, players who love to take initiative, take an option, read the game as well as respect the structure. They love to do that, maybe I just try to empower them to do so.”

He can build bridges, but Rouet also hopes to destroy dynasties.

Serena Williams opted to let Nike break the news about her pro tennis comeback at age 44 in two slick commercials. The abrupt end to her doubles foray at the HSBC Queen’s Club Championships was more muted.

Williams’ playing partner Victoria Mboko injured her left knee in a fall during a singles match Wednesday. The turn of events restricted Williams’ return to tennis to one match, a 7-6(2), 6-2 victory with the Canadian teenager over No. 3 seeds Erin Routliffe and Nicole Melichar-Martinez.

Shed no tears for Williams. She pivoted quickly and will partner with Czech tennis star Karolína Muchová in doubles at the grass-court WTA 500 Berlin Open next week.

“Every tournament I add to my schedule right now feels special, and Berlin is no exception,” Williams said in a statement. “I’m excited to compete in front of the German fans and continue building momentum throughout the grass-court season.”

Another commercial by Nike, her collaborator and business partner of more than two decades, probably isn’t necessary. Williams’ announcement that she would play for the first time since the 2022 U.S. Open came via a pair of clips from the athletic footwear and apparel conglomerate.

One was captioned “good news travels fast.” Talk about buzzy. Her phone makes all sorts of sounds while she’s working out on the court, ending with the text: “Guess everybody heard the news,” and her saying, “I gotta change my number.”

The second is even zanier, a bit with LeBron James and Nike executives pitching a film called “The GOAT’s Goodbye” to Williams, who wants none of it because she still wants to play. James says to the suits, “You’re gonna have to find someone else,” and Williams walks onto the court with racket in hand.

Tagline: “The GOAT’s back.”

For now, her comeback is open-ended. Wimbledon begins June 29 and Williams has not indicated whether she will play. She has 14 titles in the prestigious tournament, six in doubles, one mixed doubles and seven in singles.

Asked shortly after her lone doubles victory at the Queen’s Club why she returned to the tour after a hiatus punctuated by the birth in 2023 of her second child, Adira River Ohanian, Williams shrugged.

“I don’t know, I had nothing better to do,” she said with a smile. “I got tired of sitting at home. My kids are out of school for the summer, so why not?”

Every morning, Harvard-Westlake tennis player Chase Klugo’s house shakes like it’s in the middle of a small earthquake. His alarm clock, a big and bulky machine that’s Bluetooth-connected to the house’s fire alarm, rattles his room until he finally shuts it off.

Klugo’s moderate-to-severe hearing loss requires hearing aids to navigate life, a daily reminder that he isn’t like his teammates. Instead of forgetting his sneakers or a racket at home, Klugo might mistakenly leave without his hearing aid’s batteries.

He also worries about the California state government more than his SATs, college enrollment or his future in tennis matches, despite Harvard-Westlake winning the 2026 CIF Southern Section Division 1 boys tennis championship.

In Sacramento, Gov. Gavin Newsom is negotiating with the legislature to pass the 2026-27 budget by a June 15 deadline. Klugo wants to add language to the budget to include hearing aid coverage — an idea that, despite bipartisan support, has stalled on Newsom’s desk multiple times.

“It’s been instilled in me since I was young that it’s important for not only yourself to thrive, but your community to thrive,” Klugo said, sitting in his family’s house in the San Fernando Valley. “I find it insane how someone can be denied one of their five senses, and not only one of their five senses, but one of the most important senses that you could possibly have.”

Off the court, Klugo is quieter, more reserved. His coach at Harvard-Westlake, Robert “Bo” Hardt, described him as a 45-year-old man trapped in a 17-year-old’s body. Hardt reminds Klugo to go to parties and enjoy his high school experience, but it’s the furthest thing from Klugo’s mind.

Instead, he does community outreach for the about 20,000 deaf or hard-of-hearing children in the state whose hearing aids are not covered by their insurance. He works with Michelle Marciniak, the founder of Let California Kids Hear, to share his story.

California’s current $30 million plan, the Hearing Aid Coverage for Children program, had just 314 active participants as of April. The $6,000 out-of-pocket cost every three years of hearing aids can force some parents into debt or to delay or skip treatment, Marciniak said.

An insurance mandate would decrease the taxpayer money spent on the HACCP, reducing the number of children who need the program’s assistance. Instead, more private insurance companies would cover costs associated with hearing aids for children and young adults under 21-years-old, she said.

Harvard-Westlake tennis coach Robert “Bo” Hardt described Chase Klugo as a 45-year-old man trapped in a 17-year-old’s body.

(Courtesy of Harvard-Westlake)

Newsom has cited concerns about the precedent of adding requirements to California’s affordable care act insurance and raising prices for those who don’t need the hearing aid coverage, favoring expanding the state-funded program instead, according to Cal Matters.

Let California Kids Hear and Klugo have been steadfast in their response that insurance costs would be minimal and the state program falls far short of fulfilling needs throughout the state. Thirty-five other states require coverage of children’s hearing aids — through a state mandate for all insurers, their affordable care act insurance or both.

Klugo is persistent for a reason. Those most affected by any legislation can’t knock on state representatives’ doors or write letters to Newsom, he said. Deaf and hard-of-hearing children are more likely to achieve a high quality of life personally and professionally when hearing concerns are identified and intervened with before they’re 6 months old, according to the World Health Organization.

Children who don’t receive treatment for hearing loss are more likely to be at risk for developmental issues in speech perception, language, cognitive and social skills, according to the World Health Organization’s 2021 world report on hearing.

“These babies, they can’t tell their stories about what’s actually happening. I’m sure the parents are obviously furious and they can advocate, but they don’t have that experience of what it’s like to actually firsthand experience it,” Klugo said. “So I think it’s my job to do that.”

Marciniak has worked with hard-of-hearing teenagers like Klugo to spread awareness for nearly a decade.

“It’s a really heavy weight,” Marciniak said. “Every single person, every single year has supported this. It’s not a red, it’s not a blue issue. This is about a child’s ability to hear, and it shouldn’t be dependent on their zip code or their family’s income.”

“It haunts me.”

Tennis has been Klugo’s outlet to release the weight he feels on his shoulders sometimes, he said. An overflowing duffle bag of tennis balls sat by the front door, the only chaos in a tidy house. Klugo’s parents — Karen, a former tennis player in high school, and his father, a Penn State swimmer — each carried the genes that could lead to hearing loss. Neither, though, was affected.

Karen first found out about hearing loss when Klugo’s older sister failed a routine newborn auditory test. Klugo did, too. The family adapted to its new normal, and Klugo and his sister enrolled in athletic programs.

Still, Klugo’s hearing loss couldn’t be brushed away. In fourth grade, he was reading a book and had turned off his hearing aids. He only realized something was wrong when he looked at his teacher, whose face was drained. He looked around. All his classmates had pushed in their chairs, and he was the only one left in the classroom in the middle of a fire drill.

Not every situation is life-threatening, but most that Klugo encountered in school required self-advocacy. Sure, teachers needed to talk louder, especially when they turned around and Klugo couldn’t read their lips. But he also needed his friends to be more patient. Sometimes it took one or two times to understand what they were saying.

When the family moved from Ohio after his freshman year, Klugo’s self-reliance helped elevate the tennis team. In return, Klugo joined a built-in support system.

“He’s intense, but he’s good, and they respect the way he works, and that rubbed off on a lot of the team, too. It’s like a pro in his practice habits and his work,” Hardt said. Take his doubles teammate Aaron Chung, for instance. Chung speaks in a low, hushed tone, but to accommodate Klugo, he becomes a bit louder — though not too loud to give away their attack plans to their opponents.

“I told him that you got to speak up, because I’m not gonna be able to hear if it’s super loud and you’re very quiet,” Klugo said. “He’s typically a pretty quiet person too on the court, which has been cool to see him transform a little bit. He’s been doing a great job helping me out.”

After Chung and Klugo huddle, they line up on the court like two halves of the same body, moving in tandem as the balls ricochet off rackets. It’s a flow of squeaking of tennis shoes and the pitter-patter of the ball hitting the concrete court until either Klugo or Chung scores. The same teenager who drafts op-eds to send to places like the Times plots his next battle attack.

When either of the two scores, Klugo releases a full-chested yell in celebration, and they slapped hands, a rhythm that repeats until the sets are over, until the game is over. From a distance, his mom watches in the shade on the benches. His dad paces in the background.

Every so often, the sun catches on the small, clear wires of Klugo’s hearing aids. Otherwise, they’re shielded from the sun under his white baseball cap and his curly hair.

Klugo’s teammates help out with more than winning sets. Klugo’s Bluetooth alarm clock isn’t portable, and the hotel alarms ring too softly for him to hear. He can’t sleep in his hearing aids. The device will completely block the ear canal and cause a low buzzing noise that makes drifting off hard. So, when Harvard-Westlake travels, one of his teammates wakes him.

Klugo wears his hearing aids while competing, but even then he might miss something. Karen has watched her son accidentally miss his opponents saying something as he turns to get a stray ball.

Nonetheless, Klugo’s leadership as a junior on the team makes him a leading team captain candidate next season, Hardt said.

On the court, the well-spoken, thoughtful Klugo sheds any semblance of the person who takes time to answer questions and lists off numbers about hearing loss.

But, tennis doesn’t change who Klugo is, Karen said. The sport only amplified his personality.

“It’s helped me be a better person off the court,” Klugo said. “On the tennis court, too. It’s a game of who’s going to be better on that day, and I feel like the person who wants the most and is advocating the most for themselves is going to end up winning.”

Everything you need to know about the World Cup

From Kevin Baxter: After a break of more than three decades, the FIFA World Cup returns to North America where it will be shared by the continent’s three countries, the U.S., Mexico and Canada. It will be the largest and most complex tournament in history, with 48 teams playing 104 games in 16 cities over 39 days.

But it hasn’t been without its controversies. High ticket prices and exorbitant transportation and parking fees have angered fans and drawn the attention of politicians and state attorneys general. Visa restrictions have blocked residents from four qualifying nations from entering the U.S. and fear of immigration agents has discouraged fans of other countries from coming.

For the U.S. and Mexico the goal is to get beyond the quarterfinals, the high-water mark for both countries in the modern era. Canada, meanwhile, will play in its third World Cup looking for its first win.

Click here for complete TV schedule, groups and players to watch

With eyes of world on Mexico City, El Tri kicks off 2026 World Cup against South Africa

Emotional, creative protests rise up in Mexico City ahead of historic World Cup opener

FIFA President Gianni Infantino pleas for patience, urges people to relax amid backlash

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World Cup referee, denied entry to U.S. because of suspected ties to terrorists, hailed in return to Somalia

Dodgers lose to Pirates

From Maddie Lee: For the first time this season, Shohei Ohtani watched his manager walk out of the dugout to pull him mid-inning.

On a humid night at PNC Park, in a 9-8 loss, Ohtani pitched into the seventh inning against the Pirates. But Brandon Lowe’s two-out, two-run double cut the Dodgers’ lead to three.

And as manager Dave Roberts gathered the Dodgers infield around him, Ohtani made the long walk to the dugout, pushing up his cap to wipe the sweat from his brow on the way.

“Just the last couple at-bats, I wish I got some calls my way,” Ohtnai said through interpreter Wil Ireton, after giving up three runs in 6 ⅔ innings Wednesday. “But just didn’t turn out that way. And that’s the part that I wish I could have been able to change a little bit.”

Ohtani’s performance was enough to leave the mound with the lead, which the Dodgers bullpen surrendered. But in a near-flawless season on the mound, it was his worst start of the year.

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Dodgers box score

MLB standings

Angels defeat the Astros

Jose Siri hit a game-winning single in the 10th inning, Mike Trout and Logan O’Hoppe homered, and the Angels beat the Houston Astros 3-2 on Wednesday night.

Angels starter Reid Detmers retired his first 15 batters before Shay Whitcomb homered leading off the sixth. Chase Silseth replaced Detmers to begin the eighth and gave up a leadoff homer to Cam Smith that tied it 2-all.

Houston nearly took the lead in the ninth. Yordan Alvarez singled with two out and Christian Walker followed with a double that appeared to score Alvarez. But the Angels challenged the safe call at home plate and it was overturned following a replay review.

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Angels box score

MLB standings

Details on next Oly ticket drop

From Thuc Nhi Nguyen: LA28 reserved the first Olympic tickets for locals. To kick off the second round of ticket sales, it’s a sponsorship connection that could help fans get to the front of the line.

Before the second Olympic ticket drop officially begins Aug. 10, LA28 announced Wednesday there will be a presale for Visa cardholders that will run from July 29-31.

Visa has sponsored the Olympics for 40 years and is the only credit card accepted for payment in Olympic zones. For a chance to be selected for the presale, fans need to first confirm their status as a Visa cardholder. Fans who have already registered can log into their existing LA28 ticket account, check the “Visa presale box” and save changes. New registrants must select the Visa cardholder option during the registration process. All ticket sales during the presale must be completed with a Visa credit card.

Fans can register for the second ticket drop at tickets.la28.org until July 22. Those who already registered for Drop 1 but weren’t selected or didn’t purchase their full 12-ticket allotment do not have to sign up again and are automatically entered into the lottery for Drop 2, which will run from Aug. 10-20.

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New Kings coach discusses his philosophy

From Liana Handler: When Kings’ new head coach Peter Laviolette took a tour around the Los Angeles area, he thought he was only going to get a one-bedroom home with a view of the water. His children, though, piped in: “Make sure you get a four-bedroom,” Laviolette remembered his three children saying.

During Laviolette’s time away from the sport, the 61-year-old traveled to Scotland and watched his son play in the East Coast Hockey League. The time away has given Laviolette time to rethink his coaching, and after 30 years of coaching, including 23 as a head coach in the NHL, he’s bringing a trident approach to reshape culture and win games. Centering a hockey family is one part.

“For me, there’s three real important pieces,” Laviolette said. “First, build a family inside the locker room, inside the organization. Secondly, to really work to try and build the culture to get players and organizations to think about the choices they make and how that can affect the culture. And then the third part is the actual game on the ice, just making sure that every day from the start of training camp we work at the game.”

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Sparks defeat the Storm

Nneka Ogwumike scored a season-high 24 points against her former team, Kelsey Plum added 19 points and 11 assists, and the Sparks beat the Seattle Storm 88-83 on Wednesday night.

Ogwumike, who spent the last two seasons in Seattle, also grabbed nine rebounds to move into fourth on the WNBA career list, passing Rebekkah Brunson.

Cameron Brink added 15 points off the bench and Dearica Hamby grabbed 10 rebounds for the Sparks (6-6) in the Commissioner’s Cup game.

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Sparks box score

WNBA standings

NBA Finals Game 4

The New York Knicks made a record comeback from 29 points down and moved to the brink of their first championship since 1973 by beating the San Antonio Spurs 107-106 on Wednesday night.

OG Anunoby tipped in the miss of Jalen Brunson’s long three-point attempt with 1.2 seconds remaining to complete the rally, giving the Knicks a 3-1 lead in the NBA Finals and three chances to win the title.

It looked impossible early, when the Spurs rolled to a 27-point halftime lead. But Brunson helped bring the Knicks back with 36 points and Anunoby finished with 33.

Game 5 is Saturday night in San Antonio.

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Game 4 box score

This day in sports history

1898 — Willie Simms becomes the only Black jockey to win the Preakness Stakes when he rides Sly Fox to victory and the only one to have won all three Triple Crown races. Simms’ other Triple Crown wins: Kentucky Derby (1896, 1898), Belmont Stakes (1893, 1894).

1919 — Walter Hagen wins the U.S. Open with a one-stroke playoff victory over Michael Brady.

1919 — Sir Barton, ridden by Johnny Loftus, captures the Belmont Stakes to become thoroughbred racing’s first Triple Crown winner.

1921 — Grey Lag, ridden by Earl Sande, wins the first Belmont Stakes run counterclockwise. Previous Belmonts were run clockwise over a fish-hook course that included part of the training track and the main dirt oval.

1938 — Ralph Guldahl wins golf’s U.S. Open for the second straight year by beating Dick Metz.

1949 — Cary Middlecoff wins the U.S. Open by beating Sam Snead and Clayton Heafner.

1955 — Nashua wins the Belmont Stakes with Eddie Arcaro in the saddle. It’s the sixth Belmont victory for Arcaro, tying Jimmy McLaughlin’s record.

1977 — Seattle Slew, ridden by Jean Cruguet, runs wire to wire in the Belmont for a four-length victory over Run Dusty Run and the Triple Crown.

1978 — Nancy Lopez shoots a record 13-under par to win the LPGA Championship by six strokes over Amy Alcott.

1982 — Larry Holmes stops Gerry Cooney in the 13th round for the WBC heavyweight title at Las Vegas.

1984 — The Boston Celtics beat the Lakers 111-102 in Game 7 to win their 15th NBA title.

1992 — Tracy Austin, 29, is youngest inductee of International Tennis Hall of Fame.

1994 — For the first time in 11 years, the United States loses in the women’s world basketball championships. Guards Hortencia and Paula combine for 61 points, and Brazil stuns the defending champions 110-107 in the semifinals.

2006 — Se Ri Pak beats Karrie Webb on the first playoff hole to win the LPGA Championship. Pak atones for a three-putt bogey on the 18th hole in regulation that set up the playoff.

2006 — Rafael Nadal wins his second consecutive French Open, beating Roger Federer in four sets. Nadal spoils Federer’s bid for a fourth consecutive Grand Slam championship and extends his record clay-court winning streak to 60 matches.

2011 — Texas A&M sweeps the men’s and women’s titles at the NCAA outdoor championships, becoming the first school to post dual three-peat champions. Villanova’s Sheila Reid becomes the first woman to win the 1,500 and 5,000 meters at the same NCAA meet.

2012 — Rafael Nadal wins his record seventh French Open title, returning to Roland Garros to defeat Novak Djokovic 6-4, 6-3, 2-6, 7-5. It’s Nadal’s 11th Grand Slam title, tying him on the all-time list with Rod Laver and Bjorn Borg, who won six French Open titles.

2012 — The Kings win their first NHL championship, defeating the New Jersey Devils 6-1 in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final.

2017 — Rafael Nadal wins his record 10th French Open title by dominating 2015 champion Stan Wawrinka 6-2, 6-3, 6-1 in the final. No other man or woman has won 10 championships at the same major in the Open era, which began in 1968.

2017 — Stanley Cup Final: Pittsburgh Penguins defeat Nashville Predators, 2-0 for 4-2 series win; Penguins back-to-back champions.

2022 — Charl Schwartzel hangs on to beat fellow South African Hennie Du Plessis by a stroke to win the inaugural LIV Golf Invitational event at the Centurion GC, Hertfordshire; pockets massive $4.75 million for the victory.

2023 — French Open Men’s Tennis: Novak Djokovic beats Casper Ruud of Norway 7-6, 6-3, 7-5 for his men’s record 23rd Grand Slam singles title.

Compiled by the Associated Press

This day in baseball history

1904 — Bob Wicker of the Chicago Cubs pitched 9 1/3 hitless innings before Sam Mertes of the New York Giants singled. Wicker won a 1-0, 12-inning one-hitter.

1938 — Johnny Vander Meer hurled the first of two consecutive no-hitters, and the Cincinnati Reds beat the Boston Braves 3-0.

1967 — The Chicago Cubs hit seven homers and the New York Mets four in the second game of a doubleheader, tying the major league record set by the New York Yankees (6) and Detroit Tigers (5) in 1950. Adolfo Phillips hit four home runs in the doubleheader for Chicago.

1981 — Following Seattle’s 8-2 win over Baltimore, major league players went on strike.

1985 — Von Hayes became the first player in major league history to hit two home runs in the first inning. Hayes connected twice in a nine-run first, powering the Philadelphia Phillies to a 26-7 victory over the New York Mets.

1988 — Rick Rhoden of the New York Yankees became the first pitcher since the inception of the designated hitter (1973) to start a game as the DH. He was seventh in the lineup and grounded to third out in the third inning and drove in a run with a sacrifice fly. Jose Cruz pinch-hit for him in the fifth of the 8-6 win over Baltimore.

1990 — Nolan Ryan pitched the sixth no-hitter of his career to extend his major league record, and the Texas Rangers beat the Oakland Athletics 5-0. Ryan, 43, was the first to pitch no-hitters for three teams and the oldest to throw one.

1995 — Lee Smith set a major league record with a save in his 16th consecutive appearance, pitching a scoreless ninth inning to preserve the Angels’ 5-4 victory over Baltimore. Smith broke the mark of 15 straight set by Doug Jones in 1988.

2002 — Jared Sandberg became the 16th AL player to homer twice in an inning, and the third this season, when Tampa Bay beat the Dodgers 11-2.

2003 — Houston’s Roy Oswalt, Pete Munro, Kirk Saarloos, Brad Lidge, Octavio Dotel and Billy Wagner combined for the first no-hitter against the New York Yankees in 45 years, winning 8-0. The sextet set a record for the highest number of pitchers to throw a no-hitter in major league history — four accomplished the feat twice.

2010 — Andy Pettitte records his 200th win in pinstripes in the Yankees’ 4-3 win over Houston at Yankee Stadium. Whitey Ford (236) and Red Ruffing (231) are the only other members of this exclusive New York club.

2012 — The Cubs sign Cuban defector Jorge Soler to a nine-year contract worth $30 million. The 20-year-old outfielder was the subject of a bidding war among several teams.

2013 — The Dodgers and Diamondbacks engage in a beanball war. The hostilities start when D-Backs pitcher Ian Kennedy hits rookie Yasiel Puig in the head with a fastball in the 6th inning. The ball hits his nose, and he stays on the ground for a few minutes but stays in the game; Andre Ethier follows with a tying two-run homer. In the top of the 7th, Dodgers pitcher Zack Greinke hits the first batter, Miguel Montero, in the back, prompting both benches to empty, although only stares are exchanged. Then, in the bottom of the inning, Kennedy throws a pitch near Greinke’s head, and pandemonium breaks out, with both benches and bullpens emptying again, and players and even coaches going at each other. When order is restored, Puig and coach Mark McGwire are ejected for the Dodgers, and manager Kirk Gibson and coach Turner Ward for the D-Backs. Incidentally, the Dodgers win the game, 5-3. Major League Baseball will hand out eight suspensions and twelve fines as a result of the events, with Kennedy getting a ten-game suspension and Eric Hinske of the DiamondBacks getting five; both managers are suspended for one game, and two for the two coaches.

2017 — Max Scherzer of the Nationals records the 2,000th strikeout of his career, beating out Clayton Kershaw, who reached the milestone less than a week ago, as the third fastest pitcher to the mark.

2017 — Rookie sensation Aaron Judge hit two more home runs, including a drive that cleared the distant bleachers at Yankee Stadium and sent New York romping past Baltimore 14-3. The 6-foot-7 Judge led the majors with 21 homers and topped the AL with 47 RBIs and a .344 average.

2022 — Jared Walsh hits for the cycle and Mike Trout blasts a pair of homers as the Angels defeat the first-place Mets, 11-6. Walsh is the 9th player in team history to achieve the feat, almost exactly three years after teammate Shohei Ohtani was the last to do so, while Trout appears to be out of the deep slump that contributed to recent 14-game losing streak, costing manager Joe Maddon his job.

Compiled by the Associated Press

Until next time…

That concludes today’s newsletter. If you have any feedback, ideas for improvement or things you’d like to see, email me at houston.mitchell@latimes.com. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.

This is the fourth year of the LA Card Show, and my, how it has grown.

The venue has grown larger and bolder with each year, beginning at the Mayan Theater in 2023. The Intuit Dome held the event in 2024 and Dodger Stadium in 2025. This year’s show will take place this weekend at the L.A. Convention Center West Hall.

Roughly 700 collectibles vendors are expected, almost double the number at Dodger Stadium. Food and drink will be available and the card show is open to all ages.

Pokémon cards and items continue to be the most popular to trade and purchase, according to show officials. All sorts of sports collectibles will be plentiful, with Shohei Ohtani — unsurprisingly — the most popular card, and card grading will be available on-site.

“More than just a card show, it is a cultural event built around the art of collecting,” LA Card Show co-founder Adam Derry said.

Trading Card Game (TCG) deck-building is increasingly popular, with players competing in games such as “Magic: The Gathering” using cards that represent spells, monsters and resources. Comic collectibles will also be traded and sold.

Other attractions include activations with the Clippers, Kings, Sparks and LAFC, and fashion and streetwear from HYPLAND, Holiday, Vandy The Pink and Research Vintage.

The card show will take place from 10 am. until 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday with VIP access at 9 a.m. A two-day general admission pass is $50 (VIP $100), with one-day passes $30 (VIP $50). Ages 8 and younger are free.

In 2024, Evans sacrificed the 500 ranking points he had won at the Washington Open the previous year to partner fellow Briton Andy Murray for his final tournament at the Paris Olympics.

The pair lost in the quarter-finals in what was the last match of Murray’s illustrious career.

“Representing Great Britain in both Davis Cup and the Olympics remains the greatest honour of my career and something I will cherish for the rest of my life,” added Evans, who played 28 Davis Cup ties for Great Britain.

Evans, who was suspended for a year after testing positive for cocaine in 2017, thanked his family for their “unwavering support through every high and low”.

“I’m looking forward to finishing on a high… and giving everything I have one last time,” he said.

Wimbledon starts on 29 June, although Evans would have to go through qualifying or receive a wildcard to play in the main draw.

He has failed to advance through qualifying at the past three Grand Slams, while he received a wildcard for last year’s Wimbledon.

The tournament’s wildcard committee will meet on Tuesday to decide which players they would like to invite into the main draw.

The world of influencer boxing takes another surreal turn on Saturday when former World’s Strongest Man Eddie Hall faces reality television star and professional boxer Tommy Fury in Manchester.

The heavyweight contest at the AO Arena is understood to be an exhibition bout, meaning it will not count towards either fighter’s professional boxing record.

It is scheduled for six two-minute rounds, bringing together two Britons from entirely different worlds.

The event is promoted by Misfits and is the latest example of a boxing show that increasingly blurs the lines between professional sport, entertainment and social media celebrity.

Fury’s professional resume includes high-profile victories over influencers-turned-boxers KSI and Jake Paul.

He insists his ambitions remain tethered to world-title aspirations. In reality, however, the 27-year-old has cemented himself as the poster boy for the influencer boxing boom.

Hall, 38, headlined what was billed as ‘The Heaviest Boxing Match in History’ in 2022 against rival Hafthor ‘Thor’ Bjornsson.

After losing to the Icelander in the exhibition bout, Hall transitioned into MMA and scored a knockout victory over fellow former strongman Mariusz Pudzianowski last year.

The undercard perhaps best illustrates the unusual crossroads at which modern boxing now finds itself.

Sharing the bill is social media personality ‘The Ibiza Final Boss’, real name Jack Kay, who became an internet sensation in 2025 after videos of his confident dancing, distinctive bowl haircut and gold-chain-wearing persona went viral on TikTok.

Also appearing on the card is two-time Olympic taekwondo gold medallist Jade Jones.

Staff at Molineux have been stunned by the decision which also blindsided Rob Edwards and his coaching team.

Technical director Matt Jackson was given the job of dismissing Edwards just weeks after saying they were united.

His “if there isn’t alignment here, we’re dead in the water before we start” comment at the fans’ Q&A last month could come back to haunt the club.

Edwards called Wolves a mess and had been working to change the culture of the club and squad but that blueprint will now be ripped up.

There was no flashpoint but it is a ruthless decision taken by the club, one which was made above Jackson, with executive chairman Nathan Shi and owners Fosun unconvinced by Edwards.

Yet midfielder Andre signed a new deal while Kieran Trippier and Raul Jimenez have joined on free transfers. A large part of the three committing their future to Wolves was because of Edwards.

He left Middlesbrough to join Wolves in November when they were second in the Championship and five points behind leaders Coventry.

He was planning another promotion assault and this time had a better squad and would have been backed financially, so why sack him now?

Wolves had been planning for the Championship since January, a strategy was in place and there appeared to be clear thinking.

Edwards did only win three Premier League games and there were doubts from the fans but it did at least feel the club was finally on the same page.

It cost Wolves close to £4m to bring him and Watling to Molineux from Boro and it will not be cheap to pay them off.

Reported replacement Cesar Peixoto, currently manager of Gil Vicente in Portugal, will also cost money.

He is a client of Jorge Mendes’ Gestifute agency – who have a close relationship with Wolves owners Fosun.

Peixoto has never managed outside of the country and would come into one of the toughest leagues in Europe.

That does not mean he cannot be a success but it is a gamble Wolves desperately need to pay off.

Additional reporting by Dan Wheeler, BBC Sport, West Midlands

Mark Connolly has been appointed Derry City director of football after his decision to call time on his playing career.

Connolly left Derry to link up with former Candystripes boss Ruaidhri Higgins at Coleraine in January.

The Clones-born defender, 34, started his professional career at Bolton before spells at Crawley Town, Kilmarnock and Dundee United, where he won the Scottish Championship title in 2020.

He joined Derry in 2022 following a loan stint at Dundalk and helped the Brandywell club win the 2022 FAI Cup.

“I am delighted to rejoin the club in a new role and I can’t wait to get started,” said Connolly.

“I look forward to working with Tiernan [Lynch, manager] and everyone at the club to help create an environment where players, staff and the academy can thrive.”

Coleraine boss Higgins said Connolly “had a great influence on the group” during his time at the Showgrounds as the Bannsiders won the Irish Cup for the first time since 2018.

“He probably didn’t play as much as he would’ve liked towards the end, but his high level of professionalism remained the same,” said Higgins.

“Mark has been exemplary with me and my staff throughout our years working together at Derry City and Coleraine.

“Naturally at 34-years-old, you think about what’s next in your career and this new role at Derry City is a brilliant opportunity for him.

“I’m not surprised he’s been offered that role as he has all the characteristics to be a success. We wish him the very best of luck in the next stage of his career.”

Derry City sit sixth in the League of Ireland Premier Division standings and host Bohemians on Friday (19:45 BST), a game that can be watched on the BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport website and app.

MEXICO CITY — The Mexican national team will kick off the 2026 World Cup against South Africa on Thursday with the weight of entertaining 83,000 at iconic Azteca Stadium and soccer fans around the globe.

The match at the venue known as Mexico City Stadium during the World Cup will kick off at noon PDT and air on Fox and Telemundo.

Once the ball starts rolling, the stadium’s altitude — 7,216 feet above sea level — will be one of the biggest assets for the Mexican lineup led by coach Javier Aguirre.

It will be Mexico’s eighth opening match in a World Cup, and El Tri carries a historical burden. It has never won a tournament opener, with a record of 0-5-2, including a 1-1 draw against South Africa in the opening match of the 2010 World Cup in Johannesburg.

Mexico coach Javier Aguirre directs his players during a friendly against Australia on May 30 at the Rose Bowl.

(Kyusung Gong / Ap Photo/kyusung Gong)

Aguirre will likely deploy the 4-3-3 formation he used during Mexico’s final warm-up match against Serbia.

“We’re ready; we’ve been working for 22 months,” said Aguirre, 67, who took the reins of the national team on Aug. 1, 2024, following Jaime Lozano’s failure at that year’s Copa América, when Mexico was knocked out in the group stage.

Since his arrival, Aguirre has led the team to its first Concacaf Nations League title and the Gold Cup. Mexico enters the tournament on an eight-game unbeaten streak, though several of those results came against lower tier opponents and at home. The two most encouraging highlights of that streak were the draws against Belgium and Portugal.

“If my teams are known for anything, it’s for their character,” Aguirre said. “My team is just like me.”

The starting goalkeeper position remains a topic of debate, but it appears Aguirre has already made his decision. Guillermo Ochoa, who will be playing in his sixth World Cup with Mexico, is considered by many to be the ideal experienced goalkeeper to use during the opener, when nerves are sure to be high. However, Raúl Rangel has been the starting goalkeeper during Mexico’s past three warm-up matches, playing the full 90 minutes each time.

Rangel, who was 10 years old when Mexico tied South Africa in the opening match of the 2010 World Cup and who fondly remembers El Tri’s victory over France that tournament, is confident between the posts.

Mexico could turn to veteran goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa to calm nerves during the World Cup opener on Thursday.

(Ronaldo Bolanos/Los Angeles Times)

“We’re in great shape; we proved it against Portugal and Belgium, two teams that are among the world’s elite,” said Rangel, who noted that Ochoa has instilled a sense of calm in the team.

“I do believe we can be champions. We have to start keeping that in mind and believe that it’s possible. Not everyone can boast that they played in a World Cup on home soil.”

The Mexican team’s lack of elite club experience, however, is obvious and could be a problem. El Tri has few players in top-tier leagues and lacks game-changers on the wings, as Diego Lainez, Uriel Antuna and Hirving Lozano were left off the final roster. Offensive output is a cause for concern. In tight matches, goals have come mainly from defenders, with César Montes and Johan Vásquez being the primary threats on set pieces.

The commitment to youth appears to be a key factor in Aguirre’s approach to building the roster. Mexican American Brian Gutiérrez brings freshness and dynamism to the midfield, alongside Erik Lira’s energy. As an option off the bench, Aguirre could turn to 17-year-old Gilberto Mora, the youngest player in the tournament, who is sure to draw cheers from the crowd.

For his part, South Africa’s 74-year-old head coach, Hugo Broos, knows the Azteca Stadium well, having marked Maradona during the 1986 World Cup semifinals. To acclimate his players to the altitude, he held training camp in Pachuca, at an elevation of 7,979 feet.

“This game is special. I’ve played in European championships, but there’s nothing like a World Cup. And we’re going to play at the Azteca Stadium — it’s incredible that this is going to happen,” Broos said.

South Africa coach Hugo Broo talks with Nigeria’s players during a World Cup qualifying match against Nigeria in Bloemfontein, South Africa, on Sept. 9.

(Themba Hadebe / Associated Press)

He expects to be challenged by Mexico.

“They’re a very well-rounded team, with great mobility and teamwork,” Broos said of El Tri. “You can tell they want to be world champions.”

South Africa will pose a real threat with Mbekezeli Mokoena driving the midfield and the speed of Oswin Appollis and Relebohile Mofokeng on the wings. The team’s main weakness lies in finishing, as Lyle Foster is their only striker, and if he doesn’t perform well, the South African side will suffer.

“We can’t say we don’t have a chance against Mexico, because that’s not true,” said Broos about his team, which is ranked 60th in FIFA rankings and will tangle with a Mexican squad ranked No. 14.

Pregame entertainment will kick off at 10:30 a.m. PDT with performances by Shakira, Burna Boy, Maná, J Balvin, and Alejandro Fernández. As a new ceremonial feature, all 26 players from each team — starters and substitutes — will participate in the ceremony by lining up around the tournament’s central emblem on the field, rather than in the traditional pregame formation.

The match is expected to be played in the rain. Protests are expected around the stadium throughout the day, including demonstrations by the teachers’ union and groups representing the families of missing persons.

The 52 clubs involved have outlined in the letter an agenda they hope to discuss at the meeting with the FA.

Among the issues they raise are:

The letter asks that the FA is bound by a notice period to agree the meeting and confirm an agenda, which is believed to be between seven and 14 working days.

Anthony Shaw, operations manager at Hashtag United FC, pulled the 52 clubs together and signed the letter on their behalf.

All clubs were listed. Among them were Middlesbrough, Derby County, Halifax, Doncaster Belles and Hull City.

Former Women’s National League chair Carol West has strongly opposed the proposals, writing on social media: “The damage being done here should not be underestimated. I can’t quite believe it’s being allowed to happen.

“The overriding issue with all of this is that the vast majority of clubs do not want PGA (Professional Game Academy) teams in their league but have repeatedly been denied their democratic right to vote to formalise this once and for all.

“Instead, they’ve been told it’s happening regardless which isn’t right.”