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Twelve groups, the most in FIFA World Cup history. But which one is the most exciting? For Zlatan Ibrahimović, Group L is the one to watch. “Group L. We have England. We have Croatia … Then, we have Ghana with big talents. Let’s see what they bring,” Ibrahimović said. “We have Panama. Unfortunately, in this group, I think they will be a punching bag for England and Croatia, and Ghana might disturb them and take some points.” Harry Kane and England are hoping to avenge a grueling loss to Lamine Yamal and Spain in the Euro 2024 final. England hasn’t won a major trophy was in 1966, when it won the World Cup. Thierry Henry has predicted it will be Group I, and not just because Les Bleus are in the group. “You have to think about Senegal and Norway, who are my two dark horses in this competition,” Henry, a World Cup winner with France in 1998, said on “FIFA World Cup Live” on Thursday. “It’s going to be tough for Iraq. I do think that the three teams will go forward, so I’m looking forward to that one, and there’s another one: Group C. “Obviously, Brazil and Morocco, but, somehow, the first game, Haiti against Scotland, I do somehow think that Haiti can create an upset with that one.” Kylian Mbappé and France lost to Lionel Messi and Argentina in penalty kicks in the 2022 FIFA World Cup final, but have reloaded with a deep squad that’s expected to make a deep run. Meanwhile, Senegal made the African Cup of Nations final. As for former USA soccer star and FOX Sports Soccer Analyst Alexi Lalas, he has his eyes on Group D, which includes the United States. “I think for the first time at a World Cup for the U.S. men’s team, that [the country] should not settle. [The country] should expect this U.S. team, given the talent, given the depth, given the experience, to win this group,” Lalas said. “We have not said that before. I don’t think that’s Pollyanna. I think that’s realistic. I wouldn’t say that if I didn’t believe this team was capable of doing that … I can say it’s an ‘easy’ group, and I know that’s a loaded type of word, but if I put it up against any group [they’ve] had in the past, I will take this all day long.” Paraguay, Australia and Türkiye are the three countries in Group D with Team USA. Team USA’s opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup is on Friday night against Paraguay.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

Wait, what just happened? Why did he get a yellow card? Why is he kicking from there? What’s the deal with these water breaks? These are a handful of questions that fans during the 2026 FIFA World Cup may be asking, and we’re here to deliver clear explanations. With the help of FOX Sports’ World Cup rules experts — Dr. Joe Machnik and Mark Clattenburg, both of whom are former referees — we’re breaking down major, simple and new rules to help guide you through the 48-team tournament. From new additions to tiebreaker rules to more VAR and so much more, we’ve got you covered. “The World Cup is the world’s biggest soccer event, and therefore, what you have is different continents, different federations — they all have their different interpretations when it comes to the laws of the game,” Clattenburg said. “We have six federations, and they all have to come together under the same rules,” Clattenburg added. “And what they have to understand is that FIFA [has] different interpretations.” Here’s our ultimate rules guide for the 2026 World Cup. JUMP TO: Tiebreaker Rules | Big Changes | VAR | Cooling-Off Breaks | Extra Time | Yellow/Red Cards | Penalties | Kicks | Handballs | Offside | Referees What Are The Biggest New Features For The 2026 World Cup? The 2026 FIFA World Cup will feature 48 teams, broken into 12 groups of four. It’s a 16-team expansion from the 2022 World Cup, which featured 32 teams. The knockout stages will also include 16 more teams than in 2022, as 32 of the 48 teams will move onto play in the win-or-go-home elimination matches. There are three host countries: USA, Canada and Mexico, with 16 different cities hosting matches. What Are The 2026 World Cup Group Stage Tiebreaker Rules? When two teams are tied on points, there are seven different factors that ultimately determine their order. These tiebreakers separate group winners from runner-ups, which is important as group winners receive favorable knockout round opponents. These tiebreakers separate second-place from third-place finishers, which is notable as second-place finishers of each group automatically advance. Furthermore, these tiebreakers separate the eight out of 12 third-place teams that advance to the knockout stage. Here are the tiebreakers in order of importance: What Are The Biggest Rule Changes For The 2026 World Cup? The 2026 World Cup features new innovations to enhance the product on and off the pitch. The speed and flow of the match will never be smoother than at the 2026 World Cup, where officials will have the liberty to institute timers that speed up dead-ball restarts and substitutions. More so, players who wish to return after sustaining an injury will need to leave the pitch, which could deter embellishing. “We see players going down to stop the game — whether they’re injured or not,” Machnik said. “But if the referee has to stop the game to deal with a player, that player will have to leave the field of play and will not be permitted to come back into the game for at least a minute.” Additional rule changes include expanding the opportunities to use Video Assistant Review (VAR). VAR can now be used to determine corner kicks from goal kicks and challenge second yellow cards. There will also be cooling-off periods and water breaks that occur around the 22-minute mark of each half. “The game is going to look a lot different from the last World Cup, or from even international games that we’ve been watching throughout the soccer season,” Machnik said. “It’s going to be actually played in quarters. There’s a mandatory three-minute cooling break in each half.” So, What Exactly Changed To Enhance The Speed And Flow Of The Matches? Ahead of the World Cup, enhanced measures have been taken to improve the flow of matches. Referees will have the authority to institute a five-second timer if they feel players are taking too long over throw-ins and dead-ball goal kicks. They can institute a 10-second timer for substitutions if players are wasting time entering and leaving the pitch. If players take too long to sub, the player subbing in will have to wait one minute, Clattenburg explained. “The substitutions, I think, is a very good rule,” Clattenburg said. “This is a big change in football because, many times, the substitution player takes his time leaving the field of play and nothing happens. We add the time on. Do we really get the added on time? I’m not sure. So this is a good message that if you take more than 10 seconds, the substitution player is not allowed on the field for one minute. A lot can change in one minute — you can have a goal.” Additionally, any player whose injury stops the run of play must remain off the pitch for a minute if they’re healthy enough to return. This is meant to deter players from flopping as a way to waste time. “That’s going to also enhance game flow and eliminate, hopefully, some of those opportunities where players fake injuries to stop game flow or whatever,” Machnik added. How Does VAR Work? And How Has It Expanded For The 2026 World Cup? VAR is the abbreviation for Video Assistant Review. It’s a system that helps the referee by reviewing decisions with video footage. “The whole purpose of VAR was to prevent a game from being decided on a clear and obvious era by the referee,” Machnik said, noting that penalty kicks, offside, yellow or red cards and the ball crossing the goal line completely are the system’s primary focus. It’s like a combination of MLB’s ABS — which uses a completely automated system to review balls and strikes — and the NFL’s review system, which involves a team located in New York manually reviewing play and providing advice to the referees on site. “Every decision that the VAR makes — where they’re sending down a play for the referee to look at — will come from Dallas,” Machnik said. VAR can be used in a multitude of situations. When reviewing a goal, it mimics ABS, where an automated system determines if the soccer ball entirely crossed the plane of the goal. The same goes for reviewing an offside call — an automated system informs the ref if the player was indeed beyond the last defender when their teammate passed the ball. VAR can also be used to determine a foul or penalty. In this case, the referee will watch back the action, oftentimes gaining advice from another group of officials, to determine if a foul occurred, should be held up or overturned. The same thing goes for a handball call. But even with VAR, infringements like these are ruled on at the ref’s discretion. “We are talking about the best VARs in the world, and they have the best judgment when to interfere and not,” Clattenburg said. “And I believe that we have the best referees in the world operating in this tournament, so you will see better decision-making.” For the World Cup this summer, VAR’s duties will be expanded. VAR will now help determine who was the last to touch a ball before it went out of bounds, resulting in a goal kick or corner kick. It can also be used if a player is awarded a second yellow card, meaning they’d be sent off. “I’m skeptical. I’m very nervous about this,” Clattenburg said about a second yellow card scenario. “If they get it right, I think it could be a good moment. But if they don’t get it right, I think football fans will be more frustrated.” What Are The Cooling-Off Breaks At The World Cup? The cooling-off (or water) breaks are a new addition at the 2026 World Cup. Regardless of weather or other circumstances, there will be one each half of each game at the 22-minute and 67-minute mark. Each break lasts three minutes, and are instituted when a natural stoppage of play occurs around those minute marks. “This will not be exact because it depends on the motion of the match, and how the match is being played, and how natural it can be,” Clattenburg said. “For example, if there was an injury, they will do the cooling break then. And they will do it in the second half at the same but not the exact moment — 25 minutes, 22 minutes. It will be judged on [a natural] break.” What Is Extra Time At The World Cup? Extra time is similar to “overtime” in most American sports. Starting in the knockout rounds, when two teams are tied at the conclusion of the 90 minutes of regulation, the match continues into extra time. Extra time consists of two 15-minute halves, regardless of how many goals are scored. If the two teams remain tied at the conclusion of those two separate 15-minute periods, the match will go to a penalty shootout. Substitution rules also change in games that extend to extra time. In regulation, each team is allowed five substitutions. In extra time, teams are awarded an extra one. How Do Yellow And Red Cards Work At The 2026 World Cup? Yellow cards and red cards are used to discipline players who commit unethical acts on the pitch, and sometimes off of it. Yellow cards are often given to a player upon first offense, especially if they commit a minor infringement or harmless tackle — although warnings can be assessed in those situations, too. Red cards can be given upon first offense if a player commits an extremely harmful tackle or does something egregious to directly prevent a goal, like a purposeful handball or tackle inside the box. Red cards are also dealt when a player gets their second yellow in the same match. When you get a red card, you’re ejected from the rest of that game — plus, your team must play the remainder of the match down a player. Players will be suspended for one game if they are shown a yellow card in two group-stage games. Any yellow cards accumulated in the group stage, though, do not carry over to the knockout rounds. Players’ card tallies are wiped clean twice during the tournament: after the group stage and after the quarterfinal. How Do Penalty Kicks Work At The World Cup? The most pressure-packed scoring opportunity in soccer might be the one where no one is defending: the penalty kick. A “PK” is a one-on-one duel between a field player and a goalkeeper in which the field player tries to score a direct kick from the penalty spot. A penalty kick is awarded when a player commits a foul — tripping, pushing or a handball — inside the penalty area, which is a large 18-yard box that extends from the goal line into the field of play. The total width of the box is 44 yards. How Do Penalty Shootouts Work At The World Cup? First, they only happen in the knockout rounds and not during the group stage. But during the knockout rounds, if the score of a game is still tied after extra time, the winner is determined with a penalty shootout. So how does it work? Each team picks five players, each player will take a penalty kick and whichever team finishes with the most goals wins. However, if they’re still tied after each team takes five penalty kicks, then they continue alternating shots until someone comes out on top. Penalty Kick, Corner Kick, Free Kick: What’s The Difference? A penalty kick is taken from the spot 12 yards away from the goal. It’s instituted when the official stops play for an infringement that occurred inside the box. Defenders must wait outside the box, and can’t move until the penalty kick taker starts their motion. The goalkeeper has freedom of movement as they’re the only opponent in between the penalty taker and the goal. A corner kick is taken from the flag parallel to the goalposts, 20 yards away from the goal on either side. It’s instituted when a defending player kicks the ball beyond the out-of-bounds line behind the goal. Corner kicks are good opportunities to create scoring chances. Teams often cross the ball directly from the corner flag, seeking a header or shot on goal or pass it onto a teammate and try to work toward an attempt. Free kicks can be taken from anywhere inside the lines of the pitch. They are similar to penalty kicks, in which they are instituted after an infringement, such as an illegal tackle, handball or an offsides call. They offer opportunities to kickstart an attack or get an attempt on goal. Many players will shoot directly off the free kick if they feel they are close enough to challenge the goalkeeper. The opposing team has the right to set up a wall of defenders 10 yards from the spot of the free kick. What Is A Handball At The World Cup? The most important thing to remember is that FIFA has a different interpretation of what constitutes a handball compared with the federations, Clattenburg explained. And this can lead to confusion and anger. When the official calls a “handball”, the opposing team receives a free kick from the spot of the infringement. If it occurs inside the box, they’re awarded a penalty kick. Handballs are largely subjective to the official’s discretion. If a player’s hand — which includes the entire arm up until the bottom of the armpit — deliberately or unnaturally obstructs or aids the run of play, or a goal, from occurring, the official will whistle play dead and often show that player a card. “You will see probably less handballs than we see around the world of football,” Clattenburg added. “Penalties will be less given for handballs with FIFA tournaments, and this is an understanding that it’s not always consistent around the world.” How Does Offside At The World Cup Work? Offside is an infringement a referee calls when an attacking player is behind the last defender when their teammate passes the ball or puts in a cross. If the ball ricochets off a defender to an attacking player in an offsides position, the official will whistle the play dead. But if a player with clear possession passes the ball to their teammate or the goalkeeper and an opponent in an offside position intercepts it, the official will not whistle the play dead. Offside rulings result in a free kick for the defending team from the spot of the infringement. Why Are There Three Referees On The Field During 2026 World Cup Matches? In all, there are 52 referees with a whistle and 20 VARS, Machnik said, noting that’s more than 20 additional officials compared with Qatar in 2022. There are three officials on the pitch, each with different responsibilities. The center referee operates in the field-of-play, always hovering in the proximity of play to manage the action. The center referee calls fouls and penalties, and issues yellow and red cards. They signal the start of the match with their whistle, and the end of each half. There are two sideline officials. Their main duties are to determine if a player is offside. They decipher corner kicks from goal kicks, and which team was the last to touch the ball before it went out of bounds. Sideline officials can also advise the center referee on foul calls when they occur in their line of sight. There’s a fourth official, who does not manage the action on the pitch. By holding a scoreboard, they signal the amount of injury time after each half and visually communicate substitutions. They also supervise the antics of the players on the bench and the manager. “The laws are all designed to keep the game safe for the players and enjoyable for the spectators,” Machnik said. “As you get to know more about the game and enjoy it, you realize that it’s not glorified keepaway. It’s a real, a beautiful game.” 2026 FIFA World Cup: How To Watch The 2026 FIFA 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 and FS1 with every match streaming live and on-demand within both the FOX One and the FOX Sports app. 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

We all remember, nearly four years ago, when Lionel Messi lifted the World Cup trophy high into the sky in Qatar. A crowning moment for one of the game’s legends. Now, it’s time once again to clear the calendars. We’re in store for 39 days of drama as the World Cup begins across three countries and culminates with the final on July 19 – all streaming on FOX One. That gives us one last time to make some picks on which players will shine, what to expect and, yes, decide who we expect to lift the trophy this time around. Q: What’s One Bold World Cup Prediction? Doug McIntyre: I’ve said it before, so I’ll say it again: The U.S. men’s national team reaches the semifinals. I know. It’s a long shot. But there is something special about playing on home soil, and for all the hand-wringing about how the World Cup co-hosts were outclassed by Belgium and Portugal in March, its last two pre-tourney tune-ups — a win over African powerhouse Senegal and a narrow loss to Germany in a match the Americans flat-out dominated for long stretches — were the players’ best performances under coach Mauricio Pochettino so far. Something is brewing here. Add in the favorable draw the U.S. got as a seed and the power of the public behind it, and I think, with a little luck, it’s capable of matching what countries like South Korea (2002), Türkiye (2002) and Morocco (2022) have done at other World Cups this century. USA Odds to Make Semis: +850 Laken Litman: On the flip side of Doug, I think the U.S. will be eliminated following the Round of 16. This team so badly wants to advance further than it ever has before, but there are too many glaring issues, starting with the back line and inexperience in goal. So it seems hard to comprehend that the Americans will get much further than they did four years ago. USA Odds to Lose in Round of 16: +220 Luis Miguel Echegaray: Japan will earn a semifinal spot for the first time in its history. This team has never gone further than the round of 16, but its trajectory continues to rise, and I have been waxing lyrical about Hajime Moriyasu’s side for a long time. Japan is a cohesive, technically gifted unit, unafraid of anyone. I think at this World Cup, Samurai Blue will create havoc in a group they can most definitely top. Japan Odds to Make Semis: +1100 Brian Sciaretta: Canada goes to the quarterfinals. The 2022 World Cup was disappointing for Canada, but the team has been steadily improving under American manager Jesse Marsch. The semifinal run in the 2024 Copa América was an important sign of progress for this team. Even with star forward Alphonso Davies questionable at the start of the tournament, Canada still has enough talent to win games. On top of a team that plays hard under Marsch, Canada could benefit from playing on home soil as one of the tournament’s co-hosts. Canada Odds to Make Quarterfinals: +450 Q: Who Is Your Pick To Win The Golden Ball (Most Outstanding Player)? Matteo Bonetti: He was electrifying in the 2022 World Cup and was so close to tasting glory. This time around, he leads a France team that is a tournament favorite along with Spain. He’ll be looking to turn the page after a tumultuous campaign with Real Madrid that was marred by intense scrutiny over the lack of major trophies. Still, he scored 42 goals in 44 games with his club side. Not bad. Mbappé Odds to Win Golden Ball: +900 Echegaray: If we are to believe Spain manager Luis de la Fuente, the 18-year-old phenom from Barcelona should be fit enough to see minutes in the opener against Cape Verde after recovering from a hamstring injury. And I think once he enters the pitch, he won’t look back and will deliver everything we have all come to expect. McIntyre: Still only 18, he’s arguably the best player in the world as it is. He’s also expected to be healthy by the time Spain kicks off its World Cup campaign against Cape Verde in Atlanta on June 15. We saw his ability to rise to the occasion in a major tournament at 16; that spectacular goal in the Euro 2024 semis was the difference between Spain and France, putting the team on course to defeat England in the final. Now, he gets to perform on the biggest stage for the first time. Barring an injury setback, he has the ability and mentality to make an even bigger impact this summer. Litman: De la Fuente has said that the 18-year-old superstar will be ready for their opener vs. Cape Verde on June 15, but we’ll see. Even so, whenever he returns to the pitch, there is no doubt that he’ll light this summer’s tournament on fire (as long as he doesn’t experience any setbacks). Yamal Odds to Win Golden Ball: +800 Sciaretta: At long last, Haaland will get to play in a major international tournament with Norway. It is hard to see anyone at the World Cup more motivated than him. Haaland has been one of the best forwards of his generation, but to win a Golden Boot or Golden Ball, a player needs to go far. Fortunately, Norway has a solid supporting cast that includes Martin Ødegaard, Alexander Sørloth and Antonio Nusa. A full-strength Norwegian team can go far, and Haaland has all the ability to thrive this summer. The biggest concern, however, is the heat. Haaland Odds to Win Golden Ball: +2800 Q: Who Is Your Pick To Win The Golden Boot (Most Goals Scored)? Bonetti: The England star comes into this tournament as the most in-form and clinical finisher in the world. The prolific season he just had in the Bundesliga defies footballing logic. The reality of this 48-team World Cup is that he’ll be facing some weak defenses throughout the tournament. All he needs is a sliver of space and the ball is in. Echegaray: Everything goes through the English captain to the point that I think his teammates are often overly reliant on him. As a result, he will have multiple opportunities to score. This is a group (Croatia, Ghana and Panama) that is doable without being stepped over, but Kane — who won the Golden Boot in 2018 — will do it again as he enters Ballon d’Or territory. All he needs is to take the Three Lions to the promised land. Kane Odds to Win Golden Boot: +700 Sciaretta: While Kane is the popular pick, I am going with Oyarzabal, who has been in absolutely terrific form with Spain. He enters the tournament having scored in six straight games for the national team. In 2025 and 2026, Oyarzabal has 12 goals in 12 games. This Spanish team has the ability to make a deep run at the World Cup, which should give Oyarzabal plenty of games to score. Oyarzabal to Win Golden Boot: +1100 McIntyre: As prolific a scorer as the French superstar has been at club level, Mbappé always takes it to another level on the global stage. He was already one of the best World Cup players ever at age 23, having scored four times as a teenager as Les Bleus won the title in 2018, then followed that up with eight four years later — including a hat trick in the final — to win the Golden Boot in a losing effort in Qatar. Mbappé’s goals-per-game average of .86 is tied with the legendary Pelé for the highest in tournament history for anyone who’s played more than 10 matches. He also plays on a better team than Kane, meaning he should be in the tournament longer and hasn’t even hit his prime. This one’s a no-brainer for me. Litman: It doesn’t even matter how his club season ended; Mbappé will turn it on at the World Cup. How could anyone forget his hat trick in the 2022 World Cup final (even though France still lost to Argentina)? He’s magic on the world’s biggest stage and even if some are sour on Les Bleus right now, Mbappé will probably change those opinions ASAP. Mbappé Odds to Win Golden Boot: +600 Q: Who Is Your Pick To Win The Golden Glove (Best Goalkeeper)? Sciaretta: Spain should feel confident heading into this tournament as the team has quality options in every position, including in goal, where Unai Simón has been stellar in recent years, winning the UEFA Nations League in 2022-23 and Euro 2024, where he turned in first-rate performances. He has just too much momentum to not be the favorite. Echegaray: You have to be pretty special to keep David Raya out of goal. As Luis De La Fuente’s first choice, he is magnificent in two categories: shot-stopping and distribution. Spain’s winnable group and a predicted deep run should make the Athletic Club stopper my frontrunner for the award. Litman: He’s undeniable and playing for the best team in the tournament. He’s not new to performing on the big stage, coming off masterclasses at both the Nations League and Euro 2024. This is Spain’s time, and he’ll be a major reason why. Simón Odds to Win Golden Glove: +450 Bonetti: One of the best keepers in the world, the France No. 1 is up there with German legend Manuel Neuer as the best in his position with the ball at his feet. He also has world-class reflexes and elite athleticism in goal. Add to that an imposing French defensive wall in front of him, and I can’t see “Magic Mike” conceding too much during the tournament. McIntyre: Again, individual awards tend to go to players on teams that make deep runs, and after reaching consecutive finals at the last two World Cups, most expect France to reach at least the semis this time around. That will be in no small part due to the AC Milan man if it happens. As stellar a career as former keeper Hugo Lloris was, Maignan is an upgrade. He might already be the world’s best keeper, and I look forward to seeing him prove it in front of a global audience this summer. Maignan Odds to Win Golden Glove: +600 Q: What’s A World Cup Storyline To Keep An Eye On? Sciaretta: American public enthusiasm. When the United States was announced as one of the co-hosts of the tournament and the country where most games would be played, there was talk about whether this would take the sport to the next level in the USA. The 1994 edition was a big success, and it was the first exposure to the game for many in the country. But now there have been at least two generations who have grown up with the sport in the mainstream. How will the country this time embrace the tournament? How will they embrace the U.S. team? Will this tournament lay the foundation for continued growth? Will more kids be inspired to play? Will the public watch the game not as a novelty but with more technical sophistication? Echegaray: Brazil’s quest for a sixth star. The five-time World Cup champions have been underwhelming in recent years, including qualifiers, but there’s something about manager Carlo Ancelotti that’s beginning to turn me into a believer. Can Brazil end its 24-year drought and win a sixth title? I’ll be there on Saturday for its group-stage opener against Morocco. Excited to see how this team begins its tournament against a strong opponent. Brazil Odds to Win Title: +950 Bonetti: Aging legends. The most recognizable players at this World Cup are Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar. All three are in the twilight of their career. Will they deliver? Messi looks the most poised to help Argentina win. Debates are raging in Portugal about whether Ronaldo should even start. Meanwhile, Neymar is banged up and wasn’t expected to play more than a rotation role anyway. McIntyre: The other host nations. In the U.S., it’s easy to forget that we’re sharing this World Cup with our neighbors, Canada and Mexico. The U.S. is hosting 75 percent of the games, including every knockout match after the round of 16 — including the final that will be just outside New York. But Mexico City’s iconic stadium will become the first venue to host games at a third World Cup and first since 1986, which was also the last time El Tri reached the quarterfinals. Canada will make some history of its own the next day, when it stages a match at the planet’s biggest event for the first time. The Reds scored their first World Cup goal four years ago in Qatar. Starting in Toronto against Bosnia and Herzegovina, Canada will be aiming for its first win. Litman: Water breaks. It’s totally understandable why FIFA has implemented the new rule, especially during a World Cup in the U.S. in the middle of summer. However, the break can be used as a competitive advantage, and teams can change their tactics and coaches can talk to players when they’d otherwise have to wait until halftime. Some coaches have been critical about how this disrupts the flow of the game by essentially turning the halves into quarters like basketball or football. Q: Who’s A Breakout World Cup Player To Watch? Echegaray: The 17-year-old Mexican teenager will make history when/if he enters the pitch against South Africa and will become the youngest member of El Tri to ever feature at a World Cup. But he is more than appearance records. Mora, reportedly wanted by major European clubs such as Real Madrid, could be the game changer Mexico desperately needs in order to break the curse of the ‘quinto partido.’ He is recuperating from a hamstring injury, so hopefully he will be 100 percent to go. Mora Odds to Win Young Player Award: +3500 Bonetti: While Yulee, Florida, isn’t exactly a hotbed for soccer talent, it’s where the Ivorian-born 19-year-old winger started his footballing journey. He’s since moved across the pond to the Bundesliga, where he’s had a breakout season at RB Leipzig. With 13 goals and 10 assists in all competitions, he had an impressive campaign. He’ll be a player that a lot of fans learn about very quickly. Diomande Odds to Win Young Player Award: +2000 McIntyre: As the team’s best player not named Alphonso Davies or Jonathan David, Koné is quietly coming off a terrific season for Sassuolo in Italy’s Serie A. If Canada is to win its first World Cup game ever this summer and then qualify for the knockout stage — coach Jesse Marsch’s stated goal — expect the Ivory Coast-born, Montreal-raised Koné to play a central role. Sciaretta: The 18-year-old holding midfielder is one of the most talented teenagers at this World Cup. Born in France, Bouaddi previously represented French youth teams but made the switch to represent Morocco just last month. He has already featured recently in key World Cup tune-ups and looks as if he could start or at least play a lot in the group stage games. Bouaddi has had a meteoric rise at club level with Lille, playing first-team games since he was 16 and starting in a win over Real Madrid in the Champions League on his 17th birthday. It is only a matter of time before he is playing for an elite club and Bouaddi is going to be a key part of Morocco’s midfield for years to come. Litman: We don’t know whether he’ll be starting for the U.S. yet, but we do know that manager Mauricio Pochettino loves the midfielder and what he brings to this team. He’s got that grit and passion Pochettino looks for, and he’s excellent when it comes to set pieces. He’ll almost certainly be in position to give the U.S. an edge with his delivery at some very important moment during this tournament. Q: Aside from Messi and Ronaldo, Who Else Are We Excited To See? Echegaray: Let me explain one thing everyone should know about Colombia at this World Cup: Due to the tremendous support in the U.S., Los Cafeteros will feel very much like the home team when they play, and I think the skinny, lightning-strike Díaz has the chance to light it up at this tournament. I talked to Lucho back in December, and he told me he has never felt freer to be his own self on the pitch. The stage is set for him to continue this feeling. Díaz Odds to Win Golden Ball: +6500 Litman: This is his moment, and he knows it. At this point, Pulisic has long been the face of the team, but this World Cup on home soil has everything at stake for him and his legacy. Thankfully for the Americans, he seems to have found his form after the last two friendlies. Can he keep it going and lead the USA to glory? Sciaretta: The Hershey, Pennsylvania, native carries with him the hopes of the co-host nation. He is the most accomplished American player ever at the club level, and he can be the driving force that energizes the country to rally behind the national team. The caveat, of course, is that he has struggled to score in 2026. It wasn’t until May 31 in a friendly against Senegal that he finally found the back of the net in this calendar year. If he plays well, the U.S. team plays well and that could bring a lot of energy to this World Cup. Pulisic Odds to Win Golden Ball: +10000 McIntyre: Although we’ve seen for a few years now just how special the youngster is, this will be his first World Cup. And with all respect to the Euros, it’s on this stage where stars can truly become icons. Yamal and Mbappé are the obvious successors to Messi and Ronaldo, but the former has already done it all at the World Cup. Now, the latter will get his chance. I’m fascinated to see if he can take his game to another level still. Yamal Odds to Win Golden Ball: +800 Bonetti: How is it possible that defenders know exactly what he’s trying to do, but they can’t stop it? When he gets the ball, Olise always cuts it onto his left foot and tries the top post curler. We can see it coming. The defender knows it’s coming. It doesn’t matter. Olise finds angles and corridors to the goal that shouldn’t be there. He’s a magician with the ball, and he’ll continue his world-class Bayern Munich form. Olise Odds to Win Golden Ball: +900 Q: Make Your Pick! The World Cup Winner Will Be ___. Echegaray: I am going to echo the Euros from 2024 and naively predict that England will make the final against Spain. But on this occasion, I am going to act even more foolishly and proclaim that it is indeed … [don’t say it, LME] … without a doubt [stop it right now] … coming home. I’ll get my coat. England Odds to Win Title: +700 Bonetti: I will counter that naivety about England bringing it home with a more realistic scenario: France is getting it done. Les Bleus have a bitter taste from the 2022 final in Qatar. The squad is stacked across the board. The attacking talent is outrageous. As an Italian, I’ll never say “Allez Les Bleus,” but I’ll happily pat myself on the back when it’s all said and done. France Odds to Win Title: +475 McIntyre: As much as I’d love to see a new country like Portugal win it all — and it could — for the first time, Spain and France are the best two teams in the competition for me by some distance. But don’t sleep on Argentina, though; having witnessed it win the World Cup and Copa América in person over the last four years, I’ve seen up close how tough it is to eliminate. Playing in the U.S. should also be an advantage for Messi & Co., because they won’t suffer from the heat the way their European counterparts — England especially — might. Argentina Odds to Win Title: +950 Litman: I like Spain over Argentina. Four years ago, we got Lionel Messi vs. Kylian Mbappé. This time, I think we’ll get Messi (who will be 39 years old by the time the World Cup final arrives) vs. Lamine Yamal (who will have just turned 19). Sciaretta: I wish I could go out on a limb, but I cannot. In the end, talent will prevail, and I also have Spain but over France in a close final. There are fun long-shot picks, like Norway, but the depth isn’t there. There is the appeal of Argentina and Messi, but the team is relying too much on the 2022 players, who are now older. Spain is the best team and France has the most talent. It would be a great final. Spain Odds to Win Title: +450​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

Twelve teams will be at the World Cup from North and South America. I have the reigning champions as the best. Argentina will be one of the teams to beat at this World Cup, with Lionel Messi returning to defend the trophy he led his country to back in the winter of 2022. There are other teams from Central America and South America, though, that could also be a spoiler at this tournament. Here’s how I rank all 12 teams from the Americas ahead of Mexico’s World Cup opener on Thursday against South Africa. If there was a trophy for the team that will bring the best vibes to the World Cup this summer, it’s Curaçao. You see the players’ training entrances and dancing, their traveling school bus — it’s absolutely epic. They’ll make the most of the tournament on and off the pitch from an experience standpoint and hopefully from a playing perspective. Most of the players are from the Netherlands, so there will be a solid base for this squad that ultimately lacks international experience. (I’m also hoping to vacation in Curaçao after the tournament.) Curaçao Odds to Win Title: +250000 Obviously, Panama got a tough group with England, Croatia and Ghana. This team will be leaning heavily on midfielder Adalberto Carrasquilla and Aníbal Godoy, who plays for San Diego FC and has 159 international caps to his name. Panama will have to be solid defensively against three strong opponents with no lapses in concentration. Also, on a positive note, the warm climate won’t affect them. Panama has stumped teams in the past in CONCACAF, so I wouldn’t count them out, but making real noise in this tournament will be a difficult task. Set pieces will be key. Keep an eye out for that Croatia game. I think Panama could pull off a surprise. Panama Odds to Win Title: +100000 Haiti could surprise some people here. It has had some solid results in friendlies, including a 4-0 win over New Zealand back on June 2. Also, Haiti will have a potential home-field advantage in the U.S. with a lot of fans at every game. Don’t rule this team out. Haiti Odds to Win Title: +250000 Paraguay is back at the World Cup for the first time since 2010, when it made the quarterfinals in South Africa. It will have a big defensive focus, but it could have some flaws where it lacks concentration when the game is in transition. I also could see the Paraguayans struggling to score. Overall, this is the most direct team in South America with the fewest passes in CONMEBOL qualifying, so it won’t need many passes to score. Paraguay also had the most tackles of any team in its 18 qualifiers. Paraguay Odds to Win Title: +30000 Under head coach Jesse Marsch, the high press is going to be Canada’s biggest strength. It could also be its biggest weakness, though, if it can’t sustain it for the entirety of a game against quality opposition later in the tournament. Canada will have to take advantage of playing its group games in its home country. Alphonso Davies will be the clear generator of chances going forward, but is the Bayern Munich man 100 percent healthy and in form? Whether that’s the case for the entirety of the tournament will determine how successful Canada can be. Canada Odds to Win Title: +20000 The first thing I think of with Mexico is inconsistency, both in terms of coaching and personnel. You never quite know what you’re going to get with El Tri. Goalkeeper will be a question going into the tournament. Chivas keeper Raul Rangel will start, but I will be patiently awaiting some magic from potential memorable Memo Ochoa moments and Memo memorabilia. Going forward, there will be a lot of pressure on strikers Santiago Giménez and Raúl Jiménez to score the big goals. Mexico Odds to Win Title: +6500 Can Bielsa ball prove itself on the world’s greatest stage? Manager Marcelo Bielsa always emphasizes the high press and aggression, which are already part of the garra charrúa mentality. There has been talk of friction in the squad, which is alarming, but it’s time for the leaders to get this team going without the likes of Luis Suárez, Edinson Cavani and Diego Godín. Eyes will be on Real Madrid star Federico Valverde, who will provide the most experience in this squad. There is also a big question about defender Ronald Araújo coming back from injury. Despite some noteworthy defeats over the past 12 months, specifically a 5-1 loss to the U.S. in the fall, I still think Uruguay can become a tournament team that is sound defensively and aggressive enough to pull off some impressive results. Uruguay Odds to Win Title: +6500 I have the U.S. as my dark horse. Having followed it throughout the past four years, it’s been great to see how head coach Mauricio Pochettino and his coaching staff have integrated the importance of culture with intensity. Entering the tournament, we saw two strong performances and that mentality come together against Senegal and Germany. The U.S. is trending upward entering the World Cup. Folarin Balogun is a potential breakout star in this tournament. He’s such a dynamic player and a constant threat who does well in front of goal, consistently putting himself in so many good positions while playing with a defender on his back. He is also the first line of defense for the U.S. in its press. I’m really excited to see how Balogun links up with Christian Pulisic. A key player is going to be Weston McKennie in midfield. He’s coming off a really good season with Juventus in Italy and can play so many positions between the midfield and attack. Having his experience in midfield, where it looks like he’ll play, will be very valuable. Two other names I’m looking forward to watching: Antonee Robinson and Sebastian Berhalter. I’m looking forward to seeing Robinson in this U.S. attack, especially after his banger of a goal against Germany. For Berhalter, can he be a starter in this team? He’s a fantastic story, the coach’s kid who watched his dad coach at the last tournament. I’m a big fan of him. Lastly, the position that’s a worry for me going into the tournament: goalkeeper. Matt Freese will be the most inexperienced goalkeeper in recent memory at a World Cup if he’s the starter. I hope he has a good tournament and enters the tournament with great confidence. USA Odds to Win Title: +6000 Ecuador finished second in CONMEBOL qualifying and is very solid defensively. Midfielder Moises Caicedo has grown into a leader and has made an incredible impact both at the international level and for his club, Chelsea. Ecuador might lack quality in attack, but striker Enner Valencia is capable of popping up with a big goal. This team’s biggest strength is defensively, and those kinds of teams tend to do well at the tournament level. Ecuador’s opening match is at New York/New Jersey Stadium, and I can’t wait to see the entire stadium looking yellow against Germany on June 25. Ecuador Odds to Win Title: +8000 ¡Si si, Colombia si si caribe! Obviously, this is the country of my roots. Colombia is a team that is vibrant, technical, loves possession and has the biggest threat this World Cup will have going forward in winger Luis Díaz. He was a great player at Liverpool and is coming off a sensational first season at Bayern Munich. James Rodríguez hasn’t had consistency at the club level, but that’s nothing new. He always shows up for the national team when it matters most. I have worries about this team defensively, which we saw in a friendly against Costa Rica on June 1, which Colombia won, 3-1. At times, the Colombian defense lacked the necessary concentration and consistency at the back line. Also, goalkeeping is a potential concern. Colombia Odds to Win Title: +4000 Brazil was not very good in World Cup qualifying, finishing fifth in CONMEBOL. This team was very inconsistent, finding themselves in a lot of trouble on both ends of the pitch. Vini Jr. is obviously who this team is going to lean on heavily in attack, and Raphinha has become a major player for them since he moved to Barcelona two years ago. Can those two combine to power the Brazil attack? In defense, Brazil has solid center backs in Gabriel and Marquinhos, but this team is overall not as strong as previous eras. That doesn’t mean that this team is not going to be a threat, especially under experienced manager Carlo Ancelotti. A foreign manager has never won the World Cup, but this is the type of coach with an extremely impressive résumé who could become the first. A key player to watch for Brazil is 19-year-old Endrick. We talk up a lot of young players in this tournament, like Jamal Musiala for Germany or Lamine Yamal for Spain, but I think Endrick has great potential and could be the future of Brazil – starting with this tournament. Brazil Odds to Win Title: +950 The last time a team won back-to-back World Cups was 1958 and 1962, when Pele led Brazil. Is the motivation going to be there for Argentina? The majority of the players in this squad were there in 2022. Argentina still has a very strong roster at a time when Lionel Messi is not at the same peak level he was in 2022. He’s still putting up strong numbers for Inter Miami, though, and will be the leader for this team. It’s worth noting that goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez is dealing with a hand injury right now, which isn’t great for that position entering a tournament. Another key player to watch is striker Julian Alvarez, who has been linked with a move to Real Madrid from Atlético Madrid, which I hope doesn’t happen as a fan. He’s a very creative player and such a goal threat, including on set pieces as an incredible free-kick taker. There’s no doubting Argentina’s talent. It’s just a matter of whether this team will go full throttle to win this tournament again. Argentina Odds to Win Title: +950​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

At long last, the 2026 FIFA World Cup gets underway. All eyes will be on Thursday’s opening slate as tournament co-host Mexico faces a lot of pressure after an unsuccessful 2022 campaign in Qatar that saw it get knocked out in the group stage. “El Tri” will open against South Africa at Mexico City Stadium, which will become the first venue to host games at three different men’s World Cup tournaments. The nightcap will be at Guadalajara Stadium, where South Korea will take on a Czechia team making its first World Cup appearance since 2006. Here’s what you need to know about Thursday’s matches: How to Watch Following Mexico’s embarrassing suspension from the 1990 World Cup, “El Tri” advanced out of the group stages in the next seven World Cups. That run was snapped in Qatar four years ago when the team finished with four points but finished behind runners-up Poland on goal differential in Group C. Mexico playing at home is a different story. The furthest that Mexico has ever gone in the World Cup was to the quarterfinals in 1970 and 1986, which coincidentally are the two times it has hosted the tournament. The center of it all is the newly renovated Mexico City Stadium, which is one of the sport’s all-time great venues. It is not just where Mexico has been its most successful, but it’s also where Pele and Diego Maradona were crowned World Cup champions. The pressure facing Mexico, currently 14th in the FIFA World Rankings, to win at least one game in the knockout rounds is immense. Javier Aguirre will coach Mexico for this third time in the World Cup after leading the team in 2002 and 2010 where they lost to the United States and Argentina, respectively, in the Round of 16. He currently has the Mexican team playing great soccer as “El Tri” has not lost in eight games in 2026. That run includes impressive draws against Belgium and Portugal in March, and a 1-0 win over Australia and a 5-1 win over Serbia in its two recent tune-up friendlies. In 2025, Mexico swept through the CONCACAF competitions, winning the Nations League and the Gold Cup. Awaiting Mexico on Thursday will be South Africa, in a game that mirrors the opening game of the 2010 World Cup when Bafana Bafan hosted “El Tri” in a 1-1 draw in Johannesburg. South Africa enters this game as the underdog. Currently 60th in the FIFA World Rankings, South Africa has never advanced to the knockout stages of the World Cup. Bafana Bafana’s only three appearances in the tournament ended in the group stage in 1998, 2002, and 2010 as hosts. South Africa qualified for the World Cup by winning Group C of the CAF qualifying tournament. This achievement was even more impressive given that South Africa was penalized for fielding an ineligible player in a 2-0 win over Lesotho. As a result, Lesotho were awarded a 3-0 win. But South Africa still finished one point above Nigeria to top the group for automatic qualification. Coached by Belgian Hugo Broos, South Africa enters this game playing poorly. Earlier in the year, its African Cup of Nations run ended unconvincingly in the Round of 16. In the March friendlies, the team drew and lost in two games against Panama. The tune-up friendlies saw the team play only marginally better with a 0-0 draw against Nicaragua followed by a 1-0 win over Jamaica. Player to Watch The Chicago native and former U.S. youth international has been a great pickup for Mexico since wooing him away from its northern rivals at the end of 2025. The Chivas midfielder has appeared in seven games for “El Tri” in 2026 and has immediately made himself important to Aguirre’s plans. In those seven games, Mexico has not lost and Gutierrez has two goals along with an assist. In the final tune-up last week, Mexico defeated Serbia 5-1 and Gutierrez was arguably the best player in the field, assisting on Mexico’s first goal. Now, Gutierrez will likely be tasked with helping to control the midfield in the World Cup opener. How to Watch South Korea will open its 11th consecutive World Cup appearance on Tuesday night at Guadalajara Stadium when the Taegeuk Warriors take on Czechia, who will be making its first appearance at the World Cup since 2006. Ranked No. 25 in the FIFA Rankings, South Korea has every reason to feel confident heading into this tournament as the team went undefeated in World Cup qualifying, winning 11 and drawing five out of the 16 games. Hong Myung-bo will coach South Korea for the second time at a World Cup after previously leading the 2014 campaign where the team failed to get out of the group stage. Hong took the job in 2024 after Jürgen Klinsmann was fired amid great publicity. As a player, Hong is considered the greatest defender in South Korea’s history and he finished with 136 appearances, including a run to the semifinals of the 2002 World Cup. As a manager, he led South Korea to the bronze medal at the 2012 Olympics. The expectations are high for South Korea at this World Cup given the strength of its World Cup qualifying record. But a hungry Czechia team awaits. Currently ranked 41st in the FIFA World Rankings, Czechia qualified for the World Cup in thrilling fashion through the UEFA playoffs in March, where they defeated the Republic of Ireland and Denmark, both via a shootout after each game ended 2-2. But Czechia also had a rough patch in qualifying that included a 5-1 loss to Croatia and a stunning 2-1 loss to the Faroe Islands. That loss saw head coach Ivan Hasek fired and eventually replaced by 74-year-old Miroslav Koubek at the end of 2025. Throughout its qualifying run, the Czechs thrived on set pieces with 50% of all goals coming from set pieces, including all four of their goals in the March playoffs. Czechia has been very inconsistent and very difficult to predict but its success in this tournament and in this opening game against South Korea will come down to set-pieces and whether South Korea can neutralize Czechia’s biggest strength. Player to Watch “Sonny” is the most decorated and most successful player in the history of Asian soccer. The 33-year-old forward has 144 appearances with South Korea where he has scored 56 goals and is now the team’s captain. Now playing for Los Angeles FC in MLS, Son achieved fame playing for major European clubs including German clubs Hamburg and Bayer Leverkusen before moving to Tottenham Hotspur, where he became a club legend. It was in North London where he won the Premier League Golden Boot for the 2021-22 season along with Mohamed Salah with 23 goals. The following season he scored his 100th Premier League goal and in 2023 he was named Tottenham’s captain. Son has been incredibly successful for South Korea’s national team, but he has never won a World Cup knockout game. For a player of his stature, that is the ultimate goal this summer and a win over Czechia would go a long way towards giving him the platform to do so.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

Long before he became the voice of college football Saturdays on FOX, Joel Klatt made a decision that only makes sense to anyone who grew up playing EA Sports College Football. During his freshman season at Colorado, Klatt was given No. 14 as a walk-on quarterback. He eventually had the opportunity to change it before becoming the Buffaloes’ starter the following year. He never did. The reason? He knew the video game would have Colorado’s starting quarterback wearing No. 14. Now, 23 years later, Klatt is the new color commentator in EA Sports College Football 27. We caught up with Klatt to get a behind-the-scenes look at how he became the voice of the game. What’s the story behind you becoming the voice of the new EA Sports college football game, and what was the process like from that first conversation to officially landing the role? The process was actually painless. EA contacted my agency, and they did a great job of fostering that relationship. It was pretty well set before I even knew about it. I was incredibly excited. We had a Zoom with some of the executives at EA, and from that point, we signed the deal and started scheduling recording sessions. You’ve spent years calling college football games. How different is it recording commentary for a video game versus calling a game in real-time on a college football Saturday? It’s so different calling games for the video game. I would spend all day in one recording session just calling touchdowns. You’re not actually calling a game in sequence. You’re just trying to just take each situation for its own and give a line for that situation. Typically, each situation will have variables. You can talk about the defensive perspective, the offensive perspective, or the player perspective.  It was very different and very compartmentalized, but it was certainly a cool experience. What was your familiarity with this game and was there a “this is actually happening” moment for you? I’m very familiar with the game. I’ve got three boys — 14, 12 and nine. They play the game. I played the game when it had its previous version. In fact, when I was playing at Colorado, they just gave me the number 14 when I walked on, and I had the option to switch my jersey number before my sophomore year, which was going to be my first year as the starting quarterback. But I didn’t change my number because I knew the game would have my No. 14 as the starting quarterback at Colorado. I’ve loved the game for a long time, and there was certainly part of me that, as I was recording, was thinking to myself, ‘I can’t believe I’m actually doing this.’ What actually went into becoming the voice of the game — from the recording sessions, to the scripting, to trying to make reactions sound natural for so many different in-game moments? We did a lot of hard work. My first question to the folks at EA was if there was going to be AI support. They made it very clear that this was all going to be essentially manual. I would have recording sessions two hours at a time, and since they were based in Orlando, they came out and set up a little sound booth in my house. I would get on Zoom two to three times per week, typically at 6 a.m., and we would go through our sessions. I wanted to get in as many sessions as I could possibly get in before the game went to market. This was a lot of hard work. I think we ended up doing close to 90 hours of recording and thousands of lines, but it was certainly fun. They would send me a script, and the script was basically just situations. I didn’t think I would do well just reading lines, so I started just getting situations. I would talk about the offensive line, the running backs fighting for extra yards and being able to move the chains. And that’s how it went. With everything you learned working on the game, if you had to pick one team right now to win a national title in EA Sports College Football 27, who are you taking and why? From what I know about the game and some of the player ratings after the transfer portal, I know that Ohio State is going to be very good in the game. I think Indiana is going to be very good. I know Oregon is going to be very good, and Texas. Basically, they kind of nailed what a preseason top 10 would look like. So, any of those teams, I think, will have a great chance to win a national championship. Where does becoming the voice of this game rank among the coolest experiences you’ve had in your career covering college football — and did it hit you at any point just how big of a deal this is for fans? I’ve been so fortunate in this career, and done a lot of incredible things, even outside of college football. I got to call the U.S. Open and interview the players after they finished 18 at Pebble Beach. That was incredible. I’ve done studio shows at the Super Bowl when I was a host. I’ve called Big Ten championship games and Michigan vs. Ohio State. I will tell you that this absolutely ranks up there as one of the highlights of my career. It’s such an iconic brand and game. They do such an incredible job honoring college football. They love college football, and to be a part of that team and to further something that is really special in our space is a real highlight. It’s certainly one of the best things that I’ve ever done in my career. This is very cool.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

Tim Ream gets wrapped up in a bear hug. Mark McKenzie is dapped up. Tim Weah has a special handshake. Every time U.S. men’s national team players get off the bus — whether it’s arriving at a training or for a game — they’re greeted by their biggest hype man, Harris Patel. “He’s barking, he’s hugging you, he’s dapping you up, he’s picking you up,” McKenzie told me before a recent pre-World Cup training session. “That shock to the nervous system is sometimes necessary. It shows how much he cares about this team.” “And it’s times 10 on game day,” Christian Roldan added. Patel is on staff for his second consecutive World Cup as one of the U.S. squad’s athletic trainers. The USA starts its campaign vs. Paraguay on Friday at Los Angeles Stadium (9 p.m. ET on FOX/FOX One and streaming for free on Tubi). But it would be doing Patel and the team a disservice if he was simply described as one of their physios. “He’s an energy guy,” said Weston McKennie, who sometimes likes to joke with Harris and pretend he doesn’t see him while getting off the bus. “It’s like taking a shot of espresso getting off the bus. Whenever you may feel like you don’t have the energy or the jet lag is kicking in, he’s someone that sparks energy and wakes people up. “I always think that I’m the energy guy of the group. But then he always tops me.” Patel, who U.S. Soccer did not make available for this story, has been with the team since before the 2022 World Cup. He’s also served at five Olympic Games and 10 World Championships with USA Track and Field, and he was one of a select few trainers inside the NBA Bubble during the COVID pandemic. His resume includes stints with the New York Jets and the Indianapolis Colts, as well as the Alabama and Georgia football programs. Most importantly, to his athletes, he’s their guy. “That man is an energizer bunny,” said Ream, who joked that Patel’s hugs are so strong that they give him a good back crack. “He brings such an infectious positive energy. He comes in the morning ready to go, pumping guys up, getting guys really ready to put their best foot forward and put them in a place where they feel comfortable and welcome. And he transfers that energy to each of us every single day.” Added Weah: “He’s like a dad to all of us. We call him Unc. Just the energy that he brings, the vibes daily, keeping us on track. He’s our physio, so he keeps our bodies right. He has blessed hands, and he’s the guy to go to, and we love him so much.” ‘He’s The OG’ Patel grew up about 30 miles northeast of Atlanta in Suwanee and attended the University of Georgia in the late ’90s. As a college freshman, he was part of the first athletic training and sports medicine programs there, which is where he met his mentor, Ron Courson. Courson, now Georgia’s Executive Associate Athletic Director for Health and Performance, spent decades leading the school’s sports medicine efforts after becoming Director of Sports Medicine in 1995. He has also worked at multiple Olympic Games and helped shape health and safety policies throughout the NCAA, SEC and NFL. He knew right away that Patel was special. “One thing about Harris is, he’s all in,” Courson told me by phone. “He really buys a team concept. He’s got a tremendous work ethic, and he’s going to do whatever it takes to help athletes get well. “He has an engaging personality and is really dedicated to learning more and trying to grow in the profession.” Patel was a student trainer at Georgia before getting his masters at Alabama, where he specifically helped out the softball team as a graduate assistant. After two years in Tuscaloosa, he returned to Courson’s staff in Athens. He later went to physician assistant school at Emory University and has crafted a unique business in concierge sports medicine that’s allowed him to work with a variety of prestigious organizations and famous athletes. What makes Patel so endearing, though, is the way he connects with people. He’s the type of guy who says hello in a hotel lobby and then immediately introduces you to the two colleagues he’s meeting for breakfast. He’s the one roaming the U.S. training field with water bottles in hand, shouting encouragement — “Let’s go!” — with a huge smile on his face. He also makes a point of paying it forward. Courson said Patel will return to Georgia this fall to speak with student athletic trainers about careers in Olympic sports medicine. And those relationships don’t end when athletes leave camp. Patel stays in touch with players no matter where they are in the world. When Weah and McKenzie are back with their clubs in France — at Marseille and Toulouse, respectively — Patel regularly checks in, sending texts to see how they’re doing physically and mentally. “HP, he’s the OG,” McKenzie said. “He’s someone special. When you have somebody who truly cares about you, not just from an athletic perspective but also on a personal level, it’s huge. That shows the kind of staff that we have.” ‘Always On The Cutting Edge’ So much of the focus ahead of this summer’s World Cup is about the 26 players on the USA roster. But manager Mauricio Pochettino has expressed his gratitude for staffers behind the scenes like Patel. “You can never find words or money to reward their effort,” Pochettino said during a press conference earlier this month. “I think we have a staff that for sure can compete to win the World Cup. Now we need to translate that energy and everything they provide the players to help the players win.” Aside from his warm demeanor and outgoing personality, Courson says another thing that sets Patel apart is his commitment to learning more about his own profession. For example: A couple weeks ago, he introduced Courson to a pair of innovative “core shorts” he discovered during a trip overseas. The compression style shorts help manage groin and core muscle issues, which is particularly helpful for soccer and football players who are prone to soft tissue injuries. This model had new technology that Patel was eager to try out. “I think Harris is one of those people who is always on the cutting edge,” said Courson, who visited Patel at U.S. Soccer’s new National Training Center before the team left for the World Cup. “Sometimes you get accustomed to doing things one way, and one of the unique things working with the Olympics or the World Cup and having the ability to do international travel is you get exposed to different concepts, you meet different people, and that’s how you get new ideas. “Harris is always finding new ideas and not only using them himself, but sharing them with other people. And that’s how we all get better.” While players love being around Patel, seeing him often means something has gone wrong, whether it’s a minor knock or a more serious injury. It helps that he’s one of the friendliest faces around the team. “I don’t know anybody who ever met Harris and didn’t love him,” Courson said. “Sports medicine is tough because most everybody who comes into the training room comes there because they have a problem. You have a responsibility to take care of them and help them with what they’re dealing with. “And to have somebody who is always positive, who cares about you not just as an athlete but as a person, I think that’s one of the most engaging qualities.”​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

U.S. Men’s National Team Training Base (IRVINE, Calif.) — There was no tape supporting his sore left ankle. There was no ice on it, no limp as he walked toward a microphone in front of several dozen reporters, no indication at all that Chris Richards — the United States World Cup team’s top defender — was anything other than 100 percent ahead of the Americans tournament opener up the coast at Los Angeles Stadium in Inglewood on Friday against Paraguay. OK, maybe not 100 percent. But Richards insisted on Wednesday that he’s healthy and available to start. “I’m feeling good,” the Alabama-born center back said when asked if he’s recovered from the injury he suffered playing for English Premier League club Crystal Palace last month. “Maybe it’s a little swollen, [but] I’m ready.” As if Richards was ever going to miss the World Cup opener. He was expected to anchor the USA’s back line at global soccer’s last quadrennial showpiece four years ago in Qatar, only to be felled by a torn hamstring that forced him to watch the Americans’ run to the knockout stage from his couch. His return is a godsend for a Stars and Stripes squad that has leaked preventable goals in each if its last two matches without him, conceding twice in each of their pre-World Cup games against Senegal and Germany. For the U.S. to have a long stay on home soil — the U.S. is co-hosting this summer’s event with Canada and Mexico — having the steady, hard-tackling Richards on the field will be essential. The fact is the Americans got lucky. When he had to be taken off the field on a stretcher during Palace’s 2-2 tie with Brentford on May 17, both he and U.S. fans were worried that Richards would miss a second consecutive World Cup. “I was pretty devastated,” he said. “I feared the worst.” Once he realized the ailment would only sideline him for weeks rather than months, there was only one question in his mind. “How do I get ready to play against Paraguay?” The answer involved almost around-the-clock rehab. “That’s what I’ve been doing for 24 hours [a day],” he said. “Whatever it takes to be available.” While the ankle still isn’t quite in pre-injury condition, Richards has been involved fully in training over the last three days with no restrictions or problems afterward. “And I think y’all have seen the intensity of our practices” under Argentine coach Mauricio Pochettino, he joked. “Part of playing the sport is you’re gonna have some pain at some point,” he said. “I’m totally OK with that as long as functionally I’m good.” Now that he is, Ricahrds teammates are thrilled to have him back. “He’s looked good,” forward Haji Wright said when I asked him how Richards has been training since the team becan working out here on Monday. “He hasn’t missed a beat.” “Chris is one of the most important players on the team,” added veteran fullback/winger Tim Weah. “Seeing him healthy and playing his best football is everything.” It also gives Pochettino’s squad another experienced, vocal leader in his lineup. “He’s just somebody who brings a lot of energy, whether it’s understanding when somebody needs to be able to step up or wake up, or when somebody needs an arm around their shoulders,” fellow central defender Mark McKenzie said of Richards. “He has a presence on the field.” That presence matters, former U.S. center back and National Soccer Hall of Famer Marcello Balboa told me Wednesday after watching his old squad train. “He’s an organizer,” Balboa said. “He’s good in the air, he’s good on set pieces, he’s a very physical guy, he can get into a tackle. “If you’re going to get out of the group, and you’re going to try to get deep in this tournament, the spine of the team has to be strong,” he continued. When you look at this team with Richards, when he’s healthy, he’s a guy that’ll just make that back line a little bit more solid, a little bit more secure.” After the Paraguay match, Richards will have a full week to rest and be ready for the second group stage contest, in Seattle versus Australia on June 19. He brushed aside any suggestion that playing in Friday’s curtain-raiser could jeopardize his health for the rest of the first round —and hopefully beyond. “If I’m making myself available,” said Richards, “It’s because they can trust me to play at 100 percent.”​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

The difference between the world’s best defenders and solid players is minimal. The traits that separate the elites from the pack aren’t physical, though. The world’s best defenders are going to be on display this summer at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The teams with the most stable backlines that avoid making crucial errors will be the ones that progress the furthest. So, what does it take to be one of the best? For me, there are three traits that separate impressive athletes from the best defenders in the world: awareness, positioning and mentality. Key Traits For Elite Soccer Defenders The best attacking players in the world can recognize the moments to pounce better than the rest. They see if someone is out of position, if they can time a run perfectly on someone’s back shoulder or identify where there’s even the tiniest bit of space that can be exploited. That comes down to soccer IQ, the ability to recognize a weakness in a split second. For a defender, you have to be absolutely tuned in and focused at every second. A big part of that is communication with the rest of your backline. You have to know where players on your weak side are or when runners are coming from another side of the pitch. When those things aren’t properly communicated, mistakes are going to happen and will likely be punished at the highest level. The end of the first half for the U.S. against Senegal is a great example. Antonee Robinson lost the ball further up the pitch with the Americans up, 2-0. That led to a counterattack for Senegal, which finished with a Sadio Mané goal that dampened the excitement on what otherwise was a great first half. One mistake, and you get punished by top players. A lot of players are very athletic and clearly quite good. You see those guys and think, “Hmm, I wonder what’s missing there.” Then you watch them on the pitch and see a mistake like I described above and think, “Oh, I get it now.” You see it all the time, when a defender falls asleep on the back post and an attacker runs in from their blindside to score. You wonder, “What are you doing?” You have to be alert at every moment. At the highest level, there’s simply a smaller margin for error. Being in the right position and knowing where you’re supposed to be can make up for a lot of other deficiencies. You don’t have to be the most athletic defender to succeed if you consistently find yourself in the right spots. My Favorite Defenders To Watch The first player is an easy answer for me: Virgil van Dijk. First off, I enjoy a center back who loves to be attack-minded and score a big goal on set pieces. Van Dijk has scored some massive goals in recent years at club level for Liverpool, and he’ll be a threat on corner and free kicks for the Netherlands at the World Cup. His ability to dominate in the air is a valuable skill on both ends of the pitch — and one that I can relate to and appreciate. Van Dijk is also very, very intelligent with his positioning. He’s very good tactically in terms of making sure he’s well-positioned. When he does get caught out, I think he’s more agile than people give him credit for. Hakimi has been so good at the club level and for Morocco over the majority of the past decade. He was a key player during Morocco’s run to the semifinals at the 2022 World Cup and when the country won a bronze medal at the 2024 Olympics. The Paris Saint-Germain right back is known for his attacking prowess with his impressive pace, but he’s so steady defensively. He picks the perfect moments to be aggressive but also knows when to keep it simple going forward and while defending. It’s obviously easier when you have the physical gifts that Hakimi has. He’s one of the fastest players who will be at the World Cup, but he also has impressive size for a fullback. Few defenders have had as much success at both the club and international level as Hakimi, who FOX Soccer ranked as the No. 8 player at the World Cup this summer. I’m surprised his name doesn’t come up more as an elite defender and in conversations of who some of the best in the world are.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

INDYCAR is known for having diverse drivers from countries all across the globe. So, to celebrate the 2026 FIFA World Cup — co-hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada — we choose the best INDYCAR driver from every country being represented in the momentous event. Obviously, not every country has had an INDYCAR driver, but we did our best when compiling this list. So here we go, by each World Cup group: GROUP A Enge competed in 17 races over three seasons with a best finish of fifth in the 2005 event at Sonoma Raceway. He also made three Formula 1 starts in his career. With 11 wins overall (eight with CART during the split and then three with INDYCAR), Fernandez is one of the most well-known racers from Mexico. When NASCAR went to Mexico City in the 2000s with what was then the Nationwide Series, Fernndez was the driver who was able to get a ride and generate excitement among the fan base. Scheckter won two INDYCAR races over a career that included 118 starts from 2002-11. His best finish was seventh in the standings in 2003 when he was driving for Chip Ganassi Racing. I couldn’t find an INDYCAR driver who was native to South Korea, but Choi competed in what is now the Indy NXT Series in 2015, 2016 and 2018. His best finish was sixth in Portland in 2018. GROUP B No drivers for Bosnia and Herzegovina or Qatar. This was a hard one. Paul Tracy or Jacques Villeneuve? And regards to James Hinchcliffe. However, the nod goes to Tracy and his 31 victories, including a seven-win season in 2003 when he captured the CART title. The only blemish is that he didn’t win an Indianapolis 500 (although he will contend that he did, it’s just not in the record book). Grosjean was born in Switzerland, although he races under France as his country. The former Formula 1 driver has six podiums in 71 career INDYCAR starts and currently drives for Dale Coyne Racing. GROUP C No drivers for Haiti or Morocco. There are plenty of Brazilian drivers who have competed in INDYCAR, but none have been as successful as Castroneves in the Indianapolis 500. That’s because no one else has been more successful in that particular race, with Castroneves tied for the record with four victories (2001, 2002, 2009, 2021). Castroneves won’t rule out another attempt for an Indy 500 win as he is a co-owner of Meyer Shank Racing. Overall, he has 31 victories and finished second in the standings twice. He’s tied for 11th all time in victories with Tracy and … Franchitti has 31 INDYCAR wins, four championships (2007, 2009, 2010 and 2011) and three Indianapolis 500 victories (2007, 2010 and 2012) for one of the most prolific careers in INDYCAR history. His 31 victories tie him for 11th all time with Tracy and Castroneves. He still works with Chip Ganassi Racing as a driver coach. GROUP D No drivers for Paraguay or Türkiye. Power ranks fourth all time with 45 career victories and has a record 71 poles. Power is a two-time series champion (2014, 2022) and won the 2018 Indianapolis 500. He plans to add to those numbers as a driver at Andretti Global. There is little doubt about this one, as Foyt is arguably the greatest driver in series history with a record 67 victories, including four wins in the Indianapolis 500 (1961, 1964 1967, 1977) and seven titles (1960-61, 1963-64, 1967, 1975, 1979). He also has the record (tied with Al Unser) for most victories in a season with 10. In 1964, he won seven consecutive races, which is a record. Group E No drivers for Curacao or Ivory Coast. There isn’t an Ecuadorian driver in INDYCAR, but Correa has competed in Indy NXT the last couple of years. He is eighth in the current standings. This was a tough choice because, obviously, Schumacher just started INDYCAR racing. Christian Danner did compete in a handful of races in the 2010s, but Schumacher is finishing on the lead lap more consistently. And the thinking is that the former F1 driver will improve his results as he gets more comfortable in his ride with Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing. GROUP F No driver for Tunisia. This is the Indy 500 group, as Sato also won the Indianapolis 500 twice (2017, 2020). He has six victories in his career and continues to seek a third Indy 500 win as he has driven for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing in recent Indy 500s. Luyendyk had seven career victories, but two of them came in the Indianapolis 500 (1990, 1997). He made 171 starts over a career that spanned 20 years. There have only been five drivers from Sweden who have competed in the Indianapolis 500 and three of them are Indy 500 winners — Brack, Marcus Ericsson and now this year’s victor, Felix Rosenqvist. Brack gets the nod here with nine career victories, including the 1998 Indy Racing League title. GROUP G No drivers for Egypt or Iran. Baugette competed in the 2010 INDYCAR season and placed seventh in the 2011 Indianapolis 500. Dixon was born in Australia and was raised in New Zealand, so we’re putting him here. He ranks second all time with 59 victories and six INDYCAR titles (2003, 2008, 2013, 2015, 2018 and 2020). He won the 2008 Indianapolis 500 from the pole. And he’s not done yet, as he continues to drive for Chip Ganassi Racing. GROUP H No drivers for Cape Verde or Saudi Arabia. Palou ranks in the top 20 in all-time career victories, as he started this year with 19. And the Chip Ganassi Racing driver already has four through the first eight races this season. He has four series titles (2021, 2023, 2024 and 2025) to go along with those victories. Also, Palou won the 2025 Indy 500. Rodríguez’s INDYCAR career makes some wonder what could have been. The Team Penske driver was killed in practice at Laguna Seca in what would have been his second career start in 1999. GROUP I No drivers for Senegal or Iraq. Bourdais ranks seventh with 37 career series victories and won four consecutive CART titles from 2004-07. Certainly some would say Simon Pagenaud should be on this list here with his 15 victories, including the 2019 Indianapolis 500 win, but Bourdais gets the nod. The 2026 INDYCAR rookie for Dale Coyne Racing and 2025 Indy NXT champion, Hauger is the first Norwegian driver in the series and is considered to have a bright future as an Andretti Global driver on loan to Coyne for this season. GROUP J No drivers for Algeria or Jordan. Fangio competed from 1995-97 in CART with his best finish being seventh in his debut at Mid-Ohio. He is the nephew of the five-time F1 champion Juan Manuel Fangio. Rindt, who was born in Germany but raised in Austria and raced under the Austrian flag, finished 24th in the 1967 Indianapolis 500. He competed in Formula 1 from 1964 until his death at Monza in 1970. GROUP K No drivers for Portugal, Democratic Republic of Congo or Uzbekistan. Montoya earned 15 victories, including two in the Indianapolis 500 (2000, 2015). He won seven of those races in the 1999 season, where he won the CART title. He potentially could have won more, but spent six seasons in Formula 1 and seven seasons in the NASCAR Cup Series. GROUP L No drivers for Croatia, Ghana or Panama. Wheldon won 16 races, including the Indianapolis 500 in 2005 and 2011. He won the title in 2005. He was killed in a crash in 2011 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. 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 and FS1 with every match streaming live and on-demand within both the FOX One and the FOX Sports apps.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports