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The World Cup final is often a star-studded affair – and now this summer’s edition will have some of the biggest names in music joining the festivities. FIFA announced that the tournament’s final on July 19 will have a halftime show that will feature Shakira, Madonna and BTS with the show curated by Coldplay frontman Chris Martin. Shakira is set to release the official song of the World Cup, “Dai Dai,” later Thursday. The July 19 match will take place at New York New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, with the halftime show aiming to raise funds for the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, an initiative working to provide access to quality education and football for children worldwide. The 48-team tournament will begin June 11 and will be co-hosted by 16 cities spread across three countries – Canada, Mexico and the United States. Mexico opens up the tournament on June 11 against South Africa in Mexico City, and will have opening ceremony headliners that include Alejandro Fernández, Belinda, Danny Ocean, J Balvin, Lila Downs, Los Ángeles Azules, Maná and Tyla. An opening ceremony in Los Angeles on June 12 ahead of the USA’s opener against Paraguay will feature music acts like Katy Perry, Future, Anitta, LISA, Rema and Tyla. Canada’s opening match against Bosnia and Herzegovina in Toronto on the same day will feature performances by Alanis Morissette, Alessia Cara, Elyanna, Jessie Reyez, Michael Bublé, Nora Fatehi, Sanjoy, Vegedream and William Prince. 2026 FIFA World Cup: How To Watch The World Cup will run from June 11–July 19, 2026. Spread across three countries, the tournament will culminate with the final on July 19 at New York New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. All 104 tournament matches will air live across FOX (70) and FS1 (34) with every match streaming live and on-demand within both the FOX One and the FOX Sports app. A record 40 matches, more than one-third of the tournament, will air in prime time across FOX (21) and FS1 (19). The opening match on June 11 between Mexico and South Africa (3 p.m. ET) will stream for free on Tubi, as well as the USA’s opening match against Paraguay on June 12 (9 p.m. ET).​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

Dodger Stadium (Los Angeles) — Weeks of frustration turned into a sense of relief and, finally, a moment of levity Tuesday for Shohei Ohtani, who jokingly asked his teammates in the dugout for the home-run ball after he went deep for the first time since April 28. Lately, even brief spurts of joy and frivolity have come sparingly for the Los Angeles Dodgers during their extended offensive funk. On Tuesday, those moments were fleeting again as the Dodgers lost for the fourth straight day and the ninth time in their last 13 games. But Ohtani, who entered the night 4-for-38 over his past 11 games, reached base three times and ended his long-ball drought. Leading off the third inning, he took a sinker off the outer edge from San Francisco Giants starter Adrian Houser the other way with a 105.9 mph liner off the bat for a 398-foot home run. Amid the offense’s larger struggles, manager Dave Roberts felt like it might have been a turning point for his scuffling slugger, even if Ohtani couldn’t stop the spiral for the rest of a dormant lineup that has scored two runs or fewer over the past 13 games. If the two-way superstar hopes to build on his encouraging performance at the plate, though, it will have to wait. The Dodgers plan to give the four-time MVP a breather, holding him out of the lineup for the next two games amid his prolonged slump. “The pros are, taking the hitting part off his plate, letting his body recover a little bit as far as being a two-way player for a couple days, playing more of the longer view, potentially giving him a reset on the offensive side,” Roberts explained Tuesday afternoon, before Ohtani’s breakout night. “The con is just not being able to write his name in the lineup at the top of the order.” After already informing the player of his plan, Roberts wasn’t swayed by Ohtani’s slump-busting two-hit game. “I don’t like the bait and switch,” Roberts said. “To go back on a pact, a decision, that we came upon, or I came upon, I don’t like that.” The plan is for Ohtani to only pitch on Wednesday, marking the fourth time in his last five starts on the mound that he won’t be in the lineup. Ohtani is then expected to get Thursday off, too. When or if that happens, it will be the first time in Ohtani’s tenure with the Dodgers that he’ll be held out of the lineup in consecutive games despite being available to play. Ohtani is expected to be available to pinch-hit late on Thursday, but Roberts hopes that the superstar takes advantage of the extra rest and shows up a little later to the field. “For me, with any hitter, when the quality of at-bat starts to go down consistently, I think that’s a telling sign there needs to be a break,” Roberts said. Roberts told me that Ohtani hasn’t expressed that he’s dealing with fatigue, but it seems like it might be a factor in his at-bats of late as he assumes full two-way duties for the first time since 2023. Beyond the dip in surface-level numbers, Ohtani’s bat speed is down a tick from last season. He’s posting his lowest hard-hit rate since 2020, and his chase rate is the highest it’s been in the past six years. “I think the fatigue is bleeding into the mechanics,” Roberts said. “I think that most players get that towards the end of the summer. And now I’m learning, managing Shohei, it has probably shown itself a little earlier as far as the tax on pitching and all that comes with it to the hitting, too.” Dodgers pitching coach Aaron Bates told me that if Ohtani is dealing with any fatigue, it might be more mental than physical. If Ohtani is tired, Bates reasoned, he wouldn’t still be trying to steal bases, as he has done four times in his past 14 games. Bates believes Ohtani is capable of handling this workload. Roberts maintains that he is, too, but also acknowledged that the plan the Dodgers had for Ohtani before the season is “fluid” and requires reading and reacting. “We have an opportunity to do things the way we feel are best for him,” Roberts said. “So, no one thought it was gonna be easy. No one thought it was gonna be linear.” On the mound, Ohtani looks like a Cy Young contender. He has a 0.97 ERA and has gone at least six innings in each of his six starts. At the plate, Ohtani’s downturn is one of many problems for a Dodgers’ offense that ranks 18th in runs scored, 20th in home runs and 21st in slugging since April 18, a span of 23 games. But it’s a significant one. Even after his two-hit performance Tuesday, Ohtani is batting just .200 with two home runs over his last 17 games. His .796 OPS is the lowest it’s been through his team’s first 42 games since 2022. After going hitless in just 25.9% of his games last year, he has done so in 41% of his games this season. His 17 RBIs are also his fewest ever to this point of a season, and his seven home runs are his fewest through his team’s first 42 games since 2020. Often, Bates said, Ohtani’s misses are the same as they were last year, where he’s chasing balls in the dirt or hitting them too far out front and rolling over. “He would just mix in the homers between the misses,” Bates explained. “So, when you’re not necessarily hitting the homers, the rockets, the doubles, and you have the same misses, it looks probably worse than it is.” Ohtani has been adamant that he doesn’t think his pitching is impacting his hitting, but he has acknowledged that it’s more difficult in this current role to devote the time necessary to fix his swing when something is off. He has to keep his health at the forefront, which means balancing his workload and monitoring his repetitions while also trying to perform his Herculean tasks. Over the past week, for instance, he has hit on the field multiple times before games, a tactic he only tries when he’s searching for something at the plate. But he has had to work that batting practice around his bullpen sessions in preparation for his start on Wednesday. “It’s always a juggling act,” Bates said. “It’s just bandwidth, I think, pitching and hitting full season now. And also last year, he was doing really well when he started layering the pitching in, so you kind of had the hitting on, not autopilot, but he knew where he was at and what he wanted to do. I think this year, combining both those with the shortened spring training and the WBC, it’s been a lot of factors.” Tuesday was a giant step in the right direction, but it didn’t alter the Dodgers’ strategy. They still plan to hold him out of the lineup the next two games, according to Roberts, who did not express any concern that the decision might halt Ohtani’s positive momentum. “I just can’t take for granted what’s on his plate, so I’m trying to be sensitive to that,” Roberts said. “I’m learning that you have to be proactive because he’s always going to want to do more. He always has that sense of responsibility to his teammates that he wants to be out there both ways.”​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

What’s better than watching INDYCAR? Watching INDYCAR and winning money! You can partake in the best of both worlds while watching Indy 500 qualifying on May 16 and 17 with our free-to-play FOX Super 6 game. How do you play? Enter the Indy 500 qualifying contest by predicting the correct answers to six questions before qualifying starts on Saturday for your shot to win cash prizes. Fans can watch the action across the FOX family of networks (FOX, FS1 and FS2). All you have to do is finish in the top six to win a prize. It really is that simple, and again, it’s free. Remember, the quest for the Indianapolis 500 pole is as exciting as many automobile races. Who will win the pole Sunday to lead the field across the yard of bricks on May 24? Who will have to climb their way through the field? Oh, if you want to know how qualifying works, here’s some extra insight. And if you need a little help before heading to the app to make your picks, I have you covered this week. Read below for my thoughts on this weekend’s exciting Indy 500 qualifying event! 1. Which driver will earn the BEST INDY 500 STARTING POSITION? No. 5 Pato O’ Ward, No. 27 Kyle Kirkwood, No. 2 Josef Newgarden, No. 26 Will Power Power is the all-time leader in poles but has just one top-10 starting spot in the 500 in the last six years. Newgarden has one in the last six and Kirkwood has never started better than 11th. O’Ward has started in the top 10 in each of the last four years. And he’s in a Chevrolet, which still looks to be a little bit stronger. Prediction: O’Ward 2. Rank by avg. 4-lap speed (fastest to slowest) during full field qualifying on Sat 5/16 No. 10 Alex Palou, No. 7 Christian Lundgaard, No. 12 David Malukas, No. 28 Marcus Ericsson Palou is fast everywhere but Malukas is in a Penske Chevrolet, which likely will be stout. Ludngaard struggles a little on ovals. Ericsson has won one Indy 500 and some would argue he should have at least two. Prediction: Palou, Malukas, Lundgaard, Ericsson 3. Which group includes the POLE WINNER for the Indy 500? Palou, Lundgaard, EricssonO’Ward, Malukas, DixonNewgarden, Kirkwood, McLaughlinNone of the above This still very well could be a Team Penske weekend, so Malukas, Newgarden and McLaughlin will be strong. But do you ever bet against Palou anywhere at any time? Why, yes you do. Prediction: Newgarden, Kirkwood, McLaughlin 4. Which team will earn the BEST TWO COMBINED INDY 500 STARTING POSITIONS? Team PenskeArrow McLarenChip Ganassi RacingAndretti Global This whole bit is starting to have a Penske theme to it. But you can never count out Palou and Dixon at Ganassi. Beyond Pato O’Ward, don’t count on McLaren to be so strong that they certainly get more than one car in the final nine. Andretti Global is also possibly a tick behind when it comes to qualifying here. Prediction: Chip Ganassi Racing 5. Predict David Malukas’s starting position for the Indy 500 1-4, 4-8, 8-12, 12-33 Malukas qualified seventh in a Foyt car last year, so a top-four starting spot surely isn’t out of the question. He was 13th and 23rd when racing for Coyne. Prediction: 1-4 6. Will Alex Palou earn a TOP 3 STARTING POSITION for the Indy 500? Yes or No Palou hasn’t started in the top five in the last two years at Indy. But he was on the pole in 2023 and the front row in 2022. Prediction: Yes (but more likely third than first)​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

Indianapolis Motor Speedway (Speedway, Ind.) — Katherine Legge has a huge challenge ahead of her. Doing “the double” is no easy task. Scrambling to do the double is even more difficult. Doing both races with teams that don’t race full time makes it even a bigger mountain. But at 45 years old — 10 years older than any other driver who has attempted the double — Legge knows it could be now or never to compete in the Indianapolis 500 and NASCAR’s Coca-Cola 600 in Charlotte on the same day. Only five drivers, and no woman, has ever competed in both. Only one has completed all 1,100 miles. “I’m excited, but I’m also a little apprehensive,” Legge said told me and other reporters Wednesday morning prior to Indy 500 practice. “It’s going to be a lot of driving. … I’m trying to figure out what I’m going to eat. I’m going to be hungry. All the things. How am I going to stay hydrated?” Legge, who consulted with Kyle Larson as Larson attempted the double the past two years, said the program came together in just the last week and as of Wednesday morning, they were still making final plans on helicopters and planes for her to compete in both the May 24 races. She should qualify for both events as neither likely will have more entries than spots available. She will have to fly to Charlotte on May 23 after the Indy 500 drivers meeting to practice and qualify the Cup car, then back to Indianapolis that night and then scramble from the end of the Indy 500 (approximately 4 p.m. ET) for the start of the Coke 600 (engines fired likely around 6:10 p.m.) with the trip likely taking at a minimum of 80 minutes. The fact she shouldn’t have to sweat qualifying should allow her to breathe a little bit more easily as both her HMD Motorsports team (as part of a partnership with A.J. Foyt Racing) for the Indy 500 and the Live Fast Motorsports team for the 600 don’t race full time in their series. “I knew that at some point in time, it would be something that we looked at doing, but I didn’t anticipate it being this year,” Legge said. “It’s a very cool opportunity that kind of came up — obviously Indy was first [to get done] and there was a lot of talk about it, and we thought, ‘Well, why not? It might be the only opportunity I get.’ “It might not be, but I might as well take it while the iron’s hot. It’s one of those really cool things that not many people get to do.” Only one of the five drivers — Tony Stewart — has finished on the lead lap in both races on the same day. That would be a tough ask for Legge, especially in the Cup car, as Live Fast typically doesn’t finish on the lead lap on 1.5-mile ovals such as Charlotte. Some of the attempts have been stymied by weather. Legge said the Indy 500 is the priority that day. But obviously she wants to accomplish the feat of both races. “The first thing is to finish both races,” Legge said. “I’m hoping to have a good result in Indy. Charlotte? It will be my first time there in a Cup car. I’m still relatively new on an oval. So to finish that race would be a result.” With sponsorship from e.l.f. Cosmetics, Legge knows that her double attempt will be scrutinized as her being the first woman to do it. “I always say, I just want to be a race-car driver, and it doesn’t matter whether I’m black, white, female, male, whatever it may be,” Legge said. “I think I’m probably getting the opportunity to do this because I’m female, so that does not escape me, and I’m very grateful for it.” The British driver is the first non-American to attempt the feat, which she said is cool. And I do think there was another factor on whether she would ever get the chance to do this again as well as how she performs. What about her age? “Sssshh,” she said with a laugh when I mentioned her age. “I think I’m as fit as I’ve ever been. I don’t think that should factor into it. “I’m just lucky that I am getting the opportunity to do it while I still have a career and I’m not too old and decrepit to do these things.”​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

Every four years, the world stops. Offices empty. Bars fill up at 9 a.m. Nations hold their breath over a piece of leather and 22 men. Every team will dare to dream in the spirit of the tournament, but there are only a select few teams that have a realistic shot of going all the way in the 2026 FIFA World Cup. With a historic 48 teams competing across Canada, Mexico and the United States for one trophy, the competition is as heated as ever. Here are the five sides who actually have a shot at winning it all: France is the undeniable juggernaut going into the 2026 World Cup. Its manager, Didier Deschamps, is often labeled as pragmatic (which is just a polite word for boring), but heading into 2026, he refined this team into a terrifying tactical machine. France’s game plan is simple: Invite pressure, then punish you for it. The moment an opponent steps too high, Kylian Mbappé, Ousmane Dembélé and Michael Olise — who could finish this club season with a staggering 50-plus goal contributions — are already gone. Those three will pose all sorts of nightmares for opposing defenses. There’s no weakness in this French team. Its squad depth is so elite that you could make a legitimate case for its “B” team making a deep run in this competition. In a historic 48-team World Cup, Les Bleus’ ability to rotate without dropping quality is their most underrated advantage. They are the absolute favorites for good reason. This isn’t your grandfather’s tiki-taka. Spain still holds possession better than anyone on the planet, but Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams have given this team something previous generations lacked: genuine verticality. They can still lull you into a slow death through patient build-up, but now they have the pace and technical ability on the flanks to give them a different dimension when they attack. It’s worth noting that Yamal’s fitness will be a major talking point heading into the tournament. His hamstring tear will keep him out for the rest of the La Liga season, but he’s undergoing conservative treatment to ensure he’s fit for the start of the World Cup. In the center of the park, Pedri connects everything. With his vision, passing ability and progressive carries, perhaps no one in that Spanish midfield is more important. Behind him, former Ballon d’Or winner Rodri will remain the calm presence in the holding midfield position. Rodri’s form has also been in question since he recently returned from injury at Manchester City. Usually there’s a hangover after a team wins the World Cup. Argentina didn’t get the memo. This is almost certainly Lionel Messi’s final World Cup, and that alone gives Argentina a weight no other team carries into this tournament. But Lionel Scaloni’s side isn’t built around just Messi. It’s a hard, well-drilled unit that knows how to suffer, how to counter and, most importantly, how to win ugly. With Enzo Fernández and Alexis Mac Allister entering their prime, the engine room behind Messi is more than capable of carrying the load. Argentina isn’t just playing for a trophy. It’s playing for history. For years, Brazil’s World Cup campaigns followed the same heartbreaking script: breathtaking attack, fragile defense, early exit, national mourning. Carlo Ancelotti’s arrival changes that script. The legendary Italian manager brings the kind of calm, experienced hand that a squad this talented has desperately needed. He’s a great man-manager who won’t have any trouble getting the best out of the explosive duo of Vinícius Júnior and Raphinha. More importantly, Ancelotti has finally given Brazil a defensive spine worth believing in. With Arsenal’s Gabriel and Paris Saint-Germain’s Marquinhos anchoring the back line, this is arguably the most defensively sound Brazilian side in a generation. That defensive security is what finally lets the attack off the leash. A lot of drama will surround Neymar and whether he makes the final cut. His former Barcelona teammate Lionel Messi has even weighed in on the issue, saying Neymar absolutely must be part of the Brazilian squad. The Southgate years are over. Gone is the cautious, safety-first approach that defined his tenure. In its place, Thomas Tuchel arrived with high demands and the expectation that this squad actually plays to its ability and lifts a trophy in a major tournament. Tuchel’s system prioritizes control through the middle via Declan Rice’s cerebral play. From there, the idea is to find the talent of Jude Bellingham in the half spaces where he thrives. Then there’s striker Harry Kane, who is having one of the most remarkable individual seasons in the history of European football. With more than 55 goals and assists for Bayern Munich at this point, no striker is arriving at this World Cup in better form. For a country that has been waiting 60 years, the window has rarely looked this open. Is it finally coming home?!​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

We all know the biggest stars who’ll shine at the World Cup this summer, but it’s equally valuable to highlight some of the young players who will assuredly shine on the planet’s biggest stage this summer. Some of these names aren’t exactly coming out of nowhere, as they have played pivotal roles for their clubs this season. Some are even pushing for major silverware and perhaps a Ballon d’Or nomination. But others may be about to step into the limelight. The most notable takeaway is everyone here is younger than 25 years old, and aside from their audacious talent and impact, that also shows how the modern game — for better or worse — relies on young players more than ever before. The lights will be bright at this summer’s 48-team tournament co-hosted by three countries. It’s undoubtedly their time to shine. Age: 24Position: Right Winger/Attacking MidfielderClub: Bayern Munich How Bayern Munich only paid Crystal Palace a reported $60 million for the services of the talented winger back in the summer of 2024, I’ll never know. It was an absolute steal. Olise has had a magnificent campaign with the Bavarians, who have already been crowned Bundesliga champions and just missed out on a Champions League final after losing to Paris Saint-Germain. But from an individual perspective, the England-born French attacker has been one of the most dominant forces in European soccer. It’s been Ballon d’Or worthy. Olise has 22 goals and 26 assists in all competitions. A remarkable number, especially in a team that demands so much star attention. And that’s why I, unsurprisingly, see Olise as one of the main stars for this summer. He is the kind of player who shines in a sea of jewels for two-time World Cup champion France — one of the favorites to win the entire tournament — and he can be a pivotal factor on the right wing. And if he sees himself isolated against a defender? That deadly inverted curler will almost surely deliver, thanks to his lethal left foot. Age: 23Position: Attacking Midfielder/Left WingerClub: Aston Villa If you are aware of my work, then you’ll know this might appear as a biased decision based on my support for my lifelong club, Aston Villa. But anyone who follows the Premier League and the England national team can tell you that a confident, in-form Rogers is an extremely dangerous weapon and, on his day, unstoppable. It’s true that he has slowed down a little bit in the second stage of the season as his 21 goal contributions in all competitions are not as impressive as his 2024-25 campaign, when he won PFA’s Young Player of the Year after 30 goal contributions. But his presence and longevity for Unai Emery’s side has been fundamental in order to hunt for a top-4 spot in the Premier League, and Villa’s first-ever Europa League final and first European final in 44 years. In fact, no one in the league has covered more ground than Rogers this season. For England, Thomas Tuchel has a tactical dilemma about what to do with the No. 10 role: Use Rogers or his very good friend, Real Madrid star Jude Bellingham? Here’s what I think: Rogers actually doesn’t have a preferred position. He is a nomad of the pitch and loves to hover across the entire front line without restrictions, so Tuchel has a unique opportunity to allow Rogers to be himself and cover pockets that enable him to drive forward in the final third, from wide areas or centrally. This is a skill that exists only with very special players, and Rogers can be that for England. Age: 23Position: Attacking Midfielder/Central MidfielderClub: FC Barcelona Lamine Yamal’s hamstring injury has clearly prompted Spain manager Luis de la Fuente to tinker with the starting lineup. But here’s the thing about La Roja: The creative quality of this national team — from Pedri to Mikel Oyarzabal — is everywhere. One of its key weapons is Yamal’s Barcelona colleague and newly crowned league champion, Fermín Lopez. As an attacking midfielder, Lopez is also a left-winger who likes to come inside and even act as a false nine, so his productivity is multifunctional. That’s why he has the second-highest goal contributions this season (30) for the Catalan club behind Yamal. For Spain, he is used practically anywhere across the front line. And here’s the other characteristic about him: He doesn’t stop running. Ever. I watched him live in preseason last summer and, my goodness, you can see why Barcelona manager Hansi Flick likes him. His energy is almost always unmatched. With or without Yamal, Spain is a major favorite for this summer’s World Cup, and it’s my belief that Lopez will play a decisive role. Age: 21Position: Attacking MidfielderClub: Como 1907 The best thing that happened to the young attacking midfielder was to leave Real Madrid in 2024 and sign with Serie A’s Como, managed by Spanish great Cesc Fàbregas. Since then, he has elevated his game with the Italian club to tremendous levels. Last season, Paz contributed 14 goals for the newly promoted side, but in this campaign, he was exceptional as the team earned Champions League and European football for the first time in history. Paz has earned 20 goal contributions, including 13 goals. He is very much in the mold of a new breed of creative midfielder, a modern version of Croatia’s Luka Modrić, so to speak. And I think Argentina is going to need a lot of playmakers in this World Cup, given the fact that its legendary captain, Lionel Messi, is not getting any younger. There isn’t someone like Angel Di María to make things happen in difficult situations. Paz can be that player. This is a big summer for him as his future is uncertain with Como. Real Madrid, which own half his rights and a limited buy-back clause, might want to try and sign him back. As a result, he has an opportunity to truly impress as part of Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni’s squad, which will do everything possible to retain the World Cup trophy — something only done before by two nations: Italy (1934, 1938) and Brazil (1958, 1962). Age: 22Position: Defensive MidfielderClub: Bayern Munich You know you’re doing something right when one of the best German players in history in your position compliments you, and that’s exactly what World Cup winner and Bayern Munich legend Bastian Schweinsteiger said of Pavlović, calling him world-class and a leader in waiting. “[Joshua] Kimmich must be mentioned first as a leader, and I’d also like to see Pavlović step into that role,” Schweinsteiger told German outlet Abendzeitung. “He has developed superbly at Bayern and plays a key role there.” Pavlović is the future of Germany’s midfield. It’s pure and simple. His work is similar to that of Schweinsteiger and Toni Kroos, as he often makes imposing runs and dribbles with tenacity in the opponent’s third. But his ability to lie deep in the middle and analyze danger also makes him a powerful defensive tool. He has a knack for scoring audacious long-range goals too. The scariest part about him? He’s only 22. Age: 18Position: Left Winger/ForwardClub: Paris Saint-Germain In many ways, the young attacker and/or winger from Senegal, who plays for Luis Enrique’s PSG, is a player with two personalities. For PSG, arguably the best team in European football, he has played a big role in Ligue 1 action. He most often comes from the bench, which shouldn’t be surprising, as PSG has an embarrassment of riches in attacking players such as Ousmane Dembélé, Desiré Doué, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and many others. But for Senegal, that’s where he takes every single opportunity to shine. At the African Cup of Nations tournament in January, the then 17-year-old was electric as he became the youngest scorer ever for his national team after a goal against Sudan in the Round of 16. He also assisted Senegal star Sadio Mané against Congo DR and won a penalty against Benin. There’s a sense that Senegal will do well at this World Cup, but the challenges will come immediately, as it all kicks off with a tasty opener against France. Mbaye — who was born in France and played through the ranks of the French youth system — will see this, like many Senegalese, as an opportunity to do what the team did back in 2002 when the Lions of Teranga earned a historic World Cup debut victory against the then-defending champions.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

If you’re looking to catch every NFL international game in person in 2026, then hopefully you have your passport ready to go. The league announced all nine NFL International Series games on Wednesday, which will mark the most international games the league has played in a single season. With more games being played internationally than ever, there are also a few places that will host an NFL game that have never hosted an NFL game before. Australia, Rio de Janeiro and France will all host their first NFL games in 2026. The first international game will take place in Week 1, while the last will be held in Week 11. And half of the league’s teams will play an international game in 2026, as two teams will play two games outside the country. So, here’s a full look at the nine games that will be a part of the NFL’s international slate in 2026. The San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams will begin the NFL’s international slate for the 2026 season in Week 1, playing in the league’s first game in Australia. The game, which will be played at Melbourne Cricket Ground, has unique timing, though. It’ll kick off at around 10:35 a.m. in Melbourne on Friday, Sept. 11. That means the game will begin on Thursday, Sept. 10 at 8:35 p.m. ET. It’s a rare divisional matchup that’ll be played overseas, but it just means the stakes will be higher. Both the 49ers and Rams contended for the NFC West title late into the season in 2025, with Los Angeles reaching the NFC Championship Game. Heading into 2026, each team figures to contend for the NFC West crown again as the Rams are currently the Super Bowl favorites. The Baltimore Ravens and Dallas Cowboys will play in the NFL’s first game in Rio de Janeiro on Sunday, Sept. 27. It actually marks the third game the NFL has played in Brazil, though, as the league had Week 1 matchups at São Paulo’s Corinthians Arena in each of the last two seasons. While both teams missed the playoffs in 2025, both the Ravens and Cowboys are playoff hopefuls who’ve had eventful offseasons. Baltimore made a coaching change, hiring Jesse Minter to replace long-time head coach John Harbaugh. Dallas, meanwhile, made a handful of moves on defense, including the selection of Ohio State safety Caleb Downs in the NFL Draft. Of course, this game will also feature two of the league’s top quarterbacks, with Lamar Jackson and Dak Prescott going head-to-head. The Indianapolis Colts and Washington Commanders will play the first of the NFL’s three games in London in 2026. This matchup will take place at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday, Oct. 4. Both the Colts and Commanders are seeking to bounce back from campaigns in 2025 that were derailed by injuries. Indianapolis actually had the inside track to win the AFC South for much of the season, but quarterback Daniel Jones tore his Achilles late in the year. Washington, meanwhile, will have quarterback Jayden Daniels back as it hopes to reach the status it was at in 2024, when it reached the NFC Championship Game. This will mark the first of two games for the Jacksonville Jaguars in London this season, playing the Philadelphia Eagles at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday, Oct. 11. Both the Eagles and Jaguars made the postseason in 2025. Philadelphia has been a mainstay postseason contender since 2021, but Jacksonville had a surprise year in 2025, going 13-4 in Liam Coen’s first year as head coach. The Jaguars will be the designated home team again when they play in London for a second straight week in Week 6. However, their matchup against the Houston Texans will take place at Wembley Stadium on Sunday, Oct. 18. While the Jaguars have played back-to-back games in England twice before, this will be the first time they’ve had two designated home games in London in the same season. It’s also just the second time that they’ll face a division rival in an international game, facing the Texans in London in 2019. This matchup could have major postseason implications, as the Jaguars and Texans finished first and second, respectively, in the AFC South last season. The two teams split the 2025 season series. The NFL is heading to France for the first time ever in 2026. The Pittsburgh Steelers will take on the New Orleans Saints at Stade de France in Paris on Sunday, Oct. 25. Pittsburgh might be led by quarterback Aaron Rodgers as he remains unsigned, although most have speculated that he’ll be the Steelers’ starting quarterback again in 2026. New Orleans, meanwhile, will be led by second-year quarterback Tyler Shough, who helped the Saints go on a four-game win streak late last season. The Saints made sure to build around him over the offseason as well, adding running back Travis Ettiene and wide receiver Jordyn Tyson. The NFL’s second-ever game in Madrid will feature a pair of exciting offenses. The Cincinnati Bengals will take on the Atlanta Falcons in Spain on Sunday, Nov. 8. This will be Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow’s first international game, as Cincinnati hasn’t had an international game since 2019. As for the Falcons, they played the Indianapolis Colts in Germany last season. Will Michael Penix Jr. be starting for the Falcons this time around, or will newcomer Tua Tagovailoa have the starting job? The New England Patriots and Detroit Lions will go head-to-head at FC Bayern Munich Stadium in Munich on Sunday, Nov. 15. It’s the third game the league has played in Munich. For New England, this will actually be its second trip to Germany. The Patriots faced the Colts in Frankfurt in 2023. It’ll also mark the Patriots’ third international game in four seasons, facing the Jaguars in London during the 2024 season. As for the Lions, this will be their first international game since 2015. This will also mark just the eighth time that one of the Super Bowl participants from the previous season will be in an international game since the league started to regularly play international games in 2007.  New England is seeking to get back to the Super Bowl in 2026 after losing to the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl LX as part of its surprise 2025 season. Detroit, meanwhile, is hoping its 2025 season was a one-off. The Lions went 9-8 in 2025, missing the playoffs for the first time in three years and establishing themselves as a Super Bowl contender in the two seasons prior. The NFL’s international series for the 2026 season will conclude when the Minnesota Vikings take on the San Francisco 49ers at Estadio Azteca on Sunday, Nov. 22. It marks the first game that the NFL has played in Mexico since 2022, which also featured the 49ers. On top of that, San Francisco will also become the first team to play two international games in nonconsecutive games in NFL history. As for Minnesota, this will mark the third straight season it has played an international game. It actually played in two international games last season as well, playing the Pittsburgh Steelers in Dublin, Ireland, before facing the Cleveland Browns in London, England.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

We’re at the point of the college football offseason where fan bases can still point to their team and convince themselves that they have no flaws. However, FOX Sports lead college football analyst Joel Klatt won’t even view the top teams in the nation with a similar lens. In the most recent episode of the “Joel Klatt Show,” Klatt shared what he believes are the biggest questions facing each of the 12 highest-ranked teams in his post-spring top 25 poll heading into the upcoming season. Some are obvious, such as how certain programs will replace productive players. Others, though, are factors Klatt believes could quietly make or break a team’s season. So, let’s take a look at what Klatt views as the biggest question surrounding each top team. After former Utah offensive coordinator Jason Beck followed Kyle Whittingham to Michigan, Klatt questioned whether Beck could help Michigan quarterback Bryce Underwood replicate the rushing impact Devon Dampier had over the last two seasons, when he totaled nearly 2,000 rushing yards. “If you look at the top four teams in quarterback rushing last year, it’s the three service academies and Utah. That’s a big part of what Jason Beck does on offense,” Klatt said. “Do I think it’s going to be that extensive? Probably not. You want to protect Underwood a little bit. This is going to be a more physical conference and demanding schedule in the Big Ten. You don’t want him [Underwood] running a ton, but this is what Jason Beck does. They’re probably going to have a better run game surrounding the quarterback than maybe even Utah did, even though Utah can run the football.” If Michigan can successfully use Underwood in the run game, Klatt wouldn’t be surprised if the Wolverines compete at the top of the Big Ten. “If that pans out, this becomes a very difficult offense to stop,” Klatt said. “If Michigan leads the Power 4 in rushing, which Utah was able to do a year ago … then they’d become a team and a style that nobody wants to play. They’d be in that mode where they’re the antidote to what Oregon, Indiana and Ohio State do.” Klatt thinks that Oklahoma head coach Brent Venables has a good situation on his hands entering 2026, believing that John Mateer is one of the best quarterbacks in college football and that the Sooners’ defense is among the best in the nation. However, he emphatically stated that the Sooners have to improve on the ground, especially if they want to keep Mateer healthy this season. “This problem was the reason that John Mateer wasn’t able to play to his potential,” Klatt said. “Early in the year, Mateer was incredible. In fact, he was on a lot of people’s Heisman lists, including mine. But it was a lot of Mateer in the run game.” “I thought Oklahoma was exposing Mateer too much, and the reason was that they weren’t getting anything out of their backs,” Klatt continued. “When the quarterback complements the run game, then you can be effective using your backs and your quarterback. Last year, Oklahoma was unable to do that.” While Klatt cautioned Oklahoma from using Mateer too much, he believes the Sooners might have a major reward waiting for them if they have an effective run game. “He can’t be Superman every week. I don’t think he’ll get through a nine-game SEC schedule,” Klatt said. “If they have a run game, plus a top-10 defense and Mateer’s playmaking ability, then they can be a real threat in the SEC,” Klatt continued. “They can level themselves up to a team that can do some real damage in the playoff.” Klatt acknowledged that he has USC ranked higher than most, while also recognizing potential concerns along the Trojans’ defensive line. Still, he believes USC might not need drastic improvement there to emerge as a legitimate contender in 2026. “During Lincoln [Riley’s] tenure at USC, they’re 132nd in the country in yards per carry allowed — and that’s when you remove sacks,” Klatt said. “The question is not if they can become a dominant defense, but let’s take a look at something that’s a little bit under the radar, which is this margin between what you gain per carry and what you give up per carry. That gives you a real good idea of how strong you are at the line of scrimmage.” “When you look at Lincoln Riley’s tenure at Oklahoma, they were third in yards per carry difference. They were pretty good, even if they didn’t play great defense,” Klatt continued. “They were good at the line of scrimmage in terms of what they gained and what they gave up. If you look at his tenure at USC, they’ve been 55th in the country in yards per carry difference. If they can shrink that down and that defense is just OK stopping the run, then they’re going to have something here because they’ve been able to run the football.” Texas A&M quarterback Marcel Reed looked like a Heisman contender after leading the Aggies to an 11-0 start last year. But he crumbled in the last two games, throwing two interceptions in the loss to Texas before throwing two interceptions in the first-round College Football Playoff loss to Miami (Fla.). Klatt believes Reed has to raise his floor a bit in order for Texas A&M to be a true contender in 2026. “He’s a low-floor, high-ceiling player,” Klatt said of Reed. “If he can get those games and eliminate those bad performances, or even just have one [bad] series here or there, now A&M is a team that has to be reckoned with in those big games vs. a team that falls flat in those big games. “If Reed becomes a player and plays to his potential in all of those matchups, now you’re certainly talking about a team that’s going to go back to the playoff, can compete for the SEC championship and maybe — with the way that they’ve recruited and the stability they’ve had under Mike Elko — compete for a national semifinal and reach the national championship game.” Lane Kiffin brought in 40 players through the transfer portal this offseason as he prepares for his first year as LSU’s head coach. While that makes up nearly half the roster, Klatt has some faith that Kiffin can successfully answer his big question in 2026. “Can you have top-end success with that big of a roster shift in Year 1? Yes, you can,” Klatt said. “Texas Tech last year had 21 transfers and 11 [new] starters. Last year, [Lane] Kiffin’s own team at Ole Miss had 32 transfers. Indiana, a couple of years ago, had 27 transfers in their turnaround with [Curt] Cignetti. If you’re looking at their projected depth chart, you’re probably looking at 11 or 12 starters from the portal. So, it comes down to culture and execution. How quickly can they buy into the culture? [Kiffin] was able to do that quickly at Ole Miss, so it leads you to believe that they’ll be able to buy into the culture. “They’re going to have to hit the ground running. You look at guys like quarterback Sam Leavitt and offensive tackle Jordan Seaton, they’re going to make this roster better. It’s like the most expensive roster in all of college football. And it’s going to have to be ready to go right away. First four games: Clemson, [Louisiana] Tech, Ole Miss in Kiffin’s return and then they’re going to face Texas A&M. Two losses would leave them with no margin for error.” Klatt believes the top seven teams in his post-spring rankings are in a tier of their own entering fall camp. Still, before elevating Texas into that group, he wants to see the Longhorns improve on the ground after last season’s disappointing finish. “Texas was putrid running the football [last season],” Klatt said. “If you look back to [Steve Sarkisian’s] really good teams, whether he’s been a head coach or an offensive coordinator, they’ve been able to run the football well. That 2020 Bama team he was the coordinator of. They had Najee Harris. They could run the crap out of the ball, but Texas just couldn’t do it last year. It was bad. The running backs’ yards per carry last year ranked 120th in the country. “They should be better up front. Sark’s at his best when he’s running it well, and he’ll have to do it with a rebuilt running back room. They got transfers Hollywood Smothers and Raleek Brown … these guys have to play well. If they do, then Arch [Manning’s] not going to be under as much pressure. That was the problem with Texas last year: Everything was on Arch’s shoulders. He actually played fine in the back half of last year.” Klatt believes Miami’s biggest question is simple: How will the Hurricanes replace three first-round talents in the trenches — offensive tackle Francis Mauigoa and edge rushers Rueben Bain Jr. and Akheem Mesidor? Even so, he’s confident Mario Cristobal can rebuild those units. “They lost so much off their line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball. It’s clearly a question of can you remain dominant at the line of scrimmage? That’s what allowed them to make the run all the way to the national championship game,” Klatt said. “They were terrific on the offensive line — they didn’t allow a ton of pressure and they were able to run the ball — and their defensive line got after it. “You’re replacing all these guys — offensive tackle Francis Mauigoa, edge rusher Rueben Bain and edge rusher Akheem Mesidor — who were high-round draft picks. Who do you have behind them?” Klatt continued. “They’ve recruited and developed offensive and defensive lines. That’s what Mario Cristobal does. “If there’s not much of a dropoff, this team’s going to go back and compete for a national championship. They’re that good. … They’ve got a ton of former five-star players.” Klatt believes Georgia and head coach Kirby Smart have earned the benefit of the doubt, calling the Bulldogs the class of the SEC despite failing to win a College Football Playoff game in each of the last three seasons. Still, he has concerns about the offense and whether the Bulldogs have enough playmaking ability to break out of that recent postseason rut. “The problem with Georgia the last couple of years, at least in my estimation, is their lack of playmakers on the outside,” Klatt said. “It killed Carson Beck two years ago. So many drops. They led the country in drops. Last year, they didn’t have a big-play threat. Can you go and win a shootout? I don’t know if they can because the guys on the outside just don’t scare me. Ever since [Brock] Bowers went out the door, who has been the threat? At some point, you’ve got to at least come to the conclusion that you’re not going to shut everyone out. You’re not going to hold everyone under 24 points. “Their leading returning receiver from last year’s group is a veteran, London Humphries, who had 18 catches. Is he the guy? They brought in the 6-foot-4 wide receiver from Georgia Tech, Isaiah Cannon, and he was their third-leading receiver last year. Does he turn into a real No. 1? … They’re going to need a young guy to step up.” Many would assume Indiana’s biggest question is whether new quarterback Josh Hoover can replace reigning Heisman winner Fernando Mendoza. Klatt, however, believes the more pressing issue is on the defensive side of the ball. “I think you’ve got to go two levels deeper. What drove that team? Cignetti talked about this when talking about Josh Hoover. [He said], ‘What’s a quarterback’s best friend? A run game and a good defense.’ So, their question for me is about their defense,” Klatt said. “Their defense, schematically, was almost built completely around D’Angelo Ponds. I know that’s strange. He was a 5-foot-9 corner on the outside. But he allowed freedom of movement for the rest of the defense. They had a ton of zone and simulated pressures because they could roll the defense away from Ponds. He could handle everything back there. He could handle half the field and the boundary in the passing game and also come up and play in run support. Ponds was the critical factor in what was one of the top defenses in all of college football.” “If they can replace him, they’re going to be good again on defense.” Similar to Indiana, some might assume Ohio State’s biggest question in 2026 is replacing three defensive players taken in the top 11 of the NFL Draft, leaving major holes at all three levels of the defense. But Klatt has confidence in defensive coordinator Matt Patricia to reload that unit, and instead has greater concern about the Buckeyes’ offensive line. “I’ve covered a ton of their games and you can look back on all of their losses, going back to Oregon in the middle of the year [in 2024] … they got beat up at the line of scrimmage [in all of those losses],” Klatt said. “They couldn’t protect Julian Sayin. They couldn’t convert on short yardage. It was an issue in every one of those losses. Now, their offensive line has a lot of guys back. Arthur Smith is their new offensive coordinator, and he’s got a run game background from his time in the NFL. “When you look at a team that allowed five sacks in each loss against Indiana and Miami, something has to change up front. They’ve got to get better up front. … Ohio State was just 51st last year in yards per carry. That has to improve. If it does, watch out. This will be one of the best offenses, if not the best offense, in college football.” Unlike Indiana and Ohio State, Klatt believes Notre Dame’s biggest question is more straightforward, as the Irish must replace two standout running backs, including Heisman finalist Jeremiyah Love. “Who is replacing that production? If they get great production out of the run game, they will be a great team,” Klatt said of Notre Dame. “They’re going to be excellent on defense. I think quarterback CJ Carr is going to have a solid year. But it just can’t be a throw team. They’re going to have to run the ball. They became the first team with two first-round running backs since 2008. “Instead of hitting the portal, they’re going to fix this thing from within. They’re putting their faith in Aneyas Williams, who had 58 carries last year, freshman Nolan James, who had 14 carries last year, and Kedren Young, who is a big back at 235 pounds and missed last season after having 21 carries in 2024. Those are your top three guys, and they have a combined 93 career carries in college football.” Klatt is bullish on Oregon head coach Dan Lanning as he enters his fifth season in Eugene. He’s consistently stated that he might take him over any other young head coach in the country, pointing to Oregon’s continued growth under his watch. But after Oregon’s 56-22 loss to Indiana in the College Football Playoff semifinal last year, Klatt is beginning to wonder if the Ducks are ready for the big moments. “They allowed 56 points against Indiana and 41 against Ohio State in their last two CFP losses,” Klatt said. “Dan Lanning is supposed to be a defensive guy. In big games, their defense doesn’t really show up. The way they lost to Ohio State, getting run off the first half at the Rose Bowl, and Indiana, I know one of those [scores] was a pick-six, but the defense has got to get better and up to task for the big games. “They’ve got two new coordinators on each side of the ball. Chris Hampton, who was promoted from safeties coach to defensive coordinator, is going to have to look at those games and figure out a way to play better defense when it matters. You can get in a shootout, but I’m talking about going from 56 [points allowed] to 30. How do you give up 30 and not 41 or 56 to allow this experienced offense to go out there and potentially go win the game?”​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

Gio Reyna was just 19 years old when he boarded a plane from Germany to Doha just before the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. He was expecting to play a major role on a United States squad filled with fellow youngsters who were talking the biggest stage in sports for the first time in their careers. Because the national team’s previous generation had failed to qualify for the 2018 World Cup — the Americans’ first miss in more than three decades — just only player on the squad, veteran defender DeAndre Yedlin, had ever played in global soccer’s quadrennial showpiece. The USA survived the group stage, tying trophy favorites England and beating Iran, before being outclassed by the Netherlands in the round of 16. Reyna, famously, barely played. Almost four injury-plagued years later, the now 23-year-old is desperate to get to another World Cup, this one on home soil. And he’s armed with lessons from the past. “I think just individually and collectively, we were all very, very young and maybe a little bit inexperienced at the time,” Reyna said Tuesday from Germany on a video conference with reporters hosted by Borussia Mönchengladbach, his club. “And then in the end, it sort of just happened that we came up against a Holland team that was a little bit more experienced, a little bit better, a little bit more savvy with the game, and in the end, it was almost too much for us.” “Obviously, it’s an amazing experience,” he continued. “I learned so much from that.” Unlike last time around, Reyna isn’t a lock to make the 26-man American roster this time around. But he’s making a late push. The New York native and son of two-time U.S. World Cup captain Claudio Reyna (and former women’s national teamer Danielle Egan) scored his first goal of the Bundesliga campaign last weekend. Perhaps more important, he logged 32 minutes off the bench — the most he’s played in any match since December. Reyna was sidelined by a muscle ailment midway through the season. But he is approaching full fitness now — up from the 85 percent he said he was in November after scoring for the U.S. in an exhibition win over Paraguay. The tournament co-hosts will face the same opponent in its World Cup curtain-raiser in Los Angeles on June 12. “I don’t know if any player is really ever 100-percent — there’s always knocks and things that come up at this point in the season,” Reyna told me on Tuesday. “But yeah, I feel ready to play sort of 90 minutes, and feel that I can give my max at this moment in time. So I guess you could say 100 percent. I feel very, very fit. I feel very sharp. And all I really want to do is show it on the pitch.” Pochettino, the former Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain manager, will name the U.S. World Cup roster on May 26. “I have a great relationship with Mauricio,” Reyna said of the Argentine, who used him off the bench in a pair of World Cup tune-ups in late March. “When we’re in camp, he’s very invested, very communicative, very open and honest with what he wants to see from the team and from players individually.” Still, several World Cup hopefuls who probably deserve a World Cup invite won’t make the team. After all, Pochettino has looked at more than 70 players since replacing former coach Gregg Berhalter in late 2024. He can’t take them all. Reyna admitted that the uncertainty is difficult as what could be a career-defining choice looms. “It’s on everyone’s mind,” he said. “No spot is guaranteed or safe.” Asked if he believes he’s done enough to earn a spot, Reyna said it’s “a hard question to answer.” “If I say ‘no’, I’m not backing myself, and if I say ‘yes’ it’s the arrogant answer, where I feel like I should be there,” he said. “I love the staff, I love the players, I love the national team. Obviously, whatever happens, happens. But I’m really hoping and wanting to be there to make an impact and achieve something great with the team. But the decision is out of my hands.” That doesn’t make it any easier. “I try not to let it sort of take over my day and stress me out too much,” said Reyna. “But it is in the back of my mind.” It’s not the only thing. After making just two cameos as a substitute in 2022, Reyna would relish a bigger role at this World Cup, too. Despite his lack of playing time at club level since Qatar, he’s been a consistent performer for his country, helping the U.S. win Concacaf Nations League titles in 2021, 2023 and 2024. “Of course I’d want to play more in this upcoming tournament,” Reyna said. “But at the same time, you learn that you’re just trying to do whatever you can to help the team. “It’s just about the collective,” Reyna added. “It’s about the team doing whatever we can to do something special for our country.” USA ROSTER PROJECTION: DOES REYNA MAKE THE CUT?​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

The Spring King is back. Traded to the St. Louis Battlehawks last month from the Dallas Renegades after serving as that team’s backup, quarterback Luis Perez got his first start this season — and the San Diego native made it count. Perez threw for 204 yards and a touchdown in his new team’s 31-20 victory over the visiting Columbus Aviators to kick off Week 7 of the UFL season. Big-play receiver Hakeem Butler finished with three receptions for 77 yards for St. Louis and Kylin James finished with 41 rushing yards and two scores. The Battlehawks have won three straight and four of their last five games. “I’m very pleased with Luis, he did a good job,” St. Louis head coach Ricky Proehl said about Perez, who replaced Harrison Frost as the starter. “Getting in this week, he had a good week of practice. I can really see him just continuing to get better, with that relationship with our wideouts and just getting on the same page. It was good to see.” With the victory, St. Louis (5-2) jumped into a tie for the top spot in the league with the Orlando Storm (5-2) and the D.C. Defenders (5-2) with three weeks left to play. The Storm escaped with a 24-23 victory on the road over the Houston Gamblers (2-5), while the defending champion Defenders lost for the first time since Week 1, a 30-13 setback to the visiting Louisville Kings (3-4). In the final game of the week, the Birmingham Stallions (3-4) moved into a tie with the Renegades (3-4) and Kings for the final playoff spot with a 21-17 overtime victory over Dallas. Here are my takeaways from Week 7 of the UFL: In one of the biggest, bone-jarring hits you’ll witness on a football field, Defenders edge rusher Derick Roberson peeled back and pancaked scrambling QB Chandler Rogers, dislodging the football for a D.C. recovery in what appeared to be a game-changing play for his team late in the first half. But instead, Roberson was called for unnecessary roughness for leading with his helmet on the play, leading to a 15-yard unsportsmanlike penalty and a first down for the Kings. Rogers had to leave the game for a play due to the hit, but three plays later found Tarik Black for a 9-yard touchdown. The big hit sparked a 27-0 run by the Kings as they snapped a three-game losing streak. Rogers finished with 201 passing yards and two touchdown passes, while Black hauled in five catches for 49 receiving yards and two scores. The Kings scored 17 points off three D.C. turnovers. The Defenders are tied for the league lead with 11 giveaways. “I ain’t gonna lie, the hit turned me up,” Rogers said. “It was like my Joe Burrow moment, for real. When everybody was ‘oohing,’ that really pissed me off. I’m playing mad right now.” Jordan Ta’amu threw for 353 yards and two touchdowns for the Defenders but also had two interceptions. The Kings also sacked Ta’amu four times. Dorian Thompson-Robinson kept the good vibes going in his second start for Birmingham. The UCLA product completed just 46% of his passes for 159 yards and two scores. He also had a bad interception early that led to the first touchdown for the Renegades. However, Thompson-Robinson executed when it mattered most, completing an 18-yard pass to Jaydon Mickens for a touchdown with just over two minutes left to force overtime. The Renegades had a chance to win the game in regulation, but Birmingham defensive lineman Jayden Peevy blocked Colton Theaker’s 53-yard attempt as time expired. Thompson-Robinson then rushed for a two-point conversion and found Mickens for the other conversion to help the Stallions earn their second victory in a row. The Renegades have lost four in a row after starting the season 3-0. “You’ve got to have some of these wins in your season where you battle through and just find a way to win,” Birmingham head coach A.J. McCarron said. “And I thought it was a great job by the boys tonight.” Orlando head coach Anthony Becht sought to erase the bitter disappointment of two losses in a row and falling out of the top spot in the standings. While it wasn’t pretty, Becht will take the one-point victory on the road against the Gamblers. Houston had a 65-yard field goal with just over a minute left that could have won the game, but kicker John Hoyland’s attempt fell well short of the goal post. One of the best offenses in the league, the Storm punted seven times and were outgained by Houston 415-185 in total offense. One of the top passers in the league, Jack Plummer, totaled just 152 passing yards, but he did throw for two scores and didn’t turn the ball over. However, the defense bailed out Orlando by forcing two Houston turnovers, including an interception returned for a score by defensive back D.J. James — just signed by the Storm last week. “I know we’ve got good players,” Becht said. “I know we’ve got good plays. … We’ve got to find a way to get better. There’s no excuse for us.” Birmingham has seen enough of John Ross, a University of Washington product selected by Cincinnati ninth overall in the first round of the 2017 draft. The former record holder of the 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine was released by the Stallions last week. A teammate of McCarron’s with the Bengals, Ross hadn’t made much of an impact, totaling seven catches for 58 yards in six games. The Stallions signed receiver Elijah Cooks to replace Ross on the roster. Headed down the backstretch, Week 8 begins with the Renegades looking to halt a four-game skid by hosting Orlando on Friday. That game is followed by two games on Saturday, with the Kings facing the Defenders and the Battlehawks hosting Houston. The Stallions wrap things up on Sunday when they face Columbus in Birmingham.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports